Sunday, May 30, 2010

Natural Remedies for Depression

Depression is a fairly frequent psychiatric disorder, which is characterized by a signs and symptoms including depressed mood and other emotional problems, headaches, fear of the future, and the decreased ability to have any enjoyment in just about anything you do. Depression affects between 7% and 19% of the people in the world, with more than 14 million American adults being newly diagnosed with depression each year. Major depression causes more than 60% of suicides every year, primarily because only about a third of people with depression get medical treatment and attention.

Although the exact cause of depression is still questionable, there are many well known natural remedies for depressive disorders. The first natural remedy that can make a big dent in depression is a good diet, which actually plays a huge role in the seratonin levels in the brain. A diet that limits sweets, cake, doughnuts, pies, sugar loaded sodas and other foods packed with sugar can actually reduce the incidence of poor moods, because sugar laden sweets are able to temporarily increase mood by increasing blood sugar levels. But, once the glucose level in the blood plummets, attitudes tend to be even lower and cause those suffering from depression to enter depressive periods. By keeping blood sugar levels steady, major depressive moods can many times be prevented. Avoiding coffee and other drinks like 180, Inko's White Tea Energy, Green Tea, Vault as well as dart and Rembraco espressos that are high in caffeine can also be beneficial. The same goes for any alcoholic beverages. Caffeine and alcohol can both worsen mood, by providing temporary elation that is usually followed by depression. Those with depression should focus on consuming foods that are able to trigger serotonin production, such as foods rich in B vitamins and magnesium. Nuts, green vegetables, and some varieties of fish can be beneficial, since they can actually trigger a good mood without being followed by a state of depression.

St. John’s Wort has been used throughout the world for treating mild depression. Although it has not been proven useful for treating severe depression cases, it has been shown to actually increase synaptic levels of biogenic amines, such as nor epinephrine. Various studies have been performed, and have shown that St. John’s Wort has actually been as effective as various prescription medications for depression. When used by patients diagnosed with mild depression, it can relieve many of the symptoms, included but not limited to extreme mood changes, loss of appetite, insomnia, and negative feelings. Exercise is one of the most useful natural remedies for depression, because it can lessen some of the symptoms of depression while keeping the body in tone. Exercise has been shown to increase energy, improve overall mood, and reduce the effects of sleep loss in those suffering from depression. Exercise has been effective in treating mild to moderate depression, but may take longer than prescription medications to show results.

Seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that only occurs during certain parts of the year, has been shown to be effectively treated by exposure to bright artificial and natural sunlight. It is used as an alternative to prescription depression medications, and works by regulating the body clock. Exposure to artificial and natural sunlight can actually trigger chemical changes in the brain, such as melatonin production which can improve overall mood and sleeping patterns.

Depression is a problematic medical condition, but mild cases can easily be improved with the help of natural depression remedies. Prescription medication come with well known side effects and risk factors, but using natural methods can improve the medical condition without any similar problems. Changing routine habits such as diet, exercise, and even family outings can help to improve depression periods decreasing your depressed mood and other emotional problemsand thoughts of suicideand oversleeping, making those diagnosed with depression able to live a normal life.

Home Remedies for the Common Cold

The common cold is a miserable condition that is a direct result of an invasion by various viruses that have grown in the upper respiratory tract - such as coronavirus, metapneumovirus and over 100 serotypes of rhinovirus, a type of picornavirus. It has been estimated that the basic cold can be caused by over two hundred viruses! The infective viruses enter in through the nose or the mouth. They then travel to the rest of the respiratory system. Here, these viruses invade and multiply. Once they have sufficient numbers, these viruses cause the individual to experience many signs making it clear that a common cold is present.

It has been discovered that individuals who have weak or suppressed immune systems, experience high levels of stress, or those who fail to get the proper amount of rest can develop colds more easily than others. In addition to these risk factors, those that experience mild to severe allergies may develop this type of sickness easily. Here, you will be introduced to the symptoms of the cold, as well as various home remedies for the common cold.

Symptoms of Your common Cold

There are quite a few symptoms associated with the common cold. One of the first things that become evident is the presence of soreness in your throat. Your throat will probably get dry and scratchy. You will probably also get a fever early on. The fever is normally somewhat less than one hundred degrees. The eyes may become watery and reddened. Also, it is not uncommon for an individual to get a persistent sneeze, cough and a runny nose. When you get a severe cold, the body may ache continuously. There may be an altered taste, or even no motivation to eat at all.

Remedies for Your common Cold

There are quite a few home remedies for your common cold. It is quite important to understand that there is no one set guaranteed best remedy for the common cold. Any and all home remedies that you engage in will either improve the symptoms that you are experiencing with your cold, or simply give you a higher comfort level until the cold runs its course. The following are some of the best home remedies for your common cold:

1. One of the best home remedies for a cold is to get plenty of rest. Rest is essential when you fall ill because of the fact that it allows your body to devote its time and energy to fighting off the toxins that are affecting you. You should not exert too much energy during this time, or you may be sick much longer!

2. When looking for an herbal remedy that can help to soothe the symptoms of the cold, you may find garlic to be beneficial. Garlic has natural antiseptic qualities. This helps to clear the body of viruses and any bacteria that have infected the body.

3. Folks who have a cold that includes a large amount of congestion find that steam baths are beneficial in helping the congestion. Once you have inhaled the steam for a while, you should then drink some peppermint in a glass of warm milk. This will soothe the throat and open the sinuses.

Just Do It

As you can see, there are some very useful home remedies for the common cold. You must first decide on the symptoms that you want to get relief from, and then seek out home remedies that assist in that specific symptom. Naturally, you should guarantee that you get enough rest and keep up on your consumption of fluids. Then you will experience a quick recovery.

Home Remedies for Joint Pain

Probably most people here and overseas suffer from joint pain at one point or another in their lifetime. Any of our many joints can be affected - the dorsal radioulnar or the cuneonavicular or the palmar ulnocarpal or the cuboideonavicular or the hip or the atlanto-occipital. Joint aches and pains may happen when someone has experienced an injury, or from repetative strain. There are also countless diseases that may cause pain in your joints. Here, you will learn about some common types of joint discomfort, the signs and symptoms that are associated, and also some helpful home remedies for joint pain.

Types of Joint Pain

As you know, there are quite a few contributing factors when it comes to joint pain. One of the most common situations is an injury. People who participate in sports (Board track racing or Racquets or Australian Football) and your work that is physical may get some of these types of injuries. In addition to this, should someone experience a sprain or a strain in the area of the joints, excessive pain may be experienced. An infection may cause pain and discomfort in the joints. Common infections include that of the common cold, various viruses, and even the flu.

There are many othermedical conditions that can cause painful joints. Arthritic conditions like Behcet's syndrome, Gout, Juvenile dermatomyositis, Reiter's syndrome, and even Saturnine gout can be an underlying cause.

Symptoms of Joint Pain

The symptoms of joint pain are relatively simple to understand. Pain in these areas around the body may result from swelling in and around the joint. The joints may be difficult to move appropriately due to the fact that they become stiff from the inflammation that is occurring in and around them. When you touch a painful joint, you may notice that the skin is warm to the touch. You may also notice that the coloring is red. This is often a direct result of the inflammation and/or infection that is occurring in the joint area.

Remedies for Joint Pain

Frequently, medical care that is required to treat joint pain can be very expensive. This is the primary reason lots of people take the time to seek out home remedies for joint pain. These remedies have been proven to be inexpensive and effective means of soothing the symptoms that are associated with joint pain. The following are some remedies that you can perform in order to finally get the relief that you so desperately seek:

1. One of the first and most effective means, to treating joint pain at home is by remembering to move as much as you can. You can walk, stretch, swim, or dance – the choice is yours! If you fail to remain active, the joints will only result in more pain.

2. You should have a cold pack and a hot pack available at all times. When applying them to the area that is painful, you should allow each to sit in intervals of approximately fifteen minutes a piece. This will help to reduce the amount of inflammation that is present in the joints.

3. Massage has proven to provide effective relief for those that experience pain. It helps in the area of circulating the blood and soothing the senses.

4. There are a number of over-the-counter medications that can relieve joint pain. When choosing one, it is important to select one that acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Conclusion

When you suffer from joint pain whether in the radial collateral or atlanto-axial or femoro-patellar or palmar ulnocarpal or plantar calcaneonavicular/spring joint, it is important that you identify the reason for the discomfort. In so doing, you will be able to select an appropriate home remedy for joint pain. You can select from lots of types of relief – the use of heat and cold, massage, remaining active and even over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. There is no need to experience unbearable pain with no hope for help – simply get the right home remedy for joint pain treatment, and enjoy the pain-free life that you have been hoping for!

Morning Sickness During Pregnancy

Morning sickness can be one of your first signs that you are pregnant. This doesn’t always mean that you’ll get sick only in the morning. This can happen, morning, noon or night. It will normally occur in the first trimester or your pregnancy and end by the second, this isn’t the case in all pregnancies though. Some women will continue with it until the very end of term.

Nausea can happen immediately or you may get lucky and have no morning sickness at all. No one is for certain what causes morning sickness, it is a change in the body that happens during pregnancy. Many women seem to get sick after taking the prenatal pill, try taking it later in the day. Your doctor may even advise you to take some other form of vitamin instead of the pill. Always find out first with your doctor before taking anything new or taking yourself off medication, even prenatal pills.

There are a few ways to minimize the sickness, but they don’t work for everyone. Try keeping crackers on hand, I prefer saltines for some reason. Try drinking some ginger ale, it calms the stomach down. Dry cereal is another good thing to eat, your stomach may just be a little bit hungry and trying to tell you. Remember to take small portions, this way you know if it is all going to come up or not. Sleeping is another good way to avoid it, however it will wake you up. Keep yourself hydrated, not only can this make your sickness come but you can become dehydrated and need to go to the emergency room if you aren’t careful.

Smells is another thing that seems to cause morning sickness. Imagine walking into a restaurant and the first thing you smell is grease. Yes, this can easily set it off. Bad smells and even certain tastes, get the feel for your body during the pregnancy and figure out just what sets it off. Knowing how to avoid it, can make a world of difference.

A few reasons you should go to your doctor would be if you begin losing weight because you are constantly sick. If you become dehydrated, faint, look pale, confused or throw up more than four times in a day. Your doctor may be able to prescribe something that will stop it.

Try slowing down a bit, sometimes your body is just exhausted from all the errands you are running and it tries to give you a break. Listen to your body, take a nap, relax and watch a television show…take some time off. If you are looking for remedies for your morning sickness, you may try buying some pregnancy pops. Or if you’d prefer to stay away from the sweets you can wear a bracelet designed to stop morning sickness, they are just like the motion sickness bracelets. They don’t work for everyone but they could work for you.

Home Remedies for Removing Unwanted Warts

Are you a believer in home remedies? It seems as if home remedies have been used since the beginning of time. While a large number of individuals feel that home remedies are only a waste of time, there are others who literally live by them. If properly done, there are a number of health conditions that can be treated or prevented with home remedies. One of those conditions is warts.

Warts are often deemed as unwanted or as unpleasant. This is because they are growths that appear on the skin. These growths are, almost always, non-cancerous, but they are still unwanted. If you are looking for an effective, but low-cost way to have your wart or warts removed, you may want to think about trying a home remedy. Online you can find a number of these home remedies. If you are interested in getting started, a few popular wart removal home remedies are described below.

Perhaps, the most popular home remedy used to remove warts involves duct tape. It has been said; in fact, it has also been backed by scientific research, that duct tape is effective at removing or eliminating warts. If you are interested in giving this home remedy a try, you will need to apply duct tape to your warts. After keeping the warts covered, for about a week, you will want to remove the tape, soak your wart in water, and then scrub it with a pumice stone. If your wart does not come off right away, you are advised to repeat the procedure again, for at least another one to two weeks.

It has also been said that aloe is effective at eliminating warts. You are advised to soak a small cotton ball in aloe, preferably the gel. After the soaking has occurred, for around about a minute or so, you will want to tape the cotton ball to your wart. You will want to add aloe to the wart or piece of cotton every few hours. By leaving the cotton ball in place, with the exception of changing it daily, your wart should fall off in a few days or weeks.

Apparently, caster oil is also considered an effective wart removal remedy. When using caster oil, you will want to apply the oil to your wart. It is then suggested that you rub or massage the area with your fingers. After doing this day and night for a number of weeks, your wart should disappear. You could also use caster oil by apply it directly to the wart, twice a day, and by keeping it covered. By keeping the wart covered with a bandage, only to remove it when changing, the wart should disappear after about three weeks.

The above mentioned home remedies are just a few of the many that you can find online or in a home remedy book. Additional remedies include using chalk, dandelion, aspirin, bananas, baking soda, papaya, lemon juice, and milkweed. When choosing a home remedy, it is important to keep the ingredients in mind. You will want to refrain from using any items that you may be allergic to. If and when you are in doubt, it may be best to choose another home remedy to use.

It is also important to remember, when using home remedies for wart removal, that the results are not guaranteed. Just because one home remedy worked for someone else, it does not mean that it will also work for you. However, with a wide variety of different home remedies to choose from, you are sure to find at least one successful remedy.

Losing Weight? - Go Herbal

These days, there is a great need for overweight Americans to lose those excess pounds. Being healthy would not only lead them to have a healthier lifestyle but it will also literally lighten their load, and improve their overall well-being.

There is a long list of dieting options available. There are exercise programs, exercise machines, dietary supplements, dietary food and drinks, diet pills - there are even soaps which claim to help you lose pounds while you bathe.

One other available option to shed off those unwanted pounds is to go herbal.

Herbal weight loss products have been in great demand for people who want to lose weight the natural way. However, when you take herbal supplements to lose weight, you would have to wait for a longer time for the results because of the more subtle effects of medicines which came from plants and natural herbs.

Here are some herbal weight loss options that you might want to consider:

1. Herbal weight loss products

There are a lot of herbal weight loss products available in the market now. You can check out the Internet and you will find a lot of herbal weight loss pills and products.

Be careful, however, as there are some products which claim to be safe and natural because they are herbal, but some actually have side effects because of non-extensive research on the effects of these products.

Here are some ingredients and chemicals which make up some herbal weight loss products that you should watch out for, as they might have harmful effects to your health:

> Senna. This is an herbal laxative. Senna is a main ingredient in weight loss teas, and it works by stimulation the colon. The downside effect of this herb is dehydration. It can also lead to colon problems and can become addictive. Some people, when addicted, are unable to perform bowel movements without it, so watch out.

> Chromium picolinate. This is a synthetic compound found in herbal weight loss products. Chromium is a nutrient which helps regulate blood-sugar level. However, this ingredient, when taken in high doses, may cause damage in the chromosomes. It can also lead to dehydration.

> St. John's wort. This supplement increases the production of a chemical in the brain. If not used properly, it may cause eye and skin sensitivity, mild gastrointestinal distress, fatigue and itching.

Although a lot of herbal products claim to be safe and natural, it is better to scrutinize the ingredients and research about the effects of the product itself before going for these herbal dietary pills.

2. Organic food.

In Wichita, Kansas, organic food has found its way to more homes and restaurants. Organic food devotees believe that consuming organic goodies help their bodies as well as the environment.

A person who buys organically raised eggs and vegetables claim to be healthier, and they are not spending money on doctors and prescriptions as these keep them healthier and away from the hospital. This could also be an option for weight watchers, as organic food is known to be kinder to your weight than chemically-processed food products.

3. Green Tea.

Studies show that intake of green tea, or green tea extracts burns extra calories. Also, green tea with caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 40% thereby reducing fat.

This is one good option for those who want to lose weight. In a study done, people who took green tea were found to lose 2 to 3 times more weight than those who did not drink green tea.

These results show that green tea is a natural product for the treatment of obesity. Thus, it also makes for a healthier dietary option, not to mention the good effects that it has on the body as compared to caffeine. A cup of tea gives an emmediate energy lift without the side effects of caffeine.

3. Caffeine.

Coffee provides an energy boost to increase fat burning. Caffeine also provides a likelihood to be active, which in turn increases your rate of calorie burn.

4. Immortality Herb

This herb, whose scientific name is Gymnostemna Pentaphyllum, is known to have the following benefits:

> increases healthy blood flow
> reduces artery blocks
> aids healthy blood pressure
> increases the rate of fat burning

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

There are pills and food supplements whose main ingredient is apple cider vinegar. Here are the benefits of taking this herbal option:

> weight loss
> improved cholesterol level
> improved high blood pressure
> helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis

Natural Toothache Remedies

Not many people are aware of the fact that several herbs can be used in the relief of toothache pain. Natural herbs such as cloves, calendula, tarragon, and yarrow can be used to help relieve th pain until you can get to the dentist. For many years, different cultures have counted on herbs to help get the pain of a toothache control and get temporary relief.

Native Americans for example, used the inner bark found in the butternut tree to their gums to get relief from toothaches. The butternut tree is found in North America, and is also the cousin of the black walnut tree. Butternut trees are found along rivers in well drained soil, rich woods, and even in back yards. Once the tree matures, it can reach heights of up to 60 feet, with the bark being light grey in color, and the leaves and the fruit resembling the black walnut tree. The bark of the tree can be applied to the gums, helping to alleviate toothache pain.

Yarrow on the other hand, can be found in Asia, Europe, and North America. It normally grows wild in meadows, fields, and in open wood lands. The root of yarrow, is what contains the anaesthetic effect. If you apply the fresh root of yarrow to your tooth or gums, it will help to stop the pain - until you can get an appointment with the dentist and get it taken care of.

The herb known as clove is an evergreen tree, native to tropical areas. These days however, it can be found throughout the world. As many already know, the dried flower bud of clove is what contains the medicine. The oil from clove, when used on a toothache, will help to stop the pain almost immediately. If you compare cloves to other natural toothache remedies, you’ll find clove to be the best.

For many years, natural herbs have been used to stop toothache pain. Hundreds of years ago, herbs were the only way to stop the pain. Dentists were just starting to come around, although they didn’t have near the equipment and sophistication that they have these days. Even though teeth were pulled during these times, it normally happened with alcohol to numb the pain then pliers to remove the tooth.

Throughout the course of time, herbs have proven to be very effective with stopping toothache pain. If you are interested in herbs or have any questions about them, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask your dentist his opinion. Dentists know herbs, and should be able to recommend natural remedies to you if you request them. The next time you experience the pain of a toothache - you should always remember that herbs are a great way to relieve the pain.

Want a Free Cure for Snoring?

Snoring stresses. It can be the source of your embarrassment while you sleep in somebody else’s house, even if it is your own friend or family. It may both create a disturbance to your companion in sleeping, and it can make you the center of their amusement - too shameful.

Although snoring is not an ailment, it is only a disproportion on the human body system. So, it is not impossible for you to cure snoring. If snoring can be completely eliminated, then societal peace can be achieved, especially inside the bedroom.

Nowadays, there are already medicines and devices available in the market to cure snoring. However, this requires a bit of amount of money, and creating further stress.

Nevertheless, if these kind of cure is not included in your budget, there is still another option that will not be heavy in your purse—home remedies.

First, try to change your position in sleeping. Elevate the head of your bed by a few inches, or try to add some more pillows. This will lessen the jamming of the air passage in your throat muscle. Avoid sleeping on your back too; the tendency if you do this is to give more chances on the occurrence of snoring, the reason for this is the draw back of soft palate and tongue, thus, constricting the air passage.

Next, you can try to modify your lifestyle. Your present lifestyle may contribute in aggravating your snoring, for instance, excessive eating, excessive drinking of alcohol, and too much intake of cigarette.

Modifying lifestyle is what the doctors’ called “conservative therapy.” Truth is the doctors stated that this is the advisable primary step in curing snoring before attempting to use other harsh treatments.

Try to motivate yourself to conduct a regular physical exercise to lessen your weight. Avoid excessive intake of alcohol and cigarettes, the effect of not preventing both of these will add to the obstruction to the airway. Likewise, avoid excessive intake of sleeping pills and tranquilizers, these medicines also worsen snoring.

If you will also notice, some of the medicines that are being offered in the drugstore can be classified as home remedies. Examples of these are the nasal strips, nose sprays, and anti-snoring pills. The ingredients contained by these medicines are basically herbs, and plant enzymes, these can manage the swelling of nose and throat tissues. Additionally, these offset snoring by evening the airflow.

Generally, a home remedy is almost alike to the drug free medication. The procedures of such prescriptions are founded in the inventions’ experience.

There is the drug free snoring “mandibular advancement splint” for instance; the function of this is to maintain your jaw in a pressed onward position. This helps to widen the air passage, and according to the report this helps in more than 80 percent in impeding snoring cases.

If you are really determined and will exert further efforts to the suggested home remedies above, it is not impossible to cure your snoring all by yourself.

The process for these is simple. Distinguish first the problem, ponder. Then, work on it everyday. Following this will award you a good outcome. And the days of disgraceful nights will come to an end. This may possibly happen earlier than you anticipated.

So good luck on your self-medication!

Herbal skin care

Skin care is not a topic of recent times; it has been in practice since ancient times, when herbal skin care was probably the only way to take care of skin. However, skin care has transformed in a big way. Herbal skin care routines have been replaced by synthetic/chemical-based skin care routines. The herbal skin care recipes which once used to be common place are not so popular today (and even unknown to a large population). This transformation from herbal skin care to synthetic, can probably be attributed to two things – our laziness (or just the fast pace of lives) and the commercialisation of skin care. Even herbal skin care products have been commercialised. These commercial herbal skin care products have to be mixed with preservatives in order to increase their shelf-life, hence making them less effective than the fresh ones made at home. However, it seems that things are changing fast and more people are now opting for natural and herbal skin care routines. But still, none want to make them at home and hence the commercial market of herbal skin care products is on the rise.

So what are these herbs or herbal skin care mechanisms?

Aloe vera, which is an extract from Aloe plant, is one of the best examples of herbal skin care product. Freshly extracted aloe vera is a natural hydrant that helps in soothing skin. It also helps in healing cuts and treating sun burns.

A number of herbs are known to possess cleansing properties. Dandelion, chamomile, lime flowers and rosemary herbs, are a few examples of such cleansers. Their herbal skin care properties get invoked when they are combined with other herbs like tea.

Antiseptics are another important part of Herbal skin care. Lavender, marigold, thyme and fennel are good examples of herbs that are known to possess antiseptic properties. Lavender water and rose water also form good toners.

Tea plays an important part in herbal skin care. Tea extracts are used for treatment of skin that has been damaged by UV radiation.

Oils prepared from herbal extracts present another means of herbal skin care. Tea tree oil, Lavender oil, borage oil and primrose oil are some popular oils used in herbal skin care. Some fruit oils (e.g. extracts from fruits like banana, apple and melon) find use in shower gels (as a hydrating mix)

Homeopathic treatments and aromatherapies also come under the umbrella of herbal skin care remedies.

Herbal skin care is good not only for the routine nourishing of skin but also for treatment of skin disorders like eczema and psorasis. Most herbal skin care products don’t have any side effects (the most important reason for preferring them over synthetic products) Moreover, herbal skin care products can be easily made at home, hence making them even more attractive. So, herbal skin care is the way to go. However, this does not mean that you totally discard the synthetic products. Some people go to the extent of debating with their dermatologist, if he/she suggests a synthetic product. You should accept the fact that some skin orders might need usage of clinically proven non-herbal skin care products.

Acne skin care

Acne is defined as a diseased condition of the skin that involves the hair and oil glands. It is characterised by pimples, black/white heads, reddishness and cysts. Face acne can spoil your appearance to a great extent and body acne can really ruin your day by making you very uncomfortable. Considering acne as a minor problem, some people tend to totally discard the topic of ‘Acne skin care’. However, the importance of ‘Acne skin care’ cannot be undermined in any way.

Acne skin care should really start much before the acne actually appears. ‘Acne skin care’ is more about being proactive than reactive. Acne skin care is about being aware of preventive measures. Acne skin care is - following daily skin care routines with complete discipline. So let’s have a look at how ‘acne skin care’ can be applied to our daily routine.

‘Acne skin care’ starts with the most basic thing - cleanliness. So morning showers are the most basic way of keeping the skin clean. In fact, a lot of people take night showers too (that not only helps in keeping your skin clean but also provides relaxation to your body and enables a good sleep). If you are living in a hot and/or humid place, a night shower becomes a must. In fact, a shower is recommended after any activity that causes high levels of sweat to develop. It’s a very effective ‘acne skin care’ technique.

However, acne skin care is not about just showers. Acne skin care is also about wearing clean clothes and sleeping on clean pillows. Moreover, too tight clothes can cause sweat to accumulate quickly; so soft and comfortable cotton clothes are recommended, especially if you already have acne. In the same sense, ‘acne skin care’ also advocates regular cleaning of your make-up brush and any equipment that you use on your body.

Besides that, you should also use a mild, water-soluble, oil-free and soap-free cleanser for keeping your face, neck and arms clean. Cleansing is the most important part of any acne skin care routine. Cleaners are the easiest and the most effective way of removing dirt, grease, pollutants and excess oil from your skin; thus reducing the probability of acne occurrence. Acne skin care also recommends removing your make up using a make up remover, and this should happen before you go to bed (not in the morning).

If you already have acne, do not try to touch them or squeeze them; it can lead to permanent scars. ‘Acne skin care’ advocates gentle cleansing and cleaning of the affected area using an over-the-counter medication and a clean/soft cotton pad. There are various acne skin care creams and lotions available over-the-counter (a lot of these acne skin care products are actually cleansers). However, if these ‘acne skin care’ measures don’t give you the desired results, contact a dermatologist for ‘acne skin care’ advice and treatment.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Bad Breath

Causes of bad breath ?

Bad breath is a common health problem which greatly affects the day to day activities of so many people. The offensive odor from the mouth is unpleasant to those who come in close contact with bad breathers. The problem will be doubled by psychological trauma leading to depression. The sufferers from this problem wil be isolated from the society. This can even lead to marital disharmony.

Literally speaking all human beings occasionally have bad breath. Oral cavity contains millions of anaerobic bacteria like fusobacterium and actinomyces which acts on the protein of food materials and putrefies them. This process results in the formation of offensive gases like hydrogen sulfide,methyl mescaptan,cadaverin,skatol,putrescine etc causing bad odor. If oral hygiene is not maintained properly all will suffer from bad breath. Most of us control this by regular brushing,tongue cleaning and gargling. Even after maintaining cleanliness in the mouth some individuals suffer from offensive smell due to various causes which has to be diagnosed and treated properly.

Some common causes of bad breath.

1) Poor oral hygiene:

If oral hygiene is not maintained properly the mouth becomes the seat for millions of bacteria which produce offensive gases by degrading the food debris. Bad breath is severe in those who do not brush their teeth regularly and clean their mouth after every food. Snacks taken in between meals can also produce bad breath because of improper cleaning.
Bad breath is common in almost all people in the morning on waking. During sleep there is less production of saliva .Saliva has got some antibacterial properties which help to keep the mouth clean. Saliva contains oxygen molecules which is needed to make oral cavity aerobic. So the reduction in it's quantity during sleep makes a favorable condition for anaerobic bacteria.

2) Food habits:

The main cause of bad smell is due to degradation of protein by the bacteria and hence all food products rich in protein favors bad breath. Meat,fish,milk products, eggs,cakes,nuts,pear and etc can cause bad breath. Some food articles can produce particular type of smell which may be unpleasant. Raw onion can produce typical bad smell. It is said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away,a raw onion a day keeps everybody away. Eating groundnuts can also produce bad smell. However if proper cleaning is done smell can be reduced irrespective of the nature of food. Irregularity in timing of food can also produce bad breath. Small food articles taken in between the meals can also produce bad smell.

3) Bio-film:

There is formation of a thin sticky coating called bio-film on the tongue and oral mucosa. This coating is thick on the posterior aspect of the tongue where millions of gram negative bacteria are seen .The thick coating on the tongue is always associated with bad breath. Even a thin bio-film can make anaerobic condition favorable for bacterial proliferation.

4) Dental caries:

This is a destructive process causing decalcification with destruction of enamel and dentine resulting in cavitation of the tooth. These are produced mainly by the lactobacilli . Food particles are deposited inside these cavities and are putrefied by the anaerobic bacteria producing bad smell. Normal brushing will not remove the food debris easily and hence they are putrefied completely. Caries are common in school going children and in those who do not maintain proper oral hygiene .Calcium and vitamin deficiency can also predispose caries.

5) Gingivitis:

Gum is a mucus membrane with supporting connective tissue covering the tooth bearing borders of the jaw .The main function of gum is protection .Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gum .Due to various causes gum tissue get infected resulting in swelling,pain and discharge. If the condition become worse the infection spread towards periodontal area leading to continuous discharge called pyorrhoea. Some times the infection goes deep producing alveolar abscess with discharge of pus. Infection can even reach the bone causing osteomyelitis.All these conditions can produce offensive smell.

6) Gum retraction:

When the gums retract from the teeth a gap is developed which will lodge food particles and cause bad breath.

7) Dental plaques and tartar deposits; Plaques and tartar is deposited mainly in the gaps between the teeth and gum. This will provide shelter for the food debris and bacteria causing bad breath.

8) Ulcerative lesions& coatings:

Almost all ulcerative lesions of the mouth are associated with bad breath. These lesions may be caused by bacteria,viruses,food allergies or due to autoimmune disorders. Apthous ulcer is the commonest among ulcerative lesions. Others are herpes,fungal infections,vincents angina,infectious mononucleosis,scarlet fever,diphtheria,drug reactions and etc. Cancerous ulcers produce severe bad breath. All fungal infections produce white coating(candidiasis). Leucoplakia is a white thick patch on the mucus membrane of the mouth & tongue. It is considered as a precancerous condition. Offensive breath is associated with these conditions.

9) Diseases of the salivary glands:

Saliva is very useful to supply oxygen to all parts of the oral cavity. Even a thin film of coating called bio-film can provide an anaerobic condition in the mouth. Saliva can wet these layers and make an aerobic condition which is unfavorable for the bacteria .Any condition which reduces the production of saliva can increase bacterial activity. Some times the salivary duct is obstructed by stones or tumors.Cancer of the salivary gland is associated with offensive odor. In suppurative parotitis purulant discharge in to the mouth causes bad breath.

10) Tonsillitis:

Tonsils are a pair of lymphoid tissue situated in the lateral wall of oropharynx. Inflammation of the tonsil is called tonsillitis. Bad breath is seen in both acute and chronic tonsillitis. Quinsy or peritonsillar abscess can also produce bad breath.

11) Tonsillar plaques & tonsillar fluid:

If bad breath persists even after maintaining proper oral hygeine there is possibility of this condition. Serous fluid secreted from the folds of tonsil is very offensive. Some patients complain that they hawk some cheesy materials from the throat;which are very offensive in nature. These are formed inside the tonsillar crypts which contain thousands of bacteria. In such conditions tonsillectomy gives noticeable relief from bad breath.

12) Pharyngitis& pharyngial abscess:

Pharynx is a fibromuscular tube which forms the upper part of the digestive & respiratory tract. Inflammation of the pharynx is called pharyngitis, caused mainly by bacteria and viruses. Bad breath is present in pharyngitis along with other signs like cough and throat irritation. Abscesses in the wall of pharynx can also produce offensive discharge of pus in to the throat.

13) Dentures:

Denture users may complain about bad smell due to lodgement of small food debris in between. Proper brushing may not be possible in denture users especially fixed dentures.

14) Tobacco:

Tobacco chewing is associated with bad breath. The smell of tobacco itself is unpleasant for others. Tobacco can irritate the mucus membrane and cause ulcers and coatings. Gingivitis and pyorrhoea are common in tobacco chewers. Tartar is deposited on the teeth mainly near the gums. Tobacco chewers get gastric acidity with eructations. All these causes offensive smell.

15) Smoking:

Smokers always have bad smell. It can also produce lesions in the mouth & lungs causing bad breath.Smoking increases carbon dioxide in the oral cavity & reduces oxygen level,causing a favorable condition for bacteria. Smoking reduces appetite & thirst hence acid peptic disease is common in chain smokers.

16) Lesions in the nose & ear:

Bad breath is occasionally seen in sinusitis(infection of para nasal sinuses). In case of post nasal dripping bad breath is common due to the presence of protein in the discharges. These proteins are degraded by the bacteria. Infection in the middle ear with discharge of pus in to the throat through the Eustachian tube(passage from middle ear to the throat)can also cause offensive odor. Chronic rhinitis(infection of mucus membrane of nose) and foreign bodies in the nose can also produce bad smell in the expired air.

17) Diabetes mellitus:

Mostly all diabetic patients suffer from bad breath. Coated tongue,ulcers &coatings in the mouth ,increased sugar level in tissues etc are responsible for bad breath.Bacterial growth in diabetic patient is very faster than non diabetic individuals.

18) Fevers:

Bad breath is common in almost all fevers. Even an acute fever can produce bad breath. Severe bad breath is seen in typhoid .Other infectious diseases like Tuberculosis , AIDS etc produce bad smell.

19) Fasting & dehydration:

Dry mouth favors bacterial activity. So any condition which produce dryness in the mouth makes the breath offensive. Even though the food particles are known to produce bad breath, fasting can also produce the same. Production of saliva is also reduced during fasting. Chewing and swallowing also helps to keep the mouth clean.

20) Bedridden patients:

Bedridden patients suffer from offensive breath due to thick coating on the tongue. water intake is also limited in these patients. Regurgitation of food aggravates the condition. Since they talk less aeration in the oral cavity is reduced which favors anaerobic bacteria to become active.

21) Diseases of stomach & esophagus:

Eructation of gas and food produce unpleasant smell. Abnormality in the function of lower sphincter can allow the food to regurgitate upwards causing bad breath. Bad breath is also common in gastritis,gastric ulcer and cancer of stomach.

22) Intestinal diseases:

Bad breath is common in patients suffering from ulcerative lesions of intestine like ulcerative collitis..Other diseases are malabsorption syndrome intestinal tuberculosis, peritonitis etc.

23) Diseases of lungs:

Lung diseases like pneumonia, lung abscess,chronic bronchitis,bronchiectasis,tuberculosis, lung cancer etc. can produce bad odor during expiration.

24) Liver disorders:

Liver diseases like hepatitis, cirrhosis,can cause bad breath.Gall bladder diseases with vomiting also causes unpleasant odor.

25) Psychiatric patients:

Bad breath is common in psychotic patients due to poor hygiene,irregular food habits,less water intake and ect.


26) Somatisation disorder:

This is a psychiatric disorder characterized by the presence of a physical symptom that suggest a medical illness .These patients come with physical complaints like pain,nausea difficult respiration, bad smell etc. This condition is diagnosed after detailed examination of the patient with all investigations.Since this is a psychiatric disorder it has to be managed with a psychological approach.

[ THE POINTS MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION. ANY PERSON HAVING BAD BREATH SHOULD CONSULT A QUALIFIED DOCTOR ]

The Truth about Colic

Colic is so common among infants that most people are not surprise anymore when it happens. Still, for the first time mom it can be a harrowing and panicking experience especially with her normally quiet angel screaming non-stop in the background. It is usually manifested at about two to three weeks of age. It becomes more prominent during the first two months and subsides at three months old. Colic altogether stops at about three-and-a-half to four months of age.

Colic is actually not so dangerous. It might seem so though from the way babies would cry and scream at the top of their lungs. In fact, it can be so common that parents may experience an episode on a daily basis; and after the first episode, parents usually learn to handle succeeding ones with aplomb. Still, physicians and scientists cannot pinpoint up until now just what exactly causes colic. It just happens.

Colic, to those who are not familiar with the problem, is a stomach ache that occurs after eating. Because of the continuous pain, babies cry for hours and hours until the colic is relieved. Crying can last for about one to four hours, depending on the severity of the pain. Babies’ cheeks will also become red from the exertion and perhaps the pain.

When there is colic, the belly of the baby may become distended or may become enlarged. One leg will be bent while the other will extended straight out. The feet will become cold and the hands clenched tight because of the pain. This is actually a common reaction for people whose stomachs pain them.

Often, it will occur late in the afternoon or early in the evening after every meal. It can however also happen any time of the day. Not all babies suffer from colic and some even suffer less frequent than others. Medical experts believe that genetics play a role. It seems that if one or both parents have suffered from colic when they were babies, their offspring will also experience colic episodes.

Still, there are factors that will exacerbate a colic condition in babies. Below are some of them. Read on so that you can avoid these factors and prevent your baby from further suffering.

1. Overfeeding can only worsen the situations when you have a colicky baby in your arms. Make sure that your baby is suffering from hunger and not colic before you feed him again.

2. There are certain foods that will worsen the colic. Those with high sugar content, those with undiluted juice will only increase the gas in the stomach and thus, exacerbate the condition.

3. Intestinal allergy may also cause colic so it is important for moms to know just what makes their babies allergic. It may be from something that they have directly eaten or something that you passed on through the milk in your breasts.

4. Intense feelings can also affect colic. Emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety and excitement should be avoided as this will only worsen the pain for the baby.

The best way to help your baby is to first not panic and then to read up as much as possible even before an episode occurs. Nonstop crying can be a result of a host of other things so it is important that you also keep your eyes open so that you will know what exactly ails your baby. Keep in mind that there is no known cause; so there is also no known cure for it except to make the experience as comfortable and less painful as possible.

Avoiding Foods While Breast Feeding

Many women find that they can eat whatever they may
like during breast feeding. Even though it's true
that some stongly favored foods can change the
taste of your milk, many babies seem to enjoy the
varieties of breast milk flavors. Occasionally,
your baby may get cranky at the breast after you
eat certain foods. If you notice this happening,
simply avoid that particular food.

The most common offenders duing breast feeding
include chocolate, spices, citrus fruits, garlic,
chili, lime, gassy vegetables, and fruits with
laxative type effects, such as prunes and cherries.

You can have a cup or two of coffee a day, although
too much caffeine can interfere with your baby's
sleep and even make him or her cranky. Keep in
mind, caffeine is found in many soda's, tea, and
even over the counter type medicine as well.

It's okay to have an alcoholic beverage every now
and the, although having more than one drink can
increase your blood alcohol level, putting the
alcohol into your breast milk.

If you are planning to have more than one drink
at a time, it's best to wait two hours or more
per drink before you resume any type of nursing
or breast feeding. There is no need to pump
and dump unless your breasts are full and its
time to feed your baby. While breast feeding,
any type of heavy drinking should be avoided.

Before you actually omit any foods from your
diet, you should talk to your doctor. If you
avoid certain foods and it causes a nutritional
imbalance, you may need to see a nutritionist
for advice on taking other foods or getting
nutritional supplements.

A rejuvenating 5-day body detox plan to keep you going

In the present condition, you can no longer survive a single day without encountering pollution. At work, you may not at all be so sure of the cleanliness of the water you drink or of the food you eat. When dealing with people, you can hardly get away from air pollution, be it from smokers, all sorts of sprays or from the exhaust of vehicles. This greatly affects the health in one way or another. Don’t be so sure that when your body does not visibly react, it’s alright.

For these reasons, detoxification is necessary in order to keep a healthy body which also results to healthy mind and healthy relationship with people.

Our body has its own means of healing and detoxifying. However, when pollutants that enter our body had been accumulated more than the capacity of self cleansing, we are giving our inside mechanisms a hard time. Then the tissues are stressed and therefore lead to malfunction. And because they are weakened, the cleansing process is also affected.

We definitely want a clean body. But we also need to help our system in regulating the body processes. However, you should not wait for your body organs to be stressed out and overworked before doing something. In times when the body lacks the command to keep the systems working, the person must supplement. The 5-day detox plan will do a great help in keeping the body systems at work. The 5-day detox plan will rejuvenate the body as well as the spirit, keeping it clean and toned.

Detoxification diet is a part of the 5-day detox plan. During the period of detoxification, certain foods are avoided. Your meals consist mostly of fresh fruits and green, leafy vegetables. Fats, oil, preservatives and food additives are a big no when undergoing the process of detoxification. Also, meat should be kept off because they are hard to digest. For a day or two, eating meat in any form is dropped off from the diet.

Ideal foods that can be part of your diet are as follow: garlic, broccoli, beets, and beans or nuts. Only fresh fruit extracts can be taken as beverages except for grapefruit. And since water is a universal solvent, six to eight glasses of this should be recommended daily. Water is also a major factor in the detoxification process. It flushes out the toxins in the forms of perspiration, urine, or stool.

Although you seem to eat less when detoxifying, you are assured that you will not starve, and ironically, you will even boost your stamina. It is because your intake is limited only to foods which are healthy and are good to the digestive system.

Detoxification plan should be done at least quarterly. To ensure that you get an efficient one, it will be best to consult a nutritionist or a professional. You should also seek for a doctor’s advice to ensure that what you will do is a detoxification and not addition of toxins to your body.

Through the process of detoxification, the toxins are flushed out in your body and a new set of energy is supplied to the body providing you both physical and mental alertness.

Cleanliness should be maintained not only in the outside, but more so in the inside.

Acute Edema and Back Pain

Back pain is caused from a variety of problems including “Acute Pulmonary Edema.” Edema builds up abnormal and excessive fluids that cause serious actions to the tissue cells. What happens is similar to over watering plants. The plant will swell and gradually wither away.

Edema in acute stages is defined as heart failure to one side, yet the problem extends to cause pain in the back. What occurs is when the heart is interrupted; it channels the fluids to tubes, vessels, ducts, and passageways that extend to the lungs.

Causes of edema:
Edema may arise from inhaling smoke, MI, CHF, Myocarditis, excessive I.V. intakes of fluid, Valvular disease, overdose of drugs, such as morphine, barbiturates, and heroin. Acute edema arises from ARDS (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and Atherosclerosis.

The lack of heart pumping can cause stress to the chest, which when the chest is scarred it affects the spines structure and mobility. Overarching the back is where back pain starts, since the chest is restricted from scarring and/or edema.

Experts will often use X-rays, ABG tests, ECG, and monitor Homodynamic to discover edema. Of course, edema can lead to major problems, such as Hypernatremia, Digoxin Toxicity, Hypokalemia, Excessive Fluid, and Pulmonary Blockage of the arteries, (Embolism), which starts blood clotting and affects blood circulation. Hypokalemia will decrease potassium intake that is required by blood. What happens is the decrease of potassium to the blood causes excessive excretion of fluids that lead to the muscles, which cause weakness. The back pain is not necessary the issue at this stage, since the heart is the starting point, which could lead to cardiac arrest.

When acute edema is present, experts will often restrict fluid intake, while administering I.V. fluids to substitute. Oxygen and meds are prescribed. Often the doctor will request that the patient remain consistent in a high position, such as “Fowler’s.”

Symptoms:
Edema may present fatigue, coughing, JVD, Hypophysis, murmurs, Orthopnea, one-side heart failure (Right often), low output of cardiac, exerted Dyspnea, and so on. The condition can cause various other symptoms to emerge as well.

Experts will request that the patient limit fluid intake, and join in oxygen therapy. Since edema causes excessive fluid buildup, isometric exercises, and bed, rest is required. Isometric workouts is the process of pushing muscles next to a sturdy surface, whereas the muscles are put under tension, yet restricted from contractions. The exercises are recommended in a variety of medical treatments when back pain is involved.



Edema also affects the joints, cartilages, muscles etc, which can cause tenderness, ulcers of the legs, changes of stasis, and so forth. Edema affects the veins found in the neck as well, which is one of the leading starts of back pain. To avoid traveling into the heart cavity and discussing heart conditions, I will sum up edema and the causes of back pain.

As I mentioned earlier, back pain starts with edema since when the heart is not pumping blood it affects the connective tissues, ligaments, tendons, muscles, cells, joints, etc. As you can see, when the skeleton elements are targeted pain will occur from swelling and inflammation. The cause of back pain then starts with excessive fluid buildup emerging from acute edema and/or peripheral edema conditions.

To learn more about edema and back pain consider tendons, ligaments, disks, joints, connective tissues, neurological disorders, and so on.

Back pain has affected millions of people, yet the leading causes emerge from nerve and musculoskeletal disorders. Still, many diseases and disorders can cause back pain, including edema. In fact, when doctors discover musculoskeletal and nerve disorders, they often link one of the potential causes to edema.

Atkins and Appetite Suppression

One of the most common, and surprising, effects of following the Atkins diet is appetite suppression. Many followers of the plan report that the between meal hunger pangs they used to experience fade away very quickly. This makes it easier to stay on the diet and continue to lose weight. While other diets have their followers starving between meals, the Atkins diet offers relief from constant hunger. The Atkins diet, with its specific combination of foods and ingredients, has powerful appetite suppressing effects.

The first key component is the amount of protein in the Atkins diet. Protein, more so than carbohydrates, has the power to satiate hunger. If you’ve ever eaten a carb heavy meal and then felt hungry afterward, you know that carbohydrates don’t have much staying power. Protein, when combined with a small amount of healthy fats, can keep you feeling full for long periods of time.

One of the most powerful appetite suppressing foods on the Atkins diet are eggs. Eggs are a great form of quick and easy protein. A recent study showed that eating eggs for breakfast would actually stave off hunger pangs through the rest of the day. The research concerned two groups of women. One group ate eggs for breakfast and the other had a breakfast of bagels and cream cheese. The calorie count for both breakfasts was exactly the same. The subjects kept track of what they ate the rest of the day and answered questions about their levels of hunger and satisfaction throughout the day. The results showed that the women who ate the eggs for breakfast felt more satisfied throughout the entire day. They ate less at each meal than the women who were in the bagel group.

Eggs contain about 6 grams of protein each. This helps to even out blood sugar and produces a feeling of satisfaction. Both of these factors help to curb cravings. Egg yolks also contain lutein and xenazanthin. These nutrients have been shown to have incredible effects on eye health. So it’s important to eat the whole egg, and not just the white. Eggs contain choline that is important in brain functioning and memory. These nutrients are just an added benefit to the appetite suppressing qualities.

Broccoli and cauliflower, two of the acceptable vegetables on the Atkins program, also have appetite-suppressing effects. These vegetables are very bulky and they help make your stomach feel full. When your stomach feels full, it will actually create a chemical response in your body. Your body will reduce its appetite because it believes that your stomach is full of high calorie foods. This will happen regardless of what is in your stomach. You can achieve the same results with water and psyllium husk fiber. Both broccoli and cauliflower provide bulk in your diet and are essential vegetables on the Atkins plan.

The Atkins diet focuses on eating small protein balanced meals a few times per day. This will help keep your blood sugar stabilized and avoid carbohydrate cravings. With high carbohydrate diets, you are riding the wave of carbohydrate highs. After you eat, you feel great and full. Then a few hours later, you come crashing down and are hungrier than you were previous to eating the carbohydrate. This cycle continues and, over time, you will eat more and gain weight. The protein, fat and vegetable meals of the Atkins plan put your blood sugar back in balance. They provide just enough of each type of food, with a proper amount of carbohydrates (from the vegetables). The vegetables provide quick carbohydrate energy, and the protein gives the meal staying power. This combination helps suppress your appetite.

The Atkins diet is actually a craving control diet that can help suppress your appetite. If you’ve had a problem with carbohydrate cravings before, this new way of eating will help control those cravings. The more you eat on the plan, the better your cravings will be controlled and the easier it will be to follow the diet.

Welcome!

Welcome to homemade remedies blog, your source for herbal remedies, you can make at home.

My aim is to become the largest and most complete resource for natural remedies against most common illnesses, infections and diseases.

For years, the pharmaceutical industry has been pushing their synthetic and chemical cures, without regards for the side effects, long term damages to the health of the patient, all in the name of the almighty dollar.

Fortunately more and more people are starting to realize that the natural remedies are best in most common cases. Home remedies are inexpensive, have no side effects and are easy to make in any average kitchen.

Instead of hurting your health in the long term, herbal remedies, are actually good for you and safe to apply. So instead of running to your local pharmacy the next time you need something against common afflictions like eczema, acne, a cold or other illness, why not try a natural remedy first, and save some money and restore your health, the sensible way?

For this very purpose I have started this site, in order to support you by supplying you with the most complete information on how to make natural remedies within the comforts of your own home.

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