Energy therapies is a collective term used to refer to a variety of alternative and complementary treatments based on the use, modification, or manipulation of energy fields.

In 2007 Dr. Mehmet Oz stated “the next big frontier in medicine is energy medicine”, on the Oprah show. He is not alone, many others are joining the collective voice of supporters of this ancient knowledge. According to Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Nobel laureate in Medicine: “In every culture and in every medical tradition before ours, healing was accomplished by moving energy.”

The language of energy is one your body already speaks and understands.  Energy can be managed to more effectively deal with stress, reduce anxiety and free yourself of many ailments.

Using energy you can optimize the body’s natural capacities to heal itself and to stay healthy.  Energy therapy is a return to personal responsibility for health care, harmonizing with the forces of nature and returning to practices that are natural, non-invasive and familiar to the body, mind and spirit.

Symptoms of Low Energy:

• Unusual tiredness, even after 8 or 9 hours sleep
• Inability to summon enthusiasm
• Lack of interest in sex
• Poor concentration
• Apathy

All people can enhance the health of the body’s energies.  Just as eveyone has a different physical structure, everyone has a different energy anatomy.  The most important participant in energy medicine is the one who inhabits the body being worked on.

A typical energy session will start off with a brief conversation, allowing the client tell the practitioner why he or she is there, what is going on in his/her life, and what he or she is hoping to get out of the session(s).   Almost all energy therapies are performed on fully clothed clients who are either lying down on a flat surface or sitting up in a chair.

The practitioner simply allows the energy to channel into the client. There is no physical manipulation; everything is done on a purely energetic level.  Once the energy session is completed the practitioner “grounds” the client back to the planet. This is often done by moving to the feet and channeling the energy into the soles of the feet. This works to open the chakras on the bottoms of the feet, which connect us to the planet.

The purpose of energy healing is to help identify and move stuck energy to allow us to rediscover the lightness of life and the joy of being alive.  An open heart, a set of hands and a willing spirit is all that is needed.

Taking care of our health isn’t just about doctor’s visits and blood tests. It is estimated that 80% of healthcare is done in our homes by loved ones. When we begin to see healthcare as all the things we do everyday to treat ourselves and keep us healthy it becomes obvious. So the real question is how do you want to treat those everyday issues? One way is with simple, natural remedies found in your kitchen!

Things like onions, lemons and honey can be first aid for a variety of ailments. Here are a few simple things you can do at home:

Earaches

Earaches are infections of the inner or outer ear signified by pain, redness and sometimes itchiness around the outer ear.  If the pain becomes severe or is prolonged, consult a medical practitioner.

Generally, earaches are accompanied by colds and flus.  Treat the related symptoms and eliminate foods that may be congesting to the eardrums.  Dairy, sugar and citrus products (with the exception of lemons and grapefruit) are the primary culprits.  Then try the following:

• Hot Onion Packs: Hot onion packs are an old-fashioned remedy that really works.  Wrap hot sautéed onions in a flannel cloth and apply directly to both ears.  Reheat the onions as needed.  Leave the hot onion pack on for 30-45 minutes, longer if possible.

• Hot Salt Packs: If the onion pack doesn’t work, heat some salt in a cast-iron skillet; when the salt is too hot to touch, pour it onto a dishcloth or cotton cloth.  Using other towels to protect against the heat, place against the ear for at least 30 minutes.

The Versatile Aloe

The fresh gel from the aloe vera plant is easy to extract.  Choose a large succulent leaf and slice it carefully off the mother plant.  (The plant will ooze a gel-like substance from the location of the cut, which will heal itself within a few hours.) Slice along the edge of the leaf lengthwise (cutting only as far as you need to for one application of gel).  Scoop out the gel from the interior of the leaf, scraping the skin clean.  This gel can be applied directly to any burn, wound or rash.  If you don’t use the entire leaf, wrap the remainder in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator, it will keep for several months.