5000 Year-Old Alternative Medical Secret Unearthed!

 5000 Year-Old Alternative Medical Secret Unearthed!
By: http://www.SkyBlueCross.com

When you get sick, you go to the doctor. And the doctor will, of course, prescribe medicines. You will go and buy medicines. You take them, and hopefully, you get well.

This is how the health profession goes on nowadays – a cycle of diagnosis and prescription.

If anyone were to give you herbs for medicine, you would probably say that that person was a quack.

But nowadays, studies are being conducted to see if there are really is any merit to what is called natural medicine.

Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal medicines, and traditional practices to heal ailments. Every culture has a form of natural medicine. In ancient cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community, passing on medical knowledge to the apprentices that followed them.

Many categories of the healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine.

Usually, natural medicine refers to medical practices that were in place before the advent of modern medicine.

This includes herbal medicine, or phytotherapy, which is prevalent in Chinese, Ayurvedic(or Indian), and Greek medicine.

Upon the advent of modern medicine, many professionals discarded the use of herbs in favor of man-made medicine. The fact that these treatments are based on the healing properties of some herbs was forgotten.

For example, opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in traditional medicine.

Natural medicine can be considered as a lost art. This does not mean that it has lost efficacy over time. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better than modern medicine. This leads some doctors to seriously consider and study the possible uses of natural medicine

Before we continue, it is important to stress that not all the natural remedies are legitimate. It would help to only try those remedies which have been thoroughly studied and are relatively risk free.

Take herbal medicine for example. There are many well-documented and studied herbal remedies available. However, only those that deal with minor ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and its ilk are likely to be recommended by health professionals. These remedies are sometimes superior to synthetic medicine. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause negative side effects.

Currently there are numerous organizations that study the effects and advocacy of natural medicine – among which is herbal medicine. Some governments and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are inexpensive and relatively risk-free.

As their studies compile, more herbs and treatments are added to the list of accepted medicines. However, many herbs and treatments have been proven to be bogus medicine. This represents a challenge for both the user and the agencies because they have to ascertain that the treatments they either use or advocate are legitimate.

There exist today many alternative medical treatments that fall under natural medicine. However, not all of them have been proven to be effective. You could mention homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative medical treatments. It would pay to consult the experts as to the legitimacy of these treatments.

Natural medicine should also be thought of as an accompanying medicine. Right now, the current collective medical thought suggests that natural medicine be used only to supplement accepted modern medical practices. In that case of minor ailments your expert we actually advise you to take natural therapies instead.

The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and prescribing treatments for such. Natural medicine is helpful because it suggests that treatment be not necessarily given only when sick. Natural medicine strives to make each patient practice good health habits. These habits include good diet, healthy living, and the regular natural treatment.

It is this same line of thought that leads our parents to tell us to eat our vegetables. Yes, a healthy lifestyle and will do no harm to our well-being. And this is the foundation of natural medicine – may it be massage, herbal medicine, aromatherapy or others.

It is funny but true that science, in its quest for excellence, is studying the knowledge of sages past. This, surprisingly, leads us back to the remedies nature offers. The possibilities of finding remedies to everyday illnesses in natural medicine are encouraging. So staying tuned to studying these remedies is worthwhile until we can verify that these therapies are truly helpful to our health and our society.

What Are The Benefits Of Organic Food?

By: http://www.skybluecross.com
There is much discussion today about the pros and cons of organic food. People want to know whether organic food is better than non-organic food. They wonder whether the term “organic” is nothing more than the latest money-making marketing term being thrown about. They question the regulatory oversight bodies that determine whether the food that’s labeled organic really meets all of the criteria. These are difficult questions to answer with certainty especially since the answers often depend on who is asked. Regardless, there are several very real benefits of consuming organic food. Here is an overview of the most common.

Organic Food Tastes Better

The people who eat organic food claim that organic food is more flavorful and studies have actually been conducted that confirm this belief. The chemicals that are used in the production of non-organic food definitely affect flavor.

Organic Food is Better for the Body

The United States Environmental Protection Agency now lists many of the chemicals used in the production of pesticides and fungicides as potential cancer-causing components. It makes sense then, that when non-organic foods are consumed, so too are these cancer-causing ingredients. Since these types of chemicals cannot be used to grow organic foods, they simply are not present and therefore, they cannot be ingested. Eating organic foods won’t unfortunately prevent cancer because there are plenty of genetic and environmental factors that can cause it to develop. However eating organic food greatly reduces the chance that certain cancers will develop.

In addition, organically-grown produce contains up to 50% more of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants the body needs to stay healthy and perform at optimum capacity. If you’re trying to add more fruit and vegetables to your diet, you can double the benefits by eating organic ones.

You Can Feel Good about What You Eat

When you eat organic food, you know what you’re not getting. You know you’re not eating food that’s been genetically altered or shot up with growth hormones and antibodies. You know that the skins of your fruits and vegetables aren’t a thick covering of chemicals and other harmful ingredients. The bottom line: You know that you are fueling your body with healthy fuel. Centuries ago, people did not have as many health-related issues as they do in these more modern times. Plenty of people feel it is our food that is killing us.

You Help Protect Environment

When pesticides and fertilizers are applied to plants, there is no way to keep the chemicals used in their production from covering the ground. Rain and irrigation cause these chemicals to be absorbed into the ground. As they absorb into the ground, they percolate down to the underground water tables. Ultimately, the chemicals leach into nearby water bodies. The soil as well as the water begins to be contaminated. Over time the birds, fish and other animals living in these environments become affected. Since organic foods are grown without using these dangerous chemicals, their growth will never impact the environment in this manner.

Why You Should Consider Buying Organic Food

Why You Should Consider Buying Organic Food


By: http://www.skybluecross.com
Besides the fact that organic food tastes better and it reduces the amount of cancer-causing chemicals that enter your body, there are plenty of other very good reasons why you should buy organic food. Here are just a few:

Organic Meat Comes From Healthier Animals

The animal from which you got your meat is guaranteed to have been healthy throughout its life. Why? Part of the criteria governing organic products is agreeing not to use antibodies to treat an illness. Animals that are raised with the ultimate goal of being organic are raised in more humane conditions (as outlined by the United States’ Humane Society). These better living conditions result in healthier animals and healthier animals simply are less prone to illness and disease. Of course, nothing can guarantee an animal will never become ill, and occasionally one will require antibiotics to cure an ailment. When this situation happens however, the animal that was treated with the antibiotics must be removed from the organic farm. The affected animal loses its organic status and is usually sold to a conventional farm where it lives out the remainder of its life.

Buying Organic Is A Form of Protest

When you buy organic food, you’re basically making a statement that you care about what you’re putting into your body. So much is happening to our food before it enters the supermarket. We hear about it, yet we do nothing to stop it. If you ever took a few moments to think about all that food is exposed to, from start to finish, the details likely would boggle your mind. Sure, all that perfectly-shaped produce and those rather full-sized chicken breasts look enticing, but those perfections are the end result of growth hormones, genetic engineering, and an abundance of pesticides and fertilizers. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Nature is not perfect” countless times, yet time and again you continue to reach for that perfect tomato. When you buy organic, you are in effect saying you don’t want to be part of that scene any longer. When enough people buy organic, and more are making the switch every day, food companies will be forced to listen to consumers.

It’s Something You Can Do to Protect the Environment

The chemicals that go onto the fields that produce the fruits and vegetables you eat and that feed the cows and pigs that turn into your hamburgers and pork chops contaminate the soil and the water. This affects the animals that live off the land and it also contaminates the environment. When you choose foods that are produced without these cancer-causing chemicals, you are not adding to this problem. Your purchases likely won’t put an end to environmental damage, but as with all things in life, change begins with one person. Get a few friends to change their buying and eating habits, and then have them get a few friends to change and soon enough, a sizeable impact will be in the works.

Areas of Employment for Dental Assistants

Areas of Employment for Dental Assistants
  By:http://www.skybluecross.org
A career as a Dental Assistant will open many doors of opportunity. Dental Assistants will be among the highest growing occupations from now until 2012. This is because people are starting to take a better interest in their oral health. Technological advances have led many individuals to the dentist office for cosmetic dental procedures rather than just cleanings and major dental work. Also, people are living longer, so their teeth need more care to stay healthy throughout their life.

The most common place of employment to find Dental Assistants is in the dental office. Here they provide a variety of services. They often help to comfort scared patients prior to procedures as well as give them follow up care at the end of the appointment. Dental Assistants clean the tools used as well as make sure each work unit has the necessary tools and equipment ready for the next patient’s procedures.

Dental Assistants in the dental office work very closely with Dentists and Hygienists. They often sit in on all procedures, handing staff the necessary tools. Dentist offices are generally small so Dental Assistants often help with lab work. This includes making molds of teeth for caps, bridges, and other dental work. They may also be required to assist with the taking of X-rays.

A common place for Dental Assistants to be employed is in prisons. With more and more prisons being built all over the Nation, Dental Assistants are in great demand for Federal, State, and privately owned prisons. Working as a dental assistant in a prison setting requires more caution that in a regular dental office.

All Nursing Assistants need to be aware of the risk of communicable diseases that are transmitted via saliva and blood. However, the rate of these diseases, especially HIV, is much higher with a prison population than the general public. Also, some inmates might try to attack by biting.

Nursing Assistants in a prison setting need to be alert, and never let down their guard. Inmates often look for any opportunity to escape or obtain weapons. They can use a dental tool as a weapon against you, other staff, or other inmates. It is very important that you keep very close track of all dental tools in a prison setting. Never leave a tool in the reach of an inmate for even a moment. If you discover a tool is missing, immediately notify your supervisor and follow the procedures outlined in the prison policy.

For those Dental Assistants wanting to help the lower income populations, securing employment in a Child Development Center, Head Start, or Migrant program is an excellent way of giving back to the community. Often, these populations can’t afford dental care and would go without it if the services weren’t offered as part of a government program. Employment in these types of agencies as a Dental Assistant often pays less than other employment opportunities in the field. However, many Dental Assistants make the choice to help those in need rather than earn more money.

There are many opportunities to work as a Dental Assistant for agencies who serve the disabled. Often, Dental Assistants are afraid to work with such a population. However, once you feel comfortable with disabled people and their disabilities, you will be able to provide proper care to those who are in need, regardless of their mental capacity or physical appearance.

A career as a Dental Assistant offers you many areas of employment including dental offices, prisons, low income programs, and for facilities who serve the disabled. The ability to choose the type of environment you want to use your Dental Assistant skills in makes the field even more inviting. If you are not sure if a particular type of agency is a good fit for you, talk to them. Ask if you can shadow another Dental Assistant who works there for a few days. This should give you plenty of exposure to the activities that take place in that agency.

Recommended foods for diabetes

Recommended foods for diabetes
BY: http://www.skybluecross.com
Brewer’s Yeast

Brewer’s yeast is a wonder food. It is rich in traces of mineral chromium. This mineral helps the pancreas produce more insulin. It is one of the best supports for normal handling of sugar by the body. According to an article by Dr. Richard J. Doisy and others, which appeared in the Medical World News, Brewer’s yeast has lowered the insulin requirements of many diabetes patients.

Broccoli

Broccoli, a close relation of the cauliflower, has long been a popular food in Europe. This vegetable has proved to be an effective anti-diabetic food. It is rich source of chromium, a trace mineral that seems to lower blood sugar. This trace mineral regulates blood sugar, thereby often reducing the medication and insulin needs of diabetes. In cases of mild diabetes, chromium may prevent the onset of the full-fledged disease. If a person’s glucose tolerance is on border, chromium can help control it. Even low blood sugar levels can be brought to normal with chromium.

Curd

Curd injects friendly bacteria in to the digestive system that stimulate the pancreas. It also washes the pancreas of its acids and wastes. These cleansing actions enable the pancreas to perform much better and thereby help in the production of insulin.

Garlic

In scientific trials garlic and its constituents have been found to lower blood sugar in diabetes. This vegetable is rich in potassium, which effectively replaces the large quantities of potassium lost in the urine of diabetics. It also contains zinc and sulphur, which are constituents of insulin. Some authorities believe that low levels of zinc may be one of the factors responsible for the onset of diabetes. Garlic also contains manganese, a deficiency of which can contribute towards diabetes.

Garlic constituents appear to act by blocking the inactivation of insulin in the liver. The result is higher blood insulin levels and lower blood sugar.

Garlic has other benefits for diabetes besides lowering blood sugar. It prevents arteriosclerosis, which is a common complication of diabetes and relieves body paid. Diabetics can take the equivalent of one or two cloves of garlic a day in any form they like, either raw or cooked in food or as capsules. Garlic milk, prepared by adding four cloves of crushed garlic to 110 ml of milk, is one good way of taking garlic. The best way, however, is to chew raw garlic thoroughly first thing in the morning.

Bengal Gram

Bengal gram, also known as chickpea, is a widely used important component of Indian diet. It is a valuable anti-diabetic food. Experiments have shown that the oral ingestion of the water extract of Bengal gram increases the utilization of glucose in diabetics as well as normal people. In a study conducted at Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysore, the requirement of insulin of chronic diabetes patients decreased from 40 units a day to 20 units, when kept on a diet which included liberal supplements of Bengal gram extract.

Diabetic patients who are on a restricted diet, which does not severely limit the intake of carbohydrates but includes liberal amounts of Bengal gram extract, have shown considerable improvement in their fasting blood sugar levels, glucose tolerance, urinary excretion of sugar and general condition.

Bitter Gourd

The bitter gourd is a common vegetable cultivated extensively. It has excellent medicinal virtues. This vegetable has been used as fold medicine for diabetes from ancient times. Research has established that it contains insulin like principle designated as plant-insulin, which has been found beneficial in lowering blood and urine sugar levels.

Bitter gourd is thus and effective anti-diabetic food and should be included liberally in the diet of a diabetic.

Juice of three or four bitter gourds taken every morning on an empty stomach has been found more effective than eating fruits. The seeds of bitter gourd can be powdered and added to regular meals. A decoction prepared by boiling chopped bitter gourd is water is equally effective, as is its dry powder mixed with liquid foods.

Bitter gourd is rich in all essential vitamins and minerals especially vitamins A, B1, B2, C and iron. Its regular use, therefore, prevents many complications associated with diabetes including hypertension, eye complications, neuritis and the defective metabolism of carbohydrates.

Black Gram

Black gram is a highly prized pulse in India. It is an anti diabetic food. Germinated black gram taken with half a cup of fresh bitter gourd juice, forms and effective remedy for treating mild types of diabetes. It should be taken once a day, for three to four months, with a restricted intake of carbohydrates.

In severe diabetes, regular use of this combination is an effective complement to other treatments. It is also a useful health food for preventing complications due to malnutrition in diabetes. Milk prepared by grinding sprouted whole black gram is also recommended for diabetics.

Groundnut

Groundnuts are valuable in diabetes. Eating a handful of groundnuts daily by diabetics will not only prevent malnutrition, particularly the deficiency of niacin, but also checks the development of vascular complications.

Why Food With Protein Is So Good For Your Diet

By: http://www.skybluecross.com/

Naturally you can't eat a diet of pure protein, although protein can be considered the one indispensable food since fractions of it can be converted into fat and carbohydrate, but not vice versa.

You can see why the new slimming diets emphasize protein, because liberal allowances can be expected to cause greater loss of weight than would the same number of fat or carbohydrate calories.

When you eat proteins you really hire a Simon Legree to crack the whip on lazy calories, making them buckle down to honest toil instead of picking daisies as they drift to your fat depots.

Nor is the slimming aspect of proteins their sole claim to your respect. They stimulate the general efficiency of your body, replace worn out tissues, furnish materials for zippy gland hormones and build vigor and stamina.

Many people still have a vague impression that a high-protein diet is unhealthy. Doctors used to think so too, but the newer knowledge of nutrition has pretty generally knocked the props from under this idea. One supposedly dangerous effect of protein was its action on the kidneys.

Various ailments of these vital organs were laid to heavy eating of protein. In recent months, doctors have discarded this superstition so completely that today high-protein diets are prescribed for some—not all—kidney ailments.

Vilhjalmur Stefansson, the Arctic explorer, spent several years living with Eskimos on an exclusive meat diet. According to theories then current, he should have been struck down by all manner of ailments, from Bright's disease to scurvy. He was so uncooperative with theory, however, as to thrive on his all-meat, high-protein diet.

His "unbalanced" eating habits failed even to raise his blood pressure, and he was downright stubborn in his insistence that he never felt better in his life. Later he lived on the same diet in New York, where physicians could clap stethoscopes on him.

They couldn't find a thing wrong with him. Since then there has been abundant evidence that high-protein diets can be continued indefinitely without ill effect, except in certain cases of disease.

Experiments leading to the belief that protein was dangerous to kidneys were performed, in large part, before the all-important effects of vitamins and minerals were well understood. Another supposed danger of proteins—that they putrefy in the intestines and produce poisons absorbed by the body—is much more theoretical than real, on the basis of present conservative opinion.

An inflamed, diseased colon can conceivably absorb toxins through its walls. That a normal colon will do is extremely doubtful. The theory of poison absorption is the popularly horrifying one of "autointoxication." Curiously, no one has ever satisfactorily demonstrated the presence in the blood, or the. specific identity of, the postulated poisons that stage these Borgian Blitzkriegs. One famous experiment by Dr. Walter Alvarez of the Mayo Clinic has demonstrated that every symptom attributed to "autointoxication" can be produced by stuffing the rectum with cotton.

The symptoms are real, but the causes are more mechanical than chemical.

Meat is by no means the only excellent source of protein. Other animal products—milk, eggs, cheese—are outstanding. A protein is considered biologically complete if it furnishes liberal amounts of the amino acids needed by the body.

Add Spice To Your Life With Mexican Food

Add Spice To Your Life With Mexican Food
By:  http://www.skybluecross.com/

One of the finest cuisines that satiate the gastronomic desires of people worldwide is Mexican food. Mexican food refers to a style of food that originated from Mexico. You will love Mexican cuisine due to its varied flavours, grand decoration and its enticing spicy taste.

The history of Mexican food can be traced back to pre-Hispanic traditions. The Aztecs and the Spanish colonists contributed handsomely to the evolution of the cuisine. Beef, chicken, pork etc. are some of the chief non-vegetarian ingredients. Pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, radish etc. are some of the vegetarian ingredients that are used in abundance. It is said that Mexican gastronomy is also to some extent influenced by the Caribbean and the French.

Mexican food varies in taste and style from region to region in the country. Climatic conditions, and ethnic differences have cast their impact on Mexican gastronomy. In northern Mexico, you will find beef and meat items aplenty. To the contrary, the south-eastern part of the country is famous for its spicy vegetable and chicken items. Now let us taste virtually a few well-known Mexican delicacies.

“Aquas frescas” is a refreshing beverage formed of fruits, cereals or seeds, sugar and water. The beverage is not only popular in Mexico, but also in Central America and the Caribbean islands. Aquas frescas has some highly sought-after flavours. Aagua de tamarindo is a popular variety of Aquas frescas that includes tamarind pods. Agua de jamaica is prepared with Roselle and agua de horchata includes rice. You can easily obtain the beverage from street vendors.

Another popular Mexican cuisine that will tickle your taste buds is “Arroz con Pollo”. This is a dish comprising rice and chicken in Spanish. This item is considered to be a traditional delicacy. The highly luscious dish is prepared from rice, sofrito - a mixture of vegetables and fresh herbs, saffron and off course – chicken.

Next, let’s have a taste of “Barbacoa”. From historical times till date, Barbacoa is perceived to the original barbecue. Barbacoa refers to meat slowly cooked over an open fire. Barbacoa de cabeza, a North Mexican delicacy, is slowly cooked cow head. Barbacoa percolated into Texan cuisine where it was gradually transformed to the highly admired barbeque.

After Barbacoa, let’s introduce “Pico de gallo” to our taste buds. The name is derived from Spanish meaning rooster’s beak. Pico de gallo is actually a fruit salad with limejuice spread all over. Salty white chilli powder is sprinkled before serving.

Our last Mexican platter of the day is “Taco”. Taco is a traditional Mexican offering comprising rolled maize tortilla with meat feelings. Generally grilled beef, picadillo, fish, pork or chicken is used for the filling. Taco tastes even yummier with chopped onion, chilli salsa, and other garnishes. In Mexico, you will find several varieties of Taco. The serving of a Taco is quite interesting. It is traditionally served flat on a tortilla and the tortilla itself is being warmed up on a comal. The tortilla being soft, it can be folded into a U-shape for ease of consumption. Cheese, lettuce and beef- all contribute to make Taco a mouth-watering dish.

Mexican gastronomy relate to rich variety of tastes. The food is considered to provide you a handsome dose of proteins, vitamins and minerals. However to some, Mexican food appears greasy and too much spicy.