ALTITUDE SICKNESS

ALTITUDE SICKNESS

SYMPTOMS – A sickish feeling as you move upward, higher above sea level.  The result is headache, fatigue, malaise, fainting, as well as extreme thirst.

        CAUSE – The higher you go, the 

less oxygen there is.  At 8,000 feet, the atmosphere contains half the oxygen of the air at sea level.  If you ascend slowly, a few thousand feet a day, your body will probably adjust to the decreased oxygen, with few ill effects.  But rapid ascents deprive your body of oxygen, and altitude sickness results.  You also tend to become dehydrated.

        NATURAL REMEDIES

·       Drink plenty of water before you start your ascent.  Continue drinking as you climb.  Drinking enough liquids is extremely important!

·       Clove oil is rich in eugenol, which tends to thin the blood.

·       Other eugenol herbs include allspice and  marjoram.

ALLSPICE

MARJORAM

·       Garlic contains 9 compounds that thin the blood.  That makes it outstanding in preventing heart attacks-and altitude sickness.

 GARLIC

 TOMATO

FENNEL

·        Tomato, dill, and fennel also have this property.

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MOTION SICKNESS (Car Sickness)

MOTION SICKNESS

(Car Sickness)

MOTION SICKNESS

(Car Sickness)

       SYMPTOMS – Nausea, excessive salivation, vomiting, cold sweat, queasy feeling, stomach churning.Possible dizziness, sometimes fainting.

        CAUSE – The semicircular canals in the inner ears detect your vertical position.  When there is  too much jostling back and forth,  movement which you do not have control over (as when riding in cars, planes, or boats), your sensory system may become overloaded.  Since your eyes also sense vertical balance, what you see does not seem to agree with what your labyrinthine receptors in the inner ear sense.Then mental confusion results.  Nausea occurs when the brain does not know what to tell the body to do.  This weakens the stomach.

       The experts say that nausea at such time also indicates that your liver is not doing well.

        NATURAL REMEDIES

·       If at sea, lie down and close your eyes.  If in a car seat, rest your head back on the headrest, so it is somewhat faced upward.  This relaxes the semicircular canals.

·       Charcoal Tablets  may help settle the stomach.

·         Ginger capsules are highly recommended.

·       Raspberry leaf  tea  is also recommended for the nausea of motion sickness.  It can also be mixed with ginger.  Black horehound can reduce nausea.

                PREVENTION

·       Prevention is the best. Do not eat heavily processed meals, drink liquor, or eat junk food.  Some people do well eating a few whole-grain crackers  before and during the trip.  Avoid smoke and food odors.  Stay cool and get fresh air! Cool air is best.

·       You may wish to take 5 charcoal tablets, one hour before the trip begins.  Another method 2 ginger tablets every 3 hours, beginning one hour before the trip.  Ginger helps prevent motion sickness, by absorbing acids and thus preventing nausea.

·       Some recommend additional magnesium (500 mg, one hour before trip), and vitamin B6 (100 mg, one hour prior to the trip), to relieve anticipated nausea.

·       In order to settle the stomach before a trip, use the nervine  herbs:  hops, skullcap, chamomile, and valerian root.

·       Grab your earlobes and pull down.  This increases circulation to the inner ear and helps prevent motion sickness.  Do this often during the trip

·       Lean back and breathe deeply; try to relax and take a sip of water from a cup every few minutes.  Avoid rapid changes in body position or head motion.

·       Do not use products that impair-circulation: nicotine, caffeine, and salt.

Here are more preventive suggestions:

·       Travel at night.  When it is dark, what you see conflicts less with what you sense and the air tends to be fresher.

·       If possible, keep a window open and stay near it, all the while breathing that fresh air.

·       Sit still and do not look around very much.  Look straight ahead.  If you are in the driver’s seat, you will sense (and have) better control of the movements taking place.

  Do not read while riding.  Keep your eyes on something stationary far ahead.

·       Take a daily  B-complex supplement  and  vitamin C (2,000 mg) for two weeks before traveling.

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Herbs That Fight Arthritis

Herbs that fight Arthritis

Rosemary

Anti Inflammatory, Anti- oxidanyt

and Analgesic

Flaxseed

 Contains essential Fatty Acids, Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

Stinging Nettle

Anti inflammatory, Anti- oxidant and Deuretic

Celery Seed

Anti inflammatory, Have essential fatty acids and Anti oxidant

Willow

Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

Turmeric

Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

Licorice

Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

Burdock

Anti inflammatory, Contains essential fatty acids and Diuretic

Cayenne

Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

Oregano

Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

Ginger

Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

Pineapple

Anti inflammatory, Anti- Oxidant and Analgesic

So these are the 12 herbs that fights arthritis. Most of them are anti inflammatory and analgesics. But still the best is proper diet and drink plenty of water to help these herbs do their job.

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HEAT EXHAUSTION

HEAT EXHAUSTION

SYMPTOMS –Thirst is generally the first symptom of heat exhaustion, followed by general malaise, weakness, tiredness, a loss of appetite, headache, pallor, dizziness, and a general flu-like feeling that may include nausea and even vomiting.  Sometimes the heart races and concentration becomes more difficult.

Heat exhaustion is less severe than heat stroke, and may occur over several days out in the sun.  Dehydration may eventually lead to blood volume loss, poor heat regulation and shock.

CAUSE – Heat exhaustion is generally caused by water depletion (dehydration) and, more rarely, by a lack of salt in the diet(salt depletion).  When we sweat, we lose both water and salt (sodium, as well as potassium).

NATURAL REMEDIES

IMMEDIATELY

·        Get out of the sun immediately:  so body temperature will not continue to rise and the body will not lose more water and salt.  If  you remain in the sun, even though resting and drinking fluids, your  temperature will continue to rise!  Do not return to the sun for many hours!

·        In the early stages , drink large amounts of mineral rich vegetable and fruit juices. Water alone cannot replace electrolytes that was lost in perspiration. Potassium rich vegetable broths are helpful. Make a broth of potato peeling for electrolytes.

Prevention

Drink plenty of water. Drink diluted electrolyte drinks and avoid salt tablets.

Do not use caffeine, alcohol or tobacco. Caffeine and alcohol accelerates dehydration while smoking constricts blood vessels.

Adapt yourself to the sun slowly. Avoid sun in midday. Wear a hat and wear light colored shirt.

Pour water over your head and shoulder especially if the weather is too hot.

Make ¼ cup dried lemon balm herb to a 1 quart of boiled water. Chill the juice it is refreshing and cooling to the body.

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FAINTING

FAINTING

(Syncope)

SYMPTOMS – The person passes out and becomes unconscious.

CAUSES – Painting points to some other problem, such as hysteria, epilepsy, insulin shock, heat exhaustion, lack of oxygen, anemia, dehydration, carotid artery obstruction.

NATURAL REMEDIES

WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY

·        Check   the pulse, heartbeat, and breathing.  Often a dash of cold water  in the face helps.  Get air to him:  Loosen tight clothing: open windows and doors; and have  others stand back, so the person can get more air.     Stimulate the heart:   Use your fist to pound slightly on the back between the shoulders.  When able to drink,  give him a little cold water.

·        If you have it available, place 8 drops of antispasmodic tincture on the back of the tongue.  If you know in advance that the person has these fainting problems, you may want to prepare the tincture and keep it on hand.   Information is at Antispasmodic tincture.

·        Sometimes artificial respiration or oxygen is needed.  As soon as the person is conscious, try to find the cause and deal with it.

·        If a person has frequent fainting spells, give him an herb tea of mint, skullcap, catnip, rue, mistletoe, rosemary, and small amount of cayenne.

·        For those who have collapsed, here are water therapy techniques which will prove helpful.  They are described in the Hydrotherapy  chapter.  Alternate Hot and Cold Compress over the Spine:  Cold friction:  Hot enema:  Alternate Compress over the Heart:  Hot Blanket Pack for 15 minutes, followed by Cold Mitten Friction.

·        Heat to neck and short cold application to chest and face.  Alternate Compress  to spine: percussion of the chest with the hands dipped in cold water or with the end of a cold towel; vigorous friction, rhythmically moving the tongue back and forth to help wake him up.

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NAUSEA

NAUSEA

               SYMPTOMS – A sick feeling in the stomach, similar to motion sickness

               CAUSE – A variety of things can induce nausea, including nutritional deficiencies, food intoxication, food allergies, pregnancy, and cancer.  Repeated bouts of nausea may be due to food allergies.  A common cause of nausea is worms or constipation.

NATURAL REMEDIES

·        Use the treatments suggested for Motion Sickness, especially the  charcoal and ginger root formula.  Powdered  ginger root is a definite help in eliminating nausea.

·        Do not forget the final solution.  Go ahead and vomit.   That is best  if the nausea is caused by something recently eaten.  Read vomiting.  It will provide very helpful information.  It will also tell what to do if you have been nauseated and vomiting for days.

·        Eat a small amount of dry toast or crackers to clear nausea caused by excess exercise.  If you are hypoglycemic, add some protein.  For post-operative nausea, take two 500-mg capsules of ginger.

·        Add a pinch of ginger to other teas, to help reduce nausea.  Ginger compress on the head (made from the mild tea) will help relieve headaches due to nausea.

·        Drink a mild tea of  goldenseal and honey  on rising to offset the nausea of pregnancy.  Put a pinch of goldenseal powder in a cup of just –boiled water, and add a little honey to offset the taste.

·        A cup of hot peppermint tea will reduce a feeling of nausea.  You can add a pinch of basil and/or ginger.  Peppermint tea is a powerful antispasmodic.  It stops muscle spasms in the digestive tract, including those involved in vomiting (But large amount of this tea during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage).

·        Here is an excellent herbal formula for nausea: ginger root, plus a very small amount of licorice root and cayenne. Doctors found it worked for most people.  Ginger seems to produce no toxic symptoms even when taken in large amounts.

·        “Carminative” means “stomach soothing” for these herbs help settle the stomach.  Here are the best ones to use:  chamomile, fennel,dill, lemon balm, and any of the mints (peppermint, spearmint, catnip).  Make a tea of one or more of these.

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JETLAG

JET LAG

SYMPTOMS – Fatigue. lethargy, irritability. inability to sleep, trouble concentrating and making decisions, perhaps even diarrhea and a lack of appetite.

CAUSES – Circadian rhythms control your daily cycles of sleep and certain other body functions.  Jetting across several time zones produces  a sudden violation of your body’s inner clock.  If from America for example, you fly to Australia or Europe, you will experience jet lag; for you will suddenly be thrust into meals and wakefulness in the middle of “your night” and awake when your body tells you it is time  for sleep.  North-south trips only produce normal weariness.  Traveling westward more than two time zones often results in exhaustion, diminished alertness, disorientation, irritability, loss of appetite, sleepiness during the day, wakefulness at night, and perhaps constipation or diarrhea.

NATURAL REMEDIES

Advance preparation:  1-3 weeks before traveling to a warmer climate, start eating more of the foods  you will eat at your destination.  Start eating meals closer to the time you will eat them when you arrive.

TAKING THE TRIP

·         Get extra sleep beforehand.  Drink  plenty of fluids  and be quiet and relaxed during the flight. Fly by day, arrive at night and then soak up some extra rest.  You tend to dehydrate in the plane: so drink enough water: 32 oz. for every 6 hours of flying.  But no  coffee or alcohol: they are both diuretic and flush fluids from the body.  Frequently walk up and down the aisle in order to avoid the blood clots that can develop in you legs on long trips (especially across the Pacific).  Try to break up a long flight by a one-day  layover.  Do not smoke.  Doing so puts carbon monoxide in your blood: and, at 5,000 feet (the altitude the cabin is pressurized to), you will have a 10,000 foot oxygen lack.  Keep away from others who smoke.  Eat lightly, avoiding heavy proteins, refined starches, and sweet deserts.  If you fly at night:  Eat before you fly and avoid the meal served.  Put on eyeshades and stimulate a normal bedtime.  It works!

               WHEN YOU ARRIVE

·        Get out in the sunshine the next day; this will help your body adapt.  Obtain some exercise after arriving.  Try to walk outside in the sunlight, to  help reset your inner clock. If going from west to east, take that walk the next morning in order to help shift your body.  Some people try living by their home clock- but most cannot do that.  Do not take  a sleeping pill when you arrive.  It is usually cause a hangover or grogginess.  

·        Try to avoid important decisions during the adjustment days.  The general rule is that it will take one day of adjustment for each time zone crossed.  So be prepared.  If it is a short stay, remain on home time.

·        When crossing only two or three time zones.  It is known that going west is easier on the body than going east.  This is because it is easier to get more sleep on arriving, since you experience more hours that particular day

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