Alternative Health - A New Look at an Old Way of LifeAlternative health options can include anything from natural herbs used to treat sunburns to using acupuncture for controlling excruciating pain. It's been around in one form or another for thousands of years and its beginnings are generally attributed to the Chinese.Traditional Chinese medicine asserts that the human body and the environment are closely related and when the body's rhythms are upset, treatment and ultimate prevention can come from the environment.Herbs and other plants are widely used in Chinese medicine to bring balance back to the body. Meditation, acupuncture and massage are used in conjunction with the mind and to bring harmony to the body.Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the combined use of medical practices and products that aren't a part of conventional medicine. Many are using the CAM approach in hopes that they can prevent disease and live a more enhanced quality of life.People often turn to CAM because conventional medical techniques aren't always successful in treating chronic health conditions and psychological behaviors. The lack of proper insurance coverage is also a factor in more and more people turning to CAM.CAM is based on both provider and non-provider therapies. The provider therapies include reflexology and acupuncture and the non-provider therapies include herbal remedies, certain types of exercise and meditation.A complementary and alternative approach to your health can help you get in touch with your personal power and become the best person you can be, both in mind and body. If you're hurting physically or not mentally alert, life can begin to pass you by and you may find yourself in the proverbial rut. The ancient findings of Eastern medicine, combined with our modern technology, can lead the way back to physical fitness and mental alertness. Some types of healing therapies and treatments that you might want to consider are: AromatherapyA type of therapy that involves essential oils derived from herbs, plants and flowers. The aromatherapy treatments may include massage, baths or inhalation therapies.AcupunctureA professional acupuncturist inserts long, thin needles just under the skin in particular areas of the body. This therapy can help relieve pain and help your mind relax or get rid of bad habits, such as smoking. It's usually completely painless.Herbal RemediesInvolves the use of natural herbs to relieve or cure maladies such as sunburn, colds, flu, headaches and other symptoms.Exercise YogaYoga, a series of exercises that promote deep breathing and stretching as well as cardiovascular fitness, is very much a part of the Eastern theory of keeping your body fit as a way to ward off illnesses and fight them if they do occur.Natural DietA proper diet of the yin and yang foods can help maintain your weight and also promote mental alertness. A natural diet consists of the "common sense" foods that we all know are good for us, such as fruit, vegetables, grains that are unrefined and unprocessed, legumes and nuts.Massage and ReflexologyThese therapies are relaxation and healing techniques that help increase circulation and relieve tense and tight muscles.Until a few years ago, little information could be found on this growing healthcare field. Now, an astounding amount of alternative medicine books have been written and are continuing to appear in book stores all over the world.A simple search on the Internet will also reveal scientific studies as well as informative articles about alternative health care and what it can do for you. Another reason that alternative methods of treating illnesses are becoming so popular, especially among Westerners, is the high cost of traditional medical care. Everyone is talking about it, but no one seems to know the answer to how we can treat thousands of people without health insurance