Your Health
In 1948 the NHS became the first healthcare system in the world to offer free healthcare to its citizens. Something revolutionary.
Prior to that people had to pay to see a G.P. and many of the poorer in society devised natural remedies to ward off everyday health niggles. Many of these remedies stand scrutiny today but our preference for convenience has led us to popping into the chemist or seeking out a G.P. for a quick fix that doesn’t look at the source of the problem.
Natural Home Remedies
We will soon be adding a list of natural home remedies that can help with common ailments – remedies that may already be in your home or ones that can be bought from a health food store that could just do the trick. It will be a menu of ideas that will build over time. We are always keen to hear from members of the public with tips of their own.
Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Our bodies are miraculous. They know what they need to do to maintain optimum health. Given the right circumstances they will rest and repair. Various natural remedies and treatments, often referred to as Complementary and Alternative Therapies, can give the body that little more impetus to help it do its own healing.
Complementary and Alternative Therapies are not a substitute for necessary traditional Western medicine, but can support it and, in some cases, be the better alternative to prescription medicine.
Although around for years, some of these therapies can be difficult to understand based solely on their name. So we begin here with an introductory list of treatments that you might wish to explore a little further. There is extensive further information on the Internet for anything that takes your interest. Personal research is the key since no two bodies react identically to either prescriptions or treatments. Learning to understand one’s own body is at the heart of improved health and optimum immune systems and requires an element of giving things a try and working out what’s right for you personally.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine in which thin needles are inserted into the body for minutes at a time to target both physical painful hotspots and/or improve emotional and mental wellbeing. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe the human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points connected by pathways or meridians. Disruption of the energy flow can cause disease which the application of acupuncture points can rebalance. More recently, acupuncture has been embraced by the NHS as an effective treatment for a range of physical pains.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants for healing. It has been used for centuries. The molecules in the essential oils stimulate the olfactory system (part of the brain connected to smell). In this way, essential oils can have a subtle yet holistic effect on the body, with different aromas effecting varying reactions. Absorption can be by direct smell or by massage.
Ayurveda
The ancient Indian Ayurveda translates to ‘knowledge of life’ and is based on the idea that disease is due to an imbalance or stress in a person’s life. Ayurveda techniques include dietary and lifestyle changes and herbal medicines (including combination with metals, minerals or gems). Balancing herbs is a delicate practice so always choose a trained and qualified practitioner first via the Ayurvedic Practitioners Association (APA).
Breathing Techniques
Few people breathe correctly, yet good breathing nourishes your physical body by oxygenating your cells, promoting healing and boosting your immune systems. Simultaneously it calms your mind, enabling you to tap into a state of relaxation and sleep. Your breath should be smooth, steady and controlled and your abdomen should expand on your inhalation and contract on the exhalation. Most people need to slow the whole process down, something we can forget to do in our busy, action-oriented daily lives. Breathwork is a personal practice with progress building over time. For some people the discipline of a breathing class, either in a group or on a one-to-one basis with a practitioner optimises technique methods and commitment to improvement.
Energy Healing
Energy healing works on the principle that we as humans are a frequency and that by tapping into methods that balance our vibrational energy we ensure optimum physical and mental health. Too much stress in whatever form, throws out our bodily system resulting in a lowered immune system enabling disease to creep in. The main forms of energy healing are Reiki (by a practitioner applying the palms of their hands or through distance meditation); Crystals (which vibrate their own energy frequency) and Tai Chi (a martial arts form of stretching exercises which improves balance and flexibility and overall is called ‘motion meditation’ as it promotes serenity within).
Grounding
Grounding, (also called Earthing) is a simple technique that involves doing activities that ‘ground’ or electrically reconnect you to the earth which realigns and balances your body’s electrical energy. Walking barefoot on the earth or a beach, lying on the ground or using grounding mats or sheets are all ways to ground or earth your body. Grounding can help with fatigue, pain and sleep.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is based on a series of ideas developed in the 1790s by a German doctor called Samuel Hahnemann. A central principle is that ‘like cures like’- i.e. a substance that causes certain symptoms can, diluted down with water, also help to remove these symptoms. Homeopathy is used for a wide variety of conditions, both physical and psychological. In 2017 the NHS recommended that homeopathy not be widely available and is now usually practised privately.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis comes from the Greek word ‘hypnos’, meaning sleep, with the difference being that under hypnosis you are fully aware of what is going on. It works by detaching you from your ingrained everyday self-limiting beliefs that have grown since childhood and instead penetrates to your deeper awareness. Some people fall into hypnosis more easily than others but for everyone, by accessing subconscious areas of your mind, under the guide of a qualified hypnotherapist, you can pinpoint what patterns of thinking you can break which can transform both physical and mental health.
Lymphatic Drainage
Regular physical exercise is a great way to get your lymphatic system pumping and detoxing your system of waste. Manual lymphatic drainage can be used following medical treatment or illness that blocks your lymphatic system causing isolated swelling. A qualified practitioner can gently massage the affected areas and kick-start the resumption of natural drainage.
Massage
There are many types of massage that can be used to ease pain and tension and/or to bring a feeling of relaxation to your mind and body. These include Swedish massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Thai Massage, Indian Head Massage, Hot Stone Massage and Sports Massage. The choice of massage will depend on the reason for your massage and your personal preference (as some massages are gentler than others). During a massage a trained therapist will apply gentle or firmer pressure to the muscles and joints of your body.
Meditation
There are many ways to meditate and they all help to quieten your mind and body, giving you time to pause and breathe. Guided Meditation is a spoken instructional meditation with peaceful sounds to help calm the mind’s chatter. Mindfulness Meditation is another technique where you pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind. Mantra Meditation is another form of meditation which uses a repetitive sound to clear your mind. It can be a word, phrase or sound, such as ‘Om’.
Muscle Response Testing (Kinesiology)
Muscle Response Testing (or Applied Kinesiology) is a means of assessing imbalances in the body by a practitioner applying hand pressure on various muscle groups and assessing their strength or weakness.
Nutrition
Good nutrition is the basis of a healthy body and mind. Processed foods, which many of us consume on a daily basis, are nutritionally empty and can cause health problems from the additives and other unnatural added ingredients. Just like with medicines, no two bodies are the same and whilst certain foods are deemed to be of a health benefit, for a certain few they can cause issues such as IBS, arthritic pain, allergies and even depression. By working with a nutritionist to pinpoint what it is in your diet that is causing you problems, an alternative personal diet plan can be designed.
Qigong
Qigong, pronounced ‘chi gong’ was developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It is a system of co-ordinated body-posture and movement, breathing and meditation that is used for the purposes of health, spirituality and martial arts training.
Reflexology
Reflexology, also known as zone therapy, involves the application of pressure to specific points predominantly on the feet but it can also be used on the ears and hands. Applying pressure to the reflex points on the feet relaxes the body and improves well-being. Reflexology is a gentle therapy that encourages the body to work naturally to restore its own healthy balance.
Sound Bath
A sound bath is a meditative practice involving the use of resonant music. Humans are a frequency, and the sound bath creates an immersive sound that fills the room and the body, aiming to help people relax and let go of stress and anxiety.
This page is not providing medical advice. All health and health-related information contained within these posts is intended to be general in nature and for information and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional health advice, diagnosis or treatment or a professional’s independent medical judgement.