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Posts tagged ‘Ayurveda’

Enhancing Your Bedroom Activities With Plants

Rhodiola rosea (pl. różeniec górski), habitat:...

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Yes, it’s possible! There are plants and herbs that could help improve someone’s sexual performance naturally. These are usually found in the centuries-old medical traditions of Oriental Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine. These substances work in conjunction with natural processes in the body. For instance, a man has to have an erect penis beyond foreplay and on into penetration. He also needs to sustain this erection and experience a forceful but pleasurable ejaculation. A woman on the other hand, needs to feel desire and be desired for her nipples to be aroused, her clitoris to be stimulated , and her vagina lubricated.

Among these sex enhancing plants for both sexes include Maca and Rhodiola Rosea. Men with low libido and diminished erectile function have been prescribed extracts of maca. The compounds found in maca also help both sexes obtain more frequent and powerful orgasms. Rhodiola, on the other hand is an adaptogen, a plant that helps us adapt to stress. It’s been used by the Siberians for centuries to improve strength and stamina (including sexual prowess).

For women in general, ahswagandha, catuaba and eluethero have been used to improve their sex drives (in India, the Amazon and Siberia, respectively). Ashwagandha and eleuthero, by the way, are adaptogens as well.

For men, the following plants have been used for different issues. Horny goat weed or Epimedium species has been used to restore sexual fire, treating impotence and increasing semen production. Yohimbe or nature’s Viagra, has a compound that stimulates engorged vessels within the penis and nerves of the lower spine. Then finally, there’s Panax ginseng. Researchers believe that ginseng increases nitric oxide in the penis, dilating the vessels of the corpus cavernosum.

One of the common questions I get is whether these plant compounds are safe to take. They are all usually safe to take unless a person has any allergy to the plant/plant components. A person who is taking prescription medications should always ask their health care practitioners about concomitant use of herbs and synthetic meds. In the event that they don’t know, there are resources such as PDR for Herbal Medicines, Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, and the German Commission E.

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on November 29, 2010

Safe Travels

Taj Spa at Taj Exotica, Goa

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Just got back from NYC for a conference. It’s a short trip compared to the ones I’ve made before. However, it’s still important to take certain precautions to prevent yourself from getting sick during or after air travel. One thing is to make sure that you stay well-hydrated. Drink half your body weight in ounces (per day) ideally. Forget about the crappy airline food they serve. Bring your own food if possible. Feeling sleepy? How about bringing an eye mask and that cushy neck pillow (if you’re flying coach). Don’t forget to take melatonin to prevent jet lag esp. if you travel through “major major” time zones. Try getting up once in a while to get your circulation going. And if there’s an urge to urinate (or any other “urges” for that matter), don’t hold it. Suppression of these natural urges could lead to illness according to Ayurvedic medicine. We already know about breathing recirculated air when flying. Consider getting a personal air ionizer and if that’s not possible, essential oil blends such as Thieves or Purification from YLEO are really helpful. Doing a lot of walking like I did in NYC? Make sure to wear good shoes and take time out for breaks. I think I overdid it. Thank heavens for Brookstone! I got a foot/leg massage for 30 minutes and it helped a lot. Nothing beats a real massage though and I’m so glad that I got one yesterday. More travel tips later….

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Natural Antibiotics

Lavande / lavender

Image by Alain Cachat via Flickr

Are there such things? You bet! Ancient civilizations have used them in the past. Traditional medical systems such as Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine texts are replete with information on natural germ fighting agents. In very recent times, just in 1987 in fact, one of the most comprehensive studies was conducted in Scotland that determined the most powerful antibacterial agents. These include the essential oils of thyme, cinnamon, clove and geranium. According to another study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology, the oils of cinnamon, thyme and clove killed 92% of 25 different Gram negative and positive bacterial strains. As a side note, do you know that Listerine antiseptic was originally named after Joseph Lister, the Father of modern surgical antisepsis? The formula has the following essential oils, namely; thymol (from thyme essential oil), eucalyptol (from eucalyptus essential oil), methyl salicylate (from wintergreen essential oil) and menthol (from peppermint essential oil). A study done in 1999 published at the Journal of Clinical Periodontology showed that a mouthwash that had the essential oils of thyme, peppermint, wintergreen and eucalyptus, was more effective in improving oral health than an antiseptic that was fluoride-based. In 2006, powerful anti-fungal oils were identified by researchers and they include the following: essential oils of cinnamon, clove, lemongrass, geranium and thyme. They were all found to be equal or superior to a well-known anti-fungal medication. Other natural anti-fungal agents include garlic, caprylic acid (from coconut), melaleuca (tea tree oil) and Saccharomyces boullardii (an anti-fungal yeast). One common infectious cause of gastritis is H. pylori. Mastic gum has been used traditionally to treat this. Other agents were found to be effective in a study conducted at the Kyoto Prefectural University in Japan. These include the essential oils of manuka, cinnamon bark, carrot seed, savory, white grapefruit, clove and eucalyptus. Meanwhile, natural anti-viral agents include eugenol from clove oil (found to be effective against Herpes virus), peppermint oil, and manuka essential oil. Finally, what natural agents are effective against MRSA and VRE antibiotic-resistant bacteria? In studies done at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, UK, it was found that melaleuca, lavender, peppermint and thyme essential oils showed the strongest activity against these germs. Anyway, I want to acknowledge Dr. Carolyn de Marco for providing a lot of great information regarding the use of essential oils. If someone is suffering from an infectious illness, work with your healthcare provider on how to improve your immune system so that you won’t get sick in the first place.

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Just Breathe….

Fresh Air Breathing Exercises

It seems like a very simplistic advise but breathing can actually help a lot of conditions, not just lung problems. Breathing, before anything else, is much more than the intake of oxygen or the release of carbon dioxide. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is believed that during the process of breathing, your brain actually scans what’s going on in the rest of the body. When a person breathes in a shallow manner, then they’re not able to fully scan their body. When that happens, the central computer (our brains) cannot do it’s job of coordinating what goes on in the rest of the body. Such is the interconnectedness of the mind and body that the concept that each part of the body functions independently is crap, for the lack of a better word. Breathing is very important. Unfortunately, we often take this for granted. We sometimes focus too much on diet or hydration, to the detriment of learning proper breathing techniques. Although we may last for weeks without food or a few days without water, there’s only a few precious minutes that we can survive without (breathing) air. It’s important to take deep, diaphragmatic breaths (similar to that of a baby’s). Benefits include lowered stress levels, better sleep, and overall better health. Now, take some deep breaths ……

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