Six natural alternatives to ibuprofen

The saying used to be, “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning,” but many people turn to ibuprofen to relieve inflammation, pain, and fever. This nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), available both over the counter and by prescription, is commonly used to treat arthritis, menstrual symptoms, headache, general aches and pains, and various inflammatory conditions.
Side effects of ibuprofen
Although many people think of ibuprofen as being rather benign, it is associated with an increased risk of heart and circulation problems, including stroke and heart attack, as well as gastrointestinal problems, such as bleeding or perforation of the stomach or intestinal tract. These risks increase the longer you take the drug, although the length of time until it affects any one individual varies depending on their overall health, use of other medications, age, and other factors.

Natural alternatives to ibuprofen Many studies have been done on various natural pain killers and anti-inflammatories that can be used as alternatives to ibuprofen. They generally have mild to no side effects. Here are a few you may want to consider. You should always consult a knowledgeable health-care professional before starting a new treatment program.

Boswellia

Boswellia: This anti-inflammatory remedy comes from the Boswellia serrata tree that grows in India. The anti-inflammatory properties of boswellia are attributed to the boswellic acids that it contains. These acids improve blood flow to the joints and prevent inflammatory white cells from entering damaged tissue. Also known as “Indian frankincense,” boswellia is available as a supplement and a topical cream. For pain and inflammation, a suggested dose is 450 to 750 mg daily for three to four weeks.
Capsaicin: The active component of chili peppers, capsaicin is often used topically to nerve, muscle, and joint pain. It works by interfering with substance P, a chemical that helps transmit pain signals to the brain. It is available as a topical cream or gels in several different potencies (most often, 0.025% to 0.075%) and is usually applied three to four times daily. It can cause some stinging and burning initially, but it typically subsides with use.
Cat’s claw: Uncaria tomentosa, or cat’s claw, also known as una de gato, grows in South America. It contains an anti-inflammatory agent that blocks the production of the hormone prostaglandin, which contributes to inflammation and pain. Suggested doses are 250 to 1,000 mg capsules one to three times daily. Taking too high a dose may cause diarrhea.
                                                    curcumin

Curcumin: Curcumin is a component of the herb turmeric, and it is a potent painkiller that can block proteins in the body that cause inflammation and also stops the neurotransmitter called substance P from sending pain message to the brain. Studies show that curcumin is effective in easing the chronic pain of rheumatoid arthritis. A suggested dose is 400 to 600 mg of curcumin taken three times daily for pain and inflammation.
Omega-3 fatty acids: The omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that have proven beneficial for people who suffer with arthritis, other inflammatory joint conditions, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Omega-3s also reduce cardiovascular risk, which is especially helpful for people with rheumatoid arthritis, which carries an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. A suggested dose of omega-3 fatty acids as fish oil is 1,000 mg daily.
White willow bark: This herb is the predecessor of aspirin. White willow bark contains salicin, which converts to salicylic acid in the stomach. White willow bark is much less irritating to the stomach than the synthetic drug, aspirin, while it works to relieve pain, inflammation, and fever. A suggested dose is 1 to 2 dropperfuls of white willow bark tincture daily.

You can find the natural remedies mentioned in this article at many Phoenix-area stores and pharmacies, including Sprouts Farmers Market, Healthy Habit Health Foods, and the Natural Medicinary.

Want to read more articles by the Phoenix Alternative Medicine Examiner? Please subscribe at the top of this column to receive e-mail updates.Previous articles by the Phoenix Alternative Medicine Examiner Deborah Mitchell ,Phoenix Alternative Medicine Examiner

Dolphins

I cannot even begin to remember when my love for Dolphins evolved...as long as I can remember I have always felt a deep love for these beautiful beings.
We have been blessed to be in the presence of the Dolphins and it excites me ...makes me feel such deep love...can bring tears to my eyes <3 at the very sight of them!
Dolphins are one of the most intelligent kindred creatures on the planet.... living masters. They are masters of joy, of love, of harmonious relationships... and so much more!

What you see above is a Baby Dolphin riding  Mama's back and learning everything by  imatating what Mama does. Amazingly ,this is a personal photograph that Shawn took without knowing the real story of the picture until I downloaded  and cropped it to see what beauty lies within it! I must say My heart skipped a few beats and my eyes teared up ...its not just me.. my granddaughter Shylynn who is a very Spiritually Gifted did the same thing,,she had love in her eyes! It was a very beautiful moment <3
 

I cannot forget  we also saw a Sea Lion we called Sammy playing in the ocean near the breaker wall,we heard him first then we saw him doing the backfloat ! :)

Namaste'

Debb

Juicing

Well ,here we are two days later and I have been juicing,I have no appetite, tired 95% of my days,body aches, but not in the way of illness,joints hurt,insomnia...I keep hearing it is due to planetary changes ...Okay..that's great,that means with the shift coming this "stuff" will go away!! In the meantime,I have decided that since I am not in anyway ever hungry,I would juice.The beauty about juicing is it allows your body to rest and lets it choose what it needs to heal,it is the conscious intent to heal on every level of your Being.I have been only using the fresh picked fruits from the trees in the backyard(clementine mandarin's & navel oranges) and also organic kiwi. It is recommended to drink at least a gallon of water throughout your day,I must admit I know I haven't been drinking THAT much but I'm trying ! I must say VERY DELICIOUS! Be sure to get plenty of rest ,when your feeling tired ...go rest as soon as you can,always listen to what your body is saying,it knows what you need!
"Spiritual Juice Fasting unblocks the Divine source of youth, vitality, and transformation. Spiritual fasting cleans the body-mind and feeds the spirit, allowing our physical bodies to better extract the Divine cosmic energy from our normal biochemical energy sources. Fasting has many benefits for your body and can be can be a very empowering experience. The spiritual fast has rejuvenated, inspired, and empowered my spirit, mind, and body. Brought out and eliminated many emotional/physical blocks, and spiritual too"
Read below for some tips!!

Juice Fasting For Beginners:
As the pressures of every day life are getting harder to manage and taking their toll on people’s health, a lot of people are turning back to natural ways of healing the mind and body. One of the best and most popular methods of Holistic Healing is fasting, which has been propounded by almost all religions as being extremely beneficial both for the body and the soul.

Many modern doctors and naturopaths advise their patients to try fasting as a method of healing. Some of the most common types of fasts that people undertake for health reasons are detox fasting, liquid fasting , fruit fasting and juice fasting. Out of these fasting methods also, the juice fast is favored by a huge majority of people since it is easy to adhere to and the body also keeps getting enough nutrients to keep it working properly. Common side effects of fasting like weakness and headaches can be kept at bay by a regular intake of nutrient rich juices and water. This does not mean that you can be totally spared of all the side effects of juice fasting, since fasting blood sugars is definitely lower than your normal blood sugar when you are on your regular diet.

 
Given below are some tips for juice fasting that will help you get maximum benefits from your fasting diet:
Try to drink only freshly squeezed juice from fresh fruits and vegetables. Having a juicer is a definite advantage while you are on this type of fast, but of you cannot manage either a juicer or fresh fruits, then consuming juices from juice bars and health food stores is advised. Try to avoid packed juices that are processed and chemically preserved.
Use organic fruits and vegetables for your juice fasting recipes. In case you cannot find fresh organic fruits, then try to get rid of the chemicals by peeling the fruit or vegetable and washing it thoroughly.
You should consume at least six to eight glasses of normal room temperature water and at least two to four liters of fresh juice when on a juice fasting diet.
You can avoid citrus fruits since they cause acidity on an empty stomach. Drinking the juice of green fruits and vegetables is advised so that you can get the benefits of chlorophyll. Some of the most commonly advised fruits and vegetables are apple, cranberry, pineapple, carrot, celery, cabbage, kale, beetroot, spinach and other green vegetables. Try to drink both fruit and vegetable juices. You can find a number of fasting recipes on the Internet that will make your fast more interesting and healthy
A properly conducted juice fast is one of the best methods of fasting detoxification and fasting weight loss. To get maximum benefits from your juice fast, consult your doctor or dietitian, since they will be able to advise you regarding what to eat and what not eat, and how exactly to go about your fast based on your medical history.

Love ,Peace & Juicing,
Debb
PS:I hope everyone remembers to check with your Healthcare Practitioner before starting any new health programs!

The Intelligence of Essential Oils!

As you may or may not know from the last blog ,Shawn had been trying to fight off illness this past week and lost!!
Lastnight,he hit a very low point and was feverish,coughing,chills so bad he couldn't stop shaking.I prepared a sea salt bath for him,and added peppermint(to help his breathing),lavender( to allow him to relax and do some deep breathing of the peppermint) & sandalwood( to help him center his thoughts and focus) essential oils.
He stayed in the bath until the water was lukewarm and then got out.He got into bed and I mixed some camphor essential oil with a carrier oil and massaged his entire chest with it and he then layed on a heating pad. I got my oils together to give Shawn a "raindrop thereapy rub", *Valor*Oregano*Thyme*Basil*Wintergreen *Cypress* Marjoram*Peppermint & Aroma Siez!
This modality is used to balance & detoxify the body,it is the application of very powerful antibacterial,antiviral & anti-inflammatory oils along the CNS(Central Nervous System-along the spine from your neck to your sacrum).The beautiful thing about this is that the Raindrop requires no knowledge or skill  as it is the natural "Intelligence" of the oils which can heal  exactly where the healing is needed!
Upon completion ,Shawn turned over and put his back on the heating pad(in place of the hot stones that were at the salon) and fell asleep rather quickly,essential oils can be rather  "intoxicating" in that manner :) 
I must add that my bedroom smelled wonderful from using all those oils and it completely intoxicated Zoey ,who was literately snoring ,I mean she was O-U-T!! LOL

The end of the story, Shawns fever broke and although he has a bit of a cough yet, he feels 98% better ,no chills,no fever,no body aches!

Don't forget ,if you feel like you have an illness lurking,please feel free to call me 760-678-9478 and set up an appointment to send that illness on its way with our powerful essential oils!!
Again,we are located at 214 E.Broadway St.Vista,Ca 92084 and if there is an opening we do take walkins!
Love & Blessings,
Debb

A Valuable Lesson

What a good day I spent it with my lover, Debb and the 49ers won very convincingly! 
Since the the weather change I have been fighting off a cold for days now. I did pretty good for most of the day, that is until around 7pm, we went out to look  at the hunter moon and I ended up with massive chills that almost take me down on one knee.

At this point my wife runs into the house, runs bath water along with sea salts & essential oils. Let me get to the moral of this story, How does a Reiki Practioner who's wife is an Herbalist get sick?
Sometimes during our busy lives we forget about ourselves and how important our health is. We have to take steps to  stay healthy and not wait until the last minute.

I feel it's very important to see your reiki practioner along with an herbalist reguraly, better yet get attuned, you will feel the difference. Proper diet and exercise are also important (this in addition to what you are doing now) Your four bodies are important(Spiritual, emotional, mental & physical )At times we focus to much on the physical.

Unique Healings offers Reiki Classes & Attunements as well as Herbalist Classes,we are located at 214 E.broadway St.Vista,Ca 92084,call for you appoinment today,760-678-9477 or Debb can be reached at 760-678-9477.

Goodnight, and thank you all for your loving energy.
Namaste'
Shawn

Ear Candling!

WOW! FALL IS HERE!
Time for Apple Cider,Pumpkins,Warm Fireplaces,Colored Leaves & COLDS,FLU,SINUS & UPPER RESPIRATORY???

Oh no ,what can you do? Ear Candling !!!

WHAT IS EAR CANDLING??
Ear Candling is a Centuries Old Home Remedy also known as Coning, it is natural & non-invasive!The candle is a long hollow tube made from unbleached muslin sometimes immersed in an aromatic herbal solution. After it dries, the cone is then dipped into beeswax. The cone or candle is then placed into the ear opening and the top of the cone is lit; soft warm white smoke billows down the tube into the ear and softens the wax. The flame on top of the cone creates a vacuum that pulls out built up wax, toxins, bacteria, dirt and residue from past medications. Ear Candling may also help with a dry hacking cough (a result of a sinus infection), sinus headache, tinnitus, headaches, earaches, dizziness, some hearing loss, sore throats, allergies or upper respiratory infections and itchy ear.

Shawn has been challenged this past week with a few different symptoms,so we decided to candle his ears tonight.As you can see in the above photo,he did have some excess ear wax but no sign of infection :)
Ear Candling is safe & relaxing,and although every body is different,Ear Candling is excellent therapy for Adults and Children( some even use it on their pets).

Some really good reasons to make an appointment today for your candling session! Call me:760-678-9478.

Stay tuned for more cold & flu home remedies!
Love & Blessings,
Debb

The World of Metaphysics Meets Herbalism and Spa!

Welcome to our blog. Here you will find some awesome information and insights into our world. We are both Usui and Seicheim Reiki Masters..... well what does that mean...simply put, we are teachers and we are here to Learn, Teach and Inspire. We both hold a  Bachelor of Metaphysical Science (B.Msc.) Diploma. Debb is a Certified Herbalist and both of us have education and certification in many other holistic techniques.
We love what we do and cannot wait to share it with you.
Watch this space to keep up with what we are up to !!
Love and Blessings,
Shawn and Debb