What are the alternatives?
C
oughs and colds, fever and
flu, eczema and earache…
The list of ailments (trust
me, there’s more!) that have
created chaos in my home this past
cold season makes for exhausting
reading.
So, imagine my shock and jaw-to-
the-floor-awe when my friend, Amy
Wong, told me that her children
have not taken antibiotics or a single
sick day off school in the past three
years. Wong, like many parents in
Hong Kong, has turned to alternative
therapies to boost her children’s
immune systems and fight the germs
that are pushing parents who rely
solely on conventional medicine to the
brink of insanity.
“The main difference in approach
between conventional medicine and
alternative therapies is that rather than
leave a doctor’s clinic with another bag
full of antibiotics, you embark on a
journey of self-discovery. You explore
your whole being ̶
every physical,
emotional, mental and spiritual facet
– and, in this way, heal from within,”
says Cristina Rodenbeck, a wellness
coach, iridologist, crystal healer and
Bach Flower Remedy practitioner at
Manipura Wellness Practice.
Inspired to take a holistic approach
to my children’s aches and ailments,
I waited until they were bug-free,
packed them off to school and enjoyed
some truly enlightening, uninterrupted
conversations with a handful of
Hong Kong’s alternative treatment
practitioners…
Essential oils
Wong first decided to switch to
alternative medicines when she
discovered essential oils. At the time,
her twins were five years old and prone
to colds, ear infections and tonsillitis.
Recognising her own dependence on
steroids and antibiotics to temporarily
relieve her chronic eczema and
allergies, Wong was determined to
break the conventional treatment
cycle.
Paula Lepore Burrough, founder
of both Hoopla for Essentials and
Healthy Living in DB, explains:
“Essential oils, which are extracted
from plants, have been used for
thousands of years for medicinal,
cosmetic, emotional and spiritual
purposes. One drop of oil is very
concentrated and powerful. The oils
are able to penetrate cells easily,
travel to the systems that control our
physiological state and pass through
the blood-brain barrier. When used,
they trigger and strengthen our
bodies’ own natural processes.”
According to Burrough, essential
oils can help with numerous
common ailments, including skin
conditions, coughs and colds, asthma,
nosebleeds, teething, stomach aches,
bruises, wounds and broken bones.
She advises parents to use certified
organic, 100 per cent pure oils
with no added ingredients,
and to learn how to use them
safely.
In addition to switching
to essential oils, Wong
took her children to
see a naturopath who
advised that they take
daily supplements
and natural
remedies to
boost their
immune
systems.
Her
twins,
now aged
Angela Baura
speaks to practitioners and parents who prefer to look
outside the mainstream for treatments for common maladies.
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