You may all know that alternative treatment is a best substitute for conventional treatment.
Some prefer conventional methods and some others alternative methods.
There are many differences between these two types of treatments.

Conventional treatment verses alternative treatment:

The methods of conventional treatment have been used by everyone at some point in your lives. Some of these conventional treatment methods are prescription medications, scientific methods, X-rays, etc.
All most all of you are familiar with these types of treatment methods at one point or another has undergone one or more of them.
The medical establishment has taken over by the conventional treatment. Some of you feel better by knowing that you are taking pills and doing what your doctor told. But some people do not need this. These are the people who wish to use the methods of alternative treatment.
Have you ever taken any alternative treatment therapy? All most all the alternative treatments require judgment call. It inspires most of the people to take a big step away from conventional treatment.
The most well known methods of alternative treatment include:

• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Massage
• Meditation
• Homeopathy
• Herbs

All these treatments are become more and more popular in last few years. The use of alternative treatment and medicine are increasing greatly due to the ineffectiveness of conventional treatments.
Most of the diseases, chronic pain, and illness are found to be incurable with conventional treatment. This is the reason for a patient to search for alternative treatment to ease the pain.
The above mentioned methods of alternative treatment can not only ease your physical pain but also relieve your mental and spiritual stresses and tensions. For most of the people it may be hard to make the jump from conventional to alternative treatment.
Conventional treatment only focuses on your physical ailments and nothing else, whereas the alternative treatment will focus on your entire body and soul.
Alternative methods require more work than conventional methods. They also require a lot of self discipline. If you won’t put any effort on it then no result you will see in any of these methods.
Conventional methods take no effort; you simply will go to a doctor and take all the medications that he prescribes for you. It is mainly based on trust but not belief.
For some of the diseases which are life threatening or serious illness you may want to consider both of these methods simultaneously. Make sure that you must check with your doctor before undergoing any of these alternative treatment methods.
You need to avoid any of the negative interventions. If you follow the methods correctly and put some effort on it then you can live an enjoyable life without any stress and pain as well as controlling your illness with conventional methods.
If you use both of these treatments correctly then they can complement each other in a very positive way. Depending on your medical condition, pains, and ailments you can choose a right alternative treatment method to compliment your illness in the right way.

What Are The Reasons To Choose An Alternative Treatment Instead Of Conventional Treatment?

 

Winter comes with snow, wind and a green, gluey leakage. To prevent this leakage, the immune system must be strong and the will to kill it soon must be present.
There are proper ways for protection: consuming healthy foods and beverages is probably the most efficient way followed by having certain amount of vitamins and minerals each day.
However, there are some extraordinary ways to help people kill the cold, too.
The first way is not to blow the nose. It is said that the more blow causes more mucus to run into the sinuses.[sinus infection]
Recent researches show that this situation happens every time after blowing the nose. The best method to prevent is to stay unstuffed and blow only one nostril each time gently.
To prevent from blowing, a spoon of sea-salt can be added and mixed into a glass of water. Then sniffing some of this mix will let the mucus flow gently through the nostrils without any help of blowing.
One other odd solution is to use a sauna. A research showed that using sauna can relieve cold symptoms. “Baking the cold” method will show its results by also reducing recurrence. This method can be easily used with hot water at home.
In a deep and wide pot, pour the hot water. Then close the face up to the pot with a towel on it and breathe the steam deeply. The water can be more aromatic and relaxed with a few lavender or mint. This process opens the sinuses and helps to “bake” the cold.
As a common thought, exercising can cause the cold to be killed. The more exercise means a more strong immune system which results with a low percentage of catching a cold.
Also studies show that flu has the capacity to spread faster and more effectively in dry air. Staying in places where humidity is higher or avoiding the dry-aired places, viruses cannot easily approach to the body.
Along with eating well and exercising regularly, sleeping is an important factor for helping the body to destroy a cold.
Researchers found out that sleeping less than 6 or 7 hours may tend to catch a cold three times more than sleeping 8 hours and more. So the right way is to hibernate and sleep it off.
The last odd way to kill cold is to put on more jackets and blankets to prevent cold air.
People who wear more are less likely to be cold, thus searching inside the wardrobe and putting out the warmest clothes becomes necessary. Sweating off a cold is sure to kill it. The example of the Indian shamans is ancient but quite effective.
In conclusion, these odd but beneficial ways help people fight the cold. In order to shine like a star throughout the winter, these ways are worth to try.

6 Odd Ways To Kill A Cold

 

We have spoken about Urine therapy before and this attracted a considerable amount of interest including some readers who wanted to know more about urine therapy.
One of our readers posed a very pertinent question about urine therapy; about whether it was possible to use this therapy in conjunction with or at the same time as taking prescription medications.
The short answer to this is that any medication that you may be taking, should be used with caution when one also practices urine therapy, it is generally discouraged.
The simple reason for this is that since you are taking in your own urine, there is a chance that you are getting more than the required dosage of the medication since it is being recycled: what is excreted by way of urine is again entering the body.
So while there may not be grave danger from urine therapy being practiced in conjunction with other allopathic remedies caution is necessary.
The proportion or dosage of the medication could be adjusted or reduced if required, however what is important is that one must clear with one’s physician what is safe to take and what is not safe to take when one is undergoing urine therapy.

Urine Therapy And Medication

 

Chocolate is one of the most consumed foods around the world.

Not only for the irresistible and rich flavour it has but also the health benefits one could gain from munching a bar of chocolate.
An experiment was made with specific participants given dark, milk and white chocolates on a daily basis within a specific period of time.
Test results have shown that dark chocolate contains larger amount of an essential antioxidant compared to milk and white chocolates.
This antioxidant called phenol, an antioxidant found in the cacao bean, the main source of chocolate was discovered to have positive effects on blood pressure and the increase of nitric oxide which trims down platelet aggregation, and restrains oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
It can help decrease blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and increase a person’s insulin sensitivity.
Another important discovery about dark chocolates is that it helps people retain information and store it in their long term memory.
It is proven to improve memory as much as 20% because it contains another strong antioxidant called epicatechin, a type of flavonoid that is very effective in improving cognitive ability of human brain and further helps in preventing dementia.
The compound, epicatechin is previously seen to improve cardiovascular function as it increases blood flow in the brain.
Health experts also recommended a combination of regular exercise and a diet with epicatechin that can help promote structural and functional changes in the dentate gyrus, a part of the brain involved in the formation of learning and memory.
An estimated small amount of four slices of dark chocolates added to the daily diet will certainly suffice.
Dark chocolates with epicatechin combined with other essential nutrients can help a person overcome depression, improve immunity as well as help in easing the mental stress.
It also stimulates endorphin production, also known as “happy hormones”. It contains serotonin, which acts as anti-depressant by lightening up a person’s mood that can all contribute to enhancing one’s memory in a very natural way.
The bitterness of dark chocolates is also brought by the compound epicatechin, which is removed in a certain process to produce a less-bitter white and milk chocolates.
Along with this process, 90% of phenols and some of the important nutrients are disintegrated making the other types of chocolates less nutritious.
Dark chocolate is surely the best chocolate for one’s health. So, before holding a pen and start an exam, go grab some dark chocolate and take a bite. This yummy and healthy habit will sure bring you results.

The Dark Chocolate Increases The Attention Span

 

Acne is an annoying issue of the hormonal imbalance of the body. Not only young teenagers, but also people who live under stress suffer from this skin disease.
There are important things to take note for acne treatment. First, it is important to know what cause this skin abnormality.
Researchers found that the hormonal imbalance triggers excess body oil outbreak. This oil comes from the sebaceous glands inside hair follicles underneath epidermal surface.
When this excess oil mixes up with dead skin cells and blood toxins, it plugs the cores and starts an ugly formation. Then the process is being completed by a scream in front of the mirror by a young girl or a stressful businessman.
To cure this skin disease, Zinc is an essential mineral which has multiple benefits to human body.
It supports the immune system to maintain as healthy, helps wounded areas to heal more quickly, plays a vital role for fertility and healthy hair.
Zinc is also known as an antibacterial, thus helps to get rid of ugly spots called acne. Zinc can also be found in some food such as oysters, beef, beans, mushrooms, soybeans, nuts, fish, dairy products, etc.
Some researchers believe that although Zinc has lots of pluses for a proper acne treatment, it is not an efficient way for healing the skin completely.
That conclusion comes from the fact that acne is caused by primary and secondary causes, thus Zinc cannot heal all these causes only by itself. But, most of the symptoms of acne and hormonal imbalance can be reduced by zinc treatment.
However, as all the treatment kinds, zinc has to be taken with the right quantity and quality.  Zinc can regulate the excess oil production which causes skin to take a deep breath and fight with acne. But zinc’s impact may be lost in relation with some foods, supplements and chemical substances.
It is because these supplements do not let the body absorb zinc completely and the results may be inefficient.
Phytic acid is one of the supplements that reduce the absorption of zinc by 15%. This acid type can be found in whole grains.
Also copper and iron interfere with zinc. If these items are not taken of limited to 2-3 mg a day, the problem can be solved.
Also, for the best solutions, zinc can be limited to 100mg a day to avoid excess amount that may cause toxicity. The best natural treatment can be taking zinc from food; however tons of food is necessary for enough amount of zinc for acne treatment.
The best acne cure that gives a successful result is holistic remedy because it affects the roots of acne and treats the imbalance of hormones permanently.
Best results can be reached by using both holistic treatment approach and zinc treatment together.

Zinc – Much More Than Acne Treatment

 

Have you heard about Yumeiho?  It is a massage therapy that can treat different symptoms without using medicines.
It was made public by Saionji Masayuki, a doctor from Japan.
He combined different methods from different countries and selected the best for the new technique.
It is based on ancient oriental method called Setaiho which is used to prevent symptoms by realizing the exercise, self recovery and strength as part of life.
The combination of systems proved to be effective. The method consists of a hundred movements that will be used in each case. The therapist massages muscles and adjusts articulation all over the body. This is very beneficial for the muscles and connective tissue.
Yumeiho is characterized by treatment and prevention of certain ailments in the body. One example is curing hip displacement, which are symptoms suffered by a lot of people.
If you want to know more about this kind of therapy, there is a book that you can read. This can give information about Yumeiho. You can find out about details of the therapy. It includes benefits and advantages of this kind of regenerating therapy.
If you are planning to undergo Yumeiho, then there are things that you need to remember about this kind of therapy massage. Select a center with a trained masseur to ensure that you are given the right treatment.
Usually they have undergone the treatment themselves and know exactly what to do. It is advisable that you wear casual clothes during the process. It should not be made from synthetic materials.
Wear clothes made from cotton. Remove shoes, glasses, watch and jewelries. The therapist would also wear clothes that allow them to move softly.
Yumeiho is conducted using proper mattress. This means it shouldn’t be too hard or too soft. The duration of the entire process varies. It is different from case to case and it is based on the problem it approaches.
Yumeiho is beneficial for the body. Its effect includes removing the tiredness. After the therapy you will feel comfort. It can also prevent serious disease.
With Yumeiho therapy, your immune system will be strong enough. Your body will also be elastic and if you have problem with sexual performance, then this can very well help because your mental functions will be harmonized.
This therapy is not for everyone. Patients suffering from fever, osteoporosis, tuberculosis, pulmonary diseases, renal disease and cancer should avoid this kind of therapy.
If you have menstruation, it is not advisable. Never undergo Yumeiho on a full stomach because it is best to wait for about three hours after meals in order for the therapy to work at its best.

Yumeiho – Another Kind Of Regenerating Therapy

Many proponents of alternative therapy, who believe in holistic healing as against temporary symptomatic respite, are concerned about the focus of health care in the United States.
The main focus appears to be not on about prevention and good health as it should rightly be, but on drugs, injections, vaccines and surgeries which is good not for the general public but for the pharma industry. There is a sort of sick-care bankruptcy that alternative medication could help save people as well as reduce costs of health care across the board.
And now the new healthcare reform, it is thought, could further interfere with the doctor-patient relationship that is a vital cog in the healthcare system. Dr. Julian Whitaker in Newport Beach, California of the Whitaker Wellness Center, has expressed this concern.
In treating his patients of ailments such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, the doctor espouses the cause of nutrition as being vital to prevention of sickness and disease.
Stress is laid on points such as deficiency of Vitamin D which is known to be responsible for ailments ranging from cancer to osteoporosis to kidney disorder, and depression to psychosis.
Doctors today are being accused of being nutritionally illiterate and this charge has some substance. It bears repeating, though we have touched on this point before; that nutrition needs to be a subject that is taught far more extensively in medical schools that it is currently.

Specialists Concerned About How New Health Bill May Impact Alternative Therapy

The Didgeridoo – A Cure For Asthma Or Sleep Apnea?

No it is not as farfetched as it sounds; there is no magic in it.  But it would seem that the ancient Australian wind instrument developed by their indigenous people, the didgeridoo could actually help those with asthma.
The natural wooden trumpet that was developed about 1500 years ago promotes free breathing and has been seen to be useful for asthmatics. Aboriginal Australians have been seen to be able to manage their asthma symptoms better since playing the didgeridoo helps to develop a skill known as circular breathing. This can help asthma sufferers breathe more deeply.

This adds to the body of knowledge we have about the possible benefits of the didgeridoo since in an earlier study it was seen that playing the instrument could reduce snoring and day time sleepiness.
It is the collapse of the upper airways that causes snoring and obstructive sleep apnea and didgeridoo playing was seen to reduce these symptoms.
A study had been carried out in Switzerland on an experimental group where patients of sleep apnea were given lessons to play the didgeridoo for 4 months. The control group had no lessons and the experimental group experienced significant improvements in their sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness.
Source: Main Street

Each year there are more and more patients that use alternative breast cancer treatments to help them cope with the sickness.
Most of them use these treatments as a complementary therapy or as something they can use to ease the pain and the side effects of the cancer treatment or to help them deal with the symptoms of the disease itself.
There is a wide range of options that you can choose from when it comes to using alternative breast cancer treatments. Most of the time it would take a process of trial and error in order to find the right approach that would work well for you.
Here is a quick look on some of the most common alternative breast cancer treatments that patients are taking these days:
1. Acupuncture
While this kind of treatment cannot heal cancer itself, it has been proven to be effective when it comes to dealing with the symptoms and the side effects of chemotherapy.
Regular acupuncture sessions were proven to be effective when it comes to relieving the pain. Aside from that, this type of alternative breast cancer treatments can also help women like you deal with fatigue, nausea, neuropathy and hot flashes.
2. Massage
This is one of the widely accepted alternative breast cancer treatments worldwide. In fact most breast cancer centers have included massages in their integrative medicine programs. This helped breast cancer patients feel more energy and get better immunity.
3. Homeopathy
Homeopathic treatments can also be used as alternative breast cancer treatments. Arsenicum can help relieve the nausea and anxiety that is associated to pain. Ipecac can treat the nausea that comes with vomiting. You can also use Nux vomica to treat sharp stomach pains.
4. Supplements
Other alternative breast cancer treatments come in the form of supplements. This would give the body more antioxidants that can help destroy and get rid of all the damaged cells in the body. This is also one more way to get support for your immune system.
5. Herbs
There are some herbs that you can use as alternative breast cancer treatments since they have anti cancer effects aside from strengthening your body’s immunity.
Some of these herbs include green tea, reishi mushroom, cat’s claw, bitter melon and fermented wheat germ extract. For the right dosage always consult your doctor or your alternative medicine practitioner.
6. Diet
Another way to use alternative breast cancer treatments is to change your dietary habits. Maintaining a healthy weight can help you fight off breast cancer.
Estrogen, which is needed to aggravate breast cancer is produced and stored by healthy body fat. The more you stay healthy the more you can have estrogen in the body.
You have to make sure though that if you are thinking about using alternative breast cancer treatments then you consult your doctor first before trying out anything.
Your breast surgeon and medical oncologist would definitely need to know what you are doing or taking in regards to treating your breast cancer. This is to make sure that the alternative treatment you are taking would not interfere with your medical treatments.

Effective And Beneficial Alternative Breast Cancer Treatments

LEDs For Younger Better Looking Skin?

This is a breakthrough treatment that will supposedly have us looking beyond Botox; according to recent developments made by specialists. It is the new LED Light Masque system that will help us achieve ageless skin apparently.
The claim made by London-based inventor John Tsagaris, a health-and-beauty practitioner, who also has a degree in traditional Chinese medicine and human bioscience.

 

He has developed this system using the latest NASA like technology, to help people in their quest to remove age spots and wrinkles by virtue of near-infrared light.
Supposedly it is the blue LEDs that can help with Rosacea and age spots; red LEDs “supercharging” skin cells are supposedly able to go even deeper and show signs of repair.
This can apparently reduce dry patches, sun damage, and increase moisture retention of the skin as well as blood circulation. Not just that, the claim is that the Light Masque system can help to produce Vitamin D within the body and is also good for the mind since it stimulates the production of serotonin. Apparently that can make you feel energetic and happy as well!
This is a non invasive procedure that delivers low-level pulses of light up to three times brighter than the sun.
Source: Gizmodo

Exploring Alternative Treatments For Parkinson’s Disease

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D, in his new book Road to Recovery from Parkinson’s Disease offers insight in to this deadly and debilitating disease, exploring the options for alternative treatment to assist in the management if not the cure for the disease.
While it is urged that natural therapies per say are not to be assumed to be safe and misunderstanding their nature is dangerous, it is possible to apply alternative therapies in the manner described by the book.

Though there is yet no known cure for Parkinson’s, complementary therapy could well be a very positive experience for sufferers using:

• Aromatherapy. Here the essential oils obtained from plants and flowers are used for purposes of relaxation as well as several others
• Ayurveda, which is the traditional Indian system of medicine
• The Bowen technique that tries to restore balance by way of gentle manipulation of the soft tissues
• Vitamins and minerals contained in certain foods i.e. nutritional therapy
• Meditation, yoga and laughter yoga
• Music
• Herbal medicine wherein a therapist structures treatment based on an individual’s lifestyle and health
• Massage therapies
• Reflexology
• Tai chi
• Homeopathy

More than one of these therapies could assist in the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s as well as for treatment of the whole body.

Source: American Chronicle

Cerebral Palsy is a term that covers a number of disorders that result in disability of human development.
Cerebral palsy develops during pregnancy or infancy and can cause disturbances in perception and sensation, cognitive problems, difficulties in communication, impeded behavior, and other musculoskeletal problems.
Conventionally, physical, behavioral, speech and occupational therapy combined with drug therapy is used for managing Cerebral Palsy, however, there are a number of alternative treatments that can help manage cerebral Palsy:
The Adeli Suit: Originally developed for soviet cosmonauts, this was a suit constructed to help maintain muscle tone of astronauts in the weightless environment of space.
Children with motor control problems can wear this form fitting suit, which is fitted with adjustable elastic bands, which helps align and restrict the body appropriately.
Use of the Adeli suit is thought to help re-train the brain to send the correct signals for movement to the muscles. There has been improvement reported in gaining speech and better motor control and movement using the Adeli suit.
Other products based on the same concept are known by names such as the TheraSuit, NeutoSuit and the Penguin Suit
Magnetic Molecular Energizing: This therapy uses the power of magnets, for managing cerebral palsy. This therapy is thought to improve the chemical reactions in the body, improve oxygenation, nutrient assimilation, enzyme production, free radical control, metabolic waste removal and tissue regeneration.
Also the rate of healing is improved using magnetic energizing. Many choose to try it out particularly since it is painless, non invasive and has no side effects.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment: The basic premise of this therapy is that saturating the blood with oxygen (by breathing pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber), a number of problems such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, head injuries, autism, injuries as well as CP can get help and treatment.
G therapy: This is a therapy that is developed using constituents of homeopathy and bio-chemical salts. This treatment is thought to work by stimulating the neurotransmitters of the brain and clearing blockages.
Expression, communications, emotional development and intelligence may all be improved using this therapy. Many have found this therapy useful in managing an autistic child and children with other brain related disorders.
G therapy is found to be particularly useful for managing CP when used in conjunction with counseling, physiotherapy and speech therapy. Parents have reported improvement in speech, motor movement, sleep patterns and spasticity within days of starting treatment.

Alternative Therapies For Cerebral Palsy

As with humans, alternative therapies also may work differently with different animals and to different degrees, however an increasing number of vets supplement western therapies with alternative ones to bring about the most efficacious cure. Alternative therapies that animals may respond well to are:
Acupuncture: For problems such as arthritis this may work very well indeed – for bacterial infections of a fractured limb on the other hand, this may not be the answer.
Physical therapy: There can be several different types of physical therapy that can help animals – for instance they can benefit greatly from massage.
Chiropractic care for animals is seen to help manage a long list of ills such as different aches and pain of the limbs, joints and spine. Chiropractic treatment can help in recovering from a surgery, orthopedic disease and with issues relating to bowel, bladder and other chronic internal medical issues. Hydrotherapy and physical rehabilitation aimed at animals can also help considerably.
Chinese herbal medicines: A knowledgeable practitioner can use these also to great effect. However, keep in mind that if you use this therapy in conjunction with mainstream therapy, mention what you are using to your vet so that any medical reactions etc can be avoided.

Alternative Therapies For Pets That Work

The National Cancer Institute site has put together a list of the alternative treatments for cancer that include mind and body wellness. The treatments outlines include:
Aroma therapy and essential oils – This has been seen to improve the quality of life for cancer patients using essential oils from plants, herbs, trees and flowers. This can positively impact physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing
Self Hypnosis – A clinical study has shown that women, who were employed self hypnosis during a breast biopsy, experienced lessening of anxiety, and pain.
Also women who underwent hypnosis reported that their hot flashes were seen to reduce in severity as well as frequency.
Improvements were seen in depression and anxiety as well as sleep and daily activities.
Spiritual Approaches – Whether it is organised religion or a spiritual seeking of inner peace of reestablishing an inner connection, these have also proved to be great coping mechanisms for cancer patients.
Yoga – Yoga is seen to promote general health and wellness, but is also very effective in terms of cancer management. It improves body and mind fitness and helps in relaxation, since it is also able to enhance the body’s stress coping mechanisms and mind body awareness.

Mind-Body Treatments For Cancer

The Eye Of The Beholder change the pigmentation of your skin

It is very rare to find someone who does not want to change at least one thing about their appearance. Your nose is too big, your breasts are too small, you have flabby thighs, and the list goes on.

 

There was a time when cosmetic surgery was something to be ashamed of, but in this day and age, it’s as natural as buying a new outfit. Of course, the accepted reaction is that you should work on your self esteem rather than on your outward appearance. Well, doesn’t our outward appearance directly affect our self esteem?
Our parents would tell us that people should love us for who we are, not what we look like, but let’s be realistic. Who among us does not have a glow from within when we know we are looking our best?
Our self confidence and self esteem grow in proportion to how good we think we look. Cosmetic surgery has been an accepted, if not an approved alternative for years. A tummy tuck, a face lift, permanent make-up, the options are practically unlimited. With technology constantly advancing, you can essentially make a whole new you.
Many people wear make-up daily to make themselves prettier or better looking, to cover things they don’t want anyone to see, or to make a statement. The actual definition of cosmetic surgery is surgery that modifies or improves the appearance of a physical feature, irregularity, or defect. The two accomplish almost the same purpose, but of course, cosmetic surgery is usually permanent.
There are famous people, alive and dead, who have taken this practice to new and sometimes frightening, levels. By and large, most of us understand that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
When new advancements allow you to go so far as to change the pigmentation of your skin, well, the allure is, in some cases, stronger than common sense. Most of your common procedures will not only improve your appearance, but are far less drastic and much safer than they used to be. How many of us lay out in the sun, or frequent tanning beds to change our outward appearance, making ourselves more attractive or appealing by today’s standards?
We go to the gym, we jog, we watch what we eat, wear clothes designed to enhance ourselves. Cosmetic surgery takes it further, creating a physical beauty that make-up and trips to the gym sometimes cannot achieve.
In many cases, you want to change something that few, other than yourself, will ever know about. How many people with dental implants actually go around telling people that they have dental implants? It is one of the many procedures that we do mainly for our own peace of mind. Yes it improves our outward appearance, but it is mainly to make us feel better about ourselves.
Will you walk around with a sign on your chest to let people know that you had lipo, breast implants or hair implants? Of course not! Usually, when we hear about or see results of cosmetic surgeries, they are the extreme cases, the ones that have been overdone or that have gone terribly wrong. This kind of negative publicity serves only to frighten the general public.
Think about it, do you ever hear or read about the success stories? You can increase your chances of success by using a reputable cosmetic surgeon who is a member of an organisation like British Association of Plastic Surgeons.

The Eye Of The Beholder

Every October is Breast Cancer month when various awareness, rehabilitation and research initiatives are launched for this; one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide.

 

However, some of the research related to breast cancer published in the Journal of the American Medical Association about breast cancer has been a warning for women considering hormone therapy to combat with symptoms of menopause.
Recently more and more research is coming to light, connecting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to increased cancer risk as well as an increased risk of having a more invasive kind of cancer and greater chance of dying from it.
Owing to this, women struggling to cope with menopause and symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sleeping troubles are now becoming chary of using HRT. Rather they are choosing complementary and alternative treatments for menopause.
Alternative therapies are now being used by women to combat the ill effects of the body producing lower levels of female hormones at the time of menopause since many natural oils and plants have the same properties and ability to treat common symptoms of menopause without any of the harmful side effects associated with artificial hormones.
Women are therefore turning to traditional remedies such as Chinese herbal medicine, aromatherapy and other herbal options for treating and easing their menopause symptoms.

Cancer Risk Has Menopausal Women Turn To Alternative Treatments

Women who have trouble conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to term, can hope to get help from a new soy-based experimental fertility treatment, according to a new study.

The study found that women who were given soy based supplements, greatly improved their chances of getting pregnant through IVF.
Not only did their chances of a successful IVF attempt improve, their chances of suffering a miscarriage also went down. The soy based treatment is seen to inhibit chemicals responsible for causing miscarriages.
Researchers found that Intralipid liquid, a fat and calorie-rich potion that is usually used to feed sick people or hospital patients intravenously could be of help to women wanting to get pregnant.
This study is important since it will boost chances of women having successful pregnancies as a consequence of IVF treatments. It can be terribly disheartening for women to undergo the cost and effort of an IVF treatment only to meet with disheartenment later when it is found that the treatment was unsuccessful.
So hopefully this study will help women improve their odds since an IVF treatment is far from a sure shot when it comes to helping women conceive. Unsuccessful IVF treatments can result in not just economic but also very significant emotional consequences.

Soy Based Fertility Treatment Holds out Hope for Women

Ice therapy or cryotherapy helps to reduce the swelling and blood flow to decrease the pain. Heat therapy or thermotherapy helps to improve blood flow to continue the healing process and to relax the muscles.
First determine whether your muscles have bruising or inflammation. If the muscle fibers are stretched too far, then your body responds in positive manner when the blood flow is increased.
If the inflammation is severe, it makes blood to become congested and restricts the oxygenated blood from reaching the muscles.
You must know whether it is to use ice or heat. Ice can be used more frequently than heat because of the risks associated with heat. Heat causes pain or burning if used incorrectly.
Don’t dare to keep ice or heat directly on your skin. Always use a protective barrier.

Benefits of ice therapy:

Use ice to decrease the inflammation and swelling. Applying ice reduces the blood flow when compared to the heat, which improves the blood flow. Apply ice to the swollen muscles within 24 hours to get best results. Initially, the cold reduces the massive blood flow to the sore muscles.
Apply ice to the sore muscles at least thrice a day. Ensure that your skin comes to its normal temperature before the application of extra ice. It is better to ice the muscles once in the morning, in the afternoon and at night. Doing this reduces the inflammation within 72 hours.

Benefits of heat therapy:

Apply heat to the tight muscles before exercising or doing a strenuous activity. Tight muscles will get relief from heat as it increases the elasticity. So, you can easily stretch your muscles.
Before doing a workout, loose the muscles to reduce the soreness. Best method is soaking a towel in hot water and then placing or wrapping at the particular area. Other methods include filling a bottle with hot water or having a hot bath.
Increased blood flow due to heat also improves the flow of oxygen and provides required nutrients to the muscles, thus helping to cure the affected area.
Application of heat also stimulates the sensory receptors in the skin and transmits the pain signals to the brain thus helping to relieve discomfort. Heat relaxes the connective tissues helping to increase the flexibility and comfort.
Particularly, heat therapy is beneficial for people suffering from lower back pain. Also, conditions like arthritis, IBS, multiple sclerosis and menstrual pain can be relieved by the application of heat.

Ice and Heat Therapy for Your Muscles

Consider the typical day in a typical working individual’s life – most of the day spent at a desk perhaps hunched working over a computer; a sedentary, inactive day that does nothing for the posture. A bad posture leads inevitably to aches and pains, and often to some more significant problems as well.

 

The Alexander technique can help resolve a bad posture and can also help reduce the aches and pains associated with this. The Alexander technique seeks to educate people and make them more self aware of the body rather than trying to effect a ‘cure’.
The technique involves gentle manipulation and a tutoring in simple movements; even things as basic as how to get in and out of a chair.
A person is encouraged to relax and to use one’s imagination effectively to bring about positional change and an improvement in the body; that results ultimately in a better posture and less pain and discomfort.
The theory of ‘muscle memory’ comes into play here, to re-educate the body to do things differently and move differently. The results could mean seemingly enhanced body height due to a better posture, improved poise and improved relaxation.

Using the Alexander Technique to Resolve a Bad Posture

Searching for an alternative way to lower the high blood pressure without the use of drugs? Most people think that medicines are the only option for treating high blood pressure. But, there are various types of alternative treatments for high blood pressure. Sometimes, high blood pressure can lead to heart attack or stroke.

 

Here are the 10 commonly used alternative treatments for treating high blood pressure:

1. Acupuncture

Acupuncture along with electro acupuncture or electric stimulation can lower elevations in blood pressure. Adding low frequency electric pulses to the needles can effectively reduce blood pressure. It releases the strain on your heart thus reducing blood pressure.

2. Chiropractic

Realigning the vertebrae in the spine can re-establish your body’s balance and helps to function properly.

3. Herbs

Herbs along with good eating habits and healthy lifestyle can effectively lower high blood pressure. Most common herbs that can be used for hypertension include: turmeric, gingko biloba, hawthorn berry, maitake, ginger root, and olive leaf.

4. Vitamins

Most of us use vitamin supplements for various health reasons. Vitamins are great alternative for treating high blood pressure. Not only doe one need to take supplements, but also needs to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Vitamins that are helpful for high blood pressure include Vitamin C, E, B6, B12, folic acid, calcium and magnesium.

5. Magnet treatment

Wearing copper and iron bracelets can effectively work to reduce high blood pressure. There won’t be any side effects or harm that come from it, so there’s no harm in trying it out.

6. Yoga

Yoga is a great alternative for treating high blood pressure. There are some particular yoga poses that can help to level out the blood pressure. They include forward bends, easy pose, shoulder stretches, cat pose, and horizontal poses that slow down your heart beat if you practice slowly and rhythmically.

7. Meditation

Transcendental meditation gives relief for people with high blood pressure and cuts down the need for blood pressure-lowering medications .

8. Massage therapy

Medical massage therapy is called as soft tissue mobilization method. It causes acceleration of blood flow and lymphatic drainage and mechanical breakdown of soft tissue classifications. Massage therapy effectively works for patients with slightly to moderately high BP.

9. Relaxation techniques

Stress is the great cause of high blood pressure. So, it is essential to practice relaxation techniques and breathing exercises to lower the stress level.

10. Music therapy

Slow breathing while listening to music can effectively lower your blood pressure. You feel comfortable and relax while listening to gentle music.

10 Effective Alternative Treatments for Treating High Blood Pressure

Trephination or trepanation is a practice of making a hole in the skull in order to improve the brain pulsation and thus the overall wellbeing.
During this procedure, the therapist uses an instrument called as trepan to make a hole in your skull bone.

 

The aim behind trephining is to expand the brain’s blood volume and also to increase cerebral metabolism thus allowing your mind to function more sharply. This practice is developed 4000 years back to treat sick and the insane by allowing the devils out.
Usually, this method is used to treat subdural and epidural hematomas i.e. severe brain trauma that involve excess blood buildup. Some use trephination to treat things like fatigue, stress, depression and migraines.
For some people, trephining is believed as a drastic procedure that can only be used in life or death instances.
Usually, the incision is made at the apex of the skull. Once the skin is pushed aside, trepan is used to make a hole by using twisting motion.
Here are some examples where trephining is used:

In treating seizures:

Seizures are mainly due to injury to your brain or arteries in the brain, irregular or blocked blood vessels, imbalances in metabolism and physical or emotional distress.
When you undergo trephining, it increases and balances the blood flow to the brain thus eliminating the blocked blood vessels, high blood pressure and balancing the emotional state.

To cure migraines:

Migraine headaches are mainly due to over-excitation of nerve cells in your brain and other abnormalities of blood vessels that lead to inflammation and dilation.
Undergoing trephination increases blood flow to your brain thus eliminating dilation of the blood vessels and reducing the inflammation that lead to migraine pain.

To cure depression:

Depression can be due to the imbalances of certain brain chemicals called as neurotransmitters. With trepanation, you can observe increased and balanced blood flow to your brain. With this, neurotransmitters in the brain are also balanced out thus relieving depression.

Side effects of trephination:

Trephining by a non-medical or non-trained individual is very dangerous.
Also there are risks associated with this procedure. If it is performed incorrectly, it can lead to severe, permanent brain damage and also infection of the body and sepsis, poisoning of the blood with toxins and pathogens.
It leaves a part of the brain exposed permanently. Skull protects your brain from damage and skin protects against infection. Without these two, your brain is at risk even after the completion of the procedure.
So, before considering the procedure, talk to a licensed therapist about trephination and whether or not it might be the good option for you. Do your work and know the diseases that can be treated with this procedure and what are the possible side effects of it.

Know the benefits of Trephination

Do you or a loved one suffer from uncontrolled behaviors, emotional outbursts, on-going drug dependence or even feelings of suicide?
Have you or your loved one been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)? You may be interested in learning more about a fairly new technique, called Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It emphasizes positive reinforcement, validation and self-acceptance.

Where did DBT come from?

 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, was developed in the late 1980′s by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan from the University of Washington.
Dr. Linehan’s theory is essentially that behaviors associated with BPD and other difficult-to-treat emotional problems stem from childhood environments lacking validation.
This can result in an individual who is unable to develop appropriate emotional responses or control emotional highs and lows. It can also lead to severe emotional problems as well as suicidal tendencies.
Dr. Linehan’s technique is based largely on Eastern philosophies, especially Buddhism. One of her main methods is patterned after a zen practice called mindfulness. The art of mindful living was made popular by a Buddhist monk and author Thich Nhat Hanh.

What is DBT used for?

Clinical studies have shown DBT to be effective in treating a number of difficult psychological problems, including bulima nervosa, or binge eating, drug dependence, suicidal behaviors and Borderline Personality Disorder.
In an early study by Dr. Linehan, suicidal patients with a history of drug dependence not only showed improvement in social behavior, but decreased drug use as well. A more recent study from 2006 found that DBT helped decrease suicidal tendencies by more than half, independent of conventional psychiatric treatments.
A report from the American Psychiatric Association  concluded that the use of DBT used to treat bulimia helps decrease binging and purging. Psychologists have now even begun using DBT to treat other conditions such as major depressive disorder and antisocial personality disorder.

What can I expect from a DBT session?

The treatments typically consist of a weekly one on one sessions with a therapist trained in DBT, where patients discuss problems and challenges from the past week.
The therapist teaches adaptive behaviors and then helps the patient find alternative solutions to problems. There is also persistent emphasis on changing certain self-destructive behavioral patterns. In addition, a patient may call the therapist regularly throughout the week.
The second part of the treatment involves the patient attending weekly 2 ½ hour group sessions which focus on emotion regulation, tolerance and acceptance of stressful situations and mindfulness skills. The group helps validate one another’s emotions and reinforces positive change. In group, the therapist may discuss several DBT concepts, such as:

• Accepting reality
• Letting go of emotions
• Distraction techniques to avoid self-injury
• Evaluating Pros and Cons of a behavior
• Improving the moment by changing one’s attitude
• Prevention of self-harm by learning to care for oneself, and
• Interpersonal effectiveness, which involves learning to handle difficult interpersonal situations.

Are there any special precautions I should know about?

If you have significant psychological problems, especially thoughts of suicide, contact your health care provider immediately. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is relatively new, and should be conducted by a trained practitioner.
Remember that newer or alternative therapies are meant to complement and not replace conventional medical care. Talk to your doctor to find out if DBT is appropriate for your condition.

What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

As people try and battle all that ails them with therapy that is not reliant on drugs, it is only natural that options for natural therapy for drug rehabilitation are becoming more popular.
After all, using drugs to counter drug addiction does some somewhat counterproductive and more and more rehab centers are looking for more integrative approaches for their programs.

 

One of the problems with using prescription or even over the counter medications to cure additions is the fact that the medications could themselves become addictive and habit forming.
So here one would basically have traded in one addiction for another, continuing dependence in another form, but having dependence nevertheless.
While mainstream approaches may work better for some individuals, many people do want to try and detox the natural way.
Some of the alternative treatment that could work to address drug addiction and which some rehab facilities do in fact use are –

Yoga

Yoga is known to be good for the mind, the body and soul, to say nothing of the spirit which can take a real beating when one makes it into rehab. Basically yoga is a discipline that enhances balance, not just physical but also mental; helping the people re-harmonize with their own self.
This helps with impulse control and for enhancing focus as well. When meditation is interwoven with the practice of yoga this can make a person even tougher mentally, making it more likely that they will stay on the wagon.

Acupuncture for Detox

Acupuncture sessions as part of the rehab program can help the body adjust and regain balance during the withdrawal part of the treatment. The acupuncture, when bolstered by nutritional or herbal therapy can be of great help at this stage.
The anxiety that a person could typically face at this juncture can be greatly eased with acupuncture. A person’s individual symptoms, emotional state and history are taken into account when customizing this treatment.

Massage

Massage is not just a relaxation aid but can also help reduce physical aches and pains. Since withdrawal symptoms can produce very real physical symptoms, massage can go a long way to alleviate the problems faced.

Aromatherapy

Jitteriness, insomnia or disturbed sleep, anxiety and mood swings may all be part for the counsel at this difficult juncture in life and Aromatherapy could help make things a little easier by aiding relaxation.
Many other alternative therapies could work to assist those going through rehab; the program could be customized to fit the requirement of each individual to see what works best for a given person.

How Can Alternative Therapies Help with Drug Rehab?

Light therapy is also referred to as heliotherapy or phototherapy and consists of exposure to light in many different forms and for treating a variety of different ailments.
Various sources of light such as fluorescent lamps, LED (light emitting diodes), bright, full spectrum lights, dichroic lamps, lasers and so on are used to administer light therapy.

 

While light therapy is an obvious choice for treating sleep disorders related to the circadian rhythm such as Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome as well as others such as Seasonal Affective Disorder, light therapy also is able to resolve other physical ailments.

Light therapy for skin problems

One of the most common uses of light therapy or phototherapy is to treat the skin condition called psoriasis.
Since this is an immune disorder, ultraviolet rays are used to suppress the immune reaction of the body and to suppress the skin inflammation that characterises psoriasis.
Common acne can also be treated with light therapy because certain UV rays are known to kill bacteria that cause acne. Whereas earlier sunlight exposure was thought to be an effective antidote to acne this was found to be unsafe due to the possible harm that extensive sun exposure can cause.
However, light therapy using super luminous LEDs is still able to control acne effectively in up to 90% of cases.
Light therapy is also useful for treating eczema, a skin conditions such as Polymorphous light eruption (PLE), Lichen Planus, where the skin breaks out in rashes, lesions and papules and even skin diseases such as Vitiligo or de-pigmentation.

Wound healing

Burns, diabetic ulcers, oral sores and other hard to treat wounds such as those caused by radiation and chemotherapy are thought to be helped by light therapy, particularly red light wave therapy.
This kind of light, when emitted my LEDs, helps to increase energy inside cells and thereby accelerates healing according to certain experts.

For mood elevation

Disturbed sleep patterns, depressed mood and similar symptoms manifest themselves particularly at certain times of the year; most typically during the dark winter months.
In such cases, light therapy provides specific forms of illumination for the retina of the eyes and this is known to help alleviate symptoms of conditions such as the Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Light boxes that emit specific forms of light are used for treating the condition. It is recommended that the light box used should have been subject to proper clinical trials to assess efficacy and safety.
They should have a diffusing factor that omits harmful UV rays and should provide white light. The light box should be big enough that it can offer benefit even at arm’s length – a small or compact one will not do the job so well.

The Many Uses of Light Therapy