CanDrugStore Health Blog

Natural Remedies and Herbal Healing

mjones — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:30:55 +0000

Herbs lost their popularity during the industrial age, but in recent years the medical profession has returned to the study of their uses as medicine since chemically produced drugs have so many side effects. Many people are creating medicine cabinets with herbal formulas for various ailments. These are just a few of the herbs used for medicinal purposes:

Artemisia – It is used externally as a pain reliever.

Anise – The seeds are crushed and steeped in 1 cup of boiling water 15 minutes and then strained; putting 1 tsp. each of cider and honey in the strained water to relieve congestion.

Parsley – Chewed after a meal to cleanse the digestive system.

Cinnamon – Drop of cinnamon oil in a cup of hot water relieves diarrhea.

Lemon Grass – Used in a tea that helps reduce fever.

Garlic – Two or three cloves a day thins the blood, promotes circulation and expels mucus from the lungs. Also used for hypertension.

Rosemary - Steeped in 2 cups of boiled water for twenty minutes, covered and then trained and apply on a clean cloth to the forehead of back of the neck o relieve a headache.

Dandelion - Use leaves as diuretic in tea. The roots can be eaten raw for a laxative.

Sage – Make a tea from 2 tsp. of chopped leaves in boiling water. Let it steep for a few minutes. This is good for hot flashes. It is also good for sinus congestion. Do not drink sage tea if nursing.

Ginger – Make ginger tea by simmering 1 tsp. of dried grated ginger root in 1 cup of water for ten minutes. Strain and add a few drops of honey to relieve nausea. It also helps with hypertension.

Turmeric – This is good for fibromyalgia and arthritis. It also used as a blood purifier. Use it in a powdered form and add pepper and ginger to activate it.

Basil – Used in oil form on the forehead to relieve headaches and calm the mind.

Lavender – Apply lavender oil to forehead to relieve anxiety or sniff to relieve sinus congestion.

Mint – Use leaves to make a tea to relieve indigestion.

Herbal Tonics – Are very gentle to our bodies and have been used for thousands of years. They are considered to be a food for the body and like food; must be used in moderation. They are excellent choices for preventive medicine and cleansing.

Herbs at Home:

You can save time and money by growing these five basic medicinal herbs in your garden or on your window sill: Echinacea for immune system, Chamomile for gentle sleep, Yarrow for first aid, Lemon Balm for colds and Peppermint for digestion. These five herbs are generally safe for all of us. Just their smell soothes the soul.

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What Causes Constipation: The Surprising Truth

mjones — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:02:39 +0000

If you live with constipation, you may think that there is nothing that you can do about it. There are many causes of constipation, however, and this means that with a few simple changes to your diet or lifestyle, you may be able to overcome it and feel better. Constipation is not something that people want to talk about, but it is a very real issue that can have a huge effect on your life. What are some of the interesting causes of constipation?

Vitamins

While taking vitamins is not inherently a cause of constipation, the ingredients in some vitamins can be. If your vitamin includes iron or calcium, and you are experiencing constipation, you may want to find another vitamin or consider taking a stool softener.

Chocolate

Eliminate chocolate from your diet if you are having constipation issues. Some studies have found that it can cause constipation, but other studies suggest that it can help. By eliminating it and seeing how you feel, you can determine if it is the problem.

Depression

Depression can lead to a slowing of the body’s processes, including the digestive process. If you have been experiencing some symptoms of depression, you may want to visit your physician to get help for your condition and to help your digestive system to get back to normal.

Blood Pressure and Allergy Medication

Side effects from certain blood pressure and allergy medications can also lead to constipation. Diuretics decrease blood pressure by increasing the amount of urine that is released and this can cause your stool to become harder, as water is being taken from the digestive process. Allergy medications can do this as well.

Antacids

If you have heartburn, you may be taking antacids. Some of them contain calcium and aluminum, which can cause constipation. Check your labels to see if the ones that you have chosen contain these minerals that could be causing your issues.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

There are two chronic conditions that are included in the inflammatory bowel disease category-ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease. While the most common symptom is diarrhea, inflammation of the rectum is common in ulcerative colitis or it could be an obstruction of the intestines in Crohns.

Diabetes

Diabetes can cause nerve damage, which in turn can cause digestion issues. Unfortunately, most people who have diabetes have no clue that they have it, which causes it to get worse. Regular constipation can be an indicator of this disease.

Constipation is not something that you have to live with. Consult your physician to see if any of these issues could be causing your constipation.

Swimming Pool Safety: How Clean Is Your Water?

mjones — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:41:59 +0000

How safe is the water in pools? While many people know that they need to keep an eye out for sharks and other creatures in the ocean, most people do not realize that public pools are just as, if not more so, dangerous. By understanding more about the issue, you can determine whether or not you want to swim in public pools.

While most cities have cleaning procedures, they may not be enough to keep the pool water free from bacteria, like Ecoli and more. These bacteria, along with viruses and other germs, can be in the water from blood, mucus, saliva, skin, and fecal matter. This means that often their visual checks will be unable to tell if the pool water is contaminated. These germs may not even be put into the water by bathers. Birds and rodents can contaminate a pool as well.

Cleaning and testing should be done on a regular basis to keep the pools as safe as possible. If you do not see this testing being done every few hours, then you will probably want to swim somewhere else, as this can be a sign that they are not taking your health seriously. Depending upon where you live, there may be different guidelines, but if you are at the pool for any length of time, you should see this testing being carried out.

This is an infrequent problem, but it is one that people need to know about. If you notice any symptoms, such as bloody diarrhea, vomiting, or fever, you will want to get medical attention as soon as possible. There is no way to completely prevent your chance of coming into contact with these viruses and bacteria, but you do want to be aware of the symptoms and the risk to you and your family.

7 Foods to Eat for Arthritis Suffers

mjones — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:52:26 +0000

Arthritis is a generic term for joint inflammation. It can be placed into two categories: osteoarthritis (degeneration of the joints) and rheumatoid (general inflammation of the joints). Currently, over 50 million people suffer from doctor diagnosed arthritis, or 1 in 5. In several cases, what you eat has a direct impact on the pain that you feel.

“Food isn’t a panacea, but some can make your joints healthier,” said Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of Sports Nutrition in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Your food intake makes an impact upon the way that your body feels, and when you make the right choices, you’re reducing the symptoms that are associated with arthritis pain.

The added inflammation of the joints might be a result of food allergies which you have. For instance, someone who has an allergy to dairy products might also feel arthritis pain. These allergies should be tested by a doctor to discover the best course of action in tackling your suffering.

Here is the list of seven foods which you should avoid if you have arthritis.

Dairy Products
Corn
Meat
Citrus Fruits
Nuts
Soda

Sodium is a major cause of arthritis pain because it dehydrates the joints and makes even the most healthy joints lose their resilience. A simple reduction in the amount of salt that you eat can help with your whole body health, reducing the symptoms of arthritis as well as your risks for high blood pressure and other ailments.

Check the nutritional information on the processed food that you eat. Sometimes, the sodium content is through the roof with 1200mg for a single meal. The CDC recommends that your daily intake be 1500mg, split among several meals. Some of the more naturally prepared vegetarian meals have lower sodium and lower sugar content, but it’s necessary to check around.

The best diet for arthritis sufferers consists of leafy greens and non-citrus fruit. Not only does this diet promote joint health, but it encourages weight loss which will also help alleviate some of the pain that you might be feeling. In some cases, the proper food choices have eliminated arthritis and helped patients lead happy, healthy lives.

Get Your Voice In Shape

mjones — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:20:26 +0000

Voice Aerobics™

Mary Spremulli is making her voice heard loud and clear. Her Voice Aerobics™ system is putting a literal amplifier into the voice boxes of a variety of individuals using an easy, cheap, and effective technique: good old fashioned exercise.

A published medical speech-language pathologist, and licensed nurse with over 28 years of experience lecturing throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, Mary started off on her quest for verbal volume and control working with patients who had suffered changes to their voices because of from Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s plus syndromes, stroke, multiple sclerosis, vocal cord paralysis, or any other neurological condition which affects talking and/or swallowing. Her expertise culminated in 2008 when she formed Voice Aerobics™, a patient-driven, home-based voice strengthening company.

How Does It Work Exactly?

A healthy voice requires functioning vocal folds, healthy and well-hydrated (moist) tissue, and a good breath support. The Voice Aerobics™ program started off originally as a 50-minute program which combined elements of traditional voice therapy with that of exercise physiology. By simply working out the body parts responsible, one strengthens their usage, enabling a better range of motion which in turns applies to the sound produced by these muscles.

My Voice Volume Is Fine, But I Have Trouble Swallowing.

The act of swallowing, like speech, is a complicated, well-timed, and multi-faceted event, and trouble swallowing can develop in the same manner of disease in which voice ailments do. Failure to swallow food properly can lead to pneumonia and other serious respiratory issues—fortunately Voice Aerobics™ is also formulated to help improve with issues related to swallowing.

Voice Aerobics™ In 2011

Mary now offers a full line of products and services aimed at combining vocal function exercises with a general workout. In addition to Voice Aerobics™, the flagship, 3-part, 50-minute voice and exercise program, Mary has for sale the following:

The Voice Aerobics™ DVD – Gives anyone the opportunity to gain the benefits offered in the Voice Aerobics™ program from the comfort and convenience of their home or office.
Voice Aerobics™ Songbirds is a 22-minuted audio CD containing resonant voice exercises set to music. It is a fun, portable way to practice strengthening your vocal cords on the go.
Voice Aerobics™ Grand Slam is a deck of playing cards which illustrate several exercises from the voice aerobics DVD.
Voice Aerobics™ Digital Voice Amplifier is a voice amplification device that com delivers 15 watts of booming, sound-magnifying power.

Preserving Your Brain With Age

mjones — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:29:25 +0000

Your brain controls or regulates everything that you do, from working and playing to remembering, thinking, feeling, and sleeping. When devising a health regimen as you get older, it is important to not only exercise the body, but to exercise your brain. As you get older, not only is your body function reduced, but your brain can also decline. Here are some ideas to keep your brain healthy.

Physical Activity

When you’re running around and active, you are also stimulating and maintaining blood flow to your brain. The more blood that flows to your brain, the more likely your cells are going to be active and healthy. While you’re working out, you’re keeping your brain involved as well. Here are some easy ways to get more physical activity.

Walking

A relaxing walk in the park or speed walking not only gets the blood flowing, but it can be a dynamite way to stimulate your brain’s functions. If you live in a place where you can safely walk, take a walk around the neighborhood and visit your friends. If not, there are tracks and other public facilities just waiting for your use.

Stretching

Stretching exercises strengthen your body and keep the muscles primed and ready for anything that you can throw at them. If you sit at a desk all day, take the time to lift your legs, one at a time, stretching your calves and feet. You’ll find that over time the muscles are growing and helping out your mental

Body Weight Exercises

Body weight exercises are a dynamic free way to get your brain in shape. Do pushups against the wall, or lift your legs while you’re in bed. This promotes the blood flow, and keeps your brain working at its fullest potential. Exercise and physical activity don’t need to be done at a gym, they can be done in the privacy of your own home.

Diet

The diet that you choose promotes or hinders your brain’s growth. If you’re eating fast, fried food all of the time, your brain may not be getting enough nutrients to thrive. Here are some dietary changes that might just be the ticket to getting your brain in full gear.

Leafy Greens

A diet consisting of leafy greens stimulates your brain’s growth and makes you feel good. They are not only filled with antioxidants, but they’re also packed with vitamins and nutrients which stimulate the brain’s growth.

Fish Oil Supplements

Omega-3 fish oil has been proven to hold back the devastating effects of age on your brain. While your body doesn’t produce omega-3 fish oil on its own, putting fish in your diet or taking a supplement helps all of your body’s functions, not just your brain. Studies have shown that omega-3 fish oil can help reduce the painful effects of arthritis, delay the onset of Alzheimer’s, and help reduce the effects of depression.

Antioxidants

You can find antioxidants in grapes, berries, and other foods. These assist your brain in creating new connections, as well as keeping the brain functioning through times when it would otherwise be deteriorating. Diets which promote brain function include lots of berries and leafy greens, and eating a couple of servings of fish.

Stay Social

Plan a shopping trip with your friends, or make new ones by going to the library and starting a group. Hanging out with friends keeps your brain stimulated and reduces your stress levels. Friends can also keep you on your toes conversationally and through activity.

Conversation

Start a conversation with people that you meet, and you might find that you’ve gotten a new friend. If you’re a big box store walker, talk with the folks who are restocking the shelves and make friends with them. They usually appreciate the break from their work, and you are helping yourself out.

Hobbies

Is there a store that you go to all the time to support your favorite hobby? Gather a group of friends around to talk about that hobby and try to make the world a better place. Maybe you enjoy knitting or cross stitch? Look at various sites like Meetup where you can find kindred spirits.

Phone Calls

Is there someone who you haven’t talked with in years? You might find that they’re in your area, and they’re wanting to meet up with you. Take the time to make a phone call or two, and listen to how their day has gone.

Brain Exercises

Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and other mental exercises can stimulate and bolster those brain cells. When you involve yourself in a game of chess, or word puzzles, you are boosting your brain’s capacity and maybe even making new connections between cells. When any of these exercises become too easy, that means it’s time to progress to the next level.

Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles force you to recall certain words and definitions to put in the boxes. You’re required to remember names of famous people and quotes, as well as putting the rest of your knowledge to the test.

Logic Puzzles

Logic puzzles test your cognitive abilities, encouraging you to extrapolate and use the reasoning portion of your brain. When you pick up a book of logic puzzles, you are taking yourself to a world where all the clues are there, and you get to solve the mystery.

Sudoku

Sudoku requires your reasoning side as well, but this time you’re using numbers instead of letters and words. There is a dose of logic as well as luck involved with finishing a Sudoku puzzle.

Your brain is the most important part of your body. With a mixture of brain exercises, social activities, supplements and activity, you can keep up your mental acuity as you get older. Nothing can hold you back from making miracles happen.

Possible Genetic Birth Defects in Children of Older Men

mjones — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:58:20 +0000

If you’re a middle aged male concerned about maximizing your future child’s health, you may want to think twice about dosing off to sleep versus staying awake to your own biological imperative.

New Dutch research is showing that men who snooze might be losing some of their child’s genetic material to possible genetic birth defects. These findings are based on 118 children whose genome, or genetic code, that were analyzed at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands.

Lead researcher, Jayne Hehir-Kwa explained, “We were looking at a specific form of genetic mutation which we find in some children with an intellectual disability.” In other words, diseases that are genetic.

In the cases in question, both of the parents of the child are healthy (genetically), but the child is born with missing, repeated, inverted or misplaced DNA sequences.

DNA is packed into 23 pairs of chromosomes. Half of the genetic material comes from the father, and half from the mother.

Researchers were concerned with genetic disease in children, trying to determine which parent bore responsibility for the defective DNA. “We found there was a strong bias towards the father’s DNA,” said Dr. Hehir-Kwa.

The results of the study were statistically significant: 90 out of the 118 children with the genetic birth defects were links to the fathers. The older the male, the higher the assumed risk for fathering a child born with as genetic birth defect.

Earlier research has also suggested that older men may be at higher risk for not only developing some sort of genetic disease in children, but also developing other diseases like schizophrenia. However, “this is the first study linking these genetic mutations for intellectual disability to the father’s age,” said Dr. Hehir-Kwa.

The findings were published in the Journal of Medical Genetics, and Hehir-Kwa suspects the problem arises from faulty sperm production in the older men. This causes the subsequent genetic birth defects.

The results of the study should not be taken to represent one of the major causes of genetic diseases in children. Intellectual disabilities occur at a rate of 1 per cent of births, and “the [genetic] variants we looked explain 10 percent of that 1 per cent,” Hehir-Kwa said.

Preborn children are extremely susceptible to a myriad of environmental factors which can have long term effects. In an other study a correlation between smoking while pregnant and an increased risk of becoming a criminal was explored.

With the above in mind: life is short, and full of dangers to your child. In the case of having healthy children, it seems to make sense to ‘live for the moment’ as opposed to the future. A man thereby inflates his chances to a rigid assurance that he is not endangering their child’s genetic opportunities. In other words, men, if she’s not in the mood, show her this article.

The Causes of Heart Disease In Men: Being Short?

mjones — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:43:29 +0000

There may be more to the causes of heart disease in men than the commonly accepted culprits like obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. A new study of 22,000 male doctors suggests.

Dr. Luc Djousse of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and his colleagues found that the taller men were, the lower their chance of developing congestive heart failure.

After responding to an initial questionnaire that asked about their height, weight, and health conditions, men filled out follow-up surveys which asked about new medical diagnosis each year. The report includes information from an average of 22 years of that previously described follow-up, during which 1,444 men, or about seven percent, developed congestive heart failure—that is, when the heart is not strong enough to pump blood out to the rest of the body, or when the heart does not fully relax after each beat.

The tallest men in the study, those over six feet, were 24 percent less likely to report a heart failure diagnosis during the study period than men who were five feet, eight inches, or shorter. This observation was made after the men’s age and weight, as well as whether or not they had high blood pressure or diabetes, had been taken into account.

This certainly does not mean, or should be taken to suggest that a few extra inches of height protects against heart disease in men, or that shorter men are decidedly doomed.

It is important to note that even with those considerations, the study can’t prove that something else wasn’t behind the relationship between height and heart failure risk, according to Jeffery Teuteberg, a cardiologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who was not involved in the study.
“From a day-to-day consideration, it’s not something we take into a big consideration when we’re thinking about risk.”

Dr. Claudia Langenberg, from University College London, thinks that “height” on its own may, in fact, point towards other factors. She told Reuters Health in an email that “despite its strong genetic determination, height is very sensitive to the influence of socio-economic influences on growth.”

In other words, while doctors usually end up in the same income bracket, the income bracket they grew up in could have a correlation here. Height could point towards a more privileged and healthy early life than some of the shorter doctors.

Djousse also suggested that childhood infections could both stunt growth and ultimately lead to plaque build-up in the arteries and high blood pressure, which is tied to heart failure.

“As much as we know about the development of very common diseases like heart failure, there’s still a lot we don’t know. All of the traditional risk factors we think of — there’s still a lot more that impacts the development of those diseases beyond those things,” Teuteberg stated.

It certainly seems possible to suggest that height, itself, does belong on the list of possible causes for a heart attack, but researchers agreed that, at the very least, the things should not concern or relieve anyone based on their height.

Teuteberg states: “This (finding) may lead to something much more interesting down the line.”

Safety Tips To Prevent Infection this Holiday Season

mjones — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:38:03 +0000

The holidays are supposed to be a festive time of year; however, with extra stress, traveling and partying, there is also an increased risk of you getting sick. Moreover, you may not even be aware of what poses a health risk. Below find some helpful tips on what could be the culprit behind your post holiday cold and/or flu.

Eggnog

While store bought eggnog is made with pasteurized eggs, homemade eggnog contains raw eggs. Thus, if the homemade eggnog is left out for too long, there is a risk of Salmonella Enteritidis. To avoid this problem, buy store bought eggnog for your own parties, and refrain from drinking the eggnog at other parties, unless you specifically know that it is store bought.

The Shopping Mall

In the crowded holiday shopping rush of the shopping mall, you are bound to come into close contact with other individuals. If an individual is sick and touches something that you later touch, you are at risk of getting their infection. Check-out lines, bank machines, escalator handrails and shopping cart handles pose a danger. What about those long line-ups of kids waiting to see Santa? Those children may be infected with colds and flus.

The Mistletoe

Do you know the second easiest way, after sneezing, for a virus to spread? Kissing, of course. You may kiss someone who is contagious and not yet present visible symptoms. For this reason, do yourself a favor and avoid the mistletoe this holiday season.

The Airplane

The airplane cabin is the perfect breeding ground for colds and flus. Airplane bathrooms and tray tables pose a particularly health hazard. To avoid the germs associated with the airplane, it is best that you board the airplane prepared with hand sanitizer alcohol-based liquid or disinfectant wipe. Additionally, it is important to keep yourself hydrated while on the plane. Lastly, think about turning off the air above your head, so you can keep your own air around you longer and put off breathing someone else’s.

The Turkey

Many people, who typically don’t prepare turkey year round, suddenly have the urge to cook poultry (i.e. turkey) during the holiday season! If you know someone who falls into this category, make sure that he or she is aware of the proper poultry preparation requirements. For example, it takes a large bird four to five days in the refrigerator to defrost, and leaving the bird on the counter, or putting it under hot water to speed up the defrosting process, could expose the turkey meat to some dangerous bacteria and other pathogens.

This article doesn’t advocate becoming a holiday Scrooge, by being paranoid about every little potential holiday germ source. Instead, it simply concludes that by taking a few precautionary measures, you can ensure that you don’t contract a virus this season!

Postpartum Depression – A Gendered Condition No More

jmullen — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:38:22 +0000

Depression shows no prejudice – it affects all social classes and races. Knowing this, it is surprising that the media and medical professionals stereotype this mental illness as a female. A recent study confirms that as many as one-in-ten new fathers demonstrate signs of postpartum depression. Originally doctors stipulated that the postpartum depression condition was linked to hormonal changes during pregnancy; however, this new study indicates that men also experience postpartum depression, likely linked to negative environment changes, such as lack of sleep, changes in personal routine, and subsequent relationship issues. The lead researcher of the study stresses the need to treat depressed parents as soon as possible. If depressed parents are left untreated, there is the long-term risk of behavioral and psychiatric problems in said child. The child’s issues can later become a societal problem, as they may “act” out in the future.
While new father depression is just as much an issue as new mother depression, many men are less willing to seek help. Postpartum depression has always been characterized as a female issue, so men are less willing to admit that they are experiencing issues. The stigma against male postpartum depression must be eliminated! For more information about male postpartum depression, visit the following website: www.postpartummen.com

With this new awareness about postpartum depression in men, below find this detailed list on postpartum depression symptoms and treatments.

Postpartum Depression Symptoms:

Males tend to become more aggressive; women tend to be sad
Lack of interest in your baby or negative feelings towards your baby
Worrying about hurting your baby
Lack of concern for yourself
Loss of pleasure
Lack of energy and motivation
Feeling of worthlessness and guilt
Changes in appetite or weight
Sleeping more or less than usual
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Postpartum Depression Treatment:

So you are experiencing postpartum depression – now what? Whether male or female, there are some universally accepted self-treatment and medical treatment for postpartum depression.

Self Treatment:

Make sleep a priority. While attaining eight hours of sleep may seem impossible, you need to make sleep a priority. Enlist the help of family members while you take a nap.
Make your relationships priorities. When depressed, it is of the utmost importance to stay connected with friends and family, and lean on them for supporting. This means forming a united front with your significant other.
Make meals a priority. When you are depressed, nutrition often falls to the wayside. Good nutrition means will ensure you have more energy and better concentration to deal with your baby.
Ease back into exercise . Studies have shown that exercise is just as effective as antidepressants for treating depression, so it is important to get back on an exercise plan ASAP.

Medical Treatment

If you have sunk into a deep depression, it is important to recognize this fact and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Many counselors specialize in postpartum depression treatment. Counseling , and antidepressants if necessary, have been proven to provide effective results towards combating postpartum depression.