If you have arthritis, you already know it affects the movement and flexibility of joints by causing stiffness, rigidity and pain. Fortunately, there are many natural means of relieving arthritis pain. And one of the first natural arthritis treatments your doctor might suggest is the use of hot and/or cold therapy. The benefits of this particular home remedy for arthritis relief are that it’s costs-effective, safe and free of chemical side effects. Even though it might seem odd that opposite temperatures are used, hot and cold therapy both work quite effectively to stimulate the body’s natural healing force.

When heat is applied to an area, blood vessels dilate and circulation is improved, as is oxygenation to the area where the heat is applied.  There are many ways to apply heat to the body: heated belts, pads and patches, heat lamps, moist heating pads (also sometimes known as “hydrocollators”), warm baths, showers, whirlpools, hot tubs, and warm towels heated in the microwave. In addition, many people discover find that steam saunas are especially useful for arthritis pain relief. Whatever method of heat delivery you choose, it’s recommended to use heat therapy at least twice daily. Make sure to regulate the heat so it’s only as warm as can be tolerated by the body without causing discomfort.

Cold therapy is right up there with heat in terms of effectiveness, so it is also known as one of the more beneficial joint pain remedies. Cold temperature helps ease arthritis pain by decreasing swelling and inflammation in joints. This is achieved because cold causes constriction of blood vessels and decreased blood flow, thus creating numbness. You can apply cold therapy by using ice massages, cold packs, a frozen cloth or soaking in cold baths. Regular application of some form of cold treatment for five to 10 minutes daily has been found to be of great help to arthritis patients.

For some, alternating hot and cold treatment can also be effective. But there is one caveat: using heat or alternating heat and cold shouldn’t be used until after the first 48 hours after pain appears. As a general rule, cold therapy should be used within the first 48 hours and heat should be used for pain that lasts longer than 48 hours. But each body is different, so experiment with each modality or a combination of these two temperature-based natural arthritis remedies to determine which provides the best pain relief for you. If either heat or cold causes your pain to worsen, stop using it. Your own experience should be your guide.

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Acid reflux or heartburn, which is technically known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), is a truly troubling condition. If you’re suffering from it, you already know how painful and uncomfortable it can be. But there are more reasons than just pain relief to seek home remedies for acid reflux. If you ignore the condition and choose to just live with the pain, your LES (lower esophageal sphincter) will become more and more damaged over time and eventually reach a point when repair will become difficult. The good news is that there are natural heartburn remedies that not only don’t require drugs; you can purchase them right at your local grocery or health food store! Here are four of these time-honored acid reflux natural treatments:

• Papaya
  This healthy fruit is an excellent acid reflux natural remedy. It’ s loaded with an enzyme called papain that can help promote proper food digestion and hasten the muscle tissue renewal process. It also contains potassium, which provides a healthy bacterial setting for your intestines. Papaya is an important component of your acid reflux diet because it can also provide your daily supply of vitamin C. It’s best to eat the fruit itself, but there are also papain pills available at the health food store.
• Cherries
  This lovely tiny fruit is a perfect natural treatment for a variety of illnesses and diseases, heartburn included. Cherries are rich in antioxidants, which can do a great deal to help heal the damage that acid reflux can do to the muscle tissues of your stomach. Apart from being rich in antioxidants, cherries are also great sources of vitamin C and potassium, and they can help promote proper digestion and restore the health of your stomach. You can either eat the cherries or drink cherry juice to get these healthful effects.
• Ginger
  This root crop has been used in many cultures for generations because of its ability to soothe the stomach. As with papaya, there are supplements available that contain ginger as an active ingredient. But there’s still no substitute for the real thing. You can boil it and drink the juice, adding honey to taste, or simply chew on a small piece of the root. If you find either of those objectionable, try organic ginger candy or ginger tea.
• Apple Cider Vinegar
  Although it might seem strange to treat a painful condition like heartburn with an acid, there is anecdotal evidence that apple cider vinegar can be a beneficial treatment for acid reflux. Try taking 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. of water and honey to taste with meals and before bed to see if that relieves your pain. Some people choose to add approximately 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda, to treat the mouth sores that sometimes result from the acid. Another method to address mouth sores is to just drink the apple cider less frequently until the sores heal.

Although these are safe food-based home remedies for acid reflux, you should carefully monitor how they work for you. The same can be said of anything you put in your body — no matter the source — because everybody is different. If one of these approaches doesn’t work, experiment with others until you find the solution that’s right for you.

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Have you ever experienced sudden intense anxiety, accompanied by difficulty in breathing, blackouts or spots in front of your eyes, chest pains and feeling that you’re going to die? If you have, then it’s likely that you’re suffering from panic attacks, a condition capable of taking over your life and ruining it. Its hard to identify the roots of anxiety attacks, because they can strike at any time and any place and can affect anyone. (Most people suffer from panic attacks when they’re young though.) Once there’s a first attack, subsequent attacks are often caused by the fear of experiencing another one. Many a pharmaceutical product claims to be a cure for anxiety, but these chemical “solutions” actually just suppress symptoms and control your emotions temporarily, rather than permanently solving the problem. Before turning to drugs, it’s best to use natural methods for treating anxiety. The following tips may help:

• Observe yourself carefully and seek to understand the pattern of events that precedes an attack. If you’re aware of what triggers the attacks and become more conscious when one is imminent, you’ll have a better chance of controlling it.
• Take warning signs seriously; don’t just dismiss the condition as silly or try to push down what you feel. Embrace what’s happening to you and face it honestly. This can help you eliminate some of the fear eventually get to the root cause.
• When you feel an attack coming on, take the time to stop, get quiet and do some deep breathing. This can be challenging if you’re feeling a tidal wave of emotion coming over you, but it will become easier with practice. The breathing will not only give you something productive to focus on, but it will also activate the body’s natural ability to calm itself.
• Your anxiety attacks may well be a sign from your body and mind to slow down and make some changes. Learn be nicer to yourself and give yourself more time for self-refection and relaxation. These simple approaches may help quell symptoms. Even if they don’t, they’ll make your life better in general.
• Avoid tense situations and people who create anxiety in you whenever possible. It’s your responsibility to protect yourself from people and places you think may trigger an anxiety attack. And try to avoid being generally stressed out, worn out emotionally or overly tired, because these are fertile grounds for fear, and eventually, panic attacks.
• See a doctor or natural health practitioner to determine whether there are physical factors at work. If possible, make it someone you already trust and have a relationship with. Panic attacks can sometimes be a sign of an underlying problem you may not know about, so it helps to get a larger perspective.

Having panic attacks can certainly be overwhelming. But if you face them head-on and take responsibility for your own care, a real and permanent solution is possible.

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If you have lateral epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow, you already know it’s no fun. Every time you straighten or flex your arm, you feel that nagging pain. Pain is of course the main symptom of tennis elbow, but that’s not all there is to it. There’s also inflammation and bruising around the elbow joint or wrist. But you don’t have to suffer with tennis elbow symptoms, here are some tips for treating tennis elbow naturally that you can try:

1. You can release the strain and stress from your aching elbow by gently massaging the muscle surrounding the area. If you’re unsure how to effectively administer the massage, you can call a masseuse to help you out. Be sure the masseuse you hire is an expert in the field of treating injuries though. The person can end up doing more harm than good if they just conduct a regular massage and don’t treat the injured area appropriately.
2. Acupuncture or Oriental medicine may also provide relief. Not all practitioners are equal though. As with a massage therapist, it’s important to find a practitioner who is experienced with tennis elbow and has gotten good results. Be sure to do research and ask about this before you book an appointment.
3. Use an ice pack, rubbing it along the swollen areas of your elbow and arm in a circular manner. This is a highly recommended tennis elbow treatment. You need to perform the rubbing motion for about five to seven minutes, two to four times per day, to have it be effective.
4. You can also make use of homeopathic remedies; one fine example of which is ruta graveolens. This can be bought at your local health food or vitamin store. Take six doses of this homeopathic remedy for at least two to four times per day. This will provide you with a soothing relief and also gradually bring down the swelling of your elbow.
5. Use an elbow support brace or counter brace. This will keep you from contracting your muscles while you go about doing your usual household chores or activities at work. Be sure to visit a medical store for correct measuring of your arm and sizing of the brace, because an ill-fitting brace has the potential to make your condition worse.

Although it’s tempting to turn to anti-inflammatory drugs when you’re experiencing lateral epicondylitis pain, try these natural approaches first, because all drugs — even those bought over the counter — have side effects. Some may take years to show up, though, and you won’t see them right away. So the less of them you put in your body, the better.

Good nutrition plays a crucial role in cancer prevention. Though cancerous mesothelioma is not caused by bad nutrition, improving nutritional with a cancer diet rich in antioxidants can allow asbestosis mesothelioma patients to better fight the cancer, as well as ease symptoms and treat side effects.

Although a few other causes of malignant mesothelioma have been determined, the primary cause is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was used in a number of military and industrial applications throughout the 20th century. Symptoms don’t usually become noticeable until as long as 50 years after primary exposure. Unfortunately, the cancer is typically diagnosed in later stages when treatment options are limited.

One of the most frequent side effects of mesothelioma and cancer treatment is nausea. There are a number of nutritional changes that can be made to help this problem. Dry foods such as crackers and toast can calm an upset stomach and bland foods help with nausea and acid reflux problems. Dark green leafy vegetables can also be beneficial when treating mesothelioma, because they’re rich with essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that help fight cancer. Dark leafy greens contain antioxidants and phytochemicals, which are powerful enzymes that help clean the body of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) and block enzymes known to activate carcinogens.

Mesothelioma patients can also benefit from the cancer-fighting nutrients found in berries. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, strawberries and loganberries are known to contain cancer-fighting phytonutrients, such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, pterostilbene and resveratrol. In fact, extracts of six types of berries were tested in one laboratory study to determine whether they could prevent the growth and proliferation of different types of cancer cells. Each berry type was found to have unique phytonutrient combinations and extracts of all of them killed cancer cells.

Also, garlic produces a chemical called allicin which can be beneficial for mesothelioma patients. Garlic appears to have the greatest affect on stomach cancer and prostate cancer in men, but affects have been noted in all types of cancer and on different carcinogens.