While any form of exercise can help those who have trouble sleeping to get a good nights rest there is one form of exercise that can be especially useful for those suffering from sleep problems. Yoga can work wonders for your body and mind and help you to nod off much more easily. 

Causes for insomnia
Although there are many reasons why people suffer from insomnia one of the main reasons is stress and anxiety. If you have been diagnosed as being depressed or suffering from anxiety then it is quite likely that you also suffer from sleep disturbance. Here is where you could benefit from practising yoga, yoga is known to relax the body and mind and bring about a feeling of wellbeing.

By practicing yoga for as little as ten minutes you could gain a better night’s sleep. There are many different yoga positions and some are harder to learn than others, with some only being suitable for those who are very supple. However there are three yoga positions that specifically benefit those who have problems sleeping and which anyone of any age can perform.

All yoga positions have specific names and the three which are especially beneficial to insomniacs are called “supported downward dog”, “legs up the wall” and last but not least “child’s pose”.

The supported downward dog relaxes your mind while stretching your spine. It can help to slow the brain down particularly if you rest your head on something during performing the exercise. Very little special equipment is required to perform the movement, a stack of books or a rolled up blanket and a yoga block is all that’s needed.

Begin the movement on your hands and knees’ making sure the block is resting underneath your chest. Slowly move your hands forward roughly 6 inches in front of you while tucking your toes in and straightening out your legs. Make sure your neck is relaxed and rest your head onto the block.

The legs up the wall as the name suggests requires you to sit facing a wall about a foot away, then lie on your back while straightening your legs and bringing your heels to rest against the wall. This is said to cool down the nervous system that allows you to relax easier and quicker.

The child’s pose takes you back to the days when you were a child and would rest your head on your hands to take a nap if you were tired. It is a pose that encourages sleep. To perform it correctly sit with your shins on the floor and your hips resting on your feet, let your knees fall open should width and fold forward. Slowly bring your head to rest on a pillow with your arms either extending by your head or resting them by your hips.

You can perform these three exercises before going to bed to encourage a more restful night. The three exercises when combined should take no longer than 15 minutes and bring about a sense of deep relaxation when performed correctly.

Although there is more than one school of thought regarding traditional Chinese massage, the essential message is the same. Traditional Chinese Massage, sometimes known as Tuina, focuses on your achieving balance for your flow of chi, or life energy. Overall, traditional Chinese massage is one of the best holistic treatments available today. There is no need to worry about allergies to needles used in acupuncture or to the herbs used in herbal remedies.

The meridian system

A key element to Chinese massage as well as Chinese medicine in general, is the meridian system. This system works much like a flowing body of water in your body. The goal is to achieve flow within the twelve different meridians in the body. Each meridian represents a different organ of the body, including: the heart, the sac surrounding the heart, lungs, spleen, kidney, liver, the triple warmer which is a function of the organ, small and large intestine, stomach, urinary bladder and gall bladder. The first six are directly related to transformation or yin organs while the second set of six organs are tied to the yang or transportation organs.

Whenever one of these meridians becomes blocked, just as a damn blocks the flow of a river, does traditional Chinese massage attempt to unblock by clearing the debris causing the river to back up. In other words, a blockage in the flow of your chi through the twelve meridians is what causes stress, sickness and disease.

A typical Chinese massage

In a typical Chinese massage, the client will be instructed to lie on the floor or on a table, and unlike western or Swedish massage will not be covered with a sheet. Instead, the client will be instructed beforehand to arrive in loose clothing and will remove their shoes upon entering the massage room.

After diagnosing the client’s ailments, the therapist will begin a ½ hour to 1-hour session that focuses on various acupressure points to help relax and cure the client’s problems. Some advanced therapists may use traditional Chinese massage in conjunction with herbal Chinese medicine. Herbs will be prescribed to compliment the treatments received and help improve the flow of chi and balance of yin and yang.

Chronic pain

Chronic pain is often treated successfully with traditional Chinese massage and may be done without improving the overall flow through the meridian system or flow of chi. It is useful not only in treating chronic pain in the back, neck and shoulders but also for more minor and short lived injuries such as sprains or pulled muscles.

Studies have shown that for us to be at our best we need at least 8 hours sleep per night while the Chinese believe that this should be closer to 10 hours. Sleep rejuvenates us and leaves us feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a new day; however millions of people around the world suffer from problems with sleeping. Common sleep problems range from insomnia, muscle spasms which waken us, random opening of the eyes and tossing and turning all night.

While doctors might prescribe sleeping pills in the short term, this is very rarely the answer for the millions who suffer many sleepless nights. There is now an alternative that is worth giving a try, nodding off the natural way using one of the popular herbal remedies that millions are turning too each night.

Herbal medication can be taken in many different ways, teas, powders; capsules, infused oils and liquid extract are all popular methods. Many of the herbs and ingredients in them have been around for thousand of years and although they are thought to be effective to some extent, there is rarely evidence found to substantiate this. However on saying this, the Chinese have relied on herbal remedies for thousands of years as have the ancient Greeks.

The top three herbal sleep aids

Three herbs and plants which are thought to be of particular use when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep are German chamomile, Lemon balm and Passionflower. Herbal medication however works slightly differently to that of traditional medicine and you should experiment to find the one that is most effective for your needs. Improvement in your condition will sometimes depend how long you have been taking the remedy and you may have to alter the dosage of the remedy in order to benefit.

German chamomile is most often found in tea, chamomile tea is well known for its soothing and relaxing properties and a cup before retiring could help you to drop off. There are different types of chamomile but German chamomile is the one usually found in the tea. Chamomile tea is available in convenient tea bag form and can be found in herbal stores and now in the supermarket alongside regular tea. While chamomile tea is essential at night to help you relax, it can also be drunk throughout the day as an aid to relaxation and reducing stress.

Lemon balm is a well-known herb for its sleep enhancing properties. It is essential for those who get stressed and anxious easily and can be drunk throughout the day to benefit from its calming effects. The volatile oil found in chamomile also calms the central nervous system and its sweet lemony smell relieves tension.

Passionflower is native to the Southern United States and has been widely used for over 200 years for its sedative properties. One of the greatest benefits of using passionflower as a sleeping aid is that it allows you to get a good night sleep and you don’t wake up with that groggy feeling that so many traditional sleeping pills leave you with on waking.

In olden times, before the pharmaceutical industry took birth, developed and flourished, how did man cure his illnesses? He turned to nature. By experimentation and experience, he discovered several natural substances possessing medicinal properties useful in getting rid of many common and prevalent ailments. Herbal remedies thus occupied an important role for the restoration of people’s health. In fact, Native Americans have been using such herbal remedies for several types of body aches, pains as well as illnesses.

Several indigenous tribes native to the Americas had their own special herbal remedies for their various ailments. They revered the herbs available locally in their specific areas of residence as a gift of nature and, treating them with great respect, used them as medicines. Besides that, they used the plant parts and products to meet their life’s social and cultural requirements. Plants and herbs were therefore an integral part of the Native American life and culture.

Herbal remedies today
Today, modern day medical scientists have been rediscovering the herbal remedies of Native Americans. Numberless Americans are also switching their loyalties from chemical formulations, widely available in various forms and types of packing as prescription and non-prescription drugs, remedies and cures, to the age-old and time-tested Native American herbal remedies. This alternative medicine has become quite popular for the simple reason that herbal remedies are natural products and that they are usually non-toxic as well as free from producing any side effects.

Here is a small list, by no means exhaustive, of common native North American Herbal Remedies and some of the illnesses / health disorders /problems, for the relief of which they are used:

Rabbit tobacco: asthma, colds, cough, flu, pneumonia;

Bloodroot: bronchitis, sore throat, some cancers including cancer of the uterus;

Oak: kidney disorders, menstrual problems, sprains and sores;

Wild Cherry: colds and coughs, tuberculosis, stomach cramps, wounds;

Wild Yam root: menstrual cramps, childbirth, hormonal imbalance, poor libido;

Passionflower: insomnia, hyperactivity, tension, muscle pain, (As a poultice): injuries, wounds; (its root): boils, earache;

Sage: cuts, bruises, upset stomach, irregular menstruation, colds, tuberculosis, childbirth;

Juniper: urinary infections, gum disease, dandruff, indigestion, gonorrhea, diarrhea, high blood pressure;

Willow: pains, fevers, headache, toothache, sores in the mouth, stomach problems, diarrhea;

Purple Coneflower: insect bites, stings, snakebites, gonorrhea, bowel problems, toothache, sore throat, burns.

Perhaps you do not need to learn the actual methods and procedures Native Americans adopted for preparations of the herbal decoctions, concoctions and medicines. By using modern methods, scientists have extracted the essential ingredients from the medicinal plants that Native Americans once used. You can get these ingredients from specialty or online stores typically in easy to consume pill or liquid form. We can also attribute the menthol, mint and lemon extracts that we find in cough drops to the Native American herbal remedies.

If you are suffering from some fever, arthritis, impotence or other sexual disorders, prostate problems, sore eyes or any of the other numerous problems or illnesses, you can undoubtedly find a suitable Native American herbal remedies.

Ephedra has many names; some of them include Ma-Huang, desert herb and herbal ecstasy. It is an herb that has been used in a wide variety of herbal products and supplements that have claimed to have been able to work wonders when it comes to curing sickness and losing weight.

What is Ephedra
The main ingredient in Ephedra is ephedrine, this is a chemical which is known as a stimulant and which stimulates the heart, lungs and the nervous system.
Ephedra’s withdrawal from the marketplace

Although Ephedra was commonly used in many herbal remedies it has been withdrawn from many due to its instability. Although studies did conclude that Ephedra did have some effect in decreasing the symptoms of asthmatics the amount that was needed to lessen the symptoms outweighed the benefits. Due to this, others thought there had to be safer herbal medications to turn to.

Ephedra at one time was widely used and promoted in Weight Loss supplements; however studies showed that there was no clear evidence that Ephedra did in fact cause you or even help you to Lose Weight. As such its popularity in these products drastically declined along with the safety issues Ephedra posed.

Ephedra has been giving cause for concern when taken in high doses or for long periods of time. Some of the problems associated with it include a raise in blood pressure, seizures, strokes, a contributing factor to heart attack and loss of consciousness. It has been noted that taking stimulants alongside Ephedra has increased the risk of side effects, with common side effects people have been reporting including dizziness, anxiety, restlessness, loss of appetite and in some cases nausea and even vomiting.

Regardless of these factors ephedrine products can still be bought despite the fact that the FDA has banned it. There have been over 40 reported deaths linked to the use of ephedrine along with over 800 different side effects also being linked to its use.

Ma huang
Ma huang is a common form of ephedra still found in many herbal remedies in health food stores along with chromium. Recent changes to the regulations mean that the makers of nutritional supplements do not have to fully identify ingredients used in their products, which allows this herbal remedy to slip through.

Unfortunately in the present Ma-huang has been linked with several deaths of high school students who have used it as an aphrodisiac and stimulant. The deaths from these were due to heart attack or CNS bleeding.

So while Ephedra is classed as an herbal remedy for many different things, its safety should clearly be regarded as an issue. Many people regard products which are labeled as herbal and 100% natural ingredients as completely safe to take, while in fact many herbal remedies such as those which contain among other ingredients, Ephedra should be used with as much caution as those drugs which are prescribed by your doctor.

Countless people who regularly use prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines will tell you from experience that the relief from their different types of headache is only temporary. Their problem returns to harass them much sooner than later. They add that they usually suffer the attending side effects of these medicines, which they have to use repeatedly as and when the headache comes back. Many herbal remedies, in contrast, attack the root cause of the headache to prevent its recurrence, without producing many or any side effects at all. Naturally, herbal remedies for headache do not cause dependency like over the counter medications.

Types of headaches
Figuring out what makes millions of people all over the world suffer from one type of headache or another is of utmost importance. Basically, there are two types: primary and secondary headaches. Of these, primary headaches are more prevalent. These are not caused by a medical condition. They typically occur in the form of some severe physical or mental tension or stress. When stress or tension reaches severe levels, it restricts blood flow from the neck muscles and the head into the brain. This obviously leads to headaches. They can also appear as migraine, which affects countless people. Migraines can have various causes, ranging from hormonal imbalances or fluctuations, liver disorders, accumulation of too many toxins in the body, or in some cases, the use of contraceptive pills. Some unfortunate people suffer from chronic headaches that not only recur at frequent intervals over long periods of time, lasting a year or more in some cases. Such severe and repetitive headaches or cluster headaches show their victims virtual hell on earth.

Secondary headaches, as is evident, occur as a result of some other ailment, or physical or mental deprivation or some overindulgence. These obviously disappear once the initial conditions that triggered them are successfully treated or eliminated. Comparatively fewer people suffer from such headaches. Some might experience headaches when they skip a meal or even a regular cup of morning coffee.

Others may have headaches due to certain foods, chocolate, alcohol and so on. Constipation, insomnia, diabetes and other medical conditions may also cause headaches in some people.

Herbal remedies work towards striking at the very root causes of headaches, whether primary or secondary. Usually, symptomatic treatments aiming at relieving pain succeed only temporarily. Unlike them, herbal remedies are useful in restoring sound health, due to which headaches will consequently go away. Some medicinal herbs contain flavonoid complexes like silymarin (a powerful anti-oxidant) and others have sesquiterpene lactones with their main ingredient being parthenolide. These inhibits the release of certain pain inducing chemicals from the blood that cause headaches. Some others have properties to reduce anxiety and tension and to counter the withdrawal symptoms of various recovering addicts, which are again the reason why such people experience debilitating headaches. Herbal remedies like feverfew, milk thistle, passiflora incarnata, ginkgo biloba, ginger, kava kava, and many others are quite effective in several different kinds of headaches, including migraines. Besides, you can also findt Chinese and Indian herbal remedies for headaches and many consider these extremely dependable.

Being natural products and much unlike synthetic products, herbal remedies hardly produce any side effects, rebound effects or dependency as they treat and cure, and even prevent the recurrence of headaches.

While hair loss is only nature at work a great majority try anything and everything to bring back their locks. Or at least some of their once full head of hair. While it would be wrong to assume that you will sprout a full head of glorious hair equivalent to your youth it seems that in some cases herbal remedies have promoted hair re-growth.

While everyone is different of course and so will see different if any results, it seems that herbal remedies could be worth trying when all else has fails and does seem to offer some hope. Here we take a look at some of the more popular forms of herbal medicine that have thought to help with hair re-growth.

Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba is a very popular herbal remedy that is thought to help with many problems, among them improving the circulation of blood to the brain and skin. The majority of herbalists who prescribe this for loss of hair do so believing that the increase of blood to the brain and skin delivers more nutrients to the hair follicles and so promotes hair re-growth.

Green tea

Green tea is another popular herbal remedy it is thought that the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase is inhibited by the catechins found in the green tea. This herbalist’s claim help to reduce the risk of male pattern type baldness if you drink several cups on a daily basis.

He Shou wu

He shou wu is an ancient Chinese herb that has been used for centuries for hair loss and baldness. It is frequently available in both tea and capsule form and is one of the main ingredients found in many commercial remedies for the treatment of hair loss.

Pygeum

Pygeum is taken from the bark of the evergreen tree and works in a very similar way to green tea. It has been used to treat problems with the prostrate for many years in China and can be taken in pill or capsule form.

Saw palmetto

Saw palmetto is a very popular choice among with hair loss; this is due to the fact that it also has the ability to protect the prostrate. Not only does it encourage the hair to re-grow but it also slows down the loss of hair.

Stinging nettle

Stinging nettle blocks the conversion of testosterone into DHT; this is the main cause of hair loss in men. It can be bought in either pill or capsule form and is said to be more effective when used in combination with saw palmetto or pygeum.

Other natural remedies

Other herbal remedies can be used in the treatment of hair loss in a similar way to shampoo, by rubbing into the scalp. The most popular forms of external herbal remedies include onion and red pepper. Onion is thought to help because it has a high content of sulfur. Sulfur is thought to be a hair healing mineral and it is thought that by rubbing half an onion into the scalp or hair before washing can help to promote hair re-growth. Red pepper is also thought to help re-growth as it draws blood to the scalp because of irritation. It is also said to help encourage the release of histamines that stimulate hair re-growth.

Stopping smoking not only saves you lots of money each year, but more importantly your health benefits from stopping. There are many herbal remedies that could help you to beat the cravings for nicotine, but of course stopping smoking requires a lot of will power.

Here are some of the most popular herbal remedies that can be bought over the counter to help you cut down the cravings for tobacco:

Crave-rx drops have been designed to specifically help you combat the cravings of nicotine; they are a 100% natural product made from a combination of herbs. Herbs used in the tincture include avena sativa, garcinaia cambogia and gotu cola. These herbs are known for their properties in combating memory and concentration problems due to quitting, combat the sugar cravings associated with stopping smoking and of course reducing the need for nicotine.

Nicocure includes a potent collection of herbal ingredients that can help to relieve the cravings and symptoms associated with giving up smoking. The natural ingredient in the product work by fooling the body into thinking it is still receiving nicotine. The nicotine substitute within the product stimulates the brain in the same way that inhaling nicotine does; the substitute is used to slowly wean the body off nicotine safely. The product can also help with symptoms commonly associated with stopping such as irritability, over eating and anxiety and fatigue.

Rx-hale tablets contain all natural ingredients that can help to prevent the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. St Johns wort is one of the main ingredients of this product; it also includes chromium that is known to combat mood swings and depression two of the most common symptoms of stopping smoking.

Cig-no is a natural deterrent for those who want to give up the habit of smoking. The 100% pure ingredients combine to make a powerful deterrent that if you should light up a cigarette makes the smoker feel as though they have smoked far too many cigarettes. The product comes in handy to carry dropper bottle and a few drops on your tongue is all that is needed whenever you feel like lighting up.

Liddell nicotine free is a similar product in a spray bottle which claims that it can help you tackle the cravings associated with giving up smoking; it also relieves the feelings of jitters some people get when quitting and helps you to sleep better.

Smoke break not only helps you to quit smoking but it also claims that it can keep the weight off that most people gain due to over eating. The main ingredient in smoke break is myricetin that effectively helps you resist cravings for nicotine while guarding against weight gain.

There is also a wide range of herbal patches available over the counter to help you stop smoking and reduce the cravings and symptoms associated with kicking the habit. The patches contain blends of herbal ingredients and are stuck onto the skin similar to a band-aid. Patches come in different strengths depending on how many cigarettes you smoke and are changed on a daily basis.

While herbal remedies could help you quit smoking they are not miracle products and you need to be committed to giving up while using the remedies.

Some women are lucky and seem to go through the menopause relatively easy with very little interference to their daily lives. However many are unfortunate and find this time of their life particularly hard to deal with and many problems can occur during the transition, changing their life drastically.

While doctors can do a lot to help women who suffer greatly during the menopause, there is an alternative, using natural remedies. Looking around you will find a whole host of products which claim to help during the “change of life”, however how well they work isn’t really know as herbal remedies are not regulated as are traditional drugs. Also, herbal remedies often only work after a long period of time.

However, they are traditionally much more cost effective treatments than prescription medication and are much gentler on your system.

erbal remedies are very popular among women going through the change and many claim that they do see a big difference. The most popular forms of remedies are Soy and Soy products; this is due to the high concentrations of phytoestrogens that they contain. It is also believed that there work in a very similar way to HRT.

There is no one particular remedy that’s works for all women as everyone has different feelings and symptoms when going through the menopause. There are all in one combinations specifically aimed at treating the menopause or you can take several herbal remedies for the symptoms which bother you the most.

The most popular remedies for menopause

The American college of obstetricians recently gave these guidelines for some of the most popular alternative remedies for helping with the menopause.

St. Johns wort
St. Johns wort has widely been used for the treatment of depression; it can be useful over the short term to help with mild to moderate depression, but should only be taken for a period of not longer than two years. However, if you are taking anti-depressants prescribed by your doctor then St. Johns wort may not be suitable to be taking at the same time.

Soy and Isoflavones
Over the short-term period, not longer than two years, this remedy may be helpful in reducing the amount of hot flashes than some women suffer. While safe to take in small amounts of around 50 grams per day, it should not be taken in larger amounts over any period of time - particularly by women who have a history of estrogen dependant breast cancer.

Evening primrose
This remedy is often taken to help relieve painful breasts and other symptoms of menopause; however in recent tests conducted there was no proof found that it actually did help to relieve any of the symptoms associated with menopause.

Ginseng
Ginseng is often used to relieve symptoms of stress and anxiety and give the immune system a boost. While the product doesn’t seem to relieve many symptoms associated with the menopause it did, in recent tests, appear to help with a general overall sense of wellbeing.

With diabetes spreading rapidly throughout the world at an alarming rate there is no wonder that millions of people are taking to alternative methods of treatment.  In America alone it is thought that around 15 million people are currently affected by diabetes and the number is rising all the time.
Diabetes can be divided into two major categories, type I, in which the body is unable to produce insulin and type II where insulin is still produced but in insufficient quantities. There are a variety of herbal remedies that are thought to help control the disease to some extent. While there are herbal supplements and remedies that can be bought over the counter at herbal stores you can also collect or grow your own.
Some of the most popular and effective herbs that can help in the treatment and management of diabetes include the following:

Bitter gourd

Perhaps the best and most effective herbal remedy for diabetes is the bitter gourd or otherwise known as the karela. You can benefit from eating this vegetable as often as you can, if you don’t want to eat the vegetable then at least take one tablespoon of the juice on a daily basis. Gourd is known to reduce the blood sugar levels in your blood and urine.

Amla

Amla is very high in vitamin C content and so is effective in controlling diabetes. A single tablespoon of its juice taken everyday mixed with a cup of gourd juice, taken for roughly two months will secrete the pancreas allowing it to secrete insulin.

Belpatra, neem and tulsi

If you take ten belpatra, ten neem leaves and ten tulsi leaves on an empty stomach first thing in the morning this will enable your blood sugar levels to remain level.

Fenugreek seeds

Mix two teaspoons of powdered fenugreek seeds with milk and drink daily, alternatively you can swallow the seeds whole.
Curry leaves
If you eat 10 fresh fully matured curry leaves on a daily basis for three months you can prevent the onset of diabetes due to hereditary factors. This method has also been linked to curing diabetes as the result of obesity.

Diabeta

Along with these remedies that you can mix readily yourself there are also over the counter herbal medicines available that are thought to help with the symptoms of diabetes. The most common one that is thought to help control the illness and which is thought to do so safely is Diabeta.
Diabeta is a common herbal remedy made from a combination of proven anti-diabetics that have been fortified with immunomodulators, anti-stress and hepatoprotectives that are completely natural in origin. It is a formula that is based on ancient ayurevedic medicine that has been used for thousands of years. This formula has been proven to help with diabetes mellitus and can help to correct the symptoms as well as the illness itself. It is thought to be a safe and effective method of controlling diabetes and can be particularly useful with helping to overcome resistance to oral hypoglycemic drugs used in the case of uncontrolled diabetes.
As with all herbal remedies it is advisable to seek your doctor’s advice before medicating yourself, particularly if you are taking any medicine that your doctor has prescribed to help control your diabetes.