Holistic healing is a method of health care that involves the whole person, including body, mind, spirit and emotion, in the process of getting well. It falls under the heading of alternative medicine, but conventional, or allopathic medicine, has been in existence for a relatively short time. Ancient alternative practices such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, Chinese medicine and massage are thousands of years old. Holistic medicine has enjoyed a renewed popularity in recent years and is often used to complement conventional medicine practices.
Ayurveda
The word "ayurveda" comes from Sanskit and has been practiced for 5,000 years in India. Its basic premise involves preventing or treating illness by balancing the body, mind and spirit. This is achieved primarily through diet, lifestyle and herbal use. The three basic energy types, called doshas, are vata, pitta and kapha. These are present to varying degrees in everyone. When stressful situations such as eating unhealthily, strained relationships, and even the weather, cause imbalances in the energy balance, an ayurvedic practitioner can recommend treatments to restore balance. Breathing exercises, applying herbal oil to the skin to increase circulation and eliminate toxins, using mantras, yoga and herbal medicines are common treatments.
Reiki
The Japanese word "reiki" means "universal life energy." For healing, it is based on tapping into the universal flow of energy that all living things are made of. Believed to have originated as a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, its secrets were eventually lost, then rediscovered by a Japanese minister, Mikao Usui, in the late 19th century. Clients receiving reiki from a practitioner lie down fully clothed while the practitioner places his hands on specific parts of the body, starting with the head. The healing energies of the healer are transmitted to the receiver, but It can also be used to heal yourself. Results can be either gradual or dramatic, but its followers believe results can be lasting only if the person receiving it takes responsibility and participates in the healing process.
Massage
Hippocrates, called the father of medicine, wrote in the fifth century B.C. that "the way to health is a scented bath and an oiled massage every day." Massage can help relax the body and mind and restore calmness and balance after shock or trauma. Shiatsu massage is a type of pressure-point massage based on the Chinese discipline of acupuncture which promotes smoothly flowing energy throughout the body. Therapeutic massage involves strokes and rubbing and is used for pain relief. Sports massage goes deep into the muscles to relieve stiff joints and promote relaxation. Reflexology is for the hands and feet to diagnose and correct body imbalances. Massage is especially effective for stress, pain, anxiety and depression, back pain, hyperactivity and insomnia, according to "Alternative Medicine."
Herbology
The study of the healing properties of plants and their effects on the human body is called herbology. The Chinese herbal tradition dates back to the Emperor Shen Nong 4,000 years ago. He was credited with describing more than 300 medicinal plants and their uses in a book called the "Pen Tsao." For thousands of years, herbalists have used plants internally and externally to prevent sickness and for rejuvenating the body's systems. The ingredients of herbal preparations are usually dried materials prescribed as teas, decoctions and "soups," but might also be processed into powders, pills and ointments. Chinese herbs are commonly used to treat asthma, skin disorders, migraine headaches, menstrual and digestive problems.
References
- "Alternative Medicine"; Time-Life Books; 1996
- The Wild Rose Dreamer's Lodge: Alternative Healing
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ayurveda
