Archive for April, 2010

Natural Migraine Treatments – Chiropractic Care Can Provide Migraine Relief

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

A natural method of relieving migraines that is non-invasive and without the use of medication is the use of chiropractic care. This method is of particular benefit for patients who for some reason or another are not able to take prescribed medication.

Despite the advances in medical science over the last hundred years migraine headaches remain idiopathic, their cause remains unknown. There are several theories that attempt to explain migraines and their causes but the net result is no definitive cause has yet been found. Serotonin deficiency, genetic malformation and arterial swelling in the brain are some of them.

On the other hand a fairly common chiropractic theory is subluxations at the base of the head and neck are responsible in some way for the production of migraines. Subluxations are tense or knotted areas in the muscles attached to the small bones of the upper spinal column. When x-rayed doctors often miss the tension of the muscles as the bones appear to be in their correct places. A chiropractor can relax these subluxations by gently manipulating the spine.

There are two varieties of chiropractic care for those who suffer from migraines. Straight and mixed chiropractic. Straight chiropractic is only about manipulating the spine to relieve the subluxations. Mixed chiropractic on the other hand uses traditional manipulation with other complimentary techniques. Reducing neck strain and tension is the goal of mixed chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care has been compared with the use of medications in treatments of migraines and chronic tension-type headaches. Researchers at the Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Minnesota gave 218 headache patients either drug therapy or regular chiropractic care. 40 to 50% reduction in headache pain was reported by both groups but four weeks after all care was discontinued the group that received chiropractic care were the only ones still enjoying the reduction in pain the treatment originally initiated. Only a quarter of the drug therapy group were found to be still benefiting from their treatment at the follow up.

The 5 Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

It is normal for people to think that stress is purely mental. But most of the times, this notion is wrong because physical symptoms of anxiety exist. Because of this, it is imperative for people to know the signs and symptoms to watch out for them to battle against the trouble the soonest possible time.

During stress, our body is allowed to go into the ‘fight or flight’ response. This response takes place in order to be of help during hazardous situations in life – it will allow us to either stay or fight. No matter what our choice will be, it should be something for the best.

Below are some of the physical symptoms of anxiety:

1. Palpitation- this is the regular or the irregular beating of the heart which is a very bothersome awareness of one’s heartbeat. Palpitations are felt in the throat, chest, or neck. Palpitations may further come with various emotions like the feelings of excitement or fright. It is normal for people to experience palpitations at one point in life especially when they are tired after a strenuous activity, but in case it is something caused by stress then be wary about your case.

2. Sweating- another on the list of the physical symptoms of anxiety is sweating. Of course, it is customary for people to experience sweating specially during hot days but sweating becomes abnormal when it is caused by factors that are not natural. Like for example, you might start to sweat when you realized that you are going to speak in front of thousands of people because for an environmental concern rally.

3. Shortness of breath- this is a difficulty in breathing, or the feeling of as if you are not getting enough air. Once the brain or the body did not get the necessary supply of oxygen, breathlessness takes place. There are times when emotional distress like anxiety can lead to a trouble in breathing.

4. Abdominal pain- this is a nonspecific physical symptom of anxiety which is associated with various conditions. There are times when this does not happen within the abdomen but still offer abdominal discomfort.

5. Dizziness- this is a feeling of faintness which allows someone to find it hard to maintain balance when standing or during sitting. When there is a constant feeling of light-headed without other kinds of symptoms, this means anxiety, instead of brain tumor or other diseases.

Ten Natural Remedies For Headache Pain

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Headache pain can be a deep burden. For good reason, the majority of us have pain relievers in our homes, desk drawers, office cabinets, handbags, briefcases, travel bags, nightstands, and medicine cabinets. Without relief, we can’t function well, think straight, or sleep at night. The easiest solution in our fast-paced lifestyle is to take pills to alleviate the suffering.

These pills, however, are not without cost. If you experience headaches, your body is already telling you it is burdened in some way. To add synthetic substances to an already burdened body only adds to the problem, but needing quick relief, we often do it anyway.

From a holistic perspective, any type of pain is a message directly from our wisest self. Head pain tells a story of a life out of balance. It says a great deal about our society as a whole when almost everyone owns pain pills. Knowing various solutions to our ailments empowers us to step away from the madness and back toward the balance point.

The first thing to consider when you have headaches is whether you are constipated. Taboo subject, I realize, but relevant because your bowels must keep moving. Next, is your blood sugar balanced, are you hydrated properly, and is your liver functioning well? Take care of these and you’ll see your head pain decrease dramatically. Keep in mind, you have control over all of these. They are directly related to your own actions: what you eat and drink.

Other contributing factors include eye strain, chemical exposure, allergies, hormone fluctuations, structural misalignment, worry, muscle tension, and general stress. Your headaches are most likely a combination of several interrelated things. So what more can you do if you want to help your body come back into balance and live a more holistic lifestyle?

Begin by listening to your headaches as your wise messenger. What are they telling you? Are you eating too much sugar, drinking too much alcohol, having allergies to certain foods, or simply not nourishing yourself? Are you allowing yourself enough time in the day to sit back, rest your eyes, and relax? Is your liver overburdened so it cannot process toxins through you? Is your mind carried away with worries and frightening thoughts? Has your upper body become tight and tense due to the workaday world?

I am fairly certain you might say, “All of the above.” This is why we have painkillers within an arm’s reach. But there are many things you can do so your headaches become a condition of the past. Some of them work slowly which is a drawback for the fast-paced among us. For example, burdock is not a quick fix, but it will powerfully heal you from the inside out over time.

There are numerous effective remedies. I offer ten here to get your started. The tinctures, teas, and essential oils can be found at natural food markets or purchased online. For essential oils, be strict about only using the highest quality, pure oils.

Ten simple, inexpensive remedies to ease headache pain.

1. Nettles tea helps stabilize your blood sugar and relieve chronic headaches. It can also be used in tincture form.
2. Dandelion root and leaves nourish and strengthen your liver so it can better process toxins in your body. Eat the leaves in salads, use a tincture, or drink as a tea.
3. Burdock root works well with dandelion on headache pain by cleansing the blood and nourishing your liver. Add fresh burdock to soups or use as a tincture.
4. Violet leaf tea sipped throughout the day calms the mind and soothes headaches and frazzled nerves.
5. Oats strengthen the nervous system, bring clarity to thinking, and can reduce pain. Add oatmeal to your diet.
6. The essential oil of peppermint deadens pain with an anti-inflammatory effect. You can apply it to the bottom of your feet, temples, or directly on the painful site. Avoid contact with your eyes.
7. The essential oil of lavender is calming, relaxing, and balancing. Apply on temples or behind your neck.
8. Listen to Baroque music. It brings your brainwaves into alpha, where you can relax and ease your mind.
9. Put your feet into a tub of water to which you have added a cup of Epsom salts and a few drops of lavender or rosemary essential oil. This will help detoxify you and balance your energy.
10. Breathe slowly with awareness. Stretch or practice yoga to calm your nerves and bring oxygen into your body.

If any of the herbs appeal to you, inquire with your naturopath, herbalist, acupuncturist, or holistic doctor as to which would be best for you, especially if you have a medical condition or take medication.

A Look at Male Penis Enlargement – What Really Works?

Sunday, April 4th, 2010

Whether you admit it or not, you’re probably one of the millions of guys across the world today who wishes they had a realistic way to get bigger. I had to come to grips with the reality that male penis enlargement might be something I needed, and unfortunately found that most of the methods out there were complete shams. It wasn’t until after a lot of trial and error that I found something that worked… but finding a real way to get bigger was well worth the wait!

Male penis enlargement is definitely a hot topic in today’s modern world. The most obvious plans of action involve buying devices to help the penis grow larger. There are two major types, penis pumps (both automatic and manual) and stretchers (weights). These options sound interesting, and when you read the boxes they come in, or some clever marketing reviews on them, they seem to provide a natural option. The reality is that both these options offer little in the way of results. In fact, both options have been linked to penile tissue damage and long-term side effects. By exerting too much pressure to the tissues of the penis, the vessels could break and cause damage and deformities. That is the last thing anyone wants, and the main reason why I didn’t go with that option.

Understanding how the penis works can really help you understand the right way to get male penis enlargement. After reading a few things, I realized that the penis is made up of 3 major chambers. When aroused, these champers fill with blood and erection size is limited by how much blood they can hold. The only natural way to get a larger erection and penis size is to figure out a way to fill these chambers with blood, and stretch the tissue around it to naturally enlarge and heal on its own. This can only be done safely with your hands.

Learning how to do these exercises effectively can take some time and for me, following a professional exercise guide was key to seeing prominent gains. If you’re really serious about getting bigger then I’m willing to let you in on the penis enlargement secrets that helped me add inches in both length and girth.