Herbal medicine goes mainstream: Breaking it down with Dr. Oz

By Lisa A Flam, Today.com

Herbal medicine is moving into the mainstream at one of the nation’s top hospitals.

At the Cleveland Clinic, Eastern and Western medicine are being practiced alongside each other. The latest addition to the mix is herbal treatments, which have been used in China and other eastern countries for centuries.

“There are more ways of healing than just our conventional medicine,” Dr. Melissa Young, of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, told TODAY. “It doesn’t have to be an either-or, and we’re seeing, I think, the best results often when we can combine both philosophies.”

Much of the research on using herbs as medicine has been done outside of the United States, but doctors at the Cleveland Clinic believe herbs can be effective when properly administered and monitored, as they can contain contaminants or be toxic if used improperly.

“I think there’s this misconception that if something’s natural, that it’s safe, and that’s not always the case,” Young said. “They really need to be under the guidance of an integrative physician who has experience and training in this field.”

At the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, patients need a doctor’s referral to see a Chinese herbal provider, and their care is monitored by doctors. It is not covered by insurance, so patients pay out-of-pocket.

Dr. Mehmet Oz told TODAY’s Matt Lauer that he “adores” herbal medicines and applauded the Cleveland Clinic. But he stressed the importance of receiving herbal treatments from a knowledgeable provider.

Foot Doctor Offers Tips

for How Your Feet Can Look, Feel and Smell Better

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 15, 2013 – As the weather warms, Epsom salt can help your feet feel better, look better, even smell better, according to Dr. Jeffrey Bowman, an award-winning foot doctor who serves on several committees with the American Podiatric Medical Association.

Soaking in Epsom salt can help with a range of foot issues – from athletes who have been exercising aggressively to people with injuries, infections, inflammation or arthritis, said Bowman, who last year received the 1st Chairman’s Award from the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management for helping other doctors with their practices.

Epsom salt – actually magnesium sulfate – can be absorbed through the skin, Bowman said. That helps ease muscle and joint pain, swollen and inflamed feet, foot and toe fungal infections, and odor and skin problems.

"Epsom salt helps reduce swelling and increase circulation," said Bowman, past president of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association and an avid runner who soaks in Epsom salt while training.

"There are days when I might do a 14-mile run, and my knees, ankles and feet are pretty sore," Bowman said. "I’ll soak for a good 15 to 20 minutes, and when I come out, my joints are looser and they don’t hurt as much."

Bowman recommends the same soak for his patients at Houston Foot Specialists as they battle foot issues. He said Epsom salt can help in several ways, including:

• Easing muscle and joint pain, either from overuse after exercise or from arthritis
• Decreasing swelling and inflammation from trauma or fractures
• Soothing dry skin, which often stems from a lack of magnesium
• Reducing foot odor
• Helping draw out infections from foot and ingrown nails of the toes

Excessive moisture provides a breeding ground for fungus, Bowman said. To prevent that, he recommended three things: wearing acrylic socks that let feet breathe more than cotton socks, getting a second pair of running shoes so the sweat in sneakers has a full 24 hours to dry and soaking your feet in Epsom salt.

Epsom salt acts as a wicking mechanism to help draw out infections from the superficial surface area, the way a cotton tip would remove pus, Bowman said.

"Epsom salt doesn’t kill infections, but it helps with the wicking," Bowman said. "It gets down into the cellular level, forcing out the infection that would otherwise grow larger."

People should consult their doctors for serious or persisting conditions, and diabetics should check with their physicians before soaking in Epsom salt, Bowman said.

About Dr. Jeffrey Bowman

Jeffrey N. Bowman is an award-winning foot and ankle physician and leader in the podiatric industry. He serves on the American Podiatric Medical Association's House of Delegates, he’s a past president of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association and he’s won a 1st Chairman’s Award from the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management for helping other doctors with their practices. Dr. Bowman works at Houston Foot Specialists, where H Magazine has named him one of Houston's top 100 doctors for the past six years. For more information, please visit www.houstonfootspecialists.com or call 713.467.8886.

This article is from the Epsom Salt Council and a real eye-opener!  That Dr Bowman sure sounds as though he knows his stuff!  Have you got some Epsom Salts in your cupboard then?

14 Top Reasons Women Don’t Want To Have Sex (& 20 Things To Do About It!)

by Jen Landa MD on university.peertrainer.com

1. You Keep the Same Sex Schedule, Week In, Week Out

As an MD and ob/gyn I have had a unique perspective about sex, both personally and professionally. Here are 14 of MY top reasons women do not want sex.

1. Don’t save sex for late night only. Getting going when you first wake up might seem like the opposite of sexy because, well, morning breath, and also, how unforgiving is stark daylight?

But it’s a great opportunity to connect before the start of a busy day—when you have all the energy you need for a good romp.  Plus, both of your testosterone levels peak in the early morning, so you can bet that he’ll be so turned on that you’re turned on that he won’t even notice your bedhead.

Daytime sex in general can reignite your passion because it adds variety.  Even a quickie—in the bathroom, the kitchen, your bedroom—can do the trick.

New Year, New Vagina!

from Liz DiAlto's website

**If you missed our live webinar you can listen to the recording here:http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=50139210 password: orgasm 

**For full details on Kim’s upcoming course Vaginal Kung Fu and enrollment (for which I am a proud affiliate!) click the image below.  If you enroll forward your receipt to info@lizdialto.com – I’ve got an extra gift for you!

===========

I’ve never done a guest post at lizdialto.com before – but this is a very special subject so it called for one of the top experts in the world.

Several months ago I came across Kim Anami’s work via this post about love your breasts and I instantly fell in love with her.

Kim is a globe-trotting coach, national media commentator and luxury retreat curator—with a book in the works, and a bodaciously blooming business.

You know I’m all about body love – this includes your WHOLE BODY and your sexual organs are a vital part of what make you a woman.

Kim’s musings on love, life and sex graced the pages of Playboy, Flare, Marie Claire, Glamour, the Georgia Straight, and radio and television programs from national talk shows to CNN, with audiences ranging from 50K to 7 million. So you can trust that you and your vagina are in good hands.

============