This week being Allergy week, for good reason, with the bulk of Hay fever sufferers now getting symptoms, I thought it would be appropriate to look at Asthma.
Asthma is an allergic disorder characterized by spasm of the bronchi ( the airway tubes ), swelling of the mucous lining of the lungs, and excessive production of a thick, viscous mucous. The major concern with asthma is that it can lead to respiratory failure – the inability to breathe.
The Asthma society of Ireland reckons that 470.000 people in Ireland suffer with Asthma at some time in their lives. To mark world Asthma day, the Asthma society of Ireland have launched a new booklet called “Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis” which can be downloaded from their website.
The rates of Asthma and allergic Rhinitis (hay fever) are rising rapidly, despite all the advances in medicine. The reason? No one knows for sure, but a number of factors seem to play a big factor in the rise of allergies. Increased stress, increased sugar consumption, poor nutritional diets, increased environmental chemicals, food additives and environments that are too clean (sterile).
Asthma is usually divided into two major categories; Extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic or Atopic Asthma is considered an allergic condition. Intrinsic Asthma is not associated with allergy but with a reaction to such factors such as toxic chemicals, cold air, exercise, infection and emotional upset. But both types end up with the same respiratory symptoms – breathlessness and chest tightness.
What we eat can affect Asthma. Dairy products have a tendency to produce excess mucus in the lungs, as well as, in certain individuals, an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is wise for all asthma sufferers to avoid milk and other dairy products. Sugar is very defermental to your immune systems. So avoid fizzy drinks, white bread, biscuits and cakes. Population studies have shown that children who eat fish more than once a week have one-third the risk of getting asthma as children who not eat fish regularly. Taking fish oil http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/30244/Eskimo-3-Fish-Oil-Lemon-Flavour-210ml/ supplements should help asthmatic children ease their symptoms.
Vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11240/Solgar-Ester-C-Plus-Tabs-1000mg-Vitamin-C-90-Tablets/ is especially important to the health of the lungs, as it is the major antioxidant present in the lining of the airway surfaces. Vitamin C intake is directly linked with occurrence of Asthma. The higher the Vitamin C levels in any population the lower the Asthma levels. Therefore it seems that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and/or taking a vitamin C supplement will help Asthma sufferers. Take 1-2 grams of vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11240/Solgar-Ester-C-Plus-Tabs-1000mg-Vitamin-C-90-Tablets/ per day if you suffer either Asthma or hay fever.
Herbal remedies for the treatment of both Asthma and hay fever are really good, at getting at the root of the problem. I was just reading an article in “Positive Health” about a man with a severe allergy to cats, which grew worse as he got older. He was given Reishi Extract (Ganoderma lucidum) for 2 month, which to his surprise stopped his allergy to cats, despite exposure to a large number of cats while on holidays. I have seen in my practice and on the shop floor many cases of Asthma and hay fever getting better through the use of these mushrooms, Reishi http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/15361/Reishi-90-capsules/and Cordyceps http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/12463/Mrl-cordyceps-90tabs/, which have been used for over 2.000 years in the treatment of imbalances of the immune system.
In Japan, Reishi in clinical trials of 2.000 cases of allergy related chronic bronchitis has success rates of over 60% with 97% overall improvement – truly a magic mushroom.
Showing posts with label Cordyceps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cordyceps. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is on the rise. Many factors are involved in antibiotic resistance. Evolution plays a role, any organism, bacteria included, naturally includes variants with unusual traits – in this case, the ability to withstand an antibiotic attack on a microbe. When a person takes an antibiotic, the drug kills the defenseless bacteria, leaving behind those that resist it. These bacteria then multiply, increasing their numbers a million fold in a day, becoming the predominant micro-organism.
Though bacterial antibiotic resistance is a natural phenomenon, social factors also contribute to the problem. These factors include increased infection, coupled with inappropriate antibiotic use.
More people are contracting infections for example; sinusitis among adults is on the rise, as are ear infections in children.
Between 1985 and 1992 it was found that nearly double the amount of prescriptions were prescribed for both these conditions in the USA. This along with wide spread use of antibiotics in livestock leads to increased antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics were initially developed in the 1940’s and their discovery was hailed as one of the biggest breakthrough in medical history. It must be remembered that millions died commonly of simple infections before their discovery.
So what can we do? Increasing our immunity to infection must be the first step. Using herbs like Astragalushttp://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/44624/Astragalus-Tincture-215ml/ , Reishi mushrooms http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/15361/Reishi-90-capsules/ or Cordyceps http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/search.aspwill help our body’s resist infection. Along with lifestyle changes like eating a whole food diet reducing sugar and eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.
A common sense approach is needed in treating common infections. Let the body fight the infection with the help of common herbs and rest, which allows the body to build up its natural resistance.
Up to 50% of all infections in children are respiratory by nature. Upper respiratory tract infections such as colds, flu and snotty noses are viral so antibiotics have no part to play in their treatment. Even if the discharge from the nose is; yellowish or greenish, swabs consistently show no bacterial growth. Anti – viral treatments include Echinacea root tincture http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/43317/Echinacea-Tincture-215ml/, Plantain juice http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/40314/Salus-Plantain-Plant-Juice-200ml/ and vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11207/Quest-Vitamin-C-1000mg-Timed-Release-60-Tablets/ and Zinc http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/38846/Lifeplan-Zinc-Gluconate-10mg-100-Tablets/. Echinacea is best taken as a liquid extract or tincture. In liquid form, it is more easy absorbed into the blood stream and it works better I find than either tablets or capsules. Echinacea is generally recognized as being one of the safest remedies. It is effective against a wide range of microbes including many viruses, bacteria and fungi. It can be used to treat most types of infection.
Plantain juice works like an antibiotic. It can be used to treat sinusitis, chest infections, ear infections and urinary tract infections. It also works to decongest nasal passages by helping the mucus membranes work better and therefore very useful in blocked sinuses. Plantain contains a chemical called Aucubin which acts like an antibiotic without any bacterial resistance occurring due to naturally occurring variation. Plantain has been used through out the world from China to Europe for the last 3,000 years at least. It is a very safe and gentle herb to use and can be taken by very young children for most infections, without side – effects. Combining Echinacea root tincture and Plantain juice is very effective treatment for most common infections.
Though bacterial antibiotic resistance is a natural phenomenon, social factors also contribute to the problem. These factors include increased infection, coupled with inappropriate antibiotic use.
More people are contracting infections for example; sinusitis among adults is on the rise, as are ear infections in children.
Between 1985 and 1992 it was found that nearly double the amount of prescriptions were prescribed for both these conditions in the USA. This along with wide spread use of antibiotics in livestock leads to increased antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics were initially developed in the 1940’s and their discovery was hailed as one of the biggest breakthrough in medical history. It must be remembered that millions died commonly of simple infections before their discovery.
So what can we do? Increasing our immunity to infection must be the first step. Using herbs like Astragalushttp://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/44624/Astragalus-Tincture-215ml/ , Reishi mushrooms http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/15361/Reishi-90-capsules/ or Cordyceps http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/search.aspwill help our body’s resist infection. Along with lifestyle changes like eating a whole food diet reducing sugar and eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.
A common sense approach is needed in treating common infections. Let the body fight the infection with the help of common herbs and rest, which allows the body to build up its natural resistance.
Up to 50% of all infections in children are respiratory by nature. Upper respiratory tract infections such as colds, flu and snotty noses are viral so antibiotics have no part to play in their treatment. Even if the discharge from the nose is; yellowish or greenish, swabs consistently show no bacterial growth. Anti – viral treatments include Echinacea root tincture http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/43317/Echinacea-Tincture-215ml/, Plantain juice http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/40314/Salus-Plantain-Plant-Juice-200ml/ and vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11207/Quest-Vitamin-C-1000mg-Timed-Release-60-Tablets/ and Zinc http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/38846/Lifeplan-Zinc-Gluconate-10mg-100-Tablets/. Echinacea is best taken as a liquid extract or tincture. In liquid form, it is more easy absorbed into the blood stream and it works better I find than either tablets or capsules. Echinacea is generally recognized as being one of the safest remedies. It is effective against a wide range of microbes including many viruses, bacteria and fungi. It can be used to treat most types of infection.
Plantain juice works like an antibiotic. It can be used to treat sinusitis, chest infections, ear infections and urinary tract infections. It also works to decongest nasal passages by helping the mucus membranes work better and therefore very useful in blocked sinuses. Plantain contains a chemical called Aucubin which acts like an antibiotic without any bacterial resistance occurring due to naturally occurring variation. Plantain has been used through out the world from China to Europe for the last 3,000 years at least. It is a very safe and gentle herb to use and can be taken by very young children for most infections, without side – effects. Combining Echinacea root tincture and Plantain juice is very effective treatment for most common infections.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Allergies
The level of allergies seems to be on the rise all the time. The levels of eczema, hay fever and asthma have risen dramatically in recent times. For example eczema now affects between 10 – 15 % of the population at some time during their lives.
Allergies are due to hyper – reactions of the body to some particular substance normally harmless to most people. The substance, which causes the allergy, is called an allergen. Some of the more common allergies to cause hay – fever or asthma are dust, pollen, animal hair and grasses. Milk, eggs, wheat and corn are frequent sources of food allergies. Metals found in costume jewellery and cosmetics are common sources of skin reactions, as well as household cleaning agents.
When an allergen comes in contact with the skin surface or a mucus membrane, such as the lining in the nose or bronchial tubes of the lungs, the immune system perceives it an enemy and triggers a series of reactions designed to fight this threat. The bodies over – reactions leading to inflammation, which tries to get rid of the allergen, but often the allergen, is very common, like dust mite dropping or pollen and the bodies immune system is put into a constant state of inflammation. Recognizing the allergic substance and eliminating it from the immediate environment is Paramount but often not practical.
Why do people get allergies? There are many reasons why a person develops an allergy. Genetic factors are high on the list, but also lifestyle can be a big factor in why a person develops an allergy. Stress, long-term illness, and poor diet can all pay a part. Allergies are becoming more common, I believe, due to the ever increasing number of chemicals in our air, water, food and clothing, which offers an extra load to our immune systems.
What can one do about allergies? A lot, I believe, can be gained by helping the immune system deal with the allergen. Optimising digestion is very important for alleviating allergies and food sensitivities. Simply removing the offending food will remove the symptom but often another substance then becomes another allergen. The only way to cure an allergy is by making the body able to digest the allergenic food (this is not true with severe allergic reactions to particular foods – anaphylactic shock type reactions). By eating lots of raw vegetables and fruits, taking digestive enzymes and chewing your food well, as well as taking a bitter before your meals can all help in improving the digestive function. Certain food combinations, such as vegetables and grain, minimize the strain on the digestive system. Incomplete digestion can reintroduce toxins into the bloodstream and cause allergic reactions.
The Omega – 3 essential fatty acids found in flax seed oil http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/45011/Emile-Noel-Flax-Seed-Oil-250ml/ are excellent to reduce inflammation.
Getting the immune system working well, will limit the bodies reaction to an allergen. Astragalus http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/44624/Astragalus-Tincture-215ml/ and ginseng http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/40296/Floradix-Siberian-Ginseng-Elixir-250ml/are herbs, which will arm the body against allergens. Vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11208/Quest-Vitamin-C-1000mg-Timed-Release-30-Tablets/ is also very good at stabilizing cell walls and inhibiting the release of histamine after an allergic reaction. Now is the time for hay fever sufferers to start building up their immune system before the pollen starts to arrive. Late - onset asthma sufferers will help their immune systems deal with allergens by taking Cordyceps for a good number of months.
Allergies are due to hyper – reactions of the body to some particular substance normally harmless to most people. The substance, which causes the allergy, is called an allergen. Some of the more common allergies to cause hay – fever or asthma are dust, pollen, animal hair and grasses. Milk, eggs, wheat and corn are frequent sources of food allergies. Metals found in costume jewellery and cosmetics are common sources of skin reactions, as well as household cleaning agents.
When an allergen comes in contact with the skin surface or a mucus membrane, such as the lining in the nose or bronchial tubes of the lungs, the immune system perceives it an enemy and triggers a series of reactions designed to fight this threat. The bodies over – reactions leading to inflammation, which tries to get rid of the allergen, but often the allergen, is very common, like dust mite dropping or pollen and the bodies immune system is put into a constant state of inflammation. Recognizing the allergic substance and eliminating it from the immediate environment is Paramount but often not practical.
Why do people get allergies? There are many reasons why a person develops an allergy. Genetic factors are high on the list, but also lifestyle can be a big factor in why a person develops an allergy. Stress, long-term illness, and poor diet can all pay a part. Allergies are becoming more common, I believe, due to the ever increasing number of chemicals in our air, water, food and clothing, which offers an extra load to our immune systems.
What can one do about allergies? A lot, I believe, can be gained by helping the immune system deal with the allergen. Optimising digestion is very important for alleviating allergies and food sensitivities. Simply removing the offending food will remove the symptom but often another substance then becomes another allergen. The only way to cure an allergy is by making the body able to digest the allergenic food (this is not true with severe allergic reactions to particular foods – anaphylactic shock type reactions). By eating lots of raw vegetables and fruits, taking digestive enzymes and chewing your food well, as well as taking a bitter before your meals can all help in improving the digestive function. Certain food combinations, such as vegetables and grain, minimize the strain on the digestive system. Incomplete digestion can reintroduce toxins into the bloodstream and cause allergic reactions.
The Omega – 3 essential fatty acids found in flax seed oil http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/45011/Emile-Noel-Flax-Seed-Oil-250ml/ are excellent to reduce inflammation.
Getting the immune system working well, will limit the bodies reaction to an allergen. Astragalus http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/44624/Astragalus-Tincture-215ml/ and ginseng http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/40296/Floradix-Siberian-Ginseng-Elixir-250ml/are herbs, which will arm the body against allergens. Vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11208/Quest-Vitamin-C-1000mg-Timed-Release-30-Tablets/ is also very good at stabilizing cell walls and inhibiting the release of histamine after an allergic reaction. Now is the time for hay fever sufferers to start building up their immune system before the pollen starts to arrive. Late - onset asthma sufferers will help their immune systems deal with allergens by taking Cordyceps for a good number of months.
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