Many people tend to assume that intestinal parasites are a Third World problem, but the truth is that they also affect millions of people in the Western world. In fact, intestinal parasites have risen to epidemic levels in the United States, with an estimated 50 percent of Americans believed to suffer from parasitic organisms in their digestive tract. The most common intestinal parasites in the West include roundworms, pinworms, and the protozoan, G. lamblia, which…
Varicose veins are swollen or enlarged veins that occur when our valves become weak or damaged, causing blood to accumulate in them. Though varicose veins can occur in any part of our body, they are most common in the legs and thighs of aging or obese women, as well as in adults who stand up for long periods of time. Varicose veins tend to be surface veins rather than deep veins, so they are seldom…
The oil of the peppermint plant has remained a central component of many medicine cabinets for centuries, and for good reasons. Aside from being a proven anagesic, expectorant and carminative, this intense and aromatic oil is a potent anti-inflammatory that is well-known for treating gastrointestinal conditions, such as indigestion and stomach spasms, in a gentle and natural manner. Emerging evidence also suggests that it can even treat irritable bowel syndrome. Though it is widely used…
Since the beginning of recorded history, apple cider vinegar has been used as an effective medicine to remedy a wide variety of ailments. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, for instance, was known to treat his patients with apple cider vinegar and honey for serious digestive conditions. Christopher Columbus would store barrels of apple cider vinegar aboard his vessels to guard his sailors from scurvy. Even the feared samurai warriors of Japan often relied upon apple…
Common witch hazel, also called winterbloom, is a flowering shrub native to the forest margins, woodlands and stream banks of eastern North America. It is characterized by its fragrant, gold-colored flowers, which tend to grow in late fall and continue to expand throughout winter. Despite its somewhat sinister name, witch hazel is a plant of considerable medicinal value and has been pressed, boiled, and steamed for human usage for centuries. The American Indians were particularly…
