Health-tips

Ikan Power  health-tips and holistic approach to good health and awareness. The healing power of foods, home remedies, supplements, herbs, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. These are some of the  fastest, safest ways to  treat a wide range of common illnesses, conditions and problems. These  are just a few of the effective, doctor-approved healing shortcuts that work with surprising speed, often without relying on prescription or over-the -counter drugs.  These  tips tell you what you can do quickly, in less than five minutes for allergies, arthritis, back pain, cold and flu, headaches, motion sickness and many other problems. Remember to always consult your doctor on medical related issues.

The components of the health tips and holistic approach to good health and awareness are intended for educational purposes only. The presentation of this material is not intended to constitute medical advise, give information on specific medicine nor medications to treat illness. Participants are encouraged to discuss their medical questions with their doctor.

 

ALLERGIES:  Put a dust mite under a microscope and you will began to see those tiny dust differently. Then there’s the mold-the fungus among us. It could even be what that’s making you itch and sneeze. You don’t have to be a victim of allergies. Take action:

Switch on the climate control. Optimum temperature is seventy degrees Fahrenheit during the day and sixty five degrees at night. Setting an air conditioner on super freeze may aggravate allergy symptoms. Optimum is 40 to 50 percent.

Spray tannic acid on your carpet. Tannis acids is a compound found in tea, coffee and cocoa. Researchers have found it can chemically alter dust, pollen and dust-mite  antigens so they don’t cause allergic reactions.

Wash you bedding and linens in hot water ever week. Dust mites don’t drown in the washer, and studies have shown that cool-water washes have no adverse affect on them. Hot water, on the other hand, can wipe them out before they get to you.

Wiper mold out of its hiding places. Periodically, take a few minutes and a bucket of chlorine bleach mixed with water to clean bathrooms, basements, leaky windows, water vaporizers, humidifiers and hot-air systems. The bleach instantly kills mold.

Don’t forget the drip pans under your frost-free refrigerator and freezer another microbe hot spot. A 10 percent chlorine bleach wipe down, a good washing and a fresh chlorine tablet in each pan should keep mold to a minimum.

Wash your hands. Eye symptoms in allergy suffers can be reduced by washing after handling pets, foods and other problem substances.

Wear a mask. If you mow the lawn yourself , wear a mouth-and-nose mask. This can help reduce particulate exposure dramatically, Dr. Kaliner says.

Wash off the pollen. Even antihistamines won’t help if you’re still covered with pollen. Partially washing yourself down with a hose outside can help. Make sure to shampoo your hair, it acts like a small net, capturing windblown pollen.

 

ARTHRITIS: If you suffer from arthritis, take some comfort in the knowledge that you are not alone. In fact, about 14 percent of all Americans have some form of the disease and suffer enough to seek medical care.

Arthritis can be a discouraging disease because there is no real cure for it. Fortunately, there are lots of speedy ways to relieve pain and release stiff joints.

Take a Walk. “walking can gently improve a person’s attitude and fight the vicious circle of depression and pain,” says rheumatologist Sam Schatten, M.D. of Atlanta, Georgia. Walking provides a natural tranquilizing and mood-elevating effect and can help ease arthritis pain.Kate Lorig, Dr.P.H., of the Stanford University Arthritis Center, Coauthor of The Arthritis Help-book, also endorses walking. At the Stanford Center, she encourages patients to use their common sense. “I tell people to start slowly, walking as far as they can without feeling more pain than before they started. If that means walking across the room, fine. One block or two blocks? That’s a good start,” she says.

Walk on water. Sound too hard? Well, try walking in water. It’s a treatment that all physicians agree will work. The water supports most of your body weight, taking the stress off your back, hips, knees, ankles and feet.

Use moist heat to chase pain away fast. Moist heat can quickly chase away pain and stiffness from both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, says Donna King, a massage instructor at the Atlanta School of Massage.

Chill out the pain. “Cooling treatments can soothe some inflamed joints, “says Charles Jones, D.P.M., dean and vice president of academic affairs at the Dr. William Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine. “But make sure you keep a layer of cloth between the cold pack and your body so avoid skin damage, and avoid too  much cold if your circulation is poor.”

Wash away stiffness with s warm shower. Another short cut to loosening up stiff joints is to take a warm shower or bath first thing upon rising, Dr. Jones says. Some people get a head start on the process by wearing socks or leg warmers to bed. They find this helps keep the pain away at night.

ASTHMA:  As many as 10 percent of Americans have asthma. Often, the quickest relief comes from using medication. But there are other ways to quickly get your breathing under control.

Have some hot soup. Actually, any warm liquid may help lessen the severity of asthma attacks. “Cold liquids irritate bronchial tubes, while warm liquids have the opposite effect,” says Eric J. Schenkle, M.D., an allergist and immunologist practicing in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Pour a cup of tea. That’s real tea, not herbal. Regular coffee will work, too. “ The caffeine opens airways much like the inhalers used by asthmatics,” says Henry Gong, M.D., an associate professor of Medicine and researcher at the UCLA Medical Center’s Pulmonary Division. Cola will do in a pinch, although if it’s cold it can irritate bronchial tubes.

Drink plenty of water. “Every day you should have at least six to eight glasses of water,” says Dr. Francis Onyebuchi Kanu, a homeopathic Medicine  practicing in Abia Nigeria. ” The more warm liquids you can consume, the less thick your mucus will be, and stay away from diary products, they produces mucus and may aggravate your condition.”

Get a flu shot. “Viruses are one of the key factors that trigger asthma attacks,”  Dr. Schenkle recommends getting a flu shot every year.

Uncork mucus with a hearty morning cough.The cough reflex shuts down during sleep, but a hearty morning cough uncorks much of the mucus that can accumulate overnight in the bronchial tree.

ATHLETE’S FOOT: Athlete’s foot, a skin disease caused by a fungus, can leave you feet burning. And itching. And cracking. And blistering. Do nothing and you can expect chronic discomfort. Spend just a little time and you can expect relief.

Dry between your toes.  Take a moment to thoroughly dry between the toes after bathing, advices John McCrea, D.P.M., a podiatrist in private  practice in Beloit, Wisconsin. Drying is important because athlete’s foot usually gains its toehold (literally) on the skin between  your toes. And moisture makes it possible. Shoes are the ideal environment for fostering fungus because is usually warm, dark and humid. So, you want to expose your feet to sunlight in a fight against fungus.

Change your socks two or three  times a day.  This is a good idea because it prevents moisture from building up, Dr. McCrea says. “You can also use Odor Eaters to absorb perspiration in the shoes,” Dr. McCrea adds.

Change your shoes regularly. Sitting out a day or two gives shoes time to dry out, especially if you wear light and airy shoes whenever possible, to reduce perspiration and discourage fungus growth.

Soak your feet in a solution of salt and warm water.That’s the advice of Gleen Copeland, D.P.M., author of The Foot Doctor. The saline solution softens the affected skin, also creates unattractive environments  for the fungus.

Powder both your feet and your shoes. Podiatrists say this maximizes the powder’s effectiveness.

BACK PAIN: Is a pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, and joints or other structures of the spines. According to the Arthritis Foundation, around 50 to 80 percent of American adults suffers from back pain sometimes in their lives. There is always that common saying, Lay flat on your back. Again. Ask anyone who suffers from acute or chronic back pain, They’ll tell you that it already been tried. Much of the time you can do something about back pain yourself. For instance:

Freeze pain with an ice massage. Icing your back for 5 minutes at a time over a couple of days can prevent swelling and soothe jangle nerves. Nicolas E. Walsh, M.D., of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, recommends using water frozen in a paper or plastic cup to get at the point of pain.

Stretch that spasm to a stop.In just a few minutes, a gentle stretch can work the painful kinks out of a back spasm. As you lie on your  back, bring your knees up to your chest and hug them with your arms. Hold the position until you feel like relaxing, then relax. Repeat until the spasm is gone.

Warm baths for mild backaches. Warm baths are excellent for relieving mild backaches, says Dr. Francis O. Kanu, Fill the tub with warm water and add half cup of Epsom Salts to the water, that will help to draw toxins from the body. Water should be warm enough to relax muscles which also helps to relieve pain. You should soak body for few  minutes and after massage essential oil to your body.

Take an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is a common companion of back pain, and both aspirin and ibuprofen decrease inflammation (acetaminophen isn’t an anti-inflammatory).

Cram a cushion into your curve. This is one of the quickest and easiest things you can do to prevent back pain when you’re sitting. Just put a lumbar roll, a tube 4 to 5 inches in diameter behind the small of your back just above the belt line. A small, firm cushion also will do the job. These are especially good for driving.

Take a brief break.Taking breaks from sitting from help prevent “compression force” from damaging your back, says physical therapist Robin Mckenzie, author of Treat Your Own Back. Take frequent breaks from prolong sitting by standing and bending backward several times. Do the same when you have to stand in a bent over position.

Change chairs. A few minutes spent choosing a chair and adjusting it to fit you can help prevent a lifetime of back pain. Ideally, chairs should provide lumber support and the seat should be the right height. How do you know how high to go? When your feet are on the ground, your thighs should remain horizontal, Mckenzie says. Use a chair that has armrests to take some of the pressure off your back. Seats that adjust, like recliners and some power car seats, also can help prevent  back problems.

Pick the perfect pillow. One of the least suspected villains of you back and neck pain could be your pillow. You spend roughly about one-third of your life with your head and shoulders propped up at an unnatural angle by a pillow. According to Huge Smythe , M.D., director of the Rheumatology Program at the University of Toronto and designer of the shape of sleep pillows. “Hardness is the enemy,” Dr. Smythe says. A pillow need only be firm enough to keep its shape and support the lower neck when you sleep on your side.

 

BRONCHITIS:  Is a inflammation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi, the airways that carry airflow from the trachea into lungs. In fact, sometimes the only way to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia is with an X-ray. But if you do have bronchitis , here is the fastest ways to end the it.

Keeping coughing. ” The best way to treat bronchitis is to cough up the stuff that’s down in your lungs,” says Henry Gong, M.D., a professor of medicine and researcher at the UCLA  Medical Center’s Pulmonary Division. “You don’t want it to settle there because it can cause lung collapse or further bronchitis, and you could develop pneumonia.”

Liquify the problem. From hot chicken soup to a cold glass of water or juice, drinking plenty of nonalcoholic fluids is one of the best and most time-efficient ways to thin out the secretions and bring up the mucous.

Reach for the red pepper. An inexpensive and tasty remedy is to consume foods rich in Caspian-the “hot” in hot peppers and other foods. “If it makes your eyes water, it’s going to trigger the nose and lungs to water, too,” says Irwin Ziment, M.D., chief  of medicine and director of respiratory therapy at Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar, California. In fact, foods such as hot pepper, mustard, curry or garlic stimulate the same reflex actions as popular expectorants such as Robitussin, says Dr. Ziment.

Bronchitis treatment using Turmeric. One of the most effective home remedies for bronchitis is the use of turmeric powder. Half a teaspoon of this powder should be administered with half a glass of milk, two or three times daily. It acts best when taken on an empty stomach.

Bronchitis treatment using Ginger.Another effective remedy for bronchitis is a mixture comprising of half a teaspoon each of the powder of ginger, pepper, and cloves, three times a day. It may be licked with honey or taken as an infusion with tea. The mixture of these three ingredients has also anti pyre-tic qualities and is effective in reducing fever accompanying bronchitis. It also tones up the metabolism of the patient.

Bronchitis treatment using Onion.Onions have been used as a remedy for bronchitis for centuries. They are said to possess expectorant properties. They liquefy phlegm and prevent its further formation. One teaspoon of raw onion juice, first thing in the morning, is very beneficial in such cases.

Bundle up. ” Temperature changes may influence lung defense mechanisms that could affect bronchitis sufferers,” Dr. Gong says. “We know that a sudden rush of cold air can cause asthma attacks in asthmatics. They learn to take  a few extra minutes to put a scarf around their mouth and nose to better avoid a rush of cold air. I would advise those with bronchitis to do the same.

 

BURNS: What you do those first few minutes after you burn yourself can make all the difference in how well your skins heals. That’s because your cells continue to fry even after even after your separate yourself from the heat source. The sooner you can bring down the temperature of the injured tissue, the sooner you call a halt to the destruction and the faster you’ll heal.

Plunge that minor burn into a container of cold water. And keep it there for up to 2 hours, or until there is no pain when you take it out. Use cold water only for superficial burns that cover a small area of unbroken skin.

Ice is clean. Put some ice into a plastic sandwich bag to cool broken skin. The bag won’t stick to broken skin the way cloth might, and will spare your skin direct-and painful-contact with the ice. Blistered skin “should heal with the week,” says Linda Phillips, M.D., assistant professor in the plastic surgery division of the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Cool substitutes.Use a skin-softening lotion or cream that contains aloe. Choose one that dosen’t contain alcohol because alcohol tends to neutralize the aloe, Dr. Phillips says.

Try an oatmeal soak. For sunburn pain, fill the bath with cool or tepid water. Next and an oatmeal bath soak: follow the direction on the package to see how long you need to soak. Don’t use your breakfast oatmeal-the flakes are too large to do any good.

Keep it clean. Wash with a mild soap to remove any opportunistic bacteria ready to make mischief now that the skin’s protective function has been compromised.

 

CANKER SORES: Medically known as aphthous ulcers, canker sores thrive inside your mouth on the wet tissues of your tongue and cheek. A small, red wound at first, a canker sore quickly grows into a white, red-bordered, exquisitely painful ulcer that makes everything from eating to brushing your teeth difficult. There’s not a whole lot you can do to speed up healing of canker sores. But you can do plenty to help it heal steadily relieve the pain in the process.

Time to tingle.When you feel that first tingle of a canker sore, break open a vitamin E capsule and squeeze a little oil on the sore. And take 500 milligrams of vitamin C with bioflavonoids three times a day for the next three days to speed healing.

Peroxide it. Hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are antiseptics that kill germs and help canker sores heal. Both are available over-the-counter, carbamide peroxide sold as Glyoxide liquid is often in the toothache-canker sore rack. If you catch a budding canker sore soon enough with these medications you may be able to prevent it from blossoming into a full-blown ulcer. Apply them several times a day-it’s worth the few seconds it takes. Be sure not to use too much peroxide, as it can cause burning.

Warm salt water soothes.Mixes a teaspoon of salt into cup of warm water and slosh the solution around in your mouth for a minute. This cleans the tissues around your sore, helping it heal, and temporarily relieves pains. Water mixed with a little baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) also works.

Take tea.Ordinary tea helps ease burning and itching. Soak a handkerchief or piece of gauze in cool tea and hold it to your sore for few minutes until the discomfort subsides. Or use a cool, wet tea bag. Make sure it’s real tea, not herb tea, because it’s the astringent effect of black tea’s tannin acid that does the trick.

Swish with milk. If eating becomes impossible because of canker pain, rinse your mouth with a bit of milk before eating, suggests David Burt, D.D.S, a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, dentist. The milk will coat the sore and make supper possible.

 

COLDS AND FLU: There are a few things you can do to keep colds and flu away. For example:

Wash your hands. Colds airs infectious diseases caused by viruses, and these viruses are spread by human contact. A 1- to 2- minutes hand-washing removes many of the 200 or so different viruses that cause a cold, says Thomas Gossel, Ph.D., a professor and chairman of the Department of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences at Ohio Northern University.

Bundle up. “When you go outside and becomes cold and wet, what you are actually are doing is lowering your resistance by raising your stress level,” says Dr. Gossel. So take an extra minute or two to bundle up, especially when it’s cold and damp outside.

Take your vitamins. Especially vitamins A and C, which help activate infection-fighting white cells and boost immunity (which, in turn, help fight colds.) These vitamins have been linked in several studies with protecting against respiratory ailments.

Humidify the air.“In the wintertime, indoor air is very dry, and that lack of humidity is a great breeding ground for cold viruses,” says Douglas Holsclaw, M.D., an associate professor of medicine and director of the Pediatric Pulmonary Division at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. “To add moisture , leave bathroom doors open during showers, have a lot of house plants (the add humidity) and keep open pots of water around (especially near stoves and radiators).”

Get vaccinated. “I advise getting a flu shot each year, particularly if you’re elderly or have asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, cystic fibrosis or any other condition that involves the lungs, says Dr. Holsclaw.

Drink plenty of water.This helps replace the fluids you lose during fever. Soup is good, too, because it helps to boost your stores of needed nutrients.

Give viruses a hot time. Hot liquids have the advantage of raising the temperature of the throat, which slows viral reproduction.

 

CONSTIPATION: Constipation have something to do with your bowel movements and is more than an inconvenience. It tends to precede hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Sometimes it’s a flag to alert your doctor that you might have a serious disease. Most of the time, though, it’s a passing phenomenon that is quickly remedied.

Brew some beans. Coffee beans, that is. A cup of coffee at days beginning is a natural laxative.

When you have to go, go. When nature calls, don’t put her on hold. You can foul up your normal bowel cycle by trying to hold it in.

Set aside a regular time. Research suggests that often all that is needed to put a stop to constipation is for you to set aside a time daily to use the toilet. A good time would be every day after a particular meal (such as breakfast) to take advantage of a gastrointestinal reflex that tells your body it’s time to go.

Try some fruit.You can often beat constipation overnight by drinking prune juice or eating prunes before retiring. Stay away from commercial laxatives except under doctor’s orders. They’re unnecessary, habit-forming, and often ineffective.You’re better off trying to prevent constipation by making alife practice of eating prunes, apricots, plums, and other natural laxatives. In fact, nearly all rawfruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber and so make good bowel buddies.

Change of lifestyle. Simply getting more exercises, drinking more fluids and eating high fiber diet can go long way towards alleviating constipation.

 

DIARRHEA: It can be  nature,s way of ridding the body of undesirable wastes. Or it can be a massage from on low that something you ate or drink is something you  should not be eating or drinking.  Diarrhea  can go away in a day or two.Things you can do to help it along.

Rehydrate yourself. Diarrhea depletes your body of water and minerals such as sodium and potassium. To replace what is lost, drink a little sugar water and a pinch of salt to correct chemical imbalances, recommends Theodore Bsayless, MD., clinical director of the Meyeroff Digestive Disease Center in Baltimore.

Go Bananas. Bananas help banish diarrhea by soaking up water in your stool. They also are full of potassium, a mineral that diarrhea  depletes in large quantities.

 

EARACHES: Ears are not what they used to be. We pierce them. We poke at them. And we pound them daily with dangerously high decibels. We use them in shower and swimming holes. No wonder they sometimes hurt. Well, here are some fast fixes to ease the aches.

Reach into your medicine cabinet. The pain that accompanies ear infections can be intense. To relieve the pain before you get to a doctor, try over-the-counter painkiller such as Tylenol, says John Harwick, M.D., an Allentown, Pennsylvania, otolaryngologist.

Warm the pain slowly. Laying a hot water bottle or heating pad against a painful outer ear also helps. “Heat increases the blood supply to the area, which provides pain relief,”  Dr. Harwick says. But remember: Just because you have eased the pain does not mean you are cured, he warns. You still need to see you doctor.

Removed earrings at once. If you have pierce ears , redness and swelling are  a sign of infection that should not be ignored. “If you get an infection in the cartilaginous part of the ear, you can end up in the hospital,” warns Kathleen Yaremchuck, M.D., an otolaryngologist with the Henry Ford Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. It requires immediate attention.

Go for the gold. Painful and sore ears can also result from earrings made with inexpensive posts, such as chrome or nickle.  They can cause contact dermatitis which can flare into an infection. Wearing earrings made with gold of at least 14 karats will prevent this problems, Dr. Yaremchuk says.

Get out of the pool. A condition called “swimmer’s ears,” which is accompanied by itching, pain and temporary loss, can be very uncomfortable, says Arnold Schuring, M.D., an otologist in Warren Ohio. And it can be caused not only by swimming, but by showering or profuse sweating, as well.

Take a minute to blow-dry your ear. With a blow dryer set on low and held about 18 inches away, direct a stream of drying air into the ear. Wave the dryer gently back and forth over the ear for a minute or less, suggests Dr. Yaremchuk.

Drop it in your ear. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water, then drop in three or four drops with an ear dropper. “Some people find that soothing,” says Barry Hirsch, M.D., an otologist and neurologist with the Eye and Ear Hospital of Pittsburgh. Or you can use plain rubbing alcohol.

 

EAR WAX:  When it comes to annoying ear wax, some people get carried away. They resort to bobby pins, paperclips or cotton swabs in their attempts to jar it loose. Bad moves, says Dr. Francis Onyebuchi Kanu, a homeopathic medicine, Practicing in Aba, Abia State Nigeria. Still, wax does have a tendency to accumulate in ear-clogging levels. Here are some things  to remember.

Don’t touch! In most cases, ear wax does its job without causing problems, says Kathleen Yaremchuk, M.D., an otolaryngologist at Henry Ford Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. Don’t bother it, it won,t bother you.

Soften the buildup. If your ear wax collects and doesn’t budge, put a few drops of mineral oil or sweet oil in your ears twice daily for few days. This should soften the mass, which should then fall out on its own. says Dr. Francis O. Kanu.

 

EYESTRAIN: One of the most common causes of eye problems stares us in the eyes when we sit down to work. It’s a computer screen, says Lowel Glatt, O.D., a New York City optometrist and a member of the American Optometric Association’s committee on environmental vision. “You sit just there for hours processing information into the computer, concentrating on the screen 26 inches from your face.”  It’s not the computers that causes eyestrain. Any kind of work that demands close, continuous concentration can cause the same symptoms. But relief is as easy and as fast as a blink. In fact, that’s the first thing Dr. Glatt recommends.

Blink… then blink again. Staring at a screen can almost shut down the blinking mechanism, allowing the surface of your eyes to dry out and become irritated. Concentrate on blinking more often when you have to do close work.

Stare off into space. Every once in a while, look across the room. It may take only a couple of seconds to allow your eyes a chance to refocuse and rest. Then you can go back to work with refreshed, more productive eyes.

Flip off the light. If your vision problems and eyestrain are at their worst after watching the bright screen, rethink the lighting around yor work area. The background light level should be low and offer contrast. You shouldn’t see any bright sources of direct or reflected light in the screen.

Install a glare screen. Add a screen to minimize the amount of glare reflected back into your eyes.

Wipe the dust off your screen. Your eyes must work harder when they’re trying to see past dirt, smears and fingerprints. Give your computer screen a 2-second wiping with a damp cloth.

 

FLATULENCE: Intestinal gas is one of those gut-level problems that plagues us mortals. To deflate  flatulence fast.

Take a tip from the Japanese. Buy kombu-a sea vegetable sold in Japanese gourmet shops and health food stores, which helps take the gas out of beans. Simply add kombu to the beans you cook, and discard it with the cooking water.

Try anasazi beans. They are the most user-friendly, gas-miserably legume known.

 

GOUT: In theory, anybody can suffer from gout. In reality, middle aged men are typical victims. And while any joint can be affected , the big toe appears to be the prime target. Gout can be treated quickly and effectively once you know a few tricks. For example:

Reach for ibuprofen. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug [NSAID] can reduce the tremendous inflammatory that is causing pain around the affected joint, says Charles Tourtellotte, M.D., chief of rheumatology at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. Aspirin, on the hand, can make gout worse by slowing the elimination of uric acid.

Take the pressure off. When the lightening bolts of  pain start to hit, it is best to keep the affected joint elevated and at rest, according to Dr Francis O. Kanu; Homeopathic medicine practicing in Aba, Abia State Nigeria.

Tame the flame: John Abruzzo, M.D., director of Rheumatology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, recommends applying an ice pack . The ice will soothe and numb the pain. If  the pressure of the ice pack itself is painful, use a towel or sponge as a cushion.

HAIR DAMAGE:  It is your mane masterpiece. Hair.  Throughout the centuries, it’s been a potent symbol associated with beauty, power, sensuality and youth. But if you’re constantly complaining of the hair that’s brittle and split at the ends, you’ve got a problem with dry hair.

Dry hair can be caused by the chemicals used in coloring, bleaching and highlighting. It also can be caused by too much heat, whether from the sun or from electric appliances such as curlers and blow dryers. There are lots of quickie solutions to revive those traumatized tresses.

Pour on the vinegar. Here’s a super-fast way to add beautiful shine to your hair: Dilute apple-cider vinegar in water (one part vinegar to seven parts water) and rinse with it after shampoo. A vinegar is great for over-processed hair, and it can  help liven up a tired perm, too.

Dress your hair. Many hair-care experts say that mayonnaise makes a good overall conditioner. Rub it into your hair, then leave it on for about 5 minutes. Just make sure  to shampoo it out thoroughly.

Pull the plug. Pack away your electric appliances, or at least use them less often. Overuse of electric curlers as well as blow dryers and curling irons damages and dries out hair. There’s no need to use electric curlers every day, you may have to try a different cut or even a loose perm. Also try using blow dryer with no more than 1,000 watts, and reduce the temperature and power level as your hair dries says most hair dresser experts.

Let your fingers do the walking. Rather than  using a blow dryer, gently fluff and style the hair with your fingers as it dries, always lifting the hair up off the scalp. Bending over as you work allows gravity to contribute extra fullness.

Crack up humidifier. Nothing is worse for dry hair than dry indoor air. So when winter rolls around, counteract the standard low-moisture environment with a humidifier. If the humidifier located in the bedroom, your hair can benefit from hours of added moisture every night.

Baby your oil. To protect your hair from chlorine damage when swimming, set aside a few seconds to apply baby oil before taking the plunge. Use about half teaspoon more if your hair is long and work it in. The oil coats hair shafts and prevents them from absorbing the harsh chlorine. After you dip, shampoo the oil out.

HEADACHES: The two most common types of headaches are tension  and vascular. Tension headaches afflict 90 percent of us, according to Seymour Diamond, MD., director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago and author of Hope for Your Headache Problem. Less common are vascular headaches, such as migraines.

Headaches and their remedies are very individualistic; What works for someone else may or may not work for you. So pick your symptoms, choose your headache and pick  you fix.

Heat it up. A hot water bottle or heating pad applied at the first sign of a tension headache can help the tightened muscles relax.

Try ice. At the very first sign of a migraine, try an ice pack or one of the new gel packs. This is an old remedy that works by constricting those swollen blood vessels. In a study at Diamond Headache Clinic, a cold compress made from a commercially available ice pack provided almost instantaneous pain relief for 52 percent of 89 people suffering from migraine, cluster and mixed-type headaches.

Try an analgesic. Aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen are proven headache pain relievers. But they should be used only for the occasional headache.

Battle it with biofeedback. Have your doctor recommend an instructor in biofeedback. In six to ten sessions you can learn to relax the muscles that are squeezing your head into an ache. Biofeedback works for 80 percent of those who learn it, and Dr. Diamond says he uses it on all of his hospital patients with great success.

Heat you hands. Lie down, relax and concentrate on directing blood to flow from the swollen arteries in your head down into your hands. Feel your hands getting warmer and warmer with the increased blood flow. The blood vessel in your hands are expanding while the vessel in your head are shrinking. As they shrink, the pain lessens and soon is gone. With the help of biofeedback, says Dr. Diamond, you can learn to hike the temperature of your hands by 10 to 15 degrees and that’s a lot of blood that’s no longer throbbing through your head.

 

HEARTBURN: Heartburn is a burning discomfort in the chest or throat that occurs when harsh stomach acid comes into contact with delicate lining of the esophagus, irritating it. People with reflux and its accompanying symptom, heartburn-the muscle either relaxes before  it’s supposed to or is weak to begin with.

Chronic heartburn can be dangerous and needs a doctor’s care, says gastroenterologist Sidney Cohen, M.D., chairman of medicine at Temple University Medical School. But when reflux and heartburn are temporary and mild, there are several quick and simple ways to handle it. The fastest way to slam the door on reflux and heartburn.

Gobble turkey. High protein, low-fat foods like skinless turkey or chicken breast, skim milk, fish and dry beans actually reinforce the valve that guards your esophagus. High-fat foods, on the other hand, weaken the muscle. Many people find this out right after eating chocolate, which contains a lot of fat. Other foods also relax the muscle, especially tomato products and caffeinated beverages. Heartburn sufferers can usually figure out  which foods starts the fire.

Snap on suspenders. A tight belt can be like a big meal or extra pounds, squishing up that which should go down.

Jack up your bed. Raising the head of your bed 6 inches puts gravity on the side of the side of your sphincter, and so helps keep stomach acid in its place.

Douse the flames with antacids. “Antacids are the main-stay for heartburn,” says Dr. Cohen.

 

HEMORRHOIDS: Hemorrhoids are rectal veins that have gotten too big for your britches. Internal hemorrhoids occur in your rectum; the external variety end up on the skin around your anus. For quick relief from hemorrhoid pain.

Soothe them with a sit bath. Sitting in several inches of water mixed with Epson salt can help reduce the itchy inflammation. Immerse your hips and buttocks, then sit until you feel a lot better.

Anoint them with soothing creams and liquids. Ingredients known to relieve discomfort include witch hazel, zinc oxide, ephedrine. Preparation H, perhaps the best known ointment for hemorrhoids, should be applied three to five times daily, particularly at night and after bowel movements.

Take a stretch. Sitting for long periods often aggravates hemorrhoids. So give your buns a break by standing up now and then.

 

HICCUPS: hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm-the muscles that separates your chest from your abdomen and plays an important role in breathing. Each contraction is followed by sudden closure of your vocal cords. Hiccups may result from a large meal, alcoholic beverages or sudden excitement. The following are quick remedies.

Take a breath, bear down, and push. Pretend you are going to have a bowel movement. This stimulates the vague nerve, which connects the diaphragm to the brain.

Eat slowly. “I noticed  that hiccups come most often when people eat too fast, and especially when thy are eating meat,” says Steve Shay, M.D., assistant chief of gastroenterology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Swallow some sugar. Anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of sugar swallowed dry seems to help some people.

Drink upside down. Bend over and drink water from opposite side of the glass.

Squeeze the hiccups. Try pulling your knees up to your chest and compressing it. Hold your breath as long as you can.

 

INGROWN TOENAILS: The side of your nail is digging-into your skin. If you trim toenails too short, particularly on the side of your big toes, you set the stage for an ingrown toenails. Like many people, when you trim your toenails, you may taper the corners so that the nail curves with the shape of your toe. An ingrown toenails may also happen if you wear shoes that are too tight or too short.

According to Suzanne M. Levine, D.P.M., a podiatrist and author of My Feet Are Killing Me and Walk It Off. “Nails should always be cut straight across.”

Give your toe elbow room. Change to a looser-fitting shoes. If you live in a warm climate, you may want to wear toeless sandals, It will help to avoid putting pressure on the painful spot.

Soak your toe in a solution of Epsom salts. An Epsom salt foot bath can help draw out infection.

 

INSOMNIA:  Is trouble falling asleep or staying asleep through the night. You want to sleep, but you can’t. Chances are, you took a late afternoon nap, or maybe you’re stressed out or excited. This kind of insomnia is usually temporary and lasts from several days to a few weeks. Here is how to cure  it fast.

Have a full day.  Staying active through out your day, such as walking along distance, shopping, going to museum, visiting amusement park and zoo, going to watch movie are more likely to help you have a restful sleep at night and you will wake up feeling refreshed.

Take a warm bath. It’s a great way to relax your body. A bedtime soak in the tub is a traditional and effective-tranquilizer. Don’t over do it, however. You merely want to relax your body not exhaust it. Too long in hot water and your body is drained of vitality. Use bath salts, or throw in Epsom salts and baking soda- one cup of each. These will relax you and also help remove toxins from your body.

Get a massage. Having a massage just before going to sleep will help your muscles to relax. If you can get a full massage, great. If not, even a short back-rub and/or a face  and scalp massage  can be a big help. The massage stroke should be slow , gentle , yet firm to work the tension out of your muscles and soothe the sleep.

Listen to music or other Audio. Play some soft , soothing music that will lull you to sleep.

Take an imaginary trip. Find a setting; a beach, the middle of a forest, a mountaintop. Concentrate on the sounds around you: The crash of the waves, the birds in the trees, the whistling of the wind. Smell the salt spray of the ocean. Feel the heat of the sun.

 

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: Is a disorder that leads to abdominal pain; cramping, discomfort, bloating, changes in bowel movements and other symptoms. Many doctors believe that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a symbol of today high paced, stress-laden lifestyles. Doctors know it occurs, but they don”t know what causes it or what they can do to cure it. There are things you can do to relieve the cramps, bloating, nausea, and alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation that accompany IBS. For example:

Eat plenty of fiber. Foods rich in dietary fiber can help relieve both constipation and diarrhea, doctors say. The kind of fiber you eat also may be important. For example, wheat bran has a tendency to hold water than, say, apples or carrots. This makes it particularly helpful for preventing diarrhea.

Eat smart. Foods such as beans and cabbage that are known to cause gas may cause problems for IBS sufferers. Eating fat also may be a problem because it prompts strong colonic contractions. This can make the nearest bathroom seem very far away.

Eat slowly. If you’re always the first to finish, chances are you’re also first in line at the restroom, later. Eating slowly may help to prevent abnormal colon contractions from getting started.

Get some exercise. Walking, swimming, biking or other activities can help get your bowels moving may help to knock out constipation, one of the troubling problems associated with IBS says Douglas A. Drossman, M.D., a gastroenterologist and psychiatrist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

 

LEG CRAMPS:  Involuntary contractions of muscles in your leg. In most cases it involves your calf muscles, but muscles in your feet or thighs nay crap as well. Sudden, exaggerated, unprovoked leg cramps plague all sorts of people; such as athletes, cashiers, pregnant women, people on certain medications. When leg cramps strike, you’ll want relief fast. Here’s how to find it.

Rein in your charley horse. You can massage away a calf cramp in a few minutes by grasping your toes and gently pulling them towards you. Use the other hand to rub lengthwise along the calf, from the back of the knee to the ankle. And always rub up and down the muscle, not across it. “Massaging out the cramp works faster than any medication possibly could,” says Stanley Silverberg, M.D., a cardiologist and peripheral vascular specialist in Chevy Chase, Maryland. (A heating pad or hot water bottle would also help. “But in the time it takes to find the thing and heat it up, you could massaged away your pain,” Dr. Silverberg says.)

Try tonic water.  Tonic water contains some quinine, however-it’s a poor source of  quinine. some people said that it helps.

Try pickle juice. The use of pickle juice as a defense against muscle cramps. Pickle juice is similar to an isotonic beverage and can prevent cramps caused from strenuous exercise.

Try yellow mustard. A teaspoon of yellow mustard before you go to bed may help you leg cramp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Among people with insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, nearly all can reverse it with the same changes. Even with longstanding diabetes, many patients can discontinue most of their insulin/oral drugs when they make significant dietary and other lifestyle changes.

Catch It Early
About 24 million Americans have type 2 diabetes (once known as adult-onset diabetes), and at least 57 million have prediabetes, an intermediate condition in which levels of fasting glucose (blood sugar) are between 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and 125 mg/dL. What they have in common: An inability to effectively utilize insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose to move from the bloodstream into the body’s cells.

Most people with diabetes are first diagnosed via a fasting blood sugar test. But by the time glucose levels are high, the disease already has progressed — and the cells that produce insulin may have suffered irreversible damage.

Better: The fasting serum insulin test. Cost: About $50 (which may be covered by insurance). High levels of insulin indicate insulin resistance, a condition that precedes sharply elevated glucose.

Anyone with diabetes risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or a waist circumference of more than 40 inches in men or 35 inches in women, should have the fasting serum insulin test.

Those who have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes should consider making the following lifestyle changes. People sometimes complain about the “restrictive” nature of the changes needed to control diabetes. It does take some effort, but far less than dealing with the complications of the disease — which may include blindness, nerve damage and amputation.
Near-Vegetarian Diet
One study found that 21 of 23 patients were able to discontinue oral diabetes drugs after switching to a mainly meatless diet — of those on insulin, 13 out of 17 were able to quit taking the insulin.

A plant-based diet is high in fiber, which slows digestion and the rate of glucose absorption into the blood. This causes the pancreas to secrete less insulin, and it makes cells more sensitive to insulin’s effects. People who consume little or no meat also tend to have lower cholesterol and blood pressure — important for minimizing the cardiovascular complications of diabetes.

The Diabetes Prevention Program study found that people at risk for developing type 2 diabetes who exercised regularly and ate a Mediterranean-style diet — mainly fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, lentils) and whole grains, with only small amounts of meat a few times a month — decreased their risk of developing diabetes by 58%. In contrast, trying to prevent diabetes by using the popular medication metformin lowered the risk of developing diabetes by 31%.
Carbohydrate Counting
Carbohydrate counting is among the most effective ways to control diabetes. Main steps…

Calculate net carbohydrate. This is the amount of carbohydrate in a food minus fiber content. One cup of Kashi GoLean cereal, for example, has 30 grams (g) of total carbohydrates, but because this includes 10 g of fiber, the net carbohydrate is actually 20 g. You can find all of this information on food labels.

Identify “carbohydrate choices.” One carbohydrate choice equals 15 g of net carbohydrates. Example: A slice of whole-wheat bread is one carbohydrate choice (about 15 g of net carbs).

Eat 9 to 13 carbohydrate choices daily for optimal control. Most people are advised to have three to five carb choices for breakfast.

Sample breakfast: One cup of old-fashioned oatmeal with milk or milk alternative, such as soy milk (two carbohydrate choices)… one cup of berries (one carb choice)… egg or tofu scramble with vegetables, such as mushrooms, bell peppers and onions (one carb choice)… one slice of toast with nut butter (one carb choice).

Have three to five carbohydrate choices at lunch and zero to three at supper. Eating lighter at night helps stabilize overnight and morning blood sugar levels.

Carbohydrate counting is confusing initially, but people quickly memorize the carbohydrate contents of the foods that they tend to eat most often.

Helpful: I advise patients to eat meals at the same time every day… and to eat about the same portion sizes to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Glycemic Index
Some carbohydrates elevate blood glucose almost instantly — others much more slowly. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how quickly carbohydrates elevate glucose. A lower number indicates a slower glucose rise — and better glucose control.

Example: White bread has a GI of 73. It is transformed very quickly into glucose, which causes blood sugar levels to surge. A serving of carrots, on the other hand, has a GI of 32. The glucose conversion happens slowly, which causes steadier levels of blood glucose.

Recommended: Mainly consume foods with GIs of less than 55. Foods that are minimally processed, such as legumes and whole grains, generally have lower GI numbers. (See www.glycemicindex.com for a complete guide to the glycemic index.)

Helpful: Aboveground vegetables, such as grains and leafy greens, typically have lower GIs than below-ground vegetables, such as potatoes and radishes. Fruit from the temperate climates, such as apples, pears and peaches, have lower GIs than tropical fruits, such as bananas.

Also, if you feel like eating a food with a high GI (such as white bread), combine it with a low-GI food, such as peanut butter, to reduce the glucose surge.
Post meal Exercise
Exercise helps people lose weight, which improves insulin sensitivity and reduces cardiovascular risk factors.

Even without weight loss, exercise is very effective for managing diabetes, particularly when you exercise after meals. Exercise after meals makes it easier for muscle cells to absorb glucose from the blood. Patients who check their blood sugar two hours after eating, then test it again after a brisk 20-minute walk, typically see a drop of at least 30 points.

Strength training also is helpful. People who lift weights or engage in other forms of resistance exercise (such as push-ups) two or three times a week have an increase in muscle tissue, which increases metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Lower Stress
In an emergency, the body releases cortisol, the “fight-or-flight” hormone that increases blood glucose to produce a quick surge of energy. Unfortunately, the same thing happens in people with daily stress. Their cortisol — and glucose — remains at chronically high levels, making diabetes more difficult to control.

Stress management is critical if you have diabetes. Most people find that a daily walk keeps them calmer. In addition, hobbies are a good way to defuse tension and stress. Others learn to meditate or practice yoga. Whatever you find relaxing, make time for it at least a few times a day

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Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do

the honey.