Health articles

A quick newbie's guide to your first yoga class.

Acupressure is a touch-based therapy derived from the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is an important therapeutic component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

An active lifestyle is the key to keeping fit and healthy. Read on for tips on nutrition and injury prevention.

The Alexander technique is a series of movements aimed at improving the body's posture and overall movement.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from flowers, herbs, or trees to enhance wellness.

Ayurveda is a holistic medical system customized to a person’s diet and behaviour with aims of eliminating bodily impurities, reducing symptoms, increasing disease resistance, and reducing anxiety

Biofeedback is a technique that provides you with the knowledge, awareness, and expertise necessary to scan your body for harmful muscle tension. Once you detect that tension, biofeedback helps you learn to release it and prevent the tension from accumulating and causing harm.

In chelation therapy, a chemical called ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is administered intravenously with the aim of cleansing the blood of toxins or excess minerals.

The goal of chiropractic care is to reduce pain, enhance joint function, and restore or improve range of motion. Chiropractic care focuses on maintaining and restoring health through the relationship between the structure of the spine and its function.

When you feel stress, your body reacts by initiating a number of responses, including raising your blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rates, and initiating muscle contraction. Biofeedback is a tool that allows you to monitor, control, and reduce stress in your body.

Definitions of complementary and alternative medicine cover a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies outside of the domain of conventional or allopathic medicine.

Many people with anxiety symptoms turn to alternative and complementary therapies as additions to their conventional treatments and medications. Regularly practicing these activities can lead to improved overall well-being and psychological awareness, strengthening the ability to manage stress.

Have you used a herbal remedy to relieve a headache, or tried massage to relieve stress? If so, you're not alone. Studies show that more than 70% of Canadians have used some form of alternative or complementary medicine. Read on for more information about complementary medicine and tips on safety.

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle manual technique used to balance the elements of the craniosacral system - the bones, nerves, membranes, and fluids of the cranium and spine.

Did you know that you can reduce your risk of certain cancers by changing your lifestyle? Research has shown that simple lifestyle changes could make a dramatic difference. Here's what all of us can do to cut the risk.

You may have heard of detoxing – a process to rid your body of the toxins you've built up from bad foods and the environment. But do you know what it involves? Here's what you need to know about detoxing.

The Feldenkrais method is a supportive, complementary physical therapy meant to enhance a person's mobility and body awareness.

Food plays a key role in our lives, both when we're sick and when we're well. How much do you know about how it affects you? Grow your knowledge about the food you eat and the food you buy.

Guided imagery is meant to facilitate a relaxed approach to dealing with symptoms. It involves using mental images to promote health, wellness, and relaxation.

Different herbs and nutritional supplements have been tested for different types of arthritis. Some may be reasonably effective. However, unlike prescription medications, natural health products are not tested as stringently. Also, the amount and dosing of these products used in trials may not be the same as what is on the label.

Hypnotherapy, also called hypnosis, is an alternative therapy technique in which a therapist guides a person into a state of relaxation and intense focus.

Integrative medicine – what does it mean? Is it dangerous? Find out how to know what's right for you.

Fitness is, we're happy to observe, very popular these days. But there are a lot of ideas of what you need to do, where you need to do it, and what you need to eat and drink – or avoid – to maintain top form. We're here to give you some straightforward, level-headed – and economical – advice.

Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can help you move beyond the headaches, conquer the nervous tension, and allow you the freedom to focus on the positives as your big day approaches.

In magnet therapy, small metal magnets are attached to the body with the aim of alleviating pain or treating a particular disease.

Massage therapy employs touch and pressure to the muscles and soft tissues to release tension, healing injuries, relieving pain, and enhancing overall well-being.

Meditation is often recommended as a way of reducing stress and even improving health. Find out what it involves.

With roots in 19th century Europe, naturopathy has evolved through the years to include many different natural and alternative therapies and treatments.

Nutritional supplements are big business. Every day, ads and news stories tell us about supplements promising to prevent heart disease and cancer, improve our memory, and much more. But is it all true? We sort through the hype to bring you information you can trust.

Pain is an unfortunate part of life. Even though everyone encounters it, our experience, sensitivity, and tolerance to pain vary greatly. One person may suffer from small aches while another will tolerate walking on a broken ankle. Still, everyone needs pain relief now and then. Let’s take a look at some of the conditions that may cause you pain and what you can do to find pain relief.

Plant sterols offer a natural approach to lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol. But what are they? Learn more about plant sterols, how they work, and how to use them.

The aim of Qigong is to boost the body's flow of vital energy called qi and support a balance between yin and yang.

In reflexology, it is thought that the foot is the base of the body's energy and that by stimulating certain spots on the foot, one can channel the energy to the places in the body where it is needed.

Our skin is our largest organ, and it can be very sensitive and responsive. The warmth of a hand held, the sensation of a soft cheek against ours, arms wrapped around shoulders in embrace... they can all go a long way toward expressing our affection for someone. But touch can actually give more than a momentary tingle or a second of solace; touch can comfort and heal.

So, is touch simply a pleasant, soothing diversion? Is it mind over matter, or something more? No matter what the case, embrace th

While it’s normal for changes to occur in the body when under stress, if the stress response continues unchecked, these changes can become detrimental.

Tai chi is a type of mind-body practice with its roots in self-defence and the martial arts.

Although many NHPs do promote and enhance good health, they are only safe when used under the right conditions.

Therapeutic touch (TT) is a healing practice with the aim of balancing the body's energy fields in order to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, or ease pain.

A quick rundown of what you can anticipate during your first rub-down.

Yoga: the word may bring to mind pictures of people holding seemingly impossible poses – but it's about more than just flexibility. The ancient art of yoga endures in our modern world for many good reasons.