Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt

Before the advent of modern medicine, our ancestors used salts such as Himalayan crystal salts for centuries to heal themselves. Himalayan salt is a pink salt which can be found in the Himalayan Mountains, hence the name. Research have shown that this one of a kind pink salt contains about eighty four minerals required to sustain human life. So it is really not surprising to know that Himalayan salt has been used since the ancient times to alleviate the symptoms of a variety of health conditions. Interested to know more about the health benefits of Himalayan crystal salt? Well then let me share to you some of them.

1. It aids in treating various skin disorders such as acne. Himalayan salt works by drawing out toxins inside the skin. The toxins that are in the body and under the skin can be one of the major causes of skin problems such as acne. These days, you can buy Himalayan salt in the form of a bar and use it to wash your face. You can also dissolve it in lukewarm water and use it as a facial wash.

2. It helps treat halitosis and other oral problems. Add some Himalayan crystal salt to water and let it dissolve. Use it as a gargle to cure oral problems from sore and bleeding gums to bad breath to infected tooth.

3. It helps detoxify the body. Himalayan crystal salt can be used as a bath soak to draw out toxins from the body. They say its trace minerals and negative ions penetrate the skin which produces a cleansing and detoxifying effect. To make a crystal salt bath, dissolve about two pounds of Himalayan salt to a tub then fill it with lukewarm water. Soak in the water for at least thirty minutes.

4. Himalayan salt can help regulate the water in our bodies. It also helps promote a strong PH balance in the cells, particularly in our brain cells. You can consume this natural salt in different ways. You can consume it as a mineral water by dissolving it in water and drinking it, or you can also replace your regular table salt with Himalayan salt and use it for cooking.

5. Ironic as it may sound, drinking water with Himalayan salt every day can help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, rheumatism and even prevent kidney and bladder stones from forming.

6. When used as facial steam, it can help lower the incidence of sinus problems. It can also help alleviate the symptoms of asthma, bronchitis and other nose and throat discomforts.

Acupuncture and Depression

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by both physical and psychological symptoms that can be detrimental to one's normal daily functioning. Depressed individuals often suffer from poor sleeping habits, crying spells, anxiety, worry, poor memory, inability to concentrate, body aches, stomach disturbances and a lack of interest in activities previously enjoyed. In most cases, the treatment involves antidepressant and/or counselling.

So can Acupuncture help with low mood and depression? A recent study on acupuncture in the treatment of major depressive disorder shows that acupuncture could be a safe and effective treatment for depression, even when standard antidepressant medications aren't suitable, giving hope for the thousand of people suffering from depression every year.

Firstly, it is worth to note that Chinese medicine does not recognize depression as an illness as such. But it aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual to restore balance within the person, addressing at the same time body, mind and emotions.

As a general rule, Chinese Medicine associate depression with Deficiency and 2 organs, the Heart (the organ associated with Joy) and the Spleen (the organ associated with being grounded and content, or its opposite worry). Quite often, there is also involvement of the Liver (the organ associated with stress) so not only people are feeling bad but they can also experience more stress!

Once the patterns (diagnosis) are determined, the acupuncturist can select a combination of points which are specific to that individual. The practitioner can also advise on dietary changes and lifestyle changes.

This can include gentle exercise such as yoga to help move the Qi in the body, finding an activity that the person finds pleasurable to nourish the Heart or ensuring that the person follows a simple, easy to digest diet to support the Spleen.

As a general rule, it is better to stick to a diet with few raw vegetable/fruits as they put more strain on the digestive system and ensure that about 20~30% of the diet is made of protein. Reducing the amount of wheat and dairy products can also be beneficial.

Because depression is usually associated with deficiency, avoiding excesses is best! So extremely strenuous exercises are out and so is going to bed after midnight. Alcohol should be avoided too.

Acupuncture Therapy and Healing Process

Acupuncture therapy has been around for more than three thousand years, tracing its roots to ancient China. Acupuncture is an effective technique of the oldest healing traditions in medicine and has gone through many studies before it was used to treat different ailments. This is done by balancing the body's harmonious wellbeing.

The acupuncture therapy has always been a very effective and fascinating healing method, which was introduced around the world. It's been 200 years that this therapy has effectively been used to treat chronic pain. However, over the last 3 decades, the popularity of this therapy has increased dramatically. Today, physicians, and health practitioners are recommending acupuncture pain relief therapy to patients in order to get treated for their back and neck pain.

The crux of the matter on which the whole treatment is dependent is a belief that the body has certain pathways that carry with it some sort of energy. When this energy flows continuously and uninterruptedly, it leads to good health.

Acupuncture treatment requires the use of several needles that are injected in the body in order to remove any blockages so that the energy flows without any interruption. This is done in order to achieve the vitality of the body.

The Acupuncture Therapy Process
Chronic pain is treated with the stimulation of central nervous system that helps to get rid of back and neck pain. According to a recent study, the body has two nerve fibers that benefit from the acupuncture treatment. These key fibers are 'A Delta' and 'C'.

The meridians in a human body are connected to three hundred pressure points. They get to the targeted organ and effects energy flow. Acupuncture treatment restores the energy flow and balances the functions of the body. Moreover, electrical stimulations are usually combined with acupuncture to produce better results.

Electro Acupuncture and Its Benefits
Acupoint is another name for electro acupuncture. In this form, needles that are electrically charged are used for the treatment of areas affected with chronic pain. The healing process is enhanced since the transfer of electric impulses is given to the body through the electrically charged needles. These needles are basically allied with a device that generates pulse according to the required frequency and intensity of electronic waves. The frequency and intensity are adjustable and can vary according to the disease.

Seven Different Ways To Treat Sinus Infection At Home

Are there ways to treat sinus infection without antibiotics?

Getting an upper respiratory problem affecting the sinuses is unavoidable even in a healthy individual.

There are many causes ranging from untreated colds, allergies to structural issues.

Many people tend to go towards conventional treatment but not everyone is able to tolerate chemical drugs. They have been known to cause side effects in some people and prolonged usage can do more harm than cure.

This is not to say that medicines are bad as they are certainly effective when your symptoms are severe. For example antibiotics have been known to fight bacteria and other chronic diseases.

Sometimes you can manage the pain with home remedies while waiting for your infection to clear up.

The accumulation of excess mucus is the main contributor to upper respiratory infections and inflammation of the sinuses.

In fact there are many treatment options, you just have to choose one that works for you.

The fastest way is to prevent them before they start by treating the symptoms of cold and flu, maintain a healthy immune system and diet.

The main treatment plan is to reduce excess secretions, increase its flow rate so that they can drain through our nose and restore normal breathing.

Here are 7 different ways to treat sinus infection at home.

Steam Therapy

Inhaling steam is an effective method to relieve congested nasal and sinus cavities aw well as pressure. You can do this several times a day and blow your nose gently to get rid of infectious mucus.

Apply Hot Compress

Placing a compress such as a warm wash cloth over your sinus region helps to shrink the blood vessels that lined the membrane and open your nasal passage.

Hot Fluid Therapy

Drinking hot fluid such as herbal tea in particular peppermint several times a day tends to thin and break up your infected mucus for easy discharge.

The warm steam generated does soothe and relieve sinus related headache.

You can combine this therapy immediately after a hot shower to enhance the effect.

Boost Your Immune System

Do you know that certain foods and supplements may help to boost your sluggish immune system?

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is a good start to nourish your body.

Vitamin A plays a role in maintaining the mucosal surfaces and infection by influencing certain cells in our body. A deficiency is often associated with poor immunity and increased the risk of infectious disease.

Another good immune boosting food is yoghurt. Good probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium that dwell in our digestive tract can influence our immunity.

Zinc deficiency in our diet affects the ability of the immune cells to function at its optimal level. It is available naturally in red meat, poultry, fish, nuts, cereal, legumes and dairy fonds.

Vinegar solution

Vinegar has been known to kill bacteria and other micro-organisms because of its acidity properties.

Dilute one tablespoon vinegar to half cup of warm water and with a cotton bud dab gently into your nasal lining. If the burning sensation is unbearable you can add more water.

Propolis Solution

Propolis a natural substance made by the bees contains anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that support a range of ailments.

This tincture is available in the local health shop. Add few drops into fifty milliliters of distilled water and apply with a dropper into your nasal several times a day. This will reduce mucus, help clear infection and promote natural breathing.

Herbal Remedies

Herbs have been used for centuries to treat all types of ailments. There are several herbs that are beneficial for respiratory diseases.

10 Uses for Lavender Essential Oil

Scientific name: Lavendula Augustifolia. Lavender is perhaps the most well-known and least understood of the essential oils. Practically everyone knows that lavender is great for burns, but few understand that there are over 30 (some say 40) different species of lavender and that many of the lavender essential oils are not even lavender, they are lavenda essential oils (smell similar, very cheap to produce, and containing very few if any of the healing properties of true lavender). The best lavender essential oil is from true lavender plants (Lavendula Augustifolia, previously known as Lavendula Officinalis Vera {Vera optional}) grown at altitudes of 5,000 feet or higher. This is the truly universal oil, a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial (being currently tested against MRSA), antimicrobial, hormone balancing, skin cell regenerating, diuretic, muscle feeding, histamine blocking, anti-fungal, and overall body tonic essential oil! A true, pure lavender essential oil will contain properties that will affect all ten of the body's systems and still be gentle enough to use with a newborn baby (remember to dilute appropriately 0-2 years 1 drop essential oil to 3 drops carrier oil, 2-3 years 50/50 dilution, 3+ no dilution needed), earning it the name of The Universal Oil.

1. The first oil to grab for any kind of burn. If the burned area is large and tender to the touch you may want to add 5-10 drops of Lavender to one ounce of purified water in a spray bottle, shake well (and often) and spray the burnt area.

2. Reduces scarring and assists in removing old scars. Simply apply to the affected area several times a day. If you are preventing a scar from forming you have the added bonus of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties!

3. Insect repellant and great for bites and stings. It soothes the wound, calms the emotions, reduces any inflammation, and has an antihistamine affect. (Note: if you have a known life-threatening allergy to stings please visit the emergency room, but go ahead and apply the Lavender oil on the way.) You can also use it in a sachet to repel bugs that may be hiding out in your dresser or closet.

4. Not only is Lavender great for all skin issues, it has the double benefit of addressing hormonal imbalance skin issues (not just acne, but any way the hormone imbalance may present itself, psoriasis, rashes, cold sores, even boils). While you are using it on your skin it is also prevents wrinkles, scars, and encourages skin cell regeneration!

5. Diffuse Lavender in a sick room, it relaxes both the patient and the caregiver, strengthens the immune system, and it cleanses the air. A great disinfectant, it was carried by soldiers and medics in World War I and II to use on wounds.

6. Assists in reducing the pain associated with migraine or tension headaches. Apply to the back of the neck, temples, and tops of the ears to relax the muscles and the emotions and thus reduce (or eliminate) the headache. Also great for emotional imbalances, mood swings, and depression that often accompany headaches.

7. A drop or two applied to the pulse points of the wrists can drop high blood pressure or calm someone who is overexcited. Great for use before visiting the doctor, not only will it protect you from any germs you may be exposed to, but it will also help calm any fears you may experience by being there. Also great to use before visiting the dentist. You can even apply it directly to a toothache and it will help relieve the pain there!

8. Great for insomnia! Add 5-8 drops to 1/4 cup Be Young Starflake Bath salts (highly crystalized bath salts that are great for absorbing essential oils), then add to a tub of water, soak for 20 minutes (or more), rinse off (because the soak will bring toxins out of the body and to the skin and you do not want to reabsorb them) and you will be ready for bed. Don't want to soak? Put a drop on the back of the neck, temples, and tops of the ears. Add 5-10 drops to one ounce of water in a spray bottle, shake well and often and lightly spray your pillow, bed linens, or just spray around the bedroom. This also works well as "Monster spray" to scare away the monsters who are keeping your little ones from sleeping. It will calm their emotions and allow them to relax and go to sleep.

9. Great for any respiratory challenges, clears mucus, calms spasms, even aids in stopping an asthma attack or in dealing with hay fever challenges. Take a whiff; apply to the chest and under the nose.

10. Marvelous for muscle aches and pains, it feeds the muscles by increasing nitric oxide in the body (a free radical, one of those marvelous chemical molecules produced during lightning storms that makes the world so fresh and alive afterwards); this enables the muscles to perform with more strength. Additionally, it reduces inflammation and muscle spasms.

Seven Tips to Super Charge Your Immunity

It seems that the more we step out into the world, the more risk we have for catching something. A spring or summer cold. The flu in winter, or just a slight case of the sniffles. These ideas can help boost your immunity against many common ailments. While they probably won't cure that common cold, they make you less susceptible to catching it in the first place.

CUT INFECTION RISK by up to 67% just by visiting with friends for thirty minutes a week. Researches from Pittsburg's Carnegie Mellon University claim that fun and laughter affect the brain's production of immunity boosting hormones serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. As grandma always said, laughter really is the best medicine. Get your gab on and stay healthier.

KILL A COUGH by nibbling on dried apricots. Rich in beta carotene, apricots help keep the lining of the throat and sinuses healthy. Healthy enough to keep germs from taking hold. Beta-carotene increases production of T cells by about 33%. You need this boost if you do happen to get sick. Eating about a half cup of dried apricots a day can give you this boost. Also try sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin and carrots.

FASTER HEALING when you bite into a burger. You can heal up to 42% faster by eating a burger. The red meat has lots of zinc, a mineral that we need to help destroy viruses at their point of entry, the nose and throat. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation discovered that only four ounces of beef daily can cut the time you fight with viral infections by forty-two percent. If you don't eat red meat, seafood or fish, and even chicken, can do the trick.

LUNG STRENGTHENING ginger tea is a brew that should be in every cabinet. Within three hours of that first cup you can build up your defense against cold and flu bugs. James F. Balch,M.D., claims that ginger's antiviral compounds double the production of immune system proteins lining your lungs. Two cups a day will cut about two days off the time you are sick.

ANTIBODIES get the boost they need when you munch on roasted garlic. With about 70 sulfur compounds which activate antibody production and boost your immune system. garlic can increase your immunity to common germs by as much as 40%. According to W. Sears, M.D., of the University of California at the Irvine School of Medicine, one clove a day will do the job.

To enjoy this treat, simply cut about a quarter of an inch off the top of a head of garlic. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and salt, wrap in aluminum foil and bake for about forty-five minutes. Spread on crackers. I really like a garlic and anchovy dip. I mix the roasted garlic and a can of anchovies with about a cup of sour cream. Or try mixing it with fresh Humus. A great and satisfying snack that is good for you too.

INFLAMMATION can be reduced by rinsing with a saline solution. Saline flushes out the viruses that make us sick. It lowers the inflammation and helps you fight off the germs. You can recover about 45% faster if you happen to get sick. Use a Neti pot from your local drugstore and rinse with a solution of 2 cups of sterile water with one teaspoon of kosher salt and one teaspoon of baking soda. thoroughly dissolved. You will start to feel better in no time and there are no chemicals involved.

Aromatherapy With Lighting a Candle

If you are a newcomer to aromatherapy and have searched the web for information, it can seem a daunting task to find a simplified breakdown of what aromatherapy really is. A search of aromatherapy books vill produce millions of results. So how does one make sense of the plethora of information available?

First, let's start with the definition of the word aromatherapy. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the broad definition is: the use of aroma to enhance the feeling of well-being. This definition seems so simple and straight forward. Yet for a word so simply defined there is such an abundance of information available on the subject. On Amazon.com alone, a search in books for aromatherapy returns 2,264 results. Why all this amazing information on a subject with such a simple definition? Whereas the definition of aromatherapy appears to be very simple, aromatherapy use and practice varies greatly and can become the subject of great debate.

There are professionals who practice aromatherapy. They are called aromatherapists. There are professional holistic medicine practitioners who suggest aromatherapy to their patients. Then there is an individual at home who lights their favorite fragrant candle and sits back to enjoy. Is this practicing aromatherapy? To many professionals and holistic medicine aficionado's the answer is no. And so the debate begins.

Going back to the Merriam-Webster's broad definition, the use of aroma to enhance the feeling of well-being, why then would burning a candle not be considered practicing aromatherapy? No one can dispute that the aroma of coffee brewing in the morning gives some people the feeling of "I can face this day" energy. No one can dispute that the aroma of bread baking in the oven gives some the people the "Oh, it is good to be home" relaxed feeling. These are examples of aromas enhancing a person's feeling of well-being. One could then conclude that there is no difference between that brewed coffee and an aromatic citrus sage candle filling a room with a soothing aroma that provides a sense of well-being.

A person can fully embrace the belief that aromatherapists and holistic practitioners are an important and integral part in helping to attain the greatest benefit from the therapeutic properties of aromatherapy and still believe that the simplicity of burning a candle or soaking in a warm tub with aromatic oils added to the water can also be beneficial.