Recently I read an article from Alain de Botton on why we travel. In the Middle Ages, it wasn’t about the white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters; it was all about the idea that every illness of the mind or body could be cured by going off on a long journey to touch a part of the body of a long-dead saint or visit a church with magical healing powers. For a long time, people believed that this was the only way to cure treatments. Looking back at it, this should have been rather an expensive and challenging way of getting rid of your disease.
The Chinese have a history of not throwing away any part of a dead animal because of its health benefits. Think about sheep penis, fisheyes, intestines, and birds’ nest amongst others. You may guess what they are good for…
Traditional Chinese Medicine
For thousands of years, rooted in a philosophy known as Taoism, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on the theory that all of the body’s organs mutually support each other. Therefore, in order to be healthy, an individual’s organs (and their functions) must be in balance. This balance is attained, in part, by harmonizing yin and yang, two opposing but complementary energies thought to affect all life.
Another theory in TCM is that vital energy (called “qi” or “chi”) flows throughout the body via certain pathways (or “meridians”). According to this theory, disease and other emotional, mental, and physical health problems develop when the flow of qi is blocked, weak, or excessive. Restoring the flow of qi is considered essential to balancing the yin and yang and, in turn, achieving wellness.
Rather than prescribing specific herbs, practitioners of TCM typically combine a number of different herbs in formulas selected depending on the patient’s individual needs. These formulas may be given as teas, capsules, tinctures, or powders. Although purely natural, it may take some time to prepare and a lot of ingredients are needed.
Nowadays, TCM is still actively practiced, not only in China, but worldwide. People trust this way of treatment more than “Western” medicines.
Western Medicine
Western Medicine is the term used to describe the treatment of medical conditions with medications, by doctors, nurses and other conventional healthcare providers who employ methods developed according to Western Medical and scientific traditions. It differs from Eastern, or alternative, medicine, in its approach to treatment, which relies heavily upon industrially produced medications and a strict adherence to the formal scientific process.
It all started when John D. Rockefeller, at that time controlling 90% of all petroleum refineries in the United States, saw the possibility that vitamins and medications could be developed from petroleum! Due to his wealth and his hunger to become even wealthier, he started to create a monopoly and eliminated the use of herbal and natural medicines. “A pill for an ill” became the mindset for doctors and patients.
It is common practice that with every box of medicine comes a large piece of paper stating the side effects. So, one can only imagine how much chemicals are being used in trying to cure patients. Especially with the monopoly of pharmaceutical companies, and its “friendship” with hospitals and doctors, people received a lot of garbage in their body that might not have been needed. But some people focused more on improving their bank account then on improving someone’s health.
Prevention is the best cure
The options are either choosing a part of an animal’s body or a piece of chemical to consume. Both not a very nice prospect when thinking about it. Therefore, I am happy to share with you that there is an alternative. This alternative is not only there to treat the defect, it is actually also a very good way to prevent you from falling ill. I foresee that ESSENTIAL OILS will become the future way of healing and become a strong alternative of existing medications.
Essential oils
Essential oil is a natural oil typically obtained by distillation and having the characteristic fragrance of the plant or another source from which it is extracted. They have been used for thousands of years in various cultures for medicinal and health purposes and it seems that they are gaining ground again. Using essential oils is a safe and cost-effective way of treating an ailment compared to other medicine. It is safe because you do not consume it (although with some you can) and it is cheaper than medicine.
Recently the daughter of an acquaintance woke up in the morning with a huge, swollen eye. Having used essential oils for years and fully trusting their benefits, instead of going to the doctor she decided to treat the eye with a mix of essential oils. Every hour she would massage the affected area and rub oil on the soles of her feet. Within 8 hours, the swelling was 90% gone. Calculating the expenses of using the essential oils she spent less than $2.50. If you would compare that to spending time going to the doctor, cost for professional advice, medication, and transportation it is clearly more beneficial.
Health benefits
Just a single drop of an essential oil can already make a difference in a person’s health situation. Essential oils permeate the cell membrane and therefore can be more effective than modern approaches. Below a list of benefits, all backed up by science to show how powerful a natural product can be:
- Balance Hormones
- Boost Immunity & Fight Infections
- Support Digestion
- Boost Energy Levels
- Improve Brain Function
- Reduce Emotional Stress & Anxiety
- Alleviate Aches and Pains
- Boost Skin and Hair Health
- Reduce Toxicity
- Relieve Headaches and Migraines
- Promote Restful Sleep
Helping the environment
As mentioned earlier, medicines are made by chemicals; an artificial substance that damages the environment since it cannot be broken off completely. Also, with the use of essential oils there is no need to slaughter any animals. Essential oils on the other side are 100% natural and cause no harm to the environment. Actually, it will help our living environment if we are surrounded by more plants and fruits.
Future
Although at the moment there is no evidence that essential oils can replace the cure of cancer patients, I do believe that the use of this natural product is the way forward to a happier and healthier life. To treat Covid-19, some countries use a mix of TCM and Western Medicine. It would be nice though if someone could figure out the right formula and create an essential oil combination that can treat Covid-19 successfully!
[1] Oxford Dictionaries
