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Cupping is one aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine that you may not have heard of before but that can have many benefits for you

 – from helping with pain right through to respiratory disorders. Read on to find out about cupping more.

What is Cupping?

Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy in which a cup is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced (either by heat or suction) in order to draw and hold skin and superficial muscles inside the cup. Sometimes, while the suction is active, the cup is moved, causing the skin and muscle to be pulled. This is called gliding cupping.

Cupping is applied to certain acupuncture points as well as to parts of the body that have been affected by pain, where the pain is deeper than the tissues to be pulled. Cupping has greater emphasis on the back acupuncture due to the ease with which it can be performed on the back. Most practitioners use the back shu points or bladder meridian and the dazhui. It is frequently used after acupuncture, blood letting, or plum blossom treatment.

Cupping is based on the meridian theory of the body. On one hand, cupping removes any stagnation in the body and opens the meridians so that qi can flow freely. On the other, it also helps to rejuvenate certain meridians and organs that are not functioning at their best. From a scientific standpoint, cupping is known to help activate the lymphatic system, promote blood circulation, and is good for deep tissue repair.

The Cupping Process

Glass cups are generally used for cupping, although bamboo cups are also used. Glass cups are fitted with a valve that attaches to a small hand-operated pump, allowing the practitioner to suck out air without having to rely on fire to depressurise the cup first. It also gives them greater control over the amount of suction. The modern name for cupping is baguanfa or suction cup therapy.

In order to allow the cups to move over the skin easily, oil is used. Oils that have been infused with extracts of medicinal herbs are particularly useful. The cups are applied at room temperature, and there is some friction generated with moving cups, causing a small but significant amount of heat, especially if a warming oil is also used.

Cups are generally left in place for ten minutes although the time can range from five to fifteen minutes. The skin will redden due to the congestion of blood flow. The cup is removed from the skin by pressing the skin on one side, allowing some outside air to enter and thus equalise the pressure. Some bruising on the skin where the rim of the cup is to be expected.

What Cupping Can Help

Cupping is generally recommended for the treatment of pain, gastrointestinal disorders, lung diseases (especially chronic cough and asthma), and paralysis, although it does have application for other problems. Cupping should be done on fleshy areas of the body and should not be used on inflamed skin, where there is a high fever, convulsions or an increased tendency to bruise, or on the abdominal or lower back area during pregnancy. The cups should only be moved over fleshy areas of the body.

Cupping can affect the body up to four inches into the tissues, causing the tissues to release toxins, activate the lymphatic system, clear colon blockages, activate and clear the veins, arteries and capillaries, activate the skin, clear stretch marks, and improve the appearance of varicose veins.

source : naturaltherapypages.com.au

One out of every three people in the United States has high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. Hypertension is called the silent killer because early symptoms are not evident, and by the time they do appear they can be quite serious and even life-threatening. Visiting a health practitioner or using a home meter to monitor blood pressure regularly is recommended.

While certain natural herbal remedies might be helpful in lowering and controlling blood pressure, they should be used only under the supervision of a health practitioner because of possibly serious side effects.

Step 1
Use garlic to help lower blood pressure. Along with potentially being able to lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots, garlic also might be effective for clinical use in certain people with hypertension, according to nutritionist Dr. Liz Applegate. German scientist Guautnter Siegel, M.D., of the University of Medicine in Berlin, reports that garlic removes nanoplaque, or preliminary forms of plaque, from the blood vessels and might prevent atherosclerosis.

Step 2
Take garlic capsules as a supplement. Garlic also can be used in cooking or made into a tea by crushing one clove and steeping it in a cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove the garlic and sip the tea throughout the day. Honey can be added to sweeten.

Because it can also thin the blood, garlic should be used only under the supervision of a health practitioner.

Step 3
Use the herb hawthorn as a heart tonic to strengthen the walls of the heart and overall cardiovascular system, says to David Conway in his book "The Magic of Herbs." It has the ability to lower blood pressure and might be helpful for certain individuals. Hawthorn can produce serious side effects, and should be used only under the supervision of a health practitioner familiar with this herb.

Step 4
Take gingko biloba to help dilate blood vessels and thin blood platelets. Gingko's action on blood vessels might improve circulation, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Gingko leaves contain both flavonoids and terpenoids, substances high in antioxidants, which have been found to be helpful in preventing heart disease and lowering blood pressure. Ginko supplements are available in health food stores.

Step 5
Use rauwolfia serpentina, or Indian snakeroot, for the treatment of hypertension. Its alkaloids might help heart function and blood pressure issues, especially when stress-related or stemming from anxiety, according to the University of Michigan Health Services. Rauwolfia serpentina is a very potent herb and contains respirine, which in high doses can cause serious side effects. This herb should not be taken except under the supervision of qualified health practitioner familiar with its action.



TIPS AND WARNINGS

• Gingko biloba is an herb from the oldest tree species on earth. Take herbs one at a time to check how they react with your constitution. Herbal extracts of hawthorn and rawolfia serpentina are available in some health food stores and from professional herbalists. Consult with an herbal specialist or your practitioner for dosing directions.
• All herbs can cause side effects, some more serious than others. Use only the highest-quality herbs and extracts for purity. Do not self-treat for hypertension with herbs. Do not use herbs if you are taking hypertension medicines, unless under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner.

THINGS YOU'LL NEED

• Garlic
• Gingko biloba
• Hawthorn
• Rauwolfia serpentina

REFERENCES

• American Heart Association: What Is Homocysteine?
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginkgo biloba
• "The Magic of Herbs"; David Conway; 1973
• Baxco Pharmaceuticals: Benefit of Garlic in Cardiovascular Disease
• University of Michigan Health Services: Hypertension

Cayenne pepper, the bright red spice which you may have used in curries or other cooking in the past has at least two fairly miraculous properties. Now, it’s not uncommon for herbs and spices to show medicinal properties and a lot of them appear in all sorts of ancient remedies or natural healing techniques. There has been all sorts of research into these methodologies and in a lot of cases a positive result was found when a herb or spice was used to treat an ailment, though perhaps not one as profound as the pharmaceutical alternative.

Cayenne pepper is something that I put, generally in small amounts, into everything I cook. This is because it boosts your metabolism and allows your body to burn off the calories quicker than it otherwise could, meaning that less gets stored as fat and you’ll put on less, if any, weight. It’s fairly spicy so, unless you’re cooking a curry or similar, I’d advise less than a teaspoon. If you’re after the heat then add it to taste. The more you put in the more of an effect it will have on your metabolism so don’t be scared to experiment!

The other miraculous property is only seen when cayenne pepper is used topically on the skin generally in the form of a cream. When it’s used to treat things like impetigo (a contagious skin infection which often presents with angry red lesions which can be itchy or inflames) it can lessen the discomfort of the patient by helping to block pain receptors and nullify the ability of our nerves to send and receive signals to that area. It’s been used in the same way for hundreds of years by ancient cultures and still is today.

Though cayenne can be amazingly potent in what it does, it’s never advised you self-treat without consulting your doctor first. They may have a pharmaceutical option which will be more effective or you may have mis-diagnosed yourself! It’s always better to check first.

Source : yourwellness.com

Master Cleanse: Martha Vineyard Master Cleanse Detox Diet Detox Master Cleanse Diet Fast Food Chronic undernutrition is one of the most common features of this disease and diet therapy must aim to boost energy intake. Just two doses over the three days you're trying to detoxify your body, and diet with Master Cleanse. Lack of antioxidants results in poor energy levels and since energy is an important requirement for removing toxins this can lead to toxins building up and resulting in poor health. By definition, body detox implies a continuous process of neutralizing and eliminating the toxins in the body. Initially known for elimination of excessive alcohol and drugs from the body, detox is now being used more extensively for the process of elimination of any kind of toxins that may be present in the body.

Besides achieving a healthy weight you can expect to have a clearer skin healthy looking hair strong nails and more energy.But the greatest assault of daily toxins often comes from the food that we eat particularly our ingestion of sugar nicotine alcohol caffeine and chemicals - what nutritionist and detox specialist Dr Elson Haas calls "SNACCs". What a good full body detox does is also remove impurities from the blood through the liver. How Do I Master Cleanse Detoxify My Urine Have you ever washed greasy dishes without hot water or dish soap? The dishes don't get clean do they? When toxic metals and chemical food additives get inside your body it takes a strong "cleanser" to scrub your body clean from the inside out. Master Cleanse program is highly popular with celebrities in Hollywood.

Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventetive measure to all kind's of health problems, which is the reason why you must be on the Master Cleanse Today we have a range of products diets and information available to assist us with removing the toxins from our body. Each organ needs to be stimulated to clean out clogged tissues and suffocated cells from the cumulative damage of alcohol/ cigarettes/ caffeine/ prescription drugs/ sugar/ pollution/ chemicals and hormones in our food. Given the rather toxic environment we live in today and the plethora of unknown substances and chemicals that are included and lodged in the things we eat the water we drink and the air we breathe.

Master Cleanse: Thc Natural Master Cleanse Detox This results in overloading of internal cleansing organs like liver and kidneys. Seventy percent of all disease processes have some emotional component to them. So if you are doing all the right things and taking all the right drugs supplements and diet for something and it still isn't working these drops may be your ticket. For the most part, the diets are meant to be relatively short term, or at least the most stringent part is.

You will only be required to fast and undergo body cleansing for a few days. Anything longer will definitely cause health problems. Fasting for any length of time will cause nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, dehydration, and possibly eating disorders. Likewise, the colon cleansers that are used to rid the body of waste are basically laxatives that can also cause dehydration and nutritional deficiencies if used in excess. So it would seem that you are doing something very dangerous, but because you only do it for a short time, they try to pick out the potential beneficial aspects of it. swollen limbs/face headaches mobilization of mucous weakness weight-loss diarrhea nausea vomiting and other digestive disorders.

See more on Master Cleanse at Master Cleanse Saunas are another effective method of getting rid of toxins in the body. A particular procedure known as the far infra red sauna (FIR) first invented by the Japanese has been shown to be a very effective method of detoxification. Toxic substances have penetrated every part of our living; the food we eat. identify what toxins or toxic substances are in excess in your body.

Secondly cleanse your body of these substances through any one of the various detoxification procedures. Master Cleanse Benefits: These toxins will continue to contaminate the cells instead of providing the nourishment that the cells need. The backlash against carbohydrates is a result of the low fat craze that started in the 80's.

When consumers started cutting down their fat intake manufacturers figured out that they could create low fat processed food products that the public would buy. You took time to build those toxins up. More on Master Cleanse Diet at Master Cleanse The retreat that Dr.

Lemon Master Cleanse Detox Since it has become virtually impossible to eliminate these dangerous chemicals from our environment the only option we are left with. Master Cleanse is the world most popular diet program. Learn more on about The Master Cleanse. I could eat these foods either raw or choked and olive oil and herbs for flavoring were allowed.

Juice fasts and other dietary regimens designed to cleanse the system form an integral part of complementary therapies such as naturopathy. Skin brushing (or dry brushing) can aid the detox process, use a loofah or natural bristle brush and starting from the hands brush the skin gently. Always start from the extremities and work towards the heart or centre of your body. Skin brushing will aid your circulation, remove dead skin cells and make you feel rejuvenated. A health care practitioner would be the perfect person to design a programme that would fit your needs best.

So, do start your master cleanse diet today. When this happens normal elimination doesn't work efficiently and the healthy functions of these tissues are damaged. But inside nicely tucked away our sewer system can rot for years and years before we get serious signs diminishing our natural cellular defence.

source : hipaa-iq.com

The Master Cleanse is a type of fasting plan that uses fresh lemon juice as one of its main dietary components. During the cleanse, you avoid all solid food and instead drink a specially formulated beverage. Since the diet is very low in calories, you are likely to lose weight. However, very low-calorie fasts can put a person at risk for health complications.

HISTORY
The Master Cleanse is also known as the Master Cleanser or the Lemonade Diet. It was developed almost 50 years ago and based on a book written by Stanley Burroughs. The book was published to explain a plan meant to rid the body of toxins. However, since the celebrity Beyonce announced that she lost a lot of weight using Master Cleanse, it became more commonly used to achieve quick weight loss.

FEATURES
According to MasterCleanse.org, to make the diet's lemonade mixture, you combine 8 ounces of water, 1/10 tsp of cayenne pepper and 2 Tbsp of grade B maple syrup in a plastic liter bottle. Extract 2 Tbsp of juice from a half of a lemon. Shake the ingredients thoroughly and consume as much of the concoction as you like over the course of the day along with a minimum of eight glasses of water.

TIME FRAME
The diet is typically followed for an average of four to 14 days. Once the fast is over, a light diet is recommended for three days. Broths, juices, vegetables and fruits are typically the only foods consumed for the three days after the diet. On the fourth day, you can resume a normal low-fat diet.

EFFECTS
Due to the low-calorie nature of the diet, you are likely to experience some adverse side effects. Common complaints include headache, dizziness, nausea and fatigue. Due to the extreme nature of the diet, an exercise plan is not recommended.

EXPERT INSIGHT
It is recommended by the Weight Control Information Network sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases that very low-calorie diets only are done under medical supervision. It is also likely that even though you may lose a lot of weight at first, the weight is likely to come back once you resume your normal diet. You should never do the Master Cleanse if you suffer from any type of medical condition.

source : livestrong.com

Potatoes

Potato ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato ) is a kind of vegetable that is not recommended for consumption if you're on a weight loss program. But with just slight modifications, the potatoes can be an effective herbal weight loss weapon.

Potatoes contain nutrients such as calcium, potassium and beta-carotene, and able to meet the 10 percent of the body's daily fiber requirement. The fiber can support the removal of solid waste from the body and accelerate the burning of fat through the digestive system.

In addition, a study conducted at Arizona State University shows that potatoes can be a good fat burner because it contains vitamin C. Drink this natural weight loss before meals can control the production of the hormone leptin and ghrelin which affect hunger.

Eating foods that keep you full longer is the key to losing weight. As quoted from onlymyhealth, here are the steps to lose weight with potato juice:

1. Choose fresh potatoes

Potatoes that you choose should be fresh, typically have a strong brown color. Do not choose potatoes that have faded or been covered with green or white sprouts on it.

2. Make potato juice

Rinse potatoes and cut widened into several parts in order to put it into a blender. You can keep the potato skins, because the highest natural vitamins for weight loss content is on the skin. Add natural honey to make it taste better.

3. Drink potato juice before meals

Drink potato juice about 2 hours before breakfast and 1/2 hour before dinner. But even tough you want to drink the juice after eating dinner, you'll still get the same potato juice benefits.

4. Choose healthy foods

Although you have drinking this natural weight loss drinks juice every day before meals, this method will not work if you eat unhealthy foods like junk food afterwards. Be sure to eat healthy foods after drinking potato juice.

How to dye your gray hair

The gray hair that is almost covered all your hair can be restored to a natural black color using natural herbs. You also do not need to go to the salon for hair dyed made from chemicals. How to dye your gray hair? To apply those natural herbs, you need to practice the following recipe:

1. Sage Natural Dye

1/2 cup Sage (herbal tea) dry
2 cups water

The trick: boil all ingredients for a couple of hours earlier. Then strain and rinse hair with liquid distillate earlier. After the liquid dries, rinse with warm water. Do it every other day to get perfect results.

2. Rosemary and Sage Dye

1/4 cup Rosemary
1/4 cup sage (herbal tea)
2 cups water

How: Just as the same as the recipe number one. The only difference is you need to mute the fluid dries on the hair overnight. Then later in the morning, rinse with the warm water.

3. Potato skins

Simply peel boiled potatoes for 30 minutes. Then let it cool and strain the cooking water to rinse the hair.

4. Indian Gooseberry

Combine powdered Indian Gooseberry with enough water. Then simmer until the mixture thickens. After quite thickened, and the solution was cooled, apply it to the hair or hair dye henna like usual .. Leave for 30 minutes then rinse off using warm water.

5. Walnut shell

2 cups water
5-10 black walnut shells

How: Boil the black walnut shells to produce a brown liquid. After boiling let it cool overnight. In the morning, strain the liquid before and smeared into the hair. In order tp not stain skin and clothing, after smeared liquid, cover hair with a shower cap.

6. Natural Rinse

1 teaspoon of ginger powder, dry mustard and curry powder
1 vertebra turmeric small
1 cup of water

How: Boil a mixture of spices and water. After it feels rather cold, boil the water rinse hair and leave it earlier to about thirty minutes. Then rinse your hair with cold water and vinegar mixture.

7. Sage and Rum

4 teaspoons dried sage
2 cups water
4 teaspoons rum
30ml glycerin
Vitamin E

How: Boil sage and water for two hours. Once it feels cool, pour the liquid into a glass and add the rum, glycerin and a few drops of vitamin E. Whisk all ingredients until all is mixed. Then apply to the gray hairs.

8. Beet Juice

Combine black tea, coffee or walnut shells beetroot juice. Then and apply to the hair by hand.

Now, did you have any experiences with How to dye your gray hair? Please leave comment below.

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