Tai Chi Chuan

Performed as a series of graceful postures, one flowing into another, the Chinese 'soft' martial art of tai chi chuan — or simply tai chi — works on both the body, by providing exercise, and the mind, by helping you concentrate. The movements relax the muscles, freeing the joints and easing tension. The gentle exercise provided by tai chi is suitable for most people.

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The best way to learn tai chi is to go to a class run by an experienced teacher. You will learn a sequence of movements known as a 'form' — either a short form, lasting 5 to 10 minutes, or a full-length long form, which can take up to 40 minutes. Once you have learned a tai chi form, you will be able to practice it every day at home.

Sound Therapy

Scientists now know that sound can alter our brainwaves. This therapy uses the power of sound to encourage healing. Treatment may be a simple matter ol playing soothing sounds (such as chanting, the noise of waves or the calls of dolphins) to induce relaxation. This type of sound therapy can help with stress, anxiety and other emotional problems.

Rolfing

The aim of rolfing is to improve the structural alignment of the hotly. Rollers compare the human body to a tower of children's building blocks - if one block is pushed out of alignment, the structure of the entire tower is threatened. By manipulating the body's connective tissues and muscles — using the knuckles, fingers, palms and elbows the roller tries to realign your body, increasing its range of movement, improving your balance and enhancing your posture. Rolfmg may be of benefit to people with poor posture and low vitality.

Reiki

The word reiki means 'universal life energy', and this therapy offers a way of transferring healing energy from a giver to a receiver. Practitioners gain their ability to heal through reiki by studying with a reiki master teacher. The student practitioner undergoes 'attunement', which is said to open up a channel through which healing energy can flow. Practitioners also learn specific hand positions for use during therapy sessions.

When you consult a reiki practitioner, the therapist lays his or her hands on your body, following intuition to adopt the positions that give the best flow of healing energy.

Psychotherapy

Trained to listen carefully and offer support in cases of distress, grief, stress and anxiety, psychotherapists treat many people with emotional and psychological problems. Therapists work by listening to you and talking with you about your exper­iences and relationships, so that you can gain insight into your problems. Gradually, you get closer to the roots of emotional difficul­ties that may be deep-seated.

Different psychotherapists employ differ­ent therapies, ranging from the warm and supportive to the more detached and analyti­cal. When choosing a therapist, it is impor­tant to find out which technique he or she offers. Some of the most popular are behav­ioral therapy (which helps you to 'unlearn' problem behavior or habits), group therapy (in which you share your problems with a group of other patients), neurolinguistic programming, or NLP (which works with the way personal experiences influence your perceptions), and gestalt therapy (which makes you more aware of such behavior as body language).

Depending on the type of therapy and the needs of the patient, psychotherapy may be short-term or may require a large number of sessions over months or even years. After a course of therapy, you should be able to con­front and overcome your difficulties.

Polarity Therapy

A mixture of Eastern and Western approaches, polarity therapy is based on the idea that a form of energy flows around the body from one pole to another, rather like a magnetic current. The energy, which may be positive, negative or neutral, flows between energy centres known, as in yoga, as chakras. Polarity therapists, use four techniques to balance energy and promote general health: bodywork (touch and massage), awareness, skills (helping you talk through your problems), dietary recommend­ations and yoga-like stretching exercises.

Osteopathy

This system of therapy treats the mechanics of the human body—the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and other connective tissues. Osteopaths believe that many diseases are caused by problems with the body's structure; therefore, if they fix the structural problems, the body will be encouraged to heal itself. They use gentle, mani­pulative techniques to reduce tension and restore health.

Although osteopathy is especially effective in treating such problems as muscle and joint pains, an osteopath always tries to find out why these disorders are occurring, in case they are symptoms of some other disorder.


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A first visit usually lasts up to one hour. The osteopath asks about your lifestyle, work and leisure activities, as well as your illness. He or she examines you standing, sitting, and lying on the treatment table. You may be asked to bend or stretch to see how your body responds in different positions.

Soft-tissue manipulation, with a range of massage-like techniques that help relax tight muscles and tighten loose ones, is often the first stage in treatment. The osteopath uses his or her fingertips to probe your mus­cles to seek out tension and other problems.

If you have joint problems, the osteopath may use gentle rhythmic strokes and stretches to ease them. He or she may also try a tech­nique known as the high-velocity thrust. This is a rapid, painless movement, usually used on the spine. It makes the joint move and click and the muscles around the joint quickly relax. Pain around the joint can be relieved with this technique.

You may need several return visits, which usually last about half an hour each. The number of visits required will vary according to several factors—the condition itself, how long you have had the problem, and your age (younger people usually need fewer visits).

Besides, joint and muscle problems, disor­ders that may respond well to osteopathy include sports injuries, migraine, premenstrual syndrome, constipation and such respiratory problems as asthma.

Nutritional Therapy

This form of therapy analyzes your diet and finds ways in which your body's strength and ability to heal itself can be improved by making changes in your eating habits. Nutritional therapy is most commonly used by dietitians and nutritionists. Practitioners such as clinical ecologists and naturopaths also often use nutritional therapy as part of their treatment.

When you first consult a nutritional ther­apist, you fill in a questionnaire about your health, illnesses, lifestyle and diet. After the therapist has looked at your answers, he or she gives you dietary advice tailored to your particular situation. You should expect to make return visits so that the therapist can assess the diet's effectiveness and make any necessary adjustments. The practitioner may also advise you to consult your doctor if you have a condition that cannot be treated solely by adjusting your diet.

Metamorphic Technique

This technique involves work on the feet and hands, using techniques similar to reflexology. Just as reflexologists believe that different zones on the feet affect different parts of the body, so practitioners of meta-morphic technique believe that various areas on the feet affect the emotions.

Magnet Therapy

This therapy relies on the idea that the body responds to magnetism. The therapist applies magnets to your body, either in the form of a magnetic bracelet or as magnetic pads. Therapists claim success in treating the pain of rheumatism, but most research has shown that magnets have little or no therapeutic effect, and experts are therefore sceptical.

Light Therapy

One form of this therapy involves sitting in front of a specially designed light box, which produces light at a higher intensity than ordinary bulbs. This helps many sufferers of seasonal allective disorder (SAD), or winter blues—people who get depressed during the winter months. One theory suggests that SAD is linked to high levels of the hormone melatonin, which is produced by the pineal gland. The gland normally produces mela­tonin at night, and the morning light stops the secretion. But during winter, when there is less daylight, the pineal gland may go on producing melatonin. About two hours of daily light therapy may alleviate the problem, but it should be supervised by a doctor.

Laughter Therapy

When you laugh, you feel good. The reason for tins is partly that laughter boosts certain body chemicals, including endorphins, which are natural mood-enhancing and pain-relieving substances. There is also evidence that laughter has physical benefits—it relaxes tense muscles amd strengthens the immune system. A number of therapists run workshops in which you arc encouraged to laugh—for example, by watching a clown, listening to a comedian, or being shown the funny side of problems. This can make your difficulties seem more manageable, so laughter therapy can also provide an effective way ot managing stress.

Kinesiology

Like Chinese doctors, kinesiologists believe that an invisible form of vital energy circulates through the body. Treatment aims to restore imbalances in this energy How. A kinesiologist tries to learn about your health by testing your muscles, and tries to correct imbalances ot the muscles and other disorders by using gentle massage, acupressure and similar physical techniques. Kinesiology can sometimes relieve muscular aches and pains. Practitioners also claim success m treating food allergies, although there is no evidence supporting these claims.

Iridology

A technique said to help diagnose diseases, iridology is based on the idea that the iris of the eye contains a map of the body. Each part of the iris is believed to represent an organ. Iridologists believe that black marks on the irises indicate a disease and white marks signal some form of stress or inflammation. If an lridologist finds any problems, he or she should refer you to a doctor.

Hypnotherapy

This therapy uses hypnosis, creating a state of mind in which normal thought processes are suspended tor a short period of time. Hypnosis can be used to induce relaxation, to treat stress-related conditions, to help people overcome addictions, phobias and eating disorders, and to treat lack of confidence and sexual problems. Some forms of hypnosis are also effective for pain relief, especially during labor and dental treatment.


Professional consultation

There are various ways of inducing a hypnotic trance, but the hypnotist will create a relaxing atmosphere, perhaps asking you to visualize a restful scene or repeat a phrase or sentence over and over. The therapist may suggest that your limbs are feeling heavy and that your eyelids are closing. When you go into a hypnotic trance, you will feel relaxed and you may be willing to accept the suggestions of the hypnotist. You may then go into a deeper trance, in which your heartbeat and breathing slow down and you enter a state that feels similar to that of meditation. The hypnotist may make statements to address your problem—for example, ones that boost your self-esteem or tell you that you are going to stop a damaging form of behavior, such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

Hellerwork

Practitioners of Hellerwork believe that the bones and soft tissues of the body become misaligned from stress, illness or bad posture. Hellerworkers aim to realign your body, banish tension and correct the problems that originally caused the misalignment. They do this by manipulating the body and by teaching you how to move in a well-balanced way. People with a wide range of aches and pains, especially neck ache, back pain and headaches, have responded well to this form of therapy. It may also help internal processes affected by muscle function, such as digestive problems.


Professional consultation

You normally attend a series of 11 weekly sessions, making up a complete Hellerwork course. After taking your medical history and assessing your needs, the practitioner will begin the first group of sessions, known as the superficial sessions. These concentrate on freeing tension in the chest, arms and feet. Next come the core sessions, during which the therapist works on muscles that Hellerworkers believe to be at the core of the body—those of the pelvis, spine, head and neck. A final group of sessions, known as the integrative sessions, draw together the work of the previous weeks.

Healing

Healers usually talk about what they do in terms of energy—a vital life force, which everyone possesses. This force can become depleted when someone is ill, but healers believe that they can transfer their own vital energy to a sick person. There are many different types of healing, including faith healing, which is based on a religious faith shared by healer and patient, and spiritual healing, in which the healing energy is separate from the beliefs of the people taking part. Reiki is a form of healing therapy.

Some studies indicate that healing can be beneficial. It may help to relieve pain, or, by providing comfort, it may help the sufferer to cope with the illness more effectively, even though the actual disease remains.


Professional consultation

Healers work in a variety of ways. Some attempt to transfer their 'healing energy' through their hands, touching you gently. Some hold their hands a few centimetres away from your skin. Others channel healing energy by thinking or praying. You may feel a sensation of warmth as the practitioner places his or her hands on or near your body. A reputable healer may advise you to consult your doctor as well as undergoing healing. Beware of any healer who makes promises to cure or prevent disease, who charges an exorbitant fee or who challenges your religious faith.

7 Ways to Create Calm

During a busy day, peace and calmness is something every adult crave very badly. Imagine what you could do with a peaceful state of mind. Basically, you could function better, right? Therefore, here are a few ways to help you achieve that.

1. Go slow. When you have to go somewhere, start out 10 minutes early so you won't have to rush. Also, try to talk and move in a very relaxed manner and you'll see that your stress doesn't ebb away. Drive within the speed limit, pause before you reply to a question, and let the phone ring a few time before answering it.
2. Grab some greenery. Practitioners of feng shui believe that plants can increase your vitality, which is the first step towards achieving happiness.
3. Give yourself a break. You can't make everyone happy all the time and it's okay if you make a mistake.
4. Get a pet.
5. Cultivate kindness. Say thank you more. Call or visit a housebound friend. Bake a cake for someone you know. Giving makes you feel more positive.
6. Play around. The next time you're feeling anxious or stressed, take a break and do something childish. Pick up a crayon and draw a picture, rent a favourite childhood movie, blow bubbles.
7. Read. Nothing takes your mind off your worries more effectively or faster than a good book.
   

Flotation Therapy

A method of relaxation, flotation therapy involves floating in a large tank filled with water containing a high concentration of Epsom salts. You wear earplugs, the lights are switched off, and the water is kept at the same temperature as your skin. The result is most people, even many who are highly stressed, relax deeply within minutes.

Flotation therapy may help stress-related problems such as anxiety, migraines and headaches. People with back pain and muscle fatigue may also benefit. The therapy tends to reduce pain because it stimulates the body to release its own natural painkillers, hormone-like substances called endorphins. Some people even experience euphoria.

Feng Shui

The ancient Chinese art of placement, or feng shui, relies on the theory that, like the human body, the earth is crisscrossed by a series of channels, along which flows vital energy, or qi. Practitioners of feng shui believe that the design and position of a building and the way its contents are chosen and arranged can affect the flow of qi, and thus make the building more a auspicious and healthier place to live. If you consult a feng shui practitioner, he or she will take readings with a special compass and asses the rooms of your home using Chinese astrology and the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes). The practitioner may then recommend alterations, such as moving mirrors and other items and rearranging the furnishings. Exponents of feng shui claim such changes may improve psychological and physical wellbeing.