Natural Health Remedies

Now, everybody knows that garlic is delicious. We throw it in virtually everything (or at least do), and one of my favorite smells ever is chopped garlic cooking in olive oil. Crackling and sizzling, going from pale white to a rich, golden yellow. But did you know that garlic is also one of the most popular herbal supplements in the US? It sells by the truckloads, and that’s because there’s a strong belief that garlic is not only scrumptious, but also has very powerful heath benefits. Is this true? What are those health benefits, and what can you do to maximize them? Read on, fearless reader, read on!

Okay, the basics: the name of the game is organosulfur compounds, which are thought to be responsible for not only smell and taste of garlic, but also its health benefits. Crushing or chopping garlic releases an enzyme called alliinase which catalyzes the formation of allicin, which in turn breaks down to form the organosulfur compounds we’re all excited about. (Side note: cooking can inactivate alliinase, so scientists recommend you let your garlic sit for ten minutes after chopping before cooking it to get the max health benefits.)

Now, time for the disclaimers: the absorption and metabolism of allicin and organosulfur compounds are only partially understood. Research is ongoing. Neither allicin or the compounds have ever been found in human blood, urine, or stools, even after the consumption of 25g of pure garlic. This means they are metabolized very quickly in the human body, and consequently it’s hard to track whether they actually reach their target tissues. There’s a lot of positive indicators, but nothing really 100% solid yet. Just keep that in mind.

What are some of these supposed benefits? One of the most exciting is that garlic-derived organosulfur compounds have been found to decrease the synthesis of cholesterol by liver cells. They’ve also been shown to inhibit the activity of inflammatory enzymes, and to decrease the production of inflammatory signaling molecules in cultured macrophages and human whole blood. Since inflammation appears to play a huge role in the development of cardiovascular disease, this is very exciting. Organosulfur compounds have also been found to have strong antioxidant activity.

In the realm of cancer, garlic seems to do a host of complex things that are good for us. They seem to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, which is when damaged or unnecessary cells self-destruct, something cancer cells do not do. They also slow cancer cells from rapidly replicating themselves, and interfere with complex processes that turn chemical carcinogens into active carcinogens in the body. It is believed that high intakes of garlic may help protect against gastric and colorectal cancer, and may possibly inhibit the development of other cancers.

So there you have it. Cut and crush your garlic, and then let it stand for ten minutes so the allicin can form out of the alliinase, and become organosulfur compounds in your body. The benefits are wide ranging, from helping lower cholesterol to preventing the formation of blood clots, and can be of serious help with preventing the development of different cancers. Is garlic therefore a miracle supplement that everybody should take to ensure long life, joy and prosperity? No, not really; these benefits can be subtle or mild. But everything helps, so enjoy your garlic, and reap what benefits come your way!

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The word stress is commonly heard of especially in the health and medical circuit. What is stress? What causes stress? How does the body react to stress? And what are the health ill consequences of stress? Stress is a state of ill being of the mind, body and soul.

It is a sort of dissatisfaction about something and it has an effect of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being of the body and soul.

Stress is cause by disappointment that something is not going the way you want it to and constantly thinking or worrying about that situation adds to it’s build up. Your body produces a hormone called cortisol when stressed. Now it is alright for this hormone to be produced occasionally in small amounts but when the body is under stress for long then a large amount of this hormone is produced which leads to many negative conditions. It has been proven today that untreated stress can lead to many health problems and can even be fatal when deadly diseases develope due to stress.

Stress is known to cause or at least deteriorate many illnesses. A brief overview of the connection between stress and a few major illnesses are:

Diabetes- diabetes is a condition when the body produces insufficient amount of insulin to process the sugar consumed by the body. When too much sugar builds up then you will experience conditions like excessive thirst, weight loss and headaches. If diabetes is not treated early then it can lead to kidney problems, heart disease, eye and nerve damage and many other health problems.

High blood pressure- also called hypertension is often called the silent killer because people don’t understand the symptoms of this condition until it’s too late. High levels of stress are known to bring on this disease and it can lead to coronary heart disease, aneurysm, damage to the brain, enlarged heart and many other illnesses.

Weight gain- people with high stress levels have often found their weight to fluctuate. This is due to the indulgence in fatty comfort foods like candy bars while under stress. When you are obese you stand at a greater risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, liver and gall bladder disease among others.

Depression- constant and high amounts of stress can lead you to believe there is no way out and this is the end of it all. Feelings of entrapment, hopelessness and depression make way. Depression is a serious physiological condition and it should be treated as soon as possible.

Heart disease-people with Type A diabetes are at a greater risk of developing heart attack or heart disease. Stress is known to increase build up of plaque in the arteries making then even narrower. This makes the heart to pump even harder to ensure proper blood flow throughout the body thus increasing the pressure on the heart.

Cancer- although there has been no proven connection between cancer and stress it is an accepted fact that exceeding amount of stress can increase the risk of contracting cancer. Stress generally weakens the immune system hence leaving the body susceptible to cancerous cells which also flourish in the body.

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Our face is our identity and good care needs to be taken to protect it. The face is prone to skin problems like acne which can be dealt with good care. To a large extent acne is the result of improper cleaning and can be controlled with proper cleaning.

Acne leaves behind scars which last a lifetime. These can mar your looks and hinder your chances in life. It makes more sense to prevent acne then to look for a cure. A well maintained skin with clean pores will help you control your acne problem. For some it may be a genetic factor which can be treated with proper medication and care. It is better for the skin to opt for natural means rather than use commercial creams and medicines which can do more harm than good. If you are unable to control the acne by natural means consult a dermatologist who will help you improve your condition.

Here are 4 tips on how to make the best use of soaps and cleansers for the face. The skin care regime that you follow should help you take care of problem areas and enhance your beauty.

1. Washing your face: It is essential to wash your face to keep it clean and healthy. Overdoing may cause more problems then you may envision. Do no wash your face more than three times a day. Anything above that will lead to dry skin. This will lead the oil glands to produce more oil in order to combat dryness. The increased oiliness will progressively lead to acne.

2. Choose the product: Soaps and cleansers that you use for the face should be gentle and not harsh. Harsh products may contain ingredients that can clog your pores and irritate them. This leads to acne. Harsh soaps and cleansers rob the skin of its natural moisture. The best products for your face would be sops and cleansers that are gentle soap free, mild and hypo allergenic.

3. Check the quantity: You may have chosen a mild cleanser for your face but too much of it will hurt the facial skin. It may lead to dry and irritated skin. Follow the instructions given on package and if the need be dilute the product with water before using it. Concentrated soaps and cleansers are not good for the skin.

4. Check the ingredients: The ingredients in a product you choose will affect your skin for the good or the bad. Go through the ingredients of a product before choosing it. Avoid soaps and cleansers which have alcohol listed as an ingredient. Alcohol dries the skin and lowers the pH levels causing irritation. Toners and astringents normally contain alcohol and you may not want to use them.

These simple tips can go a long way in your acne control care. Follow them as part of your daily care routine and they will help keep your skin looking young and radiant. If you happen to be suffering from acne you can use these tips to control your condition and eventually diminish it.

Take care of your face and feel and look young through out the day.

Katie Y. Brooks writes for www.BeautyItems.com, a consumer-rated hair salon and beauty product directory. For press release and media inquiries, Katie can be contacted here.

A tired and dull looking skin makes you look and feel dull. A dull skin covers a fresh radiant skin waiting to show itself. The best way to free your young skin is to use a product that will cleanse and scrub your dead skin cells away to reveal the new skin. Three is no need to spend time and money at spas to regain a healthy glowing skin. Just carry a well chosen body scrub with you the next time you take a bath. Body scrubs help to remove old and dead cells revealing the new skin underneath. The use of a body scrub during your bath leaves the skin feeling young and revitalized.

How does a body scrub work? A body scrub works like a body wash and removes the daily grime from your body. As you rub it in, tiny granules present in the exfoliant cleansers work at removing dead skin cells on your body leaving behind young skin when you rinse it off.

Different body scrubs use a variety of exfoliating granules with varying affects. Salt scrubs are great exfoliants and also help sooth sore and aching muscles. The right body scrub is essential to garner all the benefits. If you happen to use a salt scrub when you have cuts or abrasions on the skin it will burn and sting your wounds.

Another popular choice is the sugar based body scrubs. These exfoliating scrubs have smaller granules and are perfect a gentle cleanse with no salty stings. Sugar scrubs are gentle enough to be used on the face too. If you are looking for a strong body scrub you can opt for scrubs that use pumice stones, mud, or crushed almond shells to exfoliate. These can create magic on your skin. Scrubs can totally rejuvenate skins which are in pretty bad shape due to lack of care. These products are simple to use and are very effective.

An oat meal body scrub could be just the thing if you have dry itchy skins. It is a mild exfoliant but it provides moisture and nutrition for the parched skin, leaving it well moisturized and looking young. It could be the perfect cleansing solution for your face. On the whole body scrubs do moisturize the body, but if you feel dryness after using a body scrub, you can shift to a body scrub meant to moisturize the skin. These contain natural ingredients which take care of dry skin. Opt for scrubs with shea butter to deal with dry skin. A sugar and shea butter scrub can work wonders for a dry skin. It will scrub the skin clean and provide moisture to make it look radiant and soft.

If you have never used a body scrub earlier and are skeptical about its benefits then go out and pick a well suited body scrub. Use it in your bath and admire the new body that emerges from the shower. A body scrub will expose fresh new skin and make it glow wit health. You will wonder how you lived without it.

Katie Y. Brooks writes for www.BeautyItems.com, a consumer-rated hair salon and beauty product directory. For press release and media inquiries, Katie can be contacted here.