Healthy Life

Archive for December, 2009

In Chinese Medicine, many of the symptoms of high blood pressure, such as pounding headaches, dizziness, and pressure behind the eyes are often related to a pattern of Liver Yang Rising or Liver Heat. It is important to see a physician for proper diagnosis and supervision of high blood pressure, but acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may also be useful for managing your condition. Certain herbs have been shown to have an anti-hypertensive effect. Certain other herbs have been shown to be useful for controlling cholesterol levels and improving cardiovascular function. Acupuncture has been shown to have a general relaxing effect which can be useful in stress related or essential hypertension. In addition, certain points are commonly used in the treatment of patterns that relate to high blood pressure.

One commonly used herb for symptoms and patterns related to high blood pressure is Tian Ma or gastrodia rhizome. Research in China has shown it to be useful in the treatment of symptoms related to high blood pressure such as dizziness, numbness of extremities, tinnitus, headaches, and pain behind the eyes. It may have a sedative and tranquillizing effect. It has been shown to have usefulness for renal hypertension and essential hypertension. Another useful herb is Ye Ju Hua or chrysanthemum flower, which has been shown to have a prolonged effect of lowering blood pressure through peripheral vessel dilation. It has also been shown to increase blood flow to the heart. Another herb that is used to clear Liver Heat and is commonly used to treat eye problems that may be beneficial for high blood pressure is Xia Ku Cao or prunella. Chinese research has shown that it has a moderate vasodilating effect. These herbs are often used in combination by practitioners of Oriental Medicine in the treatment of patterns related to high blood pressure.

Other herbs may be useful for improving heart and circulatory function. They may also help reduce cholesterol. Shan Zha, or hawthorn berries, have been shown to reduce cholesterol when taken for six weeks or more. It is often used in China to improve circulation and to treat angina pectoris. Another herb that is commonly used in China for cardiovascular problems is Dan Shen, or Salvia. It has also been shown to reduce cholesterol. It also may improve microcirculation in the body. In China, pills of Dan Shen are used in the treatment of angina and in the treatment of coronary heart disease. It also may help promote repair and regeneration of tissues by increasing the body’s metabolism.

Certain acupuncture points are also known to be useful in the treatment of patterns related to high blood pressure. Large Intestine 4 is a point that many people know can help to control headaches. It is on the back side of the hand in between the thumb and index finger. It is also commonly used point for blood pressure related patterns. Another point at the vertex of the head, Du 20, is also commonly used. An acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist always takes an inventory of symptoms, along with looking at a person’s tongue and feeling a person’s pulse in order to determine the specific combination of points and herbs that a person needs. Different people with high blood pressure are treated differently depending on the pattern they present.

During my time in China, I did clinical rounds in the cardiology department at the Chengdu Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. Modern drugs and diagnostic equipment were used hand in hand with Chinese herbs and acupuncture in order to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias, heart enlargement, and stroke. I even saw Chinese herbs, such as Dan Shen, being given in intravenous and in injectable form. The conditions were diagnosed using modern science and traditional Chinese diagnosis. Drugs were used for symptom control and for emergencies. As people’s condition improved with the use of Chinese herbs and acupuncture, their doctors slowly adjusted the dosage of drugs that they received. The results I saw were better than either form of medicine could have achieved alone. We do not have the benefit of experiencing such a deep synthesis of modern medicine and ancient techniques yet in the West. Nevertheless, I believe that as people learn more about the benefits of Asian medicine, we may someday come close to achieving a more integrated system of care in the West that will be more clinically effective, more cost effective, and result in fewer side effects.

Although it has sour taste, lime (citrus aurantifolia) has many benefits, from as being used for flavouring beverage to supporting beauty. This fruit functions as expectorant, astringen, antiseptic and antioksidant. No wonder it becomes one of the most popular fruits in the world.

According to the historical data available, lime came from South East Asia before spreading to Africa, Europe and US. But whenever its origin, one should admit that it has many amazing benefits.

For instance, it works wonder for a smelly body. Having smelly body can reduce one’s confidence, right? That’s why some people also use it for washing their hands after eating.

For you who have oily skin, lime can solve the problem by causing the pores to contract. That is why this fruit is often used to reduce the oil on an oily face. By rubbing it on your face, particularly on your nose and forehead, you can overcome any problem that is commonly inherent in an oily face such as acne. Well, by opening your kitchen cabinet and with a few minutes of preparation you can find a safer, less expensive, and easy-to-use natural skin care.

The same goes for the skin of your head; lime can be used to vanish annoying dandruff. If you want to use this fruit as dandruff cure, first squezee it and use the water. Rub the water on your head skin and leave it for about half an hour. Then wash your head with water.

Having cold.and flu? Don’t worry! This fruit is a good home remedy for cold and flu. Boil three limes in 500 ml of water. Leave it until the amount of water become half of the original amount. Add honey and drink it warm.

If you get cut, smear its water on it. Although it is painful, the astringen substance will stop the cut from bleeding and cover it.

Last, don’t forget that this fruit is very juicy. Although not as rich as in other kinds of citrus fruits, Vitamin C contained in lime is much enough. You can make a fresh drink with it. Add sugar and ice to make it taste better. If you are experiencing throat ache, try to drink it. lime juice can also be drunk by dieting people. Vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamin C are very good for maintaining a balance diet.

The benefits of lime are much longer than just these few. But as always, If you are in doubt, you should consult with any knowledgeable health professional before using it. There will be times when you do need modern medicines or supplements.

Ginseng tea is great for short periods; this tea can alleviate many symptoms of common aliments and lessen fatigue.  Ginseng is the main ingredient to many of the medicinal teas.  However, prolonged use can lead to insomnia and heart trouble, so be sure to consult your physician before drinking ginseng tea regularly as an alternative to coffee for that afternoon pick me up.

In China, ginseng is held in high regard.  It is believed that ginseng has rejuvenating powers and provides stimulation to the whole body.  Ginseng also offers protection against fatigue.  Ginseng is known to be a stimulant for the central nervous system.  This root can also help with inflammation, fever, and hormonal imbalances to name a few.

The tea is usually made from the Wisconsin ginseng root.  Slices can be steeped to create a tea that is a strong as the consumer would like, or purchased as a powder and brewed using tea balls.  Both of these methods let the drinker control the amount of tea used.  There are ginseng tea bags available from specialty stores, but it is not recommended to buy the tea without reading all the ingredients as some packaged teas are sold as ginseng but in fact have very little of this herb in them, instead using mostly fillers

Consult an herbal practitioner or naturopath as to the right type of ginseng and how to brew your tea.  The tea can be sweetened with a little honey or stored cold in the refrigerator, as this tea is quite good served iced.

Take note, if you are pregnant use ginseng sparingly or not at all.

For many centuries people of China used green tea for treating various diseases. However with the advancement of time, today people of west use green tea, realizing its several benefits. Green Tea has long been esteemed in China for its involvement to good health. Fame of Green tea in the United States persists to develop, viewing that green tea is an innate foundation of antioxidants. These antioxidants aid defend the body from accelerating aging and augmented danger of ailments. Years of research reveal that green tea restrains the expansion of objectionable cell colonies, thus building it the healthiest tea obtainable.

Let us take a look at the benefits of green tea:

Green tea has many health benefits, and it can be used for avoidance of the diseases: Cancer, Rheumatoid Arthritis, High Cholesterol, Cardiovascular Disease, cataracts, Infection, and Impaired Immune Function.

Green tea helps in weight loss course. The green tea leaves augments metabolism in the body there fore consumption green tea helps you burn more calories.

Green tea has the capability to fight bacteria and this can be counted as one of the chief benefits of green tea. This boosts your immune system thereby increasing the resistance power. It also helps kill bacteria that cause plaque and succeeding tooth decay. Green tea can help in fight food poisoning.

In addition, green tea can help lessening blood sugar level and cholesterol level in your blood.

Also green tea helps in getting rid of bad breath. Some element is present in green tea that stunts the growth of bad odor causing bacteria. Therefore a cup or two of green regularly can help in maintaining fresh breath.

If you are a chain smoker and also you consume around six cups of green tea a day then the propensity of risk caused due to the toxins emitted by cigarette smoke is reduced to a great extent.

Green Tea also contributes to maintain your beauty. With the help of green tea you can freshen up your face and apply around your tired eyes to get soothing feeling. If you have freckles or blemishes on your face you can apply the green tea to get rid of the spots. The green tea also has benefits for antiseptic purposes. It can be used to treat minor cuts, rashes and also can be treated to cure sunburn.

Green Tea is organically grown and the customary drying method used with Green Tea prevents the tea from the harmful effects of fermentation.

Products of green tea are available in different strength levels. Some supplements are comprised of low strengths of the active polyphones, whereas others go as far as using un-standardized green tea leaf powder.

It has been confirmed that green tea is stuffed with health benefits. It acts as a influential antioxidant, which has been identified to assist prevent cancer, pull through from the harmful cholesterol, and guard against harm caused by free radicals.

It has been reported by National Cancer Institute that Green Tea has Cancer avoiding aptitudes and components for fighting against insert fresh life to the market. People who have depended on costly anti-oxidant products are finding that Green Tea is very cost-effective and organic. Tea is one of the foremost selling fresh drinks, only after water.

However you manage to incorporate green tea in your diet, as well as it on a standard basis will help you receive utmost results. Put in green tea to a vigorous, balanced diet and exercise schedule for general fitness.

Obesity is one of the biggest problems faced by millions of people in America. This has resulted in a big weight loss corporate industry in the country like Weight watchers, Jenny Carig and many others. Although there are good programs, I feel people can themselves do quite a bit to reduce their weight. The two major factors in weight loss are exercise and controlled diet. I have put together several points which will be useful to individuals looking to reduce their weight.

1. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Most fruits are low in calories and make you full sooner. Not to mention the other vitamins and fibers they also contain.

2. Read those nutrition fact labels: It is a good idea to know how many calories you are consuming. Some foods combo’s can be deceptive, for example if you are having a plate of salad topped with lot of high calorie dressing and a soda, they you have just had more calories then you might get from a combination of grilled chicken sandwich (with no cheese and dressing) plus diet soda. So be smart with what you eat. Prefer home cooked food as much as possible.

3. Eating smaller frequent meals will also help you cut down the total intake of calories compared to 3 big meals a day.

4. Give yourself a break: Being too restrictive can anyway demotivate you, so to give yourself regular breaks. But do not over-eat at the same time, be conservative and try to make up for it in other meals.

5. Drinks: Soda, juice, cream are all loaded with sugars which we usually do not account into out diet plan. Drink water instead.

6. Exercise: Do not always depend on your car for everything, walk wherever you can. Go hiking and those backpacks help to burn extra calories. Make friends who have a active lifestyle, join gym or get a treadmill in your home. Remember to increase your exercise in a progressive manner day by day instead of doing strenuous exercise from day one. Be practical on what your body can take and avoid overexertion.

7. Get motivation: Talk to people who have had success in weight loss and they will give you a lot of inspiration.

8. Get enough sleep, reduce stress and live happy.

9. Reward yourself when you reach your monthly weight loss milestones.

10. Never give up, even if you have failed a few times previously.

11. Eating slowly can lead to weight loss: Did you ever notice that thin people take an awfully long time to eat their food? Eating slowly is one method that can help take off pounds. That’s because from the time you begin eating it takes the brain 20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. Fast eaters often eat beyond their true level of fullness before the 20 minute signal has had a chance to set in. The amount of calories consumed before you begin to feel full can vary significantly depending on how quickly you eat. So slow down, take smaller bites and enjoy and savor every tasty morsel.

I am not an expert so it is advisable to consult your doctor before starting any weight loss effort and they will also tell you if you have any medical condition that may prevent you to follow these tips.

Some people drink alcohol occasionally or socially during special dinners or cocktails.  Others use it to steady their nerves before making that very important speech or scheduled public appearance.  Still, others who are suffering from a sleep disorder drink a generous amount of alcohol to get themselves that much-needed rest and sleep.  So, who says that alcohol is bad?  Even the Bible agrees with its medicinal properties as cited in the Old and New Testaments no less that 191 times.
We all know that alcohol is a by-product of fruits, grains or vegetables through a process called fermentation.  It makes use of yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol which may come in different forms for purposes of cleaning, as antiseptic, and as a depressant or sedative.
Studies show that moderate drinkers tend to live longer and are less likely to suffer heart stroke than those who either abstain or drink heavily.  While it is true that moderate alcohol intake offers some benefits such as longevity and healthier life, too much consumption can offset all these potential benefits which could lead to serious health conditions such as liver disease, heart attack, pancreatitis, brain atrophy, or miscarriage, among others.  These conflicting information should not confuse anyone.  Indeed, for every benefit of alcohol consumption entails a counterpart risk one must take into consideration.
Moderate alcohol drinking standard is about two drinks a day if you’re a male under 65 years old, or one drink a day if you’re over 65 regardless whether you’re a male or female.  One drink is equivalent to 12 ounces (oz.) of beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits.  The older the person becomes, the slower the ability to break down alcohol. This is why adults become more intoxicated more quickly as well as more prone to alcohol’s harmful side effects.
Certain health conditions can be made worse by drinking any amount of alcohol.  Those who have history of a hemorrhagic stroke, liver disease, pancreatic disease and those with evidence of pre-cancerous stages in the esophagus, larynx, pharynx, or mouth must never take any alcohol.  People with a family history of alcoholism are at higher risk of becoming alcoholics themselves.  Most importantly, women must avoid alcohol drinks at all cost during pregnancy as this will put the unborn baby at health risks.
Moreover, alcohol intake may interact with over-the-counter sleeping pills, antibiotics, antidepressants, pain relievers, diabetes medications, antihistamines, anticoagulants, anti-seizure medications and beta blockers among other many common prescription medications.
Aspirin combined with alcohol increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding while alcohol’s effect on acetaminophen may cause some liver damage.  The Food and Drug Administration requires all over-the-counter pain relievers and fever reducers to carry a warning label advising those who consume three or more alcohol drinks a day to consult with their physicians first before taking the drug.
Drinking alcohol can help a person feel a little bit relaxed or anxious because alcohol is a depressant.  It slows the function of the central nervous system and blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain, affecting perception, emotion, movement, vision, hearing.  Too much alcohol consumption will result in intoxication, making a person lose coordination of movement and affect even coherence of speech.  They become disoriented and show changes in their usual behavioral. Depending on the individual’s tolerance level of alcohol, intoxication can make a person very friendly, talkative, aggressive or violent.  It also slows down a person’s reflexes and reactions making driving a dangerous activity for someone who is intoxicated.
There is extreme danger when large amounts of alcohol is consumed over a short period of time.  When a person begins to vomit violently and experiences extreme sleepiness, unconsciousness, difficulty breathing, alarmingly low blood sugar, and seizures — these can be signs of extreme intoxication. When the body has become poisoned by too much alcohol, even death may occur.
Some people may not realize it but too much alcohol, like drug use, can develop into abuse and even addiction which may become a problem for them and those around them. Without you knowing it, you may have been influencing even the young people to use alcohol when they are not yet of age.  In spite of it being illegal to purchase alcohol when a person is below 21 years old, still, teens can easily get access to it in different ways.
To drink or not to drink alcohol is a question only you and your physician can answer.  Very few health care professionals would advise non-drinkers to drink alcohol for the sake of a healthier condition.  However, if you are a moderate drinker and manage to maintain great health, there is no pressure to stop but always remember to drink responsibly.