Whether we are conscious of it or not, we all experience inflammation on a daily basis, yet few among us fully understand the vital purpose that inflammation serves in our bodies and the havoc it can wreak upon us when it goes unchecked. Many see inflammation as the redness, heat, swelling, and pain that we get upon injury, and while this is true, it represents only one kind of inflammation: acute inflammation. Inflammation, by itself, is a natural process and without it healing could not take place in the body. Acute inflammation is seen as the body’s reaction to injury, helping to aid in repair and protect damaged tissue, and is at the heart of protecting our bodies from disease and illness. This type of inflammation acts to heal by getting more nourishment and immune system activity to the area that needs it most.
Where inflammation becomes dangerous and even deadly is when it manifests as chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation, as the name suggests, represents inflammation that lasts weeks, months, and even years and occurs when the initial stimulus which led to acute inflammation persists, as the body interprets the stimulus as unresolved. This form of inflammation can be sinister in nature, silently damaging your tissues without the usual redness, heat, swelling or pain that would normally be seen with acute inflammation. Tissue damage is a classic hallmark of chronic inflammation, often forming fibrous or scar tissue from the tissue which once existed in the site of repair. New blood vessel formation (or angiogenesis) is another common hallmark of chronic inflammation, which plays a part in many disease processes, such as cancer. Read more »
Making your own fruit smoothies for diabetics is fun and easy, not to mention a wonderful treat. A fruit smoothie is like a meal in itself. It is healthy and nutritious offering you all the benefits of goodness in one glass. Fruit smoothies for diabetics are a must to add to your diabetes diet plan.
Fruit smoothies can be high in calories, but you just need to adjust the recipe so that you have a low fat version to suit you. Smoothies are packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre that all benefit your body giving it the nutrients it requires. Read more »
Fatty liver is a clear sign that your liver is congested and overworked. If your liver is struggling to detoxify your body, these 10 detox tips will help soothe your liver.
Start practicing a new way caring for you liver today. In a week, you may feel like a new person.
You can use these 10 detox diet tips at home:
A gentle natural detox diet will help take the pressure off this hard-working organ and start optimizing your liver health. A detox diet or program is all about cleansing the body of toxins and other impurities and replacing them with healthy nutrients. Usually it takes a few days before you notice the positive effects and begin feeling revived. Read more »
One of the more interesting topics in the area of natural health is the subject of adaptogens. What are adaptogens? What benefits might adaptogens provide? What are some of the more common adaptogens?
The term adaptogen has been around since the late 1940’s and is generally credited to Russian Dr. Nicholai Lazarev Selye. Lazarev was one of the first people to do research traditional herbs that had been used in ancient medical traditions. He generally defined adaptogens as a natural herb that allows the body to counter adverse physical, chemical or biological stressors by raising non-specific resistance towards the stressors, thus allowing the body to “adapt” to the stressful situation. Read more »
Preeclampsia is also called pregnancy-induced hypertension, toxemia of pregnancy, or acute hypertensive disease of pregnancy. Preeclampsia acts as a disorder that occurs during pregnancy, which is related to pregnancy-induced hypertension. Characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine, preeclampsia usually occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy. Sometimes referred to as pregnancy toxemia, preeclampsia can range from mild to severe. Without proper care and management, preeclampsia can cause a number of serious health complications, including preterm labor, seizures, and even death.
The hypertension component of Preeclampsia is present when the systolic blood pressure is greater than 140 mm Hg or the diastolic blood pressure is greater than 90 mm Hg in a woman known to be normotensive prior to pregnancy. The diagnosis requires 2 such abnormal blood pressure measurements recorded at least 6 hours apart. Read more »
A condition in which the inflammation, pain and stiffness in the shoulder region makes it difficult for the shoulder joints to move is known as frozen shoulder. Some of the causes believed to be responsible for frozen shoulder are injury or trauma, autoimmune functioning and lack of fluids in the joint. Symptoms of it may basically include dull pain, pain in outer shoulder area and upper arm and pain while you move your arm.
The people suffering from stroke, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease or lung disease are more likely to get affected by frozen shoulder. It is most common among people who are forty to sixty years old. Women are twice more likely to get affected by frozen shoulder than men. Those who have undergone a surgery on the shoulder or those who have sustained an injury in shoulder can also develop frozen shoulder. There are basically three stages of frozen shoulder; painful stage, frozen or adhesive stage and thawing stage. Read more »
Heart disease is endemic in the western population. A large part of this disease explosion is due to the high fat, low mobility, express lifestyle which we embrace.
However, nature has not equipped the human body to deal with this over indulgence, and the consequence is a massive increase in heart disease (atherosclerosis). In the UK, one in five men and one in seven women suffer from this condition.
Yet it is not all doom and gloom. By making simple lifestyle changes along with judicious supplementation, you can prevent or mitigate this condition. Read on to see how just a few of these natural remedies can help to keep your heart healthy:- Read more »
