back pain brought on by the wear and tear of living. It seems simple to pop a pill for the pain, but why not avoid the side effects by trying natural possibilities first? You can turn to natural healing practices and herbs to alleviate back pain.
The Chinese medical perspective
According to Chinese medicine, the skeletal structure, bones, and lower back are part of the kidney network. Kidney energy tends to diminish as we age, more rapidly with unhealthy diet, excessive strain, and youthful indiscretions such as drug and alcohol use. Weakness in the kidney network results in symptoms of lower back pain, as well as general weakness, fatigue, and other signs of premature aging. Replenishing kidney energy is a slow and difficult process; that is why it is essential to preserve kidney energy. Fortunately, through qigong exercises, herbs, proper diet and lifestyle, you can slow down its depletion and even regenerate certain aspects of kidney energy, and in the process, ease some of your back pain. Try these tips!
1. Eucommia for your aching back
Eucommia is a traditional ingredient in herbal formulas for back and joint pain and helps to strengthen your bones, tendons, and ligaments. Western studies with rats have discovered that both the leaves and the bark of eucommia contain a compound that encourages the development of collagen, an important part of connective tissues like skin, tendons, and ligaments. A typical dosage is 350 mg twice a day. You can also try the traditional Chinese Arthritis/Joint formula, which includes eucommia and other herbs that support a strong back.
2. Press here for relief
Lower back pain is one of the most common problems that we treat at the Tao of Wellness. We use acupuncture and bodywork to reduce pain, which has proven quite effective. Like acupuncture, acupressure is the art of acupuncture without needles, where you use your own fingers to stimulate a specific acupoint. The combination of the following two acupoints is good for strengthening the kidneys and alleviating back pain:
• Find the acupoint: Forceful Torrent (Ki-3), which is in the depression between the inner anklebone and the Achilles tendon of the right foot. Apply steady pressure with your right thumb until you feel soreness. Hold for 3 minutes. Repeat on the left foot.
• Find the acupoint: Supporting the Core. It's in the middle of the popliteal crease behind the knee of the right leg. Apply pressure with your right middle finger until you feel soreness. Hold for 3 minutes. Repeat on your left leg.
You can also massage the parts or your back that are in pain. Tonic oil, which consists of oils of camphor, peppermint, eucalyptus, fennel, and wintergreen, can be massaged into your back for relief from minor aches and pains. For a traditional blend of tonic oil in a pure sesame oil base,
3. Tasty treats for back pain
Make a delicious anti-inflammatory cocktail by mixing equal parts of unsweetened black cherry juice with dark grape juice and drink 3 to 6 glasses a day until the pain has eased. Also, feature more pineapple in your diet. Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps with back pain, as well as muscle and joint pain.
4. Exercise can ease your back
Most back pain is caused by the wear and tear of living, which over time weakens our skeletal structure, in the form of bone loss or a displaced disk. Research conclusively shows that exercise early in life builds bone mass and strengthens the skeletal structure, helping to prevent injury down the road. The good news is that if you are advancing in age, regular exercise can slow the progress of degenerative bone disorders. Generally for a healthy back, I recommend a combination of exercises: a 30-minute daily walk, moderate weight training to strengthen muscles and bones, and tai chi or qigong to build endurance and flexibility. A good form to choose is Dao-In qigong, which is gentle on the body and great for loosening up the back. . During acute back pain, exercise may be difficult or too painful. Until you are mobile, bed rest is the best.
I hope you have found some natural ways to alleviate your back pain! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
True story: A good friend, someone I consider pretty savvy about health, diet, and wellness, recently e-mailed me and asked if eating celery will help you lose weight (something about it being a negative-calorie food). As far as rumors go, this one was pretty tame, but in some cases misinformation can be downright dangerous. Plus, whatever their origin, health “hearsays” like these can cause unnecessary anxiety and distract you from habits that truly deserve your time and energy. Here, eight common watercooler myths, and what’s true, what’s misunderstood, and what’s just downright wrong.
1.) Baby carrots are preserved with bleach
Not exactly... and there's no reason to stop eating them, says Randy Worobo, PhD, an associate professor of food microbiology at Cornell University. Baby carrots are rinsed (not preserved) in a chlorine wash, recommended by the FDA, to kill bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, which cause foodborne illness. Most precut produce, including frozen veggies and fruit salad, is washed with this or a similar sanitizer.
2.) Working out on an empty stomach burns more fat
It does, but don't expect any fat-melting miracles. When you exercise, your body burns calories from both fat and carbohydrates. Recent studies show that working out on an empty stomach might burn a few more fat calories since you don’t have as many carb calories to spare, but overall calorie burn is about the same. And, based on research so far, that's what really counts when it comes to fitting into a smaller size.
Don’t let these workout mistakes slow you down
3.) Eating too much sugar causes diabetes
Not in the same smoking-gun way that cigarettes cause cancer, but research shows that sugar may play a part—and it's smart to limit your intake. First and foremost, being overweight does increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and consuming too much sugar can contribute to weight gain. Still, some emerging research suggests that excess sugar intake can increase diabetes risk regardless of weight. A landmark JAMA study found that women nearly doubled their diabetes risk when they increased the number of sugar-added drinks they consumed from one or fewer a week to one or more per day over a 4-year period.
12 ways to never get diabetes
4.) Does Listerine mouthwash help keep mosquitoes away?
No. Although Internet postings swear it's true, scientists beg to differ. Our research has found that people who sprayed Listerine on their arms were just as likely to be bitten as those who didn't use any repellent, says Grayson Brown, PhD, a University of Kentucky public health entomologist. The myth persists thanks to a strong placebo effect and because Listerine has eucalyptol, an ingredient found in some botanical bug sprays. But the concentration in mouthwash (less than 1%) is too low to have an impact.
6 natural cures experts swear by
5.) Spicy foods boost metabolism
I wish! Your metabolic rate is determined by your gender, height, present weight/body composition, and age. These factors determine the amount of calories the body will burn to maintain the basic functions of life that occur even when we sleep—the energy used by the heart, brain, lungs, intestines, etc. Eating spicy foods cannot significantly increase metabolic rate and help you burn more calories at rest. Although your body temperature may temporarily rise and your heart may beat a bit faster after eating "hot" foods, over the long term spices will not make any changes in the rate of metabolism.
21 tips to help you boost your metabolism
6.) Liquid eyeliner causes sinus infections
This rumor presumes that eyeliner is able to drain into the sinuses, get trapped, and cause an infection, but that's not possible, says Richard Rosenfeld, MD, chairman of otolaryngology at Long Island College Hospital. Your natural tearing process can funnel bits of makeup into the tear ducts, but they drain into the nose and out the nostrils. If you develop eye irritation and sinus symptoms after wearing eyeliner, you probably had an allergic reaction.
100 easy anti-aging beauty tricks
7.) It’s safe to follow the 5-second rule for dropped food
It's probably not even safe to follow a 1-second rule: The transfer of bacteria from a contaminated surface to food is almost instantaneous—or, at the very least, quicker than your reflexes. In one study, Clemson University food scientist Paul Dawson, PhD, and students contaminated several surfaces (ceramic tile, wood flooring, and carpet) with salmonella. They then dropped pieces of bologna and slices of bread on the surfaces for as little as 5 seconds and as long as 60 seconds. After just 5 seconds, both food types had already picked up as many as 1,800 bacteria (more bad bugs adhered to the moisture-rich bologna than the bread); after a full minute, it was up to 10 times that amount.
See the 10 worst germ hot spots in your home
8.) Can cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?
Nope. If you're suffering from osteoarthritis in your hands, it certainly has nothing to do with this nervous tic. One study at the former Mount Carmel Mercy Hospital in Detroit compared 74 people (ages 45 and older) who had been chronic knuckle crackers for decades with 226 who always left their hands alone; researchers found no difference in the incidence of osteoarthritis between the two groups. But there are reasons to stop this annoying habit: The same study found knuckle crackers to be far more likely to have weaker grip strength and greater hand swelling, both of which can limit dexterity. As for osteoarthritis, that's more likely due to genetics and increasing age
Healthy life is one key to longevity. To live healthy, we of course need good nutrition and healthy too. Here are some types of foods that are claimed merit making young and stay healthy.
1. Olive Oil
Four decades ago, researchers from Seven Coutries Study concluded that the unsaturated fat with a single chain (of monounsaturated) in olive oil are widely useful to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer in the Islands of Crete in Greece. Now the society also have a lot of Jews that olive oil contains folifenol, powerful antioxidants that can prevent age-related diseases.
2. Yogurt
In the 1970s, Soviet Georgia was rumored to have a population of an average age of over 100 years more than other countries. Reports at the time claimed that the secret of longevity is yogurt.
Despite the strength in extending the age of yogurt never been proved directly, yogurt is a calcium-rich foods that can prevent osteoporosis. In addition, yogurt contains good bacteria that help maintain gut health and reduce the risk of intestinal illness associated with age
3. Fish
Thirty years ago, researchers began to study why the native Alaska (Inuit) can be free of heart disease. The reason, according to estimates by experts, is the level of fish consumption is incredible. Fish is an abundant omega-3 fats, which can help lower cholesterol buildup in blood vessels and prevent abnormal heart rhythms.
4. Chocolate cocoa
Kuna communities in the San Blas Islands, Panama, noted a risk of heart disease lower nine times in the appeal of other residents living in Panama. The reason? The Kuna are drinking cocoa rich in flavanols, an antioxidant that can help facilitate the circulation of blood. Maintaining healthy blood vessels means suppressing the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, renal disease and dementia.
5. Nuts
Studies of Seventh-Day Adventists (a religious denomination that emphasizes healthy living and a vegetarian diet) show that people who eat nuts have an average longevity of two and a half years. Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, so they offer benefits similar to olive oil. Nuts also contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals, including antioxidants.
6. Wine
Drinking alcohol in moderation protects against heart disease, diabetes and dementia. Many kinds of alcoholic beverages that can bring benefits, but many studies the focus on red wine. Red wine contains resveratrol, a substance that is estimated to bring these benefits.
7. Blueberry
In a study published in 1999, researchers from the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center provides a blueberry extract in mice. Provision of these extracts are given for a period equivalent to the life of mice with 10 years of human life.
Rats fed this extract shows its superiority than normal mice when testing balance and coordination when they reached old age. Gynecology in blueberries (and other berries) can allegedly reduce inflammation (inflammation) and is oxidative damage, which is associated with memory loss and motor ability during aging.
