Spring Time Allergy Relief

How to get relief from seasonal allergies naturally

Spring is a pretty time of the year. The flowers are blooming and the grass is starting to grow again. With all these things comes pollen floating in the air. Many people suffer from seasonal allergies.
Try some of these great tips on making your Spring a little bit less uncomfortable.
The practice of nasal cleansing – known as Neti – has been used by practitioners of Ayurveda and Yoga in India for thousands of years. Neti is used to relieve sinus and nasal congestion, infections, post nasal drip and headaches.

Using a Neti pot and Nasya is a traditional method to purify and revitalize the breathing passages. In the same way that massage nourishes and rejuvenates the skin, Neti and Nasya nourish and rejuvenate the breathing passages. This process can reduce allergies and decrease your chances of contracting upper respiratory infections. It is also useful before taking a plane flight to keep your breathing passages moist.

A Neti pot is a small container with a spout that can be gently placed into your nostrils through which warm salt water is administered. Usually made from a ceramic material, a typical Neti pot holds about 2/3 of cup of water to which 1/8 teaspoon of salt is added.

Place the spout of the Neti pot in one nostril and gently pour in the warm salt water. Your head should be positioned so the water runs out the other nostril. Any remaining liquid in your nasal passages is expelled and the process is repeated on the other side.

Quercetin

A natural plant that  helps stabilize cells and prevents them from releasing histamine. Quercetin also is a natural antioxidant that helps reduce  free radicals that cause cell damage.Food that contain quercetin  are:  Citrus fruits,buckwheat,  onions, apples, parsley, tea, tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce and wine are naturally high in quercetin, but allergy sufferers will most likely need to use supplements to build up enough of this compound to prevent attacks. The recommended dosage is about 1,000 milligrams a day, taken between meals. It’s best to start treatment six weeks before allergy season. Those with liver disease shouldn’t use quercetin, so please consult your doctor before using this or any other supplement — especially if you are pregnant or nursing.

Eat local honey

Eat local honey regularly. It will desensitize your body to the pollen in your own environment.

Citrus peel can help ease allergy symptoms, it has a mild antihistamine effect.

Chop up peels of oranges and lemons place in a pot  barely covering the fruit peels with water. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Sweeten the mixture to taste with honey and eat 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. This will help relieve hay fever.

Spicy Foods

Eating spicy foods such as horseradish, hot peppers and wasabi   increases the flow of blood and loosens the secretion of mucus in the sinuses.  Relieving the congestion will eliminate a headache.

Limit alcohol since it swells nasal and sinus membranes.

Acupressure

Pressing on acupuncture points on your face and back and spine can help alleviate the pressure  from the congestion.

People that are prone to sinus infections have a low level of antioxidants. So eat more fresh fruit and vegetables.

Use a ginger compress on your face to help with sinus drainage.

Grate  a large ginger root into 1 pint of boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes. Soak a washcloth in the warm tea and apply to your face.  Do not burn yourself with a cloth that is too hot.

Resources

Chopra Center

Readers Digest Best Remedies

Foods that help you heal after heart surgery

Great foods to eat after heart surgery

According to the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, 152 thousand coronary artery bypass surgeries were performed in the United States in 2003. Coronary artery bypass surgery requires the surgeon to bypass blockages in the heart arteries to restore blood flow to the heart muscle.

Following surgery, your body will need extra protein to aid the healing process. The Cleveland Clinic recommends 0.8 to 1.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight following bypass surgery. For example, a person who weighs 150 lbs. would require approximately 54 to 68 g of protein per day. Good dietary sources of protein include beans, soy, nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy products, fish, and lean meats.

After heart bypass surgery, you will need to include more heart-healthy fats in your diet such as omega-3 fatty acids. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. The Cleveland Clinic recommends you aim for two servings of oily fish a week to help keep your heart healthy following heart bypass surgery. Omega-3 fatty acids help to lower blood cholesterol levels.

What should your diet include?

• Aim for variety.
• Include as much fresh food as possible.
• Minimize your consumption of processed foods and fast food.
• Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

An anti-inflammatory diet can help decrease chronic inflammation.  Inflammation  is a root cause of many serious diseases.

What foods are Anti Inflammatory?

Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as

• salmon, tuna, sardines, cod
• flax seed
• walnuts

Spices and herbs

• turmeric, rosemary, ginger
• garlic and onions
• extra virgin olive oil  ( should be a bit bitter tasting)

Limit your sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300mg a day following heart bypass surgery, advises the Cleveland Clinic.

The US. National Library of Medicine’s MedLine Plus service states that supplementation of omega-3 for one month prior to and one month after heart bypass surgery reduces the risk for postoperative blockage of blood vessels by 26 percent. Further research is needed to assess the effects of omega-3 supplementation prior to other types of surgery.

Eating a low fat and low cholesterol diet is also a good idea. Stopping harmful activities such as smoking or drinking alcohol increase your chance of a long and productive life.

For most people this requires at least nine collective servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Incorporate a variety of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet routinely for maximum benefits. Varieties particularly rich in antioxidants include berries, citrus fruits, apples, broccoli,  cantaloupe, kiwi, papaya, mango, tomatoes, leafy greens, bell peppers, carrots and sweet potatoes.  Your plate should look like a rainbow of colors. Your goal everyday should be to eat natural sources of every color of the rainbow. It is also a good way for kids to eat healthy at an early age.

Red Fruits and Vegetables

Contain nutrients such as lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals, and support join tissue in arthritis cases.

Orange and Yellow fruits and vegetables

Contain beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C. These nutrients reduce age-related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones.

Green vegetables and Fruit

Green vegetables contain chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene. The nutrients found in these vegetables reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free-radicals, and boost immune system activity.

Blue and purple fruits and vegetables

Contain nutrients which include lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin. Similar to the previous nutrients, these nutrients support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract, and limit the activity of cancer cells.

Eat Whole grains.  Be sure that you buy whole grain not ground  wheat.  The ground wheat will also enter the blood stream faster than the slow release of the whole grain.  The whole grain also takes longer to digest so it will keep you feeling full longer. Nutrient-rich whole grain foods include steel cut and old-fashioned oatmeal, 100 percent whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, pearled barley, quinoa, air-popped popcorn, brown rice and wild rice.

Lean protein sources, on the other hand, promote wellness, strength and recovery. Examples of lean protein-rich foods include lean meats, skinless chicken and turkey breasts, low-fat dairy products, legumes and fish. Select low-fat cooking techniques, such as grilling, baking, broiling and steaming, most often. Fatty fish, such as albacore tuna, salmon, herring, mackerel, halibut and lake trout, provide omega-3 fatty acids — healthy fats associated with improved heart health. The American Heart Association recommends fatty fish at least 2 to 3 times per week for optimum wellness.

Resources

http://www.drweil.com

www.livestrong.com

Worlds Healthiest Foods

disabled-world.com

picture from

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet

www.sundijo.com

Ghee

Ghee

Ghee is essentially clarified butter, which means it has had the milk solids and water removed. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to heal ailments from digestive complaints to memory loss and  constipation and ulcers . Although these claims have yet to be proven by clinical research, ghee may possess certain qualities that maybe  beneficial.  It doesn’t need to be refrigerated because it contains no milk solids (does not contain lactose). If you are lactose intolerant, you may not be sensitive to ghee, making it an ideal item to keep in your cabinet.

Ghee has a higher “smoke point” than butter, which means that it can be cooked to a higher temperature before beginning to burn. This trait makes it ideal for cooking and sauteing. 

Ghee has a distinctive and fragrant flavor that is different from pure butter but it consists entirely of fat, so it’s not healthy to eat in large amounts.One tablespoon of ghee has approximately 135 calories, all of which come from fat. That small amount of ghee has 15 g of total fat and 9 g of saturated fat, or 45 percent of the recommended daily value. A tablespoon of ghee also has 45 mg cholesterol, or 15 percent of the daily value. Ghee is free of sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar and protein.

How to Make Ghee

To make ghee yourself, melt butter in a pan and bring the melted butter to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer the butter for about eight minutes.  Milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pan and when it turns light brown it is ready Take off heat Ghee can burn in this stage easily and will smell nutty. Let ghee cool till warm.  The foam on the top can be used on vegetables or rice. Strain them out with a towel or cheesecloth, and keep the strained ghee in an airtight container. Ghee is said to improve in medicinal qualities as it ages.

Resource

http://www.chopra.com/ghee

and Ayurvedic cooking for self healing