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Holistic Medicine, Holistic Exercise

By Mario Hostios

A growing discontent with the current healthcare system in the United States has led to many to turning holistic medicine as a means of preventing problems before they begin. This is a good idea, because it would be accurate to say that allopathic (traditional) medicine focuses more on diagnosing problems, disease care, trauma care, and symptom management rather than promoting and sustaining high levels of health.

This is not a bad thing, and no way is a criticism of allopathic medicine. It is great at what it does; for instance bleeding injuries from a car accident or advanced state of disease are not going to be treated with chiropractic adjustments or herbs. However to promote and sustain health, most people would agree that traditional medicine has less to offer. So to be proactive in our wellbeing, we would do well to look into holistic medicine, and beyond that, into the complementary holistic exercises based on the same model.

The relationship between holistic medicine and holistic exercise is similar to the relationship between dentistry and brushing your teeth. You see the dentist twice a year and that certainly is important, but ask your dentist the next time you see him (her), “what is more important; seeing you twice a year or brushing and flossing my teeth every day?” If your dentist tells you that coming to the office twice is year is more important that daily brushing and flossing, head for the exit; running. You are being lied to!

If you have to choose, holistic exercise is more important that holistic medicine. No one can do for you more than you can do for yourself…period. It’s a critical point, and one all but forgotten in today’s world, especially in the current state of the health care system where we can be quick to point the finger at a physician for malpractice, pharmaceutical companies for drug side effects, or insurance companies for rising premiums.

Remember, if you are pointing a finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at you! Your health is your responsibility. You have the choice to be proactive with habits that build it up or neglect it until it falls apart and needs urgent attention. Better I think, to practice holistic exercise, use holistic medicine, and have access to disease and trauma if you need it. But the question is how? Here’s an answer…

Acupuncture Medicine recognizes the interrelationship of internal organs, muscles and pathways (called meridians) on the body and the vital energy called chi that circulates throughout them. Every modality that an Acupuncture Physician uses; from needles, to pressure, cupping, massage, herbs, etc are aimed at restoring a strong balanced flow of chi to the body to restore health.

Acupuncture exercise however, represents a powerful way to build greater levels of health in the body by developing chi. Chi Gong, a foundational element of Tai Chi and other internal martial arts is one such approach to this (to learn about Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and what they can do for you go to http://www.LiveFitLA.com/what-can-tai-chi-do-for-you.html). A second way is to roll Baoding Balls in your hands and fingers. Baoding Balls have been around for a few hundred years and commonly used as a form of gentle form of health maintenance and dexterity development. Typically the size of a golf ball, two Baoding Balls are held in a hand and rotated clockwise or counter clockwise using the fingers.

The balls have some weight and chime as they move, producing tones and vibrations that are soothing and stress releasing. In addition to developing the dexterity in the fingers, rolling the Baoding Balls stimulates the acupuncture channels in the hands and throughout the body, promoting and sustaining the flow of chi. At first, rotating the balls in the hand with clacking them together is awkward, and little if any sensation of chi flow is apparent. This should not be construed however, to mean that nothing is happening.

For instance, you can easily learn to feel your heartbeat by being still and quiet. Once you have developed this awareness, you will find that your heartbeat can be felt any time you make the effort to focus on it. In similar fashion, once some skill is developed in rotating the balls, you will begin to feel a sensation like flowing water moving through your hands and feet when you work with them.

Baoding Ball exercises represent the simplest, most practical form of holistic exercise to promote and sustain good health available to the public. It is well worth your time, effort, and modest inve$tment to get a pair and practice for 5 minutes daily to master them. Fina good acupuncture doctor and begin a patient relationship as preventative maintenance. Baoding Ball exercises brush and floss your acupuncture system the same way brushing and flossing maintains your teeth.

Oh one more thing. If you are a skeptic about the validity of holistic medicine like acupuncture let me offer you this. No one was a bigger skeptic than I was. It took severe back pain to prompt me to consider I was wrong. So if you have a problem with what I am saying here…build a bridge and get over it. An open mind and action reveal the reality of what I am saying through experience, not observation. To download a PDF on Baoding Balls, including where to get them and how to use them, go to http://www.LiveFitLA.com/freestuff.htm.

About the Author:

Mario Hostios is a certified personal trainer in Los Angeles, Ca. To get more Mario, free ebooks, and audio, go to www.livefitla.com.