For those who are concerned about avoiding or treating influenza, there may be an herbal and homeopathic alternative. Flu shot medicine or vaccine contains only three strains of dead viruses. Leaving a number of strains, including the strain referred to as the bird flu, that is currently making people very ill in parts of Asia and India.

Andrographis paniculata is one herbal and homeopathic alternative. Flu shot medicine is designed to create an immunity to specific strains of flu virus. These viruses are constantly changing, thus the reason for a different vaccine each year. Andrographis paniculata is recommended because it stimulates the entire immune system and studies have shown that it is effective in the treatment of influenza. One study in Volgograd showed that andrographis paniculata, not only contributed to quicker recovery, but also reduced the risk of post-flu complications. Flu shot medicine is still considered by most doctors and the Center for Disease Control to be the most effective flu preventative.

There is no herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine, meaning there are no herbs, botanicals or other natural products that will cause the body to build up an immunity to specific strains of the flu. All herbal and homeopathic products can do is stimulate the immune system allowing the body's natural immunities to these viruses to take over. People who have strong immune systems get fewer colds and flu viruses. People with chronic illnesses and those who have weakened immune systems should not rely on an herbal and homeopathic alternative. Flu shot medicine is still the best choice for these people.

Healthy people consider products that boost the immune system as herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine. Taken regularly, particularly during cold and flu season, products containing andrographis paniculata, beta glucans and other herbal flu remedies (bilberry, green tea, ginseng, turmeric, etc) may prevent colds and flus and complications that may arise from them. Even people who take the flu shot can benefit from these herbal products. They have few unwanted side effects and scientific studies, as well as historical use as treatment for colds and other infections, have shown that they can be effective and safe.

In addition to the already mentioned herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine or remedies, extra vitamin C and essential minerals such as copper, manganese, magnesium and zinc are all important to assist the body's natural immune system in fighting off viruses. Add these to proper diet, adequate rest, an immune system booster and you have a recipe for improved health, as well as a possible herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine. For more information about how to boost your immune system and protect yourself from colds and flus this year, visit www.immune-system-booster-guide.com.

Patsy Hamilton has more than twenty years experience as a health care professional and currently writes informational articles for the Immune System Booster Guide. Read more at http://www.immune-system-booster-guide.com

Zandra Jones, RN BBA is an alternative health advisor and owner Alternative Herbal Treatment

Tags: herbal, alternative treatment, natural treatment, health, herbal treatment

After weeks and weeks of crying after eating and spitting up constantly, my first child was diagnosed with acid reflux. The initial news was disconcerting. It was my first baby, and of course I did not want him to be in any pain or diagnosed with any sort of medical complication. Our pediatrician reassured us that acid reflux is quite a common condition among babies and with some treatment; he wouldn't even feel any of the side effects.

Acid reflux is when the contents of the stomach, including both acid and food, work back up into the esophagus sometimes causing pain and discomfort. Sometimes this causes vomiting or a burp that contains some of the acid and/or food. In babies, it is difficult to tell this is happening, as it is quite common for babies to spit up. If a child spits up or vomits often, and it is accompanied by crying, arching of the back or poor sleeping habits then the child most often is diagnosed with acid reflux. It is true that acid reflux is common in babies, as their muscle closing off the stomach from the esophagus is often not completely formed yet.

Treatment of acid reflux usually includes taking some medication. Often it is recommended to take some over the counter liquid medication, such as Mylanta. Of course, it will be in a very small dose through a dropper because of the child's size, but it generally is helpful in lessening the discomfort. If this does not seem to be enough to calm the acid reflux symptoms the doctor may recommend taking a prescription medication such a Prevacid or Zantac. These medications help to stop the production of acid in the stomach, and therefore there is less acid to work back up into the esophagus.

One year later, my first son had outgrown his acid reflux and was doing quite well. After the birth of my second son, I knew what symptoms to look for and brought some concerns to the pediatrician. He, too, was diagnosed with acid reflux. Both of my sons were treated with a combination of Mylanta and Prevacid, and both were not in any obvious pain or discomfort while being treated. Their sleep patterns regulated, they spit up much less, and their overall demeanor was much more pleasant. Each outgrew their acid reflux and are now happy and healthy with no side effects.

Tags: herbal treatment, herbal, alternative treatment, health, natural treatment

Stomach problems can make a person absolutely miserable. Conditions like acid reflux disease can make your days long and your sleepless nights even longer. There are a lot of prescription medications available today for such conditions but many people prefer to avoid taking too many pills. Natural acid reflux remedies provide welcomed relief for many sufferers.

Basically, acid reflux disease is a result of inflammation in the esophagus. The irritation is caused by liquid from the stomach working its way backwards into the esophagus. Many people recognize the symptom of this stomach problem known as heartburn. This uncomfortable symptom has many of us running to stores looking for acid reflux remedies.

I was not interested in finding acid reflux remedies myself because I had never experienced heartburn until last week. My first bought with the symptom of the stomach problem came as a kind-of frightening shock. I thought that something was stuck in my chest and I couldn't work it out. The sensation was one that I would equate with chocking deep in the chest.

After that brief experience with heartburn I decided that I had better check out some natural acid reflux remedies. I wasn't really looking for my self. My husband complains of heartburn on a daily basis. I had never really understood what he was feeling until I experienced heartburn first hand.

I can't get my husband to take an aspirin let alone prescription medication. Mediations that were used in the past as acid reflux remedies had very bad consequences. The drug Propulsid that was used for the stomach ailment was taken off of the market after many people died from the medication.

My husband isn't really excited about taking medication of any sort and the track record for medications for this stomach problem is bleak. We decided that natural acid reflux remedies would be the best approaches to his discomfort. If there is a natural way to take care of a problem that is the way to go.

We found that drinking a lot of filtered water each day helps to elevate the symptoms associated with the stomach problem. Water helps to balance the pH in your stomach which neutralizes the acids. This is the easiest of the acid reflux remedies to follow.

Other acid reflux remedies include fresh garlic. This came as a huge surprise to both of us. You would think that garlic would disrupt the natural balance in your stomach but it does the opposite. Just adding water and garlic to my husband's diet has proved to be effective acid reflux remedies.

There are many alternative acid reflux remedies available, and it seems like there are more being released every day. Although there are plenty of prescription medicines to treat acid reflux, or heartburn as it is often called, more and more it seems that people are turning to acid reflux home remedies as an alternative to these kinds of treatments. I am not really sure why this is so, but acid reflux remedies made of herbs, minerals, and the like are becoming more and more popular as time passes.

Now majority of us uses tums for heartburn but it is basically chalk. Did you know that antacid causes you to lose your libido? So lets look at some alternative remedies and information that is available.  I have heard of activated charcoal being used successfully as an alternative acid reflux remedy. Another alternative treatment for acid reflux is 2 tsp of Braggs apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp of raw honey (not processed) in 8 oz glass of water is one of the best treatment available.  Drink it cold or make it as a hot tea. It is absolutely delicious. This remedy alone stopped my husband's heartburn. I forgot about chewable DGL (Licorice Root) 20 minutes before meals and before going to bed at night also stops acid reflux.  These remedies surely work but they are short term solutions.  That 's why I strongly recommend Cure Your Heartburn for long term solution. 

Now let's talk about a healthy diet.  Eating a lot of grains, fresh vegetables and a few fruits, and little fat or grease or meat, can do a lot to treat heartburn. Making sure that you do not overeat, and that you have several small meals over the course of the day rather than just having one great big one can also work wonders for your acid reflux. Also drinking plenty of water reduces stomach acid.  Especially drinking a glass of water before going to bed consistently over the course of time is the cheapest remedy I know of.  People would rather go on just as they always have, eating foods that simply are not that good for them, and then treating the symptoms with  acid reflux remedies, instead of the cause, which is simply unhealthy eating habits.

Of course, some people really do suffer from acid reflux disease for other reasons than just poor dietary habits. If you are one of these people, and are simply the victim of an overactive stomach, then there is nothing else for it than to treat your condition with the remedies that you find. Otherwise, you are at risk of all kinds of other health problems caused by the excessive stomach acid.

Acid reflux in infants is one of the most common ailments among newborns and small children.  I am a big proponent of alternative treatment for acid reflux but when it comes to infants this may not be the right choice.  Both of our children were diagnosed with the condition, and it of course was hard news to hear the first time. 

Your brain immediately goes into parent mode because you don’t want your child to have any pain or discomfort.  You most certainly don’t want to hear that your child or children are diagnosed with a condition.  However, our pediatrician reassured us that acid reflux in infants is quite a common condition among babies and with some treatment the condition would improve and eventually subside.

Acid reflux in infants is a condition where the contents of the stomach, including both acid and food, work back up into the esophagus sometimes causing pain and discomfort.  One of the things you can try is try the infant's formula.  Back in the day there wasn't that many choices.  Carnation Good Start with comfort protein was new formula on the market but it didn't work for my baby.  We also tried Prosobee.  Hyland's Indigestion formula worked well. 

It is a medical fact that acid reflux in infants is common, mainly because their muscle closing off the stomach from the esophagus is often not completely formed yet and allows for acid and food to back up quite often, mostly after eating. 

In babies, it is difficult to tell they have acid reflux, as it is quite common for babies to spit up.  If a child spits up or vomits often, and it is accompanied by crying, arching of the back or poor sleeping habits then the child most often is diagnosed with acid reflux. 

Acid reflux in infants is usually treated with some medication.  Pediatricians often prescribe acid reducers such as Prevacid or Zantac, which reduce the production of acid in the stomach.  Since acid reflux in infants is so common, these now come in water soluble forms which can either be mixed with their formula or breast milk, or it also dissolves almost immediately after hitting the mouth of an infant.  This makes giving this medication much easier, and it is effective almost immediately.

Our children were treated with Prevacid as well as taking over the counter Mylanta.  This is also commonly used to treat acid reflux in infants because it immediately soothes the esophagus and stomach lining, reducing the burning sensation and discomfort.  By the time they reached one year of age, neither was taking medication for their acid reflux and are now normal healthy toddlers.  There were absolutely no ill side effects from taking the medication prescribed, and our lives were almost immediately improved during treatment.  The medication helped them to sleep better, spit up less and be more comfortable, leading to a much happier babyhood.

Tags: indigestion, zantac, prevacid, gas pain, babies, acid reducers, infant

There are many alternative acid reflux remedies available, and it seems like there are more being released every day. Although there are plenty of prescription medicines to treat acid reflux, or heartburn as it is often called, more and more it seems that people are turning to acid reflux home remedies as an alternative to these kinds of treatments. I am not really sure why this is so, but acid reflux remedies made of herbs, minerals, and the like are more and more popular as time passes. This seems strange to me, as many of the traditional over the counter acid reflux remedies are made of pretty natural stuff anyway.

I have heard that tums is basically chalk, and I have even heard of activated charcoal being used successfully as an alternative acid reflux remedy. Another alternative treatment for acid reflux is 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp of raw honey in 8 oz glass of water is one of the best treatment available. So why all of this searching for alternatives when many of the common choices seem to work so well?  An even more important question is: why not use one of the best acid reflux remedies available? By that I mean, why not use a sane, healthy diet that creates less stomach acid. This seems to be the best of the acid reflux remedies which I have come across so far, and I can not be the only one out there who thinks so.

Eating a lot of grains, fresh vegetables and a few fruits, and little fat or grease or meat, can do a lot to treat heartburn. Making sure that you do not overeat, and that you have several small meals over the course of the day rather than just having one great big one can also work wonders for your acid reflux. Also drinking plenty of water reduces stomach acid.  Especially drinking a glass of water before going to bed consistently over the course of time is the cheapest remedy I know of.  People would rather go on just as they always have, eating foods that simply are not that good for them, and then treating the symptoms with  acid reflux remedies, instead of the cause, which is simply unhealthy eating habits. It is enough to make you sick about some people, if you ask me!

Of course, some people really do suffer from acid reflux disease for other reasons than just poor dietary habits. If you are one of these people, and are simply the victim of an overactive stomach, then there is nothing else for it than to treat your condition with the remedies that you find. Otherwise, you are at risk of all kinds of other health problems caused by the excessive stomach acid.

 

Tags: heart burn, bloating, stomach acid, indigestion, gas pain, sour stomach

Would you choose chinese herbal remedies over traditional herbal product?  We all just hate getting sick? Regardless of how much we all dislike the colds, flu, and other annoying viruses that seem to come each and every winter, we always seem to get them. Even those of us who take precautions with a flu shot or some other form of deterrent, that darn sniffling and coughing always commence on schedule. Well, at least that's my experience anyway.

There must be a way around it all. You know, some hidden path that has not yet been discovered by the masses. A close friend of mine from Taiwan claims that Chinese herbal remedies are often better than American medicines. Who knows; maybe he's onto something. Are you willing to give Chinese herbal remedies a shot?

What do you currently know about Chinese herbal remedies?  Does the name Bi Yan Pian, Ping Chuan, or Gun Mao Ling ring a bell? Well these remedies are for cold and flu viruses.  Oh, no problem.  Although most American do not have a great depth and knowledge regarding Chinese herbal remedies, I have had an experience with Xiao Yao San for hormonal balance.  Which was very effective against my mood swings, bloating and menstrual cramps. 

Ever heard of Dit Da Jow?  Well, chances are, unless you're into Chinese martial arts, you probably haven't. Dit Da Jow is a liquid herbal remedy used to heal bruises and damaged tissue.  I used it rather frequently when I first began training in a Chinese martial art known as Wing Chun. The repetitive damage I received to my forearms during training rituals, called for some serious healing. A martial arts buddy of mine, who had been training for years, recommended Dit Da Jow.  Now, I'm not going to lie to you. In my humble opinion, this stuff stinks. However, it did remedy my bruising and promote healing.  Therefore, I do believe this stuff works. This along with other Chinese herbal remedies are often recommended in the martial arts circles.

Would you search for ancient Chinese herbal remedies to cure a headache? This is a funny question actually.  While watching a Tai Chi seminar a few years back, I spotted a student offering his teacher a massage to help remedy a headache his teacher complained of.  The old Chinese teacher grinned at him and said, "That sounds nice, but I think I'll just take some aspirin."  I could tell this shocked the student who had been fascinated by Chinese herbal remedies and massage therapy.  He thought they were better for some reason.  However, it's always best to use what truly works for you.

Tags: dit da jow, herbal remedy, chinese herbs, martial arts