What is Natural Medicine?

Natural medicines involve a wide range of natural therapies that work on both the physical and emotional body in order to relieve pain, improve health, and also improve emotional conditions such as stress or anxiety.

The Benefits of Natural Medicine

There are many benefits to be had from undergoing one of these forms of natural therapies. Many of these therapies, such as herbal medicine, homoeopathy, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, use natural plants and essences taken from the earth in order to heal any problems or disharmonies within the body. These are safe remedies that are mixed to the precise specification of the individual, and have no side effects.

Flower essences are fantastic for helping to heal any emotional disharmonies that are currently occurring within the body. These essences, which can actually be self-prescribed, can help with emotions ranging from anger to fear. By neutralising or ridding ourselves of these emotions, we can actually be helping to avoid becoming ill in the future.

Many of these therapies such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, treat the whole body, and are systems that have been in use for thousands of years. The fact that these treatment systems have persisted for so long is proof that they are safe, and that they work.

Therapies such as nutrition, weight loss, colonic irrigation, and allergy testing/treatments are aimed at providing the body with the energy that it needs to operate at its peak, and removing any obstacles that may stop this from occurring. A healthy body needs the right fuel, and to be free of any toxins in order for it to be as healthy as possible.

Diagnostic tools such as iridology, naturopathy, and holistic doctors also play a role in optimum health as their goal is to identify illnesses before they start to have a negative impact on the body. Being able to identify these potential illnesses early is vital and of great benefit as it helps to stop disease from damaging the body.

There is a strong preventative aspect in the majority of the natural therapies outlined below and this helps to prove the saying that prevention is better than cure. It is better to keep the body strong physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, so that toxins, disease or other physical conditions cannot take hold and create a negative impact on any aspect of the body.

Natural Medicine Modalities

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture is a well known natural therapy that focuses on improving the overall wellbeing of the patient. It works by using fine needles that are inserted into the body at specific points in order to clear energy blocks or stagnant energy and to help energy flow freely throughout the body once again. By restoring the natural flow of energy, pain is relieved and health is restored. Many conditions can be treated with acupuncture, from addictions, to pain, skin problems, stress, and much more.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete medical system that has been used for over 23 centuries in the treating and preventing of illness. All treatments within TCM are designed to bring the Yin and Yang into harmony within the body by regulating the flow of Qi in the body. Treatments that are used in TCM include acupuncture (link to acupuncture), herbal medicine (link to herbal medicine), diet, exercise, massage (link to massage), tai chi (link to tai chi), and qi gong.

Herbal Medicine and Homoeopathy
Herbal medicine is practiced in many cultures and has been successfully used for thousands of years. An herbalist will prepare a treatment based on the consultation that they have with their client. Generally plants and plant parts are used within the herbal remedy, but some cultures will also use animal or mineral products in their herbal mixtures. The herbal remedy may take the form of teas, capsules, tablets, extracts, or tinctures, to name a few. Herbal medicine is effective as the ingredients in the remedy contain natural chemicals and compounds that have biological activity. Many conditions can benefit from the use of herbal medicine, from as simple as the common cold, to as complicated as digestive conditions and allergies.

Homoeopathy is designed to help the body to heal itself. Symptoms of ill health are caused by disharmony within the person, and it is the person that needs the treatment rather than the disease or illness itself. The medicines used in homoeopathy are comprised of plant, mineral, and animal extracts and are prescribed according to the specific symptoms shown by an individual, as well as the emotions that they show and their general physical condition.

Iridology
Iridology is the study of the iris, or the coloured part of the eye. By looking at the iris, the practitioner is able to see the changing conditions in every part and every organ of the body. While iridology cannot detect a specific disease, it is able to tell if there is not enough or too much energy in a specific area of the body. It is a diagnostic tool rather than a treatment tool. The aim of the therapy is to diagnose a potential illness as soon as possible, before it has a chance to develop into something more serious.

Naturopathy
Naturopaths prevent, assess, and treat conditions of the mind and body. They use conventional health sciences along with a range of natural therapies in order to treat a person’s mental, emotional and physical states for a lasting effect. Naturopathy believes that every person has their own healing energy, and naturopathic treatment simply allows the body to repair itself and recover from illnesses. Naturopaths encourage a person to take responsibility for their own health. The goal is to create a lifestyle that supports health and wellbeing. Naturopaths use therapies such as herbal medicine, nutrition, flower essences, homoeopathy, iridology and massage to assist in the healing process.

Nutrition
Nutrition is vital for our health and it can be defined as the science that establishes the relationship between a person’s diet and their overall health. To function properly, the body needs the correct levels of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, mineral, and water. If any of these reach too low a level, a deficiency occurs and this results in a person feeling generally unwell or even illness. Antioxidants are another important part of nutrition as they neutralise free radicals in the body – damaging substances that can contribute to premature aging, heart disease, and liver disease, amongst other problems. To have a healthy diet, it is best to eat a diet that is rich in wholegrains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty of water. For added health benefits, you can try eating some “superfoods”.

Remedial Therapies
Remedial therapies are an extension of remedial massage and include such therapies as acupressure, aromatherapy, sports medicine, Chinese massage, shiatsu, flower essences, reflexology, and more.

Flower Essences
Flower essences can be used to treat negative emotions, thoughts, and even disease. This is done by choosing a remedy that matches a patient’s temperament as well as their state of mind. Flower essences are not used directly for physical conditions but rather treat the worry and anxiety that is troubling the patient. In this therapy, the essences work n a vibrational level, so that the life force can flow more freely. These essences are able to treat emotional problems such as anger, apprehension, loneliness, despair, uncertainty, self-esteem, and creativity, to name just a few. Flower essences are complete safe to use and have no side effects.

Natural Medicine Treatments

Women’s Health and Natural Fertility Management
Women’s health is an umbrella term for issues that commonly affect women such as menstrual problems, menopause, infertility management, pregnancy care, breastfeeding, and breast problems. These are conditions that can cause great discomfort for women so it is important that they are looked at before the problem becomes unbearable. Some modalities that are particularly good for treating women’s health issues include nutritional therapy, herbal medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Bowen therapy. Beauty therapies can also be included under the umbrella of women’s health issues as they can be used for relaxation, and managing skin condition, as well as other things.

Natural fertility management is a way of managing a women’s fertility in order to achieve or avoid pregnancy. Training enables women to understand their fertility cycle through observing signs such ad cervical mucus and basal body temperature. If natural fertility management is properly performed, it is safe for all women and has a 97 percent success rate for contraception. As well as this, natural fertility management is also concerned with preconception care and overcoming fertility problems through the use of natural therapies.

Source: Natural Therapy Pages