Alternative Medicine Treatment - The Basics

Alternative medicine is a term that refers to medical practices outside of conventional medicine. Alternative solutions are sometimes new and untested in the scientific realm of conventional medicine, stamped with approval of the federal government. Also, they sometimes focus around or contain a religious, spiritual or metaphysical element. Here are some popular alternative medicinal solutions.

Acupuncture – This is the art of inserting tiny needles underneath the skin that stimulate targeted body spots. Acupuncture is most often used to relieve pain and heal the body.

Apitherapy – Better known as Bee Therapy, this practice makes use of honey and venom from the honeybee for treatments. Popular ones for health and beauty products and healing treatments are raw honey, bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis.

Biofeedback – This refers to a machine that gives feedback on the body. The feedback helps health care providers chart bodily functions to help with treatment. These machines are used to chart internal functions with more accuracy than a human alone is capable of, and the results are used to determine and then gauge how well the treatment is working. Biofeedback has been used to help people with their emotional disorders, digestive disorders, stress, migraines and heart irregularities. The machine alerts people to the idea of how their own emotions and thoughts can come into play with regards to illness and treatment options.

Chiropractics – This form of back treatment has been around for awhile and focuses on the vertebrae not being aligned properly, thus contributing to a variety of pain, illnesses and diseases. Many also focus on stress, overall health and lifestyle. In general, a chiropractor applies pressure in small amounts to various vertebrae, helping them realign. Plus many help treat common diseases like asthma, troubled backs and arthritis.

Feng Shui - This is a philosophy that is said to bring harmony into lives, that features not only the four basic elements of earth, fire, water and air, but a fifth; metal. By aligning these elements throughout clutter-free homes, work, outdoor and other environments, peace and tranquility are said to follow.

Healing Crystals – These minerals turned crystalline are said to boast certain healing powers. For example, ancient grave sites house them as a means of protection in the afterlife. In the modern world, many believe these crystals house healing power. For example, to treat stomach pain, some healers place charged quartz on the lower abdomen area to help restore energy there.

Herbal Remedies – Applying herbs, either home grown or store bought, to certain ailments helps with healing for many conditions. Among popular treatments are a half-and-half solution of witch hazel and water to help clear up acne, lavender scented oils and candles to sooth stress and garlic on top of warts to remove them.

There are many more alternative medicine treatments out there. Search your favorite search engine for more.

Download your free report entitled "Natural Herbal Remedies & Antioxidant Vitamin Wonders" from http://www.herbalvitaminwonders.com

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Handy First Aid Tips

When someone is injured or suddenly becomes ill, there is usually a critical period before you can get medical treatment and it is this period that is of the utmost importance to the victim. What you do, or what you don't do, in that interval can mean the difference between life and death. You owe it to yourself, your family and your neighbors to know and to understand procedures that you can apply quickly and intelligently in an emergency.

Every household should have some type of first aid kit, and if you do not already have one, assemble your supplies now. Tailor the contents to fit your family's particular needs. Don't add first aid supplies to the jumble of toothpaste and cosmetics in the medicine cabinet. Instead, assemble them in a suitable, labeled box (such as a fishing tackle box or small took chest with hinged cover), so that everything will be handy when needed. Label everything in the kit clearly, and indicate what it is used for. Be sure not to lock the box - otherwise you may be hunting for the key when that emergency occurs. Place the box on a shelf beyond the reach of small children, and check it periodically and always restock items as soon as they are used up.

Keep all medications, including non-prescription drugs such as aspirin, out of reach of children. When discarding drugs, be sure to dispose of them where they cannot be retrieved by children or pets. When an emergency occurs, make sure the injured victim's airway is not blocked by the tongue and that the mouth is free of any secretions and foreign objects. It is extremely important that the person is breathing freely. And if not, you need to administer artificial respiration promptly. See that the victim has a pulse and good blood circulation as you check for signs of bleeding. Act fast if the victim is bleeding severely or if he has swallowed poison or if his heart or breathing has stopped.

Remember every second counts.

Although most injured persons can be safely moved, it is vitally important not to move a person with serious neck or back injuries unless you have to save him from further danger. Keep the patient lying down and quiet. If he has vomited and there is no danger that his neck is broken, turn hin on his side to prevent choking and keep him warn by covering him with blankets or coats. Have someone call for medical assistance while you apply first aid. The person who summons help should explain the nature of the emergency and ask what should be done pending the arrival of the ambulance. Reassure the victim, and try to remain calm yourself. Your calmness can allay the feat and panic of the patient. Don't give fluids to an unconscious or semiconscious person; fluids may enter his windpipe and cause suffocation. Don't try to arouse an unconscious person by slapping or shaking. Look for an emergency medical identification card or an emblematic device that the victim may be wearing to alert you to any health problems, allergies or diseases that may require special care.

This article is provided by Carol Bond Health Foods. Carol Bond Health Foods has been serving natural health consumers for over 25 years. For the best vitamin supplements and health foods visit http://www.CarolBond.com

Howard and Carol Bond were in a Houston shopping mall in the year 1976. At a health food store, they were intrigued by the health-related possibilities of the vitamins and supplements on the shelves. Howard had achieved a substantial background in human anatomy, and Carol had studied the effectiveness of nutritional care. Based on conversations with the representative in the health food store, both Howard and Carol began a regimen. They quickly noticed an improvement in their vitality and vigor.

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HOW TO CHOOSE A RAPID FAT LOSS DIET

Today, more people are realizing and doing what they have to in order to become and stay healthy by using diet programs and exercising. Losing excess fat is a common problem for both men and women, especially prior to a large gathering or event such as a wedding or party of some sort.

Due to these types of events, sometimes you do not have a lot of time and need a rapid way to lose fat quickly, even if it is for just a few extra pounds so you can fit in to that dress or suit you wanted to wear but its a little to tight right now.

The more health conscious you become the less you will have to worry about this. Also with the pressure of time at hand, you need to know what weight loss diet plan will work or what types of exercises will help do the trick.

There are many different fat loss diet programs available and seems like every day a new one pops up. So how do you determine which one will work for you, you can't try them all, right!

Here are a few suggestions to finding the right rapid fat loss diet for you: - get recommendations from people you know who have tried a diet - research the diet program on the internet - read reviews from customers for the diet plan - review costs of program and guarantees - find out how long the company has been in business - have they received any rewards, certificates - are they apart of the BBB (BetterBusinessBureau)

When you are looking for a good fat loss diet program, you want to have the facts, after all it affects you and your health. Some sites may offer free quiz's, diet generators, diet recipes as well as some more rapid fat loss diet tips.

Most diet information points to the fact that the best diet programs are flexible and sustainable, and that a successful plan must be adaptable to the individual. The plan should take into consideration not only the weight you want to lose, but also your personality type, level of activity, do you live or work in a stressful situation. Other people living in your household, and any special situations or conditions that are likely to affect your attempt to lose weight.

When choosing a diet program, remember that you will be eating this way for the rest of your life if you want to maintain your new healthier weight. It will probably mean a conscious effort to change habits, since the old habits got you where you're at and you don't want to go there again. The two biggest reasons people give up their diet programs are impatience and unrealistic expectations regarding the time, effort and results of a safe and lasting weight loss process.

Health, fitness and diet programs are a great way to learn efficient ways to get healthy and in shape. To help dieters do this, many professional weight-control programs offer special dietary and exercise plans, as well as psychological support. Most diet programs are designed for people with no specific health problems, but all recommend checking with a doctor before starting their diet program.

Before making your decision on a fat loss diet program, you should do some basic research. This could take just a few minutes or a hour, but you should know what your getting yourself into: the costs, is it guaranteed, what you should expect from the program.

Some fat loss diet programs include the types of meals that can be prepared, those that are delivered are the most costly and convenient. You should consider the ones that you have to prepare yourself as these will be more to your liking. The downside to this is it will involve more work for you.

Author: John creates informative articles related to losing weight and staying healthy.

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FISH OIL AND WEIGHT LOSS

Many people still struggle to lose weight despite the huge number of weight loss products and diet supplements on the market which would suggest that they might not be the ideal solution. However, one recent study has found that simply taking fish oil supplements on a daily basis could help promote weight loss and combat obesity.

The study was conducted by the University of South Australia in 2006 and without making any modifications to diet, those taking fish oil supplements and walking or running for 45 minutes three times a week lost an average of two and half kilograms of weight over the period of the trial whereas there was little difference in the other groups. Not only that, instruments used to measure body fat composition found that those taking the fish oil also had a significant reduction in body fat. The results suggest that weight loss can be accelerated when fish oil is combined with moderate amounts of exercise.


So why would fish oil make such a difference?

Fish oil contains the essential Omega 3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and as these fats cannot be synthesised in the body, they have to be obtained from the diet. Most of us do not get adequate amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet and some health professionals believe that this is responsible for a number of diseases that are on the increase in the 21st Century such as heart disease, inflammatory diseases, allergies and even depression. So what impact does Omega 3 fatty acids have on our weight?

Many people who try to lose weight believe that they have to cut out as much fat as possible. This is simply not the case and indeed, extremely low fat diets can be harmful as the body needs a certain amount of fat to survive. The secret lies in getting the right kind of fat. The types of fats to be avoided are the "trans" fats or hydrogenated fats that are found in abundance in processed foods. This type of fat will not facilitate weight loss and indeed is harmful to the body in general. Omega 3 fatty acids on the other hand can improve fat metabolism.

Another important consideration is the amount of pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids that are consumed in relation to the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids are also essential but are generally abundant in Western diets in meat and dairy products, in vegetable oils and in processed foods. The important Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are only found in any significant quantities in oily fish like Salmon, Sardines, Tuna and Mackerel, and of course in fish oil supplements. The other plant based Omega 3 fatty acid is alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and this can be found in dark green leafy vegetables and flax seed oil but the body is not efficient at converting this into the really important EPA and DHA.

The truth is anyone who restricts calorie consumption and increases the amount of calories they burn off will eventually lose weight. However, it is healthy weight loss that is the ideal as this is the only way that the weight will come off and stay off. The South Australian study suggests that weight loss can be achieved by taking fish oil and some exercise without making any changes to the diet. It would be reasonable then to surmise that even greater results might be achieved by making some alterations to the diet along with taking fish oil and some moderate exercise.

Fish oil supplements

There are other health benefits to taking fish oil supplements than promoting a healthy weight loss. Fish oil is known to reduce inflammation and offer protection against heart disease and depression and a whole host of other health problems. You could also try adding more fish to your diet but the current recommendation is to limit consumption of fish due to the amount of toxins they can contain, like Mercury and PCBs for example. So, fish oil would seem the ideal way to get enough Omega 3 fatty acids into the diet to make a difference, however, a word of warning. As fish oils are produced from fish, they too can contain unhealthy levels of toxins unless it is high quality fish oil that has been through processes such as molecular distillation to remove these toxins so shop around for a good one first.

Conclusion

More research is required to establish just how effective fish oil is at promoting weight loss but in the meantime, there is every reason to believe that fish oil is certainly worth a try, not only might you shed some extra pounds, you could improve your general health too.

Author: Dave McEvoy is an expert in omega 3 fish oil EPA with over 20 years experience; for more information about fish oil and how it can help with weight loss please come and visit our site.

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