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Traditional Chinese medicine has long used herbs and other types of natural treatments for maintaining the body's optimum health. Most of these treatments have even reached mainstream medicine with alternative treatments such as acupuncture being accepted by medical practitioners. Chinese herbs play a large role in traditional Chinese medicine. Below are some of the commonly used Chinese herbs and their benefits.

Ginseng (renshen)

One of the most popular Asian herbs in use today, ginseng has long been used as n integral part of different herbal treatments in traditional Chinese medicine. It has also been regarded as an effective way of treating and preventing many diseases. Benefits of ginseng include stress reduction, improved memory, and it could also be used as an aphrodisiac.

Some of the benefits of using ginseng includes improved stamina, strengthens the immune system and promotes better respiration in patients.  People who are susceptible to infections such as respiratory diseases may use this to compensate for diminished immune functions and weaker bodies. Ginseng addresses this need by boosting immune functions and promoting oxygen absorption in the lungs.

Ginseng can be prepared in a variety of ways, but is best taken raw. Rinse and thoroughly cleanse the ginseng, slice a piece of a fresh or dried ginseng and ingest it orally just like fresh fruits or vegetables. Cooking or boiling may damage some of the compounds contained in ginseng so careful preparation should be done not to overcook the ginseng.

Ginseng is normally served as tea; it may be taken alone or in combination with other herbs. Today, the herb comes in different form such as tablets, capsules and powder. Dosage may depend on the type of treatment it is designed for and taking in large amounts may lead to certain side effects. Known side effects of ginseng intake are nervousness and hormonal imbalances in women. Recommended dosage for ginseng intake is 0.5 to 3 grams daily.

Rhubarb (dahuang)

The root was one of the first Chinese herbs adopted in the West. It has been widely used as a laxative and other benefits include treatment of jaundice, diarrhea, ulcers, menstrual disorders and burns. Largely regarded as a Dietetic, the herb is mainly used for relieving symptoms of digestive conditions.

Uses of rhubarb includes pain relief, reduced autoimmune functions, improved blood circulation and decreased chance of acquiring digestive infections. Cooking time plays a great role in the herbs preparation. Cooking the herb for more than the prescribed time decreases its laxative properties but other medical benefits are maintained. Normal intake consists of taking 0.5 to 3 grams daily. Although the herb is widely used as a way of treating symptoms of digestive disorders, rhubarb should not be taken by patients suffering from irritable bowel conditions as they lead to uncontrolled diarrhea and abdominal cramping.

Salvia (danshen)

Derived from the red roots of the Chinese sage plant, salvia has been used for centuries as a treatment for tissue injuries. Salvia is currently being studied as a treatment for traumatic injury, chronic inflammation, post-stroke syndrome and infections caused by some degenerative diseases.

This herb has played an important role as a domestic herbal remedy treatment, providing relief for common symptoms in digestive disorders. It is also used as an antiseptic gargle and can heal sore throats and mouth sores. Salvia is also effective in relieving tooth pain when gargled.

Medical properties of the herb which make them useful in relieving symptoms are its antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, stimulant, and vasodilator properties. Popular medical applications of the herb include management of excessive lactation, excessive salivation, and menopausal problems.

The use of salvia in the treatment of TB symptoms is also well documented. Salvia has been used in the management of common TB symptoms such as night sweats and profuse perspiration. Other medical applications include treatment of some female sterility problems.

Patients suffering from Cardio Vascular diseases may also benefit from the use of salvia. The herb is known for improving blood circulation. Other benefits resulting from the use of this herb are lower blood pressures, reduce cholesterol levels and improved liver functioning.

However, the use of salvia in pregnant women is discouraged. Use of sage in pregnant women may result to miscarriage or abnormalities. It may be used alone or in combination with other herbs to produce desired effects. Recommended consumption is tagged at 1 to 20 grams per day, with special consideration as overdose may result to adverse side effects to the patient.

Rei Shi (Ganooderma lucidum)

The use of mushrooms in Chinese medicine has been practiced for centuries. These are often used in combination with other herbs to provide symptoms and even cures for simple diseases. Rei Shi mushrooms are the most widely used medicinal mushrooms in Chinese medicine.

Rei Shi mushrooms are rich in antioxidants and polysaccharides. They help improve immune functions and facilitate the elimination of cancer causing free radicals. Herbs are often used in relieving fatigue and improving general health conditions.

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Yoga is fast becoming one of the most popular relaxation exercises. Yoga techniques include physical postures, body and mind discipline, breathing control and meditation. Allowing cancer patients to do simple yoga meditation exercises can help reduce stress and condition their minds for cancer treatments. Below are some of the benefits of practicing Yoga:

  • Promotes sleep
  • Reduces stress
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Improves breathing
  • Gives patient a sense of well-being
  • Reduces muscle tension
  • Enhances blood circulation
  • Strengthens muscles

Basic Yoga Techniques

Pranayamas are yoga breathing exercises designed to eliminate impurities in the body and improve the mind. All exercises must be performed while sitting with eyes closed. All breathing must be done with the tongue's tip touching the mouth's roof.

Deerga Swasam: Complete Breath

This is a type of breathing exercise which promotes proper breathing technique. Breathe slowly and deep thru the nose with the tongue's tip touching the mouth's roof. Direct the air to your diaphragm and slowly fill your stomach with air. Inhale until chest area is completely filled with air. Gently lift your shoulders as you slowly feel the air filling your lungs. Exhaling, pull your stomach in as deeply as possible while releasing the air. Relax all chest, shoulder and chest muscles as you expel air thru your nose. Total duration for each exercise should take 1 minute, 30 seconds to inhale and 30 seconds for exhaling.

Brahmari: Humming Bee

This breathing exercise teaches how to properly control exhaling and reduce stress. Students are instructed to enter a meditative state before each exercise and instructed to reduce their pace of breathing.  Perform complete breath exercise and produce a humming sound as you exhale slowly. Listen carefully to the pitch and tone of the hum produced and continue to perform the exercise until a pleasant sound is produced.

Kapalabhati: Skull Shining Kapalabhati is a relatively simple breathing exercise. It is based on the lungs natural property to fill itself with air when open. This breathing exercise doesn't focus on breathing but on moving your diaphragm. Abdominal muscles are used to move the diaphragm while you concentrate on keeping your lungs open. The diaphragm controls the movement of air in the lungs. Pushing the diaphragm up forces the air in the lungs to be expelled (exhalation), relaxing the diaphragm increases lung volume forcing air to be pushed in back to the lungs (inhalation). This breathing exercise is required prior to performing Bastrika.

Bastrika: Bellows

Practice rapid breathing movements similar to those in Kapalahati. Perform these movements as fast as possible with emphasis on more forceful exhalation. Perform inhalation slowly and hold breath for a few seconds. While holding your breath, lean forward to press your chin to your chest as far as possible. Gently raise your head as you exhale thru the nose.

Anuloma Viloma: Opposite Nostril Breathing Anuloma Viloma is a breathing exercise that aims to improve air movement thru nasal passages. It also promotes a smoother and slower movement of air while both nasal passages are equally trained. The breathing exercise also increases the amount of air that could pass thru to the lungs. Anuloma Viloma decreases and eliminates snoring and prevents sinus clogging.

First perform Kapalabhati or Bastrika to prepare body for a lesser oxygen supplies. Mild oxygen levels maybe experienced as covering one nostril constricts the flow of oxygen to the body. Perform the Vishnu mudra. Fold the first and middle fingers into the palm, taking note to keep the pinky, thumb, ring fingers straight. Perform complete breath technique thru both nostrils. Cover one nostril by using the pinky and ring fingers and exhale using the other nostril.

Still covering the other nostril, inhale thru the nostril which you just exhaled thru. Cover this nostril and exhale thru the nostril which was previously covered. Alternate nostrils and perform the exercise for about 10 minutes.

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Having troubles with your child's eating habit? Well, you're not alone. Most of the parents today are having the same problem like you have. Toddlers nowadays are picky when it comes to food. They always have their favorites, which usually doesn't supply the proper nutrition that their body needs.

If your kid does not eat sufficient calories for their body in a day, well don't panic. Instead, consult your doctor to start developing a healthy eating habit for your child.

Here are some tips to help you encourage your child's good eating habits:

1. You can start by giving your child three regular meals and three snacks in a day. Being consistent with meal and snack times makes a child less likely to try to tell you when they will or won't eat.

2. In choosing the right foods in each meal or snack, try giving them a variety of foods. Offer foods that your child likes, but also some that they haven't tried or liked yet. Usually, your child may not show interest eating those foods, but there's no harm in trying. You can always try several times, maybe even ten times, offering the same foods they initially rejected because high familiarity with the food may increase your child's interest on the food.

3. Play with food, in a good way. Sometimes, playing with foods will make your child more interested in it. Some children form faces with their meals, some form animals. Children can be creative with their meals, so let them enjoy it--as long as they're eating it eventually.

4. Adding some salt, sugar or cheese works most of the time. Cheese could be added to vegetables. Some likes to have it melted as toppings. Of course, you'd want to use these ingredients in moderation.

5. Watch the liquids. We all know soda pops are not healthy. But too much of milk and juice may not be good, either. Limit those fluids to a few cups a day. It's best to get fruit juice from whole fruits, anyway. Encourage the drinking of water, since it is so good for the body, and is a great habit to develop. And remember, drinking liquids before a meal will make one feel satiated, and likely to eat less food.

6. Forcing your child to eat their whole meal was once the norm, but it's been a long held belief in modern times that this practice is not healthy. Children always know if they're hungry or not. If they insist upon not eating dinner but prefer to eat snacks, then cut down on the size of snack portions so they'll be hungry at meal times. You can also offer them a deal or bargain. For example, if they eat a set amount of their meal, they get to eat a snack afterward. But forcing children to always clean their plate discourages them from learning to stop eating when they're full.

7. If you have a malnourished or underweight child, adding dry nonfat milk into their milk, soup or even on pudding could help them get some extra calories. Some of these other tasty, calorie-rich foods may help: margarine, cream cheese, peanut butter and syrup. Just make sure they're not allergic to any of those ingredients, of course.

8. Eat together. Eating is a social event. Studies have shown that eating alone is bad for the digestion. So if you're so busy that you plop your kid down at the dinner table to eat by themselves while you do dishes or get your office work together, you may want to rethink that lifestyle. Much quality time and conversation with family and friends occurs during meal times. Use this rule of eating together as an opportunity to force yourself to stop being busy for a few moments so you can enjoy the company of others. Eating together not only will make meals more pleasant for your child, but for yourself, as well.

If all else fails, never hesitate to consult your doctor. If your child is excessively overweight or underweight, trying to determine the best way to get your child to eat nutritiously is like taking medicines: never self-medicate. Always consult the experts.

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It is estimated that around 100 million Americans are chronic pain sufferers. And a quick stroll into your local pharmacy's extensive pain management section will confirm this. In today's hustle and bustle world, finding relied from pain can be as easy as popping a pill. But even the “safest” pain medication is bound to have its own share of dangers and risks if not taken properly.

The danger with long term use of pain medications is that the body may become immune to its effects or worse damage vital organs such as the kidney. Some of us even go as far as self-medicate which could be dangerous even with the use of over the counter drugs.

There are definitely safer and more natural ways to manage pain. These methods do not only help in controlling pain but also restores the natural balance in our body. And one little known way is by simply switching to a healthier diet. This could be done by eating a plant-based, nutrient rich diet that reduces inflammation naturally.

A huge contributor to nagging chronic weight problems we see today could be traced to the Standard American Diet which has been described as one of the more inflammatory diets. Our fast food culture and salty snacks have lead to overweight, chronic pain and fatigue problems. Most of us seem to be unaware or generally unconcerned with how a typical western diet affects our health.

We are what we eat and most of the health problems we see today are diet or lifestyle related. Finding relief from chronic pain can be done by switching to a healthy diet. So the next time you're planning a short trip to the pharmacy for some pain medications why not take a look into these simple tips before popping in that pill.

Eat green-leafy vegetables. If there is one great reason to start going the veggie route, it's because it helps reduce chronic pain by increasing the number of good bacteria in the gut. This area of the body is constantly exposed to toxins from food and the environment. A healthy digestive system keeps our body in tip-top shape. Nutrients from food are processed better therefore strengthening our immune system. This is also the area where 96 percent of our serotonin is produced. Serotonin is a feel-good hormone that lessens the stress of chronic pain.

Cane sugar can be a good way of providing temporary relief from pain by stimulating reward centers in the brain but also increases pain levels in the long run. Sugars could set people suffering from chronic pain by 3-4 weeks. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Just because these are alternatives it does not mean that they are not likely to produce the same effects as other sugars.

Margarine and other hydrogenated contain fatty acids that coat cell membranes which interfere with cellular communication. It could also lead to toxin buildup and disrupt waste removal. A body full of toxins and lactic acid increases our risk for chronic pain.

Other foods that chronic pain sufferers should avoid include wheat and all its products. People should also avoid common allergens such as corn, eggs, peanuts and other dairy products.

Healthy sources of essential fatty acids include avocados, walnuts, fish and flax seed oil. Anti-inflammatory fatty acids reduce symptoms of asthma and chronic pain. Build your immune and inflammatory system by strengthening it with healthy fatty acids.

Stress is a major trigger for pain. This might only be psychological but it places so much pressure on our body that constant high levels of stress could lead to chronic pain. Low impact exercises such as swimming, brisk walking or yoga helps release pent-up stress. Getting enough sleep also helps the body recuperate more quickly.

Get that natural high by helping your body release more endorphins, the body's answer for pain medications. Pain is our body's signal that something is wrong physically. Pain is a personal experience and the intensity varies from one person to another. A positive attitude helps reduce the stress of pain and lessens our need for pain relievers. When we are able to handle pain naturally, we are able to live fuller and happier lives.

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there's an app for that With the popularity of smart phones growing by the day, the health world has joined in on the hype by creating numerous apps that bring the keys to better health right to your phone.

Here are some of the best health apps available today.

 

Heart Disease Risk Calculator

If you are in need of a reality check and you are in possession of an iPhone, simply download the free Heart Disease Risk Calculator app to find out what your odds are of having a heart attack, stroke or heart failure within the next decade.  While the advice given within the app is not to be taken over the advice of a medical doctor, it will still help you to encourage healthy eating and living.

My Last Cigarette

If you made a New Year's Resolution to quit smoking and nearly four months later you still haven't quit, then perhaps you should download the My Last Cigarette app.  Only $1 for the iPhone, this app tells you how much money you are saving by not smoking and how much you have altered your life expectancy by quitting.  The app also provides motivational messages to keep you smoke-free, which most researchers believe help people to stay their course after quitting.

 

Instant Heart Rate

Using just your smart phone camera and the Instant Heart Rate free app for both iPhone and Android, doctors agree that this is one of the most accurate heart rate monitor apps.

 

Allergy Caddy

For those with food allergies, Allergy Caddy available for the iPhone for just $2 helps you to avoid certain foods at more than 30 different restaurant chains by consulting the public accessible data available through the app.

MelApp

 

Utilizing the extensive database at Johns Hopkins University coupled with pattern-recognition technology, MelApp, available for $2 on the iPhone, can access your melanoma risk by simply scanning your photos of lesions that are questionable.

ZocDoc

Available at no cost for the Android, Blackberry and iPhone, ZocDoc allows you to search for dentists and physicians in many major U.S. markets.  After reading the review and choosing a doctor, you can make an appointment without making any phone calls.

Medscape

This free app for all three major smart phones tracks any drug interactions and safety data for more than 8,000 drugs. Medscape also provides medical news and information on more than 4,000 diseases and conditions.