Common Herbal Remedies

People have been collecting herbs to use as medicine for centuries. Many doctors claim however that taking herbs in place of your prescribed medication is not recommended.
There has been a vast amount of information and testing with regard to herbal remedies. Herbs like vitamins are good for your body and overall health. Although the exact cause of why herbs have a positive effect on the body is not always known. Usually, herbs need to be taken over a long period to receive the benefits to you health.
Listed below is information about some common herbal remedies.
Alfalfa has been known to be effective in healing ailments such as gas pains, pain and stiffness from arthritis and ulcers. Alfalfa herb tea possesses no adverse components and is safe for all people including children.
For relief from upset stomachs, colds, bronchitis, bladder troubles, and jaundice, Chamomile is recommended. This herb is also helpful in the regulating menstrual cycle's rheumatic pains, and headaches. Chamomile has also been effective for babies with colic. In addition, it can act as an insect repellent when used properly.
Dandelion increases activity in the pancreas, liver, and spleen and contains insulin substitutes. Dandelion has a high vitamin and mineral content that is used for treating kidney and liver disorders, along with skin disease and loss of appetite.
Eucalyptus is a major ingredient in many commercial medicines such as cough and sore throat medications. These plants also contain oils that are extremely potent antiseptics. The oil may be applied locally on wounds, sores, and burns. Eucalyptus can also be used as an insect repellent.
Ginseng has been used for more than 5000 years in the Chinese culture. This herb strengthens the heart and nervous system. In addition, it builds up a general mental and physical vitality and may be effective for treating colds, coughs, gout, diabetes, headache, and backache.
Hawthorn is known to cause the dilation of the coronary vessels. An improvement has been shown in patients and is helpful in insomnia. It has been used to treat high blood pressure when taken over a period of time.
A strengthening tonic for the entire system is Strawberry. It is helpful with diarrhea, night sweats, liver complaints, gout, and jaundice. Strawberry is used internally for weak intestines and is also used for enema.
The above herbal remedies listed above are general guidelines. If an herb does not agree with you or if you feel adverse effects, discontinue using the herb. The information contained in this article is not intended to replace the services of a physician.

By David Chandler

Your Health and Stress, What Is the Relation?

The hustle and bustle of daily life can really create a lot of stress and put a person into a tailspin. Although we are all in charge of our own happiness sometimes it can be difficult to defuse all of the negative information coming from all different directions.

You hear constantly, "you just have to have a positive attitude." This is something you know is true, but the question is how do we accomplish that?

Feeling positive in a negative world is like a person with a drinking problem hanging in a bar expecting not to be tempted to drink. When Negative is all around only the strong seem to be able to persist in being positive.

Being positive is something that needs to be practiced. The more you think positively the more your "positivity muscles" will grow and it gets easier to be positive.

Stress can make us negative about relationships, life, work and even things that we love doing. Stress takes Joy away. I don't know about you but I really like Joy, I would rather have joy than Stress.

Many people will ask if the glass is half empty or half full; that is not the question that they should be asking. The question is how heavy is the glass of water?

Lets compare that glass of water to stress (the one who steals joy). Fill a glass of water and carry it around. It's relatively light and easy to manage without spills. If you carry that same glass of water around for a few hours it starts to feel heavier, you have to pay closer attention not to spill the water out. By the end of the day, your arm and hand will be totally taxed and stressed out; it will be extremely difficult to keep from spilling.

That is what stress is like; it builds and builds until you are exhausted. Do you hold your stress like that glass of water? The same glass of water if being held gets more stressful without changing weight or shape and the same is true for stress. The longer you hold stress the worse it gets even if you don't add to it.

The old way of thinking was that disease was something that was genealogical and that we were destined to get what was passed to us from our family. The modern way of thinking goes back to ancient fundamentals putting us back in control of our own health. If we can control our stress, we can prevent disease. Modern medicine believes that stress is responsible for 75% of all disease. This shift in thought about disease is closer aligned to what Ayurveda believes; that all disease manifests from stress of one form or another.

Where does stress come from?

Our thoughts
Memories
Wrong food combinations
Unhealthy food
Lack of food
Extensive exertion
Lack of sleep
Individual triggers
Pollution

Some of the stress we create and cause, some of the stress is beyond our control. We can only do our best to prevent stress and reduce the effects that it has on our health. To handle various stressors in our lives, we begin with cleansing and strengthening our system so the effects of stress can be minimized. We can only bring in the positive when we consciously accept and remove the negative.

Looking at the list above of the things that cause stress within our bodies it becomes apparent that there are some things we can improve.

Thoughts and memories are totally within our control if we can learn how to divert negative thought and memories into something that is positive. Often times we just need to look at the other side and make an attempt to be Positive. As I mentioned above you have to practice positivity.

Wrong food combinations, unhealthy food and lack of food are items that can affect many aspects of life. All of us know what is healthy and what is not and that pile of french fries is not in the healthy column. The flip side is wrong food combinations that many people are not aware of, you may need to investigate what is right for you. For many people they fail to feed their bodies and this is just as harmful.

Excessive exertion and lack of sleep seems to be the norm. Too much physical exertion and then not getting enough sleep leads to many health issues. Everyone has different requirements, when you listen to your body it will send you clues.

Pollution is something that we have to do our best with because there is no way to avoid a certain amount of pollution. Cleansing can help your body rid itself of toxins that affect your health.

Individual stressors need to be identified only then can they be rectified. Ayurveda will help you to identify your stressors, help you to understand wrong food combinations, and help you learn techniques to minimize stress.

Ayurveda; its simple, its effective, and it makes sense. 

By: Shelli J Thompson

Muscular Dystrophy - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited muscle diseases, in which muscle fibers are unusually susceptible to damage and become progressively weaker. In the late stages of the disease, fat and connective tissue often replace muscle fibers. This disease commonly appears to be due to a genetic deficiency of the muscle protein, dystrophin. This group of diseases includes Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, Becker's muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy (also known as Steinert's disease), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (also known as Landouzy-Dejerine dystrophy), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, congenital muscular dystrophy, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy, distal muscular dystrophy and Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy.

The Ayurvedic treatment of muscular dystrophy is aimed at treating the basic pathology of the disease, preventing or reducing further progress of the disease, preventing or reducing disability and prolonging survival. Medicines which act on the muscle tissue are used in this condition. These medicines include Yograj-Guggulu, Kaishor-Guggulu, Trayo-Dashang-Guggulu, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut-Guggulu, Vat-Gajankush-Ras, Maha-Vat-Vidhwans-Ras, Ekang-Veer-Ras, Tapyadi-Loh, Agnitundi-Vati, Vish-Tinduk-Vati, Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Abhrak-Bhasma, Trivang-Bhasma and Suvarna-Bhasma. Regular massage of the entire body is also believed to help in strengthening the muscles. Medicated oils are used for this purpose, which include Mahanarayan oil, Mahamash oil, and Mahasaindhav oil. Massage is followed by medicated steam fomentation of Dashmool Qadha (decoction) and Nirgundi Qadha.

Another important group of medicines which has high therapeutic value in the treatment of muscular dystrophy is the category which acts on the 'Mansa' dhatu (tissue). These medicines include Patol (Tricosanthe dioica), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Nimba (Azadirachta indica), Triphala (Three fruits) and Kutaj (Holarrhina antidysentrica). These medicines have to be given in very high doses for prolonged periods, in order to reduce muscular weakness.

Early initiation of treatment in the course of this disease, can help a lot in reducing future disability and prolonging survival. It is important to note that regular, prolonged treatment is required in order to get significant therapeutic results.

By Abdulmubeen Mundewadi

Treating Multiple Myeloma Naturally

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that commences in plasma cells which are a part of the white blood cells present in the blood circulation. These plasma cells play an important part in the immune system of the body by producing antibodies to help protect the body against infection and damage. In this disease, plasma cells become abnormal and are then termed as myeloma cells, which produce antibodies known as M proteins. These myeloma cells gradually crowd out the normal cells within the bones and produce symptoms in several bones at a time, because of which this condition is termed as multiple myeloma. When myeloma cells collect in one single bone, this mass is known as plasmacytoma.

Multiple myeloma produces symptoms such as weakness, tiredness, frequent infections, frequent thirst, bone pains - especially the back, broken bones, frequent urination, nausea, constipation, anaemia, weight loss, kidney failure, and amyloidosis. Multiple myeloma is diagnosed with the help of tests such as x-rays for bones, high levels of plasma cells and calcium in the blood, M protein and Beta 2 microglobulin, and Bence Jones protein test for 24 hours urine. A bone marrow examination is usually diagnostic of this condition. CT scan, MRI, and PET scan can be utilised to identify the spread of the disease and severity, after which the disease is graded so as to define the treatment plan for this condition. Anticancer drugs, radiation therapy, and stem cell transplantation constitute the conventional treatment for this condition. Overall, response to anticancer drugs and radiation therapy is quite poor, and most patients stop responding after some time.

Ayurvedic herbal treatment is especially useful in the treatment of multiple myeloma, since it treats both the original problem in the bone marrow and also treats its associated symptoms. The herbal medicines which are used in the management of this condition have a specific action on the bone marrow and stimulate it to start producing normal plasma and other blood cells. Simultaneously, other medicines are utilised in order to kill and remove the abnormal plasma cells from the blood and the bones. These dead cells are then flushed out from the body either from the gastrointestinal tract or through the kidneys via the urine.

Herbo- mineral medicines can be used in the management of multiple myeloma which normalise the production of red blood cells and white blood cells and thereby treat symptoms such as weakness, tiredness, frequent thirst and anaemia. Removal of the abnormal plasma cells from the bones reduces bone pains and prevents or reduces fracture of bones due to bone weakness. The excess calcium present in the blood is redirected towards the bones to normalise the disturbed metabolism resulting from multiple myeloma. Medicines which remove the debris, dead cancer cells, and generated toxins through the kidneys also have a preserving function on the kidneys so that these are not damaged due to the disease. If the affected individual exhibits symptoms of amyloidosis, this condition needs to be treated separately with Ayurvedic medicines.

Some Ayurvedic medicines which are useful in the management of multiple myeloma include Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis),Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Abhadi Guggulu, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut Gugglu,Gokshuradi Guggulu and Mahamanjishthadi Qadha. Most individuals affected with multiple myeloma require Ayurvedic treatment for about 9 to 15 months in order to benefit significantly from treatment and obtain considerable relief from this condition. Ayurvedic treatment can definitely bring about a good response in this condition, which has so far proved to be refractory to conventional treatment, and herbal treatment can provide significant improvement in the quality of life as well as survival of affected individuals. Ayurvedic herbal treatment thus has a significant contribution to play in the management and treatment of multiple myeloma.

By Abdulmubeen Mundewadi