Health Through Healing Hands

Ayurvedic medicine is also known as Ayurevedic and it originated in India approximately 3000 years ago. Like Chinese Traditional Medicine it is “holistic” and treats the mind, body and spirit together. There has to be a balance between these three for the person to be well.

The word Ayurvedic is a Sankrit word that when broke down translates as “ayur” – life and “vedic” is knowledge or science. Ayurvedic is all about keeping the mind and body healthy and they use herbs for this cleansing process.

In 1969, practitioners of Ayurdevic Medicine were required to get formal qualifications and there were colleges set up all over India for this purpose. If you want to go to an Ayurvedic practitioner, make sure that you sight their qualifications. Ayurvedic uses a variety of products to cleanse the body, and if the person is not trained, you could be given the wrong combination of herbs. Some herbs can react badly to any conventional medicine you may be taking.

Ayurvedic is a way of life and there are specialized diets that allow you to maintain optimum health and maintain your body free from disease. By cleansing the body of any substance that can cause disease, we will have balance between health and happiness.

Part of the Ayurvedic philosophy is that life force manifests and three different types of energies or doshas. The three types are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. You may be one type or you could be a combination of two doshas. As you age, the three doshas will fluctuate according to age, environment, seasons and your diet. As the doshas move out of balance, this can affect you health and way of life.

Kapha are natural athletes and are very compassionate and loyal. If they are not in balanced, they become complacent and belligerent and lose motivation. This can cause their metabolism to slow down. They have the elements of earth and water that rules them.

Pittas have a medium build and they have more muscle power. They tend to have fair skin that can be affected by the sun – resulting in a freckled face.  They tend to get a red face when exercising. They are competitive. They are ruled by the element of fire.

Vatas are normally thin and lankly and love traveling and meeting people. They are influenced by the element of air. If they become unbalanced they can suffer from insomnia and they tend to mix up their eating habits and will often have a diet containing foods containing oily foods.

You can be just one of these doshas or two or you may be all three at once. You would have to find a qualified practitioner to see if Ayurvedic Medicine treatment is for you.

To YOUR success

Sue McDonald

If you are feeling that the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you are suffering from depression or illness, hypnotherapy may be the treatment you need.

Hypnotherapy is a process where the therapist will bypass the conscious mind and access the subconscious. The subconscious mind is where we store repressed feelings and emotions. It differs from hypnosis in that there is an interaction between the client and the therapist. Hypnotherapy allows the client to find out more about their emotional background that may be causing them problems at the present time.

The body and the mind work in harmony and if we put our body under stress the mind will also suffer. We have all at one time or another suffered stress. If you are told a love one has died you body can react in many different ways. We can go into a state of shock and even start trembling and crying. Medical science is showing that a lot of serious illness and diseases are stress related. The mind also has the power to make us better. This is where hypnotherapy can help with a physical or emotional problem that we may be suffering.

When we are hypnotized, we can be told we are singers and suddenly we believe that we can sing but in our normal state of consciousness we would not even attempt it. Through research it has been shown that while under hypnosis in a hypnotic state, our body chemistry changes.

On your first visit to a hypnotherapist, you will be asked a lot of questions. The reason for this is they are trying to ascertain any psychology or emotional factors and in the process working out how to treat them.

During a hypnotherapy session, you can either sit in a comfortable chair or lie on a couch. The therapist will put you into a hypnotic state where you are neither awake nor asleep. At this point, the therapist will tell you to take deep long slow breaths and exhalation should take the same time as the inhalation. The therapist is working on your subconscious level and extracting information. He/she is looking for the cause of your present problems and it may be necessary to take you back to your earliest childhood memories. The therapist will then make suggestions to your subconscious which he knows are related to your problem.

At the end of the session, you will be brought out of your trace like state, feeling totally relaxed.

We know that during a session, your subconscious will only accept suggestions that are not in conflict of our sense of right and wrong. If you are going to use a hypnotherapist, you have to feel very comfortable and have trust in them.

Let me know what you think – leave me a comment.

To YOUR success

Sue McDonald

Viburnum Opulus

If you are a person who suffers from headaches you will know how debilitating and how inconvenient they are. They can affect you anywhere and anytime, even when you are on holidays. Some people take medication to alleviate the pain but some of these pain relievers can come with side effects.

What is the cause of these headaches? Some of the most common causes of headaches are from muscle tension, dilation and constriction of blood vessels in the head. Another reason could be attributed to hormonal fluctuations in the body or you may be sensitive to a particular food. If you do suffer from headaches, it is always wise to discuss this with your health care professional. So now that your health care professional has ruled out any serious problem you may want to try some natural methods to see if you can get rid of the pain.

 The first one is Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus)

Viburnum opulus is one of the species of viburnum that is native to Europe and Asia. It is a herb that helps relieve muscle tension and cramps. There is another herb of the same family (viburnum prunifolium) that is used to relieve uterine cramping. Viburnum opulus has been used to prevent and treat tension headaches. It can be taken as a capsule or the bark can be made into a herbal tea.

 The second way is Massage

Massage is used to release the muscle tension and also increase the circulation. Both of these will help reduce the symptoms of the headache. One important factor after a massage is to drink copious amounts of water to flush the toxins out of the body. You can learn some techniques that you can do at home by yourself or you can go to a professional therapist and have a massage.

 The third way is Chiropractic.

It stands to reason if your bones and joints are misaligned, you could be suffering from severe pain. If you get an adjustment from your chiropractor you may notice that your headache will vanish. You may need more than one treatment to get a permanent result.

 The fourth way is Feverfew.

This herb is considered by some herbalists to be a very effective remedy for migraines. Some people take it in capsule or tablet form but it will take from 4-6 weeks to really prevent migraine attacks.

 The fifth way is Willow

White willow is used as a pain relief; but there are various willow (Salix) species can help relieve pain. This is the precursor to aspirin; the inner bark of the white willow can provide pain relief for headaches. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect. White willow (and other willow bark) is usually taken in capsules.

 The sixth way is by managing stress.

It is accepted that stress and headaches are connected. There are several ways to reduce stress and prevent such headaches. Yoga, Pilates and meditation are great for reducing stress levels and aligning the body, soul and mind. You may do one or more of these to achieve results but which one you choose – it must be done at on a regular basis to achieve permanent relief.

As people begin to age, they find that they tend to suffer from pain in their muscles and joints. As we age, without exercise we will “stiffen” up.

Research from Johns Hopkins Medical – shows that it is not the joints but the muscles and connective tissue surrounding the joint, which is the cause of the pain.

When we talk about flexibility, we are talking about the range of motion of a joint – going from full movement in other direction and then full movement in the other. So more movement – means the more flexible that a joint is.

Some people say if you can bend over and touch your toes, you have a certain amount of flexibility in your hip joints. This forward bend to touch your toes requires no exertion. If you have to expend maximum force to reach your toes, you are not really all that flexible.

In different joints and muscle, there are different factors that limit the range of movement and flexibility. For example the elbow and the knees have set limits because of their bony structure. Other joints such as the hips, ankle and back have a limited range of movement because of the muscle and connective tissue.

People who do not exercise and move the muscles and joints through there full range, may suffer some lose of movement. If you don’t move all joints regularly, you may find that you have pain and tightness in that joint when you try to move it. Massage can often help with sore or tight muscles.

Researchers now know that if you do not move your muscles, there will be a biochemical change in the tissue. This has been proven using laboratory animals that have had limbs immobilized.

There are other factors that can cause sore muscles.

 1. Over exercising

If you over exercise, you may find that you will get sore muscles in various parts of your body. To avoid this, start at a low to medium level and build up your intensity.

The muscles and connective tissue holds the body together. When the muscles start to ache, a lot of people want to stop exercising and go back to no exercise at all.

 2. Inactivity and Getting Older

Connective tissue binds muscle to bone by tendons, ligaments binds bone to bone, and covers and unites muscles with sheaths called fascia. With age, the tendons, ligaments, and fascia become less extensible. The tendons are the most difficult to stretch because of their dense fibers. The easiest to stretch are the fascia.

Stretching will prevent the fasciae from shortening. If the fascia shortens there will be pressure on the nerve pathways in the muscles.  When this happens, there will be aches and pains as a result of the nerve impulses travelling these pathways.

 3. Staying Immobile

If you have sore muscles or pain in the muscles, this may result in a cramp or an ache. This is what is known as splinting reflex. The body is automatically trying to protect that muscle by immobilizing it. This can really cause a person a great deal of pain.

When splinting reflex occurs, there will be a shortening of the connective tissue around the muscle. This will result in more pain and one area where this occurs is the lower back. Some people try lifting items that are too heavy and as a result the muscles react and the person suffers back ache.

 4. Regular Exercise

To avoid sore muscles, aches, pains, cramps or muscle spasm, you should exercise regularly.

Start out at a low level of intensity and as time goes by you can increase your output and this will increase your flexibility. One of the best exercises to gain flexibility and core strength is yoga. Through practicing yoga, on a regular basis, you will notice that you are moving freely and experiencing a better quality of life.

Yoga is an exercise, where as long as you are instructed on the correct positions, you should never injure yourself. It also requires that again you start gently and you will get more flexible the more you do the practice.

To maintain a healthy body free from muscle pain, it is advised to exercise at least 5 times per week between 30-60 minutes.

Manual lymphatic drainage is not a medical treatment but it is a treatment that can certainly help a lot of people. It is a gentle massage that helps eliminate toxins and stimulates the lymphatic system.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is an essential way of treating oedema (swollen state of tissue) and it is highly effective to reduce oedema after surgery. A lot of patients who have had cancer find it helps reduce the swelling especially after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is used to treat lymph oedema which often occurs after a mastectomy or if some lymph nodes have been removed during surgery.

There are other benefits that you can experience from this therapy. It can reduce the symptoms of a cold and may even stop it altogether. It helps relieve sinus problems. Manual Lymphatic Drainage can improve the immune system in general and this will make you less susceptible to infections.  Some people say they have noticed a reduction in cellulite but there is no proof.

This therapy is carried out on a massage table with the client stripped down to their underclothes and discretely draped with towels.

On your first visit the therapist will ask a series of questions about your health and the lifestyle you lead. The therapist especially wants to know if you have ever had tuberculosis or have any heart problems.

The treatment itself involves a gentle massage of the lymph glands. The stroke used is a very light, repetitive movement.

After a treatment you may notice some swelling in the glands. This is the toxins being moved to the lymph nodes. Clients often comment that their skin looks and feels much lighter and brighter.

As with any other type of massage therapy, you must always drink lots of water to flush toxins from the body. If your therapist feels that you are not eating a healthy diet, they may even give you guidelines on what you should be having. It is always advisable to included lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet and avoid high fat diets as these encourage a build up of toxins.

To YOUR success

Sue McDonald

P.S. Leave me a comment and as long as it is in good taste – I will approve it.

There are many benefits that chiropractic treatment provides to a patient.  The benefits obtained depend on the condition of the patient and their ability to tolerate the treatment.

Chiropractic treatments are used to correct the alignment of the spine and joints. When the spine is out of alignment, it brought back into alignment through a series of manipulations and adjustments. The aim of the chiropractor is to maintain the spine and the nervous system in balance without the use of drugs or surgery.

If any individual’s joints move more or less than they should or joints move in an abnormal way, this will affect the alignment of the spine. Manipulations and adjustments help with the working of the spine and in turn this helps the muscles, ligaments and joints.

Some of the problems that can be alleviated through chiropractic therapy when the spine is brought back into alignment -include lumbago, sciatic and headaches. Some people are not aware their spine is out of alignment and when it is put back in, a pain that they are experiencing in another part of the body can disappear.

Many patients have a relaxed feeling after a session. In the early stages of a treatment, there may be some discomfort or mild pain because the joints are conditioned and the range of motion is increased.

For people who have experienced back and neck pain for many years, they will start to feel more confident because they are becoming capable of doing things that they have not been able to do for years.

Chiropractic therapy was first tried and practiced by DD Palmer who was a Canadian healer. He experimented on some patients and believed when he aligned their spine he got “miraculous” results. The therapy has come a long way since 1895.

Chiropractic is one form of natural treatment that has been accepted by the medical fraternity and some doctors will even refer patients to a chiropractor. Chiropractors treat the root cause of the pain and thereby eliminate the use of drugs.

To YOUR success

Sue McDonald

P.S. Leave me a comment and as long as it is in good taste – I will approve it.

Reflexology is more than just a hand or foot massage. Reflexology is an ancient therapeutic treatment that dates back thousands of years. Pictographs were found in a physician’s tomb in Saqqara , Egypt dating back to around 2300BC.

The modern version of reflexology was popularized by Doctor William Fitzgerald. He called it “zone therapy” because the feet and hands are divided into various zone for treatment.

Reflexology is a massage therapy. Similar to shiatsu, it is a physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hands using specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of lotion, often a power is applied instead. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect the human anatomy on both the feet and hands which in theory have significant effects on the entire body.

There is evidence to suggest that this therapy has been around for thousand years. It is believed to have originated in China over 5,000 years ago and  it was practiced by the ancient Egyptians as early as 2500BC.  The treatment can be dated back in Japan to 690BC. Western society found out about reflexology in the 19th century.

Although reflexology is usually applied to the feet and hands, there are those who also apply the same thing to the ear. This is a rarer form. This technique is considered to be a modified from auricular therapy which is an acupuncture technique.

If you are suffering from certain health issue, some points in the foot or hands can be very sore. If the therapist finds these areas, they will focus on them to reduce the pressure.

Most sessions being conducted by practitioners may last from 30 minutes to an hour. It is also a clothed session so the only thing you have to remove is your footwear. It will be up to your therapist whether you lie down or sit up.

At the end of each session, you should feel relaxed. Remember that you have to drink a fair amount of water to flush the poisons and toxins from your body.
Reflexology is another form of massage therapy you can try if you want to relieve tension and stress from the body. If you are interested in trying it, all you have to do is check if there is a therapist within your neighbourhood.

Aromatherapy is a massage where specific oils or a combination of oils are used. Originally all these oils were extracted from plants. This can also include the use of herbs, sea salts hydrosols and clays and mud. The therapist may also choose to use candles.

Unlike Swedish massage, which is a relatively new form of massage, aromatherapy or the use of fragment oils has been used for centuries. The oldest records date back to the early Greeks and the Chinese. In ancient Egypt, essential oils were used for therapeutic purposes as well as for embalming.

The oils used during this massage provide psychological and physical benefits to the body.

This is a very specialized form of massage because the therapist must have an in depth knowledge of essential oils and the healing properties of each.

Aromatherapy is used to treat various health problems that can include the simple cold or flu to nervousness and stress.

Over the past few years, you can now buy an assortment of oils from your health food store. If you want to treat yourself at home, you may buy the oils and try it. Some people enjoy just adding a few drops of oil to their bath to achieve a state of relaxation. Speak to the professional who works there to advise what oils would be best for you.

One of the most known aromatic oils would be eucalyptus. If you have ever used it when you have had a cold, you will know how good it can be to ease congestion.

The base oil is known as a carrier oil and then other oils are added to it. A trained therapist will know the exact oils and quantity to help with any problem health conditions. During a massage the oils are applied onto the skin and from here they are absorbed by the bloodstream where they help with the health problem.

For medical reasons, it is not advisable for pregnant women to have this massage. If you have a medical condition, it is always advisable to speak to your medical practitioner first.

When we mention the term Acupuncture most people envisage all these needles stuck into various parts of the body. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical procedure dating back thousand of years. It has since been introduced into western society and this ancient Chinese technique has helped thousands in managing various medical conditions including chronic pain and fatigue.

This is how it works. The system of Chinese medicine believes that energy (known as Qi) flows through a series of meridians in your body. These meridians, at certain points, run very closely to the skin. This allows the meridians to be accessed using the acupuncture needles. The needles are inserted to normalize the flow of the energy and remove any blockages. There is either excess energy or not enough energy and this is what the practitioner must ascertain and treat.

There have been various scientific study carried out to see if they can see how it works and they all support that acupuncture is effective. It is not known in the west exactly how – but suffice to say, they agree it works.

Like any form of medical procedure, there can be side effects. The medications you take can have side effects and can cause allergic reactions and we all know the risks associated with surgery. For Acupuncture, the risks are relatively minor, these can include minor bleeding, bruising and in some cases dizziness.

Always make sure your practitioner is licensed by the appropriate government body and they are also a member of a relevant professional association.

At your first session, your Acupuncturist will check your medical history and how you health is currently. Usually depending on what condition you have troubling you, the therapist will normal suggest a series of treatments. These sessions often last for 30-60 minutes when the needles are strategically placed along the meridians. The needles stay in for the most of the treatment. They are not painful but most people experience a mild sensation where the needle is. There are different combinations of points for different health problems.

In our western society, Acupuncture is usually used in combination with western medicine. It has a history of being very beneficial and can help with many medical conditions.

Acupressure is the ancient healing method that was used up to 5000 years ago in China. It is based on the same meridians as acupuncture. Where as acupuncture uses needles at the points along the meridian, acupressure uses the hands, fingers, thumbs and some times the forearm and elbow.

Through the application of the pressure at specific points along the meridians, you are able to stimulate the body back to health. The system is based on the Ki or Chi that runs through the body.

Illness is caused when there is an imbalance in the flow of this energy force. You can either have this energy in excess or this energy can be depleted. If the energy is in excess, it has to be sedated but if it is deficient it has to be increased(tonified) .

When pressure is place on these points, you will release muscular tension and increase the flow of blood at this point; this in turn will aid the bodies healing. There are several reasons to use acupressure – it can be used to relieve tension in the body but can also be used to cure insomnia, the common cold, increase the reproductive system and the list goes on. There are even points on the face that are used for beauty treatments.

The therapy can be self administrated or you can find a therapist who has been trained and knows the points on the meridians. If you want to learn the points for yourself there are books and charts available to help you.

It is a non invasive treatment that can help you with illness or stress. You can use just specific points or you can have a Shiatsu Massage (Japanese) or a traditional Chinese Medicine Massage (Tui Na). Both of these massages trace out the meridian points while the patient is fully clothed.