Discover The Health Benefits

Basil – More Than A Kitchen Plant

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:37:35 +0000

A universally known fact is that aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted from plants. One of the most commonly used essential oil in aromatherapy is that of Basil. Basil got its name from the Greek word “basileum” meaning “king”. Considered as “king among plants” as it was one of the ingredients on the list of oils blended to massage kings.

Basil is an important herb as its uses are two-fold, for cooking as well as to cure a variety of ailments. The herb covers and offers a plethora of medical benefits. If added early while cooking, it loses its flavor; hence it should be used as soon as it is plucked from the plant. It ought be added towards the end of cooking. It exudes a warm, gentle unique flavor and fragrance in cooking.

The leaves of basil are steam-distilled to create oil. Medically, it provides relief to sore gums, ulcers, chest infections and digestive problems. It has been used as a brain stimulant and an antispasmodic, making it wonderful in the treatment of bronchitis and whooping cough.

Basil is said to have uplifting and refreshing properties. 2-3 drops of basil oil is known to relieve mental fatigue, tension, stress, mild anxiety, loss of appetite, flatulence, nausea, sinusitis, cold, fever, earaches, eases rheumatic, arthritic and muscular pains.

A potpourri of dried basil leaves and flowers creates a fragrant atmosphere wherever kept. It is also used as an insect repellent, as burned sprigs of basil drive away mosquitoes. If you keep a potted plant of basil on the windowsill, it will deter flies from entering your home.

Basil oil, when mixed with massage oil and gently rubbed over the stomach, helps to ease many types of digestive problems. Basil should be used sparingly on skin as it could cause irritation. If you want to add a few drops to your bath, dilute it with a carrier oil, or mix it with a skin cream or lotion.

It should NOT be used during pregnancy. Basil helps with depression, increases alertness, aids in concentration, relieves headaches, head congestion and migraines. Basil regulates the menstrual cycle and reduces menstrual cramps. The herb blends well with rosemary, lavender, bergamot, clary sage, geranium and citrus oils.

Drug And Alcohol Rehab

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:36:04 +0000

Most often when we say drugs and alcohol the first thought that will come to our minds is smoke filled dark rooms, where there are people who are not in their senses. People in the past believed that addicts were possessed and had the devil living inside them. This thought has been thrown out and now scientists and researchers have concluded that drug or alcohol addiction is not caused due to one single factor. There are many factors which come together and push a human towards addiction. Most often it was found that psychological problems, combined with emotional set backs and certain beliefs were the reason for addiction. You are likely to see a man in a drunken state talking like a big shot who is not scared of anyone. The same person in a non alcoholic state will be someone who is scared to talk about his thoughts and beliefs. The alcohol or drugs gives him a high and in this state he finds a little courage and shows it off.

Alcohol Rehab

When a person comes to a rehab center it means he has no control over his drinking limits. This sort of a person is first sent for detoxification, which means he is not given any alcohol for about two weeks. This is the most difficult period for the addict. He or she is so used to having alcohol that a break without it can have some effects on them. The minor side effects can be treated as an outpatient itself. Sometimes they may go into severe depressions or have other serious side effects. Then keeping a close eye on them is vital.

Whether the person is a very serious addict or not, they need to be monitored at all times so that they don’t fall to their urge to drink and get alcohol from some unknown source. This is the time when family and friends of the addict must stand by. Alcohol rehabilitation is not just giving medicines. There is no medicine to stop a man from drinking. There are some pills known as Antabuse, yet the pills make a person sick if he takes alcohol. To stop the vomiting they will start avoiding the alcohol. The pills have caused mixed reactions from addicts. This is the reason why alcohol rehab centers have various therapy sessions which can be for an individual or group, they have counseling session and even have spiritual sessions to help the addict stay away from alcohol for ever and to cut down the chances of a relapse.

The support of the family is of utmost importance. A spouse or family member should always be there to back them up. The absence of their loved ones can push them into depressions further and cause them to drink again. Alcohol addiction should not be looked at as an individual problem but as a family problem.

Apart from the old traditional ways mentioned above there are many new approaches. The Holistic approach is another option which many people go for. The addicts tend to have a feeling of helplessness and the only way to beat this feeling is to bring a balance in them; a balance which will bring their emotional, physical, spiritual and mental self to oneness. This is being achieved by a combination of remedies like herbal, acupuncture, acupressure, physical fitness, meditation, blood chemistry analysis and massages.

Hypertension and Alcohol – The French Connection

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:43:29 +0000

What exactly is the connection between alcohol and hypertension? For a number of years it has been recognized that there is an increased incidence of hypertension in people with high alcohol consumption. However it has also been noted that the French eat a diet containing as much as, if not more, fat than ours giving them similar levels of cholesterol; but four times as many Britons die of heart disease than do Frenchmen. This difference is often referred to as the French Paradox and doctors have long suspected that it is caused by something present in red wine that protected the heart.

As long as 30 years ago, The Framingham Heart Study provided evidence suggesting that alcohol can protect the heart. Since that time several other large studies have confirmed this. Obviously there is a reluctance to recommend alcohol consumption because of the well-known consequences of excessive drinking. Moderation would seem to be the answer. Studies have shown that both men and women who drink light to moderate amounts of alcohol per day live longer than those who don’t drink at all. However, drinking larger amounts of alcohol has more harmful effects on the body than benefits.

It would seem that part of the reason for this is that alcohol increases the levels of “good” cholesterol and that moderate alcohol consumption may help improve insulin resistance. There is a school of thought though that suggests that it is not just moderate alcohol that helps in protecting your heart, but that the type of alcohol that you drink also is a contributory factor. A recent study has suggested that moderate drinkers who didn’t drink red wine reduced their risk of mortality by 10% but those who drank moderate amounts of red wine reduced their risk by 30%.

It has been agreed by doctors and scientist alike that something in red wine does indeed help the heart. Recent research has found that a substance called resveratrol which is found in the skin of grapes could be the key ingredient that not only reduces “bad” cholesterol but also helps to prevent damage to blood vessels. Some red wines, notably those with high tannin content, also contain high levels of a plant chemical called procyanadin. Previous research has shown that drinking wine high in procyanadin protects against atherosclerosis which in turn improves the elasticity of the blood vessels thus reducing blood pressure.

No one would recommend that you start drinking alcohol just to prevent heart disease. Too much alcohol increases your risk of high blood pressure, liver damage, certain types of cancer etc. However moderate drinking, i.e. 2 units per day for men and 1 a day for women, has been shown to improve heart health and so reduce your blood pressure.