|
Instant
Solutions
Natural
Burn Remedy Found in Papaya Pulp
Pediatric doctors in Banjul, Gambia, have found that papaya pulp
makes an excellent burn dressing. The doctors mash the pulp of
the papaya and apply it directly to burns. Children tolerate it
well and it has proven to be very effective at sloughing off dead
tissue, preventing infections and providing a clean wound.
Papaya pulp contains the proteolytic enzymes papain and chymopapain
which have been used for centuries to remove warts and other skin
imperfections. Apparently, the pulp also has components that exhibit
antimicrobial activity since the doctors in Gambia are also applying
the pulp to infected wounds with successful results.
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Kudzu for
Chest Pain
Studies in the Orient have shown that Kudzu (Pueraria lobota)
has the ability to relax and sooth muscles such as those located
in the major blood vessels. Taking roughly 3 to 10 grams of
the dried root has been effective in the treatment of angina
pectoris (the severe chest pain caused by a sudden decrease
in blood supply to the heart muscle).
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Go Soak Your
Toothbrush…
If you're under the weather, always soak your toothbrush in
hydrogen peroxide before using it. It doesn't do much good
to knock out the "BUGZ" and then turn around and reintroduce
them into your system with a contaminated tootbrush.
Sore
Throat Remedy: Fresh Ginger Root
ALTERNATIVES
subscriber Thelma T. of Richmond, Virginia recommends the following
remedy for sore throats:
"Whenever we feel a sore throat coming on, we immediately
start sucking on on a slice of fresh ginger root. It will
soothe the throat and get rid of scratchiness and irritation."
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Coughs
Putting Your Cough on Ice
An easy way to stop coughing
without the use of cough syrups or medication is to keep some
ice cubes in your mouth. This works because the cold numbs
the nerves supplying the throat. The ice must be kept continuously
in the mouth. If you want to re-mineralize your body during
this time, or make the technique more acceptable to children,
an ALTERNATIVES reader recommends that you freeze one
of the sports drinks into ice cubes.
Onion
Cough Syrup
This onion cough syrup recipe
was a Mailbox suggestion for my newsletter Alternatives
from Kermit T. of Fresno California. He said he has used it
for years:
"Place
3 large chopped white onions in a double boiler along with
one-quarter cup of honey. Cook slowly for a couple of hours,
strain off the liquid and dispose of the onions. The liquid
can be taken as often as needed."
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Another Benefit
of Turmeric:
It Heals Cuts
I'm a big fan of turmeric and all the health benefits it provides.
I've been writing about it for years (see ALTERNATIVES
May 1994, and February
1997, and included it in the superfoods complex in Daily Advantage.
As we've covered in previous issues, turmeric has been shown to
have remarkable anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant
properties.
According to subscriber Larry
S. of Salt Lake City, it's also an effective remedy for cuts:
"Being a chef, I love to cook
with turmeric, but I've also come to admire its ability to
stop the bleeding of a cut. Putting turmeric powder directly
on cuts causes the blood to clot almost immediately."
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Have Dandruff?
- Try Baking Soda
Sharon Carpenter of Kula, Maui, Hawaii contributed the following
do-it-yourself remedy for dandruff:
When taking a shower, she recommends wetting your hair and
using baking soda instead of shampoo.
- Consider Selenium
Selenium can reduce the incidence of dandruff, psoriasis
and eczema. Certain companies have already taken advantage
of selenium's topical healing powers. For example, the selenium-containing
shampoo Selsun Blue has been effective in helping to eliminate
dandruff for many people.
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The BRAT Cure for Children with Diarrhea
Marge W.P. of Ogden, Utah shared an easy way of remembering what
to give children with diarrhea (it's a good thing to remember
for grownups too). Practically all you need to remember is the
word BRAT. The letter B stands for bananas. R stands for rice.
A stands for applesauce, and T stands for toast.
Bananas are rich in potassium. Rice adds bulk and helps slow the
intestinal tract. Applesauce has pectin, which is good for calming
the bowels, and toast adds additional bulk.
Diarrhea in small children can quickly become a serious situation
because of rapid mineral loss. If the problem persists, be sure
to ask your doctor to help monitor the situation.
LAYW
- For Diarrhea Caused by the Loss of Natural Bacteria Through
Antibiotics.
If the diarrhea is a result
of medications, such as antibiotics that wipe out the natural
bacterial flora, I've obtained excellent results using a product
called Lactic Acid Yeast wafers. This product restores the
natural bacteria in the lower bowel. Usually, chewing two
wafers with each meal will do the trick within a day. (For
small children, one-half to one wafer can be crushed and put
into their food or drink to accomplish the same thing.)
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For Those
Who Don't Have Time to Exercise
The most common excuse people give me for not exercising is
they don't have time. Sorry, folks: the exercises below don't
require any additional time. They can be done while in the
car, waiting in lines, talking on the phone, etc.
Pick a couple of these ideas and use them each day. When you
see just how much time we waste sitting, standing in lines,
waiting for stoplights, and so on, you'll see just how easy
exercise can be and you can do it in a very short time.
Quick exercises for hectic times
| • |
Every time you have to
stop at a stoplight, tighten your abdominal muscles and
hold them until the light turns green. Repeat this at
every stoplight. |
| • |
If you are a passenger
in a car, give your eyes a workout! You can strengthen
your eye muscles and lessen the need for glasses by focusing
on something very close inside the car and then quickly
focusing on an object far off in the distance. |
| • |
If you're by yourself,
you can do contortions with your face to help firm up
the facial muscles and give yourself a "face lift."
By moving your lips, cheeks, and eyebrows, making hundreds
of movements and faces, you can tone up the small facial
muscles and avoid some of the wrinkles from those loose
and weak muscles. |
| • |
Stretching is great exercise
and can be done several times a day with little effort.
At least once a day "reach for the sky," stand
as tall and as straight as you possibly can, push your
shoulders back as far as they will go and put every joint
in your body through its total range of motion. |
| • |
Take several deep breaths.
Fill your lungs from the bottom up. Inhale slowly and
feel the lungs expand from your abdominal area up through
your chest to your collarbones and throat. Then slowly
exhale until you have every molecule out. |
| • |
After getting in bed at
night, stretch your body from your ankles and toes to
your head and neck. Imagine making yourself a foot longer
and feel the warm relaxing stretch. |
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A "Fishy" Hangover Remedy
ALTERNATIVES subscriber Lynton O. of Leicester, England recommends
the following hangover remedy frequently used in England:
"On the evening of your over-consumption,
if you can bring yourself to eat a generous portion of salted
pickled herring, the morning after can be as pleasant as the
party itself."
This isn't as "fishy"
as it may sound. Salted pickled herring often works because
it is high in unsaturated fatty acids. A better and more concentrated
remedy that works the same way is to use oil of evening primrose.
This oil contains gamma linoleic acid (GLA) which your body
eventually converts to prostaglandins (PG1, the good kind),
which can help prevent liver damage and even hangovers from
alcohol. Alcohol (and aspirin), by the way, block the formation
of PG1.
Oil of evening primrose is
sold under a variety of labels in health food stores, although
the quality and potency among brands varies considerably.
The brand Efamol is probably your best choice. Almost all
clinical studies proving this oil's effectiveness have used
this type.
L-cysteine can also be used
to prevent or often greatly reduce "hangovers" from alcohol
poisoning. This amino acid helps neutralize toxins in the
liver by increasing glutathione levels, which is one of the
body's most powerful detoxifying compounds.
Hangover remedies such as these
may occasionally come in handy, but as you know, they only
treat a symptom. Avoiding overindulgence in the first place
is the most effective cure for hangovers.
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Remedies
for Hiccups
Over the years ALTERNATIVES readers have contributed a variety
of remedies for hiccups. These annoying spasms of the diaphragm
(the large, flat muscle dividing your chest from your stomach)
can occur when you overeat, drink carbonated beverages, or
have an illness that irritates the phrenic nerve in the diaphragm.
Although hiccups usually last less than an hour, they can
persist for hours or even days. Regardless of their duration,
no matter how long you have to put up with them is too long.
Try these solutions the next time your throat decides to backfire.
Put your hiccups on ice
Bill B. of Denver City, Texas recommends holding something
cold (ice-cubes, a couple cold cans of beer or soda, etc.)
on both sides of your Adam's apple on your throat. Do this
for about a minute and the hiccups will stop completely.
Now, "Ears" an
interesting solution…
You've probably heard that drinking a glass of water helps
get rid of hiccups, but Cindy C. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin suggests
this extra step:
While drinking a glass of water, get someone to close your
ear canals by pressing inward on each of the small skin flaps
just in front of the ear canal. Pressure should be continued
on these flaps for at least 10 seconds after the entire glass
of water has been drunk.
A remedy that isn't hard to swallow…
An ALTERNATIVES subscriber from Amarillo, Texas says that
taking one heaping teaspoon of peanut butter hasn't failed
once in 16 years to cure a case of hiccups.
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Indigestion:
Here's Something Easy to Digest
If you have recurring problems with indigestion, I've got
a not-so-sweet solution for you: herbal bitters. Bitters active
the bitter-taste receptors on the tongue, which, in turn,
stimulate the secretion of digestive juices. Several herbs
are considered bitter: dandelion root, wormwood, chamomile
flowers, goldenseal, and gentian root.
Generally a couple of drops
in a little water taken about 15 to 20 minutes before meals
will help with indigestion. (Be aware that too large a dose
may cause vomiting. This stuff really is bitter!).
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Joint Health
1. Pop Goes a Joint? Try this remedy…
If you pop any of your joints badly, take 1/16 to 1/8 teaspoon
of bromelain within an hour of the injury. Because bromelain
helps maintain the body's normal inflammatory response mechanism,
you should find no noticeable inflammation later.
2. A glass of buttermilk a day
keeps joint discomfort away
Mrs. C.B. of Portland, Oregan sent this "Health Hint"
for joint discomfort. According to a Swiss friend of hers, this
remedy is common in Switzerland: Drink eight ounces of buttermilk
a day for six weeks and your discomfort will be gone.
One reason why this remedy works may be that buttermilk is
rich in calcium. Calcium deficiency is one of the main causes
of aching joints.
Other sources of calcium include: seafood, almonds, asparagus,
blackstrap molasses, brewer's yeast, broccoli, cabbage, kale,
kelp, oats, prunes, sesame seeds, tofu, turnip greens, watercress,
whey, and yogurt.
3. An "apeeling" remedy
for joint stiffness
If your joints are stiff, don't peel your carrots, potatoes,
apples, and so on, and never pull the strings off the celery.
Not only will you get some of the best roughage to scrub out
the intestinal tract, but the sodium in these peels will help
the stiffness in your joints.
You don't need to worry about this kind of sodium, because
it's not sodium chloride like table salt and it won't cause
any of the problems associated with table salt.
You will also get the benefit of the potassium, which is sometimes
called "brain food" because it helps with alertness
and mental well-being.
4. An unsavory joint discomfort remedy
If you need relief from joint discomfort, a reader recommends
drinking the following concoction:
Add 1 teaspoon soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1 teaspoon
Epson salts to a big glass of water. You might want to add a little
vinegar to the water as well. If you can get past the taste you
should have relief from joint discomfort.
5. Exercises for preventing knee problems
If you jog or participate in athletics, chances are you have your
share of knee injuries. Women in particular may have more problems
because, as women get older they frequently have weaker knee joints.
If you've started to experience knee problems, or if you want
to avoid any future problems, there are a couple of simple exercises
that can help.
The best exercise involves strengthening the muscle that crosses
on the inside of the knee.
| • |
Exercise one:
Stand up straight with your hands on the top of a desk
or counter in front of you.
To exercise the right knee: lift your left foot slightly
above the floor and then slowly bend the right knee
until your body dips about six inches. Now, slowly straighten
the knee until you're upright again. Do this 10 to 15
times and repeat the exercise with the left knee. Do
this at least twice daily (preferably three times, spread
throughout the day).
If you have difficulty standing or bending the knees,
try exercise two.
|
| • |
Exercise two:
While sitting in bed, with the back supported and your
leg outstretched, place a large pillow (or large, folded
towel) between your knees. Whatever you use should be
large enough to separate the knees enough so you cannot
touch your feet together.
Now, while keeping your legs straight, try to bring your
feet together. Try hard for three to four seconds, then
relax and repeat the process 10 to 12 times, three times
a day. Be sure to keep your toes pointing straight up
toward the ceiling.
During either of these exercises, you should be able to
feel the muscles on the insides of your thighs tighten.
As these muscles strengthen, they will be better able
to support the knee, which will mean less pain and more
stability. |
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Quick Remedies
for Motion Sickness
If you have a problem with motion sickness or seasickness,
be sure to bring along some ginger root and papaya tablets
on your next trip.
One gram of ginger root taken
with a couple papaya tablets about 20 minutes before traveling
can work wonders. If the trip is a long one, the same dosage
may have to be repeated after several hours if the symptoms
reappear.
Try one of these alternatives
if you don't have ginger root and papaya tablets on hand:
- Drink 12 oz of either ginger
ale or 7-Up mixed with the juice of one lime and 1 tablespoon
of cornstarch.
- Drink the juice of one
coconut and two limes mixed together.
- If available, grind and
eat the seeds of a papaya.
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Runny Nose Remedy
In addition to taking extra vitamin C, echinacea and elderberry
extract, you can shorten the duration of symptoms with a hot
salt-water facial and quick nasal rinse. This works especially
well when your nose seems to run like a faucet.
First, in a clean sink or large saucer add 1/4 to 1/3 cup
of salt to a quart of fairly hot water. Once the salt has
dissolved, immerse your face in the water for five to ten
seconds; repeat this three or four times. Allow the water
to run into your nose, but keep your mouth and eyes closed.
Follow the facial with a quick nasal rinse by adding a few
drops of Citricidal (NutriBiotic's grapefruit seed extract)
to 1/2 cup of warm water. Cup a small amount of the water
in the palm of your hand, and then lean over and gently "inhale"
the water into your nasal passages.
Do this two or three times before bed and first thing in the
morning. You may momentarily feel a very slight tingling or
burning sensation as the Citricidal coats the nasal and sinus
passages.
Once the Citricidal gets to these hard-to-reach areas, it
can begin to combat any foreign invaders.
Simple, inexpensive techniques like these can help keep the
respiratory tract clean and healthy. And don't forget to soak
your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide before using it when
you have a cold. It doesn't do much good to knock out the
"BUGZ" and then turn around and reintroduce them
into your system with a contaminated toothbrush.
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Pet Poisoning
Remedy: Feed Your Dog Sauerkraut?
If your pet accidentally eats rat poison, here are a couple
remedies that may save help save the animal's life.
First, if at all possible,
try to get your pet to vomit before the poison is absorbed
into the system. You can do this by mixing a tablespoon or
two of salt in a glass of water and forcing it down the animal's
throat.
Then, take your pet to the
vet and ask that it be given a Vitamin K shot. Most rat poisons
work by eliminating the animal's ability to stop bleeding.
After ingesting the anticoagulants and consuming water, the
animal bleeds to death internally. Vitamin K reverses the
anticoagulating effect and allows the blood to clot.
If you're not able to get to
the vet for Vitamin K shots, keeping a can of sauerkraut on
hand will provide a ready source of emergency Vitamin K. It
may be tough to get your dog or cat to eat it, but what could
happen if you don't try might be a lot tougher to swallow.
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Poison Ivy
Remedies
The following suggestions may help you shorten the duration
of poison ivy:
- Mix vitamin C powder with
water to form a paste that can be applied to sites where
the skin has been exposed to poison ivy or poison oak, and
the problem will completely resolve within 24 hours. Thanks
to Dr. Karen Davis for contributing this Health Hint. Dr.
Davis also suggests that you take 2 grams of vitamin C orally
for a few days following the episode. The vitamin C helps
to strengthen your immune system against the poisonous sap
(urushiol) in poison ivy.
- Try the essential plant
oils lavender or camphor to help stop the itching and pain
and speed healing. [Note: some essential oils could actually
exacerbate the problem, so we don't want to send readers
looking for just any old essential oil.] One of my favorite
products to use for the symptoms of poison ivy is "White
Flower Oil." It can be found in larger health food stores
and practically all Chinese medicine shops. (In Chinese
it's called Pak Fah Yeow.)
White Flower Oil is a blend of the natural oils of eucalyptus,
peppermint, lavender, wintergreen, and camphor. I have found
it most useful for treating poison ivy and poison oak. It
is a potent product, as the strong smell will indicate.
Apply a couple of drops and rub it gently into the skin
lesions. The oils actually have a drying effect, so as soon
as the lesions have stopped oozing you can stop using the
White Flower Oil and instead apply your favorite moisturizing
lotion. White Flower Oil is inexpensive and commonly comes
in a small 20-milliliter bottle—enough to last a long
time.
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Exercises
for Avoiding Poor Posture
Just looking around and seeing how people slump and slouch,
you would think that poor posture is natural and unchangeable.
Well, it's not, and there are some easy habits and exercises
we can do that will correct the problem.
Anyone who sits and works with their arms out in front of
them will have stiffness and problems between the shoulders.
Secretaries, accountants, bookkeepers, computer operators,
mechanics and so on are especially prone to these problems.
When the shoulders begin to slump, the muscles on the front
chest wall begin to shorten and the small muscles between
the shoulder blades weaken. This will cause a constant tiring
pain and stiffness in that area and eventually lead to dowager's
hump.
There are two easy exercises that will help strengthen the
shoulders and prevent the hump.
Both of these exercises can be done in about five minutes
and the best time to do them is first thing in the morning
and right before bedtime; however, any time during the day
that you feel stiffness, you can easily do three or four of
one of these exercises and get relief.
Exercise one
| 1. |
While standing, raise
the elbows to shoulder level with the arms bent and touch
the thumbs to the chest. |
| 2. |
Now, while you keep the
elbows level with the floor, push the elbows back as far
as possible (slowly, no jerking motions). Hold the elbows
back and count to five. |
| 3. |
Now return the elbows
to the starting position and straighten the arms out to
the sides. While keeping them level with the floor, push
the hands back as far as possible and hold them back to
the count of five.
Start with five repetitions twice a day and gradually
work up to 20 to 25 repetitions at least twice a day. |
Exercise two
With this exercise you need to find an empty corner in the
house.
| 1. |
Stand about two feet out
from the corner with your nose pointing directly into
the corner. |
| 2. |
Now place your hands,
with your palms flat, against the wall on each side of
you (it is very important to always have the fingers pointing
toward the corner!). |
| 3. |
Keep your body as straight
as you can (like a board), and slowly lean into the corner. |
| 4. |
As you lean toward the
corner, you should feel a definite stretch and burning
between the shoulders as well as some stretching in the
front part of the chest. |
| 5. |
Hold yourself
in this stretching position for a count of five, then
return to the starting position and count to five before
starting another repetition. Start with five repetitions
twice a day and work up to about 20 repetitions twice
a day. |
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A Fruity Way for Safe Sun
Exposure
Sunlight is necessary for life. It stimulates the immune system
and aids the production of vitamin D. Studies show that people
with high vitamin D intake have high bone density levels. Enjoy
it, but do so in moderation. Don't bake your skin, let it dry
out or burn.
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is a delicious way to
minimize this effect because a diet rich in antioxidants has
been shown to have protective effects against skin damage.
Taking a good supplement program including Vitamin E, C and
trace minerals such as selenium is also recommended.
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Six Steps To Healthy Sleep
Along with good nutrition, regular exercise, getting plenty
of clean water and fresh air, sound, restful sleep is a basic
requirement for overall good health. As the demands of modern
life contribute to increasing levels of stress, going to sleep
isn't always as easy as closing your eyes anymore. If you're
tired of counting sheep and not getting the proper amount
of sleep you need each night, try these simple steps.
| 1. |
Arrange your sleeping
quarters so that you have as close to complete darkness
as possible.
This may require heavier curtains in the bedroom or
even changing bedrooms in the house. Wearing a sleeping
mask can help, but it is not the total answer.
Some studies showed that
body temperature and melatonin levels were altered when
light was shined on the back of the knee. Researchers
found that when they exposed the back of the knee to
light before dawn, the body's clock (circadian clock)
would reset, or advance itself.
This seemingly inconsequential
light exposure had the very same effect as shining the
light in the eye. (Science 98; 279(5349):333-4,396-9.)
In other words, the day
following the nighttime light exposure, the release
of melatonin and the drop in body temperature, which
trigger the need for sleep, occurred earlier in the
day. This one seemingly harmless disruption can start
a vicious cycle of fatigue and insomnia.
|
| 2. |
After you've made your
sleeping area as dark as possible, there should be a rule
in the house that nobody turns on a light in the room
while someone is sleeping. Even though it might not wake
the sleeping person, it shuts down their production of
melatonin.
|
| 3. |
Also, if you have to go
to the bathroom during the night, it would be best not
to turn on the light. Turning on the light even for just
a second shuts down melatonin production and can contribute
to fatigue, insomnia, and all of the other problems.
|
| 4. |
If you have trouble falling
asleep, you might want to try a hot bath just before bedtime.
While our normal body temperature will vary throughout
the day, it generally stays within 1 degree above or below
the norm of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
About an hour before we feel the need to sleep, our body
temperature begins to drop about 1 degree. This is one
of the key signals from the brain to slow down and start
the sleep process.
Unfortunately, many of us continually override this signal
by forcing our minds and bodies to keep going. Fortunately,
you can easily reinstate this body temperature signal
by taking a hot bath about an hour before you want to
sleep. Your body will naturally start to lower its core
temperature in an effort to cool itself off. This temperature
drop will start the same physiological processes that
naturally brings on the desire for sleep. |
| 5. |
If a hot bath still isn't
enough to promote sleep, then the best suggestion I have
for you is to start a regular exercise program.
Study after study has shown that regular exercise enhances
sleep in almost everyone with sleep disturbances. Something
as simple as regular walking can make a big difference
in the quality of your sleep -- not to mention the dozens
of other positive changes it will bring about. (Sleep
97;20(3):203-214.) |
| 6. |
Finally, as soon as you
wake up in the morning, either turn on the lights or open
the blinds and let the sunlight in.
Opening the window is preferred, as it imprints on the
brain the many sights, sounds and smells associated with
awakening. This is the proper way to reset your body clock,
and will ensure that your melatonin levels will stay set
on "awake" until that evening. |
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Stretching
Exercises for Relaxing Neck Muscles
There are several causes of stiff necks, including everything
from a misaligned vertebra to muscle strain.
The following three exercises, if done regularly, will strengthen
and help relax your neck muscles. The exercises can also help
maintain the normal range of motion in your neck.
Do each three or four times slowly and deliberately, relaxing
as you do them, twice a day. (If you have circulatory, bone,
muscle or neck problems, check with your doctor first.)
| • |
Around the clock
Start this exercise by first tilting the head forward,
and slowly stretch the muscles of the back of the neck.
Relax and then tilt the head back and slowly stretch the
muscles at the front of the neck. Now, by tilting the
head slowly to either side, all of the muscles of the
neck have been stretched.
Don't rotate the head in a circular motion. Also be sure
to keep looking straight ahead when tilting the head to
one side or the other (sometimes it is easier to watch
yourself in front of a mirror until you are sure you are
doing it right).
|
| • |
The shrug
Draw your shoulders up toward your ears slowly. Breathe
deeply and return to the original position. Relax and
repeat. A slight variation of this exercise would be to
slowly rotate your shoulders forward and backward.
|
| • |
The trapezius stretch
While standing with a straight back, lock your hands behind
your head.
Slowly bring your elbows together in front of your face.
Reverse the exercise by again locking your hands behind
your head and slowly pulling your elbows back. Then repeat.
|
| • |
Towel tip
One additional tip that helps relieve neck stiffness from
muscle tension is to roll up a small hand towel firmly
until it's about four to five inches in diameter.
While lying on your back, place the towel directly under
the neck. If the towel is placed right, it should increase
the natural curve of the neck and the neck will be tilted
slightly backward.
Getting in this position and relaxing for a few minutes
will not only relax the neck, but many times it will stop
those tension headaches that seem to start in that area. |
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A Difficult
Pill to Swallow?
Often a good multivitamin program requires that you take a
number of capsules and pills throughout the day. For some
people, though, swallowing pills can be a real problem that
makes such programs difficult to follow.
Fortunately, there are many easy methods you can try if swallowing
pills poses a problem for you (I wish I would have known all
of this when I was kid and my mother was trying to make me
swallow a pill or capsule).
Trouble Swallowing? Head in the Right Direction
Swallowing capsules can sometimes be difficult since they
have a tendency to float. Most of us tilt our heads back when
trying to swallow one, but this allows it to "float"
to the top, which is at the front of your mouth. This makes
the capsule even more difficult to get down your throat.
Next time, after placing a capsule in your mouth and taking
a small sip of water, try tilting your head slightly forward
and then swallow.
If a Pill Gets Stuck, Go Bananas
For those pesky pills that get caught in your throat, eat
a banana. Bananas have just the right mushy, smooth consistency
to dislodge and carry it into the stomach.
When a Gag Isn't Funny
Pill swallowing problems usually stem from an over-sensitive
gag reflex. There is one way to "fool" the reflex.
Next time you take your vitamins, try drinking the water you
wash them down with from a soda bottle. Keeping your lips
in contact with the bottle, use a sucking action to drink
from the bottle. The swallowing reflex is triggered automatically
by pursing the lips and sucking. Distilled water works fine,
but carbonated water works even better.
By the way, this is a good way to get children to swallow
pills also.
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