Candida Yeast Infection Treatment

Candida Yeast Infection can cause many problems with the health. The range of symptoms resulting from a candida infection is numerous.

Digestive disturbances usually accompany candida infection. These may  include gas problems, bloated stomach, reflux,  constipation and/or loose bowel motions; irritable bowel syndrome sometimes can be the result of  candida overgrowth. Even bleeding can occur if the walls of the intestines have been damaged because of the effect of candida overgrowth.

Other symptoms which may occur are  anaemia, inability to put on weight, eating disorders and cravings, being overweight, ear infections, sinus infection, infections of the urinary tract, vaginal infections, infections in the mouth, acne and eczema,  migraines, insomnia, depression, and addictions.

It is thought that the reason so many people become addicted to alcohol is because of a sugar-craving,  out-of-hand candida culture in the intestines.

Candida infection can be difficult to treat, especially when the infection has become well established. If candida albicans have been allowed to proliferate to the extent that they have colonised the intestines, to the detriment of the ‘good’ and beneficial organisms, and caused damage to the bowel, then the candida yeast is able to travel freely to other parts of the body. When the body is invaded by candida yeast, the condition is known as systemic candidiasis.

It takes time to reverse the train of events which have led to the undermining of health through candida infection. In my experience, allopathic medicine on its own is not effective in the long term, if at all. It really is a good idea to get the help of an acupuncturist, a naturopath or chinese herbalist, an ayurvedic specialist,  or another health professional, to assist you in speeding up your recovery.

It is important that your candida yeast infection treatment be one which is going to restore you to health. It is necessary  to take all those measures to ensure that the candida infection does not return. You must work at getting your health restored so that your body is strong and able to counteract infection, and you are feeling great again.

In my experience, environmental contaminants were the main reason that my immune system was  severely undermined. Chemical poisoning  led to a rampant candida infection, or systemic candidiasis, on more than one occasion. These chronic candida infections  took more than a year to cure.

However, most people, hopefully, have not been exposed to aerial spraying of 245T, or to asbestos and heavy metal poisoning, do not have cancer, or AIDS, and do not have the chronic type of candida known as systemic candidiasis which might accompany these conditions. Recovery, then, should be only a matter of weeks for mild candida infection, given the right treatment.

If you do systemic candidiasis, then it will take some time to become well. Even with the supplementation of  beneficial bacteria, such as acidophilus, it takes time for the immune system to recover from chemical, or radiation damage. You really have to pull out all stops and be vigilant in following your candida yeast infection treatment to fully recover.

If you have an on-going mild infection and you have not been exposed to chemical sprays, or radiation, and you do not work in a hazardous toxic environment, then your system should respond more quickly to anti-candida treatments.

Many people have candida yeast infection as a result from using antibiotics and other medications. Using probiotics such as L. acidophilus and B. bifidum will help to restore your intestinal flora if this is the case.

Even if you do not use antibiotics very often, chances are that you will be ingesting them through the animal products, or dairy foods and eggs, which you eat. Unless these foods are specified as certified organic, then these foods will be contaminated with hormones, cortizones and antibiotics which will affect the functioning of your body and its immune system.

Herbicides, insecticides, antibiotics, preservatives in food, and radiation all harm the cultures of healthy organisms which we have in our intestines.  Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of the main ones which is destroyed by harmful environmental pollutants, radiation,  overuse of antibiotics, and antibiotics in our food.  Bifidobacterium bifidum is the other main one which is affected similarly.

These  beneficial organisms, known as probiotics because they assist life, are very sensitive to unusual environmental influences. Chemicals affect them, but even living near high electromagnetic forces, such as cell phone towers, or electricity transformers, or high tension electricity wires, will upset these beneficial organisms in your intestinal flora. When these two beneficial organisms become depleted in the body, then candida albicans takes over. The candida albicans organism is found naturally in the intestines, but in only in small numbers in a healthy body.

Candida yeast infection really does cause so much harm: the ‘good’ bacteria on their own will help you to digest fats and proteins, will help lower your cholesterol level, and manufacture several vitamins and enzymes in the bowel, including B vitamins. When the ratio of organisms gets upset and candida is allowed to predominate, then you do not get all these wonderful benefits which the lactobacteria normally provide for you.

So – How To Get Well From Candida Yeast Infection:

The length of your recovery time really depends on how toxic your body is, and how damaged your immune system has become as a result of accumulated poisons.

A detoxification programme is important to begin your candida yeast infection treatment. It is essential to rid the body of all those acculmulated toxins as quickly as possible, if you want to get your health and vitality back soon. Unfortunately, all those lovely sweet  fruit fasts such as the apple diet, or the grape diet, or the carrot juice fast, are often not the best to use in the early stages, as the high sugar content in fruit feeds the candida. If your infection is not too severe and you have not been exposed to chemicals, then these could still be effective, but generally, it is best to avoid all foods high in sugar, and this includes all fruits.

Detox with a High Fiber Cleanse: Do this high fiber cleanse for three days in a row. Use as necessary after that. You might find benefit in continuing the treatment every morning. The recipe: Take a teaspoon of psyllium husks, a teaspoon of flaxseed, and a teaspoon of cranberry seed or pectin. Put into two cups of water. Stir.  Take in the morning on an empty stomach, 20 minutes before breakfast. Repeat  with one more dose 20 minutes before the evening meal.

Going for a colonic irrigation at a clinic is a good idea, as this will clear all the effecte matter out of your bowel, leaving it clean so that the candida can’t proliferate so readily. This will give you a jump start in combatting the infection, and improve your digestion immediately.

Home enemas can be effective also, and if you cannot afford the professional colonic irrigation, then a home enema is recommended.

Benefits of Castor Oil on Treating  Candida: However, the most effective home treatment for quickly cleaning the intestines, and reducing candida infection, is  that old remedy – castor oil. This works extremely well, as it not only rids the intestines of the pollutants, it attacks the candida as well. Candida albicans do not like oils in the diet, especially castor oil, which has an antimicrobial effect in the intestines.  At the same time, the castor oil does not seem to affect the beneficial bacteria adversely, as they can readily multiply after the rubbish has been eliminated from the bowel.

Incidentally, a specific anti-fungus agent called Undecylenic acid can be bought at some health food shops. So -can you guess what this is derived from? – Yes – Castor Oil. The dose for treating candida is, according to one source, 200 mg three times a day. But I still think you cannot go past the original, old-fashioned, Castor oil in treating serious illness, and in treating candida infections.

So – Now you are working on revitalising your immune system. Already, the infection will be dramatically  reduced after cleansing, so that you can better digest your food. While you have a rampant candida infection, those busy candida organisms will be taking the best out of your food. They will leave you malnourished, tired, and create a whole lot of candida toxins which further poison your system.

Taking supplements of probiotics such as L. acidophilus and B. bifidum can boost the intestinal flora which helps to keep the candida yeast in check. After the initial stages of cleansing, you might try using these in a sugar-free and allergen-free supplement. If you are not sensitive to dairy products, then using a yogurt with these supplements will help to allay another candida attack, once you have first cleansed the candida overgrowth from the intestines.

Lactobacillus acidophilus has been used successfully to treat cases of candida yeast infection in the urinary tract.  It has also been used successfully, both internally and externally, to treat yeast infection of the female parts. This is because the Lactobacillus acidophilus occurs naturally in the bladder and reproductive parts, where it helps maintain the health of these organs. When antibiotics, or some other chemical or environmental factor causes the probiotic organisms to get out of balance in the bowel, this also affects their growth in other parts of the body where they are needed.

What Can I Eat? The best diet whilst on the candida yeast infection treatment is on which implements the following strategies:

  • Eat more good quality protein in the diet. Beef, chicken, fish, eggs are just great. Almonds nuts and sunflower seeds are good too, but these are best left for a week or two until your condition has improved, as these foods sometimes have yeast on them which may not be helpful in combatting the candida.
  • Eating oily fish is very good. Of the tinned varieties, canned tuna fish in olive oil is helpful, I have found. Sardines in oil are also good, and provide extra calium in the bones, as well as iodine: both calcium and iodine are necessary supplements for the  recovery from candida infection
  • Make sure you eat good quality fats and oils in the diet. Candida thrives in diets which exclude these items, and protein. Olive oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil and other cold pressed oils inhibit the growth of candida, and also give you Vitamin E and other nutrients which are helpful in restoring health and improving your immune system.
  • Eat plenty of green vegetables in the diet.
  • Plenty of fiber is essential. Not fruit, or carrots, initially, – but green vegetables.
  • Add garlic to everything. Garlic works well as an anti-fungal, anti-yeast, antimicrobial agent in the body.
  • Avoid all sugar. This means any kind of sugar, cane sugar, maple syrup, golden syrup, honey, malt sugars and fruit sugars.
  • Avoid all fruit in the meantime, until you are better.
  • Avoid all alcohol completely. Beer, wines, cider, spirits – all of these help destroy the beneficial bacteria in the bowel.
  • Avoid wheat products for now. Wheat turns to sugar too quickly in the gut, and these sugars help to feed candida albicans. Avoid other processed grains.
  • Eat brown rice instead of wheat products. Use a little olive oil or some other good oil on your rice, to help slow down the absorption of sugars. Eat protein and green vegetables with your rice. Have some brown rice cooked each day and left in the fridge, so that you can eat this instead of going for that wheat pastry, cookie, or bread.
  • Avoid all products which have been fermented. This includes all alcohol, vinegars, and sauces such as soya sauce, tomato sauce because it contains vinegar, tempeh and tofu and miso – and breads.
  • Avoid dairy products for the meantime, until you are better. Then, you might experiment with acidophilus yogurt if you do not have a sensitivity to dairy products. Some people who are lactose intolerant find that they can use moderate amounts of probiotic yogurt once they have conquered the candida infection. Some people find that, after recovery, using probiotic yogurt actually helps them digest other dairy products. Some people cannot abide it at all.
  • Supplements which might be  helpful  are:    Caprylic acid. This is a fatty acid which has definite anti-candida properties. 1000mg of Caprylic acid can be taken daily; 1000mg morning and night can be taken over a brief period for people who have systemic candida infection. It is best not to take caprylic acid for long periods, though, as it can put a strain on the kidneys. If you have kidney weakness, then you might be best to avoid it, or use it for only several days.  Ask your doctor or naturopath about taking Caprylic Acid for candida.
  • Benefits of Probiotics:   L. acidophilus and B. bifidum taken half an hour before each meal may prove beneficial. These probiotics are available in a non-dairy, non-gluten form in some specific health products. If you are not lactose intolerant, then yogurt enhanced with these probiotics may work for you.
  • Non-acidic Vitamin C is an inhibitor of the candida yeast. This helps to detoxify the body as well, and will aid your sleep if you take a dose last thing at night. 1000mg of Ester C, or Calcium Ascorbate can be taken once, or up to four times a day in cases of chronic candidiasis. Reduce the dose once the toxins have been initially cleared.

Read merrilyn’s post entitled Probiotic Advantage for more information on the use of probiotics in treating candida and improving the immune system. Also see Foods to Eat On a Candida Cleanse Diet and Curing Candida/Chronic Poisoning.

Herbal Remedies For Depression

Uplifting Herbal Remedies:

There are many herbal remedies for depression which are easily obtainable, and which have been proven to be effective in treating depression.

It is a good idea to get professional help if you are depressed. Go to your doctor, your acupuncturist, naturopath or health professional for advice. You should discuss the information below with your health professional before beginning any treatment.

First of all – check that you do not have SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. If SAD is the reason you are depressed, then increasing exposure of the body to natural sunlight on a regular basis,  and  supplementing the diet with Vitamin D rich foods, or a supplement,  should help the condition. Deficiencies of sunlight and Vitamin D accompany this type of depression.

Diet For Depression:  The best foods are alkaline greens, fruits and vegetables.  Avoid sugar, preservatives in food, and avoid wheat products and dairy foods except for butter.  Prepare your meals at home fresh.  Eat plenty of salads, brown rice instead of wheat bread and pasta, cooked green vegetables.  Make sure you have enough protein – organic free range eggs and meats and chicken.  If you are vegetarian, then you need to eat plenty of sprouted seeds and grains to get adequate protein and vitamin B.  Vitamin B deficiency, lack of Vitamin D and iron deficiency can lead to depression.

Protein In The Diet:  Choose any of this list to complement your diet:  Egg yolk, Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, avocado, almonds and nuts.  These are importan additions to the diet if you do not eat any meat or fish.

Gotu Kola (Hydrocotyle asiatica) is a natural stimulant. It is considered to be a helpful herbal remedy for depression. This herb benefits the central nervous system, and brain and hormone function. Gotu kola has been used to treat schizophrenia, epilepsy and memory loss, which are related to brain function. It also helps the body to rid itself of toxins via the kidneys. Gotu kola contains Vitamins A, K, and the mineral magnesium, which is another nervine. Gotu kola is not recommended for expectant mothers, or nursing mothers, though, because of its diuretic effect. People with intestinal disfunction, such as irritable bowel syndrome, or colitis,  are best to avoid this herb.

Ginseng (Panex spp), that wonder of Oriental medicine, is another stimulating and reviving health herb which is useful in  treating depression. Ginseng helps brain function, increases vitality,  and nourishes the nerves. It is a good restorative medicine. Ginseng root has been used in Chinese medicine for over 5000 years. It is mineral-rich, and contains Vitamins A, B12 and Vitamin E.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is another popular stimulating Chinese herb which is used to counteract depression, in combination with other treatments. It is reputed to be a great memory herb. However, this herb lowers the blood pressure dramatically, and so ginkgo should definitely be avoided by people with low blood pressure and avoided also by people who have disturbances with their sugar metabolism.  I would recommend that you take this herb only under the guidance of a qualified health practitioner.   My experience of this herb is that it certainly improved memory function, and increased alertness, but it had an unpleasant and disturbing side effect in that it made me feel terrible because of lowered blood pressure.

Ayurvedic Medicine: However, the reason this herb is not suitable for everyone might have something to do with the different mental and physiological types, known as doshas in Ayurvedic medicine. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the three dosha types:

Vasant Lad, is the author of The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies, A Comprehensive Guide to the Ancient Healing of India. In this book, Vasant Lad recommends  Ginkgo tea for Pitta depression. You obviously need to know your body type if this herb is going to be effective. Vasant Lad’s book is published in the UK by Judy Piatkus (Publishers) Limited, 5 Windmill Street, London W1T 2JA, 1999. Reprinted 2002.

Hawthorn Berries have a tonic and stimulating effect on the digestion, the heart, and the nervous system. Hawthorn is useful, in combination with other herbs and modalities in treating depression, as it  helps  improve kidney function and aids in the elimination of waste products.

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutescens) is a safe herb to take to help drive  those blues away. Cayenne  pepper helps melancholia, mainly because it  has a marked beneficial effect on the blood circulation, and also the digestion. You can use it in your food, or use it in foot baths to gain benefit from this stimulating herb. Cayenne contains the Vitamins A, C, and also has traces of iron and calcium.

The following are some other stimulating herbs which are safe to use in treating depression:

The mint family; marjoram, lemon verbena, thyme and basil. These can be used in your food,  as herbal teas, as herbal treatments for the bath, or for use in a foot bath.

Herbs which Calm and Help  With Natural Hormone Production:

Borage (Borago officinalis) Borage is the herb of courage, according to John Gerard, who quoted: ‘ego borago gaudia semper ago’, “I Borage, always bring courage’.  Borage is a safe herb to use, and you can grow it easily in your garden. Just collect a few borage seeds after the purple flowers have died down, and sprinkle them around your garden, or your flower pots. They grow easily, as long as they are watered. Bees love this plant, especially bumble bees. Borage stimulates the adrenal glands, and healthy adrenal glands help promote that feeling of ‘joie de vivre’. Borage is rich in silica, which helps to soothe and heal the nerves. Make herbal tea with borage, or use a few leaves every day in your salad.

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is an herb which has been used in traditional medicine by the North American Indian people. It is often used for treating depression, as it is helpful in regulating hormones, and benefits the central nervous system, the brain, and emotions. Black Cohosh has nervine minerals calcium and magnesium. Black Cohosh is one of those herbs which should really only be used under the guidance of a health professional.

Dong Quai (Angelica Sinensis) This is another herb which, like ginkgo and ginseng, has been used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine for thousands of years. It  is a valuable women’s herb, as it  helps to restore estrogen levels. It is regarded as a general tonic for the female glandular/endocrine system. It also has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system. Dong Quai contains Vitamin E, B12, cobalt and iron, which contribute to its tonic effects.

Chaste Tree (Vitex agnuscastus) This herb helps the pituitary gland, which in turn, regulates hormone function. Vitamin B is recommended to supplement Chaste Tree berries.

Other Nervine herbs to Help Calm and Soothe: (Use under guidance from your health professional)

Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) (Note – chamomile tea is safe to use at any time); Pasque Flower (Anemone pulsatilla); Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora); Wood Betony (Stachys officinalis); Vervain (Verbena officinalis); Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis); Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata); Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Herbal Bath With Uplifting Herbs:

Lavender Bath: Put a handful of fresh lavender flowers into your bath as it is filling.

Rosemary Bath: Alternatively, you can use a sprig or two of rosemary.  Leave the herbs in the bath to infuse as you soak in the water.

Homeopathic Arsen alb. 30x is very useful homeopathic for alleviating depression. Other ones which might be considered are Lachesis, or Ignation, Nat. mur, Lycopodium, Aconite, Belladona or Pulsatilla, depending on what the other symptoms are. Generally, you would choose just one, or maybe two, to treat the individual. Best to see a professional homeopath for advice, of course.

 

Electromagnetic Fields Affect Health

How Electromagnetic Fields Affect You

Today, I am going to write about electromagnetic fields in the city of Auckland which are currently affecting  my health.

Dear Reader: It is interesting to me to note that this is my 100th post. I began writing about the effects of electromagnetic radiation on health when my sons first began this site for me. And here I am, ‘celebrating’ the 100th birthday of the site with a post on electromagnetic fields again. Very appropriate.  Still relevant.  Note:  It is not I who is 100. Just this post.  Regards, Merrilyn.

This is a good time to put up another article on elctromagnetic vibration and radiation. Why?……. Because after spending  six months  at Red Beach, Orewa, where I had remarkable good health, I have recently returned to the city, for the winter, where I now have poor health. Electromagnetic fields and radiation, I believe, are the cause of this sudden decline in health.

One admission – having a television going much of the night for about a month whilst the Fifa World Cup was being played contributed to the magnetic build-up. My room is quite small – too small, even for a small TV, really, as you cannot get enough distance from the television not to be affected by the thing when it is going. Television aerials affect you when they are above you on the roof, whether or not your television is going. Even the smaller, built-in aerial  on a small TV will affect you, whether or not the television is actually going.

The other thing which I realized was affecting my electromagnetic field profoundly was a very large piano keyboard speaker which I had recently brought into my room.  This has very large magnets in it, and draws energy from you if you spend long periods beside it at the keyboard. It is a good idea, if you own amplifiers, electronic keyboards, and such-like, to keep them in another room away from your bed.  Even when they are not going, they interfere with your own electromagnetic field if they are within about two meters from where you are sleeping.  These things are easy to manipulate so that your energy field does not become contaminated:  just remove them to another place, at least three meters from where you are working or sleeping.

But now to talk about the environment. This is not so easy to fix, if you are sensitive to electromagnetic energy. Prevention is better than cure, as they say:  It is important to select your residence very carefully, to ensure that you are not going to be undermining your health through electromagnetic interference.

There is a big difference between these two places – the beach, and the city. The most remarkable thing about Red Beach on the peninsula, is that there is virtually no effect from electromagnetic vibrations.  There are absolutely NO high rise buildings there. People still own their own house on their own plot of land where they grow things like lemon trees, and silver beet, and onions, carrots, and apples. If you travel a kilometer down the road to Orewa Beach, you will find just one apartment building about eight stories high. But in Red Beach, so far, high rise buildings have not’ come to pass’, as the local council, shortly to be swallowed up, alas,  by that big fearsome China of councils, Auckland City, has not allowed them.

So – A relatively small population – No high rises – No industry – No pollution – Minimal cell phone towers and cell phone usage – The sea is so close – only half a kilometer or so away at any point – This is paradise. A Health Haven.

There are, of course, huge health benefits in living close to the sea. Ozone, and the smell of sea salt permeate your whole being. But the lack of electromagnetic fields in Red Beach certainly make it a great place to live, especially if you are sensitive to radiation.

Now I am experiencing the contrast. I have come back to my favorite hotel in the  city for a period,  mainly to get some solid internet writing done. We didn’t have internet at the house where I was staying at the beach. There are not too many distractions right now, as the piano playing work has pretty much dried up, with the recession still affecting many businesses, so it is a good time to be writing.  The other reason is that the rooms here are centrally heated day and night at no extra cost. Great for the winter.

However. After two months of being back here in these beautiful park-like surroundings, my health is suffering. There is no doubt now as to the cause. It is most definitely a range of electromagnetic fields which are affecting my health and my emotional state so badly.

Within a couple of weeks of being back here in the city, I noticed my bones began to soften. The cartilage around the joints  seemed weak. The joints had twinges of arthritic-like pain in them. These symptoms were the first warnings that something was amiss. I had been so healthy and strong up at the beach.

My diet had not changed too  much, although, I must say, I was eating more of a variety of vegetables when I was sharing my friend’s house at the Beach. I bought some vitamin and mineral supplements which have helped a little.

But meanwhile, the pressure in my eyes is building up. My eyes are often bloodshot, and I have been experiencing sudden darting pain in the eyes which I never had during my six months at the beach.

I am experiencing feelings of vertigo. Dizziness. A feeling of distension to the tissues in my limbs. My veins all seem slightly swollen. A feeling of  slight nausea is with me most of the day.

I have a swollen throat, and a feeling in the sinuses that they, too, are swollen and are about to bleed. The tissues about the eyes have  also been swollen, even before the crying bout began. Vision is slightly blurred.  My nose is running.

My scalp is sore, as if it is burning. Little darting pains are experienced from time to time on the scalp.  My skin is deteriorating. I can sense vibrations about my body which are affecting my nervous system.

I have been using cell phone more often here,  since there is no land line to use. I always use my right ear to listen to calls. A very sore patch which bleeds has developed just inside the ear, about where the center of the cell phone sits when you hold the phone up to the ear. This sore patch is extremely painful whenever I use the phone on that ear now. So I have made a rule – no talking on the cell phone. I do not usually carry the phone about with me, and keep it well away from me at night, but still – even with minimal use, this cell phone is having a marked effect on my health.

There are two cell phone towers on the nearby hill of Mount Eden. These are possibly the main root of the electromagnetic troubles I am experiencing. Because there are quite a few people living here, this means that cell phone usage is quite intense. If you are sitting at a computer, chances are that the  people next to you will have cell phones with them, so that you are being zapped by cell phone radiation, even if you have not got a cell phone on you.

The other major source of radiation is our computer room, as this backs onto a very large electricity transformer which feeds the whole establishment. The electricity from this transformer alone would be enough to disturb your own electromagnetic fields, if you are spending several hours a day working near this electricity source. To compound the damage, when you sit at a computer, with your back to the transformer area, you are subjected to more radiation from the numerous thick electricity leads at your feet. Many of these are wound about each other, too, which intensifies the electricity which they are conducting.

Well, now I am certain of the cause: I have been feeling increasingly sad and depressed, especially in the last two weeks, but in the  past two days, I have been unable to stop the tears. Of course, all the sad things in your life get played on that little TV in your head when you get depressed. You begin to wonder if you might simply be suffering the classical depression which apparently more than half of the population in New Zealand and America is now experiencing at some time in their lives.

But wait – There IS an explanation.

As I took off a thick woolen jersey yesterday, having just gone for a walk, the jersey crackled and sparked,  and latched itself onto my body. I guessed the ‘wool’ jersey must have some synthetic fiber in it, to behave like that. Sure enough – made in China 50% wool 50% synthetic, the label says. I took out some other items of clothing which I knew would have some synthetic in them. Same thing happened, even though I had not worn these items recently. They all clasped themselves onto my body, where they would have stayed had I not pulled them away.

I noticed a few days ago when I got into a friend’s car, that I got an electric shock from touching the car. This made me wonder about the build-up of electromagnetic radiation in my body.

Even though I had already taken a shower in the morning, I decided to restore my own elctromagnetic field to its normal state  by taking an excessively long shower of 10-20 minutes.  Note- Normally, I am conservative with water usage, but this really was an emergency, as I felt I would pass out from the pressure of the exces electricity in my body. Since the first shower in the morning, I had spent several hours over in the computer room, which had built up the electricity in my body to an unusually high and dangerous level. Sure enough – The hydrotherapy treatment was effective in reducing the build up of electromagnetic energy, although the radiation damage to cells and nerves will take a few days to repair.

There is a time limit on my stay here. After a few weeks, or months, I experience these same symptoms whenever I come back here to live. Although I have warmth and all the home comforts and can write on line to my heart’s content, I might have to move out of this range of electromagnetic fields fairly soon, or at least reduce the time spent near the electricity transformer  in the computer room, if I want to keep my health, my sanity, and continue to lead a productive life.  I think I am headed back to the beach.

See merrilyn’s post entitled  ‘Ridding the Body of Electromagnetic Energies’.

Varicose Veins Treatments

Techniques which improve the circulation are  the most important of Varicose Veins Treatments.

You can look at merrilyn’s posts  entitled ‘Causes of Varicose Veins’ and ‘Yoga for Varicose Veins’ for more information on how to improve the condition of varicose veins.

Here are some more ideas for varicose veins treatments which have not been covered fully in the other posts.

Hydrotherapy: The Foot Bath:  The simple foot bath can be done at home at any time to help relieve aching varicose veins.  The foot bath on its own will  improve the circulation, and help to reduce swelling and pain, but we can enhance the therapeutic action by adding certain herbs and spices.

Try and do this hydrotherapy treatment once a day, or twice if your condition is very bad.

Get two large bowls or buckets, big enough for your feet to sit in comfortably, and more.  Half fill one of the containers with cold water. Half fill the other with hot water which is at a comfortable bathing temperature.

Add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and half a teaspoon of ginger to the  bowl of hot water. Cayenne pepper is very good for improving varicose veins, as it helps to shrink them and reduce pain. Both ginger and cayenne pepper boost the circulation.

Begin with the feet in the cold water. Leave for half a minute, then transfer the feet into the warm-to-hot water. Leave in the hot water for a minute. Put the feet back into the cold water bucket for another minute, then return to the spiced-up hot water. You may need to add a touch of boiling water to the hot water bucket after a few minutes. Be careful to add just enough boiling water to heat up the water to a comfortable heat again. Do not have the water too hot, as this will harm your legs and possibly burn you.

Finish the hydrotherapy off with the feet soaking in the warm-to-hot water.

You can experiment using other herbs and spices in this footbath treatment. Herbs and spices which increase circulation are the ones to use here. I would use cayenne pepper in combination with either cinnamon, or ginger, turmeric, or cloves.

Note on Varicose Veins Water Temperature:   VERY HOT water should never be applied to the varicose veins.  Hot baths are best avoided.  If you are taking a bath, then the bath water should be only warm to medium hot.  Showers are considered best for people who have prominent or painful varicose veins, as showers do not prolong heat to the legs.

Massage to Soothe Veins: After the foot bath treatment, massage the legs gently with almond oil which has a few drops of rosemary oil added to it. This will soothe the veins, but also help circulation.

Cold Herbal Compress for Painful/Swollen Varicose Veins:  Make up an infusion using  healing herbs. You can use either comfrey, or borage, marigold flowers, chamomile flowers, witch hazel flowers, or use a combination if you like. Take up to half a cup of the fresh herbs. Put into a pot and add two cups of boiling water. Put on the lid. Leave on the stove to gently simmer for just one minute. Take off the heat, and leave to cool.

Soak a piece of white linen or cotton in the cold liquid. Wring out the cloth and apply it to the sore or swollen varicose vein. Put on a piece of plastic, and wrap lightly with a bandage. Leave the leg up for 20 minutes while you let the compress do its work. Take off. Repeat throughout the day as necessary. You can keep the mixture to dampen the cloth again before each application. Make up a fresh herbal mixture each day for use as compresses.

Drink Silica-rich Teas to help strengthen the veins and heal them from the inside.  Silica-rich teas are those made with  oat-straw, comfrey, borage, nettles, horsetail, chamomile and rosemary.  Drinking plenty of herbal teas such as these will not only provide you with silica and other nutrients, but also cleanse the kidneys, improve your hair growth, and help the intestinal functions.

Homeopathic Hamamelis is considered to be one of the best remedies for healing the veins. Witch Hazel is made from the same plant.  You can use Witch Hazel externally on the legs, and take the Homeopathic equivalentof Hamamelis internally.  Just three or four drops of Hamamelis 30x, three times a day until relief is felt.

Vitamin C and Vitamin E are also great supplements for helping to relieve varicose veins.

Vitamin C Dosage: Between 1000mg to 3000mg of Vitamin C, preferable a non-acidic type, could be taken until better. Calcium Ascorbate or Ester C are good ones to go for.

Vitamin E Dosage :Take the standard dose as stated on the bottle for Vitamin E – best not to give large doses of Vitamin E.

Castor Oil:  To clear the liver, gall bladder and bowels, use castor oil once a week as a remedial measure for the veins.  Congestion in the digestive system, over time, will lead to the veins becoming distended.  So to prevent varicose veins from forming, take 2 tbsps of castor oil in the morning, once a week.

For serious conditions, you could follow the Gerson programme, which uses castor oil every second day.  Gerson used this method to cure cancers, mainly, but he insists it will cure any disease if his recommendations are followed to the letter.

History Of Acupuncture

On The History of Acupuncture.

I have just been reading about the history of acupuncture in a very recent book by Henry McGrath, entitled ‘Traditional Chinese Medicine – Approaches to Cancer’. This is published by ‘Singing Dragon’, London, 2009.

Did you know that acupuncture needles have been found which date back to the Neolithic period?

References to the art of  acupuncture are made in the Tsu Chuan commentary on the Chhun Chhiu period, which is dated around the 6th Century B.C.  The needles were, at this time, made from stone, bamboo and bone.

It is thought, according to Hugh McGrath, that the early method was not the sophisticated science which we know as acupuncture today, as the needles used would not have been capable of the same degree of accuracy, though this is just an educated  guess.

By the 3rd Century B.C., bronze  acupuncture needles were being used for acupuncture treatments.

By the 2nd Century B.C., technology had developed in China:  Steel needles began to replace the bronze needles. The science of acupuncture became more sophisticated, to parallel technological advances.

The meridian lines were recorded almost 2000 years ago. Detailed anatomical charts of the  12 main meridians and the 8 sub-meridians appear around the 2nd Century A.D.

Mr McGrath tells the famous fascinating story about how students were tested in their knowledge of acupuncture in the 11th C A.D:  Life sized models of the human form were made in bronze. These had small holes punched at all the 350 acupuncture sites. The bronze figure was then covered totally in wax, and then filled with water.

The idea, then, was that the student had to locate specific ascupuncture points with accuracy. They had to use their acupuncture needles to locate the points specified by their examiners. If the points were located accurately, then a small spurt of water would spring forth after the wax had been  pierced with the needle.

No spouting water meant that the student had failed the examination.

This book by Henry McGrath gives an insight into how acupuncture works, and how it can be used in the treatment of cancer.

more tomorrow