Herbal Health » Herbal

NATURAL SLEEP – HOW MUCH SLEEP DO WE NEED? (DAYLIGHT AND DARKNESS)

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:36:36 +0000

Our eyes were given to us by our Creator to enjoy and explore the light and what each day unfolds. They are a miracle and we should look after them well. The daylight opens them in the morning, and when night falls it is natural to close them in rest. For what other reason were we given alternate light and darkness? Modern man, however, came along and invented artificial light for himself, allowing him to prolong the day indefinitely. First he used kindling and candles, then paraffin and gas, until the invention of the electric light bulb made it even more simple to switch on the artificial light and continue working at any time of the night. No longer can we say, as once was said: ‘Come, let’s make an end to the day and go to bed, for we have endured its cares for long enough.’ Now we can think of other ways, besides sleep, for banishing the cares of the day – by doing more work or by dissipating our night hours in pleasures to help us forget our troubles. Thus, although artificial light seems useful and practical to us, we have forgotten that we have changed the natural rhythm of life to suit our own transient mood, personal need, or perhaps just to comply with a certain set of circumstances.

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MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS – APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS (GENERAL INFORMATION)

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:16:18 +0000

Both healthy and sick people should take the same precautions in winter and in summer. If you have never had the opportunity to see for yourself the amount of care taken by desert dwellers in order to find protection from direct sunlight, you would be surprised to find them walking around in voluminous woollen gowns and thick head coverings in spite of the heat. As a rule, it is quite cold during the night in desert areas and a warm head covering is no luxury, but the fact that the natives do not go without it in the daytime either shows that it is pleasant, comfortable and a protection. There are still some natives who wear little or no clothes at all, but remember that this is less dangerous for dark-coloured skin than it is for white, since dark skin absorbs part of the rays.

Anyone who knows how to appreciate nature’s gifts recognises the sun’s value as a source of energy. At the same time, however, no one should forget to exercise caution and show respect for its power.

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MILK AND DAIRY FARMING – AMERICAN DAIRY FARMING

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:03:11 +0000

It would be a salutary thing to compare Swiss dairy farming and its various deficiencies with American dairy farming. The Swiss farmer, and, no doubt, those from many other countries, can learn much from the organisation, installations and hygienic conditions and rules found in the average American dairy farm. There are many American ideas that could be applied elsewhere for the benefit of producer and consumer alike. Admittedly, the American dairy farmer has larger herds and more extensive facilities, but with a little good will, some improvements could be made. If milk is to be wholesome, it must be equal to the requirements demanded of healthy food.

*1073/28/1*

BERRIES – HEALTH BENEFITS (SYRUP AND TREATMENT)

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:48:58 +0000

Formerly, a specially prepared syrup made from cherries together with the stones, which contain hydrocyanic acid, served as a diuretic for dropsy and as a refreshing drink. The fruits and their stones were crushed together, the pulp was squeezed out, and sixty-five parts of sugar were added to thirty-five parts of juice. Cherry stones were also once used for people who suffered from kidney stones, six to be taken daily. Even cherry stalks, especially those of red and sour cherries, were used for medicinal purposes; a tea was made from them to treat infections of the respiratory tract and to increase the flow of urine.

In former times, dried cherries were a remedy for chlorosis and anaemia. And even today, prunes, soaked and eaten before going to bed and before breakfast, are still used for sluggish bowels.

Continuing this simple treatment over a period of time will help even in stubborn cases of constipation.

Fully ripe and uncontaminated apricots and peaches are a wholesome addition to our food. They are relatively rich in vitamin C, contain some vitamins B3 and B2, a substantial amount of carotene and also pantothenic acid, which helps to prevent the hair turning

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HELPFUL DIETS FOR THE SICK A LOW-PROTEIN DIET (CONCLUSION)

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:35:27 +0000

Those who like cheese should restrict their intake and then only eat the mild types, along with vegetables, for their midday meal. Soft white cheese (curds, cottage cheese or quark) is much better than hard cheese, because it has none of the drawbacks of other high-protein foods and assists the function of the liver – a fact of which all liver patients should take note.

Avoid eating high-protein foods in the evening because they are usually the cause of restless sleep. Heavy food is more appropriate for the midday meal, as it generally requires longer periods for digestion than breakfast or tea would allow. If a heavy meal is eaten at night, the digestive system will not be able to cope so easily with the demand placed on it.

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THE PROBLEM OF FAT – INTRODUCTION

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:43:21 +0000

It is generally known that the liver is highly sensitive to fats when it is suffering from some disorder or disturbance. However, one cannot cut out fat altogether since the liver needs some unsaturated fatty acids in order to function properly. It is therefore important not to use any fat in which the unsaturated fatty acids have been destroyed. Heated fat should also be avoided. In fact, the basic rule for liver patients is eliminate all fried foods from your diet.

If you understand and observe this rule, you will have come to grips with a liver diet. You will then abstain from potatoes and onions fried in butter, oil or any other fat; this includes saute potatoes and French fries or chips. If you want to help your liver recover, you will not indulge in such food however delicious it may be. Meat fried in fat will also be off your menu. As a matter of fact, any kind of dish requiring frying or baking in fat is out. Butter must no longer be used in cooking. Natural oils such as sunflower, sesame, linseed or any other cold-pressed oils may be used in limited quantities in the preparation of salads, because, strangely enough, a moderate amount of these natural, unrefined and unadulterated oils is actually good for the liver. The problem of fat is therefore one that needs careful consideration and the right solution.

*466/28/1*

POISONING OF THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES – APPENDICITIS (GENERAL INFORMATION)

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:33:01 +0000

The appendix is a worm-shaped offshoot from the caecum, the blind intestine at the beginning of the ascending colon. It is this small tube which can become inflamed, the condition referred to as appendicitis, and is often removed surgically. The vermiform appendix is located exactly half way between the navel and the right iliac crest, the highest portion of the ilium and the pelvis. Imagine, for a moment, the face of a clock; if the navel were the centre, the small hand when it is on eight o’clock would then indicate the direction in which the appendix is located, exactly in the middle between the navel and the protruding hipbone.

Occasionally, an inflammation of the ovary (ovaritis) on the right side is mistaken for an attack of appendicitis. When the area of the appendix is depressed by the hand and suddenly released, the sensation of pain is radiated to the right, whereas in the case of ovaritis the pain would be local and of a dull nature. Appendicitis may also be diagnosed through the rectum. It generally makes itself known through severe, sudden pain in the right lower portion of the abdomen, appearing without warning and usually accompanied by malaise and vomiting. As a rule the tongue is coated and the patient runs a slight temperature of 37.5-38 °C (99.5-100.4 °F). If the diagnosis is difficult, the physician may also take a blood test to determine whether the number of white blood cells has increased. In cases of inflammation the usual number of 6,000-9,000 may have jumped to 15,000, and the pulse rate also climbs above 100.

*409/28/1*

INSOMNIA – INTRODUCTION

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:23:11 +0000

It is certainly annoying when you cannot get to sleep in spite of being tired. But it is even worse to lie awake for hours because the tensions of the day simply do not leave you, and are transformed into problems of insurmountable magnitude. Unpleasant daytime experiences prevent sleep and create a state of depression and the ‘wheels’ which are supposed to stand still during the night turn faster and faster. The restless individual tosses from side to side and finally, because he knows no other way out of his predicament, he reaches for a sleeping pill.

This, of course, is the worst thing he could do, because in no time at all, if he continues using such help, he will find he cannot do without it. He tends to forget that drugs destroy the body’s ability to react and respond in a natural way and that their continued use has a destructive effect that can be far-reaching. It is far more sensible to isolate the cause of the problem that keeps you awake. Then, by resolving it, you will eventually restore your natural ability to fall asleep and rest.

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GOITRE AND IODISED SALT – THYROID PROBLEMS

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:13:06 +0000

The introduction of iodised salt was prompted by the observation that people who live by the sea hardly ever suffer from thyroid problems. The iodine of the sea, especially in sea salt, was rightly taken to be the reason for this. Even though the cause of the problem was correctly analysed, the wrong solution was adopted. A manufactured product simply does not have the same effect as a substance found in nature. Sea salt is an excellent source of iodine and everyone in ‘goitre areas’ should use only natural sea salt for seasoning. (The vast stretches of the mid west in the United States, for example, are commonly known as the ‘goitre belt’.) Although sea salt contains iodine, nature has included it in such combinations and proportions that you need never fear any of the disturbances iodised salt brings about. Moreover, when fresh herbs are added to sea salt you get the perfect herbal seasoning salts known as Herbamare and Trocomare. A great number of people have come to appreciate these salts because of their taste and goodness.

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VARICOSE VEINS – CIRCULATION

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:52:56 +0000

If the blood is to fulfil its task properly, it must contain all the minerals and vitamins the body requires to maintain itself. The circulation has the important function of carrying these elements to the tissues. Thus, on the one hand, the blood itself must contain the necessary nutrients, and on the other hand, the circulation must be in good working order so that these nutrients will be taken to every cell in the body. More than that, even if the cells received everything they need they would still die if the metabolic wastes were not removed. The cells would inevitably be poisoned by their own waste matter.

If you are reasonably well acquainted with the body’s functions, you will know that the arteries carry oxygenated, nutrient-laden blood to the cells, while the veins carry the depleted blood back to the heart after the tissues have received what they need. Thus, the arteries and veins are complementary to each other. Everything our Creator has made was designed so that normal function and activity can take place.

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