Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Weight Loss - Easy ways t0 lose weight naturally



Weight Loss - Easy Ways you can lose weight naturally


1. Portions - Portion control is possibly one of the most effective ways to lose
weight fast and without frustration. Reduce your portions - just eat half of what
is on your plate, either at home or in a restaurant and keep the remainder for
next time.


2. Go meatless - Take meat off the menu for a few meals during the week.
Substitute with soy proteins or legumes or kidney beans. Even mushrooms like
portobello are great burger substitutes. Try veggie burgers and falafel.


3. Spicy food - Spiking your food with spices not only makes them tastier but
healthier as well. Furthermore spices like hot peppers have been shown to raise
the metabolic rate by almost 50% for a few hours after meals.


4. Everyday exercise - Take the stairs whenever possible. Park your car furthest from the store. Take a walk to the water cooler once every hour (you'll also get 8 cups of water that way!). Stretch whenever possible - whether standing or sitting. Even standing straight for 5-10 minutes against the wall helps.


5. Drink water - Drinking adequate water helps to detoxify the body, encourages metabolism and also keeps hunger pangs at bay.


6. Alternative dinners - Try having cereal & milk for dinner ...or pita &
hummus...or fruit & yogurt or a big meatless salad. Anything that is light yet
filling.


7. Herbal Supplements - Try herbal ayurvedic supplements that have no side effects
like Ayurslim. It is a totally herbal composition of herbs like Garcinia, Gymnema,
Guggul, Haritaki, Medhika - all proven fat burning, cholesterol lowering & glucose
metabolizing agents.
http://www.favorfinesse.com/hhayurslim.shtml

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Diabetes Alternative Medicine Lifestyle Diet Exercise


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Diabetes Alternative Medicine & Lifestyle

Type 2 Diabetes or Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus generally affects people over age 40 and has a significant correlation to being overweight. Diabetes is sometimes also called a western lifestyle disorder. It has been shown that when other cultures start adopting the western lifestyle primarily with regard to diet, diabetes cases shoot up.

Therefore if we revert to a more natural diet avoiding refined sugars and processed food, the body will better be able to cope with processing glucose.

Some steps that can be taken to control diabetes are:

1. Diet - A high fat, high sugar diet completely throws off your body's ability to process insulin. There is not enough insulin to process glucose to energy. You can help your body by having a balanced diet and controlling your sugar intake.

2. Exercise - Exercise helps in burning fat, reducing stress and reducing weight. These are key ingredients of diabetes control. Diabetics however should be careful to avoid weight lifting or other forms of exertion that involve pushing or pulling heavy objects as these activities raise blood pressure
3. Vitamins and Supplements - Gymnema Slyvestre or Meshashringi is a herb that has the curious effect of deadening the taste buds on the tongue to the taste of sugar for a few hours. As a result sugar & foods containing sugar are simply not attractive any more. In addition the Gymnemic acid has a hypoglycaemic effect thus helping to control blood sugar. It is the most important herb in Ayurveda for controlling blood sugar levels.

Vitamin B6 and B12 may help decrease the severity of diabetic neuropathy and reduce insulin demands in Type 2 Diabetics.

It has also been shown that seasoning your food with cinnamon with as much as 1/4 tsp at every meal may help regulate blood sugar levels

Herbal Ayurvedic Remedy for Diabetes and Blood Sugar Control
Himalaya Herbals Gymnema Herbal Remedy for Diabetes and Blood Sugar Control

Gymnema


Gymnema abolishes the taste of sugar, which effectively suppresses the craving for sweets. The leaf extracts contain gymnemic acid which inhibits hyperglycemia and also acts as a cardiovascular stimulant. Gymnema controls the blood sugar level without reducing it to below the normal blood sugar level and has been very effective in Types 1 & 2 Diabetes More info...


Himalaya Herbals Karela Herbal Remedy for Diabetes and Blood Sugar Control
Karela



Karela, also known as Bitter Melon is a herb that helps regulate blood sugar levels and keeps body functions operating normally. It contains Gurmarin, a polypeptide considered to be similar to bovine insulin, which has been shown in experimental studies to achieve a positive sugar regulating effect by suppressing the neural response to sweet taste stimuli.
More info...

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Gymnema Diabetes Blood Sugar Control





Gymnema or Gymnema Sylvestre is also known as "Meshashringi" or "Ram's Horn" in Sanskrit. Its Hindi name "Gurmar" however reflects the true reason why Gymnema is such an important ayurvedic herb in controlling blood sugar levels and diabetes. While gymnema was originally used in Southern India as a potent snake bite remedy, it was discovered that chewing the leaves of this plant instantly causes taste buds to repulse sugar.
Gymnema Diabetes Blood Sugar Control

Extensive research on this plant has shown its anti-diabetic property. It inhibits plasma glucose and serum insulin thus controlling blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that this hypoglycaemic activity of Gymnema may be caused through stimulation of insulin release, stimulation of enzymes responsible for glucose uptake and utilisation and/or inhibition of intestinal absorption of glucose. Also by its remarkable ability to cause taste buds to become insensitive to sweet taste for a few hours it aids in diet control and weight loss.


A controlled study on insulin-dependent diabetics found that a water-soluble Gymnema extract (400 mg/day corresponding to about 8 g of starting dried herb) reduced insulin requirements (by about 50%). Over the duration of treatment Gymnema lowered fasting mean blood glucose (by about 35%), glycosylated haemoglobin and glycosylated plasma protein levels from baseline values. Cholesterol was significantly reduced and brought to near normal levels. Triglycerides, free fatty acids and serum amylase were also lowered. The treatment period ranged from 6-30 months. The significant decrease in glycosylated haemoglobin occurred after 6-8 months of Gymnema treatment but remained significantly higher than normal values. None of these reductions were observed in control patients on insulin therapy alone who were studied over a period of 10-12 months. The authors suggested that Gymnema enhanced endogenous insulin production, possibly by pancreatic regeneration, as levels of C-peptide, a by-product of the conversion of proinsulin to insulin, were apparently raised (in comparison to both the insulin alone group and normal subjects).


References:


Himalaya Herbals company


Brala PM et al. Physiol Behav 1983; 30: 1


Shanmugasundaram ER et al. J Ethnopharmacol 1990; 30: 281

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Amla Amalaki Skin Eye Disorders Herbal Remedy


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Amla / Amalaki / Indian Gooseberry

(Emblica officinalis)

Amla Benefits: Anti-oxidant, Respiratory functions, Eye, Skin disorders, Scurvy

Amla also known as Indian Gooseberry contains the highest natural source of Vitamin C and cytokine like substances identified as zeatin, z. riboside, z. nucleotide. It is believed that what gold is to the minerals, Amla is to the herbs and is the most widely used herb in the ayurvedic system of medicine. It is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-aging herb. It protects cells against free radicals and prevents premature aging.

Primary benefits of Amla /Amalaki are:

Strong rejuvenative
Anti-oxidant - prevents premature aging
Treats respiratory disorders
Treats hemorrhage, diarrhea and dysentery
Very useful for scurvy
Treats skin disorders
Treats eye disorders


Indications /Symptoms:

Cough, cold, sore throat & other respiratory tract infections
Premature aging
Repeated episodes of respiratory infections, as an immunomodulator
Dyspepsia & Hyperacidity
Skin disorders

Friday, October 12, 2007

Physical Fitness, Stress Relief, Rejuvenation, Hypertension Relief Ashwagandha


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Ashwagandha is the most famous ayurvedic rejuvenative herb. Often called the "Indian Ginseng", Ashvagandha (Withania Somnifera)improves the body's ability to maintain physical effort and helps the body relieve stress, fatigue and sleeplessness. Ashwagandha is rich in phytochemicals such as withananine, choline, trapino, and alkaloids. It is an anti-depressant, anti-oxidant and known for its anti-aging and longevity behefits. It is taken by athletes to improve physical perfomance. It is also a powerful aphrodisiac. Best of all being a pure herb it has no side effects.

Benefits of Ashwagandha
  • Better physical fitness
  • Relieves stress and hypertension
  • Rejuvenative
  • Used for arthritic pain relief
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Promotes sound sleep
  • Reduces high cholesterol levels
  • Enhances brain functions
  • Powerful aphrodisiac
  • Friday, October 5, 2007

    Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, BPH, Enlarged Prostate


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    Herbal Remedy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

    Himalaya Herbals Himplasia, Herbal remedy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
    Himplasia



    Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)


    The prostate is a walnut sized gland in the male reproductive system that produces
    semen. It is located beneath the bladder and surrounds the upper part of the
    urethra. Along with producing semen, the prostate also controls the outward flow
    of urine from the bladder. Because of this dual role, signs of prostate trouble
    can include both urinary and sexual difficulties.

    Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), refers to the enlargement of the prostate
    gland enough to cause urinary obstruction and sexual dysfunction. Most men over 50
    experience BPH to some degree.

    Causes of BPH


    Benign prostatic hyperplasia seems to stem from age-related changes in hormone
    balance that begin when a man is in his 40's. Testosterone levels in the blood
    decrease, while other hormone levels rise; the net effect is the increase in a
    testosterone derivative dihydrotestosterone that stimulates cell growth in the
    prostate. This results in the enlargement and consequent stricture of hte urehtra
    within the gland. Other causes include neoplasm, arteriosclerosis, inflammation,
    and metabolic or nutritional disturbances.

    With BPH the prostatic urethra gets compressed obstructing urinary flow. The
    bladder may eventually be unable to empty itself and the lingering pools of urine
    become sites of infection or stone formation.

    Symptoms



  • Reduced urinary flow
  • Difficulty in urination
  • Incomplete voiding
  • Urine retention
  • Frequent urination urge
  • Nocturia
  • Incontinence
  • Hematuria
  • Physical exam will reveal a distended bladder

    As BPH progresses there may be infection, renal insufficiency, hemorrhage and
    shock.

    Prostate Health



    To promote prostate health:

  • Take warm sitz baths
  • Drink more water
  • Avoid prolonged bicycle riding, horseback riding or other exercises that
    irritate the region below the prostate
  • Practise yoga
  • Take health supplements.

    Herbal Ayurvedic Remedy for Benign
    Prostatic Hyperplasia



    Himalaya Herbals Himplasia, Herbal remedy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
    Himplasia


    Himplasia is a non-hormonal herbal support of male fertility which helps maintain
    a healthy prostrate and an effective reproductive function. Himplasia relieves the
    symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia with reduction in prostate weight.
    Himplasia improves urinary flow rate while reducing post-void residual urine.
    Himplasia also inhibits prostatic stromal proliferation.

    References:

    The Handbook of Diseases


    The Medical Advisor - The complete guide to Alternative & Conventional
    Treatments


    Himalaya Herbals Company



  • Thursday, October 4, 2007

    Cirrhosis of the liver, Liver Cirrhosis, Alcohol damage, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C


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    Herbal Remedies for Cirrhosis

    Himalaya Herbals Liv52, Liver care for Herbal Cirrhosis and hepatitis relief
    Liv 52/ Livercare



    Cirrhosis



    When scar tissue forms in the liver it is known as Cirrhosis. The scar tissue replaces normal tissue and blocks blood flow to the liver. The scarring takes place due to injury caused to the liver by causes such as alcohol abuse, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, primary biliary cirrhosis, Autoimmune chronic active hepatitis, drugs and chemicals, blocked bile ducts, genetic disorders such as haemochromatosis, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Wilson disease, galactosemia, and glycogen storage diseases.




    Symptoms of liver cirrhosis


    In the early stages of cirrhosis of the liver there may be no symptoms at all. In many cases, the cirrhosis gets discovered while investigating another illness.

    With disease progression, a person may experience exhaustion, fatigue, weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain and spider angiomas on the skin. In later stages, complications caused by cirrhosis include:

  • Jaundice: Skin and eyes take on a yellow hue when the diseased liver does not absorb enough bilirubin.

  • Edema and ascites: Fluid retention in the legs (edema) and abdomen (ascites).

  • Easy Bruising and bleeding: A person will bruise or bleed easily since the liver no longer produces proteins needed for blood clotting. Nosebleeds and palmar erythema (reddish blotchy palms)

  • Abnormal blood vessels: Formation of a spider naevus, which is a spot surrounded by fine blood vessels. A red face is also common.


  • Itching: Intense skin itching due to accumulation of bile products

  • Gallstones: gallstones may develop.

  • Toxins in the blood or brain: Toxins accumulating in the blood and brain can can dull mental functioning, cause personality changes, coma, and even death. Signs of the buildup of toxins in the brain include neglect of personal appearance, unresponsiveness, forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, or changes in sleep habits.

  • Sensitivity to medication: Medications build up in the body and act longer than expected causing a person to be more sensitive to medications and their side effects.

  • Portal hypertension: cirrhosis slows the normal flow of blood through the portal vein, which increases the pressure inside it causing portal hypertension.

  • Varices: When blood flow through the portal vein slows, blood from the intestines and spleen backs up into blood vessels in the stomach and esophagus causing them to be enlarged. The bursting of these blood vessels can cause an emergency bleeding problem in the upper stomach or esophagus.

  • Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes: Cirrhosis causes resistance to insulin which is a hormone enabling blood glucose to be used as energy by the cells of the body. With insulin resistance, insulin is not used properly by the body and the pancreas cannot keep up with the body's need for insulin. As excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, type 2 diabetes develops.

  • Liver cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer commonly caused by cirrhosis, starts in the liver tissue itself.

  • Problems in other organs. Cirrhosis can cause immune system dysfunction, leading to infection. Fluid in the abdomen (ascites) may become infected with bacteria normally present in the intestines. Cirrhosis can also lead to impotence, kidney dysfunction and failure, and osteoporosis.







    Liver Cirrhosis Risk Factors:

  • Alcohol consumption About half of all liver cirrhosis cases are due to chronic alcohol consumption. Women are more susceptible than men.
  • Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Patients who already have Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus.
  • primary biliary cirrhosis or autoimmune chronic active hepatitis:
  • Metabolic and Inherited disorders







    Herbal Ayurvedic Remedy for Cirrhosis and Hepatitis




    Himalaya Herbals Liv52 Liver Care Herbal Remedy for liver Cirrhos and hepatitis
    Liv 52/ Liver Care



    Liv-52® also known as LiverCare® has been validated by 276 clinical trials and research studies. Liv.52 restores the functional efficiency of the liver, prevents the loss of functional integrity of the cell membrane, maintains cytochrome P-450, hastens the recovery period and ensures early restoration of hepatic functions in infective hepatitis.In pre-cirrhotic conditions, Liv.52 arrests the progress of the disease and prevents further liver damage. As a daily health supplement, Liv.52 improves appetite and the digestion and assimilation processes. More info...








    References:

    National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse


    Himalaya Herbals Company

  • Cholesterol, HDL LDL, Heart Disease, High blood cholesterol, Herbal Remedies


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    Herbal Remedies for Cholesterol

    Himalaya Herbals Guggul for Herbal Cholesterol and Lipid Control
    Guggul



    Himalaya Herbals Garcinia for Herbal Cholesterol and Lipid Control
    Garcinia

    What is cholesterol?



    Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells of the body. Cholesterol is also found in some of the foods that we eat. Our body does need cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help digest foods.

    Since cholesterol is fatty, it does not mix with blood and is carried in small packages called lipoproteins. These basically contain fat or lipid inside and protein on the outside. There are two types of lipoproteins.:


  • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol also known as bad cholesterol
  • High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol also called good cholesterol.


    LDL cholesterol causes a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries while HDL cholesterol carries the cholesterol from other parts of the body to the liver which removes it. Higher LDL levels increases chances of getting heart disease while higher HDL levels lower them.


    Plaque is the accumulation of cholesterol on the walls of the arteries which can cause the arteries to narrow and harden called atherosclerosis.

    Narrowing of the coronary arteries that bring blood to the heart due can stop or slow down the flow of blood to the heart. The amount of oxygen-rich blood is decreased. This is called coronary artery disease (CAD). This can also cause chest pain known as Angina.



    Causes of Cholesterol


    Saturated fat in food raises LDL cholesterol levels. Trans fatty acids or trans fats from hydrogenated vegetable oil as well as foold from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat and cheese all contribute to raising LDL cholesterol levels.



    Being overweight also raises LDL levels and lowers HDL levels and increases the total cholesterol level. Lack of regular exercise can cause weight gain and consequently raise cholesterol levels.



    High blood cholesterol can also be due to heredity. An inherited genetic condition (familial hypercholesterolemia) results in very high LDL cholesterol levels. It begins at birth, and may result in a heart attack at an early age.



    Age and gender also play a role in determining cholesterol levels. Younger men have lower levels of HDL than women while younger women have lower levels of LDL than men. As women and men get older, their LDL cholesterol levels rise. After 55, women have higher LDL cholesterol levels than men.



    Measuring Cholesterol Levels


    Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The National Cholesterol Education Program developed the following classifications for people over age 20 who do not have heart disease:



    Desirable blood cholesterol--Total blood cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL; LDL is lower than 130 mg/dL.

    Borderline high cholesterol--Total level is between 200 and 239 mg/dL or LDL is 130 to 159 mg/dL.

    High blood cholesterol--Total level is greater than 240 mg/dL or LDL is 160 mg/dL or higher. For patients with heart disease, LDL above 100 mg/dL is too high. In addition, an HDL level less than 35 mg/dL is considered low and increases the risk of heart disease.

    The main goal of cholesterol treatment is to lower LDL in people without heart disease. If the LDL level is in the "high" category and fewer than two other risk factors for heart disease are present, the goal is an LDL level lower than 160 mg/dL. If two or more risk factors are present, the goal is less than 130 mg/dL. If a patient already has heart disease, LDL levels should be 100 mg/dL or less. By reducing LDL, heart disease patients may prevent future heart attacks, prolong their lives, and slow down or even reverse cholesterol buildup in the arteries, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.







    Cholesterol control

    Cholesterol control is achieved by leaving a healthy lifestyle. Quitting smoking, Changing the diet to limit saturated fat and cholesterol, eating only what is required to maintain a healthy weight, losing weight and regular physical activity are all helpful in lowering LDL and raising HDL cholesterol levels. Sometimes lifestyle changes alone are not enough to lower cholesterol levels in which case medications collectively known as statins are prescribed. However statins have been shown to have many adverse effects as well - the primary one being memory dysfunction,severe neuromuscular degeneration and depletion of an important anti-oxidant CQ10 that causes muscle wasting and heart failure as a result. Research shows that women with low levels of coQ10 are at higher risk for breast cancer. Statins also have been linked to erectile dysfunction.




    Herbal Alternative therapies:
    The world is increasingly recognizing herbal remedies as safe alternative therapies for a variety of health conditions and cholesterol control is one of them. Guggul or Shuddha Guggul and Garcinia have been proven to be very effective in cholesterol control with none of the side effects of statin drugs. It has been shown that Guggul can lower blood cholesterol by 14-27% and can lower triglycerides by 22-30%. The effects that Guggul has on the blood cholesterol levels is comparable to prescription medications but, being a natural plant extract, it is a far superior and much safer product. Guggul works on the liver by increasing the metabolism (or break down) of the bad cholesterol known as LDL Cholesterol. After taking the product for 4 to 12 weeks, total cholesterol levels can drop, triglyceride levels can drop and an increase in HDL (the good cholesterol) of approximately 16% can occur. Its benenfits as a weight-loss and fat burning agent have been well researched and documented. Garcinia inhibits the synthesis of lipids and fatty acids and lowers the formation of LDL and triglycerides. Garcinia not only inhibits conversion of excess calories to body fat but also suppresses appetite by promoting synthesis of glycogenis a very effective herbal medicine for controlling obesity and cholesterol.

    References:


    National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

    Center for Medical Consumers article by Dr. Paul Rosch, MD and Dr. Gravelins