As more focus is placed on the health of America, with obesity leading the way, it comes to mind that there are alternatives to traditional medicine. A rise in interest has given alternative medicine a place alongside Western medicine.

Alternative medicine includes a wide range of therapies from acupuncture to herbal remedies and homeopathic practices. There are even a few healers who claim to have the power of God behind them who do not adhere to any known practices in medicinal healing. One such healer calls himself John of God and practices in Brazil. He is said to be able to heal simply by thinking, touching, or performing atypical surgeries. John of God claims he heals through the spirits of doctors past and does not do the healing himself. His patients are of mixed opinions.

Some think John of God and others like him have a power to heal that is divine in nature and completely on the up and up. Others believe John of God to be heretic who is not what he appears to be and in fact, may be unstable. There is one common belief among the masses, though: they do feel changed by an encounter with John of God.

Acupuncture, an ancient healing method utilizing blunt needles at chakra  points throughout the body, is probably the most widely used and most trusted of the alternative therapies for illness. With a record dating hundreds of years and results that do lessen pain according to patient reports, it may be something to consider when one isn’t feeling up to par.

Basically, there are choices out their for taking care of your body, mind and soul. You just have to make the decisions based on facts and information to find the combination that works for you.

It should be noted that traditional, Westernized medicine should not be abandoned in lieu of the choices available. It may be beneficial though to heal more than the physical body. Alternative medicine is built on the belief that full healing comes from treating the whole individual and not just the physical manifestation of illness in the physical body. Science has already confirmed that prayer does indeed have a positive effect in patients during the healing process, but science has not yet determined that alternative measures should replace traditional methods.

It is my belief that the two could work in conjunction with one another in a manner that does promote healing more thoroughly. I believe we heal better, live longer, and are happier when our spirits as well as our bodies are attended to and our needs met. I think the addition of alternative medicine to a traditional medicine approach for all illnesses could increase the number of positive results seen. However, I do not think that alternative medicine can completely replace traditional methods nor should it. It is another faction of health care and not a separate entity of health care.

Before changing your health care regime, please check with your physician. The information in this article is not meant to replace medical advice, but only to inform. Herbs can interact with medications, so check before adding any herbal remedies to your routines.

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It’s official…The 80s has reached the end of an era. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, took the era with him when he died yesterday of a heart attack. But, it wasn’t just Michael that left this world this week. Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon also died this week. All three represented the 80s.

All eras must come to an end to make way for new ones to take the spotlight. It has happened throughout history. The sixties ended an era of free love, protests, and Woodstock. Our grandparent‘s era were different still, with stay at home moms and hard working dads and very clean, straight-forward values with a clear marking of gender roles in daily tasks.

It is only the end of the era that is remembered, though, as no one notices the birth of an era. What we do today very well may mark the beginning of an era our children and grandchildren will mourn.

So should we end the era of ignoring our health, our environment. Today. let’s begin an era of green living, healthy living, good choices, and happier psyches. We now realize there must be a balance of not only body, but also of mind, soul, and environment.

We can improve how we think of ourselves, our lives, and our health through the use of daily affirmations. These affirmations aren’t meant to create a feeling of complete invincibility, but rather to change belief systems. Belief systems are those thoughts we believe to be true regardless of the evidence from whence they came about. For instance, an adult may form negative beliefs in childhood and hold to them in later years. If they believe, or were told often, they are not smart, the adult will continue to follow the path of this belief system and not reach the full potential.

Belief systems are related to our health in the way that our thoughts have an impact on our other body systems to create feelings of depression and other emotions. Daily affirmations help restore the balance by changing the belief system which in turn can change how we feel about ourselves. The better we feel emotionally, the better we feel physically. Used as an enhancement to regular health care, we can improve our lives and leave a better legacy to our children and grandchildren when the end of our era arrives.

The following is an example of a daily affirmation. You can create your own to begin a switch in belief systems that are tailored to your needs.

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