Posts Tagged ‘alternative medicine’

Wellness Treatments And Alternative Remedies

July 4th, 2010

The wellness industry has been perceived in many different ways by many different people. Sometimes it is thought of as something that is only practiced in strange, back-water, hippie communes. Other times it is seen as a valid method to improve physical health and emotional well-being without relying on expensive prescriptions.

There are a number of different products on the market that target different people and different problems. There are a few companies and products, like the D Gary Young Living Essentials that have come to the forefront of the industry and is the object of a lot of discussion – both good and bad.

Gary Young, the founder of a company that produces and sells essential oils, has been in business for a long time. His company focuses on using lavender and other essential herbs to distill oils that can be used for therapeutic purposes and improve various wellness conditions.

Whether you are looking for a cure to a simple headache or something for more complex situations, there are different D Gary Young Living Essentials that can be employed. Some of the essential oils can be used directly on the skin while others are included in dietary supplements.

Of course, not everyone accepts this approach and they haven’t tried the products Gary Young recommends. The medical community, for example, is always quick to point out the lack of evidence to support the company’s various claims. On the other hand, there are many people who dislike the way the healthcare system is going, and are looking for different ways to get healthy.

Certainly, these kinds of alternative treatments aren’t for everyone. At the same time, you don’t have to be a crazy hippie living in a strange commune in order to try out something new. In fact, more and more people are starting to take an interest in these products. It isn’t hard for them to do a little research and find out what these companies claim and how likely they are to benefit from the products.

In the end, one of the most difficult hurdles for these products like Gary Young’s essential oils to overcome is the concept of “wellness.” Health benefits are lot easier to measure than wellness benefits, so products that are mainly targeting this area are going to have a difficult time getting other to understand potential benefits.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should just forget about wellness. The modern world is extremely busy and hectic, and this can really be hard on many of us. If you are looking for something new and different, you might consider some of these alternative remedies and find out if they really help.

D Gary Young Living essentials or wellness oils from other companies are a great way to live a healthier life. Many products from Gary Young are known for being high in quality and are a good way to start.

Acupuncture Can Help Treat Migraines

February 19th, 2010

Acupuncture can help treat headaches. This was discovered after a comparative study was done with typical medical treatment. In a number of cases, it even stops it from taking place which helps improve the standard of life for the patient. To understand how acupuncture helps headache sufferers, you’ve got to appreciate that in traditional Chinese medicine, it is assumed a disequilibrium in the flow of blood and energy causes this to happen.

In order to treat it, the specialist must relieve the tension by inserting needles into the body to improve the blood flow to the brain thus reducing the pain experienced during an attack. The needles used helps the body balance the serotonin levels since it is a neurotransmitter that affects blood vessels and has a role to play in migraines. In fact the more frequent these sessions are the better. It may even come to a point where the specific point of contact is no longer needed but the general stimulation itself.

The final result of undergoing acupuncture is astounding. If you experience fifteen to twenty days of unpleasant pain, this is going to be count down to only 8 days. You won’t need to use that much medicine any more as before. For those that are working, this is good so that they are not absent from work that much and there won’t be that much deductions in their earnings.

But how well acupuncture does for one patient may change with another. This relies upon the state of the assault and the individual. The better part about acupuncture is that there are no side-effects and it is painless. Skillful execs can do this so you do not suffer with hematoma or pneumothorax. Another illness is doubtless perilous is HIV or hepatitis which can be prevented naturally so long as the needles used are properly sterilised. It’s going to be much better if the person uses dispensable needles.

Acupuncture has been practiced in America for over twenty years. Though tests have shown how effective it can be to treat determined conditions and certain obsessions, more studies must be done to see where else it can be beneficial. Though one test has demonstrated that acupuncture can help headaches, other tests will also have to be done to prove if this is right. Until the point that other results are broadcast, patients must rely on classic medicine that is prescribed by a doctor.

But you don’t have to attend for the results to come out. If you suspect it is worth a try, go for it. Just ask for a referral from your GP as there are several practitioners who have accepted the confirmed fact that alternative kinds of medicine can also help a patient. You can also find someone on the web. You may be certain they are certificated if they are recognized by the state’s Validation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Aside from that, you should also make some lifestyle changes as there are trigger factors that have been known to cause migraines. Stress is number one on the list so you get enough rest and exercise as well as a balanced diet. Patients who are suffering from migraine should also check if acupuncture is covered by their HMO. Most insurance providers and HMO’s these days cover all or part of the cost but there are restrictions so you should check what is covered by your policy.

Want to find out more about Alternative Medicine, then visit Michael Mccoy’s Health Blog Now!

Acne Scars

February 17th, 2010

Acne scars are a sad reminder of the having suffered pimples or even acne. They are intolerable because of their seeming permanence and their non-complimentary look. Generally speaking, acne scars are rather difficult to treat, but tissue regeneration is not impossible these days with all the amazing technological developments.

Generally speaking, by acne scars, we mean the healed lesions caused by an acne breakout. While most scarring is temporary and will probably disappear naturally over time, scars from the more severe forms of acne can become permanent.

Acne scarring can be prevented if the patient visits a doctor when it is in the incipient stage, particularly if nodules or cysts accompany the red pustules on the skin’s surface. If the bouts of acne have marked your skin, you will have to approach the issue from a different perspective, which usually means surgery.

Laser resurfacing is one way of removing the damaged skin areas and stimulating the natural regrowth of the tissue underneath. The procedure requires only local anaesthesia and can take between a few minutes and an hour depending on the extent of the damage.

Fractional laser therapy is one of the most recent forms of eliminating acne scarring. It involves surgical intervention at deep skin layers. The therapy is superior to both dermabrasion and laser resurfacing in terms of quality and has a very reduced healing period. Nevertheless, fractional laser therapy is within the reach of only those few fortunate people, who can afford it, since it is the most expensive acne treatment available so far.

It can happen that other sessions are required to improve the condition of the superficial layers of skin, before they can start the deep level treatment of the acne scar. The doctor may inject collagen into the scarring in order to elevate the existing skin level or she/he may recommend micro-dermabrasion for the same purpose. Trying to carry out chemical peels at home could be a bad idea because of the chance of aggravating the condition by irritating the scars even further.

As for the forms of acne scarring, they can be classified according to the formation pattern. Scars can result because of an increase of tissue or due to a loss of tissue They both have an adverse impact on the way the face looks. Specialists’ evaluation of the nature of the scars is a very important factor for the decision of adopting one kind of treatment or another.

Are you experiencing problems treating acne scarring? If you are or you’d like to know more about acne, please go to our website called http://treating-acne-scars.com Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

Strategies for Treating Acne

February 10th, 2010

Most people with acne try to cure their broken skin with creams, face washes, expensive soaps, lotions and treatments. However, the easiest way to treat acne is by altering your diet and avoiding acne-causing items such as fried food. A healthy regimen, rich in organic unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, grains and beans is the first bit of advice for treating acne.

Foodstuffs containing trans-fatty acids, milk, milk products, margarine, shortening and synthetically hydrogenated vegetable oils, as well as fatty foods, should not be eaten. It seems the prevalence of acne in the United States is caused by the typical American diet. Americans tend to eat fried food in large quantities, usually cooked in the most harmful of fats and oils.

However, not all fats are bad for you, but the fats and oils that the average American consumes make them more prone to develop acne and other skin problems. Items that can cause are ice cream, cheese, bacon, chocolate and milk. Furthermore, acne can’t actually be cured using external skin creams and expensive soaps because the basic cause of the condition lies below the skin.

Pimples, spots and blemishes are caused by bacteria and other irritants embedded underneath the skin’s oil glands and hair follicles, which are generally caused as a result of insufficient hygiene, squeezing and poor diet.

This poor diet could be a result of too high an amount of items such as processed, fatty, fried and sugary foods in your diet. A diet that is good for your skin emphasizes raw and lightly cooked vegetables, especially green, leafy vegetables that contain valuable trace minerals and fibre. Fresh green vegetables are essential, but you should also include lean protein sources and complex carbohydrates, such as rice, whole-grain bread and potatoes in your diet.

Such fibre-rich foods can help ensure a clean gastrointestinal tract, which is so important in the management of acne. You ought to eat three healthy meals daily in order to supply you with enough vital nutrients and decrease your desire for sweet or/and fatty, fried food.

You should eat more foods that are rich in vitamin A, like apricots, watermelons, and broccoli, along with lean beef, lentils, nuts, beans and whole grains, because they are rich in zinc, which can also be helpful in reducing acne breakouts. It’s also imperative to drink lots of water to help clean the toxins out that contribute to acne.

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Pregnant Women And Acne

January 23rd, 2010

Treating acne is usually the right thing to do when you have it, but not at all times. There are stages in a person’s life when you can not try to cure acne just because you want to. During pregnancy is one of those times. As everyone knows, this is a delicate stage in a woman’s life and it is that phase of a woman’s life that she must show extra care of herself. If she feels the need to treat her acne, she must see to it that she arms herself with the right information.

This should also be remembered by those women who may become pregnant. The following are some cures for acne that are not good for use during pregnancy because they are harmful to the fetus:

Hormonal treatment that may include estrogen, flutamide, and spirolactone. They are a big no, no. They are harmful and may lead to some complications for both the mother and the child. It is best regard it as a threat.

Isotretinoin treatment is another therapy that could put a pregnant woman’s life at risk. Isotretinoin has negative effects as well, especially for pregnant women and those who are breast-feeding. It could cause severe health hazards in both the mother and the unborn baby. Therefore, it is advisable that a woman who is taking Isotretinoin must be monitored by a doctor. Women who are trying to get pregnant must avoid the use of Isotretinoin, since it may just trigger negative complications not only for mother but most especially for the child.

Oral tetracyclines, which could be of doxycycline, tetracycline or minocycline, may not be an option at all, because it is injurious. It has been shown that pregnant women or those who are breast-feeding should avoid the use of this drug at all costs, because it may have side effects that are nothing short of a danger to the life of you and your baby. However, the most common side effect is the permanent discoloration of your teeth or / and bone disorders.

Topical retinoids, such as tazarotene, adapalene and tretinoin, is the last group that should be totally refused. Just like the afore-mentioned remedies, topical retinoids could be a danger to you and your baby. Even whether you are pregnant or not, it is not wise to use any of the treatments mentioned above.

For those women, who are pregnant and have acne, it really is best to stay away from the heavy treatments mentioned here. Instead, why not settle for traditional remedies, like keeping your hair off your face, washing your face three-four times a day, changing your pillow cases every day and eating more fruit and avoiding fatty, oily and spicy food.

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Acne Problems

January 14th, 2010

Acne is one of the most common skin problems afflicting the human race and it affects people irrespective of age, caste, colour or gender. Acne is an extremely embarrassing and troublesome problem, because it is so obvious and off-putting. Acne can be defined as red eruptions on the skin, sometimes containing a white substance, causing discomfort and pain. The most common form of acne is called acne vulgaris or puberty spots.

Acne vulgaris can be defined thus: … an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland) . Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits – [source: Wikipedia]. It is a heart-breaking problem that we do not appear to have complete control over. However, there are different ways to cure acne: you can go in for medication from a skin specialist or you can go in for home or natural treatments.

Natural remedies are less time consuming, less costly and have no side effects. However, they do require a little more patience, because the routines have to be followed diligently in order to cure the problem once and for all. A natural cure for acne is just as effective as medication. Here are a few natural remedies to cure your acne. To start with, your daily consumption of water should be at minimum of eight to ten glasses. This helps you to detoxify your system and destroy the harmful bacteria that cause acne.

An over-balance of oily food also leads to acne, so fried, oily and spicy food should be religiously avoided. A near complete avoidance of fried and fatty food will have a marked, beneficial effect on any acne outbreak. Moreover, if you eat more chromium and zinc in your diet, it will help to cure acne. There has to be the correct combination of nutrition and hygiene.

A mixture of ground nutmeg with fresh milk regularly daubed on the affected area also helps to cure acne. Cinnamon powder and honey is equally effective in eradicating. The cooled liquid from boiled Neem leaves applied to acne acts as a disinfectant. [The Neem Tree is a tall, usually evergreen East Indian tree (Azadirachta indica) widely cultivated in tropical Asia for its timber, resin, bitter bark, and aromatic seed oil, which is used medicinally and as an insecticide (source: 'Free Online Dictionary')].

The infected area should be washed with anti-acne soap at least three or four times a day. Make-up should be strictly avoided when suffering from acne. Make-up makes acne worse. Acne should never be squeezed as it may cause infection or / and make it worse. Squeezing your acne could also lead to permanent marks on your skin, which leaves your skin looking rough. Avoid letting your hair touch the acne-affected area too.

Your hair should be kept tied back to prevent contact with the acne. Pillow covers should be washed on a daily basis to avoid the bacteria spreading. The regular washing of your skin should be observed to keep it free from germs. Besides this, a healthy lifestyle should be followed with a balanced diet, exercise and sleep. Remember, if you take good care of yourself, ailments will have less chance of afflicting you, especially such a small thing as acne!

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Natural Acne Treatments

December 22nd, 2009

Every body knows the value of our facial appearance. The better it is, the more advantageous it gets. More than anything else, it is the very first thing that others see when they look at you. In general, our confidence depends on our level of contentment with our physical appearance. When one knows he or she looks good, confidence really zooms.

When we are growing up, the development of acne or even pimples is a major problem. If you do not have a problem involving your face, then congratulations. On the other hand, if you are one of the majority who do have an issue, there is a solution to the problem!

Is acne one of your major problems? Are you spending way too much money on chemical acne treatments? Do you want to apply a remedy but you are worried that it may be a bit on your skin? Then why not try a more natural way of treating your acne? You do not have to go very far to do it, because the treatment is right there in your own house. The doctor is within you too. The most effective beauty advice of all time is to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Hydrating your body will ensure the ablution of your body’s poisons. Just take look after your body and the skin will care of itself.

Clean, healthy mannerisms may also help. Take care that you do not leave make-up on your skin since it contributes to the clogging of your pores, thus causing even more pimples and blackheads. Never sleep with your make-up on. Furthermore, always keep your hair out of your face, because hair contains natural oils that can cause breakouts in your skin.

Wash your pillow case and towels very often. Daily, if possible. They are absorbent and they hold acne-contributors like oil and bacteria too. Lastly, never squeeze your pimples, since you do not want your face to be as infected as your fingernails.

You should eat healthy, natural food when you have acne, because you must try to cleanse yourself not only outside but also from the inside. It would really help too, if you could reduce your consumption of oily, fatty food. Eating food rich in fibre helps, since the fibre helps cleanse your body of toxins too. Furthermore, eating food that is considered anti-oxidant would help a lot in order for you to maintain a healthy skin. Moreover, food rich in Vitamins A, B and D, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, chloride, magnesium, zinc, iron and sodium is also a great help too.

Follow a diet, which is high in beta-carotene and zinc is a great aid not only in the prevention, but as well as in the treatment process and anti-scarring by acne. Yes, beauty is only skin deep, but having beautiful skin also makes you feel more beautiful and confident in your self.

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The Three Ways to Treat Acne

November 9th, 2009

Acne is horrible. However, it’s not a problem that cannot be dealt with. There are heaps of acne skin care products around. We can catalog acne skin care items into 3 broad types:

* Deterrent or general acne skin care products; * Over-the-counter, specialised acne skin care items; * On-prescription acne skin care products.

The all-purpose acne skin care items are the ones that are used as an acne-prevention measure. These include cleansers, make-up removers and similar products that help avoid acne. In the real sense, these acne skin care items are those that should be part of your daily schedule anyway. However, some of these are more orientated to act like an acne skin care item.

These acne skin care items work against the causes of acne e.g. limiting the production of sebum/oil and preventing the congestion of skin pores. Essentially, these acne skin care items prevent the oil from getting blocked in pores and consequently hamper the growth of the bacteria that lead to acne. Broad-spectrum acne skin care products also include exfoliation products like skin peels. These work by removing dead skin cells, hence reducing the possibility of pore-blocking and bacteria increase.

Then there are specialised acne skin care products that are available over-the-counter i.e. without the requirement of a prescription. These include products like vanishing creams which remove the extra oil from the skin. Most of these acne skin care items are based on benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which are the enemies of bacteria (and therefore acne). You should start with a product that has a lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5%) and see how your skin reacts to it.

Alpha-hydroxy-acid based moisturizers are also popular as acne skin care products. You may have to test a few, before you discover the acne skin care product that is most effective for you. If nothing seems to do any good, you should contact a dermatologist.

Prescription acne skin care items are the ones that are prescribed by a dermatologist. These include ointments that can be rubbed on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical treatment. Dermatologists may also suggest a minor surgical procedure to remove the contents of pustules. However, never try to squeeze or do this by yourself, it can lead to the permanent injury of your skin.

Your physician could also prescribe a hormone-based treatment (since hormonal changes are also known to cause acne). Such acne skin care items are known to be very effective in some circumstances. So, with all those acne skincare items, tackling acne is really not all that difficult.

Are you having trouble treating acne scars? If you are or you would like to find out more about acne, please go to our website entitled http://treating-acne-scars.com

Acne Does Not Equal Zits

October 9th, 2009

There are quite a few different types of acne, depending on how or why the acne started. Some of the forms of acne are: acne conglobata (chronic boils); acne fulminans (an extreme form of conglobata); acne cosmetica (caused by cosmetics); acne keloidalis nuchae (from shaving); acne medicamentosa (caused by starting or stopping a medication); acne rosacea (redness on the face); baby acne; hormonal acne; cloracne and the common variety: acne vulgaris (better known as ‘puberty spots’). We will take a closer look at acne vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris may be described as: ‘an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits’ (from Wikipedia).

Acne is most common in white Western teenagers, although it does occur in every country in the world, so there could be a genetic weakness to it. It is possible that it could be an exceptional reaction to fairly average levels of testosterone. For most sufferers, outbreaks of acne last only until adulthood, probably only a few years or at the most ten. For other people, however, it can be a life-long affliction. It most often affects the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot does not constitute acne.

Acne vulgaris manifests itself in many forms, including: whiteheads, resulting from pores which are completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the surface; blackheads, caused by pores which are only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface (the black colour is not caused by dirt, but is a reaction of the skin’s own pigment, melanin, with the oxygen in the air); papules, which are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and pustules, which are similar to whiteheads, but are inflamed, and appear as red circles with a white or yellow centre.

Whiteheads do not usually last for a long time; blackheads can last a long time and pustules are what people usually refer to as spots or zits. Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts. A ‘nodule’ is a rather larger and much more painful kind of pustule and may sometimes last for months. Nodules are large, hard lumps just under the skin. They frequently result in scarring and should never for any reason be squeezed, since this could make them last for months longer.

A ‘cyst’ may look similar to a nodule, but it is full of pus and has been described as having a diameter of at least 5mm and, again, can cause scars and cause irritation. Squeezing an acne cyst can cause a more severe infection and more acute inflammation which may last quite a lot longer than if it had not been squeezed. Dermatologists have ways of reducing the swelling and avoiding scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is just not true that acne sufferers are not careful about cleanliness.

Indeed, it is a little-known fact that, excessive washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many useless ‘cures’ in the shops and many, many old wives’ tales. However, any good skin expert would tell you that there is no sure-fire remedy for acne and that the patient should follow a religious regimen of cleansing until the acne eventually ‘goes away’ of its own accord.

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