How To Make Lavender Lemonade To Get Rid Headaches And Anxiety

So many people suffer from anxiety and headaches these days. I believe this to be a mixture of our lifestyles and many of the changes that are taking place in our world that are pushing people to question what we’ve been doing as a society repetitively for many years. You know what I mean… that feeling that there is something more than just going to work, making money, coming home, eating and repeating it all. It may sound cliche, but it’s evident.

Deep down we can feel it, that something isn’t quite “right” with our world anymore and there’s a certain sense of freedom from it all that is calling us from deep within ourselves. Not knowing what that feeling is exactly or what to do, we sometimes will feel anxiety or overwhelm as we look at our lives. How do we deal with these things? There are a number of actions we can take to address the core issue which you can explore here. But I also wanted to share something simple that can aid us while we are making the more long-term adjustments.

Lavender Lemonade

Pure lavender oil is an incredible essential oil to use for your own health and wellness. It’s among the gentlest of essential oils, but also one of the most powerful, making it a favorite of households for the healing properties and uses of lavender essential oil. Lavender oil  has a chemically complex structure with over 150 active constituents, which explains its effectiveness at helping with a lot of health ailments. Lavender oil possesses amazing anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, analgesic, detoxifier, hypotensive, and sedative properties.

Florida researchers have found that lavender oil benefits include reducing anxiety and lowering pulse rates in nursing students taking stressful tests. And in hospital settings, lavender aromatherapy has been demonstrated to decrease pre-surgery distress and to be more relaxing than massage or merely resting.(1)

Lavender essential oil has medicinal properties as well. It has been shown to reduce depression, improve insomnia and ease labor pains. And anecdotal evidence suggests that lavender oil benefits those with headaches, hangovers, sinus congestion and pain relief.

“Much prior research on lavender has focused on the administration of lavender via an olfactory route. The anxiolytic activity of lavender olfaction has been demonstrated in several small and medium-sized clinical trials.^46-53 The efficacy of aromatherapy of lavender is thought to be due to the psychological effects of the fragrance combined with physiological effects of volatile oils in the limbic system.⁵⁴ These calming effects of lavender oil and single constituents may be the origin of the traditional use of lavender. Lavender oil olfaction has been shown to decrease anxiety, as measured by the Hamilton rating scale,51 and can increase mood scores.

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The following are selected examples of clinical trials on lavender aromatherapy:

• Dunn and colleagues demonstrated anxiolytic activity of lavender oil aromatherapy in patients in intensive care units. Subjects received at least 1 session of aromatherapy with 1% lavender essential oil. Significant anxiolytic effects were noted in the 1st treatment, though 2nd and 3rd treatments did not appear to be as effective.⁴⁷


• Alaoui-Ismaili and colleagues found that the aroma of lavender is considered by subjects to be very pleasant and is correlated with changes in the autonomic nervous system.⁵⁶


• Tysoe and colleagues conducted a study of lavender oil in burner use on staff mood and stress in a hospital setting. A significant number of respondents (85%) believed that lavender aroma improved the work environment following the use of the lavender oil burners.⁵⁷


• Diego and colleagues demonstrated that people receiving lavender oil (10%) olfaction for 3 minutes felt significantly more relaxed and had decreased anxiety scores, improved mood and increased scores of alpha power on EEG (an indicator of alertness), and increased speed of mathematical calculations.⁵⁸


• Lewith and colleagues investigated the effects of lavender aromatherapy on depressed mood and anxiety in female patients being treated with chronic hemodialysis.⁵⁹ The effects of aromatherapy were measured using the Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) and the Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAMA). Lavender aroma significantly decreased the mean scores of HAMA, suggesting an effective, noninvasive means for the treatment of anxiety in hemodialysis patients.


• Lavender aromatherapy, with or without massage, may also reduce the perception of pain and the need for conventional analgesics in adults and children, though more rigorously controlled trials are needed.^{60″ (2)}

DIY Lavender Lemonade with Lavender Essential Oil

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw honey


• 12 cups pure water


• 1 drop lavender essential oil


• 6 lemons, peeled and juiced


• Lavender sprigs for garnish

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Add more water or raw honey if needed.

Other ways you can use Lavender Oil for Anxiety and Headaches

• Mix 5 to 6 drops of Lavender essential oil to your bath water if you have dry skin.


• Diffuse 10 to 12 drops of Lavender into the air during your workday for natural stress relief.


• Add 2 drops of Lavender per ounce of your favorite lightly scented, unrefined organic oil (like almond oil or olive oil) for a body oil with all the benefits of lavender for improving your skin, relaxing your mind, warding off insects or helping you sleep.

Sources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22517298

1. Wittchen HU, Hoyer J. Generalized anxiety disorder: nature and course. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62 Suppl 11:15-19; discussion 20-21.

2. Ohayon MM, Shapiro CM, Kennedy SH. Differentiating DSM-IV anxiety and depressive disorders in the general population: comorbidity and treatment consequences. Can J Psychiatry 2000;45:166-172.

3. Lawrence AE, Brown TA. Differentiating generalized anxiety disorder from anxiety disorder not otherwise specified. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2009;197:879-886.

4. Bandelow B, Zohar J, Hollander E, et al. World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and posttraumatic stress disorders-first revision. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2008;9:248-312.

5. Longo LP, Johnson B. Addiction: Part I. Benzodiazepines—side effects, abuse risk and alternatives. Am Fam Physician. 2000;61:2121-2128.

6. Preskorn SH . Comparison of the tolerability of bupropion, fluoxetine, imipramine, nefazodone, paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine. J Clin Psychiatry. 5;56 (Suppl 6):12-21.

7. Trindade E, Menon D, Topfer LA, Coloma C. Adverse effects associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants: a meta-analysis. CMAJ. 1998;159:1245-1252.

8. Andrews G, Carter GL. What people say about their general practitioners’ treatment of anxiety and depression. Med J Aust. 2001;175 (Suppl):S48-S51.

H/T: Complete Health & Happiness

The post How To Make Lavender Lemonade To Get Rid Headaches And Anxiety appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Migraine Sufferers Look To Oxygen Therapy For Relief

Sufferers of migraines and headaches might see some relief in their future thanks to two types of oxygen therapy, according to a review of research from several separate studies ^[1].

Many people are affected by migraine headaches or know people who are. Migraines are considered a neurological syndrome that, alongside the painful headaches, are often accompanied by vomiting, nausea and sensitivity to light.

Cluster headaches are less known. They tend to affect only one side of your head, and are discernible thanks to their piercing quality.

The Cochrane Collaboration, publishers of The Cochrane Library, evaluate medical research, and in this instance compared nine studies focusing on the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and normobaric oxygen therapy.

Normobaric and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Normobaric oxygen therapy consists of inhaling pure oxygen at a normal room pressure through an oxygen mask. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is more commonly known and is when a patient will breathe oxygen in a specially designed chamber that increases the atmospheric pressure around the body.

Three of the studies that focused on hyperbaric treatment of migraines saw a large number of patients experience a significant relief from migraines after 40-45 minutes in a hyperbaric chamber. Two other studies found a much larger percentage of their patients suffering from cluster headaches experience relief after only 15 minutes of normobaric oxygen therapy.

All studies were tested against placebo/sham studies to gauge their realistic potential for medical benefit.

“We believe that hyperbaric oxygen is also a reasonable measure for migraine sufferers who have not responded to other measures to treat an acute attack,” said lead reviewer Michael Bennett, of Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. “However, the poor availability of hyperbaric chambers makes this an option only in a minority of health facilities.”

In the case of oxygen treatments, access to technology comes hand in hand with knowledge of what to do with that technology. Kirchner’s treatment for the thousands of patients that he has dealt with is avoiding triggers and taking preventive and symptomatic medications.

Migraines and Cluster Headaches

I believe that the root cause of migraines and cluster headaches are either a spinal misalignment in the cervical region or toxic compounds introduced into the body. I also believe two substances seem to aggravate or contribute to the initiation of these headaches. They are aspartame and MSG. I recommend eliminating these substances from your dietary intake and seeing a qualified natural healthcare practitioner or chiropractor for proper diagnosis and therapy.

For people who can afford spending around $12,000-15,000, you can purchase your own portable hyperbaric chamber.

References:

1. Center for the Advancement of Health. Oxygen Therapy Might Ease Pain Of Migraine, Cluster Headaches. 17 Jul7 2008. http://www.cfah.org/hbns/getDocument.cfm?documentID=1740. (last accessed: 2008-07-28).

The post Migraine Sufferers Look To Oxygen Therapy For Relief appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

MSG Proven Highly Toxic: 1 Dose Causes Headache In Healthy Subjects

Found everywhere as an additive in your food, research has uncovered that this “flavor enhancer” is extremely toxic, causing a battery of adverse health effects within normal dietary ranges.

A study published in the Journal of Headache Pain reveals that a single intake of monosodium glutamate (MSG) produces headache in the majority of healthy subjects tested.[i]

The researchers conducted a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study to examine the effect of repeated MSG intake on the following:

• Spontaneous pain


• Mechanical sensitivity of masticatory muscles (the four muscles that move the jaw laterally)


• Side effects


• Blood pressure

The study method was described as follows:

“Fourteen healthy subjects participated in 5 daily sessions for one week of MSG intake (150 mg/kg) or placebo (24 mg/kg NaCl) (randomized, double-blinded). Spontaneous pain, pressure pain thresholds and tolerance levels for the masseter and temporalis muscles, side effects, and blood pressure were evaluated before and 15, 30, and 50 min after MSG intake. Whole saliva samples were taken before and 30 min after MSG intake to assess glutamate concentrations.”

The results were as follows:

• Headache occurred in 8/14 subjects during MSG and 2/14 during placebo.


• Salivary glutamate concentrations on Day 5 were elevated significantly (P < 0.05).


• Pressure pain thresholds in masseter muscle were reduced (i.e. pain increased) by MSG on Day 2 and 5 (P < 0.05).


• Blood pressure was significantly elevated after MSG (P < 0.040).


• Tolerance did not develop over 5 days of MSG intake.

Also, a wide range of side effects were observed to occur in much greater frequency in the MSG group, including:

• Sore Jaw


• Nausea


• Fatigue


• Headache


• Stomach Ache


• Dizziness


• Chest Pressure

To view the study’s side effect tables, go here and here.

Discussion

This study has profound implications, insofar as the majority of packaged and prepared foods on the market today have either monosodium glutamate added, or a glutamate rich ‘food concentrate’ intended to model its flavor-enhancing effects, e.g. “hydrolyzed soy protein,” “yeast extract,” etc. It is therefore nearly impossible to avoid it, unless you are eating a whole food based diet, or one where you are preparing your foods from scratch. For those suffering from the battery of health complaints listed above, MSG avoidance should be a vital part of your strategy to improve your health through diet.

This study also has profound implications for the treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD).  According to the study, TMD affects approximately 10% of the population, [ii] [iii] with the chief symptom leading the patient to seek medical attention being pain in the temporomandibular joint and/or masticatory muscles.  Interestingly, 70% of TMD sufferers report masticatory muscle pain and are described as suffering from myofascial TMD, [iv] despite the fact that there is little evidence of ongoing pathological change in masticatory muscles. It has been hypothesized that dietary triggers might aggravate craniofacial pain conditions, but until now little to no research has been conducted on their link with MSG. Because the doses used in the study (150 mg/kg) are within the daily total dietary ranges of glutamate consumption (50–200 mg/kg/day),[v] it is likely that the high prevalence of TMD without obvious pathological lesions within glutamate consuming populations may be due to MSG.

MSG Has A Broad Range of Adverse Health Effects

MSG is a neurotoxic and endocrine disruptive substance, linked to over a dozen health conditions. You can peruse the first-hand published research on our problem substances database: monosodium glutamate. In a previous article, “MSG: Drug, Poison or Flavor Enhancer,” we focused on the excitotoxic mechanism by which it ‘enhances flavor’ in a drug-like fashion, while at the same time damaging neurons, in addition to its ability to contribute to metabolic syndrome: a cluster of pathologies including insulin resistance, weight gain, altered blood lipid profiles, and hypertension. If it is so harmful, why does everyone use it? Because it makes food taste better, and causes a profound craving for more, in a vicious not that different from an illicit drug.

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[i] Akiko Shimada, Brian E Cairns, Nynne Vad, Kathrine Ulriksen, Anne Marie Lynge Pedersen, Peter Svensson, Lene Baad-Hansen. Headache and mechanical sensitization of human pericranial muscles after repeated intake of monosodium glutamate (MSG). J Headache Pain. 2013 Dec ;14(1):2. Epub 2013 Jan 24. PMID: 23565943

[ii] ·  Cairns BE. Pathophysiology of TMD pain – basic mechanisms and their implications for pharmacotherapy. J Oral Rehabil. 2010;14:391–410. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2842.2010.02074.x. [PubMed] [Ref list]

[iii] LeResche L, Drangsholt M. In: Orofacial pain: from basic science to clinical management. Sessle BJ, Lavigne GJ, Lund JP, Dubner R, editor. Quintessence Books, Illinois; 2008. Epidemiology of orofacial pain: prevalence, incidence, and risk factors; pp. 13–18. [Ref list]

[iv] Lobbezoo F, Drangsholt MT, Peck C, Sato H, Kopp S, Svensson P. Topical review: new insights into the pathology and diagnosis of disorders of the temporomandibular joint. J Orofac Pain. 2004;14:181–191. [PubMed] [Ref list]

[v] Geha RS, Beiser A, Ren C, Patterson R, Greenberger PA, Grammer LC, Ditto AM, Harris KE, Shaughnessy MA, Yarnold PR, Corren J, Saxon A. Review of alleged reaction to monosodium glutamate and outcome of a multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled study. J Nutr. 2000;14(4S Suppl):58S–62S. [PubMed] [Ref list]

Fears of Tick-Borne Powassan Virus Increasing, Experts Warn

After working in the garden or taking a walk in the woods, it’s a good common practice to check your body for ticks; but it’s not just Lyme disease you have to worry about anymore. Experts are warning that the Powassan virus, a tick-borne virus that can cause dangerous inflammation in the brain, may be transmitted even faster than Lyme. [1]

Powassan is still considered a rare disease; but a recent study of ticks in Maine, as well as a few widely-reported cases of human infection, suggest that the virus may becoming more common.

The Powassan Threat

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Powassan virus neuroinvasive disease cases reported by state, 2004–2013

The Powassan virus can cause encephalitis, or swelling of the brain, and it kills approximately 10-15% of people who become sick, according to the CDC. Half of those infected are left with permanent neurological problems. [1] [2]

Read: Powassan Virus: ‘Ticks Now Carrying Virus Worse than Lyme Disease‘

Dr. Jennifer Lyons, Chief of the Division of Neurological Infections and Inflammatory Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, says:

“About 15% of patients who are infected and have symptoms are not going TO? survive. Of the survivors, at least 50% will have long-term neurological damage that is not going to resolve.” [2]

First identified in 1958, Powassan was recognized in the type of deer ticks that bite humans and also carry Lyme disease in the mid-1990s. Over the past decade, the CDC has received about 75 reports of the virus in humans, primarily in the Northeast and Great Lakes region. [1]

Scientists at the Maine Medical Research Center decided to test ticks at various sites from across the state after a Maine woman died a few weeks after being bitten by a tick and contracting Powassan virus in 2013. Two other cases were also identified.

The researchers said they “were kind of surprised” that they found as much of the virus as they did. Out of 203 different pools of adult ticks – meaning all of the ticks collected from a given area – 15 tested positive for Powassan. The researchers also found that populations of deer ticks were increasing in several areas of the state.

Now scientists are especially concerned because experts are predicting that 2017 will be an especially bad year for ticks in the Northeast. Not only is the virus transmitted much faster than Lyme, it’s also deadlier. Animal studies show that Powassan virus could be passed from tick to host after only about 15 minutes of attachment. It takes 24 hours for Lyme disease to be transmitted.

Symptoms

Source: Valley News Live

Not everyone who is infected with Powassan will show symptoms. Those who do typically become sick a few days to about a week after being bitten by an infected tick. For the most part, people who become ill experience flu-like symptoms. Lyons says that these can include:

“muscle aches and pains; maybe you have a little rash on your skin, but almost certainly, you’ll have a fever and the headache.” [2]

Those who become seriously ill will do so “very quickly over the next couple of days,” Lyons explains, adding:

“You start to develop difficulties with maintaining your consciousness and your cognition. … You may develop seizures. You may develop inability to breathe on your own.” [2]

There is no way of preventing or treating Powassan virus. Says Lyons:

“There are some experimental therapies we try when somebody comes in and they get here early enough and we get the therapy started early enough, but we have no idea if any of that works.” [2]

Prevention

The best way to avoid Powassan (and Lyme, for that matter) is to prevent being bitten by a tick. Avoid highly brushy areas when you’re in the woods. Wear long sleeves and pants whenever possible, use natural tick repellent, and check your entire body for the blood-sucking insects after being outdoors.

Read: How to Keep Ticks off of You, and Get Rid of Them If Needed

Don’t be afraid of “catching” Powassan virus. Your chances of being infected are very low. Take the right preventative measures and you should be fine.

Dr. Susan Paskewitz, Chair of the Department of Entomology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says:

“I don’t think people need to be fearful of it because it is so rare, but it is out there and it is one more reason for people to do those careful tick checks at the end of the day, or try to reduce your contact with them to begin with.” [3]

Sources:

[1] Time

[2] CNN

[3] CBS News

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Valley News Live

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.

The 1800s Pain-Relief Plant That Doctors Used

Every time we are afflicted with a headache, hangnail or even the common cold, most of us simply pop down to the local drugstore and pick up an over-the-counter remedy. But chemical-induced drugs aren’t always best for us, and we also should consider: What if the drugstore is closed – or we can’t make it there – next time?

Trust our ancestors to have the answers. While we can’t really ask the pioneers what they used, they left records of their commonly used herbs and home remedies to guide us.

One herb that has been all but forgotten in today’s modern age is feverfew. This plant was very valuable to the Native American tribes as well as to the 1800s-era pioneers.

Fast, All-Natural Pain Relief With No Nasty Side Effects!

Let’s take a look at how it was used and how you might be able to grow your own for an unlimited supply.

What is Feverfew?

Feverfew (tanacetum parthenium) is a perennial flowering herb that is sometimes called “bachelor’s buttons.” In certain areas, it can grow 24 inches tall and equally as wide. It also is one of the oldest herbs known to man. While no one is sure when it started being used, it was first mentioned during the first century by Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides.

Feverfew can cause allergic reactions, so it is best to try a small amount first. It is related to chrysanthanims, so if you are allergic to those, steer clear!

Also, even though this plant is pretty to look at, do not put fresh leaves or flowers in your mouth, as it has a natural irritant. While it may not actually harm you, it can cause a burning sensation and even mouth sores.

How Did Our Ancestors Use It?

This plant has a pretty impressive background in that not only has it been used for centuries, but modern research has backed up quite a few of these folk remedy uses.

The name, obviously, implies that it can reduce fevers, and that is perhaps what it is best known for. However, it can be used for much more.

Feverfew is a terrific way to stop migraine headaches (when consumed at the onset) as well as other types of headaches and muscle tension. It is also a general pain reliever.

It is a natural anti-inflammatory herb, which makes it perfect for healing and reducing the pain of twisted ankles, arthritis and even menstrual cramps. In the case of arthritis and cramps, one needs to consume it on a regular basis. Women should start consuming feverfew a week before their cycle is to start and continue until the second day of their period.

Image source: Pixabay.com

Prior to the discovery of willow bark and aspirin, it was feverfew that midwives and doctors turned to for pain relief, fever reducing, and most types of muscle cramps.

Like chamomile, feverfew will calm most muscle spasms, which makes it not only a good pain reliever for general muscle pain due to overuse, but it causes the muscles to relax.

How To Use It

As mentioned earlier, don’t put fresh leaves or flowers in your mouth. You can certainly buy feverfew capsules, but why not grow your own?

New ‘Survival Herb Bank’ Gives You Access to God’s Amazing Medicine Chest

Feverfew leaves and flowers can be washed and then used in either a tea or a tincture form. Many people find that two or three cups of tea each day works best to stop pain, inflammation and persistent headaches.

Grow It Yourself

This pretty flowering plant is hardy to zone 5. Don’t cover the seeds completely with soil, as they must have sunlight to sprout; sprinkle lightly with water each day until they sprout. You can thin them to 15 inches apart when they are about five inches tall.

They aren’t fussy plants, but they do need sunlight, so try to find a spot where they get a  minimum of six hours each day. Harvest and dry the flowers and leaves as they grow. It will reseed itself if you allow a few plants to go to seed. Any remaining plants should be cut to the ground with the first frost. It will grow back again in the spring and generally produces flowers between July and October.

Good to Know

Doctors in the days of the pioneers used to suggest feverfew for “women who are a bit giddy in the head.” They didn’t mean giddy the way we do today, but rather for those who suffer from what we today call migraines.

In the Middle Ages, feverfew was believed to clean the air of germs and stop rabies.

Bugs of all kinds do not like this plant — including bees!

Have you ever grown or used feverfew? Share your tips in the section below: