A medically proven antioxidant which fights against cancer

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)leaf extract is a medically proven antioxidant which fights against cancer.The following is a report from Natural news.

Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), also known internationally as tulsi, is highly prized in the natural healing community both for its heady scent and for its healing properties. In the Hindu religion, holy basil is a sacred plant which is used during meditation and is considered a staple in every home garden. Among herbalists, holy basil is known as an adaptogen. This means the herb increases the body's resistance to a variety of environmental threats or stressors. Holy basil's antioxidant abilities makes the herb a favorite super-food. It has been medically proven to combat cancer and heal neuropathy caused by surgery. Holy basil oil may be used as a skin care treatment for acne.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034870_Holy_Basil_tulsi_antioxidants.html#ixzz1lWbjymSp

What Happens When the Caretaking Partner Gets Sick?

She is in her late fifties. A financial planning executive with a successful bi-coastal business that requires frequent flying and rushed meals. While not athletic, she has always been active. In that out-of-nowhere way that illness sometimes hits, she came down with a systemic infection that flattened her and almost literally took her breath away. Sitting exhausted her, and any activity left her panting for air. She has been treated for the past six months with a combination of antibiotics, steroids, and rest. She is not who she was, and is still discovering who she can be.

Her husband has been a loving and attentive caretaker. He took charge of their interactions with the world - from grocery shopping to medical specialist hunting. When she was too exhausted to shower, he bathed her. He went to every doctor visit with her and remembered the information she was too distracted to hold onto. Her job was to rest and recover. He took care of everything else.

Then, he was clipped by a car while riding his bicycle. His ankle was broken. Now he is in pain, and his mobility is severely limited. And he feels rotten - for himself and for the ways in which he can no longer help her.

They are trying their best to be kind and loving to each other; that has always been their way. But pain and exhaustion take a toll on the best intentions.

They have a community of friends who are pitching in to help. And they have an excellent collection of take-out menus from restaurants that deliver.

Underneath the practical and emotional strains, they are strong, and they are scared. A lot - like laundry and work projects - doesn't get done. They look to the future for signs that things will get better because the present is one big ball of uncertainty and hurt.

Have you ever been in the situation where the caretaking partner got sick or had an accident? How did that affect your living situation? And what helped you cope?

One simple natural cure

The media has been reporting about the importance of sunshine. Are we getting enough?. If not then that could result in our bodies not containing enough vitamin D, and as a result of that we could be at the risk of getting illness like heat disease or even cancer. The following article was in the Daily Mail.

One nutrient is generating excitement in the medical profession: vitamin D.
Low levels of the ‘sunshine vitamin’ have been linked to conditions ranging from colds to heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cancer.
Last week, it was reported low levels may be linked to cot death.

Yesterday came the news that vitamin D can boost fertility in men and women.

Vitamin D not only helps the body absorb calcium (vital for healthy bones), but also plays a part in the immune system by helping reduce inflammation in the body.

So perhaps supplements of vitamin D may help, but a word of warning don't overdose on the vitamin as that can do more harm than good.

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Okra

Continuing my theme on unusual medicinal herbs I chose Okra, or ladies fingers as it is sometimes called. Okra is mostly used in stews perhaps African style, but has also been used as an alternative medication. The pods, shown above contain large amounts of vitamin A and C, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. The plant is also rich in mucilaginous substances, which lubricate the intestines and are recommended for soothing duodenal ulcers and reducing high cholesterol levels.

Find out more about honey

Follow this link to find out more about the natural healing powers of honey. Treatment with honey is called apitherapy,which includes replenishing energy, enhancing physical stamina and improving immune systems. Honey also is considered to have a calming effect on the mind and promotes sleep. Honey also helps indigestion and has sometimes been used to treat cardiovascular disease and respiratory complaints. A thin coat of honey can be applied on the skin to disinfect and heal minor skin wounds and chapped lips. (more). Please let me know your experience with regard to honey.

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Check Out This Week's Grand Rounds

It's hosted by USA Today. It will appear serially in four separate postings throughout the day today. The four topical areas are:

• Health tips
• True stories
• Myth busters & controversies
• Healthcare costs

Cohabitation or Marriage: Which is Better for Your Health and Happiness?

My guess is that this study did not look at couples living with serious illness in one or both partners. I wonder what the findings would have been if they had? I'm not suggesting that marriage weathers the stress of illness better than cohabitation, or vice versa. Nor am I suggesting that the legal ties of marriage mean couples tend to stay together during illness (nor am I suggesting that staying together is the right thing for all couples). It's just interesting, and not surprising, to me that the inevitable period of illness in a long-term relationship is not part of a study like this.

What are your thoughts? The study summary is below:

Study finds few well-being advantages to marriage over cohabitation

Benefits of marriage reduce over time while cohabiting couples experience greater happiness and self esteem

A new study, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family reveals that married couples experience few advantages for psychological well-being, health, or social ties compared to unmarried couples who live together. While both marriage and cohabitation provide benefits over being single, these reduce over time following a honeymoon period.

"Marriage has long been an important social institution, but in recent decades western societies have experienced increases in cohabitation, before or instead of marriage, and increases in children born outside of marriage," said Dr Kelly Musick, Associate Professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University's College of Human Ecology. "These changes have blurred the boundaries of marriage, leading to questions about what difference marriage makes in comparison to alternatives."

Previous research has sought to prove a link between marriage and well-being, but many studies compared marriage to being single, or compared marriages and cohabitations at a single point in time.

This study compares marriage to cohabitation while using a fixed-effects approach that focuses on what changes when single men and women move into marriage or cohabitation and the extent to which any effects of marriage and cohabitation persist over time.

Dr Musick drew a study sample from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) of 2,737 single men and women, 896 of whom married or moved in with a partner over the course of 6 years. The study focused on key areas of well-being, considering questions on happiness, levels of depression, health, and social ties.

The results showed a spike in well-being immediately following both marriage and cohabitation as couples experienced a honeymoon period with higher levels of happiness and fewer depressive symptoms compared to singles. However, these advantages were short lived.

Marriage and cohabitation both resulted in less contact with parents and friends compared to remaining single – and these effects appeared to persist over time.

"We found that differences between marriage and cohabitation tend to be small and dissipate after a honeymoon period. Also while married couples experienced health gains – likely linked to the formal benefits of marriage such as shared healthcare plans – cohabiting couples experienced greater gains in happiness and self-esteem. For some, cohabitation may come with fewer unwanted obligations than marriage and allow for more flexibility, autonomy, and personal growth" said Musick.

"Compared to most industrial countries America continues to value marriage above other family forms," concluded Musick. "However our research shows that marriage is by no means unique in promoting well-being and that other forms of romantic relationships can provide many of the same benefits."