An article published in Pain Medicine spoke about the observations made by the University of Michigan Health System Study which tracked ethnic and racial patterns of 5,700 people who used alternative medicine to treat chronic pain over a six year period.

Racial characteristics, economic and social characteristics, medical history and health factors and symptoms related to pain were also seen to be relevant aspects in the study:

• More white patients were seen to use alternative and complementary medicine than blacks
• Older people were likelier to use CAM therapies than younger patients. There are more than one reason for this; chronic aches and pains become more common as a person ages, and as the elderly suffer more from pain of a chronic nature, the more they turn to alternative therapies
• Alternative medicine therapies were seen to include acupuncture and chiropractic visits.
• Education and income levels were seen to impact CAM therapy use.
• The kind of health insurance purchased was also seen to impact CAM therapy use.
• The most common form of chronic pain is lower back pain; which an estimated 70 to 85% of adult Americans suffer from.

The quest for eternal youth has always been a matter of desire by most people living on this planet.

Many have tried different kinds of ways to maintain natural beauty always seeking for more ways to stall the aging process in hopes of keeping youthful appearances.

In general, people have promoted both traditional and modern treatments to accomplish this desire. A perfect example of these traditional treatments is none other than facial acupuncture.

From the term itself, acupuncture is a treatment adopted from the ancient Chinese in which acupuncture needles are slowly inserted in different areas of the body; also known as acupuncture points.

From there, electric energy from these points sends signals to the organs, muscles, or tissues involved to further enhance and speed up the healing process thus enabling the body to rejuvenate itself.

With the application of modern techniques, facial acupuncture is then adopted to rejuvenate facial tissue which allows it to speed up the healing process concerning facial issues.

If you are interested in facial acupuncture, there are basic advantages which need to be fully understood.

Although facial acupuncture is not a treatment, each and everyone is doing for beauty treatments, it is definitely some thing to consider as one of the treatments available today. Here are some of the basic advantages of facial acupuncture:

1. Painless treatment

The idea of having needles stuck into your face is not something that can easily be shunned away.

Facial acupuncture is guaranteed painless but should only be done by professionals and not by you when you are alone and have nothing better to do.

It has been reported that it only has a slight prick at the onset but the feeling thereafter is not something to be considered at unbearable.

2. Removal of wrinkles

Facial acupuncture involves the concept of stimulating the facial nerves and muscles; thus allowing the face to naturally rejuvenate itself to remove fine lines and wrinkles.

Another point to take note is that it is also known to bring out the natural glow to the face and by adding more tone and complexion.

3. No side effects

Acupuncture is a natural process. It only uses sterilized needles and no other chemicals are applied to the face.

Facial acupuncture is not only restricted to simply inserting needles in your face, a couple of visits to the establishment that offers facial acupuncture may be needed in order to allow oneself to be fully prepared for the actual treatment.

Before the treatment itself, it is important that the face is properly prepared by applying natural oils and moisturizers that is needed, and at the same time good for the face itself.

Perhaps a couple of visits after the initial treatment has begun would be necessary to complete the facial acupuncture process.

Research a lot about facial acupuncture before you actually get it. Like all decisions, it should be based on well thought of opinions. Local health treatment establishments offer facial acupuncture, but not all of them actually do.

It would be best to inquire about it in the establishment itself. If your local health establishment does not have facial acupuncture you may always check the internet for other references to choose from.

Birthmark Stories and Photos of Birthmarks

Some people feel birthmarks are historical markers from a previous life. Anthony Baker shared this photo of a heart-shaped birthmark on his chest directly over his heart. He says it reminds him of the love within all us.

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reader submitted photo, Anthony Baker

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Sacred Heart Birthmark originally appeared on About.com Holistic Healing on Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 at 00:05:47.

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Converting hospital chapels into a spiritual space where people of all faiths can escape to for respite and solitude is a very good plan. Jennifer Garza, Sacramento Bee, reports on the planning of three area hospitals to open "meditation rooms" for patients and visitors to visit. According to the article meditation rooms are more common on the West Coast, whereas spiritual spaces in the Midwest and the East Coast are still referred to as chapels. Below is an excerpt from Garza's article:

''Muslim prayer rugs and Jewish prayer shawls will be available," said Lisa Nordlander, director of spiritual care services at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento. She said the current room is outdated. "The new room will be more inclusive. We'll also have banners from different faith traditions."

Hospital officials say they are opening and expanding meditation rooms in response to a demand by visitors and staff, as well as growing awareness of the role spirituality plays in healing.

''More than ever we are looking at treating the entire person," said Samuel Brown-Dawson, coordinator of clinical pastoral services at UC Davis Medical Center. "People of all faiths -- and people of non-faith -- need a place where they can sit down and reflect, many as they are trying to make a decision," he said.

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Outdated Chapels in Hospitals Converted into Meditation Rooms originally appeared on About.com Holistic Healing on Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 at 19:19:48.

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Reflexology is a popular alternative and complementary healing technique that aims to reduce stress and pain in different parts of the body.

Foot reflexology represents massaging all the pressure points on your feet that have a consequent effect on different parts of your body. Depending on what part of your body needs relief, reflexology practitioners apply pressure on that specific area of your feet. Once pressure is applied to the specific area, it can help in promoting health in the corresponding organs through energetic pathways.

Here is a Reflexology chart that you can use as a guide for determining which areas of the feet to work.

(Click on the Image for Full Version)

The benefits of touch and massage therapy has long been recognized as one of the best and most effective ways to achieve mental and physical well-being.

The use of hands in healing hands massage has been developed over the years to help cure a number of ailments, and even to simply promote a state of relaxation, calmness, and health.

Healing hands massages makes use of applying pressure, rubbing, or kneading various parts of the body to reach deep muscles, improve circulation and blood flow, and to remove any blockages in the internal system that may be causing ailments.

Healing hands massage has several benefits, such as:

• Improved breathing
• Depression management
• Decreased fatigue
• Lowering of blood pressure
• Improved posture
• Relieve muscle pain and tension
• Cure headaches
• Increased flexibility

Healing hands massage benefits has been verified in several clinical studies, which is why it is encouraged for all age groups.

Even as young as babies, mothers are encouraged to use their hands for touch therapy, as it has been shown that increased skin contact through healing hands massage between mother and child contributes significantly to the baby’s physical and mental development. It also helps in creating a bond between mother and child.

It should be noted that although healing hands massage can improve overall well being and improve some health conditions, it is not a cure for ailments.

It can be used complementarily with medical treatments and other forms of curing, to help alleviate pain, manage depression and trauma.

Healing hands massage is significantly better than other forms of therapy and treatment because there are no side effects and it can only benefit the patient in the long run.

There are different kinds of healing hands massage to suit the needs of patients. Some of the common kinds include:

• Deep tissue massage – More pressure is used than usual to reach deep muscles and treat them through kneading and rubbing.
• Reflexology – Used to address certain problems with organs connected to nerves on the feet, through a foot massage. Reflexology can also be used as a healing hands massage to simply achieve a state of relaxation and well- being.
• Neuromuscular massage – A more intensive type of massage treatment which is used for patients with serious muscle and medical conditions. Neuromuscular massage makes use of intensive pressure to reach deep muscles and nerves.
• Swedish massage – One of the most common types of massage therapies, Swedish massage uses long strokes and rubs throughout the body to relax muscles and provide a feeling of calmness and relaxation. Essential oils are also commonly used with Swedish massage.
• Sports massage – Usually recommended for athletes, sports massages focuses on specific muscles that are frequently used for certain sports.
• Craniosacral massage – A massage that focuses on the head and spine, with the purpose of relaxing the muscles around and clearing blockages.

With the various types of healing hands massage, many of these have been developed in ancient times and have been developed today to help address people’s health ailments.

In Part 1 of this post we saw how fenugreek seeds can solve the problem of an itchy scalp caused by dandruff. Here are some other natural remedies for an itchy scalp:

Olive Oil and Rosemary: Sometimes an itchy scalp can become sore and irritated, and may even be painful in some cases. This could be a skin condition or an allergic reaction to an irritant such as hair color or even be caused by sunburn.

For this condition, use olive oil and into that mix crushed rosemary leaves. In the alternative, you can use rosemary oil with the olive oil.

Massage this mixture into the scalp[scalp massage] and leave for about a quarter of an hour and then rinse it out.

For a sore scalp, chamomile is also seen to be very soothing. Use chamomile oil directly on to the sore areas of the scalp.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Sometimes it isn’t just an itchy scalp but one that has crusting sores that bothers you. In this case, use apple cider vinegar and water in equal parts and apply to the hair.

Some even recommend using this remedy undiluted; i.e. adding no water. If using diluted apple cider vinegar, there is no need to rinse this out, but if using direct, it must be rinsed out.

Each week, we invite a different intuitive to answer a question from a reader. If you'd like to submit a question for Madeleine please email her directly.

Free Advice from Animal Communicator, Madeleine Walker

Dear Madeleine,

My dog, Beauty, is aging and dealing with some back issues. I choose to use natural supplements and therapies as much as possible and am doing a lot for her. But I would really like to know if she is in pain and if I should break down and give her a conventional pain reliever.

Shannon

Hi Shannon,
Thank you for your enquiry. Obviously you wil have had Beauty checked out by a veterinarian to make sure there is nothing more serious going on with her health, but perhaps you might try a homeopathic vet. There are remedies that can really help skeletal and muscle issues. Also canine Bowen Therapy is really good or perhaps cranio sacral therapy which is fantastic with horses and works equally well with dogs. From her photograph she does look a little subdued and I can feel that it makes her stiff in her rear end/pelvis, so I do hope my suggestions will help.

Yours sincerely
Madeleine Walker,
Animal Communicator

Disclaimer: Madeleine Walker shares insights derived from animal communication. Any advice she offers is not meant as a substitute for veterinary care or basic dog obedience training.

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Natural Pain Management Therapies for Dog with Back Problem originally appeared on About.com Holistic Healing on Friday, May 14th, 2010 at 10:17:24.

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The alternative therapy of reflexology is based on the manipulation of specific pressure points of the body to produce a positive impact in other, corresponding areas of the body.

And though many treat this system of healing with skepticism, there are some remarkable statistics in connection with reflexology:

• There are several thousand nerve endings in the feet that can help to relieve stresses and pain in other parts of the body since different nerve endings correspond to different parts of the body.
• Reflexology is able to produce a soothing feeling, or in some cases even an anesthetic impact which helps to manage pain.
• As many as 85% of illnesses are contributed to by stress according to the American Medical Association and reflexology can help to contend with a number of those.
• In a Chinese study, 50% success with reflexology was seen with respect to 20,000 documented cases of patients using it.
• The demand for reflexology treatment and other CAM treatments is growing in the United States. 117 out of 125 medical schools offer CAM therapy courses.

With the number of doctors offering reflexology treatments, it is likely that there is one close to where you stay. Consider paying them a visit to see if your ailments can get help; after all you have nothing to lose but your pain!

I Never Discount Small Change

• Abundant Spare Cash Stashes
• Count Your Blessings

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Pennies from Heaven originally appeared on About.com Holistic Healing on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 00:01:52.

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Is Chocolate an antidepressant? Chocolate has been called a mood lifter, but whether or not it has antidepressant properties is not entirely clear. A recent study attempting to link chocolate consumption with depressed moods is inconclusive. The study results showed that chocolate made available to study participants was consumed more by people who tested positive for possible depression. Less chocolate was consumed by people who did not test positive for depression. But what does this mean? Do depressive personalities turn to chocolate as a soother, to help them cope? This result could be an indicator that a depressive person may unconsciously be self-medicating when they reach for chocolate. But, it could also indicate that the chocolate consumed is playing a role in creating the depressive mood. This reminds me of the question Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Do you always reach for chocolate whenever it is offered? I don't, but I know some people that would never turn down a piece of chocolate.

Funny antidote: while I was typing out this blog my husband called from the market and asked me if I wanted him to buy any fudge bars. I told him no because I bought a box of them last week and had yet to eat any. He informed me that he had finished them all off. He could be considered a chocoholic, and typically leans more depressive in his personality than me.

Source: Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(8):699-703
Photo: Martin Poole / Getty Images

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Which Came First, the Chocolate or the Depression? originally appeared on About.com Holistic Healing on Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 at 17:41:41.

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