Healthy Benefits To Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a type of therapeutic treatment that uses naturally created oils, known as essential oils, as an alternative to or in conjunction with conventional medicine. Essential oils are highly concentrated and can be derived from different parts of a plant. These oils can be absorbed through the skin or the oils' vapors can be inhaled. The odor of certain oils has been found to have both psychological and physiological benefits.

Relaxation

There is some evidence that the use of rose oil in aromatherapy can promote both physical and emotional relaxation. According to the article titled "Relaxing Effect of Rose Oil on Humans" in the February 2009 issue of "Natural Product Communications," rose oil significantly reduces breathing rate and systolic blood pressure. Individuals exposed to rose oil also feel more calm and relaxed as a result.

Improved Mood

Essential oils can be used to combat negative moods such as anxiety and depression. In the January 1995 issue of the "Journal of Advanced Nursing," C. Dunn et al., found the essential oil of lavender to be more effective than rest or massage for improving the moods of patients. The patients in this study also reported feeling more positive and less anxious as a result of aromatherapy with lavender.

Alertness

Unlike lavender, which has a sedative effect, the essential oil of rosemary has a stimulating odor. When inhaled through the nose, the scent goes directly to the brain and can have instant effects. According to the University of Miami School of Medicine, the scent of rosemary decreases alpha brainwaves, which are associated with non-arousal, thereby increasing alertness. Rosemary also increases the quantity, although not the quality, of work.

Relieve Pain

Daily aches and pains or pain that results from injury or illness may be alleviated through aromatherapy. In her article "The Smell of Relief," Jane Buckle states that aromatherapy treatment reduces pain and enhances the effect of painkillers. She explains that soothing scents can effectively reduce tension. Specifically, chamomile and ylang ylang have been shown to relieve pain. Peppermint and eucalyptus can also provide pain relief.

Headache Relief

The pain caused by migraines, a severe type of tension headache, can be relieved by scents that provide pain relief. These scents include peppermint and eucalyptus as well as lavender and sandalwood. According to a 2001 survey conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, aromatherapy was reported to be a recommended treatment for headaches, especially migraines, by many complementary and alternative medicine organizations.

How Does It Work?

With methods such as bathing, massage and poultice, the oils are absorbed directly into the skin. This can be beneficial for soothing physical pain in muscles as well as calming anxiety and easing other negative emotions. Inhalation and infusions can have a positive effect on respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis. These methods can be very simple as they can be in the form of a joss stick, candle or aromatherapy burner. As these are inhaled, either directly (infusion) or indirectly, using the right oils can promote improved respiratory health.

How to use Aromatherapy?

When massaging, the oils need to be mixed with a base oil. Usually, this base will be grapeseed, almond or coconut oil. Grapeseed is usually preferred as this can be used on most people including children and people with nut allergies. Any products you wish to make yourself should be according to the following scale: Up to a total of 5 drops of oil per 30ml of base.

What are the benefits?

The Benefits can be listed below:

• It reduces muscular aches and pains and increases muscle relaxation and tone.
• For women's problems like PMS or menopausal distress it is particularly helpful.
• Stress level or Blood pressure can be reduced.
• The immune system can be stimulated and infections can be fought with.
• Tension headaches can be relieved.
• Various emotions like anxiety, grief and depression can be alleviated.
• Digestion can be improved. Constipation and abdominal spasm can be decreased.
• The circulation and lymphatic drainage can be enhanced to eliminate cellulite and toxins from the body.
• Some essential oils are good skin care agents.
• The circulation of the scalp can be increased and dandruff can be prevented.
• Aromas can be used as a first aid measure for minor burns and cuts.
• Common problems like sore throat, stuffy or blocked noses can also be modified.
• Lavender Essential oil is a good relief to dry and inflamed skin.
• Tree Essential Oil is good to use for warts, rashes, insect bites, cuts and coughs.
• The discomforts of asthma, arthritis and allergies can be relieved.
• Nausea can be treated using aromas.
• The essential oils like lavender, marjoram and Roman chamomile help in relaxation and anxiety in palliative care.
• Irritable bowel syndrome can be assisted with the help of an oral intake of peppermint oil.
• The essential oils of Ylang ylang and Rosemary affect Alpha-wave activity.
• Linalool is a terpenoid constituent that interacts with cell membranes and suppresses cell action. It is mildly sedative in nature.
• The pulmonary function of children with asthma can be improved with a 20 minute massage routine each day.
• The treatment of acne, athletes foot and onychomycosis nail infections can be done by Tea Tree oil.
• Aromas can be used to facilitate communication, decrease difficult and self-stimulating behavior and provide very meaningful communication.
• Aromatic massage reduces cortisone levels in children having juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Should anyone avoid aromatherapy?

• Women in the first trimester of pregnancy as well as people with severe asthma or a history of allergies should avoid all essential oils.
• People with a history of seizures should avoid hyssop oil.
• People with high blood pressure should avoid stimulating essential oils such as rosemary and spike lavender.
• Those with estrogen-dependent tumors (such as breast or ovarian cancer) should not use oils with estrogen-like compounds such as fennel, aniseed, sage, and clary-sage.
• Caution should be exercised when considering use of aromatherapy in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Finally, something that must be cleared is that aromatherapy is an alternative complementary medicine and should not be used as the major treatment, but as an addition to the healing process of the standard medical care. Contact our offices today for your aromatherapy sessions dedicated towards your better health.

Feel Amazing With The Healthy Benefits Of Lemon Water

You may be tempted to bite into a lemon for all its nutrients and healing benefits, but lemons can wear down the enamel on your teeth. It's best to dilute lemons in water. Lemons have a variety of therapeutic properties that make them a great addition to your daily routine. They are rich in vitamins C, B and P. They also fight bacteria and infections. Lemons are not only useful inside of the body, but are also used to cure cold sores, acne, and boils on the skin. Overall, adding them to your diet will benefit your health.

Liver Tonic

• When lemons are added to warm water, especially in the morning at the start of your day, they are considered a tonic for the liver. Warm water works well with lemon juice because it helps to increase the body's flow, and it stimulates the immune system. You can increase the healing benefits of a lemon in this way. Warm lemon water is a tonic for your liver because it prepares your body to digest food for the rest of the day and stimulates the body to produce bile. Lemons also strengthen and provide building blocks to produce new liver enzymes. Blood oxygen levels are also affected by lemons, and that in turn fixes oxygen and calcium levels in the liver.
  
  
  

  1. Good for stomach Lemon can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. The intake of lemon juice can cure constipation. It is even known to help relieve hiccups when consumed as a juice. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It decreases the amount of phlegm produced by your body. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones.
     
  2. Excellent for Skin Care Lemon, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can participate to cure problems related to skin. Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Lemon water if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin.
     
  3. Aids in Dental Care Lemon water is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums.
     
  4. Cures Throat Infections Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property. For sore throat, dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water and gargle frequently.
     
  5. Good for Weight Loss One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well.
     
  6. Controls High Blood Pressure Lemon water works wonders for people having heart problem, owing to its high potassium content. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as provides relaxation to mind and body. It also reduces mental stress and depression.
     
  7. Assist in curing Respiratory Disorders
     Lemon water assists in curing respiratory problems, along with breathing problems and revives a person suffering from asthma.
     
  8. Good for treating Rheumatism Lemon is also a diuretic and hence lemon water can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins out of the body.
     
  9. Reduces Fever Lemon water can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration.
     
  10. Acts as a blood purifier The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier.
      
      
      
      
      

      How much should I drink?

      If you are in good health it is advisable for you to have juice of one-half of the lemon squeezed into one glass of water, twice daily. However, if you are considered overweight, juice of one whole lemon in a glass of water should be preferred. For maximum benefit, this mixture should also be taken two times a day, though you may dilute more lemon juice according to your taste if you wish.
      Do not just remain oblivious to the gifts of nature such as this, for you should always try to make the most of them. So, make it a part of your daily routine to drink a glass of warm lemon water in the morning and then open your gateway to enjoy its health benefits.
      
      
      
      

  
  

Understanding Food Cravings And Your Health

Who hasn't been there: in the throes of those food cravings so intense that having Jillian Michaels appear in the flesh wouldn't hold you back from craving food like that bag of chips...or greasy slice of pizza...or chocolate confection. But why exactly are these common food joneses so powerful?

An enormous percentage of women crave sugar, carbohydrates, or alcohol. In most cases, these food cravings are not true eating disorders, but instead are signs of hormonal imbalance caused by a lack of healthy nutrition.
Your personal issue may be the afternoon snack (often chocolate or candy or a food that’s also heavy in carbohydrates), too many potato chips, the extra glass of wine at night, or a hundred other variations. But the underlying mechanism, and the way to curb cravings, is the same. And it has nothing to do with willpower, or your lack thereof!

Food cravings mean that the body has its signals mixed up. When we are exhausted or blue, we have low blood sugar and/or low serotonin, and the body signals the brain that it needs a pick-me-up. This signal causes a sugar craving or carbohydrate craving.

Serotonin is our basic feel-good hormone. If serotonin is low, we feel sad or depressed. And hormonal imbalance or weak digestion can lead to low serotonin. Unfortunately, sugars and simple carbohydrates release a short burst of serotonin — we feel good for a moment, but soon return to our low-serotonin state — then crave more sugar and simple carbohydrates. It’s a downward spiral.

If you eat a low-fat diet in the hope of losing weight, you unintentionally make the problem worse. If, like millions of women, you have eaten a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet for many years, or followed fad diets, the odds are good that you have become at least partially insulin resistant.
Insulin is responsible for maintaining stable blood sugar levels by telling the body’s cells when to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. Being insulin resistant means your body stops responding to insulin, and instead grabs every calorie it can and deposits it as fat. So no matter how little you eat, you will gradually gain weight.
At the same time, your cells cannot absorb the glucose they need, so they signal your brain that you need more carbohydrates or sugars. The result is persistent food cravings.

When You Crave Salty Food

What it says about your body
If nothing but the saltiest french fry will do, you may have a mineral deficiency. Studies have shown that women who eat low-calcium diets want salty foods more than those who get enough of the bone builder, says Michael Tordoff, Ph. D., a researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, an institute that studies taste and smell. One possible reason: Sodium temporarily increases calcium levels in the blood, which tricks the body into thinking the problem is solved. But you may have a shortage of other minerals too. In animal studies, researchers have found that a lack of potassium, calcium, and iron causes test subjects to devour table salt.

Menstrual Cycle

If you crave salty foods a couple of times a month, your menstrual cycle might be the cause. Craving salty foods can occur during menstrual bleeding and ovulation. A research study in a 1994 issue of "Physiology and Behavior" found that women craved salty foods more when they were ovulating and during menstrual bleeding. Researchers concluded hormones involved in menstruation might alter taste preferences.

Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings often strike after a meal, despite feelings of fullness. Habits, brain chemistry and your diet's makeup cause you to crave sweets. You can learn to fight the cravings, but only after you understand why they occur.

Significance

Adam Drewnowski and Allen S. Levine write in the "Journal of Nutrition" in March 2003 that added sugar and fat make up more than 50 percent of the typical American diet and contributes to the obesity epidemic. Craving sweets after a meal can hamper weight loss efforts. You try to deny the craving, only making it more pronounced. If you indulge the craving, stopping with a small serving may be impossible for you.

Recent evidence link regular consumption of foods high in sugar and fat leads to "neurochemical changes" in the brain--hardwiring you to crave these types of foods. Food cravings often are a result of habit and association--if you have always had something sweet after a meal, you do not feel closure unless you meet that need. Sweet treats often are associated with rewards and positive feelings, so you feel good when you eat them.

Another cause of post-meal sweet cravings has to do with the mood-elevating brain chemical, serotonin. When serotonin is low, feelings of depression and sadness set in. You crave something sweet because sugars and simple carbohydrates prompt the body to release serotonin, improving your mood. Uneven blood sugar levels cause you to crave sweets after a meal as well. If you fail to balance macronutrients at your meals and eat primarily carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels soar--only to drop suddenly shortly after the meal. Your body seeks the "high" again, causing you to crave sugar.

If your cravings are due to deprivation, allow yourself a small sweet--perhaps a cookie or a miniature candy bar. Sometimes, however, this sets you up for binging, in which case it might be best to go cold turkey for a few weeks. Over time, if your cravings are due to habit, they will subside. Make sure you are consuming adequate nutrition and calories during the day. Try to make each meal contain a serving of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates such as whole grains. Techniques such as brushing your teeth immediately after eating or chewing a piece of minty, sugar-free gum also may help cut the desire to consume sweets after a meal. If you must have something sweet--opt for fresh or dried fruit, which offers nutrition along with natural sugars.


Millions of American women are now trying the Atkins Diet or the South Beach Diet. While these diets are an improvement over the conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, they can worsen your metabolic problems, because dieting itself is stressful to the body. So many women need to heal their metabolism first before even considering weight loss.
Another cause of food cravings is adrenal imbalance. If you are under a great deal of stress, or suffer from insomnia or sleep deprivation, you are probably exhausted much of the time. This situation causes your body to call upon your adrenal glands for more stress hormones to act as a pick-me-up, but over time, your adrenals become less able to respond appropriately. You may resort to sugar or carbohydrate snacks or coffee during the day and carbohydrates or alcohol at night, all of which exacerbate the problem.

How to break this vicious cycle? To reduce food cravings, the body needs real support — and lots of it. We have seen over and over that eating healthy foods, adding pharmaceutical–grade nutritional supplements and moderate exercise can almost miraculously curb cravings. Your metabolism will heal itself when provided with the necessary nutritional support. If it has been damaged, the process can take some time, but it will happen. The good news is — you don’t have to give up granny's apple pie!

Healthy Hair Cures For 2012

Hair loss is a common problem for women, and most will experience some form of it during their life. Normal daily hair loss ranges from 50 to 100 hairs a day. Losing hair in excess of these daily norms may indicate a hair loss problem. Identify the cause and type of hair loss you are experiencing to properly target natural treatments. Though hair loss has a genetic component, you do not have to let your genes get the best of your healthy head of hair. By targeting hair loss with hormonal balance, proper diet, supplementation, and gentle hair care, most women can significantly improve their hair health.

Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Hair loss can be caused by stress, hormonal imbalance, genetics, immune disorder, thyroid disease, nutrient deficiency, cosmetics irritation or allergies, radiation and chemotherapy, blood loss, drugs, surgery and scarring. Whatever the cause, it is important to identify the type of hair loss to properly target attempts to remedy the situation. Temporary hair loss frequently occurs due to stress or natural hair growth cycles. Alopecia aerata and telogen effluvium are two forms of temporary hair loss that can be reversed. Alopecia aerata is characterized by small, round patches of hair loss, accompanied by soreness or itching. Telgen effluvium is hair loss that occurs suddenly, involving large handfuls of hair loss during washing or brushing. Female pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia is caused by hormonal imbalance, specifically too much of the androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Managing DHT

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgen hormone produced from testosterone. DHT is directly implicated in female pattern baldness because it overstimulates hair receptors in hair follicles causing them to shut down. The cause of hormonal imbalance could be birth control pills or other estrogen based drugs, pregnancy, menopause or endocrine disease. Natural substances that block DHT production include saw palmetto, nettle root, pygeum, pumpkin seed oil and fo-ti. Other herbs that may help with hormonal balance include dong quai, ashwaganda, damiana, black cohosh and sage. Many women prefer natural methods to pharmaceutical options for blocking DHT, such as Propecia. Consult with your physician to make an informed choice. DHT-blocking drugs often cause many unwanted side effects and must be taken for long periods of time to sustain results.

Dietary Factors and Deficiency

If your diet is typically high in saturated fat, animal protein, salt and sugar, this can lead to hair loss. Diets low in vitamins and vital nutrients further contribute to hair loss. Deficiencies in iron, zinc, certain amino acids and B vitamins can lead to hair loss. You may be able to significantly improve your hair loss by changing your dietary habits. Make sure to get adequate quality sources of protein, for example lean meats. Every cell in the body needs protein, especially the scalp and hair follicles. A well-balanced diet with ample fruits, vegetables, and iron-rich foods should provide all the nutrients you need for a healthy head of hair. Iron-rich foods include lean red meats, clams, cream of wheat, dried fruit, soybeans and broccoli.

Supplementation for Hair Loss

Many dietary supplements claim to help ward off hair loss. A good multivitamin and mineral supplement will ensure that you are getting optimal nutrition. Consider a B-complex to provide optimal B vitamins that you may not be getting enough of in your daily diet. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are important to hair and scalp health. Take fish or flax seed oil daily for healthy hair growth and shine. Other supplements for hair health include silica, vitamin C and A (beta-carotene), biotin, folic acid and ginko biloba, which increases circulation to the scalp. Hair, skin and nail vitamin products combine several of these supplements together to promote healthy hair growth. Shen Min makes a popular line of these products, offering supplements made especially for women, as well as a DHT-blocking product for extreme hair loss.

Foods For Healthy Hair

 

Having long hair, beautiful, bright, not only depends on the care we provide elements, but the food influences greatly the appearance of hair. There are a variety of foods that make our hair is healthier and stronger from within., Then we should include foods if we want a healthy and nourished hair from the inside:

* The dark green vegetables

Spinach, broccoli and others, have plenty of vitamins and other nutrients. These nutrients are needed by the body to produce more sebum (the oily substance that acts as a natural hair conditioner). The contribution of iron and calcium in your body reduce hair breakage. Therefore, it is time to include the green leaves in their diet at any cost.

* Seafood

Seafood is also essential for hair growth and maintenance and fish is the best way to get the sulfur and fatty acids needed for healthy hair and skin. Shrimp, mussels and oysters have a huge amount of zinc is necessary for many body functions such as hair growth, cell construction and growth, and so on. and it also strengthens hair follicles and helps in the absorption of other vitamins ..

Poultry
Chicken and turkey are some of the vital suppliers of high quality protein. A thin and brittle hair is revitalized to eat these meats. Protein deficiency can cause loss of color that leaves hair dull and anxious.

Pampering4life Get Ready For The New You 2012

Abdominal exercises for women, perhaps surprisingly, should not be any different than ab exercises performed by men. For those women who fear that training like a man will cause them to gain unsightly muscle mass should not worry. Women do not have the requisite amounts of testosterone necessary to bulk up. If anything, training like a man will make your muscles shapelier.


Below Are Helpful Tips To Start Your New Year 2012 Off Right

1. The Janda Sit Up

   • According to Pavel Tsatsouline, former trainer for the Soviet special forces, the problem with traditional sit ups and crunches is that they involve the hip flexors to a much greater degree than the abdominals (see link in References). To curb that tendency, Pavel invented the Janda Sit Up, which is a partner sit up that seeks to take the hips out of the equation, allowing the abs to take the brunt of the stress and the benefit.
     To perform a Janda Sit Up, lie on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle with feet completely on the floor while a partner holds your legs right below the calves. Now sit up about halfway while applying forward pressure with your legs against your partner's hands. Keep your hands folded across your chest during the entire movement, and make sure the soles of your feet do not leave the floor. You should feel these sit ups mainly in the upper abdominals. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of at least 20 repetitions, gradually adding more reps over time as you become used to the exercise.

   Swiss Ball Crunches

   • While traditional ab techniques do involve the hips quite significantly, that does not make those movements entirely ineffective, so long as a full range of motion is used. The problem with performing sit ups on the floor or on a bench is that the tension drops off too soon, as movement stops when you come into contact with the surface. According to Charles Poliquin, a Canadian strength coach who trains both professional and Olympic athletes, a more effective technique for training the upper abs is to perform crunches while lying across a Swiss Ball (see link in References). By using the rounded surface of the ball to your advantage, you will increase range of motion, and thereby increase effectiveness of the exercise. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 20 or more reps, and add resistance through a plate or dumbbell on your chest as you grow stronger.

   Bridging

   • Our final exercise choice for training your upper abs is a simple static bridge. A static bridge is performed by lying face down on the ground, supporting your body on just three points--your toes and both forearms. Maintain a neutral (slightly curved) spine, and try to keep the rest of your body in a relatively straight line from head to toes. Brace your abs throughout the entire movement to maintain correct posture, and hold for a period of 30 or more seconds. When you can hold a bridge for 90 seconds, your abs will be rock solid.