Philippine Medicinal Plants

By John Gibb

Aloe vera is a very useful plant. It is very often used as a medicine to treat skin conditions such as burns and eczema, where it can help to stop the pain and reduce swelling. It is also very pleasant and soothing in its smell, which is likely why you will have heard of it: it is very often used in soaps, shampoos, and similar products.

This is not the only way to buy aloe vera, however. It is also available in capsule and gel form, as well as in juices and drinks, creams and lotions.

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By Rebecca Prescott

Acupuncture for asthma may sound like an odd combination. One is a common disease that affects approximately 20 million Americans; the other is a mysterious, esoteric, alternative medicine technique. Lots of people have asthma, but not many people have tried acupuncture. But if you are an asthma sufferer, it can seem at times that anything – even something as mysterious as acupuncture – is worth trying.

Breathing is something that most us never think about. It’s an unconscious process and unless we’re ill, we easily get the oxygen we need. But for people with asthma, breathing is always on their minds. There is always the chance that an asthma attack will leave them gasping for air. Sometime these attacks are predictable and sometimes they are not, sometimes they are minor and easily handled at home, and sometimes asthma suffers end up in an emergency room. It’s no wonder that some asthma sufferers have turned to acupuncture for asthma.

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By Ricardo Silva

In the last twenty years, alternative medicine from Asia has become popular. Acupressure for the face is a new approach that has come on the scene and is worth discussing.

Acupressure For The Face Time takes a toll on our bodies, particularly our faces. There is just no hiding the damage of the sun, wrinkles and so on. Many people look to surgical lifts for a solution. Others, however, are nervous about the invasive nature of the surgery, possible side effects or the cost. A possible alternative for those not needing intensive repair is acupressure.

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By Michael Russell

Herbal remedies are a hot topic throughout magazines and other advertisements. We see St. John’s Wort as a depression remedy, Echinacea to help ward off colds and chamomile to calm us down after a long, stressful day. Herbal preparations are popping up all over grocery stores shelves and your local pharmacy. There has been an influx of alternative practitioners that have sprung up in the last few years and even some doctors are prescribing herbal remedies to their patients.

What is herbal medicine? Herbal medicine is the use of herbs for their therapeutic or medicinal value. Some people call it plant or botanical medicine. This type of medicine is better used for keeping yourself in good shape so you do not get faced with a serious illness, even though there have been success stories of curing serious and chronic illnesses with plants. So what exactly are these plants called herbs? Herbs are plants or a plant part that has some sort of chemical substance that acts upon the body. Herbs can be taken in many different ways. They are found in capsules, teas, tinctures and other products like lotions and oils.

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By Michael Russell

With the increase in health costs and prescription medication not being able to cure you of your ailments, you may have thought of switching over to alternative medicine. Alternative medicine is medicine that is used in place of conventional medicine. There are many different forms of alternative medicine to choose from. Knowing about some of the options that you have may save you a large sum of money the next time you fall sick. One type of Alternative medicine is the Alternative Medical System. Naturopathic, homeopathic, traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda are commonly used in this category of treatment. Often these systems have evolved apart from and prior to the conventional forms of medicine found in the United States.

Naturopathic Medicine is an example of an Alternative Medical System. Naturopathic medicine proposes that the body has what it needs to heal itself. Nutrition and lifestyle counseling are used in this circumstance, to allow the body’s natural healing process to go into effect. Dietary supplements, medicinal plants and exercise are also used in this form of medicine.

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By Mary Hanna

Recently it has been shown that high herbal tea and quality teas have many health benefits, especially Black and Green Tea. With all the news on Black and Green Tea lately, you may be considering adding it to your daily diet regime. If that is so, only use the best quality and freshest tea available for the maximum health benefits. Also consider the health benefits of herbal teas using fresh herbs. Think of these as herbal medicine.

Millions of people all of the world have been drinking tea and infusions for centuries specifically for herbal medicine. In America, it has been considered a cheap convenient drink for soothing the soul and stimulating the senses. Yet there is a far more important reason that people drink tea more than any other beverage: the tea leaf has potent health-enhancing powers. The Japanese have known this for thousands of years and the modern West is just catching up to the remarkable health benefits of drinking tea.

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By Phil Bate PhD

In the past treatment of depression was done by many different types of talk therapy by psychologists. There are over 250 psychotherapy “techniques”, and NONE of them have been proven to work any better than any other.

But, the fact remains that very few depressed patients were ever “cured” by talk type psychotherapy. As a matter of fact, it has been shown in several studies that talking to a sympathetic friend, even a bartender, or almost anyone who will listen is about as good as talking to a clinician (at $100 up per hour).

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By Lisa Barger

Native to the damp woodland areas of the Northeast, goldenseal is one of the top selling medicinal herbs in the North America. Known botanically as Hydrastis canadensis, goldenseal has a long history of use as a medicinal plant. Native Peoples throughout the area recognized the healing potential of this unassuming-looking herb and used it extensively.

Traditional Medical Uses for Goldenseal

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By Dr. Janet Starr Hull, PhD

Have you ever been to a medical doctor with persistent health symptoms, but the doctor can’t see anything wrong and all the expensive lab tests merely determine nothing’s there?

YOU know something’s wrong though, because you are on the receiving end of the pounding headaches, the uncontrollable twitches in your arms and legs followed by shooting pains. YOU are the one who cannot get a good night’s sleep. YOU know you are experiencing heart palpitations, dizziness, and blurred vision. And YOU are tired of STRESS as the blame while your doctor suggests you see a psychotherapist.

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By Erik Leipoldt

Feeling hot under the collar? Glaciers and polar ice are melting, ocean levels are rising, hot, dry weather, huge forest fires, water restrictions, crop failures… You name it, if these don’t feature in your life yet, they soon will. Global warming and climate change are facts of life now, according to the International Panel on Climate Change, and many scientists. Huge problems beyond our control!

But are you hot under the collar? If you’re not, you probably live in a city where half of the Earth’s citizens live now and take much for granted. Because in city living we are far removed from natural processes that deliver our food, clothing and energy.

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