Posts Tagged ‘alternative health’

People are beginning to realize the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our bodies can quickly get out of balance. We can experience a build up of chemicals in the body. Depending on our lifestyle, many toxins and waste products can become trapped in the body. Many people are now turning to detoxification programs. Many detaox programs make convenient use of meals and liquids to flush the body. One way to help you through your detoxification program is with periodic massage therapy to relax and soothe your body.

Massage therapy is known to help promote the clearing of normal byproducts in the metabolism of your muscles. It is also known to help counteract the build up of lactic acid. Lactic acid can build up in the muscles. As of yet, there is no direct evidence that suggests that massage therapy can remove other toxins from the body. The build up of lactic acid is believed to cause tightness in the muscles when they are exerted.

Some of the more popular methods for detoxifying your body are either with detox liquids or through certain types of meals. There is a variety of each. They can be tailored to your specific detox needs. The other important piece of the equation is to not add any unnecessary toxins to your body during this time.

First, think about some of the goals that you would want from detoxification. Remember this is a process meant to remove toxins and other waste products from your body. Massage therapy can compliment and be a part of a total detoxification program. You also need to look at your diet and other lifestyle habits as well to be successful.

Massage therapy is effective in reaching areas not normally accessible through exercise and stretching. This helps to stretch out muscles and tissues in ways not normally possible. This can help reduce stiffness and soreness while providing relaxation.

Some of the other benefits of massage therapy are that it can reduce the heart rate and blood pressure. It is known to enhance the circulatory system. This helps to better process the removal of toxins as they are released in the detox program. Massage also releases endorphins which are the body’s natural painkillers. This helps to reduce aches and pains.

Receiving periodic massage therapy assists the body in many different ways. It helps to flush out the build up of lactic acid. It also can assist with other waste products. It helps to strengthen your immune system. This helps to better fight off disease and sickness. It also helps to increase the effectiveness of the immune system. This may enable it to get rid of invading pathogens sooner.

The challenge many people face with a successful detox massage program is limiting intake and using liquids or meals to flush toxins. Toxins and waste products are constantly building up in the body. It is critical to flush these out on a regular basis. This helps to maintain a healthy balance in your body.

Massage chairs provide a convenient way to integrate massage therapy into your daily routine. They provide a variety of different massage techniques which can be used during your detox program. They can easily fit into your schedule. Massage chairs are convenient to use even with a quick massage treatments.

Break the constraint of having to go see a massage therapist with a massage chair of your own. You no longer have to be at a certain location and time. You have 24/7 access to your massage chair when you need it the most. Relieve discomfort and relax on your schedule.

Keep your body in peak performance by flushing out chemicals and toxins from your body. Further enhance your health with frequent massage therapy. Massage chairs help you counteract the build up of stress and provide a perfect environment for relaxation. They are available to meet your needs based on your schedule. Get full body massage treatments on demand with a massage chair.

Revitalize your health with massaging treatments. There are many positive benefits to getting daily massaging therapy. An easy way to get routine massages is with Massage Chairs. The top manufacturers that offer an astounding variety of massage techniuqes. Discover more about Massage Chair Features.

Do you suffer from anxiety? Anxiety is the internal response of the body to fear, worry and apprehension. Many times one does not even know the reasons why they are feeling their anxiety. There can sometimes be physical responses such as chest pain, sweating, shortness of breath and palpitations. Although there are numerous treatment options for anxiety, one very positive method is massage chair therapy.

Massage has been cited in many studies to provide an effective method to reduce anxiety and also stress hormones in the body. These studies are generally for non-chronic forms of anxiety. Chronic anxiety requires a greater variety and intensity of treatments. However, even low levels of anxiety can prove to be debilitating to those suffering from that condition.

Just thinking about getting a massage starts the process of relaxation. You think about letting the tightness of your muscles start to be soothed. As your muscles feel better, your mind starts to relax and drift off into other realms. The troubling thoughts sustaining the anxiety start to dissipate as your energy is directed back to more productive pursuits. Massage is just that type of relaxing experience that is a great counter-balance to anxiety.

What is massage therapy? It is the manipulation of your muscles and other soft tissues to relieve tension and tightness. You may be familiar with many of the more universal massage treatments. Perhaps you know about Swedish massage or shiatsu massage. There are a wide variety of techniques which target specific areas and benefits.

Massage chairs bring affordability and a way to receive continuous and periodic treatment. Access is a big problem with massage therapy. Massage chairs bring you unprecedented access to effective treatment on a continuous basis. You can find a few minutes everyday to let a massage chair relieve your trouble spots.

Massage chairs have developed a whole host of complimentary therapies in addition to massage therapy. One such feature is an MP3 player. Think how soothing it is to have your body worked over with a relieving massage. Meanwhile your mind is off listening to music that takes your focus away from the tension and anxiety of the issues you were just struggling with. This is just one of many types of complimentary features.

There are an incredible capabilities being built into current massage chairs. They can massage you from your head to your toes. They have full body capabilities. You can get effective relief where you want, when you want and for as long as you want. The convenience of a massage chair is just unprecedented. They do not get tired and only do what you tell them to do.

Some additional capabilities of massage chair recliners include heating elements. Heat therapy has been shown to increase blood circulation and to reduce swelling. You can also find massage chairs with stretching or traction capabilities. They can stretch out the lower body and now some can even stretch the shoulders and arms.

Looking for a massage chair can be a daunting challenge. You find too many manufacturers or really importers. You want to be careful and buy a massage chair from a reputable company. You can trust massage chairs from Panasonic, Omega or Sanyo. These are built to last and come with excellent warranty coverage. Be careful of massage chair prices that seem too good to be true.

Anxiety may be a more common symptom in our new economy. Everything is much harder now then just a few short years ago. You need to find more effective tools to cope with this new economy. Do not let anxiety and stress get the better of you! Fight back with treatments that provide an effective counter balance to anxiety–like massage. Massage chair therapy is an excellent method to relieve that anxiety and get you focused on more productive pursuits.

Are you suffering from anxiety, then find out about Anxiety Relief Massage Therapy with a massage chair. Massage Chair Therapy can help relieve tired, sore muscles. It helps to soothe and calm your mind, which helps to relieve anxiety. Don’t continue to suffer any longer!

There is an African tree bark that holds great power. Extracts and tablets made from this bark are used in treating sexual dysfunction and depression. It is also reputed to provide a metabolic boost which makes it a very good aid in weight loss. However, prior to starting a regimen of his holistic supplement, one should be aware of potential yohimbe side effects.

Societies have utilized it for centuries for problems of impotence and in enhancing muscular endurance. It may also be good at fighting off anxiety and has shown promise in eliminating post traumatic stress. Some trials have indicated that it helps to burn off excessive fat for certain individuals.

However, as you would expect for any supplement, there can be some potential adverse reactions. One documented consequence of using the tablets has been a steep rise in heart rate. When combined with a blood pressure boost, which the tablets can also cause, a fatality can result.

It can cause insomnia, since the overall energy boost received from the supplement can make it tough to sleep. And while it helps some people with their anxiety, it may actually cause anxiety in others. This may be due to these individuals experiencing an increase in heart rate or heart palpitations.

Nausea and dizziness has been known to occur when too strong a dosage is taken. Extreme cases have reported hallucinations, while a severe overdose may result in seizures or kidney failure. As with everything else in life, moderation is the key.

There are a lot of benefits to this holistic herb, but the record of yohimbe side effects might give anybody pause. The only person who can tell you for certain whether the tree’s bark is safe for your body is a qualified professional. If you are considering this holistic herb, contact your physician and get his go-ahead prior to beginning.

Looking to find the single source of helpful information on yohimbe side effects ?

Degenerative disc disease affects close to 30% of the US population between the ages of 30 to 50 years old. The bones or cervical discs that make up the spinal column can begin to degenerate for a variety of reasons. This condition is known as degenerative disc disease. When the discs degenerate, they begin to come into closer proximity of each other. This can cause pain and discomfort and is mainly concentrated in the lower back. Chiropractors are utilizing massage chairs to loosen up the muscles of the lower back and to provide relief from the discomfort.

Why does the pain occur? Let us look at the structure of the spinal column. The spinal column is a vertical row of small round bones that are interconnected. The interconnection provides the ability for the spine to articulate or bend. Down the middle these round bones or vertebrae runs the spinal cord.

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that travels from the base of the brain out to the rest of the body. The spinal column itself protects the spinal cord and gives the body flexibility and mobility. Between each of the vertebrae are soft discs. These soft discs are there to cushion the motion between the bones so the bones do not rub directly on each other.

The activities that you undertake directly affect the health of the spine. Smoking can cause biochemical and structural changes to the soft tissue areas causing degeneration. Other activities such as aging, wear and overuse can cause degenerative changes as well. The spine is designed to evenly distribute the weight of the body across the spine. Certain activities can cause the force to be concentrated in a small area like the lower back. If these activities are repeated through time, then degeneration can occur.

As you can see, there are many possible causes that can cause the soft tissues between the discs to deteriorate or lose their vitality. Massage chair therapy is becoming a popular natural treatment to both elongate the soft tissues to help restore flexibility but also for relief of the discomfort with the disease. Often times spinal adjustments are also needed to rebalance the spine and correct its alignment. This along with massage chair treatments help restore the spine.

In general, the pain associated with degenerative disc disease is low back pain. The spinal column carries much of the weight of the body. As activity is undertaken, the physical stress is distributed throughout the spine. Normally, the low back experiences more stress and fatigue. With disc degeneration there is a high incidence of inflammation.

Massage treatments by massage chairs are applied for stretching muscles and for soothing muscles. Massage chairs provide a rolling massage where the rollers slowly go up and down the spine. The incline of the chair is used to adjust the pressure to the patients comfort. As the rollers pass each spinal disc, they are flexed gently. This flexing elongates the soft tissues between the bones. This help to restore the flexibility and elasticity of the tissue.

Chopping massage chair treatments are also performed where the shoulders and back muscles are targeted. A rapid chopping motion is used to invigorate larger muscles of the back and shoulders. This helps improve blood flow and to release tension that has built up over time. These muscles must take up any slack from the spine, so when degeneration occurs these muscles are also affected. Release of the tension from these areas also helps to restore the balance with the spinal column.

Kneading and tapping style massages are used to loosen the muscles and connective tissue around the spinal column and the back in general. Pressure tends to concentrate on a few areas in the spinal column with most activities. Loosening up these muscles helps to rebalance the pressure and better redistribute it.

Although massage chair therapy has been successful in certain degenerative discs disease cases, you should consult with your medical provider to find the right treatments for your situation. Massage chair therapy is a convenient and practical alternative to using a masseuse. The convenience and access to these important pain relieving therapies are imperative.

Massage chair therapy is an effective and convenient method for periodic relief from the symptoms of degenerative discs disease. The convenience of having a massage chair at your disposal is invaluable. When your symptoms act up, just take a seat and push a button. Let the natural massage therapy soothe, relax and relieve your tired, aching muscles. Massage chairs never get tired and are there when you need them. No appointment needed!

View Massage Chair Reviews of the best brands of the massage chair industry. Check out reviews about Panasonic, Human Touch, Omega, Sanyo and more. We list our massage chairs by massage treatment so you can find the best in class for the massage styles most valuable to you. View our Omega Massage Chairs and many others.

As the news of influenza is seen everywhere we turn, more and more people are seeking every available means to support their immune system and potentially prevent the infection by any number of serious viral contagions — most notably these days is “Swine Flu”, though there may be more in our future. Historically, essential oils have been used during major plagues as a means to prevent infection. Pictures can be found in natural medicine textbooks of medical practitioners wearing facemasks stuffed with cinnamon, cloves, sage and other botanicals to ward of illness. Today’s leading professional aromatherapists also suggest the most important use of essential oils for humanity will be in the treatment and prevention of such infectious illnesses. Are essential oils a viable option as an alternative therapy for home use? Here’s a look at the scientific research, as well as formulas and practices to make use of aromatic medicines.

Essential Oils’ Antiviral Activity: The Research

Over the last decade, laboratory researchers around the world have found many essential oils are capable of directly eradicating viruses. Further, they may even prevent viruses from moving between cells within the body and limiting the spread of infection. This is not an over-optimistic interpretation of the data by an essential oil proponent, but the actual conclusions of controlled research studies. Abstracts of all the research mentioned here can be found through pubmed.gov, the database maintained by the National Institute of Health and the US National Library of Medicine. If you wish, you can browse these results by entering search terms such as “essential oil virus”, “antiviral essential oil”, and more specifically “laurus nobilis SARS” (Laurus nobilis being Bay Laurel essential oil, and SARS a highly-infectious viral respiratory ailment). While there is not yet data where essential oils have been tested against Swine Flu and Avian Flu specifically, as we’ll see there is every reason to believe the oils will be effective against these virus strains as well.

Looking At The Data: Many Viruses And Many Oils

With more than one hundred published research papers on the subject, a summary is in order. What scientists are finding is that many of the essential oils commonly in use today have antiviral properties. Whether an oil is effective against a particular virus depends upon the natural chemical makeup of the oil and the structure of the virus being studied. The data, without a doubt, is very encouraging. One study performed in Germany this year concluded with the note that Tea Tree was able to “reduce viral infectivity by greater than 96 percent”. The same study went on to clarify that the whole, natural oil, rather than any single chemical synthetically extracted, was up to TEN TIMES more effective as an antiviral agent. The precise reason for this is not known — it is clear that some of the most chemically complex oils exhibit the greatest antiviral effects, and perhaps this mixture of nature’s chemicals attacks the virus AND supports immune function is several ways at once.

Laurus Nobilis and SARS

Many of the studies utilize the Herpes Simplex Virus as a “test subject”, because of the widespread prevalence of infection, along with the relative ease of testing. However, if one digs into the data, many papers present information relevant in in influenza pandemic. SARS ‘Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome’ is caused by the highly infectious SARS-CoV virus that made world-wide news in 2003. A study in the March 2008 Journal of Chemical Biodiversity noted Bay Laurel essential oil to have significant antiviral action against this virus. They’d also noted the natural constituents of this oil, which are also found in a great many other essential oils. This is why you’ll see MANY essential oils noted as antivirals — because many oils share similar natural chemical constituents. So while this next oil is not readily available, the data is very interesting. In 2005, Chinese researchers evaluated the anti-influenza potential of the essential oil from a root used in Chinese medicine, concluding: “In vivo…it prevented influenza virus-induced deaths in a dose-dependent manner”. And the list of oil/virus combinations goes on and on. But this begs the question: how do we derive a formula for Swine Flu prevention?

Selecting Oils For Daily Flu Protection

Here’s where we’ll make the leap from the scientific evidence to relying on many many years of Aroma Medicine practice throughout the world. In the aromatherapy textbooks, the list of antiviral essential oils is long. This corroborates with the scientific findings that a great many essential oils DO in-fact have antiviral activity. Where the help of skilled professional practitioners comes in is that in these texts, oils are prescribed by how effective they are against viruses that produce particular symptoms — respiratory tract infections are treated with cineol-containing oils such as Eucalyptus Radiata and Ravensara Aromatica. Viral infections of the skin are often treated with Melissa and/or Tea Tree. The doctors who have been using essential oils as medicine for years in Europe have developed a solid system, and can be relied upon in defining the appropriate list of oils for us.

A selection of potentially helpful essential oils includes the following: Melissa (also known as Lemon Balm), Eucalyptus Radiata (one of many kinds of Eucalyptus, this one specifically noted for its antiviral effects), Ravensara (similar to Eucalyptus, also a highly regarded antiviral), Lavender (don’t let its flowery aroma trick you — it is also considered antiviral and an immunostimulant), Maleleuca ericifolia (a relative of Tea Tree), Hyssop, Bay Laurel, and Thyme.

An Influenza Prevention Recipe

An example blend including these oils: 2 parts Melissa, 1 part Thyme (Thujanol, Geraniol or Linalool), 4 parts Lavender, 3 parts Ravensara, 4 parts Eucalyptus Radiata (Narrow Leaf), 3 parts Hyssop, 6 parts Rosalina (Melaluca ericifolia) and 3 parts Bay Laurel. A “part” can be anything — a milliliter, a drop, an ounce — just as long as they’re consistently the same volume. For children between 2 and 13, use 4 parts Lavender, 3 parts Rosalina, 1 part Ravensara, 1 part Eucalyptus and 3 parts Bay Laurel. This recipe is excellent as a lower-cost version for adults as well — and has been made more gentle for the young ones (consult Valerie Worwood’s “Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child” for more on using essential oils with kids).

Diffusion: Getting The Oils Into The Air

The best way to use these oils is through diffusion, which is essentially “rapid evaporation”. A nebulizing aromatherapy diffuser will make a fine mist of essential oil which cleanly evaporates in your surroundings. This method allows a low concentration of the oils to be inhaled regularly. The effect is to actually disinfect the air in your home, as well as getting the oils into one’s lungs and bloodstream in small amounts. A feature of oils’ activity is that they are reported to reduce the ability of viruses to penetrate cell walls, so the lungs and sinuses become protected just by breathing the oil-infused air. Be careful not to overdo it though — the aroma should never be overwhelming or irritating, and your body will tell you if you’ve had enough. The oils do their immune-supportive job in subtle ways, which require only the smallest amounts of oil. The casual inhalation of the oils also gets them into circulation throughout the bloodstream, penetrating all the organ systems, and most importantly the lymph system — home to our immune function. A cold air nebulizing diffuser (as opposed to an ‘ultrasonic’, which dilutes the oils with water) would ideally be run 5-10 minutes every hour for this purpose.

Topical Application and Baths

In cases where diffusion is not practical, topical application of the oil formula is the next best thing. This can be done in a couple of ways: either though an aromatherapy bath, or through the ancient practice of reflexology — where the oils are absorbed at the reflex points of the feet. For the bath, mix 4-6 drops of the essential oil recipe in a little carrier oil (or any off-the-shelf bath oil). Swirl this blend into an already drawn bath and soak! For children, lessen the amount of essential oil 2 drops (for ages 2-8) or 4 drops (9-13). The feet and the areas of the body where the lymph nodes are close to the surface are also excellent places to massage in this recipe. The oils readily penetrate the skin and are rapidly absorbed. For adults, make a 5% concentration of the essential oil recipe in any carrier oil (Coconut, with its own antiviral activity may be best — otherwise any one will do). A 5% concentration is simply a 1 to 20 ratio — 1 part essential oil blend to 19 parts carrier (this same concentration is made by adding 44 drops of the formula to each 1 fluid ounce of carrier oil). Lower this concentration for children in a manner similar to the aromatherapy bath. A daily foot massage, and/or massage into the armpits, neck and sternum is an excellent means of treating yourself and your family to these wonderful herbal medicines.

Conclusion: Essential Oils, Infectious Illness and the Future

As noted earlier, the world’s leading aroma-medicine practitioners believe the most important healing potential for essential oils is in the prevention and treatment of infectious illness. Of course, one should evaluate every available means of strengthening their immune system and those of their loved ones — there are many ways health professionals will recommend to do this. Considering the scientific data, essential oils are certainly a very worthy method of providing this support. Given all the contagions, Swine flu, Avian flu, and ones yet to be named, natural medicines have the long-term advantage of not being easily “adapted to” by viruses. The oils are so complex, and have evolved as the defense mechanism of plants over millions of years that they may present a far greater challenge to a virus to become resistant to when compared to synthetic preparations. And they’re such a joy to use — you’re house will be smelling fantastic while you’re keeping healthy; a great many amateur practitioners will concur that think you’ll find essential oils very worthwhile.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease. The statements included in this document are the opinions of natural health professionals drawing on historical therapeutic practices and relevant scientific data. They are not meant to be a substitute for face-to-face consultations with trained and licensed medical professionals. Essential oils are considered to be supportive of the immune system’s actions my a great many health practitioners; at the same time, it is important to be aware of all the options available to you to make the best choices for your health and the health of your family.

The author is a natural health professional utilizing aromatherapy essential oils and offers wholesale essential oils through her website.