Insomnia Solutions Using Natural Remedies
The insomnia used to be between 1 and 3 a.m. Now it's around 4 or so. I call these the "mongrel hours of the night."It seems like I'm the only one tossing and turning. Knowing that millions of others are probably awake, too, helps a little bit. I see the lights going on and off in nearby houses and wave "Hi", but nuh uh, it's not enough.Let's put aside all of the possible, more complicated, medical and psychological reasons for insomnia where a sleep clinic may be a more appropriate solution. Let's also put aside all of the terribly addictive "knock out" drugs that can definitely put you to sleep, but also leave you with "hangover" side effects the next day. And if addiction does occur, trying to get off some of these drugs (most especially, benzodiazepines) and clean out your body, can be a worse nightmare than the insomnia. If you've been taking any of these, be sure to come off of them VERY slowly with a doctor's supervision.For the sake of this article, though, let's assume we are talking about your garden variety insomnia. Those who haven't experienced what some people describe as "I'm so tired I can't sleep", don't get it and consider it an oxymoron. But let's say we're talking about that and the very common, "1,000 thoughts in my head" type insomnias.
5 Tips for Getting to Sleep & INSOMNIA Natural Remedies
When possible, try for one or more of the following:
- Get regular exercise, preferably early in the day and outdoors, if possible.
- Reduce the amount of alcohol, caffeine (including sodas) and food you consume, especially after 6 p.m.
- Enjoy a warm, relaxing soak in the tub before bed.
- Do some stretches or yoga to ease muscle tension before bed.
- Once in bed, if your mind is still overworking, repeat a word, phrase or sound that you find comforting, like a meditation mantra, to focus your mind off worrisome thoughts. When your mind wanders (and it will), refocus to your chosen word(s). Repeat until you drift off.
Natural remedies, of course, aren't addictive and don't have dangerous side effects. The properties of the herbs promote a calming and relaxing effect that allow for natural and restful sleep.Personally, I use our sublingual Melatonin, MNF and Slumber formula - and I'm off . These three supplements are included in our Insomnia Therapy Pack which also includes more suggestions for dealing with insomnia, plus my book.In addition, I tell myself that if I don't switch off, I'm going to go and clean the oven. That'll do it. Sweet dreams!Doc Eve
for daily tips and updatesMuscle Twitches of the Face or Body
Darn tic.I absolutely could not get to sleep with this darn tic around my left eyelid and eyebrow. Twitch... twitch... and just as I was drifting off, it would start again.An hour later, after I’d finally asked myself the usual, “What would you give a patient for this?” I gave it up, tired as I was, and went upstairs to the office and took 3 Cramp Bark for the twitch, and 2 Gentian Root to help speed the effect of the Cramp Bark.Back in bed I thought, "Oh great, what if this doesn't work after all?"... only to wake up the next morning having slept soundly in the lovely arms of Morpheus.Herbal Medicine Chest for Muscle Twitches, Aches & Pains and Infections
Cramp Bark for spasms, tics and cramps is one of the best of all medicine chest herbs. Another is the R:I formula for those sudden, inexplicable bladder discomforts that we "elderlies" do occasionally suffer. And, of course, Bactotox for any threatening viral or bacterial infection.Add some AR+ Formula and Devil’s Claw for inflammation aches and pains and you have a magical little medicine chest.
Do You Have a Health Issue You'd Like Us to Address?
If you have a bugaboo of your own that you would like me to address in the next blog and/or e-news (anonymously, of course), write to me at doctoreve@evesherbs.com or call me at 310-855-1111. We will also add it our Eve's Herbs Facebook and Twitter pages.All of the above Eve's Herbs formulas can be found at EvesHerbs.com by clicking on "Store" and scrolling through the "Eve's Herbs - Formulas & Singles" section. Or just click on the individual formulas below:
Doc Eve
for daily tips and updatesEczema, Dermatitis & Psoriasis Herbal Remedies & Diet Considerations
Eczema, dermatitis & psoriasis are frustrating and unsightly conditions caused by toxic overload in the body. Overeating fats, proteins and sugars will cause the liver, pancreas and gall bladder to “dump” what they can no longer handle into the skin.This might be seen as a signal to begin minimizing the consumption of cow’s dairy products, processed sugars, and meats containing hormones and other toxins, and to increase the more cleansing vegetables.
Herbal Remedies and Dietary considerations for Eczema, Dermatitis & Psoriasis
Eczema, dermatitis & psoriasis are all treated similarly when using natural remedies like foods, herbs and homeopathy. Skin diseases such as these are very often considered more prevalent in the highly allergic person, which means that their immune function has been compromised and needs to be supported. Allergens should be eliminated when possible. The blood needs to be cleaned and nourished, because it carries toxins that the liver and kidneys have not fully processed out of the body. The Therapy Pack below will address all of these issues.Regular cardiovascular exercise, sufficient to produce a good sweat is important too, as it helps the herbs to quickly clean and heal the skin. The herbal preparations included in the Therapy Pack have been specifically formulated for these skin conditions, based on centuries of observation and experience. They help to re-establish proper function to the organs involved, in this case the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. They give you the tools to heal without the threat of negative side effects.
Eve's Herbs Therapy Packs
Your Therapy Pack, with the encapsulated herbal formulas and dietary suggestions, including the foods to avoid, will bring some level of relief fairly quickly. Give your complete healing several weeks, however, as it is a shame to lose your momentum by stopping the cleaning and healing process too soon.As a follow-up to our Aug. 12, 2013 blog on the related topic of ACNE, here is a recent TESTIMONIAL we received:"Using the herbs for my teen son’s acne (poor thing). Dermatologist’s original antibiotic Rx was quoted at $968 – WITH insurance! Had them change it to an Rx which then 'only' cost $199 – PER MONTH. They worked a bit, but for their cost we weren't impressed. Sooo, gave the herbs a try last month and not only did they work – OF COURSE !- they worked faster, better, are cheaper, AND are natural. Such a deal!! So super grateful. Thank you, thank Youuuu. T =)"To read more about and/or order an Eczema, Dermatitis, Psoriasis Therapy Pack, just click on the appropriate one below:
Doc Eve
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Parasites Cleaned Out Using Safe and Effective Herbal Remedies
Parasites will make themselves totally at home in our gut, happily reproducing and building add-ons to their little pagodas. Whether acquired on foreign soil or right here at home, they can be nasty and troublesome creatures.
Symptoms and Causes of Parasites
Oddly enough, one of the symptoms of their living inside us and eating our food is chronic sinus infection. If you tried the remedies from our last article on Chronic Sinusitis and didn't get any results, you may need to evict some parasites that have made themselves at home in your gut (see below). The more expected symptoms (not the same with everyone), are bloating, excessive gas, buckling or ridging of the nails, nausea, alternating constipation and diarrhea, a general malaise which often comes and goes and unwanted weight loss.
Herbal Remedies for Parasites
Preventively, when I go out to eat I always fortify myself with one of the Eve's Herbs anti-parasitcs like BWC Tincture, Gentian Root, Anti Geotrichum, PS:SS or PS:HW formulas They make for an extremely bitter and inhospitable environment in the stomach where parasites cannot thrive. They then die off and are eliminated in the usual manner. For more long-term travel, in vulnerable parts of the planet, I would also take the Bactotox – our good old anti-bacterial/anti-viral stand-by. Your trip is more likely to be enjoyable, without the downtime of intimately getting to know the local sanitation systems. Also, Cramp Bark may be used for abdominal cramping.The above herbal formulas can be found and ordered at EvesHerbs.com or by clicking below:For the individual Eve's Herbs formulas: BWC Tincture, Gentian Root, Anti Geotrichum, PS:SS, PS:HW, Bactotox or Cramp Bark, click here.For the Parasites and Worms Therapy Pack, with diet instructions included, click on the photo below:
Doc Eve
for daily tips and updatesChronic Sinusitis and Herbal Remedies That Work
Chronic sinusitis symptoms are something we've all experienced at one time or another - A stuffy nose you're constantly blowing, drip down the back of the throat, head pain around the eyes, nose and forehead, difficulty breathing, etc. But when it lasts for months or years, we want a lasting solution.
Chronic Sinusitis Causes
The causes of chronic sinusitis vary from nasal polyps, deviated septum and trauma to allergies and infections of a fungal, viral or bacterial nature. And then there is the one that no one likes to acknowledge - the foods we eat.The most common culprits in creating excess mucous, a perfect environment for the microscopic little varmints to flourish, are cow’s dairy products and many processed foods including “white” foods like wheat, sugar, milk, cheese, chicken and artificial sugars.Very often, chronic sinusitis is caused by parasitic infections in the intestines. If you've had bloating, gas and constipation alternating with diarrhea, this is a strong possibility (more on these all-to-common parasitic infections in our next blog post).
Chronic Sinusitis Remedies
Most enlightened doctors will no longer give antibiotics for chronic sinusitis, since they rarely having long-term, if any, results.The three herbal formulas included in our Chronic Sinusitis Therapy Pack will 1.) Quickly strengthen the immune system to support the body's own ability to deal with the virus/bacteria, 2.) Act as an expectorant to drain the mucous and relieve the pain, and 3.) Fortify and relieve the stress on the adrenal glands . The package also includes dietary recommendations, my book and recipes.A couple of patients of ours, who formerly suffered from chronic sinusitis and benefited from these formulas, sent us these email notes:"Hi Dr. Eve, It’s been a year now without any antibiotics for sinus infections. The Bactotox and Herba Pneu are working well for me! The only other time I went this long, I had had sinus and deviated septum surgery! Taking Bactotox and Herba Pneu was much less painful and more effective! As always, thank so very much. Love, L. K."A patient who was good and fed up with bouts of chronic sinusits after having endured them every 2 months for 10 years wrote, "Thanks to the Bactotox and Herba Pneu, 11 months and no sinus infections and no antibiotics!"For long-term, lasting relief from Chronic Sinusitis with no bad side effects, click on the Male or Female version of our Chronic Sinusitis Therapy Pack below:
Doc Eve
for daily tips and updatesSugar Cravings: Addiction or Just a Bad Habit?-Part 2
In Part 1, I cited studies showing that sugar can be an addictive substance. Now I'd like to look at how to successfully get this monkey under control.
Decrease Sugar Cravings Gradually
Unlike alcohol or drug addictions, we don't need to go off sugar cold turkey and suffer through horrendous withdrawal symptoms. In fact, those same studies showed that it is actually better NOT to suddenly stop sugar intake completely. Instead, make small changes over weeks and months that will gradually lessen your need for sweets and decrease the chance of relapse. For example, reduce the number of desserts per week over time and in smaller portions. Find other ways to decrease sugars and processed foods using the following tips:
- Rather than giving up sweet tasting foods altogether, try fresh, dried or frozen fruits, but avoid canned fruits that are usually loaded with super sugary syrup.
- When hunger sets in, use protein to curb the sugar cravings. Protein digests more slowly, increasing time between hunger pangs, and doesn't make your blood sugar spike. Plain yogurt, nuts, eggs, beans, wild caught fish or chemical and hormone-free meats are possible choices.
- Whole grains, as well as fruits and vegetables are high fiber, filling you up without spiking your blood sugar and avoiding a sugar crash later. Try your favorite nut butter on half an apple for a little protein plus fiber.
- Stay away from the pink, blue and yellow packet artificial sweeteners. Besides the chemical reasons, they'll hinder your progress in breaking the sweet habit, make it harder to control weight, and increase, not decrease sugar cravings.
- Keep all the other "good" sugars to a minimum also, including honey, brown sugar, agave, evaporated cane juice, brown rice syrup, anything ending in "-ose", and most especially, high-fructose corn syrup.
- Starting or increasing your amount of exercise generally leads to feeling better and the desire for healthier foods. Be sure it's something you enjoy doing and shoot for half an hour several times a week.
Herbal Support for Sugar Cravings
To make this process much easier, herbal formulas can put a major dent in sugar cravings. Our SUGAR FREE formula works well for this and has helped many of our patients overcome the "sugar monkey".Supporting the pancreas, liver and adrenal glands makes it even easier and healthier during these changes. We include herbal formulas for these in our SUGAR CRAVINGS, HYPOGLYCEMIA Therapy Pack, along with an instruction sheet and my book for more suggestions and support.Here are the links:
Doc Eve
for daily tips and updatesSugar Cravings: Addiction or Just a Bad Habit?-Part 1
Sugar cravings can make you crazy enough to want to bite the nearest thing in your way, usually someone's head. Does that mean we are truly "addicts" or has it just become a "bad habit". A number of studies, including one at Princeton University*, have come to the conclusion that "sugar can be addictive".The study states that sugar and other simple carbohydrate foods cause the release of dopamine in the brain which gives us feelings of pleasure - similar to cocaine and other "street drugs". It says that if you suddenly stop eating sugar, it can lead to strong sugar cravings and binge eating - behaviors similarly found in drug addiction.
Skyrocketing Sugar Consumption & Diabetes
This addictive sugar behavior has been increasing over the last 300 years. In 1700, the average person ate 4 lbs. of sugar per year. By 1800, it had more than quadrupled to 18 lbs, and by 1900 it was 90 lbs. per year. In 2009 - brace yourself - over 50% of Americans were consuming 180 lbs. of sugar per year - 45 times as much as in 1700. That's a LOT of sugar cravings to the tune of about a half a pound of sugar PER DAY - which is 48 teaspoons. It sounds impossible until you consider that one 12 oz. Coke has nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar and one 7-Eleven 44 oz. Super Gulp has 32 teaspoons of sugar - it adds up quickly. And, of course, sugar is added to more and more packaged foods.This has resulted in obesity rates in America going from 3.4% in 1890, to 15% of the entire U.S, population in 1975, to over 1/3 of the entire population in 2009 being obese. Projections are for 50% by 2030. It has also skyrocketed diabetes in America from .003% of the population in 1893 to 8.3% today.
Foods That Create the Sugar Cravings Highs and Lows
Besides the obvious sweet foods, carbs and starches turn into sugars also, like white bread, pasta, chips, pretzels, French fries, crackers, bagels, white rice and flour. When you down one or more of these with a soda, your blood sugar spikes, giving you a buzz of energy. Your pancreas then sends insulin to move the sugar from your blood into your cells for energy, and you may have a sudden drop in blood sugar making you feel tired, shaky and maybe dizzy.This may leave you looking for another sugar "high" and the addictive pattern continues. In human sugar studies, just looking at a photo of a milkshake set off effects in the brain similar to those in drug addicts.
Dealing With Sugar Cravings & Addiction Successfully
In Part 2 (Click here), we'll look at how to get off of this roller coaster with less chance of falling back into old habits.For now, if you want to get started losing the cravings for sweets, here are the links to the Sugar Free formula, or to the Therapy Packs for a more comprehensive approach to Sugar Cravings and Hypoglycemia, including support for the pancreas, liver and adrenal glands: * Princeton University study: (scroll down to "7. Conclusion" - last sentence) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/Doc Eve
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