Wednesday, November 14, 2007

How To Recognize an Essential Oil?

How To Recognize an Essential Oil?
 by: Nitin Jain

A selection of essential oils is now available from health food shops, chemists and by mail order. When you are buying them, be careful to choose essential oils, not perfumed oils. Although these may well smell delicious they are not benefecial for aromatherapy.
An essential oil is: Thin and watery rather than oily. Swift to evaporate and it wont leave a greasemark on paper. Overpoweringly scented when neat, which can be quite unpleasant.
Perfumed oils will always smell pleasant whereas essential oils often have more of the effect of smelling salts.
All essential oils fall into three basic categories: TOP NOTES : These oils evaporate very quickly. They are generally uplifting and stimulating, with a greenish, fresh aroma. MIDDLE NOTES : These are used to help with most bodily functions and the body;s metabolism. BASE NOTES : These are extremely relaxing, sometimes sedative and generally have a lovely, warm aroma.
You'll notice essential oils are always sold in tinted glass bottles (if not, be suspicious). This is becaiuse they are special oils that need a little care. They are damaged by light and should always be stored in a dark, cool place. Be careful to keep the lids tightly screwed on your bottles, otherwise you will be disappointed to discover your oils have evaporated into thin air.
Here is a very informative chart describing the benefits of various essential oils: http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/aromatherapy/essential-oils-information.htm

About The Author

For www.ultimate-cosmetics.com
Get more information on aromatherapy and essential oils here: http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/aromatherapy/index.htm
nitin@ultimate-cosmetics.com

This article was posted on July 29, 2004

Pregnancy and Tanning Beds

Pregnancy and Tanning Beds
 by: Adam Murray

This is one of many articles posted weekly on http://www.tanning-beds-resource.com/
With summer approaching, you would love to wear those cute maternity sun dresses, but you don't want to show off your pale white skin. Now, you need to decide what is the best way to tan without possibly putting your baby in danger. Tanning beds during pregnancy are just as safe as tanning outside in the direct sunlight.
At this time there are no studies on the effects of tanning beds on the unborn child, so anything you hear is nothing but myths. The UV light used in tanning beds do not reach the child, therefore your baby is not at risk.
During the first trimester your doctor will advise you not to do anything that will raise your body's temperature, such as hot tubs, saunas, and tanning beds. But, it may be okay to have 10 -15 minute sessions while lying on your side or standing in a tanning booth, to prevent your blood flow from being restricted.
The most important thing to remember is to stay cool and drink plenty of fluids. Your skin during pregnancy is also sensitive to burning, so you should start with short sessions until your body is tanned. Pregnancy and tanning beds is no more harmful to your child than lying in the sun. Just use common sense and make sure you are comfortable. It's always best to go with the motto, if you think it's not worth the risk.. then don't do it!

About The Author

Adam Murray is currently the webmaster and author of several websites, http://www.tanning-beds-resource.com/, is one of his newer additions.

This article was posted on July 29, 2004

Risks of Tanning Beds - Not all they are hyped up to be...

Risks of Tanning Beds - Not all they are hyped up to be...
 by: Adam Murray

This is one of many articles posted weekly on http://www.tanning-beds-resource.com/
The risks of tanning beds aren't all that it's hyped up to now-a-days. For example, all of the skin cancer horror stories that you hear about all came from people who went about tanning the wrong way 20 to 30 years ago. You see, skin cancer has a latency of about 20-30 years. That long ago almost everyone that that getting a sunburn would fade into a nice looking tan, so most people would go to the beach and keep up with a pattern of getting sun burnt. This is what causes skin cancer, the repetitiveness of getting sun burnt. So there is common misconception of the risks of tanning beds. It's not all cancer in a box as many people say.
Some other risks of tanning beds are your eyes. There is some risk if you choose not to wear safety eyewear, or the goggles. This is a requirement for all tanning salons to provide safety eyewear, but no one can actually make you wear them. Without wearing them, the risks of tanning beds increase. You can get an early form of cataracts and you could even have temporary or complete blindness. Although using the safety equipment can leave almost unnoticeable white circles around your eyes, the risk of not using them does not make up for it.
You can reduce the risks of tanning beds by not staying in them for to long. If you notice that after your tanning session that you got burnt, then the next time you go you need to reduce your time a little. Getting sun burnt is the worse thing you can do to your skin. Also, to reduce risk, be sure to wear the goggles for your eyes.

About The Author

Adam Murray is currently the webmaster and author of several websites, http://www.tanning-beds-resource.com/, is one of his newer additions.

This article was posted on July 29, 2004

Tanning Booths - Safer than you think!

Tanning Booths - Safer than you think!
 by: Adam Murray

This is one of many articles posted weekly on http://www.tanning-beds-resource.com/
Visiting a tanning booth to tan may be safer than you believe. You have to understand that skin cancer has a 20-30 year latency period, so most stories that you hear now are from the people who way back when thought that getting sun burns would fade into nice looking tans. This approach was not very good nor did it work at all. If you decide to try out a tanning booth the only thing you need to worry about is wearing protective eyewear.
The thing that causes skin cancer is the repeating pattern of getting sunburned. If you can avoid getting sunburn while using a tanning booth then you will not have much to worry about. Also, with using a tanning booth the UV rays are controlled and you can easily set your exposure time to them by using the bed. That way, you will be safe to tan for about 10-20 minutes depending on where you are at.
If you plan on using a tanning booth for the very first time and you do not tan very easily it is recommended that you do it for only 5 minutes for your 1st and 2nd sessions, and then move up to 10 minutes for the next few, then after that move to 15 then 20 minutes. You should never go past 20 minutes in one session unless the bed specifically instructs that it's safe to.

About The Author

Adam Murray is currently the webmaster and author of several websites, http://www.tanning-beds-resource.com/, is one of his newer additions.

This article was posted on July 29, 2004

You Are What You Eat

You Are What You Eat
 by: Dr. Tara Barker

You really are what you eat. You are also very much affected by the lifestyle you live. Every item that enters your mouth will be digested and reconstructed into your living cells for use. Although it is true that everything is broken down into general building blocks necessary for life (such as sugar, fat, proteins, etc), the quality of what you eat really affects how healthy each of your cells are. A diet high in processed foods, sugars, fats, chemicals, additives, preservatives, and low quality nutrients is harder for your body to process and leads to the building of lower quality cells. If you rarely exercise, experience high stress, do not sleep well or enough, and do not partake in favorite leisure activities, this also stresses the body and reduces its effectiveness in maintaining balance and health.
It can be difficult in today's world to fit in all that is conducive to an optimal life. Missing one or two steps occasionally will generally not be a problem, as your body is very resilient and made to work under less than optimal conditions for a time. Many people take advantage of this, however, and conclude that since they live the way they do and no signs of illness have appeared thus far, that they are living well enough. It can take days, months, or years for various signs of body 'dis-ease' to begin to appear. By the time these signs appear, it can take just as long to reverse the damage, if reversal is possible. The key is prevention. Although it is nearly impossible to anticipate exactly which prevention measures should be taken for each individual, there are general prevention methods that can be included in a healthy lifestyle that are useful to ward off the majority of common complaints.

About The Author

For more information or questions on related topics, please visit www.MyWebND.com. Get all your health questions answered from a licensed Naturopathic physician without the wait for an office visit. Well-researched, reliable information is now available and easy to find.
info@myWebND.com

This article was posted on July 28, 2004

The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle

The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle
 by: Dr. Tara Barker

The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle
Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to obtain optimal wellness. Most people roll their eyes or moan when confronted with these ideas, but, in reality, taking care of yourself is not as hard, time consuming, expensive, or dull as most would have you believe. In fact, once people decide to choose a healthy life, they notice more energy, increased self-confidence, more time to do things that really matter, and they spend less time in the doctor's office or hospital. It is less expensive to buy organic foods and shop for most items at a health food store than it is to buy candy, soda, chips, pizza, alcohol, and cigarettes. Not only do people consume less food on a healthy diet (you really can't just eat one Pringle), they help their bodies to become stronger and more able to fight disease, which makes their health costs lower as well. The foods are not dull or tasteless either. It does depend on what you like, but, in general, unprocessed and whole foods right from the garden (or produce section) are the tastiest and most satisfying. If you don't like fresh snap peas, maybe you've not had them done right!
In our current society of hustle and bustle, we often go for the cheapest and quickest foods to get rid of that nasty hunger sensation. But what does that do to you? Really? Most people don't know and they don't care. They will care more when they discover they have heart disease or diabetes or the variety of other conditions caused by this type of lifestyle. But patterns get established and it is so difficult to stay away from the burgers or sodas for long. Tastes get perverted (yes, that is the word for it) to like too much fat, sugar, and salt in our diets. Foods don't taste as good without additives. In reality, they don't taste as good because cheap food is cheap food and you wouldn't eat it if you weren't fooled by the extras added in to either make it look, taste, or smell better. A McDonald's thin hamburger is grayish to begin with, never mind that it has comparatively loads of fat in its small size. Try just the burger without the cheese, ketchup, mustard, onions, or pickles. Pretty bland. That cheese (if you could call it that) is what they call 'cheese food'. They cannot call it 'cheese' because of the processing. This 'cheese food' makes up most of the sliced cheeses in supermarkets. Look at the labels. The ketchup has corn syrup (sugar) and sugar added. I could go on, but I won't. The point is, these additives are added to make an inferior product taste good enough to sell at a cheaper price so the public will buy. I guarantee in a taste test of a more expensive, yet organic ketchup made with tomatoes that taste good, and regular ketchup without any added sugar to either sample, you would choose the organic one over the non-organic based solely on freshness of taste. The same goes for burgers, ice cream, breads, and many processed products. The better the ingredient quality, the better it tastes and the healthier it is for you.
It is best to limit the use of anything processed (processed meaning things were done to it, it is not directly or closely linked to the whole, natural food; usually these foods are in boxes or bags), but whole grain rice with spices and herbs in a box with no unnatural additives is much better for you than the usual Rice-a-Roni, mac and cheese, and the like. Read those labels as well. If you cannot pronounce or understand what an ingredient is, do not consume it. If a product says 'enriched', this does not make it a better product. In fact, things are enriched when they have had those enriching items taken away. Processing foods uses heat, cold, light, drying, or crushing which all serve to deplete vitamins and minerals in the food. To replace these essentials means the food was already compromised. Look for foods that are as close to their natural state and as fresh as possible. The best foods are fresh straight from the earth. The next best is fresh from the produce or bulk section. Then comes frozen, dried, and canned, respectively.
You may wonder how the Standard American Diet (SAD diet) affects your health besides flavor and price. Processed foods, as mentioned above, typically contain less vitamins and minerals than the original foods that made them up. If you eat food mostly from packages or boxes and are not reading labels, not only are you not getting valuable nutrients, but also you are consuming items that may be depleting nutrients in your body. Sugar uses B vitamins from your body. Preservatives and additives put an extra burden on your liver, whose job it is to break these compounds down so your body can get rid of them. What your body cannot get rid of, it will store in fat, so these chemicals will not be running around causing harm where they do not belong. No where in nature will you find a body needs 'blue dye 2' or 'propylene glycol' necessary and good for survival. Fat is the best storage place for these toxins. Fat is found not only right under your skin but also lining your nerves and in your brain. These may not be places you wish toxins stored.
We commonly hear that fat is bad and cholesterol is bad from the media. We do need fat and cholesterol to live. Fats and cholesterol are large components in healthy skin, all your cells, hormones, and your brain and nerves. They are also a good source of energy when needed. It is not good to severely limit these items from the diet. It is the quality of the fats that you consume that makes the difference. Some fats that are good for your body are called essential fatty acids, or EFA's. Your body cannot make these fats, therefore the essential aspect. You can find these helpful fats in flax seeds, fish, evening primrose oil, borage oil, and some other oils and foods. If you eat fat mainly from grass-fed animals, butter, fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, and get some EFA's in your diet, you will do well. Margarine contains fats called 'trans fatty acids' which helps it stay solid at room temperature. These trans fats contribute quickly to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Trans fats are also found in many processed foods like chips, fries, and some diet foods. Please read labels. Do not eat any foods that say 'trans fatty acids' or 'hydrogenated' or 'partially hydrogenated'. Hydrogenation is the process that forms the trans fats.

About The Author

For more information or questions on related topics, please visit www.MyWebND.com. Get all your health questions answered from a licensed Naturopathic physician without the wait for an office visit. Well-researched, reliable information is now available and easy to find.
info@myWebND.com

This article was posted on July 28, 2004

Low Carb and Lowfat Diets...A Scam?!

Low Carb and Lowfat Diets...A Scam?!
 by: Dr. Tara Barker

If anyone knows anything about fitness, it's that a low fat diet is the healthiest way to avoid serious diseases, right? Maybe wrong.
In many instances quality research has shown just the opposite…that a low fat diet, sometimes even a vegetarian diet, can be harmful to your health. Although vegetarian and low-fat diets have been proven to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, they have not demonstrated significant reductions in deaths from any disease.
The Low-Fat Approach
Popular diets of today encouraging low-fat approaches, such as the diets of Dr. Pritkin, Dr. Ornish, Macrobiotics, and Weight Watchers, are generally effective with weight-loss and reduction in blood fats. The low-fat approach has even been proven to overcome serious illness successfully.
But the majority of dieters find these plans difficult to stick with. And most research trials have not shown these diets effective in decreasing death rates from diseases in general, long-term.
Fats in a meal make you feel more 'full'. They slow the time it takes for your stomach to empty, thus ensuring you will not feel hungry too soon.
Generally, high-carb, low-fat meals have the opposite effect. The stomach empties quicker and insulin levels increase following the meal. This means you may be hungry sooner than you'd like.
Research shows the higher insulin levels of a low-fat, high-carb diet may predispose you to adult onset diabetes, hypoglycemia, and even heart disease.
The Low-Carb Approach
These diets claim that limiting carbs, like sugars, grains, fruits, and some vegetables, is the solution. The Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, and even the Zone Diet all suggest if you cut out the carbs or have a balance of fat/carbs/protein in every meal, you will experience weight loss and better health. Many dedicated dieters find this to be true.
Although a low-carb diet can cause weight loss, the goal of any program should be life long radiant health. It is still up for debate if this approach leads to any significant health advantages. It is possible to hasten heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and aging with a diet too high in the wrong fats and too low in essential nutrients from various fruits and veggies.
Many health care professionals find it difficult to prescribe to either of the above theories. If there is no definitive answer in either direction that is indisputable, then there must be a middle ground.
A Healthy Solution for Everyone
It is difficult to imagine that reducing intake of the wonderful fruits and vegetables that keep people well is the way to a healthy future. Research will back this up. The average American already ingests too little fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other factors present in whole, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
In much of our history, it was rare to have many of the diseases we live with today. Most people in native cultures eating diets dictated by availability experienced vibrant health. Their death was caused by accidents, bacterial or viral diseases, or by old age. Very few died of our number one killers: cardiovascular disease and cancer.
People did not begin to experience heart disease and cancer in such great numbers until the advent of our more modern diet and lifestyle customs.
These "advances" included: growing and eating more grains discovering how to 'refine' and 'preserve' foods to extend shelf-life consuming sugar and 'simple' carbohydrates pasteurizing and homogenizing dairy products
With the human tampering of food overall health took an undeniable turn for the worse.
Almost exclusively we now eat, even in so called 'healthy' or 'organic' foods, the following: refined products, products with added sugar, preservatives, additives, petroleum products, animal products laden with antibiotics and hormones, and animals that are fed diets that they would never eat in the wild (wild cattle do not eat other cattle, poultry by-products, or even grains; cattle eat grass).
Native cultures worldwide, before being indoctrinated with more westernized food choices, eat remarkably similar diets.
Since many food products spoil without refrigeration or freezing, most people fermented their foods. This supplies necessary probiotic bacteria, which many people supplement with today since we eat natural fermented foods so infrequently.
Whether or not they inhabited the same regions, most people ate a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and animal products in season. Very few societies tip the scales by eating mostly animal products (Inuit cultures) or mostly vegetarian (a few tribes in Africa and South America).
The similarities that bind the historical human diet together are: A diet based on fresh or fermented whole, unrefined foods A diet high in essential fatty acids with an omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of 4:1 (current US diets have a ratio of 16:1) A diet where spirituality around food is more meaningful than the material A diet with 10 times the level of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) A diet lower in total calories overall
Wisdom passed down through the ages says that a varied diet with foods found abundant in nature is best. In almost all cultures this means a diet, as available, of fresh or dried wild meats and fish, fermented cheeses, fresh whole or fermented milk, butter, eggs, fresh, dried, or fermented fruits, fresh or fermented vegetables, whole grains (these were fermented normally, even if dried), some beans, and water or fermented beverages to drink.
It is interesting to note that instead of eating fresh foods or those naturally fermented, we chose to cook or destroy what could spoil in our foods then add additives and preservatives. Are these 'foods' as digestible? Do they supply the same nutrients? Does the magic number of carbohydrates versus fats or proteins really matter? What if the answer lies in ancient wisdom and thousands of years of knowledge?
Something to think about.

About The Author

For more information or questions on related topics, please visit www.MyWebND.com. Get all your health questions answered from a licensed Naturopathic physician without the wait for an office visit. Well-researched, reliable information is now available and easy to find.
info@myWebND.com

This article was posted on July 28, 2004

Gearing Up for Flu Season

Gearing Up for Flu Season
 by: Dr. Tara Barker

Well, flu season is coming upon us quickly, and most people would love to skip getting sick this year. The biggest question is…How? Here are the easiest ways to keep yourself and loved ones free of the nastiest of colds this (and every) year.
First of all, the flu is a virus. A viral infection cannot be treated with antibiotics. A virus can only overwhelm your defenses and multiply in your body if your body's defenses are not adequate to begin with. If you are strong, vital, and have a health immune sysytem, your body will most likely be able to stave off most colds, flus, and bacteria. The problem comes when you are stressed, eating poorly, not taking a good multivitamin, or have been recently sick. The traditional holiday season, with its stress, gift buying, wrapping, travel, visiting, and overeating, is a perfect occasion for you to fall ill with the flu. Here is what you can do.
1. Take a quality multivitamin. If you are not eating in the most stellar fashion, chances are you are low on many nutrients. This is just a fact in today's world. A good, quality supplement will provide you with the immune enhancing and flu fighting nutrients like zinc, vitamin A, selenium, vitamin C, and the B vitamins. Keeping your defenses up and your body healthy is the first line of defense.
2. Do your best not to become stressed. Stress threatens your immunity immensely. It's just not worth it to become stressed and sick. Try to remember what your goal is in the highest regard. Instead of thinking, "Oh no! I'll be late!" think "My goal is to arrive and do my best. I will take control and responsibility over what I can and do my best." If you show up authentically and remain true to your ideals while not getting bogged down in the stress of every event in the moment, you can truly do your immune system (and psyche) a service.
3. Eat well as often as you can. Now, we all know that fudge, pies, yams with marshmallow, and loads of rolls and butter may show up on our plates. They just tend to do that. But as often as you can, eat your veggies. Lots of veggies of all varieties. Eat whole fruit. If you eat grains, eat mostly whole grains instead of flour products. Don't overdo dairy products as they are mucus producing and hard to digest for some people. Drink lots of water throughout the day and go easy on the coffee, black tea, and try to avoid sodas altogether. Even diet sodas cause an immune lowering effect for hours after you consume. Sugar inhibits your immune system for hours after you eat it (or drink it) and is an invitation to all sorts of viral and bacterial nasties. So unless you are serious about inviting them in to stay, don't open that door too often.
4. Exercise daily. Even if you just go for a walk for 20 minutes, get in exercise every day. Your body needs it. It is good for the soul. Make it fun by going with a friend or your partner and talking. Or go alone and enjoy your thoughts. Go at sunset or sunrise for an enhanced experience.
5. Wash your hands. Most people get the flu by shaking hands, touching a doorknob, or picking up a phone in which the virus has been on and then touching their eyes, nose, hair, or mouth. The virus typically enters by the mucous membranes of the nose or mouth, but could enter through any mucous membrane of the body. During flu season, be sure to remain conscious of touching your mouth, nose, or eyes, especially if you recently touched an object that others may have touched. Wash your hands if in doubt.
6. If you do get the flu, see your naturopath immediately for a quicker resolution. Homeopathic remedies, herbs, hydrotherapy, and other treatments often help your body to more quickly eliminate the virus than over the counter products or doing nothing. Some remedies, if begun when you notice the first symptoms, can even prevent the flu from a full attack. You could also take home treatments that your family could take in order to prevent them from contracting the virus.

About The Author

For more information or questions on related topics, please visit www.MyWebND.com. Get all your health questions answered from a licensed Naturopathic physician without the wait for an office visit. Well-researched, reliable information is now available and easy to find.
info@myWebND.com

This article was posted on July 28, 2004

Why Choose Naturopathic Medicine?

Why Choose Naturopathic Medicine?
 by: Dr. Tara Barker

Naturopathic medicine is a system and philosophy of medicine that has been around for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Before the advent of 'conventional' medicine, which uses a wide variety of drugs and surgical procedures, almost every doctor learned how to use herbs, minerals, homeopathy, and other natural methods to treat disease. Since the early 1900's and with the discovery of antibiotics, usage and public knowledge of naturopathic medicine has declined. This was most likely due to the 'quick fix' nature of many of the new drugs developed and increased safety of surgical procedures. Diseases such as influenza and measles, which today are generally nuisances and easily treated in most people, were very scary and sometimes life threatening in these earlier times. The plague literally plagued people. Today we are blessed with better opportunities for proper nutrition, hygiene, and information about these diseases, all of which lessen the threat of many of the more common diseases becoming life threatening. The attraction that people had towards conventional medicine was and is understandable. Treatments that decrease symptoms of a disease are often well received by patients who are dealing with a troublesome condition. Most advances in technology are viewed as progress and people want the best, especially where their health or that of their loved ones is concerned. The problem that came with this flux towards conventional medicine was that it was new and no one knew what the side effects or long-term effects of using synthetic drugs would be. Also, most people abandoned the more natural methods of health care and stopped caring for themselves in a way that would keep them strong and vital. Instead they began using pills and surgery as 'fixes' when things went wrong. They began to eat more processed foods that have fewer vitamins and minerals. Our environment became more polluted. Most doctors know little about nutrition, how or what to eat, or what to do with people affected by the environment. As well, the more scientific medicine gets, the less people understand it. This leads to people feeling ignorant about health matters and leaving all the power in their doctor's hands.
So, here we are today. When people feel sick or know something is wrong, they make an appointment and usually get a prescription. If that doesn't work, another prescription is tried. If a person is lucky, they get sick very infrequently and live healthy lives. Complications arise when the treatments given don't work or cause side effects that need another treatment to lessen them. What happens if you have allergies, asthma, and diabetes? How many prescriptions do you take? What if the drugs given interact with each other or cause a nutritional deficiency? What about the people who are on a drug for the rest of their lives? What about people with chronic diseases that have been told they have no cure but the symptoms can be 'managed'?
What causes many of the above problems is the philosophy of the medicine used. The focus should not be (however contrary it may sound) how to get rid of whatever ails you, but why it began. If you can find out what causes your disease and why it began for you, it is entirely possible to foster your health in such a way that your body heals itself. It does little good to get rid of an ear infection in your child if it returns again. Why take an antiviral daily to suppress herpes outbreaks when this can be done with lifestyle and natural methods that do the same thing while enhancing your immunity? If you have advanced heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, what feelings of hope do you have that your life can be enhanced? If you take medications daily, perhaps in increasing doses, for the rest of your life with your only hope to have better or stable lab test results, that doesn't sound like the quality life you could be having. Did you know that with changes to your lifestyle and natural therapies you could increase the energy you feel as well as possibly reverse many of the damaging changes you now live with?
There are natural treatments for every complaint. I once heard from a wise doctor, "There are no incurable diseases, only incurable people". What he meant was that every case of cancer may not be curable, but it is possible to cure cancer. No condition is incurable. What happens in treatment is more a factor of the person, the nature of the disease, and other variables, and not so much which disease is being treated. It is more difficult, of course, to treat diseases that are long-standing, severe, or in other ways complicated. But that does not mean it can never been done. If a person does not want treatment and they get something from being in the place they are at, that makes recovery all the more difficult. It is much easier to treat conditions when they first start and when the person wishes to be well. But still there are no guarantees.
What tends to work best for most people is a multifaceted approach to treating their condition. First, treat the whole person. Find out what their needs are and treat them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, as they need it. Treat their whole body. Migraines, arthritis, and urinary infections can be related and not separate diseases. A person may not need antibiotics or removal of an organ, they may need something that seems entirely unrelated. The toddler with constant stomach pains may not need medication; he may need to change day cares. Try to understand what is going on for the person.
Second, treat them in such a way as to increase their vitality. The goal is to increase the healing response within so that the body becomes healthier and reverses the disease process naturally and in its time (if this is possible). It may be necessary to provide some symptomatic relief, but the goal of a treatment should not be to simply suppress the symptoms. Just because symptoms are gone does not mean that the disease is not there. The goal is a complete cure and no return of the condition (sometimes this is possible, at other times it is not). Your body holds an incredible healing force that wants to keep you in harmonious balance at all times. Think of the miracle of healing a broken bone. Think of how microorganisms cause your lungs much distress in bronchitis, yet how well you breathe and how complete the cure when the body is done healing that condition. Think of the miracle of life itself. If disease arises when we hinder the body in maintaining its perfect balance, then restoring conditions of balance will help our bodies to heal themselves. After all, it is not the antibiotic that heals you. The antibiotic simply kills off enough bacteria to allow your body the upper hand. Ask yourself if the body shouldn't have the upper hand to begin with. If you really do need antibiotics, what is causing the bacteria to gain the upper hand?
Naturopathic medicine strives to restore balance by removing any obstacles keeping your body from healing itself. Physicians using this medicine understand the importance of treating each person individually and in a way that helps restore their natural vitality. They also try to use the most gentle yet effective treatment possible to avoid causing side effects or interactions between treatments. Naturopathic physicians also recognize the importance of using conventional medicine when it is necessary. They will also use appropriate lab work, x-rays, and other tools for diagnosis and tracking when necessary. As all physicians, they frequently will refer a complicated condition to providers who can give the patient the best care along with the natural treatments. Naturopaths regard the wants and needs of their patients highly. A patient is encouraged to share their goals and take and active part in their healthcare. Consultations and treatments are generally longer than those with a conventional practitioner so questions can be addressed and a healing relationship established.

About The Author

For more information or questions on related topics, please visit www.MyWebND.com. Get all your health questions answered from a licensed Naturopathic physician without the wait for an office visit. Well-researched, reliable information is now available and easy to find.
info@myWebND.com

This article was posted on July 28, 2004

"Dieting" Toture By Another Name, It Doesn't Need To Be That Way

"Dieting" Toture By Another Name, It Doesn't Need To Be That Way
 by: Paul Freemantle

I have tried many "diets" here in the USA and in England and to me they all felt like self inflicted torture. They were boring, tasteless, and restrictive. Like many of you I work hard, I don't ask for much in the way of pleasures when I get home at night. The one thing that does give me enormous pleasure is eating, I love food and yes, I like the odd drink too.
I was not and never have been a very large person, 186lb at 5'8" tall. Not huge but always feeling bloated, I had the "carry on luggage" hanging over the belt and always felt tired and lethargic. Then one day my wife and I heard about the Atkins torture, I mean, diet. I thought what the heck; I might as well give it a go. Well, to my surprise I lost weight and I lost it quite quickly, I still lacked energy but nevertheless I was very impressed. It was like every man's dream come true, meat, meat, and more meat, and losing weight. I was doing well but yes you probably guessed it, I got bored, bored, bored. The weight went back on far quicker than it came off. I have learned that most if not all diets will help you lose weight. The trick is being able to stick to it.
Like all the other diets I had tried, Atkins was restrictive, repetitive and after a while tasteless. To be fair to the other diets I had tried, including Atkins, there are recipes that can help to ease the pain but who wants to start experimenting with their culinary talents when they get in from a hard day at the office. I can tell you now, I do not. I know it sounds great having steak every day but we have all heard the saying "too much of a good thing" and very quickly that "good thing" can turn into a very bad thing. Atkins almost put me off steak for life!
Now I am losing weight again and I am down to 172lb, I know it's only 14lb or a "stone" as we say in England but I am not bored, I feel great, and when I get in from work at night I eat what I want. How I hear you all cry, well I will tell you; I found a way of giving my body the nutrition it needs to stay healthy and I have been able to lose weight at the same time.
I started using and then marketing an all natural nutritional program that incorporates weight loss for those that need it, weight gain for those that want it and many other beneficial products for skin health, major organ health and male and female personal health solutions.
Many people get stuck in the boom and bust cycle. We have all tried many diets but most of us have failed. Ask yourselves a question and answer honestly. What caused you to fail? If you are being honest you must answer "will power" All of the diets I have tried have caused me to lose weight. I cannot say they were not effective at achieving this. I can say however that they were boring and restrictive and that the boredom probably did not help my chances of sticking to the diet. I am not without some will power but as they say "Variety is the spice of life".
As I said earlier I love food and the thing I like most about it is the sheer variety of foods available. I do not want to have to pick and choose what I am and am not allowed to eat. Since myself and my family moved to the USA we have been able to eat out more times in the last five years than I was able to do in England in the previous thirty. The cost of eating out here is so much more affordable. I am like a kid in the candy store, I love it. Unfortunately that makes putting on weight very easy, and so the diet cycle begins.
Of course any sensible attempt at weight loss has to have an element of sacrifice, we have to eat a sensible amount of food while at the same time supplying our bodies with all of the vitamins and nutrients that it needs but the goals that we set ourselves must be attainable otherwise we doom ourselves to failure. Do we need to eat meat and nothing else? Do we have to eat salad and nothing else? Does anyone out there honestly think that microwave meals are satisfying?
Being overweight is now being linked with many health problems, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, the list goes on. It is also well documented that obesity is the fastest growing health problem on the planet. It is crucial that overweight people who wish to lose weight are encouraged and helped to break the vicious cycle of eating and dieting. Let me say this "you are not alone".
I often see overweight people who are obviously desperate to lose weight forcing themselves to jog around the streets in a desperate attempt to burn calories. If they understood what harm they are doing to their joints and heart they probably would not attempt this form of exercise. I am not saying do not exercise but we must make sure we are fit enough for exercise. If you are carrying far too much excess weight then you will do yourself more harm than good. Start by getting the food and nutrient intake under control and incorporate some light exercise such as walking then as you begin to lose weight you can start to gradually increase the amount and intensity of the workout.
Most of the overweight people I have seen jogging are probably doomed to failure because they cannot possibly be enjoying the torture of forcing their bodies to do something that, lets face it, has been totally alien to it for years. Start slowly, that is the key. Do not expect instant results, the quick fix does not exist. It took time to get out of shape it will take time to get back in shape. Be patient.
If overweight people are ever to be able to lose weight and keep the weight off they must look for a more scientific way of maintaining healthy, nutritional eating patterns. Help is out there, there is an army of very dedicated people, who were all customers once, just like me, that are now helping thousands of people lose weight and become healthier, happier people.
These people understand that proper nutrition is the key to a healthier life. They understand that the never ending cycle of torturous dieting or joint busting exercise simply does not work for most of us and are nearly always doomed to failure. Some people are very strong willed and can stick to even the most demanding of diets to achieve their goals. I am afraid that like many people out their, I am not one of those people.
If you are like me and do not possess a will of iron, get help. It will change your life as it has changed mine.
Do yourself and your loved ones a huge service. Choose a nutritional program you can stick to without destroying your taste buds.
You won't regret it. Oh and by the way, it definitely is not boring!
Paul Freemantle
Independent Herbalife Distributor
Personal wellness mentor
For more information please visit WWW.WANNAFEELGR8.US

About The Author

Paul Freemantle emigrated to the USA five years ago with his wife of 24 years and three daughters. He is living the american dream and is now running his own Herbalife distributorship

This article was posted on July 28, 2004

The truth about Smokers 'Concentration Con'

The truth about Smokers 'Concentration Con'
 by: Neil Stelling

Smokers make many excuses for not quitting. One of them is the 'concentration con'. How many times have you heard a smoker say, 'I'd like to quit, but it helps me concentrate'. Maybe you've said it yourself ?
In reality, smoking doesn't help concentration from a medical viewpoint. So the idea that smoking helps concentration is just a perception, or an imagined positive reason for not quitting.
It's true that withdrawal symptoms, starting not long after your last cigarette, cause feelings of irritability and restlessness. These feelings started because of cigarettes, and it's strange that another cigarette should be the way to relieve them.
In fact, smoking makes concentration much harder, not easier. Although another cigarette temporarily relieves the symptoms caused by the cigarette in the first place, the cigarette is not the aid to concentration which many smokers wrongly choose to believe.
Truth is, smoking another cigarette will make concentration progressively harder. With any drug, you eventually need more and more of it to produce the same effect. A smoker will never be able to concentrate as well as a non-smoker. The more he smokes, the less relief he'll get from each cigarette.
Let's look at the medical side of the 'concentration con'. Clogged arteries, caused by smoking, starve the brain of oxygen and reduce our ability to concentrate. Carbon monoxide, produced by cigarettes, is well-known as a poison… not an aid to concentration.
The 'concentration con' is an example of the psychological addiction that makes a cigarette slave of so many people.
Among the many reasons Smokers use to justify their habit, the 'concentration con' stands up to the least scrutiny. But it must be exposed as a con. Once it's exposed, then it's no longer a threat. Once the smoker is shown proof of the 'concentration con', and once he believes that proof, then this self-fulfilling belief disappears for ever.
This article has shown that lack of concentration is actually caused by smoking in the first place, and can be only temporarily relieved by another cigarette. One of the greatest benefits of quitting smoking is a return to a clear head, and the ability to properly concentrate again. Once you see the 'concentration con' for what it really is, you're much closer to finally quitting smoking.
© DigiLectual Inc. 2004
http://www.QuitSmokingWithNLP.com/concen

About The Author

Why can some people quit smoking permanently, while others just keep starting again ? Discover the NLP approach to quit smoking once and for all. Click ==> http://www.QuitSmokingWithNLP.com/concen

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This article was posted on July 28, 2004

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