What is Natural Healing and What is it All About?

If you are used to hearing the term “natural healing” and are not entirely sure what it means then let us enlighten you now.

Natural healing is a type of alternative medicine that just as the name implies, is a form of healing the natural way. Just turn the words around and you have it! Well not completely but it is a good start!

Natural Healing is…

Natural healing is often described using other words such as naturopathy, natural medicine or naturopathic medicine. It is defined as “an eclectic alternative medical system that focuses on natural remedies and the body’s vital ability to heal and maintain itself.”

Yes the body can heal itself if it is given the right materials and help to do so!

The philosophy behind natural healing and natural medicine is a holistic approach that supports the view that drugs and surgery should be used very little if at all when it comes to the process of healing.

Natural healing is made up of many disciplines of alternative medicine including diet and exercise, acupuncture, acupressure, relaxation methods (such as yoga and Tai Chi), hypnosis, chiropractic, herbalism, homeopathy, massage therapy, naturopathy, natural hygiene, reflexology, ayurveda medicine, aromatherapy, Kneipp therapy, nutripathy, sauna and a selection of others.

The word natural when it comes to natural healing makes reference to both the physical as well as the mental areas of the life experience. Natural healing is in no way connected to religion nor does it run counter to any religious beliefs. Instead it is concerned with promoting good health and wellness. Natural healing is an approach to healing that looks at a person as a whole. It takes into account the mind and body of an individual as well as their social and environmental surroundings

Natural healing is about self-healing and it is founded on the belief that a person has the ability to heal themselves from within. Natural healing works with an individual’s inner vital energy. Please note that natural healing is not meant to be a substitute for conventional Western medicine but instead is meant to complement it.

The History of Natural Healing

Natural healing came into being in the western world in the late 20th century. It was in Europe where the beliefs and concepts first took root. Natural and alternative therapies always were and continue to be, very popular in many areas of Europe and in fact many of these therapies are encouraged by medical practitioners and are covered, or partially covered, by health insurance plans.

Up until the 1750’s most health care came by way of self-care and natural health practitioners. While the Revolutionary War was going on between the years of 1775 and 1783, medical concerns were taken care of by lay practitioners and all health conditions from delivering babies to diseases to injuries were attended to by folk medicine practices.

Change was in the works when in 1830 a group of reformers and activists started the Popular Health Movement. One of the individuals involved in this movement was Frances Wright who believed that the medical situation at that time was in dire need of modifications and improvements.

Evolving from the Popular Health Movement were many new alternative health disciplines that would fall under the heading of natural healing. These included water therapy known as hydrotherapy, eclectic medicine (which was founded by Dr. Wooster Beech), herbalism (which came from the Thomsonianism of Samuel Thompson) and natural hygiene from the Orthopathy of Sylvester Graham and Isaac Jennings, MD.

Today natural healing encompasses so much more than it did in the beginning. For example Hypnosis is not only used for helping with relaxation but is also used in helping with weight loss and smoking cessation. Natural healing has grown by leaps and bounds and is more popular today than ever before. More and more people are coming to see the health benefits that come from embracing a new and alternative way of approaching healing from within.

Becca

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Put Reflexology to Work for Your Health

Reflexology is a form of alternative therapy that has as its purpose, the relieving of tension and stress throughout the body.

This is a branch of natural healing that was founded by the ancient Greeks and has been around for 4,000 years. The Greeks were known to call it “pressure treatment.” The ancient Indians soon adopted the practice as well. It took many, many years however before it became known in the western world.

In 1913 an American named William H. Fitzgerald broke the body down into 10 vertical zones and noted that there were pressure points on both the hands and feet that corresponded to all of the organs in the body. He discovered that by applying pressure to these points, relief could be felt in the areas where healing was required. This was a tremendous step in the right direction. In its infancy, reflexology was called zone therapy or zone theory.

In the 1930s a woman named Eunice D. Ingram expanded further on the ideas of Fitzgerald by focusing her attention mainly on the power that lies in the pressure points of the feet as opposed to the hands. It was due to the work and efforts of Ingram that modern reflexology was born. This alternative treatment began to become better received by alternative health practitioners everywhere.

The Work of Reflexology

It is essential to stop here and make it clear that reflexology is not meant as a cure for an infection, disease or any kind of health condition. Reflexology helps to “unblock” the body and relive much of the stress that prevents the body from healing itself. Proponents of the therapy believe that the body is able to relax and begin to heal itself at a much faster rate if there is very little tension or stress present. Reflexology is a safe alternative therapy that promotes well-being, vitality and good health.

Practitioners theorize that there are many health problems that are related to an overabundance of tension that has built up in the body and needs to be released for healing to get underway. Reflexology allows for the release of pent up frustration, anxiety, and nervous energy in order to facilitate self-healing. This natural discipline is also beneficial at allowing the digestive system to work better and it encourages proper blood flow throughout the body. Reflexology is also instrumental in dispelling harmful toxins that have built up in the body that can contribute to even worse health problems.

Reflexology- A Tool for Self-Healing

Reflexology is yet another way that you can get yourself back on track in terms of healing. The application of pressure to the hands and feet in strategic locations can help to loosen muscles and allow tension to go away. This therapy is very similar in nature to acupressure. It is important to emphasize however that it is not the same as a foot massage.

You may find your first few treatments can give way to some soreness and a little discomfort. This is a form of alternative treatment or therapy that is a direct method of stimulating pressure points that correspond to the major organs of the body.

After every reflexology session it is recommended that a person drink a glass of water to help clean out the toxins that have been released during the session. Reflexology is something that you can teach yourself and do in the comfort of your own home or you can seek out the services of a qualified reflexologist.

While reflexology deals mainly with the hands and the feet, there is also a newer branch known as auricular therapy that deals with the ears. In fact it is often referred to as acupuncture of the ears.  Reflexology is a tool for self-healing that can be effective for everyone.

To learn more about reflexology visit these websites:

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/therapiesfromrtoz/a/Reflexology.htm
http://www.crystalinks.com/reflexology.html
http://www.mamashealth.com/massage/reflex.asp
http://stason.org/TULARC/health/alternative-medicine/Reflexology-Health-Benefits.html

Samantha

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