Heartburn: The natural way of healing
Millions of people across the nation suffer from heartburn daily. The most common symptom of heartburn is the burning sensation in the chest/stomach or esophagus and often accompanied by a bad taste in the mouth or throat. Acute cases of heartburn can be a condition called acid reflux or Gerd (gastro esophageal reflux disease). Any form is unpleasant whether it is an acute case or not. Stomach acid splashing or rising into the esophagus and throat is often painful and serious. If the esophagus is constantly damaged by the backflow or reflux of the stomach acid, a condition called Barrett’s Esophagus can develop in extreme cases. Barrett’s Esophagus is a precursor to esophageal cancer.
When chronic acid reflux or esophagitis is not properly controlled, Barrett’s Esophagus develops. Normal cells that line the esophagus called squamous change into specialized columnar cells from constant inflammation and damage to the esophagus. Columnar cells, not normally found in humans, can become cancerous.
Physically, heartburn is cause by the lower esophageal sphincter’s improper function. The lower esophageal sphincter is a ringed muscle at the bottom of the esophagus which relaxes to allow food to enter the stomach. If functioning properly, the muscle then retracts to keep the digestive fluids or stomach acids from entering the esophagus. If this muscle becomes too relaxed or damaged, the fluids or acids are allowed to escape the stomach, and enter the esophagus, of course, causing heartburn or acid reflux.
Acid Reflux or heartburn can be caused by many things. The food we consume and how we consume it, is an important part. Acidic food, not chewing your food completely or properly, eating large meals and lying down within three hours of eating a large meal are all factors that contribute to acid reflux.
There are many causes of the lower esophageal sphincter becoming lazy or relaxed and they are not just food we consume. Other factors include smoking, drinking alcohol and prescription drugs, fresh or raw onions, garlic, fried foods, chocolate, and spicy foods.
There are two ways to treat heartburn or acid reflux. There is the allopathic medical approach and the holistic approach to the disease. Medical personnel prescribe drugs such as H2 receptor antagonists that include Tagamet and Zantac or PPI drugs like Nexium and Prilosec. These drugs slow down the production or suppress the production of stomach acid. Not only is this dangerous because it effects proper digestion of food but they have harmful side effects as well. Prescribing these drugs only treats the symptoms and doesn’t cure the disease. If it did, pharmaceutical companies would go out of business.
The alternative for treating acid reflux is by holistic treatment. Holistic means treating the whole being not just parts or collection of parts. Don’t just treat the symptoms, but treat the person as a whole.
Holistic treatment is all natural with no side effects making it by far the safest and most effective approach. This alternative way of treatment can actually cure the condition unlike prescribe drugs and is a lot less expensive.
What we eat and drink determines the PH level of the body. To have acid reflux develop in our body, our bodies must become acidic. By treating the whole body, acid reflux will disappear.
Raw potato, celery and cabbage juice are very alkaline in nature and help to correct acid stomach. Papain, a digestive enzyme in papaya juice, will sooth the stomach and helps in breaking down proteins. Demulcents, a category of herbs containing slippery elm, bladderwrack and marshmallow aid digestion by soothing inflamed or affected areas. It forms a protective barrier against digestive irritants and stomach acid.
Meditation can also aid in the cure of acid reflux. Start the meditation exercise by deep breathing for at least 10 minutes. Keep your eyes closed and visualize your stomach, the LES, esophagus and throat as young and perfect, as you continue to breath deeply, picture yourself in perfect glowing health. See yourself relaxed, eating slowly and enjoying your food, in a stress free atmosphere, with the food being digested in a perfect manner. Your body is working in perfect harmony.
Proper, regular exercise and weight loss are important as well. Yoga can be beneficial to the body as a whole. Drinking the recommended daily amount of water not only flushes the toxins from the system, but is helpful in diluting stomach acid between meals.
The medicine of the future is the all natural holistic approach. We can all be a part of that healing future.
Holistic Medicine vs Other Medical Practices
What is holistic medicine? Well, it would be described as medical health care that takes into account all of the patient’s personality to achieve the optimum outcome and state of wellbeing. It explores the wholeness of the person to include their nutritional, physical, environmental, spiritual, as well as the lifestyle and social values of the patient.
This type of medicine includes any and all treatments and diagnosis known to achieve balance within the patient’s personality. It is sought educate and uphold the ideal overall health and wellbeing of the patient.
Alternative Medicine and Holistic Medicine
Alternative and holistic medicines are very closely related in that they sometimes use the same techniques. See, alternative medicine and its techniques are not usually accepted or practiced by the practitioners of the conventional spectrum. Many believe that alternative medicines have very little scientific roots and are often untested and hold untraditional principles. These forms of medicine are often closely associated with metaphysical components and anti-scientific stands adding to their lack in popularity.
The techniques used don’t normally hold any pharmaceutical values like the acupuncture, herbalism, reiki, homeopathy and the likes. Despite this, sometimes alternative medicine is used in experimental non-drug and drug techniques that are not accepted at this time in the medical field. The future of alternative hangs in the balance as it reaches toward gaining popularity and understanding from the conventional medical world. Alternative medicine is gaining ground as it is now becoming widely appreciated and practiced by more and more medical doctors everywhere. It is known that, complementary medicine is the term often used for alternative medicine practiced along side of conventional medicine.
Because of these changes in the view of alternative medicine, holistic medicine has become more of an option among those whom were once doubtful of alternative medicines.
On a more scientific and milder based approach, alternative medicine applies to the metaphysical beliefs and so does holistic medicine. However, the knowledge applied when using holistic medicine still cannot hide the fact that it is non-scientific in nature.
So it is simply stated that holistic medicine claims to cure and treat the whole person. Holistic medicine stresses the unification of the physical body as well as the mind. Medical practitioners of holistic health do not belief that man is not pure in its physical nature nor have systems and parts as such. It is also believed that man is a spiritual being that requires such spiritual healing as well. The connection between the spirit, emotions and mind is the concerns of holistic medicine as a whole.
There is a gap that is closed between that of holistic medicine and alternative medicine by the common practice of not using drug treatments and or surgeries. Rather than these treatments or surgeries, meditation, herbs, prayers, vitamins and minerals as well as exotic diets are used to treat certain aliments.
Conventional Medicine and Holistic Medicine
Conventional medicine or allopathic medicine defines heath individually as a non-occurrence of diseases which appeal to be a negative approach in defining the condition to treat. Whereas with holistic medicine engulfs itself on a person’s absolute state of mental, spiritual, social and physical state of well being.
From the commonly used definition among medical practitioners, orthodox medicine remains to deal with one’s susceptibility to diseases instead of the wellness opposed by holistic medicine. Conventional medicine and common observations typically do not apply to healthy individuals. The quality of life is becomes the focus while under holistic medical treatment. Typically people whom are sick do not seek treatment until their symptoms are clear and bothersome making preventive treatment impossible to administer.
There are many differences between conventional and holistic medicine within the diagnosis and treatments used for each. One would make a diagnosis in holistic medicine based on the imbalance manifested in the patients’ body. Certain procedures distinctive only to the holistic medical processional determine what the patient needs.
It is easy for those whom have undergone these holistic and alternative procedures to advise others to try these practices based on their success. At the end of the day individual preferences still have the last word on what will be accepted as their ideal procedure or treatment.
A Holistic Approach to Dual Action Cleansing
We all have known or even dealt with stomach-related problems ourselves. The symptoms range from diarrhea one day to go along with constipation or nausea and depression the next. You try everything but nothing works. To your relief, there is something that works and will keep working for you in the long run. A dual action cleanse will help get your system running right and keep you healthy.
If you’ve ever had any of the symptoms and nothing worked, I advise you to consider a dual action cleanse. A dual action cleanse is basically a two-part cleansing process that is used to help maximize the amount of elimination of your body’s waste. The system is unique in that is helps to optimize the size of the eliminated waste released from the body but it does not cause you to have loose stools or pain from an over contraction of your colon. This will only aid you in producing good bowel movements and keep your entire body as well as your lymphatic and vital organs toxin free.
Along with that, it will aid in getting rid of your typical symptoms related to colon dysfunction such as constipation, diarrhea you also gain several other benefits by using such a system. You will almost instantly feel more energetic as your body is ridding itself of toxins. Do I need to mention that you will feel lighter as a result of the elimination you will experience? Another wonderful advantage is that you will no longer feel so bloated and sluggish. A dual action cleanse will benefit your entire body and hence stabilize your vital organs such as your kidneys, liver and colon. Once these vital organs are functioning at their best, your overall heath will considerably improve as well.
Dual action cleansers come with two types of supplements to aid you in your path to better health. One supplement is to be used to purify the whole body and the second supplement’s purpose is to cleanse the colon itself.
The first supplement is made up of a powerful 33 herbs such as Hawthrone Berry, Licorice, Milk Thistle and many more all meant to cleanse the body. These herbs work together to improve the function of 29 specific body parts as they release the toxins trapped within the body and adding antioxidants to help your system absorb all the essential vitamins and minerals properly.
With the rich blend of 22 fibers and herbs like Psyllium, Alfalfa, Pan D’Arco and Oat Bran along with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, your body’s peristaltic action of the colon is stitimulatied resulting in more productive bowel movements. You can expect 2-3 bowel movements per day as your digestive begins to adjust and function properly.
Lives have changed as a result of the natural herbal formula of the dual cleanse by the thousands. Men and woman have incorporated the system and have not only improved their body’s function from the inside out but, they have significantly increased their quality of life in the process. With the dual action clease, you can’t help but be ready to face this stressful world with a more positive outlook.
7 Benefits to Having a Holistic Dentist
Do you really want to know about all the toxins we have in this world? You really don’t want to add to your toxic load and create any more stress on your immune system than necessary just by visiting your dentist do you? Make sure your dentist uses Bio-Compatible Dental Materials. A Holistic Dentist will have the different forms of test and materials you need to see which materials are needed for you and you specifically. Believe it or not, studies show that at least 20% of dental patients developed sensitivity to dental materials used at some point.
Natural and Pain-Free Treatment for Gum Diseases:
The only condition in dentistry that can actually be called a disease is periodontal or gum disease. Gum disease or periodontal disease has gained a lot of attention as it has been shown that bacteria cause this disease. What is more interesting is that these recent findings have found that this does not only occur in the mouth. The same bacteria that can be found in the blood stream with gum disease can also be linked to heart disease. A strong healthy body begins with a strong and healthy heart. The mouth is both a sound oral environment necessary to a strong heart as well as the gateway to the body. Your gums are the first place to start with any dental treatment. If your gums are in poor condition most likely so are your teeth. The mission of the holistic dentist is to provide both a balanced as well as progressive defense for your gums before moving on to anything more aggressive in treatment of your periodontal care.
Safely Removing Metal Fillings:
Strict protocol is essential whenever metal fillings are to be replaced. This strict protocol is placed to ensure metal particles are not to be swallowed or left in your mouth by including tooth isolation to prevent such incidents. You should also be provided clean air and oxygen to breath alongside any special filtration. A custom high speed vacuum unit is also essential for this process of removing or replacing mental fillings.
Your holistic dentist ideally will also have a filter in place to prevent any metal from entering the public water system. Any Bay dentist is required to have such a filtration process in place to protect the water of the San Francisco Bay. Currently our oceans owe 14% of its pollution to dental metals. That is quite a large number when you think of the grand scheme of things.
Holistic Solutions to Your Acne Questions
Your skin is the largest organ of your body and yet people tend to think of our skin as a shield or covering such as clothes to make them more attractive and protect what is beneath this shield.
Being the largest organ of the body, the purpose of your skin to aid in the delivery of sebum which is an oily substance via hair follicles and open pores of the skin. This is a cleansing process for the body.
Sometimes the hair, sebum and cells associated with a particular hair follicle form a plug and then sebum can no longer reach the surface of the skin. When this oily substance is trapped, it is the beginning of acne.
Follicles become plugged when the mixture of oil and cells allow bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes (P.acnes) that normally live on the skin to grow hence plugging the follicle even more. Your body responds to these bacteria as they produce chemicals and enzymes attract white blood cells to the area. Your body then attacks these bacteria and in the process your skin becomes inflamed.
When this wall of the plugged follicle begins to break down, everything spill out into the nearby skin. The sebum, shed skin cell and bacteria are everywhere causing lesion or what we call pimples to form.
What is acne really?
Acne is said by doctors to be a result of the increase in the male and female sex hormones. This increase causes the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make even more sebum or oil. Research shows that genetics can also affect the tendency to develop acne but this can also occur due to the use of certain drugs and or greasy cosmetics.
There is no time line for acne. Acne can occur during puberty which usually signals the one is entering such a stage but, also pregnancy or with the use of birth control pills. Again, acne usually signals the signs of puberty and can be most commonly found amongst teenagers and then tapers off or disappear by the time the teenager reaches their 20 or 30’s. In some cases however, acne is still present until age 60 in some people.
Although a bother, acne is usually not a serious health threat. Acne does however affect the emotional and physical well being of its victims. Permanent scarring can occur in severe cases of acne causing such emotional or physical discomfort.
So, how do you treat acne?
You should treat acne just like any other health problem. If a holistic and systemic approach is taken, you can control or even perhaps cure some cases of acne.
Focus on the existing lesions and try to heal those first then stop new lesions from forming. Also, you want to try to reduce scarring and minimize the psychological stress and embarrassment caused by this acne disease. There are drug treatments, skin treatments, diet and lifestyle choices that will aid you in your treatment plan. Be advised that all treatment should be conducted while under the supervision of your doctor.
When drug treatments are used, they help reduce several problems that play a role in causing acne production. These are:
* Abnormal clumping of cells in the follicles of the skin
* Increased oil production
* Bacteria growth
* Inflammation of the skin
Keep in mind that all medications can have side effects so, check with your doctor or pharmacist before beginning any treatment. If you notice any side effects, contact your doctor as soon as symptoms begin to prevent any further discomfort.
Tea tree oil is wonderful and has been proven to effectively kill acne bacteria while healing scars. Tea tree oil also does not clog pores however; many are sensitive to the oil itself. It is best to start off with a very mild dose and work up your tolerance from there. Add only a drop or two of pure tea tree oil to an ounce of pure Aloe Vera gel. The Aloe Vera gel is very soothing and aids in healing any irritated skin. Once a tolerance is built with the tea tree oil, increase the amount used ever so slightly over time.
Some research shows that when the tea tree oil is applied to the acne lesions on the skin, it tends to work slower and may cause fewer adverse effects such as skin dryness, itching, stinging or redness. The time it takes to treat the acne effectively depends on the strength of the teal oil when applied.
Aside from the irritation, there are no known side effects amongst those who use the tea tree oil, but the oil may cause excessive dryness of the skin to occur when used with other drugs to treat acne. These drugs include such as tretinoin, more commonly known as Retin-A or Renova. There is also isotretinoin or Accutane that can cause such symptoms.
Why dietary and lifestyle changes can help:
This article does not begin to cover fully the effects that a good dietary lifestyle brings to those with acne however; I will briefly touch on research-based information for you.
Let it be known that your diet will not cause or prevent acne from forming but, if you are predisposed to getting acne, what you eat certainly effects and sometimes encourages flare-ups. Other new habits will help your body fight the acne war as well.
First and foremost, eating refined carbohydrates and sugars will lead to an increase in insulin and the insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1. This leads to an increase of male hormones which causes an increased production of oil or sebum in the skin.
A diet rich in raw foods and antioxidants seconds the list as we consume more nutrients from them. When we eat these foods, fewer acne aggravating free radicals enter the body.
What we do to change our lifestyle eliminates other factors that may trigger or worsen acne outbreaks. Try to dismiss oily skin products in your skin care regime and also grease in the work environment. So in other words, don’t work in a kitchen surrounded by deep fried foods if you are prone to acne. Be mindful of the pressure from sports equipment and helmets, backpacks, tight collars or tight sport uniforms as well. There are also environmental irritants such as pollution, chemicals and high humidity that we ourselves cannot control. What you can control is how often you touch your skin. Excessive touching, squeezing, hard scrubbing of blemishes will only further aggravate the problem. Drink plenty of water as it is essential in helping to flush out any toxins from the body as well. When these things are done along with the avoidance of any undue stress, you can significantly decrease your risk of acne exposure.
Yoga: Holistic Pain Relief for Arthritis
Suffering from arthritis and living with the pain is not something anyone wants. While many suffer from the aches and pains of the inflamed and damaged joints, it can be a crippling disease for some, and just uncomfortable for others. The disease has only become understood in the past couple of decades, but has been around since the prehistoric era.
In the areas where two or more bones meet, called the joints, is usually where arthritis takes up residence. The joint is comprised of many different parts and as such all can be affected by arthritis. The parts of the joint are the cartilage, synovium, muscles and tendons. Where the ends of bones meet to form the joints, they are covered by a soft, protective material called cartilage. The cartilage cushions the bones to keep them from rubbing together. The joint is encapsulated and lined with a tissue called synovium.
While there are 100’s of different diseases that fall under the title of Arthritis, they all involve inflammation of the joints and pain or discomfort in surrounding tissues throughout the human body. It is sometimes referred to as rheumatism.
Usually a topic of conversation, it is estimated that one out of every seven people in America, suffer from some form of the disease and are always searching for relief from the pain and discomfort. Relief could mean simply taking a pill, some gentle exercises or stretching or trying other means to obtain relief, like yoga.
An ancient practice, yoga uses a system of postures and breathing aimed to achieve perfect harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. Customized yoga routines or exercises help with a wide variety of chronic pain conditions such migraines, fibromyalgia, and arthritis.
Using yoga as a pain relief method from arthritis does not mean that your body needs to be bent or contorted for you to get comfort from the pain. The use of yoga for relief from arthritis pain could simply mean practicing breathing and self-awareness, not weird or impossible body positions. Yoga is about creating balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. Achieving balance in the body through the performance of poses or postures has specific physical benefits. They can be done quickly creating heat in the body through movement (vinyasa-style yoga) or more slowly to increase stamina and perfecting the pose.
Depending on the tradition which the instructor has received, their approach will vary but the poses should remain constant.
A common arthritic problem is the swelling of the joints in the fingers and knuckles. A series of poses can be worked on that lengthen and spread the fingers, if the pain is not too severe or the person only suffers from mild or moderate pain. Yoga poses can be customized for different areas of arthritis pain. Hand stretches will help to create an energy flow that eventually moves to the fingers. Heat works well on the joints and experts have confirmed that it is good to the joints. Yoga therapy helps a person generate heat through practiced breathing and movement.
The Holistic Approach to Glowing Healthy Skin
The largest organ of the body is our skin. It is our defense against disease and infection; it helps to regulate body temperature and even helps in vitamin production. Most people of today are more interested in how to keep skin looking healthy rather than really keeping it healthy. Skin health is vital for beauty and general health. Staying out of direct sunlight is one of the best ways to keep skin looking healthy. Avoiding direct sunlight will aid in keeping skin looking young, soft, radiant, and wrinkle free.
Ultraviolet rays from the sun can give a person a healthy-looking tan, but the damage its causes are major if you tan on a regular basis. The sun can cause problems with pigmentation, sunburn and elasticity, all of which leads to premature aging.
There are several signs of premature aging, such as wrinkles, fine lines, dark skin, loss of translucency, and dryness. Topical skin lightening treatments or oral skin supplements would be of no use if you tan consistently or daily, even with the best genetics.
Avoiding the sun as much as possible if preferable, but if you do have to be out in the sun, make sure you apply sunscreen, especially for extended periods of time.
Being sensible about sun exposure is one way to promote healthy skin. But what else can we do to improve our skin condition or promote radiant healthy skin? There are certain oral supplements that promote healthy skin. Which are the best and most effective of supplements?
Oral Supplements
Vitamins and minerals are essential for proper health and function of all body organs.
The vitamins and minerals that can affect skin health include B-complex like B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B12 (cyancobalamine) are vitamins that can directly affect the skin. Deficiencies of vitamins B1 and B2 can cause forms of dermatitis. This is an inflammation of the skin. A Deficiency of B12 is damaging to neurons and rapidly dividing cells, including skin cells. Other vitamins and minerals essential to skin health are Vitamin C, iron and copper. These are important for collagen synthesis which is a key structural protein. Collagen fills the skin and gives it tone. Critical to the normal life cycle of skin cells, vitamin A deficiency can causes skin to become dry and fragile, and promote wrinkles, however too much should be avoided because it can be toxic. It has also been determined that vitamins C and E, along with beta-carotene are anti-oxidants and can reduce skin degeneration and aging caused by free radicals.
Free radicals and anti-oxidants are beyond doubt, clinical results have not proven if supplementary vitamins and other micronutrients improve skin quality and defy the aging process. Just as harmful as deficiencies, excessive doses are not recommended. You should still follow the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for any vitamin, mineral or supplement you use.
Topical Ointments or topical applications should go hand in hand with oral supplements. It is recommended you use a sunscreen of at least an SPF 30, creams with skin whitening agents, and moisturizers with lightening agents.
The effects of oral supplements are slower, more subtle when compared with topical applications. As with any product, you need to be realistic concerning results. Expectations should be set and you should not expect to see any changes in a time period of two weeks.
A good recommendation to the holistic approach of good healthy skin is as follows:
* A balanced and healthy diet using all food groups along with the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.
* A happy, non stressful positive attitude. There is proof that skin conditions like acne and eczema are more prevalent when stressed.
* Don’t smoke and quit if you do smoke. Smoking causes free radicals, damages the microcirculation of skin, staining of teeth and other discoloration.
* Minimize sun exposure as much as possible and use a good sunscreen when you are exposed to the sun.
The Holistic Approach to Pain Relief: Methods Across Time
In today’s world people who suffer from chronic pain are seeking natural, or holistic ways to manage their discomfort. Holistic pain relief methods do not rely on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory narcotics, tranquilizers, or anti-depressants. Instead it focuses on the principle that humans have the potential to visualize their whole beings functioning at their very best. It works on the basis that humans desire a fulfilling and satisfying life filled with enthusiasm and vitality.
Holistic health works to achieve not only balance within the body, mind and spirit, but physically as well and also to be in harmony with our environment. It addresses one’s lifestyle, relationships and social interaction, while managing and eliminating stress.
Holistic medicine has many different terms for describing different methods and systems. Alternative, complementary and natural healing are among the most popular and it should be noted that all of these are non-invasive procedures.
Some studies and well conducted trials have shown that acupuncture or acupressure, can relieve pelvic pain. Acupuncture or acupressure is a technique that uses small pins or pressure on specific point of the body. Belief is that the pressure of pins stimulates the nerve in those locations to cause them to interact with pain blockers in the brain. Reflexology has also been reported to give relief with some women. Reflexology is an acupressure technique of applying pressure at vital points of the body. These locations are in the ears, hands, and feet. Acupuncture and acupressure are Chinese holistic pain relief methods. The belief is that health is determined by the level of chi or vital life energy obtained within ones body. Chi or vital life energy is thought to connect organs in the body through pathways called meridians. Another form of traditional Chinese medicine is the use herbs. Herbs have been used through the centuries for their pain relief qualities.
Cochrane researchers discovered evidence that Chinese Herbal Medicine or CHM could possibly provide treatment for pain. The pain relief provided by the herbs could come from their effects on hormones and micro-circulation hemorrheology, but the evidence is not conclusive on the mechanism for the pain relief. Chinese Herbal Medicine or CHM has been used in public schools to relieve pain from menstrual cramps.
Pain relief through yoga and or other meditative techniques which promote relaxation are also helpful. Meditation is a very popular choice for many people for a holistic pain relief. Practiced through out the years, it is a conscious attempt to calm the mind, getting rid of thoughts and anxieties contributing to the unnecessary belief in the existence of pain. There several different techniques for meditating. Most can be put into these three categories: concentrative, mindful and transcendental meditation.
Aromatherapy is used to heal the body and mind from various illnesses but also to reduce stress that can lead to illness. Used through the years by the Egyptians, Indians, and Europeans, the oils assist in relaxing the body and mind. They were also used a medicinal remedy. Geranium, jasmine, juniper, lavender, peppermint, rose, rosemary and thyme are oils commonly used in aromatherapy. It is thought that by applying essential oils to one’s body that it can change brain chemistry so that neuro-transmitters called endorphins are released and relieve pain.
For people in the western world, holistic pain relief solutions like acupuncture, acupressure and herbal medicines are new concepts. However, holistic pain relief has been around from thousands of years and are still widely used and accepted around the world today. The rest of the world is probably wondering why all the fuss!
