February 5, 2012

Posts Comments

No Pain, No Gain? The Best Natural Relief

November 1, 2011 By 2 Comments

I decided to watch a bit of the Ironman competition the other night.  They began to feature a man named Lew Hollander.  He looked around 65 years old and they said he was about to complete his 21st Ironman competition.  That in itself was shocking, but then they went on to say that he was not 65 as I thought, but 80 years old!  My jaw dropped.  Lew Hollander is truly a testimony of what our bodies are capable of doing.

Many people believe that pain, discomfort and lack of physical fitness come with age.  They believe there is nothing you can do about it and you just have to “survive” the best you can.  This is not true!  Our bodies are amazing creations and made to function without pain and discomfort well into our “old age.”

If we experience pain and discomfort, then our body is giving us a message: something is out of balance.  Instead of taking medication to dull the pain, the key is to find the cause of the imbalance and correct it.

Inflammatory Pain

The #1 cause of pain is inflammation.  Whether you are dealing with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis or just over-all aches and pains, inflammation is the likely culprit.

Many things can cause inflammation in the body:

  • Injury or trauma
  • Infection
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Allergic reactions
  • Stress

.

When your body starts to kill the natural defense system instead of protecting it, chronic inflammation becomes a problem. To start your healing, begin at the end of the fork.  Sodas, French fries, chips and burgers are the real weapons of mass destruction.

Inflammationwas not meant to be the “bad guy.” It is actually designed to help heal. It clears damaged and dysfunctional tissue from area and creates an increased blood flow causing swelling.  This swelling allows repair cells and protein-rich plasma to gather around the wound to help heal it.

But when inflammation becomes ongoing, it can start causing more harm than good.  In fact, chronic inflammation is a disease.  This type of inflammation can cause serious conditions, including:

  • Heart disease
  • Cancer
  • Diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • And more

 Anti-Inflammatory Drugs = Terrible Side-Effects

Once inflammation becomes problematic, doctors typically prescribe some sort of anti-inflammatory or steroid.  These drugs may work, but long-term use is harsh on the body.   Steroids actually weaken your immune system and put you at greater risk for infections.  Long-term use of steroids can cause many harmful side-effects, including:...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









Filed Under: Pain Management, November 2011, Slideshow, The 7 Rungs of the Health & Wellness Ladder Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Turmeric: The Golden Goddess

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Could Indian Food Help Fight Pain?

Within the cornucopia of medicinal plants, few possess such a wide spectrum of qualities and medicinal uses as turmeric. It has been used to treat a myriad of disease and ailments around the world for countless centuries.  The active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory effectiveness, but is also praised as an alternative analgesic, antibacterial, antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-tumor, anti-allergic with many other healing qualities now being recognized and understood by modern science.

The fragrant, yummy dishes featuring turmeric has more going for it than just flavor. Curcumin gives turmeric its orange-yellow color and acts as an anti-inflammatory that involves blocking cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the target of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Celebrex (celecoxib) and Motrin (ibuprofen). It has even been linked through research to help fight against cancer by neutralizing those substances and conditions which can cause cancer, helping a cell retain its integrity if threatened by a tumor, and if a tumor does grow the curcumins can often destroy it.

Turmeric has also been advocated for use in treating diabetes, as curcumin can increase insulin levels. As a powerful anti-inflammatory herb in supplement form, turmeric has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, injuries, trauma, and stiffness from both under activity and over activity. Whether suffering from an acute or chronic disease, aches and pains, bumps and bruises, or as preventative maintenance, turmeric can and should be utilized by everyone on a regular basis.

Through an independent testing lab, turmeric supplements were tested for quality, indicated label amounts and purity. One product tested lacked the expected amount of turmeric and is therefore unsafe for consumption:...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









 

Filed Under: Pain Management, November 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , ,

Let the Soothing Begin with Eucalyptus

May 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Eucalyptus has natural anti-inflammatory properties to rub in and soak in!

I recently found a bag of eucalyptus leaves in the basement as I was (deep) spring cleaning. They were put away years ago after being used decoratively in a vase and wall hanging. I forgot what was in the bag when I found it, but the beautiful smell quickly reminded me there were dried eucalyptus branches inside! Since the wall-hanging days long ago and my natural health interest has peaked with battling cancer, I began wondering how I could put these eucalyptus leaves to use.

What I found was that dried eucalyptus leaves are good for only a few things:

  • Eucalyptus Tea: Pour 1 cup of boiled water over up to 1/2 tsp of the dried eucalyptus leaves, Cover and steep for 10 minutes; strain. Sweeten with honey. Drink up to 2-3 cups/day.
  • Sachets: Stuff-dried eucalyptus leaves into small cotton or muslin drawstring bag and place in drawers or closets to diffuse the eucalyptus scent.

I also knew that eucalyptus oil could be good for airway congestion. What amazed me, however, was...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









Filed Under: Grandma's Cure Corner, Inflammation, June 2010, Slideshow Tagged With: , , ,

The Prevalence Of Inflammation And The Tyranny That Promotes It

May 19, 2010 By 1 Comment

The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) figures about 70% of people around the world trust and count on “alternative health care” or “holistic healing.”

Finally, the natural, time-tested approach to healthcare is rapidly gathering acceptance by health care providers and big league HMOs like Oxford Health Plans, Inc. The point of fact is there is a rising grass roots movement, an overwhelming public cry, for a more effective and affordable medical culture.

Harvard Medical School did a study back in 1993, which revealed 33% of Americans benefit from “alternative” health care. In 1994, a study done by the US Congress showed that about 50% of the United States population use holistic health products regularly.

There are many reasons why collaborating with Mama Nature’s cures has always been so successful. But, foremost, it’s because your health is always restored when you meet its conditions.

So, if the answer is so simple, then why is America’s health care system so messed up?

The error Westernized medicine is guilty of is that it no longer abides by the precepts of the Hippocratic Oath, that declares “First Do No Harm.” That was easy to follow before the advent of synthetic drugs, patentable pharmaceuticals and special interest groups. But, now, it seems doing harm is standard practice.

That’s why we spend more on healthcare than anyone in the world.

Out of 19 developed countries, Americans spend more money annually on modern or allopathic medicine than any other, which is projected to hit about 4.3 TRILLION by 2017. And even though we spend the most money, we are ranked last at 19 out of 19 industrial nations for our overall health. What’s with that?

Bottom line is we are NOT getting anything close to what we are paying for.

Greed has slipped into the equation and to protect greed’s best interest powerful global monopolies have been incorporated whose sole purpose is to...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









Filed Under: Big Pharma Corporate Arm, Inflammation, June 2010, Slideshow Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Eating Plan Proven to Fight Inflammation

May 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Help Your Body Remain Optimally Healthy and Pain-Free with Right Food Choices

The standard American diet of high fat, over processed, salt laden food creates a high degree of inflammation that leads to debilitating conditions and life threatening illnesses. When you think of inflammation, think of its symptoms:

  • Heat
  • Swelling
  • Pain
  • Fever
  • Highly unstable plaques in your arteries

These are intense inflammation symptoms that destroy the body. Before they kill, they disrupt the body and give rise to a variety of distributing conditions that include:

  • Overweight
  • Chest pain
  • Loss of circulation
  • Fatigue
  • High insulin
  • High glucose
  • Mood changes
  • Pervasive discomfort

You can help tame the inflammation-symptoms on the inside of your body with the right food choices instead of taking over-the-counter painkillers or prescription medicines. Food may be the most powerful drug you will ever encounter because it formulates dramatic changes in your body that are hundreds of times more effective than...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









Filed Under: Healthy Recipes & Eating Ideas, Inflammation, June 2010, Recipes, Slideshow Tagged With: , , ,