Most people suffering of asthma have
similar symptoms like coughing, wheezing, a feeling of pain or pressure in the
chest and shortness of breath.
These symptoms become more acute when
the imminence of an asthma attack is higher and other symptoms, such as
difficulty in talking, pale lips, feelings of fear and panic are added to
these.
Yet, even though generally these
symptoms are characteristic for almost all asthmatics, there are more types of
asthma which can be encountered.
Depending on the moment of the day when
asthma is triggered or the factors which provoke it, there can be individuated
about five types of asthma. One of the most common types of asthma is the
allergic asthma.
In this case the allergies and asthma
go hand in hand, causing asthma attacks whenever the individual comes in
contact with the allergens to which they are sensitive to. In this case, to the
common symptoms of asthma are also added those of allergy rhinitis, such as
runny and swollen nose, continuous sneezing, weepy eyes and excessive mucus.
Another very frequent type of asthma is
the exercise-induced asthma. This type of ailment is mainly triggered by
physical exercises. If you have noticed that the asthma attacks are only
happening when you run or do physical exercises, then you are probably
suffering of exercise-induced asthma. In order to be able to breath normally
when exercising you may need to get an inhaler and use it before actually
starting your daily exercise routine.
The cough-variant asthma is triggered
by extremely powerful coughing, which will simply not stop. There are many
factors which can stay behind the extreme cough, such as rhinitis, sinusitis or heartburn. Thus, if you cough a lot and
feel like you are choking during the periods with excessive cough, make sure
you visit a doctor.
The occupational asthma and the night
time asthma are the last two types of asthma. They occur only in particular times
of the day (the working hours in case of the occupational asthma and the night
time during the night time asthma). If your asthma attacks are getting more
acute in these periods, then you are suffering of one of these two types of
ailments.
No matter which type of asthma you
(think) you have, it is highly important to go to the doctor for an accurate
diagnostic, which will enable you to start the right treatment for your type of
asthma.
For many people asthma is a condition with which they will have to live with
all their lives. They will have to get used to being caught by surprise by an
asthma attack. Yet, learning how to live with asthma is not an easy thing to do
and even for asthmatics who have long dealt with disease coping with it is
difficult.
The first thing that you will have to
do after you discover your asthma is to make sure you take your medicine
whenever you have to. Not taking them may have serious consequences and
sometimes results in even more serious symptoms and an aggravation of this
condition, as the inflammation starts developing immunity to medicine, of these
are not taken regularly.
Then, you will have to tell all those
living and working besides you that you are an asthmatic and that you may need
help in case of an attack. Suffering from this ailment is not a shame, so
keeping it to yourself will not help you in any way.
Instead of trying to hide your state of
health from the others, explain them what they should do in case of emergency
and how should they react if you are not feeling well.
It is also highly important that you do
not stop doing all your current activities. You will be encouraged to get out
of the house and do physical movement.
Even though it may be a little more
difficult at the beginning, especially for those suffering from
exercise-induced asthmatics, things will get easier and more fun with time.
Time will also make the medicine routine easier and will make you understand
better your condition.
What is highly important is to never
give it up. Asthma is an ailment which with you can live. There have not been
reported any people who have died because of asthma, so you will not have to
panic about this either.
Moreover, if you have a healthy
nutrition, make regular exercises and take your medicine in due time, you
condition may improve and you will be able to live your life as an active,
normal person for a long period of time.
This post is from the Asthma Relief Forever Program. It is
created by Jerry Ericson, Alternative Medical Practitioner, Researcher and
Author of Asthma Free Forever. As a former asthma suffer for over 30 years,
Jerry will share with you his all-natural, no side-effect solution to cure
asthma for good. He is no longer a slave to his inhaler.
If you’ve experienced a urinary tract infection
(UTI), well, you understand there’s a reason the acronym rhymes with “cry.” You
sit on the toilet darn near blubbering because you can’t pee but you feel like
you have to-oh how you feel like you have to! And when/if you do manage to get
a little out, it burns with the fire of ten thousand suns. Then you go about
your day crunched over and cramping and absolutely miserable.
So what evil forces are at work here when you
are suffering like that? Your urinary system is made up of your urethra, which
carries urine out of the bladder when you pee, your bladder, which holds your
urine, your ureters, which carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, and your
kidneys, which filter waste from the blood to produce urine.
A UTI happens when bacteria makes its way up
the urethra. This can happen in any number of ways… you hold in urine instead
of going to the bathroom, having a catheter, and for women not peeing after
intercourse increases the risk. But no matter the case the result is the same -
misery.
If your UTI goes on for more than a few days or
gets worse, it is important to see your doctor. If the infection spreads
through your urinary system and to your kidneys, you can end up with a nasty
situation on your hands. But to fight them off in the beginning, here are some
home remedies for UTI’s that can help get things flowing smoothly (and
painlessly) once again.
When
it comes to herbs that ease UTI’s, here are the main properties to look for:
Anti-microbial
properties: Helps to wipe out the bacteria causing the infection.
Diuretic properties:Diuretics are used to treat a number of problems, and
work by increasing the amount of sodium your kidneys excrete in urine. When
they excrete sodium, they take water along with it, and the amount of fluid in
your blood goes down.
Less fluid means less pressure on the arteries, this is why it’s
used to treat high blood pressure. In the case of UTI’s we just want to
encourage an increased amount of urine to keep flushing out bacteria and
relieving discomfort.
Anti-inflammatory
properties:When
the lining of the urethra becomes inflamed it can cause serious discomfort. By lessening the irritating inflammation, you
can relieve the associated pain. It’s no fun feeling scared every time you need
to pee.
Anti-spasmodic
properties: Anti-spasmodics can help relieve any painful spasm or
cramp caused by a UTI. Generally, a spasm takes place in the bladder.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #1 - Drink Water - A lot of Water
This may not sound like the most extraordinary remedy, but it is
one of the most important things you can do when you have a UTI. It can help
flush out bacteria, and (almost) more importantly, it gives you something to
actually push out when you pee!
A lot of home remedies for urinary tract infections are drinks
because you should always be flushing fluid through your system to give it a
helping hand in getting rid of the nasty bacteria.
You
will need…
-An ice cold glass of fresh water
Directions
Drink like a fish stranded in the desert at the first hint of an infection. Get
your 8 glasses, and then some more. Keep clearing out your urinary tract and
you may be able to bounce back rather quickly-or at least be comfortable!
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #2 - Go Pee!
It may sound obvious, but when you need to pee-UTI or not- do
it! If you hold it in, you increase the chance that bacteria will develop and
multiply and cause an infection. If you do have a UTI, every time you pee you
get out a little bit more of that bacteria. Even though it can be
uncomfortable, peeing every chance you get is a vital part of recovering.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #3 - Drink ‘Soda
No, not soda as in a sugary soft drink, soda as in baking soda,
that miraculous substance that can help anything from heartburn to, of course,
UTI’s. Baking soda is an alkaline substance-the opposite of
acidic-which means it can help neutralize or lessen the acidity of your urine.
If you find yourself resisting the urge to pee because of a
burning sensation, baking soda can help ease the discomfort.
You
will need…
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-8 ounces of fresh water
Directions
Stir the baking soda into the water until it dissolves, and then drink the whole
glass. Do this first thing in the morning. Don’t do this for more than a week,
or if you are trying to avoid salt, since baking soda is high in sodium.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #4 - Enjoy Parsley Water
Aside from the fact that it makes a wonderfully refreshing after
dinner drink, parsley water can help relieve a urinary tract infection and
speed up the healing process by acting as a diuretic. Diuretics are used to
treat a number of problems, and work by increasing the amount of sodium your
kidneys excrete in urine.
When they excrete sodium, they take water along with it, and the
amount of fluid in your blood goes down. Less fluid means less pressure on the
arteries, this is why it’s used to treat high blood pressure.
In the case of UTI’s we just want to encourage an increased
amount of urine to keep flushing out bacteria and relieving discomfort. Parsley
is thought to work by inhibiting a Na+-K+ (sodium and potassium) pump. By
inhibiting the reabsorption, sodium levels rise.
To balance out the concentration, kidneys excrete more sodium in
the urine. More sodium means more water which means an overall increased output
of urine.
You
will need…
-Roughly 1 cup of fresh parsley OR 2 tablespoons of dried parsley
-1-2 cups of water
Directions
Bring water to a boil and add the parsley if you are using
fresh-which is preferable in my opinion. Reduce the heat so it simmers steadily
and let the leaves infuse the water like this for 6-10 minutes. Strain the
leaves out and drink the water hot. If it’s a hot summer day, pop it in the
fridge for refreshing parsley “iced tea.”
If you use dried parsley, simply place it in a cup of boiling
water, cover, and steep for 8 minutes before straining and drinking.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #5 - Chew Some Celery Seeds
Celery seeds also act as a diuretic, due mainly to one of the
constituents of celery oil, butylphthalide. If parsley water just isn’t your
thing, chewing a handful of celery seeds can help increase the production of
urine. If you want to get some more fluid, make celery seed water (follow the
method for dried parsley.)
You
will need…
-A handful of celery seeds
Directions
Once or twice a day, snack on celery seeds right after a meal-it can also help
with digestion, so why not? If you do this daily, some anecdotal evidence
suggests it can help prevent UTI’s.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #6 – Cucumbers
This is an easy one for me- I love cucumbers! I don’t know why,
but they’re one of my favorite snacks. While other kids at lunch were busy
swapping candy bars, I was eyeing the cucumber slices.
Thanks to their high-water content, cucumbers are a great way to
get to get extra fluid through your system when you find yourself having a hard
time drinking enough water.
You
will need…
-1 cucumber, sliced
Directions
Rinse and slice a cucumber - enjoy!
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #7- Maybe Avoid the 4 C’s
Chocolate, citrus, carbonation, and caffeine - these are 4
things that you should avoid if you find yourself getting UTI’s frequently. All
of them can irritate the lining of the bladder, and potentially make it easier
for bacteria to adhere.
Citrus will increase the acidity of your urine, which will make
it even more painful to pee. When possible, try to steer clear of as much of
these as you can - it’s not easy, but it can make life more bearable. On the
other hand, some people can find citrus actually helps, hence the “maybe” in
the title.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #8 - Use Heat
It’s not just peeing that hurts when you have a urinary tract
infection-the inflammation and irritation can cause a constant, nagging
discomfort that makes you feel painfully cramped up.
When this happens, applying heat over your bladder can bring
some serious relief. The gentle warmth will relax your muscles, melting away
the pain caused by spasms or inflammation.
You
will need…
-A hot water bottle (or something similar)
Directions
Fill up your bottle with water that is hot, but still
comfortable to the touch. It should be “toasty” not burning hot. It shouldn’t
feel like a hot hard lump, but rather feel like a waterbed. This way, the
surface of the bottle can lie flatter than if it was bulging and rounded with
water.
Wrap it in a dishtowel and lie down, placing it right over your
bladder. You can lightly rest your hands on it to increase contact, but don’t
press on it-when you’re so uncomfortable it can be tempting to try and “push”
the pain away, but it doesn’t work. Leave the bottle on for as long as needed.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #9 - Ginger Tea
No list dealing with any condition that involved any kind of
inflammation would be complete without ginger. Its chemical make-up allows it
to block prostaglandin synthesis, a process which creates little messengers
(aptly called prostaglandins.)
Prostaglandins communicate about a variety of biological
processes, such as inflammation. They also transmit pain signals to neurons. It
can therefore help to prevent inflammation, reduce current inflammation, and
reduce pain. This is the same process that OTC anti-inflammatory
medications-just without all the nasty side-effects!
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #10 - Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is bit further down than you might expect on a
list of home remedies for a UTI, but its helpfulness is not set in stone as
much as people seem to think. The idea behind it is that the bacterium that
causes UTI’s have fimbria (hair-like) appendages-that make it possible to cling
onto the lining of the urethra. The combination of acidic substances in the
juice may make it harder for the fimbria to stick to things, thus reducing
chance of infection and/or making it harder for bacteria to multiply.
Studies seem to show that it does indeed help, however, it is
the most effective on women who have had UTI’s before or suffer reoccurring
infections. You also need to drink a decent amount of it to get the effects,
and many people in the studies withdrew because they found themselves with a
stomachache. All of that being said, it is worth trying-and you may just find
that it really does work for you.
You
will need…
-Cranberry Juice
Directions
If possible, get “real” cranberry juice, or at least juice that
isn’t loaded with sugar. Drink a full 8 ounces glass three times daily. To
potentially prevent infections, drink 1-2 daily.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #11- Blueberries
Blueberries are from the same genus as cranberries, Vaccinium,
and may also help ward off potential UTI’s by affecting the fimbria of the
bacteria trying to attach itself to the urinary tract.
Blueberry juice isn’t as easy to come by as cranberry juice (and
is usually mixed with things like grape or apple juice), so try consuming these
tasty berries whole instead.
You
will need…
-1-2 cups fresh blueberries
Directions
Rinse your berries and enjoy them daily. They make the perfect
addition to just about any breakfast; I absolutely love them in oatmeal.
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #12 – Horseradish
Originally from Europe and a member of the cabbage family,
horseradish is known for spicy, pungent, sinus-clearing spread made from the
white roots of the plant. A natural compound in the plant, allyl isothiocyanate
(AITC), has a strong antimicrobial effect.
While cranberries and blueberries may be bacteriostatic, meaning
they inhibit the reproduction of bacteria, AITC is bactericidal, which means it
kills bacteria outright. It does so by attacking the cellular membrane of the
bacterium, making it impossible to be viable or survive.
You
will need…
-1/2 teaspoons fresh horseradish (root)
-A grater
-A glass of water or milk
Directions
Grate the fresh horseradish and start by taking 1 teaspoon twice
a day. The max dosage is 1 ½ teaspoons three times daily, stopping if stomach
upset occurs. If you have a hard time with the spice, a glass of water or milk
nearby can help. I find milk to be preferable as water can sometimes seem to
spread the spice around!
Home
Remedies for UTI Pain - Tip #13 - Cream of Tartar & Lemon
This is an old home remedy, not a shiny
“this-new-study-just-found” type of remedy, but I love it anyways. Sometimes
these old gems work better than anything else you can hunt down, and sometimes
they don’t make any difference at all.
Cream of tartar may work because it changes the pH of your
urine, making a less-friendly environment that makes it harder for bacteria to
thrive in. Add in a bit of lemon or lime juice for vitamin C, and you’ve got a
powerful bacteria-killing concoction that can dry a UTI right up.
You
will need…
-1 ½ teaspoons cream of tarter
-Lemon or lime juice (preferably fresh)
-Fresh water
Directions
Stir cream of tartar into ½-1 cup of warm water. Add a dash of
lemon or lime juice, and drink 1-2 times a day. This can also help prevent UTIs
when taken daily.
Like blueberries, red raspberries grow wild up
the north woods. I have many fond memories seeking out berry patches and
eagerly plucking the little red gems off the plant. Unlike blueberries, I would
never collect the raspberries, but pop them in my mouth right then and there.
It wasn’t until I was much older that I would learn that there was more to the
plant than just the delicious fruit!
What’s
in Raspberry Leaf Tea for Women’s Health and What Does It Do?
Red
raspberry leaves are known for easing the pain of menstrual cramps, but it can also
help digestive woes as well as support heart health. It has also traditionally been used
by pregnant women, as well as post-partum, the thought process being that
it can ease labor by helping with pain as well as quickening the process, and
“toning” the uterus. There’s quite a bit of mixed research on this, however,
anecdotal evidence is extremely strong when it comes to its efficacy and I know
of quite a few women who swear by it.
The
leaves are rich in magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iron, as well as zinc and
phosphorus. The leaves also contain a plethora of b-vitamins (B1-thiamine,
B2-riboflavin, B3-niacin, B5-pantothenic acid, B6-pyridoxine, and B9-folate) as
well as vitamin C.
Magnesium and potassium are both macro-minerals, which the body
needs in larger amounts to support proper functioning. Iron is a trace
mineral-still important, of course, but we don’t need as much of it as
macro-minerals. Below the recipe is a simplified and brief explanation for some
of the most important constituents of red raspberry leaf, and how they help the
body.
If you decide to consume red raspberry leaf during pregnancy, it
is recommended that you wait until your third trimester. Start with 1 cup
daily, and over the course of several weeks move up to 3 cups daily. Should you
wish to start consuming it sooner, check with a holistic health care provider
or your doctor for details.
You
will need…
-2-3 teaspoons of dried red raspberry leaf OR 2-3 tablespoons
fresh
-Water
-Your favorite mug
-Honey or lemon (optional)
Directions
Bring water to a boil and place your leaves in a strainer or tea
ball in your mug. Fill the mug with fresh, boiling water and cover, letting it
steep, for 6-8 minutes. Remove the leaves, add honey or lemon to taste, and
enjoy!
The
Nitty-Gritty on Red Raspberry Leaf for Women’s Health & Why It’s Good
Magnesium
Magnesium
is a co-factor over 300 enzyme reactions in the body. Needless to say-it’s kind
of important. It regulates protein synthesis-one of the most fundamental
biological processes-, muscle and nerve function-including nerve impulse,
muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm, as well as blood glucose control, blood pressure, and energy production.
It aids structural development of bone, and plays a role in the
synthesis (basically, production) of DNA and RNA. If you need a little
reminder, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a self-replicating material present in
just about every living thing.
It is the carrier of genetic information. RNA (ribonucleic acid)
is present in all living cells, and essentially carries instructions for DNA
regarding the synthesis of proteins. There’s really no simple way to sum up
that process…but it’s important!
Potassium
Potassium plays a large role in smooth muscle function. Smooth
muscle is the kind in your intestines, heart, etc. as opposed to skeletal
muscle. Skeletal muscle you think about contracting-like when you flex your
bicep. Smooth muscle is subconscious-you don’t think about making your
heartbeat, or your intestines contract to push food through. Potassium conducts
electricity, along with calcium and magnesium, which regulates the impulses to
move these muscles.
Calcium
Much like the other vital minerals, the body cannot produce
calcium on its own-which is why it is so important to consume enough of it from
healthy outside sources (I am not one to drink a lot of milk, so this was a
“concern” for me growing up. Don’t worry-there are other ways to get what you need!)
Roughly 99% of the calcium in our bodies is concentrated in our
bones and teeth, but it also helps nerves fire, blood to clot, and works with
potassium and magnesium to contract muscles. It is, in fact, so vital to muscle
function that your body will draw it from your very bones if you do not ingest
enough.
Iron
Iron is a mineral that has several roles in the body, the
biggest one being the creation of healthy oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
Roughly two-thirds of the bodies iron is found in the protein haemoglobin,
which is responsible for carrying oxygen from our lungs to other parts of the
body.
Anaemia is when you don’t have enough haemoglobin and is usually
when people start taking iron supplements. Exhaustion, a racing heart, restless
legs, shortness of breath-all are common signs of anaemia. Women are at the
highest risk.
Zinc/Phosphorus
Zinc is a vital part of the immune system, and also ties into
the creation of proteins and DNA. Phosphorus, after calcium, is the most
abundant mineral in the human body, with 85% of it being located in the bones
and teeth. It works closely with calcium to build strong bones and teeth.
B/C
Vitamins
In
short, B complex vitamins do a variety of jobs, often times working together.
They convert nutrients to energy, maintain skin and hair health, regulate stress hormones, and boost HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol.)
Vitamin C helps the body form and maintain some of
its vital components, including blood vessels, skin, connective tissue, and
bones.
When you take a look at the breakdown of the leaves, it’s not
hard to see why they would be helpful for heart health, muscles, or even
strengthening the uterus. There is no magic “super herb” out there, but red
raspberry leaf tea is a great herbal tea to add to
your daily routine to keep everything running smoothly.
Homemade
Hot Pepper Cream for Arthritis & Joint Pain
The
active component in hot peppers that gives them their heat is called capsaicin,
and the hotter the pepper, the higher the level of capsaicin there is. While
rubbing something that seems flaming hot onto your sore joints doesn’t
initially seem like it would help arthritis, capsaicin cream is commonly sold OTC as
a pain reliever.
Why?
Capsaicin depletes a neurotransmitter called
substance P, which is responsible for sending pain signals to our brain. If we
block the big P, we never get the memo that something is hurting, and therefore
end up pain free.
Instead
of paying for the arthritis cream at the store, try making your own.
It offers great peace of mind to know what exactly you are absorbing into your
skin, and it’s rewarding to make yourself.
Note: It is
normal for there to be somewhat of a burning sensation when first applied. If
you have sensitive skin, use with caution. Always wear gloves when handling hot
pepper powder, and avoid any contact with your eyes. If you wanted to look
extra awesome when you make this, a pair of goggles isn’t a bad idea.
Homemade
Cream Recipes for Arthritis and Joint Pain#1 - Original Capsaicin Cream
Recipe
You
will need…
-3 tablespoons of cayenne powder
-1 cup of grapeseed oil (or any other oil like almond, olive, jojoba)
-1/2 cup of grated beeswax
-A double boiler
-A glass jar with a tightly fitting lid
Directions
Mix together 3 tablespoons of cayenne powder with 1 cup of your oil of choice
and heat in a double boiler for 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Stir in a 1/2
cup of grated beeswax and continue to stir until it has melted completely and
everything is blended together.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, and then
whisk together. Chill for another 10-15 and then whip again before putting it
in a glass jar with a tightly fitting lid and storing in the refrigerator. It
will keep for 1 ½ weeks-apply daily as needed for pain.
Homemade
Cream Recipes for Arthritis and Joint Pain#2 - Super-Strength Cream
The hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it has, making this
cream super strength.
You
will need…
-1 cup of beeswax
-4 tablespoons of Habanero powder
-4 cups of grapeseed or another oil, such as almond, jojoba, or olive
-Gloves
-A double boiler
-A glass jar with a tightly fitting lid
Directions
Combine 4 tablespoons of Habanero powder with 4 cups of grapeseed or olive oil
in a double boiler. Let this mixture warm up over medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
After it’s warmed, melt 1 cup of beeswax into the mixture and stir it until
everything is smoothly blended together. Let it chill for 10 minutes in the
refrigerator and then whisk together.
Chill for another 10-15 minutes and then whip together once more
before pouring into a glass container with a tightly fitting lid and
refrigerating it. It should keep its potency for 1 1/2 weeks. Apply as needed
for pain, stopping use if any irritation occurs.
Homemade
Cream Recipes for Arthritis and Joint Pain#3 - Little Bit Extra Cream
This
cream includes the other notable anti-inflammatory’s and pain reducers turmeric and ginger, as well as cayenne.
You
will need…
-3 cups of grapeseed oil, or any other oil like almond, jojoba, or olive
-3 tablespoons of ground cayenne
-1/2 cup of beeswax
-3 tablespoons of turmeric
-2 tablespoons of ground ginger
-A double boiler
Directions
Mix
together 3 tablespoons of ground cayenne, 3 tablespoons of turmeric, and 2 tablespoons of ground ginger. Add
this to 3 cups of grapeseed oil in a double boiler and stir until mixed
thoroughly. Warm over medium heat for 5-10 minutes and then add in 1/2 cup of
beeswax.
Stir until the beeswax has melted completely and everything is
blended together, and then remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator for
10 minutes. After 10 minutes take it out and whisk it together and then
refrigerate for another 10, blending it once more at the end.
Put in a glass jar with a tightly fitting lid in the
refrigerator, where it will keep for 1 ½ weeks. Apply as needed for pain, but
with this cream, rub in as much as you can and then let it dry before rinsing
off. The turmeric will really stain.
When
you use your cream, really take the time to gently massage it into each aching joint. The little bit of stimulation helps
get your circulation pumping and circulates blood through your joints. This
gets much needed oxygen and nutrients to them, which is especially good for osteoarthritis.
Don’t forget to wear gloves when handling super
spicy stuff (like the habanero) and stop using if it causes too much
irritation.
If you don’t want the little bits of spices in there, follow the
steps below to get a smooth infused oil to use in the cream (this makes it
easier to get absorbed.)
Mix together your oil and spices for whichever recipe you choose
to do. Heat over medium heat in a double boiler for 15 minutes, and then remove
it to cool and infuse for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, strain through a cheesecloth and reserve the
infused oil. After it is strained melt the beeswax in a double boiler, and pour
in the infused oil. Stir until blended thoroughly, and then follow the same
steps for chilling, whipping, and storing as above.
Warning:
These spices stain. Do wear an apron or clothes, you don’t mind putting at risk
when making these.
Avoid Stroke and Heart
Attack - How Paleo Cause Stroke and Heart Attack
Diets
seem to come and go all the time, but the paleo diet has been going from strength to
strength.
Have
you felt tempted to try it?
If
you’ve adopted “the caveman diet” for heart health reasons, then a new study in
the European Journal of Nutrition might come as a shock to you.
For
those who don’t know, the paleo diet promotes foods that hunter-gatherers would
have eaten more than 10,000 years ago (in the Paleolithic era—hence the name)
things like fish, lean meats, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. It forbids foods
like dairy products, grains, legumes, potatoes, added sugar, salt, and
processed foods.
The
new study—carried out by researchers from Edith Cowan University in Western
Australia—investigated the effect of the paleo diet on gut health, since previous studies
contradicted each other on this issue.
They
recruited 47 people who had eaten a relatively healthy diet for the previous 12
months, together with 44 people who had eaten a paleo diet for at least the
previous 12 months.
The
paleo group was divided into a strict paleolithic group that consumed less than
one serving of grains and dairy per day and a pseudo-paleolithic group that
consumed more than one serving of these food groups per day.
Unsurprisingly,
they found that the paleo groups were eating more fat than the other groups and
that the strict paleo group consumed the most protein. They also discovered that the
paleo dieters were not short of fiber, as one may have expected, given the lack
of grains and legumes on their plate.
Still,
that wasn’t enough to save the paleo crowd, as their blood, urine, and stool
samples revealed a few unsavory truths.
Firstly,
they had much more trimethylamine-n-oxide (TMAO) in their blood than the other
subjects. TMAO is a compound that’s produced in our intestines, and too much of
it spells bad news.
Almost
all the research up to now says that it’s a major heart disease risk.
The
TMAO levels were highest in the strict paleo group, the people that consumed
almost no grains at all, so their heart disease risk goes way up.
Avoid Stroke and Heart
Attack- The Tasty Treat
that Cuts Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
Bad
food tastes good. That’s part of the reason why it can be so difficult to beat
conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It’s unfortunate that
your cardiovascular health is not best friends
with many of the sweet things in this world.
But
if you do have a sweet tooth then we have some good news for you, because there
is one fabulous feel good food that tastes great and can still help your
health.
But
it’s not the only antioxidant that cocoa beans are choc full of. There are even
more of these helpful substances which are so beneficial to vascular health,
and which also take the fight to free radicals—the harmful molecules which
contribute to oxidation in the body.
Increased
oxidation opens the way for LDL cholesterol—the bad sort—to start
forming plaque on the arterial walls. As a result,
they become narrower and more rigid, which is a perfect recipe for heart attack and stroke.
There
are many things in the environment that can cause damage to the body, like
pollution, cigarette smoke, and even too much sunlight, and antioxidants help
to mop up the effects of all of them, before they can do their damage.
But
it isn’t just the free radicals that help put chocolate on a par with health
foods. There’s also the fat content. The majority of fat in chocolate comes
from cocoa butter, which contains oleic, palmitic and stearic fatty acids (and
you’ll find Oleic acid in olive oil too). It’s monounsaturated, which means it
is heart-healthy and a proven blood pressure reducer.
The
palmitic and stearic fatty acids are saturated fats, but still, research has
found that they don’t hurt your cholesterol levels, which is odd but
welcome news!
It’s
now well established that chocolate can lower stress levels and improve a person’s
sense of well-being and happiness. This is probably down to the fact that it’s
great at boosting the production of endorphins, the brain’s natural happiness
chemicals. And you also get serotonin in the mix, the body’s own antidepressant, too.
It’s
worth mentioning that the brain releases these happiness chemicals when we’re
in love, so when people say that they love chocolate, they really do mean it.
The
only fly in the ointment with chocolate is the high sugar content. That’s why
we’d recommend dark chocolate over milk chocolate every time. Choose the dark
stuff with at least 65% cocoa content. Current research leads us to believe
that 3 ounces (85 grams) of chocolate a day will give you all of the health
benefits without the sugar rush.
Avoid Stroke and Heart
Attack- Shingles Increases
Your Risk of These Two Deadly Conditions
A
recently published study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
shows that people at risk of shingles are also at risk of heart attacks and strokes because
of the virus that causes shingles.
Shingles
comes from the Herpes Zoster virus. It first causes chickenpox, usually in
childhood, then it bides its time, lying dormant in your body until it shows up
as shingles when you’re older.
But
how does it cause stroke and heart attack?
The
authors of the new study used medical data relating to South Koreans. This gave
researchers extensive demographic and medical information for 570,000 people.
519,880
of them were observed between 2003 and 2013 and in that time 23,233 were
diagnosed with the Herpes Zoster virus, primarily because they developed
shingles.
The
scientists created a comparison group with selections based on demographic and
medical information.
The
shingles group suffered 1.34 more strokes per 1,000 person-years than the
non-shingles group did. They also suffered 0.8 heart attacks more per 1,000 person-years
than the non-shingles group did.
The
risk was highest for people under 40 and for those who had had shingles in the
past year.
The
fact that the youngest people with few cardiovascular disease risk factors
experienced the highest risk was surprising, as we would usually expect older
people with clogged arteries and higher blood pressure to experience strokes and heart attacks.
The
authors looked at previously published studies to help them suggest why
shingles might increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.
When
active, the Herpes Zoster virus can replicate right next to arteries. This
causes inflammation in those arteries which, in
turn, can cause them to block or burst.
Even
when dormant, the virus is constantly reactivated at a level that causes no
symptoms. When this occurs next to arteries, the same thing happens.
The
virus tends to move through your nervous system to the center of your body,
where you have the largest arteries.
The
virus increases both your blood pressure and negative emotions.
The
virus compromises your immune system, which then puts you at risk of medical
problems, including cardiovascular ones.
This
all points to why we should live healthy lifestyles. Being healthy is the best
way to be ensure that your immune system is strong enough to resist the
shingles virus. It tends to attack people who are older with weaker immune
systems, so the healthier and stronger we can keep ourselves, the better we can
resist it.
This post is from the
Oxidized Cholesterol Strategy Program. It was created by Scott Davis. Because
he once suffered from high cholesterol, so much so that he even had a severe
heart attack. This is what essentially led him to finding healthier
alternatives to conventional medication. Oxidized Cholesterol Strategy is a
unique online program that provides you with all the information you need to
regain control of your cholesterol levels and health, as a whole.
