September 3rd, 2009 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
Welcome back!
Throbbing pain. Vice-like pinching. Pressure. Tension. There are many ways to describe a headache and recent research has shown headaches to be more than just a mere annoyance. Headaches are, well, a major headache for the United States where 157 million workdays – accounting for almost $13 billion!! – are lost each year due to missed work caused by headaches. Fortunately, recent research has also shown that regular massage therapy can help ease the intensity, duration, and number of tension-type headaches, a pain that 78 percent of American will experience in their lifetime.
The effectiveness of massage for preventing and lessening the pain caused by headaches is another reason why people should use massage to improve their health and quality of life. But this research could turn out to be a Godsend for those who don’t just suffer from infrequent headaches, but, instead, chronic tension-type headaches.
There are three types of tension-type headaches: episodic, a stress-induced headache that can be treated with over-the-counter medicines and usually only occurs once a month, or less; frequent, which occurs 2 – 15 times a month and is usually associated with symptoms of migraine and can’t be effectively alleviated through medication; and chronic, where headaches occur more than 15 times a month and can even be daily or continuous over many days. Researchers showed that massage was very helpful in alleviating the seemingly endless pain of those suffering from this last type, chronic tension-type headache.
While the exact cause of these chronic, tension-type headaches has not been scientifically proven, researchers believe that chemical imbalances and muscles tightening in the scalp and neck are primary causes. Massage already has been proven to boost the immune system, relieve stress, and loosen muscles, so it seems evident that massage would be able to relieve these symptoms and thus reduce chronic headaches.
However, it wasn’t until 2002, in an article published in the American Journal of Public Health, that researchers actually conducted a scientific study on the effects of Massage on chronic tension-type headaches. Those suffering from the condition were first monitored for a four-week period to gauge the duration, strength, and frequency of their headaches. They were then treated with two, thirty-minute massages each week over the following four weeks. The massages focused on specific areas of the neck and head, and their headache symptoms were monitored during this period. The results were staggering.
Patients who were experiencing headaches 5, 6, 7 times a week began to see the frequency of their headaches decrease to 2 and 3 times a week. The duration of the patients’ headaches, which had averaged 8 hours before massages were administered, fell to 4 hours. And while one patient experienced an increase in headache intensity in the period after massages were given, the other participants in the study saw the intensity of their headaches decrease, some nearly 50 percent.
The researchers noted that more study is needed in order to increase the amount of participants and strength of the results, as well as determine what effect stretching and relaxation techniques also used during the study had on the improved conditions of the chronic headache sufferers.
However, the results of the study were dramatic, especially given the serious conditions that chronic tension-type headache sufferers can develop if their pain goes unrelieved. These conditions include: insomnia, depression, weight loss, dizziness, nausea, and other emotional problems. Sufferers of chronic, tension-type headaches can also become addicted to painkillers and antidepressants. If the research from this study holds true, massage would offer them a drug-free alternative to deal with their pain.
President Barack Obama recently noted that acupuncture has been shown to alleviate chronic headaches and could be used as an alternative to more invasive, and costly, surgery/medication. He said he would let science guide him when it came to deciding what forms of therapy to include in a national healthcare plan. If alternative forms, such as acupuncture and massage, showed scientific, therapeutic results, he would pursue them. Currently millions of Americans miss work and lose money due to chronic tension-type headaches; perhaps pursuing massage would get them the therapeutic result they are no doubt looking for.
September 3rd, 2009 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
As the name suggests, an anti-bacterial hand gel is meant to fight bacteria. Bacteria are a kind of microorganism that causes decay and diseases. However, all bacteria are not harmful. You might be frightened at the thought but your body contains millions of bacteria that live within your system and help you with bodily functions such as digestion. However, they are already inside you and you need to stop external bacteria from invading your body at all costs. This will help you stay much healthier.
Bacteria being microorganisms, are everywhere. If you are immune to them, then you will probably not get affected by them. But it is hard to build immunity to the many different kinds of bacteria that are around. Hence, you must follow the old adage that goes “prevention is better than cure”. So if you can’t fight them when they reach you, stop them from reaching.
Unlike viruses, bacteria are not that easily communicable. They usually reside on organic materials that can support them. So they are likely to enter you through food that you are eating. Since your food is cooked at high temperatures, all the microorganisms are killed during the cooking process. So the greatest chance that you have of voluntarily ingesting bacteria is through your hand. When you go outside, your hands touch various different surfaces and not all are clean. Most of these surfaces, like the ones that come into contact with hundreds of different people everyday, are likely to have a lot of bacteria on them. These bacteria are also likely to be pathogens, the bacteria that cause all the diseases like syphilis and tuberculosis.
Some people are also in the business of cleaning up or dealing with untreated organic products. These people are at an added risk of contracting bacterial diseases.
Thankfully, modern medicine has a solution for this ? the anti-bacterial hand gel. This hand gel is specially deigned to be lethal for bacteria. These gels are formulated in such a manner that they stop the growth of these microorganisms at once. They also kill microorganisms if they are made strong enough.
These hand gels are meant to be used by everyone to make their hands safer. Imagine touching your young child with pathogen filled hands. You children might get infected because their immune system is not yet very strong.
So to be really safe, all you need to do is to use the hand gel regularly whenever you need to wash your hands. You can replace your ordinary hand gel with anti-bacterial hand gel. That way, you do not have to remind yourself to use the hand gel. You can simply use it like you would use a normal hand gel. And every time you use that hand gel your hands are rendered completely safe for doing all things you want to do like dipping your fingers into a good cheese dip and have your snacks.
September 3rd, 2009 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
Remedies for gastric problems and Divya Gashar Churna
Having gastric problems can be disturbing, frustrating, and uncomfortable. Repeated bouts with gas, flatulence, upset stomach, and acid stomach can make one rather miserable. There are several home remedies which can be taken to help alleviate most types of gastric problems.
If one has a problem with gastric problems after a meal, a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water will quickly alleviate any stomach issues. Almost any kind of mint will also help. Peppermint and spearmint are both good remedies. Spearmint is milder than peppermint and is more often given to children for that reason. There are various teas which will also help get rid of gastric problems, such as any mint tea, ginger, or chamomile tea.
Gas pain is an excruciating discomfort that comes unannounced. Its symptoms are bloating, passing of bad gas and belching. With this in mind, one should be aware of its simple remedies to relieve the pain…at least temporarily. There are different possible causes of gas pain and at the same time, there are different effective remedies for it.
Several types of food and drinks can cause gas pain. Beans usually create a gas build-up in the stomach. Carbonated drinks and oily products also produce a lot of gas in it. Another culprit is the lactose or dairy products where a lot of people are allergic with. One should also take into consideration how the food was prepared. The beans should be cooked thoroughly so it could be digested properly.
Swami Ramdev primarily advises to follow Pranayama Package for vibrant and healthy life. He says that all the diseases are curable through Pranayama Package: Combination of pranayama with Asana, Suksham Vayaam (light exercise), Mudras and Acupressure. He recommends Divya Medicines only in special cases, and for speedy recovery which will strengthen the immune system and quicken the healing process. Swami Ramdev’s Divya Medicines are 100% natural, made from potent herbs such as the ashtavarga healing plants of the himalayas. They have proven extremely effective for combating all forms of sickness and disease.
Divya Gashar Churna for Removal of Gas
* Divya Gashar Churna helps in digesting the food, so there is no incidence of gas & acidity, etc., caused by indigestion.
* Divya Gashar Churna immediately cures feeling of heaviness of abdomen, flatulence, colic pain and anorexia after food.
* Divya Gashar Churna (powder) keeps away the gas of abdomen.
There are several home remedies for gas pain that you can do at home:
1. Drink tea with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
2. For adults, eat caraway seeds.
3. Every morning, have a glass of warm water with lemon.
4. Have some peppermint tea.
5. Put some two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water and then drink it up.
6. Put fennel seeds into a boil, strain, and then drink the fennel seeds water.
7. You blanch ginger with cinnamon, and then drink the warm ginger cinnamon water.
8. Have a warm cup of chamomile tea.
9. Put a half teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water and then drink it up to relieve the bloating.
10. In a cup of warm water, mix one tablespoon of lime juice and one tablespoon of ginger and then drink it up.
Other natural remedies for Gas problems are:
• Make mint tea, add some ice cubes and wait till its cold. Drink the cold tea to cure gas.
• Cinnamon tea and chamomile tea are well known remedies for gassy stomach; drink the tea in small sips.
• Boil 1 cup of water and add a slice of lemon in the water. Stir well and drink.
• Cook 3 potatoes for a few minutes. Take some of the cooking water and drink.
• Sour cream will relax your stomach and make you feel better. Eat 1-2 tablespoons when ever you feel gassy.
• Bloating stomach can be treated by drinking water with apple cider vinegar.
• Boil water in a pot; add cinnamon and ginger and drink.
• Baking soda is very effective as a cure for gas problems, melt some baking soda in water and drink.
• Take 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to relax the stomach.
• Drink funnel seeds tea.
Many people bring their own home remedy digestive solutions to a restaurant in order to better enjoy going out to eat, and one should never be embarrassed to bring a little bit of baking soda or peppermint candy with them to the restaurant. It will be of great benefit to bring one’s own remedies along so that one will not be miserable and can enjoy their time eating a good meal without gastric problems.
