Looking for natural and alternative ways to improve your health and well-being? Read on!
Holistic approaches to wellness are becoming increasingly popular, especially among women who are looking for natural and alternative ways to improve their health and well-being. Let’s explore some of the most effective holistic approaches to wellness, including herbal remedies and alternative therapies.
Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to treat a wide range of health conditions. Some of the most popular herbs for women’s health include red clover, black cohosh, and dong quai.
Red clover is often used to relieve symptoms of menopause. A rich source of naturally occurring phytoestrogens, this herb will promote healthy estrogen levels in women to support uterine and ovarian health. Red clover also encourages detoxification and healthy skin, and it can combat symptoms of asthma, high cholesterol, and osteoporosis. You can consume this herb in salad, as a cooked green, ground to a flour, or as a tea.
Black cohosh has been used since the 1800s to reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms and to alleviate menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. It can also work to treat tinnitus, vertigo, sleep trouble, nervousness, and irritability. Take this herb as a capsule or tablet, or in water or tea.
Dong quai is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that is often used to regulate menstrual cycles, relieve menstrual cramps, and reduce PMS and menopausal symptoms. You can take dong quai in the form of a pill or liquid extract.
Alternative Medicine
In addition to herbal remedies, there are many alternative therapies that can help improve women’s health. Acupuncture, for example, is a traditional Chinese therapy that involves inserting needles into specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow and promote healing. This therapy has been shown to be effective for a wide range of conditions including chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. The tiny painless needles stimulate the central nervous system, which releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes can trigger the body’s natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.
Another popular alternative therapy is chiropractic care, which involves caring for the neuromusculoskeletal system—bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Chiropractors adjusts the spine to improve alignment and relieve pain. This therapy is often used to treat back pain, neck pain, and headaches.
There’s also massage therapy. This therapy can help relieve muscle tension and promote relaxation. Through the manipulation of soft tissues, massage therapy can improve circulation, decrease muscle stiffness and joint inflammation, improve sleep quality, and quicken recovery between workouts. On top of making your body feel better, regular massage therapy can reduce cortisol levels, a hormone released when we feel stressed or anxious, thus reducing effects of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, when the nerves of your skin feel pressure, they signal your brain to release feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which boost your mood and can give you a natural high.
Complementary Therapies
Other holistic approaches to wellness include yoga and meditation. Although these practices can’t heal physical injuries or diseases on their own, they can be incredibly beneficial in prevention, recovery, and mental well-being.
Yoga is the practice of physical exercise, breath control, relaxation, positive thinking, and meditation, with the goal of developing harmony in the body, mind, and environment. Through low-impact physical activity, postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, yoga works to improve flexibility, strength, and balance, reduce stress, treat anxiety and depression, and aid in recovery and rehabilitation. Yoga is also spiritual, and can help you discover meaning, purpose, and direction in life, achieve inner peace, and find contentment.
Although yoga involves meditation, meditation is a practice of its own. Meditation is the habitual practice of training your mind to focus and redirect thoughts. It can help reduce anxiety, improve stress reactivity, and build coping skills. You might also see an improvement in depression and negative thoughts, as well as enhanced self-awareness. Meditation can also lengthen your attention span and reduce age-related memory loss. You can experience improved sleep, reduced pain, and decreased blood pressure with this accessible, low-cost practice.
Bottom Line
There are many holistic approaches to wellness that have been proven to improve health and wellness. Whether you’re looking to relieve menstrual or menopausal symptoms, improve muscle strength and flexibility, lessen your anxiety, or treat something else, you can be sure to find holistic approaches, such as herbal remedies, alternative medicine, and complementary therapies. There are many effective natural options available to help you improve your health and well-being.
