Treatment Tuesday - Headaches

Probably the most common medical complaint in the Western world, just about everyone suffers from headaches at some point in their lives. Most believe their choices for curing themselves of this painful malady are limited to aspirin and non-aspirin pain relievers. But you have many alternatives in treating and preventing headaches that do not require traditional medicine.

Migraine headaches are particularly disruptive. They are characterized by a slow-growing throb in the head that often produces nausea and localized vision loss. Often the nausea and vision loss appear before the headache actually become acute. They can last for days.

What Causes Headaches?

Headaches have a variety of causes, including food allergies, environmental toxins, stress, eye strain, and sinus congestion. Premenstrual headaches are often related to hormonal imbalances.

Headache Treatments

Keep in mind that most non-aspirin pain relievers are immunosuppressant. That is, they weaken the immune system. Taking them once in a while may be okay, but prolonged and repeated use is definitely costly to your health. For a natural alternative, try white willow bark extract, the plant from which aspirin was originally discovered and made.

Allergy expert Dr. James Braly believes that 90% of all migraines are caused by either food allergies or allergic reactions to food additives. But it’s possible that any headache can be traced back to a food or substance allergy. Allergenic substances include food preservatives and colorings, caffeine, and chocolate. Try removing foods and drinks containing these products from your diet, one by one, for three to four weeks at a time, and notice if your migraine attacks lessen or disappear completely during that time. This process can take time, but is likely to produce results. Start with the typical offenders:

• Coffee, soda and caffeinated beverages
• Wine, beer, and alcohol products
• Cheese and dairy products
• Wheat and refined wheat products with gluten
• Other fermented products, including vinegar and any pickled products
• Sugar and high fructose corn syrup
• Food additives, dyes, and preservatives (particularly those in processed and dried meat), MSG, and sulfites
• Peanut butter and peanuts
• Soy products
• Shell fish

The other 10% of headaches are probably caused by a variety of things, but you can bet that environmental toxins are among the most likely culprit. Check your home and work environment for chemical out-gassing from carpets and wall coverings. Consider sleeping with a device that oxygenates the air in your room.

If you suffer from migraine headaches, products containing the artificial sweetener aspartame may be to blame. Aspartame triggers migraines in many sufferers.

Many headaches are caused by dehydration, and dehydration is as prevalent in winter as in summer. Drinking two large glasses of pure water will relieve the pain of these headaches almost immediately, without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.

Other Considerations

Massage under the two ridges on either side of the back of the skull until you can feel the contracted muscles relax. The two nerves there can be pressured by tight muscles in the region, causing headaches, including migraines. Once the headache subsides with this therapy, use your thumbs to stroke gently in opposite directions across the brow with lavender essential oil. This will put you or the person you’re massaging in a relaxed state.

Lavender has been used since the time of Cleopatra for stress reduction, headache relief, lessening of scars, and faster healing of burns. Some herbalists believe that quinine bark, feverfew, butterbur and magnesium are also an effective headache remedies. Other natural herbs that help control blood pressure and relax the vascular system include pure cocoa, olive leaf extract, mint extract, chamomile, passion fruit extract, bay leaves, chamomile, coriander, skullcap, turmeric, valerian root, and wild yam.

Finally, acupuncture and different forms of bodywork can be effective cures for headaches. Acupuncture may be able to move or change the energies in the body that are accumulating to cause headaches, and bodywork such as massage may be able to release the stress that causes some headaches.

Treatment Tuesday - Dandruff

Dandruff is not life threatening or even a serious health concern, but it can cause damage to your self-esteem. Skin cells on the scalp generally die and fall off every month or so, which rejuvenates the scalp. But in cases of dandruff, the skin cells turn-over at an accelerated rate, resulting in the unsightly white flakes in your hair and on your shoulders. Certain types of dandruff itch and the scalp can be irritated.

What Causes Dandruff?

Dandruff is usually caused by a fungus or bacteria. But different types of dandruff have different causes:

• Fungus: The fungus known as Pityrosporum ovale is the principal cause of most cases of dandruff. This fungus is present in most people, and can grow out of control, causing dandruff. If you have dandruff but your scalp does not itch, it is most likely caused by this fungus.
• Seborrheic dermatitis: When your scalp is itchy, red, flaky, or when you have rashes or redness around your nose and eyebrows, you may have seborrheic dermatitis. This condition can be aggravated by cold air and stress.
• Dry scalp: Contrary to popular belief, dry scalp is not the cause of dandruff. In fact, most dandruff sufferers have oily scalps, along with topical fungal infections. Drying out the scalp can actually help reduce dandruff flakes by helping to kill the fungus, which thrives on moist environments.
• Psoriasis: Most likely a mild type of autoimmune disorder, psoriasis is difficult to diagnose and more difficult to cure, and it can be the cause of dandruff and other skin problems. See Autoimmune Disorders for more information.
• Anxiety: Stress and emotional anxiety have been linked to skin and scalp problems, and are known to make dandruff worse.

Treatments for Dandruff

A great herbal cure for dandruff: Mix equal amounts of the dried herbs, dandelion root, chamomile, burdock root, horsetail, chaparral, rosemary, coltsfoot, and lavender, and two parts nettle. Boil sufficient water for a hair rinse in a saucepan, then remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the mixture of herbs over the top and let cool. (Do not add the herbs while the water is boiling.) Strain the herbs and pour the decoction over your hair after shampooing. Many people don’t wash their hair with shampoo at all (it causes dryness) and exclusively use the hair tea daily. Bye, bye dandruff!

Here are some other things you can try:

• Nutrients: Zinc has been found to reduce dandruff in some people, bran, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds are good sources. Vitamin A and all of the B vitamins are also effective against dermatitis.  Dark green leafy vegetables, squash and sweet potatoes are good sources of vitamin A; beans, lentile, chilis, and yeasts are full of B vitamins.  Also, get enough selenium and vitamin E for better overall skin health. Whole grains  and nuts and seeds are rich in both. 
  
• Herbs: You can combat fungal and bacterial infections that cause dermatitis and yeast infections with apple cider vinegar, oregano oil, and tea tree oil (all topical). St. Johns wort is also an antifungal and antibacterial. Some people claim to have cured their dandruff and dermatitis using apple cider vinegar baths and rinses.
• Reduce antihistamines: Antihistamines can exacerbate dandruff problems, especially in cases of seborrheic dermatitis.

Treatment Tuesdays - Back Pain

The second leading reason for visits to the doctor in the United States is back pain. Almost 80% of the U.S. population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Many of them will end up on dangerous and potentially addictive pain medications and will eventually end up having surgery, steroid injections, and other invasive procedures—often continuing for years.

Research shows that most of the 25,000 back surgeries performed each year may not be necessary, and the condition often reappears in four years or less. Holistic medicine offers alternative options for curing back pain. Instead of just masking symptoms that often leads to failed results, chiropractic adjustments and other measures can be taken for successful treatment. Back pain can worsen over time, and prevention and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle are essential building blocks for aligning the body for optimal performance.

What Causes Back Pain?

The back is a complex mechanism. It has bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons; these are all held together by connective tissue called fascia. Soft tissue, nerves, skin, and collagen also play their part in the formation of the back. Imbalance or injury to any of these components can result in back pain. Some causes of back pain include:

• Poor posture
• Lack of exercise or physical activity
• Muscular strain from exercise, excessive body weight, or sleep posture
• Lack of movement and exercise
• Liver disease or liver toxicity (including from drinking alcohol)
• Misalignment of the spine, shoulders, and hips that can lead to a chronic condition
• Inflammation of the fascia, joints or tendons from injury, medications, or deterioration of surrounding ligaments
• Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and other spinal problems

Treatments for Back Pain

Prevention is the best treatment for back pain—and a solid prevention plan includes staying in good physical condition, eating a healthy diet, and stretching frequently. Paying attention to movement and posture is essential. Be sure you have a firm and spacious sleeping arrangement, and that your back is supported in the car (most car seats are not good for the back) and at work. This is especially important if you are overweight. Also, abusing alcohol or prescription medications (including antihistamines) can cause back pain from liver and kidney toxicity.

For easing back pain, you first need to identify the type of pain. Sharp, pointed lower back pain is often a symptom of muscular imbalance. This can easily be cured with long, slow stretching exercises done on the floor. If stretching and movement make your pain more acute afterward, then your back pain may be related to spinal or tissue damage. Dull, aching back pain located in the lower and mid back may be related to the kidneys, and may require a cleanse of the kidneys and liver. Powerful herbs that may help include milk thistle (liver tonic and detoxifier), Devil’s Claw (back pain relief), boldo, and green tea and extract (diuretic and anti-inflammatory).

Next, focus on inflammation with the best anti-inflammatories available in the natural world: fish oil supplements, garlic, cinnamon, and tumeric supplements. Make sure to get enough calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and C in your diet through natural, whole foods in your diet.

Other Considerations

Herbs such as lobelia and cramp bark can be rubbed on the affected area to reduce pain, and other useful herbs include cat’s claw, feverfew, rosemary, wild yam, and yucca root. If your back pain is related to kidney toxicity, then massage is not suggested. Instead, use saunas and detoxifying treatments. Other options for treating back pain include:

• Inversion therapy: Now accepted as one of the more successful treatments for certain types of back pain, inversion therapy involves hanging upside-down (at gradually increasing increments of time) on an inversion table. This helps your back muscles to completely relax and allows your spine to naturally correct itself. The extra blood flow to your head is another benefit of this treatment.
• Acupuncture to increase blood flow to stressed muscles
• Bodywork, including massage and deep tissue work, helps create balance and reconnect tissue.
• Feldenkrais Method to correct posture and improve range of motion
• Chiropractic to detect and correct spinal misalignments
• Hydrotherapy that applies water, ice, and steam to restore health
• Other alternative methods including oxygen therapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda.

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is a semi-natural treatment that stimulates the body’s production of collagen and consequently the growth of ligaments and other connective tissues. This has been useful in curing some back problems caused by ligament damage. The therapy involves injecting an irritant solution into the desired area. This causes an intense inflammatory response, which triggers a chain reaction of healing events in the body leading to the rebuilding of connective tissues. Some studies show that the new connective tissues are actually stronger than the original tissues. The treatment is generally repeated several times for full regeneration. 

Treatment Tuesday - Oral Ulcer (Canker Sore)

A mouth ulcer is a very painful open sore inside the mouth, caused by a break in the mucus membrane. Don’t panic—these sores are not herpes.

They start with tingling and burning, then form a red bump, which opens up into an ulcer, also called a canker sore. The ulcer is light colored with a red border. They sometimes have a white circle around it. The ulcer may cause painful swelling below the jaw. 

Small oral ulcers heal on their own in a couple weeks. Even a group of very small ulcers will generally heal before a month is up, with no scars or other negative effects. Larger or more painful ulcers, however, usually take more than a month to heal and you may end up with scar. Natural treatments to reduce the swelling and inflammation are a good idea for these ulcers.

What Causes Oral Ulcers?

Oral ulcers are usually an overreaction by the body's own immune system, which can be caused by food allergies, stress, and exhaustion. You can also get them from injuries such as biting the lip or getting hit on the lip, wearing braces, and passionate kisses. Here are some other causes:

• Hormonal imbalances including menstrual cycles and imbalances caused by coffee, prescription drugs, and stress
• Deficiencies in B vitamins, particularly B2, and in iron
• Candida infection
• Gluten, which is found in wheat, oats, spelt, rye, or barley and can result in chronic mouth ulcers. Many products, even natural ones, include added gluten, so read the ingredients. Even beer is often made from wheat, and of course, most bread products include gluten.
• Vitamin C products, especially ascorbic acid or citric acid
• Chemotherapy
• Illness can bring on the canker sores. If they occur often and you have avoided the known causes, your immune system is not functioning correctly.

Treatments for Oral Ulcers

• Use a highly concentrated solution of sea salt in water as hot as you can stand to hold in your mouth. Keep swishing the solution around in your mouth and on the affected area until the water cools. The salt will sting, but it will clean the bacteria out and help your tissues contract and clot, then grow back together more efficiently. Remember, your body is nearly 1% salt (sodium chloride). This salt mouthwash first expands the tissue at the wound site, then shrinks it naturally.
• Herbalists also recommend aloe vera gel and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) chewable tablets for oral ulcers. Aloe vera gel soothes and heals the mouth’s delicate mucous membranes. Clinical research suggests that chewable DGL tablets are extremely effective oral ulcer cures. According to one study, chewing on DGL tablets completely healed oral ulcers in 15 out of 20 patients. Best of all, the healing was done within only three days. 
• As with nearly all sores and ailments, you can best avoid them by keeping your body as healthy as possible by getting enough nutrition from whole food sources, getting plenty of rest and maintaining a healthy stress level. Doing all of these things will also keep your immune system in top condition.
  

Other Considerations:
Try Vitamin E oil on the scarred areas to make them disappear.

Treatment Tuesday - Sore Throat

Sore throats often mark the onset of colds and flu, so it’s important to eradicate them as soon as they appear. Left untreated, even for a just few hours, they can grow out of control and affect, even threaten, the tonsils. In many cases, they may develop into more serious throat conditions and coughs. Scratching or itching sensations in the back of the throat are generally signs of bacteria or viruses. Eating sugar and processed foods can feed them.

Thankfully, there are many natural solutions for eliminating a sore or itchy throat.

What Causes a Sore Throat?

A sore throat is a common first symptom of both colds and the flu. A number of germs, such as streptococcus, and several viruses cause sore throats. Sometimes, however, bacteria and viruses aren’t to blame. Basically, anything that inflames and dries out your throat’s mucous membranes can cause a sore throat. This means that living in an arid climate, smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, vomiting, acid reflux, screaming, and allergies can all give you a sore throat.

Sore Throat Remedies

Over-the-counter remedies for sore throat usually just cover up the symptoms of itching and irritation. Many natural remedies, however, can actually eliminate the sore throat. What’s important is that you do something right away before it develops into a more serious condition or illness.

• Hit the throat itself with antibacterial and antiviral herbs or tinctures. Some good choices are St. John’s wort, liquid Echinacea with goldenseal, and propolis tincture. Use an eyedropper or spray to apply these to your throat.
• Gargle with warm salt water or hydrogen peroxide (diluted in half with water).
• Increase vitamin C intake by eating plenty of fresh, organic fruits and other foods high in vitamin C (plums, red peppers, rose hips, currants, etc.).

• If your sore throat is not caused by virus or infection, you can sooth it with honey and anti-inflammatory herbs.  

 With sore throats, an ounce of prevention is often worth a pound of cure. Generally the best way to keep from getting a sore throat is to avoid things that cause them such as talking to loudly or excessively or smoking. For sore throats related to infections, its best to keep your body as healthy as possible by eating lots of nutritious whole foods, drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest.

Treatment Tuesdays - Stress

We all feel stress at some point, especially when the holidays are upon us. Sometimes stress is good  and sometimes it can make you downright sick!

Many experts believe that unhealthy stress is the number one cause of disease and poor health. Scientists agree that stress causes actual brain chemistry changes, and these changes can influence your health. Stress is or may be a contributing factor in everything from backaches and insomnia to cancer, heart disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Heart disease is the number one killer of American women. High blood pressure, heart attacks, heart palpitations, and stroke are often stress-related cardiovascular conditions.

Often, people feel the effects of stress as fatigue, various aches and pains, and headaches, or as emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Stress affects others by causing gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers, lower abdominal cramps, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Frequently, people under the effects of stress will have more colds and infections due to lowered immune system responses. Stress can also cause skin conditions such as itchy skin and rashes.

Why Are We So Stressed Out?

Physical stress may be the result of too much to do, not enough sleep, a poor diet, or effects of an illness. Stress can also be mental: when you worry about money, a loved one’s illness, or retirement; or experience an emotionally devastating event, such as the death of a spouse or being fired from work can add an enormous amount of stress to your life.

However, much of our stress comes from less dramatic, everyday responsibilities. Obligations and pressures, both physical and mental, are not always obvious to us. In response to these daily strains, your body automatically increases blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, metabolism, and blood flow to your muscles. This response is intended to help your body react quickly and effectively to a high-pressure situation.

This is why exercise is so vital. In nature, we are designed to be far more active than we are in modern life. The fight-or-flight response is meant to result in a physical activity, such as fighting or fleeing. When you are constantly reacting to stressful situations without making adjustments to counter the physical effects, you will feel stress—which can threaten your health and well-being. Stress significantly ages us, not only cosmetically, but throughout the body.

Stress and Hormones

Stress releases adrenaline into the bloodstream, which converts to cortisol. When there is an overabundance of cortisol in the bloodstream over long periods, it can lead to problems with thinking, raised blood pressure, weight gain in the belly, lowered immune response, muscle mass loss and connective tissue weakening, growth hormone level imbalances, blood sugar imbalances, and hypothyroidism. High cortisol from stress strongly affects memory, and even leaves the blood brain barrier open, allowing toxins to penetrate where they would not go otherwise. A life of stress leaves people more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

High cortisol can be reduced through sunshine, regular rest, exercise, and fun. If cortisol levels become too low, however, stress continues and adrenal depletion ensues. This leads to exhaustion, and is implicated in Chronic Fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

The adrenals also produce too little DHEA when they are busy with cortisol, which can be rebalanced through joy and laughter. You be can be tested for your DHEA levels to see if you need supplementation for either low or high levels of cortisol phases, but careful supervision by a health care practitioner is suggested to make sure DHEA is being used to create the proper hormones in your body. Do NOT use DHEA if you suspect prostate cancer.

Treatments for Reducing Stress

Here are a few suggestions for stress management to help maintain a healthy lifestyle:

• First and foremost, stop thriving on stress. If your lifestyle choices cause too much stress, ask yourself what you gain by continuing to make these choices (or by not changing). Perhaps a larger fear or avoidance pattern is behind the stress.
• Remove caffeine from your diet—completely! Stress is severely worsened by stimulants like coffee, and sugar, even though you may be tempted to use them because your weakened adrenals may need extra stimulation if you are pushing yourself to keep going. Don’t, as that only perpetuates the cycle and you will feel even worse later.
• Noise increases stress response, so find time in a quiet place. Better yet, create a quiet space and use it regularly for introspection, meditation, and relaxation.

Make sure you’re eating highly nutritious food if you have a high-stress lifestyle. You can help balance your system by adding super food nutrition from dark green, leafy vegetables, sea vegetables bee pollen, olive leaf extract, pine bark extract, and other nutrient-rich foods and botanicals.

Other Considerations

When you feel stress start to build, take a deep breath! Flood your body with life-giving oxygen and feel the difference immediately. There’s a reason Grandma always said take a deep breathe and settle down—because it works! One of the body’s responses to stress is to shorten the breath, which will deprive the body of oxygen. Again, in nature we would typically respond to stress in ways that would have us fighting, fleeing, or both. Physical activity (think exercise) following a stressful or threatening encounter will have us breathing deeply and more efficiently using the adrenaline and other hormones and chemicals released by our body. In modern life, we often deal with stress while we are sitting down. We continue the shallow breathing and often keep it all inside. A recipe for disaster!

• Jin Shin Do is a method of working with acupressure points to help release core stresses and help you cope with everyday stressors.
• A good massage will alleviate much stress and muscle tension.
• For many, aromatic baths can do wonders. Fill a hot bath and add Epsom salts and 20 drops of lavender, chamomile, lilac, or neroli essential oils. Breathe deeply while you soak. The aromatic healing properties will melt away your stress.

THE POWER OF A CUCUMBER

The Amazing Cucumber This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber.  Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?  Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds?  Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long.  The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool?  Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite.  Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache?  Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes?  Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge?  Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa?  Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints?  Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?  Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake?  Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Treatment Tuesday - Heartburn

Well Labor Day is now over and so are the barbecues. It's fun to cook outside in the warm weather for your friends and family. However, one thing that those kinds of foods (especially paired with beer or soda) can cause to unsuspecting attendees is heartburn.

Although heartburn has nothing to do with the heart, the primary symptom is a burning sensation around the heart area, or just below the breast plate. It can rise into the esophagus and even affect the throat. For some, heartburn is an uncomfortable sensation. For others, it causes acute pain and damage to the esophagus, and it can last for days.

Avoid using over-the-counter antacids. Prolonged use of these products can cause severe kidney damage and other problems resulting from aluminum and sodium bicarbonate.

What Causes Heartburn?

Most people believe too much stomach (hydrochloric) acid causes heartburn. Usually, however, the problem is too little acid. Eating only small meals after 3 p.m. and avoiding all caffeine, fried foods, spicy foods, and tomato sauces in the evening can eliminate many of your serious gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) problems.

Additionally, some behaviors cause heartburn and, in these cases, the only way to prevent and relieve heartburn is to change those behaviors. Overeating, for example, is a major cause of heartburn, as the excess food causes pressure changes in the stomach that push food up into the lower part of the esophagus.

Natural Treatment and Prevention

Let’s start with some ways to treat heartburn. Here are some ways to quickly recover and restore your normal stomach pH. Try different ideas from this list until you find a solution that works for you:

• Drink a cup of cold milk. The milk will coat your stomach and esophagus, providing quick relief from the burning acid.
• Take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (acetic acid) to aid digestion and stop the heartburn.
• If you need a little more help, take a teaspoon of baking soda (not baking powder, which is full of deadly aluminum) in half a glass of warm water and drink. This will cut down gas and heartburn. 

Treatment Tuesday - Viral Infections

Summer is nearing its end and autumn is almost upon us. With it, fall tends to bring cold and flu season. Viruses seem to thrive in our bodies as the weather grows cold, fortunately there are several things that we can do to prevent and fight viruses.

What Are Viruses?

Unlike bacteria, viruses are not living organisms. They are particles or molecules that reproduce inside the cells of other (host) organisms, causing damage to the host. They are difficult to remove once they take hold, so the best treatment against viruses is preventative treatment.

Antiviral Treatments

Viruses live and thrive in unhealthy systems, so the most effective way to remain virus-free is to keep your system strong and healthy. This means fortifying your immune system through a healthy diet. Besides adding positive substances, your antiviral treatment should include the removal of negative substances, such as tobacco smoke, excess alcohol, food toxins and additives, environmental toxins and stress. Here is a summary of the essentials:

• Take olive leaf extract and nutrient-rich, health-forming foods to support your immune system.
• Take Echinacea, St. John’s wort, and skullcap herbs for antiviral protection.
• Get exercise and a little sunlight every day, and eat more high-antioxidant foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts are great).
• Stop smoking and excessive drinking, and remove processed foods and excess sugar from your diet.
  

Other Considerations

Research indicates that the mineral zinc is also an effective antiviral agent. For example, a double-blind study published in 2000 demonstrated that zinc significantly reduces the length of overall common cold symptoms by 50%, including cough by 50% and nasal discharge by 30%.
Foods high is zinc are shellfish, red meat, beans and nuts.

Other antiviral supplements include:

High doses of enzymes will also make your body a hostile environment for viruses, while assisting digestion and cleaning out pockets of waste in your lower bowel, a place where viruses breed. These natural viral reagents will cause the weaker viruses to die and the stronger, more virulent ones to retreat into a small, safe place they can burrow in, somewhere in your body, depending on the type of virus. They’ll only awaken if you feed them something that wakes them from their dormant state (e.g., poor diet, smoking, drinking, drugging, a negative mind-set, stress, and poor sleep patterns).

Treatment Tuesday - ADD/ADHD

All children can be rowdy and hyper-energetic from time to time. And they all have times when it’s difficult for them to sit still and concentrate. But if these behaviors reach chronic levels, or measurably interfere with their ability to learn and cope with their lives, then it’s possible the child has attention deficit disorder (ADD), most recently referred to as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ADHD starts in childhood and affects approximately 12% of children under 16 and is on the rise. Around 60% of children with ADHD will still have symptoms by the time they reach adulthood. Many sources go on and on about the types of behaviors that are symptomatic of ADHD, but they mostly boil down to the following:

• Hyperactivity (inability to calm down)
• Impulsive behavior (extremely low impulse control)
• Inattention and lack of ability to concentrate
• Learning disabilities (largely due to the above symptoms)
• Defiant or disruptive behavior, angry outbursts

What Causes ADD/ADHD?

ADHD is considered to be a neurological disorder or, more specifically, a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning that it is a problem with brain development. However, scientists and healers are divided on the subject and many natural healers believe that ADD and ADHD is just the pharmaceutical industry’s label for a range of symptoms that largely come from poor nutrition, specifically from the Standard American Diet (SAD). Other natural health practitioners believe that ADHD is a set of symptoms that come from dysfunctional environments (home, school, church, etc.).

The following is a summary of the most widely accepted theories:
• Genetic predisposition
• Brain injury during pregnancy, at birth, or in early childhood
• Environmental toxins during pregnancy and in early childhood
• Lack of nutrition combined with excess of bad foods
• Dysfunction in a child’s key environment
• Mercury toxicity from vaccines

Treatments for ADD/ADHD

Most medical experts say that there is no cure for ADD/ADHD, only treatments that help keep ADD-related behaviors in check and improve cognitive functioning. Whether or not that’s true depends on your definition of what, exactly, ADD/ADHD is. There’s a good chance that one or more of these natural remedies will help the problem. Therefore, the best therapy involves a combination of cognitive, nutritional, and psychological treatments, including the following:

• Replace sugary, fatty foods like cheese, candy, sodas, and fried foods with nutrient-rich, health-forming foods like green leafy vegetables, Spirulina, kelp, bee pollen, and maca. Studies prove that children with better diets are able to concentrate and relax more, and have higher achievement levels.
• Increase omega fatty acids in the diet with fish and flaxseed.
• Increase intake of vitamins C and E (fruit, nuts and whole grains are excellent sources)and start an antioxidant-rich diet.
• Avoid food additives and foods known to cause allergies, including wheat, dairy products, and processed meats.
• Reduce stress at home and in school and implement relaxation and calming practices.
• Reduce dysfunction at home through emotional support treatments for the entire family.

Other Considerations

If you have trouble getting your child off a sugar and junk food dependent diet, try getting away from the source of the temptation. Take a healthy, good-foods vacation for the entire family.

Treatment Tuesday - Acne

Though it is often worse in adolescence, and to be somewhat expected due to hormonal changes at that time, acne can happen to anyone at any time, and is a signal the body gives that something is out of balance. Getting embarrassed just adds to stress, which is one of the causes of acne–so smile anyway!


Causes of Acne

Acne begins in the follicles in the skin. At puberty, testosterone starts to circulate in the oil glands of the face and other parts of the body (but the face is the greatest concern). More oil (sebum) is produced. Everyone’s pores react differently to this increase in oil. For some, skin cells proliferate at an increased rate near the opening of the oil ducts. This higher production of cells, mixed with the higher production of oil, clogs the pores of the skin.


Here’s a summary of the causes:

• Hormonal cycles of not only adolescence, but also of women’s menstrual cycles, can cause acne, as well as stress, poor elimination (constipation), drugs, too much sugar leading to overgrowth of bacteria, and overly acidic blood.
• Blackheads and whiteheads can worsen, not only from the skin not being cleaned often or thoroughly enough, but also because of deficiencies such as magnesium, vitamin A, and B vitamins.
• Poor digestion can cause a buildup of toxins throughout the body, which often comes out through the pores; irritating the skin and leaving it open for acne infection.
• Anything put on the face can clog the pores, especially commercial products that are filled with chemicals that can cause the skin to react.
• Food allergies can manifest as acne.

Treatments for Acne
There are many natural treatments for acne, but not all of them are effective. Here are some of the essentials for clearing up your complexion:

• Cut down on the problem foods: sugar, fried foods, meat, processed food, soft drinks, and dairy products
• Increase water, raw foods, and eat plenty of watermelon. Be sure to get a good allowance of vitamin C and al of the B vitamins through food sources. Rose hips, red peppers, guavas and kiwi are good sources of Vitamin C; meats, potatoes, bananas, chile peppers and beans have good amount of B vitamins, although they are present in all whole, unprocessed foods.
• Reduce stress

Internal Work
Whatever the severity, one aspect of controlling acne is to interfere with the retention of the faster-forming, extra cells clogged with the extra oil in the pore. First, avoid eating foods that add to the problem. This means staying away from foods high in trans-fatty acids and animal fats, as well as refined carbohydrates. Many experts say that acidic blood is a main cause of acne, and this is a product of ingesting too much fried food, meat, sugary foods, white flour products, and soft drinks (big shocker!). Trans-fatty acids, such as margarine and heated oils prevent you from digesting the vitamins and minerals necessary for smooth skin. Avoid eating foods you are allergic to, the most common being wheat and dairy. And reduce stress and slow down when you eat.
Once you stop consuming foods and beverages that add to the problem, the next step is to fix the acne already on your skin. Here are some suggestions:

• It is important to drink eight 12-ounce glasses of pure water per day. This helps your skin flush out oil, cells, and bacteria. Remember, water is the universal solvent.
• Watermelon juice is another skin-healthy beverage.
• Another way to help your body eliminate wastes that help cause acne is by adding a variety of fiber-rich foods to your diet. Lightly cooked or, better yet, raw vegetables are a great source of fiber. They make a healthy contribution to any meal and they also make a satisfying and tasty midday snack to ward off hunger. Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole-grain bread, and legumes are also great sources of fiber. These fiber-rich foods keep your digestive tract moving and clean, leading to acne-free skin and a healthier body overall.
• Add the vitamins and minerals your skin needs to be healthy to your current diet. Adding vitamin C, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene which can be found in carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and spinach) can go a long way toward clearing up your acne. NOTE: Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not take more than 8,000 IU/day of vitamin A. Consult your doctor if you fall into this category.

External Cleansing
In order to beat acne, you also need to fight the buildup of excess oils on your skin from the outside. Wash your skin with a mild soap and rinse with hydrogen peroxide, let dry, then wash with clean water again. Finish your washing regimen by spraying your face generously with lignite-activated water (also known as Willard Water). The addition of alpha hydroxy acid (fruit acid) speeds up the removal of dead cells, leaving a smoother complexion. At night, you can cover your face with a bentonite clay mask and let dry, and then wash off --pulling out impurities.


You’re Just Making it Worse

The more you touch your acne, the worse it will get. Oils and bacteria from your fingers can infect acne or, at the least, cause it to spread. Resist the temptation to touch your face. If you must squeeze a pimple, be sure to do so under sterile conditions. Wash your hands with an alcohol¬based antibacterial gel and be sure to have witch hazel ready for cleanup. Better yet, have a professional do it for you. That’s what they are paid for.
Avoid shaving if you have serious acne on your face. If you must shave, use an electric razor if possible.

Treatment Tuesday - Allergies

If you're like most people, you're probably allergic to something. It could be anything from a life-threatening allergy to peanuts or shellfish or just seasonal hay fever, or you may not have any clue what you are allergic to. In any case allergy symptoms can be at the very least annoying. Of course the best thing to do is to avoid your specific allergens, but that isn't always possible.

What Causes Allergies?

Allergies are caused by imbalances or deficiencies in the immune system. These deficiencies can be caused by dietary or nutritional imbalances, or a buildup of toxins in the body.

Treatments

Here are the first steps to controlling allergies:

• Build you immune system with high­ potency foods, such as bee pollen, Spirulina, and alfalfa. Drink plenty of water to hydrate your cells.
• Cleanse your colon and liver and use liver­-supporting foods and herbs.
• Avoid common food allergens, such as dairy and wheat products.
• Avoid toxic chemicals and get off long­ term prescriptions medications, including birth control pills.
  

For airborne allergies, local, raw bee pollen (which must be kept frozen) has been miraculous for many people. Start with a tablespoon, then increase the dose as it feels right. To avoid making matters worse, you should also refrain from smoking (including being exposed to secondhand smoke) and reduce your exposure to other forms of air pollution where possible.

Adrenal cortex extract (150 mg twice daily with food) with 1 gram of pantothenic acid and 2 grams of vitamin C in the morning and before bed may help rebuild the adrenal glands, which will help to ameliorate allergies. Skullcap herb also can help ease allergies.

Your liver plays a large role in allergies as well. An unhealthy liver means that blood is not being processed and cleaned well, which leads to allergies. Use milk thistle and apple juice to support your liver, and consider a liver cleanse.

Additionally, some health experts believe that an undiagnosed, underlying allergy to dairy products is the root of upper respiratory allergies such as hay fever and asthma. You may want to try eliminating dairy products such as milk and cheese from your diet for a while to see if it helps.