The Healthy Village Blog

Many Municipalities condemn bottled water and bottled water suppliers for not undergoing the same scrutiny as tap water but this is hardly the case.

Municipal tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency while bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and while some bottled water may contain contaminants and harmful chemicals, purified bottled is 99.9% free of all contaminants. This is especially true for water purified through a distillation/oxygenation process.

But one may ask whether EPA regulation actually protects the consumer? True, the EPA provides oversight and reporting requirements but is so doing, the EPA merely requires municipal water sources to comply with minimum harmful levels of contaminants, chemicals and other poisons (including MTBE and lead) that can prove harmful to the human body. In addition to the actual water supply, water infrastructure, including water pipes found in homes and industrial uses can add to the level of contamination.

One thing that the EPA does effectively is publish reports from the tests of the nation’s municipal water systems. Often, these reports are characterized by glowing ad copy about the purity of the municipal water but a closer inspection yields more accurate information. Although many municipalities comply with EPA standards note the actual amount of contaminants and harmful minerals that exist in municipal water. Visit the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html

As an example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released data from its Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), providing information on toxic chemicals used and released in 2005 by utilities, refineries, chemical manufacturers, and other facilities across the nation.

In EPA’s mid-Atlantic region, the 2005 TRI data indicates an increase of 1.5 million pounds of on and off site chemical releases compared with 2004 data. A total of 383.3 million pounds of chemicals were released during 2005 to the air, water or landfills by facilities in the mid-Atlantic region, which comprises Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Releases in this same geographic area totaled 381.8 million pounds in 2004. Most of these chemicals eventually end up affecting the municipal water supply.

So the question remains, what is the EPA regulating? Tap water contains contaminants that are harmful and the use of chlorine to kill bacteria, results in foul smelling and tasting water. In addition tap water comes from ground water and springs that are repositories of chemical releases.

Some bottled water (as high as 40%) is merely tap water in plastic bottles and bottled spring water is often subject to the same contaminant pressure as tap water.

If you want a healthy lifestyle for you and your family, try purified water using a distillation/oxygenation process. By drinking purified water you are guaranteed freshness and purity and the first steps toward a healthy lifestyle.

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Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water and bottled water delivery go to www.elementh2o.com

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Devil’s claw has been used by native African tribes for centuries to treat rheumatism, arthritis, lower back pain, tendonitis, and dyspepsia. Harpagophytum Procumbens, also known as Devil’s claw, is found in South Africa and used by locals to treat fever, blood disease, sores, skin ulcers, and sprains.

Devil’s claw was first discovered by Germans in the mid 1900’s, who introduced it to Europe as native medicines from the Bushman. Studies were done on devil’s claw in German universities over forty years ago. Studies are still being conducted on the healing properties of devil’s claw even to this day. Devil’s claw is one of the herbs approved by the German Commission E and the European Scientific Cooperation of Phytotherapy (ESCOP). Devil’s claw has been deemed by both organizations to be a safe and effective treatment for rheumatism, arthritis, osteoarthritis and tendonitis because of the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties it possesses.

Studies have shown that with continued use, devil’s claw can successfully reduce pain and improve mobility in patients suffering from rheumatic and arthritic conditions in just a few short weeks of use. Devil’s claw is known as a bitter herb, several studies have shown devil’s claw to have hypotensive and anti-arrhythmic properties and aid in relieving minor stomach complaints and discomfort.

The scientists involved these devil’s claw studies believe it to be more effective as an aid against chronic conditions like arthritis and back pain as to conditions of an acute nature. Many studies have been conducted and results do vary, but one study in particular demonstrated a reduction in back pain by 20 percent compared to 8 percent in the placebo group. The study used the standard lower back pain index for its results.

In Europe, doctors use devil’s claw with traditional medicine because there are no known side effects reported and no drug interactions reported between medications and devil’s claw. The only side effects reported were mild gastro-intestinal discomfort like diarrhea. Devil’s claw has a mild gastric stimulating effect and is not recommended for patients who have ulcers.

The active ingredient in devil’s claw that causes these beneficial effects on the body is called iridoid glycosides. All the studies conducted used dosages of this active ingredient ranging from 20mg to 1200mgs of herb per kilogram of body weight. If you’re considering devil’s claw as an alternative or complement to standard medications already prescribed always consult your doctor first before taking matters into your own hands. Even though devil’s claw has been approved in Europe for symptoms listed above, in the United States the FDA has not approved this herbal supplement to help treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your doctor before starting any new herbal supplement along with medications prescribed. Effective preparations of devil’s claw consist of liquid infusions, capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts. When shopping for devil’s claw at your local or internet health food store, always read the label and look for an herbal product that is guaranteed or standardized to the active ingredients.

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Visit VitaNet Health Foods, VitaNet sells high quality herbs like Solaray Devil’s Claw to help fight inflammation. Please link to this site when using this article.

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My client Carol couldn’t stop thinking about her mother’s funeral which had taken place a month earlier. Sadly feeling that the burden of holding the family together had now shifted to her, she decided to do some gardening to distract her from her feelings of grief and resentment. As she lifted a large container of planter mix, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower back. This was the beginning of a year and a half of chronic back problems. Carol tried regular chiropractic adjustments for her back pain but these only brought her temporary relief.

Our bodies often retain the emotional imprint of a physical trauma. These imprints are caused by especially intense feelings such as grief, anger, fear, or resentment that we may have experienced at the time of an injury. These emotional imprints can leave residues in the body at the injury site. The residues are referred to by CranioSacral therapists as ‘energy cysts’. A trained CranioSacral therapist can treat and expell this emotional trauma from the body.

Our bodies have the ability to adapt to ‘energy cysts’, but if the buried emotional trauma is not released, time passes and the body’s energy pathways become blocked by the cyst. Then the body must change the way it adapts by trying to re-route its natural energy flow past the ‘cyst’. As years pass and the body becomes more and more stressed, it can lose its ability to adapt so that painful physical symptoms and dysfunctions begin to appear that we simply cannot ignore.

By the time Carol came to me for treatment, she ws desperate for relief from the back pain that had disrupted her life. I directed Carol to lay down on my treatment table and then I gently placed my hands over the area of her pain. I started by asking Carol to tell me about what was going on in her life when she first began having problems with her back. Carol recalled the events which led to her initial back injury as I applied manual therapy and gently guided her through therapeutic visualizations and dialoguing to help her release the pain. As we spoke, I felt Carol’s tissues relax along her entire spine. An hour later, when Carol got up from the treatment table, she said that most of her pain had disappeared and she felt as though a large burden had been lifted from her. The next morning Carol felt even better and was able to get dressed with no pain for the first time in several months. Since her therapy session, Carol has been able to return to her normal activities without pain.

During therapy to release ‘energy cysts’ from the body, a CranioSacral therapist engages in imaging and dialoguing techniques that can gently and painlessly guide the client through a release of long held negative emotions. As this occurs, the therapist can feel the tissues of the body relax as the energy cyst is expelled. Then the client’s body is able to return to its optimal levels of functioning.

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Gloria Flores LMT,CST,HHP is an A.A.D.P. Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and an Upledger Institute Certified CranioSacral Therapist. She has a private practice in Burbank, CA and is a volunteer therapist at Wellness Works Holistic Health Center in Glendale, CA. Her practitioner profile can be found at iahp.com/gloriaflores

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Bowtech term is an abbreviation of the words “Bowen” and “Technique”. It is a holistic vibrational healing therapy which was invented by the Australian physiotherapist Tom Bowen on 1950, while he was trying to find a cure for his wife asthma disease. Tom Bowen used to apply his therapy to injured soldiers of 2nd World War and he generally achieved to relieve pain and treat their contusions. In 1974 the research that had been carried out by Health Ministry of Australia was the cause of Bowtech’s appreciation firstly in Australia and gradually all over the world.

Bowen Technique has a significant difference from the other holistic therapies. Bowtech activates self healing system that every human body is equipped. The therapist with his finger sends messages to body organs and stimulates immunological respond within next hours or days. Other less significant differences between Bowtech and other holistic treatments are:

The therapist touches and “pushes” the body very gently and softly and a result of this Bowtech can be applied even at bad contusions and wounds. The therapist can stimulate every organ of human body and that is why he can promote healing of various conditions, from myalgia to asthma crisis. Although, Bowen Technique has the minor intervention of all holistic therapies, it is the only holistic method which can relief pain instantly.

In order to cure a disease, 4-6 sessions are required, even though we must state that each instance has unique characteristics of tension and difficulty and consequently the therapist must provide the advisable treatment for each condition and patient. Keep in mind that there have been some cases that the patient was fully cured after only one session. If a condition needs more than one session, the patient must wait a week till the next session. This time period is necessary in order body to have the time to start and develop the self healing procedure. Tom Bowen claimed that one therapy session every 2 months can keep us healthy and promote wellbeing.

Bowtech stimulates all organism systems and parts of human body and can promote healing of various diseases. For example, it is beneficial to babies that suffer from collics, while it helps overweight adults who experience backaches. It is proved that Bowtech stimulates muscle, skeletal, respiratory, nervous, lymphatic, circulation, peptic and immune system. As a result, Bowtech is usually used to cure: neck syndrome, headache, migraine, backache, coxalgia, kyphosis, scoliosis, arthritis, myalgia, muscle injury, asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gynaecological conditions, icterus and collics. Moreover, it can promote quality of life of patients’ who suffer from autoimmune diseases, like disseminated multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus and psoriasis type 1.

On the other hand, as we mentioned before, autoimmune conditions are some of the conditions that Bowtech can not totally cure. Additionally, Bowen Technique is ineffective for worn out persons who had many health diseases in the past and unreceptive persons. Bowtech cannot help patient with discontinued tissues (for example, bone fractures or muscle rupture) because the impulse cannot be transmitted to the respective organ or part of human body.

——–George Kakaris lives in Greece and he believes in the power of natural health. Visit his site dedicated to Aromatherapy and read the whole history of Aromatherapy .

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