The Best Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Remedies

Are you worried that you’re experiencing Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) symptoms? In fact, you just need to know the signs to help catch a potential infection later on. Either way, you’ll want to know not only what urinary tract infection symptoms are, but how best to treat them. Fortunately, that’s exactly what this article will show you.

Your urinary tract is a system in the body, comprised of the following organs: the kidneys, the bladder, the ureters, and the urethra. Whether you are a man or a woman, you have a urinary tract composed of those organs, but for some reason, women are more likely to develop a urinary infection than men. This may be the result of anatomical differences, where bacteria can more easily reach the bladder than in men, then multiply in the urinary tract.

Briefly, let’s go over what each part’s function is. The kidneys are two small organs at the back of the body near the base of the spine, and they take excess water and waste from the blood to convert into the urine. The ureters are two tubes, one from each kidney, that take urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The bladder is a small sac that collects and stores urine and can be voluntarily contracted to excrete urine as waste. Finally, urine passes through the urethra, which is the small tube that connects the bladder with the outside of the body, located either in the penis or above the vaginal opening, depending on gender.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) symptoms :

Now, on to urinary tract infection symptoms you might experience. In case you have a urinary tract infection,  you’ll likely have the following symptoms-

• Frequent Urination
• Cloudy or Dark urine
• Burning sensation, often accompanied by little urine
• Pain in the Pelvic region
• The feeling of incomplete bladder emptying
• Urine having a strong odor

What this means is, you’ll feel the need to urinate even when you don’t actually have much urine to expel. If you feel pain when you urinate, and you feel the need to urinate frequently (more than six times per day), you should go to the doctor. If you found blood in your urine, it is a strong indication and also a serious symptom.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Treatment:

To treat an infection, your doctor probably prescribes an antibiotic for you. Often, this will clear it right up. However, you should know that antibiotics can fail if the bacteria become resistant. Sometimes, some women can get urinary tract infections from sex. A natural cure can help eliminate the occurrence of infection, and even better, it can do so at a fraction of the price of diagnosis and the purchase of prescription drugs. If you have Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) symptoms or are simply trying to avoid them, you should look out for natural cures like some of below methods-

1. Drink Plenty of Fluids
2. Take Vitamin C foods
Vitamin C mainly available in Citrus fruits (Oranges), grapefruit, Red peppers, Kiwi fruit.
3. Take Probiotics
 Probiotics naturally available in yogurt (curd), some of the fermented foods like Kombucha, kimchi, etc
4. Healthy practices
Practicing healthy routines like preventing holding urine for too long, using hygienic toilets.

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Sinusitis (Sinus Infection): Symptoms, Causes & Natural Treatments

 

One of the most uncomfortable and annoying conditions you can have is sinusitis (also called a sinus infection). It is basically the inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. If you aren’t sure exactly where your sinuses are, grab a bottle of horseradish and have a few bites of spoonfuls (if you do this, your sinuses might sting). The general location is above the nose around the eyes and in the temples. Generally, you’ll be able to feel pain or uncomfortable pressure in your cheeks, around your eyes, in your temples or head, etc.

Natural Treatments for Sinusitis      

If you have sinusitis, you might also have a cough, a fever, worse breath than usual and nasal congestion with a lot of thick mucus. You’ll either have acute sinusitis, which is a sudden flare-up, or chronic, which is the long-term type that most people with it experience. The basic science behind a sinus infection is that bacteria that would normally not get into your sinuses somehow succeeded and now have attached to the lining of your sinuses.

Acute sinusitis

Acute sinusitis usually lasts no more than eight weeks and doesn’t show up more than three times per year. Normally, medications are needed to treat the infection, and they are usually effective. What’s key to note about acute sinus infections is that they are short, so treatment can make it go away for a while. Unfortunately, those with chronic sinusitis will continue to feel it long after their acute peers have been able to relax.

Symptoms:

Some of the common symptoms of Sinus infection are include following indications-

• Frontal headaches
• Nasal stuffiness or nasal congestion
• Coughing
• Fever
• Bad breath
• Fatigue
• Nasal discharge (discolored - greenish in color)
• Tenderness of the face

Treatment of sinusitis: 

Treatment of sinusitis is all about the relief of pressure, the drainage of mucus, the reduction of swelling in the sinuses, the eradication of any remaining infection, and the avoidance of scarring, which would potentially cause permanent damage to the tissues in the nose and mouth. To this end, doctors frequently prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Patients also will take decongestants to allow them to breathe easier. They’ll also want to take painkillers, and they’ll want to take corticosteroids, which help to clear passages by reducing inflammation.

Two-thirds of people with acute sinusitis improve without antibiotic treatment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should gamble about your unique position. It’s important whenever you have a major illness or physical setback of some sort, that you see a doctor and get a professional opinion on what you should do. One important thing to remember is to finish all your antibiotics and use as your doctor prescribed, otherwise you could end up with resistant bacteria and no antibiotics that work.

Whenever possible, it is a good idea to deal with problems without the use of powerful drugs or dangerous surgeries. This is because they often come with major side effects and other issues that you don’t want to risk having at any point. Whenever you are faced with the option of a prescription drug or a natural cure, go for the natural cure. When it comes to sinusitis, there are a number of great natural ways to treat it, and you should look into them before you give in to taking a bunch of drugs.

Natural Remedies for Sinusitis:

1. Steam inhalation-

Steam inhalation is an easy method to do at home. Keep a boiling water vessel down and bend over it to inhale its steam. Cover your head with a towel then breathe well. This method opens up the nasal passages and relieves sinus pressure. 

2. Saline nasal spray - 

image source wikipedia.org

Saline nasal solution is nothing but a mixture of clean water, salt, and baking soda. 

Inhalation of saline solution will help to relieve a blocked nose.  

3. Neti pot -  

Using Neti pot helps people to keep the mucous membrane moist and relieve pressure in the sinuses. In this method, clean water will run through one nostril to nostril. Always use sterile water or boiled cool water for this. Neti pots are available on Amazon with different material and different sizes.

4. Acupressure -

Acupressure includes applying pressure to specific points on our body.  This may ease some symptoms.

5. Hydration-  

 It is advised to keep the mucous membranes in the sinuses moist by drinking enough of fluids/water. 

The above are a few suggestions to follow during a sinus infection. Some methods may not work for some people but try the other method to get relief.

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Fitness Training And Fitness Tips For The Body & Mind

Fitness Training And Fitness Tips For The Body & Mind

Mental Fitness Tips

The other claim, however, that exercise stimulates activity in the frontal lobes of the brain are true. In tests conducted with animals, it has been found that physical activity increases levels of serotonin, dopamine, and also norepinephrine.

All of these chemicals are your body’s natural ‘mood enhancers’ and some are even natural analgesics, or rather, painkillers. So the Zoloft you may take every morning when you wake up might easily be replaced by exercise, or just by staying fit, as doing these things help to keep those levels of ‘happy chemicals’ in your brain up to par. There are also other chemicals that are released when we exercise, such as the “brain-derived neurotrophic factor” (BDNF), which are also thought to play a part in our mood.

Staying fit also helps you in more obvious ways as well. Its impact on your physical well-being is just as important as your mental health, even if it is a little bit farther into the future. Gaining lots of weight, and eventually getting ‘out of shape’ puts tremendous stress on the body. Excessive weight, or obesity, has been linked to many different diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even certain types of cancer. Unfortunately, these things can, most of the time, be prevented very easily with a proper diet and exercise. Sometimes though, it is unpreventable. Such as when it is linked to certain other diseases, side effects from medicine you may be taking, or just plain genetics. The key is though when you can prevent it, to do so.

Diet is another extremely important factor when talking about staying physically fit, however, it is something that can easily be overlooked. A poor diet has been related to many different problems including obesity, heart disease, and even some other things that would surely surprise you such as depression and infertility. Just like how the exercise you may or may not get greatly impacts your mental health, so does the diet. All the great chemicals in our brain that keep us happy such as dopamine and serotonin have to be made somehow. Our brain manufactures these things by processing different chemicals out of the food that we eat.

Also, we have to take into consideration that just as how we wouldn’t go around taking random pills from people’s houses and ingesting them, we shouldn’t be eating just any food. Just as how the medicine we take greatly affects our body, so does food. That tasty burger from the local fast food place might be quick and easy, and even smell great, but you can be sure that your body doesn’t appreciate all of that grease and fat. Some fat is necessary for you to function. The membrane that holds together every single cell within your body is made from fat. If you never ate any fat your fingernails would stop growing, all of your hair would fall out and even more! So obviously just cutting certain things out completely is not a good idea. The thing to remember is not to just get rid of things, but make sure that your diet is balanced and you get everything your body needs from the food that you eat.

Spiritual Fitness Tips

One of the most obscure, and rarely mentioned, impacts of physical fitness is how it can affect our spiritual well being. Now, my spiritual health, it must be pointed out that these words do not ascertain to merely one religion. The important point to remember is that how we feel spiritually can greatly impact our physical well-being, but also vice-versa. Depression has been known to be caused by losing faith in one’s religion, and depression can cause many problems by itself. Things can also work the other way, as we’ve already seen. If a person stays fit and active, their outlook on life will be dramatically increased. Also, maintaining an unhealthy diet also impacts our spiritual state. Gluttony is something that is frowned upon in just about every religion. It’s near impossible to feel comfortable with your spirituality if you’re not physically fit.

Even though being the skinniest one around may only seem like an intricate fashion statement, it really does go beyond aesthetics. Being physically fit is not only extremely beneficial to your body, but it is also just as pertinent to your mental and spiritual health. Even though diet and exercise are not the ‘magic cure’, or the end all be all, for staying in tip-top shape, it can greatly increase your length and quality of life. It can help to keep you off of expensive pills from your doctor such as anti-depressants or medicines for your high cholesterol. As already mentioned, staying physically fit will not cure all of your problems, but every little bit helps, and sometimes, it can exponentially increase the enjoyment you receive from life.

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Easy Ways to Lose Weight Fast Naturally with Super Foods.

These days many people are trying to diet.  They may want to lose weight for a special occasion, such as their best friend’s wedding or the high school reunion.  They may be looking to lose weight to better their health.  Or they may be battling the unsightly side effects of carrying too much weight – man boobs, beer bellies, and the like.

The weight loss battle

Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight realizes that there are really only two things that will work – diet and exercise.  Exercise is no fun and diets are hardly better.  In fact, many people have a hard time sticking to a diet because of the side effects – they are tired, hungry, and moody.  Not to mention that diets leave them craving all the foods that they should not eat, making it more likely that they will result in a binge, damaging their efforts.

Our bodies want to gain weight.  This is a throwback to the Stone Ages when humans would go through periods where food was scarce.  If the hunters were unable to take down a mammoth or other large prey, or if the growing season was thrown off making plant foods scarce, then they had to have a way to survive.  So the body stored extra food as fat that could be burned for energy later on.

These days we are in a battle with ourselves.  We have to convince our body that we don’t need to store extra fat.  Since we are no longer spending our days constantly on the move, we also have to find a way to burn off the extra fat before it becomes a problem.  And while exercise is important, your diet is crucial.  The types of food that you eat will determine whether your diet has a positive or a negative impact on your weight.

How Superfoods can help

If you are looking for a powerful way to makeover your diet, superfoods are the way to go.  You may be eating some of these foods now, or you can find an easy way to add these foods to your diet.  The only difference between a super food and a not-so-super one is the fact that superfoods are packed with higher nutrients and phytonutrients.  Phytonutrients are extra ingredients that are found in foods that give them extra health benefit.
For those people that are trying to lose weight, these superfoods can be the difference between success and failure.  Since they are more filling than sugary options, they can help keep you from mindless snacking throughout the day.  And since they are packed with nutrients they can give you the energy that your body needs to get through the day and your workout.

Planning a meal around Superfoods

If you plan your meals around superfoods, then you will quickly see the excess body fat melt away, and you will have discovered the secret to diets that work.  Remember that you should still watch portion control and that the superfoods should be used in place of less healthy choices, not in addition to.

Fiber :

Fiber is a super nutrient in its own right because it assists with many functions throughout the body.  For starters, foods high in fiber take longer to digest than other foods, so therefore you feel full longer.  Eating a diet rich in fiber will keep you from feeling hungry all the time, a common diet complaint that leads to diet failure.  Plus fiber helps to keep your digestive system moving at a steady pace, preventing troublesome constipation and gas when eaten on a regular basis.  Superfoods that are high in fiber include apples, beans, broccoli, and whole grain seeded bread.

Protein :

Protein is another super nutrient that takes longer to digest, helping the body to feel satisfied for longer.  Plus protein is a necessary component in the growth and repair of muscles.  Since exercising places strain on your muscles, you want to make sure that you are giving them the building blocks that they need to repair.

The problem with protein is that many proteins come from animal sources that can be high in fat.  So you have to use your judgment when deciding between a cheeseburger and some grilled fish.  Salmon is one of the best protein choices that you can have.  Besides being low in fat, it also contains essential fatty acids that help with body functions and can work to lower cholesterol.  For a vegetarian protein source, beans are another good choice.  Besides being high in protein beans are also high in fiber, causing them to be one of the most filling foods ounces for ounce.

Antioxidants : 

Antioxidants help to repair damage throughout the body.  This can slow down the aging process and keep you feeling good for longer amounts of time.  Most fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants.  Apples are a good choice for fruit since they are also packed with vitamin C and fiber.  Apples also travel well, allowing them to be an easy snack choice even when on the run.  Broccoli is a good vegetable choice for antioxidants.  It is also full of vitamins and fiber, and just two florets count as a serving.  If you don’t like to eat broccoli plain, consider a low-fat dipping sauce instead of rich dressings and cheeses.
Another good source of antioxidants is tea.  If you are looking for a healthy alternative to soda, or something flavored to drink in place of water, tea is a good choice.  Unsweetened tea is low in calories and full of antioxidants.  Keep in mind that many teas also contain caffeine, so avoid drinking too much if you are sensitive to stimulants or suffer from anxiety symptoms.

Fatty acids :

Fatty acids are used by the body in numerous ways.  They can help fight high cholesterol and blood pressure problems, effectively reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.  Olive oil is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids.  Try replacing butter with olive oil in your recipes to help boost their nutritional content.  Fish, especially salmon, is another good source of fatty acids, as well as a good protein source.

If you are looking to lose weight, consider adding in some of these superfoods.

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Indigestion (Dyspepsia) : Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Diet

Indigestion is a common problem in now a days because of our wrong eating habits and bad lifestyle. Digestion is very important for the proper utilization of food by the body. So here are 10 healthy tips to improve your digestion. In this article we try to highlight some of the Indigestion symptoms, causes and Treatments. 

INDIGESTION (DYSPEPSIA): SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, TREATMENT & DIET

SYMPTOMS OF INDIGESTION: 

• Stomach pain or bloating
• Heartburn (burning sensation in the stomach or chest)
• Nausea & Vomiting
• Feeling full during a meal.
• Feeling excessive belching or gas.
• Trouble in swallowing

You may like to read article  Natural Remedies for Heartburn.

CAUSES OF INDIGESTION :

• Eating too spicy, oily and fatty foods. 
• Eating too fast and rapidly
• Lying down immediately after meals
• Smoking
• Too much alcohol intake
• Sometimes side effects of medicines like Ibuprofen, aspirin etc.

TREATMENT AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES  FOR INDIGESTION 

1. EAT PLENTY OF FIBER 

Fiber is very important in our food for proper digestion and smooth bowel movement. Our daily meal should have required amount of fiber. If you eat fatty food then they are hard to digest so you can add some fiber food and pair them with fatty foods.

2. CHEW YOUR FOOD COMPLETELY

When we are very hungry we start eating like devils and swallow the food. We must understand that chewing the food is most important for digestion. As per our Indian Ayurveda it is said that you should chew food 32 times same as the number of teeth in your mouth. So take your time and chew food before swallowing.

3. EXERCISE

Exercise is very important to keep your food moving through your digestive system. You can do any form of exercise like yoga , running , gym etc. Exercise increases blood flow to your organs which aids digestion and you feel more energetic.

4. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

We often forget to drink required amount of water because of our busy schedule. Drinking plenty of water helps the food to move easily through your intestine. Eat your food and wait for 30 to 45 minutes and then drink water. It is very important to know the proper time and proper quantity of drinking water.

5. LOSE WEIGHT

Being over weight also have serious impact on digestive system. Eating too much of heavy and junk foods have serious impact on health. So follow a healthy routine to lose weight and reduce the risk of many health problems like heart diseases , diabetes and certain cancers.

6. AVOID DRINKING AND SMOKING

Smoking and drinking have a serious impact on our digestion system. Smoking weakens the valve at the end of esophagus and also increases the risk of cancer. Alcohol interferes with acid secretion and nutrients absorption. So avoid drinking too much alcohol.

7. REDUCE STRESS THROUGH YOGA

Our mind and body are connected so if our mind is full of stress then it can mess with your digestive system. Now a days there are many techniques to live stress free life. A good sleep is also very helpful in stress. The main thing is to properly understand our self and the moment we done that we automatically becomes stress free.

8. EAT WARM FOODS

Our spleen works best with warm foods and our digestive system also require heat to break down food. So add cooked vegetables , soups and tea etc in your diet and try to avoid cold food.

9. MEALS

Eat smaller meals at frequent intervals and avoid spicy, oily and fatty foods. Eat slower and don't go to bed immediately after meals.

10. REST 

Take plenty of rest. Avoid caffeine and soda related drinks.

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Herbal remedies for dandruff - Home Made Anti-Dandruff Shampoos

There are many chemical-based flake- dandruff shampoos on the market. Most of these can actually, irritate the scalp further, or strip hair of much-needed natural oils. Luckily, there are several Essential Oils (EO’s) that experts recommend to treat dandruff and itchy scalp. These include Basil, Birch, Carrot, Clary Sage, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Myrrh, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Thyme, and Ylang-Ylang. Remember that EO’s are concentrated, and most need to be diluted before applying them to the skin or scalp. You can look for herbal or organic shampoos that include these EO’s, or make your own.

Herbal remedies for dandruff

The Herbal Daily Cleansing Dandruff Shampoo should contain herbs like Sage, lavender, yarrow, rosemary, thyme, nettle, chamomile, and wild cherry. Start searching in the organic section of your local grocery or co-op, and start reading labels.

Dandruff Causes :

One thing that most of us don’t consider is how our diet and food choices affect our skin- including our scalp and hair. A healthy balanced diet is essential not only to our physical health and well-being, but to the health of our skin, our arteries, and even our brain function. The same diet of refined sugars, and extra caffeine– the one that doesn’t include enough water, fruits, and vegetables– will often contribute to dry and flaky skin, acne, overproduction of body oils, and dandruff.

Another an important tip to remember is that we need to adjust our diet and our shampoo. 

Any shampoo used continuously for too long loses effectiveness. Pick two or three favorites, and rotate your use. It is also important to wash your hairbrush, comb, and other tools used for good grooming. You should be using hot water, mild soap, and an old sterilized toothbrush to remove residues and dirt/dust from your comb and brush at least once weekly. Otherwise, you may simply be spreading a germ factory back onto your hair after you wash it, and irritating your scalp in the process.

Dandruff Treatment :

Herbal experts at Rosemary Gladstar recommend this herbal shampoo for improving the balance of your scalp and hair:

8 ounces distilled water

1-ounce herbs (combinations are given below)

3 ounces of liquid castile soap

1/4 teaspoon of jojoba oil (replace with rosemary EO for very oily hair)

25 drops of pure essential oil (pick one or two from the list at the top of the page)

Bring the water to a boil, add the herbs, cover, and let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Strain and cool.

Preparation- 

Slowly add the castile soap to the “tea” water and then mix in the jojoba oil and essential oil.

Store in a plastic container with a flip-top lid, and shake before using.

A word of warning: I once stored my own soap mixture in a beautiful blue glass pump-bottle in the shower. One morning it fell onto the tiled shower floor, and I spent two hours locating and picking out every tiny blue sliver of glass before I could safely finish my shower. Plastic does have its uses.

For dry hair, the herbal mixture would include:

1 part calendula flower

1 part marshmallow root

1 part nettle leaf (this is particularly soothing for allergy-induced dandruff

For oily hair, the herbal mixture would include:

1 part rosemary leaf

1 part witch hazel bark (not extract)

1 part yarrow leaf and flower

For golden highlights, experts suggest the following:

2 parts calendula flower

1 part chamomile flower

1 part comfrey leaf

This mixture is also particularly soothing for skin irritations.

If you prefer to create a simple rinse, consisting of EO’s and a diluting oil, recommended vegetable oils include Evening Primrose, Borage, and Jojoba. A home-made shampoo to loosen the crusty layer of dead skin cells that flake off as dandruff, and stimulate the healing mechanisms of the skin includes these ingredients:

4 ounces Soap Stew*

18 drops Rosemary EO

10 drops Thyme EO

8 drops Sage EO

Preparation - 

Blend together nicely. Do not use in combination with harsh chemical shampoos from the supermarket. Instead, alternate with the following home-made shampoo that stimulates healthy scalp and hair:-

4 ounces Soap Stew*

10 drops Sage EO

10 drops Lemon EO

5 drops Basil EO

15 drops Eucalyptus peppermint

Blend together well.

*Soap Stew can be made with a variety of simple ingredients, depending on availability. The easiest way to make this basic soap or shampoo starter is to use unscented liquid Castile Soap. If you have access to pure white blocks of Castile, grate 4 ounces finely, and add to 1 quart of simmering spring water until the soap has dissolved.

Additionally, a simple Cider Vinegar Rinse– focusing on the scalp, and not on the hair– is said to be an excellent treatment for dandruff. Avoid distilled vinegar. Add 2 to 5 drops of your chosen Essential Oil per tablespoon of vinegar. Two teaspoons of the mixed cider vinegar added to an ounce of water gives you a final rinse to use just before leaving the shower.

Basic Home Made Shampoo :

Ingredients: Half a cup of water 

Half a cup Castile vegetable-based liquid soap like Dr. Bronner’s (available on Amazon) 

1 teaspoon light vegetable oil or glycerine (omit if you have oily hair) 

A few drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)

Preparation - Combine ingredients, mix well and put in a recycled clean shampoo bottle. 

Take two spoons full of the shampoo or less to lather once, and then rinse with warm water. This homemade shampoo is thinner than commercial shampoo and it won’t suds as much — but it will eliminate oil and grime just as well as the over-the-counter stuff.

The Last line-
Dandruff is a frustrating problem, they are many natural remedies available which can reduce symptoms and provide relief for dandruff symptoms.

References-

-Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal. Storey Publishing, 2001.

-Valerie Ann Worwood’s The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. New World Library, 1991.

Thank you for reading. If you like the article please like and comment. Also, share it with the person who needs the information. 

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