Acupuncture And Depression

Posted on October 14, 2008
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According to many western medical resources depression may be the response of the body to an overwhelming and constant stress that seems to the patient to be insurmountable. Regardless of the etiology of the depression, manyof western MDs diagnose the patient’s condition as a depression.

The Role Of Acupuncture

Acupuncture, when used with Chinese herbs, can be a very effective alternative treatment for depression, anxiety, stress-induced fatigue and emotions swings resulting in long-term benefits. The difference with acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment is that these treatments treat the root cause of the disease-the internal imbalance caused by the exposure to external stress. Such stress, if not treated, can cause energy “blockage” or changes of the neurotransmitters such as a decrease of brain concentration of the serotonin levels-resulting in symptoms such as anxiety, poor sleep, fatigue, and eventually, depression.

Some researchers are now leaning towards the theory that depression is physiological rather than psychological. The condition often comes about when the body lacks the necessary biochemical’s’ nutrients and vitamins to enable the mind and body to work in sync and thrive healthily.

A University of Arizona study on acupuncture and depression subjected a group 38 adults who were found to be experiencing bouts of depression ranging from the mild to the moderate stages. They all attended regular twice-weekly sessions lasting for 30 days’ with reducing frequency on the succeeding months. After the study period, more than half of those treated say that they experienced no less than half of the symptoms have been reduced, if not totally eliminated.

Conclusion

Acupuncture is considered a Natural and Safe Method of Treatment for Depression, Anxiety and Stress. Depression has been perceived as a condition caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Acupuncture is based on balancing the body’s Chi or “life energy”, which regulates spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance.

About Massage Therapy

Posted on October 13, 2008
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Massage therapy is a very old treatment. Ancient cultures in China, Egypt, India, Greece and Rome used massage as part of their medical and health procedures.

Massage has been used to treat all kinds of medical conditions and disorders. Massage can help you relax and can be used to treat stress It generally provides a feeling of well being. Massage therapy solicits all aspects of the physical system - the muscular, nervous, circulatory and immune systems.

Quite apart from the undoubted physical benefits of massage therapy, the most important one is psychological; the intimate contact with another human being provides the feel-good aspect.

A full body massage is one of the ultimate forms of stress relief. A lot of persons who had a full body massage keep talking about how great the feel afterwards. Booking another full body massage is the first thing that someone usually does after experiencing his or her first full body massage. People who’ve experienced a full body massage all agree that they feel they’ve managed to attain total relaxation for the first time in their lives.

In addition to full body massage, massage can be used on specific, individual parts of the body. The foot is one of the main individual body parts that can be obtained through a specialist form of massages. Foot massage is generally referred to as reflexology.

Acupuncture And You

Posted on October 12, 2008
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Acupuncture has been used in China for the past 2,000 years for every ailment you can imagine. That means the practice has grown up alongside Eastern medicine’s knowledge of specific ailments ranging from diabetes to fatigue. Now that technology and ease of travel has closed the physical gap between the East and the West, the two medical cultures have spent decades working on how they can fit their practices together holistically. Initially, it may seem a bit difficult to imagine the two philosophies complimenting each other, but once you begin looking into acupuncture, you can begin to see how it can benefit anyone — even you.

Western medicine is based on removing the malfunctioning part or adding chemical components to poison the invading virus or infection. Eastern medicine is based on making sure that the channels along which a person’s life-energy flows remain unblocked so that the healing-energy can pass through, keeping everything running smoothly. If these channels are blocked, problems will arise.

Along those lines, or meridians, are certain points which act as switches for particular parts of the body. The acupuncturist inserts a thin needle into one of these points and by manipulating it, unblocks the energy flow, enabling the healing life force to travel. To some, that sounds like a fluffy, poetic way of looking at healing. Western students of interpret this phenomenon a little bit differently. As the Western outlook is more chemically based, these students say that the needles are actually causing the body to release chemicals – like endorphins — which inadvertently induce a state of relaxation or relieve pain, thereby promoting health in the entire body.

Whatever the mechanisms, there are many people who swear by it, if for no other reason other than “it feels good”.

You may at this point be wondering if it’s safe. It is very safe if you visit someone who knows what they’re doing. The best way to ensure that you are in the right hands is to verify that the therapist is licensed. That means that they have satisfactorily completed at least enough schooling to have a Masters degree in healing and acupuncture, and that they passed a test for state certification. Beyond that, you must make sure that they use sterile, prepackaged needles. Asking many questions about their practice and philosophy is also a good idea, as a trustworthy therapist will tend to be more open about what they are doing. In addition, the doctor should be asking you for information about your medical history and current medications.

If you opt for acupuncture, give it some time to work before you decide whether it is time well spent. If you feel great from the beginning, that is a good reason in and of itself to continue.

Advice On Natural Cures

Posted on October 12, 2008
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Native Remedies

Home Remedies

When it comes to your health and overall well-being, home remedies can be cost saving and beneficial. Many people have been aware of home remedies for years and now more consumers are being made aware of how easy it is to use simple fixes for minor complaints. For years, doctors have prescribed expensive drugs for ailments that could be handled with a cheap and simple home preparation. With remedies that you can prepare at home you don’t have to worry about safety…the ingredients are all natural and there are no side effects.

Nothing beats a hot salt-water preparation to gargle with when you have a scratchy throat. This has been a standard in many families for generations and now doctors themselves will tell patients to use this for a simple sore throat fix. For healthy teeth and gums, you can mix a little salt and baking soda together. There are even large companies who make this simple home remedy and market it in a paste form today and it is very popular natural toothpaste. You can even make soothing remedies for colds by brewing tea from different herbs that you can purchase or grow in a window box or garden. These herbs include peppermint, rosemary, and thyme.

Signs of Hypoglycemia

Abrasions, insect bites, and minor skin inflammations can respond well to topical applications of aloe or lavender oil. For diabetics there can even be help with mango leaf tea, grapefruit and tea made from the edible pods of string beans. Any of these can be made at home or purchased at health food stores. The leaves of the stevia plant provide wonderful natural sweeteners and a sweet tooth can receive a healthy fix by merely chewing one or two of these leaves. There are even home remedies for acne, dry skin and indigestion or bloating from internal gas.

Symptoms of Adult Diabetes

The scientific studies that have been reported prove that natural and organic products are much better for everyone. People today are becoming much more informed about health issues as well. There have been some critical concerns involving medication safety and side effects and many commonly drugs are now being shown to have harmful side effects. These are all some of the reasons that consumers are now searching for healthier alternatives to prescription products. Home remedies can provide health conscious individuals with natural ways to treat many problems.

Say No To Drugs! Learn About Remedies For ADD

Posted on October 11, 2008
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ADD and ADHD are growing concerns in children and adults alike. Unfortunately, for most people diagnosed with ADD the first course of action is a regimen of expensive prescription drugs that often mask the problem rather than correct it.

Some of these drugs are stimulants that can cause adverse behavioral reactions and most of them may not be needed. New studies show that homeopathic remedies for ADHD may be just as effective as prescription drugs and are much less likely to produce adverse effects.

So what kind of natural ADD/ADHD remedies are there? Of tested individuals who were diagnosed with one of these disorders, a large number showed a deficiency in key nutrients that a body needs to be healthy, including:

Magnesium - levels of Magnesium have been linked to a person’s distractibility…there are indications that a deficiency can cause someone to be distracted easily. Magnesium also plays a big role in sugar metabolism and gets depleted in the body whenever a person is under stress.

Iron - There may be a link between ADHD and iron deficiency. This is an especially important one to monitor in adult females, but deficiencies occur in both genders and all ages - in fact, an estimated 13% of all children ages 5-12 have a marked iron deficiency.

Copper and Zinc - These are paired because these two compete for absorption in the body so a proper balance has to be maintained. Both are needed in trace amounts, and both are often found to be deficient in people who are noticeably inattentive in school and at work.

Calcium - A calcium deficiency often causes irritability and inattentiveness, among other things, which can lead to an ADD or ADHD diagnosis.

Amino Acids - There are many amino acids responsible for proper brain function and that promote neurotransmitter activity. ADD has been directly linked to neurotransmitter deficiencies in the brain, so essential amino acids are even more important in the natural treatment of ADD and ADHD.

If you are interested in natural remedy for ADD and ADHD issues, the first place to start is a person’s diet. Avoid refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and stimulants such as caffeine, but include plenty of dairy products or a non-dairy calcium supplement. A healthy diet will help ensure sufficient levels of many necessary nutrients, but likely not all of them.

Next, find a quality multi-vitamin that will provide many of the vitamins and trace minerals the body needs. Finally, even the best multi-vitamins may not have enough of nutrients that are deficient in people with ADD, so additional natural supplements may be needed.

There are several on the market including Listol, which contains many amino acids and other nutrients that have shown a likely link to ADD/ADHD and are often deficient in afflicted individuals; Synaptol, which includes ingredients that support mental clarity and improved brain function; and VAXA Attend, which contains essential vitamins and ingredients that have been shown to be effective against mental confusion.

Herbal remedies and dietary supplements of all kinds abound and these three are merely examples of some of the most popular and successful supplements on the market. The one that works best for you or your child will depend largely on exactly which deficiencies are present.

In short, a good diet of healthy food that is calcium-rich, a high-quality multivitamin and a good ADD/ADHD-specific supplement combine to produce what should be a very effective natural remedy for ADD and ADHD without having to resort to expensive and possibly harmful prescription drugs.

Types Of Yoga Postures

Posted on October 11, 2008
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Yoga postures are called Asanas, literally meaning seats. Originally, the asanas and deep relaxation were used as stable postures for prolonged meditation. These postures are not confined to just stretching of body parts but open, what the yogis believe, the energy channels (charkas) and psychic centers of the body. These purify the body and provide greater control and balance to the mind.

In practicing yoga postures, the breathing should be slow and deep. Usually Dirga (or Ujjiayi) or Pranayama style of breathing is performed. The positions of yoga are firm yet relaxed. So if you feel pain, strain or fatigue at any point, it is an indicator that all is not well with your postures. Consult your yoga instructor for improvement. Six important types of yoga postures are generally known, depending on the main position of the body: seated, standing, supine, prone, balance, twisting.

Seated Postures

Seated postures are especially suitable for the beginning level of meditation. Most of these are easily adapted to any level of body strength or flexibility. Seated postures make use of a variety of positions like Table, Dog Tilt, Cat Tilt, Staff, Inclined Plane, Seated Twist, Seated, Angle, Child, Caterpillar, Head to Knee, Prayer Squat, Low Lunge, Pigeon, Full Lotus, Hero, Crab, and Gate postures etc.

Standing Postures

Standing yoga postures are meant to enhance both strength and flexibility of the body. These postures are among the most advanced of asanas. Various standing postures include Five Pointed, Star, Dancer, Warrior Angle, Forward Fold, Side Plank, Half moon, Mountain, Goddess/Victory Squat, Jackknife, Standing Angle, Prayer Twist, Pyramid/Runners, Stretch, Tree, Standing Backbend, Triangle, Standing Squat, Warrior (having three main postures), and Eagle.

Supine Postures

These yoga postures are done while lying on the back with face up. These are great to end a session of the yoga practice. Supine postures release stress and bring flexibility. Knee Down Twist, Fish, Bridge, Plow, Wind Relieving, Half Wind Relieving, Half Supine Diamond, Supine Diamond, Wheel, Half Bridge etc. are some important supine postures.

Prone Postures

Prone postures are belly down postures. These build core body strength in the low back and abs. These postures are simple enough for beginning level but still quite challenging to hold long. Bow, Half Bow, Cobra, Frog Pose, Threading the Needle, Locust, Boat, and Crocodile are the most significant of prone postures.

Balancing Postures

Balancing postures are the key to improving memory and concentration by engaging the whole of your mind and body. Keeping the eyes focused on a single point is central to all of these yoga postures. Many postures are included in balancing the body like Warrior, Dancer, Eagle, Balancing Table, and Side Plank etc.

Twisting Postures

Twisting postures and pranayama play a role in realigning and lengthening the spinal column, and also in stretching and opening of the back muscles.?Prayer Twist, Seated Twist, Revolved Triangle, Knee Down Twist, Half Moon Twist etc. are the main positions in these postures.

Conventional Medicine For Breast Cancer

Posted on October 10, 2008
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Faced with a diagnosis of cancer there are many people who choose to pursue alternative treatments.

It is important to distinguish this from complementary medicine in that ‘alternative’ options are taken in place of conventional medicine and ‘complementary’ medicine is meant to work along with and enhance conventional methods.
Meditation,
In choosing to seek out an alternative approach to healing it must be noted that this is a serious step and the individual does well to give it much thought and research. Unfortunately. there often just isn’t the background of scientific studies that can provide the needed support to indicate whether a course of treatment is safe and effective.

Nonetheless, given some of the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy it is understandable that some choose this path after they have had the necessary surgery. It may be difficult, however, to find a supportive physician who will continue to monitor your progress. If this should prove to be the case it is recommended that an individual seek out a reputable health care professional that works in the field of holistic healing.
Breast Cancer,
Most alternative treatments require a dramatic change in the way one lives. It will require commitment and discipline to achieve the best results. Many programs require a detoxification period followed by a healthful regime that includes better eating, supplementary vitamins, herbal potions, breathing exercises, massage therapy, acupuncture, and meditation to name but a few. There will no doubt be any number of products offered from others who have claimed to get successful results. While caution and research are vital, and there can be no guarantees given, no one can dispute that there have been some remarkable results with some of these non-standard approaches.

Complementary medicine, while working along with the conventional treatments taken, do not usually come with a lot of scientific grounding and research as well. As a whole, they are not used to treat the illness per se, but rather as a method to relieve some of the side effects of cancer treatments and to improve the quality of life overall.

Some of the recommended therapies involve - acupuncture and acupressure to relieve pain and stress, vitamin and herbal remedies to help build the immune system, visualization to empower the body to fight the disease, meditation to control pain and to focus on positive thoughts, aromatherapy - also to relieve pain and stress, and yoga to help strengthen the body overall.

In pursuing complementary therapies it is good to coordinate with your doctor and inform him of anything that may have a possibility of interacting negatively with the treatments he is giving you. As an example, Vitamin C is a powerful aid to boost the immune system but it can work to worsen the side effects of the chemotherapy drug methotrexate. So it may mean that you would need to wait until your treatments have concluded before adding it to your arsenal.

With the growing understanding of the benefits of these different approaches to healing more and more doctors are open to the patient’s efforts in this regard. In fact some standard hospitals are adding alternative medicine wings to complement their procedures. In approaching your doctor with any idea, be prepared with the research you have made and be willing to take the time to discuss them frankly with him. While some may not entirely agree with a reported result they will at least acknowledge that the patient benefits more often than not from an overall improvement in the quality of their life.
Alternative Treatments

How To Avoid Symptoms Of Menopause With Herbal Menopause

Posted on October 9, 2008
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No two women experience the exact same symptoms of menopause . A lot of women will only experience very mild menopause symptoms. For others the signs of menopause will be quite extreme and could be quite a difficult experience. If you’re one of the unfortunate minority, don’t fear, because there’s plenty of tried and tested treatment for menopause options particularly natural herbal remedies for menopause that do a great job of easing your symptoms virtually entirely.

Believe it or not, the menopause is an important stage in your life. If you look upon it as a positive change, it can be a supporting and informative one. Life is a series of milestones. When we were younger we would check the passing of each milestone concentrating on the next rather than celebrating this one. As we age we tend to slow down and reflect on what we’ve achieved. As you move into the menopausal phase of your life, you may decide it’s the perfect time to look at a new way of life. Experiencing the menopause is the perfect chance to do this.

Planning for your future is much like preparing for a vacation. See it as your repayment for a lifetime of work or for bringing up a family. Just think about your last vacation. Half the fun was organizing it a long way in advance. Perhaps you got out guide books and maps, made the decision of where you would be going, and booked the trip.

The further into the future you planned, the greater the anticipation, and the more you enjoyed the trip. You probably experienced a few unpredicted adventures as you traveled but because you had planned for every eventuality you were able to cope with any eventuality.

The signs of menopause could possibly be your prompt to embark on your next adventure.

A Healthy Diet To Manage Menopause and Weight Gain

Starting with the moment we are first conceived through to our dieing breath, how well we feed and look after our body controls our health and vitality for the rest of our life. In the short term, a well balanced diet can help us look good, feel good and stay in shape. It will build our immune system to help fight off colds, viruses and diseases, increase our energy levels and improve physical performance.

In the long term, it will help protect against diseases such as cardiovascular disease, most cancers, all forms of diabetes, cataracts, and high blood pressure. As you start to see more menopause symptoms, choosing the right menopause diet and incorporating specific foods, such as soy, is very important. Being aware of what you eat can also help to ease many of the symptoms of menopause and help keep your body healthy and in great shape.

As individuals, our interest in healthy eating and nutrition just gets bigger and bigger every day. The media, close friends and family all offer advice on what a balanced diet is all about. With such an onslaught of confusing information, it can be near on impossible to know who to believe or what we should be eating. On top of this, a lot of the time it appears as though health experts are regularly changing their minds and moving the goal posts.

In reality the fundamental advice on what constitutes a healthy diet is just the same today as it was 30 years ago.

What Makes Up A Balanced Diet

There are several key ingredients in a nutritious diet but balance and variety are the most important. Nutritionists divide foods into five main food groups. To ensure that you get all the nutrients your body needs, you should try to eat some food from each group every day.

Especially during the menopause, making sure you get this balance right will determine at what level you go through menopause symptoms.

Natural Medicine - Discovering Acupuncture

Posted on October 9, 2008
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There is a lot of confusion about exactly what natural medicine is. Is acupuncture effective? Is it a con? What does it really treat? In this article I’d like to describe the background to natural medicine, and maybe dispell some of the confusion surrounding it.

Natural medicine is simply the use of traditional remedies, natural methods, and herbal medicines, to cure illness. Most societies in the world have a long history of natural medicine. Many types of healing methods, such as alternative therapy, fall under the term natural medicine.

A number of herbal medicines have been prevalent for thousands of years in Chinese and Indian society. Natural medicines tend to be cheap and risk free, in stark contrast to many modern manufactured drugs, and have few if any side effects.

Since the discovery of the popular penicillin, traditional natural medicine treatments have fallen out of favour or been forgotten. However, alternative treatments like acupuncture are making a comback. More and more doctors are beginning to recognise their benefits, and many scientific studies are being carried out to measure their effectiveness compared to modern medicine.

With more people becoming aware of the vast amount of chemicals we put into our bodies - either from treatments or clothing - natural therapy is surely becoming a more viable treatment in our modern society.

Looking For Alternative Medicine Doctors

Posted on October 8, 2008
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So you have decided that it’s time to take the plunge and take charge of your own health! Congratulations, and may this be the start of a wonderful new chapter of your life. One of the first steps you should take is to start looking for alternative medicine doctors. A good alternative medicine doctor is worth his weight in gold. He can help you to get started on this natural health journey unlike anyone else.

A good place to start your search for an alternative medicine doctor is, believe it or not, a large teaching hospital. Oftentimes, staff members such as a nurse, physical therapist, social worker, or even a doctor will be able to help you by steering you in the right direction. Another idea is to do a web search to see what is available in your area.

Try to choose a doctor you feel comfortable with. It’s a proven fact that any treatment works better when you can establish a level of trust with your doctor, and this kind of specialty doctor is no exception. Since alternative medicine deals with the body and mind as a whole, it is important to choose someone who is on the same wavelength as you, if possible. When looking for an alternative medicine doctor, it might be helpful to prepare a list of questions about the things that you would like in a doctor of this caliber. After all, one does not choose a doctor every day, and it’s best to be prepared.

The doctor may have some questions for you as well, so it is best to be prepared. One of the main topics he or she may wish to discuss with you is why you are looking for alternative medicine doctors. Don’t be nervous! Answering the doctor’s questions is one way to get to know him better.

An alternative medicine doctor may ask you why you are looking for natural, holistic treatment instead of that of a conventional physician. He could inquire as to what the status of your health is at the time you are speaking with him, and what you expect to accomplish by putting yourself in his care. He or she could also be interested in just how much you really know about the general ideas and principles of alternative treatment.

Even though you may be fairly certain you have found the doctor to suit your needs after that first interview, you should not settle on the very first one. Go ahead and interview at least one or two more. Then, you can make a decision that you can be absolutely sure about.

Don’t be too shy to ask about the costs of office visits and other treatment. Make sure you like the office staff, as you will be speaking with them as much or more than the doctor. And, last but not least, check with your insurance company to see if alternative medicine doctors are covered.