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Ginseng: Root of Immortality
Translated to mean man root in Chinese, the name ginseng premises on the belief that the roots, with their attached limbs, resemble a human being. Due to its perceived kinship with the gods, the Chinese named it the root of immortality. Indeed, being closely associated with longevity and masculinity, the ginseng has always been regarded as the King of all tonics among the Chinese. History In 18th century American folklore, ginseng was thought to have the powers to frighten spirits away. The Jesuits exported it as a valuable commodity, along with rare furs, and this was how the American Indians came to be acquainted with its valuable medicinal properties. The Latin name of ginseng is panax, which means panacea. Like the Asian ginseng, the Panax variety is believed to be imbued with masculine properties. Soviet cosmonauts used Siberian ginseng for alertness in outer space. Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) is a native spring shrub in the woodland areas of Siberia and Korea while Panax is a herbaceous perennial that finds its fertile ground in North American forests. The value of ginseng lies mainly in its roots, which have plenty of branches and flesh. They take at least six years to mature and should not be harvested early. To ensure that the numerous root limbs attached to the main root do not break off when harvested, the ginseng should be unearthed carefully and dried for at least one month before use. Ginseng has thin stems with 5 to 6 veined leaves each. Tiny flowers cluster near the main stem. Cultivation of ginseng is now done with extreme care as the once-plentiful supply has almost decimated, thanks to escalating popularity. It comes as no surprise then that ginseng seeds now come at a heavy price. Health Notes Ginseng is held in high regard in China due to its rejuvenating powers and ability to provide stimulation to the whole body and offer protection against fatigue and disease in general. It is a good remedy for inflammation, fever, hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure, diabetes and anemia. A stimulant for the central nervous system and endocrine glands, the demulcent effects of ginseng also make it soothing for mucous membranes. New studies show that ginseng may be effective for heart protection and cancer. Use ginseng with caution if you are pregnant.
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Alternative Medicine Being Rubbed Up The Right Way! - The Therapeutic Wonders of Massage PROBABLY one of the most powerful preventive medicine tools available to us is that of Massage. It is one of the oldest forms of treatment and can be traced back many thousands of years to the ancient Greeks, Persians and Chinese who are said to have practiced massage as a spiritual art. The word Massage comes from the Greek 'massein' meaning 'to knead'. Today in this fast paced 21st century, it could be argued that we've never known a more hectic style of living. When we become stressed our activity becomes strenuous and our energy requirements exceed supply. Our bodies can become tired and stiff, our muscles cramped and sluggish with the overall feeling of being tense, fatigued and stressed. But do we take time-out? Do we look for ways to relax and slow down? Do we decide to nurture ourselves a little? Usually not! Let's face it, most of us just soldier on. We are so caught up on the treadmill of our busy lives that we have forgotten how to listen to our bodies. The experts and their statistics tell us that we are living longer than ever before. Our life expectancy is extending every few years with a result that most of us can now expect to live well into our eighties! Perhaps this is one of the reasons that more and more people today are now taking responsibility for their own health and well being. People are looking to complementary therapies to aid the recovery from tension, stress and fatigue. In our determination to be healthy and remain healthy many of us now use massage as a powerful form of preventative medicine and as part of an integrated approach to our personal health care. THE POWER OF TOUCH It has long been recognized that the power of touch is crucial to us as humans. We are all sensual beings and as a result our bodies respond well to massage and human contact. Research in the UK has proven that in many health institutions, such as hospitals and nursing homes, etc. patients responded better to treatment and were more content when there was more physical contact between their carers and themselves. Here's why it works - There are many types of massage techniques which can include, sports massage, mother and baby massage, Swedish, Shiatsu and Reflexology, but the basic principle of each is very similar. Massage improves circulation allowing your blood to send oxygen and nutrients to your muscles where ultimately they are converted into energy. Furthermore it assists the filtering out of toxins and drains the essential lymph system which is so important for a strong immune system. The result? A nourished, cleansed and relaxed body and a wonderful sense of well being that can last for many days afterwards! POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN VISITING A MASSAGE THERAPIST: - 1) A qualified massage therapist will have undergone a substantial period of training and should be a member of an international association relating to his/her specific field of expertise. There are a number of excellent therapists in your locality and referring to your telephone directories should provide you with a qualified massage therapist or clinic in your area. 2) Your therapist will want to get to know about you on your first visit and will prepare a personal case history based on a number of questions he/she will ask. In order for the therapist to provide you with the best suited therapy during your session these questions are important and will touch upon medical, social, personal information as well as your family history of illnesses, etc. Based on the information compiled the therapist will then design a treatment specifically for you. 3) It is important for you to feel at ease with your therapist and it is the practitioner's job to make you feel comfortable and explain to you what they will be doing. 4) Always let your therapist know what you are planning to do after your massage. 5) If you are planning to have an Aromatherapy Massage, i.e. a massage combined with pure essential oils, it is best not to have a shower or bath for approximately eight hours as this period of time is needed to allow the full absorption of the oils into the body. 6) Finally when your session is complete your therapist will allow you some quiet time to relax on your own before getting up and heading off and continuing your day. So, as and from today, make a promise to yourself, commit to having a healthier body, system and rested mind and book that massage appointment now aren't you worth it? Some Smells Cause Headache Did you know that some smells cause headache? How to Prevent Snoring? Snoring is noisy breathing through the mouth and nose during sleep. It can occur when you are breathing in or out. Snoring is often worse when a person sleeps on his back. Snoring arises when the air passage is blocked which inhibits easy & normal breathing. The sounds are caused by the vibration of the tissues lining the air passages. Most snorers actually don't know they snore. The Sense of Smell Disturbed vibrations occur in the body as a precursor of illness. Vibrational healing restores the body's healthy vibrations. Essential oils can be used to balance the subtle energy flows in the body. So What is Organic? With allergies on the increase and sensitivities to synthetics becoming life threatening,we are looking for products which aren't going to make us sneeze or break out in rashes or irritate our children's sensitive skin. We scan the supermarket and health food store shelves and find there is a huge range of products on our shelves that claim to be "all natural" and "organic", but are they? Aromatherapy Although the word aromatherapy has not been around forever, the use of plants, herbs, fruits and flowers for healing have been centuries long. Aromatherapy is still being researched today for it's wide variety of uses, including the healing effects that is has on the body. Hypertension, An Alternative Approach For many years high blood pressure has been defined based upon actuarial tables prepared by life insurance companies. By that definition, blood pressure of 140/90 is borderline hypertension in a person 40 years of age. The suppressed fact is that blood pressure should rise by 5 points for every decade of life. Therefore, 145/95 is borderline hypertension in a person of 50 years old; 150/100, in a person 60 years of age, etc. However, that standard is almost never applied in prescribing high blood pressure medications. What is Hypnosis? Before anyone experiences hypnosis and starts using it to make wonderful, beneficial changes in their life, this article is designed to perhaps to answer a few questions you may have and also to dispel a few myths and misconceptions about hypnosis. How Visualization Is Different from What You May Have Tried for Pain Relief You've probably tried everything you can think of to ease your chronic pain. But chances are that in your search for relief you haven't tried anything quite like visualization statements. Three Immune System Building Natural Remedies Here are three products that can help you elevate your immune system and lessen or prevent you from getting the flu. Use one or both of them to super charge your immune system. The Secret Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has been used for thousands of years for a variety of healing purposes. In fact, there are references to it in the Bible as a powerful healing agent. ACV contains a perfect balance of 19 vital minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, chlorine, sodium, iron, fluorine and silicon to name a few. Bad Breath and Gingivitis Does this sound familiar to you? My dentist and hygienist mentioned that I had irritated gums as they cleaned my teeth. This is a symptom of gingivitis. How To Improve Your Mood And Health With Deep Breathing Exercises It is relatively well known now that exercise releases endorphins that can help to pull you out of a bad mood and to aid in alleviating depression. However, mental fatigue and depression are hard moods to simply overcome. You may not wish to train for forty-five minutes to an hour. It might be too hard to even get down to the gym for this to occur! Benefits of Human Growth Hormone HGH Enhancing Products Human Growth Hormone has often been referred to as the "fountain of youth hormone". So, have we stumbled upon the proverbial "fountain of youth" with these new HGH enhancement supplements that claim to reduce fat, relieve "aging symptoms" such as wrinkles, increase energy and sex drive, promote sounder and deeper sleep cycles, and rejuvenate the body? Well, there are several faithful users of products in this arena (and I'm one of them) that will swear that since they have started taking HGH enhancing products, they've experienced a wide range of pleasing and desirable benefits, and it's not placebo. Eating Healthy Myths Destroyed All Refined Carbohydrates are Hazardous to Your Health. The average American eats over 300 pounds of sugars each year. Most of this is because of all the sugar that is added to the everyday foods most people eat. Sugars are refined carbohydrates include anything that ends in "ose." Sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and sugar all count as sugar. An easy way to remember this is anything that rhymes with "gross." Alternative Treatment for Asthma Asthma is a respiratory disorder characterized by abnormal lung condition in which accumulation of mucus in the lungs is found. Natural asthma remedies are the most preferred way of treating asthma since the conventional methods of treatment for asthma may have a lot of side effects. What Causes Osteoporosis and Ten Changes You Can Make to Reduce Your Risk of Osteoporosis Ten Simple Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to Reduce Your Risk for Osteoporosis Kundalini Questions Alex Wrote; Treat Osteoporosis Naturally Osteoporosis is a condition that faces every baby boomer; man or woman. Women are more prone to getting this after menopause, but men can also have "porous bones." Women have much thinner bones and will lose calcium more quickly. Calcium is what makes up the content of the bones and when that is decreased your bones will become more fragile, brittle and break easily. Any type of sudden movement such as a sneeze can become a problem for someone with severe osteoporosis. Often times the patient isn't aware they have this bone problem until the break has already occurred. Small compression fractures can occur in the spine and this creates the bent over appearance or widow's hump. All of this happens silently and until you experience a bad break or have a lot of back pain; you may not know this is going on. So many of us are at risk of this debilitating disease; it really is becoming a public health concern. Some of the risk factors for developing osteoporosis include: Natural Healing For The Body Back-to-Nature Aromatherapy
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