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Nutrition

Traditional Medicine Compared to a Natural Health Approach

As more and more truth about the dangers of drug side effects and reactions is made public more and more parents are wisely turning to conservative, safe natural health care as an addition or even alternative to medical treatment. There are many who believe that it has to be either medical or natural but the fact is that both have their place and the approaches are not mutually exclusive.
Medicine and Natural healthcare are like two different tools in a tool box. Both useful, but each designed for a different purpose and each with strengths and weaknesses.
Most alternative healthcare options focus on putting your body in its most natural state so that your body can heal on its own. The biggest advantage of using natural health techniques is true disease prevention. This results in less sickness, longer life and a sustained higher quality of life. The primary weakness of natural health care is that it is not the best treatment option if you are in crisis and need emergency help.
The 3 keys to wellness via the natural approach are:
1) Optimal bio-mechanics including flexibility, strength, balance and posture.
2) Optimal bio-chemical factors in place such as good nutrition, detoxification and protection from commercial and environmental contaminates.
3) Ideal psychological/mental/emotional balance associated with good self-esteem, positive outlook and attitude and healthy relationships are key objectives.
These are the factors that produce excellent health, fast healing and high resistance to disease, not to mention enhanced performance and longevity.
Traditional Medicine’s strongest point is in the area of crisis care such as treating trauma, advanced infection, heart attack and stroke. The biggest weakness of the medical system is trying to design a drug or vaccine for every known symptom and condition. It is like the old saying what when you are a hammer everything starts looking like a nail. The sad reality is that most drugs are not only useless but dangerous as well resulting in the unnecessary deaths of over 200,000 Americans every year and organ damage (liver, kidney, stomach etc.) to millions more.
In the USA, the average number of prescriptions [drugs] per person, annually, in 1993 was seven and as of 2010 that number had doubled to an average of 14 prescriptions per person, annually!
The World Health Organization ranks the US healthcare system, which is primarily drug based, 37th in the world. We have this low ranking despite spending more than twice as much per person as any other nation in the world. Twice as expensive but ranked 37th overall!!
Now if you are having a medical crisis then our medical system is the best in the world and should, by all means, be sought out. But what if you are in the 99+% of the population who not experiencing a health crisis? That is when seeking out an experienced wellness doctor employing a natural health care system is the best solution.
The world’s largest non-drug natural primary healthcare system is the chiropractic profession. Whereas medicine is the study of disease and how to treat it, chiropractic is the study of health and wellness and how to regain and maintain it. Medicine sees health coming from the outside inward (mechanistic view) and Chiropractic sees health coming from the inside and expressed outward (vitalistic view).
Most medical doctors these days are familiar with the incredible safety and benefits of chiropractic and are happy to refer you to a chiropractor for care. Unfortunately there is still a minority of MD’s who have remained ignorant of all the positive chiropractic research and will even go as far as recommending against this extraordinary safe and effective form of treatment. WE all like to think of doctors doing what is best for their patients but the fact is that healthcare is also the way doctors feed their families. Competition in the business arena most definitely colors some doctor’s opinions of what is best and for whom it is best. The following research data may explain why some MD’s don’t like DC’s.
This is why some MD’s don’t like chiropractic!
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Chiropractic Research Fact Sheet
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Significant decreases in the utilization of medical services, and their attendant costs, were noted when chiropractors were used as primary care providers. In an Independent Physician Association (IPA) which permitted patients to select a doctor of chiropractic as their primary care physician, clinical and cost utilization based on 70,274 members over a seven year period demonstrated the following:
60.2 % decrease in hospital admissions,
59.0 % decrease in hospital days
62.0 % decrease in outpatient surgeries and procedures
85.0 % decrease in pharmaceutical costs compared to conventional medicine.
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After surveying 2,818 respondents in 156 practices, a strong connection was found between persons receiving chiropractic care and reported improvement in health, wellness, and quality-of-life.
95% of respondents …

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Health Gov

Horse Health Care – Natural Feed Supplements For the Nervous Equine

Does your horse get nervous before a competition, trailering, or learning something new? I have a couple of horses who are strung kind of tight, and I’ve found that there are a number of natural horse feed supplements that really help calm them down.
Not all of these are legal for all competitive events, so if you do consider using any of these, be sure to check with your discipline’s governing body to see what’s legal and what isn’t.
Horse Feed Supplement #1: Homeopathic Chamomile
Homeopathic chamomile is a wonderfully simple solution for many nervous horses. This vibrational remedy will not make a horse calmer than his normal temperament, but can restore a horse’s mental balance so that he can think clearly. For instance, if your horse is normally calm but gets bouts of diarrhea before trailering, giving him a dose of Chamomile 30x before he try loading him might help him stay calm. You can purchase this homeopathic remedy at most health food stores.
Horse Feed Supplement #2: Adrenal Support Herbs
The combination of adrenal support herbs I have been feeding my horses is relatively new on the market and is a potent combination of four herbs that really seems to help horses remain calm. I’ve used this supplement on my mustang mare, who gets the heaves (or COPD) when she gets nervous. When she starts getting that distinctive rattle in her chest, I empty two capsules of these herbs into spring water, mix with a juice mixer, and then put it in a syringe. I syringe the mixture into her mouth, and then wait 30-45 minutes. Within that time, the rattle in her chest goes away and she is restored to her normal happy state.
Being a Metal horse personality, she loves routine and gets nervous whenever she thinks we are going to do something totally new (read more about horse personalities on the Horse Harmony website by Dr. Madalyn Ward). She then flips into the sympathetic nervous system, which for horses is the equivalent of “fight or flight,” and heaves are the result. The adrenal support herbs have the effect of restoring her to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the one associated with rest and relaxation. The beauty of these herbs is that they can be fed daily or only as needed. The effects are also fairly immediate, making it a crucial part of any first-aid kit.
Horse Feed Supplement #3: Probiotics of Acidophilus and Bifidus
Probiotics like acidophilus and bifidus are the beneficial bacteria that live in your horse’s gut. The reason probiotics help to calm a nervous horse is because the beneficial bacteria produce B12. The B vitamins, especially B12, produce a natural calming effect on the body. If your horse has diarrhea when he gets nervous, bifidus is especially useful since it tends to soak up excess fluid in the bowel and restore normal stool consistency. Adding probiotics to your regular horse feed regimen will help in general, and giving oral probiotics before any event that might make your horse nervous will help in the moment.
Horse Feed Supplement #4: Equilite Relax and Relax Her Blend
Relax Blend and RelaxHer Blend, two horse feed supplements from Equilite are also excellent for calming the nervous horse. These supplements are made from a combination of natural herbs, and can be added to your horse feed regimen on a daily basis. Best of all, these supplements come in a Valerian-free formula, which makes them legal to feed to most show horses.
Horse Feed Supplement #5: Specially Processed Blue Green Algae
Blue-green algae, which has had its cell wall removed, is what I call “brain food.” It is blue-green algae that has been processed in way that removes the cell wall, leaving only the “heart” of the algae. This form of algae contains vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals in particles that are small enough to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The blood brain barrier, as the name implies, is a barrier in the brain that separates the cerebral spinal fluid from the circulating blood. This barrier prevents foreign invaders like bacteria from entering the brain, but also prevents most vitamins and minerals from entering the brain as well.
Many nervous horses suffer from under-nourished brains, and many a nervous thoroughbred or flighty horse has been calmed when this form of blue-green algae is added to their horse feed. It’s definitely worth checking out, especially as it is also useful for building strong hoof walls and is legal for show horses.
Well, this is just a short list of horse feed supplements that can help the nervous horse become calm again. If you have any other supplements that you have found useful, please leave me a comment or drop me a line. I love learning about horse nutrition, and …

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Health Department

7 Lifestyle Changes That Can Assist Your Body’s Natural Defenses to Keep Cancer at Bay

The General Consensus is you cannot do anything to prevent cancer, but new research suggest about 330,000 cancer cases each year in the US can be prevented, if we did 7 things, to build our bodies Natural defenses.
The lifestyle changes suggested here may be effective in lowering the risk of breast, colon and stomach cancers.
Lifestyle Tip 1C Eat a Healthy Diet
a. Choose food from the basic four food groups, for example at each meal have a fruit (banana or apple)
b. Vegetable (broccoli, carrots)
c. Whole grains( whole wheat bread, brown rice)
d. Dairy (glass of milk or yogurt).
Lifestyle Tip 2: Get Regular Exercise
Research has shown exercising 3 times a week, it could be as simple as a brisk 30 minute walk that can help reduce your cancer risk.
Lifestyle 3: Limit Red Meat
Choose fresh fish, like salmon, cod and have chicken instead of red beef, pork or lamb.
Lifestyle Tip 4: Avoid sugary drinks and Fats
By limiting soda and certain types of fruit juices. Always check label for sugar content. Be careful of your consumption of fried foods for example French and anything that is fried in general.
Lifestyle Tip 5: Limit use of Salt
Many foods have high sodium content; limit your intake of processed meats (deli meats), canned soups. Choose the one that are low in sodium like reduced sodium ham and canned soups.
Lifestyle Tip 6: Limit alcohol Intake
The American Cancer society suggest that people who drink alcohol should limit themselves to 2 drinks per day for a male and 1 drink per day for a female.
Lifestyle Tip 7: Stop Smoking
It is well known that smoke can cause cancer. If you are a smoker try to quit by enrolling in a smoking cessation program, they are offered in many communities and health insurance plans.
One of the best ways to prevent cancer is by combining a healthy lifestyle with the appropriate screening exams, to spot cancer early when it is easier to treat.
Hope this article was helpful to you.
This article by no means covers the entire spectrum of cancer but does give you a general idea of some of the more common sense things that you can do to help you stay healthy and live a long life. As with all health related concerns it’s absolutely necessary to ensure any concerns is addressed with your health care provider.…

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Health Department

Natural Cures For Combating Your Hemorrhoids

Although proctology isn’t commonly discussed at the dinner table, millions of people find themselves in search of preventive advice and effective treatment methods for the painful and distasteful condition of hemorrhoids. With this article, you can learn some basic tips that you can apply to your every day life to cope with and prevent hemorrhoids.

Better personal hygiene can help prevent the formation of external hemorrhoids. Select toilet paper that is soft and doesn’t leave behind a residue, and wipe yourself with a moist wipe after defecating.

Getting plenty of Rutin helps prevent hemorrhoids. Weak blood vessels are one of the causes of hemorrhoids. Rutin helps vitamin C absorb and can strengthen blood vessels. It is found in vegetables, like onions and broccoli, and citrus foods. For strong blood vessels, take 500mg as a supplement each day.

Witch hazel is a time tested and effective home remedy for the treatment of hemorrhoids. It’s an astringent that can shrink hemorrhoid tissue to provide healing and relief. Use cotton balls to apply witch hazel, and allow it to sit on the affected area for somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes, or simply pour some into your sitz bath.

Are you aware that there are a number of common household products that can help with hemorrhoids? One home remedy tip is to make an ice pack. The soreness will go away if you apply the ice pack for about ten minutes. A chilled ice pack can be applied to the area, reducing swelling and offering some relief from the pain.

Hemorrhoids can be caused by straining excessively during bowel movements. To soften the stool a person should get plenty of water, eat a high fiber diet and avoid highly processed foods. Elevating the knees can also make it easier to pass stool without straining. Try using a small stool beneath your fit when on the toilet. In countries around the world where they don’t use toilets but instead squat to have a bowel movement, hemorrhoids are rare.

You can use ice to ease hemorrhoid pain. Hemorrhoids can be exceptionally painful. Ice packs can reduce the swelling caused by hemorrhoids. Sometimes, it seems to help to alternate between cold and warm compresses. You can also use this technique while taking a warm bath. Simply bring an ice pack with you, and alternate between sitting in the tub and sitting on the ice pack. This can help to relieve the discomfort caused by the pain, swelling and itchiness of hemorrhoids.

You don’t necessarily need those expensive hemorrhoid treatments and medications, because there may be some natural remedies you could try. After you have a bowel movement, soak for about 15 minutes in a sitz bath. As itchy as hemorrhoids can be, do not scratch them, as it could make them worse. Instead of scratching your hemorrhoids, apply witch hazel to them. Witch hazel will stop the hemorrhoids from itching for a little while. Fill your diet with plenty of fiber, and be sure to drink lots of water, at least eight glasses a day. A balanced diet will translate to a more regular digestive system and fewer hemorrhoids outbreaks.

Although you probably won’t be discussing this information at the dinner table, it is going to prove extremely beneficial if you or a loved one are afflicted with hemorrhoids. Applying these tips and going to your doctor for advice is the best thing you can do.…