Massage Therapy is a holistic health practice that involves the manual manipulation of the body’s musculoskeletal tissues. While massage treatments have long been a part of medical history, some of the most popular modalities or styles were not invented until fairly recently. For example, the most popular modality, Swedish Massage, was invented around 1870 by Johann George Mezger, who codified the modality into the five techniques that are still used today. The five techniques of Swedish Massage, are: … Read More

Recently, we did an extensive post on the History of Massage Therapy. In it, we covered many of the significant massage modalities that have contributed to our modern understanding of Massage Therapy as a holistic medical practice. These massage modalities can be roughly be divided into two major categories: Eastern and Western. … Read More

Massage Therapy is one of the most commonly practiced forms of holistic medicine.  Massage Therapists heal patients by using their touch to manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body. This therapeutic touch is used to relieve pain, help heal injuries, improve circulation, relieve stress, increase relaxation, and aid with general health and wellness.  According to the most recent data published by the National Center for Health Statistics (CDC-NCHS), approximately 7% of the US adult population received a massage treatment in 2012. That’s approximately 15.4 million people! And it only appears to be growing in popularity. As a profession (in the US), Massage Therapy jobs are predicted to increase by 24 percent between 2016 and 2026. While the numbers are impressive, it should not be particularly surprising that massage therapy is a popular practice.  Massage Therapy has many health benefits, including improved sleep quality, enhanced relaxation, pain relief, decreased stress and inflammation, decreased blood pressure, improvements in injuries and sports injuries, as well as improved mental health. … Read More

Acupuncture for digestive problems is safe and effective way to naturally treat many acute and chronic conditions of this important body system. If you've tried conventional medicine to keep digestive problems in check without success, consider acupuncture, which is a holistic health treatment without side effects.  … Read More

Holistic medicine treatments are on the rise in the United States and that includes the use of acupuncture. More and more Americans are looking for approaches that treat the whole person instead of just physical symptoms. According to a National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) that looked at a five-year period, acupuncture is one of the treatments that is on the rise.  … Read More

Mood swings may have several causes that include chemical and hormonal imbalance, stress, PMS, medication usage, and diet. Various types of physical illness can also cause mood highs and lows. Acupuncture has been shown to stabilize mood by treating hormone imbalance symptoms. … Read More

If you are looking to improve your heart health, your ear might hold the answer. Auricular acupuncture is a type of acupuncture that involves stimulating external points on the ear — and a study shows the technique can improve heart health.  According to research conducted by a team based in China and Austria, auricular acupuncture increases heart rate variability (HRV). HRV indicates the body’s ability to regulate the time interval between heart beats and to control the heart beat rate. … Read More

Holistic health: It's a growing field and you want to get into it. How do you decide what specific careers in holistic health to consider when so many exist? Part of your decision might depend on your personal passion. But you also should take into consideration things like the time and money you have to spend on training or educational programs needed to practice. Find out what steps to take to explore careers in holistic health. … Read More