To
get rid of stretch marks may seem like a daunting, never-ending story.
In some ways, it can be. As much as we hate to be the ones to break it to
you, there’s no sure-fire way to erase them. But there’s no need
to lose hope.
The
good news is there are a number of real ways that you can potentially improve those unsightly marks so they become nearly invisible over time.
Similarly, certain steps can be taken to help prevent stretch marks from occurring in the future. Let’s take a closer
look.
What are stretch
marks?
Stretch marks
have nothing to do with stretching at the gym. They’re indented streaks in the
skin caused by superficial scars that may develop any time the dermis layer of
the skin is torn, dermatologist Dr. Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas said in an
interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
Many
people equate stretch marks with pregnancy, and it turns out sporting a baby
bump is one of the most common causes. The same story said approximately 90% of
women will experience them during the last trimester when the skin is most
prone to a high degree of stretching to accommodate the growing baby.
But
stretch marks in the skin can occur in men and non-pregnant women. They can
also crop up on breasts, hips, buttocks and thighs, according to the Mayo
Clinic.
While
genetics plays a huge role in who will get stretch marks, other factors include rapid weight gain or loss as well as
high hormonal levels during puberty.
How to treat or get
rid of stretch marks?
While
no magic potion currently exists to get rid of stretch marks, you can minimize the appearance with time, patience, and a
few helpful products.
“Many
stretch marks improve a lot over many months without treatment,” Dr. Oscar
Hevia, a cosmetic dermatologist, told StyleCaster. “But, since stretch marks are essentially a scar from the inside out, there is no
treatment that makes them disappear completely.”
Retinoid
cream may be one of the most promising DIY treatments. Derived from
vitamin A, retinoids such as tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova, Avita) that you apply
to your skin may improve the appearance of stretch marks that are less than a
few months old, according to Mayo Clinic.
Tretinoin
can help to rebuild collagen,
making the stretch marks look more like your normal skin. However, it’s
important to note that tretinoin can irritate your skin.
And
if you’re pregnant or nursing, make sure to check with your doctor about other
treatment options because possible side effects of retinoid cream may affect the
baby.
If
you’d rather avoid retinoids, The Organic Beauty Expert says castor oil can be
a good substitute to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Apply the oil
to the affected area and massage gently in a circular motion, then use a clean
cloth to wrap the affected skin. Next, use a heating pad on the spot for
at least 30 minutes for the best results.
Light
and laser therapies are a more intense option. In the Harper’s Bazaar
story, Alexiades-Armenakas said that the best bet for treating red or
active stretch marks is with in-office treatments using a pulsed dye laser.
“It
won’t work if the marks are old and no longer red,” she told the publication,
“But if you catch stretch marks early, you can help reverse them and prevent
scarring or permanence in one to three monthly treatments usually.”
The
Mayo Clinic also highlighted microdermabrasion as a solid solution. A hand-held
device blows crystals onto the skin, gently removing its topmost layers, which
promotes the growth of new, more elastic skin. This makes stretch marks
less noticeable.
The
Derma Roller System is an at-home option you can try as well. According to the
product, it can be used to improve the appearance of stretch marks, such as
those developed during pregnancy, adolescent growth spurts, rapid muscle
growth, and weight fluctuations. Again, this is according to the product, so
it’s best to remain a bit sceptical!
How to help prevent
stretch marks
While
total prevention is never a guarantee when it comes to stretch marks, you
can take matters into your own hands through a few at-home treatments, some of
which can duly help lessen the appearance of existing stretch marks.
First
of all, it’s imperative to keep the skin as healthy and hydrated as possible,
according to Dr. Kishan Raichura, a skin health expert. He told The Huffington
Post UK, “While it’s impossible to entirely prevent them, pregnant women can
improve skin condition to hopefully reduce the chances by keeping the area well
moisturized and nourished.”
Coconut
oil or olive oil are both great, all-natural products to use in combination
with vitamin E oil or cream to help keep collagen fibers strong. And keep in mind,
drinking enough water is the best way to stay hydrated from the inside out.
In
the same story, Dr. Erich Schulte, founder of QMSMediCosmetics, also mentioned
skin exfoliation as an important part of your daily regimen. “It is a key
benefit as it continues to stimulate the cell turnover and works well in
conjunction with body-firming creams,” he said in the story.
You
can exfoliate the skin through dry brushing or by using an exfoliating wash.
Sugar is also an all-natural exfoliator; mix it with a few drops of lemon juice
and almond oil to make a paste, then gently rub it over your skin.
Nutrition
also plays a role. Top 10 Home Remedies suggests eating a balanced
diet rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, silica, and other nutrients to help
nourish the skin.
The
antioxidant vitamin E is especially crucial as it protects the collagen fibers
in your skin from damage, which promotes skin elasticity. Almonds, olives,
sunflower seeds, spinach, avocados, and pumpkins are all high in vitamin E.
The
most important thing to remember is to be flexible in treating stretch
marks. Find what best works for your body and your lifestyle.
By Justin E King, author of the Erase Your Stretch Marks
program. This program will teach you the natural ways to treat your stretch
marks, how to minimize them, how to get rid of them by using some homemade
cream recipes and nutritional guidelines. For more information about this
program, CLICK HERE to Learn How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks.
High
blood pressure-also known as hypertension or “the silent killer”-affects 1 in 3
adult Americans, or roughly 67 million people, and that number only continues
to grow.
90-95%
of cases are known as primary hypertension, which is hypertension with no underlying
medical cause. The small left-over percentage is caused by conditions such as
kidney disease. But what is this mysterious silent killer?
Blood
and its circulation are vital to sustain life. They supply crucial nutrients
and oxygen to all the cells and organs in our body. They also remove waste and
carbon dioxide. When the heart beats it creates pressure that pushes blood
through your arteries and veins. This pressure, if you haven’t guessed, is our
blood pressure.
Two
forces pump the blood through our bodies, the first being created by the heart
pumping blood out into the arteries, and the second occurs when the heart rests
between beats and blood is drawn back into the muscle. When your blood pressure
rises, damage can occur that upsets this system.
If
you have hypertension, your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood through
the body. And while healthy arteries are made of semi-flexible muscle, the
force of high blood pressure will lead to overstretching their walls.
This
overstretching can lead to tiny tears in blood vessels (known as vascular
scarring) that leaves tissue that catch things such as cholesterol/plaque,
and other blood cells. Building off of the latter, this leads to an increased
risk of blood clots. The walls will also become weakened over time.
Tissue
damage from being oxygen depleted occurs in parts of the arteries on the other
side of a blockage or build-up of plaque, depriving it of fresh oxygenated
blood, and heart attacks and strokes are the result if the pressure becomes too
high.
Before
starting drug therapy, try lifestyle changes and some home remedies for high
blood pressure. Not surprisingly, things such as diet and exercise play a big
role in lowering blood pressure, so always keep those two things at the forefront
of your mind. Medications can be harsh, and while best avoided if possible, if
you are on them, know that natural remedies can interfere with their
functioning.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 1 - Cut the
Salt
Salt
is not the problem when it comes to high blood pressure, per say, but rather
its chemical component sodium. A little bit is fine, but too much sodium
disrupts the balance of fluid in the body.
To
“flush” the excess salt from your system, water is drawn from surrounding tissues.
The higher volume of liquid results in the heart working harder to pump the
blood-hence, high blood pressure.
Sure
we use a lot of table salt on our foods, but still, that amount isn’t enough to
account for the rise in blood pressure. Actually, only 6% of our salt
consumption comes from the table shaker. The vast amounts of salt we consume
daily (on average 1-2 generous teaspoons) couldn’t possibly be caused by the
salt we sprinkle on our food alone.
No
you have to dig a little bit more to get to the source-processed foods. Such an
extraordinary quantity of excess salt is added into processed foods it’s easy
to stray over the healthy limit of sodium intake.
A
specific example-a single microwave “roast turkey” meal can have salt in the
meat, the flavoring, the gravy, the stuffing, and the potatoes, to equal a
whopping 5,400 milligrams of sodium. The utmost maximum daily limited is listed
at 2,300 milligrams-even less for African Americans, men, and anyone over the
age of 51.
If
you fall into one of those categories, you should only consume less than ½
teaspoon a day. Even foods that are labelled low-fat or low in sugar can still
contain a boatload of sodium. Food companies do this to, logically, increase
the value of their products. We get hooked on the flavor. Of all the flavors
(sweet, sour, etc.,) it is the hardest to live without. How do you fight it to
lower your blood pressure?
You will
need…
-the power of will
Directions
In short, slowly add less and less to your cooking. And of course, read the
labels on the food you buy carefully. Remember the number 2,300 for daily
intake of sodium-any higher than that, and it’s a no-go.
You’ll
find yourself turning to home cooked meals, where you can control the amount of
salt added, instead of processed foods. Stick with it, and you will find if you
go back to an excess amount of salt after adjusting your taste buds to less,
you will be close to repulsed at the flavor.
Intensive
research has shown that the more salt you eat, the more you need. If you eat
less salt, you only need to add less to your food or have less in your food, to
be satisfied with a smaller amount.
We
are not born liking salt. A baby will get joy from a droplet of sugar water,
but there is no taste, no craving, for salt until 6 months of age. When studied
children were fed salty foods, versus children who ate more fruits and
vegetables, a craving was created in the former group where none existed
before.
These
cravings can shape you’re eating habits for years. Soups, chips, crackers,
pizza, sauces, fries, etc. etc., it’s easy for even the young generations to
get hooked on salt at an early age. Keep your wits about you!
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 2 - Sip Some Hibiscus
Cultures
across the world have used hibiscus to naturally manage blood pressure, but it
wasn’t until the past decade that studies were actually conducted that showed
there was more to the remedy than just folklore.
First,
hibiscus acts as a diuretic, which draws sodium from the bloodstream, thus
decreasing the pressure on the arterial walls. Even more interesting is how it
can mimic angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
ACE
inhibitors are a common group of pharmaceutical drugs used to treat high blood
pressure. They work by hampering the angiotensin-converting enzyme, which plays
a crucial role in the renin-angiotensin system- a hormone system that regulates
blood pressure and fluid balance.
As
a result of this inhibition, blood vessels relax and blood volume is lowered,
decreasing blood pressure. While certainly not as potent as those ACE drugs
prescribed, it can still be surprisingly effective.
You will
need…
-1-2 teaspoon of dried hibiscus
-1 cup of fresh, piping hot water
-Honey, lemon, or 1-2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
Directions
Bring water to a boil and add the hibiscus and cinnamon sticks (if using them)
and allow it to steep for 5 minutes. Add honey or lemon to taste, and drink 2-3
times daily. This also makes a lovely iced tea for those sticky hot summer
days.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 3 - Drink Coconut Water
Coconut
water is found inside the shell of green, unripe coconuts that retains its
natural benefits in organic and raw form. It contains potassium and magnesium,
both of which relate to regular muscle function, and of course, the heart is a
big giant muscle.
While
there have been some limited studies on the effect of coconut water on
hypertension, many people report anecdotally that it has helped lower blood
pressure.
In
studies, it seemed to particularly affect systolic blood pressure, or the force that
takes place when the heart pumps blood away from it. If you don’t have a
problem with coconut water, it may prove to be a solid remedy for you.
You will
need…
-8 ounces of fresh, organic coconut water
Directions
Drink 8 ounces 1-2 times daily. Morning is ideal if you drink it once a day,
while morning and night works well if you opt to drink it twice a day.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 4 - Fabulous Fish Oil
Of
course this is on here! You may roll your eyes because you’ve seen it
everywhere, but fish oil and its bountiful omega-3
fatty acids are a beautiful thing when it comes to your heart.
While
studies have been wishy-washy on whether or not it actually reduces the risk of
heart attacks or strokes, it has been viewed as successful when it comes to
lowering blood pressure, while also reducing triglycerides and increasing HDL
(“good”) cholesterol. Heart transplant patients have been given fish oil to
reduce the risk of hypertension following a transplant.
You will
need…
-High quality fish oil
Directions
I
prefer liquid fish oil taken in orange juice to the pills which can have
some…unpleasant side effects. Take the amount appropriate for you as indicated
on the back of the bottle.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 5 - Heart Healthy Hawthorn
Hawthorn
is a staple herb when it comes to heart health as it is rich in flavonoids,
namely, oligomeric procyandins (OPC’s) and quercetin.
Flavonoids
are touted as having many benefits, but one of the most intensely studied
conditions that it affects is various forms of heart disease. This includes
arrhythmia, palpitations, improve the function of capillaries, regulate glucose
metabolism and, of course,
reduce arterial blood pressure and the risk of hypertension.
There
are several different mechanical actions that flavonoids can take on the blood,
but pertaining to hypertension the most important may be the widening of the
blood vessels, which ultimately reduces the pressure of the blood.
You
can enjoy hawthorn in the form of a tea or in the form of “balls”, which is
what is given below. The recipe also calls for cinnamon and ginger, which are
great for helping circulation flow smoothly.
It
was the herbalist Rosemary Gladstar who taught me how to make these wonderful
herbal balls, and while I’ve tweaked the recipe some, I’ll forever be grateful
to her for tuning me into this wonderful way of enjoying herbal medicine!
You will
need…
-4 tablespoons of powdered hawthorn berry
-1/2-1 tablespoons of cinnamon powder
-Raw honey
-Water
-Cocoa or carob powder
Directions
Place the cinnamon and hawthorn powder in a bowl and mix the two together. Add
just enough honey and water to make a paste. Thicken the mixture with cocoa
powder or carob powder until it has formed a dough that you can cleanly roll
into small balls no bigger than your index fingernail.
Place
them on a cookie sheet and dry in an oven at a very low temperature (not more
than 150 degrees Fahrenheit) until dry. Store indefinitely in a glass jar out
of direct sunlight and in a cool place.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 6 – Exercise
Along
with diet, exercise should really be number one on this list. Nothing can
replace what exercise does for the body, and in a society where we are becoming
increasingly sedentary, it can take a bit more effort to get out and get
moving-but it’s worth it, especially if you have high blood pressure.
The
heart is a muscle, and it will grow stronger with exercise. It becomes easier
to pump blood and takes less effort, keeping your heart in better condition and
lowering how much force it exerts on your arteries, thus lowering blood
pressure.
Exercise
is, in many cases, all that you need to get your blood pressure back on track.
The top number in a blood pressure reading indicates systolic blood pressure,
which is created by the heart pumping blood away from it.
Exercise
can lower this reading by an average of 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (a unit
of pressure), which is easily as much as some prescription blood pressure
medications. A pleasant side effect of exercise is weight loss, which also does
your heart and arteries a great favor.
You will
need…
-Willpower!
Directions
Try and get in at 30 minutes of exercise a day. You don’t have to run
marathon-even simple chores like scrubbing the floors are good. Anything that
gets your heart rate up and increases your rate of respiration. Make this a
habit. You only get the benefits of exercise as long as you exercise.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 7 - Go For Garlic
Garlic
is one of those home remedy staples. It is rich in beneficial constituents that
address a wide range of ailments, once of which happens to be hypertension.
There is just one little catch though.
Allicin,
the organosulphur-sulfur containing- compound responsible for several of
garlic’s health benefits, doesn’t fare as well in the human body when garlic is
eaten raw. Allicin is relatively unstable, and is typically deactivated when it
comes in contact with a substance with a pH lower than 3, such as our stomach
acid.
However,
when taken in tablet form, there is a guaranteed allicin yield that ensures you
get the proper amount to have solid results when it comes to lowering blood
pressure.
Be
sure when getting the tablets that there is a release of allicin in a
significant, standardized amount-in several studies involved with blood
pressure, 1.8 milligrams per dose lowered blood pressure by 10% within 12
weeks.
You will
need…
-Good quality garlic tablets
Directions
Take as directed on the back of the bottle.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 8 - Melon in the Morning
Every
morning, be faithful to watermelon. Often times watermelon as viewed as a
strictly summer fruit, one for seed spitting contests and barbecues, but it can
also help lower blood pressure.
An
organic compound called citrulline, an a-amino acid, was first isolated in 1914
from watermelon. Once ingested, the body can convert citrulline to the amino
acid L-arginine, which is a precursor to nitric oxide.
To
translate, citrulline-found in watermelon- is converted into
arginine-essentially a chemical building block-which leads to the production of
nitric oxide.
Nitric
oxide talks to various cells and systems in your body that regulates, among
other things, how hard your blood gets pumped through your entire body-also
known as vascular systematic resistance.
It
will widen blood vessels, which lowers vascular resistance, which ultimately
lowers blood pressure. Imagine trying to pump a certain volume of liquid
through a small opening versus a wider opening. The wider opening will allow it
to flow smoothly and easily-it’s the same with blood cells!
You will
need…
-1-2 cups of fresh water melon
Directions
Every morning eat your melon on an empty stomach. If you have a home blood
pressure device, monitor yourself and observe the changes.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 9 - Ginger-Cardamom Tea
A
study done in December of 2009 published in the Indian Journal of Biochemistry
& Biophysics gave a group of participants 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder
daily for several weeks. The results showed a significant reduction in blood
pressure.
While
further research is needed to pinpoint exactly why it seems to help, it has
still proven itself a useful home remedy for high blood pressure. Combined with
ginger and cinnamon, both warming spices that improve circulation, you can make
a lovely tea to help your heart get healthy.
Interestingly
enough, black tea seems to improve blood pressure in some instances. This is
most likely due to the heavy concentration of flavonoid, however if you have blood
pressure that leans towards the more severe side of the scale; the caffeine may
do more harm than good.
This
is particularly delightful warm, spicy, tea to have on chilly winter days (and
when we’re tempted from eating healthier thanks to the holidays!)
You will
need…
-1/2 cup of water
-2-3 teaspoons of honey (or to taste)
-1 teaspoon of cardamom pods
-1/2 teaspoon ginger powder OR 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
-1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
-1 ½ tablespoons black tea or 1 teabag
-1/2 cup milk
-Mortar and pestle
Directions
Crush the cardamom pods to release the oil-there’s no need to grind them
finely. In a saucepan combine all the ingredients except for the honey. Bring
to a boil, then simmer for 6-9 minutes until you get a rich caramel brown
color. Stir in honey and then strain into a mug and enjoy! Drink 1-2 times
daily.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 10 - Cat’s Claw
Decoction
Cat’s
Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a woody climbing vine found in South and Central
America, with its most notable use being in the Amazon rainforest. It is named
after the thorns on the plant which are hooked, much like cats claws.
It
has been used as a traditional remedy in its native habitat for a long time,
but test tube studies finally revealed evidence for promising benefits, one
amongst them being lowering blood pressure.
It
does so by dilating the blood vessels (known as vasodilation) and therefore
lowering the pressure by allowing blood to flow through more readily.
It
can also act as a mild diuretic, getting rid of unneeded salt and water in the
body, which can again reduce hypertension. The tannins and flavonoid are most
likely the main constituents that account for the herbs healing actions.
Here
it is made into a flavorful decoction that will give you all of its benefits. A
decoction is essentially a tea, but is simmered for much longer as it is made
from the woody, tough, fibrous parts of the plant such as roots or (in this
case) bark.
There
are two things to keep in mind when searching for your herb-first, make sure
its scientific name matches the one above (there are several other plants known
as cats claw) and secondly, make sure it is from an ecologically sustainable
Cats Claw should be avoided by women who are pregnant.
You will
need…
-1-2 tablespoons of dried herb
-1 ½-2 cups of cold water
-Honey or lemon to taste
Directions
Place the herb and water in a small saucepan over low heat and bring to a slow
simmer. Cover, and let it simmer for 40-45 minutes. Add more water (or less)
depending on how concentrated you want the tea to be. Strain, add honey or
lemon if desired, and drink once daily.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 11 - Beautiful Blueberry Syrup
Syrups
are, hands down, one of my most favorite ways of incorporating the benefits of
herbs and spices into daily life. While the word “syrup” may make you think of
something sickly sweet and heavy-the opposite of what you want for heart
health-that isn’t the case here.
The
“syrup” that you see on grocery store shelves may not be the best, but made at
home it is a wonderful (delicious) way to give yourself a natural boost. And if
we’re honest with ourselves, sometimes choking down bitter tea makes it hard to
stay on track with a remedy.
Blueberries
are rich in the flavonoid quercetin, the benefits of which are explained in
remedy number 5, as it is also found in hawthorn. You can mix in elderberries
for an extra heart healthy kick as well-surprise, surprise they’re good for
more than just warding off the cold and flu!
You will
need….
-8 tablespoons of dried blueberries OR 4 tablespoons each of dried blueberries
and elderberries.
-4 cups of water
-1 cup of honey
-A pot, strainer, and glass jar with an airtight lid
Directions
Add the dried berries to the water and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain the solids out,
pressing on them to extract any extra juices, and pour the liquid back into the
pot. Stir in the honey, warming the mixture just to ensure the two blend
together thoroughly.
Here
there are two different paths you can take. For thicker syrup, heat the honey
and berry juice over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. If you’d rather not cook
the syrup, and are ok with one that is slightly thinner, skip this step. Once
mixed, bottle and label and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks. Take
1 tablespoon twice daily.
Understanding Blood
Pressure Reading
When
the nurse wraps the cuff around your upper arm and then announces two seemingly
random numbers, what’s going on?
Two
forces pump the blood through our bodies, the first being created by the heart
contracts and pumps blood out into the arteries, and the second occurs when the
heart rests between beats and the heart muscle is refilling with blood.
These
two forces are known as systole and diastole respectively, and are the numbers
you see on a blood pressure reading. The systolic pressure is the top number
(or the first one read) and is the higher number, and the second number is
diastolic, and is the lower number.
So
the next time you get your blood pressure read, remember the first number is
referring the force of blood being pumped away, and the second number is the
heart at rest refilling with blood. The systolic number should be less than
120, while the diastolic number should be less than 80. Anything higher and you
enter pre-hypertension and hypertension.
If
you are looking for some quick relief remedies for hot flashes and night sweats, read on here to find out more. There is
also a video clip about some remedies
for hot flashes and night sweats.
Are
you familiar with the feeling of dread you get when you’re body starts to feel warm and flush?
Because you know what comes next- the discomfort
of the unrelenting heat from another nasty hot flash.
Or
maybe you’re not even aware that it’s happening, in which case maybe you dread
waking up to find your clothes and sheets absolutely soaked in sweat, and then
endure horrible chills while everything dries off?
Hot
flashes and night sweats are some of the frustrating things to get relief from,
since your body basically decided your fate when it mistakenly told your brain
you were overheating (a very simplified way of putting it.)
While
hormones contribute greatly to hot flashes-hence why they are so common during
menopause-other things can cause them as well. I’ve experienced them as side
effects from medications, but stress and even some food and drinks can bring
them on.
While
identifying the cause is important to ultimately remedying your hot flashes
and/or night sweats, these quick relief recipes will help cool you down right
away.
Tip:
Keep a fan on you if you suffer night sweats. Also direct a fan at yourself or
stand in front of the A.C. for an extra cool down when using the spray.
Remedies for Hot
Flashes and Night Sweats #Tip 1 - Plain Ol’ Peppermint Spray
It
seems so plain. Peppermint is refreshing for obvious reasons-it helps cool you
almost instantly and the coolness lasts for a while. It’s one of the best, most
immediate, forms of relief from a hot flash in my opinion.
How
does it work? All thanks to menthol. Our body can tell when there is something
hot or cold, but peppermint isn’t cold temperature wise at all. So why does it
cool us down?
A
protein in menthol activates the same receptor on nerve endings that also sense
cold. So it triggers a message to the brain that says “you’re feeling cold.”
And your nervous system responds accordingly.
So,
really, this isn’t such a plain spray. It’s a very clever one, one that will
help you cool down fast. It doesn’t actually change your temperature, but that
makes no difference in the relief it will bring.
Some
people who use this recipe opt not to use the neutral carrier oil for fear of
it leaving a stain, and use only witch hazel. I have not had any issues, but it
is an option (albeit not the one I’d recommend.)
The
witch hazel speeds evaporation and many people find it adds its own touch of
cool freshness so it’s added for that more than as a carrier.
Alcohol
can dilute essential oils, but the alcohol in witch hazel is not of a high
enough proof to do the job. If you opt to leave out the carrier oil, be sure to
test a spritz on a small patch of skin before using.
You will
need…
-6
tablespoons of witch hazel
-1-6 drops peppermint oil
-1 tablespoon of grapeseed (or another neutral oil)
-Aloe (optional)
Directions
First,
always shake well before using! Also, start with only a drop or two of
peppermint at a time and test your tolerance. It’s strong stuff, especially if
you don’t add in a “true” carrier that dilutes it.
Put
the oils and witch hazel in a mister bottle. Ideally one that is dark glass and
has the spritzer top to it! Shake well and store in cool place out of direct
sunlight. Apply as needed, and for maximum effect, have a fan going. Shake
before every use.
If
you find the spray drying to your skin, apply some high quality, natural aloe
after using it.
Remedies for Hot
Flashes and Night Sweats #Tip 2 - Eucalyptus Cold Compress
Eucalyptus
provides similar benefits to peppermint, but on a lesser scale, and with much
less intensity. This doesn’t mean it’s not effective, but if you’re sensitive
to the strong smell of peppermint, eucalyptus is a great option (and can be
used as a substitute in recipe above.)
Keep
this cooling compress on hand so you don’t need to wait for relief by freezing
them (but put them in a bag so your whole freezer doesn’t smell like
eucalyptus!) or just whip it up on the spot.
You will
need…
-A
medium sized bowl
-Ice
-2 tablespoons of grapeseed or any other neutral oil
-1-4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
-A clean towel about dishcloth sized
Directions
Mix
your oils together well and pour them into your bowl. Toss in a generous amount
of ice, and top it off with cold water. Let it chill for a good 3-5 minutes,
then soak the towel in the water-make sure to really swirl it around to churn
up the essential oils.
Wring
it out and place it across your forehead, the back of your neck, on your
chest-or really any place that you feel needs it most.
Below
is a tip for finding the best cooling spots (aka pulse points.) If the towel
feels like it’s no longer cooling you down, simply dunk it again and repeat!
What’s up with the
pulse?
The
places where you can feel your pulse most strongly, pulse points, are areas
where your blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin. Because the
blood is so close, it can also be cooled quickly. This cooler blood then gets
pumped back through your body, lowering your overall body temperature.
These
points can be palpitated anywhere there is an artery that can be compressed
near the surface of the body. Get familiar with your pulse, and you’ll know the
quickest ways to cooling off.
Some
common ones to keep in mind are-
Brachial
artery-on the inside of your elbow
Femoral
artery-at the groin
Radial
artery-at the wrist
Carotid
artery-at the neck
Play
around and see what works best for you. What works for one person may not work
for you, and vice versa. Get to know your body, get familiar with what may
trigger your hot flashes (e.g. spicy foods or stress), and add in prevention as
much as possible. And I’ll re-iterate once again that a fan when combined with
the peppermint spray truly is wonderful.
Remedies for Hot
Flashes and Night Sweats #Tip 3 - Chill
Your Feet (and check your pulse)
This
is something that I generally avoid-my hands and feet tend to be chilly enough
as it is. But in the midst of a hot flash, a quick cool down is what matters
most to me.
There
are pulse points on the tops of your feet (this is the dorsalis pedis artery),
and on the sides of your ankles, just below the ankle bone (your posterior
tibial artery).
Because
the blood is so close to the surface of the skin, it cools down quicker. This
cooler blood then gets pumped throughout the body, eventually lowering you
overall core temperature.
When you start to feel the flush coming on, plunging your feet into a bowl of
icy cold up the ankles can help you fend off the heat.
You will
need…
-A
bowl or shallow tub for your feet
-Cold water, preferably with ice
-A clean soft towel
Directions
Fill
your tub with cold water and ice, and soak your feet. You can use the cool
compress (above) simultaneously on any of your other pulse points as well. This
makes for a super effective combo!
Why No Clary Sage as
One of the Remedies for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats?
It’s
the essential oil most often touted as helping to “balance hormones.” It is
said to be estrogenic, that is, it acts like estrogen or possibly induces the
body to make more, thus balancing out your estrogen levels and lessening the
hot flashes.
Clary
sage has a component called sclareol, which is structured in a similar way to
estrogen. The thinking goes that because it has a similar structure, sclareol
has estrogenic action. But action simply means that it has the ability to bind
to an estrogen receptor.
What
it does there is a whole other story. It could possibly even block and decrease
estrogen, which wouldn’t be helpful at all. There just aren’t enough specific
studies that document how it actually acts for me to say it’s truly balancing
your hormones.
However!
That being said, that doesn’t mean clary sage isn’t helpful for dealing with
PMS/cramps/hot flashes. Many people find it extremely helpful and get great
relief from it-so if you want to use it, go for it!
Just
know that whatever mechanism brings about the relief probably isn’t from
“balancing hormones” that you’ll see blaring everywhere. There have been
studies that show it reduces cortisol levels when inhaled, which would lower
stress, which can contribute to things like hot flashes. It’s a lovely oil and
effective for many people, so again, don’t hold back!
The
diet of our ancestors is completely different from what we are so accustomed to
these days. With the advancement of technology, the types of foods we consume
are dragged along.
A
trip to the grocery store will shock you with aisles and aisles of processed
food items and animal products. You will not have a hard time finding fast food
when eating out as practically every corner of the street has one.
Even
fad diets are partly to blame, for introducing a whole new eating habit, such
as high-protein diets. In the recent years, consumption of animal products and
refined food items has increased, as more and more people leave out the daily
supply of fruits
and vegetables
in their diet.
It
comes as no surprise why, these days, many are suffering from different types
of allergies, bone diseases, heart problems and many others. Some health
experts link these diseases to the type of foods we eat.
There
are certain types of food that disrupts a certain balance in our body that,
during such instance, health problems arise. If only we could modify our eating
habits, it’s not unlikely that prevention of diseases and restoration of health is achieved.
The Importance of
Alkaline
Our
bodies need to maintain a healthy and steady alkaline to acid ratio, which is
signified by the pH level of our body. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, and
anything lower than 7 is considered acidic.
Processed
food items, meat and meat products, sweets, and some beverages and condiments
generally produce excessive amounts of acidity in the body.
Acidosis,
abnormally high acidity level in the blood and other tissues of the body, is
the one thing that several different diseases have one thing in common. And
many health experts believe that acidosis is responsible for a lot of fatal
diseases that many people are afflicted with these days.
Alkaline,
on the other hand, naturally occurs in the body to neutralize excess acidity in
the body, which is its main role. However, alkaline also becomes depleted at
times – especially when there’s too much acid it needs to get rid of, and we do
not consume foods that replenish our body’s alkalinity.
Maintaining a Healthy
pH Level
As
mentioned earlier, acidosis leads to many health-related problems. Dangerous
levels of acid get to circulate in our body and break into tissues and organs
when not properly neutralized.
To
prevent this, one must see to it that a healthy pH balance in the body is
maintained. And to offset the excessive amounts of acid is to increase your
body’s alkalinity.
Determining
whether or not your pH levels are prevalently alkaline may be done with
easy-to-use pH level strips which you can purchase in drug stores or medical
supplies stores. There are pH level strips meant for testing using your saliva,
and there are those for using your urine.
Basically,
a saliva pH level strip will determine how much acid your body is producing;
normally it’s between 6.5 and 7.5 throughout the day. While a urine pH level
strip will tell how well you excrete excess amounts of acid; you should get
between 6.0 and 6.5 in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 at night.
The Dangers of
Excessive Acid
If
you constantly experience exhaustion, headaches and having frequent colds and
flu, then that could be it – you have high acid levels in your body.
But
the ill effects of acidosis in the body don’t stop there; you might be
surprised at the wide-ranging types of diseases you could get with dangerous
levels of acid in your body.
Depression, hyperacidity,
ulcer, skin dryness, acne
and obesity are some of those linked to excessive acid levels in the body. Then
there are those that are more serious such as joint diseases, osteoporosis, bronchitis, frequent infections and heart diseases.
Even
if you begin to take medications for these illnesses, the symptoms may be
masked, but they will still continue to affect your health as you are not
attacking them from their roots. No matter what medications you take – pills,
anti-inflammatory and the like – your body will only become more acidic because
of these medications.
Alkaline Diet
Approach
To
get to the roots of these health problems, the body’s pH level must be brought
back to normal. There are alkaline foods that can help replenish the depleted
alkaline levels in the body while neutralizing excess amounts of acid. Through
an alkaline diet, sufficient amounts of alkaline are re-introduced into the
body, thus bringing back the pH level to predominantly alkaline.
So
how do you incorporate an alkaline diet into your eating habits?
First,
you can start by cutting down your intake of processed foods. These type of
foods contain chemicals that only increase the acidity of your body ones
they’re digested.
Second,
steer clear of meat and meat products, dairies and alcohol. Third, load up on
fresh fruits and vegetables, as they naturally are high in alkalinity.
Even
acidic fruits like oranges and lemons become alkaline after they have been
digested and absorbed by the body.
As
a general rule, 75% of your daily food consumption should consist of alkalizing
foods. The more alkaline foods we provide our bodies with, the more efficient
the neutralization of excess acids will be.
