Alternative medicine for Common Cold
These may not be able to cure your cold but may help you feel slightly better and comfortable.
Echinacea: Although Echinacea is commonly taken to prevent onset and ease symptoms of cold, its effectiveness may be debated in the medical circles. It also seems to be most effective when taken soon after cold symptoms are first experienced.
Vitamin C: Most people increase their intake of vitamin C in winter to prevent cold. However, there is no evidence that taking large doses of vitamin C reduces your risk of catching cold. High doses of vitamin C can in fact cause headaches, intestinal and urinary problems, and even kidney stones.
Zinc: There is evidence that zinc nasal sprays taken at the beginning of a cold may help reduce symptoms of cold. Zinc preparations in lozenge or nasal gel form are now also available as cold treatments. However, research reports have not been able to establish conclusively the effects of zinc in preventing or curing cold. It has also been reported that in some instances people using these sprays have had permanent loss of smell.
There is no sure short way of treating cold. One could however sleep with the head on a high pillow to avoid discomfort. One must also not smoke, as smoking adds to the symptoms of cold and cough.
Alternative medicine for Depression
You may be interested in trying to relieve depression symptoms with complementary or alternative medicine strategies. These include nutritional and dietary supplements and mind-body techniques.
Keep in mind that nutritional and dietary products aren't regulated. The Food and Drug Administration doesn't test them for safety, purity or effectiveness. You can't always be sure of what you're getting and if it's safe. Also, be aware that herbal and dietary supplements can interfere with the way certain prescription medications work or cause dangerous interactions that can harm your health. Talk to your doctors and other health care providers before taking any herbal or dietary supplements.
While some researchers are studying the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine, the jury's still out. Make certain you understand possible risks as well as benefits before pursuing them. Complementary and alternative treatments generally aren't a good substitute for traditional medical care.
Several nonprescription herbal and dietary supplements are used by some people to treat depression. Little is known about the safety and effectiveness of these remedies, although they are taken by thousands of people around the world.
A few of the best-known ones continue to be studied scientifically to see how well they work, but to date, there is little evidence that herbal remedies effectively treat moderate to severe clinical depression.
St. John's wort: This is probably the best-known alternative therapy for depression with fewer side effects. Known scientifically as Hypericum perforatum, this is an herb that's been used for centuries to treat a variety of ills, including depression.
It is widely used in North America and Europe to treat anxiety, mild to moderately severe depression, and sleep disorders. It is available in capsules, tablets, as a liquid extract, and in various teas.
However, this too has many problems. One problem with St. John's wort is that it interacts with many other medications, which could be dangerous, to an extent that it could also make other medications stop working, including some that are used to treat cancer or HIV infection or to prevent organ rejection after transplant.
If taken with an SSRI drug, St John's wort can cause a potentially dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome. The combination is not recommended.
Common side effects include dry mouth, dizziness, digestive symptoms, fatigue, and increased sensitivity to sunlight. It is not recommended for people with seasonal depression using bright light therapy.
SAM-e: This is a synthetic form of a chemical that occurs naturally in the body. The name is short for S-adenosyl-methionine. Some believe that it increases neurotransmitter levels in the brain, but this has not been proven. Its effectiveness in depression is unknown and is known to have few side effects.
5-HTP: This agent, 5-hydroxytryptophan, is another substance that occurs naturally in the body, where it is used to make serotonin. Although there is some evidence that this agent relieves depression with fewer side effects than SSRIs, the evidence is by no means conclusive.
Omega-3 fatty acids: These are polyunsaturated fats found mostly in seafood. Good sources of omega-3s include fatty, cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Flaxseed, flax oil and walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, and small amounts are found in soybean and canola oils.
Deficiencies in these natural substances have been linked to depression, especially bipolar disorder. They are found in certain plants and fish oil. Fish oil capsules are available at natural-food stores, but they have digestive side effects in many people. By far the best source is fish, especially oily fish such as salmon and mackerel. These fatty acids also promote a healthy heart and blood vessels.
As with dietary supplements, take care in using these techniques. Although they may pose less of a risk, relying solely on these to treat depression may not be effective enough. If you try mind-body techniques first to treat your depression but your symptoms worsen or don't improve, be sure to consult your health care providers.
Mind-body connections
Mind-body techniques are thought to strengthen the communication between your mind and your body.
Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe these two systems must be in harmony for you to stay healthy or to heal depression and such medical ailments.
Mind-body techniques used to improve depression symptoms include:
- Acupuncture
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Guided imagery
- Massage therapy
Alternative Medicine for Diabetes
Sometimes natural remedies are more useful than any medication or therapies. Calcium considered good for your bones or known to prevent high blood pressure, is also used to control diabetes. Certain herbs such as Gymnema Sylvestre are known to help in curbing the desire to eat sweets. Cinnamon, which is got from the bark of a tree, has been found to increase the conversion of glucose into energy and also blocks out free radicals. Fenugreek has also been used for a long time as an anti-diabetic drug as it reduces blood glucose levels and triglycerides.
Jambolan, of the cloves family reduces blood sugar levels and has been used as ayurvedic medicine for a long time. Bitter melon extract has also been used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Herbs have time and again proved to be effective cures for many diseases. However, one must remember that anything in excess is bad and one must know that some people are allergic to certain types of herbs and must not experiment on their own.
