Every time my friend suffered an attack of migraine, the debilitating pain and associated issues left her sobbing. Hypersensitive to light, shrieking at the slightest of sound and vomiting frequently, she would not even be able to lie down. And then commenced the hospital routine. She would be administered shots of painkillers, anti-nausea, antacid and glucose, followed by an intimidating prescription for the next few days. Troubled by the extent of her discomfort, those around her would helplessly wonder how to help.
Watching her suffer at regular intervals, I decided to be of some help and started looking for alternative healing techniques that would take her pain away and put a permanent stop to this problem.
Millions suffer from migraines and other debilitating conditions that seem to have no cure in conventional medicine, commonly referred to as allopathy. We start popping pills at the slightest semblance of an ailment. But when it comes to the damage this causes, we are plain clueless. It is a never-ending cycle–you get treated for one ailment but in the meantime, another problem arises due to the side-effects of the medicine you were taking. For instance, did you know prolonged intake of antacids can result in kidney stones? It seems as if there is no escaping this vicious cycle of conventional tablets, tonics and injections.
During my search for a complete cure, I chanced upon holistic healing and what I found was encouraging. According to alternative healing therapist Ushaa Rani, “Holistic healing is a practice where issues pertaining to four important aspects of the body–physical, emotional, mental and spiritual–are addressed.”
Many other experts I spoke to concur with Ushaa’s view that a balance of these aspects was the key to healthy living, and any individual or collective imbalance of these aspects could result in an ailment. According to her, “The body comprises seven chakras or energy points. Any imbalance in these chakras manifests in a physical ailment. The role of a healer is to align the imbalances and guarantee good health.”
While China might be credited with being the birthplace of holistic healing in the form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Indian practice of Ayurveda is also counted as one of the oldest practices.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the principle that the body shares a very close relationship with the natural environment. This relationship is of utmost importance and any deviation will result in an ailment. It is based on Qi (life force), Yin-yang theory (two complementary aspects of an individual) and the five phases (water, wood, fire, earth and metal). In a holistic practice, structure is yin and function is yang, and the lower body is yin and upper body is yang. This explains the relationship between processes and action. A balance between yin and yang is the key to optimal health. Other techniques under the big umbrella of TCM include acupressure, acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping and moxibustion.
We live in times when we are constantly plagued by diseases owing to changing weather conditions, pesticides, processed foods, allergies, genetic mutations and global warming.
Holistic healing is a practice that addresses physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of an individual to promote overall well-being.
Holistic healing focuses on the root causes of ailments and treats the whole person rather than just the symptoms.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is a holistic healing system that emphasizes the close relationship between the body and the natural environment.
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian holistic healing practice that focuses on maintaining harmony among the mind, body, and spirit.
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