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Surveys show that nearly 40% of adults currently use some form
of complementary or alternative medicine. For example, many
migraine sufferers may try acupuncture before beta-blockers, or a
patient with high cholesterol may opt for yoga before embarking
on chronic medication. You will always need to chat to your
healthcare provider before starting any kind of treatment, but here
is a breakdown of some of the more common alternative therapies
available and what they can do for you.
medicine claims that acupuncture helps regulate chi, a form of
energy that circulates through the body. Acupuncture points are
located along channels of energy known as meridians that connect
all of our major organs. And when inserted in specific points, the
needles are believed to prompt the nervous system to shoot healing
messages to the brain.
What to Expect: Even people who suffer from a fear of
needles find acupuncture quite tolerable due to the fact that the
needles are hair-thin and are inserted only a few millimeters into
the skin. Many people don’t even feel the prick. You will most
likely lie on a bed similar to a massage table while the practitioner
plays soothing music. Most hour-long sessions involve a dozen or
so needles, positioned specifically on the acupuncture points – such
as the feet, legs, abdomen, chest, back, or head – that correspond
with your specific health complaint. Acupuncture usually involves a
series of treatments over several months, although results are often
immediately noticeable.
Acupuncture
The practice of treating people with tiny needles has been
around for thousands of years, and modern science admits that it
really does work. Scores of studies support claims of acupuncture’s
effectiveness for alleviating everything from headaches and PMS
to infertility, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Traditional Chinese
Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation
that also promotes healing. It is based on the idea that an unseen
“life force energy” flows through us and that if this energy is low,
we are more likely to get sick or feel stress. Practitioners are trained
to use their hands to regulate the energy, thus curing patients from
the inside out. Reiki is believed to help with ailments such as stress,
depression, anxiety, chronic conditions and insomnia, as well as to
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