Acupuncture

The first record of acupuncture is found in the 4,700-year-old Huang Di Nei Jing (The yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine), claimed to be the oldest medical textbook in the world. it is said to be written based on theories by Shen Nung, the father of Chinese medicine.

Shen Nung theorized that the body has an energy running throughout it. This energy force is kn own as the qi (roughly pronounced, "chee"). The qi consists of all essential life activities which include the emotional, spiritual, mental and the physical aspects of life. A person's health is influenced by the flow of qi in the body, in combination with the universal forces of yin and yang.

Yin energy (reflecting the feminine side) is said to be "soft", "dark", "cold" and "dry". In a healthy person, yin and yang energies flow throughout the body and are in constant flux ever changing to produce balance and harmony. If the flow of qi is insufficient, unbalanced or interrupted, yin and yang become unbalanced and illness may occur.

The qi flows through 12 main channels or meridians and two accessory channels. All along the meridians through which the qi flows, there are acupuncture points where the qi can be stimulated and the flow corrected. So an acupuncturist will, after making his assessment, place needles along the selected points in order to correct any imbalances in tech flow of energy that has been detected.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic grew out of the dissatisfaction with the traditional approach of western medicine towards the problems presented by patients. David Daniel Palmer, the founder of chiropractic at the end of the 19th century, was disillusioned wight he use of modern medicine to adequately treat musculo-skeletal disorders.

Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts. As a science, it is based on the premise that good health depends in part upon a normal functioning nervous system. When body structures such as cells and organs are functioning normally, a state of health or normal physiology is said to exist. However, when the body's physiology is abnormal, a diseased state begins.

Chiropractic teaches art within the body there are well-established "survival mechanisms" designed to maintain a state of good health. Nerve pressure or nerve reflex can cause a disturbance to the delicate body functions that result in an increased susceptibility to disease. Chiropractic seeks to alleviate the irritation to the spinal nerves by re-establishing normal spinal mobility.

Homeopathy

Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician was one of the earliest person to advocate homeopathy as a treatment. Homeopathy means "similar suffering". Its basic principles include the notion encapsulated in the Latin phrase Similia similibus curentur - Like cures like".

Homeopathy is a scientific system of healing which assists the natural tendency of tech body to heal itself. it recognizes that all symptoms of ill health are expressions of disharmony within the whole person,so it is the whole person that needs treatment, not just the disease.

According to practitioners, homeopathic remedies work by stimulating the body's own healing power. This power is very great and many complaints heal them selves unaided. it is only when the healing process is faulty, blocked or slowed down that homeopathic remedy is needed to act as a stimulus to the curative powers of the body.

Homeopathy is the most holistic of all alternative medicines. Homeopathy believes in the "total cure" of the person an not just the superficial symptoms of the illness.

The return of Alternative Medicine

The traditional western mode of practising medicine is undergoing a shake-up as more and more people are looking elsewhere for answers and turning back to the not-so-new practice of "alternative medicine". According to the Oxford Dictionary, alternative medicine is "any type of treatment that promotes health without using artificial drugs". A recent article on "Traditional and Complementary Healing" states that " alternative medicine is also termed complementary medicine".

Many alternative healing traditions have survived hundreds of years. Other systems such as homeopathy and psychotherapy and holistic treatment have come about more recently in conjunction with scientific medicine. These traditional medicines are now moving into the mainstream. Alternative medicine is the medicine of the 21 st century.

The term "alternative medicine' covers a vast range of activities which are grouped into various categories. The complete systems of healing have a theoretical base as tot he causation of disease in addition to their diagnostic, investigative an therapeutic understanding. In this respect, they share some similarities to orthodox medicine.

Most of these systems of healing have an educational framework and by and large consider themselves to be competent enough to deal with he problems that come their way.

Plant Power

According to the American institute for Cancer Reserach, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce your incidence of cancer by 20 per cent, as they contain cancer-fighting antioxidants. The plant nutrients tend to work best as a team, so aim to eat a wide variety every day.

Herbs and spices in cosmetics

To Western ears jasmine and gingko biloba may sound exotic. But her in Asia, they're well-known. Indian women often wear jasmine flowers in their hair. And you'd be hard-pressed to find a Chinese woman who hasn't tasted herbal soups with ginseng or a Muslim woman who has never used inai (henna) on her hands and fingers.

Now these traditional Asian herbs and spices are turning up in Western based skincare and cosmetics. So we're finally getting the best of both worlds. For many years Asian flowers like gardenia, jasmine and yiang ylang have formed the core of floral perfumes. But now other Asian herbs like ginger are used for its warm and invigorating fragrance. There's a whole new class of 'green' fragrances such as leaves like bamboo to balance freshness and sensuality.

Plant extracts are used in most creams and lotions to moisturize and nourish, that's nothing new. But what's new is the increasing use of Asian herbs. Ginseng and gingko biloba help stimulate the skin so you look more radiant. Soy, which is high in protein and amino acids, helps to nourish and condition dry skin and hair. Green tea is a powerful anti-oxidant that helps to reduce the effect of wrinkle-causing free-radicals.

Alpha-hydroxy acids found in face cream might come from fruits like lime, papaya and mandarin. Kaolin, also known as Chinese clay, helps combat oily skin. Perhaps the best thing about the increased use of Asian ingredients is that we're getting products specially developed to suit Asian women.

Medicinal value of lemon grass

It's medicinal value has found faith with some Buddhist monks who serve lemon grass tea in temples as it reputedly has a calming effect. The leaves are infused in water as a cooling tea.
In the realm of aromatherapy, the oil from lemon grass is mixed with coconut oil to rub on those having painful nerve conditions, rheumatism or lumbago.

Some in the Caribbean believe lemon grass baths ease soreness. Lemon grass is easily available in wet markets and supermarkets. wrapped well in kitchen paper, it can be stored in the refrigerator for at least two weeks, though as with most food, the taste cannot beat that of freshly bought lemon grass. In appearance, its pale green, grass-like leaves leave much to be desired but its bulbous-liking, creamish base, when cut open to expose mauve-colored rings amid the off-white surface, is quite something else.

It grows profusely in dense clumps throughout the tropics. As part of your own herb garden, just put some old lemon grass in soil and it will spread like wildfire, even by the side of the drains! However, experts say the soil must be well-drained and dry, for excessive watering will lower the oil content. Lemon grass is a natural insect repellent and it adds a citrus fragrance to potpourri.