A Natural Home Remedy for Arthritis

Tart cherry juice concentrate is fast becoming the natural choice for legions of arthritis and gout pain suffers. So with all of the sources and varieties of tart cherry juice available, what should consumers look for to make a wise buying decision?

What to look for when selecting a tart cherry juice product:

There are five critical areas consumers should look for when making a tart cherry juice concentrate purchase: type of cherry, quality, taste, packaging and a sediment-free guarantee.

Type of Cherry: The majority of research you read about the joint pain fighting ability of tart cherries and cherry juice has been conducted on the Montmorency tart cherry. While several other varieties of cherries exist including black cherry, Balaton and Rainer, the type of cherry that has most amount of published research is the Montmorency tart cherry. Although the Montmorency tart cherry juice is slightly more expensive than black cherry juice, the research backs up the ability of the tart cherry to fight joint pain due to arthritis and gout.

Quality: Not all cherry juice concentrate products are the same. One very important measurement of quality for tart cherry juice concentrate is this brix level (pronounced bricks). This is a measurement of the amount of natural sugar in the product. The highest marker for tart cherry juice is 68 brix. Be sure to know the brix level in any cherry product you buy. This information is usually printed on the label or published on the website. If the brix level is lower than 68 brix, you should reconsider the overall quality of the product.

Taste: Like all consumable products, taste is very important. Cherry juice is available in plastic bottles, aluminum cans and glass bottles. Based on research funded by the cherry industry, participants in the study preferred the taste of cherry juice packaged in glass bottles over plastic and aluminum bottles. Based upon results of the study, people indicated the cherry juice packed in glass bottles offered a fresher taste. One of the reasons could be the fact that glass bottles prevent leaching. Leaching is a result of products being packed on plastic and the product itself actually absorbs plastic molecules from the plastic bottle. Leaching is not a concern for cherry juice packed on glass.

Packaging: Two types of cherry juice packaging for cherry juice products are available: cold-packed and hot packed. Here is a basic definition of each:

Cold-packed - The cherry juice concentrate is pumped from a 52 gallon drum and bottled into individual bottles. Also, the companies selling cold-packed cherry juice indicate cold-packed cherry juice must be refrigerated. That is they the majority of tart cherry juice concentrate products are only available in the refrigerated section of your local grocery stores. Cold-packing is also the less expensive way to bottle cherry juice concentrate since some companies simply fill their bottles over a utility sink.

Hot-packed - The cherry juice is pumped from a 52 gallon drum, flash pasteurized, and then packed into individual bottles. Hot-packed cherry juice concentrate is shelf-stable and doesn’t need refrigeration during shipping, storage or until the product is open. After the product is open it does need to be refrigerated. Hot-packed cherry juice can be shipped without refrigeration and is shelf stable. The hot-pack process is very similar to the canning process where all of the oxygen is removed from the bottle.

Unfortunately, some companies lead the consumer to belief that cold-packed cherry juice is never heated (pasteurized). This is simply not true. Cherry juice concentrate is packed in 52 gallon drums and prior to the cherry juice being packed in these drums the product is flash pasteurized. So if a company simply pumps the cherry juice from 52 gallon drums and fills individual the cherry juice has been heated. If a company indicates that their product is cold-packed and has not been heated, they may not be telling the whole truth.
Stability: Product stability is vital not only for shipping purposes but also storage. The majority of companies selling cherry juice are selling cold-packed in plastic bottles. This means the product should be refrigerated during shipping and storage. Yet many of these companies freely ship cold-packed cherry juice across the country in unrefrigerated cardboard boxes with statements saying the product must be refrigerated when the product is received. This simply doesn’t make since. It would be similar to shipping a gallon of milk from New Jersey to Texas in a cardboard box and asking the customer to place it in the refrigerator when it arrives. Hot-packed cherry juice can be shipped without refrigeration and stored without refrigeration.

Sediment-Free Guarantee: Sedimentation is a concern for many cherry juice drinks. Sedimentation occurs when the concentrate breaks apart and thick residue settles on the bottle of the bottle. Sedimentation may be a result of poor quality concentrate or a poor bottling process. Look for cherry juice products that offer a sediment free guarantee.

Article Source:http://www.wearticles.com

Natural Heartburn Cures You Can Use Right Now

Tragic how so many of us suffer from heartburn and dont know what to do about it. There are natural heartburn cures that will virtually eliminate reoccurring heartburn. Though, Im sorry to say, there isnt enough space to do the topic justice so instead Ive made a list of fast ways to stop heart burn once it starts.

Natural heartburn cures can be bought in the produce section. Try, juice from the Aloe Vera plant. There is a very high possibility your heartburn will completely go away. Of course, there are other simple natural heartburn cures but unfortunately there are so many that vary from person to person. However, Aloe Vera seems to have a remarkable success rate

Try a little refrigerated rhubarb (if you dont have rhubarb then celery is almost as good). It provides fast soothing relief and the chewing produces saliva which instantly eliminates heartburn. This has a higher success rate than other common natural heartburn cures.

Some natural heartburn cures involve your body position while it digests food. While your stomach is churning out all that acid, you should be in a more or less sitting up/standing up position. Slouching or lying down will make some of that acid go to the esophagus.

A higher metabolism means less heartburn. Exercise boosts the metabolism and is highly recommended, but if youre not the type, there are alternatives. After a risky meal you could clean around the house a little. Walk up and down the stairs a few times to put your body into a more active state. Walking is one of the simplest natural heartburn cures. There really is no equal substitute for a brisk walk though.

Quickly heat up some water in your favorite teacup. This is one of the easiest natural heartburn cures. Plain water will do the trick but there are many more variations to this, like adding a teaspoon of ginger root if youve got some.

These are like the freebie giveaways people offer you at the mall. If you want the whole picture its worth looking at the full menu. But dont be discouraged because these natural heartburn cures really do work and provide fast relief.

Article Source:http://www.wearticles.com

A Natural Cure for Gastroesophageal Reflux

In 90% of cases, curing gastroesophageal reflux can be done with a simple GERD remedy.

Imagine never having to purchase antacids to treat your acid reflux again. Imagine not having to taste your stomach acids eating away your esophagus. Imagine naturally healing GERD and never having to worry about GERD again.

Why Try a Natural Treatment?

Natural Remedies have been around for thousands of years! And just recently, some natural remedies have begun to get tested and researched to test their legitimacy. And guess what researchers found?

Some natural remedies were worthless and some were effective? In fact, some simple natural remedies are just as effective as their pharmaceutical counterpart. With this said, if you can find a natural treatment that is research-based, you might find a simple and affordable way to treat your ailment with no drugs!

In the case of GERD, acid reflux remedies which work to heal the esophagus and sphincter have been shown to be the most effective.

Four GERD Natural Remedies You Might Want to Try

1. Avoid Crunchy Foods- Crunchy foods contribute to your acid reflux because they scratch the esophagus (tube that transports food to stomach) and sphincter (muscle flap that keeps stomach acid in the stomach). By eating these foods, you literally cause more flare-ups.

To begin your natural treatment, eat soft foods for 2 days to allow your esophagus and sphincter to heal. You eventually will be able to eat what you want but you initially want to give both of these systems a time to heal.

2. A Red Apple? Though you might be saying that this GERD remedy is too simple, it might be that easy! My dad literally owes his life to a red apple. Though it is NOT realistic to carry an apple wherever you go, we do recommend you carry at least a slice of apple for an emergency. Plastic bags are helpful!

3. Honey! This remedy has even been found in the Egyptian pyramids! And as the Egyptians figured out some of the most complicated math problems; they also discovered a natural remedy for acid reflux! Honey has been shown to have natural, miraculous healing powers which will help your esophagus and sphincter heal. Take 1 teaspoons daily during a flare-up.

Why does honey work? Honey has been shown to fight bacteria, block infection, combat inflammation, reduce pain, and improve circulation. It also stimulates the regrowth of tissue which will heal the esophagus and sphincter.

4. Milk and Seven-Up! Sounds kind of gross but has been shown to work! This remedy is simply a half and half of milk and seven-up. Give this remedy a try and see if it works for you.

Throw Away the Antacids!

This is only the tip of the iceberg!

Have you ever wondered why over-the-counter treatments such as Prilosec, Zantac, Pepsid AC, and Tegamet should not be taken for more than 14 days? Are you nervous that surgery is in your near future? Are you interested in trying to heal GERD naturally before surgery?

If so, please consider a 100% guaranteed Acid Reflux Natural Remedy that is step by step and is doctor approved. Our researchers have compiled a 40+ page remedy report that will heal your GERD and make you a heartburn expert in two hours. To discover the leading researcher in natural health, please visit our GERD Remedy website today!

Article Source:http://www.wearticles.com

7 Potent Natural Cures in Your Kitchen

The New Zealand Herald ran a very interesting article about natural cures in your kitchen — the incredibly potent healing compounds found in natural foods, herbs and spices.  Unlike manufactured drugs or even vitamins, these these food compounds have substantial scientific support.

Preventive medicines made from rice, berries and red wine could soon be available to help to prevent cancer and other diseases - and pills could be available by 2010. Scientists funded by Cancer Research UK hope the active compounds will be used to create the first products in a family of drugs that stop disease before it takes hold. “These agents have proved highly effective in the lab - it is extraordinary,” says Professor Will Steward, a cancer and molecular medicine expert who is involved in the research.

A single plant molecule can have a bewildering array of health-promoting effects - curcumin, for example, obtained from the spice turmeric, doesn’t only protect against cancer, it is anti-inflammatory and could help combat Alzheimer’s.

Many of the molecules scientists are getting excited about are plant pigments. In nature, these act to neutralise damaging molecules created by ultraviolet light. In the body, they do the same job - they stabilise damaging molecules on everything from cell membranes to the gut lining and blood vessels. By preventing damage, they help to prevent inflammation, cancerous changes and other ageing effects.

Other plant molecules with anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects exist to protect the plant from pathogens, but they have the same effect in the human body. Drugs companies are looking for the most powerful plant molecules to use alone or in combination with existing drugs. The only downside is that drugs companies don’t always look to see how plants were used traditionally.

In herbal medicine, whole plant extracts are used, rather than a single molecule. In these extracts, you get dozens of beneficial molecules working together in synergy. While the new drugs are likely to consist of high concentrations of natural “super-molecules”, you can access their health benefits now, in food or as supplements.

So which of today’s foods will be tomorrow’s drugs and how can you use them to stay healthy now?

1.  Broccoli and brussels sprouts
Active molecule: Diindolylmethane
Combining a potent cocktail of anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties, diindolylmethane from brassica vegetables is set to become one of the leading new phyto- chemical drugs. It’s already used for treating respiratory papillomatosis tumours, caused by the HPV virus and is in phase III clinical trials for cervical dysplasia. Meanwhile, trials sponsored by the US National Cancer Institute are investigating it as a treatment for cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. It has also been shown to enhance the effect of the ovarian cancer drug, Taxol.
Benefit now: Eat plenty of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and kale to help strengthen your immune system and fight infection.

2.  Eggs and spinach
Active molecule: Lutein
Keep your eye on lutein, especially if you’re worried about your eyesight. Lutein, a yellow pigment found in green leafy vegetables and eggs, is making headlines as a potential treatment for eye diseases. Clinical trials show it directly improves human visual performance, helping to prevent the onset of macular degeneration and cataracts. One study in JAMA, the Journal of the American Optometric Association, found that in high enough doses it could even reverse some symptoms of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
Benefit now: On average we eat around 2mg lutein a day. Yet research indicates we need at least 10mg to prevent or ease symptoms of eye disease. Other than eating more green leafy vegetables and eggs, your best bet is a supplement top-up.

3.  Brown rice
Active molecule: Tricin
People in countries where brown rice is a dietary staple have low rates of colon cancer, so researchers began investigating why. Among other reasons, they discovered that a substance in rice called tricin has anti-cancer effects in the lower gut.
Benefit now: Cook brown rice, in which tricin is found. Its protective effect on the bowel will increase the more you eat it. Its high-fibre levels also protect against cancers of the gut.

4.  Turmeric
Active molecule: Curcumin
Turmeric, the Indian spice that gives curry its yellow tinge, is a powerful anti-inflammatory with cancer-preventive effects. Used in Ayurvedic medicine, the rush is now on to develop the active molecule, curcumin, as a drug. The US National Institute of Health has four clinical trials underway investigating curcumin treatment for pancreatic and colorectal cancers and Alzheimer’s.
Benefit now: Powdered curcumin is not as strong as isolated curcumin, but it does contain other health-promoting molecules and can help ease mild arthritic pain, digestive irritation, bruising and swelling. For a mild effect, add a spoonful of the powdered spice to a curry. For anti-inflammatory effects, stir a teaspoon into 50ml of water and drink twice daily.

5.  Red wine
Active molecule: Resveratrol
Found in red wine, Resveratrol is set to be a leading contender in the new family of anti-ageing drugs. The drug under development gives more than 50 glasses of wine’s worth of resveratrol in a single pill. This dose has been found to double physical endurance and enhance lifespan in animal studies. Research suggests it can also offset the negative health effects of high-fat diets.
Benefit now: There’s no way you could get anything near the levels of resveratrol you’ll get in the future drug. But you can get significant cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits from drinking one to two glasses of red wine a day.

6.  Tomatoes
Active molecule: Lycopene
Lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes, is in clinical trials for cardiovascular diseases and prostate cancer. Studies have demonstrated that lycopene improves blood flow through the heart. Several large clinical studies indicate it holds real potential for preventing and treating prostate cancer.
Benefit now: Populations studies suggest that a diet rich in tomatoes can reduce prostate cancer risk. Processed tomato products such as tomato paste and puree tend to contain higher lycopene levels. It is better absorbed with vitamin E, so add unprocessed olive oil to your salad. Available as a supplement.

7.  Chilli
Active molecule: Capsaicin
The molecule that gives chilli peppers their fiery edge, capsaicin is the key ingredient in an experimental new painkilling drug, Adlea. It has a long-lasting effect in dulling nerve pain and Adlea, which is in phase II trials, is being given as an injection to dull pain for up to a month. Capsaicin could also prove to be another leading drug in the prevention of cancer - current trials are assessing it for effects on prostate, gut and lung cancers.
Benefit now: Thai people are famed for their hot curries and have a lower incidence of prostate and gut cancers. Add as much chilli as you dare to stews, salads and curries.

Natural Cures for Oily Hair

Buy some shikakai powder from the market. Powder some green grams and fenugreek (methi) seeds. Mix two portions of shikakai powder, one portion of green gram flour and half portion of Fenugreek powder and keep it. When required, mix a tablespoon of this mixture in the white of an egg and use it as a shampoo. It does not lather like a soap, or shampoo, but cleanses the hair.

Do not wash your hair everyday. If your hair is clean your glands will secrete more oil. Use a cleaning shampoo to wash your hair and to scrub off the oil build up. Use a mild shampoo and scrub lightly.

A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice is good to drink to induce hair growth. It provides all the vitamins you need for a great skin and a healthy scalp. Another good idea is the juice of alfalfa mixed with that of carrot and lettuce.

Apply a mild astringent directly to the scalp for extra oil-fighting power. To minimize this effect, adopt some techniques to help manage stress, such as meditation, massage, acupuncture, and/or yoga. And, if you’re using birth control pills, talk with your gynecologist or primary care provider about other kinds of pills or contraceptive options that may have less impact on the oilyness of your hair and/or skin.

One teaspoon of apple cider kitchen vinegar added to a pint of water makes an excellent finishing rinse that adds shine and luster to your hair while removing soap residue that can weigh down oily hair. A thorough rinsing with plain water will remove the smell.

You can help slow down oil secretion by applying a homemade astringent directly to your scalp. Kingsley suggests applying a mixture of equal parts witch hazel and mouthwash, with cotton pads, to the scalp only. The witch hazel acts as an astringent and the mouthwash has antiseptic properties, he says. If your scalp is very oily you can do this each time you shampoo.

You’ll need 1/2 teaspoon aloe Vera gel and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Blend this ingredients well and add a little of your regular shampoo. Wash your hair as usual, but let the shampoo on for a few minutes.

Boil two handfuls of mint leaves in one and a half glass of water for 20 minutes. Strain the solution and mix in a 300ml bottle of shampoo.

If you want to treat oily hair, you need a shampoo that deep cleans to remove the excess sebum that’s weighing your hair down. Look for a shampoo designed specifically for oily hair. It might be best to avoid cheap shampoos since they are often high in detergent content which can strip the ends of moisture. Even people with oily hair tend to have dry ends.

Oily hair needs to be washed more often but don’t scrub too hard while washing. And don’t pile hair on the head while shampooing. It causes tangling, leading to further breakage. You can add lemon to the final rinse for a great shine. You need to be careful about washing hair regularly, though you could condition it just twice a month.

Oily hair needs to be washed more often but don’t scrub too hard while washing. And don’t pile hair on the head while shampooing. It causes tangling, leading to further breakage. You can add lemon to the final rinse for a great shine. You need to be careful about washing hair regularly, though you could condition it just twice a month.

Although hair is not essential to life, it is of sufficient cosmetic concern to provoke anxiety in anyone when it starts thinning, falling, or disappearing. To a woman, the sight of a comb or brush covered with lost hair can cause intense mental strain. Hair is formed in minute pockets in the skill called follicles.
Article Source:http://www.wearticles.com

10 Natural Cures for Better Health This Year

BoardCertified.com and Le Jardin Day Spa & Salon suggest implementing at least three of the following ten tips into your New Year/New You Resolution:

Go Green: Consume green tea daily. As a drink or in supplement form, this leaf contains a powerful source of healing antioxidants–similar to the compounds found in fruits and vegetables. Green tea also boasts EGCG (epigallocatechin-gallate), a potent antioxidant which may help to prevent various types of cancer, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and even stave off tooth decay. Green tea supplements can be found at most high-end spas or in your drug store.

Start with Your Surface: Consider using mineral makeup. The all-natural, unadulterated mineral compounds are free of heavy filters and pore-clogging ingredients allowing skin to breathe freely and the all-natural ingredients do not support the growth of bacteria. Mineral makeup is perfect for women who suffer from acne, rosacea, or other skin conditions–ideal for harsh winter weather. Every one of the products in Le Jardin Day Spa’s Avielle cosmetic line, for instance, are skin-safe and contain no potential irritants such as fragrance, oil, talc and dyes which are found in many leading department store and pharmacy brands.

Workout the Knots: Get a weekly massage. The benefits from massage are endless when administered by a trained professional on a regular basis. Massage can increase lymphatic drainage, reduce water retention, the appearance of cellulite, tension and muscle pain as well as increase oxygen and blood flow throughout the body.

Detox Monthly: We sneeze, sweat and cough to get rid of irritants, mucus and toxins from our bodies. In fact, because the feet contain over 2,000 pores, it’s the perfect way to rid your body of further toxic parasites and chemicals on a regular basis. A relaxing 30-minute detox treatment involves placing just your feet into a warm bath of salt water. Among other rejuvenating services, Le Jardin Day Spa & Salon offers a revolutionary detox treatment designed to rebalance your whole body creating renewed energy levels and a feeling of well being.

In a Pinch, Try Acupuncture: One of the oldest therapies in the world aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of specific points on the body using hair thin needles. In the United States acupuncture is becoming a more widely accepted compliment to traditional medicine to aid in chronic or other specific ailments. In contrast to traditional Chinese beliefs, the Western explanation of acupuncture incorporates modern concepts of neuroscience and many practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. Ask your family doctor to recommend a certified professional, or utilize BoardCertified.com’s “Find a Physician” function to locate a certified medical professional near you.

Strike a Pose: Any exercise is good exercise, even if it’s for just 10 minutes a day. Though, more and more studies are finding that the benefits of Yoga are stunning. Yoga’s deep breathing exercises, positioning and meditation develop strength, coordination, flexibility, as well as focus and concentration.

Take Care of Your Teeth: Start with flossing. BoardCertified.com physician- members strongly urge their patients to floss in order to not only prevent gum disease but heart disease too. It’s a fact; flossing reduces the risk of heart attack, gingivitis, tooth decay, osteoporosis, pregnancy complications, diabetes, respiratory disease and the most obvious, bad breath. Plus, brushing alone cleans only 65% of your mouth.

Don’t Forget to Flush: Although it’s typical to feel sluggish when you’ve over- indulged or have maintained a poor diet, you can flush your system with plenty of water and soluble fiber regularly to achieve more energy and reduce bloating. Many doctors will tell you that unless it’s for a surgery or specific ailment, cleansing your colon isn’t necessary. The Institute of Medicine offers these daily fiber recommendations: 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women 50 and younger, and 30 grams for men and 21 grams for women 51 and older.

Eat to Live, Don’t Live to Eat: Some of the best ways to flush out our bodies toxins is by putting the best foods in. The following are a few foods that help us naturally detoxify: water, lemons, garlic, green leafy veggies, broccoli and sesame seeds. Try incorporating these foods in to your meals on a regular basis along with a well-balanced diet. Also, a rule of thumb for portion control is to stop eating when you’re 80% full.

Drink More Water! This last point needs to be emphasized. If you’re trying to lose weight and/or get healthy–start with pure, clean water. Coffee, seltzer and sparkling water don’t count. Since our bodies are made up of about 60%-70% water, it is the main ingredient of all body fluids, including lymph and digestive juices and is involved in almost every bodily function such as digestion, circulation and the all important elimination of waste. Water also plays a major role in all of the suggested tips above. You need it after you have a massage, receive acupuncture, complete a detox treatment, exercise, and more.

“More and more American’s are turning to complimentary medicine or alternative ways to heal or just cure the winter blues,” says Dr. Benjamin Schlecter, M.D., F.A.C.S, a BoardCertified.com Advisory Board member. “These days, I’m more often suggesting good old fashioned cures along with innovative non-medicated technology to treat common aliments such as eczema, irregularity, cellulite and fatigue.”

The ionization in most detox treatments, for example, is generated by the movement of water molecules and offers us a similar relaxing reaction to what one would feel when walking near a beach or waterfall while it helps with the body’s natural filtration and elimination process and continued health. BoardCertified.com and Le Jardin Day Spa & Salon stress that the aforementioned advice either results in or helps lead to the harmonization of our body and thus a feeling of wellbeing. By committing to do even three out of these ten health resolutions, one can energize red blood cells, circulation and aid with kidney and liver function which is key to good health.

Europeans More Open to Natural Therapies Such as Homeopathy

Europeans, with the popular system of natural health spas, have long been more open to natural medicine than consumers in the U.S. Paradoxically, they also have less tolerance for heavy-handed government regulation of health care, widely seen as being an attempt by government bureaucrats to protect the billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry.

For example, the royal family of England has been a traditional supporter of the alternative medical system of homeopathy. In a recent article in an Icelandic paper, a detailed description of homeopathy was given:

Homeopathy is a system of medicine which states that an ill person can be treated using a substance that can produce, in a healthy person, symptoms similar to those of the illness. Put in an extremely simple way: If your feet get frostbitten, rub them with ice.

HOMEOPATHY is based on the so-called principle of similarity, also widespread in mainstream medicine, the most notable examples being antidotes and vaccines. Classical homeopathy is a holistic medicine; in other words it aims to treat the whole person rather than a single symptom. Instead of suppressing symptoms homeopathic remedies act to stimulate the body’s own defence mechanisms. Homeopathic remedies are made from plants, minerals and other natural substances.
The homeopathic clientele

“There are normally three kinds of people who seek homeopathic treatment,” says Vanessa Parrado Lobo, a Spanish-born homeopath working in Jyväskylä and Helsinki. “There are those who naturally take good care of themselves and believe that they can have a significant impact on their own healing. Another big group is the group of people who are not satisfied with the ‘regular’ medical care. Most of these people suffer from chronic diseases like asthma, migraine, allergy or joint problems. The third group are people sent by a relative or a friend who was helped by homeopathy.”

Parrado Lobo got seriously ill at the age of 18. She was allergic to antibiotics so she had to search for alternative ways of curing. She came across homeopathy and it was love at first sight. She moved to Holland to study homeopathy at The Hahnemann Instituut Nederland for six years.
Parrado Lobo treats people of all ages, from babies to the elderly. Their symptoms vary from flu, chicken pox and ear infections to chronic conditions like depression, genital herpes, migraines, problems of insecurity or shyness and eating disorders.

Homeopathy in Finland
“Homeopathy is not very well known in Finland,” Parrado Lobo explains. “I think the most common prejudice that people have against homeopathy is that they do not believe that you can cure chronic or severe diseases with homeopathy. They associate homeopathy with herbal teas,” she adds. “People also seem to think that you need to believe in it for it to work. My answer to that is: babies and toddlers do not know what they are given and they can still be cured beautifully. They often heal faster than adults.”

“Reading about any form of natural therapy and trying to understand the basics of health and disease can be helpful,” Parrado Lobo says. “Knowledge is power. If you know how your body works and how the dynamics of health and disease work, you can save yourself from many health problems.”

Jaana Laakkonen from Jyväskylä turned to homeopathy with her young daughter who suffered from severe aqua-phobia, or fear of the water. She had anxiety attacks before school swimming lessons and she also suffered from stage fright when having to speak in front of the class. About a year ago Laakkonen and her daughter visited Parrado-Lobo´s studio for the first time. After five appointments and homeopathic treatments her daughter´s problems disappeared. “She actually enjoys swimming nowadays and she is no longer afraid of giving presentations at school,” Laakkonen states.

Another patient of Parrado-Lobo, the seven-month-old daughter of Annalaara Hopkins-Nykänen was cured of food allergies with the help of homeopathy. “We met Vanessa three times. The last appointment was in September and my daughter’s allergy symptoms have stayed away ever since,” Hopkins-Nykänen affirms.

Did you know this?
• Although homeopathy has its roots in an ancient medical philosophy formulated by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC, “like cures like”, modern homeopathy dates back 200 years to the work of the German doctor Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843).

• Classical Homeopathy is so called when it is practiced according to the principles set down by Samuel Hahnemann. The main difference between classical and non-classical homeopathy is the way in which the remedies are prescribed. A homeopath who works classically will only prescribe one remedy at a time. By contrast, clinical or non-classical homeopathy treatments can involve more than one remedy.

• There are approximately 200 members in the Finnish Association of Homeopaths (Suomen Homeopaatit Ry), which has been a member of the ECCH (European Council for Classical Homeopathy) since 1991. Finnish legislation provides no official status for homeopathy, but the Association is working on developing professional criteria that would lead to a register of homeopaths.

Natural Cures for Sore Muscles

Our friends over at Mother Earth News have published a marvelous article on natural cures for tired, aching muscles.

Balms and ointments are also popular means of applying heat to sore muscles. And, since the main ingredient in the various commercial products (Ben-Gay, Absorbine, Tiger Balm) is wintergreen oil, homemade balms are easy to prepare . . . and will save you a bit of money, too.

To make your own rub, simply put one tablespoon each of several herbs—lavender, rosemary, calendula, chamomile, camphor, ginger, eucalyptus, and wintergreen are all good choices—in the top of a nonmetal double boiler. (Note: Never use iron, brass, copper, zinc, or aluminum containers for preparing herbal remedies, as the plant ingredients may chemically react with the metal . . . corroding the vessel and contaminating the solution.)

Check out the article!