How effective is acupuncture in treating infertility
Though the practice of acupuncture dates back its origin to ancient China, the Western world is increasingly being aware of its benefits. Recent studies in this regard show that acupuncture medication is effective in treating infertility.
Acupuncture treatment is based on the Chinese belief that a balance in the energy flow (known as qi and chi) that occurs within the body is essential for a man to remain healthy. It is when this flow is hindered that our health pattern is negatively affected. It is based on the particular problem that different combinations of body points get stimulated with the help of acupuncture needles.
Acupuncture is now practiced as an alternative way of treating fertility problems. This mode of Chinese treatment is found to compliment the modern fertility treatments. Acupuncture is probably most effective in those couples who are experiencing a functional infertility problem such as irregular ovulation. In case of couple suffering from structural problems such as a blockage in the sperm ducts, modern fertility treatments are found to be more effective.
Some practitioners recommend Chinese herbs for both structural and operational infertility problems. Such herbal medications along with acupuncture treatment have proved to be fruitful in some couple. But, it is important to consult a medical expert while taking herbal medicine as certain herbs interfere adversely in the functioning of fertility drugs.
Through the right acupuncture treatment the body’s overall system get positively regulated and enhanced blood flow to the reproductive organs is ensured. It also stabilizes the hormone levels. This in turn will smoothen the functioning of ovaries in women and will boost the production of healthy sperm cells in men.
Acupuncture also helps women in staying relaxed during the stressful periods of fertility treatments. Acupuncture medication is found to be most beneficial in women who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) method. Studies also indicate that women who received acupuncture treatment are considerably saved from abortions due to tubular pregnancies. However, women who suffer from blood disorders should keep away from acupuncture treatment.
How Chinese medicine could fix slumped spines of smartphone generation
Prolonged use of mobile phones, playing games for hours and slouching can affect development of spine, says leading practitioner Lam Chung.
Traditional Chinese medicine could hold the key to treating an increasing number of children and teenagers with abnormally curved spines in a city increasingly populated by “smartphone zombies”, according to practitioners.
The condition of a 14-year-old girl diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), an abnormal curvature of the spine, had significantly improved after two months of a combined treatment of tui na – a type of Chinese massage therapy – acupuncture and daily exercise routines.
Angel Man’s spine, which was curved sideways in an S-shape at an angle of 31 degrees, was corrected to 18 degrees – a condition that only requires regular observation.
Depending on the severity of the curve, scoliosis is conventionally treated by wearing back braces or surgery. Curves over 45 degrees are considered serious and would be recommended surgery.
However, the two traditional methods can only prevent the spine curvature from worsening, and do not correct or straighten the spine completely.
Lam Chung, a Chinese medicine practitioner specialising in AIS, has developed a comprehensive treatment for youngsters living with the condition.
Based on ancient traditional treatment theories and more than 30 years of clinical experience, the chiropractic-like therapy combines massage, acupuncture and a set of 22 different exercise routines that aim to loosen muscle tension, increase blood circulation and realign displaced bones.
Lam said that since 2006, a three-month treatment has shown significant results for over 80 per cent of 100 scoliosis patients aged 10 to 16, with the majority seeing at least three to five degrees of spinal correction.
AIS affects 2 to 3 per cent of children between the ages of 10 and 16 worldwide. A 2008 Health Department survey that screened more than 800,000 students as part of the Student Health Service Programme found that AIS affected up to 4.5 per cent. Scoliosis is about twice more common in girls than boys.
Although AIS has no known cause, bad posture and unhealthy habits are contributing factors.
“Playing electronic games for several hours, slouching, slumping on the sofa or sitting cross-legged can cause your back muscles to tense up and affect a balanced muscle development,” said Lam, who heads the Hong Kong Institute of Chinese Medicine Culture, an association of practitioners.
Prolonged use of mobile phones puts extra strain on the neck and affects healthy development of the spine, Lam said.
He added that it is important for children with scoliosis to find suitable treatment before their bones stop growing.
“It’s a race against time.” said Lam. “If children don’t find the right treatment while they are going through puberty, their condition can worsen in a very short period. We’re talking about an increase of one degree every month.”
Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site
Here at Natural Fertility Info, we are always hoping that a naturally conceived pregnancy is in your future. Unfortunately, we also understand that isn’t always possible and that sometimes… medical treatments will be necessary in order to achieve pregnancy. In those cases, we always advocate for an integrative approach – combining western medicine treatments with alternative methods in order to experience the best of both worlds.
Receiving the Benefits Each Realm of Medicine has to Offer
When it comes to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), this stance holds strong. We encourage all our readers pursuing IVF to continue adhering to a healthy fertility diet and maintaining some of the wellness practices we always hold so dear. And of course, a few extra needle pricks couldn’t hurt either.
We get it. When you are going through IVF, you are likely beyond the point of being over needles. After giving yourself multiple injections a day for the last several weeks, lying back for an acupuncture appointment may not be at the top of your list of things to do. Hear us out though, because we think you will come to agree that those extra needles are totally worth the additional pricks they require.
Unlike many alternative treatments, acupuncture has been gaining support in the western medicine world as science has started to recognize its many benefits. There have been a variety of studies conducted reviewing the implications for acupuncture and fertility, and recent reports have shown a 65 percent increase in pregnancy success rates when IVF is combined with acupuncture treatments. Those same studies have shown rates of live births nearly doubled in cases where acupuncture was used, compared to IVF patients who received no acupuncture or sham acupuncture.
What Makes Acupuncture so Effective for IVF?
The reasons acupuncture can increase success rates aren’t fully understood. Ultrasounds have shown that acupuncture can improve uterine blood flow, which may create a more hospitable environment for implantation.
One thing most doctors and scientists seem to agree on is that acupuncture at the very least can have a calming effect on patients. While embroiled in the stress of fertility treatments, that improved relaxation can be crucial to overall wellness – particularly when you understand how stress hormones can inhibit fertility. If for no other reason, acupuncture can be a great relaxation technique to rely on.
If you are hoping to receive the full benefits of treatments, however, you should consider utilizing acupuncture treatments on the same day as your embryo transfer. Many fertility clinics are now employing full time acupuncturists specifically for this reason, so it is worth talking to your doctor to find out what is available. In cases where a clinic does not have an on-staff practitioner, however, they may still allow you to bring your own in. Or you can plan on making an appointment with a local acupuncturist in the hours immediately following your transfer. When looking for a practitioner, try to seek out someone who has experience working with fertility patients, as they will have a greater understanding of the points which should be manipulated.
Remember that acupuncture is not a guarantee that your IVF cycle will work, but it can be a natural way to improve your chances of success. Enjoy the relaxation benefits that acupuncture can provide, and sit back envisioning your healthy embryo accomplishing a smooth implantation into your uterus. The risks are limited when it comes to this alternative treatment, and the benefits can be well worth the few extra needle pricks required.
Original article and pictures take natural-fertility-info.com site
How Acupuncture Can Help in the Opioid Crisis (Infographic)
The opioid epidemic is top news, and with this realization, many are seeking alternative pain care such as acupuncture. Over 700 addiction centers offer acupuncture as an alternative and/or adjudicative therapy.
Just copy and paste this code to embed the infographic on your website!
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The reduction in the manufacturing opened up a serious conversation between doctors and patients. Many patients currently on pain medication must prepare for an alternative plan because the medications they now use are addictive and being purged from the market through regulation and realization.
The optimistic patient will be the most successful. One of the most difficult part for patients who are being weaned from pharmaceuticals is sleep disturbance. Going more than 24 hours without sleep is both disruptive and dangerous. Acupuncture therapy helps with this specific side effect and others.
Detoxification can be both painful and disruptive. In 1985, a 5-point auricular acupuncture treatment was introduced by Dr. M. Smith of the US National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA).
It's reported that a with electrical stimulation at two ear points and four body points together with acupuncture opioid withdrawal can be treated. The report by Dr. Wen has been implemented and proven to increase patient participation in long-term treatment programs.
Dr. Wen is a Hong Kong the first historically recorded doctor to observe and record his observation in 1972. His research provides a medically proven way to incorporate treatments to treat patients inexpensively and without side effects. It is medically safe for pregnant women, simple, and be used to prevent relapse.
The World Health Organization provided a list of 64 "problems" that are can be treated with acupuncture. In 1996, the list included "treatment of drug abuse." Today, the term "drug abuse" has expanded to include prescription pharmaceutical medications. This has lead to a change in public policy and culture.
The cultural shift to include patients as at risk for potential "drug abuse" lead to swift actions. A class action lawsuit and political pressures resulted in a policy change to decrease the amount manufactured by pharmaceutical companies.
The research into the opioid epidemic includes a study from Germany study which states 14,000 participants with neck pain. Of those using acupuncture, it is reported there is a clear improvement in their pain relief.
There are two types of acupuncture; the traditional needle acupuncture and modern laser acupuncture. In a 2014 clinical study, 282 men and women in a study found relief for their osteoarthritis through acupuncture.
Compiling data, researchers put together 29 studies on acupuncture to determine collaborative data. The result was that approximately 50 percent of patients had improvement. The American College of Physicians recommends acupuncture as an alternative to drug therapies.
The World Health Organizations list of 64 conditions to treat with acupuncture which include back pain, sports injuries, headache, insomnia, infertility, heart problems, sciatica, and stress.
The evolution of modern acupuncture starts with the 1970's Dr. Wen study and journeys back through time 2,000 years to China. Historically, bronze, gold, or silver needles were crafted and used by special practitioners of the art.
Western interest in acupuncture is recorded going back to the 1500s during European colonization. It was in the late 1900s when Chinese doctors began to take acupuncture more seriously as a medical treatment.
Today's opioid epidemic starts with the name brand painkillers Vicodin and OxyContin, and their generic counterparts. Statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show 90 people die per day from opioid overdose. The estimated economic cost of prescription misuse is $78.5 billion a year.
The United States makes up only 5 percent of the global population. However, 80 percent of the globe's opioid supply is consumed by the United State's. The number of prescriptions written in 2012 for opioids totaled 259 million. That's the equivalent of one personal opioid prescription per American. In the decade between 1999 and 2010, the number of prescription sales increased by four times. Which means, it from 1999 to 2010 manufacturers doubled their sales every five years.
The United States, War on Drugs, turned doctors into drug the drug dealers. The big pharma push into the medical community was a dark secret, that grew into a common medical practice. The medically acceptable reasons to give out painkillers such as Vicodin went from post-surgical to routine practice.
Today, prescriptions are highest in the areas of Physical Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine 36%, Surgery 37%, and Pain Management 49%. Online doctors prescribe 1 out of 5 prescriptions to patients with non-cancer-related pain. Over-reliance on opioids is now considered a drug addiction. 2 Million Americans have a substance use disorder-related to prescriptions.
Original article and pictures take www.pacificcollege.edu site
Simple home remedies and natural cures are often all we need for common health ailments. Learn a few and stop spending time or money at the doctor's office or drugstore. Instead you can start building your own home medicine collection of natural health remedies.
The remedies below contain no harsh chemicals or substances that will cause side effects like pharmaceutical drugs will do. Simplify your life and save on the budget by trying some of these inexpensive and safe home remedies and natural cures.
Jerry Baker: Simple & Natural Remedies - Excellent Home Health Remedies Reference Guide
Maybe you remember Jerry Baker as the guy who wrote that wildly popular book about simple household solutions to gardening problems. Same guy, and same effective but very simple solutions, but he's come inside the house. No gardening tips here, this one is about your body and simple remedies for common ailments.
Those who seek natural remedies over drugs will love this book and find it to be an excellent resource.
This book is one of the most helpful references on my shelf. You can often find a quick household remedy to try without even going to the store because most of these remedies are made from common household items.
Kiss Your Migraines Good-Bye!
Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers? If the Gatorade doesn't work and you are prone to headaches, consider evaluating your lifestyle to find out why.
There are many types of headaches, each one with its own set of triggers. Some poor habits that can trigger headaches include poor posture, poor diet (avoid wheat, grains, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives) and dehydration. Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, have been known to trigger migraines in many people, so avoid all diet products.
Just an increase in water intake daily might do the trick. However, do keep in mind that dietary changes do take some time to work.
More immediate relief methods might include intravenous magnesium and the Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT is usually very effective for relieving pain, of many kinds, often in as little as a few minutes.
As well as sore throat, upper respiratory infection, stuffed nose, etc.
Try chewing on a couple of Altoids peppermints to clear up your stuffed nose. They are curiously strong and will likely get you breathing again right away.
Sunshine! Your body produces Vitamin D in response to sunlight, and this plays a key role in your immune system, so getting your vitamin D levels is a number one defense against colds and infections of all kinds.
Another really simple and inexpensive treatment that is surprisingly effective against upper respiratory infections is hydrogen peroxide. Put a few drops of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into each ear. You may hear some bubbling (normal) and might also feel a slight stinging sensation. Wait until the bubbling and stinging stops (~ 5 to 10 minutes). Then tilt your head to let it drain onto a tissue and repeat with the other ear.
To treat a sore throat, few remedies work as well as honey. Just make sure you use raw or unrefined honey. Most of the honey for sale in the US is highly processed or refined. These and other refined foods can actually promote disease and damage your health rather than help. Stop in your local health foods store & grab some honey, honey - the REAL kind, raw or unrefined - many many benefits here.
For a sore throat, mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills bacteria.
Never suffer from motion sickness again.
Olives can help you avoid motion sickness, but only if you eat them when the first symptoms appear. That's because olives contain tannin, ant this substance helps eliminate the saliva that triggers nausea.
Some find ginger helps relieve motion sickness. Ginger can be taken as either dried extracts in the form of capsules, powders, or teas or in the form of liquid extracts or tinctures. You can also make a tea using dried herb by putting about one teaspoon of the herb into a tea strainer, then put it in a cup of hot water. If you must sweeten, avoid sugar. Try using honey or stevia instead.
Another excellent method is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). You can that you can do it whenever and wherever motion sickness strikes. EFT balances your energy system and calms your motion sensors, which will calm symptoms of motion sickness.
Soothe those achy muscles and joints with these natural remedies.
Quaker Oats is not just for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute. Let it cool slightly and then apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.
Epsom Salts — my friend with rheumatoid arthritis swears by Epsom salt baths to soothe joint pain.
Achy muscles from arthritis or even a bout of the flu can often be relieved with just 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.
Make your toenails look healthy again and get happy feet.
Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash, a super powerful antiseptic.
Many swear by a Vicks VapoRub foot massage to treat the fungus. Not sure why this works, but it does.
Reduce fungal infections by simply cutting down on sugar, because sugar is food to the fungi.
Soak the feet in salt water or spend time in the ocean. The combination of salt water and sunshine plus fresh air will zap that fungus in its tracks.
Spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on the feet, especially the toes daily. Let it dry.
Use mouthwash to cure Athlete’s Foot Pour mouthwash on cotton balls and then swab your feet. The alcohol will disinfect the bacteria completely if you continue this for a week or so.
Say Good Bye to UTI
Try this cure for urinary tract infections. Dissolve two Alka-Seltzer tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never been advertised for this use.
Drinking cranberry juice also helps alleviate symptoms of urinary tract infections. Those prone to getting UTIs would be wise to drink cranberry juice regularly for prevention.
Do not use sugar for hiccups. There are many better options that do not involve spiking your insulin.
One interesting method that makes hiccups vanish for many is to have someone hold down the tragus of your ear to close off your ear canal while you drink a full glass of water. This has been the single most effective remedy I have ever used for hiccups.
Another cure for hiccups many swear by is a spoonful of peanut butter. Works for me!
Think twice about that "Low Salt Diet."
Decades ago a low salt diet was recommended in order to avoid having high blood pressure. Why then, do more Americans have high blood pressure today than they did thirty years ago?
Consider that... Your blood is 94% water, your brain is 85% water, and your soft tissue is 75% water. This combination of water, salt, and potassium together regulate the water content of the body. So every cell in our body has fresh water inside the cell and salt water outside the cell and your health depends on a delicate balance of the water between this salt and water.
In his book "Salt your Way to Health"* Dr. David Brownstein writes about learning in medical school that salt causes high blood pressure and so we should be on a low-salt diet. Yet he began to notice his patients who had high blood pressure received very little benefit from a low-salt diet and that most of them were also low on minerals. In his search for ways to help these patients, he came across unrefined salt, which has over 80 trace minerals in it. His patients with high blood pressure who began consuming unrefined salt were finding that their blood pressure was actually coming down so much that they were able to stop taking blood pressure medications.
His book, "Salt Your Way to Health" will show you how adding the right kind of salt to your diet can help adrenal disorders, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, fatigue, headaches, immune system function and thyroid disorders. In a study of almost 3,000 men who had high blood pressure, those on a low-salt diet had a 430% increase in heart attacks when compared to the men who ate a high-salt diet.
Sea Salt has SO many health benefits, get some today!
Sea Salt is a powerful natural antihistamine, also your digestive system requires refined salt to properly absorb food. Refined salt can also be used to relieve: Asthma symptoms, stress symptoms, kidney problems, depression, bladder control, diabetes, irregular heartbeats, gout, muscle cramps, osteoporosis (bones get their hardness from salt, not calcium), varicose veins and more.
Those who suffer from asthma, emphysema, and cystic fibrosis can get rid of mucus and phlegm in the lungs by simply using salt and drinking plain water. Men having problems maintaining an erection might try eating more salt and drinking more plain water. Taking salt and drinking plain water before exercising will help you to breathe better and sweat less.
Because there is potassium in almost everything we eat, salt needs to be added to our food. This will allow our body to maintain a healthy balance of water between the inside and outside pools of water in our blood cells, preventing hypertension. Low-salt diets have also been shown to increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels and fasting insulin levels.
*"ABC of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus" (pages 144-150)
It is rare to find an MD willing to suggest such natural cures such as simply changing the kind of salt we consume. One cause of high blood pressure is a lack of fresh water for the inside of the blood cells, called hypertension. There are significant differences between salt and potassium and their opposite effects on hypertension (Brownstein, MD).
It is not recommended to drink the sea salt with water, at least not regularly. Instead take it in one of the ways below in this ratio: 1/8 tsp of unrefined sea salt for every 16 oz of water you drink daily. Three options for taking the sea salt:
Drink one or two glasses of plain water, then putting a pinch of salt on the end of your tongue and let it dissolve. Wash it down with water.
Put the extra salt on your food. You may need to acquire a taste for very salty food, so start small.
If you are very salt-sensitive then you could get some empty capsules and put the amount of salt you require into the capsules to take it with food.
Think twice before you pitch that banana peel. Here are many ways to reuse them for home remedies.
Fertilizer: Bananas are naturally very high in potassium and so they encourage plant growth. If you compost, bananas are great to add. But even if you don't you compost, can use the banana peel or even puree the entire banana and bury with soil.
Shoe Polish: Rub the peel on your shoes to make them nice and shiny.
Stop the Itch: Rub the inside of a banana peel on a bug bite helps itch relief.
Pain Reliever: The oil in a banana peel will help relieve pain from burns & scratches.
Wart Removal: Apply a piece of banana peel on a wart with a band aide or adhesive tape. Continue til wart is gone.
Make Houseplants Gleam: Banana peels can be used to make the leaves of plants shine, same as shining shoes.
Removing Splinters: Similar to wart removal, apply a piece of the peel over the splinter and cover with tape or band-aid. The enzymes help dislodge the splinter and to heal the wound.
Whiten Teeth: Rub the inside of a banana peel on teeth daily for 2 weeks and watch them lighten up.
Simple Remedies for Healthy Skin
Burns: Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns? Another great remedy is flour! I learned this one from a Viet Nam vet, works like a charm! You might even keep some flour in the fridge like I do, only because cold flour feels a lot better (and do not run the burn under cold water first). Another remedy for burns that works great — keep an aloe plant around for burns and just break off a piece and squeeze some of the juices inside on the burn. No more burning, no blisters, no problem.
Acne: Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. In fact, some say it works overnight. See even more remedies for acne below.
Splinter: Just put a drop of Elmer's Glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
Boil: Cover the boil with Hunt's Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.
Broken Blister: To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic and balm.
Bruise: Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.
Poison Ivy: Before you buy those expensive lotions, try washing the rash with Dawn dish soap, which contains ingredients that attack the oils that cause the rash and painful itching.
Swollen Eyes, Bags Under Eyes: Try the common product made to reduce swelling on other body parts — Preparation H. It works on the eyes, too! You can also try placing a thin slice of raw potato on the eye for about 10 minutes.
Knock out fleas, mites & odors in a flash!
Ear mites: All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your dog or cat's ear...massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.
Fleas: Watch your Dawn Dishwashing Liquid do the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Kills fleas instantly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas! Much cheaper than pet shampoo.
Rainy Day Dog Odor: Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.
Shiny Coat: Add a bit of olive oil to your pet's food to give them a healthier, shinier coat of fur.
Natural Sea salt is good for our pets too! Why do you think farmers provide salt licks for their cows? Or why hunters bait deer with salt licks? Animals crave salt, it is essential to their survival and well-being. Why do you think dogs are so lick-happy? He's stealing the salt from your skin. Improve your pet's health by adding a small amount of sea salt to their food.
Getting the real thing can be tricky, and best to either go directly to a bee keeper or else to order it online from a reliable source.
Don't forget the honey, honey ... and cinnamon powder too, please.
Did you know that honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot? When left in a cool dark place for a long time it may resemble sugar because it will crystallize. When this happens, just loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water. Then turn off the heat and let it liquefy and the honey will be as good as new. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave because this will kill the enzymes in the honey.
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has important vitamins — particularly iron in large amounts. Regular use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases. It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon can be a very effective treatment for most diseases without any side effects. Even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it can even be used by people with diabetes.
Be careful where you get the honey, honey. Most of the honey sold in grocery stores is not real honey, but instead a mixture of chemicals and additives that look and taste like honey. Get it from a reliable beekeeper if you can, or some other more reliable source.
The list below includes some diseases that can be treated with significant success with honey and cinnamon. These claims were researched by western scientists and published by a Canadian magazine called Weekly World News, January 17 ,1995.
Heart Disease: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder and apply on bread instead of jelly and jam. Eating it regularly for breakfast will reduce cholesterol in the arteries. Regular use can relieve loss of breath and strengthen the heart beat. As we age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.
Arthritis: One cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Even those with chronic arthritis report significant relief from pain after drinking this mixture daily.
Bladder Infections: Two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water will destroy germs in the bladder.
High Cholesterol: Mix two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder in 16 ounces of tea. When given to a cholesterol patient, this mixture was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within only two hours. If taken three times a day, even chronic cholesterol can be releived. Also, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.
Colds, Cough, Sinuses Clogged: One tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.
Upset Stomach, Indigestion & Gas Honey taken with cinnamon powder relieves stomach ache and gas pain. It can also clear stomach ulcers from the root. Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.
Longevity: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.
Pimples: Mix a paste of three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Apply it on pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.
Skin Infections: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.
Weight Loss: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
Cancer: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.
Vitality: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is helpful to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder increases the vitality of the body within a week when taken twice daily.
Bad Breath: Gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water and breath stays fresh throughout the day.
Hearing Loss: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts is said to restore hearing loss.
Zap those Zits! Pimples be gone!
Apply a yogurt mask on the face regularly and add yogurt to your regular diet.
Use honey mixed with cinnamon powder. Apply the mixture on acne and leave overnight.
Aloe Vera improves skin and there are two ways of using it. You can either drink aloe vera juice regularly or use the gel directly on the skin. Aloe Vera can even be grown in a pot.
Lemon juice is also great for treating acne. Apply it gently with a cotton ball and wash it off in ten minutes.
Baking soda is used in a lot of cosmetics and works as a mild exfoliator for skin. It removes dead skin, deep cleans, and unclogs pores. When you use it for the first time, you may feel a slight stinging.
Make sure you use baking soda and not baking powder since baking powder can burn. Baking soda acne mask is one of the easiest home remedies and is very effective. Use it no more than 3 times a week at first to allow the skin get used to it before you use it more frequently. When you apply it on your skin, it should be consistent and not too runny, so don't dilute it too much.
Wash your face and pat it dry before you apply the mask. Gently apply the mixture onto your skin and leave it on for awhile. It is important to wash it off thoroughly so that none of the baking soda is left behind. Your skin will feel soft due to the exfoliation effect of baking soda. If this home remedy works for you, you can keep repeating the procedure a few times a week.
Your skin may tend to get dry at first so make sure you to moisturize after you use this mask. In order to maintain a good pH of the skin, you might try splashing your face with diluted apple cider vinegar after removing the baking soda away. The vinegar acts as a toner but wash it off after a minute as the smell is gross.
Acne can leave scars which make be a problem even after the acne is cured. Mint juice is a simple solution to get rid of acne scars. Apply mint juice on the scars every night and wash it off every morning. You'll likely see results within a few weeks.
One cold January I couldn't get rid of a nasty headcold. I tried a couple of over the counter meds - the first dried me out so harshly that my skin began to peel like it would with a sunburn! The second drugstore product was Alka Selzer Plus, took it for a couple of days before I noticed that one of the ingredients is Aspartame! Geez!
Then I went searching for natural remedies and found one I could easily mix together with basic ingredients I already have in my kitchen - knocked all symptoms out in less than 24 hours! This after I'd had a sore throat off and on for weeks.
Mix cider vinegar, honey, ginger & cinnamon - that's it! Take a tablespoon a few times a day same as you would a cough syrup. You can also mix it in hot tea.
Other options: Cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon, also add lemon juice or follow the recipe in the image above.
1/4 tsp each of the spices mixed with 1 tablespoon of the cider vinegar & honey. Simple & works great!
Best to use organic cider vinegar (Braggs is a good brand) also get real honey, NOT the substitute sold in most grocery stores.
Great recipe for sore throats and chest colds, makes about 2 cups
Two lemons cleaned and sliced
Two pieces of ginger sliced into coin size pieces
Honey (1/2 to 1 cup)
Ground cinnamon- about a teaspoon.
Combine lemon slices and sliced ginger in 12-16 oz jar.
Pour honey (organic) over it slowly.
Let the honey sink down and around the lemon and ginger slices.
When the honey has filled in all the voids, make sure there is enough to cover the top of the lemon slices.
Close jar and put it in the fridge, it will form into sort of a jelly.
To serve: Spoon jelly into mug and pour boiling water over it. Can store in fridge 2-3 months.
Ginger is one of the oldest and most popular medicinal spices.
Benefits:
Aids in digestion and assimilation.
Prevents colds, flu, motion sickness, and vertigo.
Potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols.
Powerful painkiller for joint, muscle, and nerve pain.
Immune-boosting and germ-fighting abilities.
Provides protection and relief from E.coli, Staph infections, and Candida albicans.
In ancient times, ginger was regarded highly as a spiritual cleanser, used during holy days to awaken & purify the body, mind, and spirit.
Make a liter of ginger water or tea by adding freshly grated ginger to water. Then let steep for 10-20 minutes. Add raw honey and fresh-squeezed lemon juice to enhance flavor. This also adds to its protective and healing properties.
For an energizing and immune boosting beverage, try fresh ginger juiced along with apples and celery.
Natural Painkillers in Your Kitchen
Who'd have thought you could knock out pain with simple kitchen ingredients like salt, honey, cloves and other spices? Go check out this list of 20 natural painkillers in your kitchen. Great natural remedies and drug alternatives.
Slick Tricks for the Home
Easy Eyeglass Protection: To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
Bug Killer: A cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer? If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects will drop to the ground instantly. It's cheaper, cleaner and much safer than the harsh chemicals sold at hardware stores.
Dings on Wood Furniture: Get rid of unsightly scratches and dings on wood furniture by rubbing a walnut on the areas. The blemishes will vanish quickly and your furniture and pocket book will be saved.
CD/DVD Scratches: Apply toothpaste to a cotton ball and wipe the disc. Wash with water afterward and you've got a brand new disc!
Untangle Knots: Sprinkling cornstarch into tough knots, such as shoe laces helps loosen them.
Fluffier Bread: When baking, where recipes call for water, add club soda instead to make pancakes, waffles and any other breads fluffier.
Frost Free Windows: Pour a cup of salt into a liter of water. Sponge the liquid onto the inside of window to prevent frost from forming during the winter months.
Remove Permanent Marker: Dab the surface that has the permanent marker on it with a cloth or cotton ball covered in rubbing alcohol to make it disappear quickly.
Nicked Yourself Shaving?: Just swipe some chap stick over the cut to stop that constant bleeding. No more tissue squares!
Dandruff: Don't ask how it works, but it does! Instead of buying a special shampoo, just wash your hair in apple juice to rid your scalp of pesky dandruff.
Armpit Stains: Grind up an aspirin tablet or two, then make a paste out of it using water, lemon or vinegar. Spread the paste on the stained area and let sit for an hour before washing.
Spotless Windows and Mirrors: Instead of using a spray and a streaky cloth, use only newspaper to clean off your mirrors and windows for a streak-free finish.
Extend Life of Flowers in Vase: Add a few drops of bleach to vase water to prevent the build-up of the slime caused by bacteria. It works just like chlorine in a swimming pool.
Flea-Killing Dog Shampoo: Kitchen dish soap (not dish detergent) can double as dog shampoo for its flea killing abilities.
Blood Stains: Soak the stain in cola until the stain is dissolved, then wash the clothing as usual. Wash before the coke dries, though.
Blemishes: Have a blemish you need to get rid of by tomorrow? Put a dab of honey on the blemish and cover it up (it's best to use a Band-Aid) and the honey's natural antibacterial properties will clean out the bacteria by the morning.
Clean Can Opener Gears: Run a few small strips of wax paper through the can opener to clean out of the bits and pieces that have built up in the gears throughout the year. The wax will also rub off on the gears to protect for future use as well.
Crayon on the Walls: Use WD-40 lubricant and a cloth to remove stubborn crayon marks from the walls just by spraying the wall and wiping with a cloth.
Ants and Slugs: Ants and slugs won't touch chalk. So, simply draw a line in front of your doorway where you are having problems with these pesky critters and they won't cross it, meaning they won't be able to get into your house.
Kill Weeds and Help Flowers Grow: Vinegar is a magic wonder when it comes to gardening. It not only kills weeds but they help flowers grow as well. Douse vinegar all around your garden to prevent weeds from popping up and to help your flowers to grow healthy and strong.
Replace Dryer Sheets Permanently: Instead of using a dryer sheet ball up one or a few sheets of tin foil and toss it in the dryer. It removes the static electricity from your clothes and one can last up to a year.
Polish Leather Shoes: Use the inside of a banana peel to give shoes a professional and natural shine that will last for quite some time.
Clean BBQ Grill: Mix a cup of baking soda with half a cup water to make a paste. Dip your brush into the paste and scrub the grill. The caked on pieces and black residue will come off much quicker, and using baking soda is much safer and cheaper than using cleaning chemicals.
Fertilizer: Coffee is full of nutrients and vitamins that are very beneficial to soil. That's why some people include it in compost piles. If you want to get the most out of your coffee, pour the grounds on areas where you want more grass or flowers.
Shaving Cream: The smoothness of olive oil can replace the need for shaving cream, and it also provides great moisture.
Static Electricity: Use dryer sheets to remove static electricity from things such as clothing, TV screens or your own hair. Tame fly-away strands by running a dryer sheet over them. Also, try using dryer sheets as bug repellant.
Long Lasting Candles: Put candles in the freezer for at least 2 hours before using. Once you burn them, the wax will melt at a much slower pace, making them last much longer!
Deodorize Garbage Disposal: Toss whole slices of lemon into the garbage disposal then run it. The acidity of the lemon will rid your sink of all odors and leave a fresh scent that usually lasts for a few months.
Burnt-On Grease and Food Stains: When letting your pots and pans soak, throw in one or two Alka Seltzer tablets and the caked on residue from cooking will come off easily when you scrub/wash.
Scratches on Glass: Apply toothpaste to scratch, then rub with a cloth until the scratch is gone. Make sure the glass is clean beforehand.
Pain from Poison Ivy, Chickenpox, and Sunburns: Pound one to four cups of Cheerios into a powder and add to your bath to soothe your skin while you soak. You may not feel relief while in the tub, but you will soon after.
Sort Earrings: Organize your earrings and prevent them from becoming entangled by using spare buttons as holders for each pair.
Prevent Hairballs for Pets: Add a few drops of corn oil to your pets' food to prevent hairballs from forming. The thick oil helps the fur pass through the animal's system much quicker and easily.
Remove Oil Stains from the Driveway: Oil stains are very difficult to remove pavement, but one method guaranteed to work is cola, like Pepsi or Coke products. The highly acidic drink will eat away at the oil until clean.
Facial Scrub: A scrub is good to do about once a month to remove dead skin and bacteria built up in pores and remove excess oil from the skin. Brown sugar does just as well as expensive products and will definitely result in a clearer and smoother complexion.
Lint Brush: You already know that dryer sheets remove lint in the dryer. Well, it can do the same thing out of the dryer, too. When you're in a fix, use a dryer sheet. It works just as well as a lint brush, and if you like the scent, it's an added bonus.
Deodorize Smelly Refrigerator: For that stinky Tupperware or smelly refrigerator drawer that is too much to deal with, toss in a sheet of newspaper overnight before you deal with it. The paper will absorb the smell greatly reducing it or eliminating it completely.
Prevent Wall from Chipping When Nailing: The wall can leave unsightly chips when hammering in a nail. Prevent this by simply placing a piece of scotch tape over the area you're going to nail. The wall will be held tighter, preventing chips from occurring.
Soothe Insect Bites: Dissolve two tablets of alka seltzer into a glass of water. Then use a cloth or cotton ball to apply it to the affected area. The red will go down and most importantly, the itchiness will vanish usually in fifteen minutes.
Whiten Your White Clothes: Add about half a cup of lemon juice to your load of whites to makes them extra white. You can use lemon juice with bleach or detergent, so don't worry about mixing chemicals with the acidic lemon.
Whiten Teeth: This may sound a little odd, but rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth twice a day for two weeks and you will receive the same effect from a teeth-whitening kit.
Consult your MD if symptoms persist.
While many have found relief from using these natural cures and home remedies, we are not suggesting that you replace your doctor with them. Of course whenever symptoms persist long-term, you'd be wise to consult a physician.
Original article and pictures take www.squidoo.com site
Holistic Medicine (aka Alternative Care, Holism, New Thought) has existed for decades and is an approach to how treatment should be applied.
Relatively recently has it begun to be integrated more into the mainstream health care system.
Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the different modalities and benefits that they may receive from these approaches as opposed to traditional medical practices.
When people become frustrated and are not getting the results that they want or need from modern medicine, they seek alternative sources.
Holistic Medicine first was introduced to the United States officially in 1975 at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine's first National Conference on Holistic Health.
This university conference continued there for 10 years with approximately 3,000 health professionals participating each year.
This concept then became more popular by the establishment of the American Holistic Health Association in 1989.
This philosophy of health care views both the mind and the body as interconnected and equally important in health treatment.
The whole body or complete system is viewed and treated instead of dissected and treated in individual parts. Alternative care is increasingly used in mainstream medical practice as a broad aspect of whole-body patient care.
Maintaining good health is achieved by whole body health and fitness, and emotional & spiritual well-being. The goal is wellness that is the entire person, and not just a lack of physical pain and/or disease.
For example, if someone suffers from headaches, instead of just looking for 'brain/head' issues, other body systems such as diet, stress, muscle tension, sleep and others are viewed.
In Western medicine, doctor looks for specific causes of diseases, and focuses on particular body components to treat. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doesn't work in this way. There are fundamental differences in principles, diagnosis and treatment approaches between Western medicine and Chinese medicine.
Ancient Chinese believed that their existence was closely tied with the universe, where they were located in the center with the heavens positioned above and the earth positioned below. The concept of the universe was used to explain the laws of nature, and relationships were formed between the cosmos and humans. For example, the skin of the human body corresponded with the flat texture of the earth, the five internal organs corresponded to the five elements of wood, fire, water, earth, and metal, and the eyes and ears related to the sun and moon in the heavens. The world is a harmonious and holistic entity, no single being or form could exist unless it was seen in relation to its surrounding environment. This concept became the basic idea of Taoism, a philosophical and religious tradition of China.
Taoism helped shape the practice of Chinese medicine, which is based on the beliefs that everything is interdependent and mutually interactive in the universe. Man is part of the holistic entity, and should be analyzed or interpreted with reference to the whole. TCM holistic concept includes integrity of the body and its relationship with the outer world.
The body's systems are one integrated and balanced whole
The body is an organic whole, all the component parts are interconnected, they dependent and restrict each other physiologically, influence each other pathologically. The five organs act as the core functional units, and through the linking of the meridian system, a complex set of interrelationships is formed within the body. Every part of the body has special relationships with the five organs, and the five organs themselves are interrelated too.
Furthermore, qi (vital energy), blood and body fluids are the material basis for various body functions; they flow through the body to facilitate all parts of the body working together and to ensure the unity and harmony inside the body.
Physiological aspect: Each organ not only performs its own individual functions; it also complements other organs and even the entire internal system to perform life activities. For example, although nutrient essence is transformed in the spleen, but the transforming process also involves nourishment of the heart blood, regulation of the liver and promotion of the kidney. A harmonious and coordinated relationship between the organs is essential for normal life activities.
Pathological aspect: Attention is paid to the interrelation and interaction between localized pathology and the whole body, TCM holistic approach always associates localized pathology with overall body reactions. Physicians not only concern about local pathology and its corresponding internal organ, they also consider the influence on unaffected body parts, so as to predict the disease progression. The clinical manifestations of disease are a result of the overall body reactions. For example, in case of damp-heat irritating the liver and gall bladder, not only these two organs are affected, it may also affect the spleen, stomach, heart and kidney, leading to nausea, no appetite, diarrhea, insomnia, lumbar soreness, knee weakness and fatigue. In case of liver blood deficiency, there may be symptoms like blurred vision (openings of the liver), dizziness, pale nails (outer manifested region of the liver), muscle or tendon spasms (dominated tissues of the liver), limb weakness, scanty menses and even missed periods (the Conception Vessel and Thoroughfare Vessel are controlled by the liver). Disorders of internal organs, qi, blood and body fluids can be manifested on the superficial body, while a localized or regional pathology can affect the whole body and cause extensive dysfunctions.
Diagnostic aspect: The Four Diagnostic Skills and correlations made between internal and external body are concrete samples of TCM holistic concept. Since the organs and tissues of the body are interdependent physiologically and mutually affected pathologically, physicians are able to assess the status of internal organs and construct a detailed picture of the patient's disease based on the symptoms, pulse and tongue signs of the patient, laboratory tests or other modern diagnostic technologies are rarely used. For example, the tongue has special relationships with the internal organs. The tongue body and its coating create the tongue signs, which are an important factor in diagnosis. Changes in the tongue signs reflect changes of organ functioning, blood and qi activities, body fluid metabolism, and progressing direction of diseases. In addition, it is a routine practice of TCM to associate a patient's condition with external influences and personal details. Factors like weather, season, lifestyles, eating habit, mental state, body constitution, age, gender and career are usually taken into account in TCM diagnosis, they help provide a full evaluation and design the most appropriate treatment plan to the patient.
Therapeutic aspect: TCM treatment focuses on the overall disharmony of the body rather than specific organ or body region. Most of the time, remedies are designed to restore the balance of the whole body, and are through comprehensive therapeutic effects to achieve the healing propose. A disharmony pattern is the general conclusion of the cause, pathological changes, developmental stage and overall body reactions to a particular disease. Treatment based on syndrome differentiation (identifying disharmony pattern) implies the holistic concept of TCM, which has made use of the organic wholeness and interrelationships of the body. When there is an organ disorder, physicians may not target on one organ only and even not treat the affected organ, they can achieve a healing result by treating other seemingly irrelevant organs. For example, stomach problems can be solved by treating both stomach and spleen; respiratory problems may be treated by both spleen and stomach instead of treating the lungs. More remarkably, for many localized or superficial conditions, physicians will treat the corresponding internal organs and even the entire body is treated. For example:
The body should be in tune with the external environment
The body communicates with the external environment constantly, factors such as weather, geographic location, working and family environments can all affect our health. External changes cause the body to respond physiologically or pathologically, which reflects the united relationship between human and the outside world. We should live in harmony with nature, other people, and the immediate environment. When changes occur in external environment, and the body fails to adapt to the changes, diseases are likely to occur.
Climatic Influences: Under normal circumstances, climatic factors do not cause disease, only in extreme changes or when the body is too weak to adapt to climatic changes, they became pathogens that could cause disease. The six climatic influences, which are wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, and fire or heat, are considered as the importance external pathogens for disease development, also known as the "six evils" in TCM. The correlations made between the climate and disease development is a particular way for TCM to explore the imbalance of the body. It facilitates physicians to identify the exogenous pathogens based on particular symptoms, regardless of identifying bacteria, viruses, toxins or parasites, and allows for a different approach in disease treatment that has been met with success over the centuries in China. For example, in common cold that has symptoms such as headaches, fever and sticky throat secretions, physicians may diagnose as wind-heat invading the lungs, using herbs such as honeysuckle flower and forsythia capsule can clear the symptoms.
Seasonal Influences: The body makes appropriate physiological responses in accordance with seasonal changes. For example, it opens the skin pores and sweat more in summer, while closes the skin pores and sweats less in winter, thus the body temperatures can be maintained within a normal range. Moreover, the body pulse tends to be taut in spring, surging in summer, floating in autumn, and deep in winter, which reflect the body's blood and qi activities also correspond to the natural world. TCM physicians always consider the seasonal physiological changes when distinguishing the abnormal body signs from the normal ones.
The pathogenic features of the six TCM evils
Seasonal influences are important inducing factors for many diseases too, for example, respiratory infections and nose bleeding are common in spring, heat strokes and digestive problems are common in summer, malaria and dysentery tend to occur in autumn; arthritis and respiratory problems tend to relapse in winter.
For TCM physicians, seasonal influences on the body are important considerations when making diagnosis, selecting therapies and even suggesting preventive measures. For example, elder people who suffer from chronic cough or panting are likely to feel better in spring and summer, but feel worse in autumn and winter. Their conditions are usually due to weakened spleen and kidney, and warming herbs are indicated, physicians will suggest them to take preventive measures in hot summer, so that in winter, their conditions are less likely to relapse, or the symptoms can be less severe and in shorter duration. In other cases, people with blood deficiency and hyperactive liver are likely to experience dizziness, distending headache, blurred vision, ear ringing and mental fatigue in spring. Winter is the season where the body conserves energy and builds strength as a prelude to spring. TCM will advise the patients eating more nourishing and tonic foods in winter for prevention.
Geographic influences: People in different geographic regions live with different lifestyles, customs and cultures, thus they develop particular body constitutions and susceptible to particular health problems. In Northwestern highlands of China, people tend to have a stronger constitution. When they are sick, their body is likely to be cold outside but heat inside, thus dispersing external coldness and clearing internal heat are often necessary in the treatment. In Southeastern coastal regions of China, people tend to have a weaker constitution, and are particularly susceptible to skin problems and seasonal infections. Physician often consider the geographic and dietary influences on the patient's body when giving a treatment. TCM herbal applications often reflect the geographic differences, take common cold as a sample, in the frigid zone of Northwest China, a larger dosage of potent warming herbs such as ephedra and cassia twig are often used, while in the temperate zone of Southeast China, mild warming herbs such as schizonepeta herb and ledebouriella root are used and the dosage is relative smaller.
Social and life influences: Technology and social progress has created many new health problems, stress is a part of modern life. We are constantly overwhelmed by demands at work and home, and challenged by social turmoil, life changes, financial and interpersonal issues. A combination of these factors puts extra strain on our mind and spirit, and also drains the body's reserves. Health is achieved only when the body is in balance which includes the physical, emotional and mental aspects. Overreacting psychological activities can easily disturb the organ functioning, as time passes some real physical damage will occur. The psychological damage to internal organs and resulting psychosomatic ailments (i.e. insomnia, stomach upset) are of primary concern by TCM physicians.
TCM has a unique concept about mind and body connection, stress and mental distress are considered to be the usual factors that affect disease development. Excess psychological factors are known as the "seven emotions" which include joy, anger, sadness, anxiety, worry, fear and fright. Each of the emotions interacts with particular internal organs and affects qi activities differently, leading to different disharmony patterns. Clinically, patients with mental problems such as depression, insomnia and anxiety often respond to TCM treatment, which may be combined with conventional medication or used alone under proper supervision of physicians.
From the above, we can see that TCM holistic approaches are based on the views of whole-body, whole-person, whole-world. Under the guidance of holistic concept, all aspects must be considered when treating a problem, only a comprehensive analysis on the patients' physical condition, age, lifestyles, medical history, career and mental state can a correct diagnosis be made and then treated properly.
References: Beijing University of TCM (edited), Basic Theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Academy Press, 1998.
Li Qizhong (edited & complied), Elaboration of TCM Basic Theories, Publishing House of Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine University, 2006.
Qin Bowei (compiled), Elementary Chinese Medicine, People's Medical Publishing House, 2006.
Fang Yaozhong (compiled), Plain Speeches on TCM Basic Theories, People's Medical Publishing House, 2007.
Cai Jianying (edited & complied), Summaries on Ancient and Modern Philosophical Concepts of TCM, Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Publishing House, 2005.
Compiled: Rose Tse, Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.
Original article and pictures take www.shen-nong.com site
The Chinese have used massage (tuina) for therapeutic purposes for 4,000 years, and it is still a significant part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) today.
Swedish massage appeared in the U.S. in the mid-19th century. The American medical establishment enthusiastically adopted the technique and practiced it for the next 50
Traditional Asian Massage
years. Massage went out of vogue in the early 20th century as medical technology and pharmaceuticals began their ascent. Only a few practitioners continued to utilize massage—that is, until the 1970s, when it re-emerged on the public scene as part of the increasing interest in alternative medicine and treatments that utilized the mind-body connection. Massage continues to grow in popularity today, and the number of trained massage therapists is increasing rapidly to keep up with the field’s growth.
“A physician must be experienced in many things but most assuredly in rubbing” – Hippocrates
Original article and pictures take www.therapeuticmassagetoronto.com site
Cupping has been used to treat ailments across many cultures; and historical accounts and ancient medical textbooks talk about using the technique in different ways. Cupping therapy possibly evolved over 5,000 years ago and was practiced in locations ranging from China in the far-east to Eastern European countries such the Balkans and Bulgaria, and Egypt in north Africa. There is also evidence of North American Indians using its healing effects. Every culture and language developed their own terms for cupping therapy such as Bentousa, SchrÖpftherapie, Köpölyözés, Glāstīdams, Вендузи and Kyukaku to name very few. However, the most detailed records of the uses of the therapy have emerged from China.
Cupping in China
Cupping is a form of healing that is the oldest to be used in traditional Chinese healing and was often used in the Imperial courts of China by high ranking personnel. The earliest records that date back to about 3,000 years ago document the use of cupping to cure pulmonary tuberculosis. Later accounts talk about the well-known Taoist, Ge Hong (281–341 A.D.) who was known for his practice of alchemy and herbal medicines. He has described cupping therapy techniques in his book, A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies. In it he elaborates on the use of animal horns as cups that he used for draining pus out of blisters thus giving the technique the name jiaofa, or the horn technique. Animal horns were also used by other practitioners to cause suction on the meridian points of the patient.
Books such as Necessities of a Frontier Official from the Tang dynasty describe the use of fire cupping that could ease headaches, abdominal pain and dizziness in patients. There are also detailed accounts of curing pulmonary tuberculosis and other similar ailments. Often, cupping was used in addition to other healing techniques such as acupuncture and moxibustion. These three methods together were most widely used during the Tang reign.
Further accounts such as the Supplement to Outline of Materia Medica were written during the time of the Qing dynasty by Zhao Xuemin. Cupping therapies known as fire ja qi used hot cups made of pottery or bamboo that were first boiled in a solution steeped with herbs before using on the skin. Accordingly, these methods were also called wet or liquid cupping. The cups were sometimes used over areas that were pierced with acupuncture needles. A wide range of ailments could be healed using these techniques such as common cold, abdominal pain, knotted nerves and muscles and arthralgia. Illnesses caused by cold, damp and windy weather could also be alleviated using cupping therapy.
In present times, cupping therapy and its documents spanning thousands of years are being explored and in-depth research is being carried out to test their efficacy. These efforts are being made by institutes of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that are funded by the government. Cupping is still used in China using the same prime techniques, though, glass and plastic cups are also now being used.
Cupping in East Asian countries
Aside from China, horns and other cupping instruments have also been discovered in Japan, Vietnam, the Korean peninsula and regions further north in China. These discoveries indicate that there is a possibility that the technique was first developed in China and later carried by travelers to other countries. In Vietnam, other techniques were used such as water cupping, air-pump cupping, acupuncture cupping and fire cupping.
Cupping in North America
North American Indians were known to be proficient healers but their techniques of curing ailments and maintaining good health were lost when many of their numbers were destroyed. They were forced to live on reservations and their culture was lost. They were known to use buffalo horns, bones and seashells for cupping.
Cupping in other countries
In Egypt, cupping therapy is described in hieroglyphic writings that date to 3,500 years ago. Medical books such as the Ebers Papyrus talk about using the treatment technique in 1,550 B.C. The Greek healer, Hippocrates is also known for using the therapy for curing internal ailments around 400 B.C. Various accounts from different European physicians such as Galen (131-200AD), Paracelsus(1493-1541), Ambroise Pare (1509-90) and surgeon Charles Kennedy (1826) all talk about using the technique. As recent as the early 1900’s, Sir Arthur Keith has written about the success of using it. There is also evidence of cupping therapy being used in traditional Persia, Arabian regions and areas in the Indian sub-continent also. In Persia, wet cupping practices were widely used.
Over the centuries, women in many cultures were the healers of the community and used cupping very commonly to cure ailments. They used the technique to cleanse the body of impurities, induce healing and often passed their methods down to further generations. It is believed that many accounts and techniques have been lost over time since women were not given higher education and allowed to share their healing methods with male healers. Even so, at the time, people believed in their healing capabilities and often traveled long distances for healing treatments.
The exact origins of cupping therapy as a healing technique are not clear but it is now an accepted fact that this method has been used all through human history. People migrating from one location to another carried the techniques with them to new lands and continued to practice it to cure a wide range of ailments. Cupping was also used to banish evil spirits from patient’s bodies and restore the natural internal balance.
Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site
Here’s What Happens if You Massage This Point On The Ear
In a TV show about healthy living, Mark Sandomirsky, a doctor of medical science and psychiatrist, advises his patients to relieve stress using a simple technique.
The causes and effects of stress often vary, and people experience it in many different ways. After being stressed, we are left with an uncomfortable feeling of heaviness or pain in certain parts of the body.
The first thing you should do is get rid of all destructive emotions. Do not keep them in. Then, remove the physical effects. Psycho-reflexology helps a lot. The fact is, our bodies have natural anti-stress points.
Ancient Chinese culture called this point Shen Men or “The Gate of Heaven”. Treating this area brings celestial energy to your whole body. Shen Men is a deep, miraculous point that strengthens your overall health, decreases stress, and boosts energy.
This acupressure point also suppresses inflammation and addiction, and massaging it relieves pain in every part of your body. Shen men or the Gate of Heaven is located in the center of the upper third part of your ear.
Dr Sandomirsky advices:
Using a cotton bud, press this point and gently massage it. Breathe deeply.
Then listen to your body carefully.
Keep breathing deeply.
When you inhale look to the left, and on the exhale look to the right.
You will feel how your body calms down.
Extra tips:
Massage this point using your fingers.
Massage it well every time you are stressed.
You can also repeat this technique every night before you go to bed
Original article and pictures take www.healthyfoodhouse.com site
Tui Na rectifies anatomical abnormalities of both inner and outer surfaces by altering the energy level of the biological system and adjusts the bio-information of the body
Tui Na (sometimes called trauma therapy) breaks down scar tissue to relax muscles and tendons and creates the road for the blood and Qi to circulate in a proper way by removing blood stasis, and of course most importantly, to speed up the healing process
Tui Na helps to treat many disorders from soft tissue injuries to many other kinds of ailments such as:
stiff neck and distension of shoulders
frozen shoulder
sore back
sciatica
aching muscles
diarrhoea
constipation
low energy
symptoms that are caused by stress or emotional problems, such as, insomnia, difficulty focusing, headache, tensions headaches
Tui Na massage for specific health problems is based on a full Traditional Chinese Medicine case history taking using proper examinations to identify a complaint, any underlying pattern and treatment principles. This full logical analysis is what gives Tui Na its power and raises it above other system of massage. Based on the treatment principles, specific techniques are combined to treat the presenting complaint and underlying pattern.
Tui Na massage can be performed seated or may be laid on a treatment bed, decided based on the most suitable and comfortable position for both patient and practitioner, and depending on the types of manipulations or techniques that are about to be applied on the patient.
Quite often Tui Na massage is combined with acupuncture, one after another, to maximize the best results, however, Tui Na can be done alone for those who does not require needling treatment.
Tui Na can be applied on top of loose clothing or bare skin (usually the back) using aromatic oil of their own preference to relax mind, body and reduce tension. The session can last any where in between 15 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on the severity of the problem of the patient or the level of the pressure which practitioner applies.
Tui Na has no adverse side effects, although because it can be a powerful treatment in terms of re-adjusting the functions of the body, some patients may see an increase in frequency of visits to the bathroom, or may feel the build up and release of pressure throughout the body, or may feel slightly sedated immediately after treatment or may develop slight bruising (as blockage gets released) depending on the patient symptoms. The effects of a typical Tui Na treatment can last up to a week if the problem is not completely cleared up by then.
Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site
Green Coffee Is The New Health Drink That Promises To Help You Lose Weight
Health me up believes Your Time Is Now. Personalised, useful writing, relatable lifestyle dilemmas meet useful tips and tricks to produce a product that has everything to help you stay healthy and happy.
