Acupressure-A Natural Therapy

upressure is a natural alternative therapy even older than acupuncture, originating in China and dating back over 2,000 years. Not only is it used to heal many health problems, it’s also been shown to be effective in preventing problems, particularly those that accompany aging.

Chinese medical practitioners, acupuncturists and massage therapists all incorporate acupressure into their treatments. It’s considered an effective way to help your body regain balance, an important aspect of the homeostasis the body is constantly striving for, particularly in the fast-paced, high pressured, stressful lives most of us lead.

While acupuncture uses needles, acupressure is completely non-invasive and uses the human hand and its parts, like fingers, thumbs, and knuckles to press key points on the skin. I should point out though, that both procedures are relatively painless. The needles used in acupuncture are so thin, they’re hardly felt at all. Acupuncture and acupressure recognize the same key points, but one stimulates with needles and the other uses the hand or some other blunt object.

It’s also possible to buy pressure bands, when constant, continuous pressure is required, such as with relief from nausea. Acupressure can be very useful for treating children who might be frightened by acupuncture needles. In adults, acupressure is often used to decrease stress, with amazing results. You can learn how to use acupressure in a short time and be able to apply to yourself or your family members, unlike acupuncture, which requires many years of specialized education and experience.

Chinese medicine has named 14 channels, called meridians, which are used to transport the movement of chi or qi (both pronounced as ‘chee’, which is the ‘life energy’) inside our body. By applying pressure to key points along each meridian, acupressure helps your circulation, reduce tension, balance the body, increase endorphins, and strengthen resistance to illness. It can also be used to cure everyday pains like headaches, stress, and eye strain.

A study done at Dankook University in Korea showed acupressure to be successful in reducing the pain of labor as well as shortening the length of labor. It’s also been found to be an effective way to induce labor, and for this reason, only someone experienced in acupressure should apply it on pregnant women.

In Taiwan, research showed acupressure to be more useful in decreasing lower back pain than traditional physical therapies, with results lasting six months following treatment. One recent study shows that acupressure applied to the P6 (located in the wrist) had significant results in relieving acid reflux.

Acupressure is not there to increase your tolerance for pain. It shouldn’t hurt. If you feel pain when pressure is applied, stop the pressure immediately. You may feel a slight numbness from acupressure, but you should never feel pain.

I’m not sure why Western medicine seems so reluctant to embrace techniques from other cultures that have been providing proven results for centuries. Perhaps modern day doctors fear their services might no longer be needed if everyone started using alternative therapies and natural remedies for their health related problems.

Tags: Alternative Medicine

Benefits of tea tree oil

Tea tree essential oils is most commonly known for their skin applications, research has shown that tea tree oil can be used in many ways too, such as an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral property.

There are over 100 different components in the native tree from the Northeast coast of Australia. All of these components play an important factor in the healing properties of tea tree oil.

Tea Tree oil is one of the few essential oils that you don’t have to dilute before applying to the skin. It is concentrate natural oil safe for most skin types but if you have sensitive skin may prefer to dilute it.

Here are the benefits of tea tree oils :

Athletes Foot: Athletes foot is commonly known to grow in warm, moist areas between the toes and the sides and soles of feet. It is highly infectious and spreads quickly in locker and shower rooms. Tea tree oil has been shown to treat a wide range of fungal infections and symptoms, including athlete’s foot. To eliminate athlete’s foot, you can use tea tree oil as a topical application. Suggestion is three or more times a day applying pure tea tree oil to the infected area. Tea Tree oil uses includes topical treatment of skin infections such as ringworm.

Treat Cold and Flu: Tea tree oil can treated Cold and flu symptoms. For sore throats, it is recommends to add ten drops of tea tree oil to a cup of warm water and gargle. Do this twice a day. This treatment will help clear mucus and kill bacteria.

Sinus: Put a few drops of tea tree oil in a steam bath or add 5-10 drops to steaming hot water for an inhalant. You can rub around sinuses. Using this treatment at the beginning of symptoms will aid in killing germs and bacteria.

Gum infections: Using a mouthwash of tea tree oil diluted in water can help remedy and prevent gum disease and plaque. Be careful not to swallow it. Small amounts are not considered toxic, though the stomach might rebel.

Candida Albicans Infections: tea tree oil uses as fungidal properties can help clear vaginal thrush and is of value with treating genital infections generally.

Acne: Gently wipe the skin with a cotton ball soaked in straight or diluted tea tree oil can help calm inflammation, diminish infection and prevent new acne sores from developing. It won’t irritate troubled skin, while killing bacteria that aggravate skin eruptions. It can be used on the face, neck, chest and back. Mix a few drops with acne cleanser to boost its effectiveness.

Head Lice: Head lice can be treated by adding ten drops of tea tree oil to shampoo. The hair and scalp should be wet and lathered thoroughly. Use a fine toothed- comb before shampoo is rinsed off. Avoid direct contact with eyes when washing hair with tea tree oil. This method should be use several times along with treating the house and all of the infected bedding. Tea tree oil can be added to the wash when washing the sheets and bedding.

Insect Bites: A drop or two of tea tree oil can be applied directly onto an insect bite or sting to help alleviate swelling, itching and redness.

Skin Irritations and Sunburns Treatment: Using several drops of tea tree oil added to bath water can help reduce the swelling and itching from skin irritations. In addition the same method can be used to help the symptoms of minor sunburns.

Bug Repellent: Bugs seem to dislike tea tree oil. The oil can be used to deter ants, roaches and other pests. Put a few drops of the oil where the pests are coming from. You can also wipe pantries and cupboards with a mixture of water and tea tree oil and this will make the bugs leave. Rubbing the mattress with pure tea tree oil will help deter dust mites. A few drops of oil added directly into a vacuum cleaner bag or canister will help kill dust mites often found in carpeting.

As more and more studies are being done, the list of the tea tree oil uses will grows even longer.

Tags: Alternative Medicine

Allergic to Down Comforters?

Sneezing and Coughing at Night? You could have an Allergy to Down Comforters.

Many people have allergies and don’t even know that they have them. They may know that they feel uncomfortable and may have attacks from time to time, but they really just aren’t sure where their allergies are coming from.

It is difficult to determine the source of your allergy or whether or not you have an allergy, unless you get tested by your allergist. If the allergy attacks come at night and you sleep with a down comforter, you may have an allergy to your comforter. If you are like most people, this thought never occurred to you.

Get Tested by a Certified Allergist

If you are lying in your bed, and you are coughing, sneezing, or have worse symptoms, it could be literally any number of things that is causing your discomfort.

If you have pets, they may have gotten some hair on your pillow or bed covers. If you have plants in your bedroom, it may have been those that caused this. Only by getting yourself tested by the allergist will you determine if your allergy is to your down comforter.

If you can’t afford to see an allergist at this time, there is still some help for you. The first thing you should do is start by switching your bed covers for a few nights. If you replace your comforter with a bed spread, and you awake to feeling great without any symptoms, chances are; you are allergic to your comforter.

It is actually the feathers in the down comforters that people are allergic to. And it is those feathers that make the comforters so soft and appealing to so many people.

All is Not Lost You can Still be Comfortable at Night

If you have now replaced your down comforter with a substitute, and you are no longer experiencing those awful attacks, then you were allergic to your comforter. You don’t have to suffer or be uncomfortable, they make imitation down comforters, and they are filled with fiberfill that is non-allergenic. You can get one, and it is comfortable too.

Imitation down comforters are available that help you sleep well at night without the irritation of an allergy. These comforters are made of materials that don’t cause you reactions but that are still soft enough to have a comfortable bed and not to miss the real thing. Making a few changes will help you to still have a comfortable bed without having to suffer with your allergy to down comforters.

Tags: Alternative Medicine

What are the Causes of Excessive Sweating?

Problems with excessive sweating are growing and about 10 million Americans are suffering from it. The problem is both an health issue, as well as a social and professional issue for those who experience its evil. People who are suffering from excessive sweating often tend to hide their problem; avoiding situations that could help them improve their lives and their profession.

There are many different causes of excessive sweating. In this article we will get an overview of some of the most common causes. The article will also give some guidance towards how to deal with the problem. Even though, in some cases, excessive sweating is inherited from your mother of father there is no reason at all for you not to deal with the issue.
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Tags: Alternative Medicine

Arthritis and Acupuncture: A Means To Remedy The Pain

Nearly all people who suffer arthritis complain of the throbbing pain that the illness causes. More often than not, only advanced generation medicines can aid in easing the painfulness. Unbeknownst to many, there is another essential ministration for the uncomfortableness a patient experiences and that is acupuncture arthritis.

What is acupuncture for arthritis? Like the other forms of needle piercing, acupuncture arthritis purports to grant pain relief through fixing the chemical imbalances that the body is experiencing. Alleviation is accomplishable through aligning the body’s Qi; when equilibrium is gained in all the body schemes, and so achievable cure from the complaint can come about.
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Tags: Alternative Medicine

Medical Benefits Of The Goji Berry Explained

The wonder fruit that has many health fanatics talking is the Goji berry. A Goji berry, also referred to as a Wolfberry, is something to be held as a “super” fruit. After all, it has many astounding effects on the human body that few other vitamins or fruits do. The fruit is a dark red in color, and rather sweet tasting. To find the berry in question, one doesn’t have to look especially hard, with much thanks going to the Internet for easy access to the berry. But growing the berry can be tough for farmers, and thus, much of the Goji berry supply will be coming from the north-western region of China for many years to come.

Some of the best benefit to come from the Goji berry is the fact that it helps the liver and kidney remain healthy and resistant to negative impacts. Other types of eye diseases are also said to be treated by consumption of the Goji berry. The China people as a whole digest the berry very commonly, claiming that the berry helps one stay healthy and energetic, not to mention young and visually appealing. And as Chinese studies go, there have indeed been some results that would claim that Goji berries do indeed have anti-aging effects for those who consume them. After all, the “super” fruit has a big name to live up to!
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Tags: Alternative Medicine

Why and How Does Reiki Work?

Reiki. Hmph. Another one of those new-agey, wacky alternative medicines that gullible people spend all their money on. I very seriously doubt it will work, don’t you?

I’m sure if you’ve been around medicine you’ve heard statements like this. You may even have thought them. And in my younger days, I would have thought them too. Except for one small problem. Reiki does work for both healing as well as spiritual growth, and millions of people across the globe could testify to this.
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Tags: Alternative Medicine, Reiki

Is There Chinese Herbal Medicine For Children?

Is Chinese Herbal Medicine for real? When you take into account the fact that Chinese Herbal Medicine has been practiced for around 5000 years and has been documented for a lot of that time, you would conclude that it obviously works and with the guidance of trained practitioners it could well be beneficial in your health care needs.

Firstly it must be understood that Chinese herbal medicines for children have literally been developed, tried, tested and in most cases proved to be very affective. These medicines have been in use for over 5000 years.
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Tags: Alternative Medicine

A Short Guide To Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is an alternative healing method that is gaining rapid popularity. Aromatherapy is the practise of using essential oils obtained from trees, flowers and other plants. The oils are distilled by steam and when used correctly can aid in treating certain illnesses and conditions.

There are hundreds of different essential oils used in the practice of aromatherapy, each having different properties and different therapeutic applications. Some are used for their calming, soothing properties while others have an invigorating effect for the patient undergoing aromatherapy.
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Tags: Alternative Medicine

Is Acupuncture Your Saviour From Pain?

Acupuncture is an ancient alternative form of treatment, for illnesses in the different body systems, that has been in existence for hundreds of years. It makes use of thin, sterile, stainless steel needles, inserted into identified acupuncture points, depending on he part of the body that is affected with illness.

The treatment plan depends on the kind of illness, the state of the illness and the patient’s response to acupuncture. Generally it starts at a weekly basis, gradually reducing in frequency as the patient’s condition improves.
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Tags: Alternative Medicine