One can indeed try out several crunchy celery substitutes for one’s tasty dish and go on cooking. One need not worry if one runs out the celery.

Celery

Celery is also indeed found in nearly every cuisine across the world. It is crisp freshness and distinctive sharp flavor are indeed key ingredients in a lot of common foods, even if one does not realize it. Celery is rather ubiquitous around the world, along with onion and carrot, thus making it one of three ‘holy trinity’ vegetables that do make up mirepoix, the base ingredients of French cooking. Celery is eaten raw, pickled, sautéed, stewed, baked as well as pureed. It is primarily composed of water, but also does provide fiber in one’s diet, and can also improve the texture of several dishes.

6 Incredible Celery Substitutes

Bok choy is the best celery substitute one can add to one’s dish. One can also try celery root, fennel, parsnips, jicama, and green apple while preparing soups, stews, and salads.

Celery Root

The texture is indeed a major part of the enjoyment of eating, so if celery’s texture does bother one; one can try celery root instead. It is actually the root of celery’s cousin, ‘celeriac’ and is also available in the produce section of most grocery stores. It has the flavor of celery, but a texture that is more similar to turnips. It is great on its own when sautéed with butter; one can mash it for a unique side dish, or even make use of it in soups or broth.

Fennel

The stalks of fennel are a close celery substitute. Fennel does have an aroma of anise, which does mellow when cooked. Fennel seeds benefits does go great with fish as well as spring vegetables if one adds just a spritz of fresh lemon juice.

Parsnip

These root vegetables do look like white carrots and also taste like parsley. One can use them in stuffing, soup, or even salads for a great crunch and a sharp, but earthy flavor.

Jicama

Jicama’s texture is indeed very crisp such as a green apple, but the flavor is fresh, not sweet, and it is also very juicy, so it can be a great alternative if one does want to use celery. Jicama is best when eaten raw, so one can use it to replace celery in slaw, spring rolls, or in crudité. It does work like cucumber in most meals, which is another see

Green Apple

For a bright and tart flavor, try green apples in place of celery. They can also be enjoyed raw, cooked, or juiced in place of celery where a little sweetness is rather desired.

Bok Choy

Bok Choy is the perfect stir-fry ingredient one can try in place of celery. Chop the white base just as one would do with celery and then flash cook to keep the great crunch.

It is worth trying celery substitutes and prepares a sumptuous meal for one’s guests. Try it out and see for one.

One needs to consume an adequate amount of potassium-rich foods daily. Potassium is indeed an essential nutrient that is used to maintain fluid as well as electrolyte balance in the body.

Potassium happens to be the third most abundant mineral in one’s body and a required mineral for the function of several organs, including the heart, kidneys, brain as well as muscular tissues. It also does play an important role in keeping the body hydrated and also works with sodium to support cellular function with one’s body’s sodium-potassium pump.

Symptoms of low potassium are highly undesirable and can also include severe headaches, dehydration, heart palpitations and swelling of glands as well as tissues. Potassium from natural food sources, such as the list of potassium-rich foods below, is considered to be very safe as well as very healthy.

Top 10 Foods High in Potassium

1. Avocado

Avocado is definitely one of the favorite potassium-rich foods. One needs to focus on the effects and benefits of avocado consumption on metabolic disease risk factors. Avocado is a healthy diet as well as an increased nutrient intake and a decreased likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome.

2. Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is a vegetable source of potassium that really is popular as it contains high levels of antioxidants. This type of antioxidant is well-known for helping to prevent and fight various types of cancer, including skin, breast, lung and prostate cancer.

3. Spinach

Spinach a potassium-rich food and contains plant chloroplast glycoglycerolipids, which are believed to act as cancer-fighting agents

4. Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes – Ways to include sweet potatoes in the diet are potassium-rich foods that contain a higher density of nutrients as compared to white potatoes. Sweet potatoes also happen to be high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin B6. Plus, sweet potatoes have been shown in scientific animal research to exhibit anti-ulcer activity and are indeed likely helpful in the successful treatment of peptic ulcers.

5. Wild-Caught Salmon

In addition to potassium as well as other vitamins, minerals, and protein, wild-caught salmon is no doubt loaded with health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids. The benefits of these essential fatty acids do include decreasing the risk of heart disease as well as stroke while also helping reduce symptoms of depression, high blood pressure, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, joint pain and chronic skin ailments like eczema.

6. Dried Apricots

Dried apricots do provide a quick and easy way to add potassium to one’s diet. Epidemiological studies have actually shown that people who do consume dried apricot and other dried fruits tend to have healthier overall diets with more nutrients as well as lower body weight. In moderation, dried fruit can indeed be healthy, and is a potassium-rich snack choice.

7. Pomegranate

Pomegranate seeds and their juice are indeed awesome fruit sources of potassium. They are also loaded with fiber, vitamin C and vitamin K, among other nutrients. It is also a top aphrodisiac food due to its ability to reduce cortisol levels in one’s body. Pomegranate juice is a healthy fruit juice in the world.

8. Coconut Water

Coconut water is potassium riches it contains electrolytes and is not high in sugar or calories. Coconut water has in fact been used in emergency situations as an IV hydration fluid.

9. White Beans

Beans contain a significant dose of potassium per serving and are rich in fiber. White beans do help lower one’s risk of diabetes and heart disease. High-fiber diets also do encourage a healthy waistline.

10. Banana

Bananas are known to be a good source of potassium. Yet they are relatively high in sugar and carbohydrates. It is recommended as a quick source of energy after a workout. It is nutrient-rich recovery food to help repair muscle and balance water retention. Exercising, especially an intense workout is one of the major ways that one’s potassium levels can get drained so it is good to consume potassium-rich foods like bananas. Scientific research has also shown that bananas are rich in dopamine, a major mood-enhancing hormone.

What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are indeed certain nutrients (or chemicals) that happen to be present in one’s body that have many important functions — from regulating one’s heartbeat to allowing one’s muscles to contract so one can move.

The major electrolytes found within the body do include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphate, and chloride. As these crucial nutrients do help stimulate nerves throughout one’s body and balance fluid levels, an electrolyte imbalance can indeed cause a variety of serious negative symptoms, including some that are potentially deadly.

One can obtain electrolytes through eating different foods and drinking certain fluids, while one loses them partially through exercise, sweating, going to the bathroom as while urinating. Poor diet and less or too much exercise is not good and being sick are some possible causes for an electrolyte imbalance.

Electrolytes do include:

Calcium: helping with muscle contractions, nerve signaling, blood clotting, cell division, and forming/maintaining bones and teeth

Potassium: helps keep one’s blood pressure levels stable, regulating heart contractions, helping with muscle functions

Magnesium: This is required for muscle contractions, proper heart rhythms, nerve functioning, bone-building as well as strength, reducing anxiety, digestion, and also keeping a stable protein-fluid balance

Sodium: This helps maintain fluid balance, needed for muscle contractions, and helps with nerve signaling

Chloride: maintains fluid balance

How Electrolytes Work and the Causes of an Imbalance?

Electrolytes are found within bodily fluids, including urine, blood, and sweat. Electrolytes are indeed given their name because they literally have an “electric charge.” They do separate into positively and negatively charged ions when they are dissolved in water.

The reason this is important is because of how nerve reactions to take place. One’s nerves signal to one another by a process of chemical exchanges dependent on oppositely charged ions, both outside and inside of one’s cells.

An electrolyte imbalance can be caused by a number of different factors, including short-term illnesses, medications, dehydration as well as underlying chronic disorders. Some of the common causes of electrolyte imbalance are due to fluid loss, which can also stem from situations including:

Being sick with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, sweating or high fevers that can¬ indeed all produce fluid loss or dehydration

• A poor diet that happens to be low in essential nutrients from whole foods
• Trouble absorbing nutrients from food (malabsorption) due to intestinal or digestive issues
• Hormonal imbalances and endocrine disorders
• Taking certain medications including those for treating cancer, heart disease or hormonal disorders
• Taking antibiotics, over-the-counter diuretics or medications, or corticosteroid hormones
• Kidney disease or damage (since the kidneys play a critical role in regulating chloride in your blood and “flushing out” potassium, magnesium, and sodium)
• Chemotherapy treatments, which can cause side effects of low blood calcium or calcium deficiency, changes in blood potassium levels, and other electrolyte deficiencies

Being on the keto diet, where even if you’re drinking a lot of water, you will lose a lot of water weight and also flush essential electrolytes out of our system, including magnesium, potassium or sodium. Adding bone broth is a great way to replenish these naturally, in addition to getting other nutrients and amino acids.

Signs and Symptoms of an Electrolyte Imbalance

Because electrolytes have so many different roles within one’s body, an imbalance normally does cause noticeable changes in how one feels pretty quickly. Depending on the type of electrolyte imbalance one experience, a number of symptoms can also occur including:

• Muscle aches, spasms, twitches, and weakness
• Restlessness
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Frequent headaches
• Feely very thirsty
• Fever
• Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeats
• Digestive issues like cramps, constipation or diarrhea
• Confusion and trouble concentrating
• Bone disorders
• Changes in appetite or body weight
• Joint pain
• Blood pressure changes
• Fatigue (including chronic fatigue syndrome)
• Numbness and pain in joints
• Dizziness, especially when standing up suddenly

To diagnose an electrolyte imbalance, one’s doctor can perform a few different tests to determine one’s electrolyte levels. Most likely one’s health care provider will discuss one’s medical history with one, any reoccurring symptoms one does experience, and take a urine and blood test to identify any abnormalities.

It is also sometimes necessary to have an EKG test, ultrasound or X-rays of your kidneys in order to look for severe electrolyte imbalances that can put one at risk for heart complications.

One’s doctor will look for any noticeable changes in optimal electrolyte levels, including very high or low potassium, magnesium or sodium levels. These are rather fairly easy to spot since the body does work very hard to keep electrolyte concentrations within a narrow range.

When does one have to approach a doctor for electrolyte imbalance?

If one can identify with the descriptions of electrolyte imbalance symptoms below, it is best to consult a health care provider

Common signs of electrolyte imbalance:

Changes in Heartbeat:

When potassium does rise to very high levels, a condition called hyperkalemia does develop. This does interfere with the normal signals sent from nerves to muscles, which can result in muscles becoming weak, tingly or numb. At the same time, high potassium can impact one’s heartbeat and cause rapid rhythms that make one feel anxious. Also, one of the main effects of high calcium levels is on the cardiovascular system and electrical transmission pathways of the heart, so very high calcium levels are of course another common cause of heartbeat changes.

Anxiety and Trouble Sleeping:

Most of us know how hard it is to fall and stay asleep when one has muscle spasms, a fast heartbeat or night sweats. Despite feeling like one is tired, low magnesium levels and high potassium can cause trouble getting good rest because of ongoing pains and mental disturbances.

Muscle Spasms:

When dehydration does occur or potassium and magnesium levels fall abruptly, muscle weakness and spasms are usually the initial signs. Very low potassium levels (hypokalemia) can indeed cause cramps and constipation. Low calcium levels (hypocalcemia) also does cause muscle spasms, cramps, abdominal muscle pain, and convulsions.

Digestive Issues:

The muscles within one’s digestive tract need to contract properly in order to help one to go to the bathroom. So either high or low levels of electrolytes can also result in diarrhea, constipation, cramping or hemorrhoids. Nausea is also sometimes caused by very low sodium levels (called hyponatremia). This same condition can indeed be followed by headaches, disorientation, and respiratory problems when it is left unresolved.

Bone Pains:

Very high calcium levels (called hypercalcemia) can indeed result in bone fractures, painful kidney stones, vomiting, and constipation. The same condition can also make one feel tired and weak, with trouble concentrating.

Confusion, Dizziness, and Irritability:

When one’s sodium levels rise too drastically (called hypernatremia), one can become dizzy and weak. When this worsens, it is possible to become even more delirious and even experience a seizure or coma.

How to Solve an Electrolyte Imbalance

1. Adjusting one’s diet

One must avoid poor diet. Junk food is not good. One must eat plenty of vegetables and fruits that provide potassium and magnesium such as leafy greens, cruciferous veggies like broccoli or cabbage, starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or squash, bananas, as well as avocados. One must have a diet rich in potassium. Low potassium levels can lead to blood pressure problems or magnesium deficiency can contribute to anxiety, restlessness and muscle cramps.

In order to prevent dehydration and restore electrolytes, one must have foods such as:

• Coconut water
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Watermelon
• Kiwi
• Bell peppers
• Citrus fruit
• Carrots
• Cultured dairy (amasai/kefir/yogurt)
• Pineapple

2. Monitor Your Sodium Intake

While consuming packaged or processed foods, one needs to check the sodium levels. Sodium is an electrolyte that does play an important role in one’s body’s ability to retain or release water. In case one’s diet is very high in sodium, more water is excreted by the kidneys, and this can cause complications with balancing other electrolytes.

By monitoring how much sodium one consumes one can keep such symptoms at bay that include bloating, lethargy, dehydration, weakness, irritability and muscle twitching. Drinking water and eating mostly whole foods does help.

3. Drink Enough Water (but Not Too Much)

Electrolyte imbalances can indeed develop when the amount of water in one’s body changes, either causing dehydration (not enough water compared to certainly elevated electrolytes) or over-hydration (too much water). Drinking enough water, without over-diluting one’s cells, helps stop levels of sodium and potassium from rising too high or too low.

If one goes in for vigorous exercise (especially in warm/hot weather that increases sweat production), one must replenish with plenty of water and electrolytes. In case one has been sick (including with a fever that causes vomiting or diarrhea), one must keep in mind that one loses fluids and should increase one’s intake. If not, then there is the risk of developing dehydration symptoms, kidney stones, bladder infections, urinary tract stones and potentially even heart failure. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding also need additional fluids (about 10–13 cups every day) in order to stay hydrated. Growing teenagers also need to be well hydrated and older people.

4. Check Your Medications

Antibiotics, diuretics, hormonal pills, blood pressure medications, and cancer treatments can all impact one’s electrolyte levels. The most serious forms of electrolyte imbalances usually appear in cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy. Their symptoms can be very serious when not properly managed and does include high blood calcium levels or other imbalances that develop when cancer cells die off.

Laxatives or diuretics also change potassium and sodium levels within the blood and urine. If one has started a new medication or supplement and notice changes in one’s mood, energy, heartbeat and sleep, one need to consult the doctor about possibly changing one’s dose to minimize electrolyte imbalance risks.

5. Refuel after Exercise

Fluids and electrolytes (usually in the form of extra sodium) are indeed commonly consumed by athletes during or after training. One needs to be hydrated during a prolonged period of time. One needs to drink extra water.

If sufficient water is not actually present in one’s body, dehydration and deficits can cause cardiovascular complications (changes to heartbeats), muscle cramping, fatigue, dizziness, and confusion. Both water and sodium need to be replaced after workouts for normal water levels in one’s body.

6. Consider Supplementing

On account of high-stress levels, genetic factors or existing medical conditions, some people can also be chronically deficient in some electrolytes. Magnesium and potassium are two electrolytes that many people do tend to be low in. Taking magnesium supplements daily can indeed help replenish stores and also prevent magnesium deficiency that is responsible for symptoms such as anxiety, trouble sleeping or muscle cramps. Potassium and magnesium are usually present in multi-vitamins and high-quality; food-based vitamins do help.

What Is Candida?

Candida can indeed be very serious. Candida albicans happens to be the most common type of yeast infection found in the mouth, intestinal tract and vagina (vaginal/genital candidiasis), and it may also affect the skin and other mucous membranes. If the immune system is functioning optimally, this type of yeast infection is rarely serious. However, in case the immune system is not functioning properly, the candida infection can rather spread to other areas of the body, including the blood and membranes around one’s heart or brain, thus causing serious candida symptoms. This is usually referred to as invasive candidiasis.

Candida happens to be a fungus that does aid with nutrient absorption and digestion when in proper levels in one’s body. When it overproduces, typical candida symptoms may also appear. In the digestive tract, if left unchecked, it does break down the walls of the intestinal lining and also penetrates into the bloodstream. This does release byproduct toxins and other toxins from one’s system, causing the leaky gut syndrome.

When one’s body’s natural pH balance is upset, the candida yeasts can also grow out of control, creating a systemic problem as well as unpleasant candida symptoms. Good healthy bacteria and a properly functioning immune system are indeed essential when fighting this stubborn infection.

Candida overgrowth syndrome, or COS, is the term much used when candida has grown out of control in one’s body. Make no mistake: This is a chronic health condition. In addition to candida symptoms, individuals who have never experienced a serious yeast infection can find they have also developed new sensitivities, allergies or intolerances to a variety of foods. These foods include dairy, eggs, corn as well as gluten.

What Causes Candida Infections?

There are indeed many possible causes of candida, including a diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates and alcohol that help feed candida.

1.Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics

Sometimes, antibiotics are required to fight a stubborn infection to kill the offending bacteria in one’s system. The problem with antibiotics and with overusing them (often creating antibiotic resistance) is that they do not just kill the bad bacteria; they also kill the good ones, too.

The good bacteria in one’s system are responsible for digestion and keeping candida under control. After a long course (or multiple courses over a short period), antibiotics can also rather make one’s body a literal breeding ground for candida.

2. Birth Control Pills

Unlike antibiotics, birth control pills do not directly cause a yeast infection or candida overgrowth syndrome. However, when a woman does consume a diet high in refined sugars and has had a course of antibiotics, birth control pills can adversely affect her body, leading to a candida infection.

Some women find that birth control pills seem to instigate yeast infections — and even long after the initial infection is gone, once they start taking the birth control pills again, candida can take the required root.

3. Oral Corticosteroids

Individuals who do treat their asthma with corticosteroid inhalants are at an increased risk of developing candida in the mouth, leading to systemic candida overgrowth. It is imperative that individuals making use of corticosteroid inhalers for asthma follow the directions for swishing the mouth out after each use. If oral candidiasis is indeed detected, it can also be treated with the gargling of coconut oil and a drop or two of essential clove oil.

4. Cancer Treatments

Candidiasis can also become invasive in cancer patients and present a serious complication. Chemotherapy and radiation can both work to kill cancerous cells and tumors; however, they also kill off the healthy bacteria that does naturally fight candida.

5. Diabetes

In Type 1 diabetic or a Type 2 diabetic, sugar levels in the mouth and other mucous membranes are by tradition higher than in an individual without diabetes. Since candida is a type of yeast and sugar does feed yeast, it is understandable that those with diabetes are at a greater risk for developing candida overgrowth syndrome.

6. Weakened Immune System

Any individual with a weakened immune system is, in fact, more likely to develop candida. This includes infants, small children, the elderly, those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and other inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

Candida Symptoms

Candida yeast overgrowth can indeed be difficult for a physician to diagnose. Possible methods of testing include stool testing, serum testing, candida DNA test, stool PCR testing as well as microbial organic acids testing. This type of systemic yeast infection presents different ways in different people. Below are nine of the candida symptoms to watch for if one is concerned one has candida, or candida overgrowth syndrome.

1. Chronic Fatigue

Fatigue or exhaustion cannot be got rid of, regardless of the number of hours one sleeps. One may suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. The disease is characterized by fatigue that does last a minimum of six months and is often accompanied by other candida symptoms, including headaches, joint pain, difficulties with memory and concentration as well as a sore throat.

Often one of the candida symptoms is chronic fatigue. While a candida infection is not the only cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, many physicians believe it heightens the risk of CFS.

2. Mood Disorders

One of the reasons why it is difficult to diagnose candida is because so many of the candida symptoms are common to other conditions, including mood disorders. Individuals with Candida overgrowth may also experience dramatic mood swings, anxiety, irritability, depression, and even panic attacks.

3. Recurring Vaginal and Urinary Tract Infections

When an individual does experience recurring urinary tract infection or vagina, candida may perhaps be at the root of the problem. It is important to realize that candida can be sexually transmitted, and partners can spread it back and forth. Women can reduce the risk by avoiding tight-fitting underwear or pantyhose and avoid hot baths during an active infection.

4. Oral Thrush

Oral thrush happens to be a yeast infection that is caused by the same strain of candida that does affect other mucous membranes, including the vagina. It is most often caused by the use of prednisone or other oral corticosteroids. Left untreated, it may spread through one’s body, including the digestive tract, lungs, and liver as well as heart valves.

Oral candida is communicable. Newborns can rather get thrush during birth; children can suffer from it from sharing toys with other children, and adults can pass it on back and forth through the saliva.

5. Sinus Infections

As with many of these other candida symptoms, sinus infections are quite common these days, and it can be rather difficult to pinpoint the root of the cause. Candida does affect the sinuses and can also, in fact, result in a persistent cough, post-nasal drip, and an increase in congestion, seasonal allergies, and also general flu-like symptoms

6. Intestinal Distress

Ongoing intestinal distress happens to be very uncomfortable candida symptom. Persistent flatulence, burping, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and stomach cramps may indeed be caused by a lack of healthy bacteria in one’s digestive tract.

When yeast overtakes the intestines, healthy bacteria are undermanned, and cannot fight off the infection alone. When the bacteria in your gut are out of balance, it’s known as dysbiosis. Many individuals experience dramatic relief of chronic intestinal distress when effectively treating a candida infection.

7. Brain Fog

Along with mood changes as well as chronic fatigue, brain fog is often overlooked as one of the candida symptoms. However, candida overgrowth can rather cause a lack of focus, poor physical coordination, and difficulty in concentrating on tasks and poor memory.

8. Skin and Nail Fungal Infections

Athlete’s foot and fungal infections in the toenail are common yeast infections, which stem from the same strain of candida. Continued infections may also be a sign that one has a systemic candida infection.

9. Hormonal Imbalance

A hormonal imbalance is also a candida symptom that does present in many other health conditions. One needs to be aware that an infection can cause early menopause, PMS, a low sex drive, migraines, endometriosis, water retention, mood swings and an inability to lose unwanted pounds.

Treatment 1: The Candida Cleanse

The candida cleanse does help to rid the body of excess candida through the flushing of the digestive tract, and the introduction of healthy candida fighters found in fermented vegetables as well as kefir.

One has two options for a cleanse: liquids-only cleanse or a gentler cleanse with food. One can go in for a most thorough gut

reboot: starting with step one cleanses and then moving on to step two cleanse.

Option One: Liquids-Only Candida Cleanse (Duration 1–2 Days)

Start by preparing a vegetable broth from organic onions, garlic, celery, kale, sea salt, and pure water. Let it simmer and strain.

Discard the vegetables and then refrigerate the broth.

Throughout the day, sip on the warm broth; it is also imperative that one drinks lots of water to help one’s body expel all the toxins in one’s system. While this is not actually a long-term cleanse, it can be repeated as needed every few weeks.

Option Two: Steamed Vegetables (Duration 3–5 Days)

By avoiding grains, sugars, fruits, starches, and alcohol from one’s diet for three to five days, one can make great headway in one’s fight against candida overgrowth.

Mostly, eat fresh, organic vegetables that have been steamed. For this cleanse stage, keep away from any starchy vegetables such as carrots, radishes, beets, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes, which may contribute to sugar levels and feed the candida. Continue to drink plenty of pure water, a minimum of 72 ounces per day, to help flush the candida and byproducts from one’s system.

During this time — no more than once a day — one can eat salads made from leafy greens (like romaine) or bitter greens (like chard) and topped with just a bit of coconut oil and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice).

During either of the candida cleanses above, one can use bentonite clay to help surround the toxins and efficiently remove them from your system.

Treatment 2: The Candida Diet

This is a diet is not simply meant to discourage candida as it is also meant to rid one’s body of candida.

• The first step of the diet is to boost one’s immune system through the elimination of sugar, alcohol and refined carbohydrates. These items are indeed contributing to the growth of the candida in one’s system.
• Step two is to replace these foods with organic vegetables that do include carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, and asparagus.

According to ancient Chinese medicine, warm starchy vegetables support the spleen in clearing candida from the body. The regular candida diet includes warming fall vegetables that do nourish the spleen, such as sweet potatoes, yams, peas, mung beans, lentils, kidney beans, adzuki beans, carrots, beets, corn, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, zucchini, yellow squash, rutabaga, and pumpkin. These should be the main sources of carbs that do satisfy one’s cravings for sweets as well.

What about grains? Some grains like quinoa, barley, teff, sorghum and amaranth and starch like corn can also help to dry the overly damp gut, so one serving a day (no more!) of those grains can work for most people with candida.

Keep fruit intake low as well as natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.

3. Add cultured dairy, preferably goat milk kefir, as healthy probiotic foods can be effective in getting rid of the candida in one’s system. Probiotics like kimchi and sauerkraut are also good additions to one’s diet, as well as unsweetened cranberry juice, as they create an acidic environment that makes it difficult for candida to grow.

Fermented vegetables do contain microflora that helps to protect the intestines. Regular consumption of fermented foods can also help improve the immune system, making the body less hospitable for candida. Begin with a half cup per day of sauerkraut, kimchi or other fermented vegetables as part of a new eating plan dedicated to bringing your body back into a healthy balance.

The candida diet does help to provide beneficial bacteria, regulate appetite, and reduce your cravings for refined carbohydrates and sugars.

Treatment 3: Supplements, Essential Oils, and Coconut Oil

Research shows that C. albicans, the strain of candida that does lead to systemic candida overgrowth is often resistant to both fluconazole and itraconazole, the antifungal medicines most often prescribed for candida.

1. Coconut oil can effectively fight candida due to its antimicrobial properties. The combination of lauric acid and caprylic acid found in coconut oil kills off harmful candida through both ingestion and topical application.

2. Milk thistle supplements do help to cleanse one’s liver from prescription medications (steroids, birth control, antibiotics, as well as others), environmental pollution, heavy metals, and the remnants from both chemotherapies as well as radiation.

Some prescription medications and cancer treatments can also lead to candida overgrowth. Milk thistle, along with the candida diet, can help one’s body to recover and create an environment where candida ceases to thrive.

3. Vitamin C does help to boost adrenal glands and also helps to restore one’s immune system.

4. Clove oil, oregano oil, and myrrh oil help to get rid of a variety of parasites and fungi, including candida, in the body. Lavender oil also prevents the growth of candida and is effective at preventing the spread of the infection.

Add a couple of drops of clove oil or lavender oil and mix it with coconut oil and use it during one’s cleanse, you can help to kill off the offending candida. As these essential oils are rather powerful, they should only be taken internally for 10 days or less.

Also, for oral thrush, make use of three drops of clove oil with one tablespoon of coconut oil and swish in the mouth for 20 minutes.

Do not give clove oil internally to children under 2 years of age. If one is pregnant or nursing, check with one’s natural health care provider before taking clove oil internally.

In case one is spending time along rivers or lakes in the southern or northeastern parts of the U.S., one needs to watch out for poison sumac. Poison sumac is considered a much rarer plant as compared to poison ivy (but it is more poisonous). So depending on where one lives, one probably has much less of a risk of coming into contact with it frequently. Sumac shrubs are rather bigger and taller than poison ivy and poison oak plants, which grow as winding vines or short shrubs.

A rash caused by poison sumac is on account of contact with oil found in the plant called urushiol. This is, of course, the same “poisonous” oil found in poison ivy and oak.

What is the time span for a poison sumac rash to develop? After one has contact with urushiol, a red rash will typically form on one’s skin within 24 to 72 hours. The rash can also appear anywhere on one’s body where the plant’s oils have touched, most commonly one’s hands, feet or legs. If one does develop a poison sumac skin rash, in order to soothe the skin one can apply a cool compress to the skin, making use of calamine lotion and essential oils. This will help in the healing process.

What Is Poison Sumac?

Poison sumac (species name Toxicodendron vernix) is a toxic plant that does cause a skin rash upon contact. The plant is related to poison ivy as well as poison oak plants, which is why all these three plants can cause similar skin rashes.

What does a poison sumac tree look like?

Poison sumac trees are small woody shrubs that can indeed grow up to about 9 meters tall (or over 29 feet). They can also be found growing in wet or marshy areas, such as all along the east coast of the United States, especially the Northeast or the Deep South. Poison sumac thrives only in very wet habitats, so it is mostly found growing along rivers, lakes, streams or canals.

Poison sumac plants have red stems as well as bright green leaves, sometimes which have a small leaflet (an extra little leaf) growing on the side. Red stems branch off of the main trunk of the plant. Sumac berries can also indeed grow in bunches near the plant’s main branches. Sumac berries are usually green during the summer and also yellow-white during the winter.

Poison Sumac Reaction Signs & Symptoms

The most noticeable symptom linked with contacting a poison sumac tree or shrub is developing a red, itchy skin rash.

Signs and symptoms:

• Developing patches or streaks of red raised blisters.
• Itchiness cum skin dryness.
• Redness, tingling, heat or swelling of one’s skin.
• After several days, blisters developing that fill with fluid and can sometimes ooze. These may form scabs as they heal and can sometimes leave behind scarring or discoloration.
• Changes in skin color, such as blisters forming that have a yellow or orange tint.
• Increased sensitivity to the sun, heat or cold.

How long will a poison sumac rash last? Most people tend to have an active rash for about one to three weeks. Within a week of spotting the first signs of a rash, one can expect the rash to “peak” and be at its worst. One might experience redness, swollen skin, itchiness, blistering or scabbing for up to three weeks. The rash itself is not contagious and the rash does not usually spread for more than a week unless one comes into contact with urushiol again.

Causes & Risk Factors for Developing a Poison Sumac Rash

Poison sumac rashes are generally triggered by urushiol oil, which is, unfortunately, very resilient oil that can remain active for months when it does spread to fabrics or household equipment. The most common way to get a poison sumac rash is to directly touch the plant. A reaction can indeed be triggered within minutes, often without one even realizing it.

Risk factors:

• Spending time outdoors in wet, marshy areas, especially if much of one’s skin is exposed.
• Working in agriculture and/or forestry.
• Being an “outdoor enthusiast,” such as camping or hiking along trails.
• Having eczema treatment, allergies or sensitive skin (usually fair, easily sunburned as well as prone to rashes).
• Having family members who are rather allergic to the plant or who have had reactions in the past.
• Having a history of strong allergies or weakened immune system due to other medical conditions, such as autoimmune disorders.

Many different surfaces, materials, and tools can harbor urushiol oil long after it has left a poisonous plant. Things around one’s home that might contain small amounts of urushiol, which is still enough to cause an allergic reaction upon contact, include: Gardening equipment, like gloves or shovels or garden hoses, cotton clothing, hats, shoes, socks or other clothing, pet fur furniture, doorknobs sports equipment

Conventional Treatments for Poison Sumac Reactions

Mild or moderate rash due to poison sumac does not require immediate medical attention. One needs to consult a doctor in case the rash becomes very severe, swollen or appears close to one’s eyes.

Doctors will at time prescribe antihistamine medications or even steroids to patients with severe skin rashes in order to control the immune system’s reaction. Certain medications can also help control swelling and itching and might make the rash disappear early. In case one is severely allergic to poison sumac then a corticosteroid shot, such as prednisone or triamcinolone, or creams containing hydrocortisone or other antihistamine ingredients, may be prescribed.

Can one suffer from poison sumac more than once? Yes. Making use of prescribed medication may not cure it as the rash can appear later again in case one comes into contact with urushiol again. It is common to get a rash from poison ivy, oak or sumac more than once.

Honey Mushroom grows in temperate regions around the globe and is a dangerous pathogen to plants yet happens to be an edible form of fungi that works well in recipes ranging from pasta to soup. It contains plenty of antioxidants and is, therefore, has cancer-fighting, blood sugar-lowering properties that could indeed be therapeutic in the treatment of several chronic conditions. It is also one of the largest living organisms on Earth, with some colonies spanning several miles in diameter.

What is there to know more about this medicinal mushroom ? How can one identify it? How can it impact one’s health? Keep reading for everything one needs to know about this interesting form of fungi, plus some other fun honey mushroom facts.

What Is Honey Mushroom?

The honey mushroom happens to be a genus composed of several types of parasitic fungi that tend to grow on wood. Armillaria, which is the honey mushroom scientific name, is also made up of about 10 different species of mushrooms, including Armillaria mellea, Armillaria ostoyae, and Armillaria tabescens.

Where does honey fungus grow?

Honey mushrooms can actually be found growing in temperate regions around the globe, including areas such as Asia, Europe, and North America. The mushrooms feed on dead plant material and can cause fungal root rot in trees, which does spread through root-like structures known as rhizomorphs.

Typically, these species have long life spans and do form some of the largest living organisms in the world. Although the honey mushroom size can vary quite a bit, the largest fungal colony in the world is actually of the species Armillaria solidipes, which does span 2.4 miles across the Blue Mountains in Oregon.

Some types, such as the ring-less honey mushroom, are edible and considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. However, one needs to cook them prior to consumption, as they are actually considered poisonous when raw.

How to Identify Honey Fungus?

Honey mushrooms can be identified by the stems, which tend to grow together in tight clusters and can also range in color from white to yellowish-brown. Depending on the species, some types do have a distinct ring under the stem while others are ringless.

They can grow in clusters of up to 50 mushrooms, although one is much more likely to spot them in groups of 10–20. Many people also wonder: Does honey fungus smell? In addition to their unique appearance, honey mushrooms also have a slightly acidic odor that can also come in handy when identifying mushrooms.

When mushroom hunting, it is important to look out for deadly galerina, a honey mushroom lookalike that can actually be toxic to humans. Compared to the honey mushroom, deadly galerina is indeed slightly smaller and usually dark brown in color. It also has tan gills and a convex cap that slowly starts to flatten with maturity.

Benefits and Uses of Honey Mushroom

1. Rich in Antioxidants

Honey fungus mushroom is indeed a great source of antioxidants, which are compounds that do help neutralize disease-causing free radicals and protect against chronic disease. In fact, in vitro studies that show that several specific compounds isolated from honey mushrooms can be effective at scavenging free radicals and preventing oxidative damage to cells. You may like to read why mushrooms are good for health

2. Could Help Fight Cancer Cell Growth

While more research is still required to determine how honey mushrooms may also affect cancer in humans, some studies do show that it could also help block the growth and also spread of cancer cells in vitro. For example, one in vitro study found that Armillaria, a compound found in Armillaria mellea, was also able to kill off liver cancer cells. Meanwhile, other research does show that it could even be therapeutic against leukemia and esophageal cancer cells as well.

3. Protects Brain Health

Honey mushroom medicinal properties have the potential to enhance brain function and protect against degenerative disorders. In fact, They are effective at improving neuron function, preventing cell damage and decreasing the buildup of proteins in the brain that have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

4. May Stabilize Blood Sugar

High blood sugar can come with serious consequences, ranging from impaired headaches as well as an increased thirst to impaired wound healing and vision problems. It contains powerful antioxidant and blood sugar-lowering properties, which can be used to develop dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products aimed at treating diabetes.

5. Versatile and Delicious

Honey mushrooms are tasty, versatile and also tasty in different recipes. They have a slightly sweet yet earthy flavor as well as a distinct, chewy texture. They can be sautéed for a simple side dish or combined with other veggies to make a nutritious stir-fry. Alternatively, one can use these mushrooms in pasta dishes, soups or stuffings in order to give one’s favorite recipes a kick of extra flavor and antioxidants.

Honey Fungus Treatment

What causes honey fungus? Does honey fungus always spread? And can one kill honey fungus? If one finds this type of mushroom growing in one’s garden, one will probably have a lot of questions about how one can get it under control and stop it from spreading to protect one’s plants.

As there is no chemical treatment currently available for honey fungus, one needs to remove it manually in order to help prevent its spread. Simply remove as well as dispose of any affected plants, including the roots. For large trees, this may indeed require one to contact a professional who is experienced with excavating trees. Then, one needs to be sure to thoroughly disinfect any tools that may have come in contact with the fungus making use of either bleach, hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol in order to ensure that one will not spread the fungus any further.

Ensuring healthy growing conditions can also help prevent the honey fungus from growing in the future. Plants need to get enough water and light, plus have plenty of healthy soil as well as space in order to help avoid future infection. One can also choose plants that are more resistant to honey fungus rather than those such as bamboo, oak, beech and yew trees.

Honey Mushroom Recipes

There are indeed plenty of unique and interesting ways to add honey mushroom to one’s diet, from soups to stir-fries and beyond.

Here are few recipes:

• Pickled Honey Mushrooms
• Honey Mushroom Soup
• Heirloom Squash Ravioli with Honey Mushrooms and Sage
• Sautéed Honey Mushrooms

What is a Himalayan salt lamp? Himalayan sea salt is understood to be composed of dried remnants of the original, primal sea dating back to planet Earth’s creation. They are called salt lamps or salt rock lamps, and they are actually made from pink Himalayan salt and are able to light one’s surroundings — but they are really not bought for their moderate lighting abilities. There are indeed major claims that a Himalayan salt lamp does much more than provide one with a pretty glow. Himalayan salt lamp benefits are supposed to include decreasing air pollution, negative ions and electrologist caused by electronic devices in addition to symptom reduction for people suffering from asthma, allergies and other illnesses.

What Is a Himalayan Salt Lamp? Does It Work?

Real Himalayan salt lamps are actually solid blocks of Himalayan salt that have been indeed hand-carved. Deep underground mines in Khewra, Pakistan, which are located on the western edge of the Himalayan Mountains, are the only source of true Himalayan pink salt. The color of Himalayan salt lamps does range from a light pink to a pinkish orange with the hue a result of the mineral concentration. Within the hollowed-out center of this block of salt is a light bulb that does emit both lights as well as heat. A salt lamp is not a lamp at all if it does not have the light and heat source within it. It just turns out to be a block of salt.

Salt is hygroscopic, which does mean it attracts water molecules to itself. Being the big hunk of salt that it is, a Himalayan salt lamp is believed to work by attracting the water molecules. This water vapor can also carry indoor air pollutants such as mold, bacteria, and allergens. Once the water vapor does come in contact with the salt lamp, the pollutants are believed to remain trapped in the salt. Since the lamp is heated, the salt dries out and is also able to continue the cycle of attracting water vapor as well as pollutants, releasing the water vapor back into the air but holding on to the health-hazardous pollutants.

Just observing the glow of a Himalayan salt lamp can be calming, which is also therapeutic. A real Himalayan salt lamp may indeed provide some health benefits.

Salt (in general) has the following health properties:

• Antibacterial
• Anti-inflammatory
• Loosens excessive mucus and speeds up mucociliary transport
• Removes pathogens (ie., airborne pollen)
• Reduces IgE level (immune system oversensitivity)

Himalayan Salt Lamp Benefits

1. Air Purification

A Himalayan salt lamp by its salty nature is able to indeed easily attract water vapor to it. With this water vapor often come indoor air pollutants, that include allergens, mold as well as bacteria. When the water hits the heated lamp, the salt traps the pollutants but releases the water vapor. This cycle does repeat while the lamp is on and warm. By removing pollutants from the air, the salt lamp does leave one with cleaner and healthier air.

2. Reduction in Electromagnetic Radiation and Airborne Infections

Many things around us of late do release electromagnetic radiation in the form of unhealthy positive ions — items such as one’s cell phone, computer and television and more. This electromagnetic radiation (EM), aka electrosmog, may be invisible but is also believed to cause some serious long-term effects. Constant exposure to EM radiation is known primarily to cause fatigue, increase stress and also weakens the immune system.

Toxic effects of electromagnetic fields are many “chronic exposure to even low-level radiation (like that from cell phones) can cause a variety of cancers, impair immunity, and contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, heart disease, and many other ailments.

It is good to increase exposure to negative ions by spending more time in nature, especially around water. Himalayan salt lamps are said to emit negative ions in small amounts and cancel out positive ones. By neutralizing electromagnetic radiation, they may also help reduce the negative health effects of harmful electrosmog. By balancing positive and negative ions one may be able to reduce airborne infections.

3. Eases Asthma and Allergy Symptoms

Himalayan salt is now used in inhalers to bring relief to asthma and allergy sufferers. Salt therapy is also used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), patients. COPD is indeed a debilitating and degenerative lung disease characterized by the restriction of airflow in and out of the lungs.

4. Mood Booster and Sleep Promoter

Himalayan salt lamp reduces anxiety symptoms. It is calming and makes one happy in a room. It gives off negative ions such as a waterfall (but in much smaller amounts). Since Himalayan salt lamps release negative ions into the air, and can also help reduce anxiety and also encourage a relaxing atmosphere for sleep. One can have them in their bedrooms.

They increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, that helps alleviate depression, relieves stress and boost daytime energy.

How to Tell a Real vs. Fake Himalayan Salt Lamp

One needs to choose the proper Himalayan salt lamp. How can one tell a real lamp?

Fake signs :

Poor Return Policy

Real Himalayan salt lamps are made of salt so it is not surprising that they are fragile objects. A good manufacturer is aware of this and has return policies that are flexible since there could be some damage in transit. In case a salt lamp’s maker is extremely strict (like a “NO RETURNS” policy), then it does make one wonder if it is a scam operation. Some do not go for returns as they are giving fake ones.

Highly Durable

Himalayan salt lamps are rather fragile. One should not drop it or bang it into other solid objects because the salt crystal can get damaged very easily. This is actually a rare time when durability is not desirable. If your salt lamp is unaffected by a collision, it could likely be an imposter.

Very Bright Light

If one is looking for is a bright light source, a salt lamp is not the way out. On account of its high content of numerous minerals, a Himalayan salt lamp gives off light in an irregular and muffled manner. A true salt lamp does not, of course, provide light to completely illuminate a room. If it does, then it is most likely not the real deal.

Inexpensive White Crystal

Himalayan salt lamps usually give off a warm pinkish or orange hue. There is no white Himalayan salt lamp, but it is extremely rare and a lot pricier than the colored ones. So if one comes across a white salt crystal lamp that is not substantially more expensive than the pink/orange versions, one needs to stay clear as it may be an imposter.

No Mention of Pakistan

Deep underground mines in Khewra, Pakistan, are the only source of true Himalayan pink salt.

Moisture-Resistant

Salt is an absorber of water. If one’s salt lamp has no problem being near a moisture source (like a shower), this is a good sign that it is not a fake. A true salt lamp is prone to some sweating when it is exposed to moisture.

Not Experiencing Any Benefits

If one is sure that one has bought the appropriately sized salt lamp for the space one is using it for and one has not been exposed to it on a regular basis and one does not see any positive effects whatsoever, then you may not have a real Himalayan salt lamp.

Every season has its own set of positive and negative aspects, like in the case of summer one tends to spend more time outdoors in the heat. For example, one hangs around the swimming pool and also tries to get the suntan.

Too much exposure to the sun can damage one’s skin. One can suffer from dark spots, wrinkles as well as skin cancer. One can take part in a lot of sports in summer, but nevertheless, one gets exposed to the hot sun.

One must take care of one’s skin during summer. How?

Do not compromise on sleep

One must sleep well. Lack of sleep can cause much stress and this can affect one’s skin tone. Stress hormones can have a negative impact on one’s skin color and texture. One’s beauty gets affected.

Do not overlook the lip skin

Lips also have to be protected by a sunscreen lotion and the hot sunrays can dry up the skin. The lips must be kept soft with lip balm.

Have the bath in the cool fresh shower

One does feel like having a cool shower after one has traveled outside in the sun. It keeps the skin fresh and also prevents acne.

Eat SPF

One takes vitamin E and C orally and this helps to control sunburn. One can have the salad by adding tomatoes, citrus fruits, berries as well as other vegetables.

Wear a hat with the wide brim

One must know that simple baseball caps will not keep the hot sun rays sway. It is better to make use of a hat with a broad brim.

Avoid prickling insect bites

One will definitely feel itchy as far as bug bites are concerned. One can go in for the anti-itch solution for reducing the itchiness.

Treat the delicate skin

The skin near one’s eyes is very delicate and one must go in for high-quality eye cream.

Impact of summer on skin

One’s skin does get affected in the summer. The ultraviolet rays of the sun can cause much harm to one’s skin. One also becomes dark in complexion and experiences sun-burn.

How to take care of one’s skin in summer?

Avoid facing the sun

During peak hours one must avoid facing the sun and it is better to have shelter from such strong sun rays. It is better to do any form of exercise before 10 am. Or else one can carry them out after 3 pm.

Apply the sunscreen

It is better to make use of sunscreen against the harsh rays of the sun. It helps in protecting skin from long-term damage.

Use a toner

It is essential to keep one’s pores closed and skin rather cool by making use of a toner. One can make use of a brand that suits the skin. One can go in for homemade toners with rose water.

Be hydrated

One must drink plenty of water and make it part of an early morning routine. One can have water-based foods or even coconut water.

Cleanse the face twice a day.

During the summer one must wash one’s face twice in a day even if one was staying at home. Those who spend more time outside in the sunshine, need to wash thrice in the day. One must feel fresh.

Protective clothing

One must wear comfortable clothes such as cotton and colors that are light. The material must be light and comfortable as one sweat. One must cover every part of the body. One can wear a hat or move around with an umbrella. Summer fashion dresses can be worn.

How to look after one’s skin in summer?

Avoid sunbath

One must avoid sun baths as quite a few people are obsessed with them. One can suffer from skin cancer.

Washing of skin after swimming

One enjoys swimming in summer. Although it is considered to be a wonderful and enjoyable sport, it can damage one’s skin. The swimming pool water is chlorinated and can make the skin dry and cause allergies. One must wash one’s body with normal tap water after swimming.

Eat Healthily

During summer people avoid spicy and hot food. This is due to the hot weather. It is advisable to eat healthily and have foods such as vegetables, yogurt as well as food cooked with fewer spices. This will indeed keep the skin healthy and very elastic.

Use Turmeric and Yogurt face packs

One can make use of turmeric and yogurt face packs to keep one’s skin glowing during summer time. Take a tablespoonful of yogurt and add a pinch of turmeric to it. Add some honey and apply the pack on one’s skin for few minutes. Then remove it with cold water and this will turn out to be an antiseptic as well as anti-bacterial face pack which is rich in antioxidants.

Wash the face several times

One can get carbon deposits in one’s skin layer along with some harmful radiations. It is better to wash one’s face with a mild face wash. The skin will remain clean and skin tone very rich.

In spring people suffer from seasonal allergy symptoms. Natural allergy treatments can indeed be as effective and, in many cases, more effective than allergy medications.

Fresh cut grass, blooming trees cum flowers, and weeds do release pollen, causing seasonal allergies in an estimated 40 million to 60 million people each year. Allergic rhinitis is the medical term for hay fever and seasonal allergies that do occur not just in the spring, but throughout the summer and into the fall.

While hay fever does frequently begin at a young age, it can affect anyone, at any time. Sometimes seasonal allergy symptoms do fade over the years, only to reoccur later in life. If one experiences seasonal allergy symptoms in one location and then moves on to a new area with different types of flora, one’s allergies may go away.

Every tree, flower, and weed does release pollen, but not all individuals have heightened sensitivity or allergic reactions to all pollens. It is important to pay attention and also recognize what triggers one’s allergy symptoms. For some people, cottonwood trees and ragweed are the problems, while for others it is grass or ragweed.

Nearly a third of ragweed allergy sufferers also do experience an allergic response to certain foods. These include cucumbers, melons, zucchini, sunflower seeds, bananas, and chamomile tea. If one has a ragweed allergy, it is better to avoid foods causing it.

Left untreated, seasonal allergy symptoms do cause miserable symptoms, and one’s day-to-day activities get affected and one suffers from spur asthma attacks.

The same pollen and allergens that do trigger seasonal allergy symptoms can cause asthma attacks, resulting in wheezing, and shortness of breath, chest tightness and difficulty breathing. This condition is usually referred to as allergy-induced asthma or allergic asthma. People with compromised immune systems, COPD and other respiratory conditions do need to manage their seasonal allergy symptoms in order to prevent further complications. Changes in diet, natural supplements, essential oils, and lifestyle changes can help.

Common Allergy Symptoms

Allergy symptoms make one feel simply awful. Congestion, post-nasal drip, itchy eyes, and sneezing wear one’s body down. While the severity of symptoms of allergic rhinitis varies widely from season to season, chances are if one has seasonal allergies, the symptoms impact one’s day-to-day life.

Researchers are at odds as to why seasonal allergy symptoms have worsened over the past 30 years but agree that allergies to pollen mold and some foods are growing exponentially. Many hay fever symptoms are quite similar to those of a common cold or sinus infection, but colds and sinus infections do come and go much more quickly than seasonal allergies. Allergy symptoms do not go away until the pollen is dormant.

Someone suffering from seasonal allergies does face the same challenges, season after season. When the allergen is pollen, mold or another airborne substance, the symptoms typically manifest in the lungs, nose as well as eyes. Food allergies, on the other hand, most commonly affect the mouth, stomach and may cause skin rashes.

Common seasonal allergy symptoms include:

• Congestion
• Post-nasal drip
• Excess mucus production
• Sneezing
• Scratchy throat
• Runny nose
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Tickle/irritation in the ears
• Decreased concentration and focus
• Decreased decision-making
• Exhaustion and sleep disorders
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Low blood pressure
• Asthma
• Hives

Eczema

Underlying Causes of Allergy Symptoms

Are you aware that one is at risk of suffering from seasonal allergy symptoms on account of underlying medical conditions? Asthma, unmanaged stress, deviated septum, nasal polyps, recent trauma or illness, pregnancy, and even food allergies can put you at heightened risk.

Stress plays a big part in the immune system, and unmanaged stress can lead to allergy symptoms. Women who are pregnant also are exposed to allergies. Even the elderly are exposed.

Treating Allergy Symptoms Naturally

Antihistamines, corticosteroids, and decongestants, as well as other OTC allergy medications, counteract the effect of the histamine produced by the body. However, they do have side effects.

Pharmaceutical allergy medicines simply are not for everyone. Remember, they do not cure the allergies — they just treat the symptoms. Many are not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or those with high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney or liver disease, glaucoma, or with thyroid problems.

There are foods that one should avoid during allergy season. Any foods that one is allergic to, or have a sensitivity to, should be avoided. If one is not sure how far-reaching one’s food sensitivities are, an elimination diet can help identify foods that can make your allergies worse.

Avoid foods that commonly make hay fever symptoms worse include alcohol, caffeine, dairy, chocolate, peanuts, sugar, and wheat, citrus, and chocolate. Also, many common food preservatives — including sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, and artificial sweeteners — can contribute to one’s allergic rhinitis symptoms.

One needs to avoid dried fruits, bottled citrus juice, shrimp and any highly processed foods. In addition, many people find relief when avoiding foods that cause mucus production.

Conventional dairy, gluten, sugar, caffeinated beverages, as well as any foods that you have sensitivity can also worsen one’s allergy symptoms. If you have a ragweed allergy, it is important to avoid melons, bananas, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, echinacea, and chamomile, as they can a trigger allergic response in one’s system. The overall goal of limiting foods that one has a sensitivity to is to lighten the overall burden on one’s immune system and allow it to function more optimally.

Foods to Enjoy During Allergy Season:

• Raw local honey
• Hot and spicy foods
• Bone Broth
• Probiotic-rich foods
• Pineapple
• Apple cider vinegar
• Fresh organic vegetables
• Grass-fed meats
• Free-range poultry
• Wild-caught fish

The foods to avoid list may feel overwhelming, but fortunately, there are great tasting foods that will help relieve one’s symptoms while strengthening one’s immune system.

Probiotics modify the intestinal flora in the gut and also help boost the immune system, and they also show progress in the treatment and prevention of allergies. Vitamin A — 2,000 micrograms per day: Vitamin A does boost the immune system, fights inflammation and has antihistamine properties. Bromelain — 1,000 milligrams per day: Bromelain, the enzyme in pineapple, does help to reduce swelling in the nose and sinuses, helping to relieve hay fever symptoms. Zinc — 30 milligrams per day: Zinc also helps to heal adrenal fatigue caused by chronic stress. Stinging Nettle — 300–500 milligrams twice per day: Stinging nettle does contain antihistamine cum anti-inflammatory properties that do help to reduce the body’s production of symptom-causing histamine.

Complementary Natural Allergy Treatments

One can go in for complementary approaches to get relief:

Neti Pot

Using a Neti pot during allergy season or after exposure to allergens is indeed a very effective way to relieve nasal congestion and flush out mucus. Once or twice daily, use warm filtered water or distilled water with some salt to flush one’s nasal passages for relief.

Essential Oils

Diffusing essential oils, that include menthol, eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint oil, does help to open up the nasal passages and lungs, improves circulation and relieves stress.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture does reduce the symptoms associated with seasonal allergies in 26 patients and without side effects. Prior to allergy season it is advisable to meet with an acupuncturist to determine the best course of action.

Is one’s skin red, dry, scaly and extremely itchy? Has one been diagnosed with eczema? The skin condition eczema is indeed believed to affect over 30 million Americans. So, what is eczema? In fact, eczema is not a single condition; it is actually a group of skin conditions that do include atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, hand eczema, neurodermatitis, nummular eczema, and stasis dermatitis.

Finding a soothing, natural eczema treatment can rather be life-changing for those suffering from this frustrating condition.

Eczema typically does initially appear in very young children with research finding that 65 percent of cases do occur before infants hit their first birthday, and 90 percent of those affected have their first cases before they do turn 5 years old. Of further concern is that eczema in children is rather becoming more and more common. Diseases such as eczema can resemble include psoriasis, rosacea, and dermatitis, but it is a different condition.

Children who have a dog in the home are likely to develop eczema at any age. Although initial outbreaks of eczema most often occur in infants and among young children, onset can also occur at any time. While the majority of the skin conditions that do fall under the eczema heading are chronic, it is important to note that contact dermatitis and hand eczema may be acute in nature, occurring due to an exposure to allergens or chemicals.

For many people, the severity of flare-ups will indeed lessen with maturity, and some may even outgrow it altogether. However, eczema can come and also go throughout life. Learning how to treat one’s eczema and identifying triggers that cause flares is the best course of action.

As one is aware that there is no definitive answer as to the cause of eczema, and there is also no identified cure. No doubt, there are effective natural treatments, home remedies and essential oils for eczema that may help prevent future flares and ease discomfort during an outbreak. It is important to understand that eczema is an indeed embarrassing, stressful and frustrating condition that does often disrupt sleeping patterns.

Eczema Risk Factors, Causes & Symptoms

Eczema symptoms can rather manifest widely differently between those affected. While a singular cause of eczema has not been established, there are certain common causes that are leading to the onset and flares. In addition, a wide range of risk factors has been identified.

Risk Factors for Eczema

• A genetic predisposition or family history of eczema, hay fever or asthma
• Young age
• Healthcare worker
• Children that attend daycare
• ADHD
• Living in a dry climate

Nutritional deficiency

Adolescent obesity, for later onset of eczema cases

Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy may increase the risk of developing eczema in the first year of life.

Causes of Eczema

As of now, the medical community has yet to determine a rather definitive cause of eczema. For some, it may occur due to a nutritional deficiency, while for others it may first arise due to an allergen or another irritant. Here are the widely-accepted causes of

eczema:

• Dry skin and sensitive skin that cracks
• Immune system dysfunction
• Environmental conditions
• Gene variation that affects the skin
• Allergies to foods, beauty products, laundry detergents or another chemical allergy
• Chronic stress
• Temperature changes

Symptoms of Eczema

While many tend to experience a lessening of symptoms and fewer flares as they age, some will indeed continue to experience eczema symptoms throughout adulthood, such as atopic eczema rashes. Symptoms can rather range from mild to severe, and change from one outbreak to another. Common symptoms include:

• The appearance of small raised bumps which may ooze liquid and develop a crust
• Thick, dry, scaly skin that cracks
• Red, brown or grayish patches of skin on hands, feet, ankles, wrists, neck, upper chest, eyelids, in skin folds, and on one’s face as well as scalp of infants
• Sensitive skin that is swollen and raw from scratching
• A recurring rash that causes intense itching, often disrupting sleep
  patterns
• Rashes due to atopic eczema

Eczema Treatment: 13 Ways to Find Relief

While there is no cure for eczema, there are a variety of non-invasive eczema treatment options that can provide relief during a flare-up and some that may prevent its onset. These can include also corticosteroids, but there are other options of treatment.

1. Light Therapy/Phototherapy

According to the National Eczema Association, phototherapy does help to calm inflammation, reduces itching, increases vitamin D production and also helps fight bacteria on one’s skin. It helps to have 10–15 minutes a day of sun exposure, particularly during an eczema flare as it can provide much relief and speed healing.

2. Vitamin D

In addition to increasing sun exposure, supplementing with vitamin D rich foods like cod liver oil, sardines, salmon, eggs and raw milk may help prevent eczema in children and adolescents. Ideally, during a flare you will get 2,000-5,000 IU daily; if your sun exposure is low, consider boosting your intake with a high-quality supplement. Preliminary research shows that low vitamin D levels during pregnancy and during childhood may increase the risk of developing eczema. (5)

3. Moisturize

Because dry skin is both a cause as well as a symptom, it is important to moisturize affected areas at least twice a day. Coconut oil is the perfect moisturizer for eczema sufferers. This eczema treatment is antibacterial cum anti-fungal, with antimicrobial properties that do provide soothing relief and may speed healing.

4. Treat the Mind and Body

One gets psychologically affected when one suffers from eczema. One can go in for hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relation, focused breathing, cognitive behavior therapy and talk therapy which can provide relief during a flare and also promote quick healing and prevent future flares.

5. Dead Sea Salt Baths

The Dead Sea is known for its healing powers, and researchers have indeed found that taking a bath with salt from the Dead Sea water does improve skin hydration, improved skin barrier function, reduced inflammation, and also relieves redness as well as roughness. As eczema flares can indeed worsen when exposed to high and low temperatures, bathwater needs to be just warm enough to prevent a chill. Do not rub the skin dry; pat gently with a soft towel.

6. Cool, Wet Compresses

Applying a cool, wet compress does reduce the itching for some individuals with eczema. For young children, dampening snug night clothes may also provide overnight relief from itching; however, if eczema becomes oozing blisters, a wet compress may rather increase the risk of infection, and should not be therefore used.

7. Apply Itch Cream

The intense itching is the miserable effect an eczema flare. One can make use of a natural homemade eczema cream that incorporates Shea butter, coconut oil, raw honey as well as essential oils in order to provide much-needed relief.

8. Licorice Extract

One can add a few drops to coconut oil or homemade itch creams for best results.

9. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Fish is introduced into one’s diet of young children by the age of 9 months, and fish is also eaten weekly, and this means the risk for developing eczema does reduce dramatically. Including foods rich in Omega-3s to prevent eczema should be considered. During a flare, these foods are a great eczema treatment that will indeed boost immune system function and speed healing.

10. Probiotics

Probiotics can help prevent eczema in infants and it also decreases the severity of flares. In fact, mothers who take probiotics during pregnancy and while breastfeeding may also prevent eczema from developing in their children. During an eczema outbreak and in order to prevent future flares, one can take a high-quality probiotic supplement of 24–100 billion organisms daily.

11. Lavender Essential Oil

In addition to the intense itching, eczema commonly does cause anxiety, depression, frustration as well as poor sleep. Lavender essential oil is an eczema treatment does prove to help reduce these common symptoms that can help heal dry skin. Add 10 drops to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or almond oil, and then gently rub into one’s skin. The aroma can help facilitate sleep when itching is often at its worst.

12. Vitamin E

Taking 400IU of vitamin E daily can also help to speed healing by reducing inflammation. In addition, topical application of vitamin E may also help to relieve the itch as well as prevent against scarring.

13. Witch Hazel

If during a flare the rash does start to ooze, then applying witch hazel can also help promote healing due to its anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties. During an outbreak, one can gently dab this eczema treatment directly onto one’s rash with a cotton pad. One needs to be sure to use alcohol-free witch hazel to avoid dryness.