Month: July 2010

by: S. L. Baker

(NaturalNews) According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), almost 11 percent of Americans age 20 or older have diabetes. And the most common form of this disease, type 2 diabetes, has reached epidemic proportions. Now scientists have found a link between vitamin D deficiency and the inability of many patients with this kind of diabetes to keep their blood sugar under control. What's more, this raises the strong possibility that, along with being overweight and sedentary, a lack of vitamin D could be a major factor in triggering type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Vitamin D3-5

Esther Krug, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an endocrinologist at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, just presented this research in San Diego at the Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting. "This finding supports an active role of vitamin D in the development of Type 2 diabetes," Dr. Krug said in a statement to the media.

Krug and her research team reviewed the medical charts of 124 people between the ages of 36 and 89 years old who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and treated at an endocrine outpatient clinic between 2003 and 2008. As part of their health evaluations, all of these patients had their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels measured at the clinic. So the researchers looked to see how many of the patients had normal levels of the so-called "sunshine" vitamin.

The answer? Almost none. In fact, an astonishing 91 percent of the patients studied had either vitamin D deficiency (defined as a level below 15 nanograms per deciliter, or ng/dL) or vitamin D insufficiency (15 to 31 ng/dL), the authors reported. When the investigators looked at the patients' levels of hemoglobin A1c (a measure of blood sugar control over the past several months), they came up with another startling fact. There was a clear relationship between uncontrolled blood sugar and low levels of vitamin D. African-Americans were found to have the highest A1c levels and were most deficient in vitamin D, when compared to Caucasians.

"Since primary care providers diagnose and treat most patients with type 2 diabetes, screening and vitamin D supplementation as part of routine primary care may improve health outcomes of this highly prevalent condition," Dr. Krug concluded.

NaturalNews has previously reported on other natural ways to treat and even prevent type 2 diabetes — including eating Mediterranean style by consuming a diet rich in "good" fats (like Omega-3s and olive oil), veggies, fruit and whole grains. A study published last fall in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded the Mediterranean diet dramatically improved type 2 diabetes and even eliminated the need for many people to take blood glucose regulating medication.

-Aloe Vera is a soothing home remedy. This common plant will grow easily in your garden or you can buy 99.9% pure Aloe Vera gel from a health shop. Don't use a product that says "contains Aloe Vera" because this will only have a small amount of the gel. If you are fortunate enough to have the genuine plant growing, trim the thorny edges on both sides and cut the Aloe stick into sizeable chunks. Chill these in the fridge or freezer for 30 to 60 minutes and use when needed. If you are using commercial Aloe Vera gel, put the tube or tub in the fridge too as the coolness is extra soothing. Application is best after a shower so that it has the opportunity to settle in without being washed off.

-Essential Oils are well known for their skin healing and restoration properties. They will even repair the skin after an outbreak is over. There are two safe and gentle products – one that is concentrated to use during an outbreak (or at the very first signs of an outbreak) and one that prevents and controls future outbreaks. The antiviral properties of essential oils penetrate the blood stream to do their healing work.

-Herbs such as thyme, liquorice and cayenne are well known for their ability to fight the herpes virus.

-Epsom Salt is another helpful home remedy that can cleanse, soothe and dry herpes sores as well as relieve itching and tenderness. An Epsom salt bath is the best method of application. Put a large handful in a warm bath and soak for 10 to 20 minutes or even longer if you wish.

-Salt Water also works well. If you have access to the beach, a regular swim in the ocean will help the healing process.

-Cool or Warm Treatment. Some sufferers find warmth helps while others prefer a cool treatment. A bath or shower with warm water over the genital area 3 or 4 times a day is soothing for some. Afterwards, gently pat dry or use a hair dryer on a low or cool setting. The warm air can even speed up the healing process by helping the sores to dry out. Others prefer cool or even very cold treatment such as an ice pack or packet of frozen peas wrapped in a soft cloth and applied to the affected area.

-Painful Urination. In many initial outbreaks of genital herpes, urination (particularly in women) can bring intense pain as acidic urine passes over open sores. The easiest way to overcome this is to sit in a large bowl of warm water and urinate into that.

-Immune System Booster. To help defend against the return of a genital herpes outbreak, a healthy immune system is vital. This means no smoking, reducing alcohol intake, a healthy balanced diet, plenty of rest, a good night's sleep, lowering stress levels and taking nutrients that help to build healthy immunity such as Echinacea, vitamin C and zinc.

Although you may feel depressed and disheartened when diagnosed with the genital herpes virus, it is possible with the right treatment and a healthy lifestyle to reverse the effects of this unwelcome condition.

by: Susan Laverie

(NaturalNews) Migraine headache causes include one or more triggers such as sensitivity to external stimuli, hormone imbalances, stress and a group of offending foods and additives. Prevent migraine headaches caused by food by eliminating those foods that trigger pain. Discover which foods and food additives are responsible for triggering migraine headaches and accompanying migraine-related depression.

Gingko Biloba
SAM-e

Although it may be discouraging at first to eliminate certain favorites, the good news is culprits found in processed foods aggravate migraine headaches and are easy to recognize and avoid. The rest of the good news is migraine sufferers respond well to replacing processed food with whole foods that support their overall well being while reducing or eliminating migraine headache pain.

Processed foods containing food additives such as MSG are some of the worst offenders on the list of migraine headache causes. Other problematic substances are artificial sweeteners, chemicals such as nitrates and nitrites, flavor enhancers, foods containing tyramine, chocolate, alcohol and caffeine.

Common Foods and Food Additives Causing Migraine Headache Symptoms

Research identifies the following food groups as common migraine triggers. Some are obvious and others may be surprising. Eliminating certain foods at least for a short time is the best way to find out which of them may be causing migraine headaches and depression for each individual.

Aged cheeses
Smoked, cured and processed meats
Peanuts and peanut products
Legumes including soy
Alcohol, especially red wine and beer
Caffeine found in coffee, tea, sodas
Refined sugars and white flour products (Gluten allergies may cause migraine headaches)
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and chemical additives
Artificial Sweeteners

Chemicals and Food Additives Cause Migraine Headaches and Depression

There is plenty of evidence pointing to food-additives as the source of multiple health problems including migraine headaches and depression. Most symptoms are common and easy to recognize appearing within 25 minutes after eating foods containing additives.

Headache
Dizziness
Flushing of face and neck
Pressure and tightness in chest and face
Disorientation
Tingling and numbness
Burning pains
Depression
Weakness

Check packaged foods for MSG. MSG is a flavor enhancer and preservative used in most packaged and processed foods. It is a major perpetrator of migraine headaches.

Natural Products Replace Offending Additives for Migraine Cures

Avoid products containing artificial sweeteners, saccharine and aspartame. Use stevia, a no-calorie, natural sweetener, to sweeten foods and eliminate migraine headache symptoms. Include lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, and whole grains.

Depression and Migraine Headache Symptoms are the Result of Tyramine

Aged cheeses contain high amounts of tyramine, a substance formed during protein breakdown. Studies report tyramine as the cause of migraine headaches for some. The older the cheese, the higher the tyramine content. People taking MAO inhibitors for migraines should avoid all foods containing tyramine. Tyramine also contributes to high blood pressure.

Foods containing tyramine are all aged cheeses including blue cheeses, Brie, Muenster, Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Swiss, and Feta. Other foods containing tyramine are red wine, alcoholic drinks, aged, canned or cured meats, onions, pickles, garbanzo and lima beans, raisins and avocados.

Find Migraine Headache Relief by Avoiding Cold Foods

Some migraine sufferers report that cold foods cause migraine headaches. Consume foods and drinks at room temperature to prevent migraine headaches. Cold foods and drinks will aggravate a migraine condition if a person is overheated before eating. More than 90% of headache sufferers claim that icy cold foods are a problem.

Decrease offending foods slowly to avoid rebound reactions creating additional migraine headache symptoms.

by: Kim Evans

(NaturalNews) If you're looking for a deep hair conditioner that's chemical free, look no further than virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil is one of the best hair conditioners around and if it's virgin and organic, it's chemical free. Coconut oil can literally bring softness back to your hair – and part of its power lies in its disease fighting medium chain fatty acids. Coconut oil's unique fatty acids have a very small molecular structure and just as they can pass freely into the cell of a virus to destroy it, they can also pass easily into your hair's cell membrane. This allows the nourishing oil to penetrate your hair's shaft – and literally brings deep conditioning from within. While other conditioners work from the outside in, coconut oil is able to work from the inside out.

Another key benefit of coconut oil is that it contains plentiful antioxidants to protect from free radical damage, including heat and environmental damage. Most commercial conditioners use processed vegetable oils that actually create free radicals and are completely stripped of their original antioxidant power.

Massaging the oil into your scalp is powerful too. Coconut oil is nourishing for your scalp and because the oil is a natural antifungal, coconut oil can offer relief from dandruff conditions. Dandruff is often caused by an internal fungal condition that reaches the scalp, called candida overgrowth. With regular use, coconut oil can kill the fungus in the scalp and dandruff issues can be eliminated. Then, you can say good-bye to chemically oriented dandruff shampoos that – like all chemicals – add to your body's toxic burden.

Because coconut oil readily absorbs into the skin, when it's applied to your scalp, it also absorbs into your blood for a quick dose of a powerful natural antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial – and one that germs and bugs don't build immunity against. Most people would agree that that's not a bad thing to be doing regularly in the days of super bugs and regularly compromised immune systems. To enhance this effect, you can also use the oil on your entire body instead of chemical-based lotions. Just apply a little head to toe after your shower, rub it in, and let it absorb a few minutes before toweling off.

For deep hair conditioning, use a teaspoon or two on damp hair and leave it in as long as possible. A few hours is helpful but if you leave it in overnight – or even a few days – you'll really start to see results. This deep conditioning can be done as often as once a week and you may need to wash your hair a couple times to remove all of it. Know that coconut oil can stain fabric though, so be sure to protect your clothes and bedding.