How To Reduce Winter Flu by 50%

Given that we seem at the moment, and perhaps for the foreseeable future, to be experiencing any combination of the four seasons in one day I thought it would be useful to give you a heads up on avoiding Winter flu the natural way. Before you head off to the doctor for your antique flu jab you might like to know that recent research has proven that a vitamin D supplement is more effective at reducing the risk of flu infection than vaccines or antiviral drugs.

The study was conducted by researchers from Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition based on a double-blind, randomized study on 354 children between the ages of six and 15 during the winter of 2008-2009. Half the children were assigned to take a daily supplement of 1,200 IU of vitamin D, while the other half were given a placebo pill.

After one month, influenza infection rates in the two groups remained the same, but by the second month those who had been given vitamin D were 50 percent less likely to become infected than participants in the control group and this drop in infection rate corresponded with an increase in their vitamin D blood levels.

In contrast, antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir and zanamivir reduced rates of infection by only 8 percent. Even vaccines had success rates significantly lower than the 50 percent achieved by vitamin D.

When the analysis excluded children who were being given vitamin D supplements at home, the results were even better and supplementation was found to reduce the risk of infection by a staggering 67 percent.

Because vitamin D is an essential nutrient, it normally has no side-effects if taken in normal doses but at very high doses can raise calcium levels in the blood.  Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which plays an important role in having a well-regulated immune system, and an overall lower risk of infection, heart disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Before supplementing you should check with your doctor if you are taking any over-the-counter items such as magnesium-containing antacids or mineral oil or prescription medication particularly barbiturates, digoxin, phenytoin, verapamil D. Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.

The best way to get good Vitamin D levels is to have safe and limited exposure to the sun as that is how it is naturally synthesized by the body. Using very high factor sunscreen and more limited sunlight in winter can play a part in the majority of people in the UK being deficient so if you want to add extra, without supplements, then oily fish and eggs are two of the best sources. Personally, I also always start taking Echinacea tincture in September in order to boost my immune system in preparation for the winter.

Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections

A urinary tract infection, more commonly referred to as a bladder infection or UTI, is a very painful condition in which bacteria enters through the urethra and into the bladder and causes several symptoms including but not limited to frequent urge to urinate, pain during urination, and bloody urine. If left untreated, a bladder infection can turn into a kidney infection, which is a much more serious condition that can result in permanent damage and/or kidney failure and even death.

When being treated with certain medications, the symptoms of urinary tract infections usually clear up in a few days; however, you may need to continue using medications for a week or longer, depending on how you respond to the medication. In additiion, your doctor may prescribe a pain medication that will help when there is pain with urination. One common side effect of urinary tract analgesics is discolored urine ” bright blue or orange.

If you catch your UTI at the very first sign of symptoms (painful urinating, constant urge to urinate, lower abdominal pain) you may be able to flush out the bacteria with plain water. Drink plenty of water and it will dilute and flush out the toxins. Another natural remedy to try at the first signs of a UTI is baking soda. Mix 1/2 teaspoon in an eight ounce glass of water and drink. The baking soda will raise the acid balance in your urine.

The symptoms of a urinary tract infection are: a strong urge to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating, blood or bacteria in the urine, a strong odor from the urine, unable to pass large amounts of urine. What causes a urinary tract infection? There are many factors that can bring on a urinary infection. Such factors and causes of a urinary tract infection are the following: being a female, being sexually active, age, birth control medication, diabetes, and reoccurring tract infections.

Another common treatment for uti is drinking lots of water. You should always drink lots of water when you have a uti, but if caught during the early stages, drinking lots of water to flush out the bacteria can cure the problem altogether.

If you suffer from a chronic UTI then you should consider going to a pharmacy or retail store and purchasing URIZOL. URIZOL is an over the counter medication that is used to treat this infection. The medication is an all natural remedy for the infection. It eases abdominal pressure, stops burning during urination, and reduces the urge to constantly have to urinate. URIZOL works as a type of diuretic due to the fact that it contains asparagus. Asparagus works to clean out the urinary system so that patients do not feel such a strong urge to urinate. It also contains cranberry which contains antioxidants that work to cleanse the body. The mediation also contains Echinacea, Buchu, Juniper, and Marshmallow mucilage. These ingredients work to reduce urinary irritation, fight infection, and cleanse the urinary tract system. With about a weeks worth of usage, the patient can reduce the symptoms of chronic UTI.

Learn more about Urinary Tract Infections and the Causes. Stop by our site where you can find out all about How to Treat UTI – Natural Remedy vs. Antibiotics?.

Sinus Pain

Sinus pain is felt more strongly in lower part of the nose. The nose feels tender to the touch and flabby as if the cells are being decomposed from within the nose. The embarrassing part of sinus pain is the constant need to void the nose of the mucus that is always there no matter how often the nose if blown to rid it of the obstructive mucus and accumulated dust and mites. The fact is that it is a tiresome and unpleasant feeling knowing that such material is constantly lodging in your sinus cavities.

Take a eucalyptus leave along with a pinch of salt and boil it in water until leaf becomes tender. You can use this one or two ways. Cover head with a towel and inhale vapors and or take a bulb syringe after water has cooled a bit suck the water into the bulb, hold your head back squeeze inside of each nostril eucalyptus works as a natural decongestant. So this will relieve the pressure in the nasal passageways so you can breathe better. You may also use a humidifier or clean air purifier to improve the air you are breathing in.

Treating Sinusitis and treating the pain that can be a symptom of sinusitis can be two different matters. Sinus pain can be severe and in some cases even temporarily debilitating. Methods of treating this pain include over-the-counter pain relievers (especially NSAIDS, as they act as an anti inflammatory as well as a pain reliever), heat applied to the area, steam and facial massage.

Alternating between a warm and cold compress to the head and face alleviates the symptom of the sinus pressure that you feel. Star with a warm compress for a few minutes than use the cold compress continue the process for at least twenty minutes. It helps to loosen the mucus and relieves the swelling to allow the mucus to flow freely.

Usually, Sinusitis results from an infection, be it as a common cold or that of the upper respiratory system, one that spreads to the sinuses starting from the nose and leading to the mucus passageways. Allergies to pollen, dust, smoke, and similar air pollutants can also trigger it as well. Another contributing factor is a hot indoor environment with dry-air heating or a room with excessive dryness.

If you are interested in trying an over the counter product that is all natural, please consider SINUVIL. This is for people with chronic or acute sinusitis. If you are looking for a natural alternative to sinus surgery or antibiotics, please visit our website http://sinuvil.com and read more for yourself.

Learn more about Treating Sinus Infections. Stop by our site where you can find out all about Get Rid of a Sinus Infection Naturally – 5 Tricks to Get Rid of a Sinus Infection.

Resveratrol Extract

Resveratrol extract is one of natures most powerful antioxidants, credited with the ability to slow down the aging process, prevent the growth of cancer cells, promote weight loss, and improve overall health. Dubbed the fountain of youth, it has become perhaps the most publicized natural remedy for a wide array of health and age related conditions, from hypertension, arthritis and cancer to wrinkles.

When you decide to buy any vitamins, you have to be careful of the manufacturer that makes them. Many places can make a product, but they do it with the sole intention of making money. Their aim is not always to help people stay healthy. They just want their product to sell and they will do it by whatever means they can. You need to find a reputable manufacturer, which has a reputation of making the best product possible and is everything they say it is.

The grapes that have the highest resveratrol concentration are the dark red skinned and then the purple skinned. They have much more resveratrol in them than the green grapes.

It is a substance produced by plants when attacked by diseases. It functions in the body in almost exactly the same way as in plants. Technically speaking, it is polyphenolic compound, an antioxidant, which works by fighting and removing disease-causing free radicals from the body and repairing the damage they cause. Free radical activity is the main cause of the aging process, so halting their activity means slowing down the rate a person ages. In weight maintenance and reduction, resveratrol grape actually boosts fat loss by attacking deposits. It reduces the stickiness that forms clots in the bloodstream, and also helps tone the cardiovascular system by strengthening muscles. In cancer, some researchers are hailing resveratrol grape as the next breakthrough in treatment, as laboratory test conducted on mice show induced tumors shrank when the animals diets were supplemented.

Grape seed extract resveratrol is known to have many healing effects when taken as a supplement. Some of the benefits that have been associated with this product is lower cholesterol, better blood circulation and even slower tumor growth.

Many Resveratrol sources on the web are offering either a very weak product or one with a lot of added impurities. This makes it difficult for people to reap the health effects of this compound. Luckily, there is one website that sells the purest Resveratrol in a concentration guaranteed to give you the superior effects of this supplement. It is completely legal and completely without side effects. This supplement is called Wine-RX and gives the best chance of reaping the effects of red wine without having to actual ingest it. Although there are many resveratrol sources, this is one of few where you can be assured of the quality of the product you are buying. Check out the benefits of red wine and Resveratrol at http://winerx.org/.

Learn more about Tips For Using Resveratrol Grape Seed. Stop by our site where you can find out all about Resveratrol Anti Aging.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is characterized by unpleasant conditions such as stomach pain, cramping, gas, diarrhea and constipation. Some sufferers may feel that there is simply nothing they can do to alleviate these symptoms. However, a healthy combination of diet, medicine and relief from stress can help to control IBS symptoms and allow sufferers to enjoy life again.

IBS is a disease that can easily be misdiagnosed because there currently is no laboratory test or imaging test that doctors can use to help diagnose it. IBS symptoms are the main driver for diagnosis and this makes a doctor’s task more difficult since the disease shares so many characteristics with other illnesses. IBS is often mistaken for a number of other diseases including infectious diseases, parasites, food allergies, or lactose intolerance. IBS symptoms also closely mimic the symptoms of a patient with celiac disease.

Stress is another possible cause of irritable bowel syndrome. Even though stress in and of itself might not be the cause, it can aggravate the symptoms during periods of higher stress and while a person is trying to adapt to a significant change in their life. Half of people who will deal with irritable bowel syndrome are under 35 years of age and young women are more at risk. Women may be more at risk because of hormonal changes related to menstruation.

In our current age of high stress careers and long work days, its no wonder doctors believe as many as one in five Americans sufferer from IBS. Yet, stress is only one theory as to how weve become a population suffering from IBS. Other popular theories include diet, gender, and illness.

Regular Exercise
We now know that stress is a factor that causes IBS, stress management can be controlled by exercising daily and by using relaxation techniques. Physical exercise works the bowel muscles and this is very beneficial for constipation. Some examples of exercises includes simple stretches, walking, stretching and yoga are all very helpful in relieving IBS.

This product is highly recommended, you will experience excellent results and on your way to good health.

Learn more about Exercise and IBS: What’s the Connection?. Stop by our site where you can find out all about What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? What Are Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?.

Natural Help For Arthritis from Rosehips

I am showing my age here, but as a child at school we used to collect rose hips every autumn and were paid a vast sum – a penny a pound I think – to hand them in. Child labour laws no doubt prevent that now, but with their very high level of antioxidants and vitamin C they have a range of uses – and a new one is in treating arthritis.

With 1 in 4 adults being diagnosed with either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, and it accounting for 1 in 5 GP consultations, it is obviously a serious problem with up to 9 million people being affected in some way. Trials have confirmed the effectiveness of rosehips to help with the side effects of arthritis such as inflammation, reduced movement, and associated pain. Research supports the benefit of taking a rosehip supplement whether you suffer from the general wear-and-tear, or the potentially more crippling rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs when the immune system attacks the joints.

Three short-term clinical trials confirmed the benefits of rosehips as an effective pain reliever in those suffering from osteoarthritis and additional research in Denmark and Germany established that those with rheumatoid arthritis showed a marked reduction in the number of joints experiencing pain or discomfort.

We don’t know exactly why rosehips benefit those with arthritis but rosehips in general are known to help maintain a healthy heart, and to lower cholesterol levels. We do know that because rosehips are an ultra-rich source of anti-inflammatory glycosides, which along with the antioxidant properties they have seem to beneficial to those experiencing joint problems, such as arthritis.

If you want to give it a try, and I am certainly doing so, then there is a new Rosehip Extract supplement from Lifeplan that provides 100mg of rosehip extract, equivalent to 2000mg of dried rosehip fruit. These high strength capsules are approved by the Vegan Society and should be in your local health store, if not visit the website at www.lifeplan.co.uk and don’t forget the other two key arthritis elements: a good diet and regular exercise. An excellent book for arthritis sufferers is ‘Say No To Arthritis’ by Patrick Holford which will give you plenty of tips and ideas on coping – and alleviating – the condition.

Loneliness, Blood Pressure and the over 50’s

If that headline strikes a chord then this could be a timely warning to improve your social life and improve your health. As we age we can lose touch with friends and our social circle may be reduced if we are no longer working. Losing a lifelong partner or the support of close family can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness which can certainly impact your health as is shown by some new research.

Researchers from the University of Chicago have shown that, over time, a sense of loneliness can raise blood pressure, regardless of other risk factors including body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol use, race and income level. Of course other factors that can raise blood pressure are depression and stress but they found that neither condition explained the increases seen over the course of four years in people who perceived themselves as lonely.

This research was recently published in Psychology and Aging and was done over five-years as part of a long-term study on participants from 50-75 years of age. The blood pressure increase attributable to loneliness didn’t show up until two years into the study and continued to increase until four years later, the researchers said. They reported that the loneliest people in the study registered blood pressure increases 14.4 millimeters of mercury higher than the blood pressure of the most socially contented participants.

I have discussed before the importance of having strong social networks of support as a sure way of avoiding illness and this reinforces that view. Any social activity that connects you to other people, whether it’s bridge, line dancing, or evening classes, will give your immune system a boost and that’s the first step in staying healthy.

Juggling makes health sense

I wrote recently about how multi-tasking is actually less efficient than focusing on one thing, and I was delighted to learn of a different form of ‘juggling’ that can improve your health.

If you have any oranges handy, you might want to start using them to learn to juggle as an Oxford University study has shown that it leads to changes in the white matter of the brain. These are the bundles of long nerve fibres that conduct electrical signals between nerve cells and connect different parts of the brain together. What this means in practice is that there is improved connectivity in parts of the brain involved in making the movements necessary to catch the balls.

We tend to think of the brain as being static, or even beginning to degenerate, once we reach adulthood but this research shows that its structure is ripe for change and can condition its own wiring system to operate more efficiently.

You may not want to juggle, but what this shows is the importance in adults of learning a new task or skill. The volunteers in the study had never juggled before and they were given weekly training sessions and asked to practice 30 minutes every day. After six weeks of training changes were seen in the white matter in regions of the brain which are involved in reaching and grasping in the periphery of vision, so that seems to make a lot of sense.

Ability varied, but after the training they all could juggle three balls for at least two cascades and some could juggle five balls and perform other tricks. As someone who never managed to juggle more than two bean bags, and that in slow motion, I am impressed so head out and find a new hobby that shines up that white matter to a glowing halo, and it could be as simple as going for a walk or doing a crossword rather than juggling the family finances!

Emu oil for aches and pains

As someone who has just taken up line dancing again to keep the old joints moving, and discovering I am neither as fit or as agile as I imagined, I was interested in trying an Australian supplement that has been mentioned to me before. Emu oil is not new; generally it is used as a muscle, joint and skin rub, to relieve aches and pains but now you can get it in a more convenient capsule form. Emu oil has become registered as a therapeutic anti-inflammatory in Australia where it is widely used.

The Emu is an important creature in Aboriginal culture and they have been using the oil for over forty thousand years. Sceptical sophisticates want more proof than anecdotal evidence, though why is a mystery to me because if something works that proves it doesn’t it? But to reassure you, a recent study on people, rather than those poor benighted lab rats, has shown that emu oil can help reduce pain when taken orally, as well as when applied topically. Previous studies have shown that emu oil can be as effective as Ibuprofen but with no known side effects, certainly an advantage over the gastric problems such as nausea, indigestion, heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea and increased risk of heart attack s that are linked to ibuprofen.

I have been taking Golden Emu oil capsules for four weeks and have definitely seen a benefit, so I will be continuing. If you prefer rubbing in the oil, like major athletes do apparently, then you carry on. You should be able to find both oil and capsules in your local health store, but if you have any difficulty then visit the website at www.shopforhealth.co.uk

World Osteoporosis day

October 20th is the day to raise awareness of this potentially lethal condition and 2009 is the second year of a two year campaign which called on government health officials to recognize osteoporosis as a health priority

Osteoporotic fractures are a major cause of suffering, disability and death in the older population and their costs to our healthcare services exceed those of many other major chronic diseases. Between twelve to twenty percent of people die within one year following a hip fracture and it is estimated that 80% of those who are at high risk of osteoporosis, and have suffered at least one fracture, have neither been identified nor treated for the disease.

This means that you have to take responsibility here and if you feel you are at risk to have a bone scan done or take nutritional advice and support. For free comprehensive information on osteoporosis I recommend the booklet that Dame Dr Shirley Bond and I wrote and you can get a copy by clicking this link: progesterone

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