Alternative Medicines - Garlic And Onion
Since ancient times, garlic and onion were always present in even the smallest herb gardens. Both were so widely cultivated for food and medicine purposes around the world, that the wild forms of these two members of the lily family are long gone.
Characteristic aroma and medicinal value of alliums (bulbous plants of the lily family, including: onions, garlic, chives, leeks and shallots) are brought about by sulfur and carbon compounds that neutralize harmful bacteria.
Garlic?s taste has just as many fans as garlic?s ?repellant breath? (according to Pliny, Roman?s naturalist and author, 23/24-79 A.D.) has enemies. So much so that in ancient Roman times some of the temples would not let entering those who ate garlic. The fear of ?foul odor? stretched as far as affecting the use ? or the lack of use - of onion and garlic in fine urban cooking recipes.
At the same time, common Roman folk used both onion and garlic as cure-all in rural areas where both were also among important food staples.
On the other hand, alliums used as aphrodisiac were highly valued by ancient Romans and Greeks and were therefore widely used in love potions, mixed with some other herbs.
While wealthy Romans were picky about when, where and how to use garlic and onions, ancient Egyptians accredited them both with magical powers and swore oaths to onion and garlic as if they were equal to gods.
Nevertheless, garlic is a traditional remedy, used for all kinds of infections, especially before the rise of antibiotics. During the World War I soldier?s wounds were being dressed with garlic. Other uses for garlic have always been: chest and ear infections, colds and flu, digestive infections, rid of intestinal parasites, circulatory problems and strokes, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, reducing blood sugar and even supporting conventional antibiotics and warding off their side effects.
Onion, milder in aroma, now grown and used as a vegetable, also has a long list of traditional medical virtues. Some are similar to those of garlic, but onion has also been used for preventing oral infection and tooth decay, and to stimulate hair growth and circulation. Onion juice, mixed with honey is a traditional treatment for colds.
The list of historically proven benefits of alliums is long. The smell, though, stays strong. Luckily, Mother Nature provided us not only with natural antibiotics but also with herbal solutions for ?stinking exhalations?. One of them is raw parsley leaves. Chew ? and sweeten your breath (especially after enjoying raw garlic or onion ? for whatever reason).
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Alternative Medicine - Effective Uses Of Acupuncture
In light of his new book being released, ?Acupuncture Desk Reference?, David J. Kuoch, LAc details effective acupuncture treatments for 5 different symptoms:
Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition that causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around joints.
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, and each type is characterized by joint and musculoskeletal pain, often the result of inflammation of the joint lining. Arthritis affects hundreds of millions of people across the globe. Approximately 50% of people older than 65 live with arthritis, but it can affect people of all ages, even young children. Although symptoms vary in each person, those with arthritis find that the condition will interfere with daily activities at some point. Due to the pain and stiffness, patients may have trouble getting out of bed, writing, sewing, buttoning clothes, dressing, walking, and climbing stairs, for example. But this is not always the case. Some days are better than others, and the severity of symptoms can change from day to day. Sometimes living with the loss of function and movement is more difficult than the pain of arthritis itself.
Acupuncture alleviates pain and improves movement for patients suffering from it, whether it is arthritis of the knee, hip, shoulder, hand or back. The effectiveness applies to both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) conditions, and treatments focus on controlling the painful symptoms as well as balancing the immune system. The majority of our patients see immediate results after just a few treatments and experience positive long-term benefits in combination with Chinese formulas and regular exercise.
Lower Back Pain
Acupuncture treatment for low back pain is usually rather straightforward and the condition responds extremely well to acupuncture, Chinese formulas, herbs and herbal plasters. In fact, major studies have shown that acupuncture care serves to re-establish normal health care of the low back. For cases arising out of simple overexertion, strain or knotted muscles, acupuncture increases blood flow to the afflicted area(s), relaxes the muscles, eases pain and relieves inflammation. Even arthritic joints are affected by muscle spasms and can be effectively treated. Your acupuncturist can help.
Constipation and Diarrhea
The term ?constipation? can mean infrequent or hard stools, or it can refer to difficulty passing stools. Constipation may involve pain during the passage of a bowel movement, the inability to have a bowel movement after straining for longer than 10 minutes, or no bowel movements at all for more than 3 days. The most common causes of constipation include a diet with not enough fiber, lack of physical activity, stress, travel, inadequate intake of fluid each day, or delay in going to the bathroom when the urge to defecate presents itself. Other causes are IBS, pregnancy, thyroid conditions, depression, neurological diseases, or certain medications.
Constipation and diarrhea, while very common, are two of the least discussed physical complaints. The effects of irregular bowel movements are often poor food absorption, fatigue, sallow complexion, frequent break-outs, pain in the lower abdomen, upset in appetite and weight control, and more. When someone is not eliminating their waste at a regular rate and consistency, it is a sign of a deeper imbalance within the body.
Regular acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs can have a positive effect on gastrointestinal motility. The treatment will either be used to relax a more spastic colon or to stimulate peristalsis. Within the concepts and theories of TCM, there is a more complete method of interpreting digestive disorders. When someone has stool that is very dry or stubborn to pass, herbs will be given to moisten the intestines and long-term treatment will focus on re-establishing a moister digestive environment. When someone has chronic, explosive diarrhea that burns or causes other pain, acupuncture will help calm the large intestine and herbs will be administered to remove toxins such as bacteria or viruses and to clear heat from the digestive system. Likewise, when someone experiences chronic watery painless diarrhea, acupuncture will be used to tonify the digestive system and herbs will be administered to warm the digestion so that food is transformed into usable energy more efficiently.
Fibromyalgia
For those who suffer from fibromyalgia, acupuncture is critical for keeping the body in harmony. Within Traditional Chinese Medicine practice, fibromyalgia is generally regarded as a deficiency disorder, manifesting as a deficiency of qi, yin or yang. However, an excess can also be present, usually one of dampness or damp-heat. Treatment, in most cases, seeks to address the underlying deficiencies by moving the qi and blood and strengthening the overall visceral organs of the spleen, heart or kidney. Left untreated, this vicious cycle will continue and, over time, will lead to increased pain and muscle tightness, a loss of movement, and difficulty sleeping. Chronic fatigue is a difficult condition to address, but acupuncture and custom herbal formulas for which TCM is so justly famous and highly effective in fibromyalgia treatment.
It is not uncommon for those with fibromyalgia to receive treatments three to four times a month to keep everything mobile and relaxed. The biggest concern in treating people with fibromyalgia is that their muscles have a diminished healing ability. For this reason, acupuncture treatments are usually modified slightly to decrease the stress in a patient and keep the qi and blood moving.
Headaches
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are very helpful for headaches, and patients often feel immediate relief after treatment. Regular treatment prevents future onset of headaches.
Numerous research studies have shown that acupuncture and Chinese herbs are very effective for treating tension headaches, especially headaches that originate in the neck. According to a report published in the June 2003 issue of Medical Acupuncture, doctors found that acupuncture resulted in the resolution or reduction in the frequency and severity of cluster headaches, and a decrease or discontinuation of medications. It was concluded that acupuncture can be used to provide sustained relief from cluster headaches and to stimulate adrenal cortisol to aid in discontinuing corticosteroids. Researchers found that, compared with standard medical care, acupuncture offers substantial benefits in preventing headaches and improving the quality of life for people who suffer from frequent headaches, especially migraines.
Each individual?s case is different and requires a thorough evaluation before a proper course of acupuncture can be determined. However, in most cases of tension headaches, significant improvement is accomplished through Chinese herbal formulation and movement of qi and blood..These treatments are helpful in most cases of migraine headaches, as long as food and lifestyle triggers are avoided as well.
While treatment during tension-type headaches is very beneficial and is not difficult, treatment during migraine attacks needs extra attention. Many migraine medications target migraine headache pain by constricting blood flow. This approach provides symptomatic relief but will not prevent the recurrence of migraine symptoms. Therefore, it is rather important to avoid accumulating stress and to minimize the consistent activation of the sympathetic system in order to prevent eliciting the parasympathetic rebound response. If the early stage of the migraine involving excessive vasosconstriction can be prevented, then the entire headache episode can be avoided.
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Alternative Medicine Is Holistic, Western Medicine Is Reductionist
The major difference between alternative medicine, or what I’ll call holistic health, and Western medicine, is in approach.
A Western doctor, or MD, sees his duty as searching out disease, diagnosing it, and treating it.
If he does that correctly and effectively, he’s done his job. Most often, this means the doctor prescribing a pharmaceutical drug or a surgical procedure to remedy the situation. The patients is passive in all of this.
A holistic health practitioner sees her duty as an educator and a facilitator. She feels that the body can heal itself, and it doesn’t necessarily need outside influences (drugs, surgery) to heal from an illness or to prevent an illness. In holistic health, the patient is an active participant.
This is the best and the worst thing about holistic health! The patient is actively involved in the healing process. Everything you know about your body says that this is the right approach. It makes so much sense. That’s the good part. The bad thing about this is that it is HARD WORK for the patient. In most cases, the patient must make changes to their lifestyle. Change your diet, do more exercise, stop using sugar, do these stretches, stop negative thoughts, meditate twice a day, etc.
Making lifestyle changes is immensely difficult. The only time it’s easy is when you are faced with a life-threatening disease. When you find out you have lung cancer, it’s pretty easy to quit smoking. However, it’s far too late by that time. Lifestyle changes need to come before the illness becomes manifest.
Let’s examine one of the big differences between holistic health and Western medicine: holism versus reductionism.
Holistic versus Reductionist
This is a major shift in perspective. Taking a holistic perspective means that you cannot understand a single problem with a single part of the human body without looking at the whole person. We use the short-hand ?mind, body, spirit? to refer to the whole person.
This is not how a Western doctor is taught to see a patient. He sees the patient as the disease. ?This is an epileptic,? it is not a whole person who has epilepsy. He feels that he can administer a drug or perform a surgery that will cure a person’s liver without making any difference to the rest of the person. Of course, this is never possible, so when the inevitable ?complications? arise, the Western doctor deals with those one at a time, often causing additional problems for the person, whether in body, mind or spirit.
Even those three parts of the person are treated by separate people in Western society. The body is the domain of the medical doctor. The mind is the domain of the psychiatrist. Spirit is left to the priest, rabbi or pastor. There is no overlap in roles, except for referrals from one to the other. In our bodies, of course, there is tremendous overlap. A loss of connection to God or the universe will cause no end of mental and physical problems. Mental stress causes many physical diseases, as we well know. Who can coordinate between these in the Western system? No one. Problems falling ?through the cracks? between mind, body and spirit is a common failure of Western medicine.
A holistic practitioner understands the interconnections between mind, body and spirit. They work on the connections, and, although the practitioner may not be an expert in all three, they focus on the overlaps rather than ignoring them.
In my opinion, a holistic approach is better in almost every case for almost every person. Understanding the linkages between mind, body and spirit is essential to understanding how to stay well and how to heal. Western medicine can play a part within the scope of holistic health by offering emergency solutions to problems that arise quickly and need to be fixed immediately.
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Daryl Kulak is the author of www.healthoffthegrid.com? target=?HOTG?>Health Insurance Off the Grid, a book that explores how a combination of holistic health and the new Health Savings Account (HSA) can make an enormous difference in the budget and health of the self-employed. Daryl is not a medical doctor and is not an insurance agent.
Alternative Medicines - Sound Healing And Music Therapy
Music and sound healing is not a new concept. Cultures throughout the world have used music to empower, energize, heal and soothe the body, mind and spirit since time immemorial.
It is no accident that Apollo, the Greek god who is credited as being the father of medicine, is also the father of music and the inventor of the lyre.
Music and healing are part of each other, and current research is pointing to that more and more. Recent studies have shown that music can slow down and help balance brain waves, reduce tension and stress by affecting endorphin levels, reduce physical tension by changing the vibrational frequency of cells, and even evoke feelings of love and inner peace.
Of course, if music can slow down your body’s rhythms and effect soothing, peace and healing, it can also have the opposite effect. A well-chosen set of music can help energize you and prepare you to work hard and be creative. Studies have also shown that athletes working out and practicing to music use more energy, stretch themselves further and burn more calories than those who work without music.
There’s a great deal of information available now about music and healing. Sound healing, music therapy, and the power of sound to effect changes in the mind, body and spirit are becoming more and more accepted. It’s sometimes difficult to tell how much is true and how much is marketing hype.
I became interested in the healing power of music as a by-product of trying to produce the most beautiful music possible. Years back, Leonard Bernstein invited me to perform as concertmaster in the world premiere his production of Mass. While there, he invited me along to speak with management and producers in the recording industry. I learned from them, to my surprise, that the violin, the instrument that I consider the most beautiful and evocative of any, was not considered by the recording industry to be a marketable sound - that people would not buy recordings that featured the violin.
That piece of news amazed me. To me, the violin is the most beautiful, evocative and versatile instrument ever created. In the hands of a skilled musician, the violin can gloat, laugh, exult or cry. It can express nearly any emotion that humans can feel in their hearts and souls. I challenged myself then to produce works of music that presented the violin as I know it - the evocative and expressive voice of the soul.
That was the beginning of my own music label and catalog, LiSem Enterprises. As it grew, I began to hear from those who work in the fields of healing, both the traditional hospitals and doctors’ offices, and those working in CAM (complementary and alternative medicine), telling me that they were using my music in their practices, to enhance meditation, focus awareness and evoke emotions.
Perhaps the most potent, powerful story that I heard was that of a teenage boy diagnosed with schizophrenia who did not speak at all, but who, while listening to my CD Fragrance of a Dream, looked up and said, “This music is so beautiful it breaks your heart.”
Those stories and touches from others led me to begin exploring the world of healing with sound and music, and what I find both amazes me and confirms my own belief that music is one of the most potent healing tools the world has ever possessed. I am still very much a student, a pilgrim on a quest to learn all that I can about the ways that different tones, vibrations and sounds can affect the body and attune with the emotions and the spiritual. It is a wonderful journey, and one that I intend to share with as many people as I can. As a beginning of that sharing, here are some things that I have learned, and that I believe about how music helps to heal and regenerate the body.
1. Your body will heal itself if you give it the right tools. I believe that some music can help your body to heal by helping it to realign its balance. At the same time, it is far too early in the research for anyone to tell you which musical selections will heal a specific medical condition. I would be irresponsible if I recommended that music replace other more traditional forms of healing and therapy. Music is a complementary way to give your body the tools that it needs to help itself heal.
2. One of the most important and effective things that you can do for your body is to help it relax into a meditative state. There is a great deal of research to support that a state of meditative calm inspires your body and your mind to renew itself.
3. Sound is one of the best tools for inspiring the meditative state in which your body is receptive to healing and renewal - but it is important to choose your music carefully. Some music - classical music in particular - seems to go there instinctively, but most music was not designed to relax you.
We are barely beginning to understand the ways that music affects us and effects healing in us. The research is exciting and ongoing, and I spend a great deal of time working with different bodies of healers in various fields to aid this research in all the ways that I can.
I incorporate what I have learned into the production of the titles and arrangements chosen for every new LiSem Catalog release in the hopes that this wonderful gift that I was given, the gift of making music, can become a gift to others - one that helps heal and refresh and renew, and in the process becomes part of a positive change in the world.
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