Stress and Tension Headaches

With stress such a common issue in life today, it's no wonder that more and more people are complaining of tension headaches. In fact, what you may know of as 'tension headaches' are frequently being referred to now as 'stress headaches'. But what causes these headaches, and how can they be treated naturally? Tension headaches are indeed the most common type of headaches, and may appear only once or twice a month, daily, or anywhere in between. The majority of people experience these headaches as mild and short-lived, but they may last for several days. The pain tends to be throbbing, affecting the front, top, and sides of your head, as well as the back of your neck and possibly the muscles in between your shoulder blades as well. Irritability, trouble sleeping, and mild sensitivity to light are also common. These headaches often appear during the day, and do not affect your vision, balance, or strength, and so usually you are still able to perform normal daily activities. Stress appears to be the leading cause of tension headaches, but scientists have yet to specifically determine why. Most likely, it's because when you're stressed, the muscles around your neck, head and eyes get tighter. In addition, it's believed that the following may play a role in the formation of these headaches: hormones sleep issues poor posture chronic fatigue poor diet excessive exercise Conventional medical treatment usually involves over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and various combinations of drugs that may also include caffeine and/or codeine. Unfortunately, over-use of these medications can sometimes trigger tension headaches, and so use of them is suggested only with monitoring by your doctor. Acupuncture is excellent for treating tension headaches, as it helps your body in a variety of ways. For example, acupuncture has been shown to help decrease pain levels, as well as lowering the tension in your muscles. Plus, your hormone levels can be balanced (increased or decreased where needed) and stress levels can be greatly diminished through acupuncture treatment. Massage therapy can help reduce the tension in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Your trapezius muscles, for example, are often quite tight when you experience tension headaches regularly. Furthermore, massage therapy can help stimulate endorphins, thus assisting in making you feel better. There are indeed many other natural therapies that might help your tension headaches. Yoga, for example, can help you to improve your posture and tone your muscles. Psychotherapy can help you learn to handle stress better, and perhaps reduce the number of tension headaches that you experience. On your own, try closing your eyes and gently rubbing your temples for a few minutes. This may relieve some of the pressure. Also, try taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, and make sure that you are drinking plenty of water on a regular basis. Finally, try adding some fish oil supplements to your diet, as this may help reduce some of the inflammation in your muscles.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Stress-and-Tension-Headaches&id=7653889

Cleansing Your Body Naturally!

Are you feeling tired, sluggish, and weighty of late? Do you get up with a painful body and a bad digestive system? Do you often find acne and other skin-related issues bothering you? It is high time you got rid of those toxins from your body! Your body too is a machine that requires cleansing and recharging thoroughly, for it to run smoothly! This is all about rejuvenating your body by way of cleansing, eliminating poisonous chemicals from the body and nourishing it for it to maintain a normal system and an overall health. The Chinese and the Indians have been practicing this art since ages. The how of it It all boils down to cleansing the liver, which takes up the task of eliminating the poisons from the blood; although, they are also eliminated from lungs, intestines, skin, kidneys, and lymph nodes. It basically involves resting the body by resting the organs via fasting; boosting removal of wastes through the kidneys, skin, and intestines; bettering blood circulation; and recharging the body with nutrient-rich diet. How often do you cleanse and how to begin Go for it once a year, a safe and effective one. However, children, feeding mothers, and certain patients with degenerative diseases must avoid it. Consulting your physician is suggested before you go ahead with a plan. Start with wiping out caffeinated beverages, sugars, cigarettes and saturated fats which obstruct the healing process. Clear the shelves of all chemical-based cleaners used in the house and for personal use, and go for natural products. Yoga and meditation, the de-stressors, go a long way to begin relaxing your body so no more toxins are released. What suits you the best? Many a cleansing programs are 7- or 5-day long, and you could choose from them based on your body requirements. They may include liquid diets (vegetables and fruit juices), hydrotherapy, all-fruit diet, juice therapy, etc for resting the gut. Others include herbs usage, skin-brushing/polishing to improve circulation and of course, exercise, and oil-pulling. Hydrotherapy involves drinking only water once a week. Besides, supplements available commercially enriched with vitamins, fibre, herbs, minerals and nutrients can be used safely. Other ways to cleanse your system is by having lots of fresh fruits, veggies, especially cabbage, spirulina, seaweed, broccoli, radishes, good detoxifiers. Drinking green tea and taking vitamin C helps too. Pranayam improves circulation, so do hot baths and sauna baths. Dangers of cleansing But beware, these are quick fixes that are not at all advocated for weight loss, as there's involved a quicker regain of the weight lost due to low-cal diet. The initial weight loss is thus only a loss of water and not fat, regained faster than it is lost. Feeling dizzy due to low blood sugar, fatigued and nauseated are a few of the side effects of such cleansing procedures owing to electrolyte imbalance of the body. A better way to cleanse is by consuming healthy, nutrient-rich, natural/organic less-processed foods, lot of water, fibre-rich foods like whole grains, high-protein, low-fat foods. So now kick start cleansing your body of dangerous chemicals in a healthy and beneficial way!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Cleansing-Your-Body-Naturally!&id=7641962

Your Bathroom Part 1

Why Is It Important to Sleep Early?

Natural Ways To Fight Allergies This Season

The weather changes rapidly during fall and we are exposed to a wide variety of allergens making us more vulnerable to allergies of all sorts. The common causes of allergy in this season are • The pollen grains of the seasonal plants and grasses • Weeds especially ragweed • Moulds • Animal dander and dust mites Eye allergies are quite annoying and debilitating at times, so one should be very cautious about eye health and find ways to defeat allergy in a natural manner. Diet plays a pivotal role and in such cases one should consume more of Vit C which is also known as the anti-infection vitamin, found in citrus fruits. Increase your intake of blueberries as they are the richest source of antioxidants and boost your immunity. Consume more of prebiotics and probiotics as the gut friendly bacteria seen in yoghurt and other foods are your greatest weapon against allergies. Omega 3 fatty acids and cod liver oil are great in fighting allergies and you can take supplements or obtain them from food items like sesame seeds and fish. Other effective methods include • Wear a mask while you are gardening or traveling outdoors. One can take due care of eye health by wearing goggles which will take protect your eyes from allergens like pollen grains. Wash your hair regularly after coming home in this season as the pollen grains that have settled on your hair are rinsed off. • De-stress yourself as researches have shown that raised l levels of the hormone cortisol (which increases in mental or physical stress) triggers allergies. So, after a tiring day soothe your senses with lavender or other calming herbs. • Some of the cardinal rules of eye health which are beneficial in winning the battle against allergies include-Washing your eyes after coming home avoid touching them with dirty hands and prevent rubbing your eyes if pollen grains or any foreign body falls in the eyes. • Try natural remedies and herbs-Chamomile tea helps in allying the allergic response, ginger tea is helpful in respiratory infections. If you have a blocked nose or feel choked up then inhaling eucalyptus essential oil will afford you instant relief.In such a case put a few drops of eucalyptus oil on your handkerchief and take a few deep breaths. • As dust is very harmful for eye health, avoid dusting your home or cleaning the soft toys. Wash your hands with soap after touching the pets. Use synthetic fiber instead of feathers as a stuffing in the pillows. 

http://ezinearticles.com/?Natural-Ways-To-Fight-Allergies-This-Season&id=7383170

Changes to Your Diet and Multiple Sclerosis

Healthy Eating is an important factor in everyone's well-being, but it's especially important for people suffering with autoimmune diseases and other chronic illnesses, such as Multiple Sclerosis. The old expression, "You are what you eat," is absolutely true. There has been a great deal of research that points to the benefits of eating healthy. This research also lets us know what we need to eat to improve our health. Most of the research points to eating a low-fat (especially saturated fat) and low-carb diet. The Swank Diet, developed by Roy Swank, M.D., former head of University of Oregon's neurology department, focuses on a low-fat diet. He has had amazing results with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) sufferers. Dr. Swank has spent over 35 years treating his patients with this diet and has had very impressive results. The Swank diet consists primarily of grains, vegetables and fruits with about 20 percent fat by calories. While this type of diet may be a little drastic for some, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society you can help your body and MS even if you make small changes at a time. Simple Changes to Your Diet That Will Help Your Body and Multiple Sclerosis 1. Portion control - reduce the amount of food you eat. Pay attention to how much food is on your plate. It's important to know what healthy portion sizes are. 2. Change your eating habits slowly - make it a point to have a healthy breakfast. Instead of bacon and eggs on a bagel, have an egg white omelet on whole grain toast. Better yet, have a bowl of rolled oats with fruit. Once you're comfortable with eating a healthy breakfast move on to lunch, and then dinner. And, slowly add more fruits and vegetable into your diet. 3. Have snacks - snacks help curb the appetite and also keeps your metabolism going steady. The key here is to eat healthy snacks such as baby carrots, fruits, nuts, and low-fat yogurt. 4. Go lean - limit the amount of fatty meats you eat and pay attention to portion control. Chicken, turkey and fish are healthy choices. 5. Focus - it's important to eliminate distractions while you're eating. It seems if you're distracted, you will eat more and be less satisfied. So, pay attention to what's on that fork or spoon. Along with the foods we should include in our diet, there are also foods that should be avoided to help our bodies function properly. Foods to Avoid to help Your Body and Multiple Sclerosis 1. Sugar 2. Processed foods 3. Fatty foods 4. Super sized portions 5. White bread According to Dr. Henry Zhen-Hong Lee, a NYS Licensed Acupuncturist and NCCA DPL Herbalist, sugar actually stops the immune cells from functioning. This is essential since you are then left with no line of defense. All evidence points to the fact that improving your eating habits will improve your health. Start today to make slow and steady changes in your diet so you will reap slow and steady benefits to your overall health. And, remember to discuss all changes to your diet with your doctor. If you'd like to learn more about Multiple Sclerosis you can visit: National Multiple Sclerosis Society http://www.nmss.org PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) http://www.pcrm.org/health/prevmed/multiple_sclerosis.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Changes-to-Your-Diet-and-Multiple-Sclerosis&id=7310250

Finding Wellness - guide to overcoming illness by Hayley Wallace