Two common techniques to help combat stress, ease symptoms of depression and help people to relax are muscular relaxtion and deep breathing exercises. These methods have been proven to be very effective.

Diet-based therapy is used to improve general health, control weight and can be used to treat specific health conditions such as high cholesterol.

Emotional Freedom Technique (or EFT) is considered to be an emotional version of acupuncture where certain points or meridians on the body are stimulated with the fingertips by gentle tapping.  The principle is that by addressing unbalanced energy meridians it is possible to address emotional stress which can lead to pain, disease and other physical ailments.  It can be helpful with an extremely wide variety of problems - practitioners would say that it can be helpful with just about everything.

One very special advantage of EFT is that it is very accessible in that it can be practised anywhere and can be self administered.  EFT is a very positive therapy in that every practitioner you meet enthuses about how helpful it can be with every aspect of life.

Food intolerance can lead to conditions such as headaches, digestive disorders and weight problems and common triggers are lactose, gluten and shellfish, although the list is extensive.  Food allergy, on the other hand, can be more serious and life threatening.  There are a number of tests that can be performed to ascertain whether there is an underlying problem with a particular food or group of foods and a professional practitioner will use these along with talking over the lifestyle and family history of the individual to help improve their health.

Nutritional deficiency is almost impossible to avoid in modern times. By supplementing your diet (as part of a healthy, balanced diet) you can help to boost your natural defences and get rid of toxins in your body.

Nutritional Supplements Health Guide 17/03/10

The demands of modern society and leading a busy lifestyle can take its toll on personal health and in some cases leads to nutritional deficiency. Supplementing the diet with naturally sourced vitamins and minerals can help to boost natural defences and expel toxins in the body.

This is a method to help mother’s give birth in a natural way and helps prevent unnecessary medical intervention.  Using a range of techniques including breathing and relaxation the mother, along with the help from her birthing partner are able to give birth more easily - in a calm and relaxed manner.

The techniques taught are based around self-hypnosis to eliminate the fear and tension that cause long labour and pain, replacing them with confidence, calm and comfort.  This greatly reduces the need for chemical painkillers.

Hypnobirthing was developed by Michelle Leclaire O’Neill, a pioneer in the study of the combination of the mind and body and their effects on childbirth and related areas. A number of other practitioners have taken this system of study and added their own flavour.  You will now find a number of similarly named disciplines which come under the Hypnobirthing umbrella:

• Childbirth Hypnotherapy
• Hypnosis for Birth
• Hypnobabies
• Hypnobirthing – The Mongan Method
• Hypnobirthing Original Method – (Leclaire Method)
• Lamaze Childbirth

One of the UK’s leading Hypnobirthing practitioners, Katharine Graves explains: ‘I take great pleasure in helping parents enjoy the arrival of their children.  Child birthing in this country has become over medicalized and women are losing their natural ability to do what their bodies have been designed to do.  Our doctors do a wonderful job but all too often do what they are trained to do.  With hypnobirthing we teach simple techniques for the Mother which often allows her a birth without medical intervention.  The proof is in the pudding with 70% of Hypnobirthing births now unmedicated’.

‘Fortunately there appears to be a swing in the other direction, with many couples now wishing to be more in control of their own child’s birth and the offer of a potentially calm and relaxed experience is something very few people can refuse.  In hand with this we are seeing an increase in homebirths which is being encouraged and supported by the authorities in many areas’

Women’s hypnobirthing stories are a delight to read, one mother sums up how many feel:

Many midwives who have not experienced a mother who practises hypnobirthing before are often surprised by the outcome with response including 'I couldn't believe how calm she was', and 'I've never seen such an alert and chilled out baby.'

Please visit The Hypnobirthing Centre for more information about Hypnobirthing and parents birth stories.

Massage is a commonly used form of therapy used by a wide range of people from sports professionals to the elderly. Massage impacts positively on the following areas: Psychologically, skeletal system, muscular system, cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, nervous system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system and the skin.