Homemade Sinus Irrigation System

There are specific times of the year when the noses start to run and the sinuses are congested. When this happens we are uncomfortable and irritated and now and then all of the cold medicine in the grocery store are not able to help us. That is more often than not because we are not reaching for the accurate type of medicine. The next time your sinuses are congested you need to try a sinus irrigation rinse.

The most popular of these is the Neti pot. These can be bought with a particular solution that is poured into the nasal passages and have the ability to filter the mucous. If this is too much for you to try now or you do not want to use the money than why not strive to make your own rinse? It may save you money and it is organic!

The initial thing that you must do is get some salt. The best type that you have to be using is the plain or non iodized salt that you keep in your kitchen. This is considered to be a pure kind and might genuinely help. You might still use some that is iodized if you desire. In reality certain people feel it genuinely helps to stop sinus infections. You may even would like to use sea salt. Just choose what will function best for you.

Collect clean water. If you are getting it directly from the tap than run it through the filtration system first or boil it. You want to eradicate any bacteria or other mineral deposits that are contained within the tap water. You do not want this to get in your nasal passages and perhaps make things worse for you.

Pour about a quarter of a teaspoon of salt inside of one cup of water. It is better to start with a small quantity for those people who have not done it before or who have thin-skinned nasal passages. Too much and you might cause the interior skin to become irritated and this may make matters worse on you.

The next thing you need to do is add just a pinch of baking soda. This is used to help the mucous to dissolve and to wash away fully. Add it to the salt and than pour them both into the water. Blend them together and make certain that the water is lukewarm - but not blistering. That is how to make your own sinus irrigation rinse. Remember to acquire a small pot to put it in.

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery With Acupuncture

Different types of shoulder injuries will require different types of treatments. While it may be in your best interest to try natural healing options for certain conditions, surgery may be the best suited option in other cases. It is estimated that the average time it takes to recover from shoulder surgery (regaining 75-80% of strength and function) is 6-7 months. In some cases it may take up to a year, with complete recovery taking as long as 2 years. This all depends on the initial health of the individual, the extent of the injury, quality and commitment to rehabilitation, the patient's diet and modalities of rehabilitation. Using acupuncture and Chinese herbs can shorten your recovery time in each of the phases of rehabilitation. 

It is possible to get the strength and function of your shoulder back sooner, reduce the pain of the trauma from the surgery, decrease scar tissue and minimize the loss of range of motion, all by using acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas.

Possible shoulder injuries or conditions are fractures, dislocation/subluxation, tears, impingement, tendinitis, bone spurs and bursitis. Obviously, not all of these conditions will require surgery. For the sake of this article the focus is on injuries and shoulder surgeries such as, arthroscopic, rotator cuff repair, Bankart surgery and prosthetic shoulder replacement. All of these surgeries can be greatly beneficial to the patient, but they can also cause great trauma to the area that takes a long time to heal and lots of dedication and time in physical rehabilitation by the patient.

There are certain risks associated with shoulder surgery including vascular and neurological injury, leakage of synovial fluid, increased stiffness and injury to the tendons due to iatrogenic causes (medical mistake). In most cases there are no complications and the patient only has to deal with the normal post-surgical shoulder issues. Shoulder surgery patients typically report pain, stiffness, swelling, decreased range of motion, keloid scarring, loss of strength, numbness and tingling as post-surgical issues. Each one of these issues can be minimized by using acupuncture treatments through the rehabilitation process. Treatments can be started the same day or day after the surgery, if possible. Different herbal formulas can be used to strengthen tendons and ligaments, reduce pain and move the blood (reduces swelling, aides lymph drainage and brings a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to the damaged area). Make sure to get your herbs from a licensed practitioner to ensure you're getting the right formula for you. Acupuncture can move you through the 4 stages of recovery faster and get you back to being functional up to 2 months quicker than rehabilitation without acupuncture.

Stage 1 of the recovery process is 5-6 weeks and involves the patient wearing a sling. In this phase, acupuncture can be performed in the areas surrounding the shoulder to increase blood flow to the area, minimize build up of lymph and swelling, keep the immune system high (lowering risk of infection) and lower pain levels. Acupuncture helps your body to release endorphins, which are your body's natural pain-killer. For those patients who don't like taking pharmaceuticals, this is a great alternative and can lower your need for prescription pain medications.

Stage 2 involves very minimal movement and therapy on the shoulder. Using acupuncture directly around the damaged shoulder in this phase can promote blood flow to the tendons. This helps to minimize stiffness and reduced range of motion. Stimulation of the surrounding muscles keeps loss of strength and muscle mass to a minimum. Mild electro-acupuncture is an excellent modality at this stage. Use of distal points on the hand ensures nerve conduction is maintained and limits the possibility of extended numbness and tingling in the limb.

Stage 3 encourages more physical therapy and has the patient using weights ranging from 6-10 lbs. Acupuncture is beneficial in this stage to continue nurturing the muscles and damaged tendons. It is also great at preventing the build-up of keloid scar tissue and breaking down any scar tissue that may have already built up. This is important to maintain full range of motion, flexibility and sensations.

Stage 4 is an ongoing rehabilitation to get the patient back to 100% again. If the patient has been compliant and the acupuncturist has done their job properly, this stage should be greatly shortened and the patient should be months ahead of the rehabilitation process.

While some orthopedic surgeries can be avoided using acupuncture and Chinese medicine, it can be used as a complementary service in the rehabilitation process from surgeries too. It can be used before the patient is able to move the arm and go to physical therapy. It can also be used in conjunction with physical therapy. When done properly, by a licensed acupuncturist, your post-surgical recovery time from shoulder injury will be kept to a minimum and as pain-free as possible, with greater range of motion, more strength and less chance permanent damage. Visit us online for more information on post-surgical rehabilitation using acupuncture and Chinese medicine to heal faster.

Hemorrhoids Can Make You Miserable - Here Is How You Solve The Problem

When you suffer from the pain and itching of hemorrhoids, you have a problem you're embarrassed to talk about. It's highly personal, and yet a topic you want to deal with and get over with so that you can move on with your life. But there's a bigger problem...

Many people who have hemorrhoids can use a topical cream like Preparation H, get over the problem, and go back to normal for awhile. 

However, if you're looking for information on the internet, that means you probably have a problem that medications and simple solutions haven't been able to help. You've probably tried several different solutions, and nothing has helped your issue - or, more likely, the problem keeps coming back over and over again. You haven't gotten the results you want. There is a reason for that, though.

Rather than settling for the one-size-fits-all solutions of the big drug companies, you should seek the more personal advice of someone who has known the discomfort you're going through. You should get the advice of a person who has suffered the frustration and embarrassment you have, and who knows about it first-hand. The difference is, they found a way to get the results you want: getting rid of your hemorrhoids fast, and getting rid of them forever.

bably haven't worked reliably for you before. You can follow the most recent article, but for some people, hemorrhoids aren't just a research project they write about for the latest magazine issue - it's something they've had to deal with, and learned how to successfully get rid of the problem. You'd be surprised at just how much of a factor that really is when it comes to success.

How to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally - Useful Tips

Maintaining a low blood sugar should be the goal of everyone who is conscious about the general health of the body. High blood sugar levels are known to cause diabetes which brings about other complications that may well include nerve diseases, eye diseases and kidney diseases which can be fatal. Actually, diabetes causes hundreds of deaths since it is incurable hence the need to take care of one's health.

Spreading meals: One of the things one can do to naturally keep blood sugar in low levels is spreading meals through the day and keeping consistency in carbohydrate intake. This is good instead of skipping meals which in turn will cause you to eat a large meal. It gives the body time to regulate levels of sugars in the blood hence keeping them even.

Resistant starch food intake: Beans and potatoes are rich in resistant starch which is essential. The starch is metabolized by good body bacteria thereby serving as dietary fiber for the large intestines since it bypasses small intestines. This keeps blood sugar low even when taking the next meal.

Beans intake: If you are looking to naturally lower your blood sugar, it is important to increase your bean intake since they digest at a slow pace hence causes a small blood glucose rise. This helps in controlling diabetes. Beans are also known to reduce cardiovascular disease risks since they are rich in foliate.

Enough Sleep: Sleep is another natural way of lowering blood sugar keeping diabetes risks at bay. Limited or poor sleep affects important body chemistry and the control of sugar in the blood is linked to more shut eyes which can only be achieved when sleeping. Lack of enough sleep can also cause other medical conditions and should therefore be a priority for healthy lives.

Weight management: Extra weight hinders the hormone responsible in lowering blood sugar from performing effectively hence risking diseases. This is because of insulin resistance caused by the excess fats. There is a need therefore to lose those extra pounds and maintaining a healthy body mass. This can be done by eating balanced diet and exercising regularly.

Stress management: Stress causes the body to store lots of energy in form of fats and glucose and a piling up of these can cause very high levels of blood sugar. It helps a great deal to manage stress through meditation or even yoga in order to lower the risky levels of blood sugar. This is especially important for those suffering from diabetes.

You don't have to take medications to keep blood sugar levels low as these simple natural tips can take care of you more than you think they can. Before exposing one to medications and drugs that may have side effects, it is always good to look on how one can manage a problem using more natural means. When these fail, one can go ahead and have the intervention of a medical practitioner to have the right prescription to reduce suffering or even worse.

Eating Rules and Guidelines for Diabetics and Diabetes Patients

The treatment for the diabetics involves a lot of dietary modifications, apart from the medicines. The basic treatment of diabetes starts with regulating the daily diet and by following some guidelines strictly. In many cases the blood sugar level can be controlled through the dietary modifications and physical workouts, without the intervention of any medicine. Regulation in the diet does not mean to starve, but it emphasizes on eating the right kind of food in right amounts.

Following guidelines regarding eating habits and the diet will be useful for the diabetics.

1. Instead of eating four square meals a day, it is advisable for the diabetics to adopt frequent eating in small amounts.

2. Including low fat and low carbohydrate foods like nuts, fruits, cereals and yoghurt, instead of French fries, chips and cookies.

3. Sandwiches, salads are better options, but one should avoid the fatty dressings of it.

4. Food prepared from whole wheat or other whole grains keep the stomach filled throughout the day as these take a long time to break down completely. Brown rice, brown bread and whole wheat pasta are ideal food for the diabetics.

5. Raw sugar, refined food, white flour, spaghetti, noodles, cakes, pastries and other fast foods must be strictly avoided, as these are loaded with calories and does not carry any nutritive value.

6. Packaged foods must be avoided as these contain high amounts of hydrogenated fats and oils that may shoot up the blood cholesterol level. It is better to carry homemade food.

7. Drink plenty of water when thirsty, instead of carbonated drinks. These drinks contain high amounts of sugar that instantly mixes in the blood creating a spike in the blood sugar level. It is wise to drink chilled bottled water, butter milk or lassi without cream.

8. Always opt for a fiber based diet, which will prevent the pangs of hunger. Fibers take a long time to break down and slowly mix in the blood. This helps in controlling the blood glucose levels.

9. Proteins must be included in the diet in good amounts. Proteins also take long time to digest and moreover they maintain the energy levels of the body. But one should choose lean protein and vegetable protein, instead of red meats and hamburgers.

10. Always try to eat food rich in unsaturated fats like olive oil, almonds, avocados, peanuts etc.

11. Diary products like yoghurt, low fat skimmed milk are rich in calcium that helps in maintaining the body weight. Calcium deficiency favors the release of a hormone that aids in storing fat in the body.

Can Diabetes Patients Eat Fruits? Fact Uncovered

Many diabetics carry a wrong notion that fruits can cause a spike in the blood sugar levels. On the contrary, fruits are stuffed with essential vitamins, natural fiber, minerals and anti-oxidants that are very essential for the body. Total avoidance of fruits may invite some other undesirable health complications.

Fruits contain sugars like sucrose, fructose and other forms of carbohydrates. Fruits are equally important for diabetes patients, but they should be cautious in selecting the right kind of fruits and the right proportion. Fruits with high sucrose and fructose content demand more insulin production from the body for the metabolism. Insulin production is impaired in case of the diabetics, so they must avoid such type of fruits or take in small amounts.

Fruits beneficial for Diabetics

Fruits rich in fiber and with low glycemic index (GI) are ideal for the Diabetics. The amount of fibers present in these fruits results in slowing down of the metabolic processes, and therefore prevents the shooting up of blood sugar levels.

1. The fruit Avocado is not only rich in fiber, but it also contains high level of mono saturated fats, which is essential for the healthy cardio-vascular system. Diabetics tend to develop cardio- vascular diseases. Including avocado in the diet reduces the risk of heart ailments and also improves the glycemic index.

2. Fruits rich in fructose do not require insulin for metabolism, and so the diabetes patients can enjoy such fruits like guavas, pears, mangoes and apples, which have a fructose to glucose ratios more than 2.

3. Citrus fruits are beneficial for diabetics as they boost the immunity system, and also help in proper functioning of the pancreas. Guava, Indian gooseberry, grapes etc. are some fruits recommended for the diabetics.

4. Nuts are rich in fiber, with low glycemic index and are beneficial for the diabetics. Peanuts, walnuts and almonds if taken in restricted amounts are beneficial for the diabetes patients.

5. Besides high fiber and high fructose levels, raw apples are rich in pectin that reduces the insulin requirement to about 50%.

6. Grape fruit is another fruit useful for the diabetics, which helps in reducing insulin resistance and promotes weight loss. This fruit also helps in controlling insulin levels, when taken along with meals.

7. Fruits rich in water content but low in sugar content like water melon, cucumber are recommended for the diabetics.

Fruits are not harmful for diabetics, but fruit juices, processed and canned fruits may pose serious health problems. Fruit juices and canned fruits contain considerable amounts of added sugar and are devoid of fiber, which results in abnormally high blood sugar conditions.

Type 2 Diabetes - Is There A Relationship Between Diabetes and Thyroid Problems?

Continued research all over the world is bringing us closer every day to the causes of Type 2 diabetes. Thyroid hormones are generally normal in the majority of diabetic patients, but a group of researchers in Athens, Greece wondered if sight variations in normal levels of thyroid hormones could have something to do with insulin sensitivity.

Insulin resistance is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, so anything that might be associated with decreased insulin sensitivity is of interest. Most people with Type 2 diabetes still produce insulin; the problem is their cells resist it.

In an article published in the journal Endocrine, November 2010, researchers in the Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Diabetes Center, Athens University Medical School, reported the results of their study of thyroid hormones and insulin sensitivity in seventy-eight volunteers made up of:

• seventeen healthy participants served as controls
• twenty-two first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children) of Type 2 diabetics
• fifteen volunteers with impaired ability to handle sugar, and
• twenty-four people with full-blown Type 2 diabetes.

Thyroid hormones were measured via blood samples and their insulin sensitivity was also tested. The hormones were found to be lower in the control group than in the other three groups. Insulin resistance was found to be highest in those with the highest thyroid hormonal levels. The researchers concluded, therefore, that increases of thyroid hormones, although still normal, were associated with insulin resistance and suggested such increases could be at least be partly responsible for causing Type 2 diabetes.

The thyroid is a small gland is located in the front of the windpipe that plays a part in metabolism... the hormones the thyroid makes regulate how the body uses energy. When thyroid hormones are abnormally low, people can:

• gain weight
• feel fatigued
• feel cold at room temperature, and
• have coarse, dry hair

When thyroid hormones are abnormally high, people can

• feel excessive nervousness
• lose weight
• sweat abnormally
• have really fine hair
• suffer fast heartbeats and
• bulging eyes

Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, in which an under-active gland causes weight gain, develop over time and disturb efforts to control blood sugar. Thyroid problems should be treated by an endocrinologist doctor who specializes in the endocrine system, which includes the pancreas and the thyroid gland.

 

Hypothyroidism, or having too little thyroid hormone, is treated with a thyroid pill taken once a day. Hyperthyroidism is treated with medications such as beta blockers or radioactive iodine. The thyroid hormone levels measured in the study above were not considered abnormally high, but, with more study, what is considered a normal level might someday be reclassified as slightly too high for good health. A blood test called a thyroid panel is given when diabetes is diagnosed or when thyroid problems are suspected.

For the time being, we will have to await further developments as more and more parts of the puzzle of what causes Type 2 diabetes are put into place.