Protecting our skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays is absolutely necessary in the prevention of premature aging, sun damage, and disease. The application of sunblock and/or sunscreen every day greatly reduces these effects on our skin by creating a barrier against the sun. It should be repeated that sunblock is crucial during all seasons, sunny or overcast, during all times of daylight. Even if you are aware of all this already, you may be confused as to just what kind of sunblock or sunscreen to use and when to use it.  
     In this article, we discuss the how to choose the best sunblock for your needs.   Sunblock, Sunscreen, or Sun Tan Lotion - With all the sun products out there, it can be a little confusing as to what is what. You have three basic options when it comes to being out in the sun: sunblock, sunscreen, and sun tan lotion. Sunblock is the most potent of sun products in blocking the sun’s harmful rays from damaging your skin. It comes in a variety of spfs and is necessary for protecting your skin during the summer and for extended periods of time spent outdoors. Sunscreen is a lighter alternative to sunblock and lets a little sun in to help you get a tan or perhaps for daily use when you spend limited time in the sun. Sun tan lotion, lastly, is quickly becoming a less popular item as it offers absolutely no protection against the sun. Though it professes to help you get a tan, most sun tan lotions will also let in harmful UV rays-so that you receive the damaging skin effects as well.       

UVA and UVB -UVA and UVB are the two kinds of ultraviolet sun rays that-if not blocked-will damage your skin. Though it is good to block one of the two, it is necessary to look for sunblock and sunscreen that will block both. Both UVA and UVB are equally as damaging and will lead to premature aging, cancer, and other serious skin conditions if not properly protected against.

SPFs -SPF is used to measure the amount of protection you will receive with any given sun care product. The most commonly used-though lower and higher spfs are used- spfs are 15, 30, and 45. SPF 15 is what you will typically find in face lotion and/or makeup and can be used daily for limited time in the sun, year round. SPF 30 is for extended periods of time in the sun. Lastly, SPF 45 or higher is used most commonly for high intensity sun-i.e. while hiking or at the beach on a hot, sunny day. Most people use all for year round use-and it is recommended to do so.

Waterproof/Sweatproof -It is almost always useful to have a sunblock or sunscreen that is waterproof or sweatproof. It may be a bit more thick than a normal sunblock or sunscreen, but is absolutely necessary on hot days or when you may be swimming as it doesn’t wash off and leave your skin once again vulnerable. It is necessary to note, however, that waterproof and sweatproof formulas are not infallible and should be reapplied after sweating or swimming, as some of the product will wash and wear off. 

  A new study by the Cochrane collaborative shows the homeopathy may ease radiotherapy and chemotherapy when used.  Eight studies with a total of 664 participants were included in the studies.  Three studies were deemed high quality by the researchers. 

  Studies were used  by researchers to evaluate whether homeopathy eases cancer therapies.  Calendula ointment was found to reduce dermatitis in people going under radiotherapy.  Traumeel S was used effectively as a mouthwash to reduce painful mouth sores in patients receiving chemotherapy.  Researchers also found that the homeopathy remedies do not interfere with cancer treatment at all.  Some homeopathic treatments showed no different than a placebo in treating menopausal symptoms brought on by cancer treatment.     

  The cochrane collaborative acknowledges that these trials are small and vary in quality.  More testing is necessary to verify these claims.   Most studies analyzed were not of high quality.

   The studies that show promise are not highly diluted homeopathic remedies.  These remedies are less diluted than many homeopathic remedies commonly used in practice. 

  Are lower dilution homeopathy medicine more effective than higher potency remedies?   Do you see any of these homeopathy remedies will be used in mainstream medicine if they continue to test effectively?

  Insomnia effects many people.  Causes of insomnia are many.  Some of the causes are stress, drugs such as caffeine and poor sleep environment such as a noisy area.   Lack of sleep effects your job performance, increases stress, leads to moody behavior and decreases your overall general health. 

  There are many types of homeopathic single remedies to treat insomnia and other sleeping disorders.  This article will review the most popular homeopathic remedies to help someone get a good nights rest.  It will also give you some guidelines on which medications to take for your condition.

  Coffea Crudea is used to treat insomnia for people that can not relax.  The person has so many worries that they can not fall asleep.  This remedy is also used to help people that drink too much caffeine before bedtime.  The coffea crudea 6X should be taken to treat this type of sleep disorder.

  Cocculus is used to help people get back to sleep after a disturbance.  This disturbance may be a crying infant, crazy work schedule and travel or jet lag.

  Lycopodium is a remedy to help people that have no memories of sleeping or dreaming.  They really do not even remember falling asleep.  They feel like they have not slept for days.  

  Nux Vomica is a remedy for people that fall asleep pretty easily but they wake up in the middle of the night and can not get back to sleep.  Causes of this type of sleep issues are working too much and experiencing too much stress.  Nux Vomica 6X should be the treatment for this type of insomnia.

  Aconite is used to treat insomnia with great fear.  This person has nightmares.  The person may be in shock or in fear of someone.  Aconite 6X should be taken to remedy this condition.

  Ignatia is used to help the person that is continually tired but can not get to sleep.  Rapid changes in behavior due to lack of sleep.  Causes of this include emotional stress or grief.  Ignatia 6X is needed to relieve this condition.

   Using the following homeopathic remedies should help with a good nights sleep.  The homeopathic medication may need to be taken over several days before you see some benefits.  Once you are getting a good nights sleep, continue taking the remedies for several more days.  You can discontinue the remedies after getting at least 5 days of good sleep.

References

Complete Guide To Homeopathy Dr. Andrew Lockie and Dr. Nicola Geddes. 

 New links have been add to our link grader.  Vote for your favorite link on homeopathy or alternative medicine.

Why science doesn't make sense — Talks about many things that do not make sense. It references homeopathy and placebo specifically. 

The Future of Alternative Medicine — The articles talks about alternative medicine going mainstream. More people will have access to these type of medicines than ever before. The article includes video commentary from Deepak Chopra. 

Homeopathy: Another Medical Treatment Against Infertility in Cuba  — Clinical trials done in Cuba with a homeopathic infertility treatment. The treatment was 90% effective with couples having issues with fertility. 

Social affairs in Switzerland- swissinfo — This article talks about the Swiss national health care plan including alternative type medicines such as homeopathy, herbs and Chinese medicines.  

Natrum Muriaticum and Its Homeopathic Role in Treating Depression | How To Treat Depression Homeopathically —  This news piece talks abou the homeopathic remedy Natrum Muriaticum helping treating depression.

   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.  

Vote for your favorite links on our links blog.

About Cancer: Homeopathic Treatments For Breast Cancer.  - Discusses how homeopathy along with conventional therapies may help fight breast cancer.

HOMEOPATHY-a new approach: 60 per cent of doctors’ surgeries prescribe homeopathic or herbal remedies in Scotland  - Homeopathy and Herbal medicines are booming in Scotland. A high number of doctors are prescribing homeopathic medicine or herbal medicines during surgery.

Albuquerque Motherhood Examiner: Homeopathic cold remedies for kids. www.examiner.com — Great homeopathic remedies to give your kids once they have a flu.

 Homeopathy Successfully Treats Psoriasis as Conventional Psoriasis Drug Kills People -Official Homeopathy Resource  homeopathyresource.wordpress.com — This article talks about psoriasis treatments with homeopathy and the danger of treatments with modern medicines.

 Study Shows How Patients Report Significant Improvement After Complimentary Health Treatments in Northern Ireland « Official Homeopathy Resource homeopathyresource.wordpress.com — Patients feel homeopathy helps them with health successfully. 

  I came across a pretty interesting article on Natural Helath News.  I will summarize the article below.  The article pretty much states that an agreed protocol for the homeopathy experiment was going to be used for the 1,000,000 dollar challenge.  However, James Randi conviently backed out of the trial.

  Homeopath George Vithoulkas, a renowned homeopath, began the application process in 2003 for James Randi challenge to prove anything that is paranormal.  Homeopathy falls into this category since some of the medicines use extremely dilute substances well beyond that of avogardos number.  Randi has a strict process that one has to follow to be eligible for the one million dollar prize.

  Randi's team of skeptics and George Vithoulkas team of homeopaths started a trial.  In 2006,  George and his team begin prescribing individualized homeopathic remedies in a double blind fashion to potential patients.  James Randi and his team of skepics were satisfied with the experiment and waived the preliminary application process.  However, Mr. Randi had gotten mysterious ill.  The homeopaths asked to have them send a replacement for him.  Randi refused to do so.  Randi claimed to be ill for 6 months.  Within that 6 month time period, Athens had a new scientific committe chairman and a new hospital adminstrator where the homeopathic experiment was to take place.  

  After 2 years of negotiating with the new authorities, George Vithoulkas was ready to begin the new experiment.  However, Randi sent a letter saying the homeopaths have to start the process from the beginning with an application process.  Randi also stated on his website that the homeopaths had backed out of this experiment.  

  The team of homeopaths were furious.  This proces has taken 5 years to do but Randi was getting cold feet.  The experiment will still continue.  A team of skeptics will observe this experiment and the results will be posted.  The 1,000,000 dollars is lost but the results of homeopathy may not be.  

   If Randi is so confident that homeopathy does not work, why is he trying to back out?    

   This is a podcast from a very popular alternative medicine show called Vibrant Living.  The host is Diane Brandon.  The topic this week as you may have guessed is homeopathy.

    Homeopathy could possible be a substitute to some modern medicine.  To discuss this, Diane Brandon is joined this week by Dr. Christophe Merveille, Pharmacy Development Manager at Boiron, a leader manufacturer of homeopathic remedies, and Sanjib Sarkar of Hmedicine.com, an online homeopathic retail site. Homeopathy is commonly used in Europe and other areas such as India, where many people learned of homeopathy’s benefits a long, long time ago.

Click on the podcast to hear the talk.