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MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information
Medicinal Therapies
HYDROTHERAPY
The ancient Greeks believed that water contained the essence of life and the secret of health. In hydrotherapy, water is used internally and externally in all its forms - hot and cold, as liquid, steam, or ice - to cleanse, revitalize, restore, and maintain health. Traditionally, hydrotherapy consisted of baths, saunas, and compresses, but in modern times, whirlpools and water jets have been introduced. As established part of conventional medicine until the beginning of the 20th century, hydrotherapy has long been practiced by naturopaths, and is now enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
MAIN USES OF HYDROTHERAPY
Muscle & joint pain, such as backache, muscle strains & sprains.
MoonDragon's Health & Wellness: Arthritis
Circulatory problems.
Asthma and bronchitis.
Cystitis.
Menstrual problems.
Fevers.
Anxiety, stress.
Headaches & fatigue.
HISTORY
The therapeutic properties of water have been valued throughout history by societies around the world, from the Chinese to the Native Americans. In ancient Greece, temples to Asklepios, god of medicine, were built near hot springs. In New Zealand, natural hot springs have been used for centuries to improve health.
No Roman town was deemed complete without baths where citizens could enjoy hot, cold, and tepid immersions. In many towns, such as Baden-Baden in Germany, Spa in Belgium, and Bath in the UK, the practice of "taking the waters" at natural springs has continued to the present day. The first serious medical use of the therapy was probably made by Vincent Priessnitz, who opened a spa in the early 19th century at Grafenburg, Austria.
The true pioneer of hydrotherapy, however, was Father Sebastian Kneipp, a 19th century Bavarian monk who claimed that water could cure disease by improving the elimination of waste products from the body. His patients followed a program of hot and cold baths and compresses, foot baths, sitz baths, steam baths, showers, and wraps - techniques still in use today.
In Germany and a number of eastern European countries, hydrotherapy is still widespread and is often subsidized by the government. It is an important part of naturopathy, which is popular in the US and Australia, and has gained a reputation as a cheap therapy with few side effects.
KEY PRINCIPLES
Water has a remarkable ability to alter the body's blood flow, and this can be manipulated by varying its temperature.
COLD WATER THERAPY
Cold water is stimulating. It makes the surface blood vessels constrict, restricting blood flow and inhibiting the biochemical reactions that cause inflammation. It sends blood toward the internal organs, helping them to function more efficiently.
HOT WATER THERAPY
Hot water, conversely, is relaxing. It dilates blood vessels, which reduces blood pressure and increases blood flow to the skin and muscles, easing stiffness. The improved circulation boosts the immune system, helps remove waste products from the body, and sends more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues to repair damage.
HOT & COLD WATER THERAPY
Some therapies use hot and cold water alternately. This is said to stimulate the hormonal system, reduce circulatory congestion caused by muscle spasm, and relieve inflammation.
FLOTATION THERAPY
Floating in warm water, unburdened by gravity can also be mentally soothing (see Flotation Therapy).
EVIDENCE & RESEARCH
European studies in 1995 found that warm underwater jets massage enhanced athletes' performances. American research in 1991 showed that hydrotherapy was helpful for varicose veins, while two studies in Israel indicated that mud and mineral baths were beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis. A 1986 study published in the British Medical Journal concluded that sitz baths were helpful in healing anal fissures.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL OPINION
The effect of water as a vehicle for heat and cold is obvious. Recently, conventional medicine has expressed renewed interest in the ability of water temperature to affect body tissues, and its buoyant and stimulating properties, as used in physiotherapy. Hydrotherapy is an example of a therapy that is not as far removed from conventional practice as it may appear.
CONSULTING A PRACTITIONER
Hydrotherapy is usually practiced at health farms and spas, particularly those founded on naturopathic principles, and you are most likely to visit one if referred by a naturopath. Treatments are diverse and will depend on your condition. They may include some of the following:
HIGH POWERED JETS
Hot or cold water is directed at your back for about 2-3 minutes as you face the wall, holding supports. Jets are said to stimulate the circulation and internal organs, and are used for anemia, amenorrhea, angina, arthritis, and asthma.
Immersing the body in pressurized bubbles for about 15 minutes soothes and massages the body and is also believed to treat sores, infected wounds, swellings, and circulatory problems.
This treatment uses two hip baths, and may benefit hemorrhoids, menstrual problems, cystitis, incontinence, and prolapse.
Soaking in hot water (about 100°F / 38°C) for 20 to 30 minutes is believed to help arthritic conditions. Therapeutic herbs, oils, and minerals can be added to a warm bath.
These include Epsom salts to relieve swollen joints and relax muscles, finely blended oatmeal or bran) possibly added in a muslin bag) to soothe the skin, and mineral "muds" and extracts, such as Dead Sea salts, to nourish the skin.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Aromatherapy Oils
Mountain Rose Herbs: Natural Salts & Salt Products
Mountain Rose Herbs: Natural Bath & Bathing Products
Mountain Rose Herbs: Bulk Organic & Wildcrafted Herbs
Seawater is said to have healing properties, and minerals in seaweed, cleanse and tone the skin, and promote relaxation. Treatments may include seawater jets, seaweed wraps, or seawater or kelp (seaweed) baths.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Organic Seaweeds & Sea Vegetables
Cold, wet flannel sheets are wrapped around the body, then covered with dry towels and finally blankets. After the initial shock, the body warms up rapidly, drying the sheets. Wraps promote sweating, which is said to flush out waste products, and may be used for fevers, colds, bronchitis, back pain, and skin disorders.
Towels are soaked in hot or cold water, wrung out and applied to the affected area of the body. Hot compresses increase blood flow, make the body sweat, and ease stiff muscles. Cold compresses restrict circulation, reducing inflammation.
Sitting in a hot, steamy room for about 20 minutes, or in a cabinet for up to 1 hour, induces sweating, eliminating impurities and relieving water retention.
These are similar to Turkish baths but generate dry rather than humid heat.
PRECAUTIONS
Avoid hot baths, steam baths, and saunas if you have high blood pressure, angina, or heart disease.
Avoid steam baths or sitz baths in the first 3 months of pregnancy, and limit steam treatment to a maximum of 10 minutes for the remaining months.
Avoid steam treatment if you are postoperative, epileptic, asthmatic, or have a history of thrombosis.
Avoid seaweed if you are allergic to iodine, and do not add ingredients to a bath if you have an open wound.
SELF-HELP
Many treatments, such as compresses and ice packs, are simple to carry out at home.
A hot compress eases back or abdominal pain and muscle tension. Wring out a small towel in very hot water, fold it, and apply it to the affected area, alternating it with a cold compress, which restricts circulation and is useful for sprains and swollen joints. Use very cold water and leave for several hours, or overnight.
An ice pack relieves swelling and pain in emergencies. Place a towel or a drop of oil on the skin to avoid freezer burn, then apply ice, or even a package of frozen peas, wrapped in a cloth, to the affected area and leave for 10 minutes.
QUALITY SUPPLIES & PRODUCTS
Mountain Rose Herbs: Aloe Vera Gel (8 oz to 5 gallons)
This incredibly stable Aloe Vera Gel with a pourable consistency is highly beneficial for dietary, cosmetic, and household use. A helpful and indispensable household ally for treating burns, bites, and other skin maladies. Pulverized from the inner fillet of certified organically grown Aloe Vera plants, and further filtered to produce a clear and consistent Aloe gel with a well rounded, and fresh odor. Contains 99.7% pure organic Aloe Vera, and natural preservatives and stabilizers consisting of Potassium Sorbate, and Citric Acid at a percentage not to exceed 0.3%. May occasionally contain pieces of pulp and inner fillet. The 8 ounce retail bottle is packaged with a pump top and the other sizes are packaged in bulk. Choose from 4 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Apricot Kernel Meal (1 lb to 50 lbs)
A natural source, finely ground meal from the pits/kernels of Apricots. This is an ideal medium that produces a gritty sensation for soaps, facial scrubs and exfoliating body care products. Works wonderfully as a stand-alone application that can be applied to the skin or it can be included with other ingredients in developing your final product. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Arrowroot Powder, Organic (1 lb to 5 lbs)
A natural powdered root starch that is white in color and very light in weight from the genus of plant Maranta arundinacea. This certified organic Arrowroot powder is used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in food preparations, as a base for some of your body care formulations, and it is the main foundation for most body powders. Choose from 2 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Baking Soda (1 lb to 50 lbs)
A natural source Sodium Bicarbonate that complements body care recipes by adding a smooth texture to creams and lotions. Also acts as a wonderful pH stabilizer and subdues viscosity thus making your products easier to handle. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Borax Powder, Cosmetic Grade Sodium Borate (1 lb to 50 lbs)
A natural source cosmetic grade Sodium Borate that does not contain surfactants and detergents which are commonly found in commercial Borax products. Borax acts as an emulsifier, natural preservative and buffering agent for moisturizers, scrubs and bath salts. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Buckwheat Hulls, Organic (1 lb to 25 lbs)
A great medium for making all natural pillows, herbal packs and cushions. These certified organic Buckwheat hulls are an economic and environmentally safe solution for those of us producing our own handicrafts for the natural home. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Castille Soap, Liquid, Organic (8 oz to 5 gallons)
A truly luxurient, extra mild and gentle liquid soap made from certified organic ingredients. No harsh chemicals, additives, colorants, sudsing agents or other ingredients, just pure derivatives from plant sources. Great for the face, body, as an all purpose wash, and it makes a wonderful base ingredient for your own soaps and shampoos. Enjoy the cleaning power of pure liquid castille soap that suds beautifully, without leaving a residue. The 8 ounce bottle comes in retail package with pump top and all other sizes are packaged in bulk plastic bottles. Contains: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut and Olive Oils (with retained glycerine), organic Jojoba oil, organic Aloe Vera, and Rosemary extract. Choose from 4 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Citric Acid (1 lb to 50 lbs)
This anhydrous Citric Acid comes from the fermentation of crude fruit sugars and is chiefly used to help extend a products shelf life, in retaining a products texture and guarding against appearance loss. It is also a fabulous base ingredient in bath fizzies and scrubbing salts. Blends easily and fluidly without creating a gritty feeling to the final product. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Grapefruit Seed Extract (1 oz to 1 gallon)
This Citricidal brand Grapefruit seed extract is one of the most widely applied ingredients for its anti-bacterial & preservative qualities. It has marvelous stabilizing properties and has become a regular part of most of our body care formulations. This Grapefruit seed extract is combined with glycerin where as most suppliers have their extracts based in propylene glycol. A much cleaner alternative. Choose from 5 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Lecithin Powder (1 lb to 44 lbs)
Lecithin is a waxy like ingredient derived from soybeans. It acts as an emulsifier and thickening agent for both food and cosmetic products and improves a products shelf life by acting as a mild preservative. A valuable ingredient for cosmetic creams, lotions and other body delights. Powdered lecithin blends easily and disperses evenly into most products and recipes. Certified Non-GMO. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Lecithin Liquid, Organic (8 oz to 1 gallon)
A revolutionary process which does not utilize solvent or alcohol extraction has now awarded us with certified organic liquid lecithin. A special medium for both dietary and cosmetic purposes, this lecithin acts as an emulsifier and thickening agent for body care products and improves a products shelf life by acting as a mild preservative. Because of its liquid nature, it may be seamlessly blended into cosmetic creations, thus removing blending barriers commonly found in both granules and powder. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Menthol Crystals (4 oz to 55 lbs)
A carefully crafted, natural product that originates from Mint essential oil extraction. Menthol crystals come from freezing the base concentrate oil from a common mint, Mentha arvensis. From here the crystals are commonly applied to cosmetics, salves and balms, which are created to assist in coughs, congestion, upper respiratory problems, and the Flu. A great inhalant by itself and easily combined into recipes. Choose from 4 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Stearic Acid (1 lb to 55 lbs)
A white, waxy, natural acid found in animal and vegetable fats. Our Stearic acid is from vegetable origins and is manufactured and designed to blend well with your cosmetic recipes. These small flakes are ideal as an emulsifying agent in creams, lotions, deodorants and most natural body care. Stearic acid is best known for the "pearly" and "waxy" feel that it adds to your body care products, which ultimately has a cooling effect when applied on the skin. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Vegetable Glycerine (16 oz to 5 gallons)
This pure 100% USP grade vegetable glycerine (glycerin) is used in cosmetics and body care products to assist in retaining moisture and is helpful in pulling oxygen into the skin. Vegetable glycerine is a natural emollient that adds a cooling effect on the skin and has become a predominant ingredient in most skin care products and soaps. Vegetable glycerine is also the principal medium for the manufacturing of non-alcohol based herbal extracts, which are called glycerites. This makes for a sweet alcohol free extract that can be easily administered to children, animals and those with alcohol sensitivities. Kosher certified and suitable for food and cosmetic use. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Witch Hazel Extract (16 oz to 5 gallons)
Unlike commercial Witch Hazel extracts which contain more alcohol than actual Witch Hazel, and having only been distilled once; the line we offer leads in both quality and potency. Enjoy this true Witch Hazel extract which has been double distilled in only a 14% alcohol base. Contains 86% Witch Hazel Extract and 14% grain alcohol. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Epsom Salts (1 lb to 50 lbs)
Epsom Salt is a truly luxurious product, often overlooked for its therapeutic benefits, and is principally used in bath salts to sooth, relax, and relieve sore muscles. They can be used as a stand alone salt for soaking, or may be blended with essential oils and botanicals for a truly splendid bathing experience. Aside from cosmetic use, Epsom Salt has numerous medicinal benefits and supplies the body with magnesium and sulfates. Therapeutic/Coarse Grade. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Dead Sea Salt (1 lb to 55 lbs)
A luxuriant sea salt extracted and solar dried from the saline and mineral rich marshes of the confined Dead Sea. Dead sea salt is a nutrient rich, extremely fine, and partially moist salt perfect for bath products and scrubbing blends. Because of its moisture content we have found it easily mixed with other ingredients with little or no separation. This salt is extremely wealthy in numerous key elements and has proven to be one of the best therapeutic salts available. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Himalayan Pink Salt (1 lb to 55 lbs)
Himalayan Pink Salt is one of the purest salts available for culinary, therapeutic and cosmetic uses. This delectable salt is hand mined from the pristine Himalayan mountain range and the crystals range dramatically in color from off-white to a lustrous pink, which indicates a quantifiable amount of 84 trace elements & iron. The benefits are endless but Himalayan Pink Salt is primarily used for gourmet cooking and in bath preparations. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Sea Salt, Fine or Coarse (1 lb to 50 lbs)
An excellent food and cosmetic grade sea salt from the coast of California. All natural, solar evaporated sea salt that makes the perfect scrub, bath salt, or for inclusion in your custom formulated bath blends. Lovingly create your own bath salts by mixing dried herbs, flowers and botanicals, or add your own essential oils to create an euphoric bathing experience. Choose from coarse or fine. Choose from 3 different sizes.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Aromatherapy Essential Oils
The essential oils offered by Mountain Rose Herbs are 100% pure steam distilled plant oils with an unsurpassable fragrance, exceptional depth, magnificent keynote, and are free of carriers, diluents and other inputs. Here you will find some of the worlds most magnificent oils from reputable distillers and suppliers we know, trust, and have a wonderful working relationship with. Mountain Rose Herbs essential oils are processed from freshly harvested material within clean distilleries, thus promising you some of the most magnificent oils available on the market.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Hydrosols & Flower Waters
Flower waters also known as hydrosols, hydroflorates or distillates are products from the direct steam distillation of whole plant materials. Unlike their "essential oil added to water" counterparts, true steam distilled hydrosols contain all the beneficial components that whole plant materials have to offer, and are more true to their scent. They are wonderful and inexpensive as a facial splash, as a deodorant, an air freshener, in the spa, for skin application, during massage, as a base in your body care recipes, and most may be used in culinary creations. They are moisturizing, fragrant, cooling and contain similar properties as essential oils but in much less concentration, which makes them a lovely alternative to those with sensitivities.
MEDICINAL THERAPIES
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HELPFUL PRODUCTS & FURTHER EDUCATION
Prescription for Nutritional Healing: The A-To-Z Guide To Supplements
-- by Phyllis A. Balch, James F. Balch - 2nd Edition
Prescription for Nutritional Healing: The A-To-Z Guide To Supplements
-- by Phyllis A. Balch, James F. Balch - 4th Edition
Prescription for Herbal Healing: The A-To-Z Reference To Common Disorders
-- by Phyllis A. Balch
The Complete Guide to Natural Healing
This is only a small sample of educational materials and products available through Amazon.com. Use the search box provided below to search for a particular item.
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