Prana is the Sanskrit word for life, energy or spirit. The art of pranic healing is a method in which the practitioner manipulates energy fields around the body in order to promote healing from within. This technique developed by Master Choa Kok...
Many cultures use putative energy fields, also known as biofields, for alternative medicine therapies such as acupuncture. The theory is that a subtle energy form, or life force, infuses people. This energy has varying names depending on the...
Energy flow could be described as the vital moving force that exists within all living things. Cyclical in nature, energy flow is expressed by observing how energy is gracefully transformed from one organism to another. In the human body,...
A fundamental energy therapy technique, homolateral patterning exercises are a series of movements that encourage your body's energies to cross over from one side of the body to the other. Walking, or marching in time with your arms swinging...
Qigong, an exercise and meditative practice, integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intentions, as defined by the National Qigong Association. The word, Qigong, compounds two Chinese words, which translate to mean...
Holistic medicine is the practice of medicine that treats the body, mind and spirit. Comprising both alternative and complementary medicine, this course of treatment is also known as "integrative medicine." Holistic medicine is also concerned with...
Your thyroid gland is responsible for producing hormones important for metabolism, moods and energy levels. A diagnosis of hypothyroidism or low thyroid means your body produces an insufficient amount of hormones, says the University of Maryland...
Acupuncturists may practice acupuncture of the ears, or auricular therapy, to relieve several illnesses that occur throughout the body. By inserting needles or applying other instruments to certain points on the ear called meridians, practitioners...
Reiki is a form of energy medicine originating in Japan during the early 20th century. Based on the belief that your body possesses an innate ability to heal itself, practitioners access an energy field surrounding your body with their hands. This...
Functional medicine combines the best medical practices from around the world. It is a holistic, patient-centered, personal medicine committed to wellness and prevention of illness. Its practitioners aim to identify and cure underlying causes of...
Homeopathy, a form of complementary medicine, provides a gentle approach to the healing of illness, and as such holds many benefits for patients. A therapeutic treatment, it has been around for 200 years and was initially developed by a German...
Magnetic therapy falls under the purview of complementary and alternative medicine. Understanding the likelihood that magnetic therapy will work for a certain health condition first entails examining the nature of alternative medicine. According...
Your thyroid is a gland that produces hormones important for positive energy levels, moods and metabolism. A diagnosis of hypothyroidism means that your thyroid produces too few hormones -- a condition that may cause slow heartbeat, lethargy,...
Qi Gong—pronounced chee-gung—translates from the Chinese to mean energy-skill. The International Institute of Medical Qi Gong describes this ancient healing practice as a combination of movement exercise and meditation. Visualization...
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the spleen is one of the five zang organs that are responsible for the management and circulation of the body's blood and Qi, the life force that is the center of the body's subtle energy system. Unlike...
One of the reasons a cold sticks around longer than we would like is that we do not take the time to take care of ourselves. Instead of staying home and getting better, we often try to carry on with our lives as we normally do. Going to work,...
Yoga and Qigong are both considered healing arts. Yoga is harder for older people and doesn't include energy transmission practices, or energy moving, practiced in Qigong, according to the Qigong Institute. But yoga is more evolved and it is...
Healing Touch and Reiki are hands-on healing modalities that are categorized under the umbrella term of energy medicine. While both methods involve the interaction, movement and transfer of energy through the hands of the healer to the client, the...
The focus of holistic massage, which comes in many varieties and from many cultures, is the massage therapist's holistic treatment of mind, body and spirit. While conventional massage, such as Swedish or sports massage, focuses on muscle soreness...
If you're tired of diet and weight loss programs, have struggled with cravings, emotional eating and an unhealthy relationship to food you may want to try using an alternative healing technique from the emerging field of energy psychology called...
CAM, complementary and alternative medicine, refers to medical systems and practices currently not considered a part of conventional medicine. CAM treatments are split into five main categories, which include biologically based practices, whole...
Chi gong exercises are meditative and physical exercises that involve breathing and chi manipulation. Chi is hard to describe but is often translated as life energy. Chi flow throughout the body relates to breath and blood flow. Because your...
Most individuals have used alternative medicine in some form at some point in their life, such as going to the chiropractor or drinking peppermint tea for a congested nose. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative...
Practitioners of holistic medicine believe you must look at the whole person before you begin diagnosing and prescribing medicines. Holistic doctors want to know about your daily nutritional intake, sleep habits, exercise routine, family...
Kundalini is a popular branch of yoga founded by Yogi Bhajan in the 1960s. Teaching is at the center of its philosophy and practice. When Yogi Bhajan came to the United States in 1969, he said, "I've come to train teachers, not to get disciples."...
The sciatic nerve originates in the sacral plexus, and measures 3/4 inch. Running through the lower spine, this massive nerve continues down the buttock and leg before terminating in the foot. It is the longest nerve in the human body, allowing...
Allergies are an overreaction by the body's immune system to substances that it determines to be foreign. These substances are called allergens and can include pollen, foods, fragrances, dust or pet hair. When the body misidentifies a substance as...
Flower essences are a foundation of energy medicine that aim to harmonize through emotional and spiritual well-being. The Bach Rescue Remedy is a stress relief formula originally created in the 1930s by Dr. Edward Bach, and is made from flowers...
Hitting a softball takes total body strength. Therefore, boost your power in the off-season by performing the following basic core, upper body and leg exercises. Do three sets of 10 reps, two to three times a week for about 40 minutes a session....
Learn how to treat kidney, liver and spleen disorders with acupuncture in this free chinese medicine video lesson from our alternative cure expert.
Acupuncturists sometimes use methods without needles, such as tui na massage, to treat patients. Learn more about tui na and acupuncture from our medical expert in this free video.