While today there is a boom in herbs and Ayurvedic medicine treating illnesses this way is not new and, as you probably know, the tradition of using holistic methods to treat illness called Ayurvedic medicine has been used for centuries.

Many of the herbs and spices used are ones that we commonly have in our kitchen cabinets today. These herbs, however, didn’t originate here and many travel to us from India. Some of these popular ancient Ayurvedic herbs include cinnamon, ginger, Gotu Kola, Boswellia, Gymnema, and East Indian Globe Thistle can now easily be found at your local grocery store or herbal medicine store.

Ginger is a common Ingredient in many dishes but also has many medicinal uses. It is a great digestive aid and can also help with colic, gas and ease heartburn symptoms. In India it Is known as a Sunthi or Adrak and has been used as a tonic which can enhance your vigor as well as an antidepressant.

One of the most common herbs In India, Gotu Kola, is a great herb for healing wounds and addressing skin disorders. It is sensitive in nature and can be used for insomnia and is also said to help lower blood pressure.

Gymnema Sylvestre or Gumar is an herb you will probably be hearing a lot more about as it can help to block sugar. In fact, if you put this herb on your tongue you’ll notice that it did in the case of sweets. Some theorize that this may be able to help in weight loss as it may reduce a craving for sweets. Use of it in diabetics showed a decrease In blood sugar levels.

You might use cinnamon and your baking but it’s also been used by Ayurvedic Herbalists for hundreds of years is a stimulant. It also works to sue the toothache pain, makes a great astringent and can help with rheumatism. Cinnamon essential oil has an anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.

Frankincense or Boswellia can be used as an anti-inflamatory and is also said to be a good expectorant as well as help boost the immune system. This is better important curb for centuries and as you recall, was presented by one of the three wise men.

East India Globe thistle is not an herb you hear too much about but has been used as an Energizer for centuries it is also said to help reduce blood sugar.

There are many other Ayurvedic herbs that have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries and that in our modern culture are regarded as simply spices to be put in food. It seems over the centuries we have lost our knowledge of the effects that the spices have on our body and how they can be used to treat ailments.

Of course if you have a medical condition that you think one of these herbs might help you should consult your doctor so that he or she can review your current medications to see if there would be any adverse effects before you take any herbs. Just because herbs are natural doesn’t mean that they don’t have side effects and they can interact with your medicines in an adverse manner. Take ginseng for example – this herb thins the blood so If you are on blood tinners and you add ginseng to your diet you could end up making your blot too thin and it won’t clot which could become life threatening if you cut yourself. When in doubt, it’s best to consult a medical professional.

8 million American women and 2 million American men are estimated to have osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures in 2005 were responsible for an estimated $19 billion in costs (National Osteoporosis Foundation). So, it would be wise to understand more about osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. Such breaks are generally in the hips, spine, ribs or wrists.

The current theory on the cause of osteoporosis is that heredity, hormones, exercise and diet play major roles in this causing this disease. However, the diet focus is on deficiencies, not consuming enough calcium and Vitamin D. This ignores something even more important in your diet! (Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General, Chap. 2)

Osteoporosis can result from not getting enough calcium and Vitamin D in your diet. However, it can also result from eating too many sweets even if you do get sufficient calcium in your diet because sugar consumption lowers the amount of calcium in your blood. To maintain the correct amount of calcium in your blood, your body pulls calcium from your bones and teeth!

Do you know the two major functions of bone? The first one is obvious-it supports the muscles and organs of the body. Without the skeleton, we would all be jellyfish. The second, however, is not so obvious. It acts as a storehouse for two minerals: calcium and phosphorus. Most people are not aware that their bones are continuously dissolved and built up. Your skeleton’s cells are completely replaced every ten years by these two actions. This process is called remodeling. Osteoporosis is the result of bones dissolving, without being built up. They are dissolved from the inside, so they appear to be strong until they break.

When there is a sudden need for more calcium in the blood, special bone cells (osteoclasts) that dissolve bone go to work to make the calcium available. What causes the body to withdraw calcium from the bones (and teeth)? A major one is eating foods containing refined sugar. (Degeneration – Regeneration, Melvin Page, DDS) (By the way, Dr. Page also points out that sugar consumption throws the blood chemistry out of balance causing calcium deposits (arthritis) in the soft tissues of the body, such as joints.) Given the increase in sugar and high fructose corn syrup consumption in the last 50 years, is it any wonder that we see osteoporosis increasing?

When searching for frozen shoulder physical therapy, you will come across many different opinions. You will find that some of these opinions can be conflicting. These methods are very different and some of them can be very beneficial and some of them can be very harmful. The beneficial ones will do you a lot of good, but the harmful ones can cause more damage than you originally had. The trick is to know the difference between the good methods and the bad ones.

Consistency will be the key to a frozen shoulder therapy program being effective. Consistency means daily work for at least three to four weeks to start out. If you have not noticed any improvement in your mobility after three to four weeks of physical therapy, then you need to see your doctor as frozen shoulder surgery may be in order. If you have noticed an improvement, tell the doctor this as well and you may get approval to work on some more strenuous exercises. While the goal of this physical therapy is to increase your range of motion, it is important to keep in mind that the irritation from the initial beginnings of your physical therapy program will probably make your shoulder feel worse before it will make it feel better. If you are doing your physical therapy correctly, however, that soreness should relieve itself with time.

You should be asking your doctor to recommend a frozen shoulder physical therapy program OR a good licensed physical therapist. This is the only way to find a legitimate recovery program. Never start any program that tells you they can make you better overnight. This is not possible with frozen shoulder. Typically, frozen shoulder can take from a few weeks to a few months and sometimes a few years to heal fully. Whatever program you start, it should not only relieve pain, it should also be designed to eventually give you some restoration in mobility.

If you are searching for a frozen shoulder physical therapy program, you just need to be sure that you choose one that does not force you to do too much, too fast. It should allow you to slow stretch your arm and it should take small steps towards recovery.