By Justine, on March 12th, 2010
FDA on Red Yeast Rice
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My friend who suffers from high cholesterol was recently prescribed red yeast rice supplements by her doctor. She is very happy to be taking a natural supplement as opposed to a drug.
Historically, red yeast rice has been used in China as both for food and a medicine. The use of red yeast rice in China was first documented in the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D. It is made by fermenting a type of yeast called Monascus purpureus over red rice. In Chinese medicine, red yeast rice is used to lower cholesterol, promote blood circulation and aid digestive problems.
People with high cholesterol are usually given statin medication to help lower their levels of bad cholesterol or LDL. Research indicates that red yeast rice contains substances that are similar to prescription statin medications. One of these substances, called monacolin K, has the same makeup as the drug lovastatin.
The University of Maryland Medical Center cites several studies that support the ability of red yeast rice to lower cholesterol:
By Justine, on December 9th, 2009
Alternative Cancer Therapies
Found this article in Parade Magazine and it gave good information about alternative cancer therapies. I summarized the major points.
More than 70% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative (CAM) medical therapies, according to a study in the journal Cancer. Alternative therapies may include acupuncture, meditation, supplements, hypnosis, homeopathy, prayer and religion.
Years ago alternative medicine was considered ineffective by the medical community and still today you will find some doctors who do not support that type of treatment. Most doctors though are willing to consider it. The American Cancer Society recently released its Complete Guide to Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapies. The book is to be used as a reference book and details hundreds of alternative therapies including evidence of effectiveness and side effects.
Historical evidence indicates that most patients who use natural remedies are not using them as a cure but for help in handling the side effects of radiation or chemotherapy. Common side effects are nausea, stress, and harm to the immune system.
The Cancer Society guide also covers many therapies for which there is no evidence such as shark cartilage, enzyme therapy and electro-magnetic therapy. Some alternative therapies can be dangerous, according to the guide, for instance chelation therapy, oxygen therapy, and hyperthermia.
By Justine, on October 25th, 2009
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Home Remedies for Diaper Rash
Found these great home remedies at AOL Health Following are a few of the remedies listed with a few of my own remedies added in. If you want to see the complete list follow the link AOL Health.
Home remedies for a headache:
Lay down in a darkened room. You can also take a hot bath using a few drops of lavender essential oil or you can simply inhale the scent of the lavender oil. Alternatively you can rub the area between your thumb and pointer finger, and/or open your mouth wide several times to relieve jaw tension. Headaches can also be caused by dehydration or dehydration can make your headache worse. So make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Drink an electrolyte solution such as Gatorade if you are very dehydrated.
Home remedies for nausea:
Drink lemon water, peppermint tea and/or suck on a peppermint to reduce your stomach pains. You can drink ginger tea or sip ginger ale, but be sure to get the kind with real ginger from a health food store.
By Justine, on July 1st, 2009
Drinking peppermint tea will help overcome sore muscles and cramps. You can apply it externally as a wet mash to the area also, as its camphoraceous principles will help relieve the pain according to Pamela Allerdice writing in Natural Remedies A to Z.
Peppermint Tea for Upset Stomach
Peppermint tea will also help pregnant women experiencing nausea but they should only use a mild infusion. Too strong of an infusion can be dangerous when you are pregnant.
Peppermint tea is also good to calm an upset stomach. Peppermint tea (not hot but at room temperature) is also helpful in treating diarrhea and reducing intestinal gas.
Recipe for Peppermint Tea Facial:
Add two tablespoons peppermint tea leaves to boiling water in a large bowl or sink.
Hold your face close to the steam and drape a towel over your head and the bowl rim. After steaming your face for 15 minutes, wipe with dampened cotton wool to remove impurities, then close the pores by splashing cold water.
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By Justine, on May 26th, 2009
Prescription Drug Interactions
I wanted to post about this because many people assume if your taking over-the-counter medication you don’t need to tell your doctor. But pharmacists advise that doctors need to have a complete picture of what you are putting in your body. In other words, you need to tell them what vitamins, herbs and non-prescription drugs you are taking.For instance you may have heard about the interaction between St. John’s Wort and Vioxx an anti-inflammatory drug that was taken off the market in 2004. Serotonin levels became dangerously high for some people who took both these medicines.
To avoid dangerous drug interactions and herbal medicine/drug interactions pharmacists recommend several things:
1. Keep a list of every prescription, supplement and over-the-counter medicine you take.
2. Use one pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions. Using only one pharmacy minimizes the chances of drug interactions by keeping all medication records at one location.
3. Get to know your pharmacist. If your pharmacist doesn’t have time to visit with you, make an appointment so the pharmacist can get a complete picture of all medications, vitamins and over-the-counter medications.
By Justine, on February 27th, 2009
Cucumber Recipes for Natural Skin Care
Cucumbers are usually cheap and readily available. They have an amazing number of uses for natural cures. According to Pamela Allardice writing in her book Natural Remedies A-Z cucumber’s ability to eliminate water from the body makes it very important for those with heart and kidney problems. It also helps dissolve uric acid accumulations such as kidney and bladder stones. Constipation is helped greatly by cucumber salad. The best cucumbers to use are those fully ripe, when starting to turn yellow.
For skin and cosmetic uses, cucumber juice can be applied to the skin as a toning, refreshing lotion, or blended into a cream; it is excellent as an inclusion in any ointment or lotion used for treating burns, chafing or dry or flaking skin.
Recipe for Cucumber Juice:
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and then cut them, with the skin on, into small pieces.
Put the pieces in an earthen ware or porcelain dish.
Pour enough hot water over them to cover, put over a low heat and let simmer for half an hour or more. Be careful not to burn them.
Strain the mixture through a colander.
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