Before you decide to take any substances or try any cure, do some research. You can ask trusted sources, such as a naturopath or other person who knows a lot about natural treatments. Even massage or physical therapists sometimes have a body of knowledge about natural treatments. Here are just some of the types of people who can help you understand your options:

• Acupuncturists
• Chiropractors
• Herbologists
• Homeopathy Practitioners
• Oriental Medicine Doctor (OMD)
• Massage Therapists
• MDs
• Naturopaths
• Nutritionists
• Pharmacists
• Physical Therapists

You can also look online, although use caution when doing so. There are so many different people out there sharing information — some of it true and some of it not. Some of it is also tainted by self-interest, so don’t believe everything you read. If, for example, you need a natural cure for dandruff, you want to treat depression without medication or you need to find natural arthritis treatments, try to find resources online and then discuss it with a reputable source. Don’t trust a random Web site — even this one — as your sole source of information.

If you find a natural treatment that you think might be worthwhile, you should definitely check first with your primary physician before trying it. This is particularly important  if you are on any medications or have conditions that might be affected by the treatment. With any luck, your doctor will be open to natural remedies. (If they aren’t, maybe it’s time to find another doctor!) You can also ask your pharmacist about any medications you currently take and whether they will interact with the natural remedy you have chosen. Also, if you’re a senior it’s a good idea to check whether Medicare will cover the treatment before you book the appointment. If it doesn’t and you’re really committed to going the natural route, you might want to check whether one of the many optional Medicare supplements will pay for at least some of the cost.

Natural cures don’t always work for each person the same way. So don’t expect that every treatment you try will work the same for you as it did for someone on the Internet. Natural remedies can have side effects, too, so be aware of that and don’t try anything without thoroughly looking into it. A natural treatment can be life-changing and wonderful, but always do plenty of research before trying anything out.

You might also be interested in our Herbal Encyclopedia, which provides information on specific natural remedies.

Photo by yenhoon

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There’s a long list of vitamin B12 benefits:

• It creates a fatty protective substance called myelin around nerve cells. This causes people with vitamin B12 deficiency to usually have some form of a nerve-system malfunction, such as tingles in the feet, hands and/or tongue, or sharp nerve shocks in the sides of the body.
• It helps to format healthy red blood cells.
• It aids in tissue growth.
• It lowers the homocysteine levels in the body. This amino acid has been linked with a higher risk of developing most of the modern western world’s ailments, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, strokes and more.
• It helps replicate DNA, a vital component of any living creature’s body.
• It acts as a natural energizer by boosting metabolism to higher levels. Some people look at it as a weight loss solution, while the truth is that it just makes you more likely to grab a skipping rope or a dumbbell, get active and lose some calories.

If you experience any vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, such as tingling in the limbs,nerve shocks or even depression and memory loss, make sure you get a medical screening. Fortunately, deficiency can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. If you’re found deficient, you may be given a series of vitamin B12 injections or be prescribed intranasal sprays or sublingual tablets.

Ask your doctor to see if you have problems with the “intrinsic factor,” which is one of the most common reasons for having a vitamin B12 deficiency. It resides in the stomach, and is responsible for decomposing B12 into your blood stream. If you are found to have it, vitamin B12 shots might be required, since you will have no other way to incorporate the vitamin into your bloodstream.

You might also be interested in these vitamin-related articles:

• Should You Take Vitamins and Minerals?
• Vitamin A Fact Sheet
• B Vitamins Fact Sheet
• Vitamin C Fact Sheet
• Phytochemicals Fact Sheet
• Drugs That Deplete Vitamins and Minerals

Please do not post this or any of the other articles or recipes on this site on your blog or Web site; this information is for personal use only. If you’d like your readers to access the articles, please provide a link to the home page or the address of this specific post. Thank you!

Researchers got a clue as to saw palmetto’s benefits for hair restoration when the drug Finasteride was being tested to see if it would effectively treat enlarged prostate glands in men. During the Finasteride clinical trials it was discovered that most of the men with male pattern baldness regrew hair while taking the medication. This led to several studies that found the culprit behind male urinary problems may be the same one that causes hair loss in both men and women: an above average level of DHT, which is a metabolite of the male hormone testosterone. Although the relationship between DHT and baldness is not fully understood, it is believed that DHT causes follicular miniaturization, or the dwindling of hair shaft width until the point that the hair resembles what some people call peach fuzz, or it disappears entirely. Since saw palmetto is used to treat prostate problems and affects DHT levels in a manner similar to Finesteride, it has became a popular baldness treatment for those who want to take a natural approach.

Saw palmetto is generally taken as an extract today. In early times, however, Native Americans ingested it as food, and also used it as an antiseptic and an expectorant. They were well aware of the plant’s benefits for hundreds of years, but its popularity didn’t skyrocket in mainstream society until the connection to mens hair restoration was discovered. It’s reputation has since been enhanced by the fact that it provides a hair restoration price point that most people can afford.

If you’re searching for natural remedies for hair loss and don’t want the side effects experienced with synthetic drugs, you owe it to yourself to learn more about this supplement. But remember, all substances — whether natural or man-made — have the potential for some kind of side effects, depending on your body’s response to it. Be sure to pay attention to how your body reacts when taking any supplement, so you can make sure it’s right for you.

You might also be interested in our article that discusses five other natural remedies for hair loss.

Illustration (c) copyright 2010 Carla Chadwick

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.

This health article describes how you can gain weight the healthy way!

Nowadays it seems like everyone is looking for a solution to weight loss. But if you’re reading this health article, you might actually be looking for a solution to the opposite problem: You want to know how to gain weight and build muscle in a healthy manner without having to resort to harmful drugs or expensive weight gain supplements that don’t work.

In a nutshell, weight gain can be achieved with the combination of good nutrition and a consistent weight training program. When it comes to nutrition, it’s essential to have a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and good fats if you want to add weight. Proteins are necessary, because they repair and rebuild muscles after a workout. The average person should take in 1/2 gram of protein per pound of body weight to be healthy. But if you want to gain weight, you should consume about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Red meat, eggs, fish, poultry are great sources of protein that also provide important amino acids that aid in healthy weight gain.

And don’t leave out the carbohydrates, which the body stores in the muscle tissues and liver in the form of glucose. When your body needs energy, it turns to these stored carbs for fuel. If you don’t have enough carbohydrates, your body will convert protein into carbohydrates to get energy, thereby robbing your body of the proteins it needs to help you gain weight.

Carbohydrates are comprised of three types: simple, complex and dietary fiber. Simple carbohydrates can be obtained from sources like fruit juices; complex carbohydrates come from potatoes, oats, brown rice, whole grains and pasta; and dietary fiber comes from vegetables such as sweet corn, black beans and broccoli, among many others. The best approach is to get your calories from eating raw foods, but this is not always possible for people who have trouble gaining weight. For them, meal replacements can be important tools.

To implement a weight gain program, it’s imperative that you eat several smaller meals a day rather than three larger meals. Why is this important? Because as the frequency of meals increases, so will nutrient absorption rates. More frequent nutrient delivery also means your body will be in a better position to regulate insulin levels, which factor into weight gain. The problem is that if you’re like most people, you probably don’t have time to prepare six meals a day. Meal replacements, which are commonly referred to as as MRPs (meal replacement powders), can provide a solution.

As the name suggests, MRPs are supplements that replicate the effect of having eaten a meal. MRPs don’t do anything more than a good, healthy meal; they just make eating more convenient and portable. You might think MRPs would be a grim and tasteless option. But the good news is that as more people have used and become knowledgeable about them, they have forced nutrition companies to come up with palatable products that really work. Quality MRP brands like Prolab, EAS, Met-Rx and Optimum Nutrition not only taste good; they contain an assortment of vital proteins and vitamins. (That’s not always the case with MRPs you find in the grocery store, so buyer beware.) You don’t need a kitchen to prepare an MRP; all you need is water or juice and a shaker. It’s almost like having a personal chef who provides nutritional meals at your command, any time of the day.

There are a few things to consider before you head out to the store and buy your first can of MRP. By far the most important criteria is the taste. No matter how nutritious it is, if you don’t like how it tastes, it isn’t going to help you. Next are the upgrades. Beware of companies that add extra whey protein or glutamine because these are rip-offs.

Photo by Laura Nubuck

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