One of the main advantages of the plant Alfala is its very long roots that stretches down more than twenty feet into the ground which allows it to reach minerals could be found beyond the surface.  Alfala or ‘father of plants’ in Arabic contains vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are essential to the general body health most especially for bone growth and for strength.  The Chinese, having recognized the potential of this plant for as early as sixth century reveres it as the richest land source of trace minerals.  Usually taken in either seed, leaves or tablets form, this herb is rich in proteins and vitamins A, B1 and B6, C, E and K plus a healthy dose of carotene, zinc, iron, calcium and potassium.

Benefits of Alfala

Aside from the essential vitamins and minerals in alfala, here are other ways that alfala prove to be beneficial to one’s health.

• As it has the ability to lower down cholesterol levels, it also has the potential of preventing the occurrence of strokes.
• Alfala carries the ability to cleanse the blood, the liver and digestive system.  It makes it especially effective to people suffering from diabetes and a good remedy for arthritis.
• It is found out to treat aut0-immunedisorder and nourishes the different bodily systems including the skeletal, digestive, glandular and urinary systems.
• It effectively treats kidney related diseases because of its cleansing action and it relieves swelling and fluid retention that is usually associated with kidney problems.

Caution for Side Effects

As with many things, moderation is the key.  Anything that is in excess might prove to be unhealthy.  Care must be exercised in over consumption of alfala as it might lead to breakdown of red blood cells which is a rather serious condition.  An amino acid found in this plant – canavanine – is also not recommended for pregnant women and for individuals suffering from lupus as it has the potential to aggravate the disease.  However, canavanine is only found in seeds and sprouts and not in the mature leaves so tea made from leaves are free from this amino acid.  Although to be sure, avoid this plant under these conditions.

This plant is a rich source of vital nutrients and could be used to remedy for a host of medical conditions but care must be exercised in administering dosage to maximize its health benefits of alfala and minimize its potential adverse reactions.

Different Natural Methods for Sinusitis Relief

Steam

One of the most common remedies for sinus problems is through clearing the blocked nasal passages through the steam method.  Try to clear out first your nose removing as much as the blocking as possible.  In a small pot, heat water and take it out of the fire after it has completely boiled.  add a few drops of either peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil or sometimes if you can’t hold of either essential oil, Vicks vaporub would do.  Get a towel or a small blanket that is big enough to cover your head and build a sort of tent over the pot.  Inhale the vapors that comes up from the steam.  Continue inhaling until there is no more steam coming out from the mixture.

Salt water Solution

Another popular remedy is a saline solution sinus rinse that has been attested by many to be beneficial.  To take advantage of this method, get a small netipot and mix three parts non iodized salt and one part baking soda in a half cup of warm water.  Bend over the sink and insert the spout of the pot in the right nostril while bending to the left.  This will make the solution flow into your right nostril and out of the left.  Do the same for the other nostril to complete the process stopping and exhaling deeply in between.  Daily routine of saline cleansing will greatly help clear your blocked sinus passages.

Garlic Juice

The smell of garlic would be enough to discourage you to try this method but if you really want to try one of the best natural treatment for your sinus infection, this is the better way because of the garlic’s potent ability to fight off bacterial and viral infections.  Crush the whole garlic bulb to extract garlic juice.  Mix in 2 parts amount of water and store in a jar.  Get an eye dropper and take a few drops of the mixture.  Lie flat on your back and make sure that your nose is clear.  Put about two drops in both nostril with about 2 minutes interval in between application.  Doing this 2-3 times a day is effective in draining your sinuses and preventing blockages.  Although if you can’t take this process, you could also just eat one clove of fresh garlic as a substitute.

Alternatively, you can also go for a diet that is rich in vitamin C to improve your immune system and treat your sinus problem naturally or you can go for herbal tea or a massage which constitute of pressing the small depression in your neck just below the skull.  Pressing this points as deep as you can and rubbing them for about two minutes at anytime throughout the day helps relieve the congestion.

Trying these natural remedies for relief of the irritating sinusitis problem must not replace consulting your doctor though.

Five Flavors

In Chinese, schisandra is wu-wei-zi translated as five taste fruits because of its varied flavors which are sour, sweet, bitter, warm, and salty taste which is interpreted to have balanced virtue in TCM.  Relying on the different flavors in the treatment of ailments and disorders, the different flavors in TCM corresponds to the following:

• • Sour taste is usually used as an astringent or anything that involves drying
  • Sweet is usually for alleviating pain.
  • Bitter tasting herbs is to harden and dry tissue.
  • Salty flavor is for softening hard lumps like cyst and tumors.
  • Acrid(pungent or hot) taste is used for expelling cold.

Basically, Schisandra is used to treat coughs and colds because of its action in the respiratory and immune system.  However it has also male tonic properties just like the ginseng herb,

Schisandra Juice

Schisandra could be prepared in variety of ways including herbal decoctions, as extracts or as capsule.  It could also be prepared as a fruit juice by soaking for one day half cup of dried Schisandra berries in one gallon of any dark fruit juice.  Strain the berries and sweeten with sugar or honey plus garnish with lemon slices and it could be served hot or cold for a tasty and tonic juice drink.

For cough:

Mix one part powdered Schisandra and 2 arts powdered poppy seeds and roll them in honey for a cough medicine.  Take note that these poppy seeds are not the same as the opium poppy and they are a mild sedative but not addictive and are good for suppressing cough.

Schisandra Tincture

To make a tincture, an ounce of dried schisandra fruit must be combined with 9 oz 90 proof vodka in a clean glass jar and must be stored in a cool dark place for about 4-6 weeks shaking every now and then to remix the contents.  After about a month or so, press the remaining liquid from the fruit and strain.  Transfer into an amber glass dropper bottle.  This tincture could be used as a mild sedative and to  relieve stress, anxiety or just to generally calm the nerves with a starting dosage of about 10-20 drops three times a day.

To make it kid friendly, use one part the berries and soak it on  4 parts liquid vegetable glycerine instead.  It is as potent as the tincture but has a sweet taste making it delicious for children.

Side effects

Schisandra is known to be relatively safe except for some people who might have gastrointestinal upsets.  As a precaution, ingest in small doses first to check out its effect.

Schisandra is one of the helpful herbs in TCM so why not try it out and see its effect on your health especially in relieving stress.

Skullcap Health Benefits

Skullcap has many health benefits including being antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent, sedative, etc thus it is not unusual that there is a long list of ailments and disorders that this herb could cure.
• Inflammatory properties of skullcap makes it a good remedy for inflammation of the joints due to arthritis. It effectively reduce the swelling and relieves the pain.
• As a sedative, it eases nervous tension by providing a soothing and calming effect. It is good for related conditions like panic or anxiety attacks, stress and stress headaches, depression and even insomnia. It is also used for the treatment of some neurological illnesses like epilepsy and convulsions, hysteria and delirium.
• Skullcap herb is also a good alternative treatment for some respiratory ailments such as common colds and bronchitis and throat infections. It’s antihistamine properties allows it to remedy asthma attacks and allergic reactions. It reduces the mucus congestion and is a very good remedy especially for dry coughs. Its ability to lower body temperature makes it a good remedy for fevers.
• The antibacterial properties on the other hand could treat varied skin infections and even urinary infections as it is also diuretic which also makes it good in promoting bile flow and a healthy liver.
• For those who suffer intense pain due to premenstrual syndrome, skullcap is known to be a good remedy for relieving pain related to menstrual cramps. The emmenagogue properties of this herb promotes female reproductive health as it promotes menstrual discharge. However, because of this, it is not good for pregnant woman.

Possible Side Effects

As a natural herb supplement, skullcap is safe however for those who use it as a dietary supplement, beware of excess as anything in taken more than the usual dosage is likely to cause adverse effects. Some of the potential side effects from overdose of skullcap includes drowsiness, irregular heartbeat, dizziness and even seizure. It could also cause allergic reaction that could manifests as any or all of the following: hives, skin rash, swelling or allergic inflammation especially in the mouth or the more serious breathing difficulties.

Skullcap has plenty benefits addressing various ailments however it must not be abused. It is often available as skullcap tea, in capsule, tincture and in liquid extracts.

Wheat grass is enjoying greater popularity recently because of the many claims of its ability to heal or prevent many illnesses and disorders. Many health conscious individuals value wheatgrass for being a very good and natural source of nutrients.  In its juice form, it is made up of 70% chlorophyll which for plants is the equivalent of blood in animals and human.  Touted as a super food, it is a concentrated source of nutrients that include vitamin A, C E, K and B-complex, calcium, iron, magnesium and 17 amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

Even if there is not enough scientific evidence yet to support the claims, many attest to the effectiveness of wheat grass for the following:

• It is believed to increase hemoglobin production so it is good for related ailments involving red blood cells or the oxygen carrying cell in the blood.  It is also being used to control blood sugar for people with diabetes.  With blood and circulatory function related ailments, wheatgrass could also regulate the blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels by effectively blocking the absorption of which.
• Wheatgrass works also in the liver and improves their functions.  It could remove toxins from the liver and the blood including harmful deposits from drugs or from heavy metal contaminants that we had been exposed to especially if we live in a city where air pollution is high.  It has also an anti-oxidant and works by removing the cancer-causing elements that got into our system.
• As a diuretic, it promotes the health of the kidneys, the bladder and the urinary tract.  It is being used for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy as well as in the reduction or elimination of kidney stones.
• Because of its anti-inflammatory capabilities, it is also good for arthritis, ulcerative colitis, gout and joint pains.  While it also acts on the treatment of some respiratory ailments such as cough and colds, fever, sore throat and bronchitis.  Its ability to fight off bacterial infections make it also good for wound healing and in the treatment of chronic skin problems and in general, strengthens the immune system to fight off infections.

Due to its fibrous nature, it is indigestible by humans and must be liquefied before it can be consumed by human.  Wheatgrass could be taken in juice form should you prefer to grow it organically in your own garden or could be purchased in most herbal stores either in tablet or powder form.

Try wheat grass juice not just for its therapeutic claims but also because it is loaded with vitamins and minerals that’s good for your overall health.

Among the usual causes of hyperacidity is excessive intake of oil-rich and very spicy or alcohol intake and smoking.  Poor eating habits which includes the unusual habit of not chewing food properly or eating in a rush manner or poor diet choices such as excessive red meat and lack of fiber is also one of the major reasons of the onset of this disorder. Some other causes are unhealthy sleeping habits, pregnancy in which the growing baby might be exerting effort on the digestive track or obesity wherein the fat deposits causes the same pressure as that of the baby inside the womb. A major cause of hyperacidity also at this time is the stress and strain that we are challenged in our daily routines.   Some medicines also stimulate the production of stomach acids thus side effects include hyperacidity.

If hyperacidity is not treated properly, it may lead to more serious related problems which includes haemorrhoids or piles or fistula, inability to consume the required food for balanced diet and blood leakage through the stool.  Modern medicine treat hyperacidity with antacids or digestion stimulants.  However, these drugs interfere with the proper digestive system too thus the body is in danger of other serious side effects.  Luckily, there are herbal remedies for hyperacidity which acts very mildly and have the ability to decrease the acidity and gas problems in the stomach reducing the irritation and discomfort.

Herbal Remedies:

• Carrot and Cabbage juice – Cabbage being a fibrous vegetable has the ability to cleanse the colon and thus is considered good for constipation.  On the other hand, the vitamins in carrots promote the proper functioning of the digestive system and reduces the amount of acids to regular levels.  Make a juice out of 200 grams of each vegetable in 2 cups of water.  Drink the concoction at least 30 minutes before each meal twice a day to generate desired results.
• Peppermint and Honey – Mixture of honey and peppermint becomes an effective antacid without the side effects of manufactured drugs.  It also promotes digestion and prevent constipation by providing a soothing sensation to bowel movement.
• Ginger, Garlic and Common Salt – Making a paste from these three ingredients is said to be the best herbal remedy to dispense of gas problems.  The paste, like the other herbal remedies decreases the acidity in the stomach and promotes the proper digestion.

Going herbal is always a better alternative especially in the treatment of hyperacidity as they have no known side effects, aside from the offering an effective remedy for related digestive problems.

• Your office chair maybe the number one culprit of your back pain.  Sitting all day in the office, even if in an expensive chair that is ergonomic does not lessen the chances of the sitting chair being the primary reason for your back pain.  Neither could lumbar support because the real reason for the pin is that sitting for an extended period of time decreases the blood flow to the discs that acts as cushion to the spine.  Sitting also surprisingly put more pressure on your back than standing up or walking. Slouching is also a culprit for this pain.

To lessen this from occurring, if you must sit; ensure that your head is always straight thus it helps if your screen monitor is positioned levelled with your eyes.  Make sure that both your feet are firmly planted on the floor and if it helps or it’s possible with your office chair, adjust the seat so that it slightly tilts.  This way, the load in your back that accumulated over the extended time that you sit on your desk is lessened.

• Another culprit for your hurting back could be your shoes.  Especially if you are fond of wearing fancy high heels or stilettos, the usual heel-toe motion is altered that walking becomes a toe-forward action.  This causes additional pressure to the knees, hips and back making it especially worse near the spine area. Wearing high heeled shoes usually alters the distribution of weight near the spine and this causes pain and even at the worst, injury that could start at the knees and radiate all the way to your back.

• Believe it or not, an ill-fitting bra could also be the reason for your back pain if you are large-breasted.  If your bra does not have the ability to support the additional weight from your breast, your tendency is to hunch forward as you carry the weight. As you try to balance the weight, it leads to sore muscles both on your neck and in your back muscles.  When you shop for bra, make sure that it properly provide support for the weight so that you won’t need to hunch forward in order to carry the weight.

• Another bad news for those who carry extra pounds – it is probably the cause or one of the causes of your persistent back pain.  Carrying a few more inches around your waist necessarily push your pelvis to be out of alignment as it moves forward compensating to maintain balance.  Shedding off the unwanted pound around your mid section could do the trick although if the additional weight is due to pregnancy, it is another idea.

• Another bad news for those who carry extra pounds – it is probably the cause or one of the causes of your persistent back pain.  Carrying a few more inches around your waist necessarily push your pelvis to be out of alignment as it moves forward compensating to maintain balance.  Shedding off the unwanted pound around your mid section could do the trick although if the additional weight is due to pregnancy, it is another idea.

So, rather than go for some cure when back pain strikes, think rather of these causes and find ways to avoid them.  As the cliché goes, an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure.

However, there are also some good advice so that you can fight your allergies

Stronger Immune System

One of the best ways to counter allergens and prevent allergic reactions from manifesting is to boost your immune system.  Generally, the immune system wards off infection but it also fights allergens from attacking your body.  One of the sure-fire ways of strengthening your immune system is to break away from unhealthy habits such as smoking, excessive drinking, staying up late into the night, a sedentary lifestyle and excessive intake of unhealthy or junk foods.

Aside from quitting smoking all together and drinking only occasionally and not in excess, exercise also will do wonders to your immune system and general health.  Sleeping the mandatory eight hours a day and making sure to include in your diet green leafy vegetables and fruits.  These good healthy habits eventually translate to stronger immune system and an overall healthy body which will make you fight off allergic reactions better.

Go Organic and Natural

Aside from a healthy diet, a regular exercise and getting rid of unhealthy vices, another preventive measure for allergies is by going for natural and organic food products.  Sometimes, the causes of allergens are the chemicals in the food that we eat these days.  Thus to avoid such from triggering your symptoms, try to look for the organic alternatives to ensure that what you intake are all natural and organic.

You can also add supplements to further combat allergic reactions.  Try some home-brewed teas from fenugreek seeds and lemon or grapefruit.  Tea from stinging nettle leaves is also good for strengthening the immune system and restraining allergic reactions.  Drinking these tea twice a day will boost your immune system and provide instant relief from allergies.

Acupuncture and Massage

When there are bodily aches that comes with your allergies, fight the usual temptation of reaching for pain killers to provide relief.  Consider instead getting a body massage or go for an acupuncture session.  These remedies are recommended by homeopathic practitioners because unlike the pain killers that provide temporary relief but could have adverse effects especially with long term use, these practices are natural remedies without the risk of these potential effects.  A massage will stimulate the different energy channels in your body and stifle allergic symptoms.

Stress has become so much a part of our daily living, almost like the air we breathe. We easily get stressed even with the simplest of reasons. Our frenzied way of life these days combined with toxic stress leads to a number of health issues. Most women has the tendency to consume feel good foods especially if they feel low or stressed out. These include high fat processed foods, sweets and caffeine based items. Coffee’s contribution to the problem is that it tends to tax our liver which is mainly responsible for metabolizing estrogen in the body. This in turn is said to boost the growth of fibroids. If the liver is unable to eliminate the excess estrogen from the system, then fibroids could develop.

In case stress is one of the contributing factors for fibroids here are some tips to keep in mind during treatment for uterine fibroids.

1. Target to reduce stress and keep it at bay. Is this not easier said than done? You can begin your uterine fibroid treatment with silent meditation and simple breathing exercises. Start by doing these for 10 to 15 minutes each day. As you realize its benefit you will automatically increase the duration of these exercises aimed at relieving stress.
2. If you really want to treat uterine fibroids, it is imperative to make some essential changes in your diet. Eating less processed food, red meat and white food is a start. Replace these with organically grown fruits vegetables of which you must take at least 4 to 5 helpings each day. Green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach are useful in fibroid cure. The general rule is to include fiber rich organically grown food in your intake as much as possible.
3. Liver detoxification can also assist in getting rid of fibroids naturally. Acupuncture can help in improving your liver functioning. There are two suggested herbs which are particularly useful in liver cleansing – milk thistle and dandelion.

Uterine fibroid treatment requires a holistic approach to eliminate this ailment once and for all. As there is no no single cause yet that could be attributed and identified as the real culprit for fibroids you might need to try different combination of remedies in treatment for uterine fibroids. Natural treatment adopts a multifaceted approach to eliminate each and every probable cause of fibroids systematically.

The Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have different ways of alleviating the pain brought by this disease.  As there is really no cure to arthritis, what is commonly prescribed in Western Medicine are anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling and the pain that comes with it.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or aspirin and gold compounds; and steroid-based drugs such as corticosteroids and immuno-suppressive drugs are usually the source of comfort of arthritic sufferers.  However, these drugs have side effects when taken long term which includes stomach irritation, gastritis and ulcers

But in the East, the use of Chinese Herbal medicine and/or acupuncture is the usual remedy for arthritic pain.  This has been the method used for more than a thousand year because of its claim of being effective.  It has stood the test of time and it is now challenging the methods in the West.

In TCM, it is believed that the condition related to arthritis is what they call the Bi syndrome which come about as soreness or pain or numbness in the muscles, joints and tendons.  It is believed that the body has been afflicted by climactic factors including Wind, Cold, Heat, and/or Dampness and what the sufferer feel would depend on the type which “invaded” the body.

• Wind Bi or Wind Pattern arthritis is a result of being exposed unprotected to wind for a relative amount of time.  The symptom that the patient feels in this case are joint pain and soreness which transfer from one joint to the other.  The symptoms include limited movement of joints and fever which worsens when exposed to windy weather.  The usual herbs used for this are ledebouriella (Fang Feng), and ephedra (Ma Huang)
• Cold pattern of arthritis on the other hand involves a severe joint or muscle pain usually in a fixed area.  Relief includes applying hot compress in the affected area.  The suggested herb for this in TCM are aconite (Wu Tou), and ephedra (Ma Huang)
• If the pain, swelling and soreness in the joints and muscles includes numbness and heaviness in the limbs, then is it the Damp pattern arthritis.  The pain is usually in a fixed location only which gets worse when the weather is damp.  Coix (Yi Yi Ren), and lancea atractylodes (Cang Zhu) are the prescribed herbs for Damp Bi arthritis.
• Heat Bi could be the worse among all the patterns of arthritis.  Severe pain is accompanied with red hot swollen joints plus thirst, fever and anxiety.  To relieve the pain, cold compress could be applied to the affected area and anemarrhena (Zhi Mu), gypsum (Shi Gao), and cinnamon (Gui Zhi) herbs could be used.

These herbs, as opposed to the conventional medications in the West are usually side effects free even for long term use.