Alternative Health Therapies

Alternative health therapies are manual treatment modalities that are based on the fact that our body is innately designed to heal. “HealThy self” is its motto if you will. This occurs because our tissues knows what steps to take to maintain an optimum state of health.

Our body is made up of billions of cells that have a solid and liquid (fluid) component. Each cell has a specifically designated function as determined by the stages of human development in embryology

The solid component in the body and are differentiated into these various systems, viz.:

1. The musculoskeletal system
2. The nervous system
3. The respiratory system
4. The digestive system
5. The excretory system(kidneys, bladder, bowel and skin)
6. The reproductive system

The fluid component is comprised of:

1. The circulatory system, which includes:
   • The blood circulatory system, and
   • The lymphatic circulation
2. The cerebrospinal circulation
3. These systems have an innate motion, as if each comprising cell is its own entity with its own palpable pulse and rhythm, yet in the miracle of the human body, function as a whole. A proverb in traditional chinese medicine says: “Movement gives health and life. Stagnation brings disease and death.” The movements and rhythms that can be palpated by a trained practitioner include:
   • The craniosacral rhythm
   • The visceral (organ) rhythm
   • The lymphatic rhythm
   • The blood circulatory rhythm (the heart rate)
   • The respiratory rhythm ( the breath rate)

While the first 4 are involuntary, breath rate is completely under voluntary control. This is where alternative health therapies assist in the play of the healer we have within.

Essentially, in the structure and function of the body, the bones are at the mercy of the soft tissue and the whole system depends on an efficient “wash and float” effect supplied by the fluid system. The functioning of all bodily systems are thus determined by :

The structural integrity and mobility of the solid structures

The balance of fluid that runs through them.

An intact cellular/organ/systemic rhythm, as the case may be

Alternative health therapies like craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation and lymph drainage therapy are treatment modalities that are based on the premise that structure and function are interrelated. These treatments follow this basic rule,“ listen-follow-release” honoring the intelligence of the body and its inner physician to allow tissue unwinding.

The following are the basic steps in any treatment session, for a release to be complete:

1. “Feel the rhythm”. This should feel like gentle ocean waves flowing
2. “Communicate” with its flow and zone in on the block
3. “Offer energy” to the treatment zone to initiate unwinding
4.  “Intention  a release”
5. “Follow the release” till complete tissue softening occurs

The above clearly typifies how wide ranging clinical applications could be. Interesting though is the fact that the treatment methods mentioned above are extremely specific in their results. In this lies proof enough of the wisdom of the human body and its ability to heal intelligently when given the chance. The need for medication, which more often than not is toxic to the human system and even surgery may even be alleviated given the efficacy of alternative health therapies.

Below is a video that mentions a few applications of craniosacral therapy.