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Herbal Remedies Could be key to Losing Weight

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If you’re like millions of Americans fighting the battle of the bulge with little success despite your attempts to eat less and exercise, herbal remedies might be a fantastic option to look into.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The old mantra stands the test of time, even when it comes to losing weight. There are many pharmaceutical drugs out there that advertise promising weight loss, but they are expensive and often don’t deliver what you are promised.

What follows are some herbal ingredients that may be helpful in your personal battle to lose weight.

• Green tea: Green tea often mimics the effect of coffee but it is much better for you. With a high-dose of vitamin C, green tea is simply good for you. Studies suggest green tea is effective in boosting one’s metabolism and helping the body to burn fat. Some studies show the combination of caffeine and green tea to be especially effective.

• Cayenne: You know the super-spicy spice, cayenne pepper? Cayenne contains an ingredient called capsaicin which essentially stimulates saliva production and therefore helps the body digest faster, acting as a boost to your regular metabolic rate.

• Seaweed: While it doesn’t sound too appetizing, seaweed can have a positive effect in helping people lose weight. The herbal form of this oceanic delicacy acts to stimulate the thyroid. No worries with trying to digest the ocean’s form of seaweed as the herb does come in forms of capsules of tablets.

• Dandelion: Who knew the colorful flower that aggravates homeowners by the millions could help in terms of weight loss? Dandelion, in pill form, acts as a diuretic which helps naturally decrease the amount of water in the body. Some people have allergic reactions and heartburn as minor side effects to dandelion.

Filed Under: Healthy Tips Tagged With: Green tea, Herbalism, Weight loss

Music Therapy

Listening to music is an integral part of many of our lives. It soothes our soul when the work day has been long. It gives us energy when our spirits or physical being is tired. It is tied to our most important rituals such as marriages and funerals. What most people do not realize though is music heals.

Music therapy is a legitimate medical treatment for a variety of ailments and has been around for nearly fifty years. It is administered by credentialed professionals, who have been referred by your doctor. It is well researched and recommended for stroke victims, epilepsy patients, and Alzheimer’s patients.

Stroke

A 2008 Finnish study published in the February 20th issue of the Brain involved 54 patients,who had various types of strokes. One group was given audio books to listen to for a few hours of the day, the control group received the standard treatments, and a third group listened to music for a set time. The group that listened to music had significant improvement in focusing attention and concentration.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person’s brain has an electrical storm. Dr. Sidorenko did a study, where they assessed the effectiveness of Medical Resonance Therapy Music done on severe epileptic patients in which medication was not being effective. He found that the frequency and severity of the attacks were reduced as much as 75 percent.

Alzeheimers

Alzeheimers is not only devastating to the person that has the disease, but also to the ones closest to them. The ailment breaks the relationship between partners as
the patient loses the ability to interact with their spouse and loved ones. At the University of Queensland a project by Dr. Felicity Baker sent music therapists to the home and trained the spouse how to use music and dance to facilitate conversation. This provided a means of interacting and maintaining relationships.

Music therapy does much to improve a patient’s quality of life.

Resources

http://www.musictherapy.org/

http://www.epilepsy.com/

http://dementiaweekly.com/

Filed Under: Healthy Tips, Traditional Medicine, Treatments Tagged With: Music therapy, Neurological disorder, University of Queensland

Finding the Right Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Making the choice of switching to an alternative medical system is tough; finding the right practitioner who’ll make that choice pay off is even tougher. The limited availability and lack of general awareness is a big deterrent for people who would otherwise gladly try traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese treatments have gained popularity over time as more than just temporary health medicines, but choosing the right doctor is still a big hurdle for many.

How should one go about picking the right Chinese medical doctor? Many American cities have large Chinese populations, so major urban areas are a good starting point for your search. Ensure that the place is at a convenient distance, since most Chinese therapies involve multiple sessions with the doctor.

The next step is to check with the relevant medical associations and councils for a list of accredited, qualified medical practitioners. In case you’re on an insurance plan that reimburses traditional Chinese and herbal treatments, you must cross-check with the insurer’s list of approved doctors to narrow down the list. The best way to vet this list is to call around for referrals, rates, and wait times. Better still, check with friends or relatives who have tried Chinese therapy before to get their opinion.

It is important to remember that the cheapest practitioner is not necessarily the best. Chinese treatments often cost much less than Western ones, but sometimes cheap rates mean that treatments will be done in group sessions. Not only is this incorrect, you would also run the risks of poor hygiene and haste. Another check would be to ensure that the Chinese practitioner is conversant in your language.

Finally, if you’re undergoing Chinese treatment to complement your original therapy, make sure that both your allopathic and Chinese medicine doctors are aware of the medications you take. Some herbal remedies are extremely potent, but capable of side effects if taken with other medicines.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Alternative medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine

Video and Computer Games That Treat Illnesses in Children

Before you ban your child from playing video or computer games you might want to take a look at the latest research.

Obesity has been declared a major health issue in the United States. Obesity in children has risen dramatically in recent decades. In a study found in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine the issue of obesity is being treated with video games. For example, the video game”Escape from Diab” was designed and used to treat
children with type 2 diabetes. Management of diabetes takes major behavior changes which are always difficult. Children in the study played the game and learned what needed to be done to control their diabetes. The study showed that children increased their fruit and vegetable consumption by 2/3 servings daily in the period of time they were exposed to the game.

Dyslexia is a major obstacle to learning how to read efficiently. The American Psychological Association states that dyslexia can be undone. One way this is being done is through a video program called Fast Forword (http://www.scilearn.com/) This game was based on a 2003 study using MRIs by Elise Temple, PhD., John Gabrieli, PhD., Dr. Tallal and others. The game after several months of use changed the brain and lessened children’s dyslexia. This study found increased use of multiple brain regions during language processing, as well as significantly improved language and reading skills.

The Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology in its November/December issue highlighted a study by Christine Hanson and Synthia Puffenburger which tested a game that was designed to improve the working memory in children with ADHD. Working memory is important for academic success. One fourth to one third of the children showed significant progress in their working memory after using the program for a month and a half.

Recent research studies are proving daily that games can be a useful treatment for some of our most complex diseases and syndromes, particularly in children.

Filed Under: Healthy Tips, Treatments Tagged With: Child, United States, Video game

Is an Electronic Cigarette Safer than a Regular Cigarette?

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Some say yes, others say no. Whatever the response, people are citing a number of different reasons for their opinion.

Those who believe that an electronic cigarette is safer than a regular cigarette give several typical responses. One is that the device is safer because no tobacco product is being burned, thus no tars or chemicals are being taken into the body (as happens with regular cigarettes).

Others say that an electronic cigarette is safer because even if the contains some nicotine liquid, the amount taken in is nowhere near that of a regular cigarette. Less nicotine means less danger from nicotine intake; plus, taking in less nicotine can help them cut down or even stop smoking regular cigarettes.

The argument is also made that an electronic cigarette is safer because nothing is burning. There is no danger of burning oneself or someone else with the lit end, or of anything catching fire should one fall asleep while smoking an electronic cigarette. This can be especially true, they say, of those devices that have automatic shut-off features that operate when the device has not been puffed on for a while.

Those who take an opposing view say they believe an electronic cigarette is not safer because the filters and delivery methods in the devices can actually release harmful chemicals. They also say that if one smokes an electronic cigarette that contains liquid nicotine, the chemical is being absorbed in the body, and even a small amount is too much.

They also say that anyone who truly wants to quit smoking can take advantage of smoking cessation methods such as nicotine patches or even acupuncture, which is a part of traditional Chinese medicine practices. Any of these may help someone be able to stop smoking entirely, without having to rely on e-cigarettes.

Filed Under: Ancient Practices, Healthy Tips Tagged With: Cigarette, Electronic cigarette, Nicotine, Smoking cessation

Chinese Medicine Diagnosis: Tales Your Tongue Tells

“Show me your tongue” is a phrase anybody who has ever visited a physician would have heard. In traditional Chinese medicine however, your doctor would give more than just a passing glance to your tongue. To them, the tongue is seen as a vital indicator of your state of health. Elizabeth tongue

Western science and most health medicines view the tongue primarily as an organ for taste, and occasionally check it to detect symptoms of an already suspected illness. In Chinese medicine, a tongue diagnosis may just end up being used as an alternative to the traditional ‘physical’. The tongue is believed to represent imbalances in the body, and the diagnosis is made by checking the color, coating, and edges of the tongue.

The color of the tongue is the first and most easily visible characteristic. Pink suggests normal health, while red and its deeper shades point to excess heat in the body. Purplish hues are indicative of stagnation, or circulatory issues. A pale tongue, on the other hand, shows that body is not warm enough.

The coating of the tongue is the next important feature. Dirty white to yellowish coatings are a symptom of excess heat in the body. It could be temporary due to an illness or even a hot meal. Extreme cases can point to individual organs that need to cool in order to restore balance in the body. The evenness and consistency of the coating also indicates the adequacy and functioning of digestive juices. Spots and cracks on the surface are other features that are considered for a diagnosis.

If your tongue is hammer-shaped or swollen, it is indicative of a more serious internal disorder. Tongues that are flaccid, with teeth marks along the side are said to show the lack of Chi energy in the body. This causes limpness, or excess dampness and edema.

The science behind a tongue diagnosis is far too extensive to be covered in a single article. But a good physician can unearth many significant findings about your body and its health by looking at the condition of your tongue.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine, Healthy Tips

TCM is not Just Turner’s Classic Movie

TCM is known as Traditional Chinese Medicine. That phrase usually conjures up visions of a half dressed person with needles sticking out of various parts of their body. There is a more to TCM than acupuncture. TCM has thousands of years of history for some of its remedies, and it also includes the use of herbs, massage, exercise and diet.

It is widely known that many Western drugs come from plant extracts. Research has all has proven diet and exercise have an impact on health. It is no less in TCM. TCM has a holistic approach and involves a philosophy. Practitioners of Chinese medicine view the mind, body, and spirit as a whole. Treatments address all three of those areas. Health is viewed as a balance between the general principle of Yin and Yang.

What is Yin and Yang? Yin is considered female energy and is found in the solid organs such has heart, liver, or lung. Yang is considered male energy and is found in hollow organs such as intestines, gall bladder, and stomach. Illness and disease is thought to happen when the two get out of balance. TCM seeks to restore the balance. In addition, to Yin and Yang there is the idea of Qi (pronounce chee). Qi is about energy, and how your energy moves throughout your body and is used. If Qi is blocked, then illness or disease can result.

Diagnosis of an ailment involves an interview, pulse exam,and tongue examination. The interview has questions about dreams, sleep, food, and stress. Pulse exams look for six pulses in each arm. Each kind of pulse gives information about the health of the body. The tongue is considered a reflection of the vital organs and systems of the body. How the tongue looks determines the state of that part of the body.

As more Western research is done on the Chinese remedies, studies do show there is a basis in truth.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Treatments Tagged With: Gallbladder, Traditional Chinese medicine, Yin and yang

Do Coffee and Cigarettes Just Naturally Go Together?

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Some would say yes, that you simply cannot have one without the other. These, however, may be the ones who are the most affected by cigarette smoking restrictions or even outright bans in workplaces and other public areas. For them, the decision may be between having coffee or a cigarette, as it may be very difficult for them to do both.

For these people, an electric cigarette may be the answer. An electric cigarette does not produce real tobacco smoke that contains the tars, nicotine, and other chemicals that are found in regular tobacco products, nor is there the lingering odor of cigarette smoke. Further, an electric cigarette does not produce any ash and the “smoke” that is produced is simply exhaled water vapor.

If smokers are in the workplace, they may ask their supervisor if smoking an e-cigarette in designated non-smoking areas is allowable. They can explain that the “smoke” is simply water vapor, perhaps scented with menthol or other flavorings.

They can also explain that the water vapor is not the same as “secondhand smoke” that is produced by a regular cigarette. There are no tars or other chemicals, and the nicotine liquid itself has been filtered through the water vapor.

If the e-cigarette smoker is told that it is all right to smoke an e-cigarette in designated non-smoking areas, and if co-workers do not object (some may be sensitive to even the “smoke” caused by the water vapor), then the pairing of coffee and a cigarette can occur again. If, however, the answer is no, or there is objection from co-workers, the e-cigarette user may have to make the decision of which one is more important—the cigarette or the coffee. Hopefully they all choose the coffee, as it is nowhere near as dangerous as a regular cigarette!

Filed Under: Healthy Tips, Herbal, Herbal Food Supplements, Treatments Tagged With: Cigarette, Electronic cigarette, Nicotine, Tobacco smoking

Chinese Medicine and Cancer

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Cancer is a general name for a complex set of diseases where there is uncontrolled growth in cells. Western treatments for cancer involve chemotherapy, radiation, surgery. The side effects of these treatments can be devastating emotionally, and physically. China has a long history of treating some cancers with success using herbs. One of these treatments researched in the United States is called Fu Zhen Therapy.

Fu Zhen Therapy is used in conjunction with traditional therapies. The therapy protects and enhances the immune system of a cancer patient. Damage in the immure system is a common problem in patients receiving traditional treatment. According to the the American Cancer Society there is evidence from a set of randomized clinical trials that Fu Zhen Therapy contributes to longer survival rates, and reduced rates of cancer returning. The ACS, also, stated that more research needed to be done.

What does research evidence mean in a clinical trial? Clinical trials are where volunteers try new drugs or therapies and records are kept. They are a first step in a long process in developing a new treatment or drug. In the Fu Zhen Therapy, a high rate of success was reported and many people were helped. The therapy is not a standard therapy in the American medical system. In order to receive this treatment a patient would have to find a clinical trial or a doctor willing to give this therapy. There are Chinese medical centers in the United States with doctors, who have intricate knowledge of the use of Fu Zhen therapy. A patient could possibly create a collaborative between their doctor and a doctor who practiced Chinese medicine. These physicians are licensed doctors in oriental medicine here in the U.S.

Fu Zhen Therapy is not a cure all for cancer, but according to the evidence is viable option to explore if one is careful to use the highest quality professional in both realms of medical specialties.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Cancer, Clinical trial, United States

Chinese Herb Guide: Dandelion

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Dandelion is an herb that is used in a variety of different herbal remedies, especially when it comes to premenstrual bloating. Dandelion may also be capable of providing anti-inflammatory results. The best way to enjoy dandelion is as a tea. You can create a dandelion tea by steeping half of an ounce of dried dandelion leaf in a cup of hot water for a period of ten minutes. You can have as many as three cups of tea with dandelion in it per day.

For a lot of people, the dandelion is a yard pest. The truth is, the dandelion is particularly rich when it comes to nutrients. The roots and the leaves of the dandelion plant have been used for a variety of different medicines, including treatments for gastrointestinal system disorders, skin conditions, aching joints, bloating and breast illnesses. The leaves of the dandelion contain a number of vitamins including B-complex vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D and minerals such as magnesium, zinc potassium, copper, manganese, iron, choline, silicon, calcium and boron. The primary active ingredients in the dandelion plant are called germacranolide and eudesmanolide, and they are compounds that can be found only in dandelion plants.

The dandelion plant offers numerous other benefits. For example, it has diuretic properties and is useful in purifying the liver and the blood stream. The dandelion plant can decrease the body’s concentrations of uric acid and serum cholesterol. The dandelion plant can maximize how well your pancreas, kidneys, stomach and spleen perform in your body. The dandelion plant can treat anemia, abscess, breast tumors, liver cirrhosis and boils, and can also avert the development of both breast cancers and age spots. The dandelion is also effective in treating menopause in women. It offers numerous benefits and is well worth adding to your daily regimen accordingly.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Blood, Breast cancer, Health, Herb, Herbalism, Plant, Shopping, Taraxacum