How Alternative Medicine Can Help Fight Against Swine Flu And Other Infections?

When the Swine flu scare was on, one of the things that were periodically being reported were alternative cures for the infection.
Yet the nay sayers were disputing that alternative therapies were any use for fighting off swine flu and similar infections.
The fact is that with its emphasis on holistic healing rather than symptomatic cure, alternative medicine, can help to strengthen the immune system.
By shoring up the body’s defenses to disease and infection, the incidence of infection and disease it significantly reduced:

Acupuncture is a highly personalized therapy specific to each individual. It can help in strengthening the immune system and help the body rid itself of pathogens. This has been seen to be effective in treating symptoms of flu and cold as well.

Meditation: Simply put, meditation relieves stress and the control of stress is extremely beneficial for health and immunity.

Naturopathy is really mostly about common sense: observe proper flu prevention hygiene, eat more fresh produce and whole grain, less processed food, get enough rest and a variety of natural substances to support the immune system.

Homeopathy works by using very small dosages of medicine to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself.

Natural Healers Rediscover Age Old Wonder Potions

This MSN health write up bemoans the fact that Americans have forgotten the natural cures that their grandparents used in favor of modern medicine, and in effect have lost out on a host of effective remedies.

We are reminded that even modern medicine has its basis in herbs. The write up lists a number of natural plant based remedies:
Lemon Balm to banish anxiety, boost memory, and aid sleep and digestion.
Onions have been a cure all in a number of different cultures; to aid in controlling diabetes, improving athletic performance, etc.
Cayenne peppers are used as aphrodisiacs as well as pain relievers.
Plantain, or Plantago is widely used for skin ailments.
Parsley has been seen to help in infections of the urinary tract.
Hawthorn is seen to increase cardiovascular health.

5 Alternative Remedies For Sinus Infection

Are you suffering with painful symptoms of sinus infection? Sore throat, pressure in face, and runny nose are most common symptoms of sinus infection.

If you are vexed using regular medications for painful sinus infection symptoms, here are few alternative remedies.
1.Acupuncture: It is one of the best ways to ease the nasal congestion triggered by sinus infection. Find a better experienced acupuncturist and seek help for sinus infection.
2.Breathing exercises: Even though it takes time to get relief, practicing regular breathing exercises can help you long way to get relief from sinus infection.
3.Hot compresses: Take a clean cloth and soak it in hot boiled water for few minutes and then try to cover your face with the hot wet cloth. This can help you to relieve extreme sinus pressure in face. But, be careful, don’t burn your skin.
4.Drink plenty of fluids: When you drink plenty of fluids, it helps to promote free mucus drainage. You can drink a nice cup of hot tea to clear sinuses. This is one of the best ways to get relief from sinus infection. The hot steam of tea helps you to thin out the mucus and makes your breathing easier.
5.Skip dairy foods: Certain dairy foods like milk and cheese can make sinus congestion much worse. Even some health experts believe that dairy foods like cheese thicken the mucus. So, try to avoid such foods, but be sure to get enough calcium for your body.

Study Indicates Cranberry Juice Does Not Interfere with Two Antibiotics Women Take for Recurrent Urinary Tract Infecract Infectionstions

             About 50 to 60 percent of women are diagnosed with a urinary tract infection (UTI)at least once during their lifetime. Many experience multiple recurrences. Cranberry juice, a popular home remedy for UTI, is often taken along with low-dose antibiotics as a preventive measure. Because little is known about the potential of cranberry juice to interact with drugs, NCCAM-funded researchers at the University of Washington studied cranberry's effects on two antibiotics frequently prescribed for UTI: amoxicillin and cefaclor.

         Two parallel studies were conducted, one for amoxicillin and one for cefaclor. In each study, 18 healthy women took a single oral dose of the antibiotic, with either water or cranberry juice cocktail. The procedure was repeated after a week, in a "crossover" design that allowed researchers to evaluate cranberry juice in each participant. The drugs were tested at commonly prescribed dosages: 500 mg for cefaclor in one study; and 500 mg, as well as 2 g for amoxicillin in the other study. Participants drank 8 ounces of juice or water with amoxicillin, 12 ounces with cefaclor; those who drank juice also drank it twice daily for 2 days before the treatment, to approximate real-life consumption. Researchers took blood and urine samples at 2-hour intervals for 6 to 8 hours after treatment, and then tested drug concentrations at each point.
           The data showed that cranberry juice did not significantly affect either antibiotic's oral absorption or renal clearance (i.e., how completely the body processed the drugs in the intestine and kidneys). Absorption took somewhat longer with cranberry juice, but the delay was small, and the total amount of antibiotic absorbed was not affected.
          Based on these results, the researchers concluded that cranberry juice cocktail, consumed in usual quantities, is unlikely to change the effects of these two antibiotics on UTIs. They noted that the same may or may not be true of other antibiotics, or when people who take antibiotics also drink a large quantity of concentrated cranberry juice.

Using Silver And Tea Tree Oil To Fight Infections

Tea tree oil and silver (silver nitrate) are both known to be effective against common micro-organisms.
Low concentrations of the two ingredients together have increased antimicrobial activity.
The combination was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, the yeast which causes thrush.
Staph aureus is a common cause of infections and abscesses of the skin. In lab tests, the combination tea tree oil and silver nitrate mixture killed both pathogens.
Once the combination was shown to kill the pathogens, liposomes are used to deliver the mixture into infected wounds. Controlled release is available with the use of liposomes, which are made from naturally occurring fats or phospholipids.
Controlled release is important for several reasons. First, less concentrated amounts can be used and released slowly, which means decreased toxicity and decreased risk of side effects.
Tea tree oil can be irritating to the skin, especially when used in high concentrations. Silver can cause skin to become discolored, turning a bluish-gray color.
This new combination may be an effective treatment for MRSA, or methicillin resistant staph aureus, an increasing concern.
As we age, conditions like bedsores, or chronic leg ulcers, become more common. Traditional silver-based creams use high concentrations of the metal.
Products with a lower yet still effective amount of silver could be safer and more effective, while not damaging healthy skin in the surrounding area.