The art of healing Print E-mail
Written by Gill Kenyon, 2004   
Modern women face a lot of pressures these days, given their multiple roles as mother, sister, daughter, partner, friend, lover, employee, boss, domestic cook and cleaner.
Is it any wonder that our hectic lifestyles contribute to ailments such as obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, PMT, infertility, osteoporosis, coronary heart disease, breast and cervical cancer, eczema, asthma and stress?

Thousands of years ago, injuries and diseases were the main hazard for humans. But women employed a wide range of therapies to maintain their health and the harmony of mind, body and spirit. So treatments for the whole woman can benefit from looking to history and tradition.

Ancient physicians had no miracle drugs, but cave drawings dating back to 18,000 BC, and later written texts, depict therapies that include herbal medicine, aromatherapy, reflexology, holistic nutrition and numerous variants of massage. Many Aztecs, Mayans, Native Americans, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Greeks and Chinese lived for over 100 years. Their records of how they dealt with ill health make fascinating reading and provide invaluable insights into natural healthcare.

The Yellow Emperor, Huang Di (2697-2595 BC), documented herbal medicine in The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. Shen Nong's Canon of Herbs (2700 BC) is the oldest surviving medical book in China and lists 252 drugs from plants. Today, herbal treatment of Alzheimer's disease also uses drugs from plants, such as ginkgo biloba, Asian ginseng, Eleuthero, Astragalus and Ashwagandha.

A medical papyrus dating to 1555 BC suggests remedies for all types of illnesses - the methods of application were similar to aromatherapy today. Essential aromatherapy oils, described today as 'cephalic' (pertaining to the head or the head end of the body), are thought to aid memory, especially rosemary. No wonder it is used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; its reputation goes back hundreds of years as depicted in the old adage "Rosemary for remembrance".

Modern thermo-auricular therapy, based on practices of the Hopi Indians, uses herb-infused beeswax and hollow 'candles' or tubes, made of linen, which are placed inside the opening to the ear, then lit at the other end. As the candle burns it leaves only the linen ash as a hollow tower of residue. This therapy was originally utilised by the Hopis for complete relaxation and to re-balance mind and spirit. Today's therapists believe this treatment lessens tinnitus, relieves cranial tension and reduces excess earwax.

Scent effects

There is great debate as to where aromatherapy originated. Some say it was Egypt, some Greece. There are historic records that indicate its use in Egypt some 6,000 years ago. However, the Greeks documented their knowledge of the uses of aromatherapy, so written records date to between 500 and 400 BC. They discovered that odours of certain flowers were stimulating and refreshing, while others were relaxing and soporific. A text on herbal medicine by a Greek physician, Pedacius Dioscorides, became the Western world's standard medical reference for 1,200 years.

Ali-Ibn Sina, known as Avicenna (980-1037 AD), documented the properties of over 800 plants and their effects on the human body. It was he who reputedly first used the process of distillation to create essence of rose. Essential oils of rose, petitgrain, camomile and bergamot are now commonly used to counter the depression and irritability that accompany PMT.

While aromatherapists do not 'treat' cancer (it is both unethical and illegal for them to claim to do so), many work with cancer patients in hospitals and support groups. Bergamot, cedar, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, garlic, geranium, hyssop, onion and violet leaf essential oils are reputed to be anti-cancer agents, but these claims are not proven. Some medical consultants and cancer hospitals are starting to use aromatherapists to treat patients in controlled situations.

Today, working with medical experts in a hospice setting, aromatherapists offer terminal patients the benefits of light, short massage with oils including lavender - used to prevent pressure sores as well as aid sleep. The NHS publishes a directory of aromatherapists working in co-operation with GPs, clinics and hospitals as well as from their own premises.

Diet to blame

Governments around the world are expressing increasing concern that hectic lifestyles, coupled with poorly balanced, convenience food diets are leading to unprecedented increases in nutrition-related ill health. Holistic nutritionists can advise on supplements, healthy eating and a balanced diet. A balanced diet can help with conditions such as obesity, bloating, asthma, lethargy, acne and eczema. (Advice on diabetic and medical diets should be left to medical nutritionists.)

Many natural sources of foods rich in vitamins and minerals can be used instead of resorting to supplements. Holistic nutritionists can recommend naturally detoxifying foods, cholesterol-lowering foods, healthy heart foods, PMT-reducing foods and even foods claimed to be associated with lowered incidence of cancer and high cholesterol.

Detoxifying mind and body

Women frequently experience a rollercoaster of emotions. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine both centre on the 'spirit' or 'life energy' as the very essence of life and health. Modern reflexology deals with unblocking our body's natural energy channels to allow it to heal itself. Aromatherapy gently aids relaxation, boosts the spirit and clears the mind as well as introducing essential oils to boost the efficiency of our own internal body chemistry.

Ayurveda and TCM need to be used carefully. There are sad stories of celebrities who have misused traditional techniques of colonic irrigation, purgation and detox diets without understanding the full implications of the teachings behind them.

The release of stress and the rebalancing of energy both feature in Chinese acupuncture and in shiatsu from Japan. Today, acupressure massage is used to combat physical (musculo-skeletal) and mental stress. Seated, fully-clothed acupressure is now beginning to be offered in the workplace.

Another ideal therapy for workplace treatments is Indian head massage. It is based on Shirodhara, a treatment that was used to profoundly relax the nervous system and balance the brain. With physical tension and stress on the increase, especially for working mothers, the upper back, neck and cranium can be treated most effectively, often eliminating in 30 minutes headaches, lack of concentration, onset of migraine, forgetfulness and neck and shoulder pain.

The practice of reflexology as we know it dates back more than 90 years. Different reflex points receive greater or less attention to help different disorders. Conditions including asthma, infertility, back pain, PMT and Reynaud's disease are claimed to benefit in reflexive response to the treatment. The NHS keeps a directory of reflexology practitioners that GPs can use. Treatments are still chargeable but may be seen as a valuable natural choice over some forms of medication.

Abhiyanga is a form of herbal oil massage. Pressure is used to 'loosen' toxins and direct them toward organs of elimination. In recent years Dr Emil Vodder, a Danish scientist, developed the technique of manual lymphatic drainage for detoxification by this massage, which employs body-brushing and finger-pumping techniques. It proves effective with fluid retention, oedema and allergic conditions such as eczema and asthma. It quickly disperses sinus pressure after a common cold.

Western medicine is based on historic healing; we have relied on natural therapies to lead the way to modern remedies. For instance, the analgesic aspirin derives from plant aspirin (analgesic salicin), first isolated from the leaves of meadowsweet in 1827. It is the world's most widely used drug, recommended for over 40 different complaints including the prevention of heart attack and stroke in high-risk patients.

Many problems that repeatedly stretch the resources of our medical profession can be dealt with effectively by complementary methods, providing a choice for sufferers of premenstrual tension, menopause, childbirth, stress, muscular aches and pains, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel and insomnia, to name but a few. Today's woman has a wealth of information at her fingertips and the power to choose when complementary and holistic therapies can effectively be used.

Gill Kenyon is a qualified practitioner and lecturer in holistic complementary and sports massage therapy. Founder of The H Club, Gill actively promotes holistic and complementary therapies through talks and demonstrations around the country, and can be contacted tel: 07798 936004, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Make sure you choose a therapist who can show full insurance and appropriate membership of one of the professional organisations working toward 'registration' of therapists. A list of professional organisations is available from the Prince of Wales' Foundation for Integrated Health, 12 Chillingworth Road, London N7 8QL, tel: 020 7619 6140. Never have a treatment from someone who does not first give a consultation. Make sure they talk to you about possible contra-indications that might prevent treatment and contra-actions that may occur after treatment.
 
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