How To make a Skin Healing Poultice

Poultices are defined as something you apply to your skin to relieve the pain of burns, cuts, scratches, and the like. A poultice is a quick-fix solution which is also very handy. Due to the versatility of poultices, knowing how to make it would be very beneficial to you.

To make a skin-healing poultice, you’ll be needing herbs, blender or food processor, water and glass pan.

First, put fresh leaves in a blender or a food processor. Add in a small amount of water and grind it into a paste. Then add the paste to the infected part of your skin. Find means to leave the mixture longer in your skin because the effectiveness of the concoction will increase if you leave the mixture in your skin for a longer period.

If there is an emergency and you do not have access to a blender or a food processor, you can simply chew the herbs into a wad and apply it on your skin. Or, you can boil two cups of water in a pan and put the chopped herbs in the pan once the water starts to boil. Allow the mixture to cool a little, and then apply it to your skin.

Understanding Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine that emphasizes in diagnosing and treating mechanical disorders and conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic treatments usually focus on the spine as a means to resolve certain conditions and disorders that affect general health.

General Concepts

Chiropractic is considered as a hands-on method of alternative medicine that looks into the condition of the spinal anatomy in relation to general health and related functions of the body. The main basis of chiropractic treatments involves the study of the spinal anatomy and how it affects the health of people. The main pathway for nerve signals from the brain to the other parts of the body is the spinal cord.

The Vertebra

From the spinal column, nerve branch out into other parts of the body. They branch out from vertebral column which is composed of 26 movable bones, with each one interfaced with the other bones placed above and below it. All in all, this set of bones form a flexible and movable joint that protects the spinal cord as well as the nerves that eventually branch out from it.

Chiropractors believe that when the vertebra loses its proper alignment, the signal processes going through the spinal cord and to the other parts of the body might become compromised. This will then lead to certain conditions and disorders that ma trouble a person’s health.

Common Practices

In order to resolve certain health conditions and disorders, chiropractors believe in properly maintaining a good spinal alignment. Through it, chiropractors believe that nerve signals from the brain to the other parts of the body may be improved and therefore resolve certain conditions associated with it.

Chiropractors usually treat patients without using any form of drugs or medication. They believe in the body’s ability to heal itself. Some of the treatments that chiropractors offer to treat certain conditions include the use of massage, electrical stimulation, exercise programs, ultrasound and traction.

Hypnosis for The Relief and Control of Pain

Hypnosis is a technique or procedure used to enhance concentration, heighten responsiveness to suggestions to changes a person’s thoughts, feelings, behavior or psychological state.

What it’s not

It is neither a type of psychotherapy nor a treatment (in and of itself). It is a procedure used to aid treatments and therapies.

Patients’ response

People vary in the extent to which they respond to hypnosis.

To be hypnotized, a person has to be hypnotizable to an extent – which is a stable and dependable individual difference trait that indicates one’s openness to suggestions

Studies on hypnosis

Research has shown that hypnosis works as part of a treatment plan for a wide range of diseases and conditions. Pain relief is one of the most widely investigated areas. The APA cites a 2000 study by psychologists Steven Lynn, PhD, Irving Kirsch, PhD, Arreed Barabasz, PhD, Etzel Cardeña, PhD, and David Patterson, PhD.

Pain relief and other benefits

Among the benefits of hypnosis is "the ability to alter the psychological components of the experience of pain that may then have an effect on even severe pain."

The evidence for the efficiency of hypnosis to reduce pain sensitivity (hypno-analgesia) has been improved by well-controlled experiments.

Dr. Patterson and fellow psychologist Mark Jensen, PhD, discovered in their 2003 review of controlled clinical studies that hypno-analgesia is has a link to significant reductions in the following:

1. ratings of pain
2. need for analgesics
3. nausea and vomiting
4. length of stay in hospitals

Hypnosis has also been linked to better general outcome after medical treatment, as well as better physiological stability.

Surgeons and other health care providers have also reported a significant increase in satisfaction with their patients who underwent hypnosis than with their other patients.

Receptiveness

Hypnotic suggestions (depending on how hypnotherapists phrase them) may have an effect on the sensory and/or affective components of pain and related brain areas.

This is evidenced by a brain imaging research of psychologist Pierre Rainville, PhD, and collaborators in 1999.

Patients who are most open to hypnotic suggestions (or more hypnotizable in other words), experience the best and most lasting relief from the procedure, but people with moderate receptiveness also show improvement.

Factors that could affect a patient’s responsiveness include motivation and compliance with treatment.

Conclusion

Dr. Patterson and Dr. Jensen’s 2003 review concluded that hypnotic techniques for alleviating acute pain (caused by tissue damage) are better than standard care and/or other recognizable treatments for pain.

Also, a 2002 cost analysis done by radiologists Elvira Lang, MD and Max Rosen, MD, which compared intravenous conscious sedation with hypnotic sedation during radiology treatment, discovered that intravenous conscious sedation cost twice as much as hypnotic sedation.

Chronic pain usually involves interrelated psychosocial factors and needs more complex treatments than acute pain.

Dr. Patterson and Dr. Jensen’s review found that in the case of chronic pain, hypnosis is consistently better than receiving no treatment, and comparable to other procedures that also use suggestion for competing sensations which include relaxation and autogenic training (similar to self-hypnotism).

Source: Psychology Matters

Tips to Increase Longevity

Living a long life is something that any one aspires for. But it is sad that a lot never get into healthy habits that can make it possible. Here are some simple and easy habits that you can practice to get you on your way to longevity.

Drink eight glasses of water daily.

This habit may be simple enough to do yet can do wonders to your health. Water is essential for the body. It is required for proper body functioning. Drinking eight glasses of pure water would essentially make sure that the body functions well and efficiently.

Use stairs instead of the elevators.

This is especially important if you suffer from lack of exercise due to work. Even at your office, you can still find time to exercise if you try taking the stairs instead of the elevator to go to your office. If you do it regularly and as a habit, then you can benefit from the healthy exercise that would help improve your mobility as well as increase your energy.

Eat five small meals a day.

Eating five small meals daily rather than three large meals is more beneficial as some studies have shown. People are less to crave for food and get hungry if they have their meals timed well and in small portions. Feeling hungry can make you eat more and is more likely to happen if you follow the habit or eating only three times each day.

Laugh more.

This habit can be enjoyable and yet easy to do. Find ways to add more humor into your life. Studies have shown that laughing often can help boost the immune system and helps protect the body from illnesses and ailments. Laughter also helps increase the production of endorphins which helps improve your sense of well-being.

What Are Bioidentical Hormones?

Bioidentical hormones are custom-blended formulas that contain different hormones that are chemically similar to those naturally made by your body. Bioidentical hormones are either prescription or over-the-counter products that are marketed as being suit a woman’s individual hormones needs, usually determined through saliva hormone testing.

Are bioidentical hormones safer and more effective?

Manufacturers of bioidentical hormones are claiming that these custom-blended hormones are safer than standard, FDA-approved hormone therapy.

Because they are custom-blended and reportedly tailored to suit a woman’s hormone needs, there is a lot of interest in bioidentical hormones. However, according to Mary Gallenberg, M.D., there is currently no evidence that bioidentical hormones are safer or more effective than standard hormone replacement therapy.

Risks of bioidentical hormones

The North American Menopause Society says that custom-blended compounds may offer certain benefits such as individualized dozes and combinations of products and forms that are not commercially available.

However, bioidentical hormones also pose risks. These compounds have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration – which means they have not yet been tested for safety, efficacy, potency, and purity. Bioidentical hormones may also contain unknown contaminants.

These are just some of the reasons why the NAMS does not recommend custom-blended bioidentical hormones to menopausal women. Instead they recommend standard, tested, government-approved commercial hormone products for the majority of women.

Bioidentical estrogen and progesterone are available in FDA-approved hormone therapy products such as and Natural progesterone (Prometrium). Both products are available in different doses and forms, thus you won’t have to use unregulated compound products as your natural hormone source.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Principles of Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine that deals with using symptoms as a means to help the body heal itself. Homeopathic remedies usually aim to display the same symptoms associated with certain ailments and diseases. Symptoms are seen as a way that the body’s defense mechanism is working and fighting of the underlying cause. Symptoms, homeopaths believe, are not something that should be suppressed since doing so would only work against the body ’s attempt to cure it.

The practice of homeopathy is based on certain principles. It is by these principles that the remedies used are being developed and used to treat certain ailments. The basic principles include the Law of Similars and the Principle of Minimum Dose.

Law of Similars

According to homeopathic philosophy, the Law of Similars is base don the assumption that like shall be cured by like. It was a principle that has its roots even from ancient philosophers and physicians. It is the principle for which homeopathic medicine is strongly based on. A remedy for a certain ailment is a substance that is capable of producing symptoms in a healthy person that are similar to the ones that a patient suffers from.

Homeopathy remedies are usually based on substances that can produce symptoms associated with certain diseases if given in large doses. By giving such substances in minute doses to a patient, it will effectively cure the disease. This is also based on the belief that nature does not allow two similar diseases to exist in the body at the same time as taken from the Law of Similars. By introducing an artificial disease as that produced by the homeopathic remedy, the body may be able to push the original one out, thereby curing it.

The Principle of Minimum Dose

This principle states that the a substance going through extreme dilution can enhance its curative properties while eliminating the side effects. The principle is the reverse of what conventional medicine believes in- the more doses of a substance you administer, the more potent it becomes. The Principle of Minimum Dose makes use of the region of potency of substances by decreasing its concentration below a certain threshold through dilution.

Natural Cold Remedies

With the cold and flu season ahead, it pays for people to be more careful from catching the virus and going down with it. Proper treatment may be required to avoid further spreads in case you might have the flu. If you wish to know more about possible home treatments for your cold, here are some natural remedies that are known to work.

Ginseng

This Asian herb is known more as an energy booster. But some studies have shown that ginseng might also work well against colds. Taking ginseng daily may help reduce the severity and duration of colds as well as prevent it from affecting others as well.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is considered to be the most widely studied alternative remedy to colds. Studies time and again have shown the benefits of Vitamin C as a way to combat colds or at least help in its prevention. Although study results have been mixed, a lot of medical experts still give stronger support to Vitamin C to fight off colds rather than any other alternative remedies.

Zinc

Zinc may also have a way of helping ease the effects of the common cold. A 1996 study suggests that taking zinc lozenges may help reduce the duration of the common cold among people. But its use still may be something that may be up for your doctor’s recommendation. After all, too much zinc may also have its toxic effects on the body.

Nasal Rinsing

The practice of nasal rinsing is more popular among those who follow alternative and holistic treatments. But studies have shown nasal rinsing to be quite effective in fending off runny nose, cough and sore throat. Using saline nasal wash has been found to help ease cold symptoms, even better when used with standard cold medications.

Natural Pain Relievers

Feeling some pain now and then can be quite common. There are many pain medications now available that may help relieve them. But for the some who might prefer using more natural means to relieve pain, here are some examples of what nature provides for pain relief.

Fish Oil

Fish oil has been known to be an effective pain reliever. Digested fish oil breaks down into compounds known as prostaglandins which are known to help reduce inflammation. Cod liver oil, the most common fish oil supplement, is known to be beneficial for those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Chili Pepper

A substance in pepper known as capsaicin is also known to be a good pain reliever. Capsaicin has the ability to temporarily desensitize skin nerve receptors known as C-fibers which helps numb pain. Soreness usually diminishes after the fibers regain its usual sensation.

Red Seaweed

Red seaweed contains a compound that is also known as a good natural pain reliever. Rich in magnesium and calcium, these two ingredients seem to work together to help reduce inflammation as well as rebuild and strengthen bone.

Glucosamine And Chondroitin

A natural compound, glucosamine is essential for the formation and repair of cartilage in the body. Chondroitin is made up of cow and shark cartilage. Both are known to help build and protect cartilage that cushions the bone. Glucosamine and chondroitin are used to help ease the osteoarthritis pain caused by the breakdown of cartilage in between moving joints.

Natural Back Pain Relievers

Back pain has become a very common condition nowadays. A lot of people have complained about having this problem that may be brought about by the wear and tear of the tissues that support it. Some may consider taking medication to relief them of their back pain. But there are also other natural ways of trying to relieve the discomfort caused by back pain without resulting to taking medication that might have side effects.

Acupressure and Accupuncture

These ancient Chinese practices have been known to help relieve pain. They can also be used to help relieve the pain caused by a bad back. Acupuncture is the practice of using needles placed on chosen areas in the body known to affect certain functions in various ways. This can be used to help reduce the pain the body feels. Acupressure is a practice that is similar to acupuncture but without the needles. The fingers are used to stimulate certain areas of the body for pain relief.

Proper Exercise

There are cases where back pain may come as a result of poor back support. The back may have underdeveloped muscles to support it which may lead to feelings of pain in certain instances. Trying to work out these muscles to provide better back support may sometimes be enough to help relieve back pain. Regular exercise aimed to strengthen the back may help reduce the pressure on the back as well as the pain that might accompany it.

Ultrasound Therapy

A more modern approach to relieving back pain is through the use of ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound can be used to deliver deep heat through high frequency sound waves. In this type of therapy, ultrasound waves are transmitted to the skin by means of an ultrasound machine and into the deeper tissues. They can help reduce muscle spasm and lessen pain in the back.

Popular Natural Supplements to Avoid

With people becoming more health conscious, the market for natural supplements have grown steadily over the years. These supplements come in different forms and offer a variety of benefits. But not all of these natural supplements may be something that people should be taking. Some may also carry with them some potential danger that some of its marketers may neglect to point out in order to sell them. Here are some of those supplements that should be avoided.

Aristolochic Acid

Aristolochic acid is also sometimes known as birthwort, snakeweed, snakeroot or wild ginger. This supplement is mainly sold as a a weight loss supplement and is also known to relieve allergies, menstrual cramps and gastrointestinal problems. The potential danger to using such a supplement is that aristolochic acid is known as a carcinogen and has been linked to the development of tumors in the urinary tract as well as possible kidney damage.

Comfrey

Supplements containing comfrey are also known as blackwort, bruisewort, knitbone and slippery root. This supplement is usually marketed as a good anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. It is said to lower cholesterol levels, relieves anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome. But there is also some potential dangers that lurk with using comfrey. It contains unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids, compounds known to cause significant liver damage.

Kava

Kava has slong been used by Western Pacific cultures as a slightly intoxicating drink. But consuming kava supplements has been linked to reports of people sustaining liver injuries by taking them. Taking kava supplements are also known to react when used with other prescription medicines. More studies may be needed in order to better understand how this supplements may be tied to liver damage. For now, people are advised to avoid taking such supplements for their own safety.

Androstenedione

Androstenedione is a supplement popular among body builders. Also known as andro, it is being sold as a muscle mass builder. Its use may have several undesirable results. In women, it is linked to male pattern baldness as well as increased facial hair. More serious side effects linked to the use of this supplement include, breast and endometrial cancer, blood clots as well as impotence in men.