Alternative
Medicine for Womens Health
Alternative Medicine for
Womens Health
Since women's health is such a
huge topic, I have chosen to concentrate
on one aspect of women's health which
continues to be an
issue.
There are over a hundred
symptoms associated with PMS.
Unfortunately, because each woman is
different, there is no agreed upon cause
or treatment for the effects of PMS
within the medical community.
What they do all agree on is
that a regular menstrual cycle is a sign
of good health. Isn't that special?
Doesn't help to know you're healthy if
you are in pain or having mood swings
that cause you to have to make the
decision to stay home for a day rather
than risk the chance of having to call
your best friend for bail
money.
Well, conventional medicine can
offer pain pills, water pills, and
hormonal therapy, but alternatives to
these forms of comfort can be more
relaxing and have fewer side
effects.
And while I for one am not going
to "run with the wolves", I would like to
achieve some sort of balance between
seeing cramps as a medical "problem" and
a "gift of mother earth."
Give me a break, I just want to
not cry or punch out people at the drop
of a hat for a week out of each month.
Let's explore those options:
Alternative Medicine
for Womens Health
Acupuncture
relieves pain and stress, and can leave
you feeling so relaxed that you're
feeling too good to punch anyone
out.
Same goes for massage, and your
massage therapist can show you self
massage to do on your lower abdomen any
time you need to relax cramps. No
medicine is involved, and both of these
alternative therapies are
non-invasive.
Chinese medicinal
herbs are used in concocting
teas and poultices for the relief of PMS
symptoms. These include Kava Kava Chai
and ginseng teas.
The top recommended teas are
made from Viburnum and help with
cramping, irritability, and swelling.
Dandelion helps with swollen breasts,
muscle spasms, and acne.
Your herbalist can recommend the
appropriate combination of herbs for your
individual symptoms, as well as bath
soaks and foot rubs.
Osteopathy is
an alternative medicine that can help
with internal organ ailments and fight
osteoporosis. The women's health center
at Oklahoma State University (founded by
the Osteopath society) sponsors the "Take
Charge" program, which sponsors health
education and alternative therapy forums
for women across the country.
Chakra and
crystal healing energy is used in a wide
variety of ways to increase blood flow
which (ironically, if you think about it)
lessens headache and tension symptoms of
PMS.
This appears to work, but is a
little touchy feely crystal dolphin wacko
for me; I prefer yoga and herbal teas,
pragmatic and to the point.
Although not considered
alternative therapy, per se, exercise is
a great way to relieve symptoms and
lessen fatigue.
One form of exercise which could
be considered alternative is yoga. The
slow stretching movements and low impact
cardio of yoga is very good for menstrual
symptoms.
Hypnosis is
fast becoming the alternative medicine of
choice for PMS sufferers. Hypnosis is
geared toward finding out the causes and
conditions of symptoms, therefore
relieving the pain holistically, that is
to say, removing the root cause of
irritability and stress.
While it is obviously hormonal
in nature, the mood swings of PMS can be
brought under control with light hypnosis
which focuses on teaching the patient
that the moodiness is temporary, and not
to be taken to heart.
Now I don't know about you, but
I am much more likely to believe a
hypnotist when she says "It will be okay,
you will get through this, it is
temporary," than I am to believe my
husband, who says" Are you on your
period? That explains it…"
Now you see why it's important
to save up bail money if you're not using
Alternative Medicine for Womens
Health.
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