What is holistic therapy?
Although many of you will have heard of holistic therapy at one point or another, you may still be unsure of what it actually is. Holistic therapy is often confused with spiritualism and a state of mind, when in reality it is much more than that. Holistic therapy is a form of healing that considers mind, body, spirit and emotions. It’s believed by holistic professionals, that a person can achieve perfect balance, when all four of these states are healthy and are working harmoniously. If one of these aspects is damaged, then all of them are damaged. Holistic therapy is also based on the belief that unconditional love and support is the most powerful form of healing and that we all have innate healing powers.
Various holistic treatments can contribute to an individual’s well being and can help them to achieve true happiness and relaxation, here are some of the best holistic remedies that you can try on a day to day basis, from the comfort of your home.
Aromatherapy:
Aromatherapy is a treatment that uses essential oils, which are made from all natural ingredients such as flowers, seeds, roots, and other concentrated extracts,. These oils are massaged into the skin to promote healing and to assist with relaxation. Oils can also be added to a diffuser or to an oil burner and inhaled, and each type of oil has a specific healing purpose. Aromatherapy oils are believed to treat and to alleviate numerous different ailments, including inflammation or infection, and others oils, such as lavender oil are simply used to alleviate stress. This is one of the simplest and most effective forms of holistic therapy, as people can easily purchase aromatherapy oils to use, and burn at home. There is no level of skill required in order to partake in the activity at home, which makes it one of the safest and most successful forms of holistic therapy for first time tryers.
Hydrotherapy:
Hydrotherapy treatments can be found in any health spa around the world and are known for their relaxing benefits. Also known as balneotherapy, this treatment dates all the way back to 1770 B.C. The concept of hydrotherapy, is that the water benefits the skin, and also is believed to treat a number of ailments such as pain, swelling and anxiety. As well as this, studies have also shown that hydrotherapy can actually people’s immune systems. One of the best ways to feel the full effect of hydrotherapy from the comfort of your own home is to have a soak in an epsom salts bath. This works by helping to boost the antioxidant glutathione, which helps to detoxify your body. Hydrotherapy is simple enough to practice at home, and only needs hot water and salts to make it a successful and easy practice
Massages:
Massages and any chiropractic therapy are easy to replicate in the home and can be extremely beneficial for posture and mobility. Chiropractic therapy is something that is usually taken out by medical professionals and is a widely respected profession within the medical world, but with a little practice, there are tricks that we can all learn to do at home. A simple neck massage or back massage can really help to release any built up tension and decrease stress. Massaging requires some level of skill, and it is advised that perfore practicing this, or a form of chiropractic at home, that people first consult with a professional and complete some form of course or certification before using it as a method of treatment.
Reiki:
Reiki is a therapeutic practice which focuses on the vital energy elements of the body. Reiki is a pure form of healing and can therefore be completed by anybody at any time, in any place. Life force flows through the body through pathways of energy which are called chakras. Practices focus on these chakras with hands on healing. In a standard treatment, Reiki energy (or spiritual energy) flows from the practitioner’s hands to the person, which has both mentally and physically healing benefits. This again is quite an advanced practice, and it is advised that for full success, that you first receive training off a reiki master, who can teach you how to really benefit from this form of spiritual healing.
Reflexology:
Reflexology is a practice which believes that everything can be linked back to your feet, and the ailments that you feel can be treated through the feet. The practice of reflexology uses therapy techniques to stimulate nerves, which are mostly found on the bottom of your foot. Each of these nerves are branched off and connected to different organs and glands in your body. Reflexology is known to help anything from cold and flu symptoms, to back pain. For best results at home, it’s advised that you practice reflexology several times throughout the day.
(Bio: Alice Porter is an avid wrister who works for the Holistic Insurance company. Her aim is to inform people of holistic safe practices.)