Health news blog

A very light flow of blood can cause an emotional upset. Sea kelp from the Pacific Ocean is very beneficial in cases of this sort because of its potassium iodide content. Generally, taking one kelp tablet in the morning and at noon suffices to normalise the flow. Do not take in the evening and continue only until the period is regular again. However, women suffering from hyperthyroidism must take kelp only in homoeopathic doses. Women who have been suffering for some time, or frequently, from the discomforts

of insufficient menstrual flow should also take a preparation that stimulates blood circulation, for example Aesculaforce. In addition, to cure the disorder, another preparation, Ovarium 3x, is necessary in order to influence the ovaries and establish a regular period.

Take regular sitz baths (hip baths) to which an infusion of thyme or camomile has been added, to complement the treatment with the above-mentioned botanic medicines. The baths help to normalise the functions so important to women. Since the cure of menstrual malfunction goes hand in hand with the relief of emotional depression, every woman in need will be glad to follow the advice given.

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Then consider the general care of the legs. Put them up for a period every day and carefully empty the veins by gently stroking upwards, not massaging, as doing so may be a little too drastic. The best time to do this is in the evening before going to bed, but if you have enough time during your lunch break, you can repeat it then. Oil the legs once a week with St John’s wort oil or massage oil containing this ingredient. For a change you can use a lanolin cream, such as Bioforce Cream.

At the same time, I am happy to repeat that there are some excellent natural remedies for stimulating the circulatory system. Would we have a certain number of veins, tonsils or an appendix if these organs were not vital to our well-being? Surely then, every interference and anatomical change presents a risk that is more often than not accompanied by unpleasant consequences. How strange it is that we are inclined to show more confidence in surgery than the meaningful purpose of our Creator’s design! Unfortunately, the damage only becomes evident later, after the person has been considerably harmed.

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Biofeedback training begins where deep relaxation ends. So the first step is to use Technique # 14. With practice, you can soon attain a state of deep relaxation in two or three minutes. Or, if short of time, you could use the faster Technique #13. Either way, let’s assume you are lying comfortably in a quiet place with muscles, pulse, lungs and mind all deeply relaxed and with your mind focused on enjoying the present moment and thinking about nothing in particular.

Now begin to imagine yourself in the most restful and pleasant setting you can think of. Childhood scenes often work well. Many people picture themselves sunbathing on a warm, tropical beach. Assuming you use this popular scene, visualize a few flecks of white cloud dotting the wide blue sky, “feel” a gentle breeze caressing the murmuring surf, and “see” the white sails of half a dozen sailboats dotting the aquamarine sea.

Imagine your hands lying on the sun baked sands. Feel the texture of the sand and, at the same time, experience in your imagination the warmth flowing into your fingers and palms. Use your imagination to experience all the sights, sounds, feelings and smells that go to create this most relaxing scene. As the gulls wheel and cry overhead, “bear” soothing Hawaiian music and “feel” heaviness creeping over your body.

Focus your awareness on your hands and silently repeat these or similar autogenic phrases: “My hands and arms feel heavy and warm. Warmth is flowing into my hands. My hands feel quite warm. My hands and arms are warm and relaxed. I feel my hands glowing and tingling with warmth. My thoughts are relaxed and I am calm and serene. My hands are relaxed and heavy and warm.” And so on.

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You can literally rub away many headache pains by using self-massage or, even better, by having someone else massage you. Massage works because it increases blood flow to the painful area. It also helps to normalize muscle tone and blood vessel diameter in the afflicted area. Here are several massage techniques known to be effective for relief from tension or migraine headaches.

• Massaging the Thumbs. Rub the top joint of one of your thumbs vigorously for exactly 1? minutes. Then repeat with the other thumb. Continue to alternate back and forth for a total of 42 minutes. Frequently, this is enough to relieve all but the most stubborn tension or migraine headache. If your headache has partially diminished yet still lingers on, continue the massage for another three minutes. Should your thumbs become sore, coat both fingers and thumb with baby oil or hand lotion before rubbing.

Several prominent neurologists have suggested that neural stimulation from the thumbs overloads the brain’s pain control gate, preventing headache pain from being perceived in the brain.

•Massaging the Neck. Sit at a table. Support your forehead with your right hand, elbow on table. Then massage the muscle at the back of the neck between thumb and forefingers of your left hand. Using a circular motion, squeeze and massage each muscle on each side of your neck. Work slowly up and down the neck. Apply the same treatment to your shoulder muscles. Finally, give the scalp a vigorous rub with your knuckles and then with your fingertips, using a circular motion. Change hands frequently to prevent fatigue.

Alternatively, or in addition, dig the fingers of both hands into the groove at the back of your neck and massage the neck muscles between fingers and thumbs. Work up and down the neck the length of the groove for about three minutes. This relaxes the muscles of the upper neck and relieves the tension that causes muscular-contraction headaches.

• Press Your Headaches Away. Headache pain in the temples can often be relieved by pressing the temples with the palms, or with any firm object such as a tightly-folded cold damp washcloth. So effective is this technique that it will often lessen the pain of a cluster headache.

If, during a migraine attack, the veins appear distended on the forehead or can be seen visibly pulsating, try applying similar pressure over the distended vessels. Almost always, the pain will begin to ease.

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Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is one of the most common and dependable migraine triggers. It can also set off a less severe “hunger” headache in non-migraineurs.

Hypoglycemia can be caused in one of three ways; by skipping meals, especially breakfast; by dieting; and by eating meals high in refined carbohydrates (white flour, sugar and other sweeteners) along with fats and caffeine.

Hypoglycemia headaches frequently appear after sleeping late on weekend mornings and so failing to eat breakfast at the usual time. Skipping meals, or eating junk food on the run, are also common causes. Any foods high in white flour and sugar, or other sweeteners, when washed down with coffee or cola drinks, send blood sugar levels skyrocketing. We feel wonderfully alert and filled with energy. But not for long!

The body consumes refined foods so swiftly that only an hour or so later, the blood sugar level plummets and we suddenly feel drained and depleted of energy. The low blood sugar causes our muscles to tense and this, in turn, sets off a reactive dilation in blood vessels in the head. Long before our next meal is due, we have a full-blown headache.

Fortunately, in most non-migraineurs, a hunger headache can be ended in a few minutes by drinking a large glass of orange or grapefruit juice. But fruit juice doesn’t help once a migraine is triggered.

Luckily, hypoglycemia can be prevented altogether by adopting a simple three-step nutritional program. And whether your headaches are migraine or simple “hunger” headaches, both will vanish along with the hypoglycemia.

Here are the rules,

• Step 1. Get up at the same time every day and eat a full-sized breakfast. If you must sleep late on weekends, wake up at your usual breakfast hour, eat a snack, and return to sleep.

• Step 2. Eat all meals evenly spaced out and at usual meal hours. Avoid skipping any meals.

• Seep 3. Eat a diet high in complex carbohydrates (meaning high in fiber) and low in fat. Stop all refined carbohydrates and drastically cut down on oils and fats. Instead, switch to fresh fruits and vegetables plus whole grains, seeds, and legumes. You may also have a small, once-daily serving of deep sea fish, or of chicken or turkey without the skin. Non-fat, plain yogurt or very low-fat cottage cheese are other good sources of whole protein.

Breakfast is the best time to eat fish, poultry or low-fat dairy products since animal protein is slow to digest and it helps stabilize blood sugar levels through much of the day. Fats of all kinds should be minimized as lipids can interfere with insulin metabolism, a condition that often leads to low blood sugar.

By contrast, a diet high in fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels and helps the body’s insulin to function normally.

Three small surveys of hypoglycemic migraineurs made in Britain each showed that changing to a high-fiber, low-fat diet reduced incidence of migraine attacks by approximately 75 percent, and also diminished headache intensity.

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During stress-free periods, the adrenals secrete cortisol and other hormones which affect receptors on blood vessel walls, keeping arteries mildly constricted and preventing vasodilation. Output of these hormones wanes during evening hours and at night, and they reach their lowest level at around 3 or 4 A.M. The lower the level of these hormones, the greater the tendency of blood vessels to dilate, making vessels most likely to dilate in late evening or at night. Several hours after these low levels are experienced is the time when most migraines are apt to begin.

Whenever the fight-or-flight response is invoked, the neurotransmitter norepinephrine is released, causing platelets to clump. Platelets are disk-shaped structures in the bloodstream that can coagulate and cause a blood clot. They are also carriers of another neurotransmitter, serotonin. As norepinephrine is released in response to stress, the platelets chimp and release serotonin.

Norepinephrine and serotonin are powerful vasoconstrictors but have little else in common. Norepinephrine is an excitatory stimulant that keeps the brain aroused and alert, while serotonin is a natural tranquilizer which functions by inhibiting nerve impulses. Between them, norepinephrine and serotonin work in tandem to control the body’s pain process. A deficiency of norepinephrine can cause depression, while a deficiency of serotonin lowers the pain threshold.

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Assuming you are taking one or more OTC medications, which were not prescribed by a physician, the choice to stop using them is entirely up to you.

Before continuing to take any type of drug, you may want to ask yourself these questions:

Why am I taking this medication? Is it really necessary and do 1 really need it? What would happen if I did not take it? What alternative therapies might be more effective, less costly, and free of destructive side effects? For example, before continuing to take a tranquilizer, have you considered such alternatives as exercise, deep breathing or deep relaxation:—all much more effective, safer and cheaper than any drug?

These questions are not intended to discourage you from seeing a doctor, or from taking any drug that is really necessary. Obviously, some people are entirely unsuited to any form of therapy but drugs.

The idea is to get you thinking about stopping any drug that is not really needed. It is essential to try to minimize intake of every type of drug, because drugs may inhibit the effectiveness of natural therapies. Again, if you are taking a drug, it is difficult to assess the effects of behavioral medicine.

Meanwhile, if you must take drugs:

• Always take as few as possible.

•Ask for the minimum effective dosage for the shortest period of time.

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