Archive for the ‘Home Remedies’ Category

How to Reduce Foot Odor

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Posted 07 Mar 2011 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Home Remedies, Keeping Healthy

Foot odor is an embarrassing health problem. No matter what your age and gender is, you have to deal with the early signs before it gets worse to avoid awkward situations later. If you do not want to ask for professional help, you can go straight to your kitchen and prepare some home remedies from there.

Lukewarm Water and Salt

One way to reduce the stinky foot odor is to soak your feet in a mixture of lukewarm water and salt. Do this at least twice a week until the odor disappears. Just be sure to check the temperature of the water to avoid burns.

Baking Soda

Another effective and inexpensive way to deal with your problem is with the use of baking soda. This ingredient naturally absorbs odor in the environment. Before you put on your shoes, rub your dry feet with the powder. This will absorb the sweat in your feet and avoid the foul smell or foot odor.

Lemon Juice or Vinegar

If the salt and water is not effective in your case, you can use vinegar or lemon juice instead of salt. Pour about ½ cup of the juice or vinegar in a gallon of lukewarm water. Soak your feet in the solution for about 30 minutes to one hour.

Doing these simple homemade treatments daily would greatly reduce your risk of developing feet odor. Maintaining proper hygiene by washing and taking a bath daily is also a good practice. Never go to bed when you have not showered or at least have washed your feet.  This would prevent bacterial build up which can lead to foot odor.

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How to Control your Blood Sugar in Diabetes

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Posted 06 Mar 2011 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies, Keeping Healthy

Diabetes is a costly disease. Aside from the expensive medications, the greatest cost of the illness is your life. Since health complications are very common among diabetic patients with uncontrolled blood sugar, you need to learn how to manage the illness to live a close to normal life.

Diet Modification

Diabetes is due to an insufficient amount of insulin in the body. As a result, the blood sugar remains elevated. To manage your condition, your food intake is very crucial. Stick with your diabetes meal plan which includes more vegetables, less carbohydrates and less fat. Although fruits are advisable, you must take them in moderation especially the sweet types. For your protein needs, you can get them from fish and soya beans.

Physical Activities

Aside from the diet regimen, you must also engage in physical activities. Brisk walking and jogging are great examples of exercises. The physical activity helps you maintain a healthy weight and keeps your heart in good condition as well.

Stop Smoking

One of the major complications of uncontrolled blood sugar is a heart problem. If you are diabetic and a smoker, your risk is twice higher than a regular individual. A good way to manage your diabetes is to quit smoking as soon as possible.

Pointers for Diabetic patients:

  • Take extra care of wounds. Bacterial growth is favored by diabetes patients because glucose or sugar is a nutrient for the growth of bacteria. If wounds get infected, they do not usually get well rapidly. Do not ignore even a small wound because once it gets infected, you may have your limb amputated because of incurable gangrene.
  • Carbohydrates when metabolized become simple sugars, and they add to the blood glucose/sugar concentration of the blood. So remember to cut not only on sugars but carbohydrates as well.
  • Lead a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle means proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, large amount of hydration (water intake) and a lifestyle free from drugs, alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes.
  • Diabetes is a complex condition affecting all the organs of the body, so you must ascertain that a general check-up is done regularly.
  • Laboratory diagnostic exams, like Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT,) should also be performed as needed, or annually at the most. Do not presume that you are well just because you do not feel anything. There are several asymptomatic conditions which only show symptoms when they are already serious.

The above-mentioned are essential facts that you should remember, if you want to manage your blood sugar and diabetes effectively.

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Tips to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

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Posted 18 Dec 2010 — by admin
Category Home Remedies, Keeping Healthy

People love the holiday seasons because of the festivities of the occasions. But if you want to stay fit for the coming year, you need to control your appetite. Otherwise, the few days of food indulgence can hit your weight meter to the maximum level. To help you manage your caloric intake despite the celebrations around, here are the things you can do.

Keep Moving

The calendar has several special occasions to look forward to. From the Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas to New Year’s Eve, these celebrations are never complete without food. Whatever culture, parties are better complemented with sumptuous meals. To prepare for these times, you should keep your muscles busy in burning calories. Exercise is the best way to avoid the holiday weight gain. If you cannot resist the appealing desserts and the calorie-packed main dish, be sure to burn them all in your work-outs. Set about 30 minutes to one hour everyday to physical activities. You do not have to go to fitness gyms just to sweat out. Doing household chores, walking your way to the park or using the stairs instead of the elevators are great ways to shed out the excess pounds.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Water should be your best friend. When you attend a party, be sure to drink a lot of water. It will keep you full longer and prevent you from eating too much. People who drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day are less likely to overeat. Though the amount seems overwhelming for others, the habit can do great things to your body. Beware of taking fluids in other forms. Sodas, juices and alcoholic beverages are not as good as water. They are also high in calories. It is better to take plain water and reserve the calories for the other meals.

Find the Right Timing

Although it is very tempting to eat whenever you see food, try to resist the temptation. Unless you are hungry, do not eat. Because this is very difficult to do, you need to learn to discipline yourself. If this is not possible, take small snacks to avoid getting hungry. People who are too hungry tend to overeat during the celebration. Enjoy the holidays, the people and the ambiance. Do not dwell so much on the food. Leave the dining area and socialize with other people.

If you follow these tips, you should never feel guilty during holidays. You can enjoy the party without feeling so bad about yourself.



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How to Avoid Heatstroke

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Posted 04 Dec 2010 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies

By Engracia S. Arceo, MPH, RMT

Heatstroke takes the life of millions of people worldwide. The extreme heat can make people sick. If you live in a tropical area or during summer in moderate countries, you must be aware of the possibility of a heatstroke. The condition affects all genders and all ages. Here are some facts about it.

Mechanism

Heatstroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate the normal temperature. During hot seasons, the body’s temperature increases and if the sweating mechanisms fail, it will be too difficult for your system to cool down. As a result, the different body organs start to malfunction. The heart beats abnormally fast and may lead to the fatal heatstroke.

Risk Factors

Some people are highly susceptible to it because of their underlying medical condition. Health problems like existing heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity make at risk for heatstroke. Once you feel sudden dizziness, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, rapid heart rate or cold and clammy skin, you must be extra careful as these are signs that you are in trouble.

First-Aid

Once you experience the symptoms, get out of the heat. Get some water, loosen your clothing and seek medical help as soon as possible. Remember, heatstroke is an emergency situation. Do not take the symptoms for granted.

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Tips to Avoid Constipation

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Posted 04 Dec 2010 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies

By Engracia S. Arceo, MPH, RMT

Constipation can be defined as having less than three bowel movements per week and the stool is hard and difficult or painful to pass. It is one of the most common gastrointestinal problems that even healthy people encounter from time to time. Your diet, lifestyle, lack of fluid intake and inadequate exercise all contribute to the occurrence of the problem. To avoid the abnormal bowel movement, here are tips to avoid constipation, that you can follow.

Diet

Your diet plays a crucial role in adding bulk to your stool. In most countries, the less consumption of fibers leads to an increase incidence of constipation. Health experts recommend that you should at least consume 30 grams of fibers per day. Products like whole wheat bread, less refined rice and corn, fruits and vegetables are high in fibers. Be sure to include them in your major meals to meet the recommended daily intake.

Fluid

Fluid is important in all body processes and this includes the passage of stool. The water serves as a lubricant during the bowel movement. As much as possible, drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day and increase it as the environmental temperature rises. Other possible sources of fluid are fresh fruit juices.

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Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Facts about It

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Posted 01 Dec 2010 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies

By: Engracia S. Arceo, MPH, RMT

Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is one of the most critical emergency procedures designed to restore partial blood flow to the brain and the heart. It is done to patients who suffered from cardiac arrest. Although CPR alone is not sufficient to bring a person back to life, the procedure can delay tissue death and extend the time before brain damage occurs. While waiting for response from the medical practitioners, you should commence the CPR to help save the victim.

What are the new guidelines?

The American Heart Association updated the CPR guidelines in 2010 to stress the importance of high quality CPR. The guideline includes the need for sufficient rate and depth of compression without excessively ventilating the lungs. Still, the new guidelines adapt the different interventions for each age group. However, instead of using the acronyms, ABC for Airway, Breathing and Circulation, they recommend the CAB or Chest compressions, Airway and Breathing. The only exceptions to the new CAB guideline are infants and drowned patients.

Who Should Perform the CPR?

Previously, the CPR can only be performed by people who have special training on procedure. But with the new guidelines released by the American Heart Association, even the lay public can help save the life of victims. By doing the chest compressions alone without artificial respiration, the likelihood of success is still high compared when CPR is not commenced. With the compressions only delivery, ordinary people do not have to be passive bystanders.  Instead they can become active participants in saving the life of a person.

Why is it crucial?

CPR keeps the vital organs alive. Even with artificial means, the brain and the heart maintain their supply of oxygen. Otherwise, four to seven minutes of lack of oxygen leads to irreversible damage to the brain. It is therefore crucial that the procedure must be done as early as possible to increase the chances of the vital organs to respond to other medical attempts designed to revive them.

Is it effective?

The use of CPR does not guarantee 100% success. Studies show a high correlation between the timing and the success rate of the procedure. Because the CPR is most effective before brain damage occurs, it is important that the rescuer provides the artificial treatment as soon as possible.

Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills should not only be for the medical practitioners. It should be a natural skill of everyone. Because you will never know when to use it, it is important that you know what to do when emergency situation arises.

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Ideal Foods for Hypertensive Patients

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Posted 21 Nov 2010 — by admin
Category Clinical Chemistry, Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies

If you are hypertensive, then you should know what to eat and what not to. The ideal food for hypertensive patients are the following.

Low salt foods

Salt increases blood pressure, so you should lessen your salt intake. Salt can come not only from table salt but also from most preserved foods. Opt for fresh foods instead of these types of foods.  Saltine crackers and some oatmeal brands are also rich in salt. Read the labels and ascertain that the salt content is low before eating it.

Low fat foods

Hypertension can result from high lipids or fats, so these types of foodstuffs should be avoided.  Fat can come from meat fat, like pork and chicken fat.

Dairy products

Most dairy products are rich in triglycerides and cholesterol which are predisposing factors in increasing the likelihood of hypertension.

Foods for hypertensive patients include fruits and vegetables because these foodstuffs are low in calories and are fat free. Vegetable oil and fish oil are healthy fats so they can be taken in. Knowing what food to eat and what not to, is a big factor in controlling your hypertension. You should therefore know the ideal foods for hypertensive patients to help you out in maintaining your health.

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Detox Cleanse Diet, a Good Way to Health

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Posted 09 Nov 2010 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies

Make sure you do not take in “toxic” substances.

Sometimes, even if people know that a substance is toxic, they still take them. Two very good examples are alcohol and cigarettes. Alcohol has been proven through reliable studies to cause irreversible liver cirrhosis after chronic usage, while cigarettes cause lung cancer. This fact does not matter as people blew rings of smoke and drown themselves in alcohol. Avoid these substances of abuse if you want to cleanse your system.

Avoid exposure to toxic fumes.

Toxic fumes enter the lungs and introduce these harmful substances to the respiratory tract. This may affect not only the lungs, but all the different organs in the body.

Eat more of fruits

Fruits are low in calories and are essential healthy substances that can help eliminate fats, toxic elements and prevent the body from invasion of foreign substances.

Eat more vegetables

Vegetables contain phytochemicals, L-carnitine, minerals, vitamins, and lots of fibers to promote hood health and an effective detox cleanse-process.

Drink lots of water

Water is one of the major and basic requirements for good cellular function. You should drink more of clean water. The body needs a lot of hydration before it could function well.

Avoid carbonated drinks

Carbonated drinks are unhealthy because they give you lots of calories with no health benefits at all. You should drink water instead of carbonated drinks.

These are methods to ensure that you have an effective detox cleanse method. When you do, wellness and good health will surely be the beneficial result.

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Natural Homemade Remedies for Kidney Stones

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Posted 25 Aug 2010 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Clinical Microscopy, Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies

By Ireen Banasan

Today it has dawned on many people that homemade remedies for kidney stones are a better alternative that taking in synthetic drugs.  It is not only inexpensive it has no side effects and it gives you a sense of pleasure and accomplishment to be able to cure yourself. Read on to learn about natural homemade remedies.

What is a kidney stone?

The first step to curing yourself is to understand the problem.  Kidney stones are buildups or deposits of excess minerals and other organic substances in the kidney and urinary tract.  Stones maybe deposits of calcium, phosphates, oxalate, magnesium, and carbonates.  If this deposits grows and blocks the urethra (tube where urine passes) the sufferer can experience excruciating pain, other symptoms include chills, fever, fatigue, and nausea. Blood in the urine can also be found in urine of persons with kidney stones.

Homemade remedies for kidney stones

Scientists, doctors, nutritionists, researchers, and alternative medicine practitioners all agree that nutrition or diet has a big role in the health of human beings.  Therefore, a change of lifestyle and the intake of nutritious natural foods will improve your overall health.  Eat foods that are excellent in preventing the formation of kidney stones like celery, ripe fresh apples, melons, and drink 10-12 glasses of water or more daily.  These are just a few of the best homemade remedies for kidney stones.

If you already have kidney stones eat lots of fruits and vegetables that can help eliminate or dissolve kidney stones from your body like kidney beans or French beans, grapes, honey with basil juice(1 teaspoon daily).  Pomegranate (sweet and sour) seeds; ground this to make a paste and add it to 2 tablespoon of horse gram and make a soup.  These are excellent homemade remedies for kidney stones.

If you are taught earlier in life to eat a proper, balanced diet you could have avoided many kidney problems such as kidney stones.  Other homemade remedies for kidney stones is to avoid alcoholic beverages, gravies carbonated drinks, condiments and some vegetables like cucumber, radish, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, rhubarb and onions.

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Best Gouty Arthritis Homemade Cures

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Posted 20 Aug 2010 — by admin
Category Clinical Chemistry, Diseases and Conditions, Home Remedies

The demand for Gouty Arthritis homemade cures increased in the past few years because more people today suffer from gouty Arthritis. There are also many people who are now turning back to nature for treatment of most health problems.  One way to avoid gouty arthritis is to avoid eating foods that are rich in uric acid like organ meat products and animal protein.

What is Gouty Arthritis?

Gouty arthritis is a kind of arthritis that is caused by uric acid build-up in joints; usually the big toe. However, it could also affect the ankles, knees, elbows, fingers, toes, wrists, and the foot (heel/instep).  Gouty arthritis is one of the most painful forms of arthritis.  Symptoms include inflammation, acute pain, tenderness, and redness in the affected area.


The best gouty arthritis homemade cures

One of the best gouty arthritis homemade cures is eating a proper diet.  Add fruits that are rich in vitamin C to your daily menu.   Fruits that are rich in vitamin C include Indian gooseberries, guavas, strawberries, cherries and other citrus fruits.  Another vitamin C rich fruit is Lemon.  Green leafy vegetables and apples should also be included in your diet.

Eat at least 3-4 bananas daily, this fruit is rich in phosphorous and minerals that can help eliminate uric acid from the body.  Eating a well-planned diet is one of the best gouty arthritis homemade cures. You can also take supplements of zinc, and calcium.  Aside from eating a balance diet, drink at least 8-12 glasses of water to rid some of the uric acid from the kidneys and liver.

To relieve joint pains caused by gouty arthritis, try these gouty arthritis homemade cures:  gently massage warm olive oil or castor oil on the affected area.  If your ankles or toes are affected try soaking your feet in warm water with ground ginger this will relieve the swelling and the pain.

People should realize early in life that a healthy diet and a healthy life style lead to long life and good health.   So teach you kids what food to eat and what to avoid.  You should also formulate or learn more of gouty arthritis homemade cures to be able to help yourself and your loved ones fight the disease.

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