Arthritis Introduction

The word ‘arthritis’ means ‘inflammation of joints.’ It comes from two Greek words, athron meaning joints and itis meaning inflammation. It is a chronic disease process. In the early stages, the whole body is usually involved and one or two joints may become completely deformed, leaving the patient handicapped and somewhat weakened. It is mostly seen in the elderly. Inflammation is the main feature of arthritis, which is a reaction of the joint tissues to some form of damage or injury and it highly affects joints and bones.

Types of Arthritis

There are more than 150 different types of arthritis and all affect joints and bones. The most common forms of arthritis are:

1. Osteoarthritis

2. Rheumatoid arthritis and

3. Gout.

Osteo-arthritis:- it is the most common degenerative joint disease and occurs after the age of 40. In this the bones increase in size and the space between them decreases, making the bones rub against each other, causing pain. It also results from structure changes in the particular cartilage, in the joints, mainly of spine and knees.  Read more...

People with depression are simply not able to carry on their lives normally. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. When these symptoms become very intense, they start interfering with one’s ability to normally carry out even the daily chores. The person feels unable to do anything about it; other people need to help him out of this depressive situation. Appropriate treatment is required to help most people who suffer from depression.

Symptoms:

The symptoms that help identify depression include:

1) Constant feelings of sadness, irritability.

2) Feeling exhausted most of the time, despite lack of activity.

3) Decreased interest social activities.

4) Significant weight change.

5) A change in sleeping pattern, such as difficulty sleeping or early morning awakening.

6) Lack of confidence.

7) Spends a lot of time thinking about what has gone wrong or what will go wrong.

8) Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.

9) Physical pain, which has no apparent physical

10) Thoughts of suicide or death  Read more...

Discover Total Wellness for Women Through Natural Healing

From the Introduction:
“The greatest blessing that I have to share with other women is the gift of homeopathy. . . . Every day I see the profound changes that this remarkable method of healing has brought to my patients’ lives.

That a form of healing that is so simple and elegant and makes so much common sense to patients can transform lives so powerfully, with doses of natural medicine administ… More >>

Whole Woman Homeopathy: The Comprehensive Guide to Treating PMS, Menopause, Cystitis, and Other Problems – Naturally and Effectively

Basil (P, SS) Eases mental fatigue, stimulates poor memory and enhances alterness. beneficial as a digestive aid. relieves headache pain

Bergamot (SS, S) Great for nervous/depressed emotions. antiseptic for skin conditions regulates appetiteassists convalescence

Cedar, Himalayan (P, SS) A very calming oileases Bronchitis and respiratory ailmentscombats cellulite

Chamomile, Roman Aids skin conditions eases Migrainesrelieves Insomnia..soothing..anti-inflammatory use as a compress for ear-aches

Clary Sage (P) Avoid if Epileptic avoid alcohol, it may exaggerate the effects Produces vivid dreams eases Migraines balances female hormones.eases menstrual discomfort /PMS/ Menopause retards excessive Perspiration

Eucalyptus (P) Stimulatinganti-viral.. eases respiratory ailmentssoothes Sore Muscles and sunburn pain anti-bacterial properties inhibit spread of infection when used in a Diffuser

Frankincense Meditative.. tightens and tones skin anti-aging.. stimulates cell regeneration sooths and calms nerves treats Urinary Tract Infection.. anti-bacterial

Geranium, Rose Regenerates and rejujinates skin cells and tissue.. anti-cellulite.eases stress.. balances hormone problems during Menopause..relieves PMS

Ginger (SS) Relief from Arthritis pain, sprians, muscle aches and pains keeps sport muscles supple eases Motion Sickness, hangovers, jet lag sexual tonic  Read more...

A migraine attack can occur once in a month, once a week or even once every day and hence it is episodic. It occurs in the brain and nerves and so is neurological and therefore, migraine is defined as an episodic neurological disorder.

The migraine attack may occur for the first time for boys at about 10 years of age and for girls, the peak age for experiencing a migraine is near 14 years, during their first menstrual period. So, it is sensible to conclude that migraines may be hormonally related and is often referred to as a menstrual migraine.

When compared to other migraines, menstrual migraines last longer, are more severe, occur more often with nausea and vomiting and are more difficult to treat. Migraines are related to changes in the level of estrogen during a woman’s menstrual cycle, which drops immediately before the start of menstrual flow.

 Read more...

Learn how to differentiate between types of depression, signs, causes and treatment. This is the first step toward understanding depression, getting the appropriate treatment and taking that step.

Alcohol Depression

As the name implies, alcohol depression is the lows that follow periods of excessive drinking. Guilt, remorse, and shame play a huge part in this type of depression, and nothing short of a long period of sobriety can begin the alleviate it. With alcohol depression, the normal hangover is much more than not feeling well.

Anxiety Depression

Anxiety depression oftentimes is indicated by profuse sweating, shaky hands and voice. Persons suffering from anxiety disorder are generally pessimistic, always expecting the worse. They also tend to go through long periods of time where they are afraid to leave their homes or participate in social activities.

Bipolar Depression

This type of depression was formerly called manic depression. Bipolar depression occurs in cycles, hence the ‘bi’ in its name. Persons who are bipolar have changing periods of great sadness and immense joy.  Read more...

This multidisciplinary review of all aspects of sleep disorders in women at different stages of life emphasizes the unique impact that each reproductive and endocrine stage has on both normal sleep and sleep disorders.

The authors share their expert knowledge and experience in treating insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, restless leg syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea in adolescent, premenopausal, pregnant, and menopausal patients. In addition to summarizing … More >>

Sleep Disorders in Women: From Menarche Through Pregnancy to Menopause: A Guide for Practical Management

One area of the body that most people, both men and women, find entirely unattractive on their own bodies is their belly. Having a flat stomach or a “six pack abs” is the dream of most adults. It is something that adults who are heading for a beach vacation strive to achieve in the months prior to leaving. Those of us who are not satisfied with our stomachs love the winter months where sweat shirts and sweaters can hide our spare tire.

But losing that spare tire is possible. The best part about it is that there is no secret formula, no magic bullet, and no special diet plan and no specific food that especially targets belly fat. And the better news is that belly fat is usually the first fat that is lost when you start to lose weight.

Recent research has linked fat around the abdomen with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. More specifically, it is not the fat that you can grab that poses the highest health risk but rather the deepest layer of fat which produces hormones and other substances that negatively affects your health. This fat is located next to and in between other organs in the abdominal cavity.  Read more...

Women who undergo menopause naturally or surgically usually choose some sort of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The reproductive hormones are produced in decreased amounts once the reproductive cycle of your life is over. HRT takes has many formulations so you can choose the one that works best for you.

Most hormone replacement therapy consists of a combination of estrogen and synthetic progesterone called progestins. For women who undergo menopause naturally, using estrogen alone can increase the risk of uterine cancer. This is not an issue for women who have undergone a hysterectomy. Progesterone protects the uterus and reduces the cancer risk.

The type of HRT that you take is up to you. After you decide on estrogen alone or estrogen with synthetic progesterone, the delivery of your HRT is the next question.

Progesterone HRT

Progesterone (as progestin) is given for hormone replacement therapy in pill form. It can be taken with estrogen in pill form or on a schedule with estrogen that is given in another form. It is up to the doctor and you as to the type of schedule your hormone replacement therapy will follow.  Read more...

Back pain is a common problem affecting literally millions of people. It can range from minor, temporary pain, to sustained pain in different parts of the back, neck or shoulders or involve the pinching of nerves, affecting the legs or arms.   The causes of back pain vary and can often be a combination of factors. Some of the factors identified by practitioners are set out below.

Sprains and strains An out-of-condition back or one with pre-existing problems is more vulnerable to soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains. A sprain isa joint injury that involves stretching or tearing of the ligaments. A strainisan injury to muscle or tendons. Stretching a ligament or muscle too quickly can result in a tear. Excessive force and certain repetitive use may also damage muscles.

Disc problems The intervertebral discs are the cushions between our vertebrae. These discs dry out and harden with age, making them susceptible to injury. Common disc complaints involve the disc bulging (prolapse), herniating or even rupturing.  Read more...

Did you know there are 92 elements found in nature and an additional 22 which are observed elements or scientists believe exists but have not been able to prove.

In addition to all of those there are also hundreds of isotopes of those elements, any one of which can play an important role in human health which has yet to of been discovered.

In these numerous elements are trace minerals which are called this because they are required in such a very small amounts.

And, while scientists and doctors believe they have identified many of the trace minerals required by the body for optimal health, they are required in such minute amounts and there are so many different trace elements that may be necessary, it is highly unlikely that physicians and scientists have identified all of them.  Read more...

One of the hallmark signs of perimenopause and menopause is a significant 10 to 15 pound weight gain that appears to come overnight. Many women are told that this is a common “middle aged spread” and that they must learn to live with it. In fact, while it may be associated with perimenopause and menopause, there are also other significant environmental and hormonal changes which can be affected and results in less weight gain or reversal.

Some of the reasons that women gain weight during perimenopause and menopause are a lack of exercise, eating more food, stress-related eating, hormonal imbalances, thyroid dysfunction and other underlying medical condition that become more evidence when the masking effect of estrogen is dropped.

Before assuming that the sudden weight gain is normal a woman should see her primary care physician or gynecologist in order to rule out any other medical condition that may be causing this effect. While there, she should also check with her physician to be sure that she can include both cardiac and strength training exercises in her weekly regimen. The physician can help evaluate how much exercise will be appropriate and the woman will be able to withstand, considering any other medical issues or conditions which she may be facing.  Read more...

It’s no secret that many women started menopause in their mid-40s into their early 50s. It’s a time of life where many changes happen in a woman’s body that are hormonally based and wreak havoc on everything from sleep patterns to weight gain and emotional stability. For decades, if not centuries, women have been searching for a way to decrease their symptoms and get through this time in life more easily.

Physicians and researchers as well as pharmaceutical companies have also jumped on the bandwagon to address the needs of this evergreen market. Women are continuing to enter and leave menopause each and every year and will continue to do so until the human race is no more. Pharmaceutical companies and researchers hold a great stake in finding a solution for which they can charge a significant amount of money.  Read more...

According to the American Academy of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) an estimated 50 million women will have reached menopause by the end of the year. And, because thyroid disease and menopause often create the same symptoms the disease can often go undetected or may worsen when the woman approaches menopause because of the hormonal shifts that happen in the body.

According to the AACE millions of women suffer from a variety of unresolved symptoms that are thought to be menopause related but may have undiagnosed thyroid disease. Both conditions often develop in the same general age range and share symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, depression and sleep disturbances. Other symptoms that are similar are hair loss, change in hair texture, increased anxiety, heart palpitations, and skin changes.

Estimations are that by age 50 one out of every 10 to 12 women will have some degree of hypothyroidism and by age 60 that number jumps to one out of five or six. Many women also confuse the symptoms of thyroid disease with menopause and don’t think of seeking the care and advice of their physician.  Read more...

As women age and reach menopause many are faced with slowing metabolism, spreading waistlines and a slow weight gain. There are many factors which affect a woman’s weight as she enters menopause. Not the least of these is a potential for thyroid dysfunction which affects approximately 8% of women at age 50 and jumps to 17% of women by age 60.

Other factors include a decreased amount of exercise that often accompanies this stage in life. Couple this with a metabolism or basal metabolic rate which is already slowing between 2% and 4% every decade since the woman turns 30 and hormonal changes which are normal during menopause and a woman is a perfect set up for weight gain and “middle-aged spread”.

There are a few things that women can do in order to speed up their metabolism and slow the weight gain to a stop or even reverse some of the changes. These are lifestyle choices that both men and women benefit from so women who can convince their spouses to go with them on this journey will find that both of them benefit from improved overall sense of well-being and improved health.  Read more...

Weight gain during perimenopause is a universal complaint among women. It is not uncommon for a woman to gain between 10 and 15 pounds, especially around her abdomen and hips. In some instances women see this as a rite of passage to becoming and older wiser you. But most often, this almost instantaneous weight gain is a signal of hormonal imbalance and is heralded by emotional upheaval and distress over this sudden increase in the late. In medical circles, some described as weight gain as an unavoidable “middle-aged spread”.

And, while women in the past had to accept these changes to their body, current technology and medical knowledge has enabled physicians and holistic practitioners to more clearly establish the imbalances in the body and help the woman to determine specific methodologies she can use in order to reverse the process.

Prior to perimenopause and menopause levels of estrogen in the body can often mask symptoms of other systems having difficulty. A woman has been exposed to many years of toxins, environmental changes and hormonal imbalances, the results of which are now being felt by the rest of the body.  Read more...

For years there has been some debate about whether or not there is such a thing as male menopause. The terminology menopause was designed just to describe the changes that happen, hormonally, metabolically and emotionally, in a woman’s body when she is no longer fertile. During this period in her life hormones fluctuate and cause significant changes in the way that she is able to cope with stress, her menstrual periods, her emotions and her basal metabolic rate.

However, men do undergo physical and emotional changes during their midlife, just as women do, but do not have a definable moment such as a menstrual period. Men finds that as they aged fertility decreases as does the level of testosterone after the age of 40. In terms of sexuality the greatest change occurs between the ages of 45 and 60. They find there is a decline in desire and the ability to get and maintain erections.  Read more...

Andropause is the result of low testosterone in the mail body. I that time then reads the ages of 40 to 55 they may experience a phenomenon that is similar to female menopause. Unlike women who can mark menopause through the cessation of their menstrual cycle, men do not have a clear-cut signpost. However, Andropause is distinguished by a marked drop in hormone levels. This drop can account for changes in attitude, mood, fatigue, loss of energy, loss of sex drive and physical agility.

Studies also show that this decline in testosterone in the mail can’t put them at greater risk for other health problems such as heart disease and osteoporosis. Since this all occurs at a time in life when many men began to question their values, accomplishments and possible direction in life, it can be difficult to differentiate between the changes that are physical and those that are emotional.  Read more...

Transitioning into menopause means that you no longer have a period. Hormone levels also decrease because eggs are no longer released. To stay healthy, learning to eat right during menopause is important.

When you are in your reproductive years, you release an egg each month. If you don’t get pregnant, the egg is shed along with the lining of the uterus that was thickened for implantation. This is the period you experience each month with its cramps and body aches. Hormones dictate the release of the egg and the preparation of the uterus for a child.

Once you hit menopause, that hormone production decreases which leads to a number of symptoms and conditions that you need to be aware of. First, you may experience hot flashes, night sweats, and urinary problems. Internally, your bones are prone to osteoporosis and you are at greater risk for heart disease and brain disorders like Alzheimer’s. Women have a hard time getting their bone-building calcium and iron but it is more necessary now that estrogen is low.  Read more...

If you are ill, you should generally turn to a physician for help. However, in many countries, essential oils are used in the mainstream medical community. So, if you still need help after seeing your doctor, you can use essential oils to help you heal.

The first thing to remember when using essential oils for healing is that you need to buy only the certified therapeutic grade oils. These oils are purer and more concentrated. They will cost more, but if you buy the cheaper oils they will have little healing effect.

Essential oils strengthen your immune system. They can help with viruses and cold sores, for example. Clove, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary, and neroli are just some of the essential oils that will help in this area.

There are also essential oils that are powerful antifungal agents. Some of these are tea tree, lemon grass, and rosemary oils. Fungi can cause many problems in the body. Many people are allergic to mold. Allergies of all types can be treated with tansy, spikenard, cajeput, and chamomile, to name a few. Tansy, along with eucalyptus and marjoram are essential oils used to help with asthma. Bronchitis can be eased with eucalyptus, rosemary, and thyme oils.  Read more...