Thursday, April 26, 2007

Massage Therapy

A System That Has Been Practiced And Been Proven Over The Hundred Of Years

There are many benefits to getting massage therapy. Even though getting a single massage at a time is beneficial, getting continuous massage is still preferred for the long term benefits that are obtained. Massage being one of the oldest and simplest forms of therapy, can be given by anybody that is trained in the technique and people are known to have their favorite masseurs to whom they trust their minds, bodies and souls to get the much needed relaxation and even healing of wounds done by them.

The history of massage go back a long time and massage therapy has the advantage of being simple to perform as it involves a system in which the masseur strokes, presses and kneads different parts of the body in order to provide relief from pain, stress, injuries as well as relax and soothe, stimulate and tone the body. Through massage therapy, much more than just creating pleasant and soothing sensations is achieved because it will work on the softer tissues like muscles, tendons, and ligaments and thereby develop a much better tone of muscles.

Even though it may be thought that massage therapy only touches on the muscles that lie just beneath the skin, this is not so because the effects can also be felt by muscles embedded deeper into the human body and it may also provide relief to the organs themselves. There is additional benefit to be obtained from massage therapy because the overall blood circulation improves and assistance is given to the lymphatic system by helping to eliminate the waste produced by the body.

There are a number of benefits to massage therapy and these include relaxation, soothing feeling, healing of wounds and injuries, feeling much more reassured, easing of tension, stiffness and pain, makes breathing better, helps to circulate the blood better, as well as giving an enhanced feeling of an overall well-being. Massage therapy should not stop at just single massage sessions because, when spread over a number of sessions, its cumulative beneficial effects will have a longer lasting and be more effective on the human body.

Through regular massages, the skin tone improved while the human body mechanism is strengthened, thereby helping to eliminate stress, tension and unnecessary injuries. Other benefits also include strengthening the overall structure of the body. Massage therapy has a significant and positive effect on stimulating and calming our nervous system and so reduce fatigue and making the receiver feel more rejuvenated. The positive results of massage therapy can be demonstrated from the fact that it helps to make the individual's mental, physical and spiritual well-being get restored to a higher level.

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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND GETTING RID OF HEARTBURN

Apple cider vinegar and getting rid of heartburn? The two don't seem to go together. In fact, the thought of drinking even the smallest amount of vinegar when acid is backwashing into your throat and esophagus sounds counterproductive. Vinegar has a high acid content. You want to curb the acid. Why would you expect apple cider vinegar to do the job?

Apple cider vinegar is a folk remedy for getting rid of heartburn. In fact, it is the TOP folk remedy for heartburn and acid reflux.

Recipe for Relief

Taking apple cider vinegar for heartburn relief is quite simple. Simply stir 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into 1/2 cup of water or apple juice. Drink this immediately after each meal. If your problem is acid reflux, and you have just had a heavy meal, increase the amount of apple cider vinegar and decrease the amount of water or juice.

Another option is to mix a "cocktail" of the following:

* 1 quart apple juice
* 1 pint purple grape juice
* 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Drink 1/2 cup after every meal for heartburn relief.

Recipes that use apple cider vinegar for getting rid of heartburn vary greatly. This is because individual bodies also vary greatly. Try different amounts of apple cider vinegar until you find what works for you.

Some people have found that one brand or another works better for them. Again, the difference is due to the variations in physical makeup.

How Apple Cider Vinegar Remedies Heartburn

Little research has been done on the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar for heartburn relief. Consequently, it is difficult to say how apple cider vinegar remedies heartburn. It appears that the acid content in vinegar somehow tells the stomach to stop producing more acid. Perhaps, in that way, apple cider vinegar is like the prescription medications that "shut down" the stomach's acid pumps to stop heartburn.

"Nexium," for example, is said to relieve heartburn symptoms "by inhibiting the secretion of acid produced in the stomach." (from the Ask Doc Web)

It is possible that apple cider vinegar relieves heartburn symptoms in the same way.

Apples May Help as Much as Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar does not taste good to most people. Because of that, some have tried eating a few slices of apple after a meal, and have gotten rid of heartburn that way. Not every apple works for heartburn, though. Some stick to green apples such as Granny Smith. Others recommend Jonagold apples for heartburn relief. Some recommend eating a few slices of Jonagold apple with a coupe of dill pickle spears. It's apple cider vinegar for heartburn without resorting to basic vinegar.

Helpful Tip: If you can get over the taste of apple cider vinegar, you will find it one of the most important natural remedies in healing the body.

Caution: The author is not a medical profession. The information in this article is for educational purposes only. If you have persistent heartburn, please see a physician for advice.

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8 Factors Cause Acne

Acne, also known as pimples, whitehead or blackhead, is a kind of skin disease that can happen on any part of the body, but usually on the face, neck and upper body. Whitehead occurs when the plug remains below the skin surface. Blackhead happens when the plug is forced to the skin surface by the pressure of sebum and dead cells.

People can tell you many factors that cause acne. In summary, below are the key 8 factors that bring you to this unwanted skin disease. The 8 factors can be simply classified into 4 internal and 4 external factors.

4 INTERNAL FACTORS

1) Bacteria

The bacteria, named Propionibacterium Acnes (P. Acne), are typically live on our skin and cause to acne. The presence of P. Acne attracts white blood cells produce enzyme that causes local inflammation and redness. The presence of P. Acne does not cause by dirt or poor hygiene. Reducing P. Acne numbers through treatment can effectively reduce acne inflammation.


2) Sebum

Naturally, sebum, produces by sebaceous glands, "fill up" the hair follicles and the "over filled" sebum gives the skin surface an oily appearance. Sebum good to our skin as it makes our skin waterproof. Also, sebum helps to carry dead cells to exterior of skin. For reasons that are unknown, some hair follicles become obstructed and the sebum that trapped inside the hair follicles can cause P. Acne to grow. Eventually, it causes inflammation and redness to our skin.

3) Hormones (Androgens)

Many acne causes come from hormonal change or imbalance. Hormone changes due to stress, menstruation, pregnancy, starting or stopping birth control pills. The hormones that cause acne are called "androgen"'. Androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands and secrete sebum to the surface of the skin. Combination of sebum, P. Acne and toxin-blocked-pore aggravate the skin and causes inflammation and redness.

4) Genetics

Although not been proven, possible cause of acne is heredity or genetics because it does influence thickness of skin, oily tendencies of the skin and basic hormone responses. Even some studies have shown that acne development can be passed down from one generation to the next. However one's parent has acne does not necessarily mean that next generation will suffer from acne.

4 EXTERNAL FACTORS

5) Improper skin care products

Improper skin care products can cause irritation to your skin. These include any products that can block oil pores. Besides, avoid applying herbal medication that has not been proven or approved. It might give you toxic reactions.

6) Over exposed to sunrays

Over exposure to sunrays cause skin damage and worsening existing acne. Some common acne medications can make your skin sensitive to the sun and lead to worse skin condition.

7) Picking and squeezing

Picking and squeezing acne is not recommended. Picking pushes bacteria deeper into the skin cells or spread the bacteria already beneath the surface of the skin. Squeeze acne using fingers can cause acne to become serious. In the situation that picking or squeezing is unavoidable, only dealing with blackheads and whiteheads, but not the swollen and red goobers.

8) Washing face too often

Too much washing can stimulate oil glands. Wash your face with mild soap and warm water 2 to 3 times a day. Again, acne is not caused by dirt and hygiene. Washing too often or too vigorously may actually make acne worse.

In conclusion, you can find thousands of resources related to acne skin care products, acne remedies, acne therapies and so on. Be aware of those who given mislead or wrong information. Also, many of them over claim their products over there. So, be a smart shopper, make sufficient survey and study before you spent money.

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PRINCIPALS OF AYURVEDA




Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care, principal to the Indian sub-continent. The word "Ayurveda" is an amalgam of the word ayus meaning "life" and the word veda, which refers to a method of "knowledge". Therefore "Ayurveda" more or less translates as the "knowledge of life".

Ayurveda is a system that helps maintain wellbeing in a person by using the intrinsic principles of nature. In essence Ayurveda has been in existence since the beginning of time as we have always been governed by nature's laws.

Many Ayurvedic methods were handed down by word of mouth and were used before there were written records. Two ancient books, more than 2,000 years old, are thought to be the first texts on Ayurveda--Caraka Samhita and Susruta Samhita.


Ayurvedic Elements

Ayurveda believes that every human being is a made up of five primary elements. These five primary elements combine and create various physiological functions in the human body.

Ether or Space
Air
Water
Fire
Earth

These elements combine to form three doshas- Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

Ayurveda believes humans are all made up of unique proportions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These ratios of the doshas vary in each individual. Each person has one predominant dosha in their constitution.

An imbalance in the doshas is the cause of any disease. Imbalances may be caused by an unhealthy diet, too much or too little mental and physical work, or from the weather, chemicals, or germs.

Doshas

Vata dosha.

Ether and air combine to form what is known as the Vata dosha. Vata administers to the principle of movement and is considered the most powerful of all doshas. It controls the very basic body developments such as cell division, heart, respiration, and the mind. Vata can be out of balance by, staying up late at night, or eating before the previous meal is digested. People with vata as their main dosha are thought to be particularly prone to skin, neurological, and mental diseases.

Pitta dosha.

Fire and water combine to form the Pitta dosha. Pitta controls the hormones and digestive system. When pitta is out of balance, a person experiences harmful emotions and has physical symptoms such as heartburn. Pitta is upset by, eating spicy or sour food; being angry, tired, or fearful, or spending too much time in the sun. People with a predominantly pitta constitution are vulnerable to heart disease and arthritis.

Kapha dosha.

The elements water and earth combine to form the Kapha dosha. Kapha is considered to help keep up strength and immunity and to control growth. A symptom of kapha imbalance is nausea immediately after eating. Kapha is aggravated by, sleeping during the daytime, eating too many sweet foods, and eating and drinking foods and beverages with too much salt and water .Those with a predominant kapha dosha are exposed to diabetes, gallbladder problems, stomach ulcers, and respiratory illnesses.

Ayurvedic Medicines

Ayurveda operates on the principle that materials of vegetable, animal, and mineral origin have an assortment of medicinal values. The medicinal properties of these materials have been established by the practitioners of Ayurveda over a period of 2,000 years.

Ayurveda has been used for centuries to cure illness and maintain good health. Ayurvedic medications are made from herbs or blend of herbs. Ayurveda also uses herbs in combination with minerals, metals and other ingredients of animal origin. The metals, animals and minerals are cleansed by diverse procedures before being used for medicinal purposes.

In Conclusion

Ayuerveda is a pure holistic treatment in sync with nature. It is health, not disease, specific and takes into account the patient's entire individuality - body, mind and spirit before treatment.


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TOP 10 BENEFITS OF TRIPHALA

It has now been established that almost all the disease that occurs in our body is due to gastrointestinal disturbances. This is a primary principle of ayurveda that was laid about 5000 years back and is now scientifically proven.

Our digestive tract is the main source for us to draw energy from. It has the ability to extract the required energy from the food we take. But if for some reasons there is some kind of anomaly, it leads to a condition know as indigestion or ajirn, as per ayurvedic terminology. It might seem a small problem and has been frequently occurring to almost every one but if it regular in appearance then it has the capability to push you towards a diseased condition. Below are some of the disease that are frequently seen in people suffering from indigestion.

· Pain in abdomen
· Constipation
· High cholesterol levels
· Hypertension
· Low immunity
· Loss of appetite
· Acidity
· Fatigue
· Skin ailments
· Low vision
· Headache
· Diabetes
· Liver related ailments

I know you never gave a deep concern on your indigestive problems and has accepted it as a part of your life. But I can suggest you something that has the potential to make you free from all these problems. It is called triphala. It is sure that you must have heard about this herbal drug. Well if you are not aware of the wonders of triphala then read below.

Triphala is a classical ayurvedic preparation that has three main ingredients. These are Amalaki, Bhibitaki and Haritaki. These are known as Emblica officinale, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia belarica in biological terms respectively. It is considered the most potent herbal preparation due to its multiple applications.

Below are ten golden benefits of triphala:-

· Firstly it acts as an antioxidant agent preventing any free radical formation in the body. This property of triphala helps it to prevent early aging signs like wrinkles and premature graying of hairs.

· Secondly it is helpful in regularizing the normal peristaltic movements that are very essential for proper passage of food from one organ to another. This helps in aiding the digestion of food in proper amount of time.

· Thirdly it acts as an appetizer as it helps in proper digestion of the food.

· Fourthly it is very effective in stimulating the liver for its functioning to the optimized level. More over it also helps in secretion of the bile juices that are very much required for fat metabolism.

· It is very much helpful in reducing the plaque formation in the arteries thereby reducing the risk of heart related problems caused due to arteriosclerosis.

· Triphala helps in maintaining the proper levels of the cholesterol in the body thereby preventing us from fatal and deadly heart problems. It helps in curbing the formation of low density lipoprotein (LDL).

· It is very much effective in suppressing any kind of infection or foreign invasion in the blood thereby helpful in preventing any kind of skin related diseases and other infectious conditions in the body.

· It is helpful in maintaining the proper secretions of the endocrinal system that are responsible for maintaining the proper homeostasis in the body and aiding the proper functioning of all the physiological processes in the body.

· It is an excellent remedy for eyes related problems and helps in improving the eye vision and strengthens the muscles of the eyes.

· Last but not the least, being a mild laxative it helps in evacuating the bowel and therefore is considered as one of the best body detoxifier and facilitates expulsion of toxins out of the body.

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YOU NEED FOOD HIGH IN FIBER FOR CONSTIPATION RELIEF



Food high in fiber is found in fruits, vegetables and grains. It is the complex fiber structure that gives produce and grains their shape and keeps them from falling apart. Fiber is a subclass of carbohydrates. It consists mostly of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose and pectin.

In the stomach fiber bonds are broken apart so nutrients and fiber particles and strands can do their magic in your stomach, small intestine, colon, and anus. Once food high in fiber is completely digested in the small intestine, fiber moves into the colon to complete its cycle in your body. If you have eaten enough fiber during a meal, your stools will have a certain shape, size, color and consistency and chances are you will not have constipation.

If you have not been eating food high in fiber, especially for many years, then mostly likely you will be struggling with having regular bowel movements.

Eating the right amount of fiber is not only necessary for keeping free of constipation but it is tied to your overall health. In the past, no one knew much about fiber. It was thought that it had no value as it entered and exited the body. But now, we know that if you don't eat food high in fiber you will live a short and painful death. Here are some of diseases that are related to not eating enough fiber.

Heart disease
Diabetes
Appendicitis
Breast cancer
Colitis
Prostate cancer
Gastrointestinal disorders
Hemorrhoids
Hiatus hernia
Ulcers
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
All types of colon diseases

These are only a few diseases that you could develop. Do you see any of the diseases in this list that people come down with as they age? Did they eat enough fiber today? Will you eat enough fiber in the future? I hope so.

How should you eat fiber?

A general rule is to eat fruits and vegetables every day. Eat fruits in the morning to assist in purging out fecal matter that has accumulated in your colon and removing urine that your kidney has created by cleansing your blood during the night.

By eating fruits for breakfast you help remove toxins out of your colon by promoting a bowel movement. The fiber in fruits helps to clean your colon walls of tacky matter that accumulates there. This tacky matter is created when you don't eat enough fiber and your stools are mushy and sticky.

When you eat lunch or dinner, always eat vegetables with these meals. Vegetables are needed when you eat meat which does not have fiber. Vegetables are needed when you eat processed food that has no fiber. Always eat vegetables when eating bread since processed bread has no fiber. When bread is eaten without vegetables, fecal matter, chime, in the colon is hard to move and is sticky. It is this sticky matter that clings to your colon walls, which prevents your colon from being strong, flexible, healthy, and non-toxic.

Always chose to eat food high in fiber everyday. This is a necessity. You were built to thrive on fruits and vegetables. Without them you commit yourself to a life of pain and disease. And it all starts in the colon with constipation.

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