Sunday, October 26, 2008

Weight Loss With Acupuncture

In recent years, more and more people are trying out acupuncture to lose weight. Just what is acupuncture? How can acupuncture treatment help you lose weight?

Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has been around for about 5,000 years. It is the practice of inserting very thin needles to stimulate pathways or meridians in the body to treat many illnesses and diseases especially to relieve pain from chronic disorders.

Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners or TCM physicians claim that acupuncture can help you to lose body fat by making you feel full and so will eat less. This curbs excess caloric consumption in the patient treated with acupuncture and is a great help in the patient's weight loss program.

Acupuncture treatment can also be used to raise your metabolic rate and help you to burn more calories to speed up weight loss. Some Chinese medicine practitioners say that acupuncture stimulates the production of a hormone called endorphins and this hormone helps to lower body fat, insulin and lipid levels in the bloodstream thus less insulin is converted into body fat.

Acupuncture is not a miracle cure for obesity. TCM physicians often stress that to achieve good weight loss results from your program and maintaining your weight, acupuncture treatment alone is not enough. To lose weight effectively and keep the fats off permanently, acupuncture treatment must be combined with healthy eating habits and regular exercises.

Before you start your acupuncture treatment, your Chinese physician will behaviour a medical examination on you by checking your pulse and examination of your tongue to ensure that you are suitable for acupuncture weight loss treatment. This is because TCM is a holistic branch of health care and do not just specifically target the ailment or medical complaint. So an investigation into other reasons why a patient is obese is necessary to solve the problem holistically.

If you want to lose weight naturally and without drugs, why not try TCM acupuncture for your weight loss program?

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Things You Should Know About Natural Health Remedies

Natural health remedies sounds similar to a hip new practice of medicine, perhaps performed by a throw back from the 60's - remedies that might involve burning incense and channeling an alternate life source. Honestly some research will reveal that some remedies out there require such practices, but many are based on philosophies handed down through history.
Other remedies are break offs of forms that were developed when medicine started. To start with, a definition or understanding of what natural health is would be helpful. Natural health is also commonly known as alternative health, alternative treatment, etc.
This is any practice that does not fit into the category of mainstream healthcare. Some examples would include:
• Herbal medicine
• Naturopathy
• Osteopathy
• Chiropractic
• Ancient Chinese Therapies
• Holistic healing
Each of these base their philosophies on different aspects of the body. They focus on one section or area and believe that healing of that area will bring full wellness to the body and soul.
So How Does One Make Sense Of It All?
To gain a better sense of natural remedies, one should get a better understanding of what the different forms are and what they encompass. You can do this with a little literary research and a battery of questions aimed at a professional in that field. Having good communication with your personal physician and your alternative therapist will make for a positive experience. To list all the types of alternative medicine choices would take a book but to give a better understanding, here are a few that you may encounter:
• Herbal medicine - This form of alternative medicine practices using herbs and plant products to heal ailments and to maintain physical and mental wellness. Plants and herbs are used in cooking, supplement form, teas, or as a topical ointment. It is always a good idea to inform your herbalist of what you may take for prescriptions so that you do not encounter a reaction. For example, someone who is taking a prescription for high blood pressure may start taking an herbal supplement that claims to do the same (garlic for example), the wrong dosage could lead to dangerously low blood pressure.
• Naturopathy - The practice that activates the body's natural self-healing capabilities and treats the whole person rather than a specific disorder. Most practitioner's goals are to accomplish a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not just the absence of disease. Some diseases or ailments that have been known to be cured are: digestive disorders, musculoskeletal problems, skin conditions, infections, migraines, female and male reproductive issues, allergies, stress, and sleep difficulties. A patient should have a complete physical from a naturopathic practitioner and research their background like they would a regular medical physician.
• Chiropractic - Many people understand this practice as a practitioner that heals those who may have suffered from back injuries. Why this is true, they offer more in the way of healing. The musculoskeletal system is the main focus and healing that would then, in turn, create healing throughout the body. People visit chiropractors for a variety of disorders, such as headaches, leg pains, or even pains in their torso. Having their body realigned makes them feel less stress which makes them feel better.
• Holistic Healing - This is still a hands-on approach to wellness but it does not start with a system in the body. This alternative medical therapy heals the mind and the soul, which will then help heal the body. This approach will take complete belief because you must channel into the part of the brain that is not skewed by everyday influences. Tapping into this powerful energy source will allow your body to help heal itself and maintain wellness. An example of this therapy would be Reiki. A Reiki master can promote healing in the body by the power of touch. They may lay their hands on a patient's body and touch on certain points and their positive energy is then transformed to the areas of pain.
Just like with anything in life, having a better understanding of a newer concept will answer questions and doubts, which will allow your mind to grasp and accept new healing concepts. An open mind will be the gateway to endless possibilities to wellness of the body, the mind, and the soul.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Instantly Quit Smoking With Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a highly effective quit smoking method for all, and specially for those people who had been unsuccessful with other methods to stop smoking. People who go for acupuncture treatments are usually keen on quit smoking beliefs. Although they have failed with all previous programs, this 3500 years old Chinese remedy promises quick relief from chronic smoking habits.

Acupuncture works most efficiently on human body to reduce chronic smoking habits

Acupuncture is based on the belief that “chi”, a fundamental energy force flows through 12 key channels around the body. Within these channels, there are at least 365 acupuncture points, which can sometimes get blocked preventing the smooth flow of vital energy, thereby leading to chronic habits. Acupuncture for stop stop smoking does not engage any “magic” acupuncture points. At least five needles are taken and inserted into the ear [particularly in the cartilage and not in the ear canal] and a few on the hands and wrists. With the needles pricked to your skin, you are left to relax for 30 to 45 minutes. These pricked needles provide significant effect on lessening cravings for smoking.

Treatments involved in acupuncture

To become a non-smoker, you have to follow a series of sessions. These sessions also focus on physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms occurring in the patient during the acupuncture treatments. While the needle-pricking treatments are going on you are also advised to experience treatments with herbs. You can apply a mixture of oil of cloves and wintergreen, extracts of evodia fruits and Sichuan lovage rhizomes in the acupuncture points to get faster stop smoking results.

Other advantages of acupuncture - tips on stopping smoking

Acupuncture tips on stopping smoking not only relieve you from permanent smoking cessation but also works advantageous for you. After the acupuncture series is over, even cigarettes taste foul. It takes a nasty burnt taste and you can thus proudly redefine yourself as a “non-smoker”. Acupuncture therapy for stop smoking also reduces side effects of nicotine withdrawals like depression, cravings and anxiety. While the body actually improves in blood circulation and de-congesting the lungs, you also start feeling truly optimistic.

Acupuncture is a definite method that helps you to quit smoking miraculously within a few days. Try it out to experience instant success even if you are a chronic nicotine-smoker.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

How Come Acupuncture Brings Perfect Results For All?

Acupuncture is the gentle insertion of extremely fine needles at specific points of the body. The theory behind acupuncture is that there are two thousand energy points on the body that are connected by twenty pathways [meridians] running throughout the length of the body. These pathways conduct flow of energy called “qi” or “chi”, meaning life force. Blockage of energy in any of these points can cause pain in the body. Acupuncture serves to clear any type of energy blockage in any of the pathways and thus reduce pain effectively.

Treatments offered by acupuncture schools

All the diseases prevalent in human body are the result of energy blockage in the pathways. So when these blockage points are removed, automatically you will be cured from all types of diseases. During an acupuncture treatment session performed by the acupuncture schools, almost one to twenty metallic needles are inserted into the body. While some of the needles rest on the surface of the skin, the others are inserted from one to several inches into the layers of fats. The needles are kept there in resting position for at least twenty to thirty minutes.

The acupuncturists to enhance the reduction in energy blockage often keep jiggling the needles. In certain instances like treating high blood force with acupuncture, electrified needles are used for fast and better cure. Often the practitioners also use an amount of burned herbs at the end of the needle to encourage negative energy to leave the body along with the smoke.

Acupuncture treatments for back pain, shoulder and neck pain

Atlanta schools of acupuncture follow some rigorous acupuncture techniques that promise sure results for all types of diseases. Back pain is a disease that can range from dull ache to a steady sharp pain that leaves people irritated. Even neck and shoulder pains can be equally disgusting as they continue to be acute and stop all your normal activities.

Acupressure is a wonderful remedy for back pain, neck and shoulder pain. The practitioner presses some acute points near the meridians of the body with the thumbs and fingertips to reduce pain. With the practical pressure the blocked energy starts flowing and all pains are reduced. Atlanta acupuncture for spinal injury is also effective as the blocked “chi” or energy in spinal chords gets released with application of acupressure and pains related to spinal injuries gets cured instantly.

Acupuncture treatments for smoking and skin diseases

Atlanta for stop-quit smoking is also effective, as permanent smokers have known to cease smoking completely with acupuncture. The treatment involves insertion of five needles into the ear [particularly in the cartilage and not in the ear canal] and a few on the hands and wrists. It also involves applying a mixture of oil of cloves and wintergreen extracts of Evodia fruits and Sichuan lovage rhizomes to quit smoking faster.

Acupuncture for acne, psoriasis and allergies are an effective treatment, as it reduces the diseases instantly. All these infections are autoimmune systems that occur due to inflammations in the blood vessels. So when the acupressure needles are pricked onto the skin, they are also manipulated through hands by rubbing the acupressure points or the ends of the needles are electrified to produce instant results.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Homemade Colon Cleanse Recipes Tips

Cleansing your colon is an efficient way of rejuvenating your body and there are many ways to do it. Cleansing your colon helps your body to cure itself and rest your digestive system for some time. There are many ways to cleanse your colon, and here we will talk about a few of the easy and effective household colon cleansing recipes.

The Lemon Cleanse, commonly known as the master cleanse, is a accepted home recipe where you abstain from eating solid food and drink only lemon water, cayenne peppers, and maple syrup based drinks and drink a laxative tea before retiring for the night.

When you wake up in the morning, you are supposed to consume a liter of salt water, which will flush your system and rest all the organs in the digestive system. This method of cleansing also helps your body to eliminate a lot of toxins like mucoid plaque, because the cayenne peppers help to break up the mucus and remove the plaque formed within it.

The Green Papaye Tropical Cleanse is a colon cleanse made out of the papaya fruit or 'paw paw' as it is frequently known in a few places where it is grown. Papaya, especially when green, contains an enzyme which acts very strongly on your colon called papain.

Papain helps to go down and eliminate any hardened mucus from your colon and flushes out toxins from the colon. Mucoid plaque occurs when the mucus lining in your colon dries up and hardens. When this happens, parasites start reproduction in the dried up mucous and further degenerates the lining. The colon excretes mucus when it is motivated by any food passing through it which irritates it. If there is an excess of such food, then the excess mucus dries up and forms a layer on top of the intestines and colon's inner layer which prevents nutrients from being absorbed into the body.

Papain, which is present in great abundance in unripe papaya, can break down proteins, fats and starches in a medium of any pH value where as our own bodily enzymes are capable of breaking down nutrients in a medium of a particular pH value only. Therefore, papain is able to cleanse and break down toxins all through the digestive system and not just in one localized area, as it travels through the alimentary canal.

Water fasting is a very effective method of cleansing the body, but it is best practiced only by the experts because it can have risky consequences in inexperienced hands. Through water fasting, you have to abstain from consuming everything other than pure water. While water fasting, there are only some rules to be followed, like:

Sleeping often.

Drinking water at usual intervals.

Abstention from all food and drink other than water.

Performing enemas before and during the cleansing.

Avoiding unnecessary talking and sex.

Meditating as much as potential.

Conserving your energy as much as possible.

Juice Fasting is another popular method of colon cleansing where you drink a lot of fruit and vegetable based juices. Popular and effective fruits and vegetables include mango, apple, pineapple, papaya, and carrot. These have certain enzymes which detoxify the body breakdown the hardened mucus in your colon lining.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Does Aromatherapy Work?

Anywhere we revolve there are products that assure certain fallout based on the fact that they contain a specific scent or aroma, including candles, oils, and even shampoos. The question becomes, is aromatherapy just fluff aimed at selling products? Or is it based on science?

Aromatherapy as a observe has been around for centuries dating back to the ancient Egyptians however as individuals we experience this phenomenon in our everyday lives with out even being aware of the fact. How many times have you walked down a street or into a room and suddenly gotten a whiff of something that brought back wonderful memories or just made you feel huge and energized? Every time this occurs you are experiencing aromatherapy; it is just going on passively in your daily life.

The bottom line is aromatherapy is indeed based on science and more specifically the science of psychoneuroimmunology which studies the interactions between the psychological, neurological and immune system. Research has shown that there is a very strong correlation between positive and negative experiences and our immune system as well as our psyche. Further more the old adage mind over body is indeed recognized by science and the modern medical field. With this being said, anytime you can give your mood a boost creating a more positive outlook through the use of aromatherapy you are ultimately strengthening your body, mind and spirit.

Aromatherapy works because it utilizes the sense of smell which is our strongest sense. Unlike the other senses, our sense of smell has a direct path to the brain and more importantly it has a direct path to our limbic system. Through this direct portal aromas are able to directly affect conscious thought and reactions as the limbic system is responsible for our memories (turning short term to long term), learned responses, emotions and feelings.

Although aromatherapy utilizes the sense of smell by triggering specific parts of the brain it also works by directly absorbing the essential oil molecules into our bodies, whether it is through the bronchial tract when using a differ or steam distillation or through the skin in a massage or bath. This dual absorption enables you to receive all the benefits of essential oils however it is important to research the essential oil of interest as each one works more efficiently when applied differently. For instance peppermint has long been known for its ability to calm digestive problems and does work best for this specific application when inhaled while others work better when massaged into the skin.

It is important also to know that although certain essential oils have specific benefits they do not work regularly for each individual. For example Lavender is measuredto be very effective in calming the mind, body and spirit however if you do not like the fragrance of Lavender it will not have the same result on you, therefore it is important to work with the essential oils that you enjoy. This is simpleto do because many crucial oils have parallel or overlapping benefits, leaving you with a number of options for one particular issue. Another option is to mix a couple or a few essential oils together to make your own fragrance that you enjoy and can ultimately obtain the vast benefits they have to offer.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

I appreciate the dread of needles. What most people are familiar with is the hypodermic needle of western medicine. They use it to draw blood or inject fluids, so they have to be void, and as a result are much bigger than our needles. Ours are solid, and much, much thinner. In fact, they are only about twice the thickness of hair. It's almost certainly more accurate to describe them as filaments, but needles are the usual word.

When I show them to new patients, and demonstrate how easily you can bend them, they say, "how can you make this go straight?" That's just one of the skills of the acupuncturist we learn in school. I actually was able to get through a leather shoe with a 34 gauge needle without bending it.

Most new patients are amazed how little they feel when the acupuncture needle is inserted. Sometimes they ask, "Did you put it in already?" If you feel anything, there may be a quick sharp sensation as it goes through the skin. Then there will be nothing at all, or a dull spreading sensation. This is call "big qi."
That dull spreading sensation isn't painful, but it can be strong depending on the situation or the needling technique. Some patients are very sensitive, so we don't needle as deeply on them.

A couple other sensations that we don't want are the shooting electric feeling if we hit a nerve, or the sharp feeling of being to close to a vein. Neither does much harm. The worst that happens is you get a small bruise in the area. We never get any residual effect from hitting a nerve. You should tell the acupuncturist if you feel the electric or sharp sensations, and they can change the location or direction of the needle. These are rather rare occurrences, though.

Basically, acupuncture is very comfortable, and what little temporary discomfort might occasionally occur is more than made up for by its relaxing and healing effects.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Do People Still Use Acupuncture?

Acupuncture - the most generally known alternative medicine treatment, has been the main technique of treatment in China for over 5000 years. Other countries are slowly catching on and are applying this technique, like China, for the treatment of almost all medical ailments known to mankind. Acupuncture treatment ranges from relieving hurt to giving anesthesia to patients. It is probably the best treatment known till this day without any side effects to our bodies.

People subsequent Chinese method of treatment, especially acupuncture, guarantees a long and healthy life. The older and probably one of the first few acupuncture transcripts was found back in 200 BC. The compilation of these medical transcripts forms the most inclusive medical text books used today.

Acupuncture senseless were introduced by Pien Chueh in the fourth century. He used stone acupuncture needles, moxibustion and herbs to bring a prince out of coma. The Chinese still celebrate this day every year on April 28th.

Acupuncture is basically a treatment that accelerates the body’s natural healing procedure and improves biological functioning. There are numerous nerve endings in our body. Acupuncture is the practice of stimulating these points via acupuncture needles and electric current in tremendous luggage. These nerve endings are also called acupuncture points.

Functionality and success of acupuncture is something not known to many people. In our body, many channels of energies flow in regular patterns. These channels like the river irrigate the muscles and tissues of our bodies. Any pain or disorder in our health influences these channels. Acupuncture regulates them back to their courses through needles. With the use of special herbs applied to the tips of needles, acupuncture stimulates the body when touched at the correct points. Any obstruction in the energy channels is then removed and the process starts again normally.

Acupuncture creates a remarkable biochemical balance in our body and stimulates the natural healing process of our body. This promotes physical and emotional well being.

Acupuncture is often associated with the treatment and relief of pain, however many experienced practitioners are capable of using acupuncture in a much wider area of health curing many other biological disorders. It treats all sorts of digestive, respiratory, urinary, neurological, muscular and reproductive malfunctions.

Acupuncture treatment is known in a number of sessions to the patients. The number of sessions depends upon the severity of the cause. The number of session may range from 1-2 per week for a few months or even over a number of months. One must keep in mind that acupuncture is a natural treatment and thus the effects are slow but long lasting. Patience and relaxation is the key to long term cure in acupuncture.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Colon Cleansing Naturally

Nature planned for your colon to get rid of waste material and bacteria and absorb water and mineral salts while maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. A colon that cannot carry out these functions properly, due to impacted fecal matter creates extra toxins that spread across the body through the absorbed fluids.

Many health problems, including abdominal pain, constipation and lack of energy, can be related to an unhealthy bowel caused partly or largely by eating and drinking products that form a lot of built up waste inside the colon. People consume large amounts of toxic substances daily, including caffeine, sugar, white flour, aspartame, microwave-cooked food, hydrogenated fats and deep fried foods, which results in pounds of unwanted matter forming in colon.

To get rid of these unwanted accumulations colon cleansing is a natural and easy way. There are many colon cleaning changes you can introduce to your lifestyle that you can try right away.

To start the colon cleansing process, you must make certain amendments to your diet. Our diet is generally now full of food which has been changed in many ways from what nature intended. Improvements in nutrition often bring adequate results alone, and the colon starts cleansing naturally. To begin colon cleansing, you must take adequate amounts of fiber, 25-30 grams daily, dissolved in water or in food.

Drinking water is essential for a healthy colon. To stimulate the natural peristaltic action, a person should drink half of his or her weight in ounces of pure non-carbonated water. For example, if your weight is 150 pounds, you should drink 75 ounces of water, which is approximately 2 liters. If you drink enough water and consume a sufficient amount of fiber, your colon will restore its function over time.

Herbs are the great way to perform a mild colon cleansing. Herbal colon cleanse recipes help in removing fecal matter, prevent toxin formation, kill the harmful bacteria and parasites, and improve the function of colon muscles to promote natural and regular bowel movements.

Herbs used in the traditional colon cleansing recipes have been tested for centuries. Basically all herbs in colon cleansing recipes have liver cleansing and cathartic actions. Aloe leaf, senna, cascara sagrada, ginger, and cayenne pepper help eliminate impurities from the colon by stimulating bowel movements. Every herbal colon cleanse recipe includes some sort of a bitter plant that promotes bile flow to cleanse the liver, for example, barberry which stimulates liver and gall bladder. Fennel and garlic have purifying action on the colon bacteria, as they help killing harmful bacteria. These two plants also prevent gas formation.

You can buy colon cleansing herbs in most health stores, follow the instructions on the labels carefully. Many great colon cleansing teas are sold in ready to use packets. Use these in moderation to prevent too frequent bowel movements that can dehydrate you. With time and experience you will learn more and will be ready to make adjustments, increasing or decreasing the herbs according to the desired result.
When performing colon cleanse as a course, continue taking a fiber with your meals in form of wheat germ, oat bran, or rice bran cereals for breakfast. The more lifestyle changes you perform, eating healthy food such as fruit, vegetables, good supplements, and drinking enough water, the more success you will have in returning your colon to a healthy state.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Colon Cleansing - An All Natural Way to Jump Start Your Body Detoxification

Daily everyone exposes themselves to thousands of toxins and chemicals at work, home, through the air we breathe, our food and water supply, and even through the use of pharmaceutical drugs. In addition, we are eating more sugar and processed foods than ever before in human history and regularly abuse our bodies with various stimulants and sedatives. We live in the age of "faster" and "money is time," so we more often than not visit the drive through.

If you ever wondered or cared much about the pollution around us, it's time to change our views and start protecting ourselves from this problem. For decades, scientists have been studying the pollutants in our air, water, food, and soil. We need to protect ourselves and

Research proves that our bodies are not capable of eliminating all the different toxins and chemicals we inhale and ingest daily. They simply accumulate in our cells (especially fat cells), tissues, blood, organs (such as the colon) and remain stored for an indefinite length of time causing various health problems.
You shower, brush your teeth and wash your hair on a regular basis, but do you clean yourself inside? In this modern, toxic world it's becoming a fact of life that our colon (the 'sewer system' of the body), also require regular cleaning. Just like a car requires an oil change periodically so does our body. What toxins we put in our body, we need to flush out.

A daily regular herbal supplement designed to aid in elimination and support colon function naturally. Using herbal supplements insures daily removal of toxins and waste material and offers a gentle way to cleanse the colon.


By Ben Pitchellis

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Colon Cleanse Drink - Improve Health, Lose Weight

Stuff that has been defense for years and years and won't go away on its own. It causes you have to less than optimal digestion, high blood pressure, heart problems, low energy and low metabolism, and can even cause cancer. If your overweight its even worse, but even if your not an herbal colon cleanse drink will do you a world of good.

Its a fact that having this funk in your intestines is causing you health problems, everyone has it to an extent. You may be a very healthy person and have very little, but it is still a toxin and it is poisoning your body. In fact if you have a lot of this funk and you are overweight then this is helping to KEEP you overweight, because it slows your metabolism and digestion, and keeps your body from properly separating the nutrients and waste from the food you eat, and because of your slowed metabolism exercise has less effect for you than somebody with a clean system.
As I said, even if you aren't overweight, you have toxins in your body. Remember I said the average person has over ten pounds of this stuff, I didn't say an overweight person. My friend was the one who turned me on to this and he lost 15 pounds in the first week. He was not overweight by any means, but now he is at the exact weight he is supposed to be for his height. When I started using it I lost ten pounds in a week, but I am not as big as my friend.

When you use this drink as directed within just one week you should lose the majority of the funk in your system. Your metabolism will speed up, meaning that if you are overweight, it doesn't matter so much anymore what you eat because it burns off faster, digests faster, and exercise has more effect for you

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Colon Cleanse - The Truth About Colon Cleansing and Detoxification

Colon cleansing can be described as the combined mechanisms of removing all waste materials from the walls and within space of the colon while colon detoxification can be said to be the exclusion of toxins, counting non beneficial micro organisms from the colon system. Both Colon cleansing and detoxification works together to get rid of fecal or waste materials from the colon as well as the digestive organs of the human system. The reason why an individual needs colon cleansing and detoxification is the unhealthy diet which we consume on daily basis. Foods such as fatty meats, cheese, sugary foods, and excessively sealed foods are usually hard to break down or digest in the colon, hence they should be disposed off somehow from the colon, and otherwise the colon will develop complications.
The colon protects itself from unhealthy foods by secreting mucus and sludge, the continual production of the sludge and mucus to defend itself will later result in the colon unable to pass out waste materials from the body. These mucus and sledge produce by the colon and only beneficial for the colon to protect itself but they tend to be harmful after sometimes because they will harbor toxins, hence the colon requires stable cleansing and detoxification. If colon cleansing and detoxification is not performed on the colon, the sledges and mucus will continue to release toxins into the blood stream and cause health complications such as allergies and illnesses including excessive gain in weight, joint and muscle pains and many more.
Colon cleansing and detoxification can be done in several ways. One of the commonest ways is the use of the enema therapy. This involves the way of water through the anus unto the walls of the colon for some minutes before releasing it into the toilet. This colon cleansing and detoxification method is quite effective but it gets messy as time goes on .This therapy is fairly injurious to the digestive tracts and it can only take away some layers of the waste materials from the walls of the colon which means it is not effective. The use of colonics for colon cleansing and detoxification has been found to be more effective than the Enema. Just like the Enema, water is approved through the anus unto the colon but with the use of colonics, a closed water removing technique is used instead of an open one in the Enema. The use of colonics is much less painful and messy.
The uses of herbal supplements are usually preferred by those who don't want water to be passed in to their system with the colonics and the Enema system. Herbal supplements are taken like food. They are however not too effective because of their laxative effects. They also can only remove some parts of the waste materials and can even cause some side effects after prolong usage. Hence they can not be used for a long time.
Colon cleansing and detoxification is complete best when a trained specialist is contacted for pre-examination before taking any colon cleansing and detoxification therapy.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Cleansing the Colon - Is This Necessary Or Not?

Cleansing your colon regularly helps to remove unwanted toxins from the body. This can result in many health benefits, such as boosting your energy levels and enhancing the immune system. Colon cleansing developed a bad name in the past because it was mainly used for nothing more than preparation that was required for some medical examinations of the colon. If you've ever had to drink the white, chalky substance known as "Barium" then you'll know what I mean. It's a metallic liquid that assists in cleaning the colon in order to provide clear x-rays. I've had to drink my share while getting checked for ulcers, however colon cleansing is different than that. The old way of thinking is changing dramatically and now people are performing colon cleansing religiously in an attempt to have better overall health.

There are still those who believe that colon cleansing is unnecessary and could actually have unfavorable effects on the body. Their stand is that the body will obviously rid itself of toxins and will eliminate waste and bacteria. Various worry that because the colon absorbs water as well as sodium, cleansing might offset the balance of the body's electrolytes and fluids. This could result in possible dehydration and lack of sodium.

There are exactly thousands of individuals that swear by colon cleansing although. Some people have stated that it's helped them reduce their depression, feelings of sluggishness and bloating and even helped them achieve permanent weight loss, although it's not calculated for that reason. I ever read an article recently where a famous professional football player got a professional bowel cleansing at a clinic in Las Vegas. I assume if you've got the money to burn to let a pro do it then more power to you. Fortunately, there are less expensive alternatives for the rest of us that don't cost an arm and a leg. You can find an array of affordable colon cleansing products online that can be used at home and should work fine for your needs.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Chinese Herbal Teas

Chinese herbal teas are famous for their several health profit, which comprise improved digestion, stress relief, weight loss and maintenance, and even memory improvement. They are made from various parts of the plant, including the leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, bark, and stems. The best Chinese herbal teas, based on Ayurvedan herbal medicine, use diverse herb combinations to achieve specific health benefits.

Modern Chinese herbal teas use three types of herbs – an essential healing herb, an herb to addition the remedial, and a flavoring herb to make it drinkable. They may be taken as dietary supplements or used in cooking. Here are some popular Chinese herbal teas and their benefits.

1. Ginkgo biloba tea
Ginkgo biloba is identified to reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol in the body, preventing heart disease. It is also touted as a memory herb – several studies show that it improves blood circulation to the brain and slows down the degeneration of brain cells. Fresh ginkgo leaves work better than dried, but they are harder to find and frequently more expensive.

2. Green tea
Green tea is made from vegetation that have undergone very little oxidation through processing (black tea uses fully oxidized leaves). It is usually used for weight loss and digestion, and may be consumed fresh or used in cooking. It is also said to help avoid cancer, but there are no studies backing this claim.

3. Oolong tea
Oolong tea is processed with 10% to 70% oxidation, darker than green tea but lighter than black tea. There are different types of Chinese Oolong tea, but the most famous are those grown in the Wu Yi mountain province. Oolong tea is high in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals – substances that injure the cells and make the body prone to illness.

4. Jiaogulan tea
Known as China’s “immortality herb” Jiaogulan is one of the most famous Chinese herbal teas. As well antioxidants, it also contains adaptogens and saponins – a group of chemicals that promotes self-regulation, a key factor in treating diabetes. It also lowers blood cholesterol and blood sugar and reduces the danger of heart disease.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Benefits of Colon Cleansing - Detox Your Body!

The majority populace would be shocked if they were aware of all the poisons in our bodies. The benefits of colon cleansing are endless. These poisons in our bodies are deteriorating our bodies and literally killing us. You must detox your body frequently. The information I'm going to share with you is something everybody should know and implement into their lifestyles.

Why Are Our Bodies Toxic?

Americans and people all over the world have taken on very unhealthy diets and have no idea what it is doing to our bodies Did you know the standard American consumes 150 pounds of sugar yearly. This breaks down to roughly 52 tablespoons of sugar daily. This is an alarming rate. Many of the junk foods we consume contain harmful additives, chemicals, and many are filled with excitotoxins such as MSG and aspartame. These substances can literally stimulate neurons to death, causing serious brain damage. Sound serious, it is, the food industry knowingly adds these dangerous substances all in the name of making a buck. The average human could be a host for a hundred parasites alone. The thought alone makes me sick to my stomach.

Where Do I Start?

It's easy start with the colon. There are so many benefits to colon cleansing. You must detox your body, before it's to late. Any cleansing regiment should begin in the colon. It is the last stop in our digestive area and must be cared for. Many experts agree that the colon must be cleansed before any effective healing can take place in our bodies. When you begin your cleansing we should notice results with in a few days. You will either be amazed or disgusted what you find coming out of your body, I know I was. In addition, If you want to take a step further To detox your bodies, try body wraps. This is also a great way to rid our bodies of these impurities.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Ayurveda - 5 Ayurvedic Diet Habits to Better Health and a Healthier Life

Many diverse custom changes you can incorporate into your lifestyle which will advantage your health and well being. A healthy mind comes from putting healthy compatible foods into the system so a person can function at a high level of awareness. As there are many better habits that can be applied to our modern day lifestyles, there are also a few fundamental practices that we need to keep so our system functions on the same level as nature.
1- In a world full of excess it is better to keep meals to 1 or 2 times a day. This three meals a day plus all the snacking and social eating is a major cause of disease in our fast moving society. This tradition of breakfast, lunch and dinner is not very modern any more. You should eat when you need food and not because it is 'time to eat.' How can it be time to eat for every single person at the same time? A healthy mind and body only needs 1 to 2 meals a day and that is without snacks. Some days the body also needs a complete rest from intake of food, therefore a fast of warm water is recommended.
2- The timing of eating is crucial and this needs to be way before bedtime so the body has a chance to do some cleaning during the night. Eating before 5 or 6pm is a health habit to cultivate. This will give the system time to digest the food and then when you are sleeping no energy needs to be wasted on digestion and at the same time no extra toxins are created from undigested food passing into the intestines.
3- Eating in season is fundamental to a health diet. A local farmers market is best as they have local produce which is in season and your body is acclimated to that type of food. Eating foods that are brought in from all over the world create many issues such as allergies, digestive problems, skin toxicity and constipation. Eat local and avoid problems.
4- Eat in the right combinations. Eating in season alleviates much of this problem but then there are many other foods which should not be mixed together. Milk and fish, dairy and salad, yogurt and fruits etc. You will not know them all but as you eat more correctly, the body and mind will become in tune with what combinations are best. To start the process, when you eat only mix 2 or 3 things together (without sauce) then you will know which foods are not right for at this moment. This is a daily practice that needs to be cultivated and over time a person will intuitively know how to combine foods.
5- Fill the stomach with one third food, one third water and keep it one third empty. As you leave room for digestion the liquid and food mix to make a healthy combination and help each other to break down to be used as nutrition. This rule will change if a person is very imbalanced in one element or another but in general this is a good guide line for healthy food intake.
Treat your body well and the mind will follow.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Arthritis Pain Relief with Acupuncture

Arthritis pain has never been easy to treat and arthritis symptoms have often been managed by the use of possibly toxic or unpalatable arthritis medication. Acupuncture can effect in powerful arthritis pain relief and it can provide an alternative arthritis remedy for many pain sufferers. Arthritis treatment by acupuncture is described below.
Arthritis pain relief with acupuncture - what is acupuncture?
Acupuncture has been used for arthritis pain relief in traditional Chinese medicine for many thousands of years. It has latelybecome a widely used technique in western medicine – both by doctors and others.
Acupuncture claims good results in the treatment of arthritis pain. Arthritis pain relief and joint pain relief are among the most common reasons for using acupuncture in Western countries. Many people who experience from osteoathritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, degenerative arthritis and gout seek pain relief from acupuncture – either alongside, or instead of, their arthritis medication or other arthritis treatment.
Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles into several points around the body. These acupuncture points are often near to the site of your arthritis pain and may be very tender to touch before the needle is inserted. Other acupuncture points used for arthritis pain release may be quite a way far-away from the affected joint – acupuncturists usually call these areas “distal points.” It depends on the exacting style of practice used by your acupuncturists but you should expect to have anything between two and twenty needles inserted each time you go for treatment
Most arthritis pain sufferers need from three to six treatment sessions before they start to get relief. The needles are extremely fine – not much wider than a human hair – and are often left in your skin for more than twenty minutes during a treatment session.
There is no way to forecast how much arthritis pain relief you will get from acupuncture – it really is a matter of try it and see what happens.
How is acupuncture used in arthritis pain relief?
Your first acupuncture sitting may last about an hour and subsequent appointments are often shorter in length. From two to twenty very thin needles are put in place and left there for several minutes. Having needles stuck in your body may not sound like fun but most people say there's only a slight stinging sense as the needles enter, and no pain at all after that. Your therapist may stimulate the needles by turning or rotating them quickly during your treatment session.
Acupuncture needles are very thin and solid with a smooth point and having them inserted may not be as uncomfortable as getting an immunisation having blood taken for a blood test. The number of sessions needed varies. Long-standing and composite chronic pain problems like arthritis might need one or two treatments a week for several months.
Most people do not experience side effects from acupuncture therapy but a few of us can have problems such as bleeding or infection. Some people who have never experienced acupuncture may feel dizzy after their first acupuncture treatment.

CHINESE MEDICINE

CHINESE MEDICINE developed over thousand of years, almost without any outside influences from other medical systems. The Nei Ching (Book of Medicine) is an ancient medical work. According to legend, it was written over 4,000 years ago by the Yellow Emperor, Huang Ti. The book was more likely to have been written some time about 200BC, but it has formed the basis for most Chinese medical literature since.
CHINESE MEDICINE is largely based on the concept of yin and yan, which stand for opposing states and condition. Yin reprensennts states such as feminine, dark and wet. Yang represent the opposing states of masculine, light and dry. In the Nei ching, yin and yang are said to control the body ,which is thought of as a tiny country with rulers and administrators. The `country` also has a communication system of 12 rivers, based on the great rivers of China. These rivers divide into much smaller channels which carry blood and a liquid called ch`i (vital energy). These channels connect organs to one another. For example, the kidney connects to the ear, the lungs to the nose and the heart to the tongue. When these channels are in good working order, the body is healthy. Points along the channels can be used to influence the flow of ch`i.
As with Hinduism, Chinese religions discouraged dissection. For this reason, medicine was based largely on these channels and their influences on the body. Treatments often involved the use of acupuncture, where needles were inserted into one of the hundreds of points where ch`I channels were thought to run. This stimulated (perked up) the flow of ch`i and restored good health. Sometimes cones of dried herbs were burned on the skin at these points, for the same purpose. Acupuncture has been practiced for more than 4,500 years. It remains central of Chinese Medicine and is also used in the West, especially as a treatment for pain and a cure for addiction (dependency on a drug).
Chinese Medicine depends mostly on herbal remedies. Many of these herbs have been incorporated into Western medicine, such as castor oil, camphor, chaulmoogra oil to treat leprosy and iron to treat anaemia. Ginseng is a widely-known Chinese remedy, used to keep a person alert, called a stimulant. The ancient Chinese invented vaccination as a way to treat smallpox. They injected a small amount of pus from a smallpox sore into healthy people. This gave them a mild form of the disease and made them immune (resistant) to full-blown infection. Europeans did not discover vaccination until the AD1700s.

AYURVEDIC MEDICINE

The VEDAS are a series of Hindu texts written in India between 1200BC and 900BC, though they are probably based on much older stories. In among the religious parts of the Vedas are explanations of the workings of the body and detailed descriptions of diseases, including dropsy and tumors. Treatments recommended in the Vedas included herbal remedies and also prayers and magic rituals to expeldemons. Ayurvedic medicine was practiced up to around 1000BC.
After 1000BC a new school of medicine emerged in India, still based on the Vedas, but drawing in beliefs from other systems, such as Buddhism. This is known as AYURVEDIC (knowledge of life) MEDICINE.
Its principles were written down in two influential books. These were the Caraka-samhita and the Sushruta-samhita, written by two doctors called Caraka and Sushruta. Both believed that desires upset the body`s balance so they have to be satisfied in moderation.
The Hindus believed that the body was built from three essences or elements. These were air or breath, phlegm and bile. They had to be in balance for a person to enjoy good health. The essences interacted to produce the body`s flesh, fat, marrow, blood, bone, chyle (fatty fluid) and semen. Ayurvedic treatment involved restoring the balance of the essences, with a combination of prayer, herbal medicine, diet and, sometimes, surgery.
Indian doctors were very skilled in making a diagnosis (identifying a disease). As apprentices, they had to memorize passages from the Vedas. During the examination of the patient, appropriate verses would come to mind. The verses helped the doctor to make a proper diagnosis and suggest the right treatment. There was a large range of herbal medicines to choose from, as well as drugs prepared from animal parts or minerals. Drugs used included the dung or urine of elephants, and the eggs of peacock and crocodiles.
Partly for religious reasons, hygiene was very important to Ayurvedic surgeons. Doctors stressed the importance of washing the body and cleaning the teeth regularly.
Hindu surgeons were highly skilled. Operations included removing tumours and cataracts, repairing broken bones, stitching wounds, and performing caesarean births and amputations. They were even able to remove bladder stones. Thanks to their good hygiene, surgeons in India in 800BC had a higher survival rate among their patients than those in Europe up until the 1800s.

Source : “The Illustrated History Encyclopedia” By: John Farndon, Will Fowler, Simon Adams, Brian Ward.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Acupuncture as an Effective Alternative Therapy for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a complex chronic neurological disorder that generates a wide range of symptoms. Most people with fibromyalgia complain about recidivating muscular pain, rigidity of joints and a generalized state of body weakness. Although these manifestations may point to rheumatoid arthritis, clinical examinations can reveal any signs of physical damage in people with fibromyalgia.
Due to the fact that most medical treatments are unable to overcome fibromyalgia, the disorder is considered to be incurable. However, this belief is far from the truth. Although fibromyalgia is a serious disorder with a pronounced chronic character, there are actually effective means of treating it. Acupuncture has proved to be a very reliable form of therapy for fibromyalgia, providing symptomatic relief and preventing the recurrence of the disorder.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that has been successfully used to treat various illnesses for thousands of years. This oriental therapy can relieve most of the symptoms generated by fibromyalgia in a relatively short period of time. Acupuncture can quickly restore physical and mental balance, improving the overall health of the people who follow this form of therapy.
Acupuncture can rapidly ease fibromyalgia pain and fatigue. This form of alternative therapy uses needles to rouse various nervous centers of the body. In Oriental medicine, it is believed that the internal activity of the organism can be influenced by activating certain points on the body. These points are referred to as “acupuncture points” or “acupoints”. Therapists use acupuncture needles to activate specific acupoints on the body, correcting the activity of the entire organism simply by stimulating the nervous system.
This ancient Chinese practice is very benefic for people affected by fibromyalgia. Acupuncture inhibits fibromyalgia pain by stopping pain impulses from reaching the brain. This form of therapy can also regulate the body’s production of hormones, increasing the levels of serotonin, endorphins and encephalin, which have a very important role in relieving pain. Acupuncture can also improve the blood flow, restoring muscular tonus. Furthermore, acupuncture can help people with fibromyalgia relax, inducing them a state of comfort and wellbeing.
The majority of people affected by fibromyalgia admit that they have experienced an amelioration of their symptoms after only a few sessions of acupuncture. The first symptoms that can be relieved with the means of acupuncture are muscular pain and weakness, rigidity of the joints, and fatigue. After a month of ongoing therapy, acupuncture can also reduce stress, depression and mental confusion.
Chinese therapists claim that acupuncture works on multiple levels, healing the body, mind and spirit altogether, helping people re-achieve their balance. Oriental therapists also state that acupuncture stimulates and increases the vital “chi” energy, improving the overall health of the organism.
Acupuncture is very benefic to people with fibromyalgia and it can quickly alleviate their symptoms. In present, this form of therapy is probably the most effective means of overcoming the disorder.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Acupuncture and Headaches - How Can Acupuncture Provide Headache Relief?

A headache is one ordinary problem suffered by millions of people crossways the globe. A research has proved that about more than 45 million people in the United States suffer from chronic headaches and unluckily, 28 million people experience from stern migraines.
To get worse the scenario, about 4 per cent of adults suffer from headache on a daily basis. This is a bad news, but this bitter truth has to be swallowed because, one cannot run away anywhere from this inevitable problem.
Sometimes, the headaches take such a severe shape that people are forced to take pain killers. However, these provide only temporary relief. Sometimes these pain relieving medications leave many side effects to the patients.
The treatments option known as acupuncture has emerged as a boon to people who are suffering from frequent headaches. Even chronic headaches can be treated successfully with acupuncture without having to worry about any of the side effects. The efficiency of acupuncture is such that it has reduced the use of medication in almost all the places across the globe.
According to a study conducted by the University of North Carolina School of medicine showed that acupuncture when combined with management of medical science has a tendency to enhance the quality of life in most people who suffer from chronic headaches.
Acupuncture works good where medical management fails. The medical science based in China believes that one of the primary causes of headache is the blockage in the smooth flow of Qi energy and blood.
The acupuncture treatments primarily focus on eliminating this obstruction. It may also require needling of the site of pain in conjunction with other related energy channels.
The duration and frequency of the acupuncture treatment will depend on the response of the patient towards the treatment provided.


One can also drink some sort of Chinese herbal formulae along with this treatment.
In order to manage and reduce the frequency and severity of headaches, one requires to do the following:
a) Manage stress
b) Minimize the consumption of caffeine
c) Eating a balanced diet
d) Staying away from fried and greasy foods
e) Limiting the intake of soups
If you are suffering from recurrent headache, you must follow the instruction given by your health care professionals.
Make sure that the acupuncturist that you appoint for yourself is well experienced in the field and had a lot of satisfied clients.
Acupuncture can be referred to as an effective treatment modality. The treatment option has to be applied to headaches starting from the earliest of TCT.
Acupuncture can show effective in a lot of headache treatment such as migraines, cervicogenic headache and cluster headaches.
Acupuncture works towards relaxing the muscles that become really tense during the times of stress. It also works towards restoring the correct balance of chemicals as these abnormal levels be apt to headache.
The best fraction is that migraine suffers can get amazing relief via the process of acupuncture. Make sure that the acupuncturists you appoint is well experience and reputed.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Acupuncture and Depression - What is the Connection?

Acupuncture can heal depression. Acupuncture is an ancient healing system that took birth in China and prevailed for many years. This technique has been create really helpful and effective in various types of health conditions. It is believed that the art is almost two thousand years old.
In earlier days, acupuncture was not widely accepted. However, today, it has become a great method when it comes to treating depression.
Depression is a type of mental disorder and it is also affecting a lot of people all across the globe. In the US, about 7% of the whole population has experienced depression at some point in their lives.
There are several consequences one may require to face due to depression. This condition tends to affect the social as well as personal life of a person.
The main step towards treating depression is via identifying the specific points in the body that triggers depression. Now, if you are considering acupuncture as a treatment, it is very important to seek it from an knowledgeable and well known acupuncturist.
In case, your acupuncturist is not qualified in his field of practice, you would end up suffering from various health problems. Never ever make any compromise when it comes to your health.
The treatment of Acupuncture is based on the basic and widely known fact that two opposing forces are present inside the human body.
One of the forces is the active masculine force. It is known as Yang. The other force is the passive and feminine force known as Yin. In order to function in a normal manner, the human body requires to possess a perfect balance between Yang and Yin. In case, there is an imbalance, the human health suffers from various conditions.
The result derived from the treatment of acupuncture for depression depends on each individual. These results tend to vary from one person to the other.
Now, this can be due to various conditions. Certain conditions can put an impact immediately after the treatment process. These include the following:
a) The lifestyle of the individual
b) Diet pattern on a daily basis
c) Different habits of the individual
d) Actual extent of the situations.
e) Severity of the condition
Most public tend to stop attractive the treatment as soon as they see some improvement in their condition. However, this should not be the case. Make sure that you undergo the actual and complete course of the treatment. Never ever leave the course of treatment mid way.
Acupuncture can be very effective in treating depression if done in a true manner and taken the full reason of the treatment. Another important thing to notice is to take this treatment only from a professional who has a good experience in this field and has a good reputation among his clients.
There are many compensations of going for acupuncture as a treatment for depression.
One of the main benefits is that there is no side effect.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Acupuncture And Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine, often identified as Oriental medicine or traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), encompasses a vast array of folk medical practices based on mysticism.



It holds the belief that the body’s vital energy (Qi) circulates in the body through channels known as meridians, with branches connected to bodily organs and functions. A disruption or imbalance of the Qi leads to illness. Ancient remedies such as Qigong, use of herbs and acupuncture are believed to restore the balance of the Qi.
Traditional acupuncture as practiced in China for more than 2,500 years is one of the vital components of the Chinese medicine system.



It involves the insertion of stainless steel needles into various body areas, along with a low-frequency current to the needles to produce greater stimulation. Other Chinese practices used separately or in blend with acupuncture are: moxibustion (burning of floss or herbs practical to the skin); injection of sterile water, procaine, morphine, vitamins, or homeopathic solutions through the inserted needles; applications of laser beams (laserpuncture); assignment of needles in the external ear (auriculotherapy); and acupressure (use of manual pressure). The acupuncture treatment is applied to "acupuncture points," located throughout the body.

These acupuncture points as believed by today’s acupuncturists number more than 2,000.
For 40 years, the acupuncture system has gained popularity and has been widely accepted as an alternative medicine in both developed and developing counties.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Acupuncture: A benefit to the well Individual?

Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, let's talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation. Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways identified as meridians.
These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities.
Now, let's move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effectual in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care. Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through adaptable the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain. Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health. But what about the well individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Acupuncture - A Benefit?

To preface discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, lets talk about what acupuncture is. First used in China more than 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures known to man. It is a family of measures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is the same type of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture is the foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and forces in our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and Yang represents the hot, excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang.



This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy pour occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities. Does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer is absolutely yes. Acupuncture has been exposed to be effective in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care.

There are many who doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, although once they become patients, they become believers. It has been suggested that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory suggests that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain. There is no doubt acupuncture was beneficial in the study.Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health.

What about the healthy individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them?Absolutely.Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment.Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Acupuncture - What's The Point?

Acupuncture is an ancient form of natural Chinese remedial. It continues to be practiced in modern times in countries all around the globe to treat a wide variety of conditions and illnesses.

Acupuncture involves using extremely thin long needles, often described as ‘hair thin’.
These needles are inserted in various points on the body to simulate the body’s own healing abilities.

Below are five of the common reasons that acupuncture is used today:

Acupuncture Controls Allergies

Allergic reactions occur when the immune system reacts to a substance that is normally harmless to most people. These substances can be environmental such as pollen and dust, or they can be from foods such as mild, peanuts, or shellfish. Allergies can source mild reactions such as tickly, watery eyes and liquid nose. Sometimes, more severe reactions occur as a result of an allergic reaction and these can be kidney failure, heart palpitations, depression, and joint pain. Acupuncture helps to detoxify the body so the immune system can be strengthened to the point that allergic reactions no longer arise.
Acupuncture Strengthens The Immune System
Studies have shown that acupuncture improves the body's natural resistance to disease and infection by strengthening the immune system. Acupuncture increases the level of white blood cells as well as alpha, beta, and gamma globulins. Gamma globulin helps the body produce immune antibodies and alpha and beta globulin aid the white blood cells in fighting infection.

Acupuncture Provides Pain Relief
Acupuncture triggers the release of the body's feel good chemicals, the endorphins. An increase in the level of endorphins helps to alleviate pain. Acupuncture further helps to provide pain relief by balancing the nerve impulses along the central nervous system.

Acupuncture Assists in Drug Recovery
Chemical dependency can be treated with acupuncture by helping to reduce the withdrawal symptoms from drugs and alcohol. Acupuncture helps to reduce cravings, relieves anxiety, and usually helps people relax.







Acupuncture is used extensively in drug recovery due to these desirable benefits.

Acupuncture Relieves Stress

Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that stress is related to liver imbalance, so therefore the treatment for stress is using acupuncture to restore the energy balance in the liver. Once this is done, the muscles relax and the patient is stress free. Stress can guide to many serious life threatening diseases, so alleviating stress is an important benefit of having an acupuncture treatment.

The five reasons above are just a few of the many indications for using acupuncture. If you have a chronic condition, you should consider this alternative treatment.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Ayurveda & Natural Health - Chayanvaprash For a Healthy Immune System

The trend these days is to hear reports telling us to stay away from sweets and simple sugars.
And for the most part this is true. But in Ayurveda, the worlds oldest medical system, sweets can be beneficial. Such is the case with a jam called Chayanvaprash.

Of course balance and moderation are the key. But with Chayanvaprash, you can have your sweets and feel good about it. Chayanvaprash is a thick, rich, dark jam that has many benefits.

~ It promotes rejuvenation and proper function of the immune system, as well as being calming for the mind and body.
~ It stimulates your metabolism, improves your digestive function,
~ It also supports healthy lungs and respiration. It is especially good for colds, flu, asthma, allergies, chest congestion, cough, fatigue.
~ Chayanvaprash is very effective for relieving general debility.
Many clients report that it has helped to restore a sense of balance during stressful times, especially while traveling, and even with symptoms of menopause. Try 1 teaspoon, once or twice daily. Here are four easy ways to consume this nutritive jam:
~ put it on toast,.
~ stir it into oatmeal,
~ spread it on whole grain pancakes or waffles
~ mix a spoon full in warm water and drink as a spicy "Chai" like tea

Chyanvaprash is a traditional Ayurvedic herbal jam made in a base of amalaki fruit, a rich source of antioxidants. This excellent rejuvenative nourishes and strengthens the body, providing energy and vitality. Chyanvaprash is a great method for daily herbal consumption due to its unique consitutents of cane sugar, ghee and honey.

Proven effective for over a thousand years of use, (how many prescription drugs can make that claim?), these nourishing tastes play the important role of "carriers" that allow the herbs to penetrate deep into the tissues.

In a small daily dose (1 or 2 teaspoons), it makes for a tasty and very healthful treat. It balances vata and kapha while strengthening the body against he effects of a stressful lifestyle. The energizing herbs bolster the immune system and help maintain health and well-being throughout the year.