Eating properly is an ideal way to relieve many of the common symptoms of menopause.  For some women, it can be difficult to change their eating habits at this point in their lives, but many are pleased with the results.  Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D are recommended.  Although vitamin supplements can be taken, many menopause sufferers find the best success when adding additional calcium rich foods, such as milk and cheese, into their diets.  Lots of water should be consumed and caffeine consumption should be limited.

Beet juice is also effective in providing those suffering from menopause with relief.  This natural remedy for menopause has been proven successful on a number of occasions.  Although you will find some variances when researching beet juice and menopause, most recommend consuming around sixty milliliters a day, two to three times daily.  Sugar can be added for taste, although this additional step is optional.

Soy is also an ideal and natural way to reduce or treat menopause symptoms.  Soy is an ideal method of treatment for many, as it comes in a number of different formats.  For example, soy foods, such as soy milk can be purchased.  Drink mixes are also available for purchase both on and offline.

As for natural herbs, black cohosh is recommended for those suffering from the symptoms of menopause.  Black cohosh, like many other natural remedies for menopause has been proven effective in many studies; however, other additional studies have had inconclusive results.  With that being said, many claim that black cohosh can help to reduce hot flashes.  Hot flashes are one of the most common symptom complaints from menopause sufferers.  In addition to hot flashes, black cohosh has also reportedly helps with sweating, another common menopause symptom.

Another natural way to relieve the symptoms of menopause involves getting proper exercise.  Aerobic exercises have been proven in numerous studies to help with hot flashes.  Although aerobic exercises are recommended, it is important not to underestimate the important activity of walking.  In keeping with exercises, many women suffering from menopause have seen success with yoga.  Although there are many disputes associated with the claim of yoga, there are a number of yoga postures which claims state that they specifically target many menopause symptoms, including hot flashes.

Homemade Remedies for Skin

Your skin plays an important role in your life.  Not only does the skin protect our bodies and our internal organs, the skin has a great impact on our appearance and how others see us.  Because of this, most of us are constantly on the watch for ways to improve our skin or repair skin damage such as rashes, sun damage, eczema issues or dry skin.  Although there are a countless number of easily available skincare products that claim effortless skin repair, there are also many natural skin remedies that can safely give you comparable effects for a fraction of the cost.

Here are a few of the common epidermal concerns that many of us suffer and the homemade remedies:

Dry flaky skin – Proteins, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin E and vitamin C can assist with peeling skin by providing the body with requisite nutrients and oils. Salmon, eggs, carrots, milk, cheese, green vegetables, and citrus fruits should be consumed on a daily basis in order to provide the body with the vitamins and minerals it needs.  Juices can also be used for further nutrients, but make sure they are pure juice with no added sugars!

Eczema  – The skin condition eczema can be harmful on several different levels because it often brings about the irrepressible urge to scratch.   This can result raw or scraped skin, which may increase the chances of developing an infection.   I recall when my little girl had terrible eczema breakouts.  I would see where her little nails had
scratched into her tender skin.   Taking 1000 mg of flaxseed oil daily can offer protection against eczema occurences.  Certainly, keeping the affected area moisturized with oils and/or butters such as coconut oil or olive oil will also help.

Razor burn  -  The easiest way to avoid razor burn is by careful shaving.    Warm water should be used first to help soften the hairs, making shaving easier.  Using shaving soap or gel is a must, as it can help the razor to glide over the facial skin, resulting in less nicks and cuts.  If razor burn does develop, crush a few strawberries and mix them with one tablespoon of sour cream.  This mixture should be applied to the affected area and left on for 10 to 15 minutes.  Apply daily until the razor burn is no longer an issue.  Surely, if you are sensitive to strawberries, this remedy should not be tried! Add some sugar to the leftover portion and you’ve got a neat dessert!

Sunburn  – There are a few of homemadecures that may minimize the pain from a harmful sunburn.  Aloe Vera gel, which is readily available in drug stores, is one of the most familiar natural remedies for sunburn.  Apply the aloe vera gel to the painful area.  Or you might try the cucumber and milk natural remedy:  Place slices of raw cucumbers to the burned area for relief and a reduction in skin inflammation.  Soak a napkin or washrag in milk and gently place on to the skin.  Milk tends to have a calming effect on irritated skin.

Dry skin – A squashed ripe banana is a perfect way to alleviate dry skin on the face and neck.  Though it will work on the entire body, it might get a bit messy.  Other easy ways to remedy dry skin on the entire body are taking a milk bath (use the dry milk that comes in packets) once or twice a month or the addition of oils to the bath such as olive or avocado oil.

Asthma can restrict activities

It’s difficult when children suffer from asthma. Because of breathing difficulties, it may keep them from participating in sports or even sideline them from gym class or recess. Living more naturally may be the key to improving your child’s asthma condition and send him or her on his way to a new lifestyle.  Natural remedies for asthma can be used in the case of moderate to mild asthma. Please, however, check with your doctor or other medical professional before eliminating any prescribed medication. Asthma is a serious condition and should not be treated lightly. If your child uses an emergency inhaler, it is best to keep this with him at all times, just in case.

Some of the most common natural remedies for asthma start from the “inside out”, that is, one can take supplements or modify one’s diet to improve the condition. Taking fish oil supplements, which are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, is a good start. Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory and may serve to naturally shrink the swelling of the bronchial tubes.

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Vitamin C, when taken in appropriate doses for the age and weight of the child, is a natural antihistamine and may serve to squelch the allergens that may trigger an asthma attack. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant. If you are living naturally, using Vitamin C is a must!

Finally, essential oils such as lavender and eucalyptus may also alleviate the collection of mucus in the bronchial tubes and keep those breathing passages clear. (As a wanna-be natural mom, lavender and eucalyptus are staples in my essential oil aresenal.)  Whenever you use essential oils, they must NOT be applied to the skin unless you dilute them with a carrier oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil or other carrier oil. Mix a few drops of these oils with at least a tablespoon of carrier oil and rub on the chest and back. This treatment may be especially effective for preventing middle of the night attacks.

Hopefully, these natural remedies for asthma will be incorporated in your everyday life. Continue on your journey to living naturally!

Contributed by Itiel McVay, SmellGoodsSpa

Castor Oil is used a lot in the products that I create. I love it! Not only are the healing properties superior when applied topically, but when absorbed into the skin the body’s lymphatic tissue benefits too! I’ve taken this excerpt from an online article that I enjoy reading. If you or someone you know is suffering from edema, arthritis, boils, hyperactivity, colon problems, etc, the castor oil packs could be beneficial.

Castor Oil Packs

One of the most useful and least utilized methods of using castor oil is to employ packs. Packs are an economical and efficient method of absorbing the ricinoleic acid and other healing components of castor oil directly into body tissues. (The following basic procedure was outlined in several of the readings of Edgar Cayce.)

To make a castor oil pack you will need the following items: cold pressed castor oil, a standard heating pad, a plastic garbage bag, two or three one-foot square pieces of wool or cotton flannel and one large bath towel.

1. Start by placing the heating pad on a flat surface and turn the setting to high.

2. On top of the pad lay the plastic garbage bag. Next, soak the flannel pieces with castor oil generally about 1/2 cup) and lay them on top of the garbage bag and heating pad.

3. The entire pack can now be placed against the body with the oil-soaked flannel on the skin. For general conditions the pack should be placed on the abdomen. (For treating lower back problems, the pack can be placed there.) To help hold the pack in place and to keep oil from getting on bedding, etc., the body can be wrapped in a large bath towel.

4. The pack should remain in place for at least one hour and the temperature of the heating pad should be kept at the highest temperature tolerable to the patient.

5. When you remove the pack, the remaining oil can be massaged into the skin or cleaned off using a little soda water made from 1 quart of warm water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.

6. The flannel can be reused if stored properly after removing the pack. Put the flannel in either a plastic bag or zip-loc container and place it in the refrigerator. Before using it next time let it warm up and always add another 1 or 2 tablespoons of fresh cold pressed castor oil. (After a month of use I would recommend using new flannel.)

Conditions Responding to Castor Oil Packs

Due to the many effects of its fatty acid component, ricinoleic acid, the use of castor oil can be used topically to treat a wide variety of health complaints.

Lymphatic Congestion

Obviously, conditions known to be related to poor drainage of the lymphatic system will tend to benefit from this type of therapy. These would include complaints such as:

1. chronic fluid retention with swollen joints and pain
2. arthritis
3. upper respiratory infections involving the sinuses,
tonsils and inner ear
4. colon problems like Crohn’s disease or colitis
5. gallbladder disease
6. boils
7. liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, enlargement or congestion
8. menstrual-related congestion
9. appendicitis
10. hyperactivity
11. constipation, bowel impaction or adhesions
12. swollen lymph nodes
13. bladder and vaginal infections

Neurological Problems

Several neurological problems have also been responsive to castor oil. These include:

1. nerve inflammations such as sciatica, shingles, etc.
2. Parkinson’s disease
3. multiple sclerosis
4. migraine headaches
5. cerebral palsy

AIDS

Conditions that stress or compromise the immune system will very often benefit from castor oil packs. Nowhere is this more obvious than with AIDS. I have talked with several AIDS patients who have added castor oil packs (usually for one hour a day) to their treatment regimen with very positive results. Within two weeks, it was not uncommon for them to see increases in their WBC counts (white blood cell counts), platelet counts, hematocrit readings and RBC counts (red blood cells).

I should mention also that in addition to the castor oil packs most of those I talked to are also drinking a combination of olive oil and lemon juice to further stimulate lymphatic flow and liver activity. It can be made by blending the following:

1 clean whole lemon, (pulp, rind, seeds and all)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups of distilled water
4 rounded tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate

The blended material is then strained through a wire strainer to remove the pulp, which is discarded. The remaining liquid is divided in four equal portions of approximately 1/4 cup each and a portion is consumed with each of the three daily meals and before bedtime.

In addition to stimulating lymphatic flow, the drink increases the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder, which, in turn, enhances one’s ability to digest essential fatty acids through the Peyer’s patches in the small intestine. It is not uncommon for AIDS patients to experience weight gain and a reversal of a long list of complaints often associated with fatty acid deficiencies.

From:  http://smellgoodspa.blogspot.com/2009/01/tip-castor-oil-packs.html