A health lifestyle can really help you avoid going to the doctor.  Healthy people recover quicker from ailments and typically have a longer life span.  If you live a less than healthy life, organizing a new routine of health-conscious initiatives can seem drastic and overwhelming. Perhaps you don’t know where to start. The best advice anyone can give on this topic is to start slow and incorporate one piece of the health puzzle at once. The less drastic and less overall changes at once the better. 

    In contrast, the more changes you put on your plate, the more apt you are to get overwhelmed, frustrated, and give up the resolution altogether. This being said, develop your own plan from the health maxims below with only realistic expectations for yourself. Soon you will be on your way to achieving the level of healthy lifestyle you want and deserve. 

   1.  Exercise-  You don’t have to go full throttle right off the bat. If you have led a previously inactive lifestyle, start by taking casual walks a few times a week. Commit to at least 20-30 minutes each time. Do your best not to think of this exercise as a chore. Try to make it fun. Walk the dog, take a hike, etc. 

    Whatever it is that can give you immediate pleasure and also offer you this level or more of exercise, do it. In time, you will be able to exercise for longer and at greater intensities. You will feel better overall by using up your previously unspent energy and releasing those endorphins. Moreover, coupled with a healthy diet, you will notice toning and some weight loss; which is necessarily good for overall optimum health.

    2.  Develop a Healthier Diet-  Now, hearing the word “diet” can strike fear into even the most courageous of minds, but do not fear. Just because you changing your eating habits, does not mean that you have to subsist on wheat germ and veggies. First, everyone needs a healthy diet of all four food groups to achieve optimum health. Second, moderation is key. Do not cut out all of your favorite foods completely-otherwise you will be miserable and probably give up altogether. 

    Instead, focus on creating a realistic diet plan of veggies, fruits, dairy, and grains with maximum protein, lower fat content, and less empty calories. Every once in awhile treat yourself to your favorite food. This will get you through the transition more seamlessly while also giving you something to reach for.

    3.   Sleep at Least 7-8 Hours-  With lives as hectic as they are, many people tend to overlook the importance of getting enough sleep per night. Sleep is what fends off illness, restores our health from daily bodily use, and helps us maintain an even keel emotionally, psychologically, and physically. 

    4.    Limit Stress-  Alongside the sleep issue, most of us keep ourselves extremely busy with work, kids, household maintenance, and the like-sometimes to an unrealistic degree. Remember to slow yourself down on a daily basis, limit the expectations you put on yourself, and limit the overall stress that necessarily follows. 

    Aside from the short term effects of stress-such as fatigue, depression, and sleeplessness-the long term effects can prove a lot more serious. Leading a high stress life can easily lead to heart and ulcer issues. Try your best to remind yourself in the whir of life activity what is actually important in life-it’s not the deadline of your work assignment, getting the kids to school on time, or keeping a spotless kitchen. It’s the life quality that comes in happiness and contentment. 

  Implementing some of these tips slowly and surely will help lead the lifestyle that you want.  It is difficult to implement some of these initiatives into your life all at once.  Slowly add things such as exercies, diet and sleep.  You may also notice less stress once these things are implemented.

  Arnica Montana is one of the most popular alternative remedies used by consumers today.  This remedy is commonly called leopards bane or Arnica.  Arnica is a plant that blooms around July throughout Europe. 

   Arnica Montana is touted as a remedy that can reduce soreness, bruising, traumatic injuries and sprains. Arnica comes in two forms.  A herbal form and a homeopathic form.  Arnica in the herbal form is basically extracts of the blossoms made into a liquid, ointment, gel or cream.  Many times this extract may be combined with alcohol and shaken vigorously. This combination of extract and alcohol is called the mother tincture.  Homeopathy may call this 1X or Q potency.  Most gels, creams and ointments are made from the mother tincture.  This remedy is rubbed into your body where the injury occured.  The herbal form or homeopathy tincture is not to be digested as it will cause nausea and vomitting. 

   The homeopathic form of Arnica is diluted in water or alcohol.  The homeopathic form is safe to eat since the dilutions have weakened the side effects of this remedy.  The dilutions of Arnica vary.  The more diluted Arnica is used to treat more traumatic injuries.  Less diluted Arnica is used to treat less severe injuries.  A potency used to treat a severe injury would be Arnica 30C.  A potency which helps less severe or chronic injuries would be 6C.

  We are going to examine several trials with Arnica gel.  In the first trial with Arnica, we are going to look at is a trial with carpel tunnel release surgury.  This trial actually uses both homeopathic Arnica tablets and  Arnica gel.  This study compares how much bruising is experienced post carpel tunnel surgury.  These medicines are compared against a placebo group.  37 adults participated in this trial.  The results showed that grip strength and wrist circumference were exactly the same as the placebo group after surgury.  However, perceived pain was significantly less in the Arnica group.  It is difficult to determine in this trial if the Arnica gel had an effect or the homeopathic Arnica tablets.

  A small study done in Miami looked at arnica gel to see if it would reduce bruising after laser surgery to the face compared to a placebo.  There were 19 participants.  They were divide into two groups for making a comparison.  The study found arnica gel to be no better than a placebo at reducing brusing after surgury.  

  Another trial examines arnica gel trial for treating osteoarthritis in the knee.  In this study, 26 men and 53 women were given herbal arnica gel.  The participants reported significant reductions of pain with the gel.  The study did not have a placebo group so the trial was far from conclusive.

  The final trial compares Arnica gel to Ibuprofen in a double blind study.   This study compares 204 patients with osteoarthritis in their hands.  The study had 2 groups. The study compared pain intensity and hand usage after 21 days of using an Ibuprofen gel and Arnica gel.  The study found that Ibuprofen and Arnica were both equally effective in treating osteoarthritis in the hands.

  More studies are needed on arnica gel to see if it is effective.  Most studies are too small to draw any definite conclusions.  However, there seem to a few positive studies suggesting arnica gel is effective in reducing pain and swelling.

References

1) Jeffrey SLA, Belcher HJCR. Use of arnica to relieve pain after carpal-tunnel release surgery. Altern Ther Health Med. 2002;8:66-68.

2) Alonso D, Lazarus MC, Baumann L. Effects of topical arnica gel on post-laser treatment bruises. Dermatol Surg. 2002; 28:686-688.

3)  Arnica montana gel in osteoarthritis of the knee: an open, multicenter clinical trial. Knuesel O, Weber M, Suter A.  Department of Rheumatology, Valens Clinic for Rheumatism, Valens, Switzerland. 

4) Reto Widrig, Andy Suter, Reinhard Saller, Jörg Melzer. Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study. Rheumatol Int DOI 10.1007/s00296-007-0304-y.

    Exposure to poison ivy can be a truly annoying if not painful experience-as anyone who has suffered from it will tell you. Once your skin has been exposed, it seems to take on a life of its own: a painful, itchy rash that spreads quickly, is easily irritated, and is very contagious-both from person to person as well as from body part to body part. Whether you have experienced poison ivy exposure before or not, knowing the simple ways in which to prevent this condition is absolutely imperative. This can save you weeks of maddening skin irritation, money on medicated creams, and overall hassle with the condition. 

    Here’s how to avoid the plant altogether from interrupting your life: 

   1.     Know How to Identify It-  Probably the most key aspect of avoiding poison ivy exposure is to be able to recognize the plant itself, and therefore limit contact. Poison ivy is typically found in vines and shrubs outdoors, and has three unmistakeable shiny leaves. Though it is very hard to confuse poison ivy with another plant, if in doubt, you should just avoid the plant in question altogether.  

     2.    Know Its Habitat-  Whether you live in areas where poison ivy is grown or are traveling to somewhere new, knowing where poison ivy is likely to grow is necessary to avoiding it. Most commonly, you will find the plant in wooded areas that receive little to no sunlight.  

    3.    Dress to Protect-  If you know that you will be spending time outdoors-whether for a casual walk with the dog or perhaps a more intensive all-day hike, try to cover exposed skin by wearing pants and long sleeved shirts, etc. Moreover, it is also advised to wear hiking boots and thick socks to protect your ankles and feet. The less exposed skin, the less room for possible exposure. 

  4.    Wash, Wash, Wash-  Even if you don’t think that you have rubbed against the poison ivy plant, it never hurts to wash your exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water. Poison ivy is one of those conditions that you do not know if you have until it you are itchy and then it is too late to prevent. Though any soap is better than none, choosing one especially for poison ivy contact may be more effective. 

  5.     Launder-  Most people forget that their clothes can carry the poison ivy poison, and don’t treat their clothes following contact. Make sure to wash all clothes worn while outdoors-whether you think they have been compromised or not. It is always better to be safe than sorry.  

   6.   Shower-  Washing not just your clothes but also yourself is also another preventative measure in making sure your contact with poison ivy is as limited as possible. After time spent outdoors where the plant might have been, ensure to immediately take a shower and wash all possibly affected areas thoroughly.  

  7.     Lotion-  There are a number of lotions on the market to not only treat poison ivy exposure but also to act as a shield against exposure. Apply poison ivy lotion and lather on thoroughly for extra protection.  

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