Home Remedies

Natural Gout Cures

2009-03-07T10:08:00.000-08:00

There are natural gout cures that will allow you to function symptom-free from this condition. Gout is a form of arthritis characterized by pain, redness, swelling and tenderness in certain joints, typically the big toe.

It is caused when the body produces excess levels of uric acid in the bloodstream and is unable to properly eliminate it. Uric acid in the blood is formed as a result of the breakdown of a chemical found in foods known as purines.

The first natural Gout cure is to drink 12 8-ounce glasses of water daily. This will help your body flush out excess uric acid.

Drinking a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and water can change your body's pH, neutralizing the uric acid.

Next, you should avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. Men shouldn't drink more than two alcoholic drinks daily, while women shouldn't drink more than one.

Eating cherries can help to improve your gout. Research done by the United States Department of Agriculture found that eating cherries lowered uric acid levels in the blood.

Last, exercising regularly can reduce levels of uric acid in the blood. Those extra pounds can contribute to extra uric acid in your bloodstream.

For more on natural gout cures, visit:>br>
Natural Gout Cures

Types of Migraines

2009-03-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

There are several types of migraine headaches. It is very important that you understand what type of migraine you have, so your physician is best able to determine what medication he should prescribe for you. Furthermore, individuals will frequently experience more than one different type of migraine.

The first type of migraine is a migraine without an aura. An aura is some kind of visual abnormality such as a loss of vision or twinkling lines, even both. There may be other brain related symptoms that happen such as a numbness on one side of the face or hands with generalized weakness.

Another common type of migraine is basilar migraines. This type of migraine involves the basilar artery in the brainstem and is usually more frequent in children than adults.

Another type of migraine are the ocular migraines. With an ocular migraine, the blood vessels in he eyes spasm instead of blood vessels inside the brain. With this type, individuals can be increasingly conscious of sounds and lights.

This next type of migraine, retinal migraines, begins with visual disturbances in the eyes such as a loss of vision or hallucinations such as twinkling lights. This is another type of migraine where an individual experience increased sensitivity to sounds and light. For more on the different types of migraines, visit:

Types of Migraines

Arthritis Home Remedies

2009-03-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

Arthritis can be an extremely painful and debilitating condition that is caused by destruction of cartridge around the joint, which results in the bones rubbing together with pain.

Fortunately, there are several arthritis home remedies that can help you deal with the pain.

The first Arthritis home remedy I will discuss is the spice ginger. Recent research reveals that gender influences the induction of numerous genes influencing the inflammatory response. Since 1985, there've been at least two studies promoting ginger as a remedy for arthritis.

The next arthritis remedy is the Indian spice turmeric. Turmeric contains curcumin, a chemical that is thought to give it its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics.

My third Arthritis home remedy is the chemicals glucosamine and condroitin. Although these two chemicals don't actually rebuild the cartilage, they are thought to help with pain levels. In one four year study, involving 1600 participants, it was found that 79% of the group taking glucosamine and condroitin experienced at least a 20% reduction in their pain levels.

For more Arthritis home remedies visit:

Arthritis Home Remedies

The 13 Essential Vitamins

2009-02-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

There are 13 essential vitamins that the body needs for normal functioning. A vitamin is a nutrient that is an organic compound. They are considered essential, as the human body is unable to manufacture them on its own.

These vitamins assist with several important bodily functions such as the production of hormones, creating red blood cells and producing nervous system chemicals.

Here's a brief list of the 13 essential vitamins:

Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin important for maintaining healthy bones and teeth, soft tissues and skin. This vitamin is important for a healthy immune system.

Vitamin B1. This vitamin, also known as thiamine, helps your body to convert carbohydrates into energy. It is also needed for a healthy heart and nervous system.

Vitamin B2. This vitamin, also known as Riboflavin, helps the body produce energy and maintain healthy skin, eyes and nerve cells. It is also responsible for the production of red blood cells.

Niacin. Nicin helps to convert food into energy and is needed for normal functioning of your brain. It also helps to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is needed for a healthy immune system. It also assists with wound healing and helps to produce collagen, an important soft tissue component.

Vitamin D. This item helps the body to absorb calcium, both in the bones and in the blood.

For more on the 13 essential vitamins, click:

13 Essential Vitamins

The Benefits of Caffeine

2009-02-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

According to recent research, it is now known that there are numerous health benefits of caffeine. Regardless of what you've heard about caffeine, it may actually prevent several serious diseases.

Or at least prevent the likelihood that you will develop them.

First of all, according to a 2002 study in the European Journal of Neurology, those individuals consuming caffeine in midlife were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as they aged. Furthermore, laboratory mice that had Alzheimer's and were given caffeine, were better able to navigate through a maze, while the remaining rats exhibited signs of confusion.

Number two of the health benefits of caffeine is it reduces your risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease afflicts approximately one out of every 272 people. But, according to another study, those individuals drinking caffeine-rich coffee in midlife were 2-3 times less likely to develop Parkinson's than those who didn't. Also, a study of 8000 men published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, revealed that those drinking 2-3 cups of coffee daily, starting in midlife, were less likely to develop Parkinson's than those who didn't.

Third on my list of health benefits of caffeine is it minimizes your risk of developing diabetes. In one five-year Japanese study, scientists learned that drinking caffeine reduced your chances of developing diabetes by 33%. Moreover, the scientists learned that these caffeine benefits were greater for women, than they were for men.

For more on the benefits of caffeine, visit:

Benefits of Caffeine

Health Benefits of Caffeine

2009-02-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

While once thought to be unhealthy, recent research reveals there are now numerous health benefits of caffeine. In fact, it can prevent you from developing numerous serious disorders.

First of all, caffeine minimizes your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. In one study done in 2002, it was learned that those individuals drinking caffeine-rich coffee, were less likely to develop Alzheimer's as they age. Furthermore, laboratory rats with this condition could easily navigate through a maze, while those not given caffeine had difficulty doing this.

Next, caffeine reduces your risk of developing Parkinson's disease. In one recent study of middle-aged men that didn't drink coffee, it was found that they were 2 to 3 times to develop Parkinson's than those who did.

The next of the benefits of caffeine is it decreases the likelihood you will develop diabetes. According to a recent Japanese study, drinking three or more cups of coffee a day reduced your chances of developing diabetes by 42%.

For more on the benefits of caffeine visit:

Benefits of Caffeine

Boosting the Immune System

2009-02-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

Boosting the immune system so that it functions at optimum capacity, becomes even more important as we age. Many times, individuals become depressed as they age, which has a negative impact on how well their immune system works.

Anytime you see an insect bite that is red and inflamed, you see your immune system working. Specific types of immune system cells rally to the injured area as they attempt to destroy any foreign bacteria.

In most cases, your immune system does its job well. However, there are times when a specific germ gets past it, such as whenever you develop a cold or get the flu.

Fortunately, there are numerous nutritional strategies that can help with boosting the immune system.

First of all, you should eat lots of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables as they can strengthen immune system function. Any produce eaten, that is of a dark color contains large amounts of a powerful antioxidant known as flavonoids.

All antioxidants, in addition to strengthening our immune systems, also help to destroy free radicals, altered cellular structures that attempt to alter other cells. Free radicals can lead to heart disease, even cancer.

There are several herbs that can help with boosting the immune system. One such herb is the herb echinacea. Echinacea contains polysaccharides which inhibit a virus's ability to replicate itself.

Another herb that may help is the herb ginseng. In clinical trials, those taking ginseng saw increases in certain types of immune cells, when compared to those taking a placebo.

For more information on boosting the immune system, click:

Boosting the Immune System - Naturally

Home Remedies for Depression

2009-02-16T10:50:00.001-08:00

Home remedies for depression are often overlooked as treatments for this condition, given the abundance of anti-depressants currently on the market. However, for mild cases of depression, home remedies are a viable alternative.

The first home remedy for depression I will discuss is St. John's wort. St. John's wort has a long history as a treatment for the condition, although there are some studies that indicate it does little to help with this condition.

Another remedy that may help is folic acid. Folic acid is a member of the B family of vitamins, and functions to help the brain to produce more of a neurotransmitter called SAM-e. This neurotransmitter occurs naturally in the brain and helps produce other neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

The next of the home remedies for depression I will cover are the omega-3 fatty acids. There have been numerous studies indicating that supplementation with extra Omega-3 fatty acids can help treat depressed individuals.

The last remedy for depression I will cover is 5-HTP. 5-HTP occurs naturally in the brain and is the intermediate compound between Tryptophan and serotonin.

For more depression remedies, click here:

Home Remedies for Treating Depression

Preventing Heart Attacks

2009-02-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

Preventing heart attacks is possible even after a lifetime of bad habits. Yes, it is possible to prevent, even reverse heart disease, no matter how old you are. Here is a list of a few things that will help keep your heart healthy for many years to come.

1. Quit smoking. If you smoke cigarettes, you're at greatest risk for having a heart attack. In fact, by smoking you are at 2 1/2 times greater risk from dying of a heart attack. Even those that have smoked for years can improve their cardiovascular health by quitting.

2. Reduce your cholesterol levels. By watching your diet, not only can you reduce cholesterol levels, but you can reduce levels of saturated fat as well. Saturated fat causes your body to produce cholesterol, so reducing your intake of it can lower your risk factor for heart attack.

3. Take an aspirin. By taking an aspirin, you reduce the likelihood of having a blood clot. Also, if you've already had a heart attack, taking an aspirin each day will decrease the likelihood of having a second one. There is even some evidence that taking aspirin can help with preventing heart attacks in those with no previous history of them.

4. Lower your blood pressure. Hypertension places undue pressure on your arterial walls and places extra stress on your heart muscle. If you have high blood pressure, you are more than two times as likely to have a heart attack as someone who doesn't. Try to reduce salt levels in your diet, while increasing fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in potassium.

5. My last tip for preventing heart attacks is to exercise regularly. By participating in a regular exercise program, not only do you strengthen the heart muscle, you increase levels of the good cholesterol, while lowering levels of the bad cholesterol. It also strengthens the arterial system and helps to prevent blood clots.

For more tips on preventing blood clots, visit:

Preventing Heart Attacks - 10 Steps to Help You Live a Long, Healthy Life

Suicide in Middle Aged Individuals Is on the Increase

2008-10-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

After a decade of declining suicide rates in the United States, suicide levels in middle-aged individuals have begun to increase.

According to findings in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Caucasian individuals, ranging from 40 to 64, have suddenly become the new high risk group for suicide.

Between 1999 and 2005, suicides increased around 3% each year, in middle-aged white men, and about 4%, in middle aged white women.

In this country, the suicide rate had been on the decline from 1986 to 1999.- From 1999 to 2005, the rates have risen 0.7% each year.

The cause for this increase is not known, but may continue to worsen, given the decline in the economy.

Data indicates that suicide rates, especially in men, will increase during bad economic times.

There is some speculation as to what is causing this phenomenon.

Some theories include, increased drug use among baby boomers, who are thought to be unhappier, overall, than previous generations, to abuses of prescription drugs.

It is not thought to be associated with a midlife crisis, as middle age is typically considered a period of stability and emotional well-being.

It is interesting to note that, suicide is now more common than homicide.

In 2005, 32,637 people took their lives in the United States. This correlates with a rate of 11 individuals per 100,000.

The complete story can be found here: U.S. Suicide on Rise:...

Understanding Adaptogenic Herbs

2008-10-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

In order to better understand herbs, the beginning herbalist should gain a comprehensive appreciation of how herbs work.

Herbs can be classified according to their actions, of which there are over 40.

What follows is a description of one of the most popular herbal actions, and some of the herbs associated with it.

One of the most popular categories of herbs are the Adaptogenic herbs. An Adaptogenic herb is one that helps you handle stressful situations to a greater degree.

In other words, they help you to better cope with uncomfortable situations. it is estimated that as much as 70% of all diseases, have a connection to stress.

Unlike other herbs that function on a cellular level, this herbal action works on the body as a whole. It involves many bodily systems, to help you deal with physical and emotional stress.

One well-known adaptogenic herb is Siberian ginseng. This popular herb is thought to strengthen both the adrenal and the immune systems.

In fact, over 500 thousand people were given Siberian ginseng, after the Chernobyl nuclear accident, in 1986, to help them better cope with the effects of radiation.

Here are a few other adaptogenic herbs: Aswagandha, Ginkgo, Licorice, Schisandra, Shiitake, and Suma paste
If you wish to learn about the remaining 45 herbal actions, click on this link: Understanding Herbal Actions

Candidate Obama's Health-Care Plan

2008-10-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

What follows is an outline of 5 of presidential candidate Barrack Obama's health care plan.

1. Obama recommends an all computer, paperless arrangement. He says this will help decrease administrative expenditures.

2. He plans to establish a new Small Business Health Tax Credit to assist small businesses offer inexpensive health care to their employees.

3. He will require that companies presently not providing health care to their employees, must set aside a part of each paycheck for health care.

4. He expects to set up a National Health Insurance Exchange, giving individuals a greater number of insurance alternatives.

5. Reduce the cost of medications, by permitting medicines to be imported from other countries.

6. Expect insurance companies to cover all pre-existing conditions.

7. He suggests an all computer, paperless system. He says this will help to cut back on administrative costs.

This was a limited overview of some of the key details of his plan. To see more details, click on this link: Obama's Tax Plan.

An overview of McCain's health care plan will be posted in a subsequent blog.

5 Ways to cut your health-care costs

2008-10-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

Given today's skyrocketing health care costs, many of you may be wondering how you can reduce your medical bills. A new poll of over 1300 health care providers, revealed that 59% of those surveyed, planned on increasing deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. Here are 5 ways that will enable you to cut the costs of services you need.

1. Choose medical professionals and hospitals that are part of your network. By doing so, it is possible to save hundreds of dollars each year. The reason that rates are more affordable is because, insurers try to negotiate the lowest rates with members that are in the network.

2. Try and negotiate a lower fee from medical professionals or facilities in your network. You might be surprised at how willing they are to accommodate you. Before each doctor's visit, check with your insurance company and determine how much they will pay for the services you need. Then, pass this information to your doctor.

3. Choose your medications wisely. Whenever possible, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if there is a generic form of the medicine you need. Most drug plans charge a $5-$10 co-pay. Many name brand medications could cost you $30 or more.

4. If there isn't a generic form of the medicine you need, ask your doctor if there is another cheaper medication you could take instead. These medications may be more expensive than a generic one, but are usually less than the brand name equivalent.

5. Inquire about setting up a health services plan or HSA. These plans allow you to put aside money to pay for future medical expenses. This money accrues interest, and can be used to cover expenses your medical plan doesn't cover. You should strive to deposit the maximum contribution you can make to these plans.

In conclusion, whether you are insured or not, you are probably looking for ways to reduce your medical bills. I hope these 5 tips will help you do just that.

to read the complete article, go to: 50 Ways to cut your health-care costs

Be Careful When Transferring Money on the Internet

2008-10-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

This is a warning to those selling merchandise via the Internet.

I was nearly conned out of $1125, but, luckily, I caught it in time, and prevented it from occuring.

Here's my story: I listed my computer/monitor on craigslist for $400. In a day, I had a reply. In brief, this individual was going to buy this equipment, sight unseen.

This was his offer: he said he would mail me a cashiers check for $1525.
Then, was to deposit it in my bank account, wait three days for it to clear, then transfer the rest of the money to a mover.

Furthermore,he said he was going to be out of town for three weeks, and couldn't pick up the units himself.

So, I was to transfer $1125 using Western Union to a mover that was in Los Angeles.

The reason the moving charges were so high, was because he said he had other possessions in the city that were to be picked up.

So, I put the check in my bank, waited three days, and, so far, everything seemed okay. But, at this point, I hadn't sent him any money.

One week later, I was preparing to transfer the funds to this mover, only to receive a notice from my bank, fortunately, just in time, that they were "unable to locate account" that was printed on a duplicate of his original cashiers check.

What's frightening about all this is, looking back, it was a very real looking check from Chase Manhattan Bank. Of course, Chase Manhattan's website confirmed what I already suspected, that the routing and account numbers were fake.

Apparently, this guy was a professional. He knew it would take approximately 1 week before my bank caught this check. I hate to think how many people he's been successful using this scam against.

Today I contacted my local police department and they sent a patrolman out and, as I expected, they said there wasn't anything they could do. Also, of course, there was no residential listing for this guy in the whitepages.com for my city.

Luckily, I didn't lose $1125, and only had to pay a bank charge of seven dollars, which I can afford.

This has been quite the learning experience for me. I hope that this post can prevent others from being conned like I almost was.

My advice to you is: when you sell something on the Internet, do not accept a cashiers check from anyone.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure what's the best way to transfer funds over the Internet as, I'm still steamed, and haven't had much time to ponder over it.

I just wanted to warn all of you of the dangers involved from taking a cashiers check for something sold on the Internet.

Thank you for hearing me out.

Kearney Adams

What's All The Brouhaha About Twitter?

2008-10-16T09:15:00.001-07:00

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard about the social networking tool that's turned the Internet on its ear.

This tool I'm talking about is Twitter. Twitter is responsible for starting this whole social networking craze.

Anyway, I'd heard about Twitter, but, quite frankly, I just didn't get it. If you answer its initial proposition, "What are you doing?", you get the basic concept.

For example, a sample 'tweet' (twitterspeak for message) from me, might be, "I just got up, ate breakfast, and read the paper."

I mean, who cares? Right?

But that was before I found an 'instruction manual' for this revolutionary communication tool. After reading it, I learned how to really use Twitter.

Indeed, I'm talking about the TwitterHandbook by Deborah Micek and Warren Whitlock.

In a nutshell, I guess the basic concept of this book is, how to market your product or service on the Internet, in a not so obvious, but entertaining manner.

Consequently, one of the first things I learned, was not to answer that basic, what are you doing, question. Instead, try to inject some personality into your tweets.

Or to paraphrase television personality Bill O'Reilly, if you feel the need to opine, feel free to do so with 'pithy' comments.

I had to look that one up.

Basically, pithy's definition is: "concise, and full of meaning."

Boy, I'd say that 'concise' definitely pegs it. You need to make the most of the 140 characters Twitter gives you.

Additionally, a whole new lexicon has developed around this tool.

For example, 'Twibe' means Twitter Tribe, which is what you become a member of, upon signing up.

Here's another one. Your friends on twitter are called 'fweeps', which is the concatenation of the words friends and people (or peeps).

Furthermore, you should copy and paste the "Twitter Badge' on all your blogs and/or websites. This allows interested parties to see what you're doing at any given moment by just clicking it.

As to what you post, post interesting comments, comments that make you worthy of being followed. Don't just use it to only market what you sell, offer something enlightening, or funny. Show some personality.

Apparently, in this new Internet world we live in, if you hope to succeed, you must interact with others.

All in all, this is known as 'permission marketing', which is the art of attracting clients, instead of getting them.

Also, according to CoachDeb (she likes to be called that), it can also be used as a means of communicating breaking news.

For example, the Chinese earthquake of 2008 was first shared with the world via Twitter.

Many more details of how it can be used are revealed in this book. You webmasters out there really need to read it.

Last, surprisingly, as I'm sure all of you will discover, Twitter turns out to be, uh, fun.

Well, although I'm new to the 'Twitterverse', I've certainly seen the light. I'm going to incorporate twitter into my Internet marketing strategy from here on.

So don't be a 'halftwit', or a tweeter who just doesn't get it. Jump in and join the party.

In the future, I hope to receive a 'tweet' from you.

Here is the web address for the TwitterHandbook: TwitterHandbook

Welcome to the Home Remedies Blog

2008-10-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

Let's try this blogging thing once again.

However, this time I will provide links to other sites, not just my own..

Regarding my direction for this blog, this time, I'm going to try a new approach.

Hopefully, my content will be more compelling, more interesting to read. From this point on, you will see articles that start with "The 10 best ways to...", or "15 reasons why you should avoid..."

For example, here's one idea: "10 Foods That Can Boost Brain Function". Or how about this one: "Are You Eating Your Way to a Heart Attack?"

You get the concept. Just fill in the blanks, with some health-related topic, that addresses some problem, offers a solution, and, well, you get the gist of the format of this blog.

It seems to me, one professor from my college years had it right. His tests were so hard, you actually left the examination with a headache.

I guess that's because he made you think.

Just memorizing a textbook didn't work with this guy. For example, in order to come up with answer C, you had to understand the relationship of item A to item B, and so on.

That's what I hope to do here. Instead of just regurgitating what's readily found on other home remedy blogs, I hope to provide fresh insights on a number of topics.

But, unlike my anatomy examinations, I hope you don't leave here with a headache.

But, on second thought, if you do...

...maybe I've done my job!