Benefits of Garlic - Secrets of This Wonderful Herb

Garlic is an herb that has been with humans since time immemorial. From medical dispensaries to kitchens, it has been serving humans. Garlic is a home treatment for many diseases. Below are some of the diseases in which garlic can be used as home treatment.

• Colds: One of the most common ailments garlic is used as home treatment has been touted to treat is the cold. Upon the beginning of the sniffles, many people testify that consuming a clove or more of raw garlic takes them away. Researches have shown that garlic extract improves immune function, giving our natural defense system a enhancement, and helping it conserve our levels of anti-oxidants in our system. It is this intensification of the immune system that aids in its support for other health related conditions.
• Cancer: For decades research has been conducted on the effects of garlic on cancer. A healthy immune system is necessary to fight cancer, and we already know convincingly that garlic supports that system. Researches have been done on the population and in animals, as well as in test tubes. Hence it is advised to all the people having being suffering from cancer to take garlic as a home treatment for treating cancer.
• Heart Disease: Just as there are many features that cause heart disease, there are a lot of benefits of garlic that aid in averting and treating it. Garlic helps in lowering down cholesterol levels. It raises our High Density Lipoprotein (good) cholesterol levels, prevents Low Density Lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol from building up on arterial walls. This decreases the chances of plaque forming in the arteries. It has also been shown in researches that garlic lowers cholesterol levels by 9 percent in people who ate two cloves of garlic per day. Hence it can be said that garlic is a wonderful; home treatment for heart related problems.
• Hypertension : Another heart related benefit of garlic is its aptitude to help control our blood pressure by thinning our blood. Once again the chemical found in garlic, called ajoene, thins the blood thereby don't allow clot formation. Studies done with general populations have shown that where there is more garlic consumed in a population, there is also a reduced incidence of hypertension and heart disease. Although garlic's heart healthy payback may be new to some, for centuries Chinese herbalists have been using garlic to treat people with angina attacks and circulatory disorders. Hence garlic consumption is recommend is home treatment for hypertension.
  Dr John Anne

Colorectal Cancer Symptoms - Signs of This Disease and 3 Herbs That Can Prevent It!

Today I'm going to talk about the top colorectal cancer symptoms and a few herbs that can really reduce your chance of getting it. If you're not sure what colorectal cancer really is, have you ever heard of colon cancer? They really are the same thing. According to the Colon Cancer Alliance it is the second leading cause of death when it comes to cancer.

In your body you have something called the colon or large intestines. It's main job is to add the finishing touches to digestion. This includes absorbing any water, storing anything of value and eliminating the waste. In the colon there are cells that are constantly dying and being reborn. With a cancerous cell instead of it dying and being reborn like a normal cell, it starts to grow out of control.

The bad news is that oftentimes there really are no symptoms of this disease. Anytime there is a problem in the body one of the most common signs is going to be discomfort. So there might be pains in the stomach or pelvic region. Another sign of this disease could be changes to a person's stools. This could include constipation, diarrhea, bleeding in stools or they can look long and thin sort of like a brown pen. Another sign would be fatigue, losing weight and not being very hungry.

Have you ever heard the expression "kill the monster while it's small?" It definitely applies to cancer because the sooner you discover it; the easier it is to treat. This is why it's a good idea to get screenings so you can catch the disease early before big problems develop. A lot of health experts recommend getting a screening after the age of 50 every 3 to 10 years depending on the results.

Speaking of killing the monster while it's small, how about not getting the monster in the first place? It's not a bad idea right? The best way to prevent this problem is to try to be healthy. This includes things most people already know such as not being overweight, not using tobacco, not abusing alcohol and not eating a very unhealthy diet.

Another idea, which is often overlooked when it comes to cancer is a multivitamin. There are some vitamins such as vitamin D, folate and calcium that really lower the risk of this health problem. Sure you can get vitamins through food, but the truth is that our food isn't the same as it was hundreds of years ago thanks to chemicals.

There are also a few herbs that can really help such as garlic and onions. In one study by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition they looked at men and women from 10 different countries. They found that higher intakes of both onion and garlic were connected to a reduced risk of intestinal cancer.

Another herb to consider is something called ginseng. There was a study in the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine Journal. Researchers took mice and split them into 2 groups. Both groups ate a very high fat diet, but one group received 250 ppm of ginseng. The result was that ginseng significantly reduced inflammation of the colon as well as the growth of cancer tumors.

To sum everything up the top colorectal cancer symptoms are.

• Pain in the stomach or pelvis area
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Bleeding in stools
• Stools that are thin and long
• Fatigue, weight loss and a loss of appetite

3 Herbal remedies that can help prevent colorectal cancer are.

• Garlic
• Onions
• Ginseng 

By Kevin Whitsitt

Wrinkles - Home and Ayurvedic Remedies, Dietary Guidelines

Old age is a very scary thought to most people. Among the various problems that are associated with advancing age, one of the most common is the loss of good looks that sets in.

Old age is almost synonymous with wrinkles on the face, which provides a very disagreeable look to a once-beautiful person. Of course, there are many cosmetic ways of treating wrinkles today - like the famous botox operations - but these are somewhat risky operations, which could lead to some side effects.

The search for maintaining eternal physical and mental youth of a person has been a vital part of the studies of Ayurveda. Of course, age cannot be conquered by any means. But the studies of over five millennia have brought forth some good herbal remedies by which wrinkles can be avoided from the face.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Preventing and Treating Wrinkles

Some herbal home remedies for the treatment of wrinkles (all developed by Ayurveda) are:-

1. Prepare a paste of turmeric and sweeten it with sugarcane juice. Apply this regularly on the wrinkled skin.

2. Apply pure castor oil on the wrinkle every night before going to bed.

3. Use a gentle face massage on the wrinkles with coconut oil every night before going to bed.

4. Prepare a paste of ginger and honey. Have this each morning before brushing your teeth. Continuous intake of this mixture will prevent wrinkles for as long as it is possible.

5. Lemon and amalaki (Indian gooseberry) both contain a great deal of vitamin C. You must use these to rub on the wrinkles several times a day. You will not only be rid of wrinkles, but your skin will also become suppler and get a youthful sheen on it.

6. Cucumbers are also a good therapy. You can shred some cucumbers and strain the pieces through a sieve. The residue you get must be applied on the face. Leave it on for about half an hour, and then wash it off. Within only about a dozen such applications, you will find the wrinkles starting to crease out.

7. Apply a juice of fresh pineapples and apples daily on the skin. This removes the wrinkles from the skin and makes it look younger.

8. Put some rosemary leaves in two cups of water. Boil them down to half the amount. Then take down from the flame and add half a cup of brandy to it. Strain this mixture and apply it twice a day onto the wrinkled skin.

Dietary Guidelines for Preventing Wrinkles

Having a healthy diet is very important to maintain the youthfulness of the skin. The following are some dietary guidelines:-

1. Maintain the proper moisture balance of your skin at all times. This can be done by simply having six to eight glasses of water in a day.

2. Focus on a healthy diet with the proper vitamin composition. Vitamins are very important to maintain the health of your skin. Vitamins of the B complex are the most important - which are found in green leafy vegetables, whole grain cereals, chicken, eggs, beef, etc - followed by vitamins A, C and E.

3. Your diet must be balanced. Do not lean on an excess of any one type of food. As you grow older, you must cut down on the amount of food you eat, but must eat only natural foods, with minimal oil and spices. You must have a good amount of fruits in your daily consumption.

General Tips for Preventing Wrinkles

The following are some tips and pointers to avoid early wrinkles on the face: -

1. Avoid sleeping on the side or the belly. If the face is in constant contact with the pillow, chances are that it will develop wrinkles soon. Hence, you must make a habit of sleeping on your belly.

2. Do not expose yourself too much to the sun. That can also cause wrinkles early on.

3. Protect your eyes at all times from direct sunlight. This will make your eyes strain, developing crows' feet around them. Crows' feet are the precursors of wrinkles.

4. Remaining stress free is very important, because stress can cause wrinkles easily. Keep your mind free through yogic therapies. Begin your day with yoga, and practice it for at least half an hour each day.

5. It has also been found that smokers get wrinkles must faster than nonsmokers. Hence, smoking must be avoided. The same can be said about alcoholism. When one consumes alcohol, the face puffs up. As it returns back to normal, the skin becomes loosened, developing wrinkles in the long run.

6. Be careful when you enroll in weight loss programs. Sudden weight loss leads to wrinkles on the skin.

7. When washing your face, never rub too hard. Do not use strong soaps. Use lime soap if available. This must be done from early youth. Lime soaps will also take care of pimples, blackheads and other facial problems. Also, you must not wash your face with warm water. Use water that is at normal temperature.By Dr John Anne

Bronchiectasis - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Bronchiectasis is an abnormal dilatation of the proximal and medium sized bronchi or airways, resulting in a chronic obstructive pulmonary lung disease manifested by airways that are inflamed and easily collapsible. Breathlessness, impaired clearance of lung secretions often with disabling cough, and hemoptysis, are common symptoms of this condition. Infections, bronchial obstruction, hereditary disorders and auto-immune diseases are usually responsible for causing bronchiectasis.

The Ayurvedic treatment of bronchiectasis focuses on repairing the damage done, and maintaining optimum function of the lungs. Medicines like Pippali (Piper longum), Yashtimadhuk (Glycerrhiza glabra), Behada (Terminalia bellerica), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Pushkarmool (Inula racemosa), Kantakari (Solanum surattense), Som (Ephedra gerardiana) and Bharangi (Clerodendrum serratum) are used to clear excessive secretions from the lungs.

Pushkarmool, Ras-Sindur and Shrung-Bhasma are used in high doses along with Yashti-Madhuk and Pippali to reduce inflammation and scarring resulting from chronic infections. Medicines like Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis) and Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) also help to reduce scarring and inflammation in the lung tissue. Repeated courses of Yashtimadhuk and Pippali in high doses are given to normalize the mucous membrane inside the airways and lungs.

As per the Ayurvedic texts, the lung tissue is predominantly made up of the 'Rakta' dhatu (tissue). Therefore, all medicines acting on the rakta dhatu are also believed to be beneficial in treating lung disease. These include medicines like Kutaj (Holharrhina antidysentrica), Patol (Tricosanthe dioica), Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Patha ( Cissampelos pareira) and Musta (Cyperus rotundus).

Long term courses of Laghu-Malini-Vasant, Madhu-Malini-Vasant and Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, combined with Yashtimadhuk and Pippali are given as tonics to improve the overall condition of the lungs. Other medicines like Chyavanprash can also be used for this purpose.By Abdulmubeen Mundewadi