Herbal Therapy And Healthy System

Aromatherapy as we know it today was accidentally discovered in 1910 by a French chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse. After burning his hand during an experiment in a perfume factory, he plunged it into a vat of Lavender essential oil, and was amazed at how quickly and well his hand later healed. Thus modern aromatherapy was born. The use of aromatic plants in healing and medicine can be traced back to thousands of years BC however, and evidence of the use of essential oils has even been found in Egyptian tombs and hieroglyphics.

The practice of aromatherapy harnesses the healing properties of aromatic plants and trees in the form of essential oils which are extracted from the leaves, flowers, stems, bark and roots. The extracted oils are highly concentrated, but when diluted they are suitable for use in baths, oil burners, massage oils, creams, lotions and sprays.

Aromatherapy is an extremely effective treatment for stress, as there are a number of oils which have sedating, relaxing and uplifting properties. The connection between smell and emotion is very strong, and breathing in pleasant smells triggers positive reactions in the brain which creates a sense of well being. This therapeutic effect works in addition to the healing properties of the oils.

Essential oils should not be taken internally but should be absorbed into the body either through inhalation or through the skin. There are a number of oils available which are used to treat stress and its symptoms, and there is a wide variety of ways in which oils can be used.

Probably the most relaxing method to experience aromatherapy is in the form of a massage by a qualified aromatherapist, however there are plenty of benefits to be had by practicing aromatherapy at home. Good quality essential oils can be purchased from reputable suppliers such as drugstores, natural health stores and specialist web sites. Do not buy cheap low quality oils as these are usually synthetically produced, and whilst they may smell the same, they contain none of the therapeutic benefits of the plant.

Oils such as Bergamot, Neroli, Frankincense, Geranium, Ylang-Ylang and Sandalwood are very safe, and will induce relaxation and lift your mood. Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Rose, Jasmine, Marjoram and Clary Sage have the same effect, but these oils should not be used if you are pregnant. You should avoid using any essential oils in the first trimester of pregnancy without taking advice from a doctor or a qualified aromatherapist.

You can use essential oils on their own or blended with one or two other oils for maximum effect. If you are using them on the skin they should always be diluted in a carrier oil such as Sunflower or Sweet Almond. Ways that you can use essential oils at home include:

Baths. Fill the bathtub with warm (not hot) water, then dilute 4 – 6 drops of essential oil in a little vegetable oil or milk, and add to the water. Close the door so that the vapours don’t escape, and soak for at least ten minutes.

Oil Burner. Add 2tbsp warm water to the oil burner and then add 3 – 6 drops of essential oil. Light the candle underneath, and the heat will disperse the oils into the air.

Lamp Ring. Place a couple of drops of essential oil onto a lamp ring, and place the ring on a light bulb. The heat from the light bulb will cause the oils to disperse into the air.

Room Sprays. Use a new plant sprayer, and add warm but not boiling water. Add the essential oil (4 drops per ½ pint water) and shake before use. Spray into the air, but avoid spraying onto surfaces and fabric which are likely to stain.

Massage. For massage, the essential oils must be diluted in a carrier oil such as Sunflower, Sweet Almond or Grapeseed. You will probably need around 7-10 teaspoons of carrier oil for a full body massage, so add 1 drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil. Mix well and apply to the skin with long sweeping strokes, always massaging towards the heart.

Using aromatherapy oils at home should not be taken lightly. The essential oils mentioned here are very safe, but some oils can present hazards if not properly used. If you are in any doubt, always consult a qualified aromatherapist.

You should bear in mind the following guidelines before using essential oils:

Never use undiluted oils directly on the skin

Always seek professional advice from a medical practitioner or qualified aromatherapist if you have sensitive skin, are prone to allergic reactions, are pregnant or breast feeding, have a medical condition or are taking anticoagulant drugs.

Seek advice from a qualified aromatherapist before using oils on children.

Avoid alcohol when using essential oils.

Avoid exposure to the sun if you have used essential oils on the skin.

Always keep essential oils out of the reach of children.

There is a lot of talk in recent years about the concept of a "sick building". Obviously, buildings don't get sick. What this term refers to is a buildings ability to make its residents sick. This can happen for a variety of reason, but generally it all boils down to indoor air pollution which some people have allergic reactions to. The amount of indoor pollution depends on the materials a home is constructed with and how much ventilation it has.

I am not a doctor by any means, and have no idea why more and more people are having allergic reactions to their homes. But if you are a sensitive type, or have a compromised immune system, it might be a good idea to give some thought to avoiding sources of indoor pollution.

Some indoor air pollution comes from heating systems. Furnace ducts can become dusty or even moldy. When air blows through them it can spread mite feces and mold spores throughout the home. As disgusting as this sounds it is actually quite common. Ducts should be cleaned at least once a year, or anytime you notice a feeling of stuffed up sinuses whenever your furnace is on.

Laminate flooring, counter tops and cupboards can be the source of some problems as well. Formaldehyde and adhesives used to preserve and hold together particle or fiber-board can gas-off toxic fumes. These fumes can result in headaches and an overall weakened immune system. New carpets often produce these fumes, as well as harboring more dust than other floors. To avoid these fumes, choose natural flooring such as wood or tile, install tile or granite counters, and look for cupboards made of real wood instead of pressed-board.

There are a lot of chemical additives that are used to treat things like upholstery fabrics. If you find yourself getting head-aches ever since you got new living-room furniture and drapes, it could be from the flame retardant and stain resistant chemicals that these products are often treated with. Some manufacturers are now choosing safer, less toxic flame-retardants, and if you suspect you are sensitive, it might be best to look for these alternatives.

If you are planning to paint your home, look for low VOC paints. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, toxic chemicals which, again, can gas-off into the air. Low VOC paints are just that, paints made with few or no toxic compounds.

Sometimes, the building materials mentioned above are hard to avoid. In cases like this, ventilation may help. If you are moving into a brand-new home, try to give the home some time to release all its gasses before you move right in. Leave the doors and windows open as often as possible. Keep a fan on even when you aren't there. If you feel like you need extra help, look into the variety of air purifying devices available. These measures will help minimize the amount of indoor air pollution in your home.

Einstein, a genius scientist of the 20th century, and central to the new energy physics, stated that ‘a problem cannot be solved by the same mind set that created it’. Cancer is a case in point. Cancer is a dis-ease that stems partly from the products of the mechanistic, anthropomorphic and exploitative philosophy at the heart of our culture, which we tend to ignore. Its effective treatment demands that we see ourselves in a different way and act accordingly.

Medicine is extremely slow to move from a mechanistic and physical philosophy to a more energetic model, like the Gaian paradigm that values all life forms as connected. A philosophy of medicine that is over-reliant on logic and limited mainly to drugs and surgery is fundamental flawed. Acts of logic always rely on analysis, that is breaking down a ‘whole’ into its constituent parts, and examining each minutely. Reductionist approaches fail to see the connectivity and relatedness of all things. As a result this philosophy is offering us ‘cures’ to cancer that are often as dangerous and destructive as the disease itself.

Nobel prize-winner Carlo Rubbia maintains that only a billionth of the world is actually made of matter and the rest is made of energy. The new sciences are challenging the way we perceive the world and as a result the way we relate to our bodies. Dr. K. Scott-Mumby is author of Virtual Medicine and an allergy specialist in the UK writes:

"Science is proving that we exist as regulated and informed energy. Disease can now be redefined as a disruption, cessation or distortion in the information and energy fields. Its time for medical practitioners to join the party".

Classical science has reached the end of what it can explain in reductionist terms. Issues such as whether light is a particle or a wave, or whether or not water has a memory (an issue central to the ‘proof’ of homeopathy), are moving modern science to a quantum level that deals with fields of energy. Medical science is still stuck in a very physical universe, where the objective is to ‘excise the lump’ almost regardless of where it came from and individual conditions of the patient and their experiences.

New sciences such as the chaos theories point a way forward into handling the complexities of whole systems that work together, in synergy. Unfortunately our medical systems and practises are still too often based on philosophy formulated in medieval times.

Because all interventions in a medical process have to been ‘proven’ as workable (using scientific double-blind testing methods) before doctors will recognise their validity (if they then do the research), medical science mostly marginalises or ignores healing alternatives that can provide only ‘anecdotal evidence’. Multiple simultaneous treatments of different types and ‘levels’ tuned for one patient are un-testable by a reductionist philosophy and therefore ignored by mainstream medicine. In addition to this regulatory pressures force researchers and companies to test their drugs on patients with advanced cancer - when the dis-ease is much more difficult to treat and when the chances of success are modest - this means that potentially useful treatments are discarded as worthless.

Traditional research methodology, or ‘quantitative research’ is central to science and other methodologies are not usually acceptable. ‘Qualitative research’ is equally, if not more important at the present time in reference to cancer. Other medical systems, such as Chinese or Ayurvedic medicine, Homeopathy or Naturopathy use far subtler tools in both diagnosis and treatment. They are based on seeing the patient as a whole being and often use multiple interventions on several levels, simultaneously in the treatment of dis-ease. Because they work at the level of an individual patient, and from a different philosophy of medicine, it is almost impossible to analyse them with the tools of reductionist science.

Our present rash of immune attacking diseases calls for a different kind of response than just drugs and surgery. A new medicine that combines established scientific excellence with traditional, alternative and natural treatments is needed. One that recognises humans as feeling, vibrant, energetic, spiritual beings as well as physical and mental. There are dramatic developments in the treatment of cancer using energy systems, but information on this is actually suppressed. There is a movement towards an integrated medicine as more orthodox practitioners are starting to join in, led mostly by their patients.

From an energy point of view, when the human body is weak or unbalanced it oscillates at different frequencies than when it is healthy. This less harmonious frequency shows a state of cellular, energetic imbalance in the body. The physical body that is weakened in this way often needs help to shift to the needed frequency, which strengthens the immune system.

Some experienced medical doctors can make an intuitive diagnosis based on experience and can sometimes tell in a second or so what ails their patient. Posture, skin condition, nail, teeth and tongue all give clues, but experienced doctors may also intuitively pick up clues about their patients from energy and vibrational levels in a similar way to a gardener tending plants or a wild animal hunting its prey.

But modern doctors simply do not have the time for the level of attention given in many complementary and alternative therapies. This is one of the reasons alternatives are more popular than ever. Professional detachment is an essential part of the doctors’ repertoire and it protects them in part from the huge amount of need they encounter in day to day work.

Given the track record of orthodox medical science into whole person medicine, it may well be another 200 years or so before it is able to assimilate the new quantum sciences in relation to the human body. For those people with cancer now, there are a deliberately limited range of options available from orthodox medicine.

Cancer is an excessive growth of unwanted cells in our body. These excess growth of cells consume a lot of glucose found in the blood and starve the organs that need glucose. Cancer cells release toxic substances that interrupt the normal functioning of the other healthy organs. Hence cancer has to be treated immediately.

Although there are many treatments available to treat cancer, many people prefer alternative medicines for treating cancer as it has many advantages when compared to the other types of treatments for cancer and it has minimal side effects. Herbal and immunology therapies are the common form that is followed. Following a healthy food habit during alternative treatments for cancer would help to fight cancer at a faster rate. Foods like Hazel nuts, tomatoes, blue berries, and Brazil nuts can be taken when undergoing treatments for cancer.

Brazil nuts have anti-cancer properties and hence they find their place in alternative treatments for cancer. It is found that selenium is found at higher levels in Brazil nuts. Selenium is used to fight against cancer. Vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy growth of the cells. Essiac Tea has anti-cancer properties and is used in the alternative treatments for cancer. Echinacea Angustifolia root is best in its anti-cancer properties and to boost the immune system.

Beta glucan is a cancer alternative medicine that is used to fight against all types of cancer.

This cancer alternative medicine is derived from baker’s yeast, oat and barley fiber, and many medicinal mushrooms, such as maitake.Beta glucan as a it improves the immune system to fight against any type of cancer. It is believed that a weak immune system is responsible for cancerous growth in our body.

Laetrile is also used as one of the alternative treatment for cancer since it works on all types of cancer. Tumor related pains are relieved by the usage of laetrile. Laetrile can be taken as intravenous or orally. If intravenous the dosage should be 6 gms and if oral it should be 3 gms per day. Emulsified vitamin A is usually added as a supplement to laetrile. MGN-3, a medication that produces the natural killer cells in our body is also used in the treatment of cancer.

Billions of people around the world experience acne over their lifetimes. In fact, acne is the single most common skin disorder, and more common than all other skin disorders combined.

With this being the case, it is not surprising to see literally thousands of different acne treatments available on the market today. There are prescription medications, such as accutane, and Retin-A. These work well on severe cystic acne. There are also over the counter medications, such as Benzoyl peroxide and Salicylic acid. For light to moderate acne, these can be a godsend. And of course, there are herbal acne treatments like tea tree oil and green tea cream. These both are proven to work well as alternatives to benzoyl peroxide.

This is just to name a very few of the most effective acne treatments available. There are then hundreds of brands that repackages these treatments under thousands of names, and sell them to acne suffers the world over.

However, there is one acne symptom that none of these medications can treat… Acne Dysmorphia.

Acne Dysmorphia is really more of it’s own disorder altogether. It
is similar to anorexia nervosa, in that the person suffering from acne dysmorphia becomes completely obsessed with a physical condition of their body. With Anorexia, it is their weight, and with acne dysmorphia, it is their clear complexion.

The truth of the matter is, Acne Dysmorphia is not strongly related to acne at all. The acne is just a catalyst for the problem. With Acne Dysmorphia, a person will become completely fixated on their skin, whether or not they are suffering from acne at all! They may pick at an area of skin until it bleeds, or becomes infected. Also, depression often results from their frustration with their skin complexion.

The sad fact is, many times these people may only have a few very small breakouts. Therefore, no amount of “acne treatment” will help reduce the fixation on the skin. It is not uncommon for someone with Acne Dysmorphia to check their face in a mirror dozens, even hundreds of times a day. And each look in a mirror reflects only a distorted image, one with a much larger acne problem than exists.

The cure for this disorder does not come from any form of acne care, but from healing within. Behavioral therapy, can be an amazing aid in curing acne dysmorphia. In many cases, this is all that is needed to help reduce the symptoms. In extreme cases, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor may be needed. Also, some people find hypnosis can be an effective form of treatment.

The most important thing to understand with acne dysmorphia is that it is not due to the acne breakouts, but to a mental disorder that needs to be treated completely independently of any acne. Furthermore, it is very important to treat acne dysmorphia, because the resulting depression can create many problems for a person, including suicide.

Acne is never pleasant for anyone, but acne dysmorphia can truly be a crippling disorder. Seek treatment for the mental aspects first, and then you may find that the acne you have will suddenly become an easily manageable aspect of your life!