Magnetotherapy in India

Of late there has been a lot of attention on complementary forms of therapy like Reiki, Acupressure, Magnetotherapy, Homeopathy, Aroma therapy, Color therapy and lots more. So, are these methods new and untried and hence not safe? The fact is alternative therapy has been practiced in India from the ancient time. Tradition says that ‘mantram, tantram, yantram and aushadam’ (chanting, sharpness, charm-like devices and medicinal potions) should complement each other. However, all these treatment methods were primarily holistic and not symptom based.

What is magnetotherapy and how does it work?
Magnetotherapy is the process of curing or healing an ailment by using electromagnets on the bones, tissues and cells of the human body. Magnetotherapy works on the principle of the magnetic field of the body. In this procedure the electromagnets are used to influence the natural bio-electric currents and immune system. As human beings are very sensitive to the electromagnetic field, this magnetic effect penetrates each and every cell in the body on account of the highly pervasive character of magnetism. The magnetotherapist diagnoses and restores balance with the help of static or electromagnets with appropriate intensity of magnetic field at proper points.

The electromagnets that are used for the treatment increases the process of removal of the toxins, cleans the clogged or blocked vessels, throws out kidney stones (if any) and are even capable of killing the cancerous cells in the early stages.

The magnetic force in the electromagnets enhances the immune system of the body, develops the effectiveness of the drugs and eventually improves the characteristics of blood. This leads to the healing (either repressing of the disease or completely eradicating it) of many serious health problems. It has been seen that magnetotherapy is very effective in balancing altered metabolic functions and also in counterbalancing the degenerative processes. Research shows that issues like arthritis, polio, spondylitis, paralysis, slip disc, inflammation, infections, stiffness, back ache, severe and persistent pains and fractured bones have been cured by this alternative therapy.

Is this therapy painful?
Not at all! Magnetotherapy is a simple, pain-free and natural treatment that does not have any side effects. However, it is important that this treatment is conducted under the guidance of your therapist. It must also be remembered that only magnets with particular shapes, sizes and strengths must be used at the appropriate points for specified time.

Magnetotherapy and meditation
Any form of naturopathy (like magnetotherapy, acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, aroma therapy) cures an ailment by bringing about harmony in the mind and increasing the concentration. Experiments and research has clearly indicated that using magnets during meditation brings a balance between all the mental nerves.

• The magnetic energy strengthens the network of the nervous system which in turn increases the power of concentration and meditation remarkably. Application of magnets has also helped in Transcendental Meditation.

• This magnetic force has a lot of positive impact on our body; it monitors the flow of blood and stimulates the digestive system. Besides, it also helps to keep the body warm by giving the requisite amount of heat. Thus it is capable of providing the patient with the appropriate amount of physical and mental environment that is required for meditation.

• Magnetism prevents the accumulation of calcium and cholesterol in the body and makes it healthy and flexible.

Some advantages of Magnetotherapy
• This treatment does not require any medication or surgery.
• No big machinery or equipment is used for this form of treatment; a few pairs of magnets are sufficient to handle all diseases.
• It is safe, simple and economical. There is no recurring expense as the same magnets can be used for different diseases for hundreds of patients. However, the if the strength of the magnets decrease after a period of 4 to 5 years, they can be recharged to be used again for treatment.

Health and Meditation

With modernization, various forms of alternative treatment have come into existence; you will be surprised to know that even doctors from the conventional school of Medical science recommend their patients alternative therapies which include Ayurveda, Yoga and meditation. All these therapies have been backed by hundreds of scientific studies going back to decades.

Meditation – the way to better life style’ these advertisements are splashed today all across the newspapers, journals, magazines and even television. You will find ‘gurus’ offering meditation courses and classes to combat all kinds of diseases and ailments. So what is meditation? Some wonder drug that has the ability to heal all disorders! No, it isn’t. As mentioned, meditation goes back to a long time in history and has very effective healing powers. However, it is not a kind of faith where curing or healing is based on hypnotic suggestions. If you are suffering from some problems, meditation can help you in some measurable ways; if you are not sick, meditation will help you to stay fit and healthy. It works in two main ways: it helps the body to relax quickly and settles the stressed mind.

Meditation is effective because it helps restore the body to a state of balance. This condition is technically termed as “homeostasis”- a situation when all the functions inside the body are at peace or rest or operating within sustainable limits; things like the heart functioning normally, the blood sugar level does not go beyond the ideal range, the gastric juice levels are proper, the breathing rates are normal and so on. It is not that our body cannot function if things are not in order – for example when we are running a race or over exercising or gorging on a meal. In such conditions, the body continues to operate without making us going through a process of major suffering. Nevertheless, if such situations happen frequently, it gradually starts giving up. This is when pathologies start occurring. Sickness thus can be defined as a state of imbalance in one or multiple systems of the body.

Our body is always battling to return to the state of homeostasis. Our body functions the best when all its organs are in a state of harmony and peace and this is also the optimum state for self-repair and growth. By relaxing and de stressing ourselves, we help the body to heal by itself.

Some health conditions that can experience remarkable experience through meditation
Heart related problems – Meditation is a key component of the Ornish therapy, the only treatment that is scientifically proven to reverse heart disease.

High blood pressure – It has been scientifically proven that the ‘relaxation response’ in meditation is very effective in reducing blood pressure and thus decreasing the chances of stroke and heart attack.

Respiratory problems –Respiratory problems like asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD can be cured to a significant extent by practicing meditation.

Skin disorders like psoriasis – Psoriasis is a condition that causes scaly red patches or blotches on the skin. You will be surprised to know that when a study was conducted between two groups – one which was going through the regular psoriasis treatment and the other that was practicing meditation along with the treatment, the skin condition of the latter healed much faster than the others.

Besides all these, meditation also treats stress and strain, fatigue, drug addiction, stomach upset, insomnia or sleeplessness, any kinds of pain, anxiety and phobias.

Indian Medicinal Herbs

There is a sudden emphasis on the holistic approach to healthcare – newspapers, television and journals are flashed with advertisements about the popularity of the ancient Indian herbs which are extremely effective in dealing with any kind of ailment in the most natural and safest way.

Herbs play a very important role in the modern times when the damaging effects of food processing and over-medication have assumed alarming proportions. Not

only as alternative medicines, herbs, are also used in cosmetics, various food items and most popularly teas. People are slowly starting to believe that herbs have a vast potential for their use as a curative medicine.

What are herbs?
In the language of Botany, a herb can be defined as a plant that does not have a wooden stem and withers and dies after flowering. However, we now use this term commonly for all plants (with woody/non woody stems) which can be used for medicinal or culinary purposes (any part of the plant like leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits or seeds).

Uses of Herbs
Using herbs to treat different diseases have in used in the Indian and Chinese traditions for more than thousands of years. You will be surprised to know that most of the medicines that we use today are originally derived from botanicals herbs of yester-years. For example aspirin is derived from the white willow tree; quinine from the bark of the cinchona tree and digitalis from foxglove.

Herbs have been very effective in preventing illnesses; their widespread popularity can also be attributed to the gentle nature of medications that do not have any side effects.

As I have mentioned earlier, herbs are used in many ways. The ultimate objective of their use is that they should interact directly with our body chemistry. Though they are used in food, cosmetics, drugs or even fragrances, it must be remembered that that their key ingredients must be absorbed in our body for showing the benefits. Once these herbs enter the blood stream, they distribute themselves and influence the whole body system. In this article I will discuss about a few Indian herbs that are very effective for medicinal purposes.

Medicinal herbs
Atharva Veda has mentioned various herbs that can be used for medicinal purposes. Some of these are very common and used in everyday lives:

Neem – this herb is very powerful for handling all sorts of skin related issues like scabies, eczema, warts, psoriasis and dandruff. Neem contains Nimbidol and Gedunin that have very good fungicidal properties.

Basil – more commonly known as Tulsi, basil is considered to be one of the purest and most sublime plants. It is also used for dealing with skin disorders as it is a blood purifier and kills bacteria. For cough or cold or any inflammation of the throat, tea made with basil leaves can be used for instant relief.

Turmeric – turmeric or haldi is a common and popular medication for treating any kind of injuries and infections.

Sandalwood – also called chandan, this plant has an extraordinary fragrance. The bark of a sandalwood tree is very smooth and can be made into a fine paste. Sandalwood paste can be applied on any parts of the body to give a smooth, unblemished and lustrous look. Its unique fragrance is also used in various oils and soaps