Thursday, August 27, 2009

Buy Pau D'arco Bark: Relief That Works

By Tyjuan Giordano

A thousand years ago, the Incas of Peru found the inner bark of the pink-flowered lapacho tree indispensable for treating fever, sore throat, dysentery, snakebite, bladder and yeast infections, and even cancer. They also used its wood to make bows for hunting.

The herb suddenly rose to fame! A decade later however, the National Cancer Institute determined that the quantity needed of the cancer curing drug in pau d'arco would have too many dangerous side effects. As a result, the "miracle drug" lost its place of prestige.

In the 1950s, Brazilian researchers confirmed that this ancient medicine is indeed anti-bacterial. Among more recent investigations:

First, the research isolated the chemical lapachol in pau d'arco that they felt cured the cancer. Since then Researchers have isolated over 20 active chemicals in pau d'arco. Some feel it is a combination of several or all these together that makes it effective. Second, it has been shown that the use of the whole herb does not create the side effects that extracted lapachol causes.

Pau d'arco has certain anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activity, including against herpes I and II. It may reduce viral replication, according to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Pau d'arco is available in health food stores in capsules, tinctures, and as dried bark. The recommended dosage is one to two capsules or one to two droppers of tincture taken one to four times per day, depending on the condition and patient.

Early reports declared pau d'arco to be useful in treating leukemia and other cancers, but the National Cancer Institute's research into lapachol (the constituent with the most anti-tumor activity) was halted due to mild side effects. More recent lab tests in Korea determined that another constituent, beta-lapachone, kills cancer cells of the lung, colon, and prostate. Pau d'arco is some time away from being used to treat cancer, but the Incas may have been on the right track.

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a health care practitioner. Talk to your doctor to determine the proper dose of pau d'arco, because too much can be dangerous. Pregnant and nursing women should not take pau d'arco.

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Colon Cleansing Herbs: Take That Natural Approach

By Matt Foster

It is a well known fact that the atmosphere and the food we eat and drink are crammed with harmful chemicals that enter the body and add to the build up of toxins that hamper the proper functioning of the body. Add to this the pesticides and fumes we breathe in unknowingly adding to the build up of toxins. Before long the body will begin to reel under the effects of these harmful toxins and will need to be cleansed. This cleansing process is called detoxification.

Our body does have a natural cleansing mechanism and this works through the kidney and liver at times the system can become over burdened and may need some external help from us to clean out the circulatory and excretory systems of the body. Some of the processes practiced for detoxification is prolonged fasting. This is an unhealthy process as the body needs nutrients to sustain itself. The best way is to resort to a detox diet assisted with detox body herbs as well.

Dietary changes. Adhering to dietary guidelines is a very important part of detoxification. Toxins cannot be eliminated while they continue to enter the body. Because the kidneys are unable to function properly without sufficient water intake, drinking plenty of water during a cleanse is a necessity. Consuming a high-fiber diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains is also important. That is because fiber helps to absorb and eliminate toxins as it passes through the digestive tract.

After one recognises what the herbal detoxification will do for them then it's time to construct a list of everything that you will eat during the period. But in order to know that you will have to choose how long you wish the process to last. A lot of folks decide to go 2 to 3 days on the diet; however, it's only essential to complete 1 entire day, a 24 hour period. This is chiefly because your body will profit from everything that you eat the 1st day and the 2d twenty-four hours is not essential. Carrying out an herbal detoxification for one day is also the fastest way to have the process over.

Psyllium seeds. These herbs induce bowel movements and clean the bowls of toxins very effectively. The herb itself acts like a sponge absorbing the toxins and passing out with the excreta. Cascara Sagrada is another very effective laxative that is used to flush out the toxins from the system and is used along with the psyllium seeds.

Most of the ingredients that one will wish to eat on an herbal detoxification are all types of herbs, like cayenne pepper, garlic, primrose oil, flax seed, parsley, and even cinnamon. All of these ingredients may be blended in the other foods that you digest during a complete detoxification.

Dandelion roots are herbs with the strongest detoxifying properties. These herbs are used to clean the gall bladder of waste as also the kidneys. The Dandelion root is used in conjunction with other detox herbs as other organs need to be cleansed simultaneously.

Nutrient supplementation. Supplementing the diet with extra vitamins and minerals, particularly those with antioxidant properties (vitamins A, C, E and the minerals selenium and zinc) and B vitamins, may prove beneficial. A multivitamin and mineral supplement may be used to support the body as it purges toxic chemicals.

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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Buy Muira Puama Herb: Natural Ingredients to Improve Your Life

By Roy Gonzalez

The term "impotence" has traditionally been used to signify the inability of the male to attain and maintain erection of the penis sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse. Impotence, in most circumstances, is more precisely referred to as erectile dysfunction as this term differentiates itself from loss of libido, premature ejaculation, or inability to achieve orgasm.

Muira puama is a bush / small tree up to 5 meters in height and produces pungent flowers with a jasmine like fragrance.

Muira Puama is usually prepared by treating the barks and roots of the shrub in order to extract the active ingredients. The precise mechanisms by which Muira Puama affects the body are not clearly understood.

Murapuama has been used as a herb in Europe for some time and is listed in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, a source on herbal medicine from the British Herbal Medicine Association, and is recommended for the treatment of dysentery and impotence.

It is from the Olacaceae family, and the genus is Ptychopetalum (species olacoides) and is also known as Muira Puama, Marapuama, Marapama, Potency Wood and Potenzholz. The bark and roots are used in herbal treatments.

For example, Muira Puama has been extensively studied by the Sexology Institute of Paris, France. A high percentage of participants in scientifically controlled case studies reported that taking Muira Puama extract was highly effective in increasing erectile efficiency and libido.

Like with any medication, there are potential side effects of Muira Puama. The most commonly noted side effect is insomnia. Some users have reported feeling jittery and having increased occurrences of muscle spasms. No serious side effects have been reported.

Muira puama contains: The active constituents are free long-chain fatty acids, sterols, coumarin, alkaloids and essential oils. Chemically, it contains .05% muirapuamine, .4% fat, .5% alkaloids, .6% pholbaphene, .6% alpha-resinic acid, .7% beta resinic acid, .5% of a mixture of esters including behenic acid, lupeol and beta-sitosterol, as well as tannin, volatile oils and fatty acids.

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Women Fitness Tips - How To Achieve Flat Abdominals

By Chris Tan

What comes to your mind first when you think of losing weight and getting six pack abs? If your answer is the latest Fat Burner pill that blocks out calories or performing 200 crunches a day, this article will be of great help to you. There are too many companies that are offering the latest solutions to losing weight and blocking fat. However, they usually help you lose weight only in the form of water loss.

Achieving weight loss and sexy six pack abdominals requires more than miracle diet pills and thousands of crunches. It requires ab specific exercises; cardio exercises that burn fat and a proper diet that keeps fat intake low.

Top exercises for abdominals

Firstly, traditional crunches are not as effective as most people think they are. Although most people will mention crunches to you when you ask them for ab exercises, they do not work as well as many other exercises. The top exercise for working your abdominals is the bicycle crunch. Other exercises that effectively workout your abs include the captain leg raise, reverse crunches, exercise ball crunches, vertical leg crunches and the ab rocker. As you can see, the traditional crunch appears nowhere within the best ab exercises.

Fat burning cardio exercises

Next; you will need to learn how to perform cardio exercises that help you to keep the fat off. If you are thinking of long distant runs, you are wrong again. Long distant runs are not the best way to lose fat. When it comes to exercise, intensity is the key. By doing short sprint sets, you will be enjoying better fat loss benefits from a higher intensity workout. Other high intensity cardio exercises include skipping and stair climbing.

Diets to keep fat levels low

Diet plays a major role in achieving those desired six pack abs. No matter how affective your workout is, it won't gain you a six pack unless you control the fat level in your diet. Eliminating sugar and replacing it with high fiber is a great start in keeping fat levels low. In addition, whole meals and a multivitamin are additional aids in a low fat diet.

You should realize by now that ab exercises play a much smaller role when it comes to achieving flat abs. Try to plan a 6 pack routine with regular cardio workouts and some ab exercise workouts. Do not forget your diet and you will be on your way to seeing those packs real soon!

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Catuaba Bark Extract: Tired of Being Sick? Try Herbs Natural Herbal Support

By Marcus Harrison

A large amount of confusion exists today regarding the actual species of tree that is harvested in Brazilian forests and sold around the world as "catuaba." Experienced Brazilian harvesters will refer to two species: a "big catuaba" and a "small catuaba." The confusion thickens when relating these trees to approved botanical species names. "Small catuaba" is Erythroxylum catuaba (A. J. Silva ex. Raym.-Hamet - the name was accepted in 1936), which grows 2-4 m tall and sports yellow-to-orange flowers and, in Brazil, is referred to as catuaba. "Big catuaba," in the mahogany family, is Trichilia catigua (A. Juss.), which grows 6-10 m tall, has cream-colored flowers and - in Brazil - is referred to as catigu and angelim-rosa.

Catuaba bark is one of several herbs that contains many beneficial compounds that can be helpful to a number of health conditions. Catuaba bark refers to the bark of the Catuaba tree, which grows in the rainforests of Brazil.

Erythroxylum catuaba and Trichilia catigua are the preferred Brazilian herbal medicine species, with the longest documented history of use as "big and little catuaba." Both types are used interchangeably in Brazilian herbal medicine systems for the same conditions.

The catuaba tree does not contain any of the active cocaine alkaloids. There is some confusion over which species of tree is harvested in Brazil and sold as catuaba. There are generally two species of tree referred to, including the small catuaba previously mentioned and a big catuaba tree which belongs to the mahogany family.

In Brazilian herbal medicine today, catuaba is considered a central nervous system stimulant with aphrodisiac properties. A bark decoction is commonly used for sexual impotency, agitation, nervousness, nerve pain and weakness, poor memory or forgetfulness, and sexual weakness.

According to Dr. Meira Penna, catuaba "functions as a stimulant of the nervous system, above all when one deals with functional impotence of the male genital organs . . . it is an innocent aphrodisiac, used without any ill effects at all." In Brazil it is regarded as an aphrodisiac with "proven efficacy" and, in addition to treating impotence, it is employed for many types of nervous conditions including insomnia, hypochondria, and pain related to the central nervous system (such as sciatica and neuralgia).

To date, no toxicity studies have been done on catuaba - but its long history of use in Brazil has reported no toxicity or ill effects. In fact, according to Dr. Meira Penna, the only side-effects are beneficial - erotic dreams and increased sexual desire! While no clinical research has validated the traditional use of catuaba as an aphrodisiac, it continues to be used widely for its ability to enhance sexual drive and increase libido in both men and women.

In the last several years, its popularity has grown in the North American herbal market, with various products (especially libido formulas) now available in health food stores. Catuaba is also showing up in other formulas for depression, stress and nervous disorders. (The jury's still out as to which species is being sold, however!) Interested consumers should seek a reputable manufacturer and product - with a verified plant source and botanical species for the herbal ingredient being sold.

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Steps to a Speedy Recovery After Knee Arthroscopy

By Dr. Richard Edelson

Recovery from knee arthroscopy is fairly quick, especially when compared with recovery from open knee surgery. Still, it is important to follow all of your orthopedic surgeons instructions for the fastest recovery possible.

The Best Ways To Keep Swelling Down

One thing your orthopedic surgeon is sure to tell you is that you must elevate your leg and apply ice to your knee to reduce pain and swelling following surgery. This is most important in the days immediately following surgery.

What to Do About Your Dressing

You will leave the hospital with a bandaged knee. It is important to keep that bandage on for the first day. After you take it off, it is OK to take a shower, but be sure not to spray water right on your knee. Keep your knee clean and dry until the incisions are healed. Definitely avoid soaking in the bath.

In a few days, you will have an appointment to see your orthopedic surgeon for a followup appointment. At this appointment, the orthopedic surgeon will tell you about your surgical findings and review your treatment plan with you.

Weight Bearing - Things to Keep In Mind

Click here for more on knee surgery rehabilitation .

Usually, you can walk without assistance right after surgery. In some instances, your orthopedic surgeon may tell you to use an assistive device. If you are sent home with a cane, walker, or crutches, be sure to use them until your orthopedic surgeon tells you to stop. Follow your orthopedic surgeons instructions, and do your exercises, and you will gain strength bit by bit. Check with your orthopedic surgeon before you drive. This is usually alright after about a week.

Using Exercise to Strengthen Your Knee

Your exercise plan may consist of a list of exercises given to you by your orthopedic surgeon, or he or she may send you to a physical therapist. Whatever plan your orthopedic surgeon devises, be sure to follow it closely for quick, effective results.

Remember Your Medications

Prevention of infection and pain management are important components of your recovery. You will probably have a prescription for antibiotics and a prescription for pain medications. Be sure to follow the directions your orthopedic surgeon gives you to avoid infection and recover with the least amount of pain.

Will There Be Complications?

Arthroscopic knee surgery rarely generates complications. If any occur, they are usually mild and easily managed. They include, an accumulation of blood around the knee, possible blood clots, and possible infection.

Here Some Signs To Look Out For

Contact your orthopedic surgeon ASAP if you experience:

1) A fever that is high & persistent

2) Periods of chills

3) Redness or a hot feeling around the knee

4) Pain that increases and/or persists

5) Swelling in the knee that seems exaggerated

6) Increasing pain in your calf muscle

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Colon Cleansing Herbs: Detoxify Your Body

By Roy Gonzalez

The immune system is the body's defence mechanism, fighting infection and disease on the front line. A person's frequency of illness is very much dependent on the strength of their immune system, which is made up of a complex network of lymph channels and nodes. Certain detox herbs have beneficial properties to the immune system, and are a perfectly natural way of removing those nasty toxins from the immune system for less frequent illness and a feeling of better all round general wellbeing.

Therefore it is easier to do blood cleansing fast during spring and summer. Maybe the most important thing is to be mentally prepared. If you strongly "feel like it", then it is the right time for blood cleansing fast.

Another herbs which is a natural laxative and is good for flushing the system is cascara sagrada. This goes some way to help strengthen the colon and related muscles, and is often used along side psyllium seeds.

To carry the toxins out of your body with blood cleansing fast you need to drink at least 8 cups of steam-distilled water every day. Use herbal extracts to aid in blood cleansing. Drink juices made of beets, lemons, carrots and leafy greens.

Chlorophyll in leafy greens builds up the blood with important nutrients, promotes regularity, and inhibits cellular damage from radiation. This makes Chlorophyll an essential part of any blood cleansing therapy. Good sources for Chlorophyll are wheatgrass, barley, and alfalfa juices.

You can use these herbs in any combination or independently to aid in blood cleansing. Dandelion, burdock, licorice, rhubarb, sage, shiitake mushroom, ginsengs, hawthorn, pau d'arco, and red clover. If you have high blood pressure, don't use licorice or ginseng at all and not more than 7 days in a row when healthy. Sage is not an option for you during blood cleansing fast if you have any kind of seizure disorder, and avoid Siberian ginseng if you have hypoglycemia or heart disorder.

The use of herbs as part of a detox programme is not a new idea, and the healing and cleansing properties of these plants have been known for thousands of years. They are only now beginning to see more mainstream acceptance, and be used to detoxify patients worldwide. The detox is a particularly important concept in today's environment, with dirty polluted air and processed foods full of toxins. By making use of these natural resources, you can effectively flush out your system, leaving you looking and feeling a great deal better, with fewer and less severe illnesses as a result of a strengthened immune system.

To cleanse the mucous membranes you can use goldenseal for one week at a time. If you are allergic to ragweed use it with caution. Borage seed, ginkgo biloba, and sarsaparilla help to restore the acid/alkaline balance.

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