The fast moving and stressful world that most people have to contend with these days means that there is little time to relax and take care of themselves. This can lead to a range of minor ailments from stress to muscle aches, headaches and a range of other conditions. While modern medicine has a way of dealing with these it may involve taking medicines and other chemical products and many people want to avoid this and go for a more natural style of treatment. For people that live in the USA and those that visit, an option to consider if they are looking for natural treatments is to visit the Ozark Mountains region and this has a history of natural healing traditions that stretch back many years.

Although commonly known as the Ozark Mountains, the area is actually a high plateau that is split up by a number of deep valleys. It can go by a number of names including the Ozarks, Ozark Plateau and the Ozarks Mountain Country. It covers an area of land of up to around 50,000 square miles and is located centrally in America, with sections of the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas being located in the Ozarks region.

The natural environment in the Ozark Mountains has long been considered to have healing properties and the spring water that emerges in many places is considered to promote good health. There are also many caves in the area and the clean air in these is also considered to be good for health. The history of the natural environment of the Ozark Mountains being used as a place of wellbeing dates back almost 100 years. A doctor from Illinois called C.H. Diehl is credited with being one of the first to open a healing center which used the spring water and cave air as a method of treatment for a range of ailments.

Diehl bought an area of land around Welch Spring which had a cave and spring. He built his healing center at the mouth of the cave and dammed the spring such that the flow of clean air came through the building and the spring water was available for drinking. He believed this would help patients that suffered from a variety of respiratory conditions such as asthma and tuberculosis. The healing center remained in operation for a number of years, although its relative inaccessibility meant that patients had difficulty getting there and it eventually closed.

While his center closed, the principles of natural healing using the air and water of the Ozark Mountains that Diehl set in motion was carried on by a number of others. These days there are a number of clinics, healing centers and other facilities that look to treat people using the natural resources in the area.

While the healing traditions can be used as a method of treating a variety of ailments, the Ozark Mountains can be a good place for anyone to take a vacation if they are looking for a relaxing and healthy environment in which to spend some time. There are a number of healing centers, spiritual retreats and clinics throughout the area and if the stress of modern life is getting a little too much for you and you need a place to relax and have some quality time then the Ozark Mountains can be a good place to look to.

If you are looking for a treatment center in the Ozark Mountains area there are plenty on offer. Some of these include facilities such as the Cleansprings Health Center (http://www.clearspringshealth.com/) and the River Spirit Retreat (http://www.riverspirit.com/welcome.html) to name a couple, although there are a wide variety to choose from and a simple search on the internet will provide the details of a number of facilities in the Ozark Mountains region which can be visited.

The Ozark Mountains region of the USA has long had reputation for a healing natural environment and whether you are looking for a medical center to treat an ailment or are simply looking for a healthy location in which to spend some relaxing time it can be a good choice of destination to have a vacation.

Resources – New World Encyclopedia