Thursday, July 31, 2008

All-Natural Cures for Depression

One of the most promising alternative all-natural treatments for depression is not a herb, hormone or vitamin. The dietary supplement S-adenosylmethionine, better known as SAM-e (pronounced “sammy”) is the synthetic form of a compound produced naturally in the body.

What is SAMe?
Also known as: SAM-e, S-adenosylmethionine

The supplement SAMe is a synthetic form of a compound formed naturally in the body from the essential amino acid methionine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy-producing compound found in all cells in the body. It was first discovered in 1953.

SAMe is believed to work by being a methyl group donor in many reactions in the body. After donating the methyl group, it is converted to a compound called S-adenosyl-homocysteine.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

All Natural Cure for Anxiety

Feeling anxious and a little nervous about something or someone, from time to time, is perfectly normal. If you fit this description, don't worry, you probably have natural anxiety. If, on the other hand, you feel anxious without reason and these worries persist over a period of time, you may have generalized anxiety disorder.

Symptoms may include restlessness, feeling tense or on edge, irritability, impatience, or poor concentration. People suffering from this disorder may experience headaches, jaw pain, muscle tension, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, dry mouth, fatigue, chest tightness, indigestion, bloating, excessive sweating, and headache.

All-Natural Anxiety Remedy - Passion Flower



Passion flower and its roots have a long history of use among Native Americans in North America. The fresh or dried leaves were used to make an infusion, a tea that was used in treating insomnia, hysteria, epilepsy, and anxiety. Today, people who drink this passion flower tea rave about the relief they get from a lot of different ailments that they suffer from.The flower contains traces of anti-depressant properties that have mind-altering effects, but the highest concentrations can be found in the leaves and roots. Many different cultures have known to dry the leaves and then smoke them, as part of their religious ceremony.


All-Natural Anxiety Remedy - Bodywork



One of the most effective treatments for anxiety is getting a good workout every day. Whether it is weight lifting or some type of aerobic activity, when you start sweating your anxiety disappears. Massage therapy and shiatsu are two remedies that are particularly effective.

All Natural Anxiety Remedy - Meditation and Yoga



The body's natural relaxation response is a powerful antidote to anxiety. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga can help one activate the relaxation response in the body. When practiced on a regular basis, these activities can reduce stress levels tremendously. In addition, over time they teach the body to remain calm and collected in any situation.

All-Natural Anxiety Remedy - Deep Breathing




Deep breathing is an excellent technique for stress relieve, that includes not only the lungs but also the abdomen, or diaphragm. Most people do not breathe naturally from their diaphragm; instead they take shallow breaths from their upper chests. When they get stressed out about something, their breath becomes even shallower. The problem is further intensified because less oxygen is taken in by the body during shallow breathing, which leads to further anxiety.

Natural Weight Loss for Good Health

Weight loss is becoming an unhealthy obsession dealing with body images, but in some cases can improve health and fitness. When weight loss is a result of eating healthy, exercising and/or taking natural weight loss supplements in contrast to synthetic prescription drugs with the risk of harmful side effects, weight loss can be effective, rewarding, and greatly improve overall health.


Extra weight, especially extra fat on a person's body, applies significantly increased stresses on the heart, joints and back. These stresses can be extremely detrimental to one's health. Healthy weight loss can reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis and other health problems, as well as generally extending an otherwise average life span. Recently, the scientific root cause or explanation of obesity has been revealed as being part of one's physiology. The internal functions of an obese person are different than those of a healthy person, and cause intense hunger pains and food cravings.



All-Natural weight loss supplements can help counteract this constant hunger and lead to healthy weight loss. Unbalanced hormones are a common cause of weight gain, therefore taking natural hormone balancers and herbal supplements would help to create a healthy weight loss regimen. Restoring your health allows you to lose weight naturally, without excess frustration and effort. It's all about losing weight from the inside out.

Emotional issues always accompany change, especially changes in our bodies e.g. natural weight loss. Weight loss affects our perception body image, our sense of identity i.e. who am I?, and how we feel about ourselves in general. Weight loss also effects our social relationships in that there may be people in our family or social contacts that are emotionally invested in our remaining the same i.e. overweight with all that it symbolizes e.g. friendliness, non-threatening, protective, jovial, helpful, etc. Beyond our physical health, it can be said that "size matters" cognitively and emotionally to ourselves and others. Eating and food have come to symbolize being accepted, being cared for and comfort. Having the support of others in our efforts to naturally lose weight and regain our health is a huge advantage.

We have been "conditioned" to fear any kind of loss, including weight loss. Especially if what we may lose is something with which we identify i.e. use to tell us who we are.

The emotions of fear, anger, anxiety and depression effect our weight. We often tend to "stuff our feelings" or numb these emotional feelings or stress by overeating. We may even overeat, thinking that will ease the physical discomfort caused by excess weight e.g. physical pain, lack of sleep, and lack of energy caused by moderate depression. To improve our overall health and support us through the process of natural weight loss and the emotional dynamics around it, we can take advantage of natural sleep aids, natural depression relief and natural pain relief health care products.

Our weight and health is greatly dependent upon our having a healthy digestive system or metabolism. Our digestive system converts, on a cellular and muscular level, the foods we eat, eliminates toxins, and uses and stores glucose for energy. Natural enzymes trigger hunger signals and facilitate absorption of nutrition. Good digestion with the help of natural enzymes aids in the conversion of fat to muscle.

Allergy and sensitivity to food, parasites, yeast overgrowth and emotional stress are signals of digestive disruption and inflammation. Natural essential fatty acids work to reduce intestinal inflammation, decrease harmful acids, help the liver process proteins that grow muscle, balance hormones and facilitate the elimination of toxins. Natural essential fatty acids help clear our digestive system of heavy metals, harmful bacteria, pesticides that we are increasingly encountering in our environment. Essential fatty acids along with natural fiber help us clean out the intestinal debris that harm our health and often lead to weight gain. Essential fatty acids also help our brain's neurotransmitters to function properly in order to deal with stress, emotions, and cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain.

All Natural amino acids are the building blocks that make up proteins. Next to water, protein makes up the greatest part of our body weight. Amino acids help increase metabolism, build muscle, ease moderate depression, and help burn fat. Natural antioxidants help carry more oxygen to cells and muscles to help increase energy, burn fat, build muscle and process the foods we eat.

Hormone balance is essential for natural weight loss. Our metabolism slows as we get older because of the decrease or imbalance of hormones. This contributes to weight gain. Hormone balance also helps us deal with stress that leads to weight gain. Proper hormone balance helps to decrease cravings and binge eating. There are many natural hormone balancing products available, e.g. natural progesterone, promensil, soy isoflavones, essential fatty acids and hormone balancing formulas.

Our metabolism's primary task is to nourish our brains. We need healthy neurotransmitters to help us curb craving, ease depression, and deal with stress that lead to weight gain. Balancing our natural brain chemistry has a calming effect and allows us to feel a sens of well being and safety. There are many natural health care products to help balance brain chemistry, e.g. essential fatty acids, natural depression relief products, natural products to increase serotonin, and more. When our brain feels well and safe, it is prone to change our metabolism from calorie saving to calorie burning.

Our bodies were designed to move and be active. Movement requires muscle activity. Muscle activity uses the glycogen supply found in our muscles. When this glycogen supply stored in our muscles is used, our body is forced to use stored fat as an energy source. Using this stored fat through movement and exercise, results in natural weight loss. There is no reason for us to become athletes to accomplish natural weight loss. Low impact exercise like swimming, walking, etc, can be done slowly and without strain. In order to lose real weight rather than "water weight", it is important to drink extra amounts of water when exercising. Drinking more water will also help our digestive system and metabolism to use and eliminate extra weight.

Remember, the first objective, accomplished through natural weight loss, is to improve our physical and emotional health. This involves having a healthy digestive system, a healthy emotional system and a healthy nutritional system. We can build these healthy systems with natural vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, natural digestive aid, pain relief aid, natural sleep aids, natural emotional and mood aids, essential fatty acids and many more helpful natural health care products. We need to concentrate on improving our general health, feeling good, and living well through all-natural weight loss, rather than constantly comparing ourselves to someone else's idea about appearance from some magazine. Physical and emotional health is primary. Appearance may be important to us, but it is secondary. Through all-natural weight loss, we can live well and live long.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Are All-Natural Cures Effective for Cancer?

The debate surrounding the effectiveness of using natural cures for prostate cancer has gone on for quite some time. Although some people are advocating the use of herbal medicines and other natural processes in treating cancer, most of the scientific community is still hesitant to endorse such options.

According to some medical societies, natural cures for prostate cancer are not accurately termed since these natural procedures and materials cannot really cure cancer but are mostly used to improve the quality of life of cancer patients. Natural treatment methods are usually based on proper nutrition. Herbs, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are the most common basic ingredients of these so-called natural cures.

Most natural treatment options are based on herbs or antioxidants. In studies advocating the use of natural methods for treating prostate cancer, saw palmetto is often highlighted. This herb is primarily known for its anabolic properties and is more commonly used in treating benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). The herb operates by inhibiting the synthesis of growth-stimulating dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and promoting DHT elimination through the lowering of estrogen levels.

According to several clinical studies, saw palmetto is actually more effective in treating enlarged prostate than the prescribed drug, Proscar. These studies also argue that using the herb is better than using Proscar since the latter is more expensive and is associated with several side effects that include erectile dysfunction.

Another popular herbal remedy promoted by a number of studies is pygeum. Pygeum is an indigenous African remedy derived from tree bark. This herbal remedy contains chemicals that inhibit DHT synthesis and is often used to treat enlarged prostate. Aside from saw palmetto and pygeum, there is another herbal remedy that has become popular among natural cure advocates, and this is Cernilton. This herbal product is prepared from the extract of rye pollen and is used to treat BPH and prostatitis. In some parts of the world, the herb stinging nettle is also used to cure prostate disorders. This herb is marketed in the Europe under the name Bazoton.

Some natural remedies for prostate cancer and other prostate disorders use antioxidants as their primary ingredients. Lycopene, resveratrol and selenium are among some of the more common of these antioxidants. Most herbal remedies or antioxidant-based cures are marketed as supplements since absolute confirmation of their ability to cure cancer has yet to be issued by medical and health authorities.

The effectiveness of natural cures for prostate cancer has not yet been fully agreed on and some medical societies still oppose the use of these remedies. Nevertheless, advocates of these methods are continuously promoting them as treatment options for cancer.



Mensglands.com provides you with info on natural cures for prostate cancer, its treatments and symptoms and how to overcome or reduce the risk of getting it. http://www.mensglands.com/

Natural Cure for Migrane Head Ache

Many people have had relief from migraine headaches by eating two teaspoons of honey at each meal. This will also prevent an attack in many people.Another effective means is to use natural apple cider vinegar. Equal parts of natural apple cider vinegar and water should be placed in a small pan on the stove, allowing it to boil slowly. When the steam vapors begin to rise from the pan, lean your head over it until the fumes are comfortably strong. Inhale for approximately 50 to 80 breaths. This generally alleviates the headache considerably, if not entirely.

Moisten your fingertips with Pure Almond Carrier Oil then add two drops of Lavender Essential Oil. In a circular motion, gently massage your temples, the hollows at the sides of your eyes, behind your ears, and over your neck.

Dawna says: "I suffered with migranes for over 20 years. I recently discovered that taking a feverfew daily eliminates my migranes. I told the congregration at my church and I have had MANY people that said that fever few eliminated their migranes as well." The all-natural way

Natural Cures for Constipation

Even though it is not something that a lot of people like to talk about, we all have to deal with constipation on occasion. As a child I was told that I had a problem with this, but I never felt any sort of pain. When I would get sick, someone would always inevitably ask me when was the last time I used the bathroom. At that time in my life it was only once every two or three days, and they were always concerned that something was wrong with me. One particular babysitter was very concerned about my problem even though it wasn’t bothering me. She often talked about natural cures for constipation to make things better for me.

My mother wasn’t concerned because she had talked to my doctor about it and he wasn’t concerned. As long as I was not in any sort of pain, or is not affecting my health, he saw nothing wrong with the frequency of my trips to the bathroom. He did however say that natural cures for constipation may help me become more regular as I got older. When you think of natural cures for constipation you may be thinking of some sort of medicine, but you should know that there are simpler ways to go about this.

Some of the best natural cures for constipation are things that you eat every day. In many cases, there are no medications needed. If you were to eat, for example, raisin bran on a daily basis, you will find that you are more regular thing you ever were before. Other natural cures for constipation might be eating prunes, though they are not very pleasant, or any other type of fruit that aids in digestion. You may also want to try cereals that are high in fiber each morning for breakfast.

For some people though, these natural cures for constipation don’t work. When you are constipated, there is not enough liquid in your system. You may want to concentrate on drinking more water, and staying away from foods that are known to cause constipation. If you have a thing for cheese, you may want to cut back on how much you eat. If you find that you are still having problems, you may want to talk to your doctor about other natural cures for constipation that you have not considered yet. If these don’t work, your doctor may have to give you a prescription or do some additional testing to find out what is going on with your body.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Go Organic! Why?

Reasons For Eating Organic

If you include organic foods in your holiday menu, you’ll be in step with the latest food trends, according to industry polls. And you may also be doing your children’s health a favor. Parents who feed their children organically grown food can substantially lower the levels of pesticide residues to which their kids are exposed, according to a new study.
Even before the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “organic” seal went into effect last October, which certifies foods grown free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, growth hormones and genetically-engineered substances, Alexandra Ramdin decided to give organic foods a try.
“Nothing had been conclusively proven showing organic food to be healthier or more nutritious,” says Ramdin, a Seattle mother of two daughters, ages 2 and 5. “But I decided to give organic the benefit of the doubt.”

Now, having enrolled in a study that tested children to determine whether eating organic food reduced their exposure to pesticides, Ramdin is even more certain about her choice.
She and a neighbor, whose family eats a conventional diet, were among 40 households who kept food diaries of their children for three days, then collected their kids’ urine for analysis. The study by researchers at the University of Washington concluded that children fed a diet of organic foods were exposed to far fewer — six to nine times less — toxic pesticides than children fed a conventional diet.
“Buying organic makes me feel good, that I’m doing something good for the land,” says Ramdin. “But it’s great to hear that there are real differences in what chemicals my children were exposed to.”

Study Compares Diet

While other studies have documented the presence of pesticide metabolites, or breakdown products of the synthetic chemicals, in children’s bodies, this is the first study to document the difference in exposures to pesticides offered by an organic versus a conventional diet, says Richard Wiles of the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research organization based in Washington, D.C.
The researchers measured six metabolites that derive from some 39 organophosphorus pesticides, the most commonly used in the United States and also some of the most toxic. They compared a group of 18 organic-eating children with 21 conventional food-eating children all roughly the same age (2-to-5-years-old on average), gender, and of similar family income. The children with primarily organic diets had far lower levels of the metabolites in their bodies.
The study was in the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ journal “Environmental Health Perspectives” and will be forthcoming in its print edition this spring.
“It’s definitely a big step ahead,” says Wiles. “It proves what we’ve said all along — that eating food with more pesticide residues can make a difference in what actually gets into the body.”
Now Wiles and his group are hoping to convince the USDA to inform consumers of the findings.
“USDA has always insisted that organic is no safer, but it is safer with respect to pesticide exposure, as this study shows ...,” Wiles said in a statement on the group’s Web site.
Industry downplays resultsRepresentatives of the agricultural chemical industry downplayed the significance of the study.
“We can speculate all day about the possibilities of what those pesticide exposures might mean for children, but these researchers haven’t proven that these children are having their health harmed in any way,” said Ray McAllister of Crop Life America, a trade association representing manufacturers and distributors of agricultural chemicals. “In fact, those metabolites are not toxic to the children.”
But some scientists familiar with the study disagree.
“The sheer presence of a metabolite shows exposure to these toxic pesticides,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, director of the Children’s Center for Health and the Environment at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. “This study contributes to public understanding of the importance of eating organic food and changes the perception that it’s no safer than conventional food — at least with respect to chemical exposures.”
Just how toxic those exposures were to the children is difficult to say, said Richard Fenske, one of the researchers involved in the study. The metabolites in question could derive from any of a number of organophosphorus compounds in use on fruits and vegetables, some of which are more toxic than others.
“What we do know is that chronic exposures to low levels of pesticides could very well be significant,” said Cynthia Curl, another researcher involved with the study. Children exposed to high levels of organophosphate pesticides are at risk for bone and brain cancer, neuroblastoma and childhood leukemia, she added.
The researchers did not conclude that children eating conventional diets were being exposed to higher levels of toxins than those set by the EPA.
“That they were being exposed is a grey area of concern,” said Curl.
“Their metabolites were higher than the adult averages found in some of the most recent Center for Disease Control human exposure studies,” added Fenske.
In light of the uncertainty over how much pesticide is on food and how it might affect children, the researchers concluded that one way parents can take steps to reduce their children’s exposure is to feed them organic food. Eating the right organic foods vs. "junk" can be an all-natural cure for many things in many ways.

Organic Foods

Are They Safer And More Nutricious?
Learn the difference between organic foods and their traditionally grown counterparts. Decide which is best for you, considering nutrition, quality, taste, cost and other factors.
You're in a bit of a dilemma standing in front of the produce section of your local supermarket. In one hand, you're holding a conventionally grown Granny Smith apple. In your other hand, you have one that's been organically grown. Both apples are firm, shiny and green. Both provide vitamins and fiber, and both are free of fat, sodium and cholesterol.
The conventionally grown apple costs less and is a proven family favorite. But the organic apple has a label that says "USDA Organic." Does that mean it's better? Safer? More nutritious? Several differences between organic and nonorganic foods exist. Become a better informed consumer for your next trip to the supermarket.
Conventional vs. Organic Farming
The word "organic" refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than using chemical weedkillers, organic farmers conduct sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay.



Advantage of Using All-Natural

All-Natural herbs are better and more a safe/effective alternative to manufactured pharmaceutical drugs. All-Natural cures can be found in all-natural herbs. Organic foods are a great start to living healthy.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Organic Foods



Why Eat Organic ?
By choosing organic foods, you are choosing to bring more health into your life. Eating organic foods helps to build immunity, increase strength and promotes recovery from chronic conditions.
While organic food is mainstream now and can be found in nearly all grocery and health food stores, visiting Farmer's Markets is one of the best ways to find organic foods and support your local community and you'll get far fresher foods than those that have been shipped from all parts of the country.
Organically grown meats and poultries are also becoming more available.
Whats The Difference?
Just as with vitamins, there is always "something" that eludes a manufacturer. The makers of chemical fertilizers cannot reproduce in their correct proportions the essential trace elements that go to make up the good earth.
Modern large-scale food production methods have made it almost impossible to obtain a really pure and unadulterated product of nature. Chemicals act like a tonic and give plants a sharp uplift, but the effect soon wears off and the soil is left as impoverished as before. Ground without any organic treatment is also devoid of earthworms, which are essential to the health of the soil. Earthworms are the greatest gardeners of all. They eat soil to a vast extent and make about their own weight in the finest fertilizer everyday. Their castings are much richer than the actual soil they take in. Chemicals kill earthworms!
After 100 to 300 years of cultivation, our soils are worn out! And, there are still claims that "evidence is lacking" that chemical fertilizers and pesticides are detrimental to our health. The FDA and the US Department of Agriculture regulate about 60% of the food produced in the United States and individual states are responsible for the rest. Of the 70,000 chemicals produced, the EPA lists 60,000 as either potentially or definitely hazardous to our health!
The argument that "evidence of toxicity is lacking" is not valid because evidence of safety is even more lacking! The tremendous increase in illnesses, especially cancer, may in part be correlated with the hundreds of millions of pounds of pesticides added annually to the billions of pounds already in the ground, bits of them carried by soil solution into every cell of our foods.
Nitrates from commercial fertilizers destroy or decrease the vitamin C content of plants. In our bodies they can be changed to nitrites, which have caused serious illnesses and even fatalities. Government regulations set "parts per million" restrictions which lull us into complacency but a number of insecticides have induced many health problems such as liver and kidney damage. Laboratory research has shown that pesticide residues can be found in the brains of rats but has not been studied in the human brain. Apparently, the body fat of everyone contains poison residues. Single foods exceeding the so-called "level of safety" cannot be marketed, but the cumulative amounts ingested over prolonged periods cannot be controlled.
Three hundred million tons of waste is generated annually by industry. The EPA estimates that 90% of this waste is disposed of improperly. Much of this waste finds its way into our air, water, soil and food supplies. We must learn how to be involved and support efforts to heal and purify our earth and its people!
Food plants from high acre yields, forced by chemical fertilizers, contain more carbohydrates and are lower in protein and minerals. Potassium in the form of chemical fertilizers, or liming the soil, unless done with a magnesium limestone or dolomite, both cause such a severe lack of magnesium in food plants that magnesium deficiencies in humans have become widespread.
Calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron contents of vegetables from mineral-rich organic ground have ranged from four to many hundreds of times higher than those grown on soil long under cultivation. Foods from land rich in natural minerals and humus have a greater protein content than those grown in chemically fertilized soils.
Foods grown on healthy soils appear to produce superior human health. Furthermore, plants grown on well mineralized, composted and mulched land have a remarkable ability to remain healthy and are little bothered by pests. Thousands of organic farmers have proven that the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not needed. One of the factors detrimental to health is the passing of the home garden!
If space permitted, example upon example could be given as to the detrimental effect of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and additives. The destruction of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and proteins in our foods is high. The cumulative amounts and reactions of one chemical with another are magnified through additives. Some foods, such as white bread, are said to contain no fewer than 30 different additives. The soothing "no evidence for alarm" may well continue until irreparable damage has been done, if it hasn't already!
There is some evidence, for example, that sorbic acid and its salts, which are common preservatives, can combine with nitrites, popular food additives, to produce a chemical compound that may cause genetic mutations. Any toxic substance can harm the liver. Since all of us consume, with our foods, pesticides, additives, preservatives and nitrates, it's believed that everyone has liver damage to some extent. Any form of liver damage causes increased susceptibility to cancer. Also, susceptibility increases tremendously when diets are deficient in protein or essential amino acids.
Eating nutritionally depleted and chemically toxic foods is producing disease in our bodies like scientists do in experimental animals. We are the guinea pigs! Simply selecting foods for their nutritive value and preparing them to be delicious with minimal losses of nutrients would improve health drastically.
Physical health, which is the basis for mental, emotional and spiritual development, cannot be maintained without adequate nutrition. Sound nutrition is your fortress against disease.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The Body's PH



A Brief Science of Body pH
Minerals with a negative electrical charge are attracted to the H+ ion. These are called acid minerals. Acid minerals include: chlorine (Cl-), sulfur (S-), phosphorus (P-), and they form hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and phosphoric acid (H3PO4). Minerals with a positive electrical charge are attracted to the negatively charged OH- ion. These are called alkaline minerals. Nutritionally important alkaline minerals include calcium (Ca+), potassium (K+), magnesium (Mg+), and sodium (Na+). (Cancer patients tend to have an excess of sodium. - Gerson page 97). To determine if a food is acid or alkaline, it is burned and the ash is mixed with water. If the solution is acid or alkaline then the food is called acid or alkaline. Ash is the mineral content of the food.
Also, while it is commonly understood that the body needs calcium to build bones, what is not generally known is bones are a complex matrix of many different minerals and if all the required minerals are not present then strong bones cannot be built. There are at least 18 key bone-building nutrients essential for optimum bone health. The implication is that it is easier to destroy bone through excess acidity in the body than it is to rebuild bone. Furthermore, as farm soils become depleted of many trace minerals the foods grown on these soils contain less and less of the required nutrients. At last count, the human body requires 90 different nutrients for optimum health, and the list is growing year by year.
How does this relate to body metabolism? Basically, if the body fluids are acid they will seek alkaline minerals to react with - such as sodium, potassium, zinc, iron, calcium. These are found in the liver, muscles, ligaments and bones, etc., if too little is available from the diet. But why should this happen? Effectively, all the body's internal fluids are designed to be slightly alkaline, such as interstitial fluid, cerebrospinal and lymphatic fluid, liver bile and so on. The only exception to this is the hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach.While our bodies are designed to be alkaline, cells produce acid as a by-product of their normal activity. The acid waste matter thus produced is reduced to carbon dioxide and water which are excreted harmlessly from the body.
When food is consumed and metabolized, however, not all of it is used up. A residue remains and this has been called ash (and perhaps the major area of disagreement in this subject is over the classification of foods into acid-ash forming and alkaline-ash forming foods). Digestion oxidizes foods in much the same way as if they were burned except that it involves enzymes operating at low temperatures; a lemon, for example, will break down into carbohydrates that will further break down into carbon dioxide and water leaving a residual alkaline ash consisting of minerals salts such as sodium, potassium and calcium etc. So while a lemon will taste acid and present and acid pH if tested raw, its ash will be alkaline and so will its effect on the body.Proteins on the other hand leave an ash consisting of phosphates, sulphates and nitrates (from the phosphorus, sulphur and nitrogen that proteins contain). These are all acid. The net effect of protein consumption (whether from animal or vegetable sources) is to increase acidity.
The body has to rid itself of its acid wastes. This type of acid ash cannot be eliminated through the lungs as carbon dioxide and water in the same way as cellular metabolism. Instead the body has to buffer the ash with alkaline substances in order to neutralize it. Buffering takes place both inside and outside the cell, the majority of the buffering occurring in the blood itself. Clinical research by Dr M T Morter (Arkansas, USA) has shown that if the anabolic urinary and salivary pH (measured immediately upon awakening) is below 6.8, we can be relatively certain that digestive support must be provided. Controlled clinical studies by Dr Paul Yanick (Pasadena, USA) have confirmed Dr Morter's findings and recorded that intracellular assimilation of nutrients is significantly decreased when the anabolic pH is below 6.8.
However as both these researchers have shown, supplementing the diet with appropriate alkalizing agents was highly beneficial in elevating the systemic pH by replenishing the alkaline mineral and enzyme reserves. Since systemic deficiencies show only in the last instance in the digestive tract, practitioners should not wait until the signs and symptoms of poor digestion become evident. From a preventative perspective, compensation should be made when symptoms are minimal and the anabolic pH is below 7.4 after an Alkaline Load Test (see "Correlative Urinalysis" by M T Morter).Diets which are high in protein, fat and carbohydrates and low in greens and raw food, stress the digestive mechanisms, inhibiting proper digestion and overloading the immune system with incompletely digested macromolecules and toxins. These digestive disturbances are aggravated by the typically high intake of food additives, pesticides and stimulating foods that are common in the Western diet.Also in a effect to solve the problem of worsening public water quality, more and more people are turning to water in plastic containers. What is usually not realized is that virtually all bottled water is highly acidic and missing the essential alkalizing minerals.
What Is The Healthy pH Range?
The pH scale ranges from 0 (the highest acidic) to 14 (the most alkaline). A solution with a pH of 7 is neutral.At pH 7, water contains equal amounts of H+ and OH- ions. Substances with a pH of less than 7 are acidic because they contain a higher concentration of H+ ions. Substances with a pH higher than 7 are alkaline because they contain a higher concentration of OH-. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14 and is logarithmic, which means that each step is ten times the previous. In other words, a pH of 5 is 10 times more acid than 6, 100 times more acid than 7 and 1,000 times more acid than 8. In this light, you can see how a slight change in your pH value can have a great impact on your internal environment and, ultimately, your health.When healthy, the blood pH is 7.365, the pH of spinal fluid is 7.4, and the saliva pH is 7.4. This ideal blood pH measurement means it is more alkaline than acid.
In the absence of oxygen, glucose undergoes fermentation to lactic acid. Our bodies simply can not fight disease if our body pH balance is compromised.It has been determined that an alkaline body is more conducive to health and well-being than an acidic one. An undesirable pH can lead to a variety of negative health effects. A body that tends toward acidity heightens the risk for infections from bacteria, yeast, parasites, and viruses. All of these seek out and thrive in an acid environment.Not only are you more susceptible to infections such as colds and the flu but also degenerative diseases are promoted if your pH is consistently acid.Furthermore, populations of bacteria, fungi, etc. may be thriving throughout your body without causing acute disease, yet producing copious acid waste products. These stealth infections may underlie a variety of degenerative conditions. Bacteria are found in arthritic joints, arterial plaque, and many other placesIf disease is to be prevented or successfully managed, an acid pH must be overcome.
The Importance of pH Balance in Maintaining Health
" Thus the saliva pH parallels the extra cellular fluid ... pH paper test using saliva represents the most consistent and most definitive physical sign of the ionic calcium deficiency syndrome ... The saliva pH of the non-deficient and healthy person is in the 7.5 to 7.1 slightly alkaline range. The range from 6.5 which is weakly acidic to 4.5 which is strongly acidic represents states from mildly deficient to strongly deficient, respectively.Most children are dark blue, a pH of 7.5. Over half of adults are green-yellow, a pH of 6.5 or lower, reflecting the calcium deficiency of aging and lifestyle defects. Cancer patients are usually a bright yellow, a pH of 4.5, especially when terminal."The Calcium Factor. Many natural foods can help balance your body's Ph.

Natural Cure for Hemorrhoids

Natural Cure for Hemorrhoids

There are various Natural cure for hemorrhoids. Often nature cures what even science cannot think of. Natural cure for hemorrhoids provide gradual relief from hemorrhoid pain. With natural cure for hemorrhoids there is no more the need for dietary supplements for the rest of your life. The fear and pain of surgical removal is not required and it can work out more cost effective.

How the natural cure for hemorrhoids work
Improve the vascular circulation & strengthen vein tone to prevent future internal or external hemorrhoids.

It should naturally treat the underlying root causes of hemorrhoids.

It should help relieve the symptoms of hemorrhoids like burning, itching, and anal discomfort.






Some plants extracts, which aid the natural cure for hemorrhoids

Japanese Pagoda Tree- This tree extract is one of the best herbal supplement for naturally treating hemorrhoids. Clinical studies prove that this herbal extract successfully eliminated the hemorrhoids symptoms with a great success rate. The help normalize the permeability of veins and capillaries and strengthen vein walls. They provide necessary nutrients to maintain optimal vein health.

Horse chestnut- This extract is said to have the ability to support vascular circulation, as well as strengthen connective tissues and vein tone.

Butcher's broom- It acts as a natural vasoconstrictor with anti-inflammatory properties and has the ability to strengthen and tone veins.

Astringent- Astringent herbs or extracts applied directly on the affected area help tighten and tone loose tissue, stop bleeding and help promote a soothing and cooling effect on contact. These herbs are also known to help strengthen blood vessels and keep varicose veins in check. They are found in pharmacies in products with herbal hemorrhoids compounds.

Natural cure for hemorrhoids with preventive measures

1. Apply ice packs on the affected areas.

2. Sitz bath, which is a small tub and is specially designed to allow the soaking of hemorrhoids without taking a bath. In this process the rectal area is soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes about 3-4 times a day. Not only does this helps relieve symptoms but also aids shrinkage of the hemorrhoids

3. Buy a doughnut shaped cushion. They are available in pharmacies and medical supply stores and can be useful to hemorrhoid sufferers. Try and sit on it as instructed.

4. Try and practice healthy bowel habits. Avoid straining your self while passing stool. Don't hold your breathe will on the bowel. Get off the toilet as you are finished.

5. Drink lots of water as it smoothens your stool passage.

6. Eating fresh fruits, vegetables and fibrous food items. Avoid spicy food, chocolates, soda, etc. They will just make things worse.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Natural Cures for illness, Pain and Disease!: Home remedies for Acne

Natural Cures for illness, Pain and Disease!: Home remedies for Acne

Maintaining Great Health

The best ways to maintain good health are natural. By making simple lifestyle changes, within days you can start to look better, feel better, think better, have more energy, lose weight, help protect yourself from heart disease, diabetes and cancer (our number one killers) and slow down your aging process to live a longer, happier, healthier life. So why not do it?There are 10,000 ways to die. But Americans tend to choose the same four over and over again. The word “choose” is deliberate, because most Americans are choosing a suicidal lifestyle. “Poor diet, excess body weight, physical inactivity and smoking,” Dr. Augustus Grant, president of the American Heart Association (AHA), says, “are modifiable risk factors that contribute to the premature death of close to 1.5 million Americans each year.”Yet, millions of Americans continue to veg-out on the couch, eat junk food and smoke. So, if you want to get healthy and stay healthy, you need to act as if your life depended on it. Because it does. Commit to an eating plan that’s low in calories and high in nutrition. Eat more broiled fish, chicken and low fat dairy and at least five to nine daily servings of colorful fruits and vegetables without the butter, cream and other fatty sauces and dressings. Eliminate refined carbohydrates - high glycemic sugars, white bread, flour, pasta, cakes, cookies, pies and pastries. Switch to sprouted and whole grain breads and pasta. Start a regular exercise program. It doesn’t have to be high tech, high cost or high competition. If you’re out of shape, start slowly. Begin with a walk around the block. People who walk at least two hours a week at a 3-mph pace reduce their risk of death from heart disease by 34% and of all diseases by 39%. Those who walk 3 to 4 hours a week cut their risk of death by half. If you smoke, stop. Smoking, which is linked to cancer of the lung, mouth, stomach, pancreas and bladder, is the number one avoidable health risk in the world. Smokers have four times the risk for heart disease and twice the risk of stroke. Smoking also wrinkles skin and yellows teeth, making smokers look older. Even if you’re doing everything else right, the American Medical Association recommends everyone take a daily vitamin/mineral supplement to be sure you get all the nutrititional elements you need to be healthy. Choose a program that uses natural human-food sources, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. My highest recommendation can be found at www.feel-better.info. Changing current habits may seem challenging at first, but once you make health a priority, other things become less important. Good health is a blessing with priceless benefits, and your investment of time, energy and mental focus will soon pay off richly.

All-Natural Cures!

When you get sick, you go to the doctor. And the doctor will, of course,
prescribe medicines. You will go and buy medicines. You take them, and hopefully, you
get well.
This is how the health profession goes on nowadays – a cycle of diagnosis and
prescription.
If anyone were to give you herbs for medicine, you would probably say that that
person was a quack.
But nowadays, studies are being conducted to see if there are really is any merit to what
is called natural medicine.
Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal remedies, and traditional
practices to heal ailments. Every culture has a form of natural medicine. In ancient
cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community, passing on
medical knowledge to the apprentices that followed them.
Many categories of the healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these
are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine
(herbal remedies).
Usually, natural medicine refers to medical practices that were in place before the
advent of modern medicine.
This includes herbal remedies medicine, or phytotherapy, which is prevalent in
Chinese, Ayurvedic (or Indian), and Greek medicine.
Upon the advent of modern medicine, many professionals discarded the use of
herbal remedies in favor of man-made medicine. The fact that these treatments are
based on the healing properties of some herbs was forgotten.
For example, opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in
traditional medicine.
Natural medicine herbal remedies can be considered as a lost art. This does not mean
that it has lost efficacy over time. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better
than modern medicine. This leads some doctors to seriously consider and study
the possible uses of natural medicine.
Before we continue, it is important to stress that not all the natural herbal remedies
are legitimate. It would help to only try those remedies which have been
thoroughly studied and are relatively risk free.
Take herbal remedies medicine for example. There are many well-documented
and studied herbal remedies available. However, only those that deal with minor
ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and its ilk are likely to be
recommended by health professionals. These remedies are sometimes superior
to synthetic medicine. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause
negative side effects.
Currently there are numerous organizations that study the effects and advocacy of
natural medicine – among which is herbal remedies medicine. Some governments
and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are
inexpensive and relatively risk-free.
As their studies compile, more herbs and treatments are added to the list of
accepted medicines. However, many herbs and treatments have been proven to be
bogus medicine. This represents a challenge for both the user and the agencies
because they have to ascertain that the treatments they either use or advocate
are legitimate.
There exist today many alternative medical treatments that fall under natural
medicine. However, not all of them have been proven to be effective. You could
mention homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative
medical treatments. It would pay to consult the experts as to the legitimacy of
these treatments.
Natural medicine should also be thought of as an accompanying medicine. Right now,
the current collective medical thought suggests that natural medicine be used only
to supplement accepted modern medical practices. In that case of minor ailments
your expert we actually advise you to take natural therapies instead.
The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and
prescribing treatments for such. Natural medicine is helpful because it suggests
that treatment be not necessarily given only when sick. Natural medicine strives to
make each patient practice good health habits. These habits include good diet,
healthy living, and the regular natural treatment.
It is this same line of thought that leads our parents to tell us to eat our vegetables.
Yes, a healthy lifestyle and will do no harm to our well-being. And this is the foundation
of natural medicine – may it be massage, herbal remedies medicine, aromatherapy
or others.
It is funny but true that science, in its quest for excellence, is studying the knowledge
of sages past. This, surprisingly, leads us back to the herbal remedies nature offers.
The possibilities of finding herbal remedies to everyday illnesses in natural medicine
are encouraging. So staying tuned to studying these remedies is worthwhile until we
can verify that these therapies are truly helpful to our health and our society.

All-Natural Cures!

When you get sick, you go to the doctor. And the doctor will, of course,
prescribe medicines. You will go and buy medicines. You take them, and hopefully, you
get well.
This is how the health profession goes on nowadays – a cycle of diagnosis and
prescription.
If anyone were to give you herbs for medicine, you would probably say that that
person was a quack.
But nowadays, studies are being conducted to see if there are really is any merit to what
is called natural medicine.
Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal remedies, and traditional
practices to heal ailments. Every culture has a form of natural medicine. In ancient
cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community, passing on
medical knowledge to the apprentices that followed them.
Many categories of the healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these
are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine
(herbal remedies).
Usually, natural medicine refers to medical practices that were in place before the
advent of modern medicine.
This includes herbal remedies medicine, or phytotherapy, which is prevalent in
Chinese, Ayurvedic (or Indian), and Greek medicine.
Upon the advent of modern medicine, many professionals discarded the use of
herbal remedies in favor of man-made medicine. The fact that these treatments are
based on the healing properties of some herbs was forgotten.
For example, opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in
traditional medicine.
Natural medicine herbal remedies can be considered as a lost art. This does not mean
that it has lost efficacy over time. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better
than modern medicine. This leads some doctors to seriously consider and study
the possible uses of natural medicine.
Before we continue, it is important to stress that not all the natural herbal remedies
are legitimate. It would help to only try those remedies which have been
thoroughly studied and are relatively risk free.
Take herbal remedies medicine for example. There are many well-documented
and studied herbal remedies available. However, only those that deal with minor
ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and its ilk are likely to be
recommended by health professionals. These remedies are sometimes superior
to synthetic medicine. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause
negative side effects.
Currently there are numerous organizations that study the effects and advocacy of
natural medicine – among which is herbal remedies medicine. Some governments
and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are
inexpensive and relatively risk-free.
As their studies compile, more herbs and treatments are added to the list of
accepted medicines. However, many herbs and treatments have been proven to be
bogus medicine. This represents a challenge for both the user and the agencies
because they have to ascertain that the treatments they either use or advocate
are legitimate.
There exist today many alternative medical treatments that fall under natural
medicine. However, not all of them have been proven to be effective. You could
mention homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative
medical treatments. It would pay to consult the experts as to the legitimacy of
these treatments.
Natural medicine should also be thought of as an accompanying medicine. Right now,
the current collective medical thought suggests that natural medicine be used only
to supplement accepted modern medical practices. In that case of minor ailments
your expert we actually advise you to take natural therapies instead.
The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and
prescribing treatments for such. Natural medicine is helpful because it suggests
that treatment be not necessarily given only when sick. Natural medicine strives to
make each patient practice good health habits. These habits include good diet,
healthy living, and the regular natural treatment.
It is this same line of thought that leads our parents to tell us to eat our vegetables.
Yes, a healthy lifestyle and will do no harm to our well-being. And this is the foundation
of natural medicine – may it be massage, herbal remedies medicine, aromatherapy
or others.
It is funny but true that science, in its quest for excellence, is studying the knowledge
of sages past. This, surprisingly, leads us back to the herbal remedies nature offers.
The possibilities of finding herbal remedies to everyday illnesses in natural medicine
are encouraging. So staying tuned to studying these remedies is worthwhile until we
can verify that these therapies are truly helpful to our health and our society.

Natural Cures for Illness

Increasingly, people are turning to natural remedies to treat minor and major illnesses and to strengthen their body’s immune system against disease. Generally speaking, natural remedies are safe alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs which are increasingly linked to serious side effects and even death. The combination of medications, even in small amounts, that many people take can cause serious adverse reactions and have been found to cause heart failure in some people. Nature’s own medicine chest tends to be a much safer alternative to synthetic chemicals and common remedies abound that are versatile, effective and affordable.
Used correctly, essential oils can be marvelous natural remedies for a broad range of health problems. They can be mixed with a carrier oil such as olive oil and massaged into the skin, used as ointment on sections of the skin (diluted), breathed as vapor, and occasionally (under strict supervision) some may be used internally. However, most essential oils cannot be taken by mouth so it is very important to know which can be used medicinally and which cannot. Essential oils can treat various skin disorders, stress, mental and emotional problems, breathing problems, some allergic reactions, fungal infections and muscular aches and pains. There are many different types of essential oils so you will need to do a lot of research to discover the different benefits they offer. New uses are continually being found for various essential oils. Recently, scientific studies have found that bergamot oil mixed in a carrier oil is an effective treatment for Candida and other fungal infections. However, bergamot oil can make the skin photo-sensitive which means it burns more easily. Therefore, it cannot be worn in sunlight. It must be applied 12 hours before you intend to go out in the sun. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic, rosemary oil aids memory, and lavender oil relieves stress. A study of essential oils makes fascinating reading and they are wonderful natural remedies to keep on hand in your home.
Bach flower remedies are also very valuable natural remedies to keep on hand. Rescue remedy, in particular, can provide effective relief for emotional upsets and even physical trauma. Bach flower remedies provide emotional healing across the spectrum of emotions. They gently bring the mind and emotions back into a healthy balance. You may find an affinity with particular remedies and would benefit by having these ones on hand.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the proper functioning of our minds and bodies. Unfortunately, our soils are largely depleted of nutrients and manufacturing processes further de-nature our foods. It is therefore important to supplement a good diet with organic vitamin and mineral supplements. Simple supplementation can be a surprisingly effective natural remedy for a number of disorders which have been caused by inadequate nutrition. Our organs and bones are able to repair with the right nutrients and symptoms of deficiencies will quickly disappear when we give our bodies what they need. Individual vitamins and minerals can also be used very effectively as a straight remedy. For example, high doses of vitamin C have been known to knock a cold on its head and to stop certain serious allergic symptoms.
Herbal remedies also offer profound health benefits. Herbs can be taken individually, but they work particularly well in synergistic compounds. To gain the best benefits from these natural remedies, it is a good idea to consult with an experienced herbalist. Herbal remedies can be used to treat most health disorders including asthma, allergies, thyroid problems, arthritis and diabetes.
Finally, no discussion of natural remedies would be complete without mentioning homeopathy. Homeopathy is an interesting modality which is based on like curing like. Homeopathic remedies contain minute, physically undetectable amounts of a substance that in full strength would induce the same symptoms you are experiencing. By using homeopathic remedies, the symptoms are balanced and cancel out. These remedies come in different strengths and a professional homeopath is needed to determine the right therapeutic strength of the right remedy. Homeopathy does not treat illness as we understand it. It is used to treat the whole person and to bring the body back into balance.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Herbal Cleansing

Herbal cleansing is the process of using herbs to cleanse your body. This may include removing unhealthy bacteria, ridding your intestinal track of worms or revitalizing your body with healthy goodness. People all over the world turn to herbs to improve their health and to help them to enjoy life to the fullest. Don’t you owe it to yourself to consider herbs to cleanse your body and start over with a healthy lifestyle? Using herbs is easy with a little research and guidance.


Bacteria grows all over your body, but it also grows and festers inside your body. This isn’t all bad, as bacteria plays a large part in the digestion of food. However, there are some bacteria that, if left unchecked, can become a health hazard. Using an herbal cleansing will help you with this. Herbs can be used to combat and rid your body of the bacteria that aren’t part of important functions. These bacteria, if not removed, can cause sickness, disease and, in some cases, can be lethal. Using herbs is an easy way to remove this threat to you and your family.


Worms are not a topic that people want to discuss, especially when there is the possibility that the worms are inside them. Worms can live in animals’ and humans’ intestinal tracks, and they absorb the vitamins and minerals that were meant for us to use. Herbal cleansing is used to loosen the hold these worms have on your intestinal walls, so they can be flushed out of your system with the rest of the waste. Worms are able to enter your body most commonly when you eat under cooked meat, but they are also able to enter through your skin if you come into contact with animal feces. You owe it to yourself to use herbs in ridding your body of these nuisances.Herbal cleansing will also jump start your body with the minerals it needs for a healthy life. You’ll feel better throughout your day after rejuvenating your body and giving it the nutrients it needs. Don’t go another day without providing the very best for yourself!


Herbal cleansing has become very popular in the world today and comes in many different forms. One can go to an alternative health clinic for advanced forms of herbal cleansing or simply take herbal supplements at home.
There are many products on the market in the form of pills or powders with various herbal combinations depending on the particular type of cleansing you wish to undertake.
One can take herbs to cleanse the liver, kidneys, and other vital organs. The most popular form of herbal cleansing however, is to clean the intestines. The purpose behind herbal cleansing is to remove wastes and toxins from the body so cleansing the intestines is the logical choice.
An efficiently functioning digestive tract will help support and nourish the body. Properly formulated herbal supplements can assist the elimination of wastes and improve the assimilation of nutrients in the body.


Many alternative health practitioners believe that ill health begins in the colon and the first step in preventing and treating disease is to cleanse the digestive tract. Our modern diet of heavily processed food along with sedentary lifestyles contributes to the accumulation of waste products in the colon and a sluggish digestive system.
Herbal cleansing help restore the body to its normal state of being able to repair itself and ward off disease. Some claim that herbal cleansing remedies can help rid the body of parasites which could be responsible for a variety of diseases.
Another claim of herbal cleansing products is that the herbs help to loosen old material in the intestines and allow it to pass out of the body. In addition, some herbs may help to tone the bowels to allow them to function more normally to aid in the rapid elimination of wastes.
There are actually many varieties of herbal supplements on the market today and the function will depend upon which herbs are used in the product. You can easily find herbal cleansing products at your local health food store. You can also shop for them online where you will be assured of having access to a huge variety of products and be able to research them and then compare prices before you buy.


When buying herbs it is important to buy quality standardized herbal preparations. It is usually not a good idea to buy herbal supplements based on price alone. Stick with well known and respected name brands and if you have any questions, consult your physician or alternative healthcare provider for medical advice.


If you currently are on prescription medication or have an illness, it is particularly important to talk with your doctor before adding herbal supplements to your diet as some herbs may react with your medications.

Herbal Medicine

Here is a short video I found on youtube about herbal medicine research..






Herbal Healing

Mother Nature has provided human, the favourite creation of God, with all that he needed to live on this earth: water to quench thirst, air to breathe, grains to hunger, fire to light and so on. Human body is the microcosm of the entire cosmos and the answer to all human problems lies in maintaining harmony with the cosmic rhythm. Nature has offered the means to maintain that balance. Herbs. Yes herbs are one such means. A herb is a plant or plant extract, including leaves, bark, berries, roots, gums, seeds, stems and flowers which is bestowed with nourishing and healing elements. Herbs are the endowment of Mother Nature which has been used for healthcare through out different ages and cultures of human history.

Being negligent to the value of herbs due to chemical medicines, human lost synchronization to the rhythm of Nature and thus suffered various side effects. Herbs have the elements that help the human body to live in harmony with nature and its laws. According to the most ancient system of natural medication, Ayurveda, herbs work depending on the Self Correcting Mechanism and balance of three elements “Vata”, “Pitta” and “Kaplan” in the human body. Herbal treatment not only heals but also looks after the body to live a healthy and fruitful life. Herbs have been used for healthcare through out the human history and are once again being recognized for their true value. Herbal medicine and herbal extracts are the foremost component in all traditional medicine including Ayurvedic, homeopathic, naturopathic, traditional oriental, and Native American Indian medicine. Now is the time when modern human should appreciate the goodness of medicinal herbs by incorporating them into their life style thereby, living a balanced and healthy life.

Herbs are the most natural way to cure all kind of diseases, from minor ailments to the most life threatening ones. Study shows that about 25 percent of the prescription drugs dispensed in the United States contain at least one active ingredient derived from herb material. Some are made from herbal extracts; others are synthesized to imitate a natural herb compound.

In herbal medication, herbs are used for their therapeutic or medicinal value. Herbal medicines and treatment can be divided into eight branches in Ayurveda; General medicine, Surgery, ENT & Eye Disease, Toxicology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Gynecology, Sexology & Virility. There are so many pearls lying in the deep ocean of the vast knowledge of this system, we just need to dive in and search the herbs which are valued for medicinal, aromatic or savory qualities that act upon the body and bestow a healthy soul in a healthy body.
herbsncures.com
By Gaetane Ross According to the American Medical Association Journal, over 100,000 Americans die in hospitals every year due to side effects from regularly prescribed medications. Throughout America, a huge amount of medication is prescribed on a daily basis. The medical community openly acknowledges that fact that it does not have any cure for several common diseases that affect people. Most allopathic medicines have side effects that can range from mild to severe. The reason for this is that most of these chemicals have certain toxic properties. This is why there have been so many prescription drugs that got pulled from the market after enjoying several years of FDA approval. The sad thing is that very few doctors nowadays bother to inform patients about possible side effects due to close and cozy relationships with the pharmaceutical industries.

Half of the truth is that pharmaceutical companies will only tell doctors as much as they want to and not reveal the complete picture. Therefore, the doctors are not completely to blame because they cannot warn patients against side effects of chemicals they are not aware of. The trouble is that the business is so profitable is that these medicine manufacturers are more concerned with profits and FDA approval rather than the overall effect on the patients. This is one reason why several doctors are now beginning to recommend complementary alternative treatments, like herbal therapies and medicines. Here are some interesting facts: The totally amount of annual profits made by pharmaceutical companies through sale of drugs in the United States alone is over $100 billion More than 25% of all prescription drugs available contain plant derivatives More than 80,000 types of plants are used all over the world for medicinal purposes Over 75% of the global population depends on herbal remedies for regular treatment There are several choices available for people who are looking for alternative remedies, including Acupuncture, Yoga, Qigong, Tai chi, Ayurveda, hydrotherapy, massage therapy, homeopathy, energy medicines, holistic approaches, and aromatherapy. In fact, the number of herbal remedies available for different ailments equals (if not exceeds) the number of regular drug treatments provided by pharmaceutical companies. The point is that prevention always was and always will be better than any cure, mainstream or alternative.

The advantage of herbal remedies is that they move an individual towards a lifestyle more geared toward prevention and cure in the early stages of any affliction. Pharmaceutical drugs work only after the problem has development, they do not try to prevent problems because then the manufacturing companies would go into a loss. This is where herbal remedies leave the mainstream drugs behind. This is also the reason why so many people are daily turning to herbal therapies. Herbal remedies treat the cause of the disease and not the symptoms (like conventional drugs). Herbal remedies also have almost no side effects.
posted by gracomba

Making your own remedies will cost you far less than synthetic pharmaceuticals, and you can avoid a lot of the unwanted extras, such as preservatives, stabilizers and colorants that are found in many products sold in natural food stores. Living in a litigious world, commercial manufacturers tend to use a lot of fixatives and preservatives, because they are concerned that someone might sue them for a spoiled product. What they don’t tell you is that many herbs contain their own natural preservatives, and beeswax is a great natural preservative as well.

Herbal remedies can help infants, toddlers, school kids, teenagers, men and women of all ages, your pets, your garden and your general household. You probably already have everything necessary to transform your kitchen into an herbal laboratory.

For a better and effective life you just have to catch up with the available forms of herbal use. Chalk out a daily routine in which herbs are predominantly used. You can use herbal toothpastes, shampoos and soaps for the cleansing process; herbal tea to rejuvenate and revitalize your system.

From weight loss to pain relief, you would be fully taken care of by herbs once you take on to the herbal way of life. So pull yourself out of your slumber and get immersed in the magnificent world of herbs. It is a completely rejuvenating world which would put an end to all your worries and after availing the herbal advantages you would certainly find the herbal life unmatched to any other available life-style pattern.
herbsncures.com

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Home remedies for Acne

1.Orange peel pounded well with water. Applied to affected acne areas

2.Cucumber leaves or grated pieces. Apply to area for acne cure.

3.Rub the pimple( acne) with a fresh cut clove of garlic.

4.Drinking atleast 1 litre of water a day to impart a healthy glow to the skin

5.Clove based face mask or a paste of Fenugreek (Methi ) leaves applied overnight on acne and washed off next morning

Home Remedies for Low and High Blood Pressure

Home remedy for Low BP ( Low blood pressure )
Drink a glass of raw beetroot juice 2 times a day, for at least a week.


Home remedy for High BP ( High blood pressure)
Mix 1/2 onion juice and 1/2 honey. Take 2 tbls once a day for 1-2 weeks.
Eat 1 Papaya on an empty stomach daily for a month. Do not eat anything after for about 2 hours.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Healthcare Costs






Some 40 years after the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid and more than a decade after the Clinton administration failed in its bid to extend coverage to all Americans, the nation's system of funding health care is on the verge of breaking down.

Employers, consumers and governments at every level are straining under the burden of a health care bill that is growing at a pace five or six times the rate of inflation.
Businesses, squeezed by soaring health insurance costs, are passing an increasing share of the price tag to their workers. That's forcing employees to dig ever deeper into their pockets, prompting millions to forgo coverage altogether and gamble that their families will stay healthy.
The public health care system is overwhelmed by the country's 45 million uninsured who turn to hospital emergency rooms for even routine care. And Medicare -- the crown jewel of government health programs -- is projected to run out of funds by 2019 at the current rate of expenditure growth.

The soaring cost of health care has emerged as one of the top issues in the race for the White House. Both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., are offering programs to make health coverage more affordable and reach more of the uninsured. (See accompanying article.) But experts say the fixes proposed by the two candidates would not fundamentally alter the dynamics that are putting health care costs out of reach.
"When we have faced these so-called crises in health care before -- health care cost spikes, an increase in the uninsured -- there was always a sense that there was some big solution coming," said Drew Altman, president of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. "What's different now is there is no sense there is a big reform idea out there that might save us."




What's driving medical costs?

-- Medical technology: New medical devices and the latest pharmaceuticals are pushing prices up fast.

-- Litigation: The rising cost of malpractice insurance is also increasing the practice of defensive medicine.

-- Uninsured: The growing number of uninsured is an increasing burden on the medical establishment.

-- Administrative costs: Health bureaucracy consumes money that does not go directly to patient care.




Eight Quick Cures For Pain

Heartburn

1. Put the Fire Out with Turmeric Bitter herbs such as turmeric (a key curry ingredient) help stimulate the flow of digestive juices, moving food along and preventing acid buildup. If using turmeric as a spice doesn't stop the burn, try two or three turmeric capsules (1/2 to 1 g), available at health food stores, before a meal.


Headache

2. Brew Up Some Rosemary Rosemary helps keep blood vessels dilated. Use 1 teaspoon of rosemary per cup of hot water, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain, and sip a cup three times a day.


3. Or Try Ginger Ginger inhibits a substance called thromboxane A2 that prevents the release of substances that make blood vessels dilate. In other words, it can help keep blood flowing on an even keel, which is essential in migraine prevention. Grate fresh ginger into juice, nosh on Japanese pickled ginger, use fresh or powdered ginger when you cook, or nibble on a piece or two of crystallized ginger candy daily.


Sinus Pain or Pressure

4.Turn to Thyme If your sinus secretions are clear or white, you need a warming, drying herb such as thyme. Thyme is strongly antiseptic and is a traditional remedy for respiratory infections. Drink a cup of fragrant thyme tea--made by steeping 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried thyme in a cup of boiling water for about 10 minutes--three times a day.



Insect Bites and Stings

5. Cool It with Mint A drop of peppermint essential oil rubbed into the center of a bite or sting can bring quick, long-lasting relief. Peppermint cools the bite so that you don't feel like scratching and increases bloodflow to the area, which helps to quickly carry off the venom. Result? Less swelling and itching. Wash your hands after applying, and don't use essential oils near your eyes because they can irritate. Don't use on poisonous spider or snake bites, which require immediate medical attention.



Toothache


6. Stun the Pain with Cloves Rub a drop of essential oil of clove directly on an aching tooth. If you don't have oil of clove handy (available at drug and health food stores), just wiggle a whole clove, pointed end down, next to the tooth.



7. Or Say "Open Sesame" Sesame seeds contain at least seven pain-relieving compounds. Boil one part sesame seeds with three parts water until the liquid is reduced by half. Cool the resulting brew, and apply it directly to the aching tooth.



Colds and Flu

8. Warm Up in the Kitchen To take the chills out of your cold, make a beeline to the kitchen, and fix yourself a traditional herb and spice remedy, suggests David Hoffman, a fellow of Britain's National Institute of Medical Herbalists and assistant professor of integral health studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies in Santa Rosa.

Combine 1 oz (by weight) sliced fresh ginger, 1 broken-up cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 3 whole cloves, 1 lemon slice, and 1 pint water. He recommends simmering for 15 minutes and straining. Then drink a hot cupful every 2 hours.

Stop Your Cold Before It Starts!

Colds are caused primarily by inhaled germs and bacteria. These airborne molecules first come into contact with the tissues in your throat, which is why most colds begin with minor itching or soreness in the throat. From there, the bacteria grows and descends to your chest and lungs…or rises up to the mucus membranes in your nasal cavities. By then the game is over. You lose.
If you eradicate the bacteria when it first attempts to take hold in your throat, you can avoid colds before they start. Here is a recipe for an antiseptic, antibacterial throat spray. Keep it handy at all times and spray the back of your throat the minute you begin to feel itching or irritation. Continue applications every few hours until the sensation disappears. You may also want to spray before you go to sleep.


Natural Antiseptic Throat Spray1 fluid ounce St. John’s Wort½ fluid ounce liquid Echinacea extract20 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract5 drops tea tree oil
Combine all these ingredients into a 2-ounce tincture bottle with a pump spray top. Shake well before using. If you can’t find a pump spray top, then use an eye dropper to apply four or five drops onto the back of your throat and use your tongue to spread the solution around.

Acne Blemish Natural Treatment

The occasional acne blemish is annoying, and blemishes have an uncanny habit of showing up when they are least wanted. One thing to remember is that the way you treat acne when it first appears will determine how long you have to look at the blemish in the mirror. Blemishes caused by acne can be very traumatic for the sufferer. You can hurry the healing process on its way and prevent the blemish from getting worse.

Skin Care

Just because you have developed an acne blemish doesn’t mean your skin care efforts have failed or you should stop your routine. A good skin care routine keeps your skin clean without irritating it. While proper skin care will help you to prevent acne breakouts in the future, don’t get discouraged when the occasional blemish shows up. They’re perfectly normal. Be sure to read my blog for some great skin care tips.
When you spot an acne blemish, popping it should not be your first option. Popping a pimple at first sight, hopeful for eradicating it before anyone else can see it, usually makes the situation worse. If a pimple has formed a head, though, then it should be popped so that it can heal. However, squeezing acne before it is ready is bad for your skin and is a poor way to treat acne. When it will not pop, most people continue picking and pinching, which bursts the capillaries (tiny blood vessels) right beneath the skin’s surface. This essentially forms a little bruise on your face that is likely to be very visible even after the pimple itself has healed.

Dealing with a Pimple

Once you get an acne blemish, you do still have a few ways to treat acne, but some of them are costly. One new product, called the Zeno acne-clearing device, claims it can eradicate most pimples within twenty four hours. It works by focusing a specific amount of heat on the pimple, which destroys the bacteria causing the blemish. Some people claim that it works perfectly for them, while others say it has virtually no effect on their acne. Luckily, the company offers a money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied. The only drawback for people who find Zeno effective is that it requires disposable tips to work, which some people claim are somewhat pricey depending on how many pimples there are to treat. Another product used to treat existing pimples is a pen that uses various frequencies of concentrated light. It has been known for a long time that exposure to sunlight helps your skin fight acne, but scientists have determined that the two specific frequency ranges that are most effective appear to us in the form of blue and red light. The blue light works to kill the bacterium that causes acne, while the red light stimulates the healing action of your skin. Dermatologists have used red and blue light treatment for quite sometime, but the light pens that are currently available are completely portable and do not require any replacement tips. However, like Zeno, some people report amazing results from using a light pen while others see absolutely no results at all.

The worst thing you can do when you develop an acne blemish is to try popping it prematurely or washing vigorously to attempt to make it disappear. Zeno and light pens may work for you, but there are no guarantees. These treatment methods do not prevent acne breakouts, and considering the $150 price tag attached to each of these devices, many people are content to simply let the occasional pimple run its course.

Natural Cures and Home Remedies

How Much Do You Value Your Life?
Home remedies and natural cures or medicines made at home from natural ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, herbs are catching a lot of attention due to its very nature of cure: simple, no side effects, no chemicals, inexpensive, plus the pleasure of being able to cure yourself!. Read on for how all this is useful and how people are using these home made methods in their day to day lives to stay fit and healthy.
For natural home remedies, the kitchen is a great place to start. It has almost all the medicines you would possible need at least, to deal with common ailments. All this at no or negligible cost, purity, without side effects and dollops of TLC (tender, loving care)! Sounds too good to be true? Well, it is just a little awareness and understanding that you need to make the best out of it. Read-up a bit on natural remedies to equip yourself to treat a toddler cranky with colic or diarrhoea.
In home based remedies, the idea is to use the chemicals naturally present in the herbs, spices and other foods to tackle the offending foreign element in the body that is causing the pain or infection instead of flushing the body with hundreds of milligrams of strong chemicals in the form of antibiotics. Though essential for chronic conditions, antibiotics are not always necessary and are best avoided, especially for a lot of minor ailments.
It is common knowledge that antibiotics kill the friendly flora and fauna along with the offending bacteria or virus, thus causing the body to take longer to recover. Additionally, the body has to face a plethora of undesirable side effects such as excessive drowsiness, weakness, allergies and diarrhoea (caused by excessive heat generated) to handle. Scientists are discovering newer positive properties of foods and finding ways to it effectively to derive maximum benefits for the body.
Natural remedies can be used to effectively treat a range of ailments through correct and regular usage. Whether it is boosting your child's immune system, preventing hair loss, treating persistent acne or dandruff, treating aches, pains or cuts and burns.