Medicine

Health Benefits of Wheat Grass

June 10, 2011 by rfcamat Leave a Comment

The health benefits we obtain from wheat grass are traced from its complementary nutrition down to its extensively useful therapeutic properties. Most of us are aware how useful wheatgrass is, but only a very few know the real reasons why!

As you go further along, you’ll be amazed with how wheat grass does wonders to our body:

Chlorophyll, that green pigment you find on wheat grass leaves, acts as a powerful antiseptic and antioxidant. It purges your body from harmful toxins that could make you susceptible to debilitating diseases. It cleanses your lymphatic system and cells from toxic metals.
Wheat grass is embedded with naturally occurring substances that have powerful effects on the body. It is packed with all the other elements that your body systems don’t have enough of. It has lots of vitamins (A, C, K, many others), minerals (Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, many more), enzymes and essential fatty acids that help in revitalizing your cells.
Wheat grass contains 17 amino acids, and contains zero fat. It has been proven to aid in effectively bringing down your weight by subduing your appetite, boosting metabolism, and improving blood circulation. So forget those phony diet pills. Go organic, instead.

Quick and Interesting Wheat grass Trivia:

A small regular shot of wheat grass is like consuming a regular serving of spinach.
Taking a single shot of wheat grass is like absorbing the nutrients of milk and bananas all in one teaspoon.
It shields you from carcinogens by providing an immunization effect
It can either be taken in capsules, tablets, and powder form, so it’s much easier for you to travel around with it anywhere.
It can be used on our skin to make it supple and toned.
The so-called “The Grass Juice Factor”, a miracle asset of wheat grass, helps it sustain the life in animals such as cows, mice and guinea pigs.
It delays the ageing process so you don’t need to worry about being in a geriatric center very soon!
It clears your eyesight and prevents you from getting those ugly dark circles around your eyes.
It can be applied on both our scalp and hair to maintain their health.

Dosage Recommendations:

As earlier mentioned, wheat grass comes in various forms as tablets, powder, and juice. A daily dosage of about 3.5 grams is highly recommended to achieve optimum health results.

Wheat Grass Detox Plan:

While it has been known that a shot or two of wheatgrass can supercharge your intake of vitamins and minerals, you might want to try adding one more shot in the morning and another one at night time, doubling it to 4 shots a day to optimize your detox program. Don’t worry, you won’t get overdosed. This is purely organic. It’s understandable that you’d get bothered by its taste the first time you take it. If you want to mask its flavor, you can try mixing it with other fruits and vegetables to achieve a palatable effect.

Wheat grass works as the best part of any detox plan, however, it shouldn’t be taken as a stand-alone item. You can’t just solely depend on wheat grass to detox, there has to be a balanced approach. Wheat grass helps you achieve a desired detox effect by being incorporated in a plan rich in foods such as fruits, vegetables, fish and chicken.

Contrary to the belief that it can cause allergies, wheat grass doesn’t contain any gluten unlike the wheat berry. Therefore, it is very safe to take. Any shot of wheat grass gives you nothing but pure chlorophyll.

Truly, nature only offers nothing but the best things in their simplest forms. The health benefits of wheat grass are infinite that it’d take me the whole year to finish enumerating them. Wouldn’t be a shame not to put it in your family’s diet plan?

Coughing Up Blood: Causes and Treatments

June 9, 2011 by rfcamat Leave a Comment

Be it simply blood-stained sputum or large volumes of blood, the moment that you expectorate blood is almost always sure to induce concern. Yet by knowing about the possible causes, and the steps one could take, coughing up blood (hemoptysis) may be an anxious but not necessarily a helpless experience.

Causes

Coughing up blood can originate either from causes within the respiratory tract, the nasal passages, from cardio-vascular diseases, gastrointestinal sources or in some cases, from extreme internal trauma. True hemoptysis derives blood from the respiratory tract, coughing blood from the gastrointestinal region is defined as hematemesis and blood in the sputum coming from nasal bleeding or other sources is called pseudohemoptysis.

Observing other symptoms that accompany blood in the sputum is vital in diagnosing the source of the condition. Expectorating dull red to brown blood coupled with abdominal pains, and brown to dark stool usually indicates gastrointestinal bleeding, perhaps from disease or from trauma. Frothy, pinkish blood in foamy clear to yellowish green sputum accompanied by shortness of breath, chest pain or itchiness and mild fever is indicative of pulmonary sources. Volume could indicate severity and cause. Small amounts of blood infrequently can usually be treated promptly and symptoms would subside usually after several days to a few weeks. Massive volumes of blood (200-1000L per day, or on average 600ml/day) indicate severe causes, and should be addressed immediately.

Vomiting and coughing up of blood indicates gastro-intestinal causes. Ulcers and irritations in the linings of the gastrointestinal tract particularly in the throat, esophagus and stomach could lead to bleeding. Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis or gastroenteritis) could also produce blood that could make its way towards the oral region. Severe causes include viral hemorrhagic fever (profuse bleeding, fever, shock, and diarrhea) and tumors in the gastrointestinal tract.

Severe weight loss, followed by chills, fever and frequent coughing of blood could be caused by tuberculosis, lung cancer or bleeding in the airway particularly if the patient is exposed to risk-factors like smoking and airborne particulates. Severe physical injuries could lead to internal haemorrhaging which may result in coughing up blood. Some cardiovascular conditions, for example mitral stenosis can lead to hemoptysis accompanied by chest pain and palpitation. Autoimmune disorders like Hughes-Stovin syndrome, Wegener’s granulomatosis and Goodpasture’s syndrome are uncommon but severe causes of hemoptysis.

Lower respiratory infections, like bronchitis and pneumonia, are common causes of hemoptysis. Pneumonia itself is caused by either infections (infection pneumonia) or irritation in the lungs (aspiration pneumonia), causing the lungs to become inflamed due to alveoli (airs sac) irritation and fluid filling the air spaces. Bacterial infections leading to pneumonia include infection by Streptococcus and Staphylococcus strains, Myobacterium bacillus (tuberculosis), and Legionella pneumophila (Legionnaires’ disease). Viruses (influenza virus, respiratory synctial virus and herpes simplex) as well as fungi (Histoplasma, Coccidioides, Blastomyces, and Pneumocystis) can also cause pneumonia. These infections usually occur in persons with compromised immune systems, perhaps due to other ailments, weather and environment, or exposure to irritants.

A compromised immune system coupled with smoking, occupational exposure to pollutants and viral agents (adenoviruses, influenza viruses, and rhinoviruses) could lead to bronchitis or bronchial inflammation. Infections, cancer and diseases of the bronchi are the primary causes of coughing up blood in industrialized countries. Irritation of airways, as well as nasal passages could also lead to the presence of blood when coughing.

Treatments

Infections are usually treated with the specific antibiotic for the specific microorganism. Self-medication, particularly of antibiotics for undetermined hemoptysis is particularly discouraged due to the risk of building up resistance in non-target pathogens. Proper nutrition and avoidance of risk factors like exposure to particulates and smoking can prevent and alleviate infections in the respiratory tract. Boosting one’s immune system thru vitamins and rest could prevent chronic respiratory infections.

For massive or frequent coughing of blood, a doctor’s immediate treatment is essential. The risk of blood loss or of blood filling the alveoli is great in massive hematesis and hemoptysis, respectively, thus no delay should be made in obtaining medical assistance. Obtaining aid is vital in cases of fainting or weakness.

In cases of where one coughs up blood, a doctor’s accurate assessment of the root cause is required. However, patients themselves can aid in the diagnosis by noting down time, frequency, amount and visual characteristics. These observations would greatly aid in identifying the source of the blood and the subsequent cause. Taking note of other symptoms that accompany these episodes would help the physician accurately diagnose and treat the root cause.

Coughing up blood certainly is a frightening experience. But by staying calm and being aware of the causes, one can obtain a fair assessment of the severity, as well as gain insight on the appropriate steps to take in order to facilitate treatment.[ad#afterpost]

References

Bond D, V. H. ( 2001). Viral pneumonia and hemoptysis. Crit Care Med , 29(10):2040–1.
Corder, R. (2003). Hemoptysis. Emergency Medical Clinics of North America , 21, 421-435.
Overton, D. (2006). Gastrointestinal bleeding. In K. G. Tintinalli JE (Ed.), Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guid. McGraw, Hill

How To Heal Sore Throat Naturally

June 7, 2011 by rfcamat Leave a Comment

If you can help it, you don’t need those over-the-counter medications to soothe your sore throat. There are many easy and natural alternatives to relieving your sore throat.

Do not undervalue the natural brine (salt and water) solution

Heal your sore throat naturally by mixing salt and lukewarm water. Gargling it three times a day, or whenever necessary can help ease the discomforts of sore throat.

Unleash the wonders of apple cider vinegar

Using apple cider vinegar is one of the smartest ways to heal your sore throat naturally. Fermented and processed apples contain vitamins and minerals, and malic acid that aide in combating fungal and bacterial infections.

Stir apple cider vinegar in warm water. Gargle three times, spewing the liquid the first two times. The third time you gargle, swallow the vinegar-water solution. Repeat whenever needed.

Believe in the healing power of Horseradish and honey

Horseradish roots, fortified with loads of Vitamin C, have therapeutic and germicidal properties known to be an effective cure for sore throat.

Boil grated horseradish roots combined with a little honey and water for approximately 5 minutes to make some syrup. Sieve the pulp and extract all its juices. Take as much as 5 tablespoons of the syrup until your sore throat disappears.

Discover your own hands’ ability to heal

Massage therapy has been known to be an alternative healing therapy, which is effective in fighting stress, boosting immunity and improving oxygen circulation.

You can alleviate mild symptoms of sore throat by simple massaging the sides and front of your neck.

Experience the combined potency of onion and honey.

Onion has innumerable health benefits. In fact, it possesses powerful antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Honey, on the other hand, fights bacteria and has been a known sore throat cure.

Put a few slices of onion in a cup. Put some honey in it, cover the cup and leave it soaked for one hour. After that, swallow 1 spoon of the honey. Repeat it a few hours thereafter to get relief.

Behold nature’s ”Wonder Drug”

Not only is garlic used as a condiment, it is also known to heal your sore throat naturally. It has been used as a medicine all over the world for more than 2000 years now.

Just simply chewing it well before swallowing can provide a great relief to your aching throat.

Take note of Hydrogen Peroxide’s sizzling efficacy

Hydrogen peroxide’s aggressive oxidizing properties have made it a potent solution to exterminate bacteria and fungi.

As long as you use it moderately, hydrogen peroxide can expedite the healing of your sore throat.

Add less than 3% hydrogen peroxide on to a glass of water. You will be able to notice if you added more than 3% because of the caustic sensation in your mouth. Gargle the mixture for not longer than 20 seconds. Taking longer than that will scald off your tongue and taste buds.

Do not overlook dry friction bathing, this is an invaluable routine

Dry friction bath is an ancient technique to enhance the skin’s ability to detoxify itself. Most people have not seen dry friction bath as an ingenious way of healing sore throat naturally.

This can be done with merely a rough dry towel and a moderately soft-bristled brush. Rub your skin gently all over.

Conclusion

Aside from these home remedies, you should also take into consideration some other important factors that might have had you susceptible to catching a sore throat:

If you’re smoking, you might want to look at the possibility of minimizing and gradually quitting such a debilitating vice.
Drink plenty of water and double your vitamin C intake. Choose beneficial diet options, no junk food.
Practice healthy lifestyle. Exercise.

Health Benefits of Stinging Nettle Tea

April 18, 2011 by rfcamat Leave a Comment

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is an herbaceous perennial plant also known as common nettle, garden nettle, burn weed, burn nettle, and burn hazel. It is native to Europe, Asia, North America, and Northern Africa but is now found in different parts of the world. It got its name from the stinging sensation a person feel when he touches the stinging hairs of the plant. The stinging hairs are actually called trichomes which inject chemicals such as serotonin, histamine, acetylcholine, and formic acid when they come in contact with the skin. The mixture of chemicals cause painful sting that disappears after few minutes.

For centuries, sting nettle has been used as food and medicine. Sting nettle was a common vegetable to Native Indians during the spring season when there was scarcity of edible plants. In Northern and Eastern Europe, nettle soup is a popular recipe. Recipes like polenta and pesto use sting nettle as an important ingredient. Different countries have different ways of using sting nettle. One common way of using the herb is in making tea.

Nettle tea has been used for hundreds of years as remedy for a variety of ailments such as arthritis (joint pain), sore muscles, hay allergy, insect bites, skin disease, sprains, strains, premenstrual syndrome, and excessive bleeding during menstruation and after pregnancy. It is one of the many teas that are highly regarded for their health benefits and therapeutic uses.
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Health Benefits

Drinking nettle tea is known to improve the symptoms of joint and muscle pain. Applying tincture of the herb to the affected part is also effective in relieving the pain. Nettle tea contains compounds that block inflammatory compounds which cause joint and muscle pain. People with rheumatism or osteoarthritis should try drinking nettle tea to help relieve pain.

People with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate may also find drinking nettle tea helpful in improving the symptoms which include reduced urinary flow, post urination dripping, incomplete emptying of the bladder, and the constant urge to urinate. The effectiveness of nettle in treating BPH was even compared to the drug finasteride which treat the same disease. It is not yet clear how nettle is able to treat BPH but researchers suggest that compounds in nettle affect sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) or act directly on prostate cells. Definitely, more studies are needed to clear us about this. People with BPH who plan to use nettle tea should not forget to inform their doctors about it.

Nettle tea may also help reduce the symptoms of hay fever which include sneezing and itching. Scientists suggest that nettle tea contains compounds that reduce the amount of histamine in the body. Histamine is the substance released by the immune cells that produces allergic reactions. Besides nettle tea, nettle capsules can also be taken as remedy to hay fever symptoms.

Preliminary animal studies suggest the ability of nettle to lower blood sugar and blood pressure. Studies are needed to learn if nettle has the same effects to human.

Nettle tea is also a natural diuretic or a substance that increases urine flow. Diuretics like nettle tea are needed to lower blood pressure by reducing blood volume.

Nettle tea may also be effective in treating urinary tract infections, coughs, and eczema. Instead of using diuretic drugs that may have side effects, why not try drinking nettle tea

Nettle tea is a good source of amino acids, fatty acids, chlorophyll, folic acid, pantothenic acid, acetic acid, glucidic acid, sterols, formic acid, vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B5, K, beta carotene, calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus. All these organic acids, vitamins, and minerals are needed by our body to remain healthy and strong.

How To Prepare Nettle Tea?

Preparing nettle tea is easy, just pour 2/3 cup of boiling water over 3-4 teaspoons of dried nettle root or leaves. Cover and steep for 3 to 5 minutes, and strain.

You can add a slice of lemon to your tea and watch the color change from dark green to bright pink.

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Reference

Stinging Nettle. University of Maryland Medical Center.

Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea

April 17, 2011 by rfcamat Leave a Comment

Hibiscus is a popular ornamental plant in gardens worldwide. Many species of it are known for their colorful and large flowers which attract insect pollinators like bees and butterflies.

There are hundreds of Hibiscus species distributed in warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions of the world. Many of them are known as simply ornamental plants but many also are known as medicinal plants. For many centuries, medicinal Hibiscus has been used to make tea or infusion for the treatment of different illnesses.

Hibiscus sabdariffa, commonly called as Roselle, is a commonly used species in making Hibiscus tea. Its sepals or calyces (petal-like structure at the base of the flower) are used to make an herbal tea which is a popular beverage in many Asian, African, and Caribbean countries.

Different countries have their own unique ways of preparing Hibiscus tea. In China, for example, Hibiscus tea is blended with other teas like black tea. In Cambodia, Hibiscus tea is mixed with lime juice and sweeteners (sugar or honey) and then served as a cold drink. In Jamaica, Hibiscus tea is usually mixed with Jamaican rum or wine. Hibiscus tea can be served as either cold or warm; the flavor and aroma would still be the same. However, more people prefer drinking warm Hibiscus tea.

Since time immemorial, Hibiscus tea is known for its health benefits and therapeutic uses which you are going to learn below.
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Hibiscus Tea Health Benefits

Hibiscus tea is rich in anthocyanins and bioflavonoids that serve as powerful antioxidants in the body. These antioxidants neutralize free radicals that damage our cells. Free radicals are produced during normal cellular metabolism. They should be neutralized by antioxidants before they cause any damage to cell structures. Free radicals are associated to cancer, premature aging, heart disease, and metabolic diseases. Drinking a cup of Hibiscus tea a day is a great way of preventing these diseases.

Researchers at Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan found that antioxidants in Hibiscus tea can lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Reduction of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels will lower the risk of heart disease by reducing cholesterol plaques accumulated in arteries. These plaques can block the flow of blood causing heart attack and stroke.

There were research studies that found the effectiveness of drinking Hibiscus tea in lowering blood pressure. The potency of Hibiscus tea was even compared to the anti-hypertensive drug Captopril. Drinking Hibiscus tea is greatly recommended to people with hypertension.

Hibiscus tea is also an herbal diuretic. It increases urination and reduces blood volume, contributing to blood pressure reduction.

Drinking Hibiscus tea can also contribute to weight loss as it contains an enzyme inhibitor that block the action of amylase, the enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates into their absorbable forms. Reducing the amount of carbohydrates absorbed into our body will result to weight loss.

Hibiscus tea has also been use in centuries as herbal remedy for fever. In a research study, Hibiscus exhibited fever lowering (antipyretic) properties in rats. The researchers suggested that the mechanism of action of Hibiscus is different from aspirin, a drug that lowers fever.

Hibiscus tea is claimed to protect the liver from damage by removing unwanted chemicals. However, more scientific studies are needed to prove this Hibiscus health benefits.

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Weird Allergies: Allergy to Sex and Sun

March 1, 2011 by rfcamat Leave a Comment

An allergy is the unusual sensitivity to a normally harmless substance that provokes a strong reaction from a person’s immune system. The substance that causes reaction is called an allergen, which could be a protein, a chemical, a liquid, a pollen, etc. The allergen is recognized by our immune system as “potentially dangerous” so it would react accordingly. However, the response is not necessarily good to our body as allergic reaction gives noticeable symptoms which include rashes, nausea, swelling, and anaphylaxis, a condition which can cause death if not treated immediately.

First exposure to an allergen will not cause any symptom but the body is said to be sensitized to that allergen. Subsequent exposure to the allergen causes allergic reaction and the symptoms will show up.

Perhaps, you know examples of allergies and you know people who have them. Common allergies that you may have heard of include strawberry allergy, birch allergy, egg allergy, chicken allergy, hay allergy, seafood allergy, peanut allergy, mold allergy, and the like. But have you heard of sex allergy, sun allergy, sweat allergy, and other weird allergies that are only experienced by a very small portion of our population?

Continue reading to learn some of the world’s weirdest allergies. Find out their causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Sex Allergy

Sex is supposed to be enjoyable but not to a woman who is allergic to her partner’s semen. The semen is a thick white fluid containing sperm released during ejaculation. It contains proteins (allergens) that trigger allergic reaction to the woman’s body. Symptoms include burning sensation, redness, and swelling to any area that has been in contact with semen. Another symptom is anaphylactic shock, a life-threatening symptom marked by breathing difficulty and drop in blood pressure. All these symptoms occur soon after sex.

Semen allergy is very rare. There are instances that it is misdiagnosed as allergy to condom (latex), lubricants, spermicides, or as a symptom of sexually transmitted disease. However, symptoms disappear after condom use but return after unprotected sex. Semen allergy can be confirmed through various allergy tests like skin test.

Semen allergy is not the end for a healthy sexual life to a woman with the condition since there is treatment. The woman should be desensitized to his partner’s semen through frequent local injection of the allergenic sperm and weekly sexual intercourse. If treatment is not successful and the woman wants to be pregnant, artificial insemination can be performed.
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Sun Allergy

The sun is the primary source of energy in all of living things. It powers the photosynthesis in plants, the water cycle, and other biological phenomena. Even Vitamin D metabolism needs the sun’s energy to take place. With all these important role of the sun, man has no reason in not appreciating it. But would you appreciate the sun if it gives you a disease like sun allergy?

Also known as solar urticaria, sun allergy gives stinging, itchy, red and swollen rash soon after being exposed to the sun. The symptoms occur in any part of the body exposed to sunlight but the face and hands are slightly affected because they are desensitized with constant exposure to the sun.

The exact cause of solar urticaria is still unknown but it is thought that it may be due to the sun reacting with a chemical allergen in the body, triggering the allergic reaction responsible to the symptoms.

The diagnostic test for solar urticaria involves shining light of varying wavelengths directly to the skin. The appearance of rash or swelling confirms allergy to the sun’s light.

Antihistamines are used to control the symptoms. Long term treatment involves the desensitization of the skin against sunlight through phototherapy. In instances of highly sensitive immune system, immunosuppressant drugs are used.

Next: Sweat and Exercise Allergy