The most important issue in managing arthritis is preventing the pain associated with this disease and using herbal medicine for joint pain rather than adding tons of chemicals to the body and potentially complicating your health even more.  In addition to medication, either over the counter or prescription drugs, there are a variety of home remedies you can try to ease the pain.  Cabbage leaves may be used to alleviate symptoms.

Take an outer leaf or two from the cabbage and blanch them and apply either at a warm or cool temperature to the inflamed joints.  Wrap with a gauze or elastic bandage to keep in place.  This home remedy has been used for centuries to ease inflammations.
 During painful flare-ups of your arthritis, try this herbal tea for joint pain relief.  Mix equal parts devil’s claw, black cohosh, passion flower and ginger and use 1 teaspoon of this mixture per cup of boiling water.   Steep for 20 minutes, strain and have 1 cup 2 to 3 times daily.  Another pain soother for arthritis sufferers is a clover blossom tea.  Use 1 teaspoon crushed red clover blossoms and 1 teaspoon dried alfalfa leaves to 1 cup boiling water.  Steep for 5 minutes and strain.
 If you prefer to use a salve, use a warming wintergreen, rosemary or lavender salve.  For each 1/2 teaspoon of salve, add 3 to 4 drops arnica oil.  Apply this mixture to inflamed joints 3 to 4 times a day.   One word of caution, however, is that arnica oil is for external use only.  Do not use on broken skin.

Spending more time in the sunshine will enhance your vitamin D level and therefore should improve your joint health as a supplement.  A low level of vitamin D is associated with a higher risk of osteoarthritis.  A bracelet made of willow root was a folk remedy used by Native Americans to ease the discomfort of arthritis.  It is thought that the willow root’s salicylic acid may be absorbed slowly through the skin acting as a natural analgesic.  All of these methods are drug free and natural and worth experimenting with for arthritis relief.

It’s summertime and wearing those new stylish summer fashions can be so much fun, and the physical activity that you get can really boost your natural metabolism and you may shed a few pounds too.  However, when the heat and humidity rise too much, that can lead to the problem of excessive perspiration.  Some individuals are naturally prone to perspire sooner and to a greater degree than others.
 If excessive perspiration is a problem for you, there are some tips to keep this matter under control.  First of all, if an over the counter natural antiperspirant is ineffective for you, see a dermatologist.  I personally love the natural mineral salts deodorant that my boyfriend and I have begun using.  It has no aluminum in it or any other harmful chemicals, which is important because your lymphatic system has quite a few lymph nodes in your underarm area and putting a metallic substance there or other chemicals is not such a good idea. 

Also, aluminum and other chemicals in deodorant have been linked to breast cancer as well as alzheimers, so if you can get away with using a natural deodorant, you really could be making an excellent choice when it comes to your health and longevity.  There are prescription antiperspirants that they can prescribe for you.  Another alternative for excessive perspiration is Botox injections for the underarm area.
 If facial perspiration is excessive for you in hot weather, try applying a natural antiperspirant just along the hairline.  I like the spray mineral salt deodorant because it leaves no trace and is easily absorbed into the skin.  Test this out on a small inconspicuous area first to ensure it doesn’t irritate the facial area.  Make sure you take in a high fluid volume.  Lots of water helps to keep your fluid balance in check.
 Choose all of your summer apparel, including your shoes, of a light, breathable nature.  For clothing, choose light colors and a looser fit.  Some companies, such as Adidas, Nike or Timberland, have high-tech fabrics that contain copper and silver to keep you cooler.  For shoe selections, choose sandals, or if you have to wear regular shoes, use absorbent foot powders or sweat absorbing inserts.
 Keep your skin protected from sun damage since sunburned skin can not dissipate heat as well. Wear a wide brimmed hat and use a waterproof sunscreen gel that won’t wear off from perspiration.  Try to adhere to these solutions for perspiration problems so you can look and feel your best for the hot months of summer.

A cold sore may seem like a minor inconvenience but, when it is on your face, it is a big deal. Some people are more prone to break out with cold sores on a more frequent basis. There are a number of home remedies and preventative measures that are lessons in alternative complementary medicine that can be done to lessen the severity and duration of cold sores.

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus which can stay on and around your mouth without causing any problems and then you’ll feel that tingling sensation and you know it’s the start of another fever blister.   One of the easiest things you can do about it is to replace your toothbrush as it can harbor the causative virus and reinfect you.

Other ways to avoid the virus remaining in the environment is to use smaller tubes of toothpaste and store your toothbrush away from the bathroom in a dry area.   The herpes virus will thrive in a moist environment.  There are many different topical products that may be used to relieve a cold sore and shorten the duration of the outbreak.   A water based zinc solution applied as soon as you feel the tingling sensation helps to speed the healing process. 

Petroleum jelly applied over the cold sore helps to protect it from the elements.  Use a fresh cotton swab each time you apply the petroleum jelly to avoid reinfection to the area.  Witch hazel applied to a cold sore can help to dry it.  Over the counter remedies are plentiful for the treatment of cold sores.  Most of these products contain an emollient to protect and soften the cold sore and phenol or camphor to numb the area.
 Stress reduction can reduce the severity of cold sore symptoms.  Deep breathing, muscle relaxation, biofeedback and meditation can help speed healing time.  Exercise also helps bolster the immune system and will assist you in keeping viruses away.
 On a dietary basis, supplementing with the amino acid, lysine, has been found to be useful in people prone to more than three cold sores a year.  Foods to avoid are chocolate, cola, peas, peanuts, cashews and beer.  These foods are rich in the essential amino acid, arginine, which is necessary for the metabolism of the herpes virus.
Protect your mouth area from environmental trauma such as sunburn or wind exposure. 

 If you get a cold sore, don’t perceive yourself in a negative manner or stress over it.  Remember stress related to depression and anxiety will only make the cold sore worsen. Instead, try a couple of the home remedies and see how they work for you.

I know we’ve been talking a lot about both male and female hair loss and natural hair loss treatments such as Provillus to help regrow hair as well as to strengthen the existing bonds of the hairs you have on your head, but I didn’t realize what a huge problem not only male, but female, hair loss had become, and it made me start to explore the topic a little more with much interest.  We will talk about natural hair loss remedies a little more today.

Hair loss is distressing for either men or women.  It’s upsetting to our confidence and self esteem to notice a receding line growing on our forehead or on the crown of our head each time we check our appearance in the mirror.  There are natural supplements and products on the market to treat hair loss.  One of the products that is natural to slow the process of hair loss is extremely simple. 

There are shampoos designed to strengthen the hair from the root.  These shampoos contain Keratin, a protein.  Look for shampoos with Keratin that also moisturize the scalp keeping flaking at a minimum.  A flaking and dry scalp is another factor in accelerated hair loss.  Stress is a major cause of hair loss in both men and women.  Try to keep stress levels under control and find relaxation techniques that work for you to cope with some of the unavoidable stress that occurs in everyday life.
 Another natural remedy for slowing problems with hair loss is to pay special attention to your diet. Make sure to get a healthy balanced diet daily for your general well being and the condition of your hair and scalp will benefit too.  Take a multivitamin daily.  Vitamin A and vitamin E are essential to healthy hair and scalp maintenance.  Ensure you have adequate iron as a low level of iron will cause anemia which will adversely effect hair growth and regrowth. 

 Another natural method to decrease hair loss and encourage new hair growth is the use of essential oils into the scalp. Massaging essential oils to the scalp increases circulation and improves the condition of the scalp.  Essential oils used for this purpose are eucalyptus, rosemary, rosewood, cypress and geranium, just to name a few. 
Massaging the head and scalp helps to decrease stress by alleviating tension.  By using the aromatic essential oils, you’ll be decreasing your stress levels with aromatherapy at the same time as increasing circulation.
 If hair loss is a problem for you, there are volumes written on treatments to use. It’s worth investigating to see what helps you to get thicker, healthier hair.
 

After all the debate over whether coffee is unhealthy or not, you’d think it was the equivalent of a harmful drug. Well, it actually does have some health benefits when it is consumed in fair moderation on a regular basis such as antioxidant delivery as well as containing some other beneficial compounds.