Headaches are boring, aren’t
they?

Many people around prefer to pop
a pill to get rid of headaches. Paracetamol or Ibuprofen work quickly and
usually well. However, it is not always best to take tablets; it is habit forming
and exposes you to risks from overuse of any particular kind of drug. 

One or two bouts of headache a
month is considered natural. However, if it becomes repetitive or persistent,
it is definitely a matter of concern. You may require a medical check in such a
situation.

But first, let’s see what causes
headaches? Well, there are hundreds of causes, but the most common ones for
catching a headache are exposure to cold or hot sun, congestion, circulatory
problems, fluid deprivation, flu-like illnesses, and tension or excessive
stress. 

Sometimes weird reasons such as
indigestion and acidity can also trigger a headache.

So, what do you do when you have
a headache? 

There are numerous approaches to
curing a headache. Here, I will dwell only on some of the natural ways of curing
a headache that are of the non-repetitive type , which you can very well apply
all by yourself without taking any pill, be it a drug or a herbal product.

When you’re having a headache,
take a warm bath or shower. This improves blood circulation in your body and
helps you to get relief. 

Make sure you have drunk plenty
of water; the commonest cause I see in general practice is reduced fluid
intake. Water really is better than alternatives; it is more thirst-quenching,
too!

You can also apply an ice-pack on
the painful area, particularly the forehead, temples or the back of your neck
for quick and natural relief from headache, especially if the hot sun is
considered as the trigger. 

A gentle massage of the sore area
can not only relax the sore tissues and muscles, but also improve circulation
in the affected area making you feel better. You can use your index finger
and/or thumb and apply a rotating pressure for 10-15 seconds and then release
it. Do it for some time and I’m sure you’ll get good results.

As headaches are sometimes caused
by overstraining, rest can provide relief from headaches.  Simply take a nap, or sit down quietly in a
low-lit room. Keep your eyes closed and try to release the tension in your
neck, back and shoulders. 

Some light exercises are also
known to naturally relieve headaches quickly. I’d always suggest taking a walk.
However, if you’re in no mood to strain your legs, simply stand before an open
window where you can breathe in some fresh air. Take a deep breath, hold it for
some time and then slowly release it through both the nostrils (and not the
mouth). This exercise accelerates blood flow inside the body, particularly in
the region of the heads and gives you quick relief from headache…naturally.
   

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This is the blog of Dr Alison Grimston, a United Kingdom GP and spiritual healer who works with animals and people. Here she offers insights and information on integrating the best of complementary and scientific medicine in human and animal care.

Disclaimer:

The content of our website is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor relating to any medical condition.

I know how many of you are keen to find natural ways to reduce your blood pressure.

I daily recommend some of these that I know work – relaxation, breathing exercises and meditation; garlic, which can reduce cholesterol also; green tea; and as good a diet as possible – specifically high in vegetables and whole grains.

However, I have found a useful source of information that gives a little more – minerals magnesium, potassium and calcium; cider vinegar; and folic acid. Although I am not certain how much evidence there is in favour of these, it is worth giving them a try.

The trouble is, we doctors have to know so much about so much, that we have trouble finding space in our regular updates for the things that count for you – natural health.  I still have to keep up to date on the medicines that I need to prescribe (as they DO have great effects), and of other aspects of gynaecology, cardiology, paediatrics, geriatrics, reproductive health care, respiratory prescribing, arthritis, etc. This all takes so much time that I cannot keep as up to date with complementary therapies as I would like to – but at least I try.

If you click on the link to see the rest of this post, you will see some information by Joe Barton of Barton Publishing – he has found natural ways to help with hypertension. If you choose to go on & click the link at the end of his post – be warned, it is a pushy sales page, and I disagree with some of the things he says about doctors and medicines (they are not addictive).

I also want to let you know that if you do go on and buy his Ebook, this site would benefit financially – the first contribution to help run this site. At present I have funded it entirely at my own cost – not insubstantial including setting it up.

Anyway, enjoy the information and putting it in practice…

Be Naturally Healthy!

Alisonx

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Dr Alison Grimston is a United Kingdom GP and spiritual healer who works with animals and people. Here she offers insights and information on integrating the best of complementary and scientific medicine in human and animal care.

Do you know how to cure high blood pressure with no medication? Most people would probably say to eat healthy (lower your salt-intake) and make sure you exercise. Unfortunately, most doctors tell you this and forget to tell you the other treatments you can be doing to lower your score and eventually be med-free.

The truth is that doctors are educated in medical schools were natural health and simple ‘common sense’ secrets are not taught. Unfortunately, medicine and antibiotics are only being taught because our medical industry is completely reliant upon pharmaceutical companies.

But new research is now showing the sometimes medicines are not the only treatment. In fact, some natural treatments are just as effective as their medicine counterpart.

Which is making some think, "Is there something doctors are NOT telling us?"

Naturally Treat High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure Medications (Diuretics, Beta Blockers, Alpha Blockers, and Vasodilators) work because they lower your blood pressure. The problem is that they make it look that you are healthy but are your numbers showing the truth?

High Blood Pressure medications work because they synthetically alleviate the pressure of the arteries and blood. For instance, with diuretics the blood will become less salty (less thick) and your pressure with drop. Another example would be beta blockers which synthetically cause the heart to beat slower.

Though these medications look good on paper, they are NOT treating the disease known as the ’silent killer’. In fact, they could be prolonging your life but they will never fully treat the disease. And statistics show that users will eventually die from the high blood pressure.

But what if you could naturally treat high blood pressure.

7 Hypertension Tips Your Doctor Won’t Share with You

So you want to know, ‘how to cure high blood pressure’? First, you need to know how to prevent high blood pressure holistically. Because curing high blood pressure starts with a holistic treatment. Holistically treating hypertension simply means using the ‘whole’ body to cure the problem. This is completely different than taking a pill to synthetically thin out the blood.

1. Three Miracle Minerals- If you are suffering from high blood pressure, you should be supplementing your diet with 3 miracle minerals that lower high blood pressure. Magnesium, Calcium and Potassium have been shown to help lower blood pressure.

2. Garlic- Garlic has been shown to benefit the heart, lower cholesterol and lower high blood pressure naturally. The compound in garlic, allicin, is thought to naturally lower high blood pressure. Find a quality supplement today.

3. Folic Acid- Vitamin B which is found in green leafy vegetables reduces homocysteine levels in the blood. This vitamin will lower the risk of heart disease and alleviate the pressure naturally.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar- Many or my customers have found success with apple cider vinegar which contains vitamins C, A, E, B1, B2 and B6, in addition to potassium, magnesium, and copper.

5. Relieve Stress- Do you know there are numerous ways to relieve stress? Breathing exercises, exercising, or reading a book are simple ways to relieve stress and lower high blood pressure. And there are even more than this!

6. Your Diet! You know the major Do’s and Don’ts about high blood pressure dieting. Just remember to be eating your water-soluble fibers (fruits and vegetables). Fibers, especially water-soluble, will flush your system and plaque. Also, switch to whole grains! With less plaque in the arteries you will eventually be hypertension-free! Our HBP report goes into great detail about how you can treat hypertension with your diet.

7. Green Tea! It is loaded with antioxidants and research shows it lowers high blood pressure. Whether it is the ‘relaxing’ factor or the natural herbs in green tea, 1 cup of green tea will be helpful for your health!

Normalize your High Blood Pressure in 3 Weeks or Less

What foods should you be eating? What other vitamins are a must? What exercises are an absolute do? What herbs are making doctors scratch their heads? Why is chocolate now good for you?

Are you interested in lowering blood pressure naturally, with out drugs? We offer a 100% guaranteed, medical doctor-approved HBP Remedy Report which shares numerous natural health tips and guarantees to normalize your pressure in 3 weeks or less. If you are serious about living young again, please visit our How to Cure High Blood Pressure Website.

About The Author

Guaranteed to work in 3 weeks or less! Joe Barton and Barton Publishing Inc. have been publishing Hypertension Remedy Reports that teach you how to cure high blood pressure naturally. Are you next?

Click Here! to find out more….

Hi there, naturally healthy people!

I was recently approached for advice about managing depression, alongside medication.

I see many people with depression every week. It is so common in the current stressful circumstances that we live in. For many, it is not until they truly find themselves that they find the resources to get better -permanently.

I recommend http://www.livinglifetothefull.com/ , or its Australian equivalent, http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/   These are computerised CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which is brilliant, given that the NHS can’t afford face to face CBT for everyone who would benefit.

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The fantastic patient leaflets that I use every day are on www.patient.co.uk – search under depression & you will pick up self help guides as well as specific leaflets on medications (most used are SSRIs these days, like fluoxetine & citalopram) and even on St John’s Wort. There are also excellent self help guides on stress & anxiety; although I am not always certain how many of my patients actually fill them in, if you do so they help you to think through your problem & introduce CBT.

There are many other approaches to depression & I would recommend finding a coach to help you find ways of addressing your mind/body/spirit and home/work life balance. 

Reflexology can be excellent at helping the energy to flow again, and Spiritual healing and Reiki can help you to heal yourself.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)is very powerful, especially if maintained. Ann (see Tap to the Top -  EFT Workshops and Training) is absolutely fantastic, so if you are able to work with her it would be working with a guru. EFT is great, as part as a multidirectional self management plan.  The main thing is to gradually change your way of thinking about yourself, your internal conversation – NLP can also help here.

Don’t forget relaxation and meditation – my website www.TheNaturallyHealthyPet.com has the best CDs I have ever found on it, including an introduction to meditation through the chakras called Journey Through the Chakras.  But the healing CDs by Nigel Shaw (also on my site) are amazing; I only have to hear the first chords now to relax. Deep breathing is essential. Yoga can help to teach you this.

Nutrition – essential – tip out all junk foods, coke, crisps etc. Try to eat as close to natural as possible, raw foods are good (see the Raw Food Coach ), organic is better than non organic & farmed well better than factory – the food holds the energy of the animal  – I found this info amazing. Drink plenty of water – I drink filtered now.

You can guess how difficult I find it to work in the NHS, trying to give all this information out in 10 minutes as well as take a history!

LOL
Alison
www.holisticdoctoronline.com

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Hi there, naturally healthy people;

I am eager to tell you about some words of wisdom that I receive regularly into my in-box.

From all my experience in life, medicine and healing, I know that only I can change my perception of myself and those around me. We all get stressed – indeed, challenges are needed to keep interest and excitement in our lives. At times the stress seems unbearable, and we feel that it is natural to blame those around us.

In general practice, I am privileged to peek into people’s lives, and at times I am amazed at the degree of human resilience that I see. Some people cope with the most terrible life events – indeed, when we are sent such challenges, we can do nothing but get on with it, take each day as it comes, and live on – rise to the challenge.

It helps us to count our blessings if we simply take a look around the world and see what otheres are going through – years of homelessness and living in makeshift slums; starvation and infant death from preventable infectious diseases where there is no clean water supply; the monks in Burma………the list goes on. So I am grateful for water coming out of the tap, for having paid work, for having a fantastic family.

However, it is difficult to always think positively, even when you know that the decision to be positive comes from within you.  So I find these two free resources really helpful in cheering me up each day.

Take a look! I have posted today’s wonderful examples below, as well as links to their websites…

Bob Procter’s Insights of the Day

Variable in length, these anecdotes and stories can encourage us to change the way we relate to those around us – in many ways.

Mike Dooley’s Totally Unique Thoughts

Brief and easy to read, these "Notes from the Universe" prove thought provoking and stimulate the positive thinking that makes the Law of Attraction work for any of us!

TUT

Couldn’t you just pretend with the job or occupation you now have, whether or not it even pays or is recognized by others as a job, that you’re receiving a salary of millions each year for doing it? That everyday your peers, partners, or supervisors are left in awe by how you deftly handle each challenge and setback? That there are backroom discussions going on (sh-h-h-h-h….) even as you nonchalantly read this email, about retaining you no matter how high the cost? That shareholders are beginning to whisper among themselves about your legacy, and board members are each hoping to bump into you at the water cooler? That the competition has just hired a management consultancy firm just to keep up with your innovative style?

I think you could, even if you work in your pajamas, and I’d highly recommend it. Especially the "millions each year" part.

Insights of the Day

Power of Words 
"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!"

We all heard that saying when we were children, and, like so many other childlike chants, it was a great myth. Words do have power, immense power, and they can cause much pain, because when they are repeated in negative fashion, people, especially children, may end up believing them. "You’re a bad boy," "You’ll never amount to anything." "You’re a loser," "Does your face hurt? It’s killing me." These are only slight examples of the negative language we often hear. We have all heard them, and unfortunately have been guilty of dishing them out as well.

During the 1980’s there was a big push for building self-esteem, and workshops were available everywhere teaching us how to make people ‘feel good about themselves.’ This 180 degree turn seemed valid in theory, but what happened in many cases was positive feedback became the new mantra, and yet the effect didn’t always achieve the desired results. Why? Because recipients only benefited from the praise if they believed it was genuine. This brings us to an important point. Self-talk and self-belief are the keys. No one can ruin our day without our permission, and always feeling good about ourselves is impossible. I hold this to be true – that self-esteem and self-worth are not synonymous. Self-esteem is having pride in oneself and generally feeling good about who we are. I don’t know about you, but I certainly have had moments in my life when I wasn’t too proud of my actions, and without question I have had times when I didn’t feel good about me. This moment of "lack of self-esteem" would indicate that something is terribly wrong. Contrary to the education of self-esteem, nothing is wrong – we are simply human. Self-worth, on the other hand, is acceptance of who we are – all of our strengths and weaknesses, all of our abilities (or lack thereof), all of our joyful moments as well as those times of sorrow; our contributions and our refusals, etc. See a pattern? We are worthy simply because we are His creation, and we are loved for every part of us. Whether we are in a good place or a bad one, whether we are contributing or contaminating, whether we have done something to be proud of or something to be embarrassed or ashamed of, nothing diminishes our worthiness. The negative actions and the ensuing consequences may affect our self-esteem, but it has no impact on our self-worth!

Chris Snook with Chet Snook
From Wealth Matters

Chris and Chet Snook are leading experts in personal investments, entrepreneurship, personal development, and money management. Let them show you how to unleash your inner genius and develop your wealth mindset with their new book Wealth Matters.

Love and Light

Alison

How this site is funded:

Three types of contacts are listed. The first help to fund HolisticDoctoronLine.com, as they’re ‘affiliated links’ which invisibly take you usually via affiliate linkage or commercial money sites, which then pay this site. The second type are adverts such as Google Adsense, which are not vetted in any way and are not recommendations on my part. The third are links, often from charities, that do not help with the funding of the site.

You shouldn’t notice any difference, the links don’t impact the product at all and the editorial line (the things I write) is NEVER impacted by the revenue. If it isn’t possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, it is still recommended and still included in exactly the same way. For more details read how this site is financed.

Some of the links I provide may help to fund this site, but I promise that the editorial line is never impacted by the revenue, and I would have recommended them whether or not they contribute.

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Hello naturally healthy people!

As a GP I often get asked about insomnia. This may be short- or long-term.

For many people, insomnia is a transient thing while they are going through extreme stress, such as bereavement or divorce. I used to suffer from lack of sleep myself, and when my job was most stressful I would wake several times per night for months, worrying about the staff or the practice, or complaints. I combatted this through healing and meditation, but there are other ways.

Click here for an excellent patient leaflet on insomina from the patient.co.uk website:

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068774/

Some simple things that you can do to reduce your insomnia are:

Reduce caffeine-containing drinks, especially at night

Reduce alcohol in take and stop any street drugs

Do not smoke in the 6 hours leading up to bed – time

Exercise well earlier in the day, but exercising in the few hours before sleep can interfere with sleep.

Do not have a heavy evening meal

Recognise your diurnal rhythm, recognise when you are tired in the evening & follow your instinct, but try not to sleep during the day.

Ensure that your bedroom is a calm, relaxing place to be. Too much clutter can interfere with your energy, too stuffy and you will not be able to breathe clearly, and don’t have a television in the room.

Relaxation techniques can be helpful – they were extremely effective for me (see below). Learn to relax at yoga classes, buy a relaxation CD (see the CD pages of my NHP website, http://www.thenaturallyhealthypet.com/categories/20070910_2) or contact other sources such as the Brahma Kumaris (www.brahmakumaris.org.uk/).

CBT can be helpful – there are insufficient therapists available for demand, but you can do CBT yourself from your computer using Moodgym ( http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/) or Livinglifetothefull (http://www.livinglifetothefull.com/).

Drugs are unhelpful except in the very short term for extreme stress, such as bereavement. All hypnotics (sleeping tablets) are addictive, even the new ones, sometimes even within a week of starting taking them. Antidepressants such as amitriptyline can help with sleep at very low doses, without that same addictive potential. If you are considering medication, talk to your own doctor.

Since I started doing Spiritual Healing and meditation, however, sleeping is no longer a problem. Even if I do wake up and worry, I know I can (and do) push the concern away until a more appropriate time, and I get back to sleep within 1-2 minutes.

I know many people will not believe this, but meditation and self-hypnosis really do work.

First of all you need to understand that you choose whether to be stressed or not. This may sound far-fetched, but when I get stressed now I stop to consider at what point I am making that choice. Once you realise that you have a choice, you can take steps to change the way you think about things. This can be helped by NLP (neurolinguistic programming), hypnosis and hypnotherapy, and CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).

In order to stop worrying (when you are aware that you are worrying excessively about something) you need to find some way of distancing yourself from the worry. For me I find that putting the worrying situation or relationship into a pleasant hotel room full of healing and peace, and throwing away the key, allows me to focus elsewhere. An alternative is to place the worry onto a cloud in your imagination, and watch it drifting away to leave you with a good night’s sleep. Some people have a “worry pot” with a lid – they write the worries down onto a slip of paper and put it in the worry pot until their once weekly time for lookign through the worries. Often some of the worries do not then seem so major. Some people burn the slip of paper, or put it in the freezer. The trick is to keep trying out techniques until you have found one that works for you.

And don’t forget the deep breathing! This is essential in allowing your muscles and whole body to relax. I find it effective in any stressful situation, and within 3 -6 deep breaths I am usually asleep at night.

Anyway, that is enough for one week! Meanwhile, post a reply on the comment form below the blog post with any tips that you would like to share to help with relaxation and insomnia.

Until next time, keep naturally healthy!

Alison

The content (including graphics, text, and information available on or through this website) and health information presented or discussed on this website is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, counseling, and/or therapy. The information, data, responses to your questions, and materials contained in, or made available to you with, this site and/or its content are not, nor are they intended to be, a medical evaluation or examination, medical advice or consultation, nor are they a replacement for, professional medical or mental health evaluations, examinations, advice, consultations, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified medical professional relating to any medical condition.

Hi!

I have been getting extra exercise this week, running after guinea pigs and dancing – 3 performances of 2 tap and 1 modern dance!

I have also had several reasons to use the Bush Flower Essences this week. Many of you will have heard of the Bach Flower Remedies, especially “Rescue Remedy”, sometimes known as “Emergency Essence”. In addition to these helpful little vials of which there are 38 different individual remedies, there are also Bush Flower Essences, developed from the native flowers of the Australian Bush.

Ah, I hear you saying, Australia again – is the woman transfixed? But in truth I found the Bush Essences before I went to Australia. I had heard of them before but was impressed with the way in which Tim Couzens, the holistic Vet in East Hoathly, integrates them in his own holistic veterinary practice.

There are vials of drops, just as with Bach essences, but where I have found the Bush remedies to be particularly useful is in the room sprays.

Emergency essence mist is made up from the vibrational infusion of Angelsword, Dog Rose of the Wild Forces, Waratah, Fringed Violet, Sundew, Grey Spider Flower, and Crowea. The mist also has a few drops of essential oils of calendula, echinacea, chamomile, aloe, arnica, lavender and bergamot.

The mist can be sprayed around any one who is panicking, feeling anxious, concerned about a concert or interview, angry, or any such adrenaline overload. In addition it can be used after accidents, and animals that are fearful of fireworks or other fears can be calmed with a few sprays in the air above their heads. I have found it useful for my self, and my son uses it before going on stage for singing and violin concerts – although for some reason he has no problem with acting!

The other mist that I use extensively is Calm and Clear mist. This contains the vibrational essence of Black eyed Susan, Bottlebrush, Boronia, Crowea, Bush Fuchsia, Jacaranda, Little Flannel Flower, and Paw Paw. Again it has additional extracts and essential oils – notably lavender, Neroli, Orange and Patchouli.

I use this one every day! I spray it around my consulting room between patients, and around myself if I am feeling a little anxious. It seemed to help the whole cast in the dance performances at the weekend! It smells so beautiful – far superior to anything “Glade” and the equivalent can come up with – that you can’t help but take a deep breath and sigh with delight.

More about the Bush Remedies and others another time! But I do sell them, so if you need any and are around the practice, let me know! Soon I will set my website up so that you can obtain them from there…Meanwhile, you could buy them from Flower Sense

The content (including graphics, text, and information available on or through this website) and health information presented or discussed on this website is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, counseling, and/or therapy. The information, data, responses to your questions, and materials contained in, or made available to you with, this site and/or its content are not, nor are they intended to be, a medical evaluation or examination, medical advice or consultation, nor are they a replacement for, professional medical or mental health evaluations, examinations, advice, consultations, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified medical professional relating to any medical condition.

Do doctors & nurses use & recommend nutritional supplements? 
It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? 
At medical school, I remember the banter – “Don’t recommend nutritional supplements, everyone can get what they need from their food. Anyway, supplements just make expensive urine!” 
Surely times haven’t changed?

Oh yes they have!

The Journal of the American Medical Association published a review article in 2002, in which an analysis of the use of nutritional supplements to prevent chronic disease led to the conclusion that it is now pertinent that all adults should take nutritional supplements. This was a big change around – the American Medical Association in the 1980s reported that suppelements were unnecessary. Unfortunately the reviewers did not look into the difference between formulations, and merely recommended the cheapest without knowledge of the diffference in bioavailability and potency of different makes. Nonetheless the report is very interesting. 
Currently it is estimated that 60% of Americans are taking nutritional supplements. The UK falls way behind with 35% taking supplements. 
Now there has been a survey of doctors and nurses in the US. Admittedly it was an online survey, so is unlikely to be truly representative of doctors and nurses. 
I suspect that the figures in the UK would be much, much lower. I also truly believe that the NHS prevents doctors and nurses from recommending supplements in the UK. This is for three reasons. Firstly we haven’t had the relevant education. Secondly we are not aware of the differences in quality of different supplements, only that many are poor quality and not worth the money paid for them. Thirdly that there is an unspoken feeling that if as a GP we recommend any item, the patient will then expect it to be available to them for free, or the price of a prescription.  I feel that this negates the effect on self of taking responsibility, both financial and at the core, for our own health. 
Take a look at the abstract – it makes interesting reading! 
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/8/1/29 

The content (including graphics, text, and information available on or through this website) and health information presented or discussed on this website is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, counseling, and/or therapy. The information, data, responses to your questions, and materials contained in, or made available to you with, this site and/or its content are not, nor are they intended to be, a medical evaluation or examination, medical advice or consultation, nor are they a replacement for, professional medical or mental health evaluations, examinations, advice, consultations, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified medical professional relating to any medical condition.