There are a many great options available these days for natural menopause treatment. Whether you are dealing with symptoms such as sweats and pain or you are looking for some type of treatment for hot flashes, there is likely to be a herbal remedy for you to try.
Black Cohosh is an incredibly popular choice for those that are dealing with the symptoms of menopause. Black cohosh has been known to help avid the onset of night sweats and has been able to help ease the symptoms of anxiety and depression. In a recent study done by health care professionals, black cohosh has been able to do wonders in the treatment of hot flashes it has also aided in a reduction of heart palpitations.
Black Cohosh can be taken up to two times per day for around six months but you should most definitely consult with your doctor if you believe you need to continue taking the herbal remedy beyond six months.
Maca Root is another useful and natural menopause treatment. Maca root assists with increasing the amounts of estrogen in a woman’s body then creating a balance between estrogen and progesterone. Maca Root also contains levels of helpful vitamins such as Vitamins B1, B2, and B12.
Maca Root can be taken up to three times a day in 900mg capsules otherwise it can be boiled into a tea. You should always try Maca Root with some type of food because without food this herbal remedy may cause an onset of abdominal disturbance or early pain.
Red Clover is able to increase the amounts of estrogen in a woman’s body, which in turn help to reduce the onset of menopausal symptoms in the body. It is a known perimenopause treatment and Red Clover can help reduce symtoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. Red Clover may even reduce the chances of a woman developing osteoporosis if it is taken early. Red Clover has been linked to the reduction in heart disease issues in menopausal women.
Red Clover is normally taken in capsule form, 400 to 500 mg doses two times per day and can give relief to pre or post menopausal signs and symptoms.
You should keep in mind that herbal remedies as a treatment for hot flashes or natural menopause treatment can be very potent. Even more so, it can also be helpful to you in many ways if taken early in life. It is a very smart decision for you to consult with a health care professional before trying any type of remedy.
This is just a small start to the different varieties of natural menopause treatments that are available on the market today. The internet provides us with a wealth of information on all these options and others that were not mentioned. Even after all the research for finding the best supplements one can still be overwhelmed by the various options to consider.
By: Karen Xavier
Archive for March, 2010
Natural Menopause Treatment – 3 Safe Treatments For Hot Flashes!
March 30th, 2010Sleep Enuresis: Causes and Treatments
March 29th, 2010
Sleep Enuresis, more commonly known as Bedwetting, refers to the lack of ability to maintain urinary control during sleep. This recurrent involuntary urination is also called Nocturnal Enuresis, which is characterized by at least two occurrences per month in 3 to 6 years old infants and at least one occurrence per month for older children.
Though it is considered normal for children below 7 years old to have enuretic episodes, 5% of 10 year old and 3% of 12 year old children, and as many as 1-3% of 18-year-old teenagers may continue to experience this disorder.
Primary and Secondary Enuresis:
Primary Enuresis is involuntary urination that occurs from infancy with at least two episodes a week, and comprised of 70-90% of all cases. Secondary Enuresis, on the other hand, refers to a relapse after experiencing an extended period of dryness. Adults are more likely to suffer from the secondary type.
Causes of Sleep Enuresis:
Sleep Enuresis can be caused by many factors including hormonal, dietary, or emotional factors.
One of the most common causes of Sleep Enuresis is the inability to develop the antidiuretic hormone cycle in some people. In this cycle, which is typically developed by individuals by the age of 2 to 6, the pituitary gland releases a hormone at night that promotes water retention in the kidneys, thereby reducing urine output till sunrise. Failure to develop this hormone cycle naturally leads to Sleep Enuresis.
An overactive bladder can also cause Sleep Enuresis in many children. By nature, muscle spasms occur in the bladder during urine retention and removal. When these spasms become too active or uncontrollable, the bladder is incapable of holding the normal amount of urine, which eventually results in accidental urination during sleep.
Another common hereditary factor is failure to develop an awareness that enables a person to awaken before urinating on bed. This awareness is normally developed by children during the natural process of learning how to control the bladder while awake.
Besides these common causes, medical disorders such as diabetes, urinary tract infection, sleep apnea or epilepsy and psychiatric disorders may also cause individuals to develop Sleep Enuresis.
Treatments:
Simple behavior modifications can be very effective treatments for children with enuretic episodes. For example, intake of liquids and dietary bladder irritants such as citrus products should be discouraged before bedtime. Taking note of when the enuresis actually occurs, and waking and taking the child to toilet before that hour, can also be very helpful.
Psychological treatments such as encouragement of self-reliance, participation in management, inculcation of self-respect and responsibility are also recommended by many experts. Physical punishments and coercion, on the other hand, are considered to be the most counterproductive measures and should be avoided at all costs.
Using devices such as bedwetting alarms and moisture alarms, combined with bladder muscle exercises, dietary changes, retention control training etc can also be helpful remedies in treating Sleep Enuresis.
For some of the more severe cases that cannot be treated by behavior modification, alarm devices and other treatment methods, using medications such as Desmopressin, a synthetic substitute for the missing antidiuretic hormone discussed earlier, is found to be very effective. Desmopressins such as DDAVP, Stimate, and Minrin can easily be administered nasally or intravenously.
Copyright
Treatment For Hair Loss in Dogs
March 29th, 2010
Dog Hair Loss
Causes- Mites, fleas, ringworm and injury.
Often in severe cases preventing the dog from reaching the area is necessary by the use of an Elizabethan collar.
MITES – (Mange)
There are two main types of mite. They are Sarcoptic and Demodectic mites. They can only be seen with a microscope. Sarcoptic mange is contagious to humans but not Demodectic mange-which lives deep in the skin layers. If you notice an itchy hair loss patch on your dog, get it examined early by your vet. It can usually be identified and treatment given that day, in the veterinary hospital. However, an improvement will take several weeks, so be patient.
To avoid your dog getting mites a well balanced diet is essential. A clean bed and yard environment, An occasional flea rinse or using benzyl peroxide shampoo usually keeps them away. Normal dog to dog contact does not spread mites. Unlike fleas, mites live in the skin not on the skin. Only close contact e.g. mother and pups is contagious. Usually a dog breaks out with mites when it is under stress, suffering from other illnesses, aged or a runt of the litter.
In general when its bodys resistance is lower than normal.
FLEAS
Treat the dog(s), cat(s)etc, and the house and their beds. Daily vacuuming, Insecticidal or herbal flea washes, Oral or spot-on type monthly flea treatments, sprays etc for the pets, flea bombs for the house and pest control sprays for the yard.
These are all ways to beat the fleas.
Remember, fleas lay thousands of eggs! These land throughout your house and yard and kennel areas. Also flea eggs hatch daily! Especially if warm weather and movements(vibrations) are sensed by the egg.
TREATMENT:
Veterinary treatment is usually required, but control over the long term (without drugs) is up to you!
RINGWORM
This is characterised by an itchy lesion where there is hair loss and a dry scaly, red and sometimes raised appearance to the skin.
Like mites ringworm appears when the dogs resistance is low. Other dogs, cats, other children and owners, can contact it. It can even remain dormant in the soil for up to 6 months. First the lesion must be identified by the vet. Your dog will be given appropriate medication and advice.
Eg: Washing bedding, grooming items, all other pets etc in a Halamida or anti-fungal wash prescribed by your vet.
Despite the name, Ringworm is caused by a fungus, Microsporum canis and less frequently by other species. Ringworm infections remain limited to skin and superficial structures like hair and less frequently nails in cats and dogs. The infecting fungi require the keratin in superficial skin layers and nails, horns etc for their metabolism and furthermore do not grow well with the warmer temperatures of subcutaneous tissues, hence the superficial distribution.
Note that Ringworm agents are obligate parasites – they normally live on the skin, although not in pathogenic numbers.
It can be transmitted between animals by skin abrasion or mild trauma, grooming tools, scabs etc particularly if the animal’s immune system has been compromised, e.g. with steroids. In a normal, healthy animal ringworm infections are usually mild and self limiting, say 1-2 months. A major motivation for getting rid of a ringworm infection is to prevent you the owner from getting it.
If it is a mild infection topical application of lime sulfur is good, although it can be smelly. Chlorhexidine shampoo is also effective as is also a relatively new 2% miconazole shampoo. If the infection is severe, oral Griseofulvin is effective but also costly.
The round, ring-like lesions are suggestive but not diagnostic and are not the typical lesion for cats and dogs. The animal may have itchy, scaly, crusty and hairless areas. Fungal culture is probably the best diagnostic method but many vets are not set up to culture fungi.
A Wood’s lamp can be used but not all ringworm agents will fluoresce so absence of fluorescence does not mean no ringworm, furthermore other things besides Ringworm also fluoresce. In other words a Wood’s lamp is not a great test. Microscopic examination of skin scrapings may reveal the actual organism.
Finally, if you think your dog has Ringworm take it to the vet for diagnosis and treatment. If it does have Ringworm, you can get it, but prevention is straightforward – treat your animal.
If your dog gets into a fight or out playing fetch! it can easily get scuff grazes where the fur is rubbed off and it looks like a hairless lesion. If so, first check the lesion for redness and possibly a scrape / wound mark around the site. Watch the area for a few days for hair re-growth before going to the Vet.
By: Craig McPherson
