Lavender essential oil, an all in one solution.

Lavender is an amazing essential oil and is widely regarded as the most useful of all essential oils. It holds many beneficial properties and can be used for a range of ailments. It also has a great fragrance and is safe for sensitive skin types.

If you've never used an essential oil before, then buying lavender would be a great first step into the world of aromatherapy. Or even if you're a regular practitioner there is always a reason to include it in your essential oil kits.

Background:

It's a flowering plant and grows in gardens across Europe, the most common of the 42 species is Lavendula angustifolia. There are many farms growing Lavender for essential oil production and the majority of suppliers reside in England, France, Bulgaria and Spain. The plant or oil can be sourced from various soils, locations, climates and lavender species to create different aromas and beneficial uses (specific to each country). It is advantageous to aromatherapists that they have such a great range of Lavender oils to choose from.

Aroma:
Lavender has a fantastic sweet floral scent with herbal undertones. It can be mixed and used in blends with many other essential oils.

Benefits:

Lavenders' popularity derives from its diverse range of properties, some of these are:

- soothes burns and insect bites (antiseptic and anti-inflammatory)

- aides relaxation and sleep

- relieves headaches and is a good neurological balancer

- soothes muscular pain.

All these beneficial properties are why Lavender essential oil is crucial in any households first aid kit.

Using the oil:

You can apply Lavender neat to treat spots, burns and bites. However other essential oils should not be used neat on the skin. For all other benefits mix the oil in small 'per drop' quantities, with a carrier oil (Sweet Almond or even supermarket Olive Oil, if that's all you can find) to make a massage oil.

When used to scent rooms or to influence mood, you can use as follows:

- 3 to 6 drops in your bath water.

- fragrance a room by dripping some oil on the radiator (non electric).

- mix the oil in water and add to an oil burner.

- add 20 drops to 100ml of lotion or shampoo & shake to add fragrance.

If you suffer any allergic reaction to an essential oil then stop using it. Essential Oils are concentrated plant compounds and should never be consumed (topical use only) and should be avoided when pregnant or on medication.

If you wish to buy a Lavender oil then we recommend Tender Essence French Lavender, which can be purchased here: http://www.tenderessence.com and is available for worldwide delivery.

The healing powers of vinegar

It's cheap and may not be glamorous, but the vinegar you put on your salad can protect against heart disease and cancer, and even help us age more slowly.

Vinegar not only tastes great on chips, dresses up a salad and makes glassware sparkle, but it is also a storehouse of important vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and enzymes and has a host of amazing healing powers.

New research means doctors and scientists are calling it one of the 'functional' foods - foods that are not only nutritious but help prevent and protect against disease.

Follow this guide for the type that's right for you.

Apple Cider

This vinegar, available in supermarkets and health food shops, is the most potent and health-giving of all vinegars.

It contains the same important nutrients as apples - including pectin, beta-carotene and potassium - plus enzymes and amino acids formed during the fermentation process.

Its high potassium content encourages cell, tissue and organism growth, and the enzymes help boost chemical reactions in the body.

It also contains calcium, which maintains healthy bones, helps transmit nerve impulses and regulates muscle contraction, and iron, essential for healthy blood. Magnesium is another component, with many beneficial effects on the body, especially the heart.

Low potassium levels can make us feel permanently tired, and potassium-rich foods help prevent age-related illness.

It also enables the stomach to produce hydrochloric acid, which aids digestion. We lose acid as we age, but apple cider vinegar can help prevent common digestive disorders as we get older.

Red wine

Red wine vinegar has been used for centuries as a cure-all, and its benefits are now being confirmed by scientific research.

It has even been credited with helping the Roman army succeed.

Latin historian Spartianus apparently recorded that vinegar mixed with water was the drink that helped soldiers survive battle, as well as the various alien climates they encountered.

Medical experts agree that the healthier you are, the younger your body stays. Not only is red wine vinegar full of anti-ageing antioxidants, it is cholesterol free, sodium free, and fat free.

Without doubt it can help stave off age-related ailments such as heart disease and cancer.

Like wine itself, red wine vinegar is flavanoid-rich and can help lower your cholesterol levels, which again lessens the risk of heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure.

Vinegar acts as a substitute for salt, and a low fat, low sodium diet is important for a healthy heart as we get older.

Red wine vinegar adds flavour to low-fat, heart-healthy foods such as beans, vegetables, fruit, pasta and whole grain cereals.

Balsamic and herbs

In Italian 'balsamico' means balm and in previous centuries, balsamic vinegar was used as a gargle, tonic and air purifier against the plague.

Traditionally it was made from Trebbiano grapes allowed to ripen until they are supersweet on the hills around Modena, Italy.

High in antioxidants and potassium, it also makes a particularly tasty vinaigrette.

Its sweet, full flavour means it can even be used over vanilla ice cream.

Thyme vinegar

This vinegar contains iron, magnesium, silicon and thiamine and acts as an antiseptic and general healing tonic. It can subdue coughing and relieve intestinal ailments.

Oregano vinegar

This is both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It kills bacteria, viruses, fungi and other germs and fights cold and flu.

Sage vinegar

Recommended for the gum disease gingivitis and sore throats, due to its natural astringent and antiseptic properties.

Rosemary vinegar

This contains extra calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which help balance fluids surrounding nerves and heart tissue. Rosemary may also help to lower blood pressure.

Ten more therapeutic uses

1. Heal burns: To minimise inflammation and swelling, apply apple cider vinegar straight out of the bottle to burns. It should also help alleviate smarting and soreness and prevent blisters.

2. Clear congestion: Inhale the vapour from a steaming pot of water containing several spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar.

3. Lose a headache: For a tension headache, dampen a cloth with herbal vinegar, put it on your forehead and lie down. For migraine, mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Lean your head over the pan and inhale for 75 breaths.

4. Soothe a sore throat: Gargle with a 50-50 solution of warm water and vinegar.

5. Relieve sunburn: Apply cold vinegar compresses to sunburned skin to relieve discomfort and prevent blisters. antiseptic properties. (Pregnant women should avoid it.)

6. Stop hiccups: Sip a glass of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of vinegar.

7. Swat insect stings: Make a paste from vinegar and cornstarch and apply directly to insect bites or bee stings, but not wasp stings.

8. Alleviate athlete's foot: Rinse feet several times a day with plain, herbal or apple cider vinegar. The acid content of the vinegar helps stop fungus growth and relieves itching.

9. Fight off night sweats: For menopausal night sweats, or sweats caused by flu, try sponging yourself down with apple cider vinegar before going to bed.

10. Avoid morning sickness: Drinking a glass of water containing a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, first thing in the morning, should alleviate early pregnancy nausea, and is safe for the baby.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-37317/The-healing-powers-vinegar.html

What are the benefits of ginger?

Ginger is an herb that is used as a spice and also for its therapeutic qualities. The underground stem (rhizome) can be used fresh, powdered, dried, or as an oil or juice. Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family, as are cardamom, turmeric and galangal.

This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It highlights the history of ginger, its therapeutic benefits, and some important precautions you should be aware of before taking the herb.

According to the National Library of Medicine, part of the NIH (National Institutes of Health), ginger is widely used throughout the world for treating loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting after surgery, nausea resulting from cancer treatment, fratulance, stomach upset, colic, morning sickness and motion sickness.

Some people find ginger helps them with the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection ,bronchitis, cough, menstrual cramps, arthritis and muscle pain.

In some parts of the world, ginger juice is applied to the skin to treat burns.

Ginger is also used as a flavoring by the food and drinks industry, as a spice and flavoring in cooking, and for fragrance in soaps and cosmetics.

Ginger contains a chemical that is used as an ingredient in antacid, laxative and anti-gas medications.

According to Kew Gardens, England's horticultural royal center of excellence, ginger has a long history of usage in South Asia, both in fresh and dried form.

History of ginger

Fresh ginger rhizome (subterranean stem)

The University of Maryland Medical Centre  writes that ginger has been used in China for over 2,000 years to help digestion and treament of diarrhea , nausea and stomach upsets.

The Mahabharata (circa 4th century BC), one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, describes a stewed meat meal which includes ginger. Ginger has also been a key plant in Ayurvedic medicine, a system of traditional medicine native to the Indian subcontinent.

Approximately 2000 years ago, ginger was exported from India to the Roman empire, where it became valued for its therapeutic as well as culinary properties.

Ginger continued to be traded in Europe after the fall of the Roman empire, where its supply was controlled by Arab traders for hundreds of years. During medieval times it became a popular ingredient in sweets.

During the 13th and 14th centuries ginger and black pepper were commonly traded spices. By the sixteenth century one pound in weight of ginger in England would cost the equivalent of one sheep.

What are the therapeutic benefits of ginger?

Below are examples of some scientific studies on ginger and its current or potential uses in medical treatment.

Inflammation of the colon

A study carried out at the University of Michigan Medical School found that Ginger Root Supplement administered to volunteer participants reduced inflammation markers in the colon within a month.

The study was published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

Experts say that inflammation of the colon is a precursor to colon cancer. Co-researcher Suzanna M. Zick, N.D., M.P.H., explained that by reducing inflammation in the colon a person reduces their risk of developing colon cancer.

Zick said "We need to apply the same rigor to the sorts of questions about the effect of ginger root that we apply to other clinical trial research. Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic, and improve their quality of life in a cost-effective way."

Muscle pain caused by exercise

A study involving 74 volunteers carried out at the University of Georgia found that daily ginger supplementation reduced exercise-induced muscle pain by 25%..

Patrick O'Connor, a professor in the College of Education's department of kinesiology, and colleagues carried out two studies on the effects of 11 days of raw and heat-treated ginger supplementation on exercise-induced muscle pain.

The volunteers consumed the ginger supplements for 11 consecutive days. On the 8th day they performed 18 extensions of the elbow flexors with a heavy weight. The aim was to induce moderate muscle injury to the arm. Each participant's arm function, inflammation, and pain levels were assessed before exercise and three days afterwards.

The researchers noted that the pain-reducing effect was not enhanced by heat-treating the ginger.

The study was published in The Journal of Pain.

Nausea caused by chemotherapy 

Ginger supplements administered alongside anti-vomiting medications can reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea symptons by 40%, a PhaseII/III study carried out at the University of Rochester Medical Center found.

Lead researcher, Dr Julie Ryan, presented the study findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Orlando, Florida, in 2009.

Dr. Ryan explained that about 70% of cancer patients who receive chemotherapy experience nausea and vomiting. The vomiting is usually easy to control with effective medications. However, the nausea tends to linger.

Dr. Ryan said "By taking the ginger prior to chemotherapy treatment, the National Cancer Institute-funded study suggests its earlier absorption into the body may have anti-inflammatory properties."

Ovarian cancer

A study found that exposing ovarian cancer cells to a solution of ginger powder resulted in their death in every single test.

The cancer cells either died as a result of apoptosis (they committed suicide) or autophagy (they digested/attacked themselves).

The researchers, from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center added that the ginger solution also prevented the cancer cells from building up resistance to cancer treatment.

The study findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Washington D.C., 2006.

Asthma symptoms

A team at Columbia University carried out a study to determine what effects adding specific components of ginger to asthma medications might have on asthma symptoms.

Team leader, Elizabeth Townsend, PhD, explained "In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically with β-agonists to relax ASM (airway smooth muscle)."

The scientists took ASM tissue samples and exposed them to acetylcholine, a compound that causes bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the airways).

They then mixed the β-agonist isoproterenol (asthma medication) with three different components of ginger:

• 6-gingerol
• 8-gingerol
• 6-shogaol

Contracted ASM tissue samples were exposed to each of the three mixtures as well as isoproterenol on its own.

The team found that ASm tissues exposed to isoproterenol combined with the purified ginger components exhibited greater relaxation than those treated with just isoproterenol.

Ginger component 6-shogaol had the greatest impact in enhancing the effects of isoproterenol.

Dr. Townsend said "Taken together, these data show that ginger constituents 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol and 6-shogaol act synergistically with the β-agonist in relaxing ASM, indicating that these compounds may provide additional relief of asthma symptoms when used in combination with β-agonists. By understanding the mechanisms by which these ginger compounds affect the airway, we can explore the use of these therapeutics in alleviating asthma symptoms."

The study findings were presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Liver damage caused by acetaminophen

Acetaminophen, known more commonly as "Tylenol" in the USA and "paracetamol" elsewhere, is a popular painkiller and antipyretic (reduces fever). However, acetaminophen is also associated with a higher risk of chemically-driven liver damage (hepatotoxicity), especially among patients with liver disorders.

Scientists at the National Research Centre in Egypt wanted to determine whether ginger pretreatment might reduce the incidence of acetaminophen-induced liver damage in rats.

The researchers wrote in the Journal of Dietary Supplements "Our results demonstrated that ginger can prevent hepatic injuries, alleviating oxidative stress in a manner comparable to that of vitamin E. Combination therapy of ginger and acetaminophen is recommended especially in cases with hepatic (liver) disorders or when high doses of acetaminophen are required."

High blood pressure (hypertension)

A study reported in the journal Pharmaceutical Biology found that cassumunar ginger extract was more effective than prazosin hydrochloride in reducing blood pressure in hypertensive laboratory rats.

The researchers, from Chiang Mai University in Thailand wrote "The cassumunar ginger extract exhibited the maximum decrease of mean arterial blood pressure at 39.83 ± 3.92%, which was 3.54-times that of prazosin hydrochloride."

Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)

Ginger can help reduce the symptoms of pain in primary dysmenorrhea (period pains), researchers from the Islamic Azad University in Iran reported in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association.

Seventy female students were divided into two groups:

• The ginger group - they took capsules containing ginger
• The placebo group - participants took capsules containing placebo

The participants took their capsules for three days at the beginning of their menstruation cycles.

The researchers found that the 82.85% of the women taking the ginger capsules reported improvements in pain symptoms compared to 47.05% of those on placebo.

Migraines

A study performed at the VALI-e-ASR Hospital in Iran and published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that ginger powder is as effective in treating common migraine symptoms as sumatriptan. Sumatriptan is a common medication for migraine treatment (Imitrex, Treximet, Imigran, Imigran).

The double-blind, randomized clinical trial involved 100 participants. They all suffered form acute migraine without aura. They were randomly selected to receive either sumatriptan or ginger powder.

The study authors concluded "Efficacy of ginger powder and sumatriptan were similar. Clinical adverse effects of ginger powder were less than sumatriptan. Patients' satisfaction and willingness to continue did not differ. The effectiveness of ginger powder in the treatment of common migraine attacks is statistically comparable to sumatriptan. Ginger also poses a better side effect profile than sumatriptan."

Precautions

According to the University of Maryland Center, the use of herbs can interact with other herbs or medications.

Therefore it's important to talk to your doctor before taking ginger.

You should not take ginger if you suffer from a bleeding disorder or take blood-thinning medications (such as warfarin or aspirin).

Side effects of consuming ginger are rare, but may include:

• Diarrhea
• Heartburn
• Stomach upset
• Mouth irritation

Written by Christian Nordqvist

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265990.php

Aloe vera - digestive, antifungal and antibacterial properties

Originally from Africa, the gel from inside the fleshy leaves of the aloe

vera plant has been used since the 4th century BC to treat minor burns,

intestinal problems like stomach ulcers, and to help speed wound healing.

Scientific studies have shown that a complex carbohydrate in aloe vera,

acemannan, combines antiviral properties, antibacterial action and also

stimulates the immune system.

Gel-based creams are effective when applied externally to skin burns and

wounds.

Aloe vera gel-based drinks have also proved useful for people suffering 

mouth ulcers and peptic ulcers (unless they are drug-or stress-induced).

Aloes and aloe gel are often confused with each other. Aloes, which are

obtained by evaporating water from the bitter yellow juice drained from

the leaves, contains anthraquinones - a strong purgative often used as a

laxative. Aloe vera gel, on the other hand, is obtained from the jelly-like

tissue in the centre of the leaf, and does not contain any anthraquinones.

For this reason, pregnant women should avoid taking (internally) aloe vera

products that could contain anthraquinones. Externally-applied aloe vera

gel during pregnancy is not believed to cause concern.

Aloe vera can vary in strength, according to its preparation, therefore it

is usually advised to follow the dosing directions given on each product's

packaging.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-61991/Aloe-vera--digestive-antifungal-antibacterial-properties.html

Nutrition for Healthy Skin: Vitamin A, Zinc, Vitamin C

One of the biggest motivations to adopt a more nutritious diet is the desire to improve skin health. Many people of all ages struggle with skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, dry skin, wrinkles, and sun damage, among others. This can be very upsetting for those who have yet to find a solution to their problematic skin. While conventional medical professionals often discount the connection between skin health and nutrition, there is strong evidence to support the influence of our food choices on the health and vibrancy of our skin.

The consumption of certain vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds in the diet is one of the most effective ways to treat skin conditions and improve the look and feel of one’s skin. There are several nutrients that are known to play a role in the proper growth and immunity of the skin, and many people have found that their skin health has dramatically improved after making purposeful changes to their daily diet. For example, Liz from the blog CaveGirlEats has a great post about how eating a traditional diet has improved her skin health. As her story suggests, making simple changes to your diet can have a significant impact on skin appearance in a short amount of time.

In this series, I will discuss how vitamins and minerals from a nutritious whole foods diet can treat acne, wrinkles, and other problem skin conditions.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A, or retinol, is one of the most widely acknowledged nutrients for healthy skin. Synthetic retinoids have been used as effective treatments for severe acne and psoriasis since the 1980s, demonstrating how useful vitamin A can be in treating problem skin. Vitamin A influences the physiology of the skin by promoting epidermal differentiation, modulating dermal growth factors, inhibiting sebaceous gland activity, and suppressing androgen formation. (1) As it promotes cell turnover in the skin, vitamin A is effective in preventing the formation of comedones that cause the most common forms of acne.

Lack of vitamin A causes the skin to become keratinized and scaly, and mucus secretion is suppressed. (2) Rough, dry skin is a common sign of vitamin A deficiency, which often first appears as rough, raised bumps on the back of the arms. (3) This condition is called hyperkeratosis pillaris, and is found in approximately 40% of adults. (4) Though dermatologists believe this is an inherited condition with no cure, I have successfully treated this condition in several patients by significantly increasing their consumption of vitamin A rich foods. While physicians prescribe synthetic retinoids to treat skin conditions including acne, eczema, psoriasis, cold sores, wounds, burns, sunburn, and ichthyosis, it is possible to obtain similar effects from consuming natural sources of pre-formed vitamin A. (5)

Preformed vitamin A, which is well absorbed by the body, can be found in a variety of traditional foods. The most vitamin A-rich foods are liver and cod liver oil, but other sources include kidney, cream and butter from pastured cows, and egg yolks from pastured chickens. I recommend using cod liver oil if you wish to supplement, as this provides a balance of vitamin A and vitamin D that will reduce the risk of overdosing on vitamin A. Eating liver once or twice per week is a great dietary strategy for those looking to reduce and even eliminate stubborn acne.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral that is an imperative part of many physiological functions, including structure in certain proteins and enzymes, and regulation of gene expression. It plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. (6) In skin, zinc assists in the proper structure of proteins and cell membranes, improves wound healing,  has anti-inflammatory effects, and protects against UV radiation. (7)

Several studies indicate that dietary zinc may reduce acne, even as effectively as antibiotics such as tetracyclines. (8) This may be because it interacts with vitamin A as a component of retinol-binding protein, which is necessary for transporting vitamin A in the blood. (9) Zinc supplementation has been shown to significantly increase the level of vitamin A in the blood, indicating an interaction between the two nutrients that may explain its positive effect on acne. (10) In fact, men and women with serious acne are found to have lower levels of serum zinc than healthy controls. (11)

Dietary sources of zinc are best absorbed from animal sources, where it is not bound to phytates as in plant sources. Organs such as kidney and liver, red meat such as beef and lamb, and seafood such as oysters, scallops, and other shellfish are the highest animal sources of zinc. Plant foods such as pumpkin seeds and other nuts can also be high in zinc as well, but are less bioavailable, as the zinc is bound to phytates if not properly prepared by soaking. To get the most zinc from your diet, include shellfish, organ meats, and red meat on a regular basis.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has been known for decades to play a crucial role in the regulation of the structural protein collagen, which is necessary for the extracellular stability of the skin. A vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, which is first manifested as rough dry skin and corkscrew hair growth. Inadequate vitamin C is also known to contribute to the development of the common problem of hyperkeratosis pillaris, as the follicles become damaged when collagen formation is impaired.

Increasing the amount of vitamin C in the diet can contribute to improved skin health and faster healing. Observational studies have shown that diets high in vitamin C are associated with better skin appearance and less skin wrinkling. (12, 13) Vitamin C may also help prevent and treat ultraviolet (UV)-induced photo damage by acting as an antioxidant. (14) Higher intakes of dietary vitamin C have been correlated with a decreased level of dry skin, and ascorbic acid may have effects on trans-epidermal water loss. (15) Vitamin C has an important role in wound healing and can improve the proper formation of strong scar tissue. (16)

While true deficiency in the United States is uncommon, it is possible to be consuming sub-optimal levels, particularly in a diet with limited fruits and vegetables. The highest sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, guava, dark leafy greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kiwi, citrus fruits, and strawberries. Certain fresh herbs such as cilantro, chives, thyme, basil and parsley are also high in vitamin C. Consuming a wide variety of colorful plant foods on a regular basis is the best way to get adequate vitamin C in your diet. It’s important to remember that vitamin C is sensitive to heat, so lightly cooking these plant foods or eating them raw (if possible) is ideal to maximize your intake of this vitamin.

http://chriskresser.com/nutrition-for-healthy-skin-part-1

Benefits of Colloidal Silver (Colloidal Silver)

What is Colloidal Silver?

Colloids are the smallest biological form of any matter.  They are small enough to pass through membranes and therefore they skip past the digestive process and are easily absorbed by the body.

There are many benefits of colloidal silver.  Colloidal silver supports the natural defence system of the body and is powerfully alkaline.  It is created when an electromagnetic process pulls tiny particles of silver from a larger samole of pure silver into (usually distilled) water.   The minute electric charge on each atom holds these silver particles in suspension.  This is essential to the effectiveness of the silver as it allows the particles to move more easily throughout the body.

Another benefit is that colloidal silver has been recognised as a powerful, natural antibiotic.  Research has shown that it works by acting as a catalyst, disabling the enzyme that single-celled bacteria, fungi and viruses require for the metabolism of oxygen.  This then suffocates the invading cell whilst doing no harm to any human enzymes, resulting in the removal of disease-causing organisms from the body.

It also works through the negative charge on the silver clusters binding up with the positive charge on the germ/bacteria.  This causes an interruption of the germs biological function which means that it is then unable to reproduce.

The History of Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver has long been the subject of hot debate in medical circles.  In the 19th Century, colloidal silver was used prominently to treat all manner of illness and disease ranging from skin infections to common colds.  This common use continued until 1983, when the FDA started its long and heavy oppression against the use of medicinal silver.  Arguably its disdain for silver's use in medicine came from the threat that it poses to the highly lucrative antibiotics industry.  Up until recently, any silver-based products had to be classified as a pre-1938 drug.  However, now that the FDA has begun to approve of medicinal silver, more and more products are emerging.

Benefits of Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver has been reputed by various studies to be able to kill over 650 micro-organisms.  Please be aware, that this does not mean that taking colloidal silver will cure diseases that can be caused by such germs - the human body is a very complex system which works within a number of different environments and systems.

Nonetheless, it has been reported to be effective in fighting against: acne, AIDS, allergies, arthritis, athlete’s foot, boils, burns, candida, cystitis, diabetes, eczema, hay fever, indigestion, parasitic infections, psoriasis, ringworm, warts and yeast infections.

It can be used either orally or topically. When taken orally you can either place droplets directly under the tongue or it can be put into water and drunk. Silver is often used topically by spraying onto cuts, burns, skin infections or acne.

http://www.energiseforlife.com/benefits_of_colloidal_silver.php

Health Benefits of Bee Propolis

The benefits of bee propolis have been well-known for a long time but, as with many natural remedies, some of this knowledge has been obscured in recent times. Using natural substances to cure various ailments is something that our ancestors did with much success. Many people are now re-discovering the benefits of using natural remedies, such as propolis.

About Bee Propolis

Honeybees collect more than just pollen when they are buzzing around the yard. Resins are collected from various plants and trees, mixed with beeswax and amino acids and used to form structures within the hive, similar to the way that we use cement. Bees need to protect themselves from disease just like we do and propolis is their solution. As the bees travel through the hive, they rub against the propolis and receive the benefits of the natural antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiviral properties from their building materials.

Active Ingredients & Uses

Immune Boost

Propolis has antibiotic and anti-microbial properties. Because propolis is high in the vitamin B complex vitamins, has significant amounts of vitamin C, and contains vitamin E, it naturally boosts the immune system. High levels of antioxidants are also found in propolis and these also give our natural immune system functions a boost, as well as doing the same for the bees! Because of its ability to enhance the function of the immune system, Propolis is a great treatment for cold and flu symptoms and even food poisoning. It can be taken in the form of capsules or as a tincture and is easy to obtain.

Wound Healing

Bee propolis also promotes wound healing, making it very useful in topical treatments such as ointments and creams. It is easy for burns, abrasions and lacerations to become infected, but when treated with a strong antibacterial agent the body has a chance to heal quickly and with less chance of scarring. Studies conducted in several different countries show that bee propolis has strong antibacterial and anti-microbial properties. As an anti-inflammatory, bee propolis has been shown to be very effective. This is another way in which propolis can be useful as a topical treatment for wounds.

Anti-Inflammatory

Taken internally, it can also reduce the damaging effects of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the cause of many diseases, including heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, some bone diseases, pelvic inflammatory disease and arthritis. Autoimmune diseases such as endometriosis have also been shown to respond well to treatments that include the use of propolis.

Anti-Viral

The anti-viral property of bee propolis is another one of its well-known benefits. Viruses such as herpes can cause painful and embarrassing canker sores but relief has been found by using bee propolis. It can be taken internally to inhibit the action of the virus and used topically to treat blisters and canker sores. The antiviral properties of bee propolis are also what make it so effective in treating colds and the flu. Warts, which are thought to be caused by viruses or deficiencies in the immune system, have also been treated successfully with propolis.

Allergy Relief

Rats were shown to produce less histamine when given propolis, indicating that it has the potential to be effective in providing allergy relief.

Anti-Fungal

Propolis’ antifungal property is another one of its benefits. Common fungal infections include yeast infections of the mouth and vagina, foot fungus and jock-itch. Propolis has been shown to be an effective antifungal agent in a variety of studies. It can be used in the form of a topical treatment, as a tincture or in capsule form. Its effectiveness is due in part to enhancement of the immune system, and in part to its natural antifungal properties.

Cancer & Chemotherapy Relief

In some studies, propolis has also been shown to be effective against cancer cells. Propolis was applied as a tincture to cancerous prostate and colon cells, among others and caused significant rates of cancer cell death. Healthy cells were not destroyed, which is what happens in chemotherapy. Studies of the benefits of propolis in treating cancer are ongoing, but show that there is a possibility that some of the devastating effects of chemotherapy could be reduced by making use of bee propolis.

How To Use

Bee propolis is available in a number of forms, such as ointments, lotions, tinctures and capsules. It can be used to heal burns and other wounds, clear up infections, reduce the impact of inflammatory diseases and fight viruses. Some studies have even indicated that bee propolis can be used to treat cancer. Its antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiviral properties have been known to humankind for ages and proven effective in numerous scientific studies the world over.

http://www.herbwisdom.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/health-benefits-of-bee-propolis/