A-Z of Holistic & Complementary Therapies
Below is a brief description of the most popular holistic, complementary and alternative therapies and disciplines. Please bear in mind that most holistic practitioners use a combination of different techniques, and that some techniques are more effective than others in treating specific disorders. For a more detailed introduction to holistic medicine, click here.
Acupressure - An ancient healing art in which the fingers are usedto apply pressure to key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities through a human electrical channel called a meridian.
Acupuncture - The practice of inserting thin needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being by activating bio-electrical energy (or qi) channels that flow in and around the body in channels called meridians. Acupuncture originated in China more than 2,000 years ago.
Alexander Technique -
A technique for identifying and preventing the harmful postural habits that can cause or aggravate stress, discomfort, pain and poor performance in physical tasks. Improvements in coordination, posture, breathing and so on, are held to increase energy and promote a positive mental attitude.
Applied kinesiology (AK) - A largely intuitive technique for diagnosis and determination of therapy based on interpretation of feedback on the functional status of the body (most notably "muscle testing" for allergies and nutrient deficiences. Not to be confused with kinesiology, which is the scientific study of (primarily human) movement.
Aqua Therapy - Aquatic therapy consists of an exercise program that is performed in the water. It is used to treat a variety of medical conditions. Aquatic therapy uses the physical properties of water to assist in patient healing and exercise performance. Often combined with Spa Water Therapy.
Aromatherapy - A technique whereby the aroma of natural oils extracted from curative plants is inhaled to enhance psychological and physical well-being. The inhaled aroma from these "essential" oils is believed to stimulate centres in the brain associated with regeneration and self-healing.
Ayurvedic Medicine - The traditional medicine of India, which emphasizes the importance of restoring and maintaining balance in the body through diet, lifestyle, exercise, body cleansing, herbs, yoga, meditation, and massage. Illness is regarded as a manifestation of imbalance, preventing the flow of prana, or vital energy.
Bach Flower - A system devised by British homeopath Dr Edward Bach in which minute dilutions of flower material are used to treat "spiritual" and emotional conditions such as depression, anxiety, insomnia and stress. There are 38 Bach Flower Remedies, or combinations, the best known being the five-flower "Rescue Remedy".
Biochemic Medicine - A therapeutic system devised by Doctor W.H. Schuessler, the noted German chemist. Schuessler identified 12 "tissue salts" that he believed to be essential to health. If the body was lacking in any of these salts, loss of health occurred, and health could only be restored by correcting the deficiency.
Biomagnetics - Biomagnetics, also known as Magnetic Therapy, is a 5,000 year-old method devised by the Chinese in which magnets (originally lodestones) are used to manipulate the body's own magnetic field with the aim of reducing pain and restoring health.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - A range of therapies including herbal medicine, acupuncture and massage therapy, underpinned by a conceptual system involving five "phases" used to describe interactions and relationships between phenomena. The five phases are believed to reflect the structure of the cosmos.
Chiropractic - The diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine, on the principle that these disorders affect general health via the nervous system. Treatment usually involves manipulation of the spine and other joints, in addition to exercise, massage etc.
Crystal Healing - An ancient therapeutic approach based on the belief that crystals possess positive, curative energies. Treatment usually involves placing crystals on different parts of the body, often corresponding to the chakras. The healing is believed to remove blockages in body's electromagnetic field.
Dance Therapy - A form of expressive therapy also known as Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) based on the principle that body and mind are interrelated and interconnected. The method involves the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance in the treatment or prevention of emotional, behavioral and physical disorders.
Dietetics - The study of the relationship between nutrition and health, and the application of nutritional principles to the planning and preparation of foods and regulation of the diet in relation to both health and disease. Dietary modification to deal with specific medical problems related to dietary intake is a major part of dietetics.
Dowsing for Health - The use of dowsing techniques (divination with rods or a pendulum) to diagnose disease, select the best treatment, choose the right foods to eat, or the right nutritional supplements to take, etc. The method relies on the principle that the body knows what's good for it, or what's causing health problems.
Essential Oil Therapy - Virtually the same as aromatherapy (in fact the terms are often used interchangeably by practitioners), but whereas inhalation is the primary mode of delivery in aromatherapy, in Essential Oil Therapy the oils are often applied directly to the skin, sometimes in combination with therapeutic massage.
Exercise & Fitness - Basically any regular physical activity program or combination of activities that enhances or maintains fitness and contributes to overall health and well-being. In holistic approaches to fitness, the emphasis is usually placed on exercises that promote mind-body co-ordination, such as yoga, Tai Chi etc.
Feng Shui - An ancient Chinese art of arranging the surrounding environment in order to attract positive life energy, or Chi. Feng Shui is also described in ancient texts as: "The art and science of healing spaces". The aim is to unblock obstructions so that the Chi may flow smoothly, bringing balance, good health, and prosperity.
Herbal Medicine - The use of plants and plant extracts for medicinal purposes. Herbal medicine is effective in treating many conditions that often resist treatment with conventional medicine, including asthma, eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, among others.
Homeopathy - A system of medicine which involves treating the individual with highly diluted substances with the aim of triggering the body's natural system of healing. The basic method is to identify and administer, in highly diluted form, a substance which produces identical symptoms in a healthy person to those of the patient.
Hypnotherapy - A therapeutic approach that uses a range of techniques to bring about deep relaxation and an altered state of consciousness in a subject during which he or she is highly responsive to ideas, suggestions and affirmations. Ideas implanted during hypnosis can have a powerful effect on both the body and the mind.
Iridology - A diagnostic technique which involves correlating the markings and patterns of the iris with the malfunctioning of specific organs in the body. It is often used in conjunction with dietetics, herbal medicine etc. More generally, iridologists believe that the condition of the eye reflects the overall condition of the patient.
Meditation - There are many forms of meditation, each having a distinct aim. Some people practise meditation as a technique of self-discovery and spiritual development, while others use meditation as a practical method for dealing with stress. Scientific studies have shown that meditation can profoundly alter the body's metabolism.
Naturopathty - A holistic approach based on the principle that bodily processes such as metabolism, growth, reproduction and so on are regulated by an internal vital force, and that the human body has an innate healing ability. Naturopathy does not restrict itself to specific techniques, but usually focuses on diet and lifestyle.
Osteopathy - A therapeutic system based on the belief that most diseases are related to problems in the musculoskeletal system and that structure and function of the body are related. Osteopaths aim to restore the body' s proper musculoskeletal function through manual manipulation, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications.
Pilates - A popular form of exercise, developed by Joseph Pilates, which emphasizes the balanced development of the body through core strength, flexibility, and awareness in order to support efficient, graceful movement. The Six Pilates Principles are: Centering, Control, Flow, Breath, Precision, and Concentration.
Psychotherapy - Personal counselling with a psychotherapist which can involve a range of psychological techniques based on experiential relationship building, dialogue, communication and behavioral changes designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve relationships within a group or family.
Radiesthesia - The ability to detect "radiation" emanating from the human body. According to the theory, all objects - and all human bodies - emit unique psychic emissions, or "radiations", just as all electronic devices emit unique electrical signals. Thus radiesthesia is cited as the explanation for dowsing by rods and pendulums
Radionics - An intuitive method of diagnosis and treatment at a distance using a Radionics Box. In Radionics, diseases and remedies are seen as having their own particular frequency or vibration, which can be expressed in numerical values, providing the means by which the practitioner identifies and treats disease at a distance.
Reflexology - A therapeutic system based on the belief that there are "reflex" areas on the feet and hands that correspond to specific organs and glands, and that specific manipulation and pressure of reflex points reduces and eliminates blockages in the corresponding glands or organs, and therefore restores a healthy balance.
Reiki - A technique for stress reduction and deep relaxation that also promotes healing. It uses a technique commonly called palm healing, and is based on the "life force" principle that is central to all holistic approaches. Reiki practitioners aim to transfer healing energy in the form of ki through the palms.
Shiatsu - A therapy based on the holistic system of traditional Chinese medicine, in which illness is understood to result from imbalances in the natural flow of energy, or qi, through the body. Shiatsu therapists use finger and palm pressure to energetic pathways, called meridians to improve the flow of qi.
Tai Chi - A Chinese martial art that is mainly practiced for its health benefits, which are believed to include stress reduction, improved circulation, decreased blood pressure, and longevity. Tai Chi exercises are believed to promote the smooth flow of qi energy throughout the body.
Yoga - A range of traditional physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines, originating in ancient India, whose aim is the unification of mind, body and spirit. While many people think that yoga is just stretching exercises, classes can also include instruction on controlled breathing, meditation, chanting and other techniques.
Need help in deciding which kind of therapy would be right for you?
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