How To Cure Acid Reflux With Natural Remedies
Herbal Teas And Its Effect On Sleep
The market is full of herbal teas for sleep problems like insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by chronic problems falling asleep, staying asleep or only sleeping for several hours and being wake unable to fall back to sleep. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake.
It can be caused by another disorder, by changes in the sleep environment, by the timing of sleep, or by stress. Researchers do not know exactly why people need sleep, but we do know that lack of sleep can kill. Humans deprived of sleep for long periods begin hallucinating and develop other mental problems.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is an herbthat has been long used as a remedy for insomnia. Some studies suggest that like conventional sleeping pills, valerian may affect levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA.
Valerian is not believed to be addictive or cause grogginess in the morning like many other sleep medications. But valerian doesn’t work for everyone. Side effects of valerian may include mild indigestion, headache, palpitations, and dizziness.
Kava is an anti-anxiety herb that may be helpful for anxiety-related insomnia. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory to consumers about the potential risk of severe liver injury resulting from the use of dietary supplements containing kava. To date, there have been more than 25 reports of serious adverse effects from kava use in other countries, including four patients who required liver transplants.
Professional herbalists do not prescribe herbs simply to treat symptoms such as insomnia but aim to correct the imbalances within the body that cause those symptoms. For example, sedative herbs such as hops and valerian are used to relax the nervous system so that you enjoy natural, restorative sleep. Each herb contains a variety of active constituents and has a main action and several subsidiary actions which determine the conditions for which it is most appropriate.
Numerous plants have sedative action. Plants commonly prescribed as aids in promoting sleep include: passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), hops (Humulus lupulus), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla).
Unless otherwise specified, for insomnia, take one or two cupfuls of an infusion or decoction in the evening about 30-60 minutes before bedtime. On waking up at night you can take an additional cup. Where a remedy that will not make you drowsy is indicated for conditions associated with insomnia, you can take it three times a day.
There is also a tea made with favor mint, lemonbalm, chamomile, and some herbalist put in catnip.
Reduce the dosage of herbs taken by mouth by a quarter for children under five years old and by a half for children under twelve. Consulting a professional herbalist and the doctor before administering herbs to children is always a good idea.
My Out of Control Chocolate Cravings - What Can I Do?
You Can Crave Chocolate Even If You Know Better
Chocolate craving is perhaps more prevalent in us than any other kind of food craving. It is generally believed that women are the biggest culprits of chocolate consumption, even though eating chocolate may not always cure a bad mood. Such chocolate craving can lead to side effects that includes feeling guilty and gaining weight as also having imbalances with regard to blood sugar, and what’s worse is that the feeling of satisfaction is usually very short lived, which only leads to further chocolate craving.
A Magnesium Deficiency
Many folks cannot seem to live without their chocolates, and their cravings for it are something far beyond their control; if they are not satisfied, the craving will then lead to their feeling irritable and being constipated as well. According to research conducted on chocolate craving, it has been found that such cravings are indicative of deficiencies in nutrition, especially a lack of magnesium. A research detect that Chocolate craving results in lack of magnesium and indicative of deficiencies in nutrition! You could become addicted to chocolate, both because of the caffeine in it, but because of the alkaloids you can find chocolate, cocaine, and alcohol.
A lot of people who crave chocolate often discover that eating chocolate provides them with pleasure which is very much like experiencing an orgasm; and, since chocolates contain substances which help elevate one’s mood, this isn’t tough to figure out. And when these chemicals find their way into one’s body, a lot of pleasure is experienced–which in the case of many people will prove it even better than having sex. Chocolate contains an amino acid called tryptophane which produces a hormone called serotonin which may help a person become more calm. People that have anxieties may find that chocolate has this becalming effect when eaten therefore they think of chocolate as a home remedy for anxiety.
The next thing to take into account about eating chocolate is that although you know that too much chocolate is not good for you, you just can’t avoid to take a little more because of your neural pathways which leads you to eat chocolate rather than not. When you are struggling with the desire to eat although you shouldn’t consider several ways that you can overcome the chocolate craving. This can include reviewing your emotional state and whether the desire to eat chocolate is a means of temporarily feeling better. It may be a desire to eat as a way out of boredom. Or you may be having difficult thoughts, for which a consultation with a naturopath, kinesilogist, or even a doctor is necessary.
Of course, chocolate cravings don’t have to sabotage a good diet plan. Many good diet product are available online to help you plan a successful diet, such as the popular and successful FatLoss4Idiots plan.
Hence,despite the problem of finding it difficult to resist the temptation for chocolates to its addicts,fortunately there are means to follow so as to get back to normal eating habits and it should be adhered to with immediate effect.
A Rediscovery Of The Considerable Benefits Of The Ancient Art Of Meditation
As the speed of life gets faster and we find ourselves leading busier and busier lives so we tend to overlook our physical and mental health and we are all now suffering from varying degrees of stress. It is no surprise therefore that we are turning increasingly to time honored art of meditation.
As a consequence of its long record of effectiveness, meditation today is being carried out not merely to still the mind and reduce levels of stress but also to treat a widening range of physical conditions.
There are numerous physical benefits to meditation which reduces the heart rate and consequently pressure on the heart, lowers levels of the ’stress’ hormone cortisol and other chemicals in the body which are associated with stress and reduces the number of free radicals in the body so further helping to reduce blood pressure. It also increases the oxygen flow through the lungs to assist breathing and can even raise levels of DHEA which helps to slow down aging.
In terms of its psychological benefits, meditation decreases anxiety and irritability and improves your memory and therefore the ability to learn. As a consequence, it also gives rise to a positive outlook on life giving you a feeling of rejuvenation and youthfulness.
A few other important benefits of meditation exercises include:
* Producing an overall relaxation of not merely the body and mind but also of your very soul.
* Assisting with the healing of several illnesses for which there is a link between the physical nature of the illness and the emotional state of the patient.
* Affecting an opening into the ‘inner self’ thus releasing our natural creativity.
* Providing an enhancement to our innate self-confidence resulting in a stronger and more dominant will power.
* Creating an increase in energy levels which make it easier to face the stresses of daily life.
* Providing a greater ability to tackle various vices and addictions ranging from alcohol and tobacco to tranquilizers.
And this list can go on and on.
However, like anything else meditation can be a powerful force for good when it is used properly but it is also problematic if it is not used properly. The secret therefore is to understand just what guided meditation can do and to learn the art of meditation before adding daily meditation to your routine.
The week Labour lost the next election (Daily Telegraph)
-
Subscriptions
