Getting Rid of Yeast Infections: Alternative Therapies

A yeast infection is considered a sexual wellness problem, but there are many ways in which you can contract such an infection. The fungus Candida albicans is always present in your vagina, but a variety of factors can cause this fungus to overproduce and cause a yeast infection. Causes of yeast infections include antibiotics, birth control pills, wearing tight undergarments, and a suppressed immune system, and complementary wellness therapies emphasise eliminating these causes to treat the yeast infection, rather than eliminating the fungus. But which therapy is best for your wellbeing?

 

1. Nutritional Therapy: The foundation of nutritional therapy is dietary changes and supplements, and this is no less the case when it comes to treating and preventing yeast infections. Certain foods can contribute to a yeast infection, either by encouraging the growth of the Candida albicans or by taxing your body’s immune system. Therefore, if you have a yeast infection, you may want to avoid the following foods until it clears up, and eat them in limited amounts thereafter:

 

• Sugars (including honey, fruit juices, and maple syrup)


• Artificial sweeteners


• Cheese


• Dried fruit


• Alcohol


• Mushrooms


• Meat, poultry, and milk (which can have traces of antibiotics in them)

 

You can also keep fungal growth in check by consuming items that can introduce “good” bacteria into your body. Live yoghurt and the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and certain species of Bifidobacterium, which can be taken orally or used as a douche, can all prevent yeast infections – just be wary of artificially sweetened yoghurt. Other great antifungal foods include garlic, and anything containing caprylic acid, grapefruit seed extract, and undecenoic acid.

 

 

2. Herbal Medicine: There are several herbs which can bring your fungus levels back down to a healthy point, while others can strengthen your immune system. As well as being a folk-favourite for treating athlete’s foot, the bark of the pau d’arco tree is an excellent treatment for vaginal yeast infections – with the research to back it up. Studies have shown that the lapachol found in the bark is what works to fight infections, and you can consume this herb easily in the form of capsules, extract, or tea. Goldenseal is one of the most commonly used herbs for its immune-boosting properties, but you should not use it if you’re pregnant. Other herbal remedies for yeast infections include calendula, echinacea (purple coneflower), German chamomile, ginger, rosemary, tea tree and thyme.

 

 

3. Homeopathy: Using highly diluted doses of a natural substance that would produce the same infection symptoms if given in full strength to a healthy person, homeopathic medicine can stimulate your body to overpower the yeast infection. After asking you about your symptoms and general state of your emotional and physical wellness, your homeopath will give you an individualised remedy. Before attending your meeting, make sure you know the answers to the following questions:

 

1. Is there any vaginal discharge, and what is its colour, consistency, and smell?


2. Does walking or lying down increase the amount of discharge?


3. Is there any discomfort around your vagina?


4. Do you find it difficult or uncomfortable to urinate?

 

Once your practitioner is equipped with this information, he or she will prescribe the right remedy. This may be in the form of borax veneta, calcarea carbonica, kreosotum, mercurius solubilis, pulsatilla nigricans or sepia. For the most common symptoms of yeast infections, medical experts have formulated combination remedies that are available over the counter. However, because these remedies lack the individualisation that you usually get in homeopathy, they are considered less effective.

Categories: candida albicans, homeopathy, Infections, infections include, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, nutritional therapies, nutritional therapy, yeast, yeast infection, Yeast Infections

How Can Alternative Medicine Tackle Your Sex Problems?

You may not like to talk about sexual health concerns, but this is the first step in getting your relationship back on track. After you and your partner address these issues together, alternative practices can help to bolster your sexual wellbeing. However, if you feel a little cautious about the weird and wacky things involved in alternative medicine, we have four experts in various fields who have told us how they treat sexual wellness problems.

 

1. Nutritional Therapy: According to Ken Babal, staff nutritionist, Erewhon Natural Foods, ‘When there are breeding problems with animals, usually the first question asked by the vet is how have you been feeding the animal. Unfortunately, we don’t ask that question often enough of humans. Diet has a large part to do with that. In fact, sexual performance is a little bit like an athletic event. And you’ve got to be fit, do all the things that you need to do for good health in general: moderation with alcohol, exercise, rest, sound nutrition — all of those things. And a lot of times when I see clients, many of them are smokers. They’re overweight. They’re not fit. So that’s something we have to call to their attention. And there’s no quick solutions. You have to cultivate good habits. But once patients see the connection, they know what they have to do. Certain supplements, though, can be helpful as well.’

 

2. Ayurveda: ‘A lot of times, particularly in couples who have been together for a while and not feeling sexual, there’s a lot of internalised anger and rage and disappointment with the other person, which gets expressed as withholding of sexuality, or the feelings of passion don’t even arise,’ says Dr. David Simon, Neurologist and co-founder of the Chopra Centre. ‘One technique which we draw upon is from the Native American culture, where we encourage couples to use a talking object. Like a talking stick that the Navajo tribe used to use. When they have a discussion or there’s something that they want to talk about, they take turns while literally holding the object…It’s amazing how giving people the opportunity to be heard starts to help to process emotional hurts that they’ve been carrying around and also opens up the possibility for intimacy, which then leads to sexual passion.’

 

3. Homeopathy: Dr. Lauren Feder, physician and homeopath in private practice, notes, ‘I see a lot of women that have had babies, and a lot of women who are nursing, or have a lot of children and don’t have a strong sex drive…What I find is that if sepia is given, people start to feel better about themselves. They stop yelling as much, they’re more patient, they have more energy, and low and behold, the libido comes up and their sex drive increases.’

 

4. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): ‘There are actually many things that we can offer,’ Dr. John Chen, practitioner of TCM and lecturer at USC, asserts. ‘There are a lot of herbs that are commonly used to either facilitate the growth or maturity of the reproductive system. There are ones that will increase the secretion of sex hormones. And there are ones that will enhance sexual desire. And all these in a way do go hand in hand…When the patient comes in, we try to find out exactly what the problem is. Because let’s say if a patient has impotence, there are many reasons why this could be. It could be psychological. It could be physical. It could be a complication of a disease, or it could be a side effect of a drug. So we try to identify exactly what is the cause. Then, we will address both the cause and the symptom simultaneously.’

Categories: Alternative, alternative medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, nbsp, patient, problems, Sex Drive, sexual, traditional chinese medicine

How Can Alternative Medicine Tackle Your Sex Problems?

You may not like to talk about sexual health concerns, but this is the first step in getting your relationship back on track. After you and your partner address these issues together, alternative practices can help to bolster your sexual wellbeing. However, if you feel a little cautious about the weird and wacky things involved in alternative medicine, we have four experts in various fields who have told us how they treat sexual wellness problems.

 

1. Nutritional Therapy: According to Ken Babal, staff nutritionist, Erewhon Natural Foods, ‘When there are breeding problems with animals, usually the first question asked by the vet is how have you been feeding the animal. Unfortunately, we don’t ask that question often enough of humans. Diet has a large part to do with that. In fact, sexual performance is a little bit like an athletic event. And you’ve got to be fit, do all the things that you need to do for good health in general: moderation with alcohol, exercise, rest, sound nutrition — all of those things. And a lot of times when I see clients, many of them are smokers. They’re overweight. They’re not fit. So that’s something we have to call to their attention. And there’s no quick solutions. You have to cultivate good habits. But once patients see the connection, they know what they have to do. Certain supplements, though, can be helpful as well.’

 

2. Ayurveda: ‘A lot of times, particularly in couples who have been together for a while and not feeling sexual, there’s a lot of internalised anger and rage and disappointment with the other person, which gets expressed as withholding of sexuality, or the feelings of passion don’t even arise,’ says Dr. David Simon, Neurologist and co-founder of the Chopra Centre. ‘One technique which we draw upon is from the Native American culture, where we encourage couples to use a talking object. Like a talking stick that the Navajo tribe used to use. When they have a discussion or there’s something that they want to talk about, they take turns while literally holding the object…It’s amazing how giving people the opportunity to be heard starts to help to process emotional hurts that they’ve been carrying around and also opens up the possibility for intimacy, which then leads to sexual passion.’

 

3. Homeopathy: Dr. Lauren Feder, physician and homeopath in private practice, notes, ‘I see a lot of women that have had babies, and a lot of women who are nursing, or have a lot of children and don’t have a strong sex drive…What I find is that if sepia is given, people start to feel better about themselves. They stop yelling as much, they’re more patient, they have more energy, and low and behold, the libido comes up and their sex drive increases.’

 

4. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): ‘There are actually many things that we can offer,’ Dr. John Chen, practitioner of TCM and lecturer at USC, asserts. ‘There are a lot of herbs that are commonly used to either facilitate the growth or maturity of the reproductive system. There are ones that will increase the secretion of sex hormones. And there are ones that will enhance sexual desire. And all these in a way do go hand in hand…When the patient comes in, we try to find out exactly what the problem is. Because let’s say if a patient has impotence, there are many reasons why this could be. It could be psychological. It could be physical. It could be a complication of a disease, or it could be a side effect of a drug. So we try to identify exactly what is the cause. Then, we will address both the cause and the symptom simultaneously.’

Categories: Alternative, alternative medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, nbsp, patient, problems, Sex Drive, sexual, traditional chinese medicine

Could Hands-On Healing be the Answer to Your Ailment?

Alternative therapies have become increasingly popular in recent years, helping people who are lacking in energy and wish to restore the balance in their body. There are two camps of alternative therapies – those which use touch to soothe and massage, and those which use no contact at all to heal your mind and body. Here is a quick round up of six of the best alternative therapies.

Uptight with poor digestion?

If you’re stressed and have poor digestion, perhaps caused by Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) then you may benefit from reflexology. This therapy stimulates the predefined pressure points in the body and can help to soothe inflammation and tension, and helps to stimulate the flow of energy throughout your mind and body. Different points are connected with various areas of the body, so your toes are linked with your head, and the middle of your feet are connected to your kidneys. Studies suggest that it can help to lower anxiety levels and improve circulation, as well as being helpful in getting rid of waste to boost the immune system.

Feeling unwell with pain?

Many of us suffer with general aches and pains, feeling unwell a lot of the time but not knowing why. Reiki can be useful here, as this Japanese therapy is based on the belief that energy needs to be able to flow freely to let your body mend itself and balance your well-being. Your practitioner will establish where the blockages are and then transmit the energy, without touch, to let the body stimulate the flow. Research shows that it can decrease heart rate and blood pressure, as well as being helpful with stress.

Headaches and tiredness?

You may benefit from the lesser known Bowen technique if you have sleep problems or get headaches a lot. This technique was developed in the 50s in Australia and focuses on the gentle manipulation of the connective tissues. It may benefit you if you tend to get drained easily or find that stress builds up in certain areas through tensions. It’s a very gentle treatment and works wonders as the practitioner gently manipulates the body so it can respond to the stimulation.

Anxiety?

If you suffer with eczema, migraines or chronic fatigue syndrome then homeopathy is a great choice. The theory behind it is treating ‘like for like’. So whatever substances can cause the symptoms you have can also be used to treat it, albeit in a milder form. For example, arnica can be used for bruises. It can be helpful for people with allergy-linked problems, like eczema or IBS, as well as depression or migraines.

Muscular or injury pain?

Back pain, bad posture or an old injury causing you pain could be treated with osteopathy. This works by manipulating the joints and muscles so the body can heal itself. Your osteopath will ask you to perform simple movements so that they can evaluate the areas, then they will manipulate them to increase flexibility. It can suit active people who need something a little stronger than simply a massage.

Want to change your behaviour?

If you have a habit you want to get out of, such as smoking, hypnotherapy is a great choice. This works by getting you into a deep trance or deeply relaxed state, then  triggering healing during this state. It can be great for people with phobias or those who struggle to make the changes they want to make. Many people find this to be effective, and there have been numerous studies proving that hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for this type of problem.

Categories: alternative therapies, alternative therapy, areas, body, energy, feeling unwell, hands-on healing, homeopathy, Pain, people, poor digestion, treatment

Five of the World’s Most Popular Complementary Therapies

You may think complementary wellness is all just Chinese herbs and wind chimes, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) has actually identified more than 300 alternative therapies which are popular in different parts of the world. While some are more effective than others – and backed up with more sound research – let’s take a look at some of the more popular alternative therapies, and how they might benefit your wellbeing.

Homeopathy – Founded by German allopath Dr. Samuel Hahnenmann, homeopathy is now a little over two decades old and is based on the principle of Similia Similibus Curentur. Translated into English, this means ‘a substance which produces symptoms in a healthy body, cures the symptoms in a sick body when taken in small, diluted quantities’. Homepathy is popular for skin ailments and in treating infants and children, as the medicines are sugary-sweet.

Acupuncture – This branch of Chinese Medicine goes back 3,000 years, and works by encouraging your body to heal itself and improve its functioning. When you put needles in the acupuncture points, you stimulate your nervous system to release chemicals in your muscles, spinal cord and the brain, which either change your experience of pain or trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones.

Acupressure – This traditional Chinese medicine maintains the regular flow of your body’s bio-energy (or chi, as the Chinese refer to it). It entails using your own fingers, thumbs, elbows, palms and blunt metal or wooden instruments to increase your body’s resistance to disease, or get rid of aches and pains.

Unani – This form of medicine works on the belief that you can keep diseases at bay by the use of clean and fresh water, breathing clean air and consuming fresh food. You also need to maintain a balance between your mind and body, as this allows the metabolic process to more easily take place and evacuate your body waste. Unani medicine also believes that all life forms have originated from the sea.

Aromatherapy – This means ‘treatment using scents’ and cares for your body using pleasant smelling botanical oils such as rose, lemon, lavender and peppermint. Whether you add them to your bath, inhale them directly, diffuse them into the room or massage them into your skin, the oils can be used for the relief of pain, care for the skin, to alleviate tension and fatigue and invigorate the entire body.

Categories: acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy

Here is a Method That is Helping Many People Beat Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects the wellness of sufferers in numerous ways. It is caused by a problem with the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar level, and is treated in a variety of ways, such as through diet and through a regular program of blood testing and insulin injections.

Now, further research is being carried out into ways that complementary methods such as homeopathy can be used to help people to overcome their condition and have improved wellbeing.

Homeopathy has been found to be effective in a number of cases, and works by matching patients to the prescription that is best suited to help them manage their condition. Bryonia alba, Phosphorus, Syzygium, Arsenicum album and Nat. Sulph are all examples of alternative therapies that have been found to be effective in a number of cases.

Before following any course of homeopathy, a good homeopath should be consulted to help guide you through the process. Homeopaths believe that if the patient is carefully profiled first, the right drug can then be found and the patient will see a drop in blood sugar levels within three months.

Ayurveda is commonly used to help control the other side effects brought on by diabetes, such as problems with the liver or kidneys.

Dr. Kapoor, a leading allopath from a hospital in Delhi recommends the use of Ayurveda, although stresses that it is important to treat each patient individually and not to get too hung up on the particular labels for the types of therapy or the types of treatment that can help to negate the many difficult side effects of the disease.

Here is a Method That is Helping Many People Beat Diabetes

Categories: Diabetes, homeopath, homeopathy

Here is a Method That is Helping Many People Beat Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects the wellness of sufferers in numerous ways. It is caused by a problem with the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar level, and is treated in a variety of ways, such as through diet and through a regular program of blood testing and insulin injections.

Now, further research is being carried out into ways that complementary methods such as homeopathy can be used to help people to overcome their condition and have improved wellbeing.

Homeopathy has been found to be effective in a number of cases, and works by matching patients to the prescription that is best suited to help them manage their condition. Bryonia alba, Phosphorus, Syzygium, Arsenicum album and Nat. Sulph are all examples of alternative therapies that have been found to be effective in a number of cases.

Before following any course of homeopathy, a good homeopath should be consulted to help guide you through the process. Homeopaths believe that if the patient is carefully profiled first, the right drug can then be found and the patient will see a drop in blood sugar levels within three months.

Ayurveda is commonly used to help control the other side effects brought on by diabetes, such as problems with the liver or kidneys.

Dr. Kapoor, a leading allopath from a hospital in Delhi recommends the use of Ayurveda, although stresses that it is important to treat each patient individually and not to get too hung up on the particular labels for the types of therapy or the types of treatment that can help to negate the many difficult side effects of the disease.

Here is a Method That is Helping Many People Beat Diabetes

Categories: Diabetes, homeopath, homeopathy

Is Alternative Healthcare Worth Thinking About?

The term ‘alternative healthcare’ has been around for a while now. It effectively refers to any form of treatment, medicine or techniques that are not considered to be a part of standard scientific healthcare. They are not taught at traditional medical schools and include practices such as chiropractic care, nutrition, naturopathy, acupuncture and homeopathy.

Despite the fact that it is not considered to necessarily be standard medical practice, it has gained an awful lot of popularity in recent years. In the 1970s the term was used interchangeably with unscientific, unproven or unsafe practices. However, this is no longer necessarily the case.

Many alternative treatments have gained acceptance and popularity including the fact that they are now included in many health insurance plans today. According to statistics, in 2012, it is expected that around 70 percent of people will consult with the internet about their health concerns before choosing whether to seek professional help. They will also research to diagnose their health conditions before seeking medical care.

Of course one of the best ways to understand whether alternative treatments are popular is to look at what people spend their money on when it comes to healthcare. To look at this, the National Institute of Health conducted a large-scale survey. Around 38 percent of respondents said that they used complimentary or alternative care in that year alone. This translates to a lot of money, as 83 million adults spent $33.9 billion of their own money on these alternative therapies.

The increasing levels of popularity of complementary and alternative care are due in part to increased acceptance of these alternative medicines in medical schools and medical practices. Advances in research in the some fields like clinical nutrition, exercise physiology and chiropractic care have specifically helped to raise awareness of their usefulness.

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Is Alternative Healthcare Worth Thinking About?

Categories: Alternative, Chiropractor, homeopathy

Should Doctors Adopt Homeopathy in Mental Healthcare?

A psychiatrist in Dubai has called upon the mental healthcare community to move away from conventional medicine, and instead turn towards homeopathy as a treatment for mental wellness disorders. According to Dr Vengalis Zafeiriou, this can reduce the incidence of severe side effects.

At the second conference on Integrative Medicine Conference, organised by Dubai Healthcare City Authority’s Centre for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ), Dr Zafeiriou argued that homoeopathy can reduce the length of time you spend in hospital, the amount of medicine and laboratory examinations you need, your frequency of relapses and costs to you and state healthcare. He said that homeopathy, a form of alternative medicine, can also improve overall wellbeing and chronic disease prevention and treatment, and all this whilst being side-effect-free and easily combinable with any other treatment.

The ‘Advances in Evidence Based Integrative Medicine’ conference was created with the view of bridging the gap between conventional, complementary and alternative medicine through evidence-based integrative medicine case studies. For Dr Zafeiriou’s presentation, he provided case studies of patients suffering from alcoholism and autism.

After his lecture, Dr Zafeiriou, a Psychiatrist and President and Director of Education of the Hellenic Association of Homoeopathic Medical Cooperation in Greece, commented, ‘In psychiatry there aren’t any medicines designed to be curative, rather these relieve symptoms. Homeopathy can treat all kinds of disorders from anxiety and phobias to depression and schizophrenia. In mental hospitals, homoeopathy can treat patients with severe mental disorders, contributing considerably to the therapeutic outcome of conventional psychiatric treatment.’

But what do other insiders on the subject have to say about homeopathy’s role in mental wellness? According to John Graham, Chiropractic Practitioner, Mezyad Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, homoeopathy should become part of UAE mental health care services because it ‘has a place in psychiatric medicine. I truly believe that body, mind and spirit are interrelated – you cannot affect one without affecting the other.’

Dr Naseem Akhtar Qureshi, Director, Division of Research and Studies at the General Administration of Medical Research in Saudi Arabia, added that homoeopathy takes the stigma out of conventional mental health care: ‘Incorporating a homoeopathic unit in a psychiatric hospital will reduce the stigma associated with psychiatrists and mental hospitals. Homoeopathy will add another dimension to the holistic approach in the treatment of mentally ill patients. It will be a useful addition to the therapeutic arm of psychiatry.’

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Should Doctors Adopt Homeopathy in Mental Healthcare?

Categories: homeopathy, Mental Healthcare, Side Effects