Bringing Balance Into Your Life With Complementary Therapies

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Article Title:

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Bringing Balance Into Your Life With Complementary Therapies

Article Description:

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If you born before 1929, granny's remedies would have certainly

come to the rescue in times of illness. However, since 1929 and

the discovery of penicillin, the world of antibiotics and Western

medicine in general, has exploded to the point where sometimes

the body is not only fighting the illness, but is also fighting

the cure.

Additional Article Information:

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714 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: Thu Mar 23 02:42:15 EST 2006

Written By: Gaye Mack, MA

Copyright: 2006

Contact Email: mailto:gaye.mack@...

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Bringing Balance Into Your Life With Complementary Therapies

Copyright © 2006 Gaye Mack, MA

Naturesbridge

http://www.naturesbridge.com

If you born before 1929, granny's remedies would have certainly

come to the rescue in times of illness. However, since 1929 and

the discovery of penicillin, the world of antibiotics and Western

medicine in general, has exploded to the point where sometimes

the body is not only fighting the illness, but is also fighting

the cure. There is no doubt that Western medicine is brilliant

and much needed, especially in times of crisis and trauma as we

are currently witnessing every day in the media. Nevertheless,

in spite of this brilliance, one of the sacrifices we have made

in the evolution of medicine is our abdication of personal

responsibility for our own health and spiritual growth. All of

which comes down to a question of balance.

When complementary therapies began to make a comeback in this

country in the early 1970s, they were often touted as

'alternative', implying an 'either/or' choice to be made and

something that only those on the 'fringe' subscribed to.

While some hard-liners continue to stand by this implication,

the reality is that those therapies considered 'alternative'

are actually complementary. Their role is about bringing us

into balance in mind, body, and spirit, and, they are about

integrating old world wisdom with new world technology. Whether

one is exploring the benefits of the therapies found in

Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Flower

Essences or the myriad of other complementary therapies

available, they all have the common thread of empowering the

individual to participate in their own healing process and

establishing a reconnection between mind, body and spirit.

There are several common questions that are often asked when one

is considering these therapies, but the three that arise the most

frequently are, when should I consider these therapies, which

therapies should I chose and how do I find a practitioner?

Typically, complementary therapies can be extremely effective

when one continues to struggle with chronic conditions such as

fatigue, allergies, and sometimes depression, just to name a few

examples. Often, the individual has been 'everywhere' in search

of relief, but nothing seems to be working. It is especially in

these situations that complementary therapies can set the

individual onto a new path of relief and wholeness.

Moreover, it is important to understand that therapies such as

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda are 'complete systems

of medicine'. Other therapies such as energetic bodywork, flower

essences, and homeopathy for example, can be called upon as

adjunct therapies. Nevertheless, the majority of complementary

therapies seek to treat the symptoms and to discover the root of

the problem, while Western medicine frequently just targets

symptoms. Once the immediate problem is resolved, the philosophy

behind these therapies becomes part of an overall change in

lifestyle, often incorporating exercise, stress reduction

techniques, and changes in diet. Another advantage of

complementary therapies is that one can incorporate individual

elements from various therapies into an overall healing model.

For example, you may be under the care of a practitioner in

Traditional Chinese Medicine, and while Yoga is not part of the

Chinese tradition, there is no reason that you cannot incorporate

it into your overall model.

This brings us to how does one choose a therapy (or therapies) to

work with and very importantly, how do you choose a practitioner?

These considerations are very much about what is working for you

and what feels 'right'. Let us suppose that you have done some

initial reading on the Ayurvedic approach to wellness. The

philosophy appeals to you and thus, the next step is to find a

practitioner. One of the best ways to do this is by referral and

checking credentials. Knowing someone whom you trust and can

refer you to a practitioner is an excellent place to start.

However, it is equally important that you thoroughly investigate

the practitioner's background and credentials. Fortunately, there

are resources available for this purpose. Forging a relationship

with such a practitioner is serious business. It is a

relationship that is much more than a 15- minute appointment and

a prescription.

Practitioners in Complementary Medicine are interested in

developing this relationship with you, knowing that the road to

balance can be a difficult one. This process requires attention

to all levels of our essence and our willingness to participate

fully in pursuit of this balance.

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Gaye Mack, MA is the author of the new book, Making Complementary

Therapies Work For You available in bookstores and on Amazon.com.

For more information go to http://www.naturesbridge.com. She is

listed in Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Who's Who in

America, and Who's Who in American Women.