Acupuncture Stop Smoking

Acupuncture is an very old Chinese medical style. In essence, acupuncture means stimulating certain particles of the biped body in rule to archive specific outputs. The procedure includes penetrating the skin with thin needles.

Acupuncture is used for various reasons: from stimulating the fertility of women to pain relief and osteoarthritis. Nowadays acupuncture stop smoking is a widely used practice that (according most who have tried it) gives very positive results.

If you are eager to try acupuncture stop smoking programs, first you need to be sure you have found a licensed acupuncture practitioner. Your doctor should be able to hand over you to a know onions and experienced acupuncturist. You can also checkup at the national acupuncture runnings such as the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The best option is to find a person who has proper medical cultivation, as he is likely to better asses your medical reputation and required treatment. After you have plant an acupuncturist, ask for references from previous cases.

The usual places of your body where acupuncture will be done are your ears. The feeling is not painful and most people find it relaxing. Acupuncture is safe as long as useful needles are used. Of utmost denotation is the needles used to be decontaminated to avert impurities. Acupuncture stop smoking programs should result into reduced carvings and reduced level of withdrawal features. Some people fuse acupuncture sessions with hypnosis as these two methods rendition really good cessation outcomes.

Normally your acupuncturist will ask you divers questions over your first flap. He will try to gain a full picture of your health, lifestyle, behavior and the desired final solutions. Based on the dossier provided (it is vital that you are honest and do not hide any medical complications you have had or currently have as well as any treatments or medications you are taking) he will asses your condition and inform you how many sessions you will need. A good therapist will keep you informed about the progress you are making. Your acupuncture stop smoking line-up may be refined for a few days or continue for a couple of weeks.

Acupuncture prices may vary but the good news is that (in most or the cases) it is integumented by your fitness strategy. If you are not sure about this, check with your insurance company. Todays alternative of acupuncture stop smoking systems is the laser treatment. It works on the same principle as acupuncture: specific points of your body are stimulated with the use of a low-level laser.

Acupuncture For High Blood Pressure

Since times immemorial, Acupuncture is a unique treatment for reducing high blood pressure in human beings. High blood pressure refers to a situation where blood starts exerting pressure against the walls of arteries, veins and also the chambers of the heart. Over a specified time period, this heavy rush of blood starts damaging the lining of the blood vessels. It can also lead to arteriosclerosis, meaning hardening of the arteries.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

High blood pressure symptoms are often acute in human beings. They include sudden dizziness, flushed faces, nervousness, severe headaches, restlessness, difficult breathing, nose bleeding, insomnia, intestinal complaints, depression, short temper and emotional instability. The diagnosis of high blood pressure is done when the normal pressure tends to repeatedly rise. The other physical symptoms of high blood pressure includes constant tendency to urinate, decrease in eye vision and muscle weakness.

Electro-acupuncture treatments

Acupuncture combined with electric stimulation or electro-acupuncture can lower elevations of blood pressure in human beings. When the research was conducted for the first time, acupuncture needles were inserted on the inside of the forearm just above the wrist, but to no avail. Researchers then started adding electric stimulation to the needles, which means that electric would start flowing from the needles to the body. While high frequency of stimulation had no effect, low frequencies of electro stimulation reduced blood pressure effectively.

A thorough research on acupuncture shows that the inserted needles excites brain cells, causing them to release neurotransmitters that always heighten the heart’s activities. To cure high blood pressure, acupuncture inserts needles on certain points on the wrist, forearm or leg, to excite the opioid chemicals in the brain and reduce excitatory responses of the cardiovascular systems. This eventual decrease in heart activity and need for oxygen can lower blood pressure to a great extent. It also promotes in the healing of other heart-related conditions like myocardial ischemia and hypertensions.

Other acupuncture treatments to reduce high blood pressure

While you are undergoing acupuncture treatments for curing high blood pressure, you can also use herbs like Tian Ma [Gastrodia Rhizome], Xia Ku Cao [Prunella] and Shan Zha to reduce high blood pressure. You should inject the juices of these herbs into your blood to achieve better results.

A unique and natural acupuncture treatment for high blood pressure also include pressing of the skin on the back of your hand in between the thumb and index finger.

Acupuncture For Asthma

Acupuncture for asthma may sound like an odd combination. One is a common disease that affects approximately 20 million Americans; the other is a mysterious, esoteric, alternative medicine technique. Lots of people have asthma, but not many people have tried acupuncture.

But if you are an asthma sufferer, it can seem at times that anything – even something as mysterious as acupuncture – is worth trying. Breathing is something that most us never think about. It’s an unconscious process and unless we’re ill, we easily get the oxygen we need. But for people with asthma, breathing is always on their minds. There is always the chance that an asthma attack will leave them gasping for air. Sometime these attacks are predictable and sometimes they are not, sometimes they are minor and easily handled at home, and sometimes asthma suffers end up in an emergency room. It’s no wonder that some asthma sufferers have turned to acupuncture for asthma.

Asthma is a chronic disease with no cure. There are different types of asthma, but they all produce the same signs and symptoms: rapid breathing, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and the uncomfortable sensation of suffocation. The exact cause of asthma is not known (there may be a genetic factor at work), but there is no doubt that environmental factors – cold, dust, pollution, etc – trigger the attacks. During the attacks, inflammation and constriction of the respiratory passages limit the amount of air that can be inhaled, the attacks can last for minutes or hours and as mentioned earlier, there is no cure. But although there is no cure, there are constant efforts to find new methods of treatment, and there are practitioners and patients who believe that acupuncture for asthma is the answer.

Acupuncture (the word comes from the Latin words acus, meaning needle, and pungere, meaning to puncture) is a very old system of medicine. It is not clear where acupuncture originates from, but it has been most closely associated with China. In acupuncture, very narrow needles are inserted into the skin (just barely penetrating the surface) at certain key points in the body. The needles are said to correct a disharmony in the flow of energy through the body, a disharmony that is said to be the cause of disease. Traditional, Western medicine has several theories about how acupuncture works (e.g., it may stimulate the release of natural pain relievers, endorphins) but has not yet completely explained how acupuncture.

Of course, the big question is, does acupuncture work? And can acupuncture successfully treat asthma? Well, not unlike the search for an explanation for how asthma works, the answers are not clear – and they depend on whom you ask. According to traditional acupuncturists, yes, acupuncture for asthma is an effective treatment, especially with asthma in young children. There are dozens of websites and thousands of testimonials that all attest to the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for asthma. Acupuncture, they say, has worked where nothing else has.

But ask the same question – does acupuncture for asthma work – of doctors and scientists who have been trained in traditional, Western medicine and scientific methodology, and the answer will be quite different. Acupuncture, they say, is as interesting phenomenon, but the question of how it works is less important than the question does it work, and their answer to that is no. There is no conclusive evidence that acupuncture for asthma works, and a review of the scientific studies that have attempted to answer this question have not proven acupuncture to be a viable technique for treating asthma. If there are reports that it works, these can be explained by the placebo effect (The placebo effect states that medications or medical techniques/ procedures may be perceived by the patient as effective because they believe they are effective, but there is no measurable effect).

So can acupuncture truly help someone who suffers from asthma? That seems to depend on your point of view. If you feel that illness is caused by disruption in energy flow and you are convinced by anecdotal reports, the only reasonable answer is: try it and find out. Acupuncture for asthma is very safe; serious adverse effects are very rare. But if you are the type of person who needs proof in the traditional sense, it may make more sense to stick with the medications/therapies you are taking and wait for solid evidence that acupuncture can help treat your asthma.

Fast Escape From Infertility

Primarily a Chinese remedy, acupuncture is a complementary modern treatment that cures infertility problems in both men and women. Acupuncture for infertility is most effective for those people who are suffering from problems like irregular ovulation, or blockage in the sperm ducts.

Acupuncture works in a way different from all types of typical medicines

Acupuncture fertility works in this way. Often there are obstructed movements in the meridians that run throughout the length of the body. These obstructed movements cause swelling up of energy in some parts of reproductive organs while others get deprived from such energy conjures. Acupuncture works by placing needles on these blocked sites and stimulate the nervous system to release chemicals to the reproductive organs. This releases the required amount of energy to cure infertility in both men and women.

Acupuncture brings miraculous cure to men and women suffering from infertility

If you are thinking how acupuncture and infertility works for one another then the answer is simple. Acupuncture aids in regular flow of blood to the reproductive organs and instantly stabilizes the hormone levels, which in turn increases ovarian function in women and rapid sperm production in men.

Acupuncture uses several methods for curing infertility. You either need to take Chinese herbal medicines that are capable of replenishing the Kidney or apply acupuncture under the feet, behind the ears, near genital organs and on your palms to get relieve from infertility.

Acupuncture does not work with only needles but also provides aid with other special treatments like in-vitrio fertilization [IVF] and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] for acupuncture fertility. Organizations like the Atlanta acupuncture for infertility pregnancy also offers acupuncture and electro-acupuncture methods for treating infertility.

Know more about the success rate of acupuncture from reducing infertility

Reports say that at least 90% of women undergoing acupuncture get cured from infertility problems, polycystic ovarian syndromes [PCOS], excess pelvic pain and severe intercourse pains. However, reports also say that even 86% of men have been cured of all unusual reproductive problems with the aid of acupuncture.

Infertility and acupuncture go hand in hand. So try acupuncture to get miraculous escape from infertility.

Acupuncture benefit

Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, let’s talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.
Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities.
Now, let’s move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care.
Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain.
Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health.
But what about the well individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair. get more health and fitness articles at http://www.anabolic.ca and http://www.takingsteroids.com

Acupuncture

Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, let’s talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities.

Now, let’s move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care.

Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain.

Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health.

But what about the well individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair.

How To Get A Rush Without The Sugar

Are you a sugar user? More and more people are resorting to high sugar drinks and snacks for a quick jolt of energy. But the trouble with using sugar for an energy boost, is that it sets up a roller-coaster effect that can soon become addictive and lead to health problems down the line. Recent research has revealed an acupressure point that boosts energy and alertness naturally and with no come down.

The Highs & Lows of using Sugar for Energy
Soon after a sugar fix you start buzzing with energy, but it’s a short lived boost that soon swings sharply the other way with an energy slump. If you address that slump by eating or drinking something else high in sugar, you’ll get that energy rush again, followed by another slump.

Using sugar for energy gives sporadic results at best, but there are health dangers too. Diabetes II is an ever increasing risk in a world where we’re rushing to get more done and fighting daily battles with stress and fatigue. Sugar increases insulin levels and raises blood triglycerides which increases the risk of developing late onset Diabetes.

Acupressure Energy Boost
Acupuncture and Acupressure share a network of vital energy points situated along meridian channels throughout the body. For thousands of years these points have been used to influence qi (chi), the body’s subtle energy force, for a wide variety of physical and emotional benefits.

The University of Michigan recently finished an intensive study that set out to prove that acupressure can provide an effective natural energy boost. Lead researcher, Dr Richard Harris, explains „it [acupressure] seems to stimulate the nerves that moderate attention and alertness“.

Tapping the Sweet Spot
Students in the trial experimented with massaging five acupressure points for three minutes each. The most effective and stimulating point was the Si Shen Chong point, known to acupuncturists as one of the extraordinary acupoints (HN1), and found right in the centre of the top of the head.

Participants in the trial found the most effective way to get a sugar-free energy boost, was to tap this point lightly with the fingertips for two or three minutes.

The point used in this trial is one of the extra energy points sometimes used in the EFT meridian points tapping sequence. The beauty of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is that it uses a series of potent acupuncture and acupressure points that not only give the body a natural energy boost, but can also be used to control addictive cravings for sugar and popular stimulants like caffeine.

EFT uses a set sequence of 12 acupuncture points known to give relief from a wide range of emotional and physical symptoms. As found in the University of Michigan study, results are easily and reliably achieved by tapping lightly on the acupuncture points with the fingertips.

Acupressure more effective than physical therapy

We all know Acupressure has been around for some 5,000 years now and those of us involved in Holistic and wellness remain convinced that the procedures encompassed within this sphere are more efficacious than physical therapy. Every living being has a life force, or energy, called qi or chi (pronounced „chee“). When this energy, which runs along meridians, is in balance and flowing freely, the body is in a state of health. Acupoints tap into the the major energy pathways of the body

When this energy is blocked or deficient, illness can result. These energy disruptions are often the result of stress or injury. It is believed that acupressure causes the brain to release endorphins. Endorphins play an important role in immune function, pain relief, stress reduction, and slowing the aging process.

Lower back pain has long been the bain of the modern world not only in lost man hours but also because of the numerous side effects, complications and nuances of lower back pain complaints. Further studies now confirm the benefits of acupressure over physical therapy. Albeit that the studies failed to take into account functional status and disability as recommended by

most low back pain researchers the results are still very meaningful and relevant. In February 2006 a randomized controlled trial took place at The National Taiwan University in Taipei.

129 patients with chronic low back pain received acupressure or physical therapy for 1 month. Primary endpoints were self-administered Chinese versions of standard outcome measures for low back pain (Roland and Morris disability questionnaire) at baseline, after treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. After treatment, the mean total Roland and Morris disability questionnaire score was significantly lower in the acupressure group than in the physical therapy group regardless of the difference in absolute score or mean change from baseline.

Compared with physical therapy, acupressure was associated with an 89% reduction in significant disability and that improvement was maintained at 6-month follow-up. Study limitations include a confounding psychological effect of therapy; loss of 15.5% of patients to follow-up at 6 months and effectiveness of any manipulation therapy dependent on the therapist’s technique and experience.

Participants were aged 18 to 81 years. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy and contraindication to acupressure. 64 patients were randomized to acupressure and 65 to physical therapy. Conclusive or inconclusive the results still point towards the undeniable and positive aspects of acupressure and holistic healing.

On a more lighter note Acupressure has also been cited as a new aid for sleepy students. 39 student volunteers found that those who were taught to self-administer acupressure to stimulation points on their legs, feet, hands and heads were less likely to drowse during class. The acupressure consisted of light tapping of fingers or using thumbs or forefingers to lightly massage the stimulation points. It was conceded that more study is needed in relation to acupressure and the effect on human alertness.

Looking further into the positives might this self administered acupressure also be a consideration for children with ADHD contra Ritalin!

Get Pain Relief at Home

Acupressure was originated in China thousands of years ago, and evidence has been found that acupressure was practiced in the stone age!

Acupressure has been used to reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting in children.

Acupressure also reduces nausea in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Acupressure can be done anywhere without special equipment.

You can treat yourself safely with acupressure, as long as you follow the guidelines of a professional acupressure practitioner.

Correctly performed, acupressure increases circulation, reduces tension and pain and enables the body to relax.

Acupressure strengthens the immune system and promotes wellness.

Acupressure should be applied slowly and gently. Applying it too quickly or vigorously can do some damage, especially in the abdominal area.

Special care and caution is needed in the case of a pregnant woman or in treating a person with burns, infections and recent injuries.

Acupressure is more effective than physical therapy for the majority of patients with low back pain.

Ear acupressure can be used to reduce stress and anxiety.

Acupressure is used to reduce fear and anxiety in trauma victims and in pre-operative care.

Acupressure can be used to treat all these conditions:

Tension Headaches
Migraine Headaches
Jaw Pain, Toothache, Earache
Neck and Shoulder Pain
Wrist, Hand, Arm pain
Backache, Hip, Knee, Ankle and Foot pain
Colds, Flu, Sore throat, Sinus Infection, Loss of Voice
Allergies
Anxiety Attacks and Nervousness
Depression
Insomnia
Fainting
Hiccoughs
Improve Memory and Concentration
Angina, Heart Palpitations and High Blood Pressure
Constipation, Diarrhea, Heartburn and Stomachache
PMS and Painful Periods, Hot Flashes, Pregnancy Discomfort, Morning Sickness
Bed-wetting, Incontinence, Urinary retention
Nose bleeding, Itching, Asthma, Decreased Libido, Hangover

Here are a couple acupressure tips you can try:

For headaches and muscle or joint pain, press the fleshy part of your hand between your thumb and index finger. Hold for this for one minute, then repeat on the other hand.

For low-back pain, lie on your back, with your feet elevated on a sofa or chair. Place two tennis balls under your lower back on either side of your spine. (I got cheap tennis balls in the dog toy department.) Stay in this position for one minute or sooner if it becomes uncomfortable.

For knee pain, put a tennis ball on a pillow, then place your leg over it so the ball is pushing into the crease behind your knee. Find the sensitive spot just below your kneecap and slightly to the outside of the shinbone. Press into it gently with your fingertips for about one minute.

You can learn to do acupressure at home to supplement professional treatment. This is especially useful when you are stricken with illness or pain and you can’t get to the doctor soon. For more information see my website http://natural-pain-relief-solutions.com.

Using Acne Face Cream

After you have washed your face with a chemical free soap, use an applicator to dip into Scotty’s face cream or you favorite face cream. Place the cream on your face and spread it all around. Massage the cream into your face gently so the skin absorbs the oils in this cream.

These oils will seal the pores and hold the natural moisture of the skin and enhance the curing effects of the cream

You can use the cream 2-3 times a day. It is best to use it after you have cleaned your face in the morning and right before you go to bed. You can also use it during noontime.

You can use Scotty’s‘ cream under your makeup or over your makeup. It will work either way. However, it will work better on a clean face.

You will notice that when you apply the cream it will tingle in areas without sores and may sting in areas of open sores. This will pass and as it does it should reduce the itchiness of any sores.

Scotty’s cream has allantoin, which will help to clear acne sores. The oils, vitamin A and E, and minerals in Scotty’s will help to feed, rebuild, and rejuvenate your skin. The minerals also help to neutralize the toxic acids that have contaminated and inflamed pores on your face.

During cleansing and fasting, more acid waste may come out of your pores. This is why Scotty’s cream will help you to reduce the inflammation and spread your acne.

Tree Tea Oil

To make Scotty’s cream or your own cream even more powerful, you can add 5-10 drops of pure tree tea oil to a two-ounce container. You can experiment with the amount to add. You may want to add more drops to provide more tea tree oil for your face. But, do not use more than 15 drops.

Tree tea oil has been found to be effective in various skin disorders. It acts as an antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial. This oil helps to bring oxygen to the skin cell, which kills bacteria and fungus and helps to repair damaged skin caused by acne.

Borage Oil

There is one more thing that you can add to Scotty’s face cream or your favorite acne cream that will boost its acne clearing power. This is borage oil. Borage oil contains EPA and DHA, which helps to control excessive hormones that cause the over production of sebum.

It is the adrenal glands that produce streams of androgens during puberty. These large quantities of androgens help to activate bone growth and assist in bringing forth sexual maturity.

A side effect of these androgens is the release of excess oil from the oil glands near the hair follicle. This excess gives rise to

§ black heads
§ white heads
§ pimples
§ cysts

So here’s what you can do to make your face cream even more effective,

§ Mix one or two capsules of Borage oil into your cream
§ Do this by cutting the tip off of the Borage oil softgel and squeeze the oil into the cream

There is a new form of EPA and DHA that is available in a product called Neptune Krill Oil (NKO)

Neptune Krill Oil (NKO)

NKO is the new EPA and DHA product, which maybe better to use than Borage Oil. NKO has the omega-3, EPA and DHA in the phospholipid form, which is easier for your cells to absorb compared with Borage oil. Borage oil contains the omega-3, EPA, and DHA in triglyceride form, which is more difficult for cells to absorb.

One other good property of NKO is that is does not have to be refrigerated like Borage. It can be kept in a cool place in your cabinets. However, it does cost more than Borage oil.

Word of Caution: As with all creams and oils, if you get any rash or skin reactions when using them, discontinue their use.

Use a good face cream to help clear your acne. You can boost the power of this cream by adding tree tea oil and borage or NKO oil.

Acne free skin through Ayurveda

Acne is a very common skin problem which affects young people at their puberty and few adults till they reach 45. Acne are referred as Youvana pitikas (which means the eruptions of youth) in ayurveda. This shows the prevalence of acne from ages. Ayurveda has described the causes of acne and recommends the best natural herbal acne remedies too.

What causes acne?

A large number of oil producing glands called “sebaceous glands” are present under the skin on face, back, chest and shoulders. During puberty or menopause due to the influence of the sex hormones, which are produced in male and female, these glands become more active and produce an oily secretion called “sebum”. The sebum makes the skin more oily .The excessive sebum clogs the skin pore or the pit of the hair follicle forming acne.The blocked pore or acne acts as an excellent habitat for bacteria. The bacterial infection causes inflammation (red, painful swelling of the infected area) of the clogged pore or hair follicle leading to eruption of pimples.

Vata and Kapha are two main doshas, which are involved in eruption of acne and pimples. Rakta dhatu or blood also plays an important role in formation of acne.

Vata when gets vitiated due to unhealthy diet and lifestyles affects other two doshas (kapha and pitta) to aggravate them. Aggravated pitta affects rakta dhatu or blood. The vitiated blood affects the skin and causes excess secretion of oil from sebaceous glands. Kapha has sticky property. The aggravated kapha imparts the stickiness to the oil produced by sebaceous glands of skin. Thus the thick sebaceous plugs are formed in skin pores and hair follicles leading to eruption of acne.

Acne worsens when

1. grease, dirt or other harsh chemicals accumulate on skin.

2. you have Increased stress levels.

3. you indulge in Squeezing or pinching of acne.

4. when there are hormonal imbalances during menstrual cycle, menopause and puberty.

5. you are under medications like steroids or hormonal therapy.

Precautions to be taken to avoid exaggeration of acne eruptions:

• Avoid foods which are spicy, dry and oily. These may cause indigestion and lead to vitiation of vata.

• Keep a habit of emptying bowels regularly this always normalizes vata.

• Avoid fast foods and soft drinks.

• Wash your face twice daily with mild cleanser.

• Put a hair band to avoid falling of hair on face. The sweat and dirt accumulated on hair may fall on facial skin through hair strands

• Avoid application of scrubs.

• Wash your hair regularly with mild shampoo to keep it clean and avoid dandruff.

• Squeezing and pricking of pimples cause scaring. Hence avoid this

• Avoid exposure of skin to severe climatic conditions.

• Avoid oil based moisturizers. Water based moisturizers are always beneficial.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Practice a regular exercise regimen

Natural Herbal acne Home remedies :

• Wash your face with lukewarm water and mild soap twice a day.

• Wash fresh methi leaves (fenu greek leaves) and grind it to make a paste. Apply it on face and wash it off with lukewarm water after 10 minutes.

• Grind juicy tender neem leaves with turmeric to a consistency of paste. Apply this paste on acne and pimples. Wash this off after it dries.

• Apply a face pack of ripe tomato pulp and wash it off as soon as it dries naturally (preferably after 45 minutes) .

• Do not keep the make up while sleeping. Cleanse it with a mild herbal cleanser.

• Mix besan flour (gram flour) with rose water and apply a face pack.

• Consuming fresh vegetable salads and fresh fruits keeps the skin healthy and resistant to blemishes.

• Drink plenty of water (15 glasses a day)

Acne

It is the bane of a person’s existence. Everybody gets it; everybody hates it. And once you have it, prepare to be tormented, embarrassed and humiliated. Such a small bump, so much at stake. So what is this little bundle of horror? What else but the dreaded pimple!

A pimple, or acne as some people calls it, is a dreaded red, swollen bump in the face. Nobody is spared from having it. Male or female, American, Chinese or Puerto Rican, they all have gotten it at some points of their lives and may even still have it. It is like a universal language; it is like a right of passage in a person’s life. Acne is a result of the hormones action on the skin’s oil glands (the sebaceous gland) which leads to clogged pores and outbreak of lesions like pimples, blemishes or acne. Acne commonly occurs in the neck, face, back, shoulders and chest because the sebaceous glands are most abundant in these locations. But the important question we should be asking to be able to avoid this dreaded “disease” is, “What causes this pain in the neck called acne?”

Unfortunately, the causes of acne cannot really be determined (unless your parents or their parents are acne infested too then there’s a big, big chance you’ll be called acne face by your peers and classmates) thus the acne myths are born! These myths claim to be the cause of acne. We shall enumerate them here.

Acne Myth Number 1

Acne is caused by not washing your face often and not scrubbing it hard enough. Many believed that acne is caused by dirt and dust in the face and by washing your face two-three even four times a day or even by scrubbing your face hard can prevent acne. Wrong, wrong, wrong! It is true that dirt and dust is unsightly to the face and washing the face is the way to eradicate them but washing often can actually irritate the skin more. Washing should not be done more than twice a day. More than twice is enough to strip the face of its natural oils making it dry. Also, scrubbing can cause inflammations. Washing the face should be done as gently as possible with the gentlest facial scrub.

Acne Myth Number 2

Improper Diet can cause acne. Certain foods that are oily like French fries and junk food can cause acne to erupt in our face. But scientific studies have not discovered any connection between these two. So this means that food does not cause acne. Though a proper and healthy diet is always good for our system, eating like a pig won’t make pimples a permanent resident in your face. So feel free to eat your favorite Lay’s, French fries and chocolates anytime.

Acne Myth Number 3

When you’re stressed acne tends to pop on your face like popcorn pops from a kernel. Not true. Stress is a part of our daily lives and believe it or not it is not a contributing factor to the acne residing in your face. Only severe stress treated by the doctor MAY cause acne to erupt only as a side effect of the drugs a person may be taking. If this is the case, consult your doctor immediately.

Acne Introduction

Acne is the most common skin disorder. Over 10% of Americans age 25 – 44 have acne. Over 85% Americans age 12 – 25 will have acne at one time or the other.

If ignored, acne can become infected, create scars, and pockmarks that become permanent on your face. I don’t want this to happen to you, so I have written a series of articles on how to clear your acne.

Acne Is a Disease

Acne is a disease called seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis. It occurs when the sebaceous glands, under your skin, become contaminated with oily toxic matter, which contains,

§ dirt
§ dead skin
§ excess sebum oil
§ acid waste
§ bacteria
§ toxic matter

Under normal conditions the sebaceous glands release oil that comes up through your pores onto the skin surface. This release keeps your skin moist and lubricated for protection from the environment.

If your pores on your face are not open or plugged, this creates toxic oil that cannot move out onto your skin. This results in a growth or pimple that start to increase in size as more toxic oil tries to reach the surface of your skin.

If the pore walls burst under the skin, white blood cells move in to digest the collagen around the pores. When this happens, you will have scars on your face.

To avoid having scars, you need to start an acne-clearing program before you get acne or just as soon as you see acne coming so that your pimples and back heads don’t get to the point where they get severely infected and burst.

Clearing Your Acne

Acne is a complex condition that involves many parts of the body even though it shows up as only eruptions on the face and else where on your skin. It is a signal that you have problems elsewhere deep within your body. Acne can be caused by a toxic colon, poor digestion of food, weak liver and other conditions that cause the blood to carry too much toxicity.

To clear acne it is not always possible to just do one thing and expect acne to go away. But it may be possible to just use a special cream and have your acne diminish or clear.

Acne may go away by just doing one thing but don’t expect it to. A facial cream, diet, herbal treatment, and colon cleanse alone may not be able to clear acne. A combination may or may not work.

In future articles will be covering how to get rid of acne.

Clean Face

For those that need more than a special cream like Scotty’s Face Cream, then you need to work harder to get rid of acne. Since acne is a condition that occurs from within your body and exhibits on the outside of your body, you need to,

§ Attack acne from inside your body
§ Attack acne from outside your body

If your acne is not to severe, all you might need is a good cream and need only to follow a few steps in my 12 step program to get you past the periods where acne is active.

If your acne is more severe, than you may have to follow my 12-step program, since acne is an expression of your whole body system and is a reflection of what is going on inside your mind, cell structure and internal organs.

Acne is an excessive toxic condition within your body, which the internal elimination organs are unable to eliminate. So your toxins are moved into your blood and excreted through your skin. It is an automatic survival mechanism your body initiates in an effort to protect the insides of your body – cells, liquid, blood, organs, and tissues.

There are 12 areas that you need to look at,

§ Keep your face clean
§ Using Scotty’s acne face cream or your favorite face cream
§ Relive your constipation and the tree day liquid fast
§ Making changes to your diet
§ Get plenty of sun, air, and water
§ Vitamins you need to be taking
§ Minerals you should be taking
§ Special supplements to take
§ Herbal mixture to use or drink
§ Special detoxifying drinks or supplements to take
§ Brushing your skin
§ Change your attitude

Step 1: Keeping your face clean

If you use face cosmetics, you need to stop. Some cosmetics irritate the skin and can cause acne by plugging up your pores on your face. The cosmetics chemicals that can cause you the most skin and pore irritation and inflammation are:

mineral oil
lanolin
parabens
propylene glycol

Look at the label of the cosmetics you use. You will find that many cosmetics, soaps, and sunscreens contain these chemicals.

Find a water base make up, not an oil base. Find one that does not irritate your face and use it sparingly

When you wash your face don’t use any commercial soaps since they are filled with chemicals that will irritate and worsen your acne condition. And don’t excessive wash your face as this will dry your skin of the natural protective oil. Also, don’t keep touching your face since you spread or add bacteria to it.

To wash your face use only,

§ Castile hand or liquid soap
§ Pure glycerin hand soap

You can pat your face with a clean hot face towel to bring circulation to your face and to help open and move the toxic material, in the pimple, to the surface. Do not scrub hard to burst a pimple but just scrub lightly to burst a pimple when it is ready to open.

Use the hot towel application only 2-3 times per week.

When a pimple is open do not continue to rub or scrub it. In fact do not pick or scratch an open pimple since this could create other sores or leave scars that are difficult to remove. Just washing your face with clean soap will keep your face free of toxic matter.

Keep in mind,

Whatever you put on your skin will move into your skin and into your bloodstream.

Most commercial creams, lotions, and soaps are filled with all kinds of chemicals that are toxic to your body. By using them you are making your liver work harder.

During the day or at night avoid resting your cheeks or chin on your hand(s) or arm(s). This can irritate your face and cause acne to breakout. When you sleep, try to sleep on your back and not with your face or side of the face into your pillow.

There you have it. Step 1, shows you how to keep your face clean to avoid getting acne or to help relieve acne.

Acid Reflux Drugs and Antacids Are Killing You

Doctors and Pharmaceutical giants know that their drugs and antacids do not cure heartburn or acid reflux. They have known for a long time that their drugs simply suppress the condition and continue the cycle of heartburn, acid reflux, and drugs. If you have fallen prey to this medical cycle, for sure you are headed toward serious malnutrition. The inability to feed your body the nutrients it needs will result in the diseases that you now see in most elderly people.

Because your mouth and stomach are the first step in getting nutrients into your body, you don’t want to get this step wrong. If you are taking Prevacid, Prilosec, Aciphex, Protonix, Nexium, or even antacid, its time you re-evaluated the use of these drugs.

Fact1: Your stomach is designed to have a pH of 3.0 or less, more acidic

Fact 2: When you stomach pH is consistently higher than 3.0, more alkaline, you create disease

Fact 3: Taking heartburn or reflux drugs or antacids raises and keeps your stomach pH above 3.0 and higher.

When your stomach has the proper pH, it digests your food so that,

The meat you eat is broken down into amino acids that you absorb later

Vitamins are created from the food you eat

Vitamins are separated out from the food you eat

Minerals are kept in solution for later absorption

Stomach digested food moves into the duodenum at the proper pH level and triggers digestive juices from the pancreas and gallbladder.

Bacteria overgrowth is prevented and eliminates their interference with the absorption of vitamin B-12

When your stomach pH gets higher than 3.0, It secretes more acid to keep its pH below 3.0. When heartburn or acid reflux medication interferes with stomach acid by raising it pH above 3.0, the stomach is no longer functioning like a stomach. It is now creating chemical combinations that are not usable by your body. What it now produces is affecting the function of subsequent processes in the duodenum and colon. It causes these body organs to malfunction and they fail to digest and absorb the nutrients from the food you ate.

The cascade effect of a stomach with a high pH over a long period of time results in numerous ill conditions that are not traceable to an inefficient stomach.

So it’s your job is to keep your stomach’s pH at the proper level and look to solve your heartburn and acid reflux issues using natural remedies. If your condition, has evolved into GERD then you may have to consult a doctor or an alternative practitioner to recover from this disease.

Acid Reflux Disease And Cancer

Could A Supplement called MSM Be The Answer?

Acid reflux or gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which fluid splashes up from the stomach into the esophagus. This fluid contains mostly acid with some pepsin and bile. All three of these fluids are potentially dangerous to the sensitive esophageal tissue, with acid being the most harmful. This refluxed fluid can inflame and damage the lining of the esophagus (esophagitis). If this condition is allowed to become chronic, it can in time develop into Barrett’s esophagus, which is the precursor of esophageal cancer.

Over 15 million Americans experience acid reflux daily. People at all ages are susceptible to this condition. Older people who suffer from acid reflux tend to be more seriously affected than younger people. 13,000 people are diagnosed with esophageal cancer each year. At least 12,000 people die from it. The overall survival rate is very poor. Acid reflux is the greatest known risk factor for developing Barrett’s Esophagus, which can become esophageal cancer.

Barrett’s esophagus occurs when chronic acid reflux or esophagitis is not controlled. Through constant inflammation and damage, the normal cells that line the esophagus called squamous cells turn into specialized columnar cells. Columnar cells are not normally found in human beings and can become cancerous.

Although this can happen to anyone, it usually occurs in people over forty who have had regular bouts of heartburn for more than five years. Some of the symptoms are difficulty in swallowing and being awakened in the night by the pain of heartburn. Some people have no symptoms at all.

Scar tissue can develop from the constant attack of acid on the tender lining of the esophagus. The tissue can become thickened and hard, making the esophagus narrower. This can make it difficult to swallow food or even water.

I am a firm believer in natural cures versus conventional medicine. When I go to a doctor it is for diagnostic purposes only. Then, instead of subjecting myself to a barrage of harmful pills and painful procedures, I attempt to cure the condition myself by using alternative methods. I have found that MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) has the ability to soften scar tissue, making it flexible and permeable. I believe that by taking MSM on a regular basis, one can possibly avoid the severe problems associated with chronic acid reflux.

MSM has been touted as the greatest natural healing agent since vitamin C. It seems to have the power to reduce pain and inflammation. It is currently being used to treat a wide range of ailments including, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and gout. It’s even being used as a treatment for snoring and constipation. MSM has been used with great success on horses and dogs, to control the inflammation associated with allergies.

I use MSM to relieve the summer allergies of my twelve year old Jack Russell Terrier, Jack Pot. It works like magic. By giving him a gram of MSM in a little cheese twice a day, I have reduced his itching and running eyes, which are associated with air born allergies, to a bare minimum.

I also use MSM drops for my eyes. It evidently has the power to reduce, if not prevent, cataracts. It seems to dissolve them. My mother had cataracts in both eyes. She had one removed by her ophthalmologist. When she told me what she had one, I put her on MSM drops immediately. When she went back to the doctor for her pre-surgery exam for the second eye, they discovered that the other cataract had completely disappeared.

Aren’t cataracts a form of scar tissue? I believe that scar tissue and Barrett’s Esophagus have an important connection. Therefore, if MSM does, in fact, have this beneficial effect on scar tissue, perhaps it can prevent, or at least improve Barrett’s esophagus. Maybe MSM can help prevent this kind of cancer? I don’t know, but I will continue to take it rather than to subject myself to so called “modern medicine”.

If you should choose to go the allopathic medical route, diagnosis of Barrett’s Esophagus involves an endoscopy. The doctor sticks a long mechanical tube down your throat to observe the esophagus and perform a biopsy. It can’t be a very pleasant procedure. And what if the results are negative? The doctor will most likely prescribe drugs which have harmful side effects. Some of these drugs include H2 blockers like cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine. Or he may prescribe the drugs omeprazole and lansoprazole, which are proton pump inhibitors.

Some of he side effects of these drugs are: headache, disturbances of the gut such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, excess gas in the stomach and intestines (flatulence), dry mouth, skin reactions such as rash and itch, inflammation of the skin (dermatitis), dizziness, pain in the muscles and joints, swelling of the legs and ankles due to excess fluid retention (peripheral edema), pins and needles (paraesthesia), depression, agitation, confusion, difficulty sleeping (insomnia), sleepiness (somnolence), liver or blood disorders. The list goes on and on.

If the drugs don’t work then he’ll most likely suggest a surgical procedure called fundoplication, which entails removing the damaged part of the esophagus and attaching the remaining section to the stomach.

For myself, I will continue to search for and experiment with natural cures for acid reflux. I think that perhaps the medical approach could be worse than the disease itself.

I was a victim of acid reflux for many years. I had disappointing experiences with doctors, who knew nothing about nutrition or alternative medicine. Basically, doctors only know how to write prescriptions. They know nothing about healing. They are only taught how to treat symptoms by dealing drugs that support the pharmaceutical industry.

The Proton pump inhibitors, which my doctor prescribed, ultimately didn’t work for me. Besides the harmful side effects caused by these drugs, no one really know what the long tern affect of them is on the human body.

Since conventional medicine didn’t help me, I was highly motivated to explore alternative means of healing myself. After much research and experimentation, I did find natural ways which allowed me to ultimately cure my acid reflux condition. MSM was one of them.

Pharmaceutical Hoax

The medical community would have you believe that only drugs can treat and heal acid reflux disease. This is simply not true – there are natural ways to heal this condition. PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors), like Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid and Protonix should only be be taken for eight weeks, at most. Doctors are aware of this, but most patients continue to take these drugs on a permanent basis. Unfortunately, there are no studies determining what the long term effects of these drugs are on the human body.

PPI drugs actually shut down the pumps that produce the stomach acid necessary to digest food. You have to wonder how the human body digests and assimilates food properly without stomach acid. How does a body remain healthy without the proper digestion of food? Is this natural?

I used to suffer from acute acid reflux. I was addicted to a PPI drug…..that certain “colored pill”. After several years of taking this drug, my condition became worse and I was told to double the dose. I began to feel sluggish and tired. My vision suffered and my blood pressure went off the charts. I realized that these were probably side effects of the PPI drug. I did some research and found that there were hundreds of possible harmful side effects, including:
Headache, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, dry mouth, aggravated
constipation, enlarged abdomen, back pain, chest pain, anemia, allergic
reaction, hypertension, tachycardia, goiter, tinnitus, facial edema, conjunctivitis, vision abnormal, aggravated depression, dizziness,
hypertonia, nervousness, cystitis, insomnia, migraine, anorexia, acne,
dermatitis, glycosuria, hyperuricemia, hyponatremia, arthritis aggravated,
tongue edema, ulcerative stomatitis, impotence, insomnia, to name a few.

I mean, who needs tongue edema, impotence or aggravated constipation? Good God! I knew that I had to stop taking this drug! But when I tried, the acid pumps, which had been shut off for so long, went wild and produced more acid than ever before. I have never suffered so much in my life….even drinking water gave me severe indigestion. My doctor suggested that I get back on the pill. He had no other advice to offer.

I became determined to beat this dreadful condition – beat the curse of the big drug companies! I really had no choice, because medical science, apparently, had no solution for my problem. I began extensive research on the subject and found out some very interesting things.

Acid reflux is big business. It’s a drug company’s dream come true. Millions of Americans suffer from acid reflux. Many millions more experience the pain of heartburn, ranging from once a month to every day. This affliction is the result of the splashing up of fluids from the stomach into the esophagus. These fluids are composed of hydrochloric acid, pepsin and occasionally liver bile. Stomach fluid helps break down the food we eat so that it can be digested. The hydrochloric acid in the stomach fluid helps prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying in the stomach and intestines. Although hydrochloric acid also helps the body absorb vitamins and nutrients, it is a very strong corrosive. The stomach holds this powerful acid in check with a special protective lining. The esophagus, however, does not have this protection. When acid splashes up through the lower esophageal sphincter into the esophagus, we have the problems of heartburn, gerd, or acid reflux. This condition, if left unchecked, can eventually lead to Barrett’s Disease, or cancer of the esophagus.

Of course, I found all this to be quite scary and, since drugs were not the answer for me, I had to find alternative ways to treat this condition. I researched the subject even further and found a plethora of natural things that could heal acid reflux. First of all, I learned that acid reflux is not a disease, but a condition that begins when the esophagus becomes irritated. Let’s say that you are watching an exciting ball game on TV. Someone hands you a bag of corn chips and without thinking, you eat them too fast, without chewing properly. The jagged edges of the chips have caused little lacerations in the esophagus that you’re not even aware of. Later that evening you are invited to a Mexican chili party. The spicy tomato sauce in the chili further irritates those injuries. You wash down the chili with alcohol or soda, making it even worse. Before you know it, you have a full blown case of acid reflux. Until you allow your esophagus to heal, you will continue to suffer from this condition.

I was astounded to find that the esophagus can be healed in about three days. Simply eating foods that are easy to digest, three or four times during the day, and omitting the regular big meals, is the key. I ate fruits like bananas, melon and apples during the day. I snacked on walnuts and almonds. I found that eating slowly in a relaxed atmosphere and chewing food well helped enormously. There are foods and drinks which should obviously be avoided like those which are fried, spicy, or too crunchy. Alcohol and carbonated drinks are a definite no-no . We are all aware of which foods trigger our indigestion. You just have to avoid them for a few days until you are over the hump.

There are many natural herbs and health store items which can assist in this healing process. Slippery elm, Twig tea, aloe vera juice, licorice products and orange peel extract can be of great value, just to mention a few. Removing stress from your life is essential during this period. Yoga and meditation are worth considering to ward off the daily angst.

I managed to stop taking those harmful and expensive drugs, in favor of natural remedies. I cured my acid reflux condition. I am drug free. You can do it too.

Acid Reflux Disease – The Big Lie

Have you ever wondered what really causes digestive problems? Did you know that most digestive disorders are not diseases at all, but conditions which can be completely cured by using natural techniques and remedies.

The medical community would have you believe that only prescription drugs can relieve the symptoms of indigestion. This is simply not the case. Antacids are, at best, a temporary fix and they are loaded with harmful ingredients such as sodium and aluminum. PPI drugs should only be used for eight weeks, at most. Then what are you to do? These drugs only mask and hide the symptoms and have hundreds of harmful side effects. They do not heal the condition! They do not make you well! They only make the drug makers wealthier at your expense!

I used to suffer from acute GERD. I was addicted to a PPI drug…..a “certain colored pill”. After several years of taking this drug, my condition became worse and I was told to double the dose. I began to feel sluggish and tired. My vision suffered and my blood pressure soared. I realized that these were possible side effects of this PPI drug. I did a computer search and found that there were hundreds of possible side effects. I was shocked and frightened at what I found! I was harming my body and I wanted to stop taking this drug! But when I tried to stop the PPI, he acid pumps, which had been shut off, went wild and produced more acid than ever before.

I can’t tell you how much I suffered. My esophagus was constantly burning and l feared that I would permanently damage myself. I couldn’t sleep at night. I was afraid to eat or drink anything but water! I was afraid to go out to dinner. I became a recluse. I began to loose my friends. They didn’t understand my problem. Friends would call and say, “Let’s go out for Mexican, barbeque or pizza”. Of course, I couldn’t. I loved to eat hot chili sprinkled with raw onions and jack cheese, but it was now my worst nightmare. My life had become unbearable!

I was determined to beat this sickness! My doctor couldn’t help me –no one could tell me what to do. I had to heal myself. I became completely dedicated to finding the answers. I studied and researched. I wanted to find naturopathic treatments as opposed to drugs, so I searched high and low for natural remedies that might actually cure acid reflux. I tried every possible treatment that exists, short of voodoo.

I found that the answers to the acid reflux problem are really quite simple. With a few changes in lifestyle and with the help of several natural remedies, one can absolutely beat the acid reflux syndrome, without the use of drugs.

Remember, that the reason this condition exists, in the first place, is due to a damaged esophagus. Let the esophagus heal by not eating the same foods in the same way, that caused the damage. Loosing weight, exercising, chewing properly, drinking sufficient amounts of water and elevating the head at night, are all simple things that anyone can do to improve this condition.

There are also many natural ingredients found in any health store, which an help during the acid reflux recovery period. Herbs, such as slippery elm and marshmallow have wonderful healing properties. Aloe vera juice, licorice and natural honey can sooth the esophagus and assist in the healing process.

By eating dinner at least three hours before retiring, one can drastically reduce the chances of acid reflux. Chewing gum between meals actually reduces stomach acid, and if you really have to have that pasta with tomato sauce, there is always baking soda as a last resort.

Eat smaller, more frequent meals. I eat four or five little meals each day. I start the day with Kukicha Twig tea. I then eat fruit, such as bananas and melons. I have several snacks of walnuts, almonds and more fruit. For lunch I eat a salad, made with grilled chicken breasts, or tofu, mixed with hearts of romaine, tossed with a light lemon and chive vinaigrette.

I have found that it pays to keep the food that you eat as alkaline as possible. I have developed some wonderful recipes, such as pasta primavera, baked chicken breasts on mushroom caps and sautéed white fish on mashed potatoes with green peas. You certainly don’t have to starve yourself, but I suggest that you stay away from those acid reflux “trigger” foods, until you have healed your irritated esophagus.

It does take a new approach to life, in general, to heal a stubborn acid reflux condition. Think of it as a fun challenge. You’ll feel so much better, it will have been work all the effort.

So please don’t resort to those “colored pills”. Yes, they are convenient, but potentially dangerous, in the long run. Take command of your own health and use natural resources to heal acid reflux.

Charles Stewart Richey

Acid Reflux and Heartburn Natural Remedies Part 2

If you have acid reflux or heartburn, using natural remedies to rebalance your stomach is what nature intended. Listed are four natural remedies that you can use to rebalance the acid in your stomach

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has many medicinal uses aside from being great for various pastries. It has an antiseptic effect and has been historically used for colds and flu’s. It has fighting power against Candida albicans and has the ability to settle acidic stomachs.

Here’s how to use cinnamon for an acid stomach or heartburn:

· Toast raisin bread
· Butter the raisin bread
· Sprinkle cinnamon on the bread
· Sprinkle cardamon on the bread

When you eat this toasted bread, chew slowly and completely before swallowing to allow the digestive juices in your mouth to start breaking down this food.

Cardamon, which is found in India, has been used successful in treating Celiac disease, which is an intolerance to gluten found in most breads.

Grapefruit Skins

Here is a way to settle your acid reflux stomach with grapefruit. Use only organic grapefruit for this remedy. Here’s what to do:

· Grate the entire outer skin of an organic grapefruit
· Spread them out on a flat dish to dry
· Allow them to get crinkly dry
· Store them in a glass jar or zip lock bag

Whenever you get an upset stomach, acid reflux or heartburn start chewing and eating these strips of dried grapefruit. These strips will settle out your stomach. Eat only a few of them and test to see how many you need.
Romaine Lettuce

Romaine lettuce can be used to eliminate an acid reflux or heartburn condition. This lettuce is high in minerals and is highly alkaline.

Here’s what you need to do:

· Buy an organic romaine lettuce head
· Wash in distilled water
· Cut up the leaves and place them in a blender
· Add cold distilled water to make a slurry
· Add a slight amount of honey to give it taste

Drink a 4-8 oz to get relief from your acid reflux or acid stomach

Mace, Nutmeg, and Slippery Elm

Here is a natural remedy that uses mace and nutmeg, which has a history of treating indigestion, acid stomach, heartburn, acid reflux, stomach gas, and vomiting.

Here’s how to use it with half and half and slippery elm root herb. Slippery elm herb can be purchase in any herb store in powder.

· 1 teaspoon of slippery elm bark
· a pinch of nutmeg
· a pinch of mace
· add distilled water to make a smooth slurry
· heat a pint of half and half to boil
· pull half and half from stove and add herb slurry
· stir in herb slurry

Allow this mixture to cool. Drink up to ½ cup at a time. Store the unused portion in the refrigerator. When drinking the next cup, warm this mixture up.

Acid reflux and heartburn require alkaline nutrients to provide relief. These 4 natural remedies, when prepared properly, will give you the relief you need from these conditions. Try them; you will be surprised on how well they work

Acid Reflux and Heartburn Natural Remedies

Here is a list of natural remedies that you can use when you have acid reflux or heartburn. No need to use antacids, which have unwanted side effects and contain aluminum, which has been associated with senility and Alzheimer’s disease.

Anise, peppermint, and lavender

Here’s a tea that you can make to help you with acid reflux or heartburn. It will help you reduce the amount of acid you have in your stomach. Mix together equal amounts of aniseed, peppermint and lavender. Make an infusion of this tea:

* boiling 2 ½ cup distilled water
* pour this water over a teaspoon of the herbal mixture
* let this tea sit for 3- 5 minutes
* strain the tea and add a little bit of honey if you like.
* place this tea in a thermos

Drink up to 8 oz in the morning and 8 oz in the evening to get relief of acid reflux.

Aniseed or anise – is a powerful herb that helps in digestive conditions and has many other benefits for your body. Use only the ash-colored anise called green anise, European anise or sweet anise. There are two other types of anise, star anise and caraway, which should not be used here.

Peppermint – is another powerful herb for stomach conditions or heartburn. It helps in digestion, stomach distension, cramps, ulcers, and gas.

Lavender – known for it scent has enormous healing activity for your body. Is also an excellent stomach aid. It is useful in reducing acid in the stomach.

Betain, Pepsin, and Papaya digestive enzymes

As you get older, your stomach weakens in its ability to produce hydrochloric acid to digest protein. It is undigested protein that leads to acid reflux or heartburn. Use digestive enzymes that contain Betain, pepsin, or HCl with each meal to make sure you digest all of your protein.

Papaya digestive enzymes, which contain papain, are also excellent for protein digestion and you can use them with each meal. Use 500mg or more of papaya enzymes per meal.

Pineapples

Pineapples are a store house of enzymes and contain bromelain, an enzymes that reduces protein. Pineapples support digestion, reduce inflammation, and supports wound healing. The fresh juice has a high level of enzymes that will help you stop your acid reflux.

You can also buy bromelain as tablet and take 200 – 500mg per meal.

Chicory Root

Chicory comes from a family of bitter herbs that contain endive and escarole. Boil 1 ½ cup of chicory root for 5 – 10 minutes. After it colds to room temperature, drink this tea to correct acid reflux or heartburn.

Adding these herbs to your salad will also have benefits in preventing acid reflux. Eating those foods that are alkaline is the best way to avoid acid reflux and heartburn.

Using the remedies listed here will give relief from your acid reflux. But more importantly add a salad to your diet everyday and you will have less acid reflux in your life.

Wealth Of Knowledge In Aromatherapy Books

Albert Camus once said, “The true university of these days is a collection of books”. So true were his words. You may not have visited once the schools or colleges, yet you can gain knowledge of a field if you have made books your friend. So if you want to excel in the practice of aromatherapy, just go through the aromatherapy books. Aromatherapy books are widely available and save you time and money that you would have spent on any course that teaches aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy is being practiced from the ancient days. The roman and Egyptian civilizations were known to make use of essential oils to cure their common illnesses and also used it as a skin and hair care component. In India too, Ayurveda was exercised as a natural method of healing, both mentally and physically. The knowledge of the ages has been compiled in several books.

Earlier, these aromatherapy books remained confined to the place of their birth. However, with the efforts of some scholars, these books, which were earlier in the dark, have come to the notice of people the world over.

And no, you do not have to be conversant with Latin or Sanskrit to read these aromatherapy books; neither do you have to dabble with Arabic to understand the depths of knowledge in these aromatherapy books. Quite a large number of these books have been translated in English and other popular languages.

Many aromatherapy books have been written by contemporary authors as well. New researches and surveys have been included in these books. Some tried and tested aromatherapy exercises, certain myths, and many such information can be easily found in the aromatherapy books.

These are also easily available in all bookstores. So, when coming from your office or during weekends, just get down at a good bookstore. Here you will find such a large collection of books in this segment that you will find it hard to make any buying decision. Alternatively, visit your nearest library. You would surely get your hands on your choice aromatherapy book.

For those of you who find themselves deficient in time, and find that searching for the books in bookstores and libraries is too arduous a task, you have online bookstores for help. With an internet connection in your home or office, you can access all the books that are available on the World Wide Web. If before buying, you want to go through reviews of it then also internet can help. Just browse through the various reviews searched just for you. One can also purchase his choice aromatherapy books through the online shopping facility. You can either pay by your credit card or pay at the time of delivery.

So, what are you waiting for? Peruse through the aromatherapy books and surprise your friends with the knowledge of aromatherapy.

Very Effective Way Of Avoiding And Relieving Neck Pain

Are you one of the millions Americans who suffer from neck pain? If not, it’s very probable that you know someone who does. Indeed, neck pain is a very widespread problem because the head and neck area is very susceptible to several stresses. Besides, neck pain can be produced by muscle strains, osteoarthritis, herniated intervertebral discs. In fact, something as trivial as a bad position can produce an unhealthy alignment of the neck and spine; consequently, neck pain will take place. Thus, what measures can you take to avoid or relieve neck pain?

One of the most common causes of neck pain is a bad posture while sleeping. Well, most people have incorrect posture habits not only when they sleep but also during the day without noticing. Even when you perform a task that you may judge harmless (like reading in bed without a posture pillow) can eventually produce to neck pain or even more serious issues.

A basic suggestion is to avoid sitting in the same position for a prolonged periods of time. Unfortunately, most of us have to because of myriad reasons. We have to not curve or bend the neck forward during long periods, as the neck and back should have enough support to achieve a better posture.

As you can see, the sleep positions you take while you rest in the night are more important than you believe because they are the most frequent cause of neck troubles. Why this happens? Because most of us use regular pillows, which make you sleep with your neck at a too high or too low angle and does not maintain your spine straight; consequently, it cause neck pain, back pain, discomfort and exhaustion. This drooping sleep surface typically provokes an unhealthy spine alignment, thus the muscles of the back will attempt to balance by tensing up trying to restore a more natural posture of the spine. However, this muscle tension produces the morning stress and the neck and the back pains.

Therefore, the best way to avoid and relieve neck pain is to maintain a correct posture. That is reason why the Better Sleep Pillow is so beneficial, because this neck pillow easily adjusts to the form of your neck and brings you correct spine alignment. This pillow is made with memory foam technology, which effectively redistributes the weight of your head, neck and body, encouraging better circulation and eliminating neck and spinal pressure.
Besides, it is not a problem if you prefer side sleeping or back sleeping because this memory foam pillow let you sleep comfortably in any position you may sleep and helps you wake up energized the next morning.

An orthopedic neck support pillow is necessary to have a relaxing night’s sleep without neck pain and other problems. With its hypoallergenic urethane memory foam that provides full support to the neck and head’s contours, the Better Sleep Pillow brings the most restorative sleeping experience alleviating strain on the neck and back.
You don’t need to keep suffering neck pain. Just try the Better Sleep Pillow to start sleeping well and pain-free.

Short History of Herbs

The world of today is a world of progress, no one doubts about that. We have managed to do in 200 years of continuous industrial revolution, what we couldn’t do in thousands and thousands of tumultuous history. And yet, with all these technological breakdowns and synthetic substances, artificial food, not to mention the reign of King Plastic, some people still find the power and the wisdom to ask themselves how people in the past remained healthy and fit without nutritional supplements, drugs, even antibiotics. Their secret was that that they used what Mother Nature gave them: the plants to cure themselves. Fortunately, this knowledge hasn’t been forgotten; even if they’re not so widely used, plants have found their place in our civilization.

The story begins thousands of years ago, before the recorded history, when man didn’t know how to write or read, but knew how to follow their instincts. They discovered that certain herbs could alleviate their pains, others could make a wound disappear and others could even kill them. In the course of time, societies developed and with them appeared the means to transmit their knowledge other than orally.

5000 years ago, in Ancient China, people used rhubarb (Rheune palmatum) as a purgative without knowing anything about the actual active substances they contained. Also, they used Ephedra to treat asthma, even though the substance called ephedrine was discovered much later, in 1887 AD. All oriental ancient civilizations had their insights into the fascinating world of botany, as plants were one of the few elements to which they could resort to heal themselves. The famous king Hammurabi of Babylon (18th century BC) recommended mint to cure constipation and other digestive disorders. Mesopotamian doctors considered that the best time to take a herbal medicine was at night or early in the morning, a principle which is confirmed nowadays by modern studies. The Indians had an entire system of rules, prescriptions, remedies and practices, called Ayurveda, many of which involved the use of plants. They also had strict rules about when, by whom and from where the plants should be collected

People in Ancient Egypt knew and used the castor-oil plant, wormwood, saffron and oregano to heal and disinfect wounds; they also put coriander in their tombs so that the spirit will remain healthy in his afterlife. There are written records of their use of garlic (especially for the workmen who built the pyramids), indigo, mint and opium. The Greek and Roman civilizations have made a major contribution to the medical science. Although much of their studies stemmed from other cultures (Mesopotamian, Egyptian), they added precious information and, in time, they became more and more concerned about the diseases and cures as natural and realistic processes, rather than spiritual or magical. Physicians like Hippocrates, Dioscoride and others have recorded their discoveries; their works would enlighten the pre-medieval civilizations for many centuries after their death. Dioscorides wrote De Materia Medica (1st century AD), which contained a list of hundreds of medicinal plants, along with their description and curative qualities.

The Dark Ages met with a lack of any further recorded herbal studies; the knowledge was probably transmitted from generation to generation – parents taught children, monks, even herbalist taught apprentices. However, there lived a great Persian physician by the name of Avicenna (Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abd Allah Ibn Sina) who wrote one of the most famous books in the history of medical science: The Canon, which also contained information about how plants should be used and their properties.

In1527, the Swiss thinker Paracelsus demonstrates that only a small part of the plant has an effect upon the human body (1g per 20 kg of plant), which is what we now call active substance. Later on, scientists have developed methods to isolate these substances.

However, the first complete categorization of all known medicinal plants was printed in a book called Theatrum Botanicum by John Parkinson in 1640 AD. In 1649 Nicholas Culpeper pulished A Physical Directory, which is considered one of the best herbal pharmacopoeia manuals still quoted today.

As chemistry as a science developed, physicians started to use more and more widely synthetic medicines, such as aspirin, which proved to have side effects. Yet all pharmacists and drug producers confirm the fact that, unlike artificially synthesized substances, medicines extracted from plants are more accessible to the metabolism and friendlier with the human body.

Changing Perceptions Of Chiropractic

The art and science of the chiropractor has often been maligned by the western health establishment. The historical animosity is mostly due to the fact that western medicine tends to employ a philosophy of reductionism, which states that the best way to understand how the human body works, how pathologies originate, and how to treat them can best be accomplished by reducing the body to its component parts. The body is classified into organ systems, then into individual organs, which are then divided into their component tissues, and finally individual cells themselves. Traditional western medicine seeks to localize the cause of pathology and then treat the disorder at the narrowest level of scope possible. This reductionism is in direct contrast to the holistic approach taken by the chiropractor. The chiropractor, much like the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, realizes that the body can not be effectively reduced into component parts. The chiropractor views life as an emergent phenomenon that both encompasses and transcends its component parts. In recent years, many western science practitioners have begun to appreciate the holistic approach of the chiropractor and chiropractic treatments are starting to find their rightful place in the medical mainstream.

The chasm between holistic health care and traditional western medicine is narrowing. Just as physicians are beginning to appreciate the benefits of holistic approaches to health, some chiropractors are also employing some of the techniques and tools of conventional western medicine in their practice. Traditional spine manipulation techniques are combined with modern radiological diagnostic equipment to determine the most effective treatment for the patient. Chiropractors are also trained to recognize the symptoms of serious conditions, such as cancer, and when they detect such a disorder they refer the patient to a health care provider that specializes in that condition. Clearly, chiropractic practice is increasingly being seen more as a complement to traditional health care rather than a direct competitor.

The public has taken note of the changing relationship between the chiropractor and the physician. For this reason, many insurance policies now provide coverage for chiropractic treatments. Additionally, the United States Armed Forces now mandates that all service men and women must have access to a chiropractor while in active service. Many athletes also take advantage of chiropractic treatment, both professional and amateurs. The United States Olympic team keeps a number of chiropractors on staff and chiropractic care is now seen as an integral part of the modern athletic training regimen.

The increased acceptance of chiropractic along with other holistic therapies is not accidental. Scientific studies have shown that holistic techniques are highly effective at treating certain kinds of disorders, including some disorders that can not be easily treated using standard medical techniques. Holistic medicine, once viewed as a fringe pseudoscience, is enjoying an increasingly positive reputation among the general public as well as professional health care providers. Since chiropractic care is now more widely available than in days past, and since many insurance policies now cover the services of a chiropractor, the health care consumer finds that he or she has more options than before and is therefore able to take a more active role in planning his or her own health care.

Natural Remedy for Gingivitis

Everyone has a variety of bacteria in their mouth. Some have more than others. This bacterium helps you by beginning the digestive process.

Excess bacteria in your mouth have now been found to cause more than tooth decay, gingivitis or gum disease. So, you need to know, even though you might not have gingivitis, how to control these plaque-building bacteria in your mouth.

Bacteria that create gingivitis live in your plaque and cause your gums to inflame, bleed, and separate from your teeth. You can also have bad breath when you have gingivitis. In more severe cases, your gums become sore, teeth hurt, gums recede, and teeth loosen.

To stop the inflammation and gum separation use this natural remedy to kill some of these bacteria and strengthen your gums in your mouth.

Here are the herbs and the formula you will need to make a remedy for a mild case of gingivitis:

2 parts white oak bark herb – powder

1 part myrrh gum herb – power or granules

3/4 part Peppermint leaves converted to powder

½ part anise herb – power or seeds

1/8 part clove – powder

If herbs and leaves are not in powder form, grind them in a coffee grinder. Use this formula to make as much powder as you want.

Place the mixture into a small container. I usually use a small-unused vitamin bottle.

I usually mix a small amount and use a tablespoon as my measuring tool. For example, 2 tablespoons of white oak, 1 tablespoon of myrrh gum, ¾ tablespoon of peppermint leaves, and so on. The measurements do not have to be so precise.

How to use it:

To control bacteria in your mouth, use this power once a week. If you have gingivitis, you can use this 3 times a day. Place some powder on your toothbrush and brush your teeth and gums. After brushing spit out, a few time, the saliva and residue powder. Don’t rinse out your mouth since you want to keep the active herb powders in your month. You can swallow any that remains in your mouth with no problem.

This powder combination is bitter, but quite powerful and will get the job done. You can add more peppermint powder to make it less bitter, if you like.

For severe cases of gingivitis and toothaches, you can also moist some powder with distilled water and then place the paste all along the your teeth and gums – front and back. Leave the paste in your mouth as long as you can. Don’t worry about the herbs getting in between your teeth. This remedy works.

My wife was schedule for a root canal last year and a few weeks before her tooth started paining and couldn’t sleep. So I made this remedy. She just placed the powers around the painful area. It wasn’t long before the pain stopped and she was able to go to sleep.

There have been other clients that have used this remedy for a month and successfully avoided having the dentist apply gingivitis treatment. In cases of severe gingivitis, go see your dentist and at the same time use this remedy.

Natural Herbal Remedy Could Be Your Answer

Natural herbal remedies are drawing the attention of many traditional medical practitioners to rapidly recognize the ability of the hundreds of thousands of known herbs that have the ability to treat and prevent various human and animal illnesses, as well as properties that can enhance mental attitude, appearance, and performance.

Many centuries of experimentation by many cultures, for example Indian herbal medicine (Ayurvedic), Chinese herbal medicine, and western herbal medicine have created many uses for plants either singularly or in compounds, and sometimes animal by products to prevent and treat various conditions and illnesses.

A natural remedy can be anything from tea, to complex preparations of herbal compounds used in hospitals and clinics. These formulas come in many forms such as capsules, pills, ointments, and gels.

You may be using some of the common herbs as a food in your home such as:

* Garlic–natural antibiotic and helps reduce cholesterol

* Cinnamon–lowers blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides

* Ginger–prevents motion sickness and lowers risk of blood clots

* Chamomile Tea–calms nerves and help relieve digestive problems

* Peppermint–Treats many digestion and gastrointestinal problems

These common herbs may be mixed with other proven natural products to achieve a particular result.

Traditional medicine is very useful for diagnosis, emergencies, trauma and surgery, but often does not cut it for preventing disease from occurring. The time and wait needed to visit a doctor to get a prescription, and the ever growing cost of medicine is allowing an opportunity for many people to try to get help from natural products.

Many traditional medicines are showing many adverse side effects. Natural, is not necessarily safe, and may have unwanted side effects just as with conventional medicines, however a large ever growing number of the population has been using herbals, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids for many years with very favorable results and no adverse effects.

Natural herbal products are now available for use by adults, children, and pets to remedy countless conditions from Angina and Arthritis, to skin care remedies, thyroid treatment, urinary tract infection and an unlimited number of other disorders.

Many new products have been compounded to remedy conditions other then disease, such as smoking cessation, removing unwanted hair, eliminating wrinkles and many other conditions.

One of the many natural herbal remedies could be your answer.

For quality information, and natural herbal remedies that are produced under pharmaceutical conditions to ensure the highest degree of potency and consistency. http://www.aa1info.com

Morning Smoothie to Help You Stop Constipation

Chronic constipation can be hard to stop or elimination, since the colon have become weak. In most cases it will have to be retrained on how to have a bowel movement.

For those of you that have mild constipation, here is a morning smoothie that will help activate your colon. This smoothie is packed with nutrients that your body will use to regenerate your colon and body.

I have been making this smoothie for a few years. I make enough to drink right away and to put into my thermos to drink around 10am.

When I make this drink I just start putting things in the blender without measuring. You can do the same and make adjustments as you go.

* one peeled banana
* 4-5 strawberries or other type of berries, or fruits
* one tablespoon of lecithin granules
* one – two teaspoons of flax seed oil
* half and half almond milk and apple juice

In a coffee grinder, grind up around a teaspoon or less of the following:

* brown sesame seeds – are high in lecithin, vitamin C, E, and Calcium. They improve liver function and help in constipation
* sunflower seeds – are high protein, Calcium, and iron. They are one of the best natural foods which feeds the entire body.
* flax seeds – are high in fiber and provide bulk for your stools.
* almonds – use around 6-7 or more. They are high in Calcium, Phosphorus and have some B-vitamins. Only eat a few. They are high in calories.

After grinding the seeds, place them in the blender and blender everything for about 3-4 minutes. If you need a little sweetness, you can add a small amount of honey. I find this drink plenty sweet without any honey.

Sometimes I will add the powder of a few acidophilus capsules.

If I don’t add the almonds, I just put all the tiny seed into the blender without grinding them up. The blender will break them up.

This is a powerful smoothie to give you morning power and to activate your colon to get moving.

Constipation Remedy Using Potassium and Prunes

Potassium and prunes are a natural constipation remedy that you can quickly use to help you get constipation relief.

Potassium is needed in your colon walls to insure that peristaltic action occurs. Without potassium, colon walls are weak and unable to respond and contract properly when fecal matter needs to be move.

Potassium in your colon wall tissues brings in more oxygen, which is required for good cell function and elimination of toxins. In addition, potassium creates an alkaline environment inside and outside the cell, which help protect cell walls from bacteria, fungus, and other pathogens.

Potassium is a powerful source when it comes to cleaning, feeding and building your colon walls. Removing the thin layer of buildup – harden mucus, dried fecal matter, waste derby, heavy metals – against your colon wall can be accomplished by eating those foods that are high in potassium.

Excess buildup on your colon walls of fecal matter and toxins is a cause of continual constipation. This build up prevents your colon walls from functioning properly.

Potassium is necessary for reducing anxiety and depression. These conditions can affect peristaltic movements of your colon. Lack of it causes muscles and organs to sag and lack tone.

Potassium, also, draws water out of the body. So when potassium is in your colon it attracts water and pulls it into the fecal matter. This makes your fecal matter softer and easier to move along the colon.

To get more potassium into your diet make a constipation remedy drink by,

Pouring hot water over dried prunes and waiting 10 minutes. Then eat the prunes and drink the juice Do this on an empty stomach in the morning.

The high concentration of potassium and vitamin A, in prunes, stimulates enzymatic processes. These processes melt down fecal wall wastes and dissolve blockages. They also activate peristaltic action to move this waste out through your rectum.

The foods to eat that are high in potassium are:

Kale, cabbage, yellow tomatoes, spinach, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, alfalfa sprouts, goat milk, sesame seeds, wheat germ brewers yeast, flax seed, grapes, green peppers, pineapple, beets, potatoes with skin Blackstrap molasses

If you have any kidney disease, do not take potassium supplements unless directed by your doctor. If you are pregnant, take potassium only under a doctor’s direction.

If you are on any type of drugs, do not take potassium unless directed by your doctor.

When you have constipation it is best to take potassium supplement. Once you have your constipation eliminated back off on the potassium you are taking and depend on your potassium dose from the foods you eat.

My recommended Potassium dose is 1000 – 3000 mg each day taken with meals.

Constipation Home Remedy

Cayenne is a constipation home remedy that is effective in producing peristalsis in your colon and aids digestion. It can be used regularly at every meal and when needed for constipation. Cayenne pepper is known to help thin the blood. So, it is good for improving blood circulation.

Cayenne is available in capsules of different strengths, from 5,000 heat units (HU) to 100,000 and even higher. In addition, cayenne when used with other herbs helps to deliver these herbs more efficiently to where they are needed in the body.

As a constipation home remedy, start with one capsule of 40,000 HU and always take it after you eat. You will feel a hot or slight burning feeling in the upper stomach and that’s when you know its working. The feeling is like when you get heartburn. This burning sensation will pass as your body gets use to you using cayenne.

Do not use cayenne seeds, as they can be toxic. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding do not take cayenne supplements. Use cayenne only as directed on its container and only as capsules.

Cayenne has the ability to block the ulcer producing effect of NSAIDS. It also has shown to increase the body’s absorption of theopylline, a drug used to treat asthma.

In his book, Left for Dead, Dick Quinn tells how Cayenne pepper saved his life after coronary bypass surgery failed to restore it. In this book, Shannon Quinn, say,

“One of the most effective stimulants, mostly, cayenne targets the digestive and the circulatory system. Cayenne regulates blood pressure, strengthens the pulse, feeds the heart, lowers cholesterol, and thins the blood. It cleanses the circulatory system, heals ulcers, stops hemorrhaging, speeds healing of wounds, rebuilds damaged tissue, eases congestion, aids digestion, regulates elimination, relieves arthritis and rheumatism, prevents the spread of infection and numbs pain.”

Use the recommended dose shown on the bottle of cayenne you use.

You can also add cayenne pepper into other foods. Add cayenne to soups, salads, and other foods you like.

In soups or salads break open a cayenne capsule and mix it in. You can add 1 – 2 capsules, but first start with 1/4 or 1/2 capsule so you can get use to the hot taste.

If you are pregnant, it is considered safe to use cayenne.

Use this constipation home remedy and you will see results. It definitely has the power to eliminate constipation and keep you regular and has many other benefits, especially for your heart.

Guide To Using Aromatherapy With Children

Trust your instinct – a beginner’s guide to using aromatherapy with children:

Essential oils are pure aromatic plant essences – they are distilled from flowers, fruit, leaves, resins, roots, seeds, and wood. The are used for their healing properties the world over – in , for example, they are only available through licensed, qualified parishioners. In the United States, we have free access to essential oils – but with this comes with some important cautions: Only some of the essential oils available are suitable for children; others are not suitable for children and some are even dangerous to children (children with epilepsy should not come in contact with stimulating essential oils).

When used correctly however, essential oils can be of great benefit, and will not conflict with your child’s medically prescribed drugs. Always research the oil of choice thoroughly before using with your infant or child – ask advice from a qualified practitioner, or see the references at the end of this article.

That said, essential oils can be a wonderful way of supporting your child’s health, happiness and well-being. Essential oils can be very therapeutic and nurturing to both your child and you, the caregiver. Essential oils are used externally (on the outside of the body) in your child’s bath, body lotions, oils, creams, gels, compresses, foot baths, or in a oil warmer. The effects of aromatherapy will generally fall into one of three main categories: 1) Assisting in healing from minor illnesses and accidents, 2) Supporting your child’s overall sense of well-being, and 3) Assisting your child in getting quality rest.

When using essential oils with your child, it is imperative that you find a reputable supplier of therapeutic-grade essential oils, using organic or wildcrafted varieties when possible. Synthetic copies of oils commonly used in perfumery are not appropriate, and may even be harmful to your child’s health. To maintain efficacy, essential oils should be kept in dark amber or cobalt glass containers, in a dark and cool location, away from the child’s access. Wooden storage boxes from craft or ‚Pier One‘ type stores can make a nice container for the bottles.

Methods of Using Essential Oils

There are two methods of using essential oils with your child – INHALATION: through a diffuser, nebulizer, or adding to a humidifier reservoir, and TOPICAL APPLICATION: diluting the essential oil in a carrier oil and applying topically. Adding essential oils to a bath combines the two methods, though we will cover it under topical application.

For topical application, essential oils are diluted in varying strengths depending on the use and age of your child. The concentration can vary from one drop of essential oil per tablespoon of carrier oil, to a couple of drops per teaspoon of carrier added to a drawn bath, to an equal ratio of carrier and essential oil applied directly to your child’s feet (as in the case of gentle Lavender). In other words, there is a huge variation in dilution levels depending on the circumstances. Mamas, do your research and then trust your instinct. Only you and your child baby know exactly what is right for your situation.

General dilution rate guidelines of essential oils in one ounce of carrier oil:

Age of Child and amount of Essential Oil per One Ounce Carrier Oil for Topical/Massage Application:

Newborn (Consult primary care physician before use)

1-3 drops essential oil / ounce
2-6 months
1-3 drops essential oil / ounce
6-12 months
1-4 drops essential oil / ounce
1-4 years (unless very small)
5-8 drops essential oil / ounce
6-7 years
5-10 drops essential oil / ounce
9-12 years
5-12 drops essential oil / ounce
12 years to young adult
10-15 drops essential oil / ounce

DO NOT USE AN ESSENTIAL OIL NEAT (undiluted ) on children’s skin, unless indicated to do so for a specific condition. If your child has very sensitive skin, it is important to test a small area before using a new single oil or blend. Keep essential oils away form the eyes. When using citrus oils – orange, bergamot, lemon, tangerine, mandarin, and lime – do not use where the skin will be exposed to sunlight for the next 12 hours. These oils are considered ‚phototoxic‘, and can react from the sun’s rays. They may be used in a bath, however, where they will be washed off the skin when the bath is done.

Essential oils are not to be taken orally (by mouth). When your child is taking medications, reduce the amount of essential oil by half the amount recommended for their age group.

Carrier oils for children

Sweet Almond oil is generally regarded as the safest and best overall carrier oil for use with babies and children. Apricot kernel oil is also considered extremely safe with children over 6. Jojoba oil can be added at about 10% concentration for any blend – it has a soothing effect on the skin and is good for hair.

Topical Application – Nurturing Touch Massage Recipes

There is nothing better for any child than the loving, nurturing touch of a parent. A gentle hug, a smile, a kiss on the cheek all reassure the child and help the parent and child to bond. These everyday forms of connection are instinctual and children thrive from it.

Research shows that massage can help children’s growth both physically and emotionally. In hospitals, studies done with premature baby’s show that touch is an essential aspect of the children’s ability to thrive.

Using aromatherapeutic nurturing touch massage can be therapeutic to both the child and the parent. Using a light, conscientious tough you can massage your child’s feet, arms, hands, back, abdomen, and even legs. The massage should always be done with loving intention and the work is done in the direction that the blood flows-from ankles to leg; from wrist to shoulder, etc.

Here are a few suggested blends for this wonderful method – each is in one (1) ounce of Sweet Almond oil:

Restful Sleep – 4 drops lavender, 2 drops Roman Chamomile

Happy Child – 3 drops Rose, 1 drop Neroli

Calm and Relaxed – 3 drops Petitgrain, 3 drops Neroli

Emotional Nurturing – 1 drop Rose, 1 drop Vanilla, 2 drops Lavender

For a Baby oil blend, to be used as a moisturizer OR massage oil (note: the frequent washing of a baby’s skin actually makes it difficult for them to retain vitamin C; application of a quality skin oil will help them keep adequate supplies of this important nutrient).

1 ounce of organic sweet almond oil or hazelnut oil
1 drop of pure Lavender essential oil
1 drop of Vanilla essential oil

OR

1 ounce of organic sweet almond oil
2 drops of pure Lavender essential oil
1 drop of pure Chamomile (German) essential oil

The above blends can also be added to the bath. One teaspoon with the following amount of essential oils added can be added AFTER the bath is filled, per the age of the child: 3-5 years, 2 drops; 6-8 years, 3 drops; 8-11 years, 5 drops. Perhaps the easiest way to do this would be to make a full strength blend (without carrier oil) of your choice, then dilute as needed for the application.

Inhalation of essential oils

For inhalation, one can apply one or two drops to a handkerchief and inhale, or add oils to a water misting bottle or humidifier. Calming essential oils that may be used are Lavender (recommended for sleep – one to four drops can be placed under the pillow), Mandarin, Roman Chamomile, Ho Wood (an ecologically friendly replacement for Rosewood), Tangerine, Petitgrain, Vanilla, and Neroli. Use these oils singly, create your own blend, or use one of the body oil blends above without the carrier oil. A few drops per quart of water in a mister sprayed throughout a room or added humidifier resevoir will do.

For an anti-anxiety blend: Try 5 drops bergamot, 1 drop lavender and 3 drops geranium – dilute to 10 drops per ½ pint of water for a room spray or use in a humidifier, or dilute to the appropriate level for your child’s age if using topically. For alertness, try lemon, bergamot, grapefruit or pine, either singly or in a blend that pleases your senses (usually the best way to blend is to trust your nose!)

Essential oils can also be used in a candle lamp or warmer – with the oil gently evaporated from the surface of a small bowl of water by the heat of a candle. An electric nebulizing diffuser is generally not recommended for use with children, as the concentration of oils in the air can be too high.

Last but not least, essential oils are wonderful antiseptics.

Cuts and scrapes are simply a way of life for the little ones! A great blend for minor wounds is a 1:1 mix of Lavender and Tea Tree oil. The lavender is soothing, anti-inflammatory, and has regenerative ‚ketones‘, while the tea tree is a strong antiseptic used for many generations by native Australians. Use this blend in the water used for cleaning wounds, and apply a few drops to the gauze of a bandage – do not apply directly to the skin as it will be unnecessarily irritating. On the bandage, however, it will be soothing and accelerate the healing process.

So this is a very brief overview of using essential oils with children. There are many, many diverse applications for essential oils for almost every conceivable minor ailment seen in childhood. The key is knowledge – finding a good practitioner, or reputable resource for your needs. For further reading, books by Valerie Ann Woorwood are excellent: „Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child“ and „The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy“; for safety data, see „Essential Oil Safety“ by Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs. The essential oils mentioned within this article are recognized as safe for most individuals – if you or your child are recognized as having a specific illness, and/or are under a doctor’s regular care, please consult an appropriate practitioner before proceeding.

That said, aromatherpy can be a very fun and rewarding endevor for both you and your child. Essential oils have benefited the lives of many the world over, and have a little bit of plant magic available to everyone.

Easy Tips for Arthritis Pain Relief

Think you can’t stop that arthritis pain? Great news! You can act now. Get 10 super easy and effective arthritis pain relief tips from arthritis experts and make your life with arthritis a little easier now.

Protect your joints. Don’t keep your joints in the same position for a prolonged period of time. Balance your rest and work throughout the day. Use the strongest joints available for the job.

Stretch it. Stretching should be part of every arthritis patient’s daily routine. A good stretch helps prevent injuries by warming up muscles and tendons which are more limber and less likely to tear. Spend at least 10 minutes each day stretching, and work each major muscle group.

Cool it down. Stop physical activity. Rest in a cool/shaded environment. Spray with a mist of cool water or wrap an ice pack or cold compress in a towel and apply it to reduce arthritis pain and swelling.

Get moving. Exercise can help reduce joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility and muscle strength. It can also help with weight control, stress management, and make you feel better overall. The Arthritis Foundation also offers water exercise and other classes.

Get a massage. Massage therapy can relieve your pain, soothe stiff sore muscles, reduce inflammation and swelling. Make sure you use oil or cream on your fingers to make it mroe gentle. Work the area for five to ten minutes a day if possible.

Keep your weight in balance. Being overweight, even just moderately, impacts weightbearing joints and can increase the pain of arthritis. Studies have indicated that losing extra weight lowers the risk for developing osteoarthritis of the knee. Losing weight can help slow the progression of arthritis too.

Get a diagnosis. If you are experiencing symptoms like pain, stiffness, swelling for more than 1 weeks, you should consider seeing your doctor and getting a diagnosis. Remember that there are more than 100 types of arthritis. It is important to get the specific diagnosis for the type of arthritis you have.

Take your medication the right way. Don’t stop taking your medication just because you feel it is not working. Check with your doctor first. You need to understand that it may take several days to several months for a medication to become effective.

Look out for new options. Recently FDA has approved some new drugs for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other arthritis diseases. If feel that the current medication doesn’t work well, check with your doctor about possible new options.

Keep educating yourself. It is important to learn something new about arthritis. Find some good websites online and subscribe to their newsletter if they have it. Join one of two active online arthritis communities like forums or bulletin board. Never hesitate to see your doctors and ask questions.

Ways to Boost Your Energy

Everyone would like to feel more energetic during the day. You naturally go through periods of higher activity which contrasts with times of relaxation. The problem occurs when more energy and concentration is required than we can give. Or when we try to sleep and can’t. Follow these invaluable tips to a new you!

1) Stay on a regular sleep schedule. You can’t stay up late during the week-end and suddenly on Monday morning wake up refreshed. If you do enjoy later nights on Friday and Saturday vow to get to bed early on Sunday to wake up rested.

2) Avoid the sugar and caffeine roller coaster. Eat some protein and foods with a bit of fat in the morning. The brain needs protein and the body does not store it. You don’t have to eat very much- a glass of low fat milk, a piece of cheese, or a handful of nuts will get you going instead of pure carbohydrates like a plain bagel.

3) Take a 5-10 minute power nap around lunch. Even if you just close your eyes and let your mind drift you will be refreshed for the afternoon. This is also effective anytime you feel yourself not concentrating, reading the same material over and over. Give in to the urge and completely relax for a few moments.

4) Drink more water and liquids. I know, everyone says to drink more fluids. But most Americans are in a constant state of dehydration from filling up on coffee, tea, and sodas with caffeine. This is very stressful to the kidneys and can cause irritation to the bladder. Keep a sports bottle filled with your favorite flavored water or just plain and keep it with you at all times. Set a goal- empty by lunch, refill, empty again by the time work is over. Carry plenty of water in the car too for you and your family.

5) Exercise regularly. This is easier said than done with a busy schedule. A poor conditioning level causes you to be short-of-breath and your heart to race when just doing simple things like climbing a flight of steps or doing household chores. Park farther away when shopping and walk Dust off that exercise machine or get an exercise tape to play when weather is bad. Set an example for the rest of your family and maybe they will join in too!

6) A joke a day keeps the doctor away. Seriously, laughter has many beneficial effects on the body. The brain chemicals for experiencing pleasure, happiness, and peace increase with good, hearty laughs. Live alone? Get a funny movie or watch a light-hearted comedy on tv. Nothing sarcastic or put-down, however.

7) Avoid confrontations and situations with negative people. You know who they are. They are not going to change but they will bring you and your mood down. The complainers, gossipers, and generally unhappy souls we all have to deal with on a day-to-day basis drain our energy if we allow them. Be polite but avoid arguing or getting hooked into listening to their constant problems.

8) Take regular, daily supplements of the highest quality. Our food and diets simply do not meet the amounts needed for maximum health. There is a difference between avoiding nutritional deficiencies and optimum performance.

Ways to Soothe Mind

Self improvement (or self help) tools come in many shapes and sizes; sometimes it’s physical in nature (a self help book, having a massage, painting with water colors), or spiritual in nature (flower essences, Reiki, meditation which is both physical and spiritual, etc).

Five of the best self help options that I’ve used successfully to help soothe my own mind, body and spirit, are:

1. Meditation techniques – a fabulous self help tool which greatly benefits overall health and wellbeing. There are many techniques to choose from such as:

Visually guided meditations;

Candle meditation;

Breathing meditation;

Crystal meditation;

Writing meditation (alternating using dominant and non-dominant hand);

Walking meditation;

Body scanning; and

A self healing meditation using either color; breathe work; aromatherapy; etc.

2. Painting with water colors, pastels or oil paints – express your uniqueness through art. This is a wonderful self help tool to employ for inner healing, letting go and for creating something new (a masterpiece for your lounge room wall).

3. Vibrational essences. Part of ancient wisdom, vibrational essences are used in healing to assist with the removal of emotional blocks and patterns, as well as resolving issues from past lives.

Essences are generally in liquid form and can also be used in creams, ointments and oils (I sometimes combine mine with an aromatherapy oil blend).

Vibrational substances are derived from light (sun, moon etc), healing energy (universal or spiritual energy, prana, Reiki etc), plants (flowers, stems, leaf etc), mineral (crystals, gold etc), environmental (sacred places), or animal.

Some examples of essences available (there are many) to explore further as a self help tool are:

Flower, Gem, Angel, Shell, Coral, Sea, Goddess, and Chakra essences

4. Journal writing is a fabulous self help healing tool connecting you with your true essence, your spiritual self.

Find yourself a special journal/diary to write in; something special to write with (can be brightly colored inks or the more traditional black, blue or reds) and make a date with yourself to do some journal writing every morning at the same time (before rising out of bed).

I’ve practiced journal writing as a self help tool for many years and still find it, to this day, one of the greatest self help and self improvement tools around – and it costs nothing!

Write out your worries, sadness, loneliness, or whatever is playing on your mind. When you’ve done that write in your journal the excitement, enthusiasm and passion you intend to experience for the day ahead, the projects you’re working on, friends you’ll catch up with, food you’ll eat, possible miracles that might happen, shopping to be done, your work day etc.

5. Have a massage. Treat yourself to some bodywork like a Swedish massage. Swedish is a more traditional or western soft tissue type of massage, however if you’re after something a little more unique for healing mind, body, and spirit you could choose:

Aromatherapy massage – there’s nothing quite like this one using essential oils for body, mind and spirit.

Ka Huna, LomiLomi – gentle, relaxing, soothing and stretching massage (even watching this massage is relaxing);

Reflexology – therapeutic hand and foot massage;

Reiki – hands on energy healing (aligns Chakras etc)

Vichy Shower – warm water is directed over your body, gently massaging it (this is heavenly, especially after a salt scrub).

Acupressure – form of bodywork based on Chinese Meridian theory

Ayurvedic – part of a traditional detoxification and rejuvenation program of India called Panchakarma – vigorious massage with warm oils and herbs to remove toxins, is calming and balancing, and facilitates profound inner peace.

Hot stone massage – warm smooth stones are applied to the body and employed by the therapist’s hands.

A massage not listed that I experienced while ago was a form of Swedish massage. I was given small smooth rocks to hold in either hand, at the end of the massage the therapist held my feet and ‘tuned’ me, which sounded like a clarinet going up and down the scales. To say I felt relaxed and energised at the same time is an understatement. It was amazing.

I’ve road tested many self help tools over the years; it’s been an amazing journey with the most profound assistance coming from spirit. Sometimes good comes from being blinded by the light.

Ways to Relieve Migraine Headaches Naturally

There are many new migraine headache treatments available that can be both safe and effective. Natural treatments for migraine headaches are usually safer and cheaper than traditional pain medications. And in many instances they can relieve pain just as well or even better than prescription or non-prescription drugs. The possibility of a negative reaction to a safe and natural migraine headache treatment is still there, but it is less with most natural treatment methods than it is with pain-relieving medications.

Every person on the face of the earth is unique. Their body chemistry is different than anyone else’s. One person may find relief from their migraine headaches with one type of treatment while someone else may try that same treatment and find no relief at all. No two people will experience the same reaction from the same treatment. But why is that?

Every body is made up of a mixture of chemicals. Every person produces certain chemicals in their body so that they will be able to function at their best. Histamines will increase gastric secretion and dilate the capillaries. Insulin is secreted by the pancreas and helps regulate the blood sugar levels. Hormones are produced by the body for many different functions. Adrenaline (epinephrine) is produced in response to stress. Every body is unique and produces different chemicals in differing amounts. When a person takes aspirin (a chemical) for their migraine headaches it changes the chemical make-up of that person’s body.

You’ve always heard that when two chemicals, in the same amounts, at the same temperature, etc. are mixed together they will cause the same reaction. That may be true, but when one chemical (such as aspirin) is taken by two separate people their reactions will never be exactly the same because no two people have identical chemicals in their body. One person taking aspirin will not have the same reaction as someone else taking aspirin. And it’s the same with natural migraine headache treatments. Since no two people are identical no two people will respond exactly the same to a treatment method for migraine headaches.

So just because one migraine headache treatment does not work for one person does not mean it won’t work for your migraine headaches. There are many effective alternatives to taking medications when it comes to relieving migraine headaches. You just have to try one for yourself to see if it will work for you.

One natural and popular treatment method for migraine headaches is chiropractic care, or chiropractic manipulations. Studies have shown that over 80% of headache patients find some type of relief for their headaches with chiropractic treatment. And chiropractic treatment has been shown to be extremely safe. Spinal problems cause headaches and when these spinal problems are treated by chiropractors a high percentage of their patients experience relieve from their pain.

Another natural way to relieve migraine headaches is biofeedback. This is a safe and potentially effective way to eliminate pain. Biofeedback is not actually a treatment, but a training program designed to help a person develop the ability to control their autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. Functions that are normally automatic in the body, such as blood pressure regulation or heart rate can be controlled voluntarily. This technique makes it possible for a person to control their own heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature or relaxation of their muscles.

It’s no secret that stress causes muscle tension. And nobody will deny that muscle tension causes pain and headaches. And it’s also a fact that by relaxing this muscle tension, especially in the neck and head, it is possible to relieve the migraine headaches or neck pain that is being caused by the tension. With biofeedback the machinery is not always necessary. Once the biofeedback technique is learned there is no longer any need for the equipment. The patient with migraine headaches can now produce the desired effect at any time. A person that has been trained with biofeedback can control some of their bodily functions, such as muscle relaxation, which can help relieve their headache pain.

Another cause of headaches can be the intake of too much salt. Some people just can’t get enough of it. They pour it onto their food with wreckless abandon. And too much salt can and does cause headaches. What’s the solution? Simply lessening the salt intake can sometimes prevent the headaches from occurring.

Food sensitivities have also been shown to cause migraine headaches in some people. Foods such as cheese, alcohol, MSG (monosodium glutamate – a food additive), yeast, wheat, nuts, avocados, beans, bananas, oranges (and other citrus fruits), pork, vinegar (and pickled foods), dairy products, caffeine, chocolate, onions and others can cause migraines. Foods that cause migraine headaches are called „migraine triggers.“ People who experience migraine headaches because of food allergies can reduce or eliminate their pain by eliminating the foods that cause the headaches.

It sounds simple, but it takes a little detective work to figure out which foods, if any, are causing the migraine headaches. So how can you determine which foods are the culprits? The logical way is to keep a diary of what you eat and when. Get a small notebook, with each page representing one day, and make three columns on each of the pages. The first column on the left side of the page will contain the hours in the day. The second column down the middle of the page will be a list of the foods eaten that day. And the third column on the right side of the page will list the symptoms (headaches) that you experience.

Here’s how the food diary works: if you had an orange, cereal and milk for breakfast at 8 AM you would write „orange, cereal, milk“ in the middle (food) column directly to the right of 8 AM in the left (time) column. Make a note of everything that you eat on this list and at what time you ate them.

Next, whenever you experience a migraine headache write „migraine headache“ or „headache“ in the right (symptoms) column that corresponds with the time (in the left column) your headache began. For example, if you started feeling pain from one of your migraine headaches at 2 PM you would write „headache“ in the right (symptoms) column directly across from 2 PM in the left (time) column.

Once you’ve had enough time to experience a few migraine headaches you will be able to examine your food diary to determine which foods you ate shortly before you began experiencing your pain. For example, if you had 3 migraine headaches over a one-month period, and you had milk shortly before each of the migraine attacks, milk may be the culprit. It may take a few weeks or even a few months to come to any conclusions, but over time, by figuring out which foods or ingredients in these foods, are causing your pain, you will be able to eliminate these ingredients and relieve your pain caused by these foods.

Probably the most common cause of headaches is just plain old stress. People who experience tension in their lives can get headaches from their increased tension. Stress can be caused by many things including work-related stress or family-related stress. And although it’s not always possible to eliminate the cause of the stress it is often possible to relieve the muscle tension and pain that originates from the stress.

Biofeedback training (as explained above) is one way to help reduce stress. Other ways are taking a warm bath or shower, lying down and relaxing in a quiet dark room, having someone massage your neck and head (temporal region) muscles to help relieve your tension and muscle spasms or placing something cold (ice) on the back of the neck (at the base of the skull). When using ice it should not be placed directly on the skin. Some wet paper towels that have had the water wrung out of them should be placed between the ice and the skin. Regular exercise can also, over time, reduce tension.

We have discussed 5 natural treatment methods that are available to migraine headache patients. They are all considered safe and are effective for many people. There are many other natural treatment methods out there for you to try. If you have headaches it may be beneficial for you to try some of these treatments or search for others on your own. But as a word of advice, it is always a good idea to talk with a chiropractor or medical doctor before treating yourself for a health condition.

Tips For Uniting Your Body

Do you know what it takes to unite your body, mind, and soul? If you did, do you realize that you would be able to achieve the balance that nearly everyone wishes they had in their lives? Do you know what you need to do for yourself in order to bring about this balance?

Part of uniting these three elements of your person is knowing what makes you passionate. Knowing what makes you passionate will help you get in touch with your soul, to feel creative energy, to feel truly alive. Spiritual or creative passion can help you to achieve those feelings. Whether it’s through faith, music, or some other type of artistic expression, you must find what will awaken your soul in order to strike balance in your life. Here are some tips to guide you:

• What are your goals for the future? What would you like to ultimately achieve in your life? Is it spiritual enlightenment? Is it social status? Or is it merely to be the best person you can be, and make a contribution to society? What is important, though, is the process by which you attain your ultimate goal. That is what will generate your passion.
• Try to focus on the positive, and do not dwell on the negative. Recall you accomplishments and good deeds. Doing this will help keep you positive, and keep your spirit up. If you constantly remind yourself of your mistakes, you will find it harder to succeed down the road, and your mind, body, and soul will work against you.
• You’ve heard of finding your “happy place” right? This form of meditation helps you take your mind and spirit to a comfortable place that fills you with happiness. This is an ideal thing to do when you are in the middle of a stressful day at work or with the kids; it provides the perfect opportunity to regroup.
• Spark a change. Plan a vacation, even if it is just for a weekend. Nothing does the body, mind, and soul better than a little change of scenery. Go where you will be happy, and be able to let loose and have some fun. Try it on your own. It might sound scary, but you will be surprised at how relaxed and refreshed you will be after a weekend all to yourself!
• Try some daily affirmations. Pick three things that you can say out loud in the mirror that will help you stay centered, positive, and focused. Saying something often enough has the power to make it true for you. Remember not to dwell on the negative, focus on the positive. Three basic affirmations that you can work from include:
o “I am safe and secure.”
o “The Universe gives me everything that I need.”
o “My income will continue to increase.”

Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol Level

You can lower cholesterol without drugs by following some basic steps that will not only change your cholesterol readings, but also improve your health today and in the future. So often we use a prescription drug and hope it will magically cure whatever ails us. The truth is prescription drugs for lowering cholesterol do work. The problem is both the short term and long-term side effects.

Even more dangerous than the side effects of prescription drugs to lower cholesterol is not getting cholesterol under control. Over time, high cholesterol can lead to numerous conditions of the heart and arteries, not the least of which are atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), stroke or heart attack.

Here are 5 steps you can take today to lower your cholesterol without prescription drugs.

Eat right. May sound simple, but diet has such a significant impact on lowering cholesterol that it should be the number one factor you look at in determining if your high cholesterol is hereditary or a matter of dietary choices. A low fat and low cholesterol diet is the first step toward lowering cholesterol.

Exercise. Improving cardiovascular health is a step toward reversing the effects of high cholesterol. Exercise itself doesn’t directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system.

Quit smoking. If you smoke, the plaque build up in the arteries due to high cholesterol is accelerated. When plaque blocks the flow of blood to the heart, the muscle has to work harder to get oxygen. This can lead to a heart attack. If the arteries get completely blocked with plaque from high cholesterol then a stroke can occur.

Relax. Chronic stress can affect cholesterol levels. If you are constantly stressed and eating a low cholesterol diet, you may not see any improvement in cholesterol readings until you learn to relieve stress.

Talk to your doctor. Not all doctors are quick to prescribe medications. In fact, the more enlightened doctors will help you form a diet and exercise plan that is suitable for your current overall health and abilities as a first step toward lowering cholesterol. It is always important to ask your doctor if your decision to follow a specific diet or exercise plan is right for you. In addition, do not stop taking medications before consulting with your doctor. You can lower your cholesterol with diet and exercise, and under the care of your doctor, see about removing drugs from the process.

It does not take long to see significant improvements in your cholesterol. Lower cholesterol can be yours in just a matter of weeks.

Low Cost Ways to Soothe the Sting of Sunburn

Each of us most likely has at least one memory of nasty sunburn. Whether experienced personally, or by a close family member or friend, the symptoms are likely to include anything from red hot skin – either tender or painful to touch, to nausea, dehydration, blistering and flaking or peeling of the skin.

As anyone who has experienced bad sunburn will verify, the amount of time spent causing the sunburn, is largely disproportionate to the length of time that can be spent suffering the consequences of its effects. In this respect, and depending on the severity of burning, — pain and discomfort can persist for several days after the event, as the body works to heal and recover from the unprotected UV exposure.

Unless the symptoms are severe, (in which instance you may need to consider medical treatment), here are 5 simple home remedies that will cost you next to nothing, and which will assist in soothing the sting and pain of sunburn:

1. Cool baths: – Soaking in a cool * bath is one of the best ways to draw heat from the skin and soothe the pain and discomfort of sunburn. (Avoid ‘cold’ as this can cause the body to go into shock.) Here are some additional things to add to your baths for further relief:

a. Add 10 drops of so of essential oil (chamomile or lavender) to the bath. Soak for 15 minutes or until relief is felt.

b. Adding baking soda (or oatmeal) to a lukewarm bath can also relieve sunburn pain. For this treatment to work best, try to make sure that all affected areas are submerged. Bath water can be poured over your body using your hands or a soft washcloth. Burned facial areas can be gently dabbed using the cloth, or alternately you can splash water directly onto your face. After soaking, lightly pat the skin dry with a soft towel (preferably cotton). If you’ve take an oatmeal bath, let the light coating of oatmeal that clings to your skin remain.

c. Adding vinegar to the bath water will help in taking the sting out of sunburn.

2. Rubbing alcohol: – Because it evaporates so quickly, dabbing on rubbing alcohol will quickly cool and ease the pain of sunburned skin.

3. Vinegar: – Vinegar is an effective and cooling treatment for sunburn. Soak towels with it, and apply to the burned areas. Alternately you can fill a spray bottle and spray it directly on the skin as needed.

4. Egg Whites: – If your burn is painfully hot, separating the white from the yolk of an egg, and then spreading the white over the affected area will help to cool the burning instantly. This can be repeated as often as needed.

5. Potatoes: – Potatoes can also be used to relieve the pain of sunburn. Take 2 potatoes and wash them well. Cut them into tiny chunks and place in a blender to liquefy. (If the result appears too dry, add some water). Pat the affected areas with potato juice. Wait until dry, and then rinse off in a cool shower or bath.

Remember that as well as causing varying degrees of discomfort and pain, repeated sun exposure and sunburn also accelerates the aging process and can increase the risk of cataracts and skin cancer. Prevention therefore should also always be considered more preferable than treatment!

DISCLAIMER: These are home remedy tips only, and should not replace your regular health care provider. If in doubt at any time in relation to your sunburn, please seek the appropriate health care assistance.

Easy Ways to Lift the Spirit

What to do?

Luckily for me there’s always been that curiosity of what’s out there in the alternative world including the alternative therapies. I’ve tried many of them over the years and will continue to do so, all in the hope I can make things better for my body, mind and spirit. And it has.

I’m aware that what may work for me may not work for someone else, so the message is to keep trying until you find something that will suit your needs.

Many times I’ve been told they’ve tried everything. What is everything? What it actually boiled down to you could count on one hand. It’s worthwhile to keep searching, you may find that your world expands in a most amazing way by the making of new friendships (I have) and picking up useful skills for your ‘self-healing’ tool-kit.

So what do I do when I’ve reached a cross-road and need some direction or could do with some healing?

Below I’ve listed 5 basic points that have helped to lift my spirit and with practice will also help yours:

1. Meditation! Meditation is one of the greatest self healing tools available and costs nothing except a little of your time! There are many meditation techniques out there, find one that suits you and begin.

By putting some meditation music on and spending time in quiet contemplation it can soothe your soul and reconnect you with the highest aspect of yourself.

2. Aromatherapy and Essential Oils.

Rebalance and rejuvenate your spirit through blending a selection of essential oils together in an aromatherapy oil burner. I’ve found the following blend works extremely well when there’s a need for nurturing, support and healing:

Approximately an hour before retiring to bed place a few drops of the following in an aromatherapy oil burner with some water (for safety’s sake, extinguish the flame before lights are turned off for the night):

4 drops Jasmine

4 drops Rose

4 drops Neroli

3 drops Lavender

3 drops Bergamot

The smell divine! I use this one every now and again and not only sleep like a baby but anxiety and stress disappears, and feels like the weight of the world has lifted from my shoulders by the following morning! (If you have a small bedroom you might like to half the amount of drops)

3. Breathe! Stand with feet a shoulder-length apart. Take 3 slow and deep breaths using the diaphragm muscles. Breathe in through the nose, and breathe out through slightly parted lips. As you do these imagine you’re inhaling your personal power, filling every cell in your body, from your diaphragm up to the top of your head.

Be your personal power and notice how much taller, straighter and stronger you become. Repeat the steps above.

4. Be in the Present Moment. Take a few deep breaths and focus totally on this moment, right now.

If you’re reading a book or magazine, or even this article, totally focus on the words and take in their meaning. There is only you and this article now in the present moment.

If you’re in the workplace, focus totally on the task at hand, and only this task, and what you must do in order to complete it. Nothing else matters except you and the task at hand.

5. Set an intention. When I’m on the lookout for something new and useful for me, I set my intention on what it is I’m after.

For example, I may want to find a book that will give me answers in regards to directing me to another healing modality or skill. I then meditate on this intention, give it a timeframe then open my heart to it. Lo and behold I will have a book in my hand in no time at all! I love the power of intention – I also use intention for getting a parking space when I go shopping!

These days I rarely get sick and when I do and have a medical checkup, doctors tell me I’m actually very healthy (surely they can find something so I can get some sympathy around here!) which also includes blood test results.

I still do sadness and unhappiness well (I’m still human) though neither lasts long whereas in the past it would last many days sometimes weeks. What lasts much longer is a peaceful state.

When using the 5 points above, my spirit lifts and life once again becomes more peaceful and joyful.

Big Reasons to Relieve and Prevent Thyroid Disorder

Reason 1

The thyroid regulates the rate of energy production in the body’s cells. Thyroid disorder reduces the body’s metabolism and makes you feel sluggish.

Reason 2

Thyroid disorder also increases your risk of degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis and your risk of widespread infection. In severe cases, the energy level in the body’s cells cannot even sustain a basic level of metabolism, creating a life-threatening situation.

Reason 3

One major problem with thyroid disorder is that it’s often missed in diagnostic tests. Even if tests show that you do not have a thyroid disorder, you might still be at risk. If your body is highly acidic, your risk of thyroid disorder increases.

Reason 4

Thus, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with thyroid disorder, it’s important to check your body’s overall pH level and take dietary and other steps to reduce the acid level in your body.

Reason 5

You will not only reduce your chances of developing thyroid disorder or making an existing thyroid disorder even worse. You will improve your health overall and reduce your vulnerability to degenerative disease.

THE RISK

Accumulation of acids in your body, due to insufficient digestion of food, food allergies and consumption of acid-forming substances, can cause thyroid disorder. Acid-related causes of thyroid disorder also include exposure to heavy metals and toxic chemicals in the water supply and in highly processed food. When your body’s acid level rises too high, your thyroid function will be depressed and your metabolism will slow.

Lack of digestive enzymes, also caused by over-consumption of processed foods, further causes your thyroid disorder. Your body’s ability to neutralize acids is further reduced. As you get older, the more toxins you’re exposed to, the more likely you will develop a thyroid disorder if you haven’t already.

THE DAMAGE

With a thyroid disorder, your body’s cells and organs will not metabolize as quickly as they should. The presence of excess acid only makes the problem worse. Your cells and organs will become overrun with acid that they need to eliminate, but your thyroid disorder will reduce their ability to deal with these acids. The acid, in turn, will perpetuate or worsen your thyroid disorder.

For example, a sluggish thyroid reinforces the digestive problems that cause acid to accumulate in your body. Because a thyroid disorder slows your cellular metabolism, it reduces your body’s ability to eliminate acid waste. The more acid-forming substances you consume, the more this cycle repeats.

Thyroid disorder also reduces your immune system function, leading to chronic infection. With the accumulation of acid in your body, infection will spread quickly, further reducing your body’s ability to neutralize acids.

As with other organs, the thyroid needs glucose and oxygen to function. When acid waste accumulates in the bloodstream, these vital substances cannot get through. Without adequate oxygen and glucose, thyroid function is reduced. The resulting thyroid disorder further reduces the body’s ability to clear the bloodstream of these acids that prevent the oxygen and glucose from getting through.

THE BENEFITS OF A BALANCED pH

Because thyroid discover causes so many other degenerative diseases, a thyroid that functions properly can restore health in so many other areas of your body. When you neutralize the acids in your body and eliminate acid-forming substances from your diet, you give your thyroid a chance to heal. Improved thyroid function will, in turn, help your other body organs function properly.

To neutralize acids and restore your body’s pH balance, you need to reduce or eliminate consumption of acidic foods and other acidic substances. Adding more alkaline foods and minerals to your diet can help restore thyroid disorder. As your acid level falls, you’ll find that your thyroid function will increase. Your body’s metabolism will increase as a result, and you’ll be able to neutralize acids even further. The end result will be restored health, higher energy, and a decreased risk of thyroid disorder.

Relieve Back Pain

Michael J. Homan is a Reiki Master and studies natural healthing methods such as Acupressure, Electro-Acupuncture, Reflexology, Crystal Therapy, Chinese Magnetic Cupping, has his own e-Book called 4 Steps To A Pain-FREE Back!, and has a health related web site devoted to health issues and natural healing techniques.

I have studied and taken courses in acupressure. Studied some on chiropractic. I also have looked into psychological issues to do with pain and medical problems. And I am also a Reiki Master.

So now that you have a little about my background, and what fuels my writing… let’s get to the real content.

I am going to condense this article for convenience since it is a combination of four major studies in themselves, but you can get my e-book or read my full articles at my web site, which is healthgrowhealthier.com.

I have found that 4 major things play an important part in your spines health.

First, there is posture. I know this is not the first time you have heard this, but it needs to be said again and again.
Posture should be noted in sitting, standing, and sleeping. Start taking note of your posture at all times. If it is not straight, then start working on fixing it.

If you sleep in a position like I have in the past, with both hands under your pillow while you lay on your side, you can pinch a nerve in your neck if your shoulder of the arm that’s up starts to relax and leans in toward your head or neck. It would be better to lay your arm of your upper hand down on your leg while one hand is under your pillow.
And if you can, buy a few different thickness pillows for throughout the night. I do not know about you, but I can not have a high, fluffy pillow when I lay on my back. But a thin pillow gives me neck ache when I lay on my side.

The second thing on our list is the flexibility of your back.

What you want to do when you notice your back goes out a lot and you experience pinched nerves, is in getting your spine back into alignment and having it flexible.

Of course if you feel a chiropractor is your best choice, by all means seek one. But think about your progress if you could align your own back when ever you needed to. It’s not all that hard!

If you are in pain at the present, put ice or heat on the spot until the pain seems to lessen.

Do NOT, under any circumstances exercise while any of your nerves are inflamed or swollen!

To get your back more flexible you might want to learn kundalini yoga. Not all yoga styles are like those you may have seen on television, where they twist themselves up. Kundalini yoga has very good and useful spinal exercises developed to help flexibility. Kundalini Yoga is also a spiritual tool to help before meditation as well.

It is very important to strengthen your back and the surrounding muscles. This is the third step to a healthy back.
Doing sit-ups is one such exercise, You do not have to do many sit-ups until you feel you can… step by step.
Take all of these things slow and at the pace of your body. Your body will let you know what it is feeling. Pain is a warning sign.
Just remember… taking pain pills is okay when you really need them. But also remember that they do not heal the problem, they only mask the warning sign, they simply stop the warning sign, but not the underlying problem.
Health is more than just eating right. One has to consider mental health, environmental, and many other factors. It is not all that easy for a doctor to diagnose the complete problem and cure it, especially if it has roots in psychological issues and has gone a long time unchecked, and became a physical problem.

The fourth and last step in back health is to start a daily stretching routine. You have
seen cats and dogs stretch when they get up, try it for yourself!

The key to back health is in keeping it actively flexible and strong, or well supported by the stomach and back muscles. You may have to find that happy medium in between like I have, being too much strength in one area will pull out another.
Each person is uniquely different in many areas. So never think what worked for someone else is going to work for you. You may have to build on someone else’s information and work it into your own, personal program.

I recommend you learn a little about acupressure as well to maintain your pain when it flares up.
I have found that I can manage pain by using acupressure, simply by putting pressure on certain areas of the body. But that is something I suggest you seek a professional for help, or look for someone who does acupuncture, or take a course in acupressure like I did.