If you attend a complementary health exhibition you will probably feel overwhelmed by the wide range of therapies available. How can you possibly decide which would be best for you? Aside from the various traditional, more ‘complete’ systems, which include Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy and Herbal Medicine, there are body oriented treatments such as Osteopathy and Chiropractics, numerous types of massage, Tai-Chi and Yoga, energy based therapies such as Kinesiology, Reiki and Qijong, or mind therapies such as Hypnotherapy. No wonder confusion reigns. To make things even more difficult, what works for one person seems to do nothing for the next.

The fact is that all these practices have their benefits, but every practice also has its limitations, whether we are looking at mainstream medicine or at any alternative system. Let us consider a few examples. If you are suffering from emotional stress it is quite possible that Reiki might be of help, but if at the same time your neuro-hormones are out of balance it is unlikely to be of great benefit, any more than it would help your menopausal symptoms if these are caused primarily by hormone imbalances. Yoga would not be a sensible choice for treating conditions of the heart or arteries, just as it would be ineffective and possibly even cause aggravation of symptoms when the bones are heard to crack – another sign that hormone balance needs to be addressed, and this requires specific medicines. Similarly, acupuncture can often help with pain but if it is chronic and internal then again medicines are essential.

When choosing which system to follow to help you achieve optimum health it is essential to fully understand all the physiological, nutritional, mental and emotional factors which might be contributing to your current condition. It is also important to keep an open mind with regard to what any one practice might be able to offer you.

At the YATAN Holistic Ayurvedic Centre we treat each patient as an individual and take all the above factors into account when deciding on a customised treatment plan. If you are exploring treatment options and finding the process confusing call us for help and advice on 1300 552 260.