Green Health

Remedies for Menstrual Cramps That Actually Work

Most women need remedies for menstrual cramps at one time or another.  While some women are luckier than others in how strong the cramps are, almost all of us go through times in our lives when the cramps are stronger than at other times.  There can be different reasons for this. The medical name for menstrual cramps is dysmenorrhea. There are two types that can feel exactly the same but in fact have different causes.  Primary dysmenorrhea is experienced by young women in their teens and early twenties.  The cramps usually get milder after the age of 25 or after childbirth.  Secondary dysmenorrhea is diagnosed when there is another identifiable cause of the cramps, such as ovarian cysts, endometriosis or use of an IUD for birth control. If you think you might have secondary dysmenorrhea because your cramps now are worse than they used to be, see your doctor because there might be a reason for this that needs treating.  On the other hand if you are under 25 or have always suffered badly from cramps, you probably just need something to get you through the pain and discomfort.  Nobody can afford to take 2 days in bed every month. The remedies for ...

Natural Remedies for Asthma

Natural remedies for asthma can be helpful for some people in preventing asthma attacks.  Of course, asthma is a dangerous condition.  Any difficulty in breathing can lead to very serious complications, even death.  So always use the prescribed medications during an asthma attack.  Do not rely on home remedies for that, only for prevention. Breathing Techniques One of the most popular natural remedies for asthma that has become known in recent years is the Buteyko Breathing Method.  This is a shallow breathing technique that raises carbon dioxide levels in the smooth muscles of the airways, increasing oxygen uptake. One study of 60 asthma sufferers found that the Buteyko Breathing Method help sufferers to cut down their use of inhalers by an average of 2 puffs per day.  However, it is important to remember that you will still need to carry the inhaler. Diet Other natural remedies focus on diet.  In particular, you can help to reduce inflammation in the body (which may be a cause of asthma attacks) by taking the following steps in your diet: 1. Reduce consumption of arachidonic acid, linked to inflammation.  Arachidonic acid is found especially in certain animal foods including egg yolks, meat and shellfish.  Eating less of these may help ...

Bottled Water Is Bad for the Environment

Many people don’t trust the water that comes out of their tap, and so instead of drinking it, they spend hundreds of dollars a year on bottled water.  Sure, it costs money to drink the water that comes out of the tap, but that’s only a few extra cents on your water bill.  If you drink tap water instead of bottled water, you will save hundreds of dollars a year (depending on how many bottles of water you drink, of course), and you will save hundreds of plastic or glass bottles from the need to be recycled or, worse, go into landfills. All states have water treatment plants that ensure that your tap water is safe to drink.  The problem is what the water picks up as it goes through the pipes to your home.  Some pipes are old and can deposit rust or bacteria in your drinking water. However, that’s where water purifiers come in.  You can purchase water purifiers that fit onto your faucet, or you can purchase refrigerators that have drinking water receptacles, after first purifying that water with filters.  Pitchers and faucet-mount filters must be changed every 1-3 months…and this will cost you about $100 a year or ...

The Many Uses of Soy

From its first known use in East Asia and China more than 5,000 years ago, the humble soy continues to be part of the daily diet of people around the world in its many forms.  From human food to dog food, it provides nutrients that promote good health, prevent certain cancer types and heart diseases, and even lessen hot flashes in menopausal women. However, like many other food, soy has its bad side that humans will do well to remember.  After all, too much of a good thing is still toxic! Soy Benefits Soy is used in many products from the grocery shelves to cosmetic counters to household items cabinets.  Truly, this is one versatile bean! As a food product, it is the primary ingredient in soy foods like tofu, soy milk, soy cheese, miso, soy flour, soy nuts, soy sauce, butter, cooking oil, infant formula and even as ice cream and vodka.  However, it must be noted that the health benefits of soy consumption can only come from those containing soy protein, or whole soy as it is also called.  It also helps to look for the non-GMO label to avoid the health problems that can arise from this type of bioengineering. The health ...

A Push to Get Medical Facilities to Recycle

Medical waste is a huge problem.  Every year medical facilities are throwing out waste that could easily be recycled.  Yet, there has not been a huge movement to start recycling and stop piling medical waste in landfills all over the country.  No other industry besides the food industry creates as much waste as the medical industry.  It is time to start doing something.  It is time for medical facilities to recycle more and throw away less. Why So Much Waste? Hospitals and other medical facilities throw out tools, medical waste and other items on a daily basis.  Some of these things could easily be recycled.  However, it is generally thought to be easier and safer to just throw things out rather than try to recycle them. Safety is a huge issue with medical waste.  There is the risk of transferring diseases from contaminated tools and other waste.  There is also the risk of devices malfunctioning when being used over and over.  The process now involves using special waste bins and procedures to ensure safety is always the top priority.  Changing these policies and procedures would take time and many facilities are just not willing to put in the needed time to change to ...