Rosacea natural treatment | Herbal remedy for rosacea

Rosacea symptoms include a red flush on the face, pimples on the face, neck and chin, red irritated eyes, tiny red veins on the skin and burning or stinging on the face especially if lotions are applied.

Rosacea can be a chronic condition and can be triggered by a variety of factors including exposure to the sun, exercise, spicy foods and temperature changes. Sometimes Rosacea is mistaken for acne - however it is a different skin disorder and should be treated accordingly.

Antibiotic creams and tablets are generally prescribed for Rosacea. However these can have side effects and after a while stop working or make the rosacea worse.

Gentle herbal remedies are a better option. Purim from Himalaya Herbals is a tablet comprised of 14 herbs formulated according to Ayurvedic principles. Purim helps to detoxify the body, purify the blood and cleanse bodily systems from the inside which are the root cause of skin disorders. The herbs in Purim including Turmeric, Neem, King of bitters, Triphala and others have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory properties. Cassia Fistula is excellent for skin disorders especially in controlling burning and stinging of the skin. Picrorhiza kurroa has antitumor effects.

Read more on Purim, its properties and benefits.

Holy basil for respiratory health | Coughs colds asthma

Holy basil also known as Sweet basil and Tulasi is considered one of the best remedies for respiratory problems. Holy basil extract helps to loosen and clear mucus in patients suffering from colds, asthma and bronchitis. As a result it is often the primary ingredient in Ayurvedic cough and cold medicines.

It has also been shown that Holy basil has anti-histamine properties and benefits those suffering from allergies. Its active ingredients caryophyllene, ursolic acid, eugenol, and oleanolic acid have been found similar to the properties of prescription tuberculosis drugs such as Streptomycin and Isoniazide.

During the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) some years back, a mixture of Holy basil, turmeric and black pepper was found to be having a positive effect on patients. Their fever and breathlessness reduced after taking the preparation.

Holy basil is anti-inflammatory and anti-viral and helps build immunity against coughs, colds and the flu. Read more on Holy basil benefits

Ulcerative proctitis herbal remedies | Herbs for ulcerative proctitis

Ulcerative proctitis refers to inflammation and ulceration of the inner lining of the rectum. Tiny sores form on the surface and cause bleeding, pus and mucus secretions. Ulcerative proctitis is part of the broader definition of ulcerative colitis which involves inflammation of the colon mucosa. For about 30% of all patients with ulcerative colitis, the illness begins as ulcerative proctitis.

Common symptoms of ulcerative proctitis are generally tenemus - which involves an urge to have a bowel movement but the amount of feces passed is small and marked by blood and pus. Sometimes there may also be fever.

Herbal remedies for ulcerative proctitis :

Turmeric herb is considered excellent for treating inflammation. It can be taken raw, in powder form or in capsules. Other anti-inflammatory herbs that are useful in this condition are Triphala, Boswellia and Ashwagandha.

These herbs are anti-inflammatory and also help to relax the colon. They also have mild laxative properties that promote smooth bowel movements.

Anemia herbal remedies | Ayurvedic remedies for anemia

Anemia is the condition in which the number of red blood cells in the blood is low. Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and if the kidneys or bone marrow are not functioning or the body is not properly nourished then anemia can result.

Ayurveda recommends purgation before treatment of anemia. Bodily toxins need to be flushed, constipation needs to be corrected and a diet rich in iron needs to be followed.

The following foods are good sources of iron:

Enriched breakfast cereals

Cooked beans and lentils

Pumpkin seeds

Blackstrap Molasses

Canned asparagus

Clams

Oysters

Chicken Liver

Mussels

Pregnant women should not consume liver.

Herbs and herbal preparations generally recommended in Ayurveda for treatment of anemia are:

Triphala

Shatavari

Punarnava

Chyawanprash

Osteopenia diagnosis | bone loss medications

Osteopenia is a diagnosis of low bone density but not severe enough to be termed osteoporosis. The World Health Organization has developed a tool called FRAX that is said to determine when treatment for bone loss should be started.

However both the new diagnosis of osteopenia and the tool are subjects of controversy. Primarily because a diagnosis of pre-osteoporosis leads to prescription of medications that treat bone loss but can cause severe side effects. According to the WHO panel normal bone mass is considered to be that of an average 30 year old woman. That would imply that anyone over 30 has osteopenia since some bone loss is common after 30 years.

Many doctors are against the diagnosis of osteopenia since it tends to unnecessarily scare women into taking prescription drugs for osteoporosis. Sales of such drugs exceed $8 billion a year and drug companies are paying for the installation of bone-density measuring devices in doctors’ offices, drugstores, shopping malls and health clubs.

Bisphosphonates the class of drugs, which includes Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva and Reclast have been known to cause serious side effects. These include osteonecrosis of the jaw, severe muscle, joint or bone pain, poor kidney function, low blood calcium, painful swallowing, severe heartburn, nausea or upset stomach, chest pain and ulcers. There is also evidence to show that bisphosphonates can actually contribute to bone brittleness, fragility, and microfractures - actually increasing the chances of breakage.

Bone loss can be mitigated by natural methods. Adequate vitamin D and calcium in the diet, weight bearing exercises will help stem bone loss. Natural herbo-mineral remedies like Reosto also help to prevent and reverse bone loss. Reosto provides a natural source of Vitamin D and calcium that are easily absorbed by the body. It helps in the production of estrogen and progesterone. It helps restore bone mass and supports the microstructure of bones.

Antidepressants side effects | Depression medication

Depression can be debilitating and anti-depressants such as Prosac, Zoloft, Paxil are frequently prescribed. These medications are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and work by acting on a chemical in the brain called serotonin. Serotonin regulates moods but also plays a role in many other body functions such as digestion, sleep, pain and mental alertness. As a result prescription depression medications tend to have a number of side effects which include

Nausea
Insomnia
Anxiety
Restlessness
Decreased sex drive
Dizziness
Weight gain or loss
Tremors
Sweating
Sleepiness
Fatigue
Dry mouth
Diarrhea
Constipation
Headaches

Sometimes side effects may be so severe that people have to stop taking antidepressants. In order to avoid antidepressant withdrawal symptoms, medication should never be stopped suddenly. The dose should be slowly reduced with at least 1-2 weeks between each dosage reduction. This dosage reduction process may take several months, and should be done under a doctor's supervision.

Studies have shown that therapy and other treatments such as exercise, meditation, relaxation techniques, stress management, support groups, and self-help steps work just as well as antidepressants in treating depression, and are better at preventing relapse once treatment ends.

Herbal alternatives such as Bacopa, Mentat, Ashwagandha and Gotu kola have also been shown to have very positive effects in treating depression. Moreover they are non-habit forming and have none of the side effects of antidepressants.

Read more on Natural remedies for depression

Guggul research cardiovascular benefits

Guggul - the oleogum resin obtained from the Commiphora wightii tree is known for its benefits in lowering and regulating cholesterol levels. Recent research published in the Cardiovascular Drug Review show the therapeutic effects of guggul on the heart.

Guggul's cardiovascular benefits are derived from the multiple pharmacological activities of Guggulsterone the bioactive constituent responsible for guggul's therapeutic effects. The most important are its hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory activities.

Studies demonstrate that guggulsterone upregulates the bile salt export pump (BSEP). The BSEP removes cholesterol metabolites, bile acids from the liver. The guggulsterone action promotes cholesterol metabolism into bile acids, and is another possible mechanism for its hypolipidemic activity.

Guggulsterone has been found to potently inhibit the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), which triggers inflammatory responses. Repressing NF-kappaB has been proposed as a mechanism of the antiinflammatory effect of guggulsterone