How Far Are Herbs From Pharmaceuticals?
Posted on February 4, 2010
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The thought of using herbal medicines to treat colds, headaches, and even chronic illnesses can send the average person into a state of shock. The fact is that most people in western countries think of herbs as the medicines of barbaric medieval surgeons and tribal “witch” doctors. But, while this was and is certainly true, most of these people would be equally shocked to discover that many of the pharmaceuticals commonly used in western medicine are derived from these same “Barbaric” herbs.
Western medicine frequently uses herbs like Digitalis and even Opium to treat many of the medical complaints and illnesses of the average, modern person. Digitalis is actually a plant from the Scrophulariaceae Biological Family and is closely related to the common English Foxglove plant. Opium is used to create many pain medicines commonly prescribed for hospital patients; it is created from seed pods of the Opium Poppy.
The Herbalist’s Philosophy
Posted on January 25, 2010
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Herbalists, or practitioners of herbal medicine, believe in the use of herbal medicines to treat basic medical problems. This isn’t to insinuate that herbalists don’t use, or believe in the use of, conventional pharmaceutical medications. Many herbalists merely feel that the use of pharmaceuticals should be limited to emergency situations.
So the question still remains. Why do herbalists believe in the use of herbs to treat everyday problems and illnesses? A lot of herbal medicines are believed to actually help the person to not only overcome the symptoms of a cold or other medical problem, but to actually help build up a resistance to the illnesses. Herbs can do this because they supply natural and nutritional benefits to the person as opposed to introducing foreign chemicals to the individual’s body. Herbs can also supercharge the human immune system, which in turn helps the person build resistance to disease.
Therapeutic Methods 0f Art Therapy
Posted on January 18, 2010
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Art therapists, like other therapists, use many different therapeutic methods to examine and treat the emotional problems of their patients. Unlike other therapists, however, art therapists’ have therapeutic methods that focus on having the patient create and interpret art pieces. These methods can help the patient achieve personal insight to their problem as well as help them to handle their personal issues.
A few of the techniques used are interpreted by the art therapist rather than the patient. In these techniques, the patient’s art is analyzed according to the colors, shapes and designs used. Other techniques are used to ascertain the present mental state of the patient; these techniques typically involve the patient choosing geometric shapes and then recreating them. Additional techniques involve the patient drawing specific pictures and then explaining the pictures; these techniques give the art therapist clues to the personality of the patient.
Who Is The Art Therapist?
Posted on January 11, 2010
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The vocation of art therapist isn’t a new one, but it’s one that’s not familiar to a lot of folks. Art therapists are professional therapists who have extensive training in both art and psychotherapy. To be an art therapist, a person must hold a master’s degree in either art therapy or a comparable field. This education and training permits an art therapist to help patients discover their emotional troubles through artistic mediums.
Most patients of art therapy are unable to deal with their problems like stress or personal trauma. Art therapists can bring out in a patient the ability to acquire insight into their own minds and feelings, in addition to boosting the patient’s power to institute and sustain healthy relationships. All of these things are significant components of healing, and art therapists are educated to employ the artistic processes of the mind to bring these solutions out of their patients.
Markers and Crayons: Not Just For Kids
Posted on January 4, 2010
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Have you ever watched a young child drawing with markers or crayons on a blank piece of paper? They seem to be able to just let go and scribble on and on without a care in the world. This is rarely matched by an adult. And why would an adult want to doodle for no reason anyway?
Because there might be a purpose to Art after all!
Art Therapy is a widely used form of therapy using both the creative process and psychotherapy to elicit a healing response in the patient. By using simple tools like the ones found in any child’s craft box like crayons, markers, colored pencils, and paints, a professional Art Therapist can help a patient discover and deal with internal emotional turmoil. Art Therapy is Frequently used in mental health clinics, but can also be found in more casual places like art studios.
Aromatic Blending vs Therapeutic Blending
Posted on December 28, 2009
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The term “Aromatherapy” technically refers to the use of essential oils and plant extracts to produce a therapeutic effect in a person. However, a lot of people enjoy blending essential oils simply because they like their fragrances.
Blending for the “aroma” created is a great idea, but you should always be aware of the therapeutic uses of the oils you want to use. Using oils that are contradictory to the person’s physical or emotional issues can produce a problematic response.
This is also true in blending essential oils for therapeutic use. Beginners should always use established recipes for the problems they’re trying to fix, and should not attempt to blend their own recipes until they have adequate experience. By the way, it’s also very important to remember that duplicating manufactured fragrances is not possible as manufacturers use artificial chemicals in their scents and perfumes.
Common Essential Oils and Their Corporate Labels
Posted on December 21, 2009
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Over the course of the last five years or so there’s been a huge increase in the number of people who have become interested in aromatherapy. This could possibly be a result of the increasing interest in all alternative therapies. No matter what the reason, major retailers (who see major dollar signs) have jumped on the aromatherapy bandwagon and now provide easy access to a number of common essential oils.
These retailers have added their own corporate labels to these common essential oils which are often packaged according to their desired effect and not by what they treat.
For example:
Aromatherapy oils like lavender, which helps ease anxiety, are used in products labeled “Relaxation”.
Rose and Ylang Ylang are often packaged as “Romance” products while their actual use is to treat stress.
This is why it’s important for aromatherapy practitioners to be aware of the actual uses of these essential oils and not just their corporate labels.
The Practice of Acupuncture: Did He Say Needles!
Posted on December 14, 2009
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While Acupuncture may seem almost barbaric to most western observers, it is in fact more firmly established and much older than any of the western style medical treatments available today. This 5000 year old medical procedure has had a lot more development and study than any of the most trusted medical treatments in existence.
There are six commonly used types of acupuncture needles. Each of these types varies in size and shape; some have wider shafts, some have differently shaped heads. The needles are inserted at different angles to the skin surface; the different angles produce different effects in the body. The practitioner then applies a special technique to the needle: rotation, raising and thrusting, a combination of these two techniques, or vibration. Like the type of needle, insertion point and angle of insertion, the type of technique used depends on the desired effect.
A Brief History Of Acupuncture
Posted on December 7, 2009
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The father of Chinese Medicine Shen Nung, is credited as being the first person to have theorized about circulation in the human body. His theories were compiled approximately 5000 years ago, and led to the development of acupuncture.
Shen Nung developed the idea of the QI, an energy force that flows through the human body. This energy force travels through channels called meridians which run all through the body. The theory is that when the QI is not flowing correctly, the human body experiences illness. This incorrect flow can be caused by blocked meridians which causes unbalanced QI. In order to reestablish the flow of QI, certain points of the skin must be manipulated. These points are accessed through the insertion of needles into the skin, a practice known as acupuncture.
For Needle-Phobics: A Look At Acupuncture
Posted on November 30, 2009
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The very idea of having a needle, or worse, many needles inserted into their skin for any length of time sounds like torture to many people. But there is a good reason for the popularity and staying power of this alternative medicine practice. It has worked for more than 5000 years, and it continues to improve the wellbeing of those who undergo the treatments.
Acupuncture is the Chinese alternative medical practice of inserting very small needles into the skin in very strategic places. These locations where the needles are inserted are specially chosen for their effect on specific parts of a person’s physiology. Sometimes acupuncture needles also work with electricity to induce physiological benefits of the particular points. Often another alternative therapy called Moxibustion is used with acupuncture. This involves the burning of herbs to elicit physiological benefits. Acupressure is also based on the same principles as acupuncture and is sometimes used in conjunction with acupuncture.
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