5 Tips for Eliminating Headaches the Natural Way

If you rely on popping aspirin anytime you begin to feel a headache coming on you’ll eventually create an aversion to the medicine and you’ll need to step up your dosage or find a more potent drug.  It’s a vicious cycle and it won’t be over until you develop a natural way to kick your headaches.  We’ve all had a headache and we all know how annoying they can be and how easy it is to go for the quick fix.  If you’re ready to try something natural and healthy for your body then please consider these five all-natural tips:

Maintain a healthy sleep pattern.  There is a lot of research out there that indicates how important it is to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day.  Try to eliminate napping as a way to catch up on sleep.  Oversleeping can also be a trigger for headaches.  Over compensation or under compensation in the sleep department can be triggers as well.
Get your eyes checked.  If you’re having a hard time with migraines then go get your eye checked.  It’s recommended that you have an eye exam at least every two years.  Eye disorders can be the root of your problems and if you feel any discomfort in your eyes you need to get them looked at as soon as possible.

Log each headache.  When you start feeling a headache start noting all the particulars surrounding your headache.  Write down what you had to eat for the previous 24 hours, note how long the headache persists and what medication you took to alleviate the pain.  This will help you to figure out ways in the future of how to avoid headaches and how to treat them as they come.

Identify and avoid your triggers.  If you’ve kept a diary of your headaches you’ll be able to start figuring out what brings your headaches on and then you can eliminate those triggers.  Certainly some triggers like the weather cannot be avoided, but you can begin to figure out which ones are under your control which you can then start to erase from your day.

Pay attention to your relaxation techniques.  Whether it’s listening to music, yoga or a massage make sure that you tend to the activity everyday for at least a half hour.  Reducing stress can be a perfect way to eliminating future headaches.

Contributing Author

This article is contributed by Heather Johnson, who regularly writes on Nursing on a Cruise Ship. She invites your questions and writing job opportunities at her personal email address: heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.

What is this pain in my back/ribs that really hurts when I cough or sneeze?

Have you ever had a pain in your back or ribs that really hurts when you coughed or sneezed? Sometimes it can even hurt to take a deep breath. The pain can be in the back, the side or in the front. You know something’s wrong, out of place, strained or something, but you’re not sure what it is. But, it’s really uncomfortable and you would like to be rid of it.

Misaligned Ribs Cause the Pain
Most pains like this are caused by one or more misaligned ribs. It often surprises people to find out that it is a misaligned rib that is causing their pain. They often don’t even realize that a rib can be misaligned. It becomes very obvious to them once the rib is realigned and they can take a deep pain-free breath again.

Other Possible Causes
There are other things that can cause a pain like this though they are less common. There could be a muscle strain, or a vertebra could be out of alignment. It could be a bruise or any number of possibilities. However, in most cases it is a misaligned rib that causes the pain.

Ribs Form Joints with the Spine and Sternum
The ribs connect with the spine forming a movable joint in the back. In the front, all but two ribs connect together either at the sternum or along the bony ridge at the bottom of the rib cage. All of these connections are joints that move with each other.

When a rib goes out of alignment in the back, it shifts away from the place where it moves with the spine. A similar misalignment can happen in the front wherever a rib connects with a joint.

In fact, this is a very common occurrence. For the most part it isn’t even noticed. These are very minor misalignments that the body can realign itself.

Misalignments Happen All the Time, the Body Adjusts
As you move around in your daily activities, you may twist or turn in such a way that a rib is pushed or knocked out of alignment. It happens all the time. As you continue to move around, and the muscles in the area pull against the misaligned rib, it will usually slip back into place without you ever knowing anything was amiss.

However, this doesn’t always happen. Sometimes the rib is too far out of alignment, or there is something else blocking it from coming back into alignment, or there is a problem with it holding an alignment once it is adjusted. Eventually, the muscles that are trying to realign the rib will start to hurt.

Knots Form from Long-Term Misalignments
The pain in the muscle comes from it being bunched up for a long period of time trying to pull the ribs back into alignment. These are often experienced as knots in the back. A massage therapist can spend lots of time on these knots and only leave you sore.

In fact these knots are just muscles that have gone into reaction from the misalignment that has happened adjacent to them. These reactions can become self-perpetuating as one muscle moves or reacts to what another muscle is doing which causes another reaction and so on until there is a painful area.

A simple realignment is all that is usually needed. However, if there was an instigating issue such as a strong emotional event, that issue may need to be cleared before the adjustment will hold. That is for another article though.

Conclusion
For the most part, a rib that has been knocked out of alignment from some physical event can be adjusted successfully, meaning that it will hold the alignment. This can be done by a chiropractor or using Self Adjusting Technique.

How Glutathione Cures Fibromyalgia and How to Supplement for it

Fibromyalgia is a painful condition in which pain is experienced in various parts of the body. And, the location of the pain often changes from day to day.

It is caused by fibroids that form in the body. They become lodged in the tissue causing pain.

The fibroids are very similar to the ones that sometimes form in women’s breasts. They often clear up when she quits drinking coffee. This is important as you’ll see in a minute.

Why Fibroids Form
The reason the fibroids form is because of incomplete breakdown of estrogens in the liver.

This part gets into a little heady with some biochemistry, it’s not too complicated, but a simplified version follows.

The liver detoxifies estrogen in three steps. In the first step a chemical group is added to the estrogen molecule that actually makes a very dangerous oxidative estrogen that can cause cancer. This is an oxidant, one of the things people take antioxidants for.

Normally this isn’t a problem, or at least it wasn’t when we ate a more wholesome diet that came from soil that was rich in nutrients. Now days, cancers that are driven by estrogens are some of the most virulent.

When there are enough nutrients, the liver then adds another chemical group in its process to make the estrogen water-soluble so it can be easily removed from the body.

This chemical group is called a methyl group. When it combines with the previous estrogen, the one that can cause cancer, it forms what is called a methylated estrogen. It is these methylated estrogens that cause fibroids to form. They also cause a form of prostate cancer in men that is usually benign.

B-12 as methylcobalamin has the methyl group that is needed for estrogens to go on to the next phase of detoxification. When people are really stuck in this phase I find that DMG, dimethyl glycine, works better. But, taking B-12 can help many things, and it is one of the supplements that people really need on a regular basis anyway.

The third step that the liver takes actually involves seven different possibilities. The most important one involves glutathione.

The Short Version
Estrogen breaks down in the liver in three steps. If the process stalls in either of the first two steps problems can happen.

In the first step the estrogen becomes a dangerous chemical that can cause cancer. In the second step the estrogen becomes a chemical that causes the formation of the fibroids that cause fibromyalgia.

The third step, where estrogen combines with glutathione, is where fibromyalgia is cured. Supplement for this step, and fibroids never form.

Glutathione
Glutathione is the master antioxidant. It is used more than any other antioxidant in the body. Boosting glutathione helps in many conditions. Antiaging, detoxification, weight loss, smoking, cancer prevention, heart disease, HIV are all conditions that can use glutathione for support.

Glutathione cannot be taken directly as a supplement. It doesn’t survive the intestinal tract. The only way to boost glutathione is to take the nutrients that make it up.

Okay, this gets just a little heady again. Simplified version follows.

First of all it needs enzymes. The only place these enzymes can be found are in foods of the broccoli family. This includes kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, radishes and of course broccoli. One or more of these have to be eaten twice a week, about half a cup each time, to get the enzymes needed for the liver to do its job. And, it needs to be eaten raw as heat destroys enzymes.

For convenience you can get the same enzymes from a tea  called Brassica tea. You can find out about it by going to http://brassicatea.com there is a distribution link on their site.

The first nutrient that is most commonly needed is selenium. It is one of the most common deficiencies that we have today. Even livestock are supplemented with selenium. There simply isn’t any left in the soil.

The usual dosage is 200-400 mcg per day. 600 mcg per day is the maximum that anyone would need to take. 600 mcg is actually a fairly large dose, and at that dosage selenium becomes toxic. Selenium cysteine is the only non-toxic form of selenium that there is. The only company that makes it is Metabolics.

The second most common nutrient needed to make up glutathione is enzyme activated B6. The technical name for it is pyradoxal 5 phosphate or P5P. The usual dosage to start with is 100 mg twice a day. After six weeks this can be dropped to a maintenance dose of 50 mg twice a day.

Both selenium and P5P are usually needed by everyone.

The other nutrients that are needed to form glutathione, listed in roughly the most common deficiency first order, are: zinc, cysteine. glutamate and glycine. And, sometimes the herb watercress is needed.

Increasing Glutathione Simplified
1) either eat raw broccoli family vegetables twice a week, or go to http://brassicatea.com  and follow link to order some Brassica tea, any flavor, and drink one cup twice a week.

2) take 200 mcg of selenium cysteine by Metabolics twice a day.

3) take 100 mg of enzyme activated B6 (P5P) twice a day for six weeks, then take 50 mg twice a day.

4) determine if you are deficient in zinc and supplement as needed.

There is a zinc test that is a liquid zinc that you hold in your mouth for a minute and then swallow. If you don’t taste anything or you don’t taste much, you’re probably deficient in zinc.

You may also need glutamate, cysteine, and/or glycine. And, sometimes the herb watercress.

Conclusion
At the beginning of the article I mentioned coffee is a cause for fibroids and I said how cutting back on this would often reduce the amount of fibroids is that a women might have and her breast tissue. The reason this is important is because the liver also breaks down compounds in coffee, and when it is over tasked with this job, then the estrogens get backed up and don’t all get cleared. And, you can get deficient in glutathione.

The same thing happens when there’s a lot of stress. The stress hormones also go through the same three phases of detoxification in the liver. People with fibromyalgia often notice the symptoms worsening when there is more stress in their life.

This is also important for smokers, they tend to age faster because cigarette smoke uses up the glutathione at a very fast rate. Which of course would make fibromyalgia symptoms much worse.

Fibromyalgia will usually start to clear up in just a few days to a few weeks by taking, selenium, enzyme activated B6 and the enzymes found in broccoli family plants.

Since I usually give my clients selenium cysteine, they don’t need any additional cysteine. However zinc is a very common deficiency and that often needs to be added.

Diet and detoxification can also be important to eliminate anything that acts like an estrogen in the body. These are things like soy products, estrogen replacement creams, plastic bottles etc. But, that is a subject for another article.

6 Ways to Start Living Holistically

It seems that everything out there on the market is full of harmful toxins.  We wonder why we get sick so much more frequently and we usually just blame the healthcare industry for over-diagnosing us.  Then we blame the pharmaceutical companies as an industry looking for the almighty buck.  But the fact is:  we are an unhealthy nation.  It may not be your ideal way of dealing with an illness to throw more medicine down your throat, so consider these tips to living holistically:

Watch what you put in your body.  
This is the most obvious way you can improve your lifestyle, but is a tip that most of us consider and disregard with regularity.  With organic grocery stores popping up all over the place it’s easier than ever to abide by the golden rule of eating organically.  It’s important to know what you’re allergic to before you jump into this lifestyle.

Vitamin intake is crucial.
If you’re someone that has an aversion to fruits and vegetables, don’t fret.  Take vitamin supplements to ensure you’re reaching your daily requirement.

Exercise, exercise, and exercise.  
Try to get your heart rate increased for at least thirty minutes a day.  This is the recommended, minimum number.  It’s as easy as jogging or walking for a half hour a day.

Quit the butts and cool down on the beers.  
If you’re a smoker:  quit.  That’s as simple as it gets.  Drinking alcohol isn’t as bad for you, but should definitely be monitored.  As with anything, moderation is the key.  We’re not saying:  don’t drink ever; just be smart.  In fact, a glass of wine a night has proven to be most beneficial for your heart.

Stress is your enemy.  
It’s never easy to relieve stress as it comes in many different forms:  family, job and friends are all common causes of stress.  Take a ten-minute break every now and again to regroup your thoughts.  Stress plays such a detrimental role in our overall health.  You’ll never eliminate it, but it can be reduced.

Spend quality time with…yourself.  
You have so many demands on your time.  This goes back to number five.  Your friends, family and job can lead to a never ending stream of responsibilities and demands on your time.  Make sure you can squeeze in enough time for yourself.  Always have a book going that you’re reading.  If you don’t like to read, then go to the movies by yourself.  This is not selfish.

By-line:

This article is contributed by Heather Johnson, who regularly writes on the topic of Nurse. She invites your questions and writing job opportunities at her personal email address: heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.

How to Be Free From Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is one of the most debilitating physical issues that can be experienced. It can be so bad as to make it impossible to even walk.

People often learn to live with the pain. In the morning they get up moving slowly until the stiffness gets worked out. They learn to be careful picking up even the smallest things. Everyday activities become a test to see if there is some way to do even the simplest activities or not.

Causes of Lower Back Pain
One reason muscles in the low back tighten up, and sometimes spasm, is a misalignment in the joints. Misalignments press on sensitive tissues causing pain. Muscles tense, nerves get compressed and the surrounding area becomes inflamed. With inflammation comes pain.

The most common low back issue comes from a combination of three issues. First, the fifth lumbar which is in the very lower back, goes out of alignment. Then, the illio-sacral joint, which is the junction between the upper hip in the back and the sacrum, goes out of alignment. The weakness allows the spine in the low back to get compressed, even locking the vertebrae together.

The illio-sacral joint is the load-bearing connection between the upper and lower body. Most of the weight of the entire upper body rests on this joint. When there is a problem here, especially when coupled with the other misalignments, there is no strength in the back. And, it is usually quite painful.

Root Causes of Back Pain
What is the root cause of most lower back problems? That is the real question. Back problems often return, so knowing the root cause is essential in treatment and prevention.

In most cases the root issue is stress. Time off is one of the best known treatments for low back pain. However, it often returns when people return to their usual lives.

Stress injures the body by putting excess strain on the adrenal glands which produce stress hormones. As the adrenals work harder and harder, they start drawing nutrients from other areas of the body to keep up with demand. Some of the nutrients they really need are the same ones that ligaments and tendons need to keep their tone. And, the lower back often is the first place go.

Dealing with the stressors is first. One of the worst ones that really harms the adrenals is sugar including honey, fruit juice, dried fruit and more. Processed carbohydrates release their sugar stores quickly, so they cause the same problems. Things like noodles, bread, chips both corn and potato, and other ‘health chips,’ white rice, bread of any kind and just about anything that comes in a package. These processed foods put a great deal of stress on the adrenal glands.

Another stress factor are emotions. This could be caused by any intense emotional experience be it work related, relationship, unfulfilled expectations, a great loss or any intense emotional experience. These issues need to be dealt with on different levels. Obviously, a release of some type is needed for the immediate issue. Then, the root, often from childhood, must be dealt with.

Emotions and Misalignments
On a physical level, emotional components can become lodged in the body. They usually cause some sort of problem like a tight muscle pulling a rib out of alignment resulting in chronic back pain. These issues can be cleared using a very gentle Applied Kinesiology technique.

After the underlying issues have been cleared it is time for realignment. This is facilitated by physical manipulations that put bones in proper alignment so that the joint is fully functional.

Alignment
There are different ways to realign a back and other areas of the body. One is to go to a chiropractor or an Osteopath — a medical doctor who specializes in joint manipulation. Both often use forceful techniques that can cause other problems and sometimes even more pain. Not to mention the scary noises that happen as joints are forced back into alignment. Some Osteopaths and chiropractors do learn and develop more gentle techniques.

And of course, you can learn my Self Adjusting Technique. This is a simple method of doing gentle adjustments on yourself without the forcing that is common to so many chiropractic adjustments. It is a method of adjusting that I created because I couldn’t afford a chiropractor. Besides, they HURT! Self Adjusting Technique is so gentle you don’t even know something happened. You can watch my video about it here.

Stretch
Stretching can relieve back pain as well as help prevent problems. Taking a yoga class is a good way to learn stretches that will help your back. It is best to tell the instructor before the class if you have any limitations. Often they can give you an alternative pose or a variation. With time you can develop a daily practice which many people use to eliminate back problems. I will be presenting some stretches that are specific to the lower back in the future.

Exercise
Exercise is essential to good back health. Walking is one of the best exercises in the world. As well as working almost every muscle in the body, walking strengthens the core muscles that support the low back.

These are just a few things that can be done for any kind of back pain. There are many other treatments available. Now more than ever, we can be proactive with our health and with our treatment possibilities. Find what works for you, and above all else, listen to your body.