Archive for April, 2010
Alternative medicine is defined as any form of medical treatment that is different from conventional treatments. Alternative medicines are becoming more and more popular as their effectiveness is increasingly tested and proven for treatment. There are many different types of alternative medicine techniques in use today.
Homeopathy
The word homeopathy comes from the Greek for “similar disease” or “similar suffering.” Homeopathy is not just about administering different medications than the traditional prescription drugs given by doctors. It is also about diagnosing and classifying different medical conditions to find the best treatment possible for the patient.
The goal of this type of alternative medicine is to enable the body to use its own mechanisms to stimulate healing and prevent diseases from occurring. Homeopathic medicines are called remedies. These remedies are usually given in small doses. Practitioners work to tailor a treatment plan for each individual to gain the maximum benefits. They concentrate on the body as a whole, and not just treating the symptoms that ail the patient.
Naturopathy
Naturopathic medicine was founded in India and works on the basis that the body can heal itself. To this end, naturopathic practitioners steer clear of synthetic medicines and invasive surgical procedures as a means to heal their patients. Instead, they opt to combine other alternative medical treatments, such as herbalism, acupuncture, and aromatherapy, as well as others. This type of alternative medicine is practiced in many countries, but is not always accepted because of its varying standards of regulation.
Reputable naturopathic practitioners are trained to use imaging studies and blood tests to help them get the full picture of what is wrong with a patient before administering any treatment options. They will then recommend alternative treatments for a prescribed amount of time. If the treatment does not work for the patient, a practitioner will refer the patient to a physician to obtain conventional medical care.
Chiropractics
Chiropractics is a branch of alternative medicine that deals with diagnosing and treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and how these diseases affect the nervous system. Many of the procedures used in chiropractics emphasize manual therapy, using alignments and manipulations to correct the affected area.
A chiropractor must obtain proper training and receive a degree before beginning to work with patients. He uses a combination of measures to help heal a patient, including lifestyle counseling, a regimen of exercise, and a variety of tissue therapies. Much like naturopathy, chiropractics is based on the belief that the body can heal itself. Chiropractors help to realign areas of subluxation to help the body do its innate job.
Herbal Medicines
The basis of herbal medicines is to use plant derivatives instead of chemicals to heal diseases and prevent symptoms. People who use herbal medicines are adamant in their belief that herbs are not drugs. It is believed that by using herbal supplements on a regular basis, you can help your body ward off diseases for an ultimate healthy lifestyle. It should be warned that using herbal drugs in conjunction with prescribed medications can cause serious side effects. You should never take herbal supplements without consulting a physician first.
There are literally hundreds of herbal medicines available on the market today. Be cautious when picking which ones are right for you. Herbal medicines do not have to be tested before being marketed, so it is hard to say if they will work the same way for everyone. If you are interested in taking herbal medicines, talk with an herbalist in your area to get the best supplement plan for you.
Unlike previous times, foods these days are pretty much common among everyone. People used to cook at homes, and most of the times the same food would taste differently in different houses. But these days, the food comes from cans and packets, and most of the times, no matter which part of the country you may go, the food might taste exactly the same; for they all come from the same source.
Some people, on the other hand, are limited of their nutrition intake due to foods they eat by reasons of health, morality, and many other factors. These people are simply known as vegetarian and they consume a contemporary nutrition intake indeed. They basically choose to forgo foods from animal sources such as meat, eggs, milk and so on. This can be very good at one perspective, but not in another. From one angle, this is good because the contemporary nutrition does not have bad nutrients such as fat and is very low in calories, rich in fiber, carbohydrates and antioxidants. On the other hand, this food contains nothing much in protein and other important nutrients like calcium and magnesium, which is essential in good growth.
This is another evolution in contemporary nutrition these days, where natural foods such as vegetables and meat are not actually natural in reality. They are genetically produced or manufactured, also known as Genetically Modified or GM foods. This industrial farming and mass production of foods had indeed led to many controversies in the common dietary practice these days that people have shifted from the tradition food pyramid to their own individual ones.This is one of the main reasons as to why people are slowly moving to vegetarian foods and other alternative contemporary nutrition types, especially those of organic sources and what they call ‘self-planted’ or ‘self-raised’. Also not to forget is the recent habit of taking supplements instead of the main food itself, in belief that the supplement is in fact better than the genetically produced food.
Be Kind to your skin and hair
If you sleep in a bedroom with central heating your skin will suffer and become dry because of lack of moisture in the room – the remedy is a bowl of water placed on your radiator which will increase the humidity in the room
This is a magic little beauty tip that costs almost nothing and achieves remarkable results. After thoroughly cleansing, use a peeled grape and gently rub all over your face. Leave it to dry before washing off with tepid water. The result is tightened, silky smooth skin that feels as though you have just had a really expensive facial. Just one word of warning – try this on your wrist first just to ensure that you are not allergic to grape juice!
If you want to make sure that your newly-done hairstyle is still shiny and smooth when you get up in a morning – do as the ancient Egyptians did and sleep on a silk pillowcase – this way your hair won’t stick to the pillow as much as it would if you were using cotton bedding.
Always use a powerful hairdryer – you can create your style quickly in far less time. Aim for a hairdryer of 2,000W,s or over – most salons use over 3000w’s – when you next have to replace yours
When using essential oils in the bath – never add them in an undiluted form. Buy a cheap carrier oil and add the recommended number of drops to that. Remember to use an essential oil that has relaxing properties if you are bathing before going to bed and an invigorating one if you want to start the day in top form. The ideal time to apply body lotion is after a bath – it will lock in moisture and by massaging in the direction of your heart – you will boost your circulation and lymphatic drainage.
Always, always, use a heat protection spray every time you dry your hair – it will help to prevent split ends and keep the hair healthy. If blow drying creates static in your hair, use a small amount of serum once your hair is dry. Sometimes, let your hair dry naturally – a break from the hairdryer does your hair a favour
We all know we should drink at least six glasses of water daily to benefit our health and skin but it also helps to fade dark circles under the eyes. Water is also free and useful for giving your pores a steam clean. Fill a bowl with hot water, cover your face with a soaked face flannel first and stand over the bowl for one minute, to let the steam do its work.
As you get older you need to use less make-up, not more! Too much, can be extremely aging and too much powder is the biggest culprit. Pat powder on areas of your face that are likely to get oily, such as your nose, chin, forehead and leave it off your cheeks – it will result in a far more natural look.
Don’t forget the skin on your feet if you are going to expose them in summer. The cheap tip here is to use a lemon – rub over thickened areas of the feet to exfoliate and finish of with a rich moisturising cream or a foot soak in warm water with essential oils.
Finally, never underestimate the beneficial beauty gains that can come from learning a few facial, self-massage tricks. Any massage is beneficial but by buying yourself a basic massage book you could soon learn tips about how to relax the neck, eye and facial areas which you would find brought both physical and mental benefits, as well producing results which would probably enhance your complexion more than any expensive cosmetic product would ever do.
All the tips outlined here will bring some measure of benefit and won’t cost a fortune but the biggest beauty tip of all is to be happy. Stress and unhappiness can and do age you far more than any other factor and it is most noticable on the face. So pamper yourself, try these ten tips but most of all smile.