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| Select an Alternative Health Directory |
Click one of the 96 directories below to search through it’s listings, you may also view brief definitions of each directory further down on this page.
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Acupressure |
Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) technique based on the same ideas as acupuncture. Acupressure involves placing physical pressure by hand, elbow, or with the aid of various devices on different acupuncture points on the surface of the body.
Acupoints used in treatment may or may not be in the same area of the body as the targeted symptom. The TCM theory for the selection of such points and their effectiveness is that they work by stimulating the meridian system to bring about relief by rebalancing yin, yang and qi (also spelled "chi").
Many East Asian martial arts also make extensive study and use of acupressure for self-defense and health purposes (chin na, tui na). The points or combinations of points are said to be used to manipulate or incapacitate an opponent. |
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Acupuncture |
A technique of inserting and manipulating needles into what is known as "acupuncture points" on the body. According to acupunctural teachings this will restore health and well-being, and is particularly good at treating pain.
According to the World Health Organization, the following are amongst a number of diseases that are known to be responsive to acupuncture: acute and chronic pain control, arthritis/arthrosis, anxiety, fright, panic, drug detoxification, frozen shoulder, persistent hiccups, constipation, diarrhea and abdominal distention/flatulence. |
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Addiction Treatment |
Addiction is a chronic disorder proposed to be precipitated by a combination of genetic, biological/pharmacological and social factors. Addiction is characterized by the repeated use of substances or behaviors despite clear evidence of morbidity secondary to such use.
Not all doctors agree on what addiction or dependency is, because traditionally, addiction has been defined as being possible only to a psychoactive substance (for example alcohol, tobacco, or drugs), which is ingested, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and alters the natural chemical behavior of the brain temporarily. Many people, both psychology professionals and laypersons, now feel that there should be accommodation made to include psychological dependency on such things as gambling, food, sex, pornography, computers, work, exercise, cutting, and shopping / spending. |
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Alexander Technique |
The Alexander Technique teaches how to recognize and overcome habituated limitations within a person's manner of movement and thinking. The first and most common limitation addressed is unnecessary muscular tension.
The Alexander Technique is usually learned from an Alexander Technique teacher in one-on-one sessions by an Alexander student, using specialized hand contact and verbal instructions. Alexander Technique is also taught in groups, often using short individual lessons in turn as examples to the rest of the class. |
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Allergy Therapy |
An allergy can refer to several kinds of immune reactions including Type I hypersensitivity in which a person's body is hypersensitised and develops IgE type antibodies to typical proteins. Type I hypersensitivity is characterised by excessive activation of mast cells and basophils that can result in symptoms as benign as a runny nose, to life-threatening anaphylactic shock and death.
Allergy is a very common disorder and more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, costing the health care system $18 billion annually.
In alternative medicine, a number of treatment modalities are considered effective by its practitioners in the treatment of allergies, particularly herbal medicine, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine and kinesiology. |
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Animal Therapy |
Animal Therapy is a broad term, used either for Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) or Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). The underlying principle that makes Animal Therapy particularly beneficial for patients is that interaction with a gentle, friendly animal brings lots of positives in their overall health. It has been observed that such activities can result in lowering of blood pressure, treat depression due to loneliness, improve physical and mental stimulation, and brighten the emotional outlook.
Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) aims at improving the quality of life of target individuals or groups by educational or recreational activities related with animals or pets.
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a goal-oriented activity aiming at improvement of a specific individual in social skills, verbal skills, range of motion, attention span, etc. by using animals or pets. AAT is always supervised by a healthcare professional, who decides all the specifics of the therapy, including duration of each visit. |
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Aromatherapy |
Aromatherapy, commonly associated with complementary and alternative medicine, is the use of volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds from plants to affect someone's mood or health.
When aromatherapy is used for the treatment or prevention of disease, a precise knowledge of the bioactivity and synergy of the essential oils used, knowledge of the dosage and duration of application, as well as, naturally, a medical diagnosis, are required.
In the Anglo-Saxon world, among alternative practitioners such as herbalists or naturopaths, aromatherapy is regarded as a complementary modality. |
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Ayurveda |
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a form of alternative medicine in use primarily in the Indian subcontinent. The word "Ayurveda" would roughly translate as the "Science of Life".
Ayurveda deals with the measures of healthy living, along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. Ayurveda is also one among the few traditional systems of medicine involving surgery.
Ayurveda operates on the precept that various materials of vegetable, animal, and mineral origin have some medicinal value. The medicinal properties of these materials have been documented by the practitioners and have been used for centuries to cure illness and/or help maintain good health. Ayurvedic medicaments are made from herbs or mixtures of herbs, either alone or in combination with minerals, metals and other ingredients of animal origin. The metals, animals and minerals are purified by individual processes before being used for medicinal purposes. |
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Beauty and Skincare |
The skin is often known as "the largest organ of the human body". This applies to exterior surface, as it covers the body, appearing to have the largest surface area of all the organs. It also weighs more than any single internal organ, accounting for about 15 percent of body weight.
For the average adult human, the skin is between 2-3 mm thick. The average square inch of skin holds 650 sweat glands, 20 blood vessels, 60,000 melanocytes, and more than a thousand nerve endings.
The use of natural or synthetic cosmetics to treat the appearance of the face and condition of the skin (such as pore control and black head cleansing) is common among many cultures. |
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Bio-Resonance |
Bioresonance therapy is a diagnostic and therapeutical method of alternative medicine. Electrodes, linked to a box, are applied to the patient's skin, which emit alternating currents and are claimed to be healing.
In some of these devices a modern signal processing technique, usually PC-based, is able to analyse and interpret the results. The analyst is then able to make an assessment of the physical and mental health of the patient.
Practitioners claim to be able to detect and cure a variety of diseases without needing for drugs. Some examples of symptoms, claimed to be detected, are vitamin deficiencies, mental health and immunity response. Some examples of diseases, claimed could be healed, are allergies, Sleep disorders, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, stress and hormonal disorders. |
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Bowen Technique |
The Bowen Technique addresses key points to stimulate energy flow, but involves a gentle, rolling motion, with very light touches. The practitioner will stimulate sets of points, often with pauses between sets. The Bowen Technique is not a form of massage, though it does claim to release areas of built-up stress in the muscles, and clients usually experience profound relaxation after a session.
A view held by some Bowen Therapists is that the specific way that Bowen Technique addresses the muscles stimulates the stretch and golgi tendon reflexes as well as joint proprioceptors in a way that heightens the sensory awareness of the body in the area worked on.
Through increasing sensory awareness the move taps into the body’s ability to self regulate which, in turn, can stimulate the body to heal itself. |
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Business |
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A business opportunity, or biz-opp, involves the sale or lease of any product, service, equipment, etc. that will enable the purchaser-licensee to begin a business. The licensor or seller of a business opportunity usually declares that it will secure or assist the buyer in finding a suitable location or provide the product to the purchaser-licensee. This is different from the sale of an independent business, in which there is no continued relationship required by the seller. |
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Cancer Treatments |
Complementary and alternative cancer treatments are medical therapies intended or claimed to treat cancer by improving on, supplementing or replacing conventional methods (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy).
In the year 2000, the American Cancer Society published American Cancer Society's Guide to Complementary and Alternative Cancer Methods. There are over 200 substances and therapies in this book, and while there is a varying degree of success with each of the methods, it appears that some of the techniques will work at times, however no technique will work in all situations, which, practitioners claim, is similar to the success rate of conventional techniques. Many of these treatments are similar to ancient ways of dealing with disease. According to practitioners of such techniques, various options are available to anyone who wants this information, however, they caution that discretion is advised no matter what methods a person chooses to pursue. |
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Chair Massage |
Massage chairs come in 2 main types. Traditional massage chairs, which are Ergonomically designed chairs for positioning a person who will be receiving a massage, similar in function to a massage table.
And robotic massage chairs, which contain internal electronic motors and gears designed to massage the person sitting in them. Most robotic massage chairs have some form of controller to vary the type, location, or intensity of massage. |
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Chakra Balancing |
The chakras are described as being aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. In new age practices, each chakra is associated with a certain color. In various traditions chakras are associated with multiple physiological functions, an aspect of consciousness, a classical element, and other distinguishing characteristics. They are visualised as lotuses with a different number of petals in every chakra.
The chakras are thought to vitalise the physical body and to be associated with interactions of a physical, emotional and mental nature. They are considered loci of life energy, or prana, (also called shakti, or chi), which is thought to flow among them along pathways called nadis. The function of the chakras is to spin and draw in this Universal Life Force Energy to keep the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health of the body in balance.
The seven basic chakras are Sahasrara (crown), Ajna (third eye), Vishuddha (throat), Anahata (heart/lung), Manipura (solar plexus), Swadhisthana (sacrum) and Muladhara (root).
Traditional Chinese medicine also relies on a similar model of the human body as an energy system. |
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Chinese Medicine |
Chinese medicine (also known as Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM) or is a range of traditional medical practices used in China that developed over several thousand years. These practices include herbal medicine, acupuncture, and massage. TCM is a form of Oriental medicine, which includes other traditional East Asian medical systems such as traditional Japanese and Korean medicine. TCM says processes of the human body are interrelated and constantly interact with the environment. Therefore the theory looks for the signs of disharmony in the external and internal environment of a person in order to understand, treat and prevent illness and disease.
TCM theory is based on a number of philosophical frameworks including the Theory of Yin-yang, the Five Elements, the human body Meridian system, Zang Fu organ theory, and others. Diagnosis and treatment are conducted with reference to these concepts. TCM does not usually operate within a western scientific paradigm but some practitioners make efforts to bring practices into an evidence-based medicine framework.
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Chiropractic |
Chiropractic is a complementary and alternative health care profession with the purpose of diagnosing and treating mechanical disorders of the spine and musculoskeletal system with the intention of affecting the nervous system and improving health. It is based on the premise that a spinal joint misalignment, which chiropractors call a vertebral subluxation, can interfere with the nervous system and result in many different conditions of diminished health.
Treatments typically include spinal adjustments to correct the vertebral subluxation, though some may use other holistic interventions as well. In contrast, the term subluxation, as used in conventional medicine, is usually associated with specific conditions which are a direct consequence of injury to joints or associated nerves.
Chiropractic was founded in 1895 by DD Palmer, and it is now licensed in every state in the United States and practiced in more than 100 countries. |
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Colon Hydrotherapy |
Colon hydrotherapy, also known as colonic irrigation, is an alternative medical procedure, sometimes associated with naturopathy. Similar to an enema, it involves the introduction of discrete amounts of purified water, sometimes infused with minerals or other materials, such as organic coffee, into the colon using medically approved class II colon hydrotherapy devices with sanitary, disposable speculums or gravity-fed enema-like systems inserted into the rectum. The fluid is released after a short period, and the process will be repeated multiple times during the course of a treatment. A colema is a type of colon hydrotherapy performed by oneself using a bucket with an attached hose, while lying on a board positioned over a toilet, into which the contents of enema are released.
The practice has been known since ancient times for treating constipation which was believed to have been the root of many diseases and illnesses. The first recorded reference to colon cleansing date back more than 3000 years to the Ebers papyrus, an Egyptian medical document. This document outlines bowel and colon cleansing procedures using various herbal concoctions and water, and has been carbon dated to between 1500 and 1700 B.C.
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Colour Therapy |
Colour Therapy, sometimes called Chromotherapy or Colourology, is an alternative medicine method. It is claimed that a therapist trained in chromotherapy can use colour and light to balance energy wherever our bodies are lacking, be it physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental.
Chromotherapists claim a scientific basis for their practice, proposing that colours bring about emotional reactions in people. A standard method of diagnosis is the use of Luscher’s colour test, developed by Dr. Max Luscher in the early 1900s. When performing chromotherapy, colour and light is applied to specific areas and acupoints on the body. Because colours get associated with both positive and negative effects in colour therapy, specific colours and accurate amounts of colour are deemed to be critical in healing. Some of the tools used for applying colours are gemstones, candles, wands, prisms, coloured fabrics, bath treatments, and coloured glasses or lenses. Therapeutic colour can be administered in a number of ways, but is often combined with hydrotherapy and aromatherapy in an attempt to heighten the therapeutic effect. |
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Craniosacral Therapy |
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CranioSacral therapy (also called CST, cranial osteopathy) is a method of alternative medicine used by massage therapists, chiropractors and osteopaths, who manually apply a subtle movement of the spinal and cranial bones to bring the central nervous system into harmony. This therapy involves assessing and addressing the movement of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which can be restricted by trauma to the body, such as through falls, accidents, and general nervous tension. By gently working with the spine, the skull and its cranial sutures, diaphragms, and fascia, the restrictions of nerve passages are eased, the movement of CSF through the spinal cord can be optimized, and misaligned bones can be restored to their proper position. This therapy is particularly useful for mental stress, neck and back pain, migraines, TMJ Syndrome, and for chronic nervous conditions such as fibromyalgia. |
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Crystal Therapy |
Crystal Therapy is the belief that certain crystals and other charmstones have healing, mystical and/or paranormal powers.
Crystal healers claim that every living organism has a "vibrational energy system," which includes chakras, electromagnetic fields around your body known as an aura, subtle bodies and meridians. By using the appropriate crystals one can allegedly "tune" an energy system or rebalance energies, thus improving well-being due to the vibrations produced by the crystals, according to color, chemical composition, atomic structure and overall physical form. Using the vibrations of the crystals a trained practitioner can allegedly move, absorb, focus, direct and diffuse energy within the body, using the perfect structure of the crystal for the body to emulate. Crystal healing also allegedly gives the body a chance to relax, which may aid in the body’s natural abilities of the immune system.
The earliest records of crystal healing come from ancient Egypt. The Ebers papyrus states the medicinal uses of many different gems. Healing with crystals is also recorded in India's Ayurvedic records and in traditional Chinese medicine from around five thousand years ago. |
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Dental Care |
Dental Care is the art and science of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions, diseases, and disorders of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial region, and its associated structures as it relates to human beings. While the work of dentists is often surgical in nature, dentists can and do treat many diseases of the oral cavity and face chemotherapeutically.
It is said that the 17th century french physician Pierre Fauchard started dentistry science as we know it today, hence he was named "the father of modern dentistry". Among many of his developments were, the extensive use of dental prosthesis, introducing dental fillings as treatment for dental caries and stating that sugar derivate acids like tartaric acid were responsible for dental decay. |
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Detox |
Detox, short for detoxification, in general is the removal of toxic substances from the body. It is one of the major functions of the liver, lower gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, but can also be achieved artificially by techniques such as dialysis and (in a very limited number of cases) chelation therapy.
Other less mainstream methods for eliminating toxic substances from the body include the modification of the diet and addition of certain herbs and rituals such as Colon hydrotherapy, Body cleansing juice fasting and sweat lodges. All these methods are claimed to assist the body's natural detoxification process. |
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Ear Candling (Thermo-Auricular) |
Ear candling, also called ear coning or thermal-auricular therapy, is a folk medicine practice intended to assist the natural clearing of earwax (cerumen) and "toxins" from a person's ear by means of a hollow candle placed in the ear.
One end of a cylinder or cone of waxed cloth is lit, and the other placed into the subject's ear. Usually the subject is lying on one side with the treated ear uppermost and the candle vertical, perhaps stuck through a paper plate or aluminum pie tin to protect against any hot wax or ash falling down the side. The flame is extinguished approximately two inches from the body, sometimes using a dish of water.
An ear candling session can last up to 45 minutes, during which time a series of 1 or 2 ear candles may be burned for each ear. |
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Emotional Freedom Technique |
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a psychotherapeutic tool that intends to relieve many psychological conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, general stress, addictions and phobias. The basic EFT technique involves holding a disturbing memory or emotion in mental focus and simultaneously using the fingers to tap on a series of 12 specific points on the body that correspond to meridians used in Chinese medicine. The theory behind EFT is that negative emotions are caused by disturbances in the body's "energy field," and that tapping on the meridians while thinking of a negative emotion alters the body's energy field, restoring it to "balance."
EFT was created by Gary Craig in the mid 1990s, and is meant to be a simplification and improvement of Roger Callahan's Thought Field Therapy techniques. |
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Energy Therapy |
Energy Therapy is a broad terminology that encompasses every technique leading to a change in thoughts, feelings or behaviors with the help of making necessary changes at the energetic level. The most popular Alternative Energy Therapy technique is acupressure, in which the expert gently taps the acupressure points to balance your energy system in relationship to the troubling body part.
Energy Therapy is based on the principle of the vitality of free flow of energy in the body to ward off potential ailments. This principle is recognized in the Indian Ayurvedic Medicine System in the form of ‘Prana’, and typically, Yoga Asanas are most popularly associated with the free flow of energy in the body. Similarly, the Chinese Medicine System talks of ‘Qi’ in relation to the free flow of energy.
A healthy body is an indication of smooth energy flow. However, when it is blocked by internal or external force, the result is some form of bodily ailment. Energy Therapy aims at allowing the patient to access enough energy that enables the clearing of blocked energy within the body. |
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Facial Rejuvenation |
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Facial rejuvenation is any cosmetic or medical procedure used to increase or restore the appearance of a younger age to human face. The specific term, however, refers to a set of surgical procedures which try to restore facial geometry and skin appearance which are typical of youth, by using a combination of brow lift, elimination of eye bags, eyelids lift, elimination of senile spots, skin aging, facial sagging and wrinkles by face lift and rhytidectomy and physical or chemical peeling, chin lift (reduction of double chin), restoration of facial hairline, etc. These procedures are usually successful and in some cases achieve striking results. |
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Feldenkrais |
The Feldenkrais method is an educational system intended to give a greater functional awareness of the self. The method uses movement and awareness as the primary vehicle for learning. It is perhaps due to this focus on physical movements that the Feldenkrais Method is often classified as a complementary and alternative medicine. The Feldenkrais Method attracts the attention of those who want to improve their movement repertoire (as dancers, musicians, artists), who want to reduce their pain or limitations in movement, or who want to use the method as a way to improve their well-being and personal development. Advocates claim the Feldenkrais Method often improves movement-related pain (e.g. pain in backs, knees, hips, shoulders), and leads to better functioning in cases of stroke or cerebral palsy. A central tenet of the Feldenkrais Method is that improving ability to move can improve one's overall well-being. Practitioners of the Feldenkrais Method generally refrain from diagnosis, or referring to the Feldenkrais Method as therapy.
Feldenkrais first taught the method in Tel Aviv to 13 students. He later came to the United States in the early 1970s, where he taught at Esalen. He subsequently gave two professional trainings in the US, in San Francisco (1975-77) and Amherst, Massachusetts (1980-83). |
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Feng Shui |
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment. The literal translation is "wind and water".
Feng Shui involves the use of geographical, psychological, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetic, and astrological concepts in relation to space and energy flow. It is not simply a decorating style, but a discipline with guidelines compatible with many different techniques of architectural planning.
An individual is usually not described as having bad or incorrect feng shui, but since the practice is linked to Qi, a persons energy can either deplete or add to the energy of his or her surroundings. The space can also effect the individual, especially in matters of luck, health, and prosperity. Feng shui is not only a practice that is related to physical space, but also to the inhabitors of the space it self, as both are interconnected. |
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Flower Remedies |
Bach flower remedies are dilutions of flower "essences" developed by Dr.Edward Bach. They are similar to homeopathy in many respects and form a part of alternative medicine.
There are thirty-eight original Bach remedies plus "Rescue RemedyTM", each prescribed for certain mental and emotional problems. They form a complete system with which practitioners treat every variety of human emotional imbalance. Other systems of remedies have been developed by practitioners who have access to flowers that are indigenous to other regions, and that were therefore unknown to Bach. |
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Herbal Medicine |
Herbal Medicine, also known as Herbalism, herbology, and phytotherapy, is a folk and traditional medicinal practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts.
Utilizing the healing properties of plants is an ancient practice. People in all continents have long used hundreds, if not thousands, of indigenous plants for treatment of various ailments dating back to prehistory. There is evidence that sugests Neanderthals living 60,000 years ago in present-day Iraq used plants for medicinal purposes (found at a burial site at Shanidar Cave, Iraq, in which a Neanderthal man was uncovered in 1960. He had been buried with eight species of plants)
These plants are still widely used in ethnomedicine around the world. |
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Homeopathy |
Homeopathy is a method of alternative medicine that treats "like with like." The term "homeopathy" was coined by the German physician Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755–1843)
Homeopathy attempts to treat the sick with extremely diluted agents that, in undiluted doses, produce similar symptoms in the healthy. However, processes used cause the dose to be exactly zero in most cases: Its adherents and practitioners assert that the therapeutic potency of a remedy can be increased by serial dilution of the drug, combined with succussion, or vigorous shaking. This is, however, not supported by chemistry or physics. Homeopathy regards diseases as morbid derangements of the organism, and states that instances of disease in different people differ fundamentally.
Homeopathy views a sick person as having a dynamic disturbance in a hypothetical "vital force", a disturbance which, homeopaths claim, underlies standard medical diagnoses of named diseases. |
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Hydrotherapy |
Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy, is probably the oldest form of medical treatment. It involves the use of water for soothing pains and treating diseases.
Its use has been recorded as ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations. Egyptian royalty bathed with essential oils and flowers, while Romans had communal public baths for their citizens. It has been long accepted that hot water springs can improve health by increasing circulation.
The use of water to treat rheumatic diseases has a long history. Today, hydrotherapy is used to treat arthritis, burns, spasticity, ankylosing spondylitis, musculoskeletal disorders, spinal cord injuries, and stroke patients with paralysis. It is also used to treat orthopedic and neurological conditions in dogs and horses, and to improve fitness. |
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Hypnotherapy |
Hypnotherapy is a natural psychological process in which critical thinking faculties of the mind are bypassed and a type of selective thinking and perception is established.
Hypnotherapy is often applied in order to modify a subject's behavior, emotional content, and attitudes, as well as a wide range of conditions including dysfunctional habits, anxiety, stress-related illness, pain management, and personal development. |
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Indian Head Massage |
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Indian Head Massage, also known under the trademarked term Champissage, is an alternative medicine massage therapy in which the head, neck and facial areas are massaged with the purpose of manipulating energy channels. The goal is to clear blocks in these energy channels that cause a build-up of negative energy that are purported to cause ailments. |
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Iridology |
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Iridology is an alternative medicine practice in which patterns, colors, and other characteristics of the iris are examined for information about a patient's systemic health. Practitioners match their observations to iris charts which divide the iris into zones that they believe correspond to specific parts of the human body. They believe the eye acts as a "window" into the body's state of health. |
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Kinesiology |
Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement. While an understanding of kinesiology is fundamental for the analysis and treatment of problems in the musculoskeletal system, it is not - unlike "applied kinesiology" (AK) - a stated method for the treatment or diagnosis of illness.
Kinesiology encompasses human anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology, exercise psychology and sociology, history, and philosophy of sport. The relationship between the quality of movement and overall human health is also studied. |
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Life Coaching |
Life coaching is a practice of assisting clients to determine and achieve personal goals. A coach will use a variety of methods, tailored to the client, to move through the process of setting and reaching goals. Coaching is not targeted at psychological illness.
With roots in executive coaching life coaching also draws from a wide variety of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, career counseling, mentoring, and numerous other types of counseling. The coach applies mentoring, values assessment, behavior modification, behavior modeling, goal-setting, and other techniques in assisting clients. |
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Light Therapy (SAD) |
Light therapy or phototherapy consists of exposure to specific wavelengths of light using lasers, LEDs, fluorescent lamps, dichroic lamps or very bright, full-spectrum light, for a prescribed amount of time. It has proven effective in treating Acne vulgaris, seasonal affective disorder, and for some people it has ameliorated delayed sleep phase syndrome. It has recently been shown effective in non-seasonal depression. Proponents claim demonstrable benefits for skin conditions such as psoriasis and, more controversially, a degree of "skin rejuvenation."
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, also known as winter depression is an affective, or mood, disorder. Most SAD sufferers experience normal mental health throughout most of the year, but experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer. |
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Magnet Therapy |
Magnet therapy or magnotherapy is a form of alternative medicine claiming that certain medical disorders can be effectively treated by exposure to static magnetic fields.
Magnet therapy makes use of the static magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets; the related alternate medicine field of electromagnetic therapy involves the application of electromagnetic waves to the patient. |
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Massage Therapy |
Massage is the practice of applying structured or unstructured pressure, tension, motion, or vibration — manually or with mechanical aids — to the soft tissues of the body, including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, joints and lymphatic vessels, to achieve a beneficial response. Massage Therapy is performed primarily by a professional Massage Therapist but is often used as a form of therapy by other Healthcare practitioners such as Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Physical Therapists.
Massage can be applied to parts of the body or successively to the whole body, to aid the process of injury healing, relieve psychological stress, manage pain, and improve circulation. Where massage is used for its physiological, mental, and mechanical benefits, it may be termed "therapeutic massage" or manipulative therapy. |
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Meditation |
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Meditation describes a state of concentrated attention on some object of thought or awareness. It usually involves turning the attention inward to the mind itself. Meditation is often recognized as a component of Eastern religions, where it has been practiced for over 5,000 years. It has also become mainstream in Western culture. It encompasses any of a wide variety of spiritual practices which emphasize mental activity or quiescence. Meditation can be used for personal development, or to focus the mind on God (or an aspect of God). Many practice meditation in order to achieve peace, while others practice certain physical yogas in order to become healthier. |
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Mental Health |
Mental health is a concept that refers to a human individual's emotional and psychological well-being. Merriam-Webster defines mental health as "A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life."
One way to think about mental health is by looking at how effectively and successfully a person functions. Feeling capable and competent; being able to handle normal levels of stress, maintaining satisfying relationships, and leading an independent life; and being able to "bounce back," or recover from difficult situations, are all signs of mental health. |
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Naturopathy |
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Naturopathy (also known as Naturopathic medicine) is a school of medical philosophy and practice that seeks to improve health and treat disease chiefly by assisting the body's innate capacity to recover from illness and injury. Naturopathic practice may include a broad array of different modalities, including manual therapy, hydrotherapy, herbalism, acupuncture, counselling, environmental medicine, aromatherapy, wholefoods, cell salts, and so on. |
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Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) |
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Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a set of techniques, axioms and beliefs that adherents use primarily as an approach to personal development. It is based on the idea that mind, body and language interact to create an individual's perception of the world and that perceptions, and hence behaviors, can be changed by the application of a variety of techniques; in particular, "modeling" which involves the careful reproduction of the behaviors and beliefs of those who have achieved 'excellence'. The early focus of NLP was the study of the underlying patterns in the language and techniques of noted and successful therapists in hypnotherapy, gestalt therapy and family therapy. The patterns discovered were adapted for general communication and effecting change. |
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Osteopathy |
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Osteopathy is a school of medicine which emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in health and disease. Osteopathy emphasizes a holistic approach and the skilled use of a range of manual and physical therapies in the prevention and treatment of disease, particularly, but not solely, joint, muscle and nerve problems, such as back, neck and head pain. Osteopaths often see their role as facilitating the body's own recuperative powers by treating musculoskeletal or somatic dysfunction. |
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Parenting |
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Parenting is the process of raising and educating a child from birth until adulthood. This is usually done in a child's family by the mother and/or father. Where parents are unable or unwilling to provide this care, it is usually taken on by close relatives, such as older siblings, aunts and uncles, or grandparents. In other cases, children may be cared for by adoptive parents, foster parents, godparents, or in institutions (such as group homes or orphanages). |
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Physiotherapy |
Physiotherapy (or Physical Therapy) is the provision of services to people and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. It includes the provision of services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by the process of ageing or that of injury or disease. The method of Physiotherapy sees full and functional movement as at the heart of what it means to be healthy.
Physiotherapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing movement potential, within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. It involves the interaction between physical clients, families and care givers, in a process of assessing movement potential and in establishing agreed upon goals and objectives using knowledge and skills unique to physical therapists. |
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Pilates |
The Pilates Method is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates.
The program focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and strengthen the deep torso muscles, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain. |
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Podiatry and Chiropody |
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Podiatry and Chiropody are fields of healthcare devoted to the study and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and sometimes knee, leg and hip (collectively known as the lower extremity). The terms podiatry and chiropody are not interchangeable, with the word chiropody being most used in the UK, and podiatry in the US. |
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Psychology |
Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. Psychology also refers to the application of such knowledge to various spheres of human activity, including problems of individuals' daily lives and the treatment of mental illness.
Psychology differs from the other social sciences — anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology — in seeking to explain the mental processes and behavior of individuals. |
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Quantum Touch Healing |
Quantum Touch® is a dynamic and highly-effective hand–on energy healing technique. In principle, Quantum Touch® focus and amplify life-force energy, which is most often referred to as "Chi", “Ki” or "Prana" in other cultures and healing techniques. This is accomplished by combining various breathing and body awareness exercises. When the practitioner holds a high vibrational field of life-force energy around an affected area of the client's body, the client naturally matches the vibration of the practitioner (through a process of resonance and entrainment), allowing the client's own biological intelligence to do whatever healing it deems necessary.
Quantum Touch® will often stop pain and cause inflammation to be dramatically reduced; it can balance organs, glands and tissues of the body. Bones often move back into alignment as well. Since it is always the body healing itself, the body will use this energy in whatever way it decides. Life-force energy even has a remarkable effect on psychological and emotional states. |
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Reflexology |
Reflexology, or zone therapy, is the practice of stimulating points on the feet, hands and ears, in order to encourage a beneficial effect on some other parts of the body, or to try to improve general health. Reflexology is most commonly performed on the feet, moving on to the hands and/or ears where physical restraints, such as veruccas or fractures.
Practitioners believe the foot to be divided into a number of reflex zones corresponding to all zones of the energy of the body, and that applying pressure in the form of massage to "tight" or "gritty" areas of a person's foot will stimulate the corresponding part of the energy body and assist the self-healing process. |
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