Traditional healing – the art of ancient medicine for the modern soul
It is common knowledge that our health is affected by more than what we do and eat. Well-being is often measured by our fitness abilities and our physique. Having such a limited view of wellness, factors such as age, genes, lifestyle, metabolism, among others are often overlooked. Let’s learn more about traditional healing.
As the ever-growing healthcare industry evolves and races forward to provide the next-best solution, could it be that the key lies in going back in time instead?
We look for traditional, tried, and true answers to modern challenges.
Understanding the challenge
Stress
One of the greatest challenges of the modern world is stress. The outbreak of COVID-19 has further aggravated stress levels in almost all of us. According to the American Psychological Association, the pandemic is the biggest cause of stress in about 8 out of 10 adults in America.
We are insecure, worried, and uncertain of a lot things – but for our livelihoods and relationships, more than anything else. Apart from these two factors what is causing a sense of panic is our own personal health and wellbeing. If we consider the physical and emotional toll of the stress we have accumulated over time, our behaviors can be impacted negatively.
As we seek temporary relief, we often end up with harmful pharmaceutical drugs that can be even more damaging in the long run. While these medications may offer some temporary relief, they are not solutions to the actual root cause of our problems and symptoms. We are often left with irritability, misplaced anger, more stress, and a general sense of disappointment.
Lack of sleep
We have adopted the work from home culture and have been told that it is not just a safety measure. but even one of convenience. Though working from the comfort of our own homes has its benefits, it made our work hours longer, and we are unable to separate work and personal life.
Since the start of the pandemic, there has been an increase in our screen time. Binge-watching Netflix was reserved as a weekend activity, but now it has become an everyday affair. As per an Ipsos survey, 59% of respondents say that since the pandemic, their screen times have increased across smartphones, television screens, desktops or laptops.
Both these factors – the work from home culture and increased screen time — have consequently led to a reduction in not only the number of hours we sleep but also the quality of our sleep, commonly referred to by experts as Coronasomnia.
Immunity
The pandemic caused gyms, yoga studios, and much fitness centers to close down for an extended period of time. While many of these businesses shifted to online classes, working out at home was shown to not be as productive.
The sudden shift in the quality of physical exercise and activity clubbed with other lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep and aggravated stress has affected our general mental and physical wellbeing. Because our body’s immunity is already stretched to avoid contracting the virus, combined with these factors can lead to the weakening of our immune system, making us even more vulnerable.
Mental wellness
Our mental health has similarly also taken a toll during the pandemic.
According to the World Health Organization, the global lockdown, impositions on travel, disruption of what we experience as normal life – have all worsened the mental health of the population, especially those who were already suffering from it. Staying at home alone and away from loved ones have shown to be detrimental.
Further, staying alone at home and away from loved ones has triggered mental health issues in people.
Hydration
A dry mouth, feeling fatigued, being confused, increased heart rate – these are all signs that our bodies could be dehydrated. What most of us get wrong is that we only need to drink water when we are feeling thirsty. That is far from fact. Hydrating our body with enough clear fluids, especially water, is necessary for regular bodily functions such as proper digestion, skin and hair health, heart health, amongst others.
As our water intake affects our immunity, staying adequately hydrated helps strengthen our immunity function. Nutrition Care advises us to drink 2-4 ounces of water every 15 minutes; this in turn helps our body protect us from viruses and stay nourished.
OTC drugs and prescription medicine
Being surrounded by so many lifestyles and health challenges, it does not come as a surprise that popping a few pills to mask our symptoms is a habit for many of us. According to Bloomberg, 46% of Americans use at least one prescription drug every 30 days.
Over the counter medicines and prescription drugs may seem to offer temporary relief to us, but they have various side effects that we might not be aware of, especially if we self-medicate without supervised advice.
Drug to drug interactions vary
Doctors ask for our medical history and whether currently we are on any prescribed medicines for a reason. Our bodies process every medicine that we take differently. A one size fits all approach is not applicable even in the case of prescribed medicines or over the counter drugs, for that matter. When a person is taking multiple medicines – which is the case for most of us – the way they affect the body might change than what was intended.
Two medicines might have a similar composition – like an anti-inflammatory and a pain reliever. Too much of such medicines might lead to kidney damage or even affect our liver.
Taking multiple drugs together might also have opposing effects – thus negating the power of the other(s) and ultimately not providing relief.
Duplication and opposition drug-drug interactions are common – which is why it is advised to inform your physician about all the meds that you are on.
Drug-nutrient effects
Nutrients found in oral medicines are generally absorbed by the lining of our stomachs. The food we eat and beverages we consume may play a substantial role in the efficacy of the medication. Not only is it affected by or restricted to what we eat, but also when we eat it and what our portion size was.
Mapping food intake to medicine intake time is crucial as some food might interfere with the absorption of the nutrients in medicine.
General side effects
Over the counter drugs when not administered correctly may result in some side effects that include nausea, itchiness, rashes, hives, breathlessness, to name a few. Allergic reactions such as these can be avoided further by taking note of the medicine that caused it and avoiding them in the future. Mentioning them to your doctor for their records is also advised.
Long term impacts
While most drugs are released in the market after several tests and certifications, all these tests have been administered in a closed and controlled environment with a limited number of subjects. Once released into the markets for mass consumption, prescribed medications may start showing long-term effects that were not previously recorded or intended. There have been several instances of prescribed medicines being called back from the market and even banned.
To ensure your safety and health, WebMD advises that it is best to take medicines only after being advised by professionals.
Treating symptoms
Even with all that could go wrong with prescribed medicines, they are not all bad. They have been known to provide relief, alleviate pain and heal billions of people across the globe. However, over the counter medicines and prescribed drugs have a linear purpose – they are more likely capable of treating symptoms rather than causes
Take, for example, the common drug Benadryl – it offers relief from acidity, heartburn, and others. However, it is not advised or prescribed to be taken for an extended period, as it is not designed to help strengthen our digestive functions.
Another example is multivitamin tablets. We are prescribed multivitamin tablets to help support or balance a deficiency, but vitamin tablets do not necessarily help prompt the natural creation of those vitamins in our bodies. Synthetic drugs or prescribed and OTC medicines often do not help aid with treating the shortcomings of healthy body functions.
This is not to discredit Big Pharma and the synthetic medicines industry in America as we are the leading country to constantly evolve our healthcare system. While the drugs are evolving, becoming stronger, and helping people experience relief more quickly and effectively, the extent of the impact is still largely restricted to treating symptoms.
It is argued that a concerning loophole of such medicines and this form of healing is that it looks at health singularly rather than holistically. The body and its functions are more complex and closely related than what we give them credit for.
Fatigue, indigestion, heartburn, imbalanced cholesterol, headaches, and cravings are some of the most common symptoms for numerous diseases – ranging from breast cancer to the latest COVID-19. What we might commonly mistake as a headache caused by lack of sleep and excessive screen time could be a symptom of a deep-rooted disease that needs treatment and immediate medical advice. Instead, we self-medicate with an OTC drug.
Owing to such factors, traditional alternative healing and medicine has found supporters across the States. In the United States alone, complementary and alternative healing is used by about 38% of adults, reports Hopkins Medicine.
Complementary and alternative medicine, also known as CAM, is growing in popularity as these techniques have been practiced for centuries and have healing capacities for even chronic diseases.
Complementary and alternative medicines
Complementary and alternative medicines include age-old techniques such as traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, and Ayurveda. These are further divided into techniques of healing that use the body, senses, external energy, mind, and diet & herbs.
Healing by touch techniques such as Tai Chi, yoga, body movements, massages, and chiropractic medicines have deep roots in traditional healing and traditional medicine Manual and physical care of the body has proven to help heal the site of injury or illness and restore optimal health. All these disciplines have their own detailed bifurcations and experts can guide our bodies to function properly.
Traditional healing that relies on the use of senses includes art, dance, and even aromatherapy. Healing that uses touch, sight, sound, taste, smell can all have a beneficial impact on the overall wellbeing of an individual. Aromatherapy is one of the most adopted types of healing that has grown in popularity to help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. According to reports, the aromatherapy market with its essential oils that are plant-based and non-toxic is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8% from 2020 to 2029.
The dictating belief for external energy to help treat illnesses relies on the transfer of energy from one object to another. Reiki, Qigong, Electromagnetic therapy are some of the most common types of traditional healing methods that use external energy.
Qigong, often mistaken with Tai Chi, relies on cultivating vital life force through a myriad of techniques that one can only master with time and practice. Reiki on the other hand is a Japanese technique that banks on universal energy.
Mind healing practitioners believe that our mind and body need to be in harmony for it to heal and become healthy. They also believe that the mind can overpower the body and help heal illnesses and injuries. Meditation, biofeedback, and hypnosis are some common methods followed and practiced under mind healing techniques. 40% of adult Americans claim to meditate at least once every week.
People’s diets have evolved with time – from only plant-based nutrition to animal-based, and complex carbs and fats — the dietary evolution has been pronounced. This has created many diet-based challenges that we face today – diabetes and obesity being the most prominent ones. What has become prominent because of dietary evolution is the use of dietary supplements, herbs, and medicinal plants. Such herbs and plants aim to balance the body’s nutritional well-being.
Plant based dietary supplements are known to prevent as well as manage lifestyle-based chronic illnesses. According to the World Health Organization, given the unique challenges of the 21st Century lifestyle-based diseases, there is an increased interest in traditional healing – especially plant-based supplements.
Identifying the right plant-based supplements
Plant-based supplements that have their roots in ancient ingredients and methods of production have benefits that help with modern lifestyle challenges. One of the advantages of these supplements is that they are minimally processed and have very high bioavailability, so the body can more easily process the nutrients.
While we can be skeptical when something is too good to be true, this is not the case with plant-based vitamins and supplements. Their toxicity levels are found to be lower than their animal-based counterparts and can be consumed safely.
Every coin has two sides – the phenomenon of plant-based dietary supplements is no less. With increasing demand and the scope to make money, the market is rife with disingenuous products. Giants like Amazon have recalled products sold and admitted to selling poor quality supplements. It is prudent to not just consume supplements but consume quality supplements.
Kaer Naturals is our family-backed business that has the passion to create authentic natural products that nourish the mind, body, and soul. Our origins can be traced back to Fujian province in Taiwan, where an apothecary was built to serve the impoverished communities with herbs and plant-based medicines.
Enabling you to be the healthy
With the belief that healing works from within, we continued to provide the world with concentrated herbals. The year 1992 marked for us the completion of extending 100 years of natural healing. Over the years we have leveraged technology, driven innovation, and continued to provide our customers with the highest standards of plant-based products.
In 2020, when the world needs wellbeing the most, Kaer Naturals is excited and grateful to share our family traditions and launch its direct-to-consumer vertical. Our natural healing products include supplements in capsule and granule format. We integrate the power that Mother Nature offers through plants with the evolution of science and technology and choose to treat causes, not symptoms.
Altering lifestyles require healing to be dynamic as well. At Kaer Naturals, our formulas and practices evolve alongside modern science and technology to develop products that adapt to the modern lifestyle.
Our ISO certified labs and leading production facilities are testament to the safety and quality that products from Kaer Naturals offer.
We understand that the natural environment is ever changing. Along with it, so has the production of herbs and medicinal plants. Exposure to chemicals and industrial runoff are a constant threat to their safety and integrity. Our products go through the world’s most comprehensive testing protocol and inspection processes to ensure they pass tests for the full range of today’s contaminants.
Each batch of our herbal extracts comes with a Certificate of Analysis (COA), which documents its potency and excellent quality. Our procedures dictate that only batches that fulfill the ‘Golden Standard’ are retailed to consumers.
Currently, we are retailing six products through our online portal –
We also offer gift cards in denominations of $50 and above.
Let us #takekaer of you.
Amber Tsai is a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur in the wellness industry. She values her family and her health above everything else. Upon receiving her MBA from USC Marshall School of a Business, she began Kaer to as a continuation of her family’s legacy in the herbal supplement space.
