Migraine Remedies: 5 Possible Tricks to Ease The Pain

Posted by Jane Jane on Saturday, September 29, 2012 / Labels: , , , / Comments: (0)

I take prescription medicines if I have migraine but I am also searching for effective migraine remedies that can help ease the pain. Here are some self-care measures I found that may also be effective in alleviating the pain each time migraine attacks me.

  1. Get adequate amount of sleep. Although it is important that you sleep at least six hours a night, you must not oversleep as it can worsen your condition. It is also highly recommended that you go to bed and wake up at regular times. 
  2. Rest. (This is what I do when I feel like headache is going to attack me. I just lie down in my bedroom and try to relax and sleep.) According to experts, it is also helpful if you apply an ice pack on the back of your neck to ease those painful areas. 
  3. Know what triggers your migraine. Knowing what triggers headache can help you prevent it from happening. This will also help your doctor better understand your condition so he/she can give you the right medicine or treatment specifically for your case. 
  4. Try acupuncture. (One of these days, I will try this natural treatment.) In clinical trials, this non-traditional therapy was found to be helpful in alleviating headache pain. 
  5. Take vitamins and minerals. There are reports that feverfew and butterbur can prevent or reduce the severity of headache. Unfortunately, these herbs are not easy to find. Taking of riboflavin may also help in preventing migraine to occur as it corrects some deficiencies in the brain cells. You may also try taking magnesium supplements but be sure to ask your doctor about it. 
These migraine remedies may or may not help in easing the pain but there is no harm in trying one of them. (I will definitely try acupunture.)

Photo source: nhs.uk
Related topics: 

Alzheimer's Disease -- Different Ways to Delay Its Onset

Posted by Jane Jane / Labels: , , / Comments: (0)

Alzheimer's disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. It occurs among people ages 65 and above. My late maternal grandmother had this type of condition. This means that I am at risk of developing it. If you are like me, we can delay the onset of this disease by following these simple tips:

  1. Challenge your brain each day. By this it means that you need to find hobbies and activities that can tickle your brain. Examples will include reading, playing board games (Sudoku is a good game to challenge your brain.), doing crossword puzzles and other mental exercises. According to scientists, switching hands can also improve the health of your brain. For instance, if you are right-handed, you may use your left hand to slice vegetables or brush your hair. Learning foreign language is also a great way to make your brain as active as possible. 
  2. Eat healthy foods. Limit your red meat intake but consume more fruit and vegetables. In a research conducted, individuals who ate great amount of fish, poultry, fruit and vegetables and lesser amount of red meat and butter were found to be at the lower spectrum of developing Alzheimer's disease. 
  3. Stay active and socialize a lot. Do not just stay at your home and avoid interacting with humans. You must socialize and make as many friends as you can. You also need to travel more to meet new people. According to scientists, people who spend most of their time in their own home are more likely to develop this medical condition compared with individuals who travel a lot. 
  4. Exercise regularly. Apart from engaging in mental exercises, you also need to have regular physical exercise, like jogging, walking and swimming. This is to avoid cognitive decline. If you have low activity, your risk of developing this disease is two times higher than those who engaged in various physical activities. 
Although we cannot prevent Alzheimer's disease from destroying our mental ability, we can somehow delay its symptoms. 

Photo source: cartoonstock.com
Related topics: 

Menopause Hot Flashes -- 5 Home Remedies You Need to Know to Reduce Frequency of Hot Flashes

Posted by Jane Jane / Labels: , , , / Comments: (1)

You do not need prescription medicines to alleviate menopause hot flashes. You can easily cool things off using the following home remedies. Of course not all of them will work. So try out a couple of these tips to find out which one can help you counter the symptoms of menopause. Before you know it, you will feel a lot cooler.

  1. Get a regular exercise. If you really want to cool things off, you must engage in a regular exercise. Doing yoga five days a way can reduce the frequency of hot flashes. You should also engage in other aerobic activities in a week. Plus, you need to do muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week. These physical activities will not only make your hot flashes less intense but they will also enhance your overall health. 
  2. Eliminate coffee. Yes, coffee is good to help you be alert. But it contains stimulant. This means that it can only worsen your condition. If you cannot eliminate coffee from your routine, then you must try limiting to 300 milligrams of caffeine each day. This is about 1 1/1 cups of coffee per day. Replace caffeinated drinks with water. When cutting back on coffee, you must cut it gradually to avoid experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms. 
  3. Quit smoking. When compared with nonsmokers, women who smoke are more likely to experience hot flashes. This is the result of the stimulating effects of nicotine. If it is too difficult for you to quit, you may use some local resources to assist you in succeeding. 
  4. Change your diet. Whole grains, fruit and vegetables are great for your weight helping you decrease the intensity of hot flashes. Cut back on spicy foods and alcohol. Consume foods that are rich in soy. Soy contains high amount of isoflavones, which can offer similar positive effects to estrogen supplements. 
  5. Take black cohosh. This herbal remedy is known to relieve some symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal remedy if you are suffering from liver disease. 
Photo source: rodale.com
Related topics: 

Sleep Benefits -- 4 Surprising Advantages of Having Adequate Rest

Posted by Jane Jane on Friday, September 28, 2012 / Labels: , / Comments: (0)

Sleep benefits are aplenty (this is why I love to sleep). Apart from banishing under-eye circles, hibernation is good for your heart, mind and weight. Listed below are some of the other advantages of having adequate rest each night.

  1. Minimize inflammation. According to a medical research, people who practice inadequate amount of sleep a night have an increased levels of inflammatory proteins compared with individuals who have more than 7 hours of sleep each night. These proteins are linked to heart disease, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. If you have trouble sleeping, you may talk to your doctor about the use of treatments for sleep disorders. 
  2. Enjoy more stamina. Athletes can further improve their performance by grabbing more hours of sleep each night. In a medical study conducted, it was found out that a football player has improved his average sprint time by sleeping at least 10 hours of rest each night for one week. So skip the bar hopping and go grab more sleep, instead. 
  3. Enhance attention. When I do not have enough sleep at night, I cannot think clearly. According to a study, children who get less than eight hours of sleep each night are more likely to be inattentive and impulsive. Essentially, sleeping affects the brain. 
  4. Achieve healthy weight. Each time I do not have adequate hours of rest at night, I feel more hungry in the morning. I tend to eat more even though I am not that hungry. According to a medical doctor, certain hormones in your body go up in your blood and poke your appetite. As a result, you will always feel that you need to fill your stomach, even if you just  devoured a Big Mac. 
Other sleep benefits will include lowering stress levels, improving your creativity, etc. 

Photo source: library.thinkquest.org
Related topics: 


How to Get Toned Abs -- 3 Important Tips to Help You Get Flatter Stomach

Posted by Jane Jane on Thursday, September 27, 2012 / Labels: , / Comments: (0)

How to get toned abs? Unfortunately, there is no magic solution to obtain six-pack abs. According to fitness experts, in order to get fabulous abs, you need to focus on these three elements:

  1. Posture. To have flatter stomach, you need to stand tall and avoid slouching. Maintaining good posture while standing is difficult. To help you out, you must make sure that your ears are aligned over your shoulders. Your shoulders must be aligned over your hips. The fronts of your shoulders must be open. You must keep your weight even. 
  2. Exercise. Sit-ups are good but they are not enough if you wish to have toned abs. As per advised by fitness experts, you need a combination of various exercises to achieve your goal. To help you get started working out, you can try cardio exercises. High energy aerobic exercises are also excellent in helping you boost your heart rate, burn excess fat, and achieve flatter stomach. Pilates and yoga are also good (the only problem with these exercises is that they always leave me groggy right after each session.).
  3. Diet. The key to having flat abs is to maintain a healthy weight. In order to maintain your ideal weight, you must avoid foods that can make you fat. So throw away all junk foods and processed foods. Stock up on fruit and vegetables, instead. 
When aiming for toned abs, you must also be realistic. Keep in mind that your genes play a significant role in having extra fat in your tummy. Nevertheless, you can have flatter stomach if you eat a healthy diet and get a regular exercise. 

Photo source: anorexiathletica.tumblr.com
Related topics: 

What is GERD -- 5 Tips To Manage Your Condition

Posted by Jane Jane on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 / Labels: , / Comments: (0)

What is GERD? This medical condition is also known as heartburn. You will experience it when your muscles of the lower esophagus are malfunctioning. As result of this malfunction, the food and acids from your stomach will go back to your esophagus, ergo, the term reflux.

My sister is suffering from this condition. Her doctor advise her not to lie down with a full stomach. Therefore, she has to eat her supper at least two hours before bedtime. The food must be digested properly and allow it to leave the stomach before putting your body in a reclined position. In this way, acids from your stomach will less likely to leak back into your esophagus.

Other things that a person with GERD can do to manage this condition will include the following:
  1. Avoid overeating. Rather than eating three large ones, you must try to eat four to five small meals each day. You are not only helping yourself in managing your heartburn but you are also preventing yourself from gaining weight. 
  2. Do not eat foods that can trigger GERD symptoms. As much as possible, you must stay away from eating onions, peppermint and other foods that can trigger such condition. You may also keep a food diary to help you figure out what foods you must avoid to help manage your heartburn. 
  3. Quit smoking. Nicotine weakens the lower esophageal sphincter. As it weakens, it allows the acids from the stomach to easily enter the esophagus. 
  4. Stop drinking alcohol. Instead of consuming alcohol, you must go and walk, meditate or stretch out. These things can help you unwind and relieve yourself from all the stressors in your life. 
  5. Lose weight. Yes, overweight can worsen your condition. Therefore, it is important that you lose weight in order to relieve the symptoms of your heartburn. 
You must talk to your doctor and ask him/her about what is GERD. He/she can offer you some treatments that can alleviate your own case. 

Photo source: medicinenet.com
Related topics: 

The Flu: Ways To Fight It Naturally

Posted by Jane Jane on Monday, September 24, 2012 / Labels: , / Comments: (0)

When fighting the flu, you must not take antibiotics as they are considered ineffective. The reason for this is that this condition is caused by a virus and not bacteria. If you have bug, you must forego the use of modern medicine. Instead, you must fight it using natural means.

  1. Hydrate yourself. When fighting the flu virus, you must keep yourself hydrated. Drink plenty of water. If you cannot take water alone, try putting some fruit juice in it. Or you may also prepare herbal tea if you like. 
  2. Practice good hygiene. You can avoid spreading the virus to other members of your family by washing your hands frequently. Your family members must also do the same. If you sneeze and have covered your mouth using your hands, you must wash your hands immediately to avoid transferring the virus. 
  3. Rest. When treating the flu, you must get enough rest or sleep to help you fight against the virus. 
  4. Eat healthily. You must consume vegetables and fruits. Avoid eating junk foods while still coping with the effects of the said virus. These healthy foods can offer a boost to your immune system. Prevent yourself from eating sugary foods as they can only lower your immune system. You can also boost your IS by taking enough vitamin C. 
  5. Swallow 2 garlic pills. These pills can help you fight against the virus. They are also ideal in cleansing your system. 
  6. Take honey. Honey is rich in vitamin C, which is good at fighting the flu virus. You may combine two tablespoons of honey and 3 pieces of calamansi or lemons. Drink the mixture every four hours. This natural concoction always works for me. 
You must not take antibiotics when fighting against the flu virus. As mentioned earlier, they are ineffective. However, if your sickness continues to persist for more than one week, you must see a doctor.

Photo source: antibioticslist.com
Related topics:  

Heart Disease -- 4 Prevention Tips To Avoid Cardiovascular Problems

Posted by Jane Jane on Monday, September 10, 2012 / Labels: / Comments: (0)

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the Philippines and in America. My grandfather died of heart attack. My mother has a cardiovascular problem, which increases my chances of having this kind of problem in the future. Fortunately, though, there are things that you and I can do to prevent this problem to occur.

Here are some prevention tips you can take to help you avoid having cardiovascular problems.
  1. Avoid smoking tobacco. According to health experts, the use of tobacco will put you at risk of developing a medical problem related to the heart. The chemicals in tobacco can put a significant damage to your heart, arteries and blood vessels, which may lead to a heart attack. How about low-nicotine cigarrettes? They are also risky. 
  2. Consume a healthy diet. Herbalife shake is considered as a healthy meal. I take it as a replacement meal as my dinner. It can help protect your heart against any damages. You must also consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. You must also avoid eating foods high in saturated and tran fats as they increase your risk of develping coronary artery disease. 
  3. Have a regular exercise. Apart from engaging in cardiovascular exercises like jogging and running, you should also try strengtehning exercises. They are not only great in protecting your heart but they are also ideal for losing weight. 
  4. Maintain an ideal weight. One way to prevent heart disease is to maintain a healthy weight. You can do this if you follow the 3 tips mentioned above. 
Photo source: domainkeysforum.org
Related reading: 
What is Autism?
The Milk
What is Coffee? 
What to Eat? 
The Cold

Urinary Infection: Tips To Ease The Pain Caused By This Infection

Posted by Jane Jane on Monday, September 3, 2012 / Labels: / Comments: (0)

Urinary infection can be really painful. Although this infection is not life-threatening, it can cause serious disease if left untreated. When it spreads to the kidneys, it becomes a serious condition. For that reason, it is a must that you treat it as early as possible.

When treating this type of infection, you must consult your physician to help you find the right solution. Your physician may prescribe antibiotics suitable for your condition. Apart from taking prescribed medicine, you may also do the following:

  1. Take cranberry juice a day. But you must opt for a brand that comes with less sugar. Or you may also take capsules consisting of cranberries. They are also great in treating urinary infection. 
  2. Drink a lot of water. Apart from drinking cranberry juice, you must consume 2 liters of water each day. This is to help you eliminate the bacteria causing the infection. 
  3. Consume vitamin C. Your doctor may also recommend taking of this vitamin as part of your treatment. The role of this vitamin is to acidify your urine in order to destroy the strain of bacteria that caused such infection. You may also take acidophilus to gain back the normal baterial flora in your body. 
  4. Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeinated drinks. These beverages can only worsen your condition. 
There are other remedies that can treat this infection. Some of them are useful while others are not. Hence, you must consider your options very carefully. 

As regards to antibiotics, you must ensure that you take the full course of it as prescribed by your physician. This is to make sure that the bacteria have been destroyed completely. 

Furthermore, wearing cotton underwear can relieve the pain and irritation caused by urinary infection. 

Photo source: healblog.net
Related Topics:

Related Posts with Thumbnails