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The Buteyko Method is based on the concept that much ill health was the result of the body’s defence mechanisms trying to compensate for the lack of oxygen.

Hence the Buteyko Method involves the individual learning a new pattern of shallow breathing through a series of exercise. The principle underlying this technique is that asthmatics and sufferers of other breathing conditions such as hyperventilation (overbreathing which can resulting panic attacks) deplete their stocks of carbon dioxide by over breathing and thus exhaling valuable carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide is required to move oxygen from the blood into the cells and tissues of the body and most of the air around us contained a much smaller proportion of carbon dioxide. Shallow breathing increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the body which in turn oxygenates the cells and tissues of the body.

This Buteyko Method was developed by a Russian professor of physiology,Professor Konstantin Buteyko, about fifty years ago. Interestingly, when he conducted his study, he observed that patients with cardiac problems, allergies and breathing disorders breathed more than normal and concluded that deep breathing was not just a symptom but a cause of their ailments.

Although, primarily, Buteyko Method was used as a treatment for asthma , it can also be used to treat high blood pressure, heart conditions, eczema, diabetes, migraines, hay fever and other allerges. It has also shown some success in helping people to stop snoring. Practititioners believe that children with asthma who do not have a lifetime of bad habits to unlearn, may achieve results more quickly. However, the Buteyko Method is not suitable for anyone suffering from the acute stage of an infectious disease.

Useful link: http://www.buteyko.com/

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The Alexander Technique is a process of re-education during which the individual unlearns poor posture and movement that has led to tension and sometimes pain in the body. By becoming consciously aware of the strain and unnecessary effort this is putting on the body, the individual goes on to relearn the body’s natural and correct posture and movements.

People who learn this Alexander Technique is taught to release unnecessary tension in their bodies while doing everyday activities like brushing teeth, sitting,eating at the table, sitting at a desk, standing in a queue, driving a car or walking.

The Alexander Technique was developed in the late nineteenth centry by an Australian actor, Frederick Matthias Alexander. During his performances he began to lose his voice. Alexander observed himself with the use of mirrors and found that he had a habit of pulling his head backwards and downwards before delivering his lines.This movement, he discovered, compressed his spine, chest and rib. By focussing on lengthening his neck muscles, Alexander regained his voice control. He went on to explore how rethinking and relearning movements could help numerous other problems. He began to teach his technique first in London and then in the US. The Alexander Technique is still widely taught to students of acting, dance and music.

The Alexander Technique does not treat specific conditions directly; however by relearning postural errors and becoming consciously aware of the need for good posture, individuals can find relief from back, neck and shoulder pain, tension headaches and repetitive strain injury (RSI). Conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, hyperventilation and other breathing difficulties can also be helped with the Alexander Technique.

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The Bowen Technique is a hands-on non-manipulative therapy. It involes the practictioner rolling the muscle and connective tissue on various parts of the patient’s body. The thumbs and fingers are used, but the touch is gentle with little pressure applied.

The objective of this therapy is to give the body an opportunity to respond to the information gradually and begin the process of healing itself. One explanation for the effectiveness of this technique is that the body’s cells communicate with the brain to initiate repair to the damaged tissue or tendons.

The Bowen Technique was developed by Tom Bowen, a lay practictioner who treated the aches and pains of his co-workers in a cement works and woolen mill in Geelong, Australia. Due to the success of his treatment, Bowen opened his own clinic in the 1960s.

Bowen Technique is a complementary therapy which is effective for back, neck pain, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, repetitive strain injury(RSI) and other musculo-skeletal disorders. There are also reported success with asthma and other respiratory problems , hay fever, kidney problems, insomnia and arthritis.

Useful link: http://www.thebowentechnique.com/ 

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Actually Spiritual healing has been here since ancient time. Different culture practise this healing in different form. The techniques and tools may vary between practictioners and across different cultures but the objective is the same- to channel healing energy towards the person who needs it.

As we understand that the body is surrounded by an area of light that connects with a universal field of spiritual the energy. This auric light is believed to be composed of seven differed colored rays, each associated with particular organs and emotions.

In Spiritual healing, it involves the spiritual healer/therapist connecting with the spiritual energy flowing in and around the individual patient and adjusting it as a means towards resolving underlying physical emotional, mental or spiritual stress. It is based on the principle that a lot of sickness and disease has its roots in spiritual malaise.

Spiritual healers use techniques like laying on of hands,connecting physically with the individual and reading and working with the body auras. The tools used by the spiritual healers vary like pendulums, crystals, tarot cards, semiprecious stones and aura soma bottles. Aura soma bottles are clear glass bottle of crystals-clear oils, plant extracts and essences used to revitalize and rebalance the human aura.

Unlike, faith healing, Spiritual healing can take place without the patient having faith in the healer or the healing process.

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It’s important to maintain our eyes particularly nowadays our eyes are quite often strained by: 

• Too much internet surfing
• Too long at playing computer games, Watching long hours of television ( football matches and other types of competition)
• Studying overnight,
• Lack of sleep coupled with a full day’s work in front of the computer, or reading books may cause eyestrain and fatigue.
• Too much smoking increases free radicals which accelerate ageing and affects the body’s ability to absorb or extract necessary vitamins and minerals from food. It can also affect appetite which may result in a poor diet. These are known to damage eye tissues and ultimately affect eye health.

Besides a good diet on fresh fruits and vegetables which can help promote eye health since they are rich in vitamins A,C and E and antioxidants. Examples of the fruits and vegetables are found in oranges, kiwifruit, dried apricots, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, spinach.  Besides the above, let’s look at some herbal cure using herbs like the following:- 

1. Bilberry
2. Eyebright.
3. Lycium or (Kei Chi (Chinese word)
4. Lutien  (good sources include vegetables such as spinach, brussel sprouts, cabbage and kale)

Bilberry: 

• Bilberry has been used as a medicinal herb since the 16th century.
• In Europe, bilberry extracts are now part of the conventional treatment of many eye disorders
• Bilberry works by improving the microcirculation and regeneration of retinal purple, a substance required for good eyesight.
• Bilberry contains Vitamins A and C, providing antioxidant protection which can help prevent free radical damage to the eyes.(Vitamin A is required for sharp vision, while Vitamin C helps form collagen and is needed for growth and repair of tissue cells and blood vessels.)
• Anthocyanidins found in bilberry fruits may also be useful for people with vision problems. It is believed that British Royal Air Force pilots flying night missions during World War II ate bilberry jam to improve their vision and relieve tired eyes. The jam was made from ripe bilberries which are deep-blue red in colour.
• Anthocyanidin, which belongs to the class of flavonoids, is a pigment common in fruits and vegetables. Bilberry (vaccinium myrtillus) is one of the richest sources. However, in recent years, hot and dry weather has reduced the harvest of bilberry. This makes the fruits even more precious.
• Anthocyanidins help protect the retina, the nerve layer that lines the back of the eye and sends nerve impulses to the visual areas of the brain.
• Studies conducted in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s suggest that the anthocyanidins contained in bilberry fruit preparations improve symptoms of a variety of visual disturbances including nearsightedness, cataracts, and macular degeneration
• Anthocyanosides support and protect collagen structures in the blood vessels of the eyes, assuring strong, healthy capillaries that carry vital nutrients to eye muscles and nerves.

Benefits of Bilberry: 

• Improves capillary strength and flexibility
• Increases capillary blood flow in the eyes
• Increases the generation of enzymes responsible for energy production in the eyes
• Improving oxygen supply to the eyes, acting as anti-oxidants and strengthening tiny blood vessels.

Eyebright: 

• Eyebright can be orally taken or used as an eye wash for treating conditions of the eye.
• The tannins in it may decrease eye inflammation, as well as make a protective film over the surface of the eye.
• The caffeic acid in it may act as an anti-infective agent.
• Eyebright is a European wild plant.
• It is traditionally used to treat eye irritation.
• The whole herb is used medicinally.
• Eyebright is used primarily as a topical compress of eye inflammation.
• It is beneficial for reducing redness and swelling. Nowadays, you can find eyebright as a supplement, normally in combination with bilberry for synergistic effects.

Bilberry and eyebright are beneficial for: 

• Glare sensitivity
• Contact lens discomfort
• Changes in colour perception
• Red and burning eyes
• Blurred vision
• Dry and itchy eyes
• Help prevent watery or dry tired eyes.

Bilberry and eyebright are best combined with lycium (also known as kei chi by the Chinese) and lutein (found in vegetables such as spinach) for synergistic effect.

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Experts have made such interesting studies on the emotional/psychological effects colors can have on us which can affect our well being. This is not only the external forces of well being by doing physical exercises, good food, good lifestyles and others, INTERNALLY, we need to be calm, settled, have the ability to do self-expression without the pent up of our emotions/stress. Interestingly, when we choose or not to choose colors we do so to match our personality or use colors for certain effects like to calm/motivate us.. Below are two tables on Preference and Non-Preferences of Color which supposedly help you to understand better pertaining to your health whether in terms of self expression or your hopes/dreams. Knowing your personality better will definitely enhance your well being when dealing with yourself and others. 

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Sometimes when we feel moody and unable to calm ourselves down, we should try using colored lights. Colored light has long been used to affect our frame of mind.  Basically, what we need is just colored bulb which is relatively convenient to buy and is a cheap method for mood alteration.  Before we choose a color there is always the need to determine what we wish to achieve from it. Why is this so?This is because colors can give different feelings to different people. Tabulate below is the general guide of what colors can offer. However, you can experiment with them by adding colored light to your room for a few days and experience its impact on yourself. Append below a table of general guide to colors and the moods they promote:-

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Exercise, good food and healthy attitude play a vital role to achieve a healthy and fit body.

Incidentally, the number of overweight people is  estimated to be approximately 1.6 billion and at least 400 million are clinically obsese therefore making it one of the most serious health issues faced by human race.

Unbalanced lifestyle includes the following:

• late night snacks
• no exercise
• working late nights so as to rush for deadlines and successful career
• physical strains
• eating at irregular hours
• eating to de-stress

Such unbalanced lifestyle leads to fat being stored in our body and not burned. Hence health risks associated with weight prolems occur like cardiovascular problems, respiratory difficulties, infertility due to diabetes.

Experts have put up the following simple reminders to create a healthier you:

1. Take mini breaks away from the desk. Move your body, stretch it, bend it
2. Drink,drink and drink pure fresh water- drinking more water can help you look and feel better as it flushes out toxims and gives you more energy
3. Treat yourself to relaxing massages to loosen your body muscles at least once a month
4. Find an exercise regime which you love. When you do it what you love, you will stick to it.
5. Perhaps, cleaning chores in your house is an effective way to get more exercise.
6. Choose to eat lots of fruits and vegetables
7. Eliminate use of white sugar
8. Eat at the right time, preferably four hours before your bedtime.

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Reported in The Star (24 & 25/4/07) pertaining to some of the following startling statistics of strokes:

·         Six new cases of stroke occur every hour in Malaysia

·         It is the third largest cause of death in Malayisa.

·         Hypertension, which is a major risk factor for stroke, is scarily becoming prevalent among Malaysians. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey in 1986, hypertension was prevalent among 14.4% of adult Malaysians aged 30 years and above. In 1996, the figure jumped to 29.9%, which is equivalent to a 100% increase 

 ·         About 52,000 Malaysians suffered strokes annually when it is the most preventable of all life-threatening health problems.

·         In 2005, 17,909 stroke victims were admitted into government hospitals alone throughout the country. Of these, 3,245 of them were fatal. By 2020, this figure is expected to exceed 25,000 every year.  Continue Reading »

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Breast feeding is also called  Lactation or Nursing. It is the most natural and inexpensive way of caring for the baby’s health and well being.According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy Statement on Breastfeeding, women who don’t have health problems should exclusively breastfeed their infants for at least the first six months of life.  The AAP suggests that women try to breastfeed for the first 12 months of life because of the benefits to both the mother and baby.Breastfeeding offers many benefits to both baby and mother.

Benefits to the BABY: 

• Breast milk provides the right balance of nutrients to help an infant grow into a strong and healthy toddler. 
• Breastfed infants, and those who are fed expressed breast milk, have fewer deaths during the first year and experience fewer illnesses than babies fed formula. 
• Some of the nutrients in breast milk also help protect an infant against some common childhood illnesses and infections, such as diarrhea, middle ear infections, and certain lung infections.
• Some recent NICHD-supported research also suggests that breast milk contains important fatty acids (building blocks) that help an infant’s brain develop. Two specific fatty acids, known as DHA and AA, may help increase infants’ cognitive skills. Many types of infant formulas available in the United States are fortified with DHA and AA, and all formula available for preterm infants is fortified with these fatty acids.

Benefits to the MOTHER:

• In response to the baby’s sucking, the mother’s body releases a hormone that makes her uterus contract and get smaller.
• Many mothers also get emotional benefits from breastfeeding because of the closeness of this interaction with the baby and from the satisfaction of helping to nourish their babies.
• Some research suggest that mothers who breastfeed their babies have fewer episodes of post-delivery depression.
• There is evolving evidence to indicate that certain types of cancer (such as breast, uterus, and ovarian cancer) occur less often in mothers who have breastfed their babies. 
• Interestingly, there are also some cases whereby some women illness like breast abscess or breast hardening are relieved as breast feeding helps to “empty” the breast.

There are some of the following unique situations where experts advise mothers not to breast feed their babies:

• A woman with certain health conditions, such as HIV or active tuberculosis, should not breastfeed because she risks giving the infection to her infant through her breast milk.
• Women who actively use drugs or do not control their alcohol intake, or who have a history of these situations, may also be advised not to breastfeed. Certain medicines, including some mood stabilizers and migraine medicines, can also pass through the breast milk and cause harm to the infant.
• Women with certain chronic illnesses may be advised not to breastfeed, or to take special steps to ensure their own health while breastfeeding. For example, women who have diabetes may need to eat slightly more food while they breastfeed, to prevent their blood sugar levels from dropping. If a mother stops breastfeeding before the child is a year old, then she should feed her infant iron-fortified, commercially available formula. Health care providers advise women not to give their infants cow’s milk until the child is at least a year old.

(Source:National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

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