Alternative Medicine, Herbal Medicine

Jumat, 04 Januari 2008

Light - Medicine of the Future

by: Larry Weber

Light - Medicine Of The Future

Naturallighting.com http://www.naturallighting.com 888.900.6830 email: sales@naturallighting.com

Excerpt from "Light Medicine of the Future" by Jacob Liberman, O.D.,
Ph.D. These findings seem to indicate that full-spectrum lighting may act to boost the immune system in the same way as natural sunlight.

As researchers isolate the specific part of the sun's spectrum that is related to health and well-being, we could eventually create the perfect indoor environment with artificial lighting, until then it's Vita-Lite. Based on the research of Hollwich and others, the cool-white fluorescent bulb is legally banned in German hospitals and medical facilities. Most offices, stores, hospitals, and schools currently use cool-white fluorescent!

Full Vs. Incomplete Spectrum Lighting

"In 1980, Dr. Fritz Hollwich conducted a study comparing the effects of sitting under strong artificial cool-white (non-full spectrum) illumination versus the effects of sitting under strong artificial illumination that simulates sunlight (full-spectrum). Using changes in the endocrine system to evaluate these effects, he found stress like levels of ACTH an cortisol (the stress hormones) in individuals in sitting under the cool-white tubes. These changes were totally absent in the individuals sitting under the sunlight-simulating tubes.

The significance of Hollowich's findings becomes clear when the functions of ACTH and cortisol are examined. Both of these metabolic hormones play major roles in the functioning of the entire body and are very much related to stress response. Since their activity increases inhibitors, this may account for the observation that persistent stress stunts bodily growth in children. Hollowich's findings clarify and substantiate the observations of Ott and others regarding the agitated physical behavior, fatigue, and reduced mental capabilities of children. He concluded that the degree of biological disturbance and the resulting behavioral mal adaptations were directly related to the difference between the spectral composition of the artificial source and that of natural light.

Since cool-white fluorescent lamps are especially deficient in the red and blue-violet ends of the spectrum, this may explain why color therapists have historically used a combination of the colors red and blue-violet as an emotional stabilizer. Hollwich's work not only confirms the biological importance of full-spectrum lighting, but it also reconfirms the importance of specific colors by evaluating the effects of their omission from our daily lives. Based on the research of Hollwich and others, the cool-white fluorescent bulb is legally banned in German hospitals and medical facilities. It has been found that full-spectrum lighting in the work place creates significantly lower stress on the nervous system than standard cool-white fluorescent lighting and reduces the number of absences due to illness. These findings seem to indicate that full-spectrum lighting may act to boost the immune system in the same way as natural sunlight. Excerpt from "Light Medicine of the Future," by Jacob Liberman, O.D., Ph.D.

Shedding Light on Those Winter Blues

Does your spirit wanes with the shortening of days? You may be suffering from sunlight withdrawal. The syndrome appears with inevitable regularity. As summer pales into autumn, the victim feels an ominous sense of anxiety and foreboding at the mere thought of approaching winter. As days shorten from November into December, there's a gradual slowing down, a low of energy, a need for more and more sleep, a longing to lie undisturbed in bed.

It becomes harder to get to work, to accomplish anything when there. Depression and withdrawal follow. As a Brooklyn, New York, woman described it, "Everything seems gloomier and more difficult. There is sadness looming over everything. I can't concentrate at work and feel like going home afterward to hibernate like a bear."

Just as routinely, as spring approaches and days stretch out, the sufferer flips into high gear."Once the warm weather arrives, I feel a burden lifted," says the Brooklynite. "I feel freer and happier."

This is more than a dislike of icy slush and raw winds. Psychiatric researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have identified these complaints as a previously unrecognized clinical syndrome. They call its victims "winter depressives." "It is much more common than we thought," says Dr. Norman Rosenthal of NIMH. "We expected to get a few replies from our description of this pattern. Instead, we received more than three thousand responses from all over the country. The symptoms described were one after the other very much the same.

"Some of these winter depressives are being successfully treated, not with drugs or psychotherapy but with an element common to all our lives: artificial light. What scientists are learning from the use of light as it affects health and mood has implications for us all. It forces us to rethink the way we light up our lives, especially urban dwellers and workers who spend so much time indoors. Apparently artificial light does much more than enable us to read and work without benefit of sunlight. It affects our bodies.

"It is important to recognize that this is a distinct syndrome with a well-defined cluster of symptoms," says Dr. Thomas Wehr, an NIMH researcher. "We have measured some very interesting physiological changes specific to this kind of depression." While typically depressed people have impaired sleep patterns and usually wake up early, winter depressives might sleep nine or 10 hours a night, wake up tired, and take naps. There is a 50% reduction in delta sleep, the deepest, most restful phase of the sleep cycle. Winter depressives gain weight, crave carbohydrates, and their libido pales. Their energy levels drop; monitors on their wrists show that they are less active than in summer.

Such symptoms begin earlier the farther north they live and abate when they visit sunny climates in the winter. Symptoms peak and wane according to the length of days. In New York, for instance, on the shortest day of the year - December 21 - the sun rose at 7:17 a.m. and set at 4:32 p.m., contrasted to 5:25 a.m. and 8:31 p.m. at the height of summer, a six hour difference in light. Such a distinct seasonal pattern implicates the external environment as the culprit, the most obvious being sunlight. Sunlight has already been shown to trigger cycles and seasonal behavior in animals, including reproduction, hibernation, migration, and molting. Animal behavior has been fooled by artificial light. Could it also fool humans? Apparently. In a recent NIMH study, a group of these depressives were treated with amounts of light that simulated that of summer days. Short winter days were stretched by six extra hours of light. The subjects were awakened before sunrise to bask in three hours of light, and dusk was delayed for three more.

Since sunlight is thought to be the missing element, the subjects were flooded with an artificial light that most closely resembles the full broad spectrum of the sun. At 20 times the intensity of normal indoor lighting, the light approximated the sensation of sitting on a shady porch or under a tree in mid-summer. Fluorescent lamps are roughly three times more intense than ordinary light bulbs. A bank of eight 4-watt fluorescent bulbs at eye level lit the participants' rooms as they read, worked, or moved around. Within days this group responded with measurable mood changes, says Rosenthal. Their symptoms eased and energy levels rose, while a control group with a different threshold of light showed no change in behavior.

"Something in the external environment caused these changes," says Wehr, "but we are not prepared to say exactly what it is at this point. It is true, though, that waking up these people and exposing them to this light treated their symptoms. Whether it is the break in sleep pattern, the wavelengths or intensity of light, or some other factor we can't say at this point. The intensity of light used in the study may be well in excess of what is necessary to effect changes, stress the researchers. So they will continue to experiment with varieties of light therapy to determine the crucial element. The subjects themselves feel that sunlight is the missing ingredient.

One said that she felt as if she were in a "lower state of evolution since I function by photosynthesis." Although these winter depressives showed an abnormal response to light, each of us responds to it in varying degrees. External light travels on a direct pathway from the retina to the part of the hypothalamus believed to be involved in running our biologic clock, the suprachiasmatic nuclei. The path continues to the tiny, cone-shaped pineal gland, which secretes the hormone melatonin. It is thought that melatonin affects the regulation of behavioral changes in animals, but this has not been clearly shown in humans. Sufficiently intense light suppresses the secretion of this chemical, making it a useful marker in determining light's physical effect on behavior. The secretion of melatonin reflects light's effect on the hypothalamus, itself highly sensitive to light. This complex part of the brain regulates a multitude of body functions, playing a vital role in reproduction, thirst, hunger, satiation, temperature, emotions, and sleep patterns. Depression is associated with disturbances in the hypothalamus.

"By stimulating the hypothalamus with light we may be correcting these disturbances in this group," explains Rosenthal. Most artificial light differs from natural sunlight in wavelength (color) and intensity. Sunlight is very intense electromagnetic energy in a continuous spectrum of colors ranging from the short wavelengths of invisible ultraviolet light (UV) through blue, green, yellow, and into the infrared waves. Incandescent bulbs that light through heat light the majority of our homes. They lack the intensity of sunlight and produce light that is heavily infrared. "We don't like the incandescent lights," says Wehr. "It's conceivable for this purpose that they are not the safest. You can get burned from the heat and the infrared radiation."

Although some fluorescent lamps are described as "broad spectrum," they do not have the same distribution of colors as sunlight. Widely used fluorescent lights peak in the yellow-green portion of the spectrum, wavelengths to which the eye is most sensitive. That makes them energy efficient but different from natural sunlight, notably in the blue-green spectrum where the sun's emission or radiant energy is strongest. Additionally, conventional indoor lighting lacks the proper proportion of near-UV radiation of the sun that advocates claim to be vital to health and well being. Just as overexposure can be unhealthy, regulated doses of sun and UV can be therapeutic. UV is currently used to treat psoriasis and, experimentally, genital herpes and some forms of cancer in the early stages of the illness. Full-spectrum artificial light is widely used to cure potentially fatal type of infant jaundice. We need sunlight with its UV rays to metabolize vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium, especially in growing children and the elderly.

Some studies show that working under true full-spectrum lights enhances productivity and reduces fatigue. Even critics concede that many people who are deprived of natural light, such as night or shift workers, suffer undue emotional stress. Whether or just how we should alter our indoor lighting is a question being raised by these studies. As Dr. Richard Wurtman, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been saying for years, we should not take artificial lighting for granted. Lined up in the pro-sunlight camp, he has written, "Light is potentially too useful an agency of human health not to be more effectively examined and exploited." As researchers isolate the specific part of the sun's spectrum that is related to health and well-being, we could eventually create the perfect indoor environment with artificial lighting, says E. Woody Bickford, environmental engineer with Duro-Test, manufacturers of Vita-Lite. "Until we know," he points out, "Vita Lite, with its complete range of visible and invisible light, is what we have to work with."

For ordinary indoor lighting, two to four 40-watt lamps would provide some health benefits, he says. "The benefits seem to be proportional to the amount of light," he adds. "We may need higher intensity in all our work levels. Perhaps the cutoff point is what you can afford," Vita-Lite tubes are expensive, and most of our homes are not equipped with fixtures that can accommodate them.

Although many lighting experts are skeptical of the entire concept of light affecting our health, some light manufacturers are beginning to support research in the field, and one trade association has just established a new branch devoted to light and health. As the relationship between light and health becomes publicized, NIHM's Rosenthal worries that people will try to treat themselves. "With the winter depressives it's a matter of risks out-weighing benefits. Bright light can damage the retina; UV can be dangerous. But depression can be dangerous for them, too!"

Rather than attempting to cure themselves, people who think that they are winter depressives should contact the NIMH, Bethesda, Maryland 20205, for literature and specific recommendations as they become available.

As Dr. Wehr puts it, "we are not telling people to hurry and turn lights - not yet." M.D. Magazine, January 1984, by Patricia McManus.

About the Author

Larry Weber, President. Naturallighting.com specializes in all types of high quality full spectrum lighting, and has been in business for 15 years.
http://www.naturallighting.com Toll Free 888.900.6830

Integrative Medicine And It's Future

by: D. S. Epperson

The NBC National News, quoted the Washington Post in March of 2000, about the concerns that the FDA had over the mixing of supplements and conventional medications. There were concerns that millions of people are taking supplements (considered herbs, homeopathic, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and some diet products) and having reactions when they mix these things with common and prescribed medications.

I have studied this phenomenon for over 20 years and do know for a fact that with conventional medications, these reactions are quite common. The AMA is calling for the FDA to reverse their ruling on supplements implemented in 1997.

But is this really the best approach?

Many Universities across the nation have closed their Ethno -botany and Botany labs, disallowing many with the gift in this field to aid in the search for new cures, and to determine which plants will have adverse reactions when combined with other chemicals

A good example is the treatment of Gout.

Medications that are prescribed by traditional medicine are normally Allopurinal or Zyloprim and Colchicine (which, by the way, is a homeopathic remedy from the bulb of the Autumn Crocus) which decreases the reaction that causes uric acid in the blood. Allopurinal and Colchicine can be enhanced by a specialized diet and the elimination of some supplements that can cause an elevation of certain enzymes in the diet. Both of these drugs can also cause serious side effects and toxicity when taken in high doses and/or for a prolonged period of time.

The deficiency of certain nutrients can provoke an attack of gout, people who take antibiotics can increase the risk of an attack and a persons diet can certainly influence not only the severity of an attack, but the frequency of attacks.

There are other reactions that need to be taken into account also, and that is that Allopurinal and Colchicine has a negative effect on the liver after 6 months of use, which will make it harder for those drugs to work effectively. If you also add some supplementation, even a regular multi-vitamin into the system when the liver is already struggling to keep up with the demands of the system, this can cause an adverse reaction to the liver, in part because the liver has to work harder to absorb the micro-nutrients given in the multi-vitamin.

The balance between conventional medicine and alternative medicine is a delicate one. Right now, both schools of thought refuse to work together, and the general public is who suffers.

For some who suffered from allergies when Seldane was prescribed, this was a very concerning issue. When taking Seldane, patients were not told that taking the medication along with certain micro-nutrients could prove to be fatal, and was in a few cases across the United States.

In 1993, the New England Journal of medicine published an article in which researchers estimated that as many as 60 million people had participated in alternative medical care. A follow-up study to that one, which appeared in a 1998 issue of JAMA, estimated that the number of visits to alternative practitioners had increased more than 47 percent between 1990 and 1997 and that expenditures in 1997 for alternative medicine services exceeded 21 billion dollars.

In our small town we had a family practitioner that took care of the community needs. He was a wonderful man that always gave of his time, energy and knowledge freely. A week after he was diagnosed with Gastric Carcinoma, he called me for advice. I asked him why he would call me and ask me for help. He told me that he had watched the patients that he had diagnosed with this same disease die slow, painful and miserable death, even while they were on conventional medications. He said he knew that the traditional medications and protocols didn't work, he had diagnosed cancers, informed the patients, watched them slowly die and he wanted something else. I treated him for 9 months; the cancer did not advance in that time, it didn't go away either, but it didn't advance. I asked him to do both treatments together, traditional and integrative, but he refused. He had a friend that was a Oncologist and this friend finally convinced him to try some clinical trials at a couple of Universities. In order to do that, the family doctor had to come off all other protocols that he had been taking. They waited a few weeks for the nutrients to leave his body, then started him on a protocol called PP6 and Thalidomide. A few days after the first treatment, he told his closest friend, "I've killed myself." Within a few weeks, he was totally incapacitated. He passed away some 5 months later, in severe pain and agony.

It's not always conventional medicine at fault....A cancer patient in N-stage was being treated by both conventional physician and naturopathic physician. Because the patient had been put on Prednisone he had become edemic. The Naturopath told the patient to come off the drug immediately, and then left town on a business trip. I got a call a few days later, the patients breathing was labored and he had fluid in his lungs. The massage therapist that called explained what had happened. I told her to call the man's medical physician immediately, the reduction of Prednisone can not be halted that quickly without the patient undergoing repercussions . The patient paid the ultimate price for the bridge between alternative and conventional medicine. There is so much that can be integrated into both schools of thought and treatment. These stories are why the public is turning to other methods for treatment, most do a combination, which, as the previous story illustrates, can be detrimental to health, unless the health care giver has a knowledge of both fields and an understanding of the chemical reactions that can occur.

It is always best to be responsible for your own health and treatment. No health care professional should be given total and complete control over another man's life. The need for knowledge is a necessity when deciding to integrate different methods of treatment for the health care provider involved, it could mean the difference between the life and death of a patient. The future of Integrated Medicine lies in the publics demand for the combination of traditional, alternative medicine, Bio-technology and Nano-technology. This integration will be needed in order to give patients the best of all fields of study.

D.S. Epperson is the top Formulary for Home Blend Gourmet, (www.sugarblend.com) a Fuctional Foods Company based in the U.S., and South Pacific Health, the Corporate Base for 9 different Company's associated with Human Health, Enviromental, Agricultural, Veterinarian, Nutraceutical, Topical, Functional Food, Skincare, Sports and Fitness and Botanical Extractions. Her work spans a period of 20 years as a Nutritional Biochemist in protocols for acute and chronic conditions. She has writen reference books on herbs and manufacturing medicines from botanicals, and formulates functional foods for the benefit of those suffering from disease. More information can be found at: http://www.sugarblend.com.

Pros and Cons of Buying Pet Medicine Online

by: Burke Jones

Pets are many things in many ways but they are not responsible. Not outside of very limited doggy parameters. This means that you are 100% responsible for your pet's health. In this day of seemingly limitless online medication options, the only way to face this challenge is through education. Freedom of choice is only a benefit when you are familiar with the choices.

The easy availability of medications online has placed extra pressure on society to moderate its own behavior responsibly. It has placed even more pressure on human beings using the Internet to shop for pets that are entirely reliant on them for their wellbeing.

Buying pet medicine online offers a level of consumer freedom that is enough to make one dizzy. In the old days we would take our pet to our local veterinarian who would counsel us on the right way to deal with our pet's health issues. This was a relief in two obvious ways: we could be guided by an expert and we could shift a little of the weight of responsibility. Today it is possible to go online, diagnose and medicate our own pet.

This is a boon on the one hand, and a very serious danger on the other. With the aid of the Internet we are empowered to act somewhat independently of traditional channels. This is a qualified bonus only if we are almost uncomfortably aware of the fact that we do not have years of veterinary experience behind us. This awareness should hopefully make us doubly cautious as we navigate these unfamiliar waters with our newfound freedom.

The bonus is a qualified one because it should not take the place of veterinary expertise when that is appropriate. The question of how to discern when that is appropriate is the million-dollar question. Websites play experts and they do so with expertise but it is not necessarily the expertise we need.

A favorite tactic is to dot the website with white clad 'experts' who profess to a proficiency they don't have. It is important to note that the figures are often just models paid to pose with an air of authority. We need something more than a show of proficiency when it comes to the lives of our precious pets.

The bottom line is this; nothing can take the place of a visit to the veterinarian when your pet is sick. Attempting to diagnose your pet's ailment yourself can have devastating consequences. When time is of the essence, wasting it waiting for cost effective, online drugs to be shipped to your door is not only unwise but inhumane.

Buying pet medicine online has a limited application. Within these boundaries it can be both benign and cost effective. This avenue works best with repeat medications like flea, tick, worming and heart medications. If you are considering taking advantage of the online option let your vet know. He or she will have to write out a prescription for you to use when purchasing online. Many services also offer to call the vet directly. Your delivery date will be reliant on prompt communication between the online company and the veterinarian's office working together to share information.

Purchasing non-prescription drugs for your pet online is also a matter for caution and consideration. Because certain drugs do not require a prescription does not mean that they are not potentially dangerous if administered unwisely. Read instructions carefully. Good websites take their role as educator seriously. Most have extensive information online regarding dosages and side effects.

Avoid or be cautious regarding prices that are way below market on pet medications. Most legitimate companies hover in the same discount region. Outrageous savings are normally only offered by fly by night companies offering questionable product.

About The Author

Burke Jones is a frequent contributor to the http://www.pet-health-depot.com Pet Health Depot, an online resource for http://www.pet-health-depot.com/cat-medicine.htm Cat Medicine and http://www.pet-health-depot.com/dog-insurance.htm Dog Insurance.

High Blood Pressure Medicines

by: Sara Jenkins

High Blood Pressure is a lifelong ailment for most of the patients. Taking medicines for this problem is a way of life for persons suffering from High Blood Pressure. But unlike common ailments the medicines for high Blood Pressure cannot be taken randomly. It is necessary that the patient discusses the problem with the doctor before starting the round of medicines. The patient must therefore concentrate on having a proper discussion to guide the doctor on the type of High Blood Pressure Medicines that can be taken.

As High Blood Pressure tends to fluctuate with the intake of medicines, it is necessary to keep a regular monitoring system for measuring High Blood Pressure on course. Thus, the first requirement is to have a Home Monitoring System for keeping a tab on High Blood Pressure. This is known as the Digital Electronic Sphygmomanometer.

High Blood Pressure Medicines are usually given to patients as a combination of two or three tablets. The particular tablet to be given depends on factors such as the age of the patient. Even the ethnic origin of the patient dictates the dosage and the kind of tablet to be given. High Blood Pressure Medicines also depend on the medicines, the patient have been taking previously. Also, there are certain tablets and medicines that are not advisable during pregnancy. If the patient is allergic to any of the High Blood Pressure Medicines, then this too, must be kept in mind while giving the medicines.

Although there are a large number of medicines available for controlling High Blood Pressure, the ideal combination of two or more tablets, has a sound logic behind it. A single tablet, usually a Diuretic or Water Drug as it is commonly referred to, activates the body mechanism to overcome the effect of the tablet. The second tablet for high blood pressure is to regulate the blood pressure.

In finality, it is necessary for the patient to go through the leaflet inside the packet of High Blood Pressure Medicines. This information spells out the side effects that may occur after taking a particular medicine. Sometimes the side effects of high blood pressure medicines will wear off with time and the patient adjusts to the regimen of the medicines.

About the Author

Online entrepreneur Sara Jenkins, is dedicated to helping others and their needs to succeed in life by offering free tips everyday. To learn more about her free tips program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE bonus how-to books and resources, visit www.TipsEveryDay.com

Know About the All Purpose Holistic Medicine

by: David Chandler

An Allergy is a hypersensitivity to foreign substances which are normally harmless but which produce a violent reaction in the allergy sufferer. Allergies are generally the body's effort to eliminate something it considers unsuitable. Typical allergic reactions are hay fever, migraine, asthma, allergic rhinitis, digestive disturbances, coeliac disease, conjunctivitis, urticaria, eczema, drowsiness, CFS, hyperactivity in children, tinnitus,
recurrent sinusitis and ear infections. In a few people, the histamine (anaphylactic) reaction can cause muscle cramps, disorientation, unconsciousness, and death from shock or suffocation.

Types

There are different types of Allergies, the most common being type1. When an allergen encounters cells capable of antibody formation, they then form IgE antibodies, which bind to the surface of other cells, called mast cells and basophils. In response to the attachment those cells release chemicals, called mediators of anaphylaxis, among them histamine. Those chemicals cause allergic reactions such as swelling or the secretion
of mucus.

Almost any substance can be an allergen for an individual. Common allergens include certain foods, especially milk, wheat and eggs, pollens, dust, moulds, cosmetic and certain food additives.

An Allergy is not the same as intolerance. Allergies always involve the immune system, whereas intolerance, e.g. lactose intolerance, is caused by a lack of lactase, the enzyme that converts lactose into glucose.

Causes

Allergies may have many different causes-from pets to pollen to certain types of medicine and foods. In addition, allergic symptoms may be just as varied. While no one can predict when or how an allergy will develop, you can learn how to keep allergies under control by following a treatment plan and avoiding the things that aggravate your allergic symptoms.

Symptoms

When allergies flare up, they may cause a considerable amount of discomfort and inconvenience, but having allergies does not mean you have to struggle with your symptoms. Understanding how to help keep allergies from interfering with the things you want to do may make a big difference in how you feel and how you live.

For more information visit: www.AllergiesInfoCenter.com

About the Author

For more information visit: www.AllergiesInfoCenter.com

How to Help the Medicine Go Down

by: Lisa Simmons

I have a confession to make. I'm a 40-year-old adult that cannot successfully swallow pills. Shocking...I know. However, it does give me a tremendous empathy for the many kids with special needs who must take one or multiple medication EVERY day. For many of these families, medication time is a daily struggle if not a daily battle!

For those of you who are already saying, "Oh it's so easy, you just ....". Plese stop. Every adult who has ever learned of my dilemma has shared his or her "no fail" strategy. Needless to say, they can't claim they are "no fail" anymore. I think one of the problems is this -- if you swallow pills easily it's really hard for you to explain how you do it. You just DO it. In an effort to understand and ease my own situation and that of others like me, I went researching. Here are my findings, both the common and the "more creative".

1. Eliminate the non-essential

This tip is high on my list. Any medication I can manage NOT to take is a step in the right direction. Here are a couple articles to help you decide when medications are essential:

** How to Get the Most Benefits with the Fewest Risks http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/takemed/medtips.html

** Psychiatric Medications for Children & Adolescents: Questions To Ask http://www.childhooddisorders.com/children_medications.html

2. How to swallow pills

First of all, not everyone CAN swallow a pill. Some children truly do not have the mouth and throat control to swallow a solid pill. This can be seen in the very young child. It can also be the case in an older child with a developmental delay that affects his ability to swallow or speak. If your child cannot swallow a moderate mouthful of water without it dripping out of his mouth, he may have a physical problem with the swallowing reflex. If you aren't sure whether your child has the physical ability to swallow pills, consult his/her doctor or a speech therapist. Once that issue is cleared up ....

Everyone has a theory on how to "teach" pill swallowing.

Dr. William Sears recommends this approach:
"Instead of following the natural tendency and tipping the head back to swallow a pill, have your child bend her head forward. Place the pill near the tip of her tongue. Have your child bend her head forward so that the chin touches the chest. As she swallows, she should lift her head up quickly. The pill will rise to the top of the water (toward the back of the tongue) and wash down easily with the swallow."

A seasoned mom suggested this method:
"Get a couple of packages of those MINI m&m's. They are slightly bigger than many children's pills and taste much better. Talk with your child about how much better they feel on the medication. Explain that you want to help him or her TEACH THEMSELF to swallow meds. Give him/her the M & M's and a glass of milk/water, whatever s/he picks, and a couple of M & M's. Here's the bargain: If s/he can swallow an M & M whole, s/he gets the rest of the package. Let him/her try. Limit your training to 3 chances so you don't reinforce failure. If s/he sincerely tries and ALMOST succeeds, then give a portion of the treat and try again the next day."

And Christy Russell at the University of Kansas offers this idea:
"Sometimes children must take baby steps to master the art of the gulp. In those cases, it helps to sweeten their path. Start by teaching your child to swallow one of those Sprinkles used in cake decoration -- Blue, Yellow, Red, any color will work. Then move up to spherical silver sprinkles. From there, it's a short jump to introducing your child to fragments of red licorice whip snipped to less than half an inch in length. Your final stop before the jump to an actual pill might be a capsule-shaped candy like Tic-Tacs, then a vitamin."

NOTE: Although more than one expert recommends this approach (Dr. Sabine Hack outlines a similar approach in Pill Swallowing Made Easy http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/pill_swallowing.html) it is important to note that it can encourage some kids to think of medicine as candy. If you are concerned about confusing a child with developmental delays or other cognitive issues, then this approach is probably not a wise choice for your situation.

Here are some other creative methods for getting a pill down:

=> Mix with food - The taste of most medicine is hard to disguise, but sometimes you can help "slide" a pill down or mix a capsule's contents into a food that hides it enough to help. Buttering the pill or burying it in a spoonful of jam can help it to slide down more easily. Other foods to try mixing with include: ice cream (especially flavors that already contain chunks of brownie, fruit, or nuts), whipped cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, apple sauce, peanut butter, pudding, grits, mashed potato, sweet potato pie, Jell-O, the slippery sauce from canned peaches, mashed banana, pancake syrup or chocolate syrup. Remember to use only a small amount of food.

=> Use a straw - Have your child put the pill on his/her tongue. Then using a straw, suck down three big gulps of water. With a straw there is no pill floating around in your mouth like there is if you just try to swallow a pill with a big mouthful of water.

=> Use a cookie - When the cookie is chewed and ready to be swallowed, pop the pill in and then swallow the cookie.

=> Add liquid - Dissolve the pill in a tiny bit of warm water and mix it with Cranberry juice.

=> Add a disguise - Take a small bit of Fruit Roll-up and wrap the pill inside it.

=> Try thicker fluids - If water isn't working try milk, fruit nectar, Carnation Instant Breakfast, Ensure, a milkshake, or one of the new liquid yogurt products. Thicker fluids create more bulk, making it harder for the pill to separate itself from the fluid during swallowing. Remember: If you are diabetic, use the sugar-free version of these beverages.

=> Reduce your mouth sensitivity - Spray or gargle with an over-the-counter topical anesthetic (normally used for sore throats) before swallowing or have your child suck on a Popsicle to partially numb the mouth.

=> A little at a time - Crush a chewable tablet between two spoons and add a few drops of water, making a paste of the medicine. Using your finger, place a small amount of the paste on the inside of your child's cheeks and allow her to swallow a little bit at a time.

=> Give it a little squeeze - Liquid medications can often be administered using an oral syringe. Draw the medicine into the syringe and give directly into your child's mouth. An oral syringe has no needle, just a tip to dispense the medicine. When you give medicine with a syringe it is always best to give it on the left or right side of the child's mouth to reduce the risk of choking.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/oralsyringe.htm

IMPORTANT: Every medication is unique and how you administer it may impact the way it works. It is always smart to check with your regular pharmacist before you decide to use any approach that differs from the instructions you were given with the medication.

3. Consider a pill alternative

I knew I wasn't alone in my struggle when major pharmaceutical companies started to make Adult medication in a variety of formats -- liquid, dissolving pills, sprays, patches, etc. Children's medicines also now come in liquid form, chewable tablets, dissolving tabs, and spray formulas.

=> Oral sprays can deliver vitamins, minerals, and other supplements directly into the bloodstream in a way that is quick, convenient and requires NO special skills.
http://ezwaysprayvitamins.com/

=> Another option is to offer medication in a lozenge or medication stick form. Lozenges are solid preparations that are intended to dissolve or disintegrate slowly in the mouth. They contain one or more medicaments usually in a flavored, sweetened base.
http://pharmlabs.unc.edu/lozenge/text.htm

=> Many medications are available in liquid form. You can talk to your care provider, nurse, or pharmacist about which of your medications can be prescribed in liquid form but here are some tips from Dr. Carol Watkins:

Antidepressants: Several of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Celexa) come in liquid form. Paxil has a relatively palatable orange flavor. It was difficult to find in pharmacies for a while but is now more available. Celexa has a mint flavor with a slight medicinal aftertaste.

Stimulants: Adderall XR and Metadate CD capsules can be opened and sprinkled on pudding and applesauce respectively. Avoid swallowing amphetamines with citrus or other acidic juices.

Mood Stabilizers: Lithium comes as a syrup. Tegretol comes in a chewable form. Depakote comes in sprinkles. Some antipsychotic medications come in liquid or suspension forms. Some pills can be dissolved in certain specific liquids. Years ago, Prozac came no smaller than 20 mg. When patients needed a smaller dose, we told them how to dissolve the capsule in cranberry juice-we called it Cranzac. Consult your doctor and your pharmacist before attempting to dissolve or crush a pill. Dissolving or crushing some medications, will change how the pill works.

4. If all else fails . . .

When a medicine cannot be crushed and mixed with food, or when your child still refuses to "eat" or "drink" the mixture, a pharmacist may be able to prepare a custom liquid mixture from a tablet or capsule form of the medicine. Very often, pharmacists can also add a flavoring to the liquid, such as cherry syrup, to improve its taste.
http://www.flavorx.com/default.asp

This type of preparing of medication is called compounding Some pharmacies do compounding and others do not. Children's Hospitals around the country often have outpatient pharmacies that can prepare special doses of medications for kids. Even if you don't live near a Children's Hospital, they may be willing to prepare and mail a special prescription.
http://www.rxsolutionsonline.com/lab.html

As with much in life, the key seems to be creativity and persistence!

Copyright 2003, Lisa Simmons

About the author:

Lisa is the director of the Ideal Lives Inclusion & Advocacy Center supporting parents raising children with special needs. "We provide the tools, resources, and information you need to get results. Our focus is on making support simple and connecting advocates to answers."

Medical Malpractice Suits: Death By Medicine

by: Anna Henningsgaard

A recent report has found that Americans are more frightened of dying at the hands of their doctor than they are of a plane crash. The overwhelming majority of those who participated in the survey said that information about malpractice suits and medical errors would be the single most deciding factor in trusting a healthcare provider. These people must have heard that medical errors cause more deaths in the United States every year than car accidents, AIDS, or breast cancer.

In fact, for the airline industry to parallel medical errors in mortality rates a 280-person jet would have to crash every day of the year. This would account for the over 100,000 people who die annually due to complications in medical care, not to mention the nearly 2 million who are maimed and disabled. This malady is called iatrogenic disease, a disease that is a direct result of medical care. What is causing this epidemic? Many agree that the cause is over-treatment. More medicine is administered than necessary, people are hospitalized unnecessarily, and doctors prescribe drugs instead of healthy lifestyle choices. This is a major problem and it shows no signs of stopping.

In the ten year period between 1983 and 1993 the incidence of death by medical error, or iatrogenic disease, jumped 260% overall and 850% among patience receiving outpatient care. These statistics could only be an indication of the true numbers, because medical error is not often recorded on death certificates. Some people blame the increased number of deaths on a greater number of prescriptions, but the number of prescriptions issued has increased less than 40% in 10 years, compared with the 260% increased death rate. Instead, some doctors blame increased usage of anesthesia, especially among those receiving outpatient care.

Medical malpractice insurance rates have been skyrocketing, causing a small crisis among doctors who must be insured in order to practice. They complain of medical malpractice lawsuits going out of control, large cities awarding record settlements, too many people filing claims. Well can you blame people for filing claims? Doctors must be held accountable for their prescriptions, and if a doctor writes you a prescription that hurts you they deserve to be taken to court! This is truly an epidemic, and it must be stopped by holding irresponsible healthcare providers responsible. One in five Americans has experienced medical errors directly or has a family member who has suffered a medical error. If you feel you have suffered unnecessarily at the hands of a doctor, seek legal council and work it out with a lawyer.
GA

If you have more questions, contact a medical error attorney or read about other medical malpractice cases at http://www.hugesettlements.com.

Is a mothers love, medicine

by: Kacy Carr

Is a mother's love, medicine

Minus all meningitis thoughts.The flu symptons were strong. Headache,burning fever and sore throat. So what does any natural mother do when their offspring takes ill. They smother him or her with a lot of TLC and would walk to the ends of the earth just to take away the pain and suffering.

Is a mother's love, medicine?

Despite all those motherly rituals mentioned above. There was no change in my nine year old son's condition. Meningitis still so distant in my thoughts..The lucozade was poured out in pints to quench his thirst and a saturated flannel to change every minute to wipe his brow. I prayed more times to god than that of any pope for my son to pull out of this other world he had elapsed into.

A mother's love is more of a cure than any cough medicines pills or tablets, so I thought..

Humming one of his favourite tunes as I held him up close in my arms rocking him back and too.
Not even his favourite videos could pull him out of this alien world that he now belonged to

Was a mother's love? slowly killing her little boy.

Every mother's worst nightmare was to befall me with the inevitable happening. Purple like bruises began to appear on his chest followed by the loss of his voice.
With trembling hands I struggled to dial 999. Please god if your up there hear my prayers, let my little boy reach 10..

When the doctor arrived he said he couldnt rule out meningitis. And so my little boy was rushed off in an ambulance at a speed that would have given Nigel Mansell a run for his money.
Thank god for flashing blue sirens.

In silence I prayed for god to give me back my son.

The curtain may well have been a brick wall that separated me and my little boy in the hospital. But he was in good hands I assured myself and that being the hands of god.

It seemed like a life time before that curtain came swishing back to have the doctor in his white coat appear before me.
I gave him lucozade I wiped his brow. I even put on his favourite videos and smothered him with all the love I could possibly give. Where did I go wrong doctor? You did nothing wrong was his reply.

Just to hear those words that there was no cause for alarm and that my little boy was going to pull through, gave me back all the strength that seemed to have drained from my body while waiting for the outcome of this nightmare.

Meningitis symptons had a strong presence the doctor said. It was a virus on the inside trying to break out.
Tears of happiness flowed like that of Niagra falls as I rushed to my little boys side.

Holding him tight kissing and cuddling him like any natural mother would do.

I had unfinished business to attend to and that was to thank the man himself up above for hearing my cry. Now to arrange a ten year olds birthday party.

The doctor approached me and asked if he could say something before I left.

Yes of course doctor?
A mother's love is great medicine for comforting her children

but when it comes to curing them. please call a doctor.

About the Author

We all do what we think is right, but is it right?. dont leave it to chance. Consult a doctor, and make sure that your child gets the right treatment. Thats what natural mothers do.

Medicine From Recommended Pharmacies

by: Bobby Stark

With prescription medicines, there are so many choices to choose from and it is not easy finding cheaper and effective alternatives. Does your Government pay for all your healths cost, or are you uninsured and you have the burden of 100% of the cost for your family’s health care. If you have health care coverage, what percentage do you have to pay?

Once you decide what category you fall under, you need to decide which medicine is right for you. Trying to save money on your prescriptions may not be for you but for the vast majority of us who are not well off, we have to shop around for a cheaper source of quality prescriptions.

This brings us to the internet with even more questions. A recent Google search for the word “pharmacy” came up with over 29 million possibilities. So out of the 29 million WebPages. Which pharmacies have good quality prescriptions, which ones are fly-by night and which ones have good customer service? That is where an online pharmacy review site comes in.

A good pharmacy review site will first find quality online pharmacies. Do background checks on the medical pharmacies and contact them to see if they respond in a timely matter. Some good websites will go to the extent of ordering prescriptions from pharmacies to see if the right prescriptions arrive on time and as prescribed.

There are thousands of online pharmacies to choose from and an online pharmacy review site can help users to start choosing their prescriptions from recommended pharmacies. This makes it easier for online users and starts them in the right path. Not only can they find good pharmacies from such a review site, they can also find medicine that are competitively priced and within their budget range. How often do people take their friends' recommedations in trying out Lose Weight programs and medicine anyway?

About the Author

Bobby Stark works in an established US pharmacy for 10 years and spends his spare time on his Online Pharmacy Review site to guide buyers in choosing their medical products. http://www.cheaprxmedsonline.com/ He enjoys outdoor activities like swimming, running and pilates.

Why Modern Medicine is the Greatest Threat to Health

by: Dr. Randy Wysong

There is the underlying assumption that modernity translates into better health. A corollary of this logic is that we can live our lives pretty much as we want because we can always buy a repair. You know, the car won't start, the TV is broken, the telephone is dead – no problem. Just call in an expert, spend some money and all is well.

People carry this over to their thinking about health. Our ticker falters, joints creak or an unwanted growth pops up – no problem. Buy some modern medical care. If that doesn't work, it's a problem of money, better insurance, more hospital funding, more research for the "cure," more doctors, better equipment and more technology. Right?

Wrong.

Don't take my word for it. Listen to the perpetrators themselves. The following is taken right from the pages of the Journal of the American Medical Association (July 26, 2000): "Of 13 countries in a recent (health) comparison, the United States (the most modern and advanced in the world) ranks an average of 12th (second from the bottom)..."

For example, the U.S. ranks:

· last for low birth weight
· last for neonatal and infant mortality overall
· 11th for post neonatal mortality
· last for years of potential life lost
· 11th for female life expectancy at one year, and next to last for males
· 10th for age adjusted mortality

The World Health Organization, using different indicators, ranked the U.S. 15th among 25 industrialized nations. (If ranked against "primitive" cultures eating and living as humans were designed, the whole industrialized world would be at the bottom of the heap.)

Some might say these dismal results are because of smoking, alcohol, cholesterol, animal fats and poor penetration of medical care. Not so. Countries where these health risks are greater have better overall health according to epidemiological studies. It's also not due to lack of technology. The U.S. is, for example, second only to Japan in the number of magnetic resonance imaging units (MRIs) and computed tomography scanners per unit of population. Neither can lack of medical personnel be blamed since the U.S. has the greatest number of employees per hospital bed in the world.

So what is the problem? Here are some clues as revealed in the same journal cited above:
· 12,000 deaths per year from unnecessary surgery
· 7,000 deaths per year from medication errors in hospitals
· 20,000 deaths per year from other hospital errors
· 80,000 deaths per year from nosocomial (originating in a hospital) infections
· 106,000 deaths per year from adverse effects of medications

That totals 225,000 deaths per year, the third leading cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer. Another study – we're talking just hospital related deaths here – estimates 284,000 deaths per year. An analysis of outpatient care jumps these figures by 199,000 deaths for a new total of 483,000 medically related deaths per year. And this assumes doctors and hospitals eagerly report all their mistakes. Think so?

The poor health ranking in the U.S. is in large part not because of lack of modern medical care, it is because of it! This does not deny that each person’s life choices do not impact health as well. People cannot live with abandon and then expect anybody to fix it regardless of their technology and skills. You can imagine the frustration physicians must feel faced day-to-day with patients wanting a quick fix for a lifetime of unhealthy life choices. Be that as it may, it does not deny that modern medicine in and of itself is a huge risk to those who surrender to it.

Why do we not hear more about this? It is just too difficult to come to grips with the inevitable – and unbelievable – conclusion: When all the deaths (not counting the hundreds of thousands who are maimed or otherwise harmed but don't die) reported and not reported are tallied, medical intervention is arguably the leading cause of death in our country.

Time to splash some cold water on the rely-on-modern-medicine inebriation. And remember folks, the above are just cold statistics. Take any one of these numbers and humanize it to the real pain, suffering, financial devastation, grief and family disruption, and each one is a heart rending story deserving of anyone's deep concern and sympathy. It is a tragedy of a magnitude unequalled by anything in human history. And it's repeated every year. It makes 9-11, all the deaths in all U.S. wars, deaths by auto, homicides and everything else pale in comparison. (Not to minimize the tragedy of each of those things.)

The media should be shouting about medical risks from atop their broadcast towers. But there is mostly silence, just reports in obscure (to the public) medical and scientific publications. In the meantime, trusting people keep flocking to the slaughter. From just 1995 to 2002, pharmaceutical sales jumped from $65 billion to over $200 billion. That's about one prescription for each man, woman and child in the country every month. This escalation in medical dependency is paralleled in surgeries, lab tests, emergency room admissions, elective procedures and outpatient visits.

You can do something about it. Begin today to take control of your own health destiny. The philosophical paradigm of conventional, allopathic, symptom based, reductionistic, crisis care, episodic, after-the-fact medicine is seriously flawed ... and very deadly. Good and well meaning doctors are hamstrung by wrong philosophical premises. They are crippled every bit as much as those who once believed in a flat Earth. Trying to achieve health with modern allopathic medicine is like trying to fix computers with a hammer, just because that's the only tool you were taught to use or believe in.

Don't wait for the system to change. Old ideas die too hard. The mega-medical industry is not going to be quick in either admitting error or revamping itself. Your health is at stake. Think prevention and natural holistic cure. Study, learn, grow, be skeptical, change lifestyle, be self-reliant – be a thinking person. That's your best road to health.

About the author:
Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its eleventh printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 15 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at

TraditionaL ayurvedic medicine for type two diabetes

by: GOLDIE

Salacia oblonga
Indian herb also known as Ponkoranti.
It has been used by Indian natives since ancient times to effectively manage Diabetes.
This is a effective cure for type 2 diabetes.
Reduction in blood sugar levels can be observed within 5 days of usage.
It is also a strong weight gain inhibitor and effectively controls weight gain commonly associated with type 2 diabetic patients.

The recommended dosage is 1000 mg twice daily.

To purchase this medicine
visit www.salaciaoblongacapsules.com
write to info@salaciaoblongacapsules.com

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS HERB ON
www.nutrasolutions.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/news...

http://www.newstarget.com/005986.html

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=7685

About the Author

We are exporter and manufacters of Traditional ayurvedic and herbal medicines for diabetes

Revenge is the Best Medicine

by: Betsy Gallup

A list of legal revenge options
Over the ages, the act of revenge has gone from a sacred way of life to an act of which to be ashamed and avoid. I disagree. A little clean, honest, LEGAL revenge can be just the thing to help you forgive and forget at least some of the indiscretions whether imagined or real that have been committed against you. Revenge gives you a terrific alternative to pouting, grouching, gossiping, and being spite-filled for years to come. A little reprisal can go a long way to cleansing the sprite and renewing the soul. Here are just a few tactics assured to enrage your foe with little effort on your part and a very minimal chance of your actions being proved as deliberate affronts. Introduce her new husband by the ex-husband’s first name. When approached with a last minute project, ask lots of questions . . . spaced out . . . over the period of the project . . . one at a time . . . ensuring the offending party . . . no solid block of concentration . . . for the duration of the time . . . you are inconvenience by their bad timing. Forget to put a fabric softener/anti-static sheet in the dryer with your wife’s undergarments. She will think if you with every electrifying step, with every tug at her slip and skirt, and with ever static filled shock. Rearrange the person’s desk, kitchen, files, closet, or medicine cabinet. Heck, go crazy! Do all of the above. Never spell his name correctly. Invite her to dinner and when she shows up, swear the mistake was hers and the dinner party was the night before. It is perfectly acceptable to then serve week old leftovers to the poor embarrassed soul. Tape the WWF over her sister’s wedding. Ya know all those magic little boxes that pop up on certain websites asking you to refer a friend. Refer a friend. Often. Preferably giving their work email address and phone number. Fix your 22-year-old friend up with your 46 year old college chum who still lives with her mother, talks to her cat, and spends more time and money on the Psychic Hotline than she does on hygiene. Call during the final episode of Survivor just to chat about old times. Answer all phone messages left after 10PM at 5 AM bright and early the following morning. This is most effective on the weekend. Eat a medium rare burger in front of a devote vegetarian. Ask him to have a vasectomy. Wear your high school cheerleading outfit to your teenager’s homecoming game. Tell her she reminds you of your mother. Tell your sister’s children about all the little no-no’s she committed at their age. Follow up with diagrams. Buy your grandchildren a drum set. Talk during the movie. Order an expensive meal and don’t eat it. Tell her you need to talk to her about something important, but it will have to wait until later. Put off the conversation as long as possible and then be as vague as possible.

About the Author

Betsy Gallup is a full-time mother to an 11-year-old son, and infant twins. She has had several articles, essays, and short stories published. She is now writing a non-fiction book under contract for publication, and she has recently procured an agent to represent her first novel, Destiny, a suspense/romance delving into the world of a renown psychic. With what time she has left, she operates www.whimsplace.com, a showcase for the work of talented writers.

The Power of Ganoderma in Oriental Medicine

by: R.G. Srinivasan

Ganoderma, a rare variety of Mushroom credited with the highest medicinal qualities by the classic Chinese ‘Seng Nong’ is indeed a subject of much research from the ancient china of 100 B.C. or earlier to the modern times by various universities and research organizations. It is also known as Linghzi in China and Reishi in Japan.

It is said that in the ancient times anyone who found the rare Linghzi never revealed the place and kept it a secret of health, longevity and wealth. The Japanese revered the herb as ‘God’s Herb’ where it is known as Reishi.

Lingzhi in medicine was considered so auspicious that its medical efficacy has been attested to in the oldest Chinese medical text (over 2,000 years old). The book, which is known in Japan as "Shinnoh Honsohkyo", is now accepted as being the original textbook of Oriental medical science. In it, 365 kinds of medicines are classified and explained. Ganoderma is classified as “Superior Herb” or "God's Herbs" and they are for perpetual youth and longevity. The book states that for "superior" medicines, any amount can be taken as desired on a continuous basis with no unfavorable effects. Of the superior medicines listed in the text, Lingzhi was rated number one. You can see how important and powerful Lingzhi was considered in ancient times. It achieved its ranking in the Chinese text not because of its symbolic importance as a good omen but because of its medicinal properties. Centuries ago, Lingzhi was said to be a medicine that would grant you eternal youth and longevity.

But after 2,000 years, Lingzhi has jumped into the spotlight as a specific medicine for cancer. This must be a bitter irony for those in the modern medical profession who discounted the herbal remedies and oriental medicine as being “old wives' tales". The families of many cancer patients who have received a diagnostic "death sentence" now seek reishi as the only way left for them.

The Linghzi Mushrooms grows only on old tree barks with specific conditions difficult to replicate.

Till 1971 the herb was so rare that it was hardly sited except in mountainous areas. Many researchers had attempted to plant Ganoderma artificially but failed. Till in 1971 directed by Naoi Department of Agriculture and Professor Zenzaburo Kasai, Kyoto University made a breakthrough in its cultivation.

Presently the herb is grown only by 10 countries. The demand far outstrips supply due to the increasing evidence through various researches on its efficacy in treating many disease including Cancer, HIV, Hepatitis, Diabetes, Liver disorders and mainly as a preventive due its rich anti oxidant and detoxifying qualities. You can check further resources at http://globalhealthnetwork.tripod.com

Some of the research in Japan indicates that those that have taken Ganoderma for over a year the visit to doctors dropped into half. There are thousands of research paper available including on the internet on the subject of the healing breakthroughs achieved by Ganoderma in various treatments and too lengthy to discuss here. However we can highlight the research in short.

Summarized from these reports, it is found that Lingzhi have the following properties:

Improves cholesterosis, coronary insufficiency.

Improves hyper and hypotensions.

Improves nervous tension, neurosis.

Improves chronic bronchitis, hepatitis.

Improves leukocytopenia and reticuloendothelial system.

Effective in numerous other ailments.

The three major killers these days are: cancer, cerebrosis and coronary diseases. The latter two have their etiology closely linked to the blood circulatory system. Related problems like stroke, heart block, arteriosclerosis, obesity etc. are all tied to problems in the blood circulation. One out of three persons dies from one of the above ailments everyday.

Lingzhi can correct this imbalance and strengthen the system to prevent further deterioration.

What are noteworthy are its preventive capabilities. For the 21st century man, stressed out, poisoned by the polluted atmosphere, wrong food habits and drug induced illnesses of the modern medicine. While modern medicine has been very effective in treating certain conditions effectively and immediately, they do not address the holistic approach of the ancient medicine as a preventive and for regeneration of wasted tissues and damaged cells.

In conclusion, Ganoderma has been proven to exert significant effect on diminishing pain, fortifying the body's immune system and prolonging life. Even though its role in cancer control has not been determined 100 percent yet.

Ganoderma has a history of 3,000 years, during which time it is widely used by many people with no reported unfavorable side effects. It is therefore highly recommend for prevention. I hope that people from all walks of life will take a concerned interest and share in development of Herbal treatments. Hopefully, with so much research and emerging evidence, Ganoderma can bring a brighter outlook to the human race in the conquest of longevity.

About the Author

About The Author
R.G. Srinivasan is founder of Born to Win Forum. He is a certified trainer and consultant in training design & methodologies. He is also the author of e-books, publishes 2 ezines on success and motivation and Home Business. His articles are widely published across the world. He is featured as an Expert Author in leading content syndication portals. Check out his home business ezine at http://home-businessleaders.tripod.com

Revolutionary Medicine - Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain

by: C. Bailey Lloyd/Lady Camelot

Revolutionary Medicine - Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain Sufferers
by C. Bailey-Lloyd

Stripped from the scenes from science fiction novels and films, shockwave therapy is a newage alternative to chronic pain sufferers. Utilized not only on humans for over 25 years for urologic and orthopedic conditions, shockwave therapy has even been introduced to veterinary and equine medicine as well. Helping individuals suffering from a range of conditions, including: golf or tennis elbow, stiff shoulders, calcaneal spurs, joint calcification, chronic tendon pain, and many other musculoskeletal disorders; shockwave therapy could possibly be the answer to help and healing.

To learn about Shockwave Therapy, I contacted Ms. LuJean Smith (Public Relations' Director) of Siemens Medical Solutions. In an informal interview, I asked Ms. Smith a few questions about this revolutionary therapy and how it aids patients with healing:

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Could you please tell me who developed and first began utilizing shockwave therapy?"
[L. Smith]: "German aerospace engineers realized the concept caused pitting or cavitation on aircraft parts. The first use of the technology for health care was for kidney stones in the 1970s."

(*Through further research, I discovered that 98% of all kidney stones are treated with shockwave therapy, also known as lithotripsy.)

Ms. Smith explained exactly how shockwave therapy works:

"A shockwave is created by an intense change in pressure just as upi experience witht he sonic boom of an aircraft or the force you feel after a bolt of lightening. The shock wave is an acoustic wave with a quick rise in maximum pressure and a frequency spectrum ranging from audible to the far end of the ultrasonic scale.

Extracorpeal Shock waves used in medicine today are created as a result of electromagnetic, piezoelectric, or electro hydraulic generation.

Sonucur utilized an electromagnetic system that consists of an electromagnetic coil and opposing metal membrane. A high current impulse is released through the coil to create a strong magnetic field which causes a current in the opposing metal membrane. This current rapidly accelerates the membrane away from the coil producing an acoustic impulse in the surrounding water.

The acoustic impulse is focused by an acoustic lens to direct the shock wave energy to the target tissue. The acoustic lens controls the focus size and the amount of energy produced at the targeted tissue. The mechanisms for healing are not fully understood..."

Additionally, Ms. Smith expressed valuable insight regarding scientific evaluation supporting shockwave therapy. According to scientific studies, shockwave increases vascularization in treatment regions (based on MRI results). Furthermore, shockwave impact reduces pain from nerves as confirmed through lab test results on isolated nerve cells. And, consistent with Gate-Control theory (Gate-Control therory predicts that massaging a particular area stimulates large diameter nerve fibres; whereby pain relief is achieved.), shockwave eradicated chronic pain memory via over-stimulation.

Siemen's Sonocur Basic system has an articulating head that is placed directly onto the area of treatment, where adjustments are fine-tuned to the specific therapeutic focus. Once adjusted, preset pulses (shockwaves) are administered at low-energy levels; thus permitting anesthesia-free therapy.

When asked how long treatment lasts, Ms. Smith relayed that treatments generally last 15-30 minutes and is standardly administered over a course of three (3) treatments.

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How long has this treatment been in use and how successful is it?"
[L. Smith]: "The treatments have been used in Europe since the early 1990s. Clinical Treatments in the US started in 2000 with full approval for Sonocur in 2002. Success rates vary due to physician, experience and patient conditions. Studies have shown patients with complete recovery, patients with partial recovery, and patients with little or no recovery. But in general, 65% - 70% of patients the results have been quite favorable."

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How effective is shockwave therapy as opposed to other conventional treatments?"
[L. Smith]: "Normal treatments for various tendonapathies include steroid injections, physical therapy, various orthopedic support devices and in chronic conditions, even surgery. Study data shows some chronic patients have responded to none of the aforementioned treatments and have shown complete recovery with ESWL treatments. (ESWL therapy is recommended for patients that have a history of at least 6 months pain and unfavorable results with at least 3 of the conventional treatments.)"

[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Are there any side effects to this treatment? Please Explain."
[L. Smith]: "The 2 most common side effects reported were slight nausea during the actual treamtne (approx. 20% of study patients) and soreness or stiffness the next day after the treatment. (Much like one feels the next day after a hard physical workout.)"

Ms. Smith also told me that shockwave therapy is readily used in approximately 175 sites across the Nation alone. Primarily orthopedic, sports medicine and podiatrist physicians provide shockwave therapy services. Additionally, "...shockwave therapy is approved by the FDA in uses for Chronic Plantar fascilitis and medial or lateral epicondylitis." Globally, "...shockwave therapy is utilized for tendonapathies, knees, shoulders, and treatment of Nonunion fractures."

In closing, shockwave therapy has been proven to stimulate and accelerate human healing process. While research continues at multiple sites around the country, shockwave therapy is revolutionizing modern medicine and effectively demonstrates how to achieve overall health. To learn more about shockwave therapy, or Sonucur visit Siemens Medical Solutions at www.usa.siemens.com/medicalpressroom or contact Ms. Lujean Smith at lujean.smith@siemens.com

To find a practitioner who utilizes shockwave therapy, feel free to peruse our practitioner directory at holisticjunction.com today.

C. Bailey-Lloyd (Lady Camelot) currently serves as the Public Relations' Director for www.holisticjunction.com.
To contact Ms. Bailey-Lloyd, or to gain article reprint permission, email her at ladycamelot@holisticjunction.com

References:

01. Siemens Medical Solutions
www.usa.siemens.com/medicalpressroom
LuJean Smith, Manager, Public Relations

02. Southern California Orthopedic Institute
www.scoi.com/fellows/shock-wave-therapy.htm

03. Wisconsin Equine Clinic Horse Shockwave Therapy
www.wisconsinequineclinic.com/html/shockwave_therapy.htm

04. Gate Control Theory
www.painforum.com/en/1/hcpmjgate.html

[All work by author is copyright protected. If you would like to use this article, please contact the author for permission.]

C. Bailey Lloyd,aka. Lady Camelot a freelance writer, poet and artist, is currently the Public Relations' Dir. of www.holisticjunction.com

The Essential Oil Home Medicine Chest – Part I: The Oils

by: Misty Rae Cach

Essential oils provide a wonderful natural-medicine alternative to common ailments we see at home. Their actions are broad and diverse, ranging from topical antiseptics and anti-inflammatories to analgesics, digestive system tonics, and anti-depressants. While essential oils should not be a substitute for professional medical care, they can be successfully employed for many minor complaints, and as adjuncts to other therapies.

Here we will have a brief look at ten essential oils considered by some to comprise the ‘basic home care kit’. While by no means exhaustive, this list will go a long way to providing effective (and often pleasant!) treatments for you and your family for things like cuts and scrapes, sunburn, digestive troubles, stress related conditions and more. In the second article, we will cover specific applications and uses of each oil.

Oil 1: Lavender
Lavender has often been called the ‘medicine chest in a bottle’ for its broad range of applications. Every home should keep Lavender on hand, even if no other oil is used, as it is so very effective on burns. It’s anti-inflammatory action is responsible for the beginnings of modern aromatherapy, as Dr. Jean Valnet discovered Lavender’s healing properties after being burned in a laboratory accident. Lavender is considered to speed wound healing and reduce scarring. The oil is also pleasantly calming, and can be used to reduce stress in a variety of situations – a commonly used technique is to apply Lavender oil ‘neat’ (undiluted) to the soles of the feet of patients recovering from almost any ailment.

Oil 2: Tea Tree
When first examined for it’s antiseptic properties, Tea Tree essential oil was found to be 100 times more powerful than carbolic acid – the medical standard at the time. Tea tree has an extremely broad range of antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties that have been confirmed by modern scientific research. Often used topically on small wounds, Tea Tree is also commonly found in oral hygiene preparations, and can also be effectively employed for Candida, athlete’s foot and acne, among other things.

Oil 3: Peppermint
An excellent digestive tonic, Peppermint essential oil can sooth many stomach complaints. For the traveler, it’s effectiveness on calming motion sickness can be of great help. Further, at least eight controlled studies have shown Peppermint oil to be effective in reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a painful condition of the intestines. Beyond it’s support of the digestive system, Peppermint is delightfully stimulating to the mind, brightening and sharpening mental focus. Finally, Peppermint is considered by some to be a more effective insect repellent than citronella when used on the body (rather than in the surrounding air).

Oil 4: Chamomile
Ah, the great tension reliever, Chamomile oil. This extremely gentle essential oil is useful for a wide variety of nervous conditions, and is often indicated for cases of stress in children (including teething and general ‘crankiness’). Rubbing into the solar plexus is a commonly used application if that is where one tends to ‘hold tension’. Chamomile essential oil is available in to varieties, German or Blue Chamomile and Roman Chamomile. The Roman variety is most often used for stress relief, whereas the German variety has the added bonus of being an extremely effective anti-inflammatory.

Oil 5: Eucalyptus
Another essential oil with a broad range of properties, Eucalyptus is most often used for respiratory conditions, being useful in clearing congestion with coughs and colds. However, it’s effects are certainly not limited to the airways – because of it’s broad range of effects, it has been called the aromatherapists ‘designer oil’. Eucalyptus oil can cool the body in Summer (or due to fever – use in a compress), and support the immune system in Winter. Diffusing Eucalyptus oil can kill most staphylococcus bacteria, again being supportive of bronchial infections. It is considered equally effective in cases of cystitis, candida, and sunburn, to name a few, as well as being an insect repellent.

Oil 6: Geranium
Geranium (sometimes known as ‘Geranium Rose’) works wonderfully on both physiological and psychological levels. It’s floral aroma is brightening and uplifting, while also working as a sedative. Malte Hozzel has made this statement regarding this oil: "Geranium’s vital, sensual presence is not subtle, but direct & unavoidable, making it one of the oils of choice for aphrodisiac qualities. (Geranium Essential Oil) inspires natural beauty & enjoyment, uplifts instantly & "tonifies" the mind & intellect in a powerful, nearly demanding attitude. Mobilizing hidden creative & emotional reserves, helping us to rise to our own earthly & spiritual identify. A fiery beauty for the spells of all worlds." Particularly noted for it’s effect on female physiologic conditions, Geranium oil can be effective for menopausal problems, uterine and breast complaints.

Oil 7: Rosemary
Rosemary essential oil is an effective physical and mental stimulant, whether used in a diffuser or in a morning bath. It’s slightly spicy, rather than floral aroma, has a warming effect particularly useful for arthritic joints and other muscular complaints. It also has a long history of treatment for colds and flu – Rosemary was a component of ‘Four Thieves Vinegar’, which robbers rubbed upon their bodies to prevent infection when up to no good during the plague years of the middle ages. Also, Rosemary is the essential oil most often associated with improving hair growth in cases of Alopecia.

Oil 8: Thyme
Thyme oil is a powerful antiviral, antibiotic, antiseptic and diuretic, though it should be employed with great care. There are many types of Thyme oil available, but only the ‘linalol’ chemotype is appropriate for use with children; all varieties should be diluted prior to topical application. Given the precautions, Thyme can be a first line of defense in cases of flu, being used in a room diffuser. It also supports elimination of toxic wastes from the body (particularly noted for excessive uric acid), and it’s warming quality can eliminate mucous and phlegm. It’s application for the digestive system is that of a powerful anti-parasitic, and for the muscular system, it can be helpful for rheumatic aches and pains. Thyme oil may also be supportive in cases of hair loss.

Oil 9: Lemon
A recent study on test-taking college students showed the diffusion of Lemon oil into a room improved test scores more than any other oil. In addition to it’s mind-brightening qualities, it can also disinfect room air and act as a natural deodorant. Lemon has been noted to support liver function, and is also commonly used to assist in weight loss and cellulite reduction. In blends, lemon adds a pleasant top note, and can create a synergistic effect with other oils. Finally, Lemon oil is commonly used as both a fragrance and flavoring agent.

Oil 10: Clove
The power of Clove essential oil is noted upon the first sensing of the aroma – it is quite strong, sharp and earthy. Clove oil has been found to be the strongest anti-oxidant of any essential oil, and is a component of ‘longevity’ formulas. It is also an extremely potent antibacterial, effective against a broader range of microbes than any other oil except perhaps Oregano – Clove oil has even been employed to sterilize surgical instruments. Clove also has analgesic properties, and can be used to temporarily reduce the pain of toothache. Clove oil (or ground cloves) is also a component of Dr. Huda Clark’s anti-parasite protocol, helping eliminate parasites from one’s digestive system. This is a very powerful oil which should be diluted to 1% or less for topical application.

So, there we have a possible ‘top ten’ essential oils for the home medicine chest, a selection with an extremely broad range of uses for common ailments seen in a family setting. It is important to note that all essential oils are powerful, and they should be treated with caution and respect. Always refer to a trusted source before making specific applications of any oil, as many can be irritating or possibly toxic if used incorrectly.

To help employ these oils in your home, however, we will examine more specific uses of each essential oil in part II of this article. This will assist you in using these wonderful medicines of nature in your daily routine.

About the author:
Misty Rae Cech is a Naturopath and Yoga teacher in Boulder, Colorado. She is the owner of Ananda Apothecary, an online dispensery of pure organic essential oils and flower essences. Misty employs essential oils and flower essences in her practice, finding them a wonderful natural way to support her clients.

The Maharishi Ayurveda Natural Medicine Approach to Beauty a

by: Nancy Lonsdorf M.D.

The Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Beauty and Skin Care

The Three Pillars of Beauty

Maharishi Ayurveda (MAV), the modern, consciousness-based revival of the ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition, considers true beauty to be supported by three pillars; Outer Beauty, Inner Beauty and Lasting Beauty. Only by enhancing all three can we attain the balanced state of radiant health that makes each of us the most fulfilled and beautiful person we can be.

Outer Beauty: Roopam

The outer signs of beauty - your skin, hair and nails - are more than just superficial measures of beauty. They are direct reflections of your overall health. These outer tissues are created by the inner physiological processes involved in digestion, metabolism and proper tissue development. Outer beauty depends more on the strength of your digestion and metabolism, the quality of your diet, and the purity of your blood, than on external cleansers and conditioners you may apply.

General Recommendations for Outer Beauty

As we will discuss, the key to skin care is matching your diet and skin care routine to the specific skin type you have. Meanwhile, there are some valuable recommendations for lustrous skin, hair and nails that will be helpful to everyone, regardless of skin type.

1. Diet: Without adequate nourishment, your collagen layer thins and a kind of wasting takes place. Over time, your skin can shrivel up like a plant without water from lack of nourishment. To keep your skin plump and glowing:

A. Eat fresh, whole organic foods that are freshly prepared.
Avoid packaged, canned, frozen, processed foods and leftovers. These foods have little nutritional value and also they are often poorly digested which creates impurities that localize in the skin. The resulting buildup of toxins causes irritation and blocks circulation depriving the skin of further nourishment and natural cleansing processes.

B. Favor skin nourishing foods.
1. Leafy green vegetables contain vitamins, minerals (especially iron and calcium) and are high in antioxidant properties. They nourish the skin and protect it from premature aging.
2. Sweet juicy fruits like grapes, melons, pears, plums and stewed apples at breakfast are excellent for the skin in almost everyone.
3. Eat a wide variety of grains over different meals and try mixed grain servings at breakfast and lunch. Add amaranth, quinoa, cous cous, millet and barley to the wheat and rice you already eat.
4. Favor light, easy to digest proteins like legume soups (especially yellow split mung dhal), whole milk, paneer (cheese made from boiling milk, adding lemon and straining solids) and lassi (diluted yogurt and spice drinks).
5. Oils like ghee (clarified butter) and organic, extra virgin olive oil should be included in the diet as they lubricate, nourish and create lustre in the skin.
6. Use spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and black pepper to improve digestion, nourish the skin and cleanse it of impurities.
7. Avoid microwaving and boiling your vegetables. They lose as much as 85% of their antioxidant content when cooked in this way. Steaming and sautéing are best.

Caring for outer beauty through knowledge of skin type

Besides these general recommendations the key to Outer Beauty is to understand the difference in skin types so you can gain the maximum benefit from your individualized skin care regimen. MAV identifies three different skin types based on which of the three main metabolic principles (doshas)- present in everyone, but to different degrees- is most dominant in your body.

Vata Skin

* Description: Vata is composed of the elements of air and space. If you have a vata skin type, your skin will be dry, thin, fine pored, delicate and cool to the touch. When balanced, it glows with a delicate lightness and refinement that is elegant and attractive. When vata skin is imbalanced, it will be prone to excessive dryness and may even be rough and flaky.

* Potential problems: The greatest beauty challenge for vata skin is its predisposition to symptoms of early aging. Your skin may tend to develop wrinkles earlier than most due to its tendency to dryness and thinness. If your digestion is not in balance, your skin can begin to look dull and grayish, even in your 20’s and 30’s. In addition, your skin may have a tendency for disorders such as dry eczema and skin fungus. Mental stress, such as worry, fear and lack of sleep, has a powerful debilitating effect on vata skin leaving it looking tired and lifeless.

* Recommendations for care
With a little knowledge, you can preserve and protect the delicate beauty of your vata type skin. Since your skin does not contain much moisture, preventing it from drying is the major consideration. Eat a warm, unctuous diet (ghee and olive oil are best) and favor sour, salty and sweet tastes (naturally sweet like fruits, not refined sugar) as they balance vata. Avoid drying foods like crackers. Drink 6-8 glasses of warm (not cold for vata types!) water throughout the day and eat plenty of sweet, juicy fruits. Going to bed early (before 10 PM) is very soothing to vata and will have a tremendously positive influence on your skin. Avoid cleansing products that dry the skin (like alcohol-based cleansers) and perform Ayurvedic oil massage to your whole body (abhyanga) in the morning before you shower.
Pitta Skin.
* Description: Pitta dosha is composed of the elements of fire and water. If you have a pitta skin type your skin is fair, soft, warm and of medium thickness. When balanced, your skin has a beautiful, slightly rosy or golden glow, as if illuminated from within. Your hair typically is fine and straight, and is usually red, sandy or blonde in color. Your complexion tends toward the pink or reddish, and there is often a copious amount of freckles or moles.

* Potential problems: Among the many beauty challenges of pitta skin types is your tendency to develop rashes, rosacea, acne, liver spots or pigment disorders. Because of the large proportion of the fire element in your constitution, your skin does not tolerate heat or sun very well. Of all the three skin types, pitta skin has the least tolerance for the sun, is photosensitive, and most likely to accumulate sun damage over the years. Pitta skin is aggravated by emotional stress, especially suppressed anger, frustration, or resentment.

* Recommendations for care
Avoid excessive sunlight, tanning treatments and highly heating therapies like facial or whole body steams. Avoid hot, spicy foods and favor astringent, bitter and sweet foods which balance pitta. (Again, naturally sweet, not chocolate and refined sugar!) Sweet juicy fruits (especially melons and pears), cooked greens and rose petal preserves are especially good. Drinking plenty of water helps wash impurities from sensitive pitta skin. Reduce external or internal contact with synthetic chemicals, to which your skin is especially prone to react, even in a delayed fashion after years of seemingly uneventful use. Avoid skin products that are abrasive, heating or contain artificial colors or preservatives. Most commercial make-up brands should be avoided in favor of strictly 100% natural ingredient cosmetics. And be sure to get your emotional stress under control through plenty of outdoor exercise, yoga and meditation.

Kapha Skin.
* Description: Kapha dosha is composed of the elements of earth and water. If you have a kapha skin type your skin is thick, oily, soft and cool to the touch. Your complexion is a glowing porcelain whitish color, like the moon, and hair characteristically thick, wavy, oily and dark. Kapha skin types, with their more generous collagen and connective tissue, are fortunate to develop wrinkles much later in life than vata or pitta types.

*Potential problems If your skin becomes imbalanced, it can show up as enlarged pores, excessively oily skin, moist types of eczema, blackheads, acne or pimples, and water retention. Kapha skin is also more prone to fungal infections.

* Recommendations for care
Kapha skin is more prone to clogging and needs more cleansing than other skin types. Be careful to avoid greasy, clogging creams. Likewise, avoid heavy, hard to digest foods like fried foods, fatty meats, cheeses and rich desserts. Eat more light, easy to digest, astringent, bitter and pungent (well-spiced) foods as they balance kapha. Olive oil is the best cooking oil and a little ginger and lime juice can be taken before meals to increase your characteristically sluggish digestive fire. Take warm baths often and use gentle cleansers to open the skin pores. Avoid getting constipated and try to get some exercise every day to increase circulation and help purify the skin through the sweating process.

Inner Beauty: Gunam.

Happy, positive, loving, caring individuals have a special beauty that is far more than skin deep. Conversely we all experience the quick and deleterious effect on our skin from fatigue and stress.

Inner beauty is authentic beauty, not the kind that shows on a made-up face, but the kind that shines through from your soul, your consciousness or inner state of being. Inner beauty comes from a mind and heart that are in harmony, not at odds with each other, causing emotional confusion, loss of confidence, stress and worry. Inner peace is the foundation of outer beauty.

Maintain your self-confidence and a warm, loving personality by paying attention to your lifestyle and daily routine and effective management of stress (I highly recommend the TM technique for its scientifically-verified benefits on mental and physical health and reduced aging.) You will also be healthier and feel better through the day if you eat your main meal at midday and make a habit of going to bed early (by 10 PM is ideal.)

Remember, kindness, friendliness and sincerity naturally attract people to you. On the other hand, being uptight or tense makes people want to walk the other way, regardless of your facial structure, body weight, or other outer signs we associate with attractiveness.

Lasting Beauty: Yayastyag

In order to slow the aging process and gain lasting beauty there are two additional key considerations beyond those already discussed,

1. Eliminate toxins and free radicals in the body: The main deteriorating effects of aging come as toxins and impurities (called ama in Ayurveda) accumulate throughout the body. These toxins may begin as free radicals in the body, or over time may become oxidized into free radicals, all of which contribute to premature aging in the body. For lasting health and beauty it is essential to avoid and neutralize free radicals, to prevent impurities of all kinds from accumulating and to remove those that have already become lodged in the body.

The most powerful cleansing therapy in Maharishi Ayurveda is "panchakarma" therapy, a series of natural treatments ideally performed twice yearly, that involves 5-7 days in a row of massage, heat treatments and mild herbal enemas. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of undergoing this cleansing program once or twice a year to prevent impurities from accumulating, localizing and hardening in the tissues. Just as we change the oil in our cars regularly for optimal performance and lifespan, Ayurveda recommends that we cleanse the “sludge” from our tissues on a regular basis through panchakarma treatments.

Best of all, panchakarma treatments are luxurious, blissful, and make you feel (and look) completely rejuvenated in just a few days time. I have had many a patient who told me that friends asked them afterwards if they had gotten a facelift, they looked so fresh and youthful!

Other free radical busters include: reducing mental stress, eating antioxidant foods like leafy green vegetables, sweet, juicy fruits and cooking on a daily basis with antioxidant, detoxifying spices like turmeric and coriander.

2. Add rejuvenative techniques to daily living:

The daily activities of life in the modern world systematically wear us down and speed up the aging process. Ayurveda maintains it is crucial to practice daily rejuvenative regimens to counteract the stressful wear and tear of everyday life. According to Ayurveda the most important rejuvenative routines for your life are:

a) Going to bed by 10:00 PM. This simple habit is one of the most powerful techniques for health and longevity, according to MAV.
b) Meditate daily. Any meditation that does not involve concentration (which has been shown to increase anxiety) can be very helpful. I highly recommend the twice-daily deep rest and enlivenment of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, whose benefits have been verified by over 700 published research studies.
c) Eat organic, whole fresh food that is freshly prepared. There is an Ayurvedic saying: "Without proper diet. medicine is of no use. With proper diet, medicine is of no need." Be sure to avoid those leftovers, processed and microwaved foods for better nutrition and vitality.
d) Perform Ayurvedic oil massage in the morning (abhyanga). Morning oil massage purifies the entire body, reduces anxiety and stress, helps prevent and heal injuries and supports circulation. It is especially helpful in creating a radiant complexion and keeping your skin youthful. Research shows it may also help prevent skin cancers.
e) Practice yoga asanas. Maintaining flexibility and circulation is key to health.
f) Practice pranayama (yoga breathing) techniques. Pranayama enlivens the mind and body. Ideally practice the following sequence twice a day. Asanas, pranayama and meditation.

Summary

Everyone's unique beauty shines forth when they have radiant health and personal happiness. Beauty is a side effect of a balanced, fulfilled life. Supreme personal beauty is accessible to everyone who is willing to take more control of their health in their day-to-day life through time-tested principles of natural living.

For most of us, beauty is not a gift but a choice. Every woman can be radiantly beautiful simply by beginning to lead a healthier life. You will be rewarded by the glowing effects you will see in your mirror each day and the powerful, bliss-producing effect your special beauty has on everyone in your life.

About the Author

Nancy Lonsdorf M.D. received her M.D. from Johns Hopkins and did her postgraduate training at Stanford. She is currently the Medical Director of The Raj Ayurveda Health Center in Vedic City Iowa
http://www.ayurveda-ayurvedic.com