Next time you have a headache, you may want to skip the pain relievers and try acupressure. It’s safe and can be surprisingly effective.

What Is Acupressure?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain and illness are viewed as an interruption in the flow of qi (energy). Acupressure and acupuncture aim to balance and restore the flow of qi through the body. Acupoints are places on the body where the flow of qi can be influenced (e.g. via needles, electrical stimulation, & pressure) to regulate bodily functions and relieve pain.

How to Perform Acupressure

To perform acupressure, use direct pressure to the indicated point with your finger or thumb. Press the point lightly, increasing slowly to a firm pressure. (Of course, if you’re working with a delicate area such as the face, use light pressure.)  Hold the point until you feel some relief, or up to a minute. Breathe deeply as you hold the point.

Acupressure Points for Headache Relief

Below are some acupressure points for headache relief. You can do all of them as a routine, or just experiment and find the ones that work best for you.

* The “Hoku point” (LI4) is excellent for headache relief. It is located on the back of the hand, in the webbing where the thumb and index finger meet.  Find the exact point by bringing your thumb and index finger together.  The muscle will bulge a little–that’s the spot.

Squeeze the point by putting your thumb on the point, and your index finger on the palm side of your hand.  Angle the pressure toward the bone that connects with the index finger. Hold for one minute and switch hands.

Do not use the Hoku Point if you are pregnant.

* Use your thumbs to firmly press the back of the neck underneath the base of your skull into the indentations on either side of the spine, two to three inches apart, depending on the size of your skull. Slowly tilt your head back and firmly press up underneath the skull. These are the GB20 points. This technique is one of my personal favorites for headache relief.

* Press the top of the feet, in the web between the big and second toes.  You can either use your hands for this, working both feet at the same time, or you can use the heel of the opposite foot to work one foot at a time.  This point is Lv3.

* With the palms of your hands together, let your head tilt downward and place your index and third fingers on the point directly between the eyebrows, where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead. (Or just use an index finger or thumb.)  This point is called GV24.5.

* Apply steady pressure to the top of head, where lines drawn to the top of the head from the ears and nose would intersect.  This is GV20.  Do not use this point if you have high blood pressure.

* Use your thumb and index finger to press the indentations on either side of the nose, where the bridge of the nose meets the ridge of the eyebrows. This is B2.

* Use the middle and index fingers of both hands to gently press up underneath the cheekbones, directly below the center of the eye. This point is St3.

Many of these suggestions are taken from the book Acupressure’s Potent Points by Michael Reed Gach, which I highly recommend.

“Red Flag” Headaches: See Your Doctor Immediately

While you can safely treat most headaches yourself, some need medical attention. The following headache symptoms are signs of potentially serious, even life-threatening health problems. Please consult your medical doctor immediately if:

* you experience extremely intense head pain (i.e. it feels like the worst headache of your life)
* the headache comes on very suddenly and severely (like a “thunderclap”)
* your headache is accompanied by mental confusion
* your headache is accompanied by unusual symptoms such as passing out, loss of vision, or difficulty walking or speaking
* your headache is accompanied by a high fever (over 100 degrees F) and/or stiff neck
* you are over 50 and the headache is a new kind of headache for you
* your headache was preceded by head trauma.
* you have a family history of brain aneurysms

Lots of people suffer from acid reflux and have tried to over the counter antacids and medications with little or no relief. Doctors are just going to give us prescriptions for expensive medications, which might work but they are costly and some people just can’t afford them, so they continue to suffer. The good news is that the cure could be as close as making some simple changes to your diet. There are foods that cause acid reflux, and if you are eating these foods on a regular basis, then avoiding them may be all that’s needed to take care of your acid reflux.

Below you could find a list of usual foods that cause acid reflux symptoms in some people. Take a look at this list and see if there are foods on it that you eat on a regular basis and try some alternatives to see if these help reduce your acid reflux symptoms.

High Fat Foods
Dairy foods that are high in fat such as whole milks, cottage cheeses, and many other high fat cheeses can be an almost instant trigger for acid reflux. Try using non fat milk and low fat cottage cheese. Some processed cheese foods are low in fat and taste almost as good as their real cheese counterparts. Check the labels.

High fat meats like marbled steaks and other cuts of beef, ground beef, dark chicken and turkey meat and their skins can all be foods that cause acid reflux in you. Alternatively, you can find cuts of beef that are less marbled and closely trimmed, ground sirloin is typically lower in fat, and boneless, skinless chicken and turkey breasts are a wonderful and healthy alternative.

Fried foods, especially those found at any fast food restaurant, are also foods that cause acid reflux in most people. Try finding foods that are fried in lower fat oils like peanut oil. They still may cause some discomfort, but it is possible that they won’t cause as much discomfort as the others.

Fruits and Veggies
Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits and their juices can irritate the esophagus and cause symptoms of acid reflux. Try fruits like apples and apple juice, which have been known to actually relieve heartburn.

Onions have been known to cause acid reflux, especially when eaten raw. If you love the taste of onion but they cause you pain, try using onion powder as an alternative.

Tomatoes are full of acid and should be avoided. This also includes products made from tomatoes like sauces, salsa, and condiments. There really is no alternative for tomatoes, but some other condiments and vegetables could replace them and still be satisfying.

Beverages
Coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated, can trigger acid reflux in many people and should be avoided. Try a cold glass of apple cider and 20 minutes on the treadmill for a morning pick-me-up.
Sodas and other carbonated drinks can cause symptoms of acid reflux. Water is the best alternative to soda, especially on hot summer days.

Alcohol, especially beer, can be damaging to the esophagus and cause acid reflux. This is where a lifestyle change may be necessary. When you go out volunteer to be the designated driver and have fun watching everybody else act like drunken idiots. You’re likely to win at darts more often this way, too.

There are other foods that cause acid reflux symptoms, too. The best way to figure out what is causing your acid reflux is to keep a journal and then avoid the foods that you find are your triggers. If this doesn’t help, then a trip to the doctor to discuss your acid reflux is recommended.

First of all I would like to explain to you what is menstrual disorder or widely known as menorrhagia, it is an abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual period with excessive menstrual bleeding lasting longer than 7 days or blood loss exceeding 80 ml caused by abnormal blood clotting, disruption of normal hormonal regulation of periods, or disorders of the endometrial lining of the uterus.

Here are several foods which may help you to treat menorrhagia :

1. Letture
Flavonoids are plant pigments responsible for the color of flowers, fruits, and sometimes leaves. Study shows that flavonoids supply us with natural, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidants having great effect on menorrhagia excess pain and on the heaviness of the period.

2. Flax oil
Flax contains high amounts of omega 3 fatty acid and lignans. It also is a powerful antioxidant. Besides working together with vitamin K in helping the circulation of blood and providing blood clotted vessels, it also helps to reducing pain caused by menorrhagia.

3. Broccoli
Broccoli contains high amounts of iron, and vitamin C and K that not only helps to relief the pain caused by menorrhagia, but also provides iron, the mineral that is needed to prevent heavy blood loss special for women with anemia. Vitamin K also increases blood clotting the damage blood vessels.

4. Kelp
Kelp are large seaweeds. It grows in underwater forests in clear, shallow oceans. It is rich in iodine and alkali that helps to balance hormones caused by thyroid glands resulting in heavy flow of blood during menstruation as well as containing incredibly high trace minerals and vitamins to feed and nourish the endocrine glands.

5. Carrot
Carrots contain high amounts of vitamin A as well as antioxidants, alpha carotene, and beta carotene. Vitamin A is required for normal reproductive function, and development of ovaries and placenta that is vital for women’s menstrual cycle. It’s antioxidants also help to reduce menstrual pain caused by menorrhagia.

6. Fermented soybeans
Fermented soybeans are made from soybean. It contains large amounts of vitamin K which is involved in the formation of calcium-binding groups in proteins as well as helping blood clots caused by heavy blood flow during menstruation.

I hope this certain information could help you to treat your menstrual disorder.

Anyone who had suffered from the pain of a toothache will surely value knowing some home remedies for toothache. While these remedies do not actually eliminate the dental problem of a decaying tooth; for sure it will help a lot in alleviating the sharp and throbbing often severe pain that comes with the aching teeth. In case the dentist suggests tooth extraction, at least you had reduced the severity of the pain that you are suffering.

There are different factors that contribute to an aching tooth. It is often caused by a decaying tooth as a result of inadequate dental hygiene. Failure to brush the teeth after every meal will cause some food particles to be left in-between teeth, which leads to tooth decay. Sometimes brushing the teeth is not enough; you should also develop the habit of using dental floss to clean the areas between teeth. This is to be sure that no food particle will remain, which may decay.

The following home remedies for toothache may provide immediate pain relief:

Ice

Holding a small piece of ice cube inside the mouth, near the aching tooth and gums would greatly help in numbing the area. With the area being numbed, there is less degree of pain being felt. If you cannot stand holding the piece of ice inside the mouth, you can make use of the ice pack; hold it close to the cheeks adjacent to the painful tooth.

Raw Onion

Chewing a small piece of raw onion would be helpful in reducing the severity of an extremely painful tooth. Though, this is not at all considered as a nice idea by many because it smells and tastes bad.

Lime

Lime is considered not only as a tooth remedy but also helps strengthen the teeth as well. Slice the lime and place one slice of lime in the aching tooth for the benefit of relieving the pain. This is one of the most effective home remedy for toothache.

Other home remedies:

Toothache Home Remedies with Clove Oil:

A spice that is used while making pies and desserts, cloves are small black things that are quite powerful. They are known to have strong medicinal values and help various ailments.

Pick up a small vile of clove oil and apply this using a Q-tip on the tooth that hurts for relief from tooth pain

Boil 4-5 cloves in a cup of water, add 2 inch of Margosa bark to this, strain and store in the fridge till it cools. Apply this on the decayed tooth.

Natural Treatments for Toothache with Brandy and Wine:

The liquor that is had post a meal in the west is also used in plum cake and other pastries. It is also known to cure the common cold that persists for days to no end.

Take a cotton bud, dip it in brandy or cognac (whatever you find around your home) and put this on the aching tooth.

For aching tooth cook some asparagus in wine, let it cool and then put it in the mouth, but spit it out after a few seconds. If you don’t have wine, you can make do with asparagus juice for the same purpose.

Toothache Remedies with Garlic:

One item in our kitchen that is multi purpose and can be used in almost every dish is Garlic. A few cloves of garlic can alter the entire dish and give it new found taste. It is also a blood purifier used for heart conditions and cold.

Place a cut clove of garlic on the painful tooth to help relieve the pain.

These are some of the most effective remedies for toothache. As stated, they can only be used to reduce the pain but not as an ultimate treatment for tooth ache and decay. Though, the pain is relieved by these home remedies for toothache, you still have to proceed to your dentist for the proper dental treatment necessary.

Dyshidrosis, also known as Dyshidrotic Eczema, is a chronic skin condition which is characterized by small blisters on the hands and feet. The name “Dyshidrosis” comes from the word “dyshidrotic” which means “bad sweating” which was deemed as the cause. Sometimes it is also known as Pompholyx which means “bubble” in Greek referring to the blisters on the skin. In some cases, Pompholyx refers to hand dyshidrosis. This skin condition is not contagious to others, but it can cause extreme stress and pain to the sufferers. Not to mention the unsightly nature of the condition can cause social anxiety and low self esteem.

Until today, the truly cause of Dyshidrosis is unknown. It is often associated with other skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, bacterial infection or excessive stress. However, there are several probable factors which can aggravate the condition:

- Nickel allergy may be a significant contributing factor to dyshidrosis. Tests have shown that dyshidrosis sufferers who are given a low nickel diet reported having less flare ups.

- Coming into contact with allergens may be the cause.

- Metal toxicity such as copper, mercury and nickel

- Other possible factors include aspirin ingestion, oral contraceptives, cigarette smoking, and implanted metals.

Unfortunately, since dyshidrosis is a type of eczema, the most common treatment for dyshidrosis is topical steroids which can bring about harmful long term effects such as skin thinning. Other methods include the use of Hydrogen Peroxide (35% strength) and Potassium Permanganate solution. Both of these can work to a certain extend but the side effects include significant burning and itching.

Therefore,it is recommended that to treat Dyshidrosis, it is necessary to go back to the basics, that is to strenghten the immune system and eliminating toxins from the body. You can check out the various methods to achieve a strong immune system via feeding the body the right food at EczemaFreeNaturally.com

Having the basics taken care of, here are some of the home remedies you can try to get relief for Dyshidrosis:

- Use emollients frequently to prevent cracking and itching. Avoid to use petroleum jelly as it does not absorb into the skin.

- Try soaking in sea salts or Epsom salts. Some found relief in soaking in white vinegar.

- Avoid harsh shampoos and body wash. Stick with gentle bath oil. If you are having flare ups, remember to wear gloves when washing hair or bathing.

- Avoid nickel if you are allergic to it. Nickel can present in certain types of foods, jewelry, computer keyboards, dental filling and even bra.

- Avoid stressful situations or learn stress management

- Avoid scratching. I know it is easier said than done. Try wearing unbleached cotton gloves to protect your hands.

- Plantain (Plantago major) infused in olive or other oil can be soothing.

- Wear cotton gloves while reading newspapers, books and magazines. The lead in the ink may be an irritant.

- Avoid hand sanitizing products which contains alcohol. Alcohol is drying and may aggravate the condition.

- Wash affected hands and feet with cool water and apply a moisturizer as soon as possible.

Although dyshidrosis is not life threatening, this skin condition can cause extreme pain and stress to the sufferes. While there is no definite treatment for dyshidrosis, one can aid the healing of this condition by practising a healthy lifestyle
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