There are a lot of choices when it comes to choosing a natural treatment. Understanding the principles of each can help and individual feel more confident when selecting a course of action.

Herbals -- Herbal remedies have been used for centuries. While ancient cultures did not know why they worked, only that they did, modern civilization has been able to determine the specific compounds of each herb and their effects as related to the body. Derived from the leaf, root or flower, herbs contain phytochemicals which have a drug like affect on the body. Roughly 25% of the drugs sold by pharmaceutical companies are isolated compounds from plants. So what is the difference? Herbalists contend that by isolating one compound in an herb you lose the buffering, counter balancing or synergistic effect of the whole herb. Side effects found in drugs, but not in the herb it is derived from, is one example. There are two approaches to herbal medicine. The western approach often uses one herb for a condition whereas the Eastern approach combine herbs based on their therapeutic, enhancing, counter balancing and coordinating actions.

Homeopathy -- Origination roughly 200 years ago in Germany by Dr. Samuel Hahnermann, homeopathy contends that the body possesses the ability to cure itself. While modern medicine seeks to suppress a symptom, homeopaths contend that prevents the body from being able to heal itself. Homeopathy considers that physical, mental and emotional state of the patient, then administers a remedy based on the "like cures like" principle. This means a very diluted form of a substance that would cause a condition in its full form, will stimulate the body to cure itself when given in a very diluted form. Homeopathy remedies are considered to be among the safest treatments available.

Flower Essences -- First used by Dr. Edward Bach, a homeopathic doctor and nature lover, flower essence therapy treats the emotional aspect of an individual to promote healing. Used in a diluted form, flower essences are administered in drinking water or applied and absorbed through the skin to induce a release of hormones and neurotransmitters by affecting an individual's mental and emotional state.

Glandular therapy -- Glandular therapy involves the ingestion of specific or numerous animal glands to maintain or heal one or more glands on the body. Early endocrinologists believed glandulars provided glands nutrients they were lacking thereby allowing the affected gland to repair itself. Later, researchers came to believe that the body was attacking the affected gland and glandulars provided a neutralizing affect allowing the body to heal the affected gland.

Whole food supplements -- While individual and multi-vitamins are ingested in particular dosages for nutritional purposes, whole food supplements are used with the belief that the body can extract what it needs and discard what it does not much more effectively. In addition, whole food supplements often contain phytochemicals, also vital for health, providing even more nutritional benefits. Whole food supplements are often a combination of many healthy foods formulated to be a balanced supplement to one's diet.