Shingles Natural Treatment

In the past ten years recent studies and research with alternative treatments for shingles has shown it is possible to recover in less than one week and to reduce outbreaks of lesions and pain in three days.

Shingles is a serious health condition and it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations. Traditionally, most doctors prescribe painkillers for the temporary symptomatic relief of the pain and an antiviral drug to suppress the virus. This form of treatment with drugs reduces the severity and frequency of outbreaks but does not eliminate it from the body. This course of treatment can take six weeks or more and does very little for the patient. The pain associated with shingles can continue long after the initial outbreak.

Some doctors prescribe steroids or itch-relieving creams that contain steroids. Recent studies question the effectiveness of steroids in relieving shingles and suggest avoiding any treatment with steroids. Monitoring by your doctor is recommended, if steroids have been prescribed. It is best to find alternative treatments with your doctor and to seek out natural remedies.

The virus herpes zoster causes shingles and is the same virus that causes chicken pox. Shingles is an infection of the central nervous system and may affect the elderly, those with a compromised immune system, anyone under severe stress or those who have been exposed to the chickenpox virus again. Symptoms may include burning, itching, or pain in one part of the body. A few days later, blisters and a rash appear. The infection may run along a nerve path and look like a branch of a tree. Shingles usually appear on the trunk area and the chest but can also be found on the face. Shingles can cause blindness if it affects the eyes. If an outbreak occurs on the face the patient should get immediate medical care.

Natural Remedies For Shingles
A good starting point for treating shingles is a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables. A good diet and reducing daily stress will help boost your immune system

A simple remedy for lesions is to apply a cool or cold wet washcloth or towel to the affected area. A wet towel can be put into the freezer for a while after wetting it to make it colder.

Eliminate sugar from your diet and add these important nutrients to your daily diet - vitamin E, vitamin B12 and vitamin C.

* Vitamin C is suggested with an initial diagnosis of shingles. You may start with 1,000 mg. (+)

* Vitamin E taken daily before meals may reduce the pain of shingles (Study published in the Archives of Dermatology) (+)

* Vitamin B12 injections may reduce the pain of shingles (Study published in the Journal Geriatrics) (+)

(+) It is recommended that you consult with your doctor before starting any vitamin program.

* E capsules can be squeezed directly onto lesions.

* Avoid heat as well as tight clothes and itchy fabrics like wool.

* Calamine lotion may relieve the pain and help dry the lesions.

Shingles is a serious illness and before starting any treatment program you should consult with your doctor. Shingles is the same virus as chicken pox. You cannot catch shingles from someone else unless you've never had chicken pox. If you have shingles you should use caution being around pregnant women who have not had chicken pox - you could infect both the woman and her unborn baby.

by : Wayne McDonald - www.articlegeek.com

Natural Remedies For Common Ailments

Some of the best remedies for common ailments seem to have been forgotten in today's society where a trip to the pharmacy can yield a medicine that will cure anything. The next time you have one of these common ailments, try doing what grandma did and take a trip to your kitchen cabinet instead of to the drug store. It will be kinder on your wallet as well as your health!

While supplements of vitamin C, D and zinc will shorten the lifespan of a common cold, a hot lemon drink is also extremely good. Cool lemon juice and honey are a great soother for a sore throat and gives the body much-needed vitamin C at the same time The juice of one lemon in a glass of water is sufficient.

When you have the cold or flu the constant rubbing of tissue on your nose and lips can cause chaffing and soreness. Try a smear of vaseline or petroleum jelly on those sore lips and nose.

A 'streaming cold' where the nose and eyes water profusely, can be inconvenient and even embarrassing but believe it or not, you can help alleviate these runny symptoms with an onion. Simply dip a slice of onion into a glass of hot water for two seconds, then sip the cooled water throughout the day. In fact, onion is a good thing to have around when you have a cold and putting half an onion on the bedside table at night can get rid of your cold symptoms because its odor is inhaled while you sleep.

For those unpleasant times when you suffer from diarrhea, two tablespoons of brown vinegar will usually fix the problem.

In addition to common kitchen products, many herbs can be used to treat ailments instead of expensive drugs. For example, if you suffer from headaches dizziness or tinnitus, you might try feverfew leaves.

The Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils are useful for treating a variety of respiratory ailments. These are excellent for the treatment of colds and coughs. They can be massaged into the chest or burned in an oil burner to help clear the airways and prevent congestion. Tea Tree oil is a natural antiseptic and can be dabbed on cuts, bites and stings. It is often used to treat spots and pimples and when diluted with water, acts as a mouth gargle (keep in-mind it should never be swallowed).

The herb black cohosh is a powerful relaxant as well and is extremely effective in easing painful menstrual cramps. Ovarian cramps will be relieved as well as bringing on a delayed menstrual cycle. It is also effective in the treatment of arthritis, osteo-arthritis, rheumatic pain and neurological pan. In small doses, appetite and digestion are greatly improved and is very beneficial for the nervous system in general.

Lee Dobbins

Choosing the Right Natural Skin Care Products

When it comes to choosing the right product remember your skin consumes everything you apply on it. So, be careful before applying anything on your face. It is always better to use natural skin care products. Natural skin care brands say that mineral oils must be listed as on ingredients label as plant oil and not mineral oil are more important due to their greater penetration in the skin.

Before choosing your product find out what is your skin type. It can be anything from normal to dry to oily. Each type has its own requirement. Always use the proper product based on your skin type lest you might end up using the wrong thing.

It is always better to use natural skin care products as chemicals are harmful. When it comes to choosing the right one you have to be careful about what to choose and how to choose. First of all make a list of all that you need. It can include the followings:

• Moisturizer

• Toner

• Cleanser

• Scrubber

• Under eye gel

• Anti ageing cream

While choosing a natural skin care product like moisturizers, guarantee that it has botanically based ingredients. Do not opt for anything that contains mineral oil, animal by products, solvent alcohol, artificial colors or fragrance. These block the pores and causes break-outs. Always ensure that whatever you apply is non chemical based. Let it breathe by leaving the pores open and not blocking them.

Do not buy any natural skin care products based on celebrity endorsements. It is better to ask someone you know personally with a beautiful skin to recommend you the products they use. While purchasing, avoid anything that contains alcohol in it. It is harmful.

It is better that when you are purchasing natural skin care products, get the entire set of that natural skin care products. Every company launches an entire set of its product; if you do not purchase the complete set lest your care is incomplete. It is always better to use products that are guaranteed. This way you can ensure that you have the right product for yourself. It is advised that you try it before purchasing. Something that suits your friend might not suit you.

(ArticlesBase SC #2834395)

Native American Herbal Medicine

Native American herbal medicine has been used for treating common illnesses and conditions for centuries. In fact, some people still use these ancient herbal cures today. Herbal remedies were a fundamental component of the Native American culture that went far beyond treating the symptoms of illnesses and into spirituality as part of the treatment. Native Americans had no corner drug store, so they created their remedies from local ingredients. Because different tribes developed remedies based upon what was available to them, there are many different treatments for the same ailments.

Natural Herbal Remedies used today

The appeal of subjects like Native American herbal medicine is driven by the perception that herbal remedies are not as toxic and without the side effects of many of today's prescription medications. Some Native American remedies that have been created using North American plants are simple to locate and common to many areas, like Skunk Cabbage. Other common ingredients used for Native American herbal cures include Wild Cherry, Wild Yam Root, Passion Flower, Sage, Juniper, Willow, Purple Coneflower and Rabbit Tobacco.

Natural Treatment for Asthma

Native American's had treatments for asthma a long time before the commonly used medications of today. The first true residents of North America used Skunk Cabbage to help to facilitate the removal of phlegm. There are two types of Skunk Cabbage, with Eastern Skunk Cabbage being specifically used for the treatment of asthma. Eastern Skunk Cabbage is also sometimes known as Clumpfoot Cabbage, Foetid Pothos, Meadow Cabbage, Polecat Weed, Skunk Cabbage, or Swamp Cabbage.

Early Days of Birth Control

The Navajo, Chippewa, Shoshoni and some other tribes used types of natural remedies as contraceptives. Some of the ingredients included things like Ragleaf Bahia, Blue Cohosh, Dogbane, Milkweed, American Mistletoe, Antelope Sage and Stoneseed. Ragleaf Bahia is better known as Bahia dissecta and sometimes yellow ragleaf, it is part of the daisy family.

Boneset for many Ailments

America's first residents used the plant 'Boneset' for a range of different health problems. The name Boneset alludes to the use of the plant in the treatment of broken bones, but it was also used to treat dengue fever- sometimes called breakbone fever because of the intensity of the pain that it caused.

Native American Medicine and its Connection to the current trend of Wild Crafting

Wild crafting is a modern practice that has ancient roots, with many Wild crafters located in North America. Wild crafting is a world-wide practice, with people from different countries all over the world harvesting and using herbs, flowers, mosses, mushrooms and more to practice natural healing. It's the re-emergence of the ways of the past. The popularity of Wild crafting is driven by the relevance of ancient remedies like that used in Native American herbal medicine and the medicines of other ancient cultures as well.

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from: www.ezinearticles.com