Essential Oil Blends and Their Use in Aromatherapy

Posted on November 14, 2008
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People who seek aromatherapy treatments generally are looking for either a way to organically treat an emotional disturbance, or a way to enhance another alternative medical treatment. While the use of aromatherapy in conjunction with other alternative medicine therapies is generally overseen by the practitioner of the other therapy (i.e. an acupuncturist or a massage therapist), aromatherapy for emotional disturbance is generally applied at home.

This involves the study and correct use of different essential oils in blends that will help the person achieve the desired effect. Some of the most common blends are those used for energy, anxiety, insomnia and stress. Some stores sell pre-made blends for common ailments like these, and if you don’t have a lot of experience in blending oils this might be a good place to start. But for those who are more experienced with oils, blends can be made at home with a basic selection of essential oils.

Meditating On Meditation

Posted on November 12, 2008
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Meditation is the practice of concentrating one’s thoughts and awareness on a specific thought. This concentration may not seem like something that could in any way affect a person’s health, but in fact studies and thorough research has shown that in fact meditation can help improve a person’s health.

The most interesting physical benefit of meditation is improved cardiovascular health. There are many theories about why meditation helps the cardiovascular system, but one of the dominant theories is that the calming effect of meditation not only relaxes the mind, but it also relaxes the entire body. Over time, regular meditation can help a person’s heart to be healthier. Since heart disease is prevalent in both men and women, meditation is helpful for everyone. Of course, meditation also helps a myriad of other ailments by the same relaxation method.

Light Therapy as an Acne Treatment

Posted on November 10, 2008
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For those with severe acne problems, there are limited treatments. Some dermatologists prescribe certain acne drugs or acne facial soaps or other external treatments. But many dermatologists have taken to using blue light or red light therapies to treat acne.

Besides these two types of light, sunlight is the best acne treatment; but the UVA and UVB rays in sunlight are extremely damaging to the skin, especially during prolonged exposure. Since artificial UV didn’t work as well as real sunlight, blue and red visible rays were found to be effective and safer. These two lights actually have the ability to destroy the bacteria that cause acne in the skin. The prescribed therapy is generally 3 days of exposure; this can get rid of almost all (99.9%) of the bacteria in the skin. The only real precaution dermatologists need to take with this treatment is appropriate eye protection.

How Far are Herbs from Pharmaceuticals?

Posted on November 8, 2008
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The thought of using herbal medicines to treat colds, headaches, and even chronic illnesses can send the average person into a state of shock. The fact is that most people in Western countries think of herbs as the medicines of barbaric medieval surgeons and tribal “witch” doctors. But while this was and is certainly true, most of these people would be shocked to discover that many of the pharmaceuticals commonly used in Western medicine are derived from these same “barbaric” herbs.

Western medicine frequently uses herbs like digitalis and even opium to treat many of the medical complaints and illnesses of the average, modern person. Digitalis is actually a plant from the Scrophulariaceae biological family and is closely related to the common English foxglove plant. Opium is used to create many pain medications commonly prescribed for hospital patients; it is created from seed pods of the opium poppy.

Consistency and Reflexology

Posted on November 7, 2008
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With most therapies, whether they are traditional medical therapies, physical therapies, alternative therapies, or natural therapies, consistency is key. Keeping up with treatments that help you feel better and lessen or relieve your symptoms is the ideal way to help your body deal with an illness.

Reflexology, like other alternative therapies such as massage therapy, should be done regularly if the patient is to reap long-lasting benefits. In China, reflexology is done six times a week for a period of two weeks; then the patient is reevaluated to see what his or her status is. For home reflexology, it can be as easy as having your partner give you a hand massage every night before bed, or using a foot roller while you watch TV or eat dinner. The best way to boost the efficacy of reflexology is to do it consistently, even if that is only for five or ten minutes every day.

Herbally Alternative

Posted on November 4, 2008
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What is it about herbs and natural supplements that make so many doctors flinch? Is it that these supplements are actually not good for us, or is it something else? While some doctors are beginning to support patient use of herbal remedies such as Echinacea, others are highly opposed to the use of some of the most beneficial herbal supplements on the market.

There is some reason for caution on the part of the medical community: many of these herbal remedies have not been tested thoroughly by the FDA. However, many people claim that they will continue taking these herbal supplements despite the opinion of the FDA. So who is right? Many holistic practitioners feel that anything that seems to work does, in fact, work; therefore, there is no harm in drinking an herbal tea or taking a supplement to support and boost one’s immune system.

What Can I Treat With Iridology?

Posted on November 2, 2008
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There is a very simple answer for the above question: nothing. Iridology, which is a branch of alternative therapy that focuses on the eyes as a way of determining a patient’s health, is used for assessment only. It is a common misconception that Iridology is actually a practice used for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.

Probably one of the biggest reasons that Iridology is often misunderstood is because most of the other forms of alternative medicine and therapy are actually treatments: acupuncture, herbal therapy, and homeopathy are a few of these treatment options. But Iridology is simply the study of the patient’s eyes to estimate current illnesses and to attempt to foresee any future illnesses. Once a patient has seen an Iridologist, he or she should seek more conclusive diagnosis from another medical professional, and then an appropriate treatment suggested by that same practitioner.

The History of Acupuncture

Posted on October 30, 2008
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The father of Chinese medicine, Shen Nung, is thought to be the first person to have theorized about circulation in the human body. These theories were compiled approximately 5000 years ago, and led to the development of acupuncture.

Shen Nung developed the idea of the Qi, an energy force that flows through the human body. This energy travels through channels called Meridians which run all through the body. The theory is that when the Qi is not flowing correctly, the human body experiences illness. This incorrect flow can be caused by blocked Meridians which causes unbalanced Qi. In order to reestablish the flow of Qi, certain points of the body where the Meridians contact the surface of the skin must be manipulated. These points are accessed through the insertion of needles into the skin, a practice known as acupuncture.

Reflexology and Stress Relief

Posted on October 28, 2008
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While it is debatable in the professional medical community whether or not reflexology actually helps to heal the body and to cure or treat diseases, there is one that that is fairly safe to say about the practice: reflexology does provide stress relief. Most of the body’s stress is begun and held in the hands and feet. As a result, tension in these places results in tension in other parts of the body.

Reflexology, like massage therapy, provides stress relief for the patient. This will ultimately improve the patient’s overall wellbeing, if only temporarily. Reflexology as a way to relieve tension and anxiety has begun to come into fashion in hospitals. However, this is not to say that reflexology should replace conventional methods of medical treatment. Rather, reflexology should be used in conjunction with professional medical treatment.

Meditating On Science Fiction

Posted on October 26, 2008
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For science fiction fans, mediation is nothing new. While the actual, real-life practice of meditation varies greatly from practitioner to practitioner, it is not at all like the forms of meditation portrayed in the movies and on TV. Generally, movies and TV programs show meditation as a way for the practitioner to accomplish something other than personal wellbeing.

In many science fiction movies characters will use mediation as a way to focus their energies against their foes. Some science fiction films show protagonists recharging their mental or physical abilities with meditation, while others use these meditative practices for things like telepathy. Still there are instances of semi-real meditation practices. For example, in the television show Stargate SG1, some species use meditation to obtain access to a higher level of existence, much like real life practicing Buddhists do.

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