Health by Homeopathy

Posts Tagged ‘Chronic Conditions’

Vitamin A, also known as retinol or carotenoid, is a fat soluble vitamin. It helps in forming and maintaining healthy teeth. In addition, it has strong significance in maintaining skeletal and soft tissues. Apart from that, mucous membranes and skin health suffer greatly if there is a deficiency of vitamin A. The name retinol comes from the fact that vitamin A is responsible for producing the pigments in retina. In this article, we will discuss few important facts about vitamin A including its role as antioxidant, available food source, and side effects.

Vitamin A as an Antioxidant

Retinol is an active form of vitamin A. It is beneficial to promote healthy vision, especially during dark light. One of the most essential facts to know about vitamin A is that it acts as an antioxidant, so it offers valuable protection against free radical formation. Free radicals are unstable form of molecules contributing to premature aging and degenerative diseases such as different chronic conditions, cardiovascular disease, eyesight problem, cancer and many others. Beta carotene is a variety of carotenoid. This is an antioxidant.

Food Sources

Before considering commercially available supplements for vitamin C, you must need to be facilitated with some important facts about vitamin A and its natural resources. Similar to other antioxidants, nature has plenty sources of vitamin A. Generally, vitamin A is available from animal sources such as eggs, milk, meat, cod, cream, liver, cheese, and cream. One of the most important facts to know about vitamin A animal sources that you must keep in concern is that all of these animal sources contain high level of cholesterol and saturated fat.

However, the availability of vitamin A is not limited to animal sources only. In fact, you have plenty of fruits and vegetables that help you to meet the essential requirements. These are carrots, winter squashes, pumpkin, pink grapefruit, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, spinach, broccoli and other green and leafy vegetables. While buying vegetables for vitamin A, consider the fruits or vegetables with intense vibrant color. The more intense is the color, the more beta-carotene contents are. This is one of the essential facts to consider about vitamin A veggie source.

Side Effects

If you have insufficient supply of vitamin A, you are subject to experience different health complications including infections, vision problems, etc. However, if you are on excessive dietary supply of vitamin A, you are vulnerable towards many different health complications as well. High dosage of vitamin A during pregnancy may lead to birth defects. If an adult takes several hundred thousands of vitamin A, he is at higher risk for developing acute vitamin A poisoning. Infants and young children are more vulnerable about excess vitamin A intake, they may become ill if larger dosages are administered.

Naturopathy Is Natures’s Medicine
By Shaun Parker
Naturopathy is one of the oldest forms medicines; as old as mankind in many ways. Our ancestors made use of the natural resources around them to treat illness and maintain good health. Naturopathy has developed over the years to treat conditions and ailments in the body while promoting good health and well-being. Using natural medicine and techniques that work with our body, a practitioner can restore health, aid our natural healing process and flush out toxins that cause disease.

One method a naturopath will use is herbal medicine and there are a number of remedies and essences at their disposal. Aloe Vera has been used for thousands of years and is an extremely powerful herb. It can be used for INFLAMMATION and to treat wounds and burns as well as fighting off bacteria. Echinacea has long been considered a powerful herb for boosting the body’s immune system. Native to North America, Echinacea is a flower and is commonly used to fend off cold and flu symptoms. Gingko Biloba originates from China and the herb is said to improve circulation, particularly to the brain where the nutrients and oxygen in the blood are needed most.

Naturopathy also promotes good health through the nutritional value found in food. The correct diet can pay dividends in fighting of infections, viruses and disease and help boost our energy levels. A good diet will include whole wheat, lean protein and fruit and vegetables. If you want a general detox, fruit juice and fruit cleanses the blood and any vegetables or fruit are best eaten raw where possible (salads are a good option). Try to avoid meat and dairy products for at least a week though.

Hydrotherapy is commonly used by naturopaths to help with acute and chronic conditions both internally and externally. In fact, water therapy was one of the first therapies adopted by naturopathy after its effects were noted on sick animals. Hydrotherapy may take the form of baths, sprays or packs used for compression. Physical therapies are applied by naturopathic practitioners to correct any abnormalities in posture or joint movement that can be the underlying cause of disease elsewhere. This can take the form of chiropractic techniques or physical manipulations to the joints and muscles.

Fasting is another technique used in naturopathy. Abstaining from food gives the organs a chance to rest from the constant action of having to digest and process food. When we eat, the body uses a large amount of energy so by fasting, this saved energy can be utilised elsewhere for healing. Fasting also prevents further toxins entering the body and can also give the liver a chance to fully expel current present toxins in the body without the need to deal with new ones.

Fasting should be closely monitored and only carried out under the direction of a trained naturopath but it will generally last for two to three days. During this period, the first day will burn glycogen stores in the body and then move on to burn fat. On the second day, some muscle tissue is broken down into amino acids which the liver converts into glucose to enable the brain to be fed with essential sugars. On the third day, the liver produces ketones, a chemical used by the heart, brain and muscles as energy and this is the point where the majority of people feel a rush of energy.

Naturopathy is an adaptable therapy and can help to treat a variety of conditions through various methods and techniques. Visit a local practitioner and ask about what naturopathy can do for you.

Author Resource:-  Shaun Parker is an expert on therapy and alternative medicine. He helps people that are looking for naturopathy find naturopaths near them.