Alternative Therapies M-N

Magnetic Therapy
The use of exposure to static magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets to treat certain medical conditions. Proponents of magnet therapy claim that subjecting certain parts of the body to doses of magnetic fields has a beneficial effect based on a their belief that all illness is due to some sort of imbalance or disharmony in energy. The balance or flow of electromagnetic energy must be restored to restore health, and magnets are thought to be able to do this. Magnets are said to be particularly effective in treating joint and back pain.

A controversial therapy disputed by many scientists although there are some research papers that cite evidence of positive benefits experienced by diabetics, people with carpal syndrome and other conditions. As magnet therapy is usually offered in the form of bracelets, straps for the wrists, ankles and back, shoe insoles, matresses and blankets, there appears to be questions as to whether these magnets have enough strength to actually have an effect. Nevertheless, a therapy supported by a large number of people who claim to have experienced the benefits. For full information on magnetic therapy, visit:
www.csicop.org/si/9807/magnet.html

Massage
Throughout history, physicians & healers from all cultures have used massage as an integral part of health care practice. In many eastern countries, therapists work alongside doctors in hospitals and clinics and we are beginning to see the emergence of this practice in western national health care systems.

Massage has been shown to maintain stability and enhance performance in nearly all of the major body systems - muscular, skeletal, circulatory, nervous and respiratory systems. It improves blood circulation, aids the flow of lymph round the body, tones the skin and is particularly effective in soothing away stress and tension. As tense muscles relax and stiff joints loosen, clients normally experience feelings of deep relaxation. Mainly offered by therapists as Swedish or Aromatherapy Massage - the difference between the two forms being that Swedish massage is a more vigorous form of massage particularly useful for very tense muscles whereas Aromatherapy massage is a gentler and more soothing form employing the use of essential oils to treat a range of medical conditions. See Aromatherapy.
For further information on Massage, visit the BBC Complementary Health website.

Meditation
An exercise or skill, aimed at deeply relaxing the physical body by keeping the mind completely "blank" with no thoughts whatsoever. This state may be maintained for a few minutes or a few hours, depending on the skill of the meditator. Purity of the mind achieved during meditation is deemed to be essential to gain access to 'Higher Self'.

There are quite a few techniques for meditation. Most of them use "mantra" composed from a few words or sounds. Mantra is repeated mentally to help achieve and maintain a "blank" state of mind. There are no prescriptive words or sounds and no mantra is essentially better than any other. Mantra is a very simple thought which becomes very familiar when repeated in one's mind. This thought is used to replace any other (particularly negative) thoughts that may come into mind. Meditation, when practiced regularly, using the same chosen mantra, quickly trains the mind to associate the mantra with a calm meditative state. This makes mantra a very powerful tool to deal with any stressful situations and helps to give the mind a regular "break" enabling self-healing. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

Naturopathy
Also known as Naturopathic Medicine is a system of healthcare that uses a variety of natural therapies to promote the body’s own considerable powers to heal itself. It is based on the belief that that the body will repair itself spontaneously if it is in a healthy environment.

Naturopaths believe that many diseases are caused by faulty immune systems and regard prevention better than cure. They also promote the idea that the mind can be used to enhance the immune system and thereby improve one's health. Naturopaths tend to use or recommend a range of therapies in their treatments including such therapies as Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Nutrition, Massage, Aromatherapy, Acupuncture as well as changes in lifestyle.

The goal is to teach patients to understand the reasons for their illness, empowering them to take charge of their own health and in turn achieve optimum health. Naturopathy, then, focuses on educating patients to lead healthier lives so as to strengthen the body and support its natural healing process. For further information, visit:
www.naturopathy.org.uk

NLP
Neuro Linguistic Programming was developed in the 1970s in America by a mathematician & linguistics professor. It is used by many therapists, including Paul McKenna, stage hypnotherapist,. His books Change Your Life in 7 Days and I Can Make You Thin draw on NLP techniques. NLP is the reprogramming of the brain to think in another way - the altering of thought processes that lead you to behave in a certain way. Once the brain has been retrained to think differently, actions should automatically change. NLP helps you to become aware of what you are doing which may be having negative effects so you can approach it in another way that may produce better results.

Useful for such conditions as post traumatic stress as the mind is retrained to disassociate with the event.

Also useful for stopping smoking, weight loss, speaking in public, post traumatic stress and food addiction.
See Wikipedia's entry on NLP.

Nutrition Therapy
Is a way of using food, supplements, and naturopathic techniques to encourage the body’s natural healing by:
Detoxifying the body
Correcting vitamin and mineral
deficiencies
Restoring healthy digestion
Developing a positive attitude
Therapy focuses on the client's medical history, dietary history, family history, digestion, energy levels, exercise and so on. The therapist is looking to discover whether the client has any problems such as food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, toxic overload or general nutritional problems. Suggestions are made on the types of food to eat and what should be avoided. Supplements may be suggested as part of the programme in encouraging the body to heal itself. By providing key nutrients needed to build a stronger, more efficient and resilient body, it is believed that clients can face a healthier future with renewed energy, optimism and confidence. For additional information.
www.nutritionaltherapycouncil.org.uk