Natural Remedies for Anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder occurs when you have frequent episodes of unexplained worry and fear. Although anxiety is a normal reaction of the body, when it occurs persists in your daily life, them maybe it’s about time for you to seek help for treatments.

If there is no physical condition associated with the anxiety, then a patient may be referred to physiologists or psychiatrists who are specialists for treating emotional and mental disorders. The usual medical treatment for generalized anxiety disorder is a combination of anxiety medication and behavioral therapy.

But if one patient does not want to go under medication or behavioral therapy, there are always alternative measures that one can take to cure anxiety. Natural remedies for anxiety are slowly becoming popular among patients. People usually prefer these natural herbal remedies for anxiety because they are believed to have no side effects to the body as compared to the traditional medication.

Listed below are several alternative and natural anti anxiety remedies that you can chose to do:

• Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is known to be a great way of relieving stress and reduce anxiety. The stimulation on some of the crucial areas of the body improves blood circulation and increases the amount of nutrients delivered to the area. This also relieves muscle tension-one of the main symptoms of anxiety. It lowers the amount of cortisol in the body – a hormone that helps increase the body’s stress response.

• Mind and Body Exercises
Exercises such as yoga, tai-chi and self meditation are one of the most popular mind and body exercises that are used to relieve stress and anxiety. Mind and body exercises work to bring about a relaxation response which was said to help lower blood pressure, normalize the heart and breathing rate and bring that overall relaxation effect to the body. This type of routine would usually require 20 minutes of your day and are highly recommended for very busy people.

• Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is now being used to bring about relaxation and peace of mind. There are several ways that you can incorporate aromatherapy into your daily activities. There are now scented candles, baths with essential oils and infusers that you can use to bring about those scents into your room. You can do this before going to sleep or even just as you relax in your room.

• Herbs
There are several herbs that are popularly used to reduce stress and anxiety. This is one of the best alternatives to prescription medications that can sometimes be very addictive and can cause harmful side effects as well. Although there are hundreds of herbs that are claimed to be stress relievers, not all of then are effective. But the fact is, there are indeed some selected herbs that have been scientifically proven to help relieve stress and anxiety. These are listed below:

o Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
o Kava (Piper methysticum)
o Green Tea with L-theanine
o Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnate)

A lot of these herbs are available in the market as dietary supplements that are easily available in herbal shops.

These are just some of the few natural remedies for anxiety. The choice on the best type depends on your current condition and your personal preference of that which will fit your lifestyle.

What is Anxiety – Seeing beyond the surface

Anxiety is generally a normal response of the body. When animals or human are faced with a situation where they are physically (or emotionally) threatened, the body responds to his situation accordingly: the hear rate and the breathing increases, the hormones are released and the thought quickens to allow the organism rapid and quick action. This is called the “flight or fight” mechanism.

But when anxiety or panic attacks happen out of the blue, without an apparent reason at all, then this may be a disorder known as a Generalized Anxiety Disorder. People with this disorder seem to always expect something bad to happen and are very worrisome and fearful. Anxiety symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, heart palpitations, nausea, dizziness and chocking may occur whenever anxiety attacks strikes. These attacks happen out of the blue and unexpectedly.

One of the main reasons that anxiety occur is when people experience personal problems, stress at the work place and experience a loss that he or she may not be able to cope with. Although these causes are considered short-term and temporary, anxiety disorders, when left undiagnosed and untreated could remain and could affect the rest of the person’s life long after these problems are gone. Most people who have prolonged anxiety disorder have this condition because they were never diagnosed earlier as they should. When people are inflicted with this problem, they usually keep this to themselves or are sometimes not aware that they have this disorder in the first place.

Sometimes, anxiety can be treated at home or by the patient themselves. It just needs a little change in perception to take these unnecessary worries away. What can you do? Well for starters, you can sit down and think what is really causing his your and anxiety; a personal problem, too much workload at the office, an unsolved problem. And once you have pinpointed this cause, than try to make an action plan on how to attack the problem. Sometimes, you can never do it on your own, so if this happens, never hesitate to ask for help.

But when anxiety symptoms are already beyond your control, then the only thing you need to do is be brave enough to realize this problem and simply ask for medical help.

So just like any other medical condition, early diagnosis is the key to early treatment and faster recovery. One of the most common and effective ways of treating Generalize Anxiety Disorder is through behavioral therapy. Therapists and experts train their patients to see outside the box and beyond the fear –to see reality, that there is no reason for them to be afraid or to be anxious at all.

Some doctors may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs but for those who do not want to go under medication, you can always opt for the natural way of treatment. There are numerous natural remedies for anxiety available for everyone to chose. Still, it would be recommended that you get the opinion of a physician regarding these treatments as some of them may not be effective at all.

Stress and Anxiety: How to Deal with Them

Stress and anxiety are one of the normal reactions of the human body. Anxiety is the normal reaction of the body when we are faced with danger or a physical or emotional threat. Our heart rate quickens, our minds become alert, breathing speeds up and our body prepares us for quick and immediate action.

But when we allow ourselves to worry too much and let fear get the best of us, only then will anxiety be damaging to our lives. When we become over anxious, our actions are halted and we are left alone in our thoughts, worrying, thinking and doing nothing at all!

Listed below are simple steps on how to you should deal with anxiety and anxiety attacks. Read on and educate yourself on these helpful tips to help you keep anxiety at bay:

1. Meditate. If you experience too much anxiety, think and meditate on the reasons why you are feeling the way you do. Are you having too much stress from work or at home? Pinpointing the real reason for such feeling can help a lot because this will give you an idea on what situations you should be keeping away from or what problems do you need help with.

2. Seek support. Your friends and family members are there for a reason. As the cliché goes, “no man is an island”. So if you experience too much worrying, then tell your loved ones about it. This is because when we worry too much, we sometimes fail to see the bigger picture. We tend to magnify our problems to uncontrollable proportions that make it look like it’s beyond control. But for some people who can see otherwise, they can give you the reality check that you need.

3. Take time to unwind. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our work or in our problems that is would seem like it’s the only thing that’s left in the world. So take a step back and go out of your way to have fun. Spend that weekend with family and friends and do something enjoyable. Have fun and make it a habit to do so. Keep in mind that there is a balance that must be maintained in our lives and that there is always a time fro everything. You are the only person that can handle that stress and manage it the way it should.

4. Know when to seek medical help. Some forms of stress may not be caused by physical and emotional stimulants alone but sometimes, by hormonal imbalances in our bodies. So if symptoms of anxiety or anxiety attacks get uncontrollable, don’t hesitate to ask help from a medical professional already.

Remember, with anxiety, you are the one holding the solution. It is a matter of choosing to see life differently and being brave enough to ask help when you need it. It is a choice you make everyday: to succumb to fear and worry and let your life crash down before your eyes or to chose to walk a different road and rise over anxiety and give yourself a chance to life that full life you deserve.

Panic Attacks – Triggers and Cures

Panic attacks are sudden attacks of fear and discomfort that occur just out of the blue. These episodes happen without warning and do not seem to have a cause or a trigger. Naturally, these occur to humans or to any other animal when there is a clear danger. When this happens, the body releases hormones that increases the heart rate, quickens breathing and allows rapid thought processes to allow immediate action.

In the surface, panic attacks may seem to happen without any reason at all but seeing behind that, there are actually mechanisms at work that make this attacks happen. One of the major reasons why these attacks happen is generally due to anxiety and stress. There is that feeling of being choked that makes the person feel that he is she is having a heart attack.

Aside from it being a symptom of anxiety, there are also several underlying reasons why they occur:

1. A side effect of medication
Some medications may give side effects that make up a panic attack in general. These side effects include increased heart rate, difficulty in breathing, indigestion, dizziness, nausea and sometimes disorientation. These medications may be as common as an antibiotic. Although panic attacks may only occur as a person takes the drug, when the medication is required to be taken regularly, panic attacks may also happen more frequently.

2. Drug or medication withdrawal
When a patient is made to stop a medication, a withdrawal syndrome may happen. Some drugs cause dependence that could lead to anxiety attacks.

3. Short- term or Temporary Causes
Current problems such as a personal loss, problems at work or at home, effects to stimulants such as caffeine or marijuana can cause panic attacks. These attacks however, are short- term and do not happen any more once these triggers are pinpointed and are avoided by the patient.

4. Heredity
Attacks may naturally run in the family, passed over from one gene to the other. The family environment was said to be also a cause panic attacks. Parents that are too cautious and display exaggerated fear of going outside the house would usually have children that experience these attacks once in the outside world.

5. Phobias
Panic attacks are directly related to phobias. This is an irrational, persistent feeling of fear and anxiety over menial things. The main symptom for phobias is a strong desire to avoid that object. Phobias can root from traumatic events that have left a permanent mark in a person’s memory. Other phobias such as social phobias however, have a very complex root and are usually characterized by extreme worry over current social situations.

These attacks can be treated with therapy and medications. Therapy focuses on behavior patterns and allows a patient to see the bigger more realistic picture: that the reason for the panic is not present at all. Medicines such as anti depressants and anti anxiety drugs are also available as prescribed by the doctor. Other natural remedies are also available for this condition.

Athlete’s Foot Remedies

Some things in life like athlete’s foot symptoms never cease to surprise us. While there are some that we simply ignore, everyone would agree that a bad athlete’s foot, above all, needs some serious attention.

Indeed, having a smelly, itchy and inflamed foot is the least you should attend to when you have a career to focus on or a reputation to protect. However, all means of prevention sometimes just isn’t enough. In fact, some people do catch athlete’s foot fungus without them knowing it, even with the most prudent measures of precaution. Thus, ways and means to treat athlete’s foot are employed by athletes, male adolescents, and even mothers who need to get rid of their kid’s athlete’s foot fungus.

Medication is usually paired with a change in environment and better foot hygiene as a start in the treatment of athlete’s foot. This would not only kill the fungus on the infected area but would also discourage any further infection. Foremost kind of treatment employed is the use of topical ointments such as terbinafine, econazole, clotrimazole, lotrimin, tinactin and micatin.

Good foot hygiene, is simply done by washing the feet in plain water, wiping then dry, and applying the cream to the inflamed area. Continued use of an antifungal cream for three to four weeks, even after the disappearance of the symptoms, may be necessary to get rid of the infection. Oral medication or antibiotics may also help for more serious cases of bacterial infection as when the infection does not ease after two weeks of treatment.

Home remedies for athlete’s foot have proven quite useful alternatives as well, to expensive ointments that do not bring lasting results. A dry and clean foot is a start. Changing to sandals or slippers after a few hours of wearing shoes would also help keep the foot well-ventilated. Changing socks regularly, preferably twice a day, is equally important as the material of the socks. Cotton or wool absorbs moisture and keeps the feet dry.

Powdering the feet with antifungal powder is also advised. Avoiding the use of the same towel for the feet and the other parts of the body would also prevent the infection from spreading to other areas. Likewise, towels should not be shared with other individuals, even members of the same family, in order to prevent infecting other people. Stinky shoes, on the other hand, should also be washed with detergent and bleached in order to eliminate both the smell and the fungus.

Natural cure for athlete’s foot has also recently been found to exist, thus providing a much cheaper alternative to the ones existing in the market today. For example, vinegar as a treatment for athlete’s foot has proven useful and effective a solution by simply washing the foot with it and warm water. Other alternative treatments include topical oils like tea tree oil and the use of onion and garlic extract. Athlete’s foot cures are not hard to find, if only you look around in the kitchen.

Athlete’s Foot Prevention

An extremely busy lifestyle does not need an additional burden like athlete’s foot. Ways and means to find cure to athlete’s foot are plenty but in the end, the real key to curing athlete’s foot infection lies with good personal hygiene. Prevention measures starts with our manner of doing things. An easy prey is always the one who does not know what to do or not to do, so here’s a few ways to remember that could keep athlete’s foot fungus at bay.

Athlete’s foot fungus thrives in the different parts of a household, especially in areas which are dark and moist. Thus, spraying with disinfectant the tub or the bathroom floor helps minimize the risk of catching or reinforcing an athlete’s foot. Changing the sheets, socks, underwear and towels at least once a week lessens the chances of breeding fungus. Sharing towels and other personal items like shoes and socks should also be avoided so as not to help spread the fungus that causes athlete’s foot. Already infected areas should be dried separately with another towel to limit the area of infection.

On the other hand, prevention measures are even more necessary when frequenting public places like locker rooms, public baths or swimming pools. Just the mere act of walking on the floor barefoot is enough to catch a bad athlete’s foot. Thus, shower shoes and sandals or clogs are must-haves when using public places to prevent acquiring athlete’s foot fungus from the floor. A thorough washing of feet, and drying thereafter, must be made a regular habit in order to prevent catching it or worsening an already existing fungal problem.

Make sure that special attention be given to the spaces between the toes where fungus loves to hide and stay for some time. A dry foot can also be achieved by having or changing into the right pair of socks or by putting on some old and stinky shoes. More prone individuals who are always engaged in physical activities, like teenagers and athletes, need to use antibacterial and anti-fungal soap all in one.

Wearing the right shoes and sock is also very important in thwarting fungus. Busy schedules would usually give us less time to dry our foot before putting on socks and shoes. Well-ventilated shoes and socks that are made out of materials like cotton or wool that absorb moisture are needed for people whose feet perspire and stink. Socks made out of nylon should be avoided because it traps the moisture and, thus, prevents natural ventilation. Especially for teens or very busy individuals who go home tired and worn out, it is likewise important to take off the shoe and socks when going to bed.

Athlete’s foot prevention measures are not only helpful in averting athlete’s foot symptoms, but is also useful in managing infection and, ultimately, in curing it. For example, itchy toes should not be scratched because it is likely to cause a more serious bacterial infection. The simple thing to remember in the prevention of catching fungus is basically the maintenance of a healthy and clean environment.

Diagnosis for Bad Breath – The Simple and Complicated

We have always known that bad breath is indeed a serious hygienic problem. Halitosis, its medical term, is very hard to diagnose for someone. This is primarily because of habituation. We can detect bad breath in other individuals but we can’t detect it within ourselves.

Proper diagnosis is very essential in finding treatment for bad breath. Luckily for us, there’s an easy way to see if we have the foul odor problem. In this article, we shall discuss some of the easy tips for self test and some much more complicated diagnostic procedures which are practiced by health professionals.

Let’s start with the much easier self diagnosis if we have bad breath. The first one doesn’t require much resource; you’ll have to lick the posterior part of your hand. After that, you let it dry for one to two minutes. Once done, you smell that part and then you can tell if you need a cure for bad breath or you have fresh breath.

The second one won’t require anything also except for a dental floss. It’s basically the same concept as the first one. You need to put the dental floss in between your back teeth. After a while, try to smell the floss.

Another way to do a self examination may need the presence of a mirror. Stand by facing the mirror and with the use of a Kleenex, pull your tongue out. Try to pull your tongue as far as you can. If you recognize a whitish formation in the back of your tongue, then it may be possible that you have halitosis. The most straight forward way to check if you have this condition is to confide with someone you can trust. Like family members or close friends, ask for their opinion with regards to your breath. As much as possible, check your breath on different times daily. Your breath changes with different times of the day and night; this is due to the dryness of your mouth in a certain period.

Apparently if your home remedies for bad breath is not working, you may try to visit the dentist for professional advice on how to cure bad breath. Dental professionals have more advanced ways on diagnosing halitosis. They have different methods in achieving such results. The most commonly used is the Halimeter. This device is used to test and monitor your mouth for levels of sulfur deposits and emissions. It is very effective in gathering information regarding the levels of VSC-producing bacteria.

Another diagnostic tool used by dental professionals to determine halitosis is gas chromatography. These portable machines are designed to measure digitally certain molecular levels of the three major VSC (volatile sulfur compounds) in a small sample of breath air. This produces visual results in graph form and is very accurate. Other diagnostic exams are BANA and β-galactosidase tests, which are focused on the saliva samples.

These diagnostic procedures are very important factors in finding ways to cure bad breath. The earlier you determine your status on halitosis, the better it would be for the treatment. So, whatever you’re comfortable with…always put in mind that dental status is very important.

Understanding Back Pain and the Reasons Why They Happen

Back pain affects a majority of people in the population, whether they are old or young, none is exempt. This can happen in many parts of the vertebral column; at the middle back, upper back or lower back areas. The pain can be sudden or gradual; it can be permanent or can move form one portion of the vertebrae to another. Sometimes, it could even affect proximal areas such as the neck and the arms.

There are several reasons why people experience back pain. One of are the muscles surrounding the back are itself. Muscles strains are due to bad posture; this could also be caused by overuse of the muscles and too much activity. Muscle strains are most common in the lower back area. Low back pain or lumbago is triggered most frequently when people pick up heavy object without using the correct posture of doing so.

Other reason for back pain is a ruptured disc. This sometimes happen with accidents or due to weak bone structure.

The third reason why back pains occur is spinal stenosis. This is the common back pain experienced by the ageing population. As the fluid between each joint dry up during ageing, the spinal canal becomes too tight. This pressure can then lead to the occurrence of chronic pain in older men and women.

The fourth reason for back pain is osteoporosis. Most women are the targets of this disease, but men are not exempt also. Osteoporosis happens when the normal structure of the vertebral column is compressed to a shorter height due to the thinning and the degeneration of the bone. As the bones grow weaker and weaker, the possibility of fractures increases making them very vulnerable under this condition.

The fifth cause of back pain is spondylolisthesis. This happens when the stabilizing structure of the spine starts to degenerate causing one of its discs to slip down. And because of this instability, pain occurs in the back area.

When people have back pains, it is very difficult to pinpoint the specific underlying reason unless you are subjected to medical tests and examinations. Sometimes, back pains could even be caused by a simply sleeping on a wrong position of by just carrying too much heavy load, so we can never tell for ourselves.

People treat back pain in many ways. Some may find relief in cold compress, hot compress or even pain relievers. But these treatments may just be superficial and are just targeting only pain relief and not the real reason for the pain. So to patients, always be aware of your condition. If the back pains are becoming more and more frequent, persists for several days, gives you difficulty in movement, gives you fever or chills and any other suspicious symptoms, then it is time to seek help from a doctor.

Back pains may be the most natural thing but you should never ignore this condition as it could possible lead to serious and more complicated problems if the pain and the condition is allowed to be prolonged and remains untreated.

Serious Back Pains – Ways to Relieve It

Generally, when we have back pains, what we usually do is run to the pharmacy to buy a couple of those pain relievers and take them as fast as we can. Some people opt for the more “natural” way and turn to hot or cold compress or even a massage for relief. But sometimes, when the pain gets more persistent and occurs for more than a couple of days, then maybe it is time to go to your doctor to seek medical advice and get the proper treatment.

Understanding the underlying reason for you back pain is very important. This information could lead to proper treatment and intervention for your condition. There are several reasons why back pains occur and each has a different kind of treatment. So read on and educate yourself on the possible treatments that you can undergo, depending on the type of condition that you are in.

1. Physical therapy
A physical therapy can come in various forms; from muscle stimulation, hot and cold compress and massage to target soft tissues and relieve lower back pain. Back pain exercises would usually consist of stretching exercises, movements to strengthen your back muscles and some aerobic conditioning. Physical therapy is more of a long term cure and prevention as well. As the pain disappears, patients are usually advised to continue the exercise at least once a day to keep back pains from coming back. Physical exercise is much recommended for chronic back pain treatment.

2. Epidural Steroid Injections
This kind of treatment delivers steroids to the epidural part of the vertebral column to help remove or “flush out” substances that may trigger the pain in the area. A steroid is an anti-inflammatory substance. Inflammation of the epidural spaces in one of the major components for back pains and eliminating this inflammation also eliminates the pain. Some injections also contain pain relievers that will be directly delivered to the area for immediate relief.

3. Surgery
A very few people need surgery for back pains. Even a herniated disc can be treated without having to go under the knife and is regarded as the last resort for treating back pains. Surgery is only necessary for pain caused by a compression of a nerve, a progressive muscle weakness or when the pain is already radiating to your legs hitting your sciatic nerve. A patient can go into different types of surgeries for back pain. It may require the insertion of a metal plate to your vertebral column, an artificial disk or a removal of a vertebral disk fro your spine. Trauma to your spine which causes a ruptured disc may also require surgery.

Although back pains are one of the most normal physical complaints, the pain itself may just be a sign of a more serious health condition. So if you experience pain for several days now or you experience limitations to your movement because of the pain, it is very important that you stop relying on medication and seek immediate medial help. The more you delay proper treatment, the worse your condition may become.

Constipation Treatment

Constipation is a big problem for a lot of people who wake up every day wanting to move their bowels but just end up frustrated. There are, however, various ways to address this digestive problem without resorting to medications. All it takes is just a simple change in lifestyle and eating habits. After that, all else should fall in the right places.

One of the many home remedies for constipation is resorting to a fruit diet. Countless fruits helpful in giving that desired constipation relief. With the exception of banana and jackfruit, all fruits are sure cures for constipation. Among the most effective ones are bael, guava, pear, orange, papaya and spinach. Sixty grams of bael fruit sweeps out the intestines even of those old stuck up faecal substances. One or two guavas a day provide the much needed fiber in the diet.

Chronic constipation, more specifically, could be dealt with a medium-sized pear after dinner. Food residues that usually settle in the colon are gone with just two oranges, one after dinner and another for breakfast. Papaya for breakfast would also provide the much needed laxative for the stomach. Last but not the least, an organic and tested recipe to help with constipation by cleaning and reconstructing the tracts of the intestines is that which contains raw spinach. These fruit regimens, when continued for a month or two should bring back the digestive system to its good old self.

Other effective constipation remedies that could be observed regularly at home includes drinking hot water squeezed with lime or a teaspoon of linseed after meal for enough lubrication in the stomach and intestines.

Some changes in the diet might also prove to be helpful natural remedies for constipation. Keeping the diet natural and simple is easy when it is stuffed with cereals and wheat meals along with some fruits on the side. Foods that cause constipation that should be avoided include sweets, rice, bread, cakes and pastries, cheesy and oily foods, as well as products consisting of white flour. However, curing constipation does not stop at eating the right food. It extends to chewing and enjoying your meal at regular hours of the day.

Eating properly should always be coupled with exercising regularly, preferably at least two times a week. Outdoor sports such as jogging, swimming, tennis, or simply walking for a few hours would surely help eradicate the symptoms of constipation by strengthening the muscles of the body

It should be put in mind though that when confronted with severe constipation, one should avoid straining your body to let it out of your system because it is likely to cause bleeding, hemorrhoids and anal fissures. What is even worse, some people especially the elderly strain themselves too much to the point of raising their blood pressures and causing the situation to aggravate or puts them at the risk of getting heart failures in the toilet.

Thus, when constipation reaches intolerable heights, one should not hesitate to go to a doctor because ignoring it would not solve the problem at all.

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