Online Health Information|Health Information, Health Terms and Definitions

Life in today’s hectic society is going more and more in the direction of fast food restaurants, sugar in foods you would never think should be there, trans fatty acids, preservatives and pesticides which we consume in large amounts every year. We even go so far as to invent foods, such as artificial sugars, which your body (in my opinion) does not recognize as actual food. We are bombarded with hormones in most of our meats and dairy products. Girls are maturing physically at a much younger age because of this. With all this going on, it’s no wonder that our immune systems are on overload and physical ailments are growing in leaps and bounds. Pain in some cases, is what some people’s lives revolve around.

Lets look at pain. It is your signal that injury, disease or too much strain has occurred on the body. Without it you wouldn’t know that something needs to be addressed. Even mild pain can limit your activities, which in turn can lead to a loss of strength, endurance and flexibility.

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The major difference between alternative medicine, or what I’ll call holistic health, and Western medicine, is in approach.
A Western doctor, or MD, sees his duty as searching out disease, diagnosing it, and treating it. If he does that correctly and effectively, he’s done his job. Most often, this means the doctor prescribing a pharmaceutical drug or a surgical procedure to remedy the situation. The patients is passive in all of this.

A holistic health practitioner sees her duty as an educator and a facilitator. She feels that the body can heal itself, and it doesn’t necessarily need outside influences (drugs, surgery) to heal from an illness or to prevent an illness. In holistic health, the patient is an active participant.

This is the best and the worst thing about holistic health! The patient is actively involved in the healing process. Everything you know about your body says that this is the right approach. It makes so much sense. That’s the good part. The bad thing about this is that it is HARD WORK for the patient. In most cases, the patient must make changes to their lifestyle. Change your diet, do more exercise, stop using sugar, do these stretches, stop negative thoughts, meditate twice a day, etc.

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Insomnia is a common sleep sickness that has bothered many people around the world. But the consequences brought about by this disorder may not be as ordinary as it may seem. It can be downright punishing.

You know the frustration of looking repeatedly at your clock while endlessly moving around in your bed. It’s mental and emotional agony to say the least. The tension builds up to its peak when you see the sunrise, and you have to go to the office lacking so much energy after spending a sleepless night.

You don’t have to suffer anymore. Here are some tips to help you snooze faster than you could ever expect.

1) Wake up and go to bed at the same time everyday, even during the weekends. Some insomniacs tend to sleep at any time of the day to catch up on some sleep they lose during the night. Now this is the biggest mistake you can make. It ruins your body clock and will only worsen your insomnia. If you can’t sleep one night, get up the usual time the next morning. You’ll be sleeping soundly like a baby the next night.

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Dealing with all of the environmental toxins today, can be quite aload on the body. A simple way to help combat these toxins is to take a detoxification bath. In spas today, the use of water therapy is very popular. Bathing in waters containg various healing ingrediants can help to release toxins, promote energy, circulation and well being.

This bath can be done in your very own bathtub and does not require special equipment. Hot water helps draw toxins out of the body to the skin’s surface. When the water cools, it pulls toxins from the skin. The ocean, mineral, hot springs and herbal baths have been used for centuries world wide, for their therapeutic effects.

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Bacteria in your colon are referred to by many different names � probiotics, good or bad bacteria, beneficial bacteria, acidophilus, disbiosis, micro flora, proflora. friendly flora, and unfriendly bacteria.

I simple use good and bad bacteria to refer to all the bacteria that exist in the small intestine and your colon.

Your colon has both good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria maintain the health of your colon by keeping the bad bacteria from multiplying and reducing constipation.

Most people have bad bacteria as the dominant condition in their colon. You can see this by the illnesses that exist throughout the world. Most people later in their life suffer from diseases that resulted from colon neglect and abuse.

Bad bacteria multiples when you,

• Consume poisons such as pollution, pesticides, food additives such as preservatives, coloring, so on.
• Drink alcohol
• Eat processed foods
• Have excess anxiety
• Lack fiber in your diet
• Use birth control pills
• Use drugstore laxative
• Use drugs and medication

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Ginseng tea is great for short periods; this tea can alleviate many symptoms of common aliments and lessen fatigue. Ginseng is the main ingredient to many of the medicinal teas. However, prolonged use can lead to insomnia and heart trouble, so be sure to consult your physician before drinking ginseng tea regularly as an alternative to coffee for that afternoon pick me up.

In China, ginseng is held in high regard. It is believed that ginseng has rejuvenating powers and provides stimulation to the whole body. Ginseng also offers protection against fatigue. Ginseng is known to be a stimulant for the central nervous system. This root can also help with inflammation, fever, and hormonal imbalances to name a few.

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Self improvement (or self help) tools come in many shapes and sizes; sometimes it’s physical in nature (a self help book, having a massage, painting with water colors), or spiritual in nature (flower essences, Reiki, meditation which is both physical and spiritual, etc).

Five of the best self help options that I’ve used successfully to help soothe my own mind, body and spirit, are:

1. Meditation techniques – a fabulous self help tool which greatly benefits overall health and wellbeing. There are many techniques to choose from such as:

Visually guided meditations;

Candle meditation;

Breathing meditation;

Crystal meditation;

Writing meditation (alternating using dominant and non-dominant hand);

Walking meditation;

Body scanning; and

A self healing meditation using either color; breathe work; aromatherapy; etc.

2. Painting with water colors, pastels or oil paints – express your uniqueness through art. This is a wonderful self help tool to employ for inner healing, letting go and for creating something new (a masterpiece for your lounge room wall).

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