Posts Tagged ‘alternative health’

For thousands of years the human race has used herbs in various ways. These uses can be placed into three distinctive groups; religious, culinary and medicinal. In the article below we will discuss each of these categories in order focusing upon medical uses and essential oils.

Throughout history there have been many other uses of herbs which we will not be examining here and these include them being used instead of cash, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to mask sickening smells. Herbs come from various parts of the world and each culture usually had unusual uses for them. It is interesting to note that the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greek and Sumerians, the Romans all wrote about them in detail and other writings exist from Ancient India and China. We shall be concentrating on modern uses.

Herbs And Religion

Herbs are still used in a multitude of around the globe.  A large number of Christians will recognize myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be extremely familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a type of Basil, as it is cultivated by many and praised as a Goddess. In Wiccan and Pagan religions herbs are used widely in spells, rituals as well as for healing.

Kitchen Uses of Herbs

The leaves of various plants are used in cooking however there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, and a herb, such as parsley, in that the latter are used in minute amounts due to their distinctive, and powerful flavor. Virtually every person in the world has benefited from the these amazing plants which are capable of lifting the plainest meal into the realms of a culinary masterpiece.

Herbs And Medicine

As well as being powerful in flavor a herb can also have a profound effect upon the human body. Some types are used as recreational drugs, such as cannabis, which can cause legal problems as they can also have useful medical properties which are still being scientifically researched.

Essential Oils

An essential oil is the oil extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are invariably produced by the method called distillation but some need a different process of extraction such as such as solvent extraction or expression.

Essential oils have a number of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However most people know of their use in medicine and especially in aromatherapy and other forms of alternative medicine. I use lavender oil in a number of ways, I add it to my mixture for my oil burner to make the room smell nice but I also use about three drops in a bath when I suffer from aching legs. When my legs are very painful I gently massage it into the muscles but only when it is mixed with a carrier oil. As well as helping to relax the muscles it also helps me sleep more soundly.

Herbs should be handled with immense care and attention as some can be extremely toxic to the human body (in large quantities). Special care should be taken if you are about to have a baby as something that seems safe could be dangerously problematic, such as peppermint oil which should be totally avoided in its raw form. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used but to avoid the risk of miscarriage I would avoid all herbs and essential oils unless you are one hundred percent certain they are safe.

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Cleansing the colon is one of the most common natural living trends today. But many people are still not sure as to the benefits of a colon cleanse. Colon detoxification, as you can see, is far from an uncontroversial medical practise. It is pretty new to our society, and hasn’t really been completely studied or tested, so the debate rages on. No matter, many found quite a bit of relief from various ailments through body detoxification.

One of the most famous benefits of a colon cleanse is increased energy. Many people believe that stagnant waste in our bodies stops us from absorbing the nutrients that we require. Through body detox, liver detox, and other complementary medical procedures, we can once again enjoy a renewed vitality similar to the feeling of abundant life that children have. There are many that have undergone the procedure, and this is an almost universal observation.

There is a medical theory popular among some alternative health doctors that diseases originate in the colon, and that through cleansing out those toxins, you can stop the diseases at their roots. In that colon cleansing is much less expensive and painful than many of the most popular medical tests, if this claim is true it can be a great way of addressing mysterious or troublesome chronic illnesses such as colon diseases

The benefits of a colon cleanse are enhanced through fasting because the fast stops new toxins from entering the body, while the cleansing at the same time helps to flush out the ones that are there already. It allows the body to focus all of its energy on getting rid of the toxins, which is supposed to be a recharging and empowering process. Some people try it once and feel that it is not for them. Other people, however, seem to absolutely swear by the detox treatment and claim that it has made them healthier than they have been in years.

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10
Nov

Flax and Health Benefits

   Posted by: author1    in Alternative, Health and Fitness

Even thousands of years ago, at the early stage of civilization, human beings in such parts of the world as Egypt and Babylon were aware of the many health benefits of Flax towards making a healthy and disease free system.

 

But what flex seed exactly is?

Flex is a kind of oil seeds that had been produced for thousands of years in the fertile soils at the bank of the river valleys.

 

The flax can be classified into two broad types:

  • The first variety falls under the category of oil seed and is grown for the sole purpose of being used as seeds.
  • The second variety is cultivated as fiber to be specifically used in the textile industry.

 

Where to find?

The ancient flax crops were produced as field crops in large scale in the fertile lands of Babylon and Egypt. From these places, the flax production has spread across the countries of Africa and from there to Europe. It didn’t take much time to cross the Atlantic to arrive at USA. Today flax is grown all over the world. But majority of the flax production of world today comes from USA and Canada. In North America as a whole, flax is produced commercially as oil seed varieties. In the USA, vast regions of North and South Dakota are known for their extensive flax production.

 

The health benefits of flax

It was around 650 B.C. that Hippocrates had made known the magical qualities of flax in reducing abdominal pains. Over the course of history, many health and nutritional benefits have been discovered by the scientists. Today it is considered that flax as the part of balanced diet has the potential of cutting on the risk of many dangerous diseases including cancer and cardio vascular diseases. But how does it make this magic possible? Let’s describe one by one.

 

Flax seed is the best source of good fats in our body

Flax seed oil comes with a high content of Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA). ALA is an essential fatty acid which we have to consume through the foods, as our body does not manufacture it. Once inside the body, ALA is converted into EPA and DHA. These two substances help maintain heart health and brain function and prevent arthritis and thrombotic disease. ALA also helps in improving immune function, cancer prevention, and male infertility.

 

Great laxative

Flax is also a great source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibers. Thus consumption of flax seeds or flax oils works for improved bowel movement and colon function.

 

 

Antioxidant properties

Among the vegetations, flax is the highest supplier of lignans—by fighting against some environmental toxins. Lignans also help reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer, especially breast and colon cancers.

 

Prevents Male Infertility

DHA deficiency in sperm cells leads to male infertility. The ALA in flax helps to overcome this shortcoming.

 

Now that you know the many natural health benefits of flax, consider adding flaxseeds or flax seed oil to your daily diet in whole, milled or capsule form. For adequate supplementation of ALA and lignans in your body, consider consuming 30 gm flax on regular basis.

 

 

 

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