From the Industrial Revolution onward, it seems that the west has become increasingly enchanted with the progress of science and technology. There is good reason for this science and technology have revolutionized the way that we live and the quality and quantity of life is unquestionably higher than what it was in times past. However, many have suggested that we have gone too far in our pursuit of science and have left older, alternative ideas in the dust. Many of these ideas are being rediscovered and applied to an increasingly interested society. Eastern ideas of health and beauty are becoming popular as are new age means of treating the whole person. Holistic health and beauty therapy has arisen as a popular supplement to the standard science based treatment options that have been available for years.
One popular form of holistic health and beauty therapy is aromatherapy. Many practitioners believe that certain scents are conducive to certain bodily reactions and, in this way, may be used to treat diseases or promote general health and well being. No one can argue that the sense of smell is our mostly strongly associative. It is amazing how often one smells a certain aroma and is transported back to another place and time where the aroma was encountered. There are real scientific explanations for this fact. The sense of smell is our most basic, primitive sense and is in many ways "hard wired" directly into the brain in a way that the other senses are not. For this reason, many people believe that aromatherapy is a valid and effective holistic health and beauty therapy.
Another popular form of holistic health and beauty therapy is herbal medicine. For years, naturally occurring herbs have been used to treat almost any illness that you can imagine. While no one is sure how our ancestors came by this knowledge, the fact that it has been used successfully for so long attests to its benefits. Many doctors have become aware of herbal therapies and are offering them in conjunction with standard medical practices. A word of caution--since herbal remedies are not regulated the way other medications are, you are never sure that what you are getting is what is advertised. Also, many herbal remedies can interact with other medications, so be sure to consult with your physician before trying an herbal holistic health and beauty therapy treatments.
Holistic health and beauty therapy is an increasingly popular alternative to the purely scientific medicine of the west. While some may doubt its efficacy, no one can doubt its popularity. Be sure to consult with your physician before beginning any herbal based holistic health and beauty therapy to make sure that the herbal treatments you will be using do not interact with any medications you may be taking.
