Saturday, January 2, 2016

Stinky T-Shirt? Bacteria Love Polyester In A Special Way




Sure, exercising can make you stronger, happier and healthier. But it can also make you stink. And that polyester workout wear isn't helping.

Anyone with a drawerful of T-shirts knows that the synthetic ones can get sour after just a brief jog, while old-school cotton T-shirts remain relatively stink-free all day. And now science explains why.

The bacteria that flourish on a sweaty polyester T-shirt are different from those that grow on cotton, researchers at the University of Ghent in Belgium found.

Polyester makes a happy home for Micrococcus bacteria, while Staphylococcus, a common armpit denizen, was found on both poly and cotton.

Polyester workout wear is light, comfortable and dries quickly. But it's notorious for getting rank and staying that way. Internet message boards are awash with advice on how to de-stink gym clothes, but the perennial nature of the questions suggests that none of the answers — vinegar, baking soda, avoiding fabric softeners, rinsing your clothes in the shower — works 100 percent of the time.

Microbes love the cozy warmth of the human armpit; it's like a trip to the tropics without ever having to leave home. And it's crowded in there. Those microbes eat compounds in sweat and generate odors, which support a flourishing deodorant industry. One of the authors of this study, Chris Callewaert, is trying to figure out the causes of smelly pits, a quest he details on his website, Dr. Armpit.

The scientists asked 26 volunteers to take a spinning class while wearing shirts made of cotton, poly or blends. The shirts were then incubated for a day, and the microbes extracted and DNA fingerprinted. Volunteers also had their armpits swabbed. The study was published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

It turns out the bugs on the shirts are different from the bugs in the pits. WhileCorynebacterium is thought to be the main cause of armpit body odor, there was noCorynebacterium on the clothes. Instead, Staphylococcus flourished on cotton and poly, and Micrococcus, bacteria also known for making malodor, loved polyester.

It's unclear how Micrococcus gets on polyester clothing when it's not a dominant species in the armpits, Callewaert says. He's wondering if the bacteria might spread in the washing machine and is doing research to figure that out.

He's also trying to help people with excessive body odor by giving them armpit bacteria transplants. "We have done transplants with about 15 people, and most of them have been successful," Callewaert, a Ph.D. student in applied biological sciences at the University of Ghent, tells Shots. "All have had an effect short term, but the bad odor comes back after a few months for some people."

Manufacturers have tried to make polyester fabric less hospitable to bacteria by impregnating it with antimicrobials like silver nanoparticles or triclosan. Both products have been criticized as having potentially negative impacts on the environment, and there are few data on how they might affect the wearer.

Callewaert thinks the ultimate solution will be something more organic — supplant bad bugs with good ones. "The bacteria has to do a war on its own," he says. "If you have the good bacteria present, eventually you have no bad odor."

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Hidden Sources of MSG


Everyone knows that some people react to the food ingredient monosodium glutamate. What many don’t know, is that more than 40 different ingredients contain the chemical in monosodium glutamate (processed free glutamic acid) that causes these reactions. The following list has been compiled over the last 20 years from consumer reports and information provided by manufacturers and food technologists.

It’s important to note the difference between naturally occurring glutamate and synthetically produced MSG. Glutamate refers to a number of forms of glutamic acid, an amino acid found naturally in many foods (and in our bodies). MSG is a man-made, highly concentrated flavor enhancer and can cause unpleasant reactions. When looking for MSG in a label look for terms such as:

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Textured Vegetable Protein
Autolyzed Yeast Extract
Maltodextrin
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
Sodium Caseinate
Whey Protein Isolate
For a complete list see Truth in Labeling’s Hidden Sources of MSG

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Natural Antihistamine Herbs

Histamine is a chemical, which is involved in our local immune response as well as regulating physiological function in the gut, acting as a neurotransmitter. During the time of seasonal allergies, the body's immune system sees pollen as an invader. In an allergic reaction, our body produces histamine, as a defense mechanism. This inflammatory chemical attaches the cells in our body and causes irritation. It is the deficiency of this enzyme that triggers an allergic reaction as histamines gathers in the synapses.

An antihistamine serves to reduce or eliminate the effects brought on by histamine, a chemical mediator released during allergic reactions. Antihistamines are commonly used for allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, contact dermatitis, urticaria (hives), angioedema and pruritus (atopic dermatitis, insect bites).

There are hundreds of plants used all over the world, which are used in herbal medicine as treatments for histamine attacks. Here are some of the most accessible and reliable.

Basil (Ocimum sanctum): this great herb has a history in helping prevent stomach cramps, gas as well as constipation. A poultice of Basil leaves can can work as an antihistamine to draw out insect, bee wasp, or snake venom. It helps alleviate acne, heal abrasions and speeds healing when used on cuts.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla): is rich in anti-histamine properties. The flowers can be crushed and used as a poultice for inflammatory swelling. Make a tea and drink 2-3 times a day. Chamomile can cause histaminic allergic reactions in some very sensitive people. If this occurs, simply discontinue.


Jewelweed (Impatiens aurea): contains a compound called "Lawsone" that treats uticaria. Jewelweed is used as a natural remedy for poison ivy, poison oak, okra spines, stinging nettle and acne treatment. Jewelweed is also used for heat rash, ringworm and many other skin disorders, as well as bug bites and razor burn.

Papaya (Petroselinum crispum): inhibits the secretion of histamine. Papaya juice can be taken internally as well as applied topically to diffuse a histamine attack.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica): The very same plant that will produce hives if its hairs inject their histamine into you can work to heal the problem. Some herbs whose pollen can cause symptoms of hay fever have been used as a way to reduce symptoms of hay fever, which is the homeopathic theory of "like cures like". The most important of these are Goldenrod and Ragweed (Ambrosia ambrosioides). Eyebright and Elder also have a reputation for use as hay fever remedies. However, an individual allergic to one of these plants should avoid them unless under the care of a doctor of natural medicine. Freeze-dried nettle leaf extract taken in capsule form will treat hives and allergies. The plant does not contain enough histamine to cause a problem when taken orally. Tea can be made from the leaves or cooked as greens. The stinging hairs lose their sting when the plant is cooked.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea): Echinacea is a widely used herbal remedy for treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. This purple coneflower has shown to have antihistamine properties.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): In my Chinese herbal practice, fennel is used for indigestion, spasms in the digestive tract, as well as expelling phlegm from the lungs. Fennel is rich with the antioxidant flavonoid "Quercetin". Quercetin is a strong natural antihistamine shown to be very helpful for allergies and histamine-related inflammation. Make as a tea and drink 2-3 times per day.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale): another classic herb in the Chinese Materia Medica, ginger works well on allergic reactions such as hives and wheals. Slice up a ginger root boil it in eight cups of water for 30 minutes. Allow the herbs to steep for another 30 after you have boiled it. Drink 2 to 3 cups a day. You may add the tea to a hot bath and soak for 20 minutes. Dip a wash cloth in the tea once it is at room temperature and use as a compress.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum): Hailed the "mushroom of immortality", one of my favorite natural remedies is Reishi (Ling Zhi). Japanese researchers have found that reishi acts as an antihistamine, making it useful for treating allergies. "Lanostan", a compound found in reishi, appears to control the release of transmitting chemicals in the body, thereby inhibiting the release of histamine. Since reishi also promotes the adrenal function and immune reaction, it has added effectiveness in controlling the body's reaction to an allergen.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): is a natural antihistamine, as well as having antiseptic properties to help purge infections. The essential oil has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against a host of different bacteria and fungi.

Vitamin C: is believed to be a natural antihistamine agent if used at high doses, around 3,000mg to 5,000mg a day.

Wild Oregano (Origanum vulgare): aka Wild Marjoram, have at least seven different antihistaminic chemicals, therefore fights allergies as well as fungus and infection.

Essential Oils As Antihistamines

Essential oils should be used in a base oil (to avoid irritation) and massaged on the skin. NEVER use essential oils internally.

Caraway Seed Oil: has antihistamine and antimicrobial properties and is very effective in treating mild allergic reactions.

Clove Oil: has antihistamine properties. This essential oil is helpful in the treatment of dermatitis due to allergic reactions.

Lemon balm (also known as melissa): has antihistamine action and is useful to treat eczema and headaches. This essential oil has antihistamine properties and helps with allergies.

About the Author: Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac is a licensed acupuncturist and certified herbalist with a full time practice in New York City. Andrew specializes in rejuvenating therapies based in the ancient Chinese Medical approach to Endocrinology, Gynecology and Pain Management. By improving circulation and an increase in metabolism, Andrew treats hormonal imbalance, infertility, menopause and menstrual disorders, as well as increasing blood flow and vital energy in order to decrease pain, trauma and with its associated symptoms. Discover more about Andrew, his practice and his life's work athttp://www.proacumed.com and http://www.peacefulmind.com

Saturday, February 14, 2015

RAINDROP technique

Raindrop


"RAINDROP technique is a powerful, non-invasive tool for assisting the body in correcting defects in the curvature of the spine. During the years that it has been practiced, it has resolved numerous cases of scoliosis and kyphosis and eliminated the need for back surgery for thousands of people. Raindrop Technique originated in the 1980s from the research of Dr. Gary Young working with a Lakota medicine man named Wallace Black Elk. It integrates Vitaflex technique with the power of essential oils in bringing the body into structural and electrical alignment." (from the Essential Oils Desk Reference)
Raindrop Technique uses a sequence of essential oils that are immune enhancing, support the body's natural defenses, as well as the circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, digestive, nervous, and other body systems. These oils, which are high in antioxidants, are also mood elevating and antiseptic, creating an unfavorable environment for harmful viruses and bacteria that can hibernate in the body. Essential oils are known to boost stamina and energy, help you relax, help manage stress and frustration and promote overall health, vitality, and longevity. The principal single oils used include:
  • Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
  • Oregano (Origanum compactum)
  • Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
  • Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
  • Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
  • Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
  • Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
The oils are dispensed in little drops from a height of about six inches above the back, which is where Raindrop Technique gets its name. They are then massaged along the spine and back muscles. They are also applied to the feet.
The whole process takes about an hour and may continue to work in the body for up to one week following a Raindrop Session, with possible realignment and bodily adjustment taking place during this time.
"Raindrop Technique is not a cure-all or a magic bullet. A healthy balanced body is the result of a well-rounded program of exercise and proper diet. Health is everything we do, say, hear, see, and eat. The Raindrop Technique is only one tool to help restore balance in the body that will result in good health." (from the Essential Oils Desk Reference")

Many professionals, including chiropractors, massage therapists, osteopaths, reflexologists, and certified aromatherapists have found Raindrop and Vitaflex techniques to be an excellent addition to the repertoire of their practices.
Scientific documentation on the results of raindrop has been compiled into a publication entitled, "The Raindrop Study: Statistical Outcomes and Experiences with the Raindrop Technique of Aromatherapy 

Friday, February 13, 2015

Como reducir estrés y algunos consejos para el dolor de cabeza.



Los dolores de cabeza y el estrés son dos dolencias más comunes que las personas sufren y aunque un dolor de cabeza puede ser leve o punzante y durar unas pocas horas una migraña es una enfermedad más grave, donde el dolor puede incluso durar días. En la mayoría de los casos el dolor de cabeza común es causada por el exceso de estrés, tensión y cambios emocionales.

Pero los tratamientos para la migraña es una situación más compleja, donde los vasos sanguíneos del cerebro se agrandan para liberar sustancias químicas de las fibras nerviosas que causan la inflamación y por lo tanto un dolor severo.
Tratamientos para el dolor de cabeza y estrés.

Regiones más importantes para aliviar reducir el estrés y dolores de cabeza:

La aplicación de presión en regiones específicas del cuerpo ayuda en la limpieza de los meridianos bloqueados para que la energía pueda fluir libremente a través de las endorfinas que el cuerpo libera, el analgésico natural que nuestro cuerpo produce.

Región frontal
1 Este punto está situado justo entre las dos cejas, donde el puente de la nariz se encuentra con la frente. La aplicación de presión en esta región ayuda a mejorar la concentración , reviviendo la fatiga visual, dolores de cabeza y dolores de la úlcera. Aplique presión durante 1 minuto y luego pasar al siguiente punto.
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2. El punto está situado en la esquina interna de los ojos justo debajo de las cejas. La aplicación de presión en estos puntos funciona excelente para aliviar dolores de cabeza sinusal y síntomas de la alergia. Además, también ayuda en la mejora de la visión . Aplique presión durante 1 minuto en ambos lados.
innner-corners-of-eye-300x105


Región facial
Los Puntos situados a ambos lados de la fosa nasal. La aplicación de presión sobre estos puntos ayuda en la apertura de los senos paranasales y la reducción de los dolores de cabeza por tensión.
Nosebleed-Point-3-300x286

Cuello
Este punto se encuentra en la parte posterior de la cabeza, a medio camino entre el oído y la columna vertebral; entre los dos músculos que se unen. La presión que se aplica ayuda a desbloqueo de la congestión nasal, el alivio del dolor en los ojos, los oídos, la garganta, dolores de cabeza y migrañas.
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Hombros
Este punto se encuentra en el borde de la mitad del hombro entre el punto de su hombro y la base de su cuello. Aplicar presión en este punto ayuda a reducir la rigidez del cuello y los hombros, y alivia el dolor de cuello. También ayuda en el alivio de otras enfermedades como el asma y los espasmos.
Shoulder-Well-300x222


Manos:
Este punto se encuentra en la banda entre el pulgar y el dedo índice. La aplicación de presión sobre este punto ayuda a aliviar el dolor de espalda , dolores de cabeza frontal, dolor de muelas y liberar la tensión del cuello y la cabeza.
Chest-pain-point-1-300x200
Pies
Desplazamiento entre estos puntos donde se encuentra el dedo grande y el segundo dedo del pie. La aplicación de presión sobre este punto ayuda a aliviar los dolores de cabeza, estrés, cansancio de los calambres en los ojos, la artritis y los pies.
Feet-Pressure-Points-to-Control-Diabetes-300x165


Los dolores de cabeza y el estrés pueden ser un problema común, pero eso no significa que deben ser descuidados. Pero en lugar de recurrir a la medicina y las píldoras, conocer las zonas de reflexología y la acupresión le ayudará y notará la diferencia.

Experimente con los puntos de presión que ha elegido y trabajar más eficazmente para el tipo específico de dolor de cabeza y algunos puntos pueden mostrar resultados fuertes mientras que otros pueden tomar más tiempo. Por lo tanto probar cada uno de los puntos de presión para saber qué puntos funciona mejor para usted. Fuente

Why Essential Oils Heal and Drugs Don’t



by Dr. David Stewart, Ph.D.
The Chemistry of Essential Oils

If you tell most medical doctors that essential oils bring about healing with no negative side effects, they won’t believe you. This is because in medical school, students are repeatedly told by their professors that all effective medicines have negative side effects, and if they don’t then they can’t be effective.

When I was in medical school one professor emphasized this point in a colorful, graphic manner with specially prepared slides. In each slide specific drugs were depicted as evil looking demons or goblins. As he presented each picture, he explained, “Although ugly and capable of doing harm, these ‘demons’ are also the bearers of some good. So long as the benefits outweigh the risks, we use them,” he summarized. “We have no choice,” he continued, “because if a drug has no dangers, then it can have no benefits. That’s just the way it is. And that’s why it is essential that only qualified physicians be allowed to prescribe medicines,” he concluded.

Actually, the professor was telling the truth. Within the restricted practice of allopathy (MDs) the only real medicines are physician prescribed pharmaceuticals. Such medicines always do have negative side effects. All of them. No exceptions. Hence, doctors are trained to accept the bad with the good as the price of effective medicine.
The Danger is in the Drug Itself

The dangers of prescription drugs are intrinsic to the drugs themselves, not in how they are administered. No matter how careful the physician in prescribing and how compliant the patient in following doctor’s orders, even then deaths and damages occur. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, more than 100,000 Americans die every year, not from illegal drugs, not from drug overdoses, not from over-the-counter drugs, and not from drug abuses, but from properly prescribed, properly taken prescriptions. In this country, more people die from doctor’s prescriptions every ten days than were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Why is this so? Why do allopathic drugs always have undesirable effects (along with their apparent benefits) while one can find healing with natural products, such as essential oils, with no undesirable effects? Here is why.
Why Companies Deliberately Sell Dangerous Products

It is illegal to patent any natural product. The way to big profits in the medicine industry is to create an unnatural substance that never before existed in nature, then patent it, and obtain a monopoly. Hence, the molecules of pharmaceutical drugs are all strange to the human body. In all the history of humankind, such molecules were never encountered or taken into any human body. Hence, the body does not easily metabolize them. God never made your body to accept and deal with these chemicals and antibiotics.

Non-toxic natural organic substances are usually easily eliminated by the body when their usefulness has run their course. Up to a point, your body can even deal with and eliminate natural toxic substances. But when your body receives a synthetic substance, even one that may seem benign or inert (like plastic), your body does not know how to metabolize and eliminate it. If sent to the liver to break it down into disposable compounds, the liver says, “Hey. What is this? I don’t know what to do with it. Here kidneys, you take it.” Then the kidneys react saying, “Hey liver, don’t send it to us. We don’t know what it is either. Send it to the pancreas. Maybe it will have an enzyme that can deal with it.” Then the pancreas objects, “Hey guys, what do you think you are doing? I don’t want this stuff. Dump it in the blood or the lymph or try the spleen. Maybe the spleen can filter this thing out or something.” Finally, the substance ends up in the long term waste holding area of the body (usually fat tissue, including the brain) where it can remain for years and even for a lifetime, perturbing normal body functions as long as it remains. That’s why you can find traces of prescription drugs in your body taken in childhood, decades ago.

On the other hand, natural molecules, such as those found in essential oils, are easily metabolized by the body. In fact, your body was created to handle them. When an essential oil molecule finds the receptor sites it was designed to fit and conveys its information to the cell, or participates in other therapeutic functions, it then goes on its way to the liver and the kidneys and moves out of the body. Its benefits have been conveyed and its job is complete.

By contrast, the unnatural molecules of man-made drugs attach themselves to various tissues, disrupting normal function for years while the body tries to figure out what to do with them. Meanwhile, they wreak mischief with our bodily functions and even our minds.
Who is in Control?

Another reason commercial drug companies don’t want to sell natural products is that they are not in complete control of their production. When you synthesize everything in a laboratory, you are in control. You can produce your medicines at will, in any quantity, whenever you choose. This way you can meet market demands as they materialize.

When you depend on nature to grow your product, God is in control. You are at the mercy of the seasons. You can only grow so much with a given year’s crop. If a year’s supply runs out before the next crop is ready for harvest, then you and your customers just have to wait. Meanwhile, you lose potential sales and profits.

Drug companies want to be totally in charge of producing their products. They don’t want God to be in charge. By omitting God from the manufacture of their medicines, they have omitted his healing power.
Drugs versus Oils

Drugs and oils work in opposite ways. Drugs toxify. Oils detoxify. Drugs clog and confuse receptor sites. Oils clean receptor sites.

Drugs depress the immune system. Oils strengthen the immune system. Antibiotics attack bacteria indiscriminately, killing both the good and the bad. Oils attack only the harmful bacteria, allowing our body’s friendly flora to flourish.

Drugs are one-dimensional, programmed like robots to carry out certain actions in the body, whether the body can benefit from them or not. When body conditions change, drugs keep on doing what they were doing, even when their actions are no longer beneficial.

Essential oils are multi-dimensional, filled with homeostatic intelligence to restore the body to a state of healthy balance. When body conditions change, oils adapt, raising or lowering blood pressure as needed, stimulating or repressing enzyme activity as needed, energizing or relaxing as needed. Oils are smart. Drugs are dumb.

Drugs are designed to send misinformation to cells or block certain receptor sites in order to trick the body into giving up symptoms. But drugs never deal with the actual causes of disease. They aren’t designed for that purpose. While they may give prompt relief for certain uncomfortable symptoms, because of their strange, unnatural design, they will always disrupt certain other bodily functions. Thus, you always have some side effects.

Oil molecules send information to cells and cleanse receptor sites so that they bring your body back to natural function. Oils are balancing to the body. Drugs are unbalancing to the body. Oils address the causes of disease at a cellular level by deleting misinformation and reprogramming correct information so that cells function properly and in harmony with one another. With drugs, misinformation is fed into the cells so that some temporary relief may be obtained, but there is never any true healing. Drugs only trade one kind of disease for another.

Because essential oils properly applied always work toward the restoration of proper bodily function, they do not cause undesirable side effects. They are feeding the body with truth. Drugs feed the body with lies. While no amount of truth can contradict itself, it doesn’t take many lies before contradictions occur and the body suffers ill effects.


Eighteen Doctors Speak Out

Not all physicians are caught up in the idea that the only good medicines are ones that can also be harmful. Here are some comments by physicians, themselves, on the practice of medicine.

“Every educated physician knows that most diseases are not appreciably helped by medicine.”
Richard C. Cabot, M.D. Professor Harvard School of Medicine; Author of Differential Diagnosis, The Art of Ministering to the Sick, and other books.

“The cause of most disease is in the poisonous drugs physicians superstitiously give in order to effect a cure.”
Charles E. Page, M.D.

“Medicines are of subordinate importance because of their very nature, they can only work symptomatically.”
Hans Kusche, M.D.

“The person who takes medicine must recover twice, once from the disease and once from the medicine.”
William Osler, M.D.

“If all the medicine in the world were thrown into the sea, it would be bad for the fish and good for humanity”
O.W. Holmes, M.D. American Poet, Professor of Medicine, Dartmouth College and Harvard University

“Drug medications consist in employing, as remedies for disease, those things which produce disease in well persons. Its materia medica is simply a lot of drugs or chemicals or dye-stuffs—in a word poisons. All are incompatible with vital matter; all produce disease when brought in contact in any manner with the living; all are poisons.”
R.T. Trail, M.D. Author of The True Healing Art and other books. Quote from a lecture to members of Congress and the medical profession, Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C.

“Every drug increases and complicates the patients condition.”
Robert Henderson, M.D.

“The greatest part of all chronic disease is created by the suppression of acute disease by drug poisoning.”
Henry Lindlahr, M.D. Author of Diagnostic Methods, Nature Cure: Philosophy and Practice, Natural Therapeutics, and other books.

“Medicine is only palliative, for back of disease lies the cause, and this cause no drug can reach.”
Wier Mitchel, M.D.

“Medical practice has neither philosophy nor common sense to recommend it. In sickness the body is already loaded with impurities. By taking drug – medicines more impurities are added, thereby the case is further embarrassed and harder to cure.”
Elmer Lee, M.D. Past Vice President, Academy of Medicine.

“Our figures show approximately four and one half million hospital admissions annually due to the adverse reactions to drugs. Further, the average hospital patient has as much as thirty percent chance, depending how long he is in, of doubling his stay due to adverse drug reactions.”
Milton Silverman, M.D. Professor of Pharmacology, University of California. Author, The Drugging of America, Prescription for Death, and other books.

“What hope is there for medical science to ever become a true science when the entire structure of medical knowledge is built around the idea that there is an entity called disease which can be expelled when the right drug is found?”
John H. Tilden, M.D. Author of Impaired Health, Etiology, Hygiemic, and Dietetic Treatment of Appendicitis, and other books and articles.

“We are prone to thinking of drug abuse in terms of the male population and illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. It may surprise you to learn that a greater problem exists with millions of women dependent on legal prescription drugs.”
Robert Mendelsohn, M.D. Chairman, Illinois State Medical Licensing Board, Author of Confessions of a Medical Heretic, How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor, and other books.

“Why would a patient swallow a poison because he is ill, or take that which would make a well man sick.”
L.F. Kebler, M.D. Author of Technical Drug Studies, Medicated Soft Drinks, and other works.

“Drugs never cure disease. They merely hush the voice of nature’s protest, and pull down the danger signals she erects along the pathway of transgression. Any poison taken into the system has to be reckoned with later on even though it palliates present symptoms. Pain may disappear, but the patient is left in a worse condition, though unconscious of it at the time.”
Daniel. H. Kress, M.D. Author of The Cost to Society of Cigarettes: A Century of Analysis, Ulcers and Smoking, and other books.

“There are over 10 million adverse reactions yearly from FDA-approved over-the-counter and prescription drugs. We are not talking about mild nausea or headaches. Between 60,000 and 140,000 people die each year from adverse drug reactions. Each year, more Americans die after taking prescription drugs than died in the entire Vietnam war. Over half the drugs approved by the FDA since 1976 were later found to be much more toxic than previously thought. Several had to be removed from the market.”
Julian Whitaker, M.D. Author of Reversing Heart Disease, Guide to Natural Healing, The Heart Surgery Trap, and other books.

“There are significant efforts by insurance companies to exclude preventive health care and education and the use of natural, inexpensive remedies, while ignoring the benefits of nutrition. At the same time they pay huge medical claims to hospitals for surgery and pharmaceutical products. There is an unwritten agreement between hospitals and insurance providers to reimburse the hospitals for services performed in hospitals – to scratch each other’s back – so to speak. There is a hidden agenda in this. If insurance providers pay hospitals for patients’ medical claims, then at the end of the year the insurance companies can go to the state insurance commissions with their track records and request a premium increase. A premium increase translates into more profit for the insurance carriers as well as the hospitals.”
Terry S. Friedmann, M.D. Author of Freedom Through Health and other publications. Co-founder and Board Member, American Holistic Medical Association.

“The necessity of teaching mankind not to take drugs and medicines, is a duty incumbent upon all who know their uncertainty and injurious effects; and the time is not far distant when the drug system will be abandoned.”
Charles Armbruster, M.D.

So there you have it, why oils heal and drugs don’t. Let’s hope Dr. Armbruster is right, that “the time is not far distant when the drug system will be abandoned.” Pharmaceutical companies and their physician drug dealers could market and sell natural products with genuine healing capabilities, but most won’t. There isn’t any money in it.
Emergency Medicine is the Best of Medicine

In Dr. Robert Mendelsohn’s book, Confessions of a Medical Heretic, he describes medicine as a practice of religion rather than a practice of science. Doctors practice what they believe, not what they can substantiate by valid science. According to Mendelsohn, in the religion of medicine, physicians are the high priests and their ecclesiastical robes are their white coats. Hospitals are the temples where many holy waters are dispensed in the form of drugs, antibiotics, and vaccines. People tithe to the church of medicine by dutifully paying their insurance premiums. The word “prescription” is very close to the term “prescriptural,” thus implying a scriptural basis for their use. The Holy Bible containing the scriptures of medicine is the Pharmaceutical PDR. For millions of people, their faith and confidence in the religion of medicine is far greater than their belief in the institutions of worship they may attend. In a crisis, they would sooner call 911 than call upon God in prayer.

Dr. Mendelsohn was a practicing pediatrician at the Michael Reese Medical Center in Chicago, a professor at the University of Illinois School of Medicine, Chairman of the Illinois State Licensing Board, and appeared on national television many times. He is author of another book entitled, How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor, where he states, “When it comes to treating a sick child, one grandmother is worth two pediatricians.” He also often said, “If you always assume your doctor is wrong, most of the time you will be right.” In Dr. Mendelsohn’s opinion, “The best of medicine is emergency medicine.” I agree. When it comes to chronic disease, they have little or nothing to offer – no cures, only treatments and disease management.

I don’t want to imply that there is no use for medical care as we have it today. If I were in a serious accident with a massive head injury, damage to my internal organs, or a broken limb, I would want to go to the nearest emergency room as fast as possible with the best physicians and nurses on staff. Allopathic medicine is wonderful in a crisis and saves many lives. Emergency medicine is what they do best. In a traumatic situation where you could die unless immediate action is taken, allopathy with all of its drugs, surgeries, equipment, and other paraphernalia can be just what you need to get through the crisis.

But as for healing, allopathic medicine doesn’t offer much. After you have been rescued by allopathic measures from imminent death in an emergency situation, the healing is still up to you by seeking other modalities. And when it comes to chronic illness like cancer, arthritis, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease, allopathy has no cures and usually makes matters worse.

One reason medical practitioners do best in a crisis is because that is the emphasis in their training. In fact, in America, 85% of medical expenditures are for crisis applications – responding to accidents, acute life-threatening conditions, or patching up the body when seriously advanced disease has occurred and death may be imminent. Meanwhile, less than 6% of health care expenditures are for prevention and wellness education.

True healing can only take place with the participation of the patient on all levels – mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical. The idea of “leaving it to the doctor” leads to unending sickness and poor health. Health care and health maintenance is something you do for yourself, with the help of God. Not something for which you pay your money and continue to do as you please without altering your lifestyle.

Health care is your responsibility – not the government’s, not the insurance company’s, not the health care system’s, and not the doctor’s.
Can the Present Health Care System Change?

In my opinion, changing the medical system toward natural and spiritual forms of healing that encourage more individual responsibility is impossible. The system can’t change. It won’t change. It must be replaced. There was a time for horses and buggies, but when automobiles came along people gave up their former ways of transportation. There is also a time to repair your car and keep it, and a time to discard it for a new one. The medical profession is a sophisticated machine, but it rests on a fallacious foundation. Its philosophical basis is like a Model-T Ford stuck in the mud that can’t move and won’t change.

There is a time to repair the old car and a time to replace it. The current medical system is an old car, beyond repair, parked on a false foundation. It survives, not because it serves the good of humanity, but because it has become politically entrenched in our society. The time has come to remove its legal franchise and replace it by allowing alternative modalities to flourish free of the shackles placed upon them by allopathy’s monopolistic intent.

Terry Friedmann, MD, in his book, Freedom Through Health, envisions a new holistic system to replace the current one that emphasizes personal responsibility and fosters cooperative relationships among many modalities with allopathy playing only a minor role. Dr. Friedmann’s new health care model would include nutrition, exercise, stress management, and aromatherapy, to address the whole person – mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In their books, Robert Mendelsohn, MD, and Richard Gerber, MD, also foresee a new holistic medical paradigm – one not dependent on allopathic drugs and procedures as its primary focus.

The time has come to move on to paradigms and modalities based on different premises than those that underlie modern allopathy. Those of you who have opted out of the system in favor of essential oils and their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits are among the pioneers who are replacing the system.

As for those of you who have taken over-the-counter or prescription drugs over long periods of time, essential oils are your best friend because they can cleanse the residues of these toxins from your system once and for all and help restore your body back to its natural healthy state.

Excerpted from the book: The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple: God’s Love Manifest in Molecules – Chapter 11

Copyright Care Publications – All rights reserved.
About the Author

Dr. David Stewart studied theology, philosophy, and English at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri (1955-58) and studied chemistry, biology and social sciences at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg (1962-63). He also studied commercial photography at Los Angeles Trade Technical College (1959-60). He completed a BS degree in Mathematics and Physics at Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy in 1965 and was salutatorian of his graduating class. His MS and PhD degrees are in geophysics (theoretical seismology) and were earned from the University of Missouri at Rolla in 1969 and 1971 respectively. He spent a semester in medical school at the University of North Carolina (1973) and has been a Certified Childbirth Educator (CCE) with the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth (AAHCC) since 1975.

Dr. Stewart is also a Registered Aromatherapist (RA) with the nationally recognized Aromatherapy Registration Council (ARC), which is endorsed by the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapists (NAHA), of which he is a member.

He has held positions as a hydraulic engineer and hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Southern California (1965-67). He was a professor on the faculty of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, (1971-1978) and also held a professorship at Southeast Missouri State University (1988-1993). He was also a part-time United Methodist Pastor (1993-94, 1997-99) in rural Missouri. He has been the Executive Director of the InterNational Association of Parents and Professionals for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth (NAPSAC International) since its founding in 1975.

For most of his professional career, Dr. Stewart has been self-employed as an author and lecturer, mainly in the area of alternative health care. He has also served on advisory committees to the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). He has testified as an expert on health matters before state legislative committees, U.S. congressional committees, medical licensing boards and courts of law throughout the U.S. as well as in Canada.

He has authored or coauthored over 200 published works including more than a dozen books (including Healing Oils of the Bible). Two of his books won the “Books of the Year” Award from the American Journal of Nursing. One of his flyers on breastfeeding (published by La Leche League International, LLLI) sold over two million copies in ten languages.- See more at: http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/why-essential-oils-heal-and-drugs-dont/#sthash.paIfPbBk.GJfwZFpo.dpuf

- See more at: http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/why-essential-oils-heal-and-drugs-dont/#sthash.paIfPbBk.GJfwZFpo.dpuf

Saturday, February 7, 2015

EL OLOR A ROMERO AUMENTA LA MEMORIA HASTA UN 75%


EL OLOR A ROMERO AUMENTA LA MEMORIA HASTA UN 75%.


(Soluciones naturales para mejorar la memoria)
El olor a romero ayuda a recordar; no sólo lo dice la sabiduría popular, sino la misma ciencia. Si Shakespeare ya puso en boca de su Ofelia aquella frase de “Aquí traigo romero, que es bueno para el recuerdo”, ahora descubrimos que en ella había una pista acertada sobre su auténtico poder para mejorar la memoria.


El estudio más reciente sobre esta cuestión ha descubierto que el aceite esencial de romero permite a las personas acordarse de hacer las cosas, un hallazgo que completa el realizado por investigaciones anteriores acerca de su utilidad para evocar el pasado y, en general, para mejorar la memoria a largo plazo.

Así, tras una serie de pruebas realizadas a personas sanas por un equipo de psicólogos de la Universidad de Northumbria, en Newcastle (Reino Unido), se ha concluido que el aceite esencial de romero aumentaba entre un 60 y un 75 % las probabilidades de recordar hacer cosas tan cotidianas como tomarse un medicamento, acudir a una cita o acordarse de una fecha señalada.

AYUDA A HACER CÁLCULOS MENTALES ...
Además de mejorar la memoria a largo plazo y la capacidad de realizar ejercicios mentales de aritmética, por lo tanto, este nuevo hallazgo le atribuye una gran capacidad para fomentar la memoria prospectiva, convirtiéndolo en un remedio fantástico para la vida moderna, siempre tan bombardeada de pequeñas tareas.

No en vano, los participantes del estudio que se encontraban en la habitación con olor a romero obtuvieron puntuaciones mucho mejores en el desempeño de este tipo de actividades que precisaban recordarse para su ejecución. Igualmente,con respecto a los que ocupaban una habitación de olor neutro, los presentes en la sala perfumada obtuvieron mayores concentraciones en sangre de 1,8-cineol, un compuesto bioquímico presente en la sangre que también se encuentra en el aceite esencial de romero.

Muy probablemente ello explique estos resultados, pues estudios anteriores encontraron que las moléculas volátiles de los aceites esenciales pueden ser absorbidos por el torrente sanguíneo mediante inhalación. Sea como fuere, ahora se quieren estudiar estos mismos efectos en personas con la capacidad congnitiva afectada, concretamente en individuos con problemas de memoria de distinta gravedad.

OTROS BENEFICIOS DEL "ROMERO" ...
Un aliado incondicional para los dolores!!
En otras oportunidades hemos hablado de las grandes propiedades del romero, y entre ellas encontramos que es un excelente antiséptico, antioxidante, astringente, y es sumamente efectivo en enfermedades circulatorias y para aliviar contracturas musculares.

También es muy bueno para combatir resfrío, infecciones en las mucosas de la boca, como la gingivitis, e irritación en el colon. Puede aliviar dolores de cabeza de la siguiente manera:

Prepare en un mortero hojas frescas de romero, con dos barritas de canela, y algunos clavos de olor, junto con una cucharadita de jengibre en polvo y mezcle con media botella de vino de buena calidad, deje macerar y luego guarde en un frasco por 10 días. Pasado este tiempo debe filtrar la preparación obtenida, conservando solamente el líquido, y volver a guardar en lugar fresco y seco.

Cuando padezca algún tipo de malestar, dolor muscular o alguna afección de las nombradas anteriormente, puede embeber un algodón o gasa, y colocarlo a modo de compresa en la zona afectada, o tomar una copita del mismo para aliviar los dolores de cabeza.

ESTUDIO SOBRE EL EFECTO DE AROMAS NATURALES...
"Los aromas naturales pueden influir en el desempeño mental", dijo a Reuters Health el autor del estudio Mark Moss, de la Universidad de Northumbria en Newcastle.

Para investigar los efectos de las esencias, Moss y sus colegas realizaron un experimento que incluía a 144 adultos jóvenes.

Los participantes efectuaron pruebas de atención o de tiempo de reacción mediante el trabajo en cubículos, ya sea, sin aroma ambiental o con aroma de lavanda o romero, se observaron la memoria de largo plazo, como recordar palabras y reconocer imágenes y la memoria de trabajo como recordar una serie de números.

Los adultos que estaban trabajando en los cubículos con esencia de lavanda presentaron peor desempeño en las pruebas de su memoria de trabajo y de tiempo de reacción que sus compañeros que trabajaron en cubículos sin esencias.

Por otro lado, quienes trabajaron en cubículos con esencia de romero, tuvieron mejor memoria de largo plazo que los que trabajaron en cubículos sin esencia en el ambiente.

Además, los resultados de las pruebas de estado de ánimo que se realizaron antes y después que los adultos completaron los ejercicios de memoria revelaron que quienes estuvieron en los cubículos con esencias de lavanda y de romero se sintieron más contentos después de haber completado las pruebas de memoria de lo que estaban inicialmente.

Sin embargo, los participantes que estaban en cubículos con aroma de lavanda informaron que sentían un estado de menor alerta después de sus ejercicios de memoria, mientras que los de los cubículos con esencia de romero dijeron sentirse en un estado de mayor alerta, ambos "pueden ser el reflejo de su (respectivo) desempeño" en los ejercicios, dijo Moss.

Las personas que trabajaron en cubículos sin aroma no informaron de cambio notable alguno, ya sea en contentamiento o grado de alerta.

A pesar de los hallazgos de que el romero parece mejorar la memoria a largo plazo y el estado de alerta, Moss no recomendó que los estudiantes inhalaran la esencia la noche previa a un examen importante. El aroma "nunca va a tomar el lugar del trabajo arduo", explicó.

"Lo que más creo es que estos efectos, en sí, no van a cambiar la vida, no podemos tomar un atajo o un arreglo rápido", aclaró Moss. "Sin embargo, puede ser que usemos compuestos naturales para mejorar nuestra vida cotidiana".

Por ejemplo, el aroma de lavanda puede ser inadecuado como ambientador para los automóviles y otros vehículos, si van a hacer más lento el tiempo de reacción del conductor, según la investigación. Pero, puesto que los individuos generalmente usan lavanda para momentos de esparcimiento y relajación, los hallazgos indican que este propósito puede ser "ideal", dijo.

"Ciertamente la lavanda es buena si uno desea relajarse y el romero es bueno si quiere sentirse un poco más alerta y (no) quiere tomar cafeina en la mañana", indicó Moss.

Los hallazgos del estudio se presentaron en el encuentro anual de la Sociedad Psicológica de Gran Bretaña en Blackpool, Reino Unido.

“Aquí traigo romero, que es bueno para el recuerdo”
(Shakespeare)
+ INFO>>
Romero (Rosmarinus officinalis L.)
http://www.umar.mx/revistas/43/0430103.pdf

http://www.umar.mx/revistas/43/0430103.pdf

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Sleepy Dust: Helps you fall back asleep fast



According to a research study done by the National Sleep Foundation, 42% of Americans reported waking up in the middle of the night, with 29% finding it difficult to fall back asleep. People who sleep fewer than six hours per night have higher chances of developing chronic diseases. As you know, good sleep is one of the most important nutrients that every person needs in order to function at their optimal.

What’s the solution? Believe it or not, something as simple as a hit of sugar and salt can send those stress hormones packing, and get you back on track to a better night’s sleep.

Independent health researcher, Matt Stone, explains how this works in his book, Eat for Heat:

“The salt and sugar mixture is an absolute must for nighttime stress events. For wakeups between 2-4 am, accompanied by a feeling of excess adrenaline circulating through your system (adrenaline peaks at this time), salt and sugar under the tongue is the only way to go. You don’t want to be chewing anything, wandering around the house looking for food, opening the fridge and looking at bright lights when hoping to fall back asleep, and so forth. You want to remain as unstimulated as possible. Keep the sugar/salt mixture by the bedside for easy and thoughtless access until you stop having middle-of-the-night wakeups.”

Sugar and salt are critical in managing a healthy metabolism. These are nutrients which keep your stress hormones in check, and allow your cells to do their job, which is to take in fuel and produce energy. That’s what metabolism actually is—how well your cells are able to generate energy for your body to function optimally.

The therapy is taking a small amount of a sugar and salt mixture straight up—like medicine—under the tongue, whenever my sleep is compromised. It’s my special “sleepy dust!”

Original Source (reprinted with permission) – Butter Believer

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Self Lymph Drainage Massage by MassageByHeather.com in Louisville, KY






Our lymph system is like the garbage disposal for the body, trapping and flushing toxins. Unlike our cardiovascular system, however, the lymph system does not have a pump to move the fluid. Instead, the movement of the body is responsible for preventing the stagnation of toxins in the lymph.

If our lymph fluid isn’t flowing as it should, a myriad of problems can arise. The body faces an increased toxic burden that affects all of our systems. The immune system takes a big hit if the lymph tissues are trapping but not flushing toxins.

To support the entire lymph system, a facial lymphatic drainage massage can be done numerous times a day. It only takes a few minutes.


Benefits of Facial Lymph Drainage

-Supports the flushing of toxins from the body
-Helps drain the sinuses, relieving sinus pressure from allergies and colds
-Reduces fluid retention in the face, which can define the jawline and slim the entire face
-Can help shorten the duration of a cold.

I found this helpful video on YouTube and I do a this facial lymph massage every morning (and before bed, if I remember). It reduces my “puffy morning face” and makes me feel refreshed and energized. I personally use Cloudless Morning with 12 Essential Oils recommended for lymphatic drain, cellulite and skin detoxification. See contraindications before using Essential Oils.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis: Licorice root



PHARMACEUTICAL NAME
Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis



ENGLISH NAME
licorice root

PART USED
dried root or root with rhizome


Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis is produced mainly in the provinces of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Gansu, and Xinjiang. It is collected in spring and autumn, sliced and dried in sunlight, and used unprepared or stir-baked with honey.


FLAVOR, PROPERTY, AND CHANNEL TROPISM
Sweet in flavor, neutral in property, acts on the Heart, Lung, Spleen, and Stomach channels.

Licorice root has a remarkable list of properly documented uses, and might be among the highest overlooked of all natural treatments. It’s useful for several conditions including asthma, athlete’s foot, baldness, body odor, bursitis, canker sores, chronic exhaustion, melancholy, influenza, coughs, dandruff, emphysema, gout, heartburn, HIV, viral infections, fungal infections, ulcers, liver troubles, Lyme disease, menopause, psoriasis, shingles, sore throat, tendinitis, arthritis, tuberculosis, ulcers, and yeast infections.


Nine of the more commonly used health benefits of licorice root

Depression
There is research that shows that the Glycyrrhizic acid that is in licorice root can help with nervousness and depression by encouraging the function of the adrenal glands. Our adrenal glands control stress hormones including cortisol. When one’s stress hormone levels are low it can often be the cause of persistent fatigue, melancholy, anxiety, and having less resistance to infections and allergens. Licorice root also happens to also have the Asparagine amino acid that is needed to preserve equilibrium in the body’s nervous system.

Cardiovascular Disease Studies and High Cholesterol
There has been research that shows that licorice root may control the cholesterol ranges by enhancing the body’s flow of bile. There is also research to indicate that bile acids account for elimination of excessive cholesterol in your body. Also, the anti-oxidant action of licorice root may enhance capillary health and hinder the growth of arterial plaque.

Menopause
The phytoestrogenic and anti-oxidant action of licorice root is thought to be useful for hormonal problems including exhaustion, mood swings, and hot flashes in women who are going through menopause. Consequently, ingesting just one capsule of licorice root daily can help balance and control a woman’s hormone production if she happens to be going through menopause.

Menstrual and PMS Cramps
This herb has anti inflammatory, antispasmodic, and a moderate estrogenic action which might assist with PMS symptoms including breast tenderness, menstrual cramps, nausea and bloating, not to mention mood swings. Consuming licorice root as a tea each day starting about three days prior to one’s anticipated time of the month might help to alleviate PMS symptoms.

Skin Problems
Individuals have been making use of this herb as poultices and salves in treating eczema, skin rashes, psoriasis, and itchy and dry skin. A small medical research that was done indicates that the demulcent and anti inflammatory agents in licorice root gel may decrease the signs of atopic dermatitis (eczema). Just applying a salve made from licorice root onto the area 2 to 3 times daily can help alleviate skin problems.

Gastric and Abdomen Troubles
One benefit of licorice root that is used pretty frequently is that it can be used to deal with digestive abnormalities and many issues with the intestines. The licorice root’s flavonoids can help with discomfort and inflammation of the digestive system. Also, soothing agents in licorice root may quiet and soothe the digestion system, which in turn can help to promote a healthy bowel. Easy treatment would be to have some licorice root tea 2 to 3 times a day.

Herpes and Shingles
Licorice root extract has been utilized in treating herpes simplex, sores, and shingles. Several studies show that the anti viral action of the herb may suppress the return and progression of cold sores due to the herpes virus. Easy treatment for shingles and herpes would be to ingest a capsule of of this root extract 2 times a day, and to use a salve made of the same extract on the affected region between four and five times a day.

Weight Reduction
Research demonstrates that individuals had significant reduction in body fat mass after getting three grams of licorice root extract everyday for 2 months. Nevertheless, the eating of licorice root isn’t something that anyone should do for long periods of time. Consequently, although most research indicates routine use of licorice root for two month periods of time, it is preferred to quit the use of the herb for 1 week after every two weeks throughout the two month interval. For weight loss, having a well-balanced diet along with regular exercise might lead to a substantial decrease in body fat.

Salivary Glands
Licorice isn’t a normal or usual herbal treatment for treating problems that include your salivary glands. Even though some treatments use licorice to assist in soothing a sore throat, there currently is no proof that the herb has any impact on saliva production. However, as I said, there have been many herbalists who have recommended the herb be used for this very purpose.

Do You Know the Side Effects of Licorice Root?
Long term eating of licorice root might cause hypertension, hypokalemia (low blood potassium levels), cataracts, and the retention of fluid in the body. Consequently, it’s not advised for individuals with heart problems. People that are allergic to Fabaceae (legume, pea, bean, or pulse) could be allergic to licorice root also since the herb is actually a member of the Fabaceae family.

Because of the estrogenic action in the root, it will be something that pregnant ladies will absolutely want to avoid. It’s recommended to talk to your primary care physician to go over any potential problems that licorice root might cause if you’re getting any hormonal medications, or any other medicine or supplements for that matter.

Glycyrrhiza glabra L.


Glycyrrhiza glabra L. 


Nombre Oficial
Glycyrrhiza glabra L.

Familia
Fabaceae
(= Papilionaceae)

Nombre Popular
Regaliz

Historia
El nombre Glycyrrhiza deriva del griego glykys "dulce" y rhiza "raíz". En la antigüedad el nombre fue latinizado y modificado a "liquiritia". En alemán, "lakritze", "licorice" o "liquorice" en inglés, "réglisse" en francés y regaliz en castellano.
Glabra del Latín glaber, que significa "blando", refiriéndose a las suaves cáscaras.
La planta de regaliz ya era conocida y utilizada por la medicina China hace más de 2.800 años A.C. y en el Tíbet donde formaba parte de la medicina clásica tibetana. En la tumba del faraón egipcio Tutankamon (1.350 a.C.) se encontraron indicaciones curativas sobre los beneficios de la raíz de regaliz. El uso del regaliz en preparados para aliviar infecciones de garganta y bronquiales está documentado desde el 2.000 a.C. En la Edad Media el regaliz se cultivaba de forma extensa en Europa Central. Hoy en día quedan todavía algunos herederos de los antiguos cultivos del siglo pasado.
En Europa la droga fue utilizada sólo como expectorante; no fue hasta la década de los 50 que el regaliz fue indicado también para los problemas estomacales.
Dioscórides, habla en su farmacología del regaliz, y de los beneficios de su jugo en caso de ronquera, ardor de estómago, trastornos pectorales y renales. La Abadesa Hildegard von Bingen también describía el regaliz como: "...concede al hombre claridad en la voz, siempre se puede comer, relaja la mente, aclara la vista y prepara el estómago para la digestión".


Características Botánicas
Arbusto vivaz de la familia de la leguminosa, con rizoma muy largo, ramificado, cilíndrico, rastrero y pardusco; el tallo que puede medir hasta 2 metros. Cada año salen tallos nuevos y consistentes. Sus hojas son alternas y con pecíolo hinchado y se dividen en foliolos ovales, enteros y un poco viscosos. Las flores son violetas y se disponen en espigas, cuyo largo pendúculo nace en la base de las hojas y aparecen entre mayo y julio. Sus frutos son vainas de hasta 2,5 cm. de largo y la raíz se recoge en otoño.


 

Hábitat
El regaliz es originario de Asia Menor y de Cáucaso. Se encuentra en la cuenca Mediterránea, en los Balcanes y en oriente Medio. Se cría en tierras profundas y mayormente arcillosas y ribereñas. A menudo invade los cultivos de tal manera que resulta muy difícil extirparlas.
En España es común en la cuenca del Ebro, del Tajo y del Jarama.
Las raíces se recolectan en otoño en plantas de 3 años, se cortan en trozos de unos 20 cm., se lavan y se ponen a secar en lugares secos y bien aireados


Modo de empleo
Para preparar la tintura madre, las finas láminas son maceradas en alcohol. Debido a su sabor dulce, el regaliz es utilizado como agente aromático en medicamentos de gusto desagradable y contra las nauseas.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Turmeric: A powerful medicine



Turmeric (Curcuma longa), the bright yellow of the spice rainbow, is a powerful medicine that has long been used in the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a wide variety of conditions, including flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache and more.

Turmeric is high in curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Most studies used turmeric extracts that are standardized to include large amounts of curcumin.
Turmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence.
Many high quality studies show that it has major benefits for your body and brain.

Turmeric Contains Bioactive Compounds With Powerful Medicinal Properties
Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.
It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb.

Here are the top 10 evidence-based health benefits of turmeric.

1. Turmeric Contains Bioactive Compounds With Powerful Medicinal Properties
Recently, science has started to back up what the Indians have known for a long time… it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties .

These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.

Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.

Therefore, if you want to experience the full effects, then you need to take an extract that contains significant amounts of curcumin.

Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. It helps to consume black pepper with it, which contains piperine… a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000% (3).
Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.


2. Curcumin is a Natural Anti-Inflammatory Compound
It helps the body fight foreign invaders and also has a role in repairing damage.
Curcumin is strongly anti-inflammatory, it is so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs (7).


3. Turmeric Dramatically Increases The Antioxidant Capacity of The Body
Curcumin happens to be a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure (15, 16).
But curcumin also boosts the activity of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes (17, 18,19).
In that way, curcumin delivers a one-two punch against free radicals. It blocks them directly, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant mechanisms.
Curcumin has powerful antioxidant effects. It neutralizes free radicals on its own, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant enzymes.


4. Curcumin Boosts Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Linked to Improved Brain Function and a Lower Risk of Brain Diseases 
Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF, which increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative processes in the brain.


5. Curcumin Leads to Various Improvements That Should Lower Your Risk of Heart 
DiseaseCurcumin may help reverse many steps in the heart disease process (28).
Perhaps the main benefit of curcumin when it comes to heart disease, is improving the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessels.

In one study, 121 patients who were undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were randomized to either placebo or 4 grams of curcumin per day, a few days before and after the surgery.
The curcumin group had a 65% decreased risk of experiencing a heart attack in the hospital (32).

Curcumin has beneficial effects on several factors known to play a role in heart disease. It improves the function of the endothelium and is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.

6. Turmeric Can Help Prevent (And Perhaps Even Treat) Cancer
Cancer is a terrible disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells.Researchers have been studying curcumin as a beneficial herb in cancer treatment. It can affect cancer growth, development and spread at the molecular level (34).
Studies have shown that it can reduce angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors), metastasis (spread of cancer), as well as contributing to the death of cancerous cells (35).

There is some evidence that it may help prevent cancer from occurring in the first place, especially cancers of the digestive system (like colorectal cancer).
Curcumin leads to several changes on the molecular level that may help prevent and perhaps even treat cancer.

7. Curcumin May be Useful in Preventing and Treating Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world and a leading cause of dementia.Unfo rtunately, no good treatment is available for Alzheimer’s yet.
Therefore, preventing it from showing up in the first place is of utmost importance.
There may be good news on the horizon, because curcumin has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier (39).
It is known that inflammation and oxidative damage play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. As we know, curcumin has beneficial effects on both (40).
But one key feature of Alzheimer’s disease is a buildup of protein tangles called Amyloid plaques. Studies show that curcumin can help clear these plaques (41).
Whether curcumin can really slow down or even reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease needs to be studied properly (42).
Bottom Line: Curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier and has been shown to lead to various improvements in the pathological process of Alzheimer’s disease.

8. Arthritis Patients Respond Very Well to Curcumin Supplementation
Given that curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory, it makes sense that it could help with arthritis. Several studies show this to be true.
In a study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin was even more effective than an anti-inflammatory drug (43).
Many other studies have looked at the effects of curcumin on arthritis and noted improvements in various symptoms (44, 45).
Many studies show that curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis and is in some cases more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs.

9. Studies Show That Curcumin Has Incredible Benefits Against Depression
Curcumin has shown some promise in treating depression.
In a controlled trial, 60 patients were randomized into three groups (46).
One group took prozac, another group took a gram of curcumin and the third group took both prozac and curcumin.
After 6 weeks, curcumin had led to improvements that were similar to prozac. The group that took both prozac and curcumin fared best.
According to this (small) study, curcumin is as effective as an antidepressant.

There is also some evidence that curcumin can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (48, 49).

10. Curcumin May Help Delay Ageing and Fight Age-Related Chronic Diseases
If curcumin can really help prevent heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s… then this would have obvious benefits for longevity.
For this reason, curcumin has become very popular as an anti-aging supplement (50).
But given that oxidation and inflammation are believed to play a role in ageing, curcumin may have effects that go way beyond just prevention of disease (51).

Monday, June 2, 2014

Natural Treatments for Hypothyroidism



Spirulina
Hypothyroidism is a disorder caused due to inadequate production of thyroid hormone, in comparison to the normal body requirements. In this condition, the thyroid gland is said to be 'underactive'. Insufficient thyroid hormone results into slowing down of the overall body metabolism. Hypothyroidism affects both men and women, but women are eight times more susceptible. People of all ages can be affected by this disorder and over 5 million Americans have this disorder. Hypothyroid people are susceptible to cancers, heart disorders, and infections. Severe hypothyroidism in adults is called 'Myxedema' and in children it is called 'Cretinism'.

However, hypothyroidism is a treatable disorder and various simple and effective natural treatment options are available.

-Bladderwrack: Bladderwrack or fucus vesiculosus is a natural treatment for hypothyroidism and has proven to reduce the symptoms of the condition. It is actually a seaweed (a type of brown algae), found in several oceans across the globe. Bladderwrack is rich in iodine content, thereby proving to be an effective thyroid stimulant. It is seen to reduce the size of the thyroid gland during goiter and also restores its functioning. A person suffering from it can take a 600 mg Bladderwrack capsule with water 1-3 times a day.

-Black Cohosh: Black cohosh also called Actaea racemosa or Cimicifuga racemosa is a perennial plant of the buttercup family and is a native of North America. It is sold as a dietary supplement in the market and is seen to be effective in treating hypothyroidism. As black cohosh aids in balancing the estrogen levels in the body, it is quite useful to treat thyroid problems in females.

-Nettle: Another natural herb used for treating hypothyroidism is the nettle. This herb is found naturally in the temperate regions and is high in iodine. Since iodine deficiency is one of the main causes of hypothyroidism, this herb is beneficial to treat the condition.

-Irish Moss: Irish moss, also known as pearl moss, is a dried leaf-like structure of Chondrus crispus (a northern seaweed). It is found growing in the midst of submerged rocks, off the coast of France and Ireland. This is available in the form of Irish moss supplements and is believed to nourish the thyroid gland.

-Spirulina: These are free-floating, filamentous, cyanobacteria that are cultivated across the globe and used as dietary supplements for humans. It is available in flake, tablet and even powder form. It is believed that spirulina is quite effective for treatment.

-Black Walnut: Black walnuts are rich in organic iodine. Organic iodine is crucial for strengthening and nourishing of the thyroid gland. Thus, black walnuts are considered to be an effective remedy for the treatment of hypothyroidism.

-Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: Extra virgin coconut oil is known to support and stimulate the functioning of the thyroid gland. Coconut oil consists of lauric acid, which possesses thyroid stimulating properties. Extra virgin coconut oil is more effective, as compared to regular coconut oil and is very stable. The oil can be either added to the food while cooking or a spoonful can be ingested as a supplement.

Pill Systems: Natural ingredients combined together to help maintain the functioning of the thyroid gland are available in the form of pill systems. A thyroid supplement called 'thyromine' is used to increase production, thereby combating hypothyroidism. Thyromine supplements are made from natural and herbal ingredients, such as Nori (seaweed rich in iodine) and thyroid bovine powder (maintains functioning of endocrine system).

-Supplement Intake: Another simple method to treat hypothyroidism naturally, is by taking supplements. Iodine plays a crucial role in the production of thyroid hormone and zinc and selenium also aid in the hormone production process. Vitamin D is seen to act as a binding agent in the initial stages of thyroid hormone. Vitamin E plays the role of a sustaining device by converting T4 into T4 hormones (deiodinase enzymes). Thus, taking iodine, selenium, zinc and vitamin E supplements are quite helpful in treating hypothyroidism.

-Follow a Thyroid Diet: The consumption of sea food, shellfish and organic vegetables and fruits, rich in iodine content has proven beneficial in overcoming iodine deficiency. It is better to eat small meals rather than three large meals. Non-starchy fruits and vegetables and low-fat proteins should be consumed. Sugary and starchy food items like, pasta, desserts, sodas, white bread, rice, etc. must be avoided completely. An intake of at least 64 ounces of non-fluoridated water is necessary.

-Exercise in the form of a daily half hour walk, also proves beneficial to reduce low thyroid problems. Before consuming any herbal supplements, ensure that you consult an experienced herbalist. Do not try out any treatment, without taking the doctor into confidence.

Read more at  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/natural-treatments-for-hypothyroidism.html

The Dark Side Of Kale (And How To Eat Around It)




Moderation is the key. "In terms of human research, studies suggesting a strong link between cruciferous vegetables and thyroid disease are limited. Type "raw cruciferous vegetables" and "thyroid" into the ncbi database and you'll find one incident from 1945 when a Chinese woman who ate 3.3 pounds of raw bok choy daily for several months and suffered myxedema. The vast majority of the research supports the consumption of cruciferous vegetables to prevent thyroid cancer".

Now you can read this article in the following link:


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

What Happens When You Pee in the Pool?


What Happens When You Pee in the Pool?
April 26, 2014 |

By Dr. Mercola

One in five Americans admit they have peed in a pool, and among Olympic swimmers, the practice is so widespread that a former US National team member said nearly 100 percent of competitive swimmers pee in the pool… regularly.1

Swimming in a urine-contaminated pool is certainly not the most pleasant thought, but is it really so bad?

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps doesn't think so, and famously said that "chlorine kills it [urine]," making peeing in the pool a non-issue. But it's not the urine itself that you need to worry about.

Urine is virtually sterile when it leaves your body, so it doesn't pose the risk of causing illness the way fecal matter in a pool does. In fact, urine is a valuable source of nutrients that is now being used as an effective and natural fertilizer.

So it's not the urine that is the problem… it's what happens when urine mixes with pool chemicals, including chlorine, that is catching researchers' attention.
Peeing in the Pool Creates a Chemical Warfare Agent

Highly toxic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) form from reactions between pool disinfectants and organic matter, including hair, skin, sweat, dirt and… urine. In a new study, researchers mixed uric acid from human urine with chlorine and found it creates two DBPs: cyanogen chloride (CNCl) and trichloramine (NCl3).2

The former, CNCI, is classified as a chemical warfare agent and is a known toxicant to your lungs, heart, and central nervous system. NCl3 is linked to lung damage.

As for how dangerous this is, practically speaking, the researchers found that, in a worst-case scenario, urine in a pool might lead to about 30 parts per billion (ppb) of cyanogen chloride, which is well below the 70 ppb used as the maximum cyanogen concentration allowed in drinking water, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).3

Cyanogen chloride leads to coma, convulsions and death only at much higher levels (about 2,500 ppb), an amount that would be difficult, and probably impossible, to generate in a typical swimming pool from urination alone.4 This doesn't mean that smaller doses are "safe," however, as DBPs have been linked to serious health problems at levels found in swimming pools.

According to the study researchers, since urinating in a pool introduces uric acid that will lead to the formation of a poison when it interacts with chlorine, it should be avoided:

" …uric acid chlorination may account for a large fraction of CNCl formation in swimming pools. Moreover, given that uric acid introduction to pools is attributable to urination, a voluntary action for most swimmers, these findings indicate important benefits to pool water and air chemistry that could result from improved hygiene habits on the part of swimmers."
Spending Just 40 Minutes in a Chlorinated Pool May Lead to DNA Damage

If you've ever wondered if the chlorine in a swimming pool poses a health risk, you'll find it unsettling to know that the DBPs created by chlorine reactions are far more dangerous. In fact, when researchers measured evidence of genotoxic (DNA damage that may lead to cancer) and respiratory effects on swimmers who swam in a chlorinated pool for just 40 minutes, they found:5
Increased micronuclei in blood lymphocytes, which are associated with cancer risk
Urine mutagenicity, a biomarker of exposure to genotoxic agents
An increase in serum CC16, which suggests an increase in lung epithelium permeability

Adding chlorine to a swimming pool results in the formation of hundreds of DBPs because of the organic matter in the water. The researchers found that total concentrations of four DBPs (trihalomethanes (THMs)) were seven times higher in exhaled breath after swimming than they were before. They noted:

"Our findings support potential genotoxic effects of exposure to DBPs from swimming pools. The positive health effects gained by swimming could be increased by reducing the potential health risks of pool water."
DBPs in Swimming Pools Are Linked to Cancer

It's known that trihalomethanes (THMs), one of the most common DBPs, are Cancer Group B carcinogens, meaning they've been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. They've also been linked to reproductive problems in both animals and humans, such as spontaneous abortion, stillbirths, and congenital malformations, even at lower levels.

It's not only swimming pools that are problematic, as DBPs also exist in chlorinated drinking water. Ingesting chlorinated water with levels of DBPs common in many industrialized countries has been linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer.6

However, when researchers also looked at exposure to DBPs through your skin and via inhalation (such as occurs while showering, bathing and swimming in pools), it was found to be an even greater risk than drinking water.7

Furthermore, people who frequent swimming pools have an increased risk of bladder cancer compared to those who do not,8 and DBPs have even been suggested as partially responsible for the increased risk of melanoma cancer among swimmers.9

According to one study published in the Journal of Environmental Sciences,10 the cancer risk of DBPs (in this case THMs) from various routes in descending order was:
Skin exposure while swimming
Gastrointestinal exposure from tap water intake
Skin exposure to tap water
Gastrointestinal exposure while swimming

The cancer risk from skin exposure while swimming comprised over 94 percent of the total cancer risk resulting from being exposed to THMs! The authors even went so far as to conclude that swimming in a chlorinated pool presents "an unacceptable cancer risk."
DBPs Pose Risks of Allergies, Asthma, and Other Health Problems

Most public pools are overloaded with chlorine, as the well-intentioned people who maintain public pools overly shock them with chlorine to make sure bacteria and other organisms get snuffed out quickly. But even the swimming pool in your backyard could be toxic if you treat it with chlorine – even if you know no one is using it to pee in.

Remember, any organic matter – including hair, skin, sweat, and dirt – can react with chlorine to create DBPs. So if you use chlorine, it's going to be virtually impossible to avoid some exposure. Many studies have pointed out the health risks associated with swimming in chlorinated water, and many of these are related to toxic DBPs:
Swimming instructors are more than twice as likely to suffer frequently from sinusitis or sore throat, and more than three times as likely to have chronic colds, than pool workers with less DBP exposure, such as catering employees or receptionists.11
Compared to the general population, pool workers with high levels of exposure were at a 40 percent greater risk for tightness of the chest and were over 700 percent more likely to suffer breathlessness while walking.12
DBPs may cause weakening of your immune system, disruptions to your central nervous system, damaging effects to your cardiovascular system, unhealthy functioning of your renal system and harmful impacts to your respiratory system.
Should You Avoid Swimming Pools?

The risk of DBP exposure from swimming pools is real, but it doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up swimming. Swimming in an ocean is an excellent alternative, as is swimming in a lake or other natural body of water. You can also find a way to keep your pool clean from bacteria, algae, and other organisms without the use of dangerous chemicals, such as choosing a saltwater pool.

One of the best solutions is NOT to chlorinate your pool and just use a maintenance "shock" treatment every five or six days, which will kill the algae buildup. The shock treatment volatilizes in about 24-48 hours and gives you a several-day window in which you can safely use your pool. You can also reduce the amount of organic material you bring into the pool, and thereby the amount of DBPs created, by showering prior to entering and teaching your children not to urinate in the water. You can also use ozone, which also oxidatively destroys the pool pathogens and lowers the need for chlorine.

This will be difficult if you're visiting a public swimming pool or waterpark, however. Surveys show that 35 percent of Americans say they do not shower prior to entering a pool. Finally, because DBPs exist in all chlorinated water, I recommend installing water filters that remove chlorine for both your shower/bath and your kitchen tap.