Alternative Health Safety

There are many types of alternative health practices, but not all of them may be safe.  Most standard forms of alternative medicine are safe, but there are a couple of very important points to keep in mind.

1. Always visit licensed or highly-trained practitioners.
2. Don’t avoid other types of treatment.

While alternative medicine can work, it is important not to neglect other healing methods from traditional method.  The comedian Andy Kaufman sought alternative treatment for a rare form of lung cancer.  He switched to a fruit and vegetable diet and tried a procedure called “psychic surgery”, but despite his best efforts the cancer metastasized and killed him just about 5 months after he was diagnosed.

While Kaufman did have palliative radiotherapy, he did not seek other types of medical treatment.  He believed his alternative methods would cure him, but the treatments came too late.

In fact, “psychic surgery” is a hoax.  It is one form of alternative medicine that has been positively proven to be false.  Practitioners claim they can plunge their hands into the patient’s body, remove problem tissue or foreign objects with their hands, and then magically close the wound with no scars or sutures.

In reality the practitioner simply uses sleight of hand to squeeze animal blood around the area, and they appear to be removing things from the body that are in fact animal tissue and clotted blood.

This is one example of why you should be especially careful with regards to alternative medicine.  While some forms of alternative medicine are valid and helpful, others are simply hoaxes and fraud.

Always research methods carefully, and work with a medical professional to decide the best course of treatment for you.  Your health is worth pursuing every possible treatment method, both in traditional medicine and alternative.

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Is Food Irradiation Safe?

Food irradiation is a process that uses radiation to destroy microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, and insects that might be found in food.  It can also cause ripening to be delayed, reduce sprouting, increase juiciness, and other uses.  Not only can it kill certain contaminants, but it extends the food’s shelf-life by stopping the ripening process.

The process is currently legal in over 40 countries, and it is in wide use currently.  Over 500,000 metric tons of food are currently irradiated each year around the world.

The USDA has approved the process as an alternative to pesticides, and the FDA has given it approval for processing ground beef in order to eliminate E. coli.  Other agencies around the world have agreed that they believe the technique is safe.

Others are skeptical.  They believe there could be far-reaching consequences that haven’t yet been discovered.  The technique hasn’t been in wide use long enough yet for any long-term effects to be apparent, and there haven’t been enough studies conducted into these long-term effects.

There is also concern over the safety of the workers who work at irradiation facilities.  The Nuclear Regulatory Commissions investigate issues regarding the safety of these techniques.  Most facilities are safe, but the technique has not been performed completely without incident.

For example, in Decatur, Georgia the water soluble caesium-137 was accidentally leaked into a storage pool and NRC had to intervene.  Because of this incident, caesium-137 has been replaced by the non-water soluble cobalt-60, even though cobalt-60 is more costly.

Overall it is believed that the technique is safe, because the radiation used isn’t in sufficient quantities to harm a human being.  But there is no way to tell whether this radiation might build up in the body over the years, or if there are effects that haven’t yet been discovered.

What is Biofeedback?

Biofeedback is a type of alternative method that involves taking readings of a patient’s body functions and relaying this information back to the patient in order to train them to control these functions.

These bodily functions include blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, and skin temperature.  The theory is that a person can control these functions within themselves once they learn to recognize how their body responds to certain things.

Biofeedback is used for the treatment of many types of ailments, including ADHD and muscle tension.  It is also being used to treat hypertension.

There are several modalities for biofeedback:

Electromyography, or EMG is the most common modality.  Electrodes measure muscle activity in order to help control muscle tension and relaxation.  It can be used to ease back pain, neck pain, incontinence, migraines, and cluster headaches.  It may also be used to treat some types of paralysis resulting from stroke, spinal cord lesions, and Cerebral Palsy.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, measures brain waves.  These waves correspond to certain states of brain activity, including beta waves, alpha waves, theta waves, and delta waves.  They are used to treat anxiety and ADHD and this is considered very effective.

Photoplethysmography , or PPG, measures blood flow, heart rare, and heart rate variability.  This is especially seful for treating cardiac arrhythmia and regulating the heart rate.

Pneumography measures the movements of the chest and abdomen during breathing.  It can help treat apnea, reverse breathing, and thoracic breathing.

Electrodermography measures sweat gland activity.  This information can be useful in treating stuttering, anxiety, and phobias.

While biofeedback is sometimes viewed with some skepticism by medical professionals, it has been praised by others.  It is a fairly expensive procedure, but it is worth pursuing if other methods of treatment have failed.

What is Reflexology?

Reflexology is a type of practice similar to acupuncture; only no needles are used.  The process involves massaging or pressing areas of the feet, hands, and ears to achieve certain health effects.

Reflexology depends on the same general principle as acupuncture, believing that the life force, or Qi, can be blocked within the body, preventing proper healing.  It is believed that pressing on these areas can release blocked Qi and allow healing to resume properly.

Modern reflexology began in 1913 when Dr. William H. Fitzgerald, M.D., discovered that applying pressure gave a kind of anesthetic effect on other areas of the body.  It was further developed in the 1930s and 1940s by a nurse named Eunice D. Ingham.  She discovered that the hands and feel were very sensitive, and she mapped areas that corresponded to certain parts of the body.

Some people get reflexology charts and attempt to perform it on themselves.  This can be beneficial, but you may also run the risk of causing further blocks if you press on the wrong areas.  You could unblock one area and block another if you don’t know what you’re doing.

It’s best to consult with a highly-trained reflexology practitioner.  Unfortunately there are no licensing requirements or regulations, so you may need to ask around for a qualified practitioner before you find one that can help you.

You can ask friends, conduct internet searches, or even test out a few for yourself.  Reflexology can work, but only when performed by someone who really knows what they’re doing.

The Complete Healing System
Insider techniques to alternative health are finally revealed. Proven methods, instant results!

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a type of alternative health treatment that uses tiny needles inserted into the skin to treat a number of different medical issues, especially chronic pain.

The practice originated in China, and other forms of it have developed in Japan, Tibet, Vietnam, and Korea.  It has been around for hundreds of years, and is considered a part of traditional Chinese medicine.  In fact, a crude version of acupuncture using needles made of stone was discovered as far back as 3000 B.C.!

Acupuncture may have even been practiced in Eurasia as long as 5,200 years ago.  While modern acupuncture did originate in China, it may have been practiced all over Eurasia in a crude and ancient form much earlier than the current Chinese form.

The World Health Organization and other international medical institutions have studied acupuncture and concluded that there is enough evidence to warrant further research into the technique.

The needles used in acupuncture are extremely thin.  They are inserted into the skin along lines called meridians.  There are twelve primary pathways on the body.  There are six yin and six yang channels, including three of each on each arm and three of each on each leg.  There are also channels on the hands and feet.

Acupuncturists use certain body signs to diagnose medical issues.  They inspect the tongue, body order, listening for sounds like wheezing, asking questions about chills and fever, perspiration, and appetite, and palpation of various parts of the body.

Once a diagnosis has been made, the needles are placed into the body at the appropriate points along the various channels.

Acupuncture is used for treating dozens of illnesses and disorders, including:

• Chronic pain
• Allergies
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Digestive issues
• Drug detoxification
• Headaches
• Hiccups
• Strokes
• Weight Loss
• And many more

The Truth About Antioxidants

An antioxidant is a type of molecule that can help slow or halt the oxidation of other molecules.  Oxidation is a type of chemical reaction that can produce something known as free radicals.  These free radicals can set off chain reactions that can damage cells in the body.  Antioxidants can help slow or prevent this.

Antioxidants are found naturally in many foods, including:

• Fruits & Vegetables
• Tea
• Coffee
• Chocolate
• Cinnamon
• Olive Oil
• Red Wine

Antioxidants are used to treat and prevent all kinds of diseases and issues within the body.  They can be used to treat brain injuries and strokes, and are being investigated as potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

They are thought to reduce the risk of heart disease and a number of different types of cancer.  They may also help prevent macular degeneration, immune deficiency, and they may reduce cholesterol.

Antioxidants are available in supplement form, but it’s probably best to get them from natural sources.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are very high in antioxidants, but they are also low in calories and high in energy, and also contain fiber which has been shown to reduce cholesterol.

Additionally, there may be any number of antioxidants or other beneficial substances in foods that haven’t yet been discovered.  Lycopene is an antioxidant that exists in tomatoes and some other red fruits.  It was only discovered in the 1980s, and its health benefits have only recently been brought into the public light.  Before that, it was never added to nutritional supplements, and anyone depending solely on supplements wouldn’t have consumed much of it.

It’s always best to consume a wide variety of all types of foods.  This is the best way to ensure you’re getting an adequate amount of the various nutrients your body needs for optimal health.

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How to Detoxify Your Body

Detox diets are all the rage these days, but do they really work?  If so, which type of detox diet is the best one?

Detox diets are actually great for a number of different things:

• Weight loss
• Clearing up skin issues
• Bloating
• Bowel cleansing
• Constipation
• Immune boosting

The most common use for detox diets is weight loss.  Detoxification can indeed help you lose pounds, but a lot of that weight is from the cleansing of build-up inside the colon and eliminating the toxins that build up under the skin.

Skin issues can be cleared up through detoxification.  When toxins build up under the skin, they can erupt into breakouts and rashes.  Detox diets can help clear up these skin issues by getting rid of those toxins.

If your immune system is low, it may be due to a build-up of toxic substances in your body.  Your immune system is constantly trying to eliminate all of these, which means it isn’t as strong when it needs to attack something like a virus or bacterial infection.

You don’t need to follow any specific detox diet unless there is one that has been recommended to you that you’d like to follow.  I’ve found that the best type of detox diet is to simply eliminate cooked foods for a few days.

Whenever I need to detoxify my body, I fall back to raw fruits and vegetables for 7-10 days, drinking only water and lemonade made with fresh lemons and grade-B maple syrup with a dash of cayenne pepper.  This works very well and very fast!

Just so you know, you may experience some symptoms when your body starts to detox.  Headaches and rashes are the most common, but they aren’t serious.  If you feel a little ill, don’t worry, it usually only lasts a day or two, and it’s a sign that the process is working as it should be.

Organic Food Health Benefits

Organic food is quite a bit more expensive than standard produce, so a lot of people wonder if it’s even worth it to spend the extra money to get organic.  The truth is, it’s very important to buy organic produce whenever you can.

Just 100 years ago deaths from cancer were very rare.  One major factor in this may be the use of more chemicals, from pesticides to food additives.  When you buy organic, you know you’re getting food that is free of those potentially carcinogenic chemicals.

Pesticides were made to kill insects that harm crops, but they also have far-reaching environmental impacts outside of this use.  These chemicals can kill other insects that are beneficial to us.  They can also seep into the groundwater, travel into lakes and harm aquatic animals, and harm other animals that may eat the animals that have been poisoned by them.

Pesticides have been shown to cause all kinds of effects, including:

• Cancer
• Infertility
• Birth defects
• Endocrine system failure
• Mutagenic effects (causing mutations)
• Miscarriage

These are just a few of the devastating effects that can be caused by pesticides.   Unfortunately many of the pesticides in current use haven’t yet been tested enough to determine just how safe they are.  And when you think about it, can any chemical designed to kill insects really be safe for human consumption?

It wasn’t so many years ago when DDT was thought to be safe.  It has now been banned because it was discovered that it potentially cased liver and biliary cancer, and potentially pancreatic cancer.  The ban on DDT is thought to be integral in bringing back the population of the American Bald Eagle.

Always buy organic if you can possibly afford to do so.  Even those pesticides that are currently considered “safe” may be shown to be dangerous in the future, and it’s just not worth taking a chance like that.

The Raw Food System
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Dark Chocolate Health Benefits

You’ve probably heard on the news that chocolate is now considered to be good for you, but you may not know the details about why, and what type of chocolate you should be consuming.

First of all, only dark chocolate is considered to be “good for you”.  Milk chocolate doesn’t contain enough of the beneficial flavonoids, which are a type of antioxidant.  Dark chocolate contains almost eight times the number of antioxidants found in strawberries!

You should look for dark chocolate that is at least 65-70% cocoa.  These will have the highest flavonoids levels, and will also contain less sugar.  You can also buy sugar free dark chocolate if you’re a diabetic or you’d like to cut down on your sugar consumption.

There are two main benefits that have been shown to come from dark chocolate.  First of all, it has been shown to lower blood pressure.  Secondly, it can lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by up to 10%!

It also has a few additional benefits:

• It stimulates endorphin production, which give you pleasure.
• It contains serotonin, which is a natural antidepressant.
• It contains stimulants which can make you feel more alert.

You should note that you shouldn’t drink milk with your dark chocolate.  Research has shown that milk can prevent the antioxidants in the chocolate from being absorbed properly, thus negating their effect.  You might consider washing your dark down with green tea or red wine, both of which also contain high levels of antioxidants!

Alternative Health Methods

There are a number of different alternative health methods that really do work to alleviate symptoms of all kinds of health issues.  Although some types of alternative health treatments can be dismissed as “mumbo jumbo”, some really are very effective and should be pursued when possible.

Diet

The very best alternative health treatment for many issues is to simply change the diet.  Adding in more fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables can help detoxify the system, and will also bring in plenty of vitamins and antioxidants that can fight off disease and infections.   The immune system will be boosted, and the digestive tract will be cleansed.

Eliminating processed and refined foods like white flour and sugar will also go a long way to clearing up a wide range of health issues.

Acupuncture

Dismissed by many people as ineffective, acupuncture can be highly effective when administered by a trained professional.  If you can find a highly-experienced acupuncturist, they can help you with a wide range of ailments.

Reflexology

While it may seem silly, reflexology is incredibly effective.  It can help clear up a number of minor issues, including fertility issues, female issues, kidney issues, and more.  This is an inexpensive and effective treatment.

Meditation

Meditation is remarkably effective at a number of different things.  It can not only help you reduce stress, it’s also great for reducing blood pressure, clearing up respiratory problems, improving circulation, and improving memory.  Tai chi combines meditation with breathing and stretching, and takes meditation to a new level for even more remarkable effects.

Remember, it wasn’t so many years ago that a lot of people thought chiropractors were con artists.  Now chiropractics is considered a mainstream form of treatment for back and neck pain.  Don’t dismiss alternative health methods without first trying them.  You might be shocked to find out just how well some of them can work for you!