Ginger Oil & Its Pain-Relieving Properties for Arthritis

Ginger has been used in Asian medicine for thousands of years. It was written about in Chinese as well as Sanskrit texts, and the Romans and the Greeks had a lot to say about this versatile herb as well. Europeans started to use it as a spice and condiment around the 10th century.

There are over one hundred different forms of arthritis. The most common form, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and related autoimmune diseases. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection. People with arthritis have pain

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that’s chronic in nature, and affects not only tissues and joints, but also other organs at later stages of the disease. The exact cause of the disease is yet to be found out, and unfortunately, there is no complete cure for the disease. Medicine and certain lifestyle changes can Arthritis is a condition which is related with the inflammation of joint. Though there are different types of arthritis but all types of arthritis is related with the inflammation of joints. People suffering from this problem have common complaints which include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. The problem of arthritis can be described as the Before we delve into the remedies for arthritis, it’s important to understand the 2 main types of arthritis. There are over one hundred types of arthritis but they all go under the heading of these 2 main branches: This is my burden in life, the main type and the one most often suffered. Osteoarthritis mean

How To Treat It? Foot Arthritis

Foot arthritis could be described as one of the more common forms of arthritis. The problem with the foot is that it consists of twenty-eight bones and thirty joints, of which any are susceptible to arthritis. If arthritis develops in any of these joints, its going to affect the way you walk, run and move in general. The joints in the foot which are more commonly affected are: the big toe, the ankle, the mid foot and the hind foot joint.

The most common form of arthritis which develops in the foot is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the result of getting older, and essentially wear and tear on the joints and cartilage. The cartilage wears down, and the bones rub together resulting in pain and swelling.

Please understand the next few paragraphs with care, the situation and the options have a lot of different versions. Traumatic arthritis is a common form of osteoarthritis that develops in the foot of a patient following some form of severe injury. This can develop in the foot even when the injury was treated correctly, and given time to recover fully. The most common forms of traumatic foot arthritis are a torn ligament, broken bone or severe sprain.

There are various symptoms and indications of foot arthritis, which should alert the sufferer to the condition immediately. These symptoms include swelling, tenderness, pain, stiffness and reduced mobility of the affected joint. All these symptoms will eventually lead to a difficulty in walking.

For a doctor to properly diagnose foot arthritis, a serious of tests and physical examinations will need to be performed. The doctor will also require information about your health and lifestyle to give clues on the complexity of the condition. The next step is to perform a walking analysis. In performing this walking analysis, the doctor will measure your stride and test your ankle and foot strength. Certain diagnostic imaging tests may also be required to further diagnose your condition- theses may include and X-Ray, CT or MRI scan.

After fully evaluating your foot arthritis, your doctor/physician will devise the most suitable treatment plan. There are many non-surgical treatments available, these include:

Taking anti-inflammatory medication

Steroid injection

Foot brace or cane usage

Ankle and foot support usage

Physical therapy

The final treatment option is surgery, and is generally reserved as a ‘last resort’ when all other treatment methods have failed. The key to effectively treating arthritis is early diagnosis. Do not ignore those sensations of stiffness and soreness; see a doctor as soon as possible, so that you have the best chance of treating your foot arthritis.

Excellent comment on the subject:

Arthritis is a degenerative condition that can be caused by normal wear and tear on the joints over a long period of time. Eventually joint cartillage can wear down and then you have bone grating on bone, which is very painful. Think of joint cartillage like a brick wall. Your body is the bricklayer, and time is the enemy firing weapons at your wall. Your bricklayer is pretty good at putting up bricks, but he has a very sporadic supply train (blood) giving him replacement bricks and mortar. If there was a way to increase the supply train, your bricklayer would be able to work faster. He’ll never be faster than the enemy, but he can stall defeat. In my clinic we counsel clients theat treatment of arthritis is a three-pronged approach. 1) control pain and inflammation. This is achieved through the use of drugs such as NSAIDS (Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx) or when these drugs become innefective, you can advance to the cortisone drugs. 2) Give the joints what they need to repair themselves (think back to your bricklayer.) This means fortifying his diet with the building blocks of cartillage- glucosamine and chondroitin. Plus, there is exciing new research that an amino acid (chromium ethylester- sold under the brand name Rejuvinate) has a catalytic effect on the glucosamine and chondroitin, making them work even better. 3) Retain muscle mass and range of motion. Mild exercise (several short walks per day- no more than what is comfortable for your dog) is very beneficial in the treatment of arthritis. There are also veterinary physical therapy centers that have underwater treadmills for dogs also, so that they can walk without thier full weight on the joints. Swimming is great, too! At the end of the day, addressing the problem of arthritis from all 3 angles will give yout the best result and make him comfortable for the longest period of time, but ultimately your dog will reach a point where he’s no longer having a good quality of life. No one knows your dog like you, so no one besides you- not even your vet- can know when he’s ready to give up the fight. Best of luck, and my heart goes out to you. IM me if you want any other info. And apologies for the typos- i'm typing with a broken wrist!

Surviving Glycemic Diets (Ketogenic, Low-Carb or Atkins):

1.The first step to living a Glycemic Diet Lifestyle is knowing what you can have, and have lots of. This includes a large variety of vegetables and fruits. The best you can do is eating five vegetable servings of cup per day and four cups of fruits (Please be selective) per day.

2.Remember that eating refined white flour, white potatoes, white rice to your body, is like eating sugar, making a diet high in “White Stuff”, typically, breads, rolls, bagels, pretzels, and crackers made from white flour – a high sugar diet. Whole grains mean extra fiber, which aids in weight loss. Not only does the fiber fill you us quickly with fewer calories, but is also eliminate some of the calories you eat. Fiber can go through the digestive system so quickly that some of the calories never have a chance to actually digest.

3.Try to eat two or three calcium – rich foods every day. Calcium not only supports your bones and helps prevent osteoporosis, but it also helps prevent colon cancer, high blood pressure, and PMS. Calcium may also lower your body fat.

You should read through the next few paragraphs thoroughly, the matter and the fixes have quite a lot of different versions. 4.Beans are the highest-fiber foods you can find, with the exception of breakfast cereals made with wheat bran. Beans are high in soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels, and foliate, which lowers levels of homocysteine, another risk factor for heart disease.


Diets That Work – ‘Burn’ Fat Faster With This Diet – YouTube: Visit: diets that work

5.People who eat nuts regularly have less heart disease and other illness than people who avoid them do. There are compounds found in most nuts called tocotrienols. You just have to limit the amount of nuts that you eat. The best thing to do is to chop your favorite kind, keep them in your fridge and sprinkle two Tablespoons a day on your food.

6.People who east fish twice a week have fewer fatal heart attacks. Fish is rich in Omega-3 fats, which have the ability to prevent the development of a dangerously irregular heartbeat. Fish is a good source of protein, which promotes satiety – the feeling of fullness you look for in a meal.

7.Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day, plus a cup or more of tea. Water is so important to our body. Water also helps to metabolize the fat. Big water drinkers also appear to get less colon and bladder cancer. Every cup of tea you drink provides a strong infusion of anti-oxidants that help keep blood from clotting too easily and that may help lower you risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

8.Try to stay within a healthy fat budget and watch the type of fats you consume. Get most of your fat from Cold Pressed Virgin Olive Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Borage oil or Walnut Oil. You may use Butter and creams for your daily dose of Vitamin E, but remember that you only need a little.

9.What nutrition you cannot get from your foods, you can take in a pill. Just remember to be sensible. Most vitamins won’t dissolve in your stomach, or your intestines. Make sure that your vitamins are food source or they can cause vitamin toxicity in your liver. If you’re eating correctly, non-processed foods being 95% of your diet, then you should be getting all that you need. If you feel you need more nutrition, only take of the amount of vitamins that have been recommended. Remember that your body will store what it does not use, and if it stores too much, you can be asking for trouble.

10.Be careful with the choices you have in your diet. You carry with you a guide for the amount of meat that you should eat in a day. Make of fist and put it down on a piece of paper with the little finger down against the surface. That’s the size of meat that you should be eating in a day. Make sure that your choices in meat are free of other chemicals that can interfere with your health or medication.

D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S. With twenty years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods. For more information or to view the articles that she has written: http://www.sugarblend.com

What Is Osteoarthritis of the Knee & What Is the Treatment?

Articular cartilage is the gristle that caps the ends of long bones. It consists primarily of a matrix of proteoglycans which are complex arrangements of proteins and glycogen molecules. The proteoglycans exist within a framework of tough collagen fibers. Within the proteoglycan matrix are cells called chondrocytes. These cells are the ones that are responsible for the synthesis of proteoglycans. In fact, the normal maintenance of cartilage integrity is highly dependent on the normal metabolic function of these chondrocytes.

Healthy cartilage can withstand the usual loads that accompany the activities of daily living. Cartilage, when loaded, acts as a shock absorber. It’ll partially deform but springs back to its normal shape under normal circumstances. It also provides a gliding surface which is enhanced by a small amount of synovial fluid, produced by the joint lining, that acts as a lubricant.

This is often really important part of this topic. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of articular cartilage. It arises as a result of the inability of cartilage to keep up with excessive breakdown. The first step is a disturbance in the matrix. This causes loss of cartilage resiliency. Of course, proteins that promote inflammation (called inflammatory cytokines) are produced by the joint lining. These cytokines activate destructive enzymes, called proteases. The proteases degrade the matrix and cause the chondrocyte to malfunction.

The inflammatory cytokines cause the production of other bad chemicals including nitric oxide and matrix metalloproteinases. These cause further cartilage breakdown.

Over time, cartilage wears away, underlying bone is exposed, and joint deformity occurs. Pain and disability are the end result.

The knee is a particular target of osteoarthritis.


With the aging demographic as well as the increasing incidence of obesity, knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a significant public health problem. Significant disability can result and health care dollars are being spent at an astonishing rate for total knee replacement. The 2003 National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on Total Knee Replacement estimated that the mean total cost of a knee replacement in the United States was 35,000. That figure is obviously higher now. And the dollar cost doesn’t factor in the potential for complications.

More than half a million knee replacements occur annually and that figure will continue to rise.

Non-surgical treatments by and large are palliative. These include education, weight loss, analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), braces, physical therapy, exercise, and injections of glucocorticoids and viscosupplements (lubricants).

Investigational therapies aimed at either increasing the production of matrix and/or collagen or reducing the amount of inflammatory cytokines are being scrutinized but so far, there is little cause for optimism.

More recently, the use of autologous stem cells, have been shown to have promise for KOA.


(Wei N, et al. Guided mesenchymal layering technique for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. J Applied Research. 2011; 11)

Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR is a rheumatologist and Director of the Arthritis Treatment Center http://www.arthritistreatmentcenter.com. He’s a former Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and consultant to the National Institutes of Health. For more info: Arthritis Treatment

If you are a Male You Should Be Concerned :: The Effect of Nicotine

We all know that smoking kills. And we also know that the chemicals that exist in cigarettes such as tar and especially nicotine are the main reason for our smoking addiction. Like most drugs, nicotine stays in the body, even when you’re not smoking.

Beside the normal attributes of nicotine addiction such as high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer there are more disturbing evidence that nicotine contributes to erectile dysfunction. The fact that less blood flows through your body due to blocked arteries, mean less testosterone is produced and the likelihood of erectile dysfunction increases

You should read this short article with care, the matter and the answers have a variety of differences. Nicotine dependency will be directly related to what kind of smoker you’re the longer you smoke and the more you smoke the greater your dependency on nicotine. Those who smoke socially will have nicotine trace in their blood for few days while other heavy smoker can expect the nicotine trace to last for up to thirty day

To accelerate the process of getting rid of nicotine in your blood stream try these few simple steps

Drink plenty of water- water is been known to remove toxin out of your body and it’ll assist in removing nicotine from your blood stream. Take antioxidant and vitamins to try rebuilt and cleanse your body. Exercise, be active your brain will use some of its resources while you’re active leaving fewer resources to peruse the addiction

The good news is that our body is capable of repairing the damage caused by smoking. Once you stop smoking your body will start the healing process, the nicotine will be removed from your blood stream and the addiction will gradually disappear!

If you would like some more information,a place where you can ask a question and get some tips and advice on different methods of giving up smoking please drop by at quit smoking advice.

Here’s How – Quit Smoking

Trying to quit smoking is definitely not one of the easiest things to do in life, some people would rather eat sand than having to go through the withdrawal period. Cigarettes is one of the most socially accepted drugs in most countries, it’s definitely not illegal, it may just be illegal to smoke in certain places, but it’s not a banned drug.

As with everything in life, trying to kick the dirty habit’s all about choice, however, easier said than done as most smokers would say.

Here’s how:

The first thing is to make a conscious decision to quit, not a conscious decision to try to quit. Our brain sometimes does funny things to us and because we sincerely know it would be the right thing to do, we practice a little mercy on ourselves and put the words “will try to quit” in our sub-conscious mind, meanwhile, telling family and friends we’ve decided to quit and then going through the painful, agonising withdrawal period only to relapse. It’s called denial! Take a moment, sit down and have a heart-to-heart with yourself. List the pros and cons of it if you need to see it in black and white. This is also effective in actually helping you to see that there really is no pro’s to it. How can there be when with each puff, you’re hurting yourself and your organs and with secondary smoke, hurting the ones you love most. It starts with a sincere intention which comes from understanding why you need to, not want to, but need to quit smoking, then making the conscious choice to quit, and then comes the hard work by following through on your decision. This is by no means easy so get professional help if you need to. Avoid people, places and things that would normally cause you to light one up. Avoid those three things at the beginning of the process, but manage them at a later stage because you can’t be avoiding the rest of the world nor reality, you’ll encounter smokers at some time or the other during your time of quitting.

Most smokers who finish a packet a day will admit that most of it’s due to habit and not actual craving.

You can only manage what you can control. Monitor yourself when you have a craving. How long does it last? What happens to you during that time? Ask yourself if you’ll be able to manage it when it happens again?

Also, to entertain the thought of a craving is to validate it, so don’t pay too much attention to it, otherwise you’ll find yourself anticipating when the next craving will happen.

It certainly is a process to quit smoking, so be conscious of that, but don’t use it as an excuse to relapse. Relapsing is a choice too.

This is often a very important section of this specific subject. So it really helps to think of the benefits to your organs, especially your lungs, think of all the money you’ll be saving, you’ll be able to taste better, you’ll be increasing your chances of a longer healthier life and of those loved ones around you. The pros of quitting definitely outweighs any craving.

Considering Different Aquaponics Designs Will Make Things Cheaper & Easier

By considering the different aquaponics designs that might suit your needs, you’ll start off on the right foot when starting your own sustainable organic garden. Many people make the mistake of rushing into building an aquaponics system, without fully considering and understanding what makes a system like this work in the first place.

Rushing into a project like this will likely result in higher maintenance and ongoing expenses that can be avoided if you take the time to set up your system properly from the very start. If you’re interested in building a home aquaponics system in the cheapest and most time-efficient manner, then part of your research should include how to use recycled materials, and how to convert household items into usable supplies.

The Most Common Designs Are All Trying To Achieve The Same Thing

Let us go on with this short post. 3 of the most common aquaponics designs that are used to set up a home aquaponics system are elevated grow beds, an aquaponics raft, and a backyard solar pond. Regardless of the basic design that you choose, you really should understand what we’re trying to accomplish first, and then choosing the right set up for your needs will become much easier.

Successful aquaponics is all about biological balance. All of your efforts will be centered on balancing the amount and number of fish, plants, and bacteria – so that each of these parts is in the right proportion to sustain the other two parts.

Aquaponics GA – YouTube
Creating a system that will sustain itself will require effort for the first few weeks and possibly months, but the payoff will be worth your efforts. Sustainable organic gardens can provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber on an ongoing basis that’s more nutrient dense and far cheaper than what you can get in a health food store.

Most of the time, you can create the proper biological balance in an aquaponics system in a week or two. You’ll first condition the water that the plants and fish will live in, by encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria.

By encouraging bacteria to grow in the water, you’ll be reducing the harmful chlorine in the water and creating the fish waste conversion system at the same time. The bacteria will decompose the fish waste and ammonia into usable nitrates that the plants will absorb through their roots. As the plants take up these vital nutrients, they’ll also clean the water for the fish.

Why The Design of the System is Important

The design of the system will ensure that the dirty water is circulated from the fish to the plants, and that the purified water will move from the vegetables back to the fish again. As an example, if you use elevated grow beds, the system will use gravity to drain the water from the vegetation back to where the fish are. This water movement does 2 things. It reduces the pH levels of the water where the fish are, while simultaneously aerating the water for the fish. Both of these processes happen naturally in freshwater rivers and lakes, and that’s why you see so many fish in these places.

The other important consideration when you’re researching which aquaponics design to use, is to determine if you may possibly want to scale up your system at a later date. Many people can envision either increasing the size of their harvests of fresh fish and vegetables, while others hope to grow their system into a commercial aquaponics business.

By taking the time to reflect on your own goals and needs, and by learning about the types of systems that can meet those needs, you’ll be in a much better spot to start building your own aquaponics self-sustaining system.

Robert Alekson has been growing organic fruit and vegetables for over twenty years. If you’re interested in learning more about the different aquaponics designs that you should consider.

Container Vegetable Gardening

Container vegetable gardening is a great concept that will help people to do gardening even if they’ve a space constraint in their houses. Especially, those who live in apartments and condos will definitely find this concept highly useful. The best thing about this gardening is that you can have this garden anywhere inside your home. The only point you should ensure is to have a good ventilation and sunlight in the place you choose. The place should also be comfortable to work in.

You should buy the containers of the right size so as to fit the space you choose. The containers that are already available with you can also be used. There are no hard and fast rules about the sizes of the containers. They should be of the right size to accommodate the plants you choose to grow in your container vegetable garden. The point that’s being emphasized here is that the roots of the plants should be able to grow. The containers shouldn’t be very heavy because you may like to move them when there is a need. Drainage holes should be there along the sides slightly above the bottom. For improving the drainage, you should put a one inch layer of gravel in the bottom of the containers.

This may very well be very important part of this topic. The greatest advantage in container vegetable gardening is that the usual hassles that are associated with out-door gardening such as unfavorable weather conditions, soil-borne disease, and poor soil conditions are either not there or can easily be avoided in this.

The plants that can be grown in such containers are eggplant, green onions, beans, etc. You can also grow peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and squash. Those who have tried this type of gardening have succeeded in growing even cucumbers and pole beans. The only thing these plants need is a little extra care and a little more space because they need vines for their growth.

You should understand that synthetic soil is very good for this type of gardening because this soil is quite light and drains well. This synthetic soil is also capable of holding moisture and nutrients. The composition of this soil is compounds that include wood chips, sawdust, vermiculite, peat moss or perlite.

If you want to get this synthetic soil, you can get it from the local retailer who sells gardening items or you can make this mixture yourself. Superphosphate, horticultural grade vermiculite, limestone, peat moss and garden fertilizer are mixed in the right proportions to make this synthetic soil mixture.

In short, if you do your container vegetable gardening properly, you’ll not only enjoy the experience but you’ll be able to grow useful plants also.

Phil Faustini, Grandson of Stephen Follett, creator of “Watch Us Grow”. In the 1940′s Stephen Follett developed this unique Plant Food. After many years of trials and experiments on all types of plants and crops. 1952 was the year “Watch Us Grow” was made available to the public. Since then the positive testimonials have poured in from all over the world, from professional to novice growers “Watch Us Grow” has made believers out of them all. Go to http://www.allpurposeplantfood.com and try some for yourself to see why the gardening world is so excited about “Watch Us Grow”

How to Start Your Own Seed Bank for Organic Gardening

If you are a beginner organic gardener, you will need reliable seed sources to begin your seed bank. Even if you do not want to save seeds, many people are worried about their seeds sources, wanting to steer clear of genetically modified seeds. So, how do you know that the seeds you are buying are safe and good for organic production?

Research Farms: The first place to look are research farms, i.e., private research farms devoted to finding and applying ecologically sound techniques.

Seed Companies: Second look for seed companies that are devoted to selling open pollinated seeds. Open pollination happens when plants are left to reproduce on their own via wind, birds and bees. Hybrid seeds aren’t evil. Hybrids are crossbreeds of 2 or more vegetables bred for their strengths. For instance a farmer takes a tomato that usually lasts longer against certain diseases in his area, then he breeds it with a variety that’s known to produce early–if it produces early, it will never have a chance to develop disease. Both these properties combine to make a strong, early-to-market variety. Many other farmers might like the variety and would want to buy some of the seed. Well, they will have to buy seed from the original breeder unless they know the exact varieties he used to make the variety.

Organic seeds are produced

Selection: Third select 3 or 4 companies that fit the bill. Order something from each of them. It does not have to be a big order. Just order something small, gauge their customer service, and gauge their seeds. Plant and see what happens. If you’re satisfied, you could have several sources for seeds. The 3 seed companies I use are Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Bountiful Gardens and Southern Seed Exchange. I’ve no affiliation with these companies; however, they provide great customer service, ship quickly, and deliver on their promises.

Market Farmers: Another great seed sources are market farmers devoted to organic and open pollinated seeds. These guys and gals are growing specifically for market. If you buy their seed bearing produce, you will have seeds for you garden next season.

Avid Gardeners: These are your serious types, people who garden even in the cold of winter! If they are devoted to open pollinated seeds, they can be a great source of information as well as a great source for helping you start your own seed bank. They often have more seed than they can possibly grow in one season.

Open pollinated seeds are a great way to get started in preserving and expanding the diversity of our vegetable species. You are doing more than just growing beets and beans. You are learning a skill that will feed you and your family.

Winning the War Against Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA is a condition that forces half of patients to become disabled from the work force within 5 to 10 years… And reduces life expectancy by as much as eightteen years. RA affects about one per cent of the world’s adult population, most commonly women between the ages of thirty and 50.

The good news is that a tremendous amount of progress has been made within the last 10 years in identifying patients earlier and treating the disease more aggressively. Patients with RA, if treated appropriately, can lead a relatively normal life. This is in stark contrast to the wheel-chair bound existence common as recently as twenty years ago!

Experts in the field consider early rheumatoid arthritis to be a medical emergency with mortality and morbidity equal to that for diabetes, asthma, heart disease, and other life-threatening conditions.

Rheumatoid arthritis attacks the joints in a symmetric fashion (both sides of the body affected equally) with the most common areas being the hands, wrists, ankles, knees, and feet. In addition to the swelling and pain, patients with RA often have profound fatigue and stiffness.

All of this is really important part of this specific subject matter. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks not only joints, but internal organs such as the blood vessels, lungs, heart, and eyes. Patients with RA are at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and lymphoma.

Since many other types of arthritis such as gout, lupus, and osteoarthritis can look like RA a careful diagnostic approach is needed.

Laboratory testing has its pitfalls. The rheumatoid factor, a blood test found to be positive in about eigthy per cent of individuals with RA, may also be positive in other disease conditions. Couple that with the fact that twenty per cent of patients with RA will be rheumatoid factor negative, then it becomes clear a diagnosis shouldn’t hinge on the results of blood tests alone.

Imaging procedures can also be misleading. Conventional x-rays often miss the erosions found with early disease. Newer imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound are much more sensitive.

After the diagnosis is made, there is even more hope for a patient today. In the past, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) used to be considered a cornerstone of therapy. That’s no longer true.

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) are being used earlier. Among the DMARDS currently being used are methotrexate, leflunomide (Arava), azathioprine (Imuran), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), cyclosporine, and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil). These drugs attack the immune cells responsible for chronic inflammation. While DMARDS alone in combination are effective, they’re relatively non-specific. Most times, combinations of DMARDS are required.

Biologic Response Modifiers (BRMS) can target the disease more specifically than DMARDS. RA is a disease that’s dependent on the signaling that occurs between immune cells. The signaling takes place through the use of special chemical messengers called cytokines. BRMS act at both the cytokine (chemical messenger) as well as the cellular level allowing the disease to be better controlled and in some instances put into remission.

Biologic response modifiers, which include drugs that suppress tumor necrosis factor (TNF), appear to be particularly effective.

Tumor necrosis factor is a protein that’s produced by the immune cells. TNF is the major culprit responsible for inflammation-inducing damage. By block the effects of TNF, better control of RA can be achieved.

3 anti-TNF drugs are currently available: etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira), and infliximab (Remicade). Another biologic drug, anakinra (Kineret) blocks interleukin, a different cytokine.

These drugs allow patients to have their disease controlled to such an extent that most are able to enjoy a normal work and leisure existence.

Second line biologic agents such as Rituxan and Orencia allow rheumatologists to treat patients who have failed anti-TNF drugs.

On the horizon are other biologic drugs that work at different points in the immune system- on different cytokines and on different pathways- to allow even greater as well as more specific control of disease. Since rheumatoid arthritis is a disease with many different cytokine and cellular mechanisms responsible for damage, attacking the disease at different points makes sense. In the future it may be possible to identify patients through specific tissue signals (called “biomarkers”). These biomarkers will allow physicians to type patients and give patients the specific therapy that will work best for them. Once that’s achieved, the possibility of a cure becomes a reality.

Everything, though, starts with early accurate diagnosis. If damage is allowed to occur the chances for remission drop dramatically!

Dr. Wei (pronounced “way”) is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He’s a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and has served as a consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He’s a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information on arthritis and related conditions, go to: Arthritis Treatment

How to Make a Year Round Vegetable Garden?

Have you ever wished for a year round vegetable garden that produces cherry tomato during winter or lettuce or broccoli during summer?

Vegetable Garden Planner: The Garden Planner makes it simple to create the perfect plans for your vegetable garden. It includes detailed growing information on all commonly grown vege…

If you’re staying in those parts of the world that have short seasons, you’ll find it difficult to grow a vegetable garden. This is because the next season will fall upon you before the plant bears fruit and thus stunts the plant growth. If you’re living in areas with short summer season, the winter will come when warm weather vegetables like tomatoes, egg plants etc starts bearing fruit and the adverse climate will stop the produce. So how can you grow a year round vegetable garden?

The solution to the short season is to extend the season that’s favorable for the growth of your plants. As it’s not possible to lengthen a season naturally, the best you can do is to simulate an environment similar to that season by artificial means. This could be done using green houses; or growing the vegetable garden indoors.

Be sure to evaluate this diligently, the matter and the alternatives have number of variations. Green houses are of three types – cold, cool and warm. This classification is based on the temperature that’s maintained in the greenhouse during night. Cold green house is warmed during the day time by the sunlight. A temperature of about twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit’s normally maintained here. Frost sensitive plants couldn’t be grown here. Cool greenhouse has a temperature of fourty-eight degree Fahrenheit and during cold season the temperature is maintained by artificial means. Warm greenhouse should have a temperature of fifty-five degrees minimum and to maintain this temperature at night, the house has to be heated by artificial means. The temperature is usually maintained by using hydroponic lights. In cool greenhouses, vegetables that are frost sensitive could be grown and in warm ones all type of vegetables could be grown.

All of this is really important section of this specific issue. Depending on the type of green house and the types of vegetables that you plan to grow, seeding dates may vary. While selecting seeds for your greenhouse garden, choose the ones that are specifically made for greenhouse production. The crops that could be grown are tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, egg plants, squash, beans etc and lettuce, carrots etc. The seeds are sown on seedling mix with light consistency. This is for the roots to develop. Once the first 2 leaves come out, the sapling is transplanted to its pots. Regular garden soil is not normally used as it’s heavy and has poor drainage. Instead potting soil is used. It has to be watered daily and fertilizers have to be added regularly.

Though you could have your year round vegetable garden using green houses, there are some draw backs. The heating cost for warm greenhouse is very high especially if the winter season is too long. In summer seasons the temperature in the green houses has to be brought down for the proper growth of plants. Another draw back is that in the absence of bees for natural pollination, you yourself have to help in pollination.

With the help of greenhouses your year round vegetable garden can be grown.

Why don’t we go on with this post. Zack Wilson is an avid organic gardener, for more comprehensive information on how to alternative gardens visit my website where you’ll also find many articles on organic gardening, problems with gardening, easy steps to organic gardening, making money with your garden and much much more

Should You Be Composting?

Since there are a variety of uses for compost, you’ll find that people with assorted hobbies and occupations taking advantage of this eco-friendly resource.

Composting: Michelle from Pure2raw is making her first compost using organic soil, coffee grounds, juice pulp and shredded paper.

A home owner can utilize a compost bin or pile to decrease the amount of trash they’re discarding. An additional advantage is that they’re creating fertilizer for their potted plants or vegetable garden. Given that compost bins need green food (grass clippings) and brown food (organic waste) you can gather up clippings from your yard and toss them in your bin as well.

Also, crops on a farm can produce a large amount of waste. Farmers can take crop waste that’s not consumable and add that to a compost bin in conjunction with manure from any animals they’re raising. After the compost matures, and is ready, the farmer can use this substance for adding need nutrients to their soil; building up dips and low spots in their field; and to maintain healthy soil.

Composting: A mix of used coffee grounds,used coffee filters,shredded paper and leaves.

my compost
Mature compost also prevents those pesky weed seeds from growing.

Remember to evaluate this informative article with care, the matter and the options have alot of differences. Professional landscapers can make compost for their clients that request only natural or organic materials be used on their lawn and flower beds. This is a low-cost material for a landscaper to make use of that provides his customers with eco-friendly options that also have a low overhead cost.

If composting is something that would benefit you, but you do not have the time or space to maintain a compost heap, contact your local cities recycling center. Some of them will accept your organic waste and grass clippings for their city compost pile. The resulting compost will then be used in your city’s parks and gardens. A number of recycling centers will also let local residents use the cities mature compost for their own needs as well.

Let’s go on with this content page. In spite of this, schools will utilize compost to enlighten the students on the process of decomposition and to show children things we can do to help keep our planet healthy. Another added benefit’s the cost savings for the school in up keeping the grounds and parks.

Carrots: Easy to Grow & Children Love Them

What we know today as carrots started out centuries ago as a bitter, pithy root. Since then, they’ve been bred and selected to grow orange and sweet, popular all around the globe. They date back at least 5,000 years. Pollen from carrots dating back even further has been found at neolithic sites.

Allotment Diary : Sowing Planting Carrots using Seed Tape: Just a quick video of me sowing Carrots on the allotment using Seed Tape rather than Seed for the first time. I have never use…

The Latin name for carrots is Daucus carota, a member of the Umbelliferae family. The word “carota” appears in writings dating back to two hundred AD.

Carrots started out as red, purple or yellow in color. The Dutch, in an effort to pay homage to their royal family, The House of Orange, bred orange carrots. These Dutch-bred orange carrots are the ancestors of our modern carrots.

Carrots will grow in soil that’s left unimproved after harvesting another crop for which the soil was improved. They like a sandy, well-drained soil free from rocks. If you have clay soils you will have better luck with round or “half-long” type carrots.

All of this is an important piece of this specific subject matter. Rototill or hand-dig the soil in your garden before planting carrot seeds. This will loosen up the soil, and make it easier for the carrots to grow down into it. They’ll also be more likely to grow straight. Bent and twisted carrots are the result of rocks or other foreign impediments in the soil that the carrots must find a way to grow around.

Let me continue with this story. Carrots even grow well in containers, as long as the container is twice as deep as the length of the carrots at maturity.

One other intriguing fact about this study. Sow seeds 2 weeks before your last frost. The seeds will germinate faster and at a higher rate the warmer the soil is when they’re planted. Make successive plantings every 2 weeks until mid-summer. Sow rather thickly and thin successively to a final spacing of two to three inches apart. The later, larger “thinings” can be eaten as baby carrots.

We should continue with this writing. Feed carrots plenty of potassium, (the third number on the fertilizer label), and go easy on the nitrogen (first number on the fertilizer label). Too much nitrogen can cause the carrots to branch and fork and makes the roots hairy and fibrous.

Carrots are a good companion plant for tomatoes. Both vegetables will benefit, growing lush green foliage and producing succulent tomatoes and carrots.

Home grown carrots are remarkably better tasting than grocery store varieties. Children often dig them up, brush the dirt off, and eat the carrot with the greens hanging down, like a certain cartoon bunny. I know I did

How to Grow Zucchini the Practical Way

If you want to start a vertical garden, learning to how to grow zucchini could be the first practical step to do so. Not only does Zucchini grow nicely into a vine, it does not take too much trouble to grow as well.

Zucchini belong to the family of pumpkins. The curious thing with this vine is that you can also cross breed this with squash and pumpkin. You can save the seeds resulting from the breed and have it planted the following year.

This vegetable are known to contain a good amount of Vitamin C. It also contains useful amounts of potassium, folate and vitamin A. The darker the zucchini, the more packed with nutrients it’s. And its color does range from yellow, light green to a more darker hue of gray and almost black.

Growing Zucchini Squash

To be able to successfully grow this vegetable, follow these simple yet practical steps detailed below:

Preparation:

The first step includes preparation of the area where you’re planning to plant the zucchini as well as preparing the seedling for planting. For the former, you need to choose a very good area to plant the zucchini seedling. If you already have an existing garden, you may want to plan carefully the layout of the crops as zucchini could grow broad leaves and it might overshadow other crops you may have planted.

How to Grow Organic Zucchini in Your Home Garden

As for the seeds, you need to have it planted in peat pots indoor a month before. This will ensure that the vines are germinated nicely and you would not have any trouble planting the vine without disturbing the roots. These preparation has to be done during the winter months so that by the start of spring, you’re all ready to plant in your garden.

Sowing:

Zucchini has to be spaced in such a way that they will not overrun each other and other smaller crops which you may also plan on planting. If you’re short on space, I strongly suggest that you plant the zucchini near the fence, trellis or lattice. Zucchini makes a beautiful vine. You just have to make sure that the poles are strong enough to support the weight of the vine.

Growing Zucchini In Containers

Adding some well rotted manure to the soil will help in the growth and development of the vine.

Care:

When watering the zucchini, you have to see to it that you avoid watering the leaves so as to prevent fungal growth. And at the first sign of mildew or insects on the vines, you have it off immediately. Some other pests and problems you need to be on the lookout for includes pests such as Cucumber Beetles and Vine Borers.

You also need to cultivate the ground regularly to deter the growth of weeds. However, adding some mulch will help preventing the growth of weeds as well as keeping the fruits clean.

Simple Steps to Making a Successful Vegetable Garden Plan :: Vegetable Garden Planning

If you have decided to start to grow your own vegetables at home, vegetable garden planning is a worthwhile investment of your time. Planning your veggie garden will enable you to save time, money, space and labor. A well planned garden can increase the duration of harvest time and produce an increased quantity of vegetables at harvest time. With careful planning, you can ensure that your vegetables mature at different times rather than all at once providing a regular harvest of the vegetables you require. Vegetable garden planning can seem to be an intimidating project when you’re just a learner. But it need not be that hard if you follow some simple suggestions.

Vegatable Garden

1) Draw a rough plan of your yard. Your garden planning needs to take into account how much space you can devote to your new pursuit. It’ll be easier to plan your vegetable garden if you first make a sketch of your yard, then go and measure it, writing your measurements on your sketch.

2) Decide on the size and location of the vegetable beds. How much of your yard will you devote to your veggie patch? Consider all your other outdoor activities and their space requirements. Select a position in your yard which will be suitable for growing vegetables. Not all positions will be appropriate. For example, most vegetables require at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day.

Vegetable Gardening : How to Control Ants in Vegetable Gardens: Simple organic solutions such as spraying peppermint oil or sprinkling diatomaceous earth in your vegetable gardens can control ants without hurting your pla…

3) Draw a measured plan of your vegetable garden beds Decide on what layout you would like for your vegetable garden. Rows? Raised garden beds? 4 square? Potager? Now draw your vegetable garden plan with a pencil on graph paper or use some garden design software.

4) Plan the vegetables you’ll grow in your garden Next you need to make a prioritized list containing the vegetables and herbs that you currently use in your kitchen, that will succeed in your climate and that you wish to grow.

5) Plan where you’ll be planting your vegetables Starting with the vegetables on your list which have the highest priority, begin placing these on your garden plan, making sure that you leave enough space for the adult plant. You’ll also need to consider crop rotation and companion planting.

In conclusion Planning your vegetable garden will ensure a better return for the more physical work you’ll do outside digging beds, laying paths, watering, weeding and planting seeds and seedlings. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/vegetable-garden-planning to get more details on how to plan your vegetable garden. Be creative with your vegetable garden layout. Find out more details and see sample plans of different vegetable garden layouts at http://hubpages.com/living/VegetableGardenLayout-2

Enjoy your vegetable garden and the fruit of your labors.

My New Home Made Garden

parsley
To improve the health of me and my family and to a healthier life it's very important to bring healthier food to our bodies. So i have started home gardening. I don't have the exact plan, but the contours of the garden are in my head.

It's the first day of my home made garden. The lawn is not ready yet, but i already have future residents. Parsley. It is the first. So far in the small pot, but soon i'll plant it in a bigger pot or in the garden.

I imagine that the selection of plants is one of the most difficult tasks in the garden, simply because there are so many plants from which to choose. Key things to keep in mind are your planting zone and the type of your soil. But when it comes to planting, really comes down to which plants you like and how much time you can devote to caring for them.
my lawn
Designing a garden is an ongoing process so i'll go with the flow. While there are so-called design rules, for example, planting in odd numbers, i believe that you can make your garden whatever you desire. Most gardens are a mixture of plants - annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs - that is always growing and changing. I prefer mine with only vegetables and spices. Eating home grown vegetables can lower your cholesterol

Discover Amazing Gout Home Remedies

Gout is a certain type of arthritis. Tenderness in the joints, swelling, redness, sudden and intense pain and heat are some of the indications of gout. This type of arthritis is usually affecting the big joint in the big toe, although the symptoms may also take place in your wrists, hands, knees and feet. The attacks usually last for about five to ten days.

Alternative treatment approaches such as home remedies for gout are widely common among individuals with gout. If these home remedies for gout are employed, they must compliment and not serve as a replacement for traditional gout care.

Yet another interesting idea regarding this field of study. The most effective home remedies for gout are those old-fashioned methods that our grandparents once employed. To relieve suffering from gout pain, the old timers had to utilize some products that were readily available in their homes. These home remedies for gout went out of vogue as scientific experts and medical scientists touted new forms of relief for this old medical issue.

The following are some home remedies for gout that are commonly used:



Hip arthritis treatment – YouTube


1. Application of a cold compress to the affected area – in order to lessen the pain, applying a cold compress directly to the area affected has always been the first line of treatment in the majority of households. Applying ice packs to the swollen and inflamed joints for about ten to fifteen minutes should do the trick. The application of cold packs will tend to lessen the inflammation and pain. This could feel a little uncomfortable during the first few minutes although you have to be persistent. The soreness caused by gout tends to get worse when there is the feeling of something against the skin.

2. To help alleviate the soreness due to gout, you may take ibuprofen.

3. Exercise your joints by placing each of them through a wide range of movement. Try performing this activity once or twice in a day.

4. Immerse your feet in an Epsom foot bath if the soreness is concentrated on your big toe. Epsom salt is a staple in most households. It’s widely used for almost everything from laxative to water baths for soothing out painful muscles. Epsom salt contains the mineral magnesium. When present in high levels, magnesium may enhance your blood and heart circulation as well as lessen your blood pressure. Magnesium will also assist in flushing out the dangerous toxins and heavy metals away from your system.

The great thing about the aforementioned home remedies for gout is that many of these items we keep in our home. Gout needs to be treated as quickly as possible. The longer it’s left untreated the worse the symptoms can become.

Gout is a very painful form of arthritis. There are conventional methods of treatment which include prescription medication, however these methods of treatment usually come with some unwanted side effects. People are now looking to cure gout naturally thus avoiding the unwanted side effects. To learn about more natural ways to treat your gout go to http://goutsymptomsandcauses.org

Reduce Pain, Stiffness & Inflammation, Arthritis Joint Pain Natural Herbal Remedies

Joint pain is a symptom which is associated with all types of arthritic conditions and its relief and alleviation is the primary goal of all the treatments for patient’s comfort and mental and emotional health. Arthritis can cause inflammation of joints, pain in the joints, stiffness, redness, softness and feeling of warmth in the joints. During progression of the disease the pain and swelling tend to increase in the joints however in rheumatic arthritis, most of the time, the symptoms don’t correlate with the aggravation of the disease. Arthritic condition causes stiffness of muscles, and ligaments which causes problems with the movement of joints in the form of pain, this promotes reluctance in the patient to move the joint and gradually range of joint movement reduces. Later, infection of synovial fluid, brittle cartilages, deposition of fat at the joint or between 2 bones and joint deformity may occur depending on the type of arthritic condition.

Joint pain due to arthritis is of 2 types acute and chronic, acute pain is a sharp temporary pain that subsides on its own or after treatment in a short duration, while chronic pain can last for weeks, months or even a lifetime. The period when disease is inactive symptoms like joint pain and swelling won’t be evident or will be at minimum, while when disease is active they can aggravate to restrict the movement and cause lot of pain and discomfort. The period when disease is inactive is called remission and while disease is active that period is called flare. Treatment of joint pain can reduce the magnitude of the arthritic condition to a large extent as maintaining the movement of affected joint helps the body in prolonging the remissions of the disease.

The next fascinating point dealing with this area. Joint pain can be relieved by NSAID as they’re known to cause minimum side effects out of all the allopathic medicines but too much NSAID can be harmful too. Herbs, therapies and exercises are the best ways of relieving arthritis joint pain. However exercises and therapies shall not be chosen without medical opinion as some therapies and exercises can be harmful in certain arthritic condition. Ginger, alfalfa, guggulu, ginseng and ashwagandha are few herbs those are good for over all health and a person who may be susceptible for arthritis can consume them to prevent the advent of the disease. Even when joint discomfort is initial these herbs help magically in controlling pain and inflammation to keep the disease inactive for longer periods and stopping its progression.Hot water tub baths, hydrotherapy, application of hot and cold packs are few simple therapies which can be very useful in reliving arthritis joint pain at the initial as well as at later stage. Light exercises like walking, swimming, aerobics and some yoga poses and exercises can maintain the joint movement and relieve from pain and discomfort that occurs when arthritis gets triggered in the body. Dietary changes like consuming more citrus fruits, grapes, milk, whole grains supply the body with necessary nutrients and minerals which help in combating arthritis.

Read about effective Joint Pain Relief supplements. Find how Joint Pain Massage Oil helps to reduce inflammation and pain.

Shame Is One of the Roots of Anorexia & Bulimia

Shame plays an important role in developing eating disorders because shame is a controlling device. Basically all people with anorexia or bulimia can recall being shamed or ashamed several times before their disorder began.

Skinny: Pro-Anorexia

Shame is complex. It extends from small things like parents or teachers saying to someone that she/he’s a bit overweight and needs to lose weight, or to something more serious like physical or sexual assault. For a young vulnerable person even a wrong look or an inappropriate comment can be shameful and it can trigger control mechanisms in the brain.

The simplest and most available thing that the shamed person has to exert control over is food. Restrictive eating or binging on food and then purge it all up is an action that only the person who’s doing it can control. Plus it gives to the sufferer the intimate sense of achievement and conquering their own body. But there is a catch 22, externally the sufferer keeps it a secret because if it was revealed it’ll be a shameful action if someone was to discover their secret.

So, feelings of shame start working on the sufferer even before the beginning of their illness. Shame makes the person shrink her/his inner self and avoid others in order to stop interpersonal humiliation. Shame produces resentment, irritability, tendency to blame everyone, suspiciousness and bouts of agitations. Shame also blocks the person’s emotions and makes the person unable to be compassionate to others.

Often family and parents themselves promote shame unknowingly. On different stages of development many children feel inadequate in many tasks. Some parents by criticizing, comparing their children with other kids and controlling them can evoke a lot of shame in their sons and daughters. Other parental behaviors and styles that provoke shame and body images issues are:

Unfortunately females suffers the most

- avoiding children and avoiding to feel and respond to their emotions – being judgmental – being constantly angry and disapproving – expecting children to please – defensive parental attitude – being depressed and anxious – acting as a victim in front of children – being indirect

Turning to food becomes a substitute for non realized emotions in many children. Their mind is searching for a coping mechanism to ease their emotions and food is an easy outlet to find.

For this reason a big part of eating disorder treatment is working on understanding the impact of shame and how to counteract it. The best antidote for shame is compassion, love and understanding. This has to be understood by the sufferer, family and all the people who interact with the sufferer.

Yet another beneficial subject dealing with this content. The second step is to change the person’s self-talk from negative feelings to positive feelings about food, body image and people. These both are important steps in the sufferer’s recovery and have to be done with the help of the whole family and not just with the sufferer.

Dr Irina Webster MD is a Director of Women Health Issues Program. She’s an author and a public speaker. To read more about family help for eating disorders go to http://www.mom-please-help.com

The Totally Natural Choice For Every Member of the Family : Baltic Amber Healing Necklaces

What is the first comment you hear from most people today when they’re looking for a way to soothe pain or feel better? If you said, “Is it all natural?”, you’re 100% correct. While there will always be prescription drugs for various things, natural healing has been around since the beginning of mankind and it’s definitely here to stay.

And it really makes sense. After all, the body is going to respond to what is natural. Our immune systems tend to fight chemicals because they’re not “normal” to our bodies. That is why using Natural Baltic Amber healing necklaces is a smart choice regardless of your age or your illness. A completely holistic substance, natural amber works with your body’s immune system to ease and relieve pain from teething in infants and children to men and women with arthritis to simply supplementing what the immune system needs to ward off infection. Sounds like a pretty tall order, does not it? But it works and there are thousands of testimonials to that effect from all over the world and for many centuries past who speak of this healing as “almost a miracle.”

So just how does Amber work its magic? Here’s what history has documented.
Let’s go on with this piece of content. An organic substance known as “fossil resin” was produced by pine trees in Northern Europe over fourty-five million years ago. What makes Amber so powerful is that it’s also the only fossil resin that contains 3-8% succinic acid (mostly located in the amber’s surface layer) — a powerful therapeutic with multiple applications for healing. Scientists have continually attributed the unique attributes of natural Baltic amber to it is stabilization over time through oxidation.


Whatever ails you, Baltic amber healing necklaces have the ability to provide pain relief for almost everything head, neck and throat areas involving congestion and respiratory issues. Amber bracelets are incredibly effective for rheumatism, arthritis, as well as aching muscles and joints. And if stress is one of your main sources of discomfort, you will find that natural Baltic amber is an amazing anti-anxiety remedy that removes the effects of fatigue and weariness.

Just think — healing is just a few clicks away! Why not start your shopping for a Baltic amber healing necklace or amber bracelet and get relief now. Whether you fall in love with its beauty or enjoy the bliss of feeling better, natural Baltic amber can change your life!

Can Hypnosis Really Work For Me?

You must have asked yourself this question at least once. How could hypnosis make you change your attitude, your habits or your lifestyle? Such questions are expected from something very complex to analyze such as your subconscious mind’s ability to obstruct any change for the better even when under hypnosis. Nowadays, it’s common knowledge that the use of hypnosis to improve a person’s life is a genuine possibility.

Many people have attested and shared their success stories of achieving something through the help of hypnosis, self induced or with professional help. But would you take their word for it? Is it that easy for you to believe and trust the words of these strangers who claimed that hypnosis works for them? You have a choice whether to believe them or not. To be able to decide fairly regarding the effectiveness of this method, it’s but important that you know a few basic details on hypnosis for you to evaluate the facts presented and assess the likeliness that hypnosis actually works.

The next intriguing thing close to this issue. You start with the basic. What is hypnosis? Hypnosis is a method that will take you to an enhanced state of consciousness accompanied by increased receptivity to suggestions or directions. This state is commonly called as a “trance” state. At the same time, it shouldn’t be confused with sleep or total mind control. Unlike sleeping, when you’re under hypnosis, you’re still conscious of what is being fed into your subconscious and you still have control of what to do with these suggestions. The process simply clears your mind from distraction so that you can focus on a certain activity or goal.

Does hypnosis work? The answer would be that it works for those who are willing to be hypnotized and really desire to get positive results. Your mind has a will of its own and can decide for yourself based on your beliefs, principles and knowledge. Even under hypnosis induced by a professional hypnotist, you can decide whether to accept or not the suggestions given by the hypnotist.

Hypnosis merely opens your mind to be receptive to suggestions but if you yourself don’t accept or believe these suggestions then hypnosis won’t work for you. But if right from the start, you already have the desire to fulfill your goal then hypnosis can help you attain it. It’s necessary that this will to change or to achieve a certain goal is inculcated in your subconscious mind. The stronger your desire to change, the stronger that change will take place.

Using the hypnosis method to change has worked for most people. Only those who aren’t willing to be hypnotized can’t use hypnosis to change. This is because you can’t be under hypnosis if you do not want it. Your mind has its own will. This is one of your distinct characteristics: a will of your own that only you can control. For others, hypnosis has been known to help them change for the better.

Dwayne Hartmann was born in Germany and traveled around Asia studying every psychological teaching he could find, focusing on those that utilized trance states to change the inner nature of the students. He has now condensed all of this knowledge about the many forms of self-hypnosis including showing how hypnosis works for many people into a new understanding of self-hypnosis and has written a definitive e-book which is available at his website along with a free ten part email mini-course.

Tips & Suggestions for Reducing Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is a joint disorder that causes joints to swell and be inflamed. Arthritis affects millions of people all over the world. There are over one hundred different types of arthritis including juvenile and infectious arthritis. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that’s caused by trauma, infection or age. The symptoms of osteoarthritis include tenderness, stiffness, effusion and joint pain. There are many causes of osteoarthritis though it’s thought to be linked to heredity. As patients experience pain in their joints they move less which causes surrounding muscles to atrophy and stiffen.

Gout is a very painful type of arthritis. Gout is caused by the crystallization of uric acid inside joints which causes them to be inflamed. There are many factors that can lead to the development of gout. Dietary factors, such as drinking soft drinks or beer, can lead to gout. The unique thing about gout is that it’s controllable by changing your diet and lifestyle. For women, after menopause they’ve an increased risk of developing gout. Estrogen lowers uric acid levels so when estrogen levels drop uric acid can build up in joints. Some medical conditions, like diabetes and hypertension, have been found to increase the likelihood of developing gout. Like most forms of arthritis, gout is thought to have a genetic link.

Be sure to examine this very cautiously, the problem and the suggestions have different variations. Beyond heredity there are other causes of arthritis. As people age they’re more likely to develop arthritis. The cartilage becomes more brittle in bones as you age and has less ability to repair itself. Injury to joints can also increase the likelihood of developing arthritis. When joints are damaged it can cause irregularities in the normally smooth joint. Having an infection or illness in a joint can also lead to the development of arthritis. Being overweight is a major risk factor for developing arthritis. Joints can be damaged by carrying a heavy load on a regular basis. Obesity is particularly difficult on the knees and hips.

There are many suggested cures for arthritis relief. One of the cures for arthritis is over the counter pain relievers. Many patients choose to pair their pain reliever with a topic arthritis cream. Topical arthritis cream can provide instant relief from the pain. The cream is applied directly to the joint that hurts. Typically the creams lasts the duration of the over the counter medication. For severe pain many patients turn to prescription medication. Applying heat to the joint can also provide pain relief. Heat can be applied using a heating pad, warm washcloth or have a bath. There are other remedies for arthritis pain such as exercise and physical therapy. Exercising can reduce joint pain by building up muscle strength. Visiting a physical therapist can give you tips for low impact exercises you can do at home to reduce joint pain. There are many natural remedies for. For more information of these remedy options consider visiting a naturopathic doctor.

Nicotine Has Great Health Benefits :: Smoking Fact

Nicotine is medially proven to good for you and if you understand why, then it can be the key to you stopping smoking for good.

The role of Nicotine in smoking is misunderstood, when you know the facts giving up is far easier and here’s why:

Firstly, let’s get rid of a big misconception about nicotine:

It causes disease and death

No it doesn’t. That’s some of the other 4,000 odd chemicals contained in cigarette smoking many of them poisons – Nicotine only provides the addictive nature.

In fact, nicotine is part of the natural food chain and most of us consume it everyday, with trace elements found in many common foods, such as:

Potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, eggplant, chili peppers, and tea.

So how can it be good for you?

It is medically proven to affect the neuron transmitters in the brain and can help improve attention, memory and mood.

For example, nicotine switches on the receptors on the surface of cells in certain parts of the brain, causing these neurons to release dopamine, a chemical that makes us happier.

Medical research is ongoing into conditions such as depression, attention disorders, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, with a view to using organic nicotine as a treatment to help relief the symptoms.

So can how can this knowledge help me give up?


Most people fail to give up because they cannot cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

If you know the above facts, you can take nicotine in organic form and take the edge of any craving.

It is a fact that if you use any Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) product such as:

Puffers, gum or patches ,your chances of stopping smoking are doubled, compared with not taking it.

Furthermore:

As we’ve seen it’s not only not bad for you its good for you.

Medical research companies are working on producing organic nicotine supplements to make us feel better and treat the conditions mentioned above, as well as many others.

The first is on the market now, which is simply nicotine in water.

Originally aimed simply at smokers as an alternative when they did not wish to, or could not smoke, it’s now being taken by people for its health benefits as well.

Knowing the above facts and being able to take nicotine outside of cigarette smoking, means people can do it and know that not only does it do no harm, it can be giving them health benefits.

Today, nicotine is getting an image change. Outside of cigarette smoking in its organic form it’s, a safe, naturally occurring compound, that has significant health benefits.

NEW ORGANIC NICOTINE DRINKFor more facts on nicotine and a new organic nicotine water with no added chemicals visit: http://www.smokefreechoice.com

The Various Types That Should Be at Your Fingertips :: Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment helps to relieve the signs and symptoms of the disease. Sometimes, it helps to modify the disease process. One goal for treatment is normally to alleviate or relieve the symptoms. The other goal is normally to prevent future destruction of the joints. If this disorder is left untreated, it can make you handicapped. Although pain relievers can help to relive the symptoms, they may not help in dealing with the long term consequences of this disease.

Most doctors recommend that apart from pain relievers, this disorder should also be treated using at least one anti-rheumatic medication. Cortisone therapy has been effective in providing relief in the past but its long term effects have been said to be adverse. Cortisone injections on the other hand have been said to be affective even for long term use. They can be used in combination with any anti-rheumatic treatment.

Let me go forward with this article. Pharmacological treatment for this condition will involve the use of Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs or DMARDs, anti-inflammatory and analgesics. DMARDs normally help to reduce the rate of damage to the bone and cartilage. They’re also said to produce symptomatic remissions and also delay the progression of the disease.
Alternative rheumatoid arthritis treatments include weight loss, rest, physiotherapy, immunoadsorption therapy and joint injections. Physical activity or regular exercise not only helps to maintain joint mobility but also makes joints stronger. Radon therapy is a popular treatment method in Germany and Eastern Europe. If your joint is severely damaged, you may require surgery for joint replacement. An example is a knee replacement.

Mercy Maranga Reports on Health and Fitness issues. Visit Her Site here for more information on arthritis and its treatment Arthritis [http://macypages.com/2009/07/arthritis/].

Is it Worth It? Laser Surgery to Quit Smoking

Using laser surgery to quit smoking is a not a new mode of quit smoking treatments. It has been around for quite some time and looks to make a long term run due to the availability of lasers.

In case you’re wondering this treatment is totally devoid of pain. You really have to understand that the reason for which you continue smoking may be due the vicious cycle of stress that you’re under. If your smoking is normally taken in at break times at the office or you just are feeling a bit edgy and need a smoke. First strive to examine what has gone on in your life to trigger your desire to smoke.

Many of you’ll notice that it’s an endless loop. When your husband comes home in a sour mood and you feel the stress of his stress around the home. This may also trigger you to smoke.

One more helpful detail in relation to this theme. Using laser surgery to quit smoking is operating on the premise that smoking and stress are common bed fellows. The 2 run together and feed off of each other. The use of lasers here involves a low intensity stream of light highly concentrated to pulsate at certain nerve points on the face, neck, back, and head. This pulsations are akin to what occurs when you have acupuncture treatments. This involves the use of lasers instead of needles.

The rap artist Snoop Dog has a reality television show now. In one episode, he was under stress and wanted to get some relief so he went to the doctor. The doctor recommended Eastern type medicine complemented with Western based medicinal techniques. He tried Yoga and could not adapt to that. But the caveat was when he went to the acupuncturist. You see he’s completely phobic of needles. Even to the point of drawing blood. He nearly screams and panic sets in.

Now if you enjoy and occasional cigar post dinner or are a social smoker, you’re still running the risks of lung disease and damage. So, this treatment is available to help you quit smoking as well as the chain smoker. All smoking is bad, no matter how few you think you have.

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Amazing Arthritis Relief With Antioxidants

Antioxidants are an amazing arthritis relief treatment, since they’re readily available, low in cost, and quite effective. They’re in all fruits and vegetables. Most people are always looking for that magic bullet to cure arthritis and over look the amazing antioxidants. Antioxidants are effective in many inflammatory conditions such as bursitis, sprains, and rheumatoid arthritis. Since most diseases arise from inflammation, antioxidants can be there to stop the start of disease. But you must used them consistently, whether as a supplement or as a food

In his book, Pain Free, 1995, Luke Bucci, Ph.D. Recounts,


“After taking 4 grams of vitamin C daily for several months, Dr. J. Greenwood reported that he had ‘cured his lower-back pain.’ He started recommending that his patients with degenerative-joint disease take daily oral does of one-to-four grams of vitamin C. Most patients got relief from their symptoms.”

Vitamin C is a home remedy in a class of well known antioxidants. The basic class of these antioxidants is vitamin A, C, E, and selenium. Vitamin C has also been found effective in many other conditions. You can take four thousand mg or more without side effects. If your stools become watery, then you have take to much vitamin C, so just back off a little to find the right dose for yourself. Take vitamin C daily with your other antioxidants.

You may also be familiar with these other antioxidants, glutathione, glutathione, coenzyme Q10, SOD, catalase, methionine, lipoic acid, and flavoniods. All of these antioxidants are powerful agents and you should be using them in your diet even though you may not have arthritis, since they’ll help stop other diseases.

So what makes these antioxidants so amazing for arthritis relief? Arthritis is a painful inflammatory disease that’s difficult to treat. It’s a disease that doctors have no cure for. This is why people use Anacin, Buffrin, and Ibuprofen and even more powerful drug pain killers to block this pain. But, antioxidants aren’t pain killers, yet they work as a treatment for arthritis. They stop the progression of arthritis and will help to lessen the pain gradually.

One more insightful point with regards to this area of interest. When your cells burn oxygen, oxidation, they create a by product called “free radicals.” These free radicals are super reactive and look for tissue and other body surfaces to combine with and destroy. Free radicals are also created when you develop arthritis, since inflammation creates free radicals. When one free radical is created, it sets off a chain reaction, creating other free radicals, which go randomly damaging surrounding tissue molecules causing more pain and inflammation.

Free radicals cause cells to corrode and malfunction. They damage cell membrane, DNA, cartilage, and protein. By using antioxidants for an amazing arthritis relief, you can lessen the arthritic effects of pain and inflammation. Antioxidants grab up the free radicals as they’re created. They neutralize them and preventing them from doing excess molecular damage. For this reason, antioxidants are a treatment for arthritis, provided that they’re used in quantities higher than for normal maintenance.

Yet another interesting idea relevant to this theme. Use of basic antioxidants – vitamin A, C, E – with one of the power antioxidants like SOD, flavoniods found in fruits, or glutathione precursors can provide you with a powerful and amazing arthritis relief and treatment.

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The Effects of an Eating Disorder Can Easily Lead to Drug Addiction

Many people haven’t yet heard of an eating disorder; it’s even hard to imagine that eating can cause severe problems and people have to take treatment from a rehab center for that. People who eat too much get fat and flabby, which leads them to face several physical and mental problems in their social and personal life; this type of people are often ignored by others. People suffering from disorders in eating suffer from several physical problems and sometimes it can be fatal. They need proper treatment in a rehab center to take control over their eating habits. The problems occurred due to eating disorder often leads to mental problems like depression, which leads the person to take drugs. Indirectly it can be said that eating disorders can lead to drug addiction. Getting addicted to drugs due to eating disorders is not much seen; but eating disorder itself is very harmful. It can cause physical problems like heart blockage, high blood pressure etc.; so people suffering from this problem must seek medical help.

Residential Eating Disorder

Eating disorder can be treated in a rehab center if proper diet along with medicinal treatment and physical exercise is maintained; a person can easily get rid of their nasty eating habits. But, if this problem is neglected by any chance; then it can cause huge problems along with addiction to drugs. It has been noticed in few cases that people suffering from eating disorder have taken drugs to suppress their depression. In such conditions, their life becomes a mess. Firstly, the nasty eating habit, then the physical problems and mental problems due to this and last of all drug addiction. When any person of this kind gets addicted to drugs, he or she must be given proper addiction treatment in a rehab center to help them get rid of both the eating disorder and drug addiction. Having both eating disorder and drug addiction is extremely dangerous; there is literally no way to survive if a person doesn’t take treatment from a good rehab center.

People, who get addicted to these drugs, isolate themselves from others; the only way to cure them is to intervene in their personal life. Drug intervention is the only way to save a person from sure death. If you know any such person who has got addicted to drugs because of the mental effects caused by eating disorder, then get him admitted in a rehab center as soon as possible; otherwise, the effect of both these can kill that person. But remember, just any drug rehab center can’t cure a person completely; for that you need to search for an efficient drug rehabilitation center. The world class drug rehabilitation centers like the Cliffside Malibu provides excellent treatment facilities to cure the drug addicts. Besides the excellent medicinal treatment procedures, this rehab also provides an exact environment suitable for the treatment with luxurious lifestyle and sober living. The medical staffs of this rehabilitation center are extremely helpful and they interact and help the patients like their family members.

Intervention in an opiate addict’s life and giving him proper opiate detox treatment in the well known and efficient drug rehabs is the only way to save that person.

Anorexia Rehab – Bulimia Rehabs – Compulsive Overating Rehabs Treatment of anorexia calls for a specific program that involves 3 main phases: The primary goal of treatment for bulimia is to reduce or eliminate

International Eating Disorders Centre, UK Effective Treatment Programmes for Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Compulsive Overeating and Binge Eating Disorder.

Bulimia Versus Anorexia, Eating Disorder

There are several similarities and differences between Anorexia and Bulimia.

Similarities:

A psychosomatic disorder, it

. Both Anorexia and Bulimia usually start in people after a time of dieting. These individuals generally go on a diet as they’re obsessed with the fact of having perfect bodies, or are afraid of becoming obese, or have problems with anxiety, stress or even depression, or being a perfectionist. Therefore, sufferers of both eating disorders are obsessed with weight, appearance and food.

. Both anorexia and bulimia affect the internal organs.

. They’re both life threatening eating disorders.

. Both bulimics and anorexics, regardless of how they look, they always are under the impression that they’re overweight.

. Depression, fatigue and heart failure are 3 conditions suffered by both bulimics and anorexics.

. Excessive exercising in both.


Differences:

. Anorexics and Bulimics are both concerned about the opinions of other people, however bulimics tend to be more worried about being appealing to others and about pleasing others and having close relationships with people. As a result, they tend to be more active and sexually more experienced.

. Bulimics eat large quantities of food and then vomit or take laxatives and exercise to avoid gaining weight, whereas anorexics starve, exercise constantly and avoid food with high calories to avoid gaining weight.

Anorexia nervosa, usually

. Anorexics have more obsessions or obsessive qualities than bulimics that compel them to control their calorific intake so strictly.

. In bulimics, history of mood swings are longer, controlling their impulses is difficult, they get frustrated or bored easily when compared with anorexics.

. Anorexics lose more weight than bulimics.

. Almost one hundred percent of women with anorexia suffer from a condition call Amenorrhea in which there is an absence of menstruation, whereas it’s only 50 percent in women who suffer from bulimia.

One other exciting point in regard to this theme. . Anorexia occurs mainly in adolescent girls. Additionally, the numbers of boys who suffer from it are on the increase. Bulimia occurs mainly in women from the age of twenty – twenty-five years of age.

. Medical problems that arise from bulimia are constipation, pain in stomach, sometimes the esophagus may rupture due to frequency of vomiting, as a result of frequent vomiting the acid causes tooth decay. Medical problems that arise from anorexia are anemia, low blood pressure, dehydration, reduced bone density, kidney failure and muscle loss.

If possible read this content properly, the situation and the techniques have plenty of variations. . Bulimics feel they’re not in control of their behavior therefore they’re more likely to admit their problem whereas anorexics feel they’re in control of their behavior and are therefore less likely to admit their problem.

. The various signs and symptoms of bulimia are discolored teeth, puffy face, fingers are swollen, visit to the toilet after ever meal to purge. The various signs and symptoms of anorexia are wearing baggy clothes to hide weight loss, scanty hair and dry skin, moody, feels cold no matter what the weather may be, dizziness, avoids food, weighs food, counts calories, growth of fine hair on some parts of the body, takes diet pills.

. Treatment of bulimia is generally to get rid of the habit of binging and purging whereas the treatment of anorexia takes place in 3 stages that’s to restore the weight lost, treat the underlying emotional problems such as depression, low self-esteem and achieve long-term recovery.

Michael RussellYour Independent guide to Eating Disorders

Laser Treatment Can Help You : Stop Smoking

Many smokers don’t want to continue smoking, but feel like slaves to their addiction. If you’re one of those smokers, then laser treatment could be the answer to your problem, and help you safeguard your health and beat your addiction.

If you have decided that you want to give up, you should investigate laser treatment as a drug free way of helping you beat your craving. Stopping smoking is one of the best decisions anyone can make, and anything that can help you succeed is a great thing.

Laser Treatment For Stopping Smoking

Laser treatment works by stimulating the production of endorphins, which swamp the nicotine receptors in the brain. Endorphins are produced by the human body, so you’re not using strange chemicals or drugs to help you beat the addiction.

Specifically, when someone starts smoking, the nicotine receptors in the brain are increased dramatically. The only way that they can decrease and become normal again, is when the person quits smoking.

Let’s go forward with this blog post. Laser treatment helps eliminate the cravings during the early stage of quitting, making it much easier for you to give up in the long term. Cravings for nicotine can be very strong, and laser treatment helps you get through the worst stages of giving up.

How Many Treatments Are Required?


Most people find that one session, shortly after quitting, is sufficient to help them through that initial ‘hump’ in giving up. Laser treatment can cost around three hundred dollars for one session, but the success rate is very high, and compared to the cost of dozens of packets of nicotine gum, or the cost of smoking, the price is very reasonable.

Whatever stop smoking method you choose, you can be sure that it’ll be worth it in the long term. Laser treatment is just one option, but it’s safe, painless, and drug free, making it an appealing option for many people. Whatever you decide, I hope you succeed in your quest to beat your addiction, so that you can enjoy the many health benefits that being smoke free offers. Your body will thank you for giving up smoking, and you’ll be financially better off too. Good luck!

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Could Systemic Enzyme Therapy Help With Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Even though rheumatoid arthritis is a disease whose exact cause is unknown, some scientific publications have confirmed that they believe the CAUSE is closely associated with elevated levels of immune complexes circulating in the blood that eventually bound in the joint tissue. Could Systemic Enzyme Therapy be an integrative or complimentary therapy to the immunosuppressive drugs, NSAIDS (anti-inflammatory agents) or the new Biologic drugs?

And if only satisfactory results are being attained by using conventional rheumatoid arthritis drugs… And there is a real concern about all the associated side effects… Why have not we heard about the use of systemic enzyme therapyfor the last sixty yearsinEurope with no apparent side effects?

You should study this short article cautiously, the matter and the methods have quite a lot of different versions. If over37 million Americans are affected with some form of arthritis,it is about time there is some information available abouteffective integrativeand complimentary therapies. What if there is a way to strengthen your immune function and immune system defenses to slow down and eliminate circulating immune complexes (CIC’s) without all the complicated side effects of conventional medicine and still have the benefit of reduced inflammation and slow down and possibly halt joint deterioration?

Scientific publications and current scientific investigations report that systemic enzyme therapy can make a major impact in five key areas.

1. Fighting Inflammation to help control Arthritis

2. Breaking Down Fibrosis – Breakdown of Fibrin Mantle

3. Strengthening the Immune System – Eliminating the CIC’s

4. Lowering the Viral Load

5. Cleaning the Blood and Removing Toxins


If you’re actively suffering from the pain of arthritis… Here’s what the scientific literature reports regarding enzymes. They’ve anti-inflammatory benefits; they’re virtually free from side effects and are being used integratively and therapeutically for rheumatologic disorders, including such external signs as morning stiffness, pain, joint swelling, loss of grip strength and the ability to bend the joints.

Also this research reports that systemic enzyme therapy can affect an additional and specific mechanism of rheumatoid arthritis, whose importance is often not properly recognized, and which some scientist believe is associated with the cause of rheumatic disease. This concerns a fibrin mantle which develops around the circulating immune complex… A protein coating.

In fact this could be one of the most important discoveries… A fibrin mantle develops around the circulating immune complexes as a natural attempt of the body to isolate the problem area… But unfortunately serves to prevent the complexes from being seen and broken down by normal immune defenses. This protein coating cloaks the circulating immune complexes from the normal immune function.

Researchers report that proteolytic enzymes can degrade this fibrin mantle built around the tissue-bound immune complexes and thus remove this cloak of invisibility. This then allows natural body defenses to function normally. By allowing the enzymes to eat away at the protein coating, circulating immune complexes are eliminated… Stopping the mechanism of inflammation and reducing further tissue deterioration.

In summary, proteolytic enzymes used in systemic enzyme therapy will help to break down the fibrin mantle around the CIC’s allowing the immune system to naturally destroy the excessive CIC’s thatcould be thecause of rheumatoid arthritis.

You can learn more about Systemic Enzyme Therapy and how you can free yourself from Chronic Pain, Inflammation and Fibrosis by downloading this Free Systemic Enzyme Audio at [http://www.Free-Audio-Report.com/SystemicEnzymes].

Bill Jacques – Natural health and wellness publisher… Specializing in holistic health therapies and leading wellness strategies that restore, promote and maintain optimal health.

These statements haven’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.