One of the things that we can always feel grateful for is good health. Without it, we often can't perform the simplest of daily tasks on our to-do list. Because it's such a basic and instinctual need, it's all too easy to take our well-being for granted. With patients exercising a healthy suspicion of certain drugs being over-prescribed by the medical community, it's no surprise that holistic and alternative medicines are being sought out more than ever before. Many therapies and treatments originated in the Far East, such as Qigong, reiki, cupping, and acupuncture.
Needles You Needn't to be Afraid of
Acupuncture can be traced back as far as 6000 BCE, and was first practiced in China substituting long, pointy bones for the needles. The concept behind inserting the needles into the human body to combat anything from stress to pain is intriguing. It all centers around each individual's life force, or "qi," running though the body. When certain areas are in disharmony, your qi cannot easily flow the way it is supposed to. You become blocked and this can lead to chronic discomfort and illness. A set of up to 20 sterilized needles are gently pushed into the skin for up to 30-60 minutes at a time. Acupuncture enthusiasts affirm that it really works for them, and they start to notice the benefits very soon after their first few treatments. Just remember if trying this experience for the first time yourself, it helps to keep your eyes closed and stay in a meditative state—otherwise you can't let the healing work for you and through you!
Just one of these marvelous medicinals will change your outlook on the day. Try two and you will have a new outlook on life. Try different twosomes until you have found the best for you:
The long history of headaches and their relief could doubtless fill many volumes. Although at the forefront of medicine in many ways (at least for the tenth century) Ali ibn Isa al-Kahhal seemed to have run out of practical solutions when he suggested lashing a mole to your head (then again have you tried it?). Hildegard of Bingen might suggest a need for more viriditas or 'greening' in your life, for "green is useful and mellow" as we know.
But sometimes there was only the suffering. Medieval Scots poet William Dunbar captures that pain well in his short poem:
A few years ago, I attempted a really foolish thing. While trying to coax my cat from the top of our roof; standing on a rickety wooden ladder; barefooted; saucer of milk in my right hand and reaching for the cat with my left … I took a serious fall. I had the cat in one hand and not wanting to crush my kitty, managed to twist my body so that I would not land on her or hit my head on the saltillo tile in our atrium. In doing this magnificent feat I landed hard on my right side, twisting my right leg, ankle and foot. I could feel nothing for the first couple of hours and then the pain came!!!! I couldn’t tell if I had broken anything or not.
Surprisingly I broke nothing, but I was told I would be on crutches for weeks and be badly bruised and swollen. After returning home from the hospital, I had remembered that my Grandmother had a “magic” cream for twisted limbs and bruises, Arnica.
Thank you for the recommendation and the link. I will follow up on these right away.
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