To get optimum colon health, some would go for colon hydrotherapy. Every day we clean our hair, brush our teeth and clean other parts of the body to maintain our well being. In the same manner that we clean other parts of our body, our colon deserves to be cleaned as well. You can choose to undergo colon cleansing and remove the toxins in our colon to get a good colon health through colon hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation. There are so many colon hydrotherapy Los Angeles and colon hydrotherapy New York clinics that you can go to for colon detox or you can also choose to do it at home with colon detox home kits.

To further understand the benefits of colon hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation, let's understand the basic function of the colon first and why we need to do colon detox to achieve good colon health. The colon is responsible for extracting the liquid from our body wastes or the fecal matter. The purpose of the extraction of liquid is for the stool to be hard so that it can easily pass out of our system with no fecal matter left behind. If the feces are not all flushed out from our systems, toxins would also be trapped and could cause other major health problems thus colon detox, colon hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation is recommended.

The process of colon hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation in colon hydrotherapy Los Angeles and colon hydrotherapy New York clinics utilizes low-pressure water that is mechanically created or sometimes makes use of gravity. Colon hydrotherapy Los Angeles and colon hydrotherapy New York clinics administer such procedure with the presence or the help of a professional and trained therapist on colon detox and colon health. The colon detox session or the colon hydrotherapy usually last between 30 minutes to less than an hour.

In colonic irrigation, the patient's colon is filled with warm purified water using a special device. Some colon hydrotherapy Los Angeles and colon hydrotherapy New York clinics add special herbs or sometimes enzymes to the warm water for more therapeutic claims on colon health. Colon hydrotherapy causes the muscle found in the lining of the colon to expand and contract which forces the stool or the fecal matter that includes undigested food and bacteria to be flushed out from our system via an evacuation tube. To help loosen the pockets of gas and waste, the colonic irrigation therapists would massage the abdomen of the patient.

To some, the process of colon hydrotherapy sounds painful but the truth is, colonic irrigation should not be painful. Colon hydrotherapy Los Angeles and colon hydrotherapy New York clinics recommend 1-2 sessions to be repeated every few months to achieve optimum colon health. Colon detox, colon hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation are best recommended for those who have Crohns disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Diverticulitis or Haemorrhoids. Colon hydrotherapy is also recommended for those who want to free themselves from constipation or for those who wants to get rid of the toxins from their body. Always remember that a good colon health often equates to a healthy body.

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An amazing kind of healing process, acupressure is nature's health science built in our body. In this therapy one has to apply pressure on certain points located on palms and soles. The pressure given on points stimulates all the organs of the body to prevent disease and to maintain good health. This therapy also enables one to diagnose and cure the disease permanently. Read more about this drugless therapy......

In our modern lifestyle, lack of sufficient muscular activities give rise to various physical problems. Unbalanced food and abuse of natural routine of the body add to the problems. Acupressure has beneficial effects in curing many diseases. These diseases may include metabolic disorders, body deformity, inflammation of body tissues, digestion related problems, and heart related problems and problems with the nervour system.

Acupressure is an ancient healing art using the fingers and other parts of the body to skillfully press key points, which stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these trigger points are pressed, they release muscular tension, and promote circulation of blood, and the body's life force energy to aid healing. Acupuncture and Acupressure use the same pressure points and meridians, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle to firm pressure and integrates bodywork therapies, therapeutic touch, somatic work, healing imagery, energy psychology, and massage therapy techniques.

Acupressure is a technique thus related to acupuncture, where the energies of the body are regulated by manipulating points on the body. This has effects on the emotions, tension and physical conditions. The points are commonly called "acupuncture points," "pressure points," "acupoints" or "acupressure points".

History of Acupressure
Samvedna or Acupressure is an ancient Indian art of healing. As earlier as 5000 years ago, the great Indian sages had discovered Yoga Posturing Techniques that use full-body postures to stretch the meridians and stimulate the acupressure points on their own. By the time when Buddhism was spread upto China from India, this technique of acupressure was also been spresd by the Buddhist Monks. From then on, acupressure has been developed by the Chinese. In the recent years acupressure has gained wide acceptance all over the world as an alternative medicinal treatment therapy. Although acupressure is not a substitute for medical care, it is often an appropriate complementary treatment.

Benefits of Acupressure
Foremost among the advantages of acupressure's healing touch is that it is safe to do. there are no side effects from drugs, because there are no drugs involved. And the only equipemnt needed is your own two hands. One can practice acupressure therapy any time, anywhere.

Acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eyestrain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, and tension due to stress. In acupressure, local symptoms are considered an expression of the condition of the body as a whole. A tension headache, for instance, may be rooted in the shoulder and neck area. Thus acupressure focuses on relieving pain and discomfort as well as on responding to tension before it develops into a ‘dis-ease" that is, before the constrictions and imbalances can do further damage.

Many of the health problems in our society-from bad backs to arthritis - are the result of living unnaturally. Stress, tension, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, and poor posture contribute to the epidemic of degenerative diseases in our culture. Acupressure is one way to help your body fight back and balance itself in the face of the pressure of modern life. Stimulating these points with pressure triggers the release of endorphins, which are the neurochemicals that relieve pain. As a result, pain is blocked and the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area is increased. This causes the muscles to relax and promotes healing. Because acupressure inhibits the pain signals sent to the brain through a mild, fairly painless stimulation, it has been described as closing the "gates" of the pain signaling system, preventing painful sensations from passing through the spinal cord to the brain.

Besides relieving pain, acupressure can help rebalance the body by dissolving tensions and stresses that keep it from functioning smoothly and that inhibit the immune system. Acupressure enables the body to adapt to environmental changes and resist illness. Tension tends to concentrate around acupressure points. When a muscle is chronically tense or in spasm, the muscle fibers contract due to the secretion of lactic acid caused by fatigue, trauma, stress, chemical imbalances,or poor circualtion. For instance, when you are under a great deal of stress you may find you have difficulty breathing. Certain acupressure points relieve chest tension and enable you to breathe deeply.

The healing benefits of Acupressure involve both the relaxation of the body and its positive effects on the mind. As tension is released, you not only feel good physically, but you also feel better emotionally and mentally. When your body relaxes, your mind relaxes as well, creating another state of consciousness. This expanded awarness leads to mental clarity and a healtheir physical and emotional healing, dissolving the division betwen the mind and body.

Acupressure's points can be used to enhance many aspects of life. In addition to managing stress, you can use acupressure to relieve and prevent sports injuries. Sports massage has been widely used by athletes before and after Olympic events. Acupressure complements sports medicine treatments by using points and massage techniques to improve muscle tone and circulation and relieve neuromuscular problems. Similarly, acupressure can be an effective adjunct to chiropractic treatment. By relaxing and toning the back muscles, acupressure makes the spinal adjustments easier and more effective, and the results last longer. Acupressure also used as a beauty treatment. You can use potent points to improve skin condition and tone and relax the facial muscles, which can lessen the appearance of wrinkles without drugs.

Psychotherapy patients can derive benefits from acupressure by using it to heighten body awarness and deal with stress. When powerful emotions are free and unresolved, the body stores the resulting tension in the muscles. Acupressure can help restore emotional balance by releasing the accumulated tension caused by repressed feelings.

Acupressure points are also used for a variety of other problems. The highly effective acupressure point in the webbing between your thumb and index finger, for instance, is not only beneficial for relieving arthritic pain in the hand, but also benefits the colon and relieves problems in the facial area and the head, including headaches, toothaches, and sinus problems. Acupressure tonic points improve your condition and maintain general health. They strengthen the overall body system and fortify various internal organs and vital systems of the body.

Acupressure Techniques
There are two ways that acupressure points are manipulated : pressing (reinforcing) and reducing them. Most are probably familiar with the first, but not with the second method.

To press points, something blunt is used. Usually the fingers are used to press, but for many points the fingers may be a bit too thick, so you'd have to press quite long and firmly. Ideal would be something 3 to 4 mm thick, like a pencil eraser that is on the other side of a pencil. Some points can be pressed using a fingernail. However, acupressure should be carried out only under expert guidance.

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Canadians wary of antidepressants may rely on St. John’s wort, an age-old herbal remedy, to keep mood disorders at bay. But while the yellow-flowering plant is potent enough to relieve mild to moderate depression, it is also the herbal medicine most likely to interfere with pharmaceutical drugs, researchers have found.

St. John’s wort is documented to interact with 147 different medications, including the blood-thinner warfarin and cholesterol-lowering statins, according to a review of 85 studies published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

Next in the list of herbal and dietary supplements causing the most drug interactions are magnesium, calcium, iron and ginkgo biloba, which were found to interact with 102, 75, 71 and 51 different drugs, respectively.

Interactions with herbs, vitamins and minerals may amplify or reduce a drug’s effects. Of the 1,490 interactions captured in the study, researchers identified that 17 per cent posed a major health risk, such as excessive bleeding, a hypertensive crisis or potential coma.

Drug interactions with herbal remedies and dietary supplements are “tremendously under-reported,” says Simon Pickard, co-author of the study and associate professor of pharmacy at the University of Illinois.

Earlier research suggests that less than a third of patients inform health- care providers when they’re on herbal or dietary supplements. If patients have an adverse effect while taking both pharmaceutical drugs and natural remedies, Pickard says, “they may not make the connection.”

The study, led by Hsiang-Wen Lin at the China Medical University’s College of Pharmacy in Taiwan, used data from clinical trials, observational studies and review articles to assess the breadth of interactions and contraindications associated with herbal and dietary supplements, Pickard says.

Warfarin had by far the largest number of reported interactions with supplements, followed by insulin, Aspirin, digoxin (a drug used to slow heart rate and treat congestive heart failure) and ticlopidine (an anti-platelet drug).

Researchers also looked at herbal and dietary supplements documented to be harmful for patients with specific conditions. Flaxseed, echinacea (used to ward off colds) and yohimbe (a folk remedy for sexual dysfunction) had the highest number of documented contraindications. Flaxseed, for example, was contraindicated for patients with gastrointestinal disorders, high triglyceride levels or prostate cancer.

The study offers critical information to health-care professionals, Pickard says. “We were able to hone in on those disease states where we know the most about interactions and contraindications,” he says. “We should be more aware with patients that have these conditions that they will potentially encounter problems if they are using [certain] herbs or dietary supplements.”

Patients with life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, often turn to herbal remedies because “they’re desperate for a solution,” he points out. Nevertheless, Pickard urges patients to be upfront with health-care providers about any plant extracts, vitamins, minerals or amino acids they’re taking. Many pharmacists are knowledgeable about herbal and dietary supplements, he says, “but we can’t identify drug-herbal interactions or contraindications if a health-care professional is not aware that the patient is on them.”

Advocates of traditional medicines might argue that herbs have been safely used for centuries and pose little risk if taken under the guidance of a clinically trained herbalist. Historically, however, patients did not combine herbs with the powerful pharmaceutical drugs available today.

Research on herbs and drug interactions has not caught up with the public’s casual approach to trying out supplements from the health-food store. In an editorial accompanying the study, Edzard Ernst, a specialist in complementary medicine at the University of Exeter in Britain, notes the herb and drug interactions documented by the study could be just “the tip of the iceberg.”

He underscores the need for evidence-based information about herbal and dietary supplements and their interactions with pharmaceutical products. As long as reliable data remains scarce, patients looking for health information online will be “bombarded with commercially driven misinformation” about alternative medicine, he writes in an e-mail. These products, he warned, can be “outright dangerous.”

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(NaturalNews) In the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, which has devastated many parts of the East coast, we've been receiving a flood of calls and emails asking about emergency preparedness items for first aid and natural medicine. Here, I've put together a quick checklist of things you'll want to acquire (or grow) to add to your emergency medicine collection.

Emergency first aid checklist

• Aloe Vera - Can be used as a topical antibiotic as well as a treatment for burns and skin issues. Can be consumed internally (the gel only) for digestive support and to help eliminate intestinal issues.

• Activated charcoal - As a dietary supplement, activated charcoal can be a true lifesaver. It absorbs poisons! It's the primary ingredient in the poison treatment liquids used in emergency rooms.

• Baking soda - This simple but miraculous substance has a multitude of uses in personal health and even treatment of many conditions including gout, arthritis, and even some cancer tumors. Read our articles on Baking Soda at:

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Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (wind pipes) that causes swelling and narrowing of the airways. The result of this is difficulty in breathing. The bronchial narrowing is usually either totally or at least partially reversible with treatments. Bronchial tubes that are chronically inflamed may become overly sensitive to allergens or irritants. The airways may become narrow and remain in a state of increased sensitivity. This is called "airway hyperreactivity†It is likely that there is a range of airway hyperreactivity in all individuals.

However, it is clear that asthmatics and allergic individuals have a greater degree of airway hyperreactivity than nonasthmatic and nonallergic people. In sensitive individuals, the bronchial tubes are more likely to swell and constrict when exposed to triggers such as allergens, tobacco smoke, or exercise. Asthma affects people differently. Each individual is unique in their degree of reactivity to environmental triggers. This naturally influences the type and dose of medication prescribed, which may vary from one individual to another. Asthmas are either episodic for new and recent cases or persistent for old and long standing cases. The onset is sudden lasting for few hours to few days. The attack usually reverts to normal with the help of proper medication.

Attack of Asthma:
There is shortness of breath, breathlessness. There will be wheezing sound in the chest and prolong expiration. Person experiences tightness in the chest. The heart rate increases which is experienced as fast heart beats. There is dry cough in the initial stage followed by wet cough. During very severe attacks, the person can become blue due to inadequate oxygen supply. This condition is known as cyanosis, and can experience chest pain or even loss of consciousness. Before such attack there is numbness in hands and legs and they start sweating. There is feeling that the body is becoming cold. Such signs of attack are warning signs that the attack is really very severe and the person needs immediate hospitalization.

Prognosis of Asthma:
Asthma can be prevented by identifying the triggering factor and by avoiding it. Care of asthma should be taken as prompt treatment as well as avoiding exposure to allergens and irritants. Asthma has a range of out come after treatment. In some cases asthma can be completely cured where as in some cases good control over asthma attacks and ability to perform day to day activity with ease can be a significant achievement.

Homeopathy Treatment  in Asthma:
Homeopathy offers great promise in treatment of asthma. Homeopathic treatment can reduce personâs sensitivity to various allergens and irritants. Thus homeopathic treatment can reduce frequency and intensity of attacks. Homeopathy can help reduce the need for antiasthamatic drugs and steroids.

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Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis. It is the commonest type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in the joints wears down over a period of time. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body, though it most commonly affects joints in hands, hips, knees and spine. Osteoarthritis typically affects just one joint, though in some cases, such as with finger arthritis, several joints can be affected. Osteoarthritis gradually worsens with time, and no cure exists. But osteoarthritis treatments can relieve pain and help us remain active. Taking steps to actively manage osteoarthritis may help to get control over osteoarthritis pain.

Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis includes pain in a joint during or after use, or after a period of inactivity, stiffness in a joint, that may be most noticeable when we wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity, swelling in some cases, grating sensation when you use the joint, tenderness in the joint on light pressure, loss of flexibility may make it difficult to use the joint, bone spurs, which appear as hard lumps, may form around the affected joint. Osteoarthritis symptoms most commonly affect the hands, hips, knees and spine. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints deteriorates over time. The smooth surface of the cartilage becomes rough, causing irritation.

Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, you may be left with bone rubbing on bone causing the ends of your bones to become damaged and your joints to become painful. It isn't clear what causes osteoarthritis in most cases. Researchers suspect that it's a combination of factors, including being overweight, the aging process, joint injury or stress, heredity, and muscle weakness.

Factors that increase your risk of osteoarthritis include old age , sex -- women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, congenital bone deformities, joint injuries such as those that occur when playing sports or from an accident, may increase the risk of osteoarthritis, obesity is another factor where carrying more body weight places more stress on the weight-bearing joints, such as knee, bone and joint diseases that increase the risk of osteoarthritis include gout, rheumatoid arthritis, Paget's disease of bone and septic arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that worsens over time. As many as a third of people with osteoarthritis will eventually experience significant disability. Joint pain and stiffness may become severe enough to make getting through the day difficult, if not impossible. Some people are no longer able to work. When joint pain is this severe, doctors typically suggest joint replacement surgery. For those who aren't able to undergo surgery, pain medications and assistive devices can make daily tasks more manageable.

Homeopathy in Osteoarthritis:
Homeopathy has a principle of reliving the symptoms on the basis of fixed principles. The action of homeopathic medicines takes place on the law of action which is equal and opposite. Whenever homeopathic medicines are administered to a patient he experiences relief in the symptoms only if the selected remedy is similar to the patient and the disease in many aspects. The similarity is essential at the level of temperament of the patient, similarity is necessary at the level of physical constitution of the patient.

The similarity is also necessary at the level of stage of disease and the remedy should be able to produce effect at a deeper level in the constitution. When such remedy is selected which is exactly similar to the patient and his illness than the selected remedy is able to give maximum relief to the patient. The stage of osteoarthritis and extent of degenerative changes in the bones will decide the outcome and treatment strategy in a case of osteoarthritis. Some cases which have not advanced in to significant damage to the structures of the joint, and restriction of movement is not very severe favorable out come may be expected. The cases in which the degenerative changes are significant curative action is not possible with homeopathy. In such conditions homeopathy offers excellent remedies which gives considerable pain control. Patients are not required to take strong pain killers whose effects last for few hours. And one can’t avoid the side effects of these pain killers. Homeopathic medicines are absolutely safe for a long time use.

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In earlier days, we were very much connected with nature. Everything was pure and safe for us. Initially even for diseases we do not seek doctors but the different herbs, spices, and other home products. But as the technology is advancing we are moving away from it. We now need readymade products so that no effort is required for its use. This has made us move towards the allopathic medication in every little sniffle. This has various side effects which are seen afterwards.On the contrary, herbs as medicines are very effective and safe. Traditional medicines just suppress the symptoms while herbal medicines find the root cause of problems and thus eliminating it. Herbal medicines are prepared from the different parts of the plant and plant extracts. These were very popular in china and now have reached to the whole world due to its effectiveness. These herbal medicines are prepared by mixing various plant parts like roots, stems, leaves, bark, flower juices, etc.

In traditional Chinese medicine system, each herbal medicine is prepared by mixing different types of herbs considering the patient's illness. Some herbs are used to detoxify the effect of other herb while some are added to act as catalyst for the other herb. All this is decided in keeping the patient's physical, mental, and emotional and health aspects.

Herbal medicine in china is decided on the following concepts:
Body temperature:  every individual has balanced yin/yang degree. The ratio of these two makes the person's body as hot, cold, warm, cool or neutral. While preparing herbs internal balance is checked then medication is done. For internal cold, hot yang medicines are given.

Taste:  herbs have five different tastes i.e. sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy. Each taste has specific function so are given accordingly. Sweet is used for toning, improving, moistening the basic systems of the body, sour is used in perspiration, protracted cough, and chronic diarrhea. Salty is effective in softening firm masses and adhesions. Bitter helps in clearing body heat, decreases chi, raises appetite while spicy is used to activate meridian points, circulation of blood and disperses energy.

Meridian:  meridians are the pathways associated with the body organs. There are specific herbs associated with each organ which is decided considering above two methods. Herbal remedies are the secret to cure a no of diseases. This is due to the therapeutic effect of each herb on the specific organ in the body. Some of the herbs used in preparing these medicines are:

Ginger: it's an herb as well as spice used regularly in daily diet. This generates warmth in body, effective in cough and cold, detoxifies the food poisons and helpful in digestion.

Cinnamon: a popular ingredient of tea helps in maintaining the balance of energy throughout the body. It regulates the circulation of blood by invigorating it and helps during allergic reaction in the body.

Astragalus:  its root is used to strengthen immune system and make body resistant to infection. It also reduces reaction during allergies.

Salvia: used in parts of pain, injury, inflammation, infection, swelling and effective in post stroke syndrome.

Ephedra: it is a stem herb effective in respiratory and nervous system. It's a tonic for those who are trying hard to reduce weight as it helps in burning calories.

Several others include peony, rehmmania, rhubarb, licorice etc. Sometimes these medicines also include minerals and plant parts that ahs raised certain controversies in their use. Otherwise these are the best remedies for your diseases and very cost effective too.

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Homeopathy is different from conventional medicine, students of homeopathy schools may start to know how this create of medicine works to stimulate natural self-healing. Sophisticated courses offered through homeopathy schools may also consist of clinical training, dental homeopathic studies, sophisticated pharmacy studies, postgraduate studies and even veterinary homeopathy.To learn way more preparing the advantages of homeopathic medicine or to locate homeopathy schools near you, believe free to peruse our healing arts schools and holistic health practitioners' directories.

Homeopathy is a system of medicine where the remedies are ready from the natural substances that are obtained from the Plant Kingdom, Mineral kingdom and Animal kingdom. Now a substances undergo a method of potentisation and serial dilutions. This method releases the latent power of the medicine. The way more the substance is diluted the far more is the power of that drug. The power is renowned as the "Potency".The homeopathic medicines don't experience side effects when they also are used judicially. Because the action is to the dynamic level and drug substance is minimum. Homeopathy will be ready to be used for a wide range of diseases with success if practiced during the straight way.

In homeopathy it is very understood that ill health comes preparing because a result of a personal imbalance. Or, to put it another path, the physical body, in homeopathic terms and conditions, is believed to manifest health issues from the subconscious mind. Treating an individual with homeopathy or what we might regard "constitutional homeopathy, " will involve a meticulous diagnostic proceeding.It aims to use symptoms as a suggests to find out cause for the underlying ailment. Homeopaths also are of the opinion that symptoms usu do not exist during a vacuum. Accordingly, symptoms also are thought to evolve from a explicit "constitutional" weakness, which is in a position to then be remedied.

Homeopathy remedies will be ready to be in liquid or tablet create, and the typical dosage could usually be three times a day for up to 3 days, or whenever the symptoms start to diminish. Unlike other forms of conventional treatment there is not any "course" of treatment that have to be robbed, even if you feel simpler. With homeopathy, because soon as the patient feels better the treatment stops. There isn't any further benefit to be had by continuing.The accelerating renown of homeopathy remedies is ready to undoubtedly be put down to, amongst other things, the relative low fee of treatment, and its absence of any side effects.

Homeopathy does not encourage the employ of prescriptive medicines during the treatment of arthritis, patients is in a position to anticipate minimal adverse effects. Almost all painkillers can produce ill effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding, dizziness, and liver damage. During most cases, arthritis patients complete up taking far more prescriptive medications thanks to the evolving ailments. Homeopaths on the other hand focus on the source of the pain, therefore as to deliver a drug-free create of treatment.Homeopathy is too considered to be fewer expensive than the majority traditional forms of treatment in arthritis including medications and surgery. Convenient, safe from side-effects, and efficient, it is not surprising why homeopathy is growing during popularity.

Homeopathy may be imposed to animals. If this is something that you'd be interested in (and why not?), then contact them either by an online form, calling them or mailing them. As you really will be in a position to imagine, they purchase thousands of inquiries, therefore please be patient!You actually can sign up the web and become a member of the National Center for Homeopathy. Even if you actually don't want to pursue this seriously, the knowledge you really may gain would be worthwhile. As you actually may understand, homeopathy is the second almost all widely used medical technique in the world.By joining, you actually will get access to newsletters and the internet magazines full of useful and useful info. Most effective member have access to the library which houses a massive amount of information on homeopathy!

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Wan Xiaoyang from Wuhan, Hubei Province, broke out in an allergy on her face during the National Day holiday, which had the appearance of acne. Instead of seeking medical help, she adopted a do-it-yourself approach by avoiding spicy food, drinking ginger-soaked water and, more aggressively, eating lots of guilinggao (turtle jelly), a dark-colored Chinese herbal jelly that is believed to relieve heat and toxins and dispel acne. It has been a few days now and Wan is still waiting for the dessert to take effect.

Charlene Huang, 25, who has a desk job at an IT company in Shanghai, eats candied ginger seasonally as it is said to dispel cold because of the warming properties of ginger. Huang enjoys its pungent and sweet flavor, but as for warming her up, that has yet to manifest.

It has been a long tradition to use Chinese medical herbs in cooking or processed food products for the health benefits they are believed to possess. And the herbal snacks, usually packaged, easily portable and more durable, have been gaining more popularity in recent years. But do they really have any effect?

A healthy tradition
"As more people are concerned with healthcare, the snacks with Chinese herbs in them have been gaining popularity among consumers. A lot of young people, who are unclear of their health benefits, are simply following suit," said Li Chun, a Beijing-based nutritionist. "Some even consider the snacks with herbal ingredients as superior to average snacks, therefore more people like to try them out."

Popular herbal snacks on the market include turtle jelly, candied ginger, ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) honeyed date and popular beverages such as plum syrup and honeysuckle flower tea. Containing widely used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), they are said to nourish organs, rid the body of toxins, accelerate metabolic function and improve the immune system.

"Chinese diet therapy has been practiced for a long time. Some herbs have been proven to relieve certain symptoms thanks to the different properties they have," said Liu Xianli, a TCM doctor at the Beijing Yuyuantang Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic.

For example turtle jelly, made of a precious turtle spice and other herbal products such as dandelion and honeysuckle flower, can release heat into the body and is beneficial to those who are easily irritated and often feel thirsty, Liu noted.

The ejiao honeyed date, made of gelatin obtained from the skin of the donkey and Chinese date, can help nourish the spleen and stomach and is a good supplement after experiencing symptoms of bleeding and dizziness.

Know your herb
However, the snacks often lack strict instructions for use and are not for everyone. An inappropriate intake can cause side effects, warned both Liu and Li.

"From the perspective of clinical medicine, it is not advisable to mix Chinese medicinal herbs into food products as TCM always prescribes very precise TCM formulas to patients, some of which differ even with patients with the same symptoms," said Liu.

Prescriptions of TCM formulas are based on diagnosis of ailments in the body. One classic herb formula can vary by adding or reducing some herbs depending on the body conditions and the stages the treatment goes through, noted Liu.

For those who are weak and those who are pregnant, an excessive intake of turtle jelly might have a negative effect on their body and won't do them any good, said Li by way of example.

"The effects of different herbs are more complicated than Western medicine and it takes longer to tell their side effects," Li also noted.

Li has not read of side effects that longtime consumers of these snacks have experienced, but people should be aware of the potential problems they might cause in the long term.

When buying such snacks, people should check the instructions on the package to see which category of person the snack is suitable for, said Li.

She also suggested people should seek a balanced diet instead of eating snacks. After all, even if they say they have special health herbs in them, they are still snacks and thus ultimately junk food with little nutritional value.

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Hepatitis B is caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The hepatitis occurs in two stages -- acute and chronic. Acute hepatitis B occurs shortly after exposure to the virus. A small number of people develop a very severe, life-threatening form of acute hepatitis called fulminant hepatitis. Chronic (ongoing, long-term) hepatitis B is an infection with HBV that lasts longer than 6 months. Once the infection becomes chronic, it may be irreversible. HBV infection is one of the most important causes of infectious hepatitis. People with chronic HBV infection are called chronic carriers. About two-thirds of these people do not themselves get sick or die of the virus, but they can transmit it to other people.

The remaining one third develops chronic hepatitis B. liver’s most important functions are filtering many drugs and toxins out of the blood, storing glucose for later use, helping with the absorption of certain nutrients from food, and producing substances that fight infections and control bleeding. Liver damage in chronic hepatitis B, if not stopped, continues until the liver becomes hardened. This is called cirrhosis, a condition traditionally associated with alcoholism. When this happens, the liver can no longer carry out its normal functions, a condition called liver failure. The only treatment for liver failure is liver transplant. Chronic hepatitis B also can lead to a type of liver cancer known as hepatocellular carcinoma. The infection with HBV is almost always preventable. You can protect yourself and your loved ones from hepatitis B. The hepatitis B virus is transmitted from one person to another via blood, semen and saliva. The virus can be transmitted whenever any of these bodily fluids come in contact with the broken skin or a mucous membrane in the mouth, genital organs, or rectum of an uninfected person.

Risk factor for Hepatitis B:
Men or women having multiple sex partners
Having sex with a person infected with HBV
Having People with other sexually transmitted diseases
Injecting drugs with shared needles
Receiving blood transfusions or blood products
Dialysis for kidney disease
Health care workers who are stuck with needles or other sharp instruments contaminated with infected blood
Infants born to infected mothers
Half of all people infected with the hepatitis B virus have no symptoms. Symptoms develop within 1 to 3 months of exposure to the virus. The symptoms are often compared to flu. Most people think they have flu and never think about having HBV infection.

The common symptoms of hepatitis B are:
Loss of appetite
Tiredness
Nausea and vomiting
Itching all over the body
Pain over the liver
Jaundice
Dark color Urine becomes
Pale color Stools

The symptoms in severe form of acute hepatitis are:
Mental confusion
Lethargy
Extreme sleepiness
Hallucinations
Sudden collapse with fatigue
Jaundice
Swelling of the abdomen

Prolonged nausea and vomiting can cause dehydration. If you have been vomiting repeatedly, you may notice these symptoms:

Feeling tired or weak
Feeling confused or having difficulty concentrating
Headache
Not urinating
Irritability
If the disease is acute, our immune system is usually able to clear the virus from the body, and the person should recover completely within a few months. When our immune system can't fight off the virus, HBV infection may become lifelong, possibly leading to serious illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Most people who acquire hepatitis B as adults have an acute infection. But the outlook isn't nearly as hopeful for infants and children. Most infants infected with HBV at birth and many children infected between 1 and 5 years of age become chronically infected. Chronic infection may go undetected for decades until a person becomes seriously ill from liver disease. Hepatitis B is one of six currently identified strains of viral hepatitis â€" the others are A, C, D, E and G. Each strain is unique, differing from the others in severity and in the way it spreads.

Having a chronic HBV infection eventually may lead to serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Having had HBV infection as an infant or child gives you a greater chance of developing these illnesses as an adult. In addition, hepatitis B puts you at risk of acute liver failure â€" a condition in which all the vital functions of the liver shut down. When that occurs, a liver transplant is necessary to sustain life. Anyone chronically infected with HBV is also susceptible to infection with another strain of viral hepatitis â€" hepatitis D formerly known as delta virus, the hepatitis D virus needs the outside coat of HBV in order to infect cells. You can't become infected with hepatitis D unless you're already infected with HBV.

Injection drug users with hepatitis B are most at risk, but you can also contract hepatitis D if you have unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner or live with someone infected with hepatitis D. Having both hepatitis B and hepatitis D makes it more likely you'll develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. A number of hepatitis B vaccines are available. They have typically been given in a series of three immunizations at zero, one and six months, but some can also be given in an accelerated four-dose schedule. Another is given in two doses in adolescents ages 11 to 15. These vaccines provide more than 90 percent protection for both adults and children, and they generally protect against HBV for at least 23 years. You can't get hepatitis B from the vaccine.

Almost anyone can receive the vaccine, including infants, older adults and those with compromised immune systems. Infants often receive the vaccine in the first year of life typically at 2, 4 and 9 months of age. Side effects tend to be mild and may include weakness, fatigue, headache, nausea, and soreness or swelling at the injection site. Although concerns have been raised that the HBV vaccine may increase the risk of autoimmune disease, studies have found no connection. Although vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others from hepatitis B, the measures listed below also can help guard against HBV infection or help manage HBV if you have it.

The following measures can prevent getting hepatitis B infection:

Educate yourself and others.
Know the HBV status of any sexual partner.
Use a new latex or polyurethane condom every time you have sex. Use a sterile needle.
Talk to your doctor if you're traveling internationally.
Be cautious about blood products in certain countries.
If you're pregnant, get tested.
Role of Homeopathy in Hepatitis B:
Homeopathy has a vital role in strengthening your immune system and protecting your body from opportunistic infections. Homeopathic medicine may be used as acute medicines for acute attack of hepatitis B. Constitutional treatment approach is best approach for chronic Hepatitis B infection. When the case is not in advanced liver damage stage homeopathic treatment can halt the progress of the disease and prevent further damage to the liver. Lifestyle changes play an important role in restricting progress of the disease and preventing further damage to the liver. By strengthening your immunity homeopathy protects you from other illnesses which occur as a result of your poor immunity when you are suffering from chronic hepatitis B.

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