Here we are in the season of giving which can be particularly stressful and take its toll on our health. However, you could make this the year when you step back and take a look at the overall state of your health and well being — physical and mental — and decide to expand your toolkit for staying healthy by adding the tools of alternative medicine. This could also be the year when you decide to implement some simple lifestyle changes which will help not only with the stresses and expectations of the season, but with your entire life as well.

1. Try alternative medicine. Yes, you heard me. Step outside the corporate-driven box of symptom suppression and medications and consider forms of healing which are tried and true in many parts of the world outside of mainstream America. Among the possibilities you explore should be: homeopathy, herbs, therapeutic massage, acupuncture and chiropractic, all of which are forms of holistic healing (’holistic’ meaning taking into consideration the entire person, not simply a set of symptoms). Homeopathy, for instance, has been around for over 200 years. Both professional and medically trained homeopaths treat individuals for a range of medical problems worldwide. Homeopathy is very well established in Britain, India, Germany, France and the Netherlands. It is also gaining ground in South and Central America, Eastern Europe and here in the United States. Get on board with some of these ‘new’, effective treatments.

1. Hydrate. This is such an easy step to include in our daily lives, yet many of us continue to overlook the importance of drinking water. Rather we turn to sodas when thirsty, which can upset the body’s pH balance and lead to cardiovascular and heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes and obesity! Instead, let’s all have a glass of water; in fact, let’s have 6-8 glasses each day. Drink a little water before you get especially thirsty and thereby keep at bay dry mouth, headaches and drops in energy.

1. Diet. I don’t mean starving yourself, I mean making mindful food selections; taking the time to stop, sit down and enjoy a healthy meal. Keep out of those fast- food/salt-and-fat drive-through restaurants. Go for fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and poultry as often as possible. If your goal is to lose weight, enjoy your favorite healthy meals, but in smaller portions. Give yourself the gift of time, attention and a well-balanced meal.

1. Move it. Get out for a brisk 20 minute (or longer) walk 4-5 times each week. It’s so easy to build exercise into your day. Head over to the gym, basketball court, aerobic class, yoga, Tai Chi, dance class — whatever it is that brings you joy as you move about, do that.

1. Get touched. Massage is such a wonderful gift to give yourself. Time on the massage table is not really a luxury — it’s time and money well spent. For one thing, you’re letting yourself know that you are worth the ‘time out’. There are also very real health benefits to be enjoyed from a regular massage, which include increased circulation and lymphatic draining, soothing and smoothing of contracted or injured muscles, and calming of the central nervous system. Another way to ensure a daily portion of touch is to offer hugs to your loved ones, friends or pets. Massage, cuddling, touching, hugging — easy, healthy, and good for your mind, body and spirit.

1. Zzzzzz. Get plenty of rest. Winter months and shorter daylight hours switch our bodies, and all of nature around us, to rest mode. We humans often resist this natural gearing down, especially with all of the holiday happenings to take into consideration. If you take a moment to look at all of the busyness in your life at this time of year and to sort through the party possibilities and family obligations, you can then make kinder choices for yourself as you factor in your new food and drink choices, commitment to exercise, pampering time for yourself and extended seasonal rest and slumber.

In our fast-paced lives there are more ways to ignore our own needs than we can shake a turkey leg at. Here’s an invitation to choose this holiday season to start being loving and generous with yourself. Taking advantage of alternative medicine, coupled with a more self-aware and self-loving lifestyle, will improve the flow of this holiday season and enhance your quality of life. Wishing you a peaceful heart, a healthy body and a joyful, balanced life.

Cathleen Springer

Copyright 2006 Take Action Healthcare, LLC

People sometimes say to me: “Kinesiology? That’s muscle testing isn’t it?”

I often laugh and say “It is, and it isn’t. It’s that, and so much more.”

A natural therapy that originated in the 1960s, Kinesiology has brought life changing benefits to those experiencing depression, stress, anxiety, nervous tension, excessive worry, learning difficulties - and on a more physical level: pain, migraines, muscular disorders, nervous system disorders, immune system deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders (like Irritable Bowel Syndrome), allergies, women’s health, and candida infections.

Kinesiology uses gentle muscle testing to gather information about your state of wellbeing, and about the stress and dis-ease in your system. To do so, it relies on the bio-feedback mechanisms between your muscles and your central nervous system. This is only one of many qualities that makes it a unique alternative health therapy.

Kinesioloogy is unique also because it creates, and honours, the space for your own body & spirit to direct the course of treatment. Using muscle testing, your practitioner “communicates” with your bio-systems; exploring the underlying cause of your health issue. In this way, your practitioner can create a health solution for you that is uniquely your own.

The change you are looking for might be a physical one, or an emotional one. In either case, Kinesiology is particularly effective for those wishing to change a certain area of their life.

For example, one of my clients wanted to increase her confidence in social situations. After just one session, she found herself immediately experiencing a greater sense of ease, comfort and confidence in talking with others. In subsequent sessions, she found herself experiencing a greater sense of ease in just being herself. She also experienced the feeling of wholeness, of being connected with her heart and her soul. She felt that her life had been enriched on a deeper level, that she was happy and well.

Kinesiology is effective because it gives you an understanding of how your behaviour, attitudes and world views are based on core beliefs and deep patterns - which you may not question or even know you have. With the client I’ve just mentioned, her core issues were about connecting and listening to her heart, so that she could engage with others ways that were more meaningful and fulfilling for her.

Kinesiology enables you to see these core beliefs and deep patterns, and challenge them so that you can change your life significantly and positively - in the way that you want.

A good kinesiologist will also create a space for you to recognise how you can be empowered, how you can actually make the changes that you want. This is a lot easier than if you were just struggling with it yourself.

If you have a physical health issue, Kinesiology gives you an understanding of the emotional, nutritional and energetic factors that underly the physical factors of your dis-ease (whether it is your immune system or your nervous system). This enables you to move faster towards a healing.

How can your kinesiologist do all this? How can Kinesiology have such broad ranging success?

First of all, Kinesiology does not heal you. Your Kinesiologist simply facilitates a journey for you, in which you heal yourself. Your Kinesiologist restores and re-connects you with your body and mind’s innate ability to find balance, homeostasis. The idea of your self-healing potential can be found in ancient Western & Eastern medical traditions - ranging from Hippocrates to the Nei Jing.

Secondly, Kinesiologists are trained in a wide range of modalities including:

- anatomy, physiology, biochemistry - counselling & psychology - chinese medicine psycho-spirituality - flower essences - esoteric sciences (chakra system, bio-field or auric systems).

This training equips them with many strategies for dealing with your health and wellbeing issue.

About the Author

Michelle Soo is a holistic Kinesiologist based in Melbourne, Australia, helping clients to overcome stress, fear, depression and learning difficulties. Michelle is qualified in health science, nutrition, counselling, chinese medicine, reiki, flower essence therapy. She has over 5 years counselling experience.

The growth of alternative medicine schools has truly been phenomenal over the last few decades. With that expansion, society has become part of a remarkable shift in progressive acceptance toward alternative medicine, holistic health and other healing arts practices. This presumably reflects the rising need to transform conventional medicine because patient consumers are more likely to seek noninvasive health treatments over traditional medical care.

One of the many explanations for the diverse disciplines being offered at alternative medicine schools is primarily due to the increased interest in alternative medicine as a whole. Increasingly, future medical practitioners are seeking unconventional health education to explore the potentials through an alternative medicine school.

Some possible, alternative educational disciplines that are offered through alternative medicine schools include but are not limited to holistic health; transpersonal studies; Ayurvedic Medicine; Naturopathic Medicine; Complementary Medicine; natural health medicine; Homeopathy; Chinese Medicine; Acupuncture; Chiropractic; Oriental Medicine; Bodywork (massage therapy, medical massage, and Shiatsu, etc.); Wellness and Wholistic nutrition; and many more diversified studies.

Students who are in search of a quality alternative medicine school should carefully review academic programs prior to enrollment. Logically, one should not only base his decision on the field offerings and cost, but should determine whether or not the particular alternative medicine school provides certificate, diploma or degree programs as well.

In some cases, like that of acupuncture, chiropractic and naturopathy; students who complete their alternative medicine school course and have met all requirements for graduation, may qualify for doctorate degrees (e.g., N.D., Doctor of Naturopathy; N.M.D., Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine; L.Ac., Master of Acupuncture; DC, Doctor of Chiropractic). Other alternative medicine schools that extend massage therapy, homeopathy and other natural healing arts programs may offer diploma or certificates to students who have successfully achieved completion of specific coursework.

In addition, alternative medicine schools often provide the necessary education and training to health practitioners who will ultimately need to be licensed. For example, practicing acupuncturists must be licensed prior to practicing this alternative health treatment.

Generally, alternative medicine schools have come a long way and instill a sense of pride in the professionalism and vital research that they contribute not only to their educational structure, but to the field of medicine as well.

If you are thinking about enrolling in one of many Alternative Medicine Schools to attain your education in alternative medicine, feel free to visit the Natural Healing Directory at SchoolsGalore.com for more information.

?08/30/2006 - Alternative Medicine Schools Teach Many Disciplines

By C. Bailey-Lloyd in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc., Managing Organization for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

About the Author

C. Bailey-Lloyd is the Public Relations’ Director & Writer for SchoolsGalore.com — Your source of information for Alternative Healing Schools; Holistic Medicine Schools; and other Natural Healing Schools.

Arthritis had Mrs. Thompson grounded for years. She had seen several doctors with no permanent solution to the problem. As an alternative medicinal stream, Mrs. Thomson agreed to use aromatherapy. Regular massage with the essential oils of lemon balm, rose, black spruce, tarragon and jasmine was recommended. She testifies to the positive effect aromatherapy had on her condition.

Many people like Mrs. Thompson have found relief in aromatherapy treatment. The system of aromatherapy treatment utilises aromas and scents to heal the human being as a whole. Aromas and scents are derived from several plants and herbs. Research that has been undertaken on plants and herbs from the ancient times until now has helped determine their therapeutic benefits. However, more than a science, aromatherapy is an art and involves a creative approach in making specific blends.

Essential oils have an important role to play in aromatherapy treatment. An essential oil is the essence of plants derived through a process whereby plants are distilled through steam or water. What we get through the process is a concentrated essential oil, of which a few drops are capable of giving the desired effect.

One of the first known discoveries of the therapeutic benefits of essential oils was made by French chemist Ren?-Maurice Gattefoss?. Gattefoss? is also credited with coining the term aromatherapy. When he got a burn on his hand, he accidentally put his hand in a jar full of lavender oil. He was surprised to see that he got immediate relief and the burn left no scars on his hand. Through further research, he established the healing powers of lavender oil.

Some of the common ailments where aromatherapy treatment has been accepted as a potent solution are anxiety, stress or insomnia, muscular aches and pains, headaches, eczema, digestive problems, menstrual or menopausal problems, etc. Therefore, aromatherapy treatments heal physically as well as psychologically.

A common respiratory disorder is asthma. This is caused through contact with allergen, after a tiring exercise session or through infection. An asthmatic person experiences shortness of breath, cough and mucous production as a result of inflammation or contraction of the bronchi. The condition can be treated through aromatherapy treatment. The oils of clove bud and lemongrass have been recognised to have anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious properties. These oils along with the oils of lemon, clary sage, and angelica can be very useful for treating asthma.

Aromatherapy products are available in several stores, referred to as aromatherapy stores. These stock preparations made from herbs and plants sourced from different parts of the world; mostly, the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and the Africas.

However, the use of aromatherapy treatments must be strictly prescriptive. Toiletries, which use aromas and scents, use a very small amount of essential oils. Therefore, they are not harmful. As said earlier, essential oils are highly concentrated. If a larger dosage of it is taken, then can result in irritation or be poisonous, when used with food or drink.

Did you think essential oils being derived from plants are free from side effects? No, they are not. The common side effects of essential oils are nausea, headaches etc.

Get help from an expert practitioner on the appropriate treatment for ones condition. The person who practices aromatherapy treatment is known as aromatherapist. He either will massage the oil on the skin or would suggest the appropriate method of use. Just as one would check the credentials of a doctor practising in contemporary medicine, it is important to know whether the aromatherapist has been trained in aromatherapy treatment. An aromatherapist proceeds in the same manner as a common doctor. He will first get a detailed medical history of the individual through a series of questions on diet, lifestyle, and health problems. This goes well with the system of aromatherapy healing where the whole rather than one particular ailment is considered for treatment.

About the Author:

Bryan Josling is working with the Horticultural Research Station in Adelaide. He has also been involved with research on plants. To find Aromatherapy essential oils, essential massage oils, essential oils wholesale visit http://www.ndaroma.com