What is it?
Alternative therapies are treatments that are considered to be an alternative approach and /or complementary support to traditional Western medicine or allopathic/conventional treatments, that include plants, oils, supplements, nutrition, mind, and body works amongst others, from varying disciplines and cultures. They can be used to treat many different kinds of illnesses and diseases.
In the Western world, many alternative therapies are largely unregulated, and their efficacy is not always established by scientific evidence. Therefore, it’s important to fully research your therapy and practitioner to ensure you get the best help possible.
There are many great societies helping to regulate and support these therapies and practitioners, and it is changing all the time which is a great thing to see. There are literally thousands of therapies so do your research well or seek the advice of a qualified Naturopath who is often qualified in many disciplines to help you to choose your therapy or guide you to the appropriate therapist.
You may have heard of herbal remedies, nutritional therapy, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, homeopathic treatments, acupuncture, acupressure, bachs remedies, and other more common modalities but there are many thousands of others. Some people use alternative healing modes as a way to combat the toxicity of modern life or to find peace with the body and mind.
Alternative therapies for skin and hair.
Alternative therapies are often said to be the newest trend in medicine, wherein actual fact they have been around for many thousands of years in a lot of cases. With many people investing in those natural, organic remedies, we have to ask ourselves:
What can alternative therapies really do?
There are many claims about the benefits of alternative therapies and many report benefits such as helping everything from skin problems and digestion problems through to circulation and hair growth.
Alternative health therapies are not usually intended to cure major illnesses, such as cancer or diabetes but can be a support and benefit to the immune system and for overall wellbeing, mood, and enhance the body's natural ability to heal itself.
They are commonly called upon for milder problems, like skin infections or digestive issues, and can sometimes be used in place of, but more commonly alongside, prescription medicine to support minor health concerns.
Let’s look at some therapies
Hair growth
There are a number of therapies that people can use to stimulate hair growth. These therapies range from natural home-grown methods to expensive treatments.
-Massage therapy,
-Acupuncture
-Aloe Vera,
-Coconut oil,
-Ginseng,
-Geranium oil,
-Lemon,
-Onion Juice,
-Rosemary oil
have all long been used to stimulate hair growth.
Skin
Natural therapies are an affordable way to solve problems. They can be found in the kitchen or even in the back garden. Some natural remedies for skin are apple cider vinegar, cucumber, and oatmeal masks. As well as aloe vera and rose oil.
Apple cider vinegar is a good remedy for dry skin because it has a pH of 4-5 which balances the skin's natural pH level of 5-6. It is also rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids that help fight free radicals and prevent premature aging.
Cucumbers have compounds called cucurbitacin’s that shrink blood vessel, thereby reducing inflammation on your face and improving circulation to your skin cells and wellness retreat.
Oatmeal is good for oily or acne-prone skin because it can soak up excess oil which helps keep pores clean, but it is also antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and can also help to treat dry skin and remove dead skin cells. Oats contain saponins which are natural cleansers.
Go natural, it's kinder.
Natural therapies are a kinder way to cure your skin because they don't usually have any side effects and are made from organic materials that do not contain any chemicals. One of the most popular old natural therapies is honey, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey (with lemon juice and cinnamon powder)
If you are vegan and do not use honey; there are others that carry similar healing properties.
- Coconut oil
- Flaxseed Scrub
- Aloe Vera and Cucumber with Coconut oil
- Apple cider vinegar mixed with water
- Blueberry face mask
- Coffee mask
- Banana face mask
To name a few.
Always consult a doctor before trying natural herbs, oils, or therapies
So you can see, there are many benefits to using natural therapies and these are just a tiny selection, so I urge you to do your research and try things out, above all, have fun. Natural medicine practitioners can work very happily and successfully alongside your primary care practitioner or Doctor and they very often do. So do not think it must be one or the other.
Disclaimer Note: It’s important to note though, that just because something Is natural does not mean zero risk. While many are very low risk there still can be complications, contraindications, and contra-actions.
The internet is full of information on how you can cure yourself with natural therapies, but we recommend that you seek out a Qualified Natural Practitioner and always consult a doctor before trying any new things. Never stop taking any prescribed medication without speaking to your health practitioner first.
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