February, 2019
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Uniting Homeopathy and Chinese Medicine
Homeopathy is essentially an alternative medical practice that treats a disease by the administration of diluted or minute doses of a remedy that would, in healthy persons, produce symptoms similar to those of the disease. Chinese Medicine is the general term to describe the numerous methods of healing used in Chinese culture for many thousands of years. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) works to harmonize the bodys five basic elements: fire, wood, earth, metal, and water. Both Homeopathy and TCM work to correct internal imbalances or imbalanced energy, and are both described as energetic medicine. Energetic medicine is the practice of treating ailments and promoting health by working with the energy pathways of the body, which is a classic example of this, is acupuncture from TCM.
Acupuncture works by inserting very fine needles into different energy points in the body, allowing the practitioner to stimulate, disperse and regulate the flow of chi, or vital energy, and restore a healthy energy balance. Both modalities are holistic, meaning they treat the patient as a whole, exploring the mental, physical and emotional aspects of a person.
Combining treatments from homeopathy and TCM can offer relief for ailments with several layers. Acupuncture can treat a physical pain, whereas homeopathy can treat a manifestation occurring in a deeper place. In fact, homeopathy prioritizes a persons mental and emotional state over the physical. The physical symptoms are later examined as a means to confirm the right remedy. Using physical symptoms alone can result in the wrong remedy. Many people might suffer from the same illness and share similar symptoms, but each individual is different, therefore, homeopathic remedies are selected based on more personal reflections.
TCM uses herbal formulas and acupuncture to treat pain and blocked energy flows within the body, resulting in organ disharmony. Illness enters the body and acts on a superficial level, progressing deeper into the body, and manifesting illness physically. Herbal formulas are often modified throughout treatment to promote healing and attack the disease at the appropriate stage. Both forms of medicine address the fluctuating nature of illness and continually respond to it with the right treatments. Individuals with both deep emotional trauma and physical symptoms would be ideal candidates for implementing both homeopathic remedies and acupuncture. For example, the liver is well known in Chinese Medicine to harbor emotions such as rage and unresolved anger.
A separate similarity between Homeopathy and Chinese Medicine is the observation and analyzing of the tongue and pulse. In TCM, tongue and pulse observations are used to help determine a persons underlying patterns, which helps the practitioner to choose the best treatment. In Homeopathy, tongue observation is used to confirm a remedy, but is not as vital to choosing one as in Chinese Medicine. Both practices also use dilution as an important part of formulating the right medicine, allowing for the excretion of toxic substances without significant side effects.
The most beneficial and important similarity between both medical practices is the focus on the patient as a whole. Each person may respond differently to a medicine and require different, alternate therapies.
The Nitty Gritty On Medicine Balls And How They Will Help You Lose Weight When Exercising
Is your workout becoming monotonous to you because it is the same one that you’ve been using for as long as you can remember? Sure you may have changed up an exercise here and there but it is still typically the same old routine. How about changing it up even more by adding in a medicine ball? If a poll was taken, I would bet that there are still some people out there that really have no idea what a medicine ball is or even what it is used for. This article will show how using this simple ball can be a very key piece of your workout when you want to lose weight exercising or even if you are just trying to stay in your current shape. Let’s now outline how you can use these medicine balls to kick start your workouts back into fast forward allowing you to start to once again see the training results you once did.
A Medicine Ball?
Let’s give a bit of a description of what these balls are made of for those of you that have not had any experience with them. Another name that you may hear when dealing with medicine balls is exercise balls. They are for all intents and purposes the same thing. The power of these balls comes from their differing weights and also from their different diameters. Each one could potentially have different uses (more on that later). These balls are typically not made for bouncing. Coverings vary from cloth (nylon) to leather to even vinyl and their fillings can also be gel, sand or even lead shot. The outside surface is very similar to that of a basketball, in that it is quite dimpled. This dimpling helps you maintain grip on the ball when your hands start to sweat. These medicine balls come in different weights which allow the user to increase their weights as they get used to exercising with the ball. The issue of plateau’s in your workouts is a common one (if you haven’t ever hit one, you probably will). You need to make sure that you keep increasing your balls’ weight at regular intervals so that your results do not stop.
So a common question asked is why should I go and get a set of medicine balls when I already have other workout equipment? The biggest reason is for those folks that want a stronger core or better abs. Medicine balls are perfectly designed for these types of routines. So I can hear you saying that you can’t see how strengthening your core will help you with your weight loss activities. To put it simply, you need a strong core to reduce the likelihood of injuries from almost any other activity that you do. Your core muscles help to control the movement of your upper and lower torso. Sports such as boxing and cycling, to name a few, require a strong core.
Medicine Ball Exercises
As you should with any of your workouts, a good warm-up is a must to start out with. Using weighted medicine balls with cold muscles puts you on the path to injury. Try modifying some of your current workout routines by adding in medicine ball variations. Let’s modify a normal sit-up by adding in a medicine ball. For some people a sit-up is going to be tough enough to do on its own, but to increase that difficulty, let’s now grasp the ball and hold it tight to our chests during the exercise. This adds quite a bit more resistance that your abdominals now have to deal with. Sure, the exercise becomes tougher but the added results will astound you. If these are too tough at first, try adding them in to every other workout until your body starts to adapt. These modification exercises are great ways to lose weight by exercising.
Other abdominal exercises could look like the following. This one is a bit different in that you will need another person to act as your partner. Let’s play catch. Get your partner to toss you the ball but when you catch it, make sure to catch it using mostly your stomach muscles (i.e. get the ball to hit you in the stomach). Once the ball has been caught you can then use your hands to grasp it. Throwing the ball works your upper core and catching and cradling it works your abdominal muscles. How about doing some stretching exercises while holding onto the ball? Besides allowing you to stretch farther, the extra weight will also be working on your stabilizer muscles.
So as you can see, a medicine ball can be used in quite a few different ways. These few examples were for illustration purposes only. There are many more types of exercise that could also be used. You will find that over time, if a ball is used, that your core will become stronger and firmer. A proper diet will also have a big impact on you if one of your goals is to lose weight exercising. Try adding some medicine ball workouts into your exercise routines and watch the results come.
Ayurveda Medicine
Ayurveda means the science of life. Followers and practitioners alike believe in this ancient form of medicine as well as its philosophy of treating the whole person.
Ayurvedic medicine consists of many different elements. In India, there are eight distinct branches of Ayurvedic medicine:
Internal Medicine
Surgery
Treatment of head and neck disease
Gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics
Toxicology
Psychiatry
Care of the elderly and rejuvenation
Sexual vitality
Nearly 80 percent of the population of India use some form of Ayurvedic medicine for healing, with or without a combination of conventional medicine. In the United States, over 200,000 adults will use Ayurveda medicine in any given year.
The underlying basis of Ayurveda medicine is that the foundation of health has to do with our connection to the universe, namely the bodys constitution or prakriti and life forces or doshas.
The prakriti refers to a persons general health, the likelihood of them coming out of balance, and their ability to resist disease or recover from it. The prakriti is unique to each person, and describes the way their body functions to maintain health. Key elements are the way the body digests and disposes of waste. The prakriti generally stays the same over ones lifetime.
The doshas are the three life forces or energies found in us all, with some combination of all three found in everyone. The likelihood of a person contracting a disease are based on the balance of the doshas as well as the state of the body, and mental and lifestyle factors.
The three doshas are:
Vata this dosha respresents ether and air. It is the most powerful of the three as it controls vital body processes like breathing, the heart, cell division, the mind and waste disposal. This dosha can be upset by fear, grief, and lack of sleep, among other forces. Those with vata as their main dosha are susceptible to skin and neurological conditions, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis as well as other afflictions.
Pitta this dosha represents fire and water, and controls both the hormones and digestive system. Pitta can be upset by spicy or sour food, fatigue and too much time in the sun. Those with pitta as their main dosha are susceptible to hypertension, heart disease, and others.
Kapha this dosha represents water and earth, and controls strength and immunity. Kapha is upset by greed, sleeping during the day, and too much salt and sugar in the diet. Those with kapha as their main dosah are susceptible to diabetes, cancer, obesity and respiratory illnesses.
Ayurveda medicine has been around for centuries, and is here to stay. It is an alternative, holistic, and complete medicine and its list of patients grows each day.
Many infections, one medicine – Generic Flagyl
Flagyl, an antibiotic, is used to treat various infections in the body including those of the skin, gut areas, pelvic cavity, brain abcesses, leg ulcers, pressure sores, gums, osteomyelitis, and necrotizing pneumonia. Generic Metronidazole, the medicinal compound in Flagyl, destroys the DNA function in vulnerable anaerobic bacteria and protozoa. The medicine is effectively used in the prevention of infection following a surgical procedure, particularly after childbirth. It is also used to cure bacterial Vaginosis, urogenital Trichomoniasis, and Amoebic Dysentery.
Generic Metronidazole in Flagyl, belongs to the antibiotic class of drugs called nitroimidazoles, and is used to treat infections caused by anaerobic bacteria [that do not need oxygen to survive] and micro-organisms called protozoa. Metronidazole is believed to disable the DNA synthesis in the susceptible bacteria, thereby preventing functioning of the existing bacteria and inhibiting further development.
Flagyl has been found to be extremely effective when used in the prevention and treatment of infections following gynaecological surgery such as Puerperal fever or Sepsis that can occur after childbirth, or Giardiasis that is a gut infection. This medicine is equally effective in treating Septicaemia [blood poisoning], Brain abcesses, Necrotizing Pneumonia, Osteomyelitis [infection in the bones], Pelvic abcesses, Peritonitis [abdominal infection], Bacterial Vaginosis [vaginal infection caused by bacteria], Urogenital Trichomoniasis [a sexually transmitted genital infection], and Amoebic Dysentery [a protozoal infection]. The medicine helps to cure Dental infections, Ulcerative Gingivitis [gum inflammation and ulcers], and bacteria-infected leg ulcers as well as pressure sores.
Flagyl Generic is an oral medication, though for serious infections, Metronidazole is administered intravenously in the beginning, followed by the oral treatment. The dosage may vary according to the infection, as in treating infection of brain abcesses, when a high dose has to be given. The medicine is given according to the patient’s medical condition and should be taken as advised by the doctor. It is recommended that the medicine should not be chewed, but swallowed with a lot of water; it can be taken regardless of food. Even if you feel better soon, the entire therapy must be taken, as antibiotics often help to make one feel better quickly, but if the course is not completed, you run the risk of the infection returning. While on this treatment, and for at least 48 hours later, you should not consume alcohol, otherwise you may experience a great deal of discomfort from nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, headache, in addition to flushing.
Before the physician puts you on to Flagyl, let the doctor know about all the ailments you’ve suffered from; all the medicines [prescription, OTC], nutritional supplements, herbal products you’re taking; and if you have any known allergies, particularly to Metronidazole or any Nitroimidazole derivative. Let the treating doctor know if you have a decreased liver function, Hepatic Encephalopathy [a brain disease caused by an underlying liver problem], Seizures, Crohn’s disease, Prophyrias [an inherited blood disorder], Anemia [inadequate number of red blood cells], or Leukopenia [inadequate number of white blood cells]. The doctor has to know about all your medicines, so that the correct dose can be worked out, and lab tests be instituted, wherever necessary, to monitor your condition.
For Amoebic Dysentery, or an Amoebic abcess in the liver, the dose varies but is usually administered from 5-10 days. Flagyl is recommended in pediatrics only for treatment of Amoebiasis – for children who have such problems, normally 3 doses are given for a period of 10 days. As plasma clearance decreases in patients having a decreased liver function, geriatrics have to undergo lab tests for monitoring of serum levels, so that they get just the right dose of the medicine.
To treat very severe anaerobic infections, Flagyl is usually administered intravenously at the beginning, followed with an oral dose every 6 hours [dependent upon weight], lasting 7-10 days. In the treatment of infections of the bones, joints, lower respiratory tract, and endocardium, the therapy can extend beyond the usual 10 days, and the dosage pattern can vary. Those who suffer from a serious hepatic disease are given low doses of Flagyl, to prevent accumulation of Metronidazole in the plasma.
There are a large number of drugs that interact with Metronidazole. If taken together with anticoagulants [Warfarin, Nicoumalone], there can be adverse effects – the risk of bleeding may increase in such patients. Antiepileptic medicines like Phenobarbital can render Flagyl less effective. Those taking Flagyl with Ciclosporin, or Lithium, will have to get their blood levels and kidney function checked from time-to-time; while those who take Metronidazole with Fluorouracil [an anti-cancer medicine] can find an increase in the side-effects caused by Flourouracil, though Flagyl does not reduce the anti-cancer effect. If taken with Phenytoin, Flagyl is capable of increasing blood levels that will have to be monitored.
Metronidazole is not recommended for patients on Disulfram treatment, as the two taken together tend to enhance psychotic symptoms, adversely affecting paranoia and bring about hallucinations, unless 2 weeks have passed since the patient last took Disulfram.
Some side-effects that commonly occur include nausea, vomiting, headache, stomachache/abdominal cramps, epigastric discomfort [due to feeling of fullness in the throat/esophagus], diarrhea, or conversely constipation, a distinct unpleasant taste, hives, rash, dryness of mouth or vagina, incontinence, or pelvic pressure. If any of these symptoms worsen or persist, then you must contact your doctor at once. Severe allergic reactions to Flagyl are unlikely, but can include the usual reactions, like: rash, itching, swelling, laboured breathing, or severe dizziness.
Serious but unlikely side effects may occur if Flagyl is administered for a prolonged period, such as: convulsive seizures, peripheral neuropathy [numbness/tingling of hands/feet], mood changes, painful urination, white patches in the mouth, or a new vaginal yeast infection; or should you happen to experience a rare but serious side-effect that may present itself in the form of a sore throat, unusual bleeding/bruising, or fever, then in any such condition, you must immediately inform your physician who will give further advice. However, most people who are being treated with Flagyl, do not experience severe side effects.
Pregnant or lactating women should seek the doctor’s advice before taking Flagyl, so should those who are planning to conceive. For treatment of Trichomoniasis, pregnant patients are not given the drug in the first trimester, while for those for whom an alternative treatment has not yielded good results, the 1-day therapy cannot be given as it causes abnormally high serum levels that can affect the circulation in their fetus, for Metronidazole is known to cross the placental barrier. Dosage regimen for women and men having Trichomoniasis is based on the medical condition of the patient.
Women who are taking an oral Birth Control pill or using contraceptive patches, face a low risk of an unwanted pregnancy if administered Metronidazole; but to avoid even this low risk, it is recommended that such women should use an extra method to prevent childbirth while taking Flagyl, without a break, and continue with that for a week after the Flagyl therapy has ended. The gynaecologist or physician should be consulted for individualized advice.
The medicine in tablet formulation must be stored below a room temperature of 25oC, protected from light, heat and dampness; and kept away from children and pets.
Generic Metronidazole – the one-stop cure for treating various infections of the skin, lungs, gastro-genito-urinary tract, bones, gums, blood poisoning, and post-surgery in women following childbirth. Buy Flagyl Online from our Online Pharmacy at affordable price.
Advance Market Commitment Encourages Access to Medicine in Poor Countries
The governments of Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, and Norway and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announce the first long-term agreements made by pharmaceutical firms to provide increased access to medicine by supplying new, affordable vaccines against pneumococcal disease to the worlds poorest countries.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer Inc. were the first companies to agree to supply pneumococcal vaccines through the Advance Market Commitment (AMC). These vaccines may be available as early as this year at a fraction of the price charged in industrialized countries.
“We welcome GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer Inc. as AMC-supplier(s) and hope that more suppliers will join in soon, in particular emerging vaccine manufacturers from developing countries” expressed Paul Fife, Norway Head of Department.
The AMC was created to stimulate the development, manufacture, and uptake of affordable vaccines that meet the needs of developing countries.
“The AMC demonstrates how innovative thinking about global markets can save lives in the worlds poorest countries,” said Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundations Global Health Program.
In June 2009, the governments of Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Russian Federation, Norway and the Gates Foundation launched a pilot AMC with a collective US$1.5 billion commitment. In addition, GAVI will help fund the total cost of these vaccines by contributing up to US$ 1.3 billion for the period 2010 to 2015.
“Today we have taken an important step forward in harnessing the potential of the pharmaceutical industry. As a result developing countries will be able to better protect the lives of their children at a price that is affordable and over a time frame that will deliver sustainable improvements in global health targets,” said United Kingdom International Development Minister, Mike Foster. “The UK will continue to champion innovative solutions that deliver more health for less money.”
Thanks to these financial commitments, pharmaceutical companies have responded to the incentive and committed to supply millions of doses of life-saving vaccines for ten years at an affordable price an unprecedented achievement providing increased access to medicine for millions of people. The AMC enables developing country governments to budget and plan for their immunisation programmes knowing that vaccines will be available in sufficient quantity and at a price they can afford over the long term.
Pneumococcal disease takes the lives of 1.6 million people each year including up to one million children before their fifth birthday. More than 90 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries, where access to medicine is not always available. Pneumonia, the most common form of serious pneumococcal disease, accounts for one in every four child deaths, making it the leading cause of death among young children. It is estimated that the pilot could save approximately 900,000 lives by 2015 and up to seven million lives by 2030.
To learn more about this program and access to medicine, visit Global Health Progress at http://www.globalhealthprogress.com.
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