THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

The Healthy Alternative
By Dr. Mehmet Oz
Oprah Radio  |  October 17, 2006

Is it possible to live to be 100 with the vigor and vitality of a 20-something? Dr. Oz explores that question with longtime friend and alternative heath expert Dr. Andrew Weil. Drawing from Eastern medicine and alternative medical practices, Dr. Weil says you can stave-off sickness, improve your health and live longer.

Here are just a few of Dr. Weil's tips to combat a cold:

    * Wash your hands frequently—it's still one of the best ways to fight off colds, especially during the cold and flu season.

    * Eat plenty of garlic for its natural antiviral and antibacterial properties.

    * Add eucalyptus oil, which is naturally antibacterial, into a steam bath to soothe the respiratory passages and prevents secondary bacterial infections when you have a cold.

    * Echinacea can be taken at the first sign of a cold to assist with symptoms.

    * Ginger is excellent for motion sickness, nausea and has beneficial anti-inflammatory effects

MY THOUGHTS

if you can't have a steam bath, you can put eucalyptus oil in a nebulizer.  i actually put some in my facial sauna.  it is very soothing.

GINGKO for MEMORY LOSS?

Ginkgo: Take It or Leave It
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the August 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Ginkgo has long been popular as a memory-saving herb. But a recent report from the multicenter Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study—which involved 3,000 adults who took the herb daily for an average of six years—has found that ginkgo didn't seem to halt the memory loss or mental decline of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. O asked Josephine P. Briggs, MD, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (which funded the study), for her opinion of the findings.

Should people stop spending money on ginkgo?

The results pertain only to dementia and Alzheimer's disease in the elderly. But there is more data to come in the next few years. Ginkgo could be effective in other populations or for different purposes.

What other reasons might there be to take it?

We've seen promising results in improving blood vessel function and flow, but larger studies are needed. There is ongoing research on ginkgo for asthma, symptoms of multiple sclerosis, sexual dysfunction due to antidepressants, and insulin resistance. But before taking the herb, check with your doctor about any possible interactions with drugs such as warfarin or aspirin.

MY THOUGHTS

here's the gingko plant

and here's what the pill looks like.

do you recognize it? i don't. but i certainly hope those tests would be successful.
 

MUSIC HEALS

Music Can Heal
The healing power of music is beginning to be realized
The Sound of Music Heals
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the February 2010 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Are treatments that used to be considered far out, such as acupuncture, meditation and Reiki, now in? In recent years, many alternatives to traditional medicine have been gaining mainstream attention. Dr. Oz talks to Dr. Christy Mack, a leading proponent of integrative medicine, about the new frontiers of alternative medicine and the future of "mind-body medicine."

More and more healthcare practitioners are turning to music for healing. Dr. Oz talks to Dr. John Ortiz, one of the country's foremost authorities on "psycho-musicology," about using music to improve your health. Backed up by songs from Bette Midler, Bruce Springsteen, Barbara Streisand and John Denver, Dr. Oz and Dr. Ortiz create a musical map for better health and well-being. Dr. Oz and Dr. Ortiz talk about the affect different types of music have on mood-recovery and energy. A musician himself, Dr. Ortiz says he uses music and sound with traditional clinical strategies when working with patients. He stresses that he, unlike some other doctors who use music as therapy, is a strong proponent of using the patient's preferred genre of music. Whether it be classical, jazz, country, rap, or pop, Dr. Ortiz says the music, together with an eclectic assortment of traditional strategies, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, can drastically improve a patient's health.

Are treatments that used to be considered far out, such as acupuncture, meditation and Reiki, now in?

A musician himself, Dr. Ortiz says he uses music and sound with traditional clinical strategies when working with patients. He stresses that he, unlike some other doctors who use music as therapy, is a strong proponent of using the patient's preferred genre of music. Whether it be classical, jazz, country, rap, or pop, Dr. Ortiz says the music, together with an eclectic assortment of traditional strategies, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, can drastically improve a patient's health.

MY THOUGHTS

just try to remember how listening to music changes your mood. or how you would choose the music depending on your mood. you'll probably agree that music heals.

INDIAN SPICES MAY HELP CURE CANCER

Indian spices may help cure cancer
by Neharika Sabharwal - January 8, 2011

http://www.themedguru.com/20110108/newsfeature/indian-spices-may-help-cure-cancer-86143278.html

For the person with cancer [abnormal cells that divide without control, which can invade nearby tissues or spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. ] or their family who are desperately seeking answers and have lost hope in mainline medicine, an alternative cure for the lethal disease may be on the Indian kitchen shelf.

According to Indian origin doctors based in US, kitchen spices such as turmeric, garlic, ginger, saffron, and capsicum known for their culinary versatility could be a powerful weapon to fight certain pathogens that can cause cancer [abnormal cells that divide without control, which can invade nearby tissues or spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. ] .

Dr Shrikant Anant of the University of Kansas Medical Centre, US stated, “Over the last 10 years, almost every academic institution and industrial group in the United States has started researching on the cancer-fighting properties of natural substances. Primarily, Indian-American doctors are involved in this, followed by Chinese and Koreans."

Anti-cancer properties of curcumin and saffron
Laboratory research on animals suggests that curcumin (a derivative of the spice turmeric) has potent anticancer properties.

Now, researchers have launched the first phase of human trials to find out just how powerful it may be.

The researchers are also conducting experiments to determine whether the natural spices are effective in inhibiting cancerous tumors in isolation or when combined with existing therapy.

Lead researcher Dr Shrikanth Anant, professor of cancer research, University of Kansas stated, "Cancer is a complex disease. No therapy is a silver bullet. It has to be a combination. So, we're looking at options that can make treatment more effective.”

Meanwhile, Dr Animesh Dhar, associate professor in gastroenterology at the University of Kansas Medical Centre, is testing saffron for pancreatic cancer.

The studies on rodents revealed that orally administered crocetin, a natural carotenoid dicarboxylic acid found in saffron, appeared not only to slow the progression of the disease but also decreased the size of the tumor by half.

Dr Animesh Dhar stated, “Crocetin — a compound found in saffron, which has cancer-fighting properties — was extensively used in ancient Chinese and Egyptian medicine.”

Explaining further, he added, “Our experiments on small animals have shown that Crocetin prevents proliferation of cancer cells. We are waiting for permission from the government to carry out clinical trials.”

A herbal potion BIRM for prostate cancer
In addition, Addanki P Kumar of University of Texas Health Science Centre and Dr Bal Lokeshwar from the University of Miami have claimed success in reducing prostate cancer tumors by using a herbal potion extracted from the roots of Bryophyllum, known as BIRM.

Lokeshwar stated, “We conducted an experiment by injecting mice with cancerous cells and treated a few of them with BIRM for 28 days, while others were left untreated. In mice treated with BIRM, the size of the tumour reduced from 100 units to 50, while in the untreated, the tumour grew from 100 to 250 units.”

MY THOUGHTS

i hope something good turns out from the researches. maybe we should start including these indian spices in our the diet even without the big "C".

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR COMMON BOWEL PAIN

Herbs, Hypnosis May Ease Common Bowel Pain
February 18, 2008, 2:56 pm
By TARA PARKER-POPE

An estimated one in five Americans suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, a disorder that can cause disabling cramping, constipation and diarrhea. But even though I.B.S., as it’s often called, is incredibly common, sufferers often are frustrated by the lack of good treatment options.

Last month, The Journal of Family Practice offered a review of the most effective nondrug options for I.B.S. The information is important because I.B.S. drug treatments often don’t work for many patients or pose serious health risks. The drug Zelnorm was withdrawn after links to heart problems, and the drug Lotronex has been subjected to severe marketing restrictions because of concerns about side effects.

Now doctors say there is some evidence to support nondrug treatments for I.B.S. Herbal formulations, certain probiotics, special diets, therapy, hypnosis and even journal writing may offer some relief to patients.

The review notes that more study of herbal products to treat I.B.S. is needed. However, it highlights two formulations that have shown benefit in studies. One herbal compound contained extracts of bitter candy tuft, chamomile, peppermint, caraway and licorice. Another commercial preparation called Iberogast contained all those ingredients plus lemon balm, celandine, angelica and milk thistle. Both treatments worked better than placebo at relieving I.B.S. symptoms.

Products with a probiotic called Bifidobacterium also appear to help. Soluble fiber, the kind found in fruits, oats, barley, psyllium and some beans, appears to help. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, like that found in cereals and wheat brans, showed no benefit.

Several studies have evaluated hypnosis for patients with irritable bowel syndrome. In studies involving a total of 644 patients, about 80 percent reported relief of symptoms after hypnosis. Hypnosis was less likely to work in men whose predominant I.B.S. symptom was diarrhea.

A Web site called IBShypnosis.com includes details on studies using hypnosis to treat I.B.S. as well as experts who offer the treatment. The Mayo Clinic Web site also offers more information about I.B.S. and alternative treatment options.


MY THOUGHTS

i know quite a number of people who have this bowel problem.so,i know (in theory) that this can be very uncomfortable. if you have this common illness, i hope you've taken note of the medicines that have been called off. it's quite possible we have it here. it'll be wiser to switch to the herbal supplements.

as for hypnosis, i'm getting quite curious. there seems to be a number of illnesses that hypnosis can cure.

Lavander Oil for Acne Scars

Lavander Oil for Acne Scars
Top Acne Scar Home Remedies
becomegorgeous.com

Lavender Oil

# It was already demonstrated that essential oils can be used as some of the most efficient acne remedies if you wish to take a green turn in your skin care routine. Acne scars can be also treated with these, therefore use lavender oil mixed with a few drops of pure water and apply it to a cotton ball then place it on the affected area. There's no need to rinse it off, you can lave it on overnight. Repeat the same ritual at lest twice a day for a week to see the amazing result.

MY THOUGHTS

make sure the lavander oil is the type you can put on your face. definitely not the one the you put on oil burners. you can get lavander oil from 'bed and bath'.i'm sure you know where you can get them.

Natural Remedy for Acne Scars (Intro)

Top Acne Scar Home Remedies
becomegorgeous.com

In spite of handling pimples you might still have to struggle with the damage this skin problem left behind. These top acne scars home remedies will provide you with some of the most efficient and gentle homemade skin care treatments to experiment with. Give these tricks a try and see whether your complexion will become spotless and more revitalized.

It seems that problems don't disappear as soon as you treated your mild or more server acne. Indeed due to the trauma it caused to our complexion pimples might leave behind their mark. Acne scars are some of the most unpleasant spots that could ruin our look especially if we neglect them. There's no need to start with the cosmetic or more radical treatments, instead why not experiment with these top acne scars home remedies that would definitely offer you a skin-friendly method on how to banish these scars. Use the most accessible ingredients to create soothing and nutritive facials that would help you handle this delicate skin problem. These are some of the most efficient and fail-safe recipes to use for your acne scars.

Lavender Oil

Honey

Green Tea

Cucumber Juice

MY THOUGHTS

a week ago i posted home remedies for acne treatment. this post,and 4 other posts after this one, is about acne scars. i hope some of these works for whoever needs acne scar treatment. lavander oil,honey, green tea and cucumber juice all seem harmless. i'm sure they are worth trying out. even if you've never had acne

NATURAL OVERNIGHT PIMPLE TREATMENTS

Best Overnight Treatments for Pimples
becomegorgeous.com

http://www.skin-care.becomegorgeous.com/acne_and_skin_problems/best_overnight_treatments_for_pimples-3610.html

Keep your complexion zit-free with green methods that won't empty your pocket or would jeopardize the spotless condition of your skin. The best overnight treatments for pimples presented below offer you the chance to revolutionize your skin care routine and use eco-friendly methods in your body and skin care. Find out the miraculous effect of these well-known ingredients on acne.

An eye-popping zit might ruin our appearance especially as it might pop up before a special event as a date or a wedding. Those who are eager to get rid of it rather than mask it with makeup will need some emergency tricks to succeed. The world of cosmetics offers endless options to handle this problem, however some might not have the desired result. The best overnight treatments for pimples line up a parade of green tricks that would not have a harsh effect on your complexion and can spare you from the unpleasant experience of feeling embarrassed about the condition of your skin. Opt for these DIY treatments that help you pierce a few eco-friendly rituals into your skin care routine. These are some of the remedies to experiment with developed by cosmeticians fond of homemade skin care treatments.

Lemon Juice

# It might seem that it is a pretty harsh ingredients thanks to the high acid content. However it seems that using lemon juice to treat pimples you'll appeal to the magical effect of citric acid which has the perfect anti-bacterial effect to reduce swelling and redness and also help you handle the problem overnight. Extract the juice of a lemon then dip a cotton swab in it. Apply the juice to the pimples and make sure you repeat the ritual a few times during the night or afternoon. This is indeed one of the quick pimple treatments that would help you keep chemicals at a moderate distance.

Aspirin

# It might not be a purely green method however it can help you solve your skin dilemma. The beta hydroxy acid can do miracles with the inflammation and redness produced by a pimple.Grind the aspirin then mix it with a few drops of water until you get a fine paste. Get rid of the most stubborn zits by applying the paste to the surface of the skin.

# Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial quality it will definitely unclog the pores and helps the skin to eliminate all the harmful substances. Leave the Aspirin on for at least 15 then rinse it off with pure water. Repeat the ritual if the results are not that satisfactory.

Apricot Juice

# Natural fruit juices are some of the most powerful anti-oxidants used in natural skin care. In order to get rid of an ugly zit make sure you extract the juice of a medium sized apricot. Dip a cotton swab into the lotion then apply it to the cleansed surface of the skin. This quick pimple fix will also spare you from the pain as well as redness joined by inflammation. Moreover it would also rule out the chance of the formation of acne scars after the zit is gone.

Honey and Cinnamon

# In order to make sure your pimple is gone by morning make sure you experiment with this soothing treatment. The recipe includes 1 tsp of honey mixed with ½ tsp of cinnamon. Mix the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and make sure you apply it to the delicate and affected areas.

# In order to secure the best conditions for the success of the treatment make sure you cove the pimple and the applied mixture with a band aid. Leave on the honey and cinnamon mixture overnight, as 8 hours is the minimum period for the treatment to exercise its beneficial and miraculous effect. In the morning you can rinse it off with tepid water.

MY THOUGHTS

so much for apricots. it's very expensive here. go for lemon juice or the aspirin.