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"Alternate" Medicine Terms - Definitions And Differences
The terms Homeopathic, Holistic, Natural, and even Botanical are actually thrown around
as one in the same quite often, however, there
are actually important differences between them to consider which we will try to explain below.
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Homeopathic, Holistic, Chinese Medicine And Natural Pet Care
The actual definition and history behind the term "homeopathic" is actually a little
complicated and confusing. In it's simple form, the homeopathic theory could be described
as a belief that disease is a disruption in the body’s life force,
that the symptoms of disease are not the disease itself, and that with proper facilitation the body can be
stimulated into healing itself. Homeopathic products, often natural products, herbs, botanicals and
minerals, are designed to help facilitate the body to begin this self-healing process itself - to provide a
little boost if you will.
"Holistic" medicine reflects the idea of looking at the
"whole" self when it comes to health and believes balance of the whole self is the key - balance of the combined
physical, mental emotional, social and spiritual aspects of life.
"Chinese" medicine dates back over 5,000 years
and is based on the fundamental idea of living in harmony with nature and the environment. As it applies to medicine this
philosophy often relies on the healing power of specific herbs and natural remedies. Acupuncture, massage therapy, diet,
and exercise (i.e., tai chi) are also
important aspects of chinese medicine. In general, balance is the key to good health, and
imbalance often results in sickness.
Products described as "natural" can be considered products derived from a living organism or something found naturally
in nature. Most vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids are considered natural products.
Some synthetically produced products are called "natural" because they can be found
naturally occurring in nature despite the fact that they were manufactured in a processing plant. Just the
same, there is some controversy today among pet food, supplement and product manufacturers as to just what
products can be labeled as "natural".
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Botanical, Flower Essence, Aromatherapy And Herbal Meds
The term "botanical" means "relating to plants", whereas, "botanicals" are products
derived from plant material. Herbs and flowers are also botanicals.
A "herb" is technically a plant lacking a permanent woody stem, herbs can be medicinal, beneficial, flowering,
aromatic or even toxic by nature. Some common herbs you may have heard of include basil,
dandelion, dill, lavender, sage and thyme.
Herbal meds utilize herbs and can be traced back hundreds of years to before the advent of
modern day medicine and pharmaceuticals. On occasion, "herbal" and synthetic meds can
interact adversely and or have an effect on the
effectiveness of the other, so it is always important to let your veterinarian know what herbal treatments your pet
is receiving so they can prescribe other meds accordingly.
"Flower essence" therapy is similar in theory to homeopathic treatments in the
sense that the body's natural healthy balance is considered an important part of the desired cure.
However, flower essences are used primarily to treat behavioral rather than physical disorders. Some typical behavior issues
that might be treated with flower essence products include aggression, anxiety, thunderstorm fears,
and territorial possessiveness. Some flower essences are designed to help the internal organs of the body by
addressing the stress issues that can lead to the physical ones. True flower essence
products are in liquid form and derived from a numerous array of botanicals and flowers.
"Aromatherapy" is the use of aromatic compounds to benefit from the aroma they produce, usually to
improve mental and cognitive states.
"Essential Oils" are often used for aroma therapy, skin and insect repellent pet care. The word
essential is not meant to imply that the oil is mandatory for proper bodily function or
vital to good health but rather it is derived from the
word "essence", as in it is derived from the distinctive essence of the plant it comes from.
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