Absolute Beginner's Guide to Alternative Medicine

Surgery

■ Hypnotherapy and visualization before surgery

■ Magnets: place magnets over the incision site for 24 to 48 hours before sur-

gery to improve postoperative recovery, place magnets over wound after sur-

gery

■ Meditation before and after surgery

Stress

■ Aromatherapy: juniper, lavender, vetiver, ylang ylang, jasmine—use in mas-

sage oil or put in bath

■ Breathing exercises; alternate nostril breathing (pranayama)

■ Exercise

■ Meditation

■ Yoga: focus on slow movements and long exhalations

Sunburn

■ Herbs: soak a soft cloth in cooled black or green tea and spread over the

burned area—leave on 15–30 minutes; apply aloe vera sap to area

■ Hydrotherapy: soak in a bath of tepid water and baking soda (1 pound) for

20–30 minutes; later that day or next take a tepid bath with 1 or 2 cups of

milk added

■ Grated potato applied directly to the skin will decrease pain and prevent blis-

tering; wrap in place with a clean cloth

Tension

■ Aromatherapy: hot bath or massage using one of the following oils—berg-

amot, rose, cedarwood, chamomile, geranium, lavender, melissa, orange, or

sandalwood

■ Feldenkrais Method

■ Healing Touch

■ Herbs: valerian, passion flower, kava kava, ginseng as teas

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