lettuce, potato
I blogged about this before, and am thinking that it doesn;t hurt to have this too on here. Honey and cinnamon are indeed a good combination.
Via: Gather
I don’t know if this is true or not, but it sounds reasonable.
Cinnamon and Honey ~ Bet the drug companies won’t like this one getting around. ~
Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases.Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a “Ram Ban” (very effective) medicine or all kinds of diseases.
Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.
Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:
HEART DISEASES
ARTHRITIS
BLADDER INFECTIONS
CHOLESTEROL
COLDS
UPSET STOMACH
GAS
IMMUNE SYSTEM
INDIGESTION
INFLUENZA
LONGEVITY
PIMPLES
SKIN INFECTIONS
WEIGHT LOSS
CANCER
FATIGUE
BAD BREATH
HEARING LOSS
Read the different recipes and applications here
anise, cinnamon, cardamom
Via: Eat. Drink. Better.
Ayurvedicaly speaking, the common cold results largely from an imbalance of the Kapha (water and earth) and Vata (air and space) elements in the mind-ody. Vata imbalances lower immunity and lead to a build up of the Kapha dosha elements to help ‘ground’ the system. However, Kapha mechanisms typically overcompensate to make up for the ‘dryness’ associated with imbalanced Vata and lowered immunity. The result is excessive ‘coldness’ that creates mucus. This in turn reduces your gastric fire often cuasing you to experience the ‘chills.’Ayurvedic remedies use warming herbs and spices to help you
break down and expel mucus while re-building your gastric fire. So, while the idea of a runny nose might not appeal to you, chances are that if you can transition from being ‘stuffed up’ to ‘blowing it all out,’ then you are well on your way to recovery.
My favorite herbal remedy for the common cold is a Ginger and Tulsi (‘Holy Basil’) tea. Tulsi is the universal immune booster and ginger helps to ‘loosen and liquefy’ stuck mucus. This simple Ayurvedic tea will help you breathe easy.
Now in a combined study from China and the US, researchers say that regular consumption of green tea may reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer by about 12 per cent. Tea has been used as an alternative medicine in China for thousands of years. In China, tea has been hailed as a miracle elixir with the power to do almost everything from lowering stress hormones and soothing the symptoms of PMS to protecting against disease.
Tea has been used as an alternative medicine in China for thousands of years. In China, tea has been hailed as a miracle elixir with the power to do almost everything from lowering stress hormones and soothing the symptoms of PMS to protecting against disease.
Now it seems that the Western hemisphere is starting to take notice of this beverage’s potential health benefits. In particular, research on the health benefits of green tea progressed in leaps and pounds over the last few years.
(…)
At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that regular
consumption of green tea was associated with a ‘slightly decreased risk
for breast cancer’ of 12 per cent, compared to those who didn’t drink green tea.It may be a modest risk reduction; however, it still is a risk reduction. Sounds good to me.
In addition to the potential anti-cancer benefits, other studies
have reported a range of health benefits for green tea and its
extracts, including the potential to promote weight loss, and
protection against Alzheimer’s.
Via: NaturalNews
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. This is an extremely contagious virus and is spread easily by kissing or touching an active sore. Cold sores can even be spread by using the cup or utensils of someone who is having a cold sore outbreak. Natural prevention and control includes careful hand washing and building the immune system so that the body is able to withstand outbreaks of the virus. There are also several holistic options for controlling the herpes virus.A cold sore begins with a prodromal period that often involves a tingling or burning sensation on the lips. The next progression is a fluid-filled sac that contains the active virus. Eventually this sac bursts and this creates an open wound that will finally dry up to form a scab.
Via: www.prlog.org
100 Herbs of Power
is an influential read detailing the traditional and medicinal uses of herbs for healing in a world where natural solutions are often overlooked.
Author John E. Smith sees a world that has a lot of potential for harmony and beauty, and yet also a lot of discord and things that make little sense in terms of universal betterment.
“If I can make the tiniest difference, that’s great,” Smith said.
And the difference that Smith has made is the writing of his new book 100 Herbs of Power. In this potent work, he describes the rich, colorful history and traditional uses of medicinal herbs from numerous cultures around the globe. He outlines the potential of these powerful herbs in a world where science often overshadows common sense.
This influential book is a must read !
The article below is full of interesting and unconventional pieces of advice, herbal and otherwise.
Via: Star-Telegram.com
Your body can throw you for a loop at any time. You wake up with a sore throat on the day of your office Christmas party, a seafood-salad sandwich leaves you with grumbling indigestion, or you overdo it at the gym and arrive home with a stiff neck. Wouldn’t it be great to have a live-in doctor/therapist/trainer to tend to your everyday aches and pains?
Here’s the next best thing: all-natural, expert-recommended ways to treat ailments quickly, safely and effectively at home. So clear some space in your bathroom cabinet, refrigerator and kitchen cupboard for these surprisingly effective (and inexpensive) remedies. They’re like having a doctor on call 24 hours a day.
The whole article Winter naturally is interesting, so have a look. I am just blogging the end of it here where the author mentions uses for honey and cinnamon.
Via: cadillacnews.com
HONEY & CINNAMON
• A mixture of honey and cinnamon can be a great remedy. Honey can be used to treat diseases, and it doesn’t have side effects.
• Heart disease: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder and spread it on bread; eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries. Eating this daily can relieve loss of breath and strengthen the heart beat. Honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.
• Arthritis: Twice a day, drink one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder. In a study conducted at the Cophenhagen University, scientists found that when doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon honey and half teaspoon cinnamon powder before breakfast, within a week about 35 percent of the people treated felt vast pain relief; within one month, most patients who could not walk or move prior to the honey and cinnamon treatment could now walk with no or minimal pain.
• Bladder infections: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. The mixture destroys the germs in the bladder.
• Toothache: Make a paste of one teaspoon cinnamon powder and five teaspoons honey and apply on the aching tooth three times a day until the tooth stops aching.
• Cholesterol: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water and given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours.
• Colds: Those suffering from common or severe colds can try one tablespoon of lukewarm honey with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process can cure most chronic coughs and colds and helps clean the sinuses.
• Upset stomach: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach aches and also clears stomach ulcers from the root causes.
• Gas: According to studies in India and Japan, a person may be relieved of gas if honey is taken with cinnamon powder.
• Immune system: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder can strengthen the immune system and protect the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.
• Influenza: A scientist in Spain has proven that honey contains a natural ingredient which can kill influenza germs and save a person from getting the flu.
• Longevity: Honey and cinnamon, when made like a tea and taken regularly, can arrest the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water; boil to make a concoction that is similar to tea. Drink 1/2 cup three to four times per day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft.
• Pimples: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and rinse off the paste the next morning using warm water. Try this process daily for two weeks.
• Skin infections: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected areas can treat eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.
• Fatigue: Recent studies show that the sugar content of honey is helpful in terms of strengthening the body.
Here is some advice that could very well have come from my grandma… “If you have the flu, go to bed”, is one of them – common sense, people, use common sense !
Via: canada.com
For years, common wisdom for a cold was to take a pill. But scan pharmacy shelves these days – not to mention bookstores – and the message is changing.
While over-the-counter cold and flu medications have lost favour in light of studies that show the only worthwhile ingredient is the painkiller, natural remedies are gaining ground.
In fact, around 20 per cent of Canadians – about 5.4 million – use alternative remedies and treatments, according to a recent Statistics Canada report.
“Consumers are becoming more wary and are thinking more cautiously about everything we put into our mouths,” says Toronto-area pharmacist Sherry Torkos, author of The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (Wiley).
“With over-the-counter medications, for example, they might mitigate symptoms, but there are side-effects for people with asthma, diabetes and heart disease, all of which are on the rise,” says Torkos. “Overall, along with an increase in people turning to natural alternatives, there are more questions being asked: Are there side-effects? Are there benefits? What are the risks?”
It’s a state of affairs that doesn’t surprise Michele Boisvert, a Montreal pharmacist and Canada’s first female homeopath who recently launched her book Healthy…Naturally: A Guide to Homeopathy
. Boisvert says interest in natural therapies is increasing, particularly during the cold and flu season. “There are other ways to deal with those ailments that are safe and gentle,” she says.
For a cold
Wash your hands frequently.
A recent survey by the Health and Hygiene Council Canada found that 90 per cent of Canadians know hand-washing helps avoid contracting the flu or colds, but only 37 per cent of children and 44 per cent of adults soap up before eating. “Wash your hands, especially during winter when we spend more time inside with each other,” advises Boisvert. “Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth unless you have just washed. And think about the tissue you used to blow your nose. Put it in your pocket and you’ve stored 1,500 germs right there.”
Increase your allicin.
You might call it garlic- or onion-breath, but the active compound in those vegetables is both antibacterial and antifungal. Animal studies published since 1995 show that allicin does more than ward off the sniffles. It can reduce atherosclerosis, balance lipoprotein, lower blood pressure and act as an anti-inflammatory. Torkos recommends taking products like Kyolic regularly to support immune function.Get lots of sleep.
“It seems simple, but when we’re tired, exhaustion impairs immune system function and makes us more vulnerable,” says Torkos, who suggests relaxing activities and avoiding caffeine or rigorous exercise before bedtime. If sleep still evades you, try melatonin, a hormone naturally secreted by the brain that affects diurnal rhythms. Otherwise, she recommends Bach Flower Rescue Sleep, a mild distillation of relaxant flower essences like Star of Bethlehem, rock rose, cherry plum and impatiens.Echinacea or not?
Is echinacea good for treating a cold or not? Torkos says studies have shown mixed results in its impact on cold severity, but not all research examined the same strain.“I would say the majority of evidence has shown that one type, echinacea purpura, is good, not for prevention, but to shorten the duration of the cold.” As with all natural remedies, however, she advises talking to your doctor first. Echinacea should not be taken by anyone with an autoimmune disorder.
Drink green tea.
Best known for its weight-busting ingredient, epigallocatechin galeate, green tea also offers an immune function boost and L-theanine, a relaxing amino acid that has been shown to reduce the severity and duration of colds and flu. According to a 2007 peer-reviewed study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers from the University of Florida and Harvard Medical School administered a form of L-theanine called Immune Guard to 120 participants. After three months, cold and flu incidence dropped by 32 per cent and the need for medical attention decreased by 58 per cent.
For the flu:Go to bed.
The bad news is that if you have the flu, it can lead to more serious illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia. The good news is that it won’t last more than 48 hours. “The flu comes and goes in a short period of time,” says Torkos. “Really, the best thing is to get rest. If you have a high fever, aches and pains, take Tylenol or ibuprofen.”Drink fluids.
“You may not feel like eating, but you must stay hydrated,” says Torkos. However, avoid alcohol, coffee and colas since they can make dehydration worse.Take Homeocoksinum (9doses) Brand: Homeocan
or Oscillococcinum Bonus Pack (12 doses total) – 12 – Dose
As with many homeopathic remedies, the medical fraternity sees little value in taking a dilution of a Barbary duck’s liver and heart (otherwise known as Anas Barbariae Hepatis et Cordis Extractum) to fight a flu. Nevertheless, Oscillococcinum sells briskly in 50 countries during flu season and has been produced in France for 65 years. “If you catch it in the first eight hours, there’s an 80 to 90 per cent chance you won’t get the flu,” Boisvert says. “If you’ve passed that stage, you’ll still get it, but it’ll reduce the duration of the flu by half.”
Calcium and vitamin D are essential in our diet and not so easy to get unless you eat and drink a lot of dairy products. So have a look at the information provided by the source below, and re-think your shopping list. If you have difficulties getting enough vitamin D and calcium via foods, especially in the winter time, you might want to consider Nature Made Calcium Tablets with Vitamin D, 500 mg, 300-Count Bottles (Pack of 2)
Via: BC HealthFile
What is calcium and vitamin D?
Calcium is one of the many minerals that you need to be healthy. Calcium is very important to ensure strong, healthy bones and teeth. It also helps muscles and nerves to work properly. In addition, calcium may help you to manage your weight and blood pressure, and play a role in preventing colon cancer. Vitamin D helps you to absorb and use calcium and has other health benefits.
How much calcium and vitamin D do I need?
Recommended Calcium Intake
Age (Male and Female)
0-6 months 210 mg/day
7-12 months 270 mg/day
1-3 years 500 mg/day
4-8 years 800 mg/day
9-18 years 1300 mg/day
19-50 years 1000 mg/day
Over 50 years 1200 mg/dayRecommended Vitamin D Intake
Age (Male and Female)
0-1 year 400 IU/day
1-50 years 200 IU/day
51-70 years 400 IU/day
Over 70 years 600 IU/dayPeople with osteoporosis may need more calcium and vitamin D. Check with your doctor.
What foods contain calcium?
Breastfeeding is the best way to meet your baby’s calcium needs. Infant formula provides calcium for babies who cannot be breastfed.
Dairy foods are very high in calcium, especially milk, yogurt and cheese. Other good sources include calcium-enriched orange juice, rice beverages, and soy beverages. For more information, see Food Sources of Calcium below.
What foods contain vitamin D?
There are only a few food sources of vitamin D. Good sources of vitamin D are fortified foods and beverages like milk, soy drinks, and margarine. Check the labels on these foods. Fish, liver, and egg yolk are the only foods that naturally contain vitamin D.
If you do not eat vitamin D rich foods often, you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Most multiple vitamin supplements contain vitamin D. Breastfed babies under 1 year of age need 400 IU of vitamin D from a supplement each day. People over 50 need extra vitamin D and should take 400 IU from a supplement each day.
chives, ginger, peppermint, pumpkin, squash, watermelon
on either side of the temples and towards the back of the neck.banana, basil, black or green tea
, used as a compress and applied to forehead and temples: Refrigerate the Witch Hazel Tincture. Heat 1 cup of water, add a level tsp of ground dried basil and let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain, and let cool. When cool, add 2 tbsp of the cold Witch Hazel Tincture, and use this solution for your compresses.Planetary Formulas Oil of Oregano, 1 fl oz (29.57 ml), made from wildcrafted oregano oil,
Via: NaturalNews
Oregano is nature’s antibiotic. It may be one reason why people who eat a Mediterranean diet tend to live longer and healthier lives. Besides making pizza, pasta and salad taste great, the oil of the wild oregano plant has been shown to kill unwanted bacteria, fungus, yeast, parasites and viruses. It’s a powerful antihistamine. New research is finding that oil of oregano is as effective against colitis as prescription drugs without the harmful side effects. It is also able to regenerate liver cells.
Oil of oregano is made from the leaves and flowers of the wild oregano plant found growing naturally in the remote mountainous regions of the Mediterranean where there is little pollution. It is a member of the mint family. The flowers and leaves are harvested when the oil content of the plant is at its highest. It has a history that stretches back to the ancient Greeks, whose name for it translates into “joy of the mountain”. They used it to treating infection related illnesses and diseases. As the dangers of antibiotic use become more apparent, health conscious people as well as holistic healers are looking for natural alternatives to treat infections. They are finding oil of oregano to be the perfect natural choice.
If you are newly diagnosed with diabetes type 2, here is a guide that helps you through The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (First Year, The)
But have a look at what NaturalNews has to contribute, too:
Via: NaturalNews
The common cooking spice turmeric may help prevent against Type 2 diabetes, as well as reducing the dangerous inflammation associated with obesity, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center, published in the journal Endocrinology and presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Francisco.
The effect is believed to come from curcumin, a key ingredient in turmeric that is known to function as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
“It’s too early to tell whether increasing dietary curcumin – via turmeric – intake in obese people with diabetes will show a similar benefit,” researcher Drew Tortoriello said. “Although the daily intake of curcumin one might have to consume as a primary diabetes treatment is likely impractical, it is entirely possible that lower dosages of curcumin could nicely complement our traditional therapies as a natural and safe treatment.”
The researchers fed high doses of dietary curcumin to obese male mice that had been fed a high-fat diet and to obese female mice that had been bred to be deficient in the appetite-regulating hormone leptin. Mice that were fed the curcumin experienced a small but statistically significant decrease in body weight and body fat percentage, even though their diet had not changed. They exhibited improved glucose tolerance and blood sugar levels, indicating a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. They also showed lower levels of inflammation in their fat tissue and livers.
There are many ways of improving your health the natural way, and a lot of very helpful books have been written on the subject, such as The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook: A Home Manual
Via: NaturalNews
Spices do more than make food taste great. Recent research is showing that spices can promote health and well being through a series of actions that are anti-aging and inhibiting of degenerative disease. The vegetarian diet so often associated with good health and lack of disease relies heavily on the use of spice. But you don’t have to be a vegetarian to gain the amazing health benefits these inexpensive flavor enhancers have to offer.
The addition of spices can turn up the taste of almost any food. Add some chili pepper, cumin or turmeric to mashed potatoes or rice. Sprinkle marjoram or rosemary on your salads, and dress up cottage cheese with whatever spicy flavor appeals to you. Add spice to vegetable dishes and sprinkle it on meats, poultry or fish before cooking. Spice up your veggie juices and smoothies. Any way you do it, adding spice means adding a wealth of health benefits.
Recent research continues to show the power of these natural medicines
Spices have more antioxidant power, measure for measure, than fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and premature aging. In a study reported in the British Journal of Nutrition, fifteen aromatic herbs and spices consumed in Central Italy as part of the Mediterranean diet were studied to reveal total phenolic, flavonoid and flavanol content as well as their antioxidant potential as measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Comparison was made between salads to which aromatic herbs had been added. The addition of lemon balm and marjoram increased by 150% and 200% respectively the antioxidant capacity of a salad portion, corresponding to an intake of 200 mg. of phenolics and 4000 ORAC units. Among other spices tested, cumin and fresh ginger made the most significant contribution to antioxidant capacity.
Full Story and a list of Spices that stand out for their health benefits
Elderberry, Oregano, mushrooms – here are three more ideas on how to fight the flu this winter, without vaccination !
Via: Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin – Ontario, CA
Natural cold and flu protection
It’s getting to be that time of year again, when the warm weather gradually gives way to colder temperatures and the inevitable rise of more colds and flus. As such, we need to have our immune defenses ready for the change in season.
Many people will be putting their faith into flu shots, but is this really an ideal form of protection? Much has been written about the highly questionable efficacy (and safety) of vaccinations in recent years. As Alan Phillips, researcher and co-director of Citizens for Healthcare Freedom (CHF) explained in his eye-opening article,Dispelling Vaccination Myths,”natural immunity is a complex phenomenon involving many organs and systems; it cannot be fully replicated by the artificial stimulation of antibody production.”
Reaching for a bottle of cough syrup or some other over-the-counter medication to deal with cold symptoms isn’t an ideal solution either. These methods may cover up the symptoms of a cold, but they do nothing to improve the immune system or battle the underlying infection. In fact, certain drugs promoted as cold-relievers like aspirin actually deplete and inhibit the body’s absorption of key immune-supporting nutrients like vitamin C. By contrast, herbs like Elderberry and Oregano support and strengthen the body’s immune resistance to cold and flu viruses.
And this is for all of you with little ones:
Via: ajc.com
Cold medicines and children: a dangerous mix?
OTC medicines are risky, so use caution and try alternatives firstBy HELENA OLIVIERO
As the seasons change and parents reach for over-the-counter cold medicine for their icky-feeling children, they may be baffled by new instructions: Do not give them to kids under 4.
Drug companies recently announced they are voluntarily changing the labels for OTC cold and cough medicines in a nod to pediatricians long arguing they do little good and aren’t worth the risks.
So now what?“I just want my children to be comforted, to sleep well at night and get over it,” said Ray Alyssa Rothman, Atlanta mom to three kids 4 and under.
Dr. Brad Weselman of Kids Health First Pediatric Alliance said parents need not fret — or open the medicine cabinet.
He believes OTC options not only pose a danger of an accidental overdose, but also a threat of side effects. Some medications can make children excessively groggy, making it difficult for them to concentrate at school, he said. Others, he said, can make a child “wired” and increase their heart rate.
Instead, Weselman suggests saline drops, warm apple juice and gargling with salt water.
“We know parents want to give their kids something when they are miserable,” he says. “And I feel the same way. But the benefits don’t balance the side effects.”
The new labels — slated to hit the shelves this upcoming cold season — are being employed after a study found more than 7,000 children get rushed to emergency rooms every year because of adverse reactions with OTC cough and cold medicines. Most of the cases involve kids overdosing when parents aren’t around, according to the study published in the April issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Via: Los Angeles Times
It works. It doesn’t. It works. It doesn’t. That’s health research news for you. One item that gives me whiplash, is the effectiveness — or not — of the herb St. John’s wort for relief of depression.
Here, for example, is what the National Institutes of Health says: “There is some scientific evidence that St. John’s wort is useful for treating mild to moderate depression. However, two large studies, one sponsored by NCCAM [the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine], showed that the herb was no more effective than placebo in treating major depression of moderate severity.”
The University of Maryland Medical Center says that, “In numerous studies, St. John’s wort has been effective in reducing depressive symptoms in those with mild to moderate but not severe (called major) depression.”
So one site says the herb’s effective in treating moderately severe major depression and the other says it’s not effective for major depression but is effective for moderate and mild depression that would not be defined as major.
Via: Julie’s Health Club
Children under 4 shouldn’t be given cough and cold medicines, according to the drug companies that produce these products, the Associated Press reported.
Most parents will probably ignore this advice as long as the products are available; it’s cold and flu season and we don’t know what else to try.
But there are several effective natural remedies have been around for centuries: Chicken soup to fight the cold, honey for a sore throat, salt to rinse stuffy nasal pasages and regular soap (skip antibacterial products containing triclosan) and water to wash your hands.
Though they’re all considered “folk remedies,” these traditional cures have stood up to scientific scrutiny, which is more than you can say for the heavily marketed drugs that may also carry some risks for children.
Here’s a list of home remedies that work from Consumer Reports on Health:
1. A saltwater bath for a stuffy nose
2. Chewing gum to relieve heartburn and speed healing from abdominal surgery
3. Chicken soup for colds
4. Yogurt for belly aches (look for those that contain live, active cultures or are labeled “probiotic”)
5. Honey for a cough (do not administer to children under 1 year of age)
6. Cranberries for a healthy bladder (look for drinks that list cranberry juice as the first or second ingredient)
7. Staying warm to prevent a coldI also checked with the folks at Farmer’s Almanac. They sent this advice compiled by Deborah S. Tukua and the Farmers Almanac TV staff:
Got a cold?
Try this old Irish remedy: pour a pint of boiling water over a handful of rosemary leaves placed in a pot. Cover and infuse as you do with ordinary tea. Take ½ pint daily while cold lasts.Coughing keeping you up?
Rub some Vapo Rub or Vicks on the bottom of your feet before you go to bed. It’s been known to help.Can’t sleep?
Try some honey and warm milk or chamomile tea before bedtimeGot the sniffles?
Consider eating foods rich in zinc (oysters, crab, seafood and lean, red meats, beans, chicken, nuts and some fortified cereals), which can enhance your immune system, causing less susceptibility to colds and flu. Studies have shown eating foods rich in zinc and taking zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold may reduce its duration and lessen the symptoms by 42 percent.
Cautions: Although zinc relieves the effects of the common cold, taking it daily won’t necessarily prevent the onset of a cold. Also, check with your doctor; too much zinc intake can be harmful. And don’t take iron and zinc supplements at the same time during the day because too much iron can interfere with the absorption of zinc in the body.
Sore Throat? Try these drinks.
* Chamomile tea: Make a tea adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile blossoms to a pint of boiling water; steep and drink a cup every few hours.
* Cayenne pepper: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to 1 cup of boiling water; stir well and gargle while mixture is very warm. This brings more circulation to the area and helps draw away the infection. To this formula you can add 4 parts Echinacea, 1 part garlic bulb, and 2 parts peppermint leaves to 1 part cayenne.
* Mustard: Grind one tablespoon of mustard seed and combine with the juice of half a lemon, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of clear honey, and 1 1/4 cups of boiling water. Leave this mixture, covered, for 15 minutes and use as a gargle.
* Slippery Elm bark (Ulmus rubra): Helps to soothe sore throats or cough. For sore throats, slippery elm bark can be taken as a tea. To make the tea, add 1 tablespoon of dried bark to a cup. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the cup. Steep it covered for at least 10 minutes and then strain. Have up to 3 cups of slippery elm bark tea a day. Dried slippery elm bark can be found in bulk in some health food stores.
* Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis): This herb found in Europe and North America, has been used for centuries as a sore throat home remedy. Like slippery elm, it also contains mucilage which helps to soothe sore throats. To make marshmallow root tea, add 1 tablespoon of the dried root to a cup. Add a cup (8 ounces) of boiling water, steep it covered for at least 10 minutes then strain. Drink up to 3 cups a day.
* Honeysuckle Flower: A sweet-tasting and smelling herb, honeysuckle flower is one of the most commonly used sore throat remedies in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for sore throats. Honeysuckle flowers aren’t as easy to find in stores as slippery elm and marshmallow. Besides health food stores, Chinese herbal shops often carry it.
No, this article is strictly speaking not about herbal household remedies, but it spells out reasons why we all better wise up quickly on how to survive, medically and otherwise, when the system has crashed. Be prepared.
Via: NaturalNews
Here at NaturalNews, we’ve been publicly predicting the fall of Western Medicine for nearly five years. During that time, we’ve also covered the increasingly precarious financial situation, warning readers in 2005 and 2006 about the impending housing bubble crash and the implications for the entire financial system.In covering these two topics (western medicine and western finance), I’ve come to recognize many strong parallels between the two. This article explores the common threads of deception that characterize these two powerful institutions.
If you haven’t tried Dr. Garber’s Natural Solutions for Allergy
Via: ColoradoDaily.com
Achoo!
Lately, sage has been high. Grass, ragweed, tumbleweed and molds are moderate. And pine’s a bit low, according to Boulder Asthma and Allergy Clinics P.C.
If you suffer from allergies, chances are you already know this.
Bad news. Those over-the-counter allergy medications could end up worsening the symptoms over time.
Karen Falbo, the nutritional program coordinator for Vitamin Cottage’s 27 stores, says the medicine is just suppressing immune substances in the body, not allowing it to have a normal reaction.
“Pharmecuetical medications are more suppressive by nature, versus many herbal or natural remedies,” Falbo says. “In fact, most people will actually get worse . . . because it doesn’t fix the problem.”
Good news. Instead, Falbo says the best bet is going with natural, homeopathic, herbal therapies and enzymes to actually treat the symptoms — not just cover them up.
“A homeopathic remedy has the potential to reduce (allergies) over the long term,” Falbo says.
But there’s a big but. In addition to natural remedies, a good diet and proper functioning organs and glands may be the most important factor.
What does this all have to do with sneezing?
Via: Baltimore Health Examiner
Americans love herbs. Consumer use of herbal therapies increased 380% from 1990-1997, and it continues to rise. Many people, especially those wary of pharmaceuticals, believe that herbs are safe and free of side effects. Others appreciate the control that herbs offer – no visits to the doctor are required.
Americans use herbs to treat acute problems such as colds and more chronic problems such as depression and memory loss. Five of the most common herbs are:
1. Echinacea
Generally used at the first sign of a cold as an immune system stimulant. It isn’t appropriate for long-term use and shouldn’t be used by people on immunosuppressants.
2. Ginseng
Gineng is used for many purposes, often relating to alertness, energy and mental functioning. Some people believe that it can stimulate the immune system and possibly even decrease the risk of cancer.
3. Garlic
Garlic is often used to decrease cholesterol and high blood pressure. It may also thin the blood and can interact with other blood thinners. There is some evidence that regular use of garlic may decrease the risk of cancer.
4. Ginko Biloba
Ginko is generally used for memory loss and dementia syndromes such as Alzheimer’s disease.
5. St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort is sometimes thought of as ‘mini-Prozac’ and is used for mild depression.Herbs are popular and generally safe, but some cautions are appropriate. Since many herbs are biologically active, they can have side effects and interact with other medications. Before using any herb, be sure to educate yourself about its use. There are many internet resources with excellent information about commonly used herbs. Two good ones are The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and AltMD.
One of the problems with herbal therapies in the U.S. is that they are not closely regulated by the FDA. Consumer protection studies have been done to evaluate the correlation between stated contents and actual contents in various herbal formulations and the results were disturbing. Many pills had less of the active ingredient then stated, and some actually contained none of the listed herb at all.
There is no definite way to determine which companies are most reliable, but common sense can help a bit. Don’t buy herbs from a deep discount store and be wary of small internet companies. If you find a product that works for you, try to stick with the same brand. And if you tried one brand of an herb but had no result, you could consider trying another brand before giving up.
If you don’t feel confident choosing an herbal plan yourself, there are resources to help you. You could ask your physician for help however, while some physicians are knowledgeable about herbal therapies, many are not. Consider visiting either an Integrative Medicine physician or a Naturopath. We have both available in Baltimore.
Be well.
Via: NaturalNews
It’s summer time and not only is the sun out in abundance, so are the bugs — and some of them come with a bite (or a sting). The good news is that there is plenty of natural relief for such annoying bites and stings.First, however, a bit of caution is in order: make sure that the person bitten/stung does not have abnormal swelling or otherwise show signs of a serious allergic reaction. If they do, call 9-1-1, because some people can die from bites/stings if they are not treated immediately.
For most common insect bites or stings, the following suggestions should do the trick and provide fast relief and healing:
* Tea tree oil or tobacco. If you are stung, remove stinger if there is one. apply tea tree oil liberally in a circular motion surrounding the entry point — be gentle touching the point of entry! Let dry and the pain and swelling should ease in two to three minutes. Re-apply if needed. As a last resort, use some wet chewing tobacco, or wet cigarette tobacco and apply the same way to the affected area. Make sure the tobacco is juicy before you rub it on. Tobacco contains a mild analgesic and should ease the pain.
* Baking soda. Mix baking soda with water to form a paste. Apply the paste and cover with a gauze bandage or paper towel and tape. Leave on for one half hour or more until pain is gone.
* Relieve the itch from bug bites with an onion. The sulfur in onions neutralizes the chemicals that cause the itch. Simply slice a yellow onion in half and rub one of the cut sides on the bite. The itching should stop immediately. Refrigerate the onion in a sealed container to use again if the itching resumes. Make a fresh slice before reapplying it.
* Vinegar. Good for spider bites too. Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and place it over the spider/bug bite. If you get bites on your hand or foot, put the soaked cotton ball in a bag and put your infected hand/foot in the bag over night. Make sure that the bag is not tight around the wrist/ankle. As an alternative, you may hold the soaked cotton ball in place by a band aid. By morning, the swelling and/or soreness should be gone as if you had hardly been bitten at all.
* Other insect bite/sting remedies include mustard, ammonia, tomato slices, potato slices, and fresh garlic pieces or minced.
Brown recluse bites
Brown recluse bites are not your ordinary bite and can be very dangerous. If you get a bite that swells like a boil, with a red center that quickly hardens over, Do Not try to squeeze or press on the swollen area or pick at it — you will only end up spreading the poison.
* For such bites, mix ground bromelain (or pineapple pulp), fresh garlic juice, tea tree oil and MSM together into a paste and apply to bite area and surrounding area liberally. Cover with a bandage and keep covered all day, changing as often as needed to keep the medicine on the area.
* Also take 250 mg bromelain capsules two to three times per day, drink plenty of water, and eat plenty of raw garlic.
* A good homeopathic/herbal medicine to use is ledum pallustre. Continue all treatments until redness and swelling are gone. If swelling and redness continue to grow, seek medical attention.
The above regimen was used successfully twice by the author with superior results to the mainstream medical treatment he received with a previous brown recluse bite.
To help keep pesky bugs at bay, here is an all natural insect repellent recipe from herbalist Debra Nuzzi-St. Claire:
* 1/2 ounce citronella oil
* 1/4 ounce lavender oil
* 1/8 ounce pennyroyal oil
* 1/8 ounce tea tree oil
* 1/8 ounce jojoba oil
Do not use this blend undiluted on your skin. For use on the skin, follow these instructions for diluting:
* To make an insect repellent oil that can be used on your body, add 16 ounces of jojoba or almond oil to the base oil mixture and blend thoroughly.
* For an insect repellent spray, add 16 ounces of vodka to the base oil mixture, pour into a spray bottle, and shake before using.
For more natural and home remedies, see: (http://www.tbyil.com/remedies.htm)
Live long, live healthy, live happy!
It is not exactly rocket science to grow your own herbs, but to grow them from scratch, preserve them properly and use them for your family’s benefit is more complex than it might seem at first glance. There are very good guides out there that help you with all of these, such as Growing 101 Herbs that Heal: Gardening Techniques, Recipes, and Remedies
Via: The Newark Advocate
Herbs can be harvested anytime they have sufficient growth throughout the growing season. Never cut more than a third of the plant, giving it a little time to recuperate between cuttings.
AdvertisementNow that the air is cooling and winter looms ahead, it is a good time — before the first frost — to gather in the herbal harvest for use later in cooking and crafting.
Start your harvest on a dry, clear day in the morning after the dew has dried on the plants, before the heat of the day can wilt them. Cut the herbs, and clear the last 2 inches of the stem. Bundle them in small bunches, wrap a rubber band tightly around the bare stem end and hang upside down in a dry, dark, cool place. A portable wooden clothes dryer is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to set up for this purpose.
Be sure to label each bundle with name and date; this will avoid confusion later, when all the dried herbs look alike. Use string tags from the office supply store or labels made out of craft foam sheets, cut into strips. Attach to the rubber band holding the bunch together. When the herbs are dry, put them as whole as possible into airtight food storage bags. Store in a dry, cool, dark place.
Some herbs — such as basil, parsley, chives, dill and fennel — retain their flavor much better if frozen, rather than dried. Strip the leaves from the herbs, lay on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, and freeze until brittle. When ready, pour into freezer bags, label and date.
Another freezer method is to put 2 cups of fresh herbs, free of moisture, into a food processor with 1⁄2 cup of high-quality oil (canola or olive) or water and blend into a thick paste. Freeze in ice cube trays. When frozen, pop the cubes out, package in freezer bags, and label. These can be popped into stews and soups or added thawed to recipes.
Enjoy the essences of your herb garden in the midst of winter!
Via: foodconsumer.org
The routine knee surgery neither provides any pain relief nor improves knee function in patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to a new study published in the Sep. 11th issue of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.
“This study provides definitive evidence that arthroscopic surgery provides no additional therapeutic value when added to physical therapy and medication for patients with moderate osteoarthritis of the knee,” said study co-author Dr. Brian Feagan, Clinical Trials Director at the Robarts Research Institute and professor of Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario.
Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 27 million Americans and one in every ten Canadians. Knee osteoarthritis leads to 418,000 knee replacement procedures annually and in 2006 accounted for 496,000 hospital discharges and spent $19 billion in hospital charges, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study followed for two years 178 men and women at an average of 60 who lived in London, Canada and had moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee. All patients received physical therapy and medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen and 86 percent of them also received surgery consisting of lavage and arthroscopic debridement.
The researchers found all patients improved their condition with regard to joint pain, stiffness, and function. But surgery did not offer any additional benefit.
Survival Homestead RetroCulture.net – What worked before can work again!
