Alternative Medicine is considered to be non-conventional therapies used in place of traditional medical treatments. Examples include acupuncture, herbal remedies, and chiropractic care. Individuals might turn to Alternative Medicine when they’re seeking a natural approach to healing, rather than following the typical treatment methods.

Integrative Medicine takes a more combined approach. Here, a licensed doctor uses their medical expertise alongside holistic or alternative therapies. This approach prioritizes the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. For example, a physician might recommend dietary changes, yoga, or meditation alongside medications to promote a balanced, personalized wellness plan. Integrative Medicine blends the best of both worlds, offering a complementary way to achieve better health and prevent illness.

Whether you’re exploring alternative therapies or looking for an integrative approach, understanding these paths helps you make informed choices on your health journey. Discover what’s right for you and start embracing a more complete approach to wellness!

To find Integrative practitioners that list with Alternatives for Healing, Click Here

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The Akashic Records are a concept rooted in various spiritual and metaphysical traditions. It is believed to be a universal archive or library that contains information about every soul, thought, emotion, and experience throughout history and across all dimensions. The term “Akashic” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Akasha,” which means ether or primordial substance.

Key points about the Akashic Records include:

1. 

   Universal Archive: The Akashic Records are often described as an ethereal, non-physical realm where information is stored on a vibrational level. This repository is said to hold the collective consciousness of all beings.

2. Accessing Information: Individuals, often through spiritual practices or meditation, are believed to have the ability to access the Akashic Records. This access allows them to gain insights into their own life, past experiences, and even tap into the wisdom of the universe.
3. Spiritual Guidance: Some people consult the Akashic Records for spiritual guidance, seeking answers to life’s questions, understanding their life purpose, and gaining insights into their spiritual journey.
4. No Space or Time Constraints: The Akashic Records are thought to exist beyond the limitations of space and time. Past, present, and future events are said to be accessible simultaneously, offering a holistic understanding of one’s existence.
5. Variations in Beliefs: Different spiritual and esoteric traditions may have variations in their interpretations of the Akashic Records. Some see it as a cosmic library, while others view it as a divine field of energy.
6. Responsibility and Respect: Practitioners who seek to access the Akashic Records are often encouraged to approach the information with responsibility and respect. The energy and insights gained from the records are considered sacred, and ethical considerations are emphasized.

It’s important to note that the concept of the Akashic Records is not universally accepted, and views on its existence vary among different belief systems. It remains a topic of spiritual exploration and interpretation rather than empirical scientific validation.

Alternatives for Healing has Practitioners who offer Akashic Records.  Go to our Find a Practitioner tab and then search by county, state or nationwide to find Practitioners who do Akashic Records readings.

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It is more and more evident that couples are experiencing infertility issues.  Over the last 15 years clients requesting natural fertility treatment have increased significantly at the Washington Institute of Natural Medicine in Washington D.C.

Many of the clients that contact the Institute have already been to their gynecologists and fertility experts only to find out that all of their tests are normal and there is no explained reason for the infertility.  In these particular situations the Washington Institute’s staff can have a significant impact on the client’s goal of successfully obtaining and maintaining a pregnancy.

I am Dr. Victoria Goldsten, an Integrative Homeopath and the director of the Institute. As the director of the Institute and a practitioner, I first was unsure if I was going to treat infertility naturally.

Over 20 years ago when I first started my practice I became acquainted with infertility with a client that just had one ovary.  This client initially asked for my assistance for her irregular menstruation.  She had previously been on fertility drugs and had two viable pregnancies.  My original goal and her request was to balance her female system and in doing so I placed her on professional homeopathic formulas to balance the female hormonal system and to detox the liver.  The formulations worked well in regulating her menstruation and surprisingly she became pregnant without the use of the fertility drugs. At that point I knew I could help women become pregnant naturally… Read More

by Dr. Victoria Goldsten, HD

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We recently added BioEnergetic Medicine to our Practitioner search area.

BioEnergetic Medicine is the concept of viewing and treating the body from an energetic perspective. It scans the patient’s body for viruses, deficiencies, weaknesses, toxins, parasites, allergies and sensitivities. It also scans the energetic state of the patient’s body, hormones and internal organs to find the root causes of illness, imbalances, functional issues and chronic conditions.

BioEnergetic Medicine uses dynamic technology to help the body to be restored back to natural energetic balance. The body’s own electromagnetic field is stimulated through immediate feedback to assess and re-balance factors such as allergens, toxins, hormonal imbalances, heavy metals, parasites, sensitivities, blocked meridians and more, thereby restoring balance and promoting health.

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Reflexology uses gentle pressure to specific points on the hands and feet. Based on the same theories as acupressure, reflexology encourages the flow of energy “Qi” to the organs related to those points to promote self-healing. Reflexology is beneficial for pain management, allergies, digestive disorders, headaches and more.

Visit Alternatives for Healing holistic directory to find a Reflexology schools, books, charts, practitioners & classes in your area.

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Neurofeedback can help with autism, ADHD, addictions, PTSD, anxiety and more. Neurofeedback therapy is basically training your brain.

Neurofeedback uses electrical signals from the brain. It is completely painless and non-invasive. The patient’s brainwave frequencies are fed back to them via a computer.

The practitioner trains the person how to change the activity of one’s brain in a desired way and the person gains better control over their symptoms. Visit our directory to find a Neurofeedback practitioner in your area.

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Flower Essences are a form of vibrational treatment. Each flower has a unique vibration, which is transferred to a remedy by steeping in water. These subtle liquid extracts are generally taken in oral form or used as aura sprays. This energy works subtly on our energy bodies to dramatically affect us emotionally, mentally and physically. Flower essences can also be used to help plants and animals.

Alternatives for Healing is a directory and an easy way to find local Flower Essence Practitioners, Products, Classes, or Books.

Our Practitioner search is by city, county, statewide or nationwide.  Our Classes section is for finding local or online classes. Our Products directory section is for online shopping.  Our Stores section is for local walk-in purchasing.

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General Information

In the last 20 years, there has been a resurgence in the popularity of aromatherapy as complementary treatment to traditional medicine. While there is little research on the use of aromatherapy in hospitals, and no information on its use in labor and delivery in the US, it has been employed successfully pre- and postnatally in England and Western Europe.

According to case studies, aromatherapy can be helpful during labor and in preparing the body and mind for pregnancy.
Midwives in Europe endorse aromatherapy, and it is a mandatory course in midwifery training in Germany. Studies have shown that the use of aromatherapy during labor reduced fetal distress and normalized fetal heart variability.

What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is the art of using Essential Oils, (extracted from aromatic plants) to enhance health, ease physical discomfort, and alleviate emotional stress. Essential oils are extracted from flowers, herbs, spices, woods, resins, and fibers and contain natural elements that make them therapeutically valuable.
In aromatherapy, the brain responds to the scents by associating them with past memories. If the scent is unfamiliar, a new memory is created. These memory responses are energizing, calming, stimulating, balancing or relaxing, and as the sense of smell has the greatest recall, the memories associated with them are enduring.

Benefits of Aromatherapy

The use of Essential Oils helps heal the body and relieve aches and pains, as well as reduce stress through relaxation. However, these oils have many other useful properties: muscle relaxants (black pepper and marjoram), circulatory stimulants (rosemary and basil), and digestive tonics (mint and cardamom). Many oils can enhance immunity (tea tree, lavender, and bergamot) and others repair injured cells (lavender) or eliminate metabolic waste (grapefruit and juniper).
Almost all Essential Oils are antibacterial, antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-fungal, antibiotic, and antiviral. Consequently, they make wonderful disinfectant as the Essential Oil molecules attach themselves to microbes, engulf them, and cut off their supply of oxygen. In essence, the oils suffocate offending microbes.
Moreover, Essential Oils slightly lower blood pH, which creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria. Essential Oils are “prebiotic;” they kill pathogenic bacteria, but leave the intestinal flora intact.
Another advantage is that bacteria do not build up a resistance as they do with antibiotics. Essential Oils act quickly in the body and are metabolized like other nutrients. They contain oxygen molecules that transport nutrients to cells. In doing so, the needed oxygen provides nourishment, and the Essential Oils stimulate the immune system.
Clinical research shows that some oils contain high immune-stimulating properties. The well-known phenomenon of air purification and refreshment is achieved when the oil molecules bond with impurities in the air, extrapolating or overwhelming them, leaving the air behind more pleasant to the senses. As Essential Oils diffuse, air is purified through the removal of toxins and metallic particles from the air. In addition, oils fill the air with a fresh aromatic scent that helps promote physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
Essential Oils have been used for thousands of years to heal the body, mind, and emotions. By combining the experiences and observations of the past with modern biochemical properties and techniques, the application of aromatherapy in labor and delivery is a useful tool that increases patient care and satisfaction.

Aromatherapy in Labor

The essential oils suggested for use during labor include lavender, rose, geranium, jasmine, clary sage, neroli, ylang-ylang, and citrus (mandarin or petitgrain).
When using essential oils, less is more. The essential oils are safe when used in recommended dilutions and appropriate applications. Patch tests are suggested before use.

Michele Musella, RN, MSN, is Clinical Division Director of Women’s and Children’s Services, Potomac Hospital, Woodbridge, VA.

Application of Aromatherapy
during Labor & Childbirth

With all the access we have to information about pregnancy labor itself remains a mystery in many ways. What we do know is that labor is likely the hardest work a woman will endure in her lifetime. It also holds all the beauty, wonder and infinite power of life itself. But it is the unknown that causes most expectant mothers to be scared and apprehensive as the due date nears. More and more women are turning to aromatherapy during their labor to help them cope with the emotional issues facing them.

Resources usually divide labor neatly into three phases, but it’s important to recognize that each childbirth experience is unique. Depending on your emotional needs, consider incorporating no more than two or three aromatic blends into your childbirth plan.

Gudi’s Aromatherapy
Blends for Labor & Delivery

FIRST STAGE: Early Phase

During the early phase of labor, contractions begin. While the intensity varies from woman to woman, you will begin to see a pattern in frequency emerging. You should take it easy, relax, take a bath, or even a nap if possible.

FIRST STAGE: Active Phase

During the active phase, contractions become more intense and frequent. It is at this point that your doctors will likely tell you to go to the hospital. The key is to relax in order to gain enough strength for the delivery. A good birth coach is essential to help you with your breathing and relaxation exercises.

Gudi’s Aromatherapy Blend: Use the Calming & Relaxing Massage Lotion to help you relax during this stage of delivery. Massage your solar plexus, chest, lower back and neck with Calming & Relaxing Oil Blend. Inhale the blend deeply while resting in between contractions.
(Calming & Relaxing Massage Lotion helps to soften ligaments and dull uterine pain, helps to relax between contractions – synergy blend with Lavender, Jasmine, Rose and Manderin Essential Oil)

FIRST STAGE: Transitional Phase

During this phase, contractions will come hard and fast, and symptoms might include shaking, shivering, and nausea. It is important that your birth coach provide you with all the emotional care and attention you need. Once you are done with this phase, you will be fully dilated and ready to begin pushing.
You may be feeling scared and exhausted. Inhale the Calming & Relaxing Massage Lotion deeply between contractions to help you endure this phase and massage the lower back, with emphasis on the sacrum and give you an added boost of strength for the delivery.

Second Stage:

Now that your body has prepared itself for childbirth, you’re likely feeling relieved that the end is finally in sight. And yet you still have a big job ahead of you. Pushing is an exhaustive process, and during this stage you will use all your reserved energy and strength. Many women feel the desire to give up, as the labor thus far has left them emotionally drained.

Gudi’s Aromatherapy Blend: Use the Inhaler for Strength & Endurance before you begin pushing to help you to gain the needed courage and emotional strength for this stage of your delivery. (Inhalers are a convenient and easy way to use essential oil blends.) Deeply inhale the vapor of the oil blend to give you energy, focus and will power.

Bonding Phase:

The baby is born, all involved in the birthing process are exhausted, relieved and still taken by the miracle  that has just happened.

Gudi’s Aromatherapy “Mommy & Me” diffusing blend will help you relax and bond. Enjoy the quiet moments with your newborn baby and find your needed rest.
Fill the bowl of your aromalamp with water, add 4-5 drops of the “Mommy & Me” diffusing blend to the water and light a tea light. As the water evaporates, it will gently diffuse the Essential Oil blend in the environment, creating a calm and soothing environment. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind moment with your new-born child.

Submitted by by Gudi Rubbo.  For more information visit one of her listings in our holistic directory:

https://www.alternativesforhealing.com/business-directory/gudis-aromatherapy-european-essential-oil-blends

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Neurofeedback can help with autism, ADHD, addictions, PTSD, anxiety and more. Neurofeedback therapy is basically training your brain.  Neurofeedback uses electrical signals from the brain. It is completely painless and non-invasive. The patient’s brainwave frequencies are fed back to them via a computer. The practitioner trains the person how to change the activity of one’s brain in a desired way and the person gains better control over their symptoms.

Visit our Practitioner search area to find a Neurofeedback practitioner near you.

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Nutritional counseling practitioners focus on the effect of diet upon the patient’s health. Diet modifications can help many ailments.

In natural medicine, the study of nutrition focuses on the effect of diet upon the patient’s health. A bad diet can increase the risk of serious health problems while modifications in diet can ease the symptoms or even cure a serious disease.  Use our holistic directory to find Classes, Books, or a Practitioner who offers Nutritional Counseling.  Our library section also has informative articles, blogs and videos too!

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