Veterans face a variety of stress-inducing situations while deployed and many of them walk away from service still suffering from stress and anxiety, sometimes severe enough to be considered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Soldiers also encounter situations that result in injuries that cause chronic life-long pain, and musculoskeletal problems are also quite common for those who've served in the military, both in combat situations and outside of combat. Still others have developed life-threatening illnesses like mesothelioma.
While prescription medications often work in reducing both stress/anxiety and pain, doctors or therapists often suggest complementary or alternative treatments for these problems. Many of these therapies have been used literally for centuries and have their roots in the ancient medicines of other cultures. Others are more modern. Nevertheless, most of them have proven to be quite advantageous in addressing common complaints voiced by veterans, promoting a feeling of calm and balance, especially after a particularly difficult deployment.
Vermiculite is a naturally occurring, safe mineral that has been widely used for over 80 years in the insulation, construction, horticulture and agriculture industries. It has an appearance similar to mica and has a unique exfoliation property; that is, it expands to many times its original volume when it is heated. Its most familiar form is the white particles that appear in potting soil. This substance is plentiful worldwide and is mined on almost every continent. The most productive mines are located in the Palabora region of South Africa, the northwestern corner of China and in the eastern Appalachian range of Virginia and South Carolina.
