Men And Women Health

There is a lot of talk in recent years about the concept of a "sick building". Obviously, buildings don't get sick. What this term refers to is a buildings ability to make its residents sick. This can happen for a variety of reason, but generally it all boils down to indoor air pollution which some people have allergic reactions to. The amount of indoor pollution depends on the materials a home is constructed with and how much ventilation it has.

I am not a doctor by any means, and have no idea why more and more people are having allergic reactions to their homes. But if you are a sensitive type, or have a compromised immune system, it might be a good idea to give some thought to avoiding sources of indoor pollution.

Some indoor air pollution comes from heating systems. Furnace ducts can become dusty or even moldy. When air blows through them it can spread mite feces and mold spores throughout the home. As disgusting as this sounds it is actually quite common. Ducts should be cleaned at least once a year, or anytime you notice a feeling of stuffed up sinuses whenever your furnace is on.

Laminate flooring, counter tops and cupboards can be the source of some problems as well. Formaldehyde and adhesives used to preserve and hold together particle or fiber-board can gas-off toxic fumes. These fumes can result in headaches and an overall weakened immune system. New carpets often produce these fumes, as well as harboring more dust than other floors. To avoid these fumes, choose natural flooring such as wood or tile, install tile or granite counters, and look for cupboards made of real wood instead of pressed-board.

There are a lot of chemical additives that are used to treat things like upholstery fabrics. If you find yourself getting head-aches ever since you got new living-room furniture and drapes, it could be from the flame retardant and stain resistant chemicals that these products are often treated with. Some manufacturers are now choosing safer, less toxic flame-retardants, and if you suspect you are sensitive, it might be best to look for these alternatives.

If you are planning to paint your home, look for low VOC paints. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, toxic chemicals which, again, can gas-off into the air. Low VOC paints are just that, paints made with few or no toxic compounds.

Sometimes, the building materials mentioned above are hard to avoid. In cases like this, ventilation may help. If you are moving into a brand-new home, try to give the home some time to release all its gasses before you move right in. Leave the doors and windows open as often as possible. Keep a fan on even when you aren't there. If you feel like you need extra help, look into the variety of air purifying devices available. These measures will help minimize the amount of indoor air pollution in your home.

Aromatherapy has become very popular over the past few years, serving as a means of relaxation and relief. Comprised of a blend of a variety of essential oils and massage oils, it is widely used throughout the world to help calm and rejuvenate the entire body. That is why it is also known as health for the body, mind, and spirit.

The term Aromatherapy comes from two words: 'aroma', meaning fragrance, and 'therapy', meaning treatment. It is a healing art based on nature and is said to be very successful in effecting the body, mind, and spirit. Increasingly used in society today, Aromatherapy is a fast growing therapy in holistic medicine. Even as far back as 18,000 b.c., flowers and plants were used for healing, relaxing, and energizing the body. Aromatherapy was used by three of the most ancient civilizations: Egypt, China, and India, and is reputed to be at least 6,000 years old.

Aromatherapy, as we know it today, began with the Egyptians who used the method of infusion to extract the oils from aromatic plants to be used for healing purposes. In additional to medicinal uses, Aromatherapy was also used for both cosmetic reasons and for embalming. During this time, certain plants were used for specific conditions, whereas others were used for religious purposes. Some were even believed to have the power to raise the level of consciousness or promote a state of tranquility.

The Egyptians understood the uses and benefits of Aromatherapy and incorporated it into their cooking as well. Here, specific herbs were used to help the digestive process while others protected against infection and helped build the immune system. After bathing, the Egyptians believed in being massaged with fragrant oils.

It is also believed that there is a strong possibility that the Chinese were using some form of aromatics at the same time as the Egyptians. The Shen Nung's Herbal book is the oldest surviving medical book in China and is dated about 2700 B.C. and contains information on over 300 different plants and herbs. The Chinese used aromatic herbs and burned aromatic woods and incense as a way of showing respect to God.

Traditional Indian medicine known as ayurveda has been practiced for over 3,000 years. The Greeks also continue to use Aromatic oils, along with many other countries and cultures. Pretty soon the use of Aromatherapy spread, and it is now one of the most widely practiced natural forms of healing all over the world. Drawing from what was used in ancient times, the Aromatherapy of today is a blend of the different cultures and is enjoyed by many people on a regular basis.

It can be really confusing if you are debating a change in your health care needs and want to select or change to alternative medicine. How would you know which category of alternative medicine would be most beneficial and suit your requirements? You would need to be careful and understand just what your medical needs are, and then, you would in addition, need a working knowledge of the category and the kind of alternative medicine that would be most effective for your problem.

You will find there are quite a large range of categories of alternative medicine. Many of these different categories were formulated due to the fact that there is no conventional, or allopathic medicine (Western medicine is by and large an allopathic system) cure or treatment for lots of medical anomalies, or anything unusual. therefore many people are looking for something that will help them, maybe not cure them or at least not a complete cure, but a little bit of hope for their health problem. Even for diseases where a cure is sometimes attainable, alternative medicine is occasionally the more dependable option.

With a cancer patient, for instance, there are genuine studies in the research books where many cancer patients who have been through chemotherapy and radiation, and the caring oncologist has told their patient to go home and get all their affairs in order, because there was nothing more that could be done for them. Their are many patients, who have refused to just give up hope, and have turned to alternative medicine that included herbs and/or natural plant substances such as seeds, and in a short period of time, tests disclosed that the cancer was either hugely decreased in size, or had even in some cases completely disappeared. After hearing of testimonials like this, anyone would be silly not to want to attempt using any category of alternative medicine.

In addition, there are some people who would mistrust conventional medicine after an experience like this, and pass their opinions on to other people. Alternative medicine's popularity is growing by leaps and bounds, possibly due in part to bad experiences with allopathic doctors and their role as healers in our society.

Obviously, it is not possible to know how many of the successes with alternative medicine were due not only to the fact that so many categories of alternative medicine are accessible for any illness or disease conceivable, but also as medical doctors and doctors of alternative medicines have actually seen many times, the power of the mind can achieve great healing. While alternative medicine has both the range and the ability to be able to heal, how much of its success is ascribable to the fact that its fans believed they would be made well so powerfully that a virtual miasma of hope came forth from their soul to join with the branches of alternative medicine and induced a healing?

We may never know how much power our minds have when it comes to alternative medicine, however, that alternate medicine does indeed work, and it has for numerous numbers of patients, that in itself is quite sufficient.