All Creatures Healing Articles

Korean Kim Chi - healing properties in disguise

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:45:00 +1000

Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi most of which are fermented and made with cabbage, chilli and garlic. Kimchi is the most common side dish in Korean cuisine and is served alongside most Korean meals.

At the Kimchi Field museum in seoul, there are 187 historic and current varieties of Kimchi documented. The most common seasonings are ingredients, such as ginger, garlic, chilli, cabbage, but most ingredients can be replaced or added depending on the type of kimchi being made .Different types of kimchi were traditionally made at different times of year, based on when vegetable were in season and the hot and cold seasons, before the era of refrigeration.

Kimchi is made of various vegetables and contains a high concentration of dietary fiber, while being low in calories. One serving also provides up to 80% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and carotene. The vegetables being made into kimchi also contribute to the overall nutritional value. Kimchi is rich in vitamin A, thiamine (B₁), riboflavin (B₂), calcium, and iron and contains a number of lactic acid bacteria, among those the typical species Lactocillus kimchii. The lactic acid bacteria found in Kim chi normally occurs higher amounts than that found in yogurt.

The magazine Health named kimchi in its list of top five "World's Healthiest Foods" for being rich in vitamins, aiding digestion, and even possibly reducing cancer growth.

That is no surprise when you look at kimche's most common ingredients and their healing properties.

Garlic: has long been considered a herbal "wonder drug", with a reputation for preventing a number of ailments such as the flu & colds and being a powerful antioxidant. It has been used extensively in herbal medicine and raw garlic has been shown to assist in managing high cholesterol levels. It can even be effective as a natural mosquito repellent. In general, a stronger tasting clove of garlic has more sulphur content and more medicinal value.

Chilli: loaded with vitamin A, a potent antioxidant and boost to the immune system. As the pods mature and darken, high quantities of vitamin C are gradually replaced with beta carotene and capsaicin levels reach higher levels. The alkaloids from the capsaicin stimulate the action of stomach and intestine improving the whole digestion process!

These same heat inducing properties have a cumulative effect and over time are believed to alleviate pain when used in transdermal treatments for arthritis, nerve disorders (neuralgia), shingles and severe burns. The mucus thinning properties promote coughing and can act as an expectorant for asthmatic conditions. Other claims are boosts to the immune system due to the antioxidants, lowering cholesterol, and blood thinning properties beneficial for the heart and blood vessels.

Cabbage: is abundant is Vitamin C and It is said to be richer in vitamin C than oranges. Vitamin C, being one of the best anti oxidant, reduces free radicals in your body which are the basic causes of ageing. It also helps repairing the tears in the body. Thus, it is very helpful in treating ulcers, certain cancers, and depression as well as in strengthening immune system and fighting against cough and cold, healing of wounds and damaged tissues.

So make sure you get your daily dose of Kim chi to keep your health boosted!

What is Alexander Technique and how can it help my body?

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:13:00 +1000

What is the Alexander Technique? The Alexander Technique is a simple and practical method of re-educating the mind and body to improve movement, balance and coordination.

With the Alexander Technique you can be more

Poised, vitality and co-ordination improve
Move gracefully, with less effort
Be alert and focused, with less strain
Breath and speak easier

How do I learn? With a qualified teacher you will learn how to overcome patterns of misuse and tension (habits), which are interfering with poise and functioning - both physical and mental. Through observation and experimentation (starting with simple everyday movement such as sitting and walking) you will begin to learn how your co-ordination works, as well as what happens when you interfere with it. In time and with practice you will be able to bring awareness and poise to anything.

Riding is a wonderful way of experiencing being 'in the moment' and is the most challenging activity requiring the whole body and mind to be engaged. The effect of making a change is immediately reflected back to you. The Alexander Technique will help you to manage and learn 'non doing' (stopping the unhelpful habits) within a very complicated activity.

Alexander Technique Teachers are qualified after 3 years of full time training under the Australian Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (AuSTAT).

For more information on the Alexander Technique visit:

DIY Natural Insect Repellants

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:03:00 +1000

You can make natural insect repellent yourself. It's safe, effective and costs much less to make than to buy!

Natural Insect Repellent Safety

There are a few different combinations, you can make for your natural insect repellent. These repellents involve diluting essential oils that the insects find distasteful or which confuses them. The oils don't mix with water, so you'll need to add them to other oils or to alcohol. It's important to use an oil or alcohol that is safe for your skin. Also, don't go overboard with the essential oils. The oils are potent and could cause skin irritation or another reaction if you use too much. If you are pregnant or nursing, do not apply an insect repellent, natural or otherwise, until after you've gotten it cleared by your physician. The following are two effective repellent recipes using essential oils which are natural and will not cause brain damage:

General repellent:

6 drops of peppermint oil
6 drops of melaleuca alternatifolia oil
9 drops of citronella (Artemis adds: Purification makes a great substitute for Citronella)
Dilute with water 20:80 and apply to exposed skin as needed. Avoid eyes.

Mosquito repellent:

6 drops lemon oil
6 drops peppermint oil
6 drops eucalyptus radiata oil
6 drops lemongrass oil
Dilute with water 20:80 and apply to exposed skin as needed. Avoid eyes.

NB:

Lemon oil is photo sensitive so avoid applying to skin exposed to sunlight
Lavender and peppermint oils reduce insect-bite-induced itching and infection.

Equine Worms - what they are & how to combat them

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:52:00 +1000

Equine worms are a constant problem for horse owners everywhere. Heavy worm burdens kill foals and elderly horses, reduce the performance of show horses and severely reduce any horse's vitality.Worming is a vital part of equine health care and horses that have a high worm burden will be prone to losing condition or weight, having a poor appetite, and diarrhea. In severe cases, worms can also lead to digestive problems (such as colic) because of the damage they can do to the bowel. (Couzens, 2006)

Most conventional wormers are divided into four different chemical groups:

Macrocyctic lactones (Ivermectins and milbemycins), Eqvalan, Equest, Eraquell, Bimectin, Vectin, and Equimax
Benzimidazoles, Panacur (fenbendazole) Telmin (mebendazole)
Pyrantel Embonates, Strongid P, and Embotape
Praziquantel, Equimax, and Equitape

Macrocyctic lactones treat bots, small redworms, large redworms and lungworms.

Benzimidazoles treat roundworms, large redworms and small redworms.

Pyrantel Embonates treat large roundworms, large redworms, small redworms, seatworms/pinworms and tapeworms (all species).

Praziquantels treat all three species of tapeworm. (Worming wordpress, 2008)

Most conventional worming is done every 6-8 weeks as a preventative measure, and typically there are general worming schedules that are suggested for horse owners to follow. Most programs suggest performing fecal egg counts (FEC) and blood tests to make sure a worming program is successful. Generally a worming schedule would go as follows:

Time	Worming Performed
January to March	Routine Worming
April	Tapeworm
May to September	Routine Worming
October	Tapeworm
November	Encysted Redworm
December	Bot

Table 1: Recommended worming schedule for horses (NSW AG Dept, 2008)

More and more people are choosing to use natural methods of worming for their horses, especially since worms have started to build a ressistance to chemical methods.

Some natural ways of worming:

Homoeopathic remedies
Herbal remedies
Raw Fresh garlic in the feed
Copper sulfate in the diet

There are 6 types of worms most commonly found in horses: Small strongyles, large strongyles (bloodworms), Pinworms (Oxyuris equi), Tapeworms, Ascrid worms (large round worms) and Bots (Gasterophilus spp).

Small Strongyles

There are up to 40 species of small strongyles in several genera have been found in the cecum and colon of domestic equids, each with its own site of preference. They belong to the subfamily Cyathostominae of the family Strongylidae and approximately 10 species are particularly prevalent. Most are appreciably smaller than the large strongyles. (Merck manual, 2008)

Small strongyles do not migrate extra intestinally, as early development is confined to the wall of the intestine. When these worms emerge from the gut wall, they feed superficially on the mucosa and may rupture capillaries but are less pathogenic than the large strongyles, as their buccal cavities are much smaller. Encysted small strongyles can cause severe clinical signs and even death when thousands to millions of the larvae emerge simultaneously from the intestinal wall. The resulting damage to the intestinal mucosa shows up in a horse as weakness, recurring colic, diarrhea, weight loss, peripheral swelling and in severe cases, death. (Merck Manual, 2008) In less severe cases, horses may have decreased performance, poor food utilization and dull hair coat. Encysted small strongyles can remain in this state for up to three years. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing how heavy of an encysted small strongyle load a horse is carrying, since fecal analysis cannot measure worms in the encysted state.

Large Strongyles

Large Strongyles are also known as the artery Bloodworm (Strongylus vulgaris), palisade worms, sclerostomes, or red worms. The 3 major species are Strongylus vulgaris (up to 25 mm), S. edentatus (up to 40 mm), and S. equinus (up to 50 mm) and large strongyles has historically been considered to be the most damaging of all internal worms. (Merck Manual, 2008)

Their migrating larvae damage vessels that supply the gut and internal organs, and the adults suck on plugs of the bowel wall causing poor condition, weakness, ill-thrift, anemia, diarrhea, colic and death. The larvae develop to the infective stage within 1-2 weeks after the eggs are passed. Horses can get infected by ingestion of infective larvae, which exsheath in the intestine and migrate extensively before developing to maturity in the large intestine. This period from 6-11 months. The larvae mature in the intestinal tract and burrow out into blood vessels where they migrate throughout various organs and eventually back to the intestine. The larvae can cause extensive damage to the lining of blood vessels. The larvae of S. vulgaris migrate extensively in the cranial mesenteric artery and its branches, where they may cause parasitic thrombosis and arteritis.

Adult large strongyles have large buccal capsules and are active blood feeders; they ingest mucosal plugs as they move about in the intestine. The associated blood loss may lead to anemia in severe cases. Weakness, emaciation, and diarrhea are also common.

Symptoms of large strongyle infestations may display weight loss, anemia, or colic. In extreme cases, the blood supply to the intestine may become completely blocked by the strongyles resulting in severe (and even fatal) colic. In heavily infested horses, blood vessels may become distended and may even rupture, leading to sudden death.

Ascarids

Ascarids (large roundworms) affect young horses more often than mature horses. The 6 to 12 inch long worms can number in the hundreds in the horse's small intestine and can adversely affect its nutrition. (AVMA, 2008)

Colic, coughing, and diarrhea are common clinical signs associated with ascarid infestation. In addition, ascarids may cause blockage of the intestine or migrate through the lungs causing pneumonia.

Common signs of ascarid infestation in young horses include stunted growth, pot belly, and a rough, dull coat. By 9-12 months of age most young horses develop immunity against Large Roundworms and infections in adult horses is only a problem in horses under the stress of hard work or disease, and in old horses where natural immunity is reduced. (Petalia, 2008)

Pinworms

Pinworms have the most efficient life cycle of all the parasites that infect the horse. They don't migrate through any organ tissue, and they have developed a means of reproduction by which the eggs do not leave the herd of horses. (Complete rider, 2008)

Adult pinworms (Oxyuris equi) are most common in horses less than 18 months old, though most herd horses are susceptible. Adult pinworms are found primarily in the terminal portion of the large intestine. (Merck manual, 2008) Horses acquire the parasite by consuming contaminated water, grain or grass.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms have emerged as a significant problem in Australia with up to 60% of horses being infected. (Petalia, 2008) There are several species of tapeworms that infect horses with Anoplocephala perfoliata being the most common in Australia. This worm is a yellow-green color and has a riangular 'fluke-shaped' body. They grow to 3-8 cm in length. A horse may be infected with one tapeworm or hundreds. A survey in Victoria found that the average infection intensity was 99 tapeworms per horse. (Oakey vet, 2008) Other Tapeworm species include: Anoplocephala perfoliata, Anoplocephala magna & Anoplocephaloides mamillana.

Migraines:: A pain in the head!

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:57:00 +1000

Migraines and headaches are one of the biggest symptoms that lead a client to book in for a treatment to balance their body. In this article, we take a look at what a migraine is, what the possible causes are and some techniques to prevent migraines.

What is a Migraine headache?

Migraines are headaches that typically last from 4-72 hours and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting as well as sensitivity to light or sound. Migraine sufferers frequently report throbbing pain that worsens with normal activity. A migraine headache is a form of vascular headache and is caused by vasodilatation (in layman's terms, enlargement of blood vessels). This enlargement causes the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around the large arteries of the brain. Enlargement of these blood vessels stretches the nerves that coil around them and causes the nerves to release chemicals. The chemicals cause inflammation, pain, and further enlargement of the artery. The increasing enlargement of the arteries magnifies the pain. (Medicinenet, 2010)

Symptoms can vary from person to person but some of the most common symptoms are:

Blurring of vison or affected vision, such as an aura
Anxiety
Fatigue
Pain characterised with throbbing or pounding sharp pain on one side of the head.
Nausea and vomiting
Sensitivity to light, sound, smell and touch

Migraines can vary greatly from person to person and so does the treatment. If you are a migraine sufferer, you should work out the best combination for getting your body in to balance. Body work is one tool that can be helpful, but at All Creatures Healing there are plenty of others we can recommend.

Some main known triggers for Migraines:

Low serotonin levels
Food allergies - eg. cheese, nuts, tomatoes
Alcohol, especially red wine
Chemicals - eg. nitrates
Caffeine
Stress
Emotional & Hormonal changes
Poor posture & Muscle tension

Some preventative techniques:

Natural & non-drug therapies - including Bowen therapy, Myopractic muscular skeletal therapy, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, exclusion diets, relaxation, yoga, meditation, herbal or homeopathic remedies
Avoid the trigger factors - this can be difficult, since migraines are often triggered by a combination of factors but the elimination of known food allergens is a great start.
Nutrional treatment - should be taken under the care of a natural care therapist & dosage should be tailored to each individual - daily doses of Magnesium, Vitamin C, chromium, Omega 3 fatty acids and complex B vitamins
Drug treatment - these should be taken under a doctor's care and include pain killers and drugs to alter pressure on blood vessels.

Are you a migraine sufferer? All Creatures Healing can help - book a consultation.

References

http://www.medicinenet.com/migraine_headache/article.htm#tocb
http://www.headacheaustralia.org.au/migraine_prevention
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Headache_migraines

Understanding your animal's (bad) behaviour

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:35:00 +1100

I often receive calls from animal owners who are concerned that their horse is bucking and rearing, their dog is growling or their cat is hissing whenever they try to touch them. Many owners are quick to chalk these things up to an animal misbehaving. However, in my experience treating animals, an animal's behaviour is usually their way of communicating that something is wrong.

After all, when animals have aches and pains, how do they tell us that they are sore? Typically, they tell us through their behaviour. So, when you notice an animal's so-called 'bad behaviour', you may in fact be picking up on their physical discomfort. Allow me to illustrate with two case studies of animals I have worked with.

CASE STUDY 1: 'MY HORSE IS BUCKING AND IT IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE.'

When a horse owner rang and complained that their horse was bucking, I went to see the horse. I collected his history, completed a visual assessment of his movement and also identiﬁed sore areas in his muscles though palpation.

The horse had sore points around his head indicating sharp teeth (Note: horses need yearly dental checks by a trained equine dentist), a stiff neck, tight pectoral muscles, trigger points in his wither and trapezius muscles, low back pain and tight hamstrings. The muscle soreness suggested that the horse had a poor ﬁtting saddle.

When I went to check the saddle ﬁ t on the horse, the horse's ears were back before the saddle was any where near his back, a strong indication that it was one cause of the soreness. As I put the saddle on the horse's back, it reared, further suggesting that the saddle ﬁt was causing the horse extreme discomfort.

I treated the horse with Bowen therapy and neuromuscular stimulation to release the sore muscles in his back, hamstrings, neck and shoulders. For the pressure in his head, I used some craniosacral. With the pressure in his head eased, the horse was ﬁ t for a dentist appointment, which I suggested to the owner. I also suggested the owner invest in a new saddle with speciﬁcations to suit the individual horse.

When I returned to see horse and rider 10 days later, the owner commented on how relaxed the horse was since the treatment. The farrier (the person who looks after the horse's feet) had come to visit and said the horse had been more obliging and the feet easier to trim. The owner had also had a new saddle ﬁtted. I treated the horse again and have continued to see it for regular check ups every couple of months. Over the 2 years since I ﬁrst treated the horse, its problem with bucking has not recurred. As the horse owner learned, by understanding why the horse was bucking, we could not only correct the behaviour, but ensure the horse was more comfortable and properly cared for.

CASE STUDY 2 - 'MY DOG HAS BEEN YELPING AND GROWLING WHEN I PICK HIM UP.'

I was at an expo when I ﬁ rst met a 4 year old beagle and its owner. The owner explained to me that the beagle yelped when he went to pick it up, growled at the other dog in the family and generally lacked enthusiasm. The owner said the behaviour had been getting worse over the past few months. I had the owner walk the dog around so that I could see its movement. The beagle seemed to be walking sideways rather than in a straight line. This suggested the beagle was sore and probably 'behaving badly' because he was in pain. I gave the beagle a mini Bowen treatment and told the owner to monitor the beagle over the next week for any changes in movement or behaviour and then bring him in for a follow up at the clinic.

I saw the little beagle again about 3 weeks after the expo and the owner said that for the two weeks after the expo he had been playing with the other dog in the family and not yelped while being picked up, but he seemed to be a little touchy in the hind end now. I treated the dog's hips, hamstrings, spinal muscles, abdominals and shoulders. The soreness seemed predominately on his right side, which probably explained his tendency to walk sideways. After another follow up in a fortnight, the beagle was able to walk straight, run and jump and his behavioural problems had not recurred.

As the owners in these two cases learned, animals can't communicate to their owners with words, and it is up to owners to learn how to listen to an animal's behaviour. So, if you do have issue with how your animal is behaving, it's a good idea to take them to the your animal therapist or vet to check that pain isn't the cause. By identifying what your animal is trying to communicate through their behaviour, you can improve not only your animal's behaviour but also their quality of life.

Sylvana Miller of All Creatures Healing is a certiﬁed Bowen therapist who has also trained in a range of other natural therapies and takes a holistic approach to animal healing.

Homeopathy for the new School Term

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +1100

February, and in particular the start of the new school term, can bring a combination of both elation and daunting emotions, for students and parents alike; children beginning school for the first time or moving to a new school; parents moving into part/ full time work, trying to juggle work and home and deal with the change effectively.

Homeopathy treats the individual on all levels: mentally, emotionally and physically and because of such, can deal with a wide variety of ailments relating to re-adjustment and change.

Below are a few homeopathic remedies that can help the transition go more smoothly:

Homeopathic Remedy	Situation
Argentum nitricum (Arg. nit.)	Useful for states of anxiety, apprehension, fear, fright and suspense. (Panic attacks). The patient is anxious and timid, yet nervous, impulsive and hurried. Symptoms are worse for mental strain and thinking intently. Good for brain-fag and examination funk.
Calcaria carbonica (Calc. carb.)	This remedy is suited to quiet, shy, sensitive people subject to depression. There is often apprehension relating to a fear of being looked at by everyone and laughed at; there is embarrassment when entering a room full of strangers. Children tend to reach mile-stones later than the norm; they may struggle academically but have a tenacious approach to set tasks. Children may be indisposed to play with others. Patients tend to be chilly yet sweat easily; a sour smell accompanies all discharges. Children of this disposition are prone to many fears (fire, dogs, rats and mice e.t.c,) and nightmares.
Gelsemium (Gels.)	Useful for acute emotional states of fear, fright and nervous/ performance anxiety: stage fright, public speaking and exam nerves. Symptoms of anxiety (or over-excitement) may be accompanied with diarrhoea. Suited to weak, tired and weary, delicate, timid, excitable, easily angered people, children and adolescents. Patients are apathetic and withdrawn; desiring to be quiet and left alone. Take prior to the worrying event (public speaking, exams e.t.c.), as required.
Pulsatilla (Puls.)	Useful for emotional support where the patient is usually mild, gentle and yielding and easily moved to tears. These patients can be easily offended and desire company, sympathy, consolation and open air (although they feel chilly). Anxiety (and over-tiredness) may be displayed as temper tantrums with sullenness, whining, weeping and clinginess. This remedy is useful following childhood-disputes where the child feels abandoned and lonely and cannot throw-off past hurtful words from previous companions. This patient rises with difficulty in the morning; the longer they "snooze" the worse the actual getting-up-out-of-bed. The patient may talk, whine or cry during sleep.
Silica (Sil.)	Patients needing this remedy are usually yielding and faint-hearted. They are sensitive but can also be obstinate and stubborn; head-strong children. Useful for physical and mental debility due to over-exertion or over-use of the mind. These patients find mental effort difficult. They have difficulty facing up to people and problems and dislike responsibility. They fear failure, which is unfounded; despite a dread of work they nevertheless have an excellent working ability. A common remedy for children who sleepwalk. Patients requiring this remedy are often hypersensitive to cold, especially to the head and feel better covering the head with a hat or cap.

How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

Select the remedy that most closely matches the symptoms. In conditions where self-treatment is appropriate, unless otherwise directed by a homeopath, a lower potency (6C or 30C) should be used.

To dispense the remedy take 1-2 pilules or 6-8 drops of liquid. Try not to touch the remedy directly; tip pilules into the bottle cap or remove from the packet with a clean, dry teaspoon. Tip directly under the tongue and allow to dissolve. Avoid food, drink and toothpaste for 10 mins either side of taking the remedy.

Take one dose (1- 2 pilules or 6 - 8 drops) of the selected remedy and wait for a response. If improvement is seen, continue to wait and let the remedy work. If improvement lags significantly or has clearly stopped, another dose may be taken. The frequency of dosage varies with the condition and the individual. Sometimes a dose may be required several times an hour; other times a dose may be indicated several times a day; in some situations, one dose per day (or less) can be sufficient. If a remedy which has previously been working, lags, or stops working, after repetition, a higher potency (of the same remedy) may be required.

If no response is seen within a reasonable amount of time, select a different remedy or consult a qualified homeopath.

Where Can I Get Homeopathic Remedies?

Sylvana stocks a range of Owen's Homeopathic remedies in 6c potencies. Additional remedies and potencies can be ordered from Laura at Dynamis Energeia (see below).

Laura C. Collins BA (Hons), Adv. Dip. Hom.

Laura became a firm believer in the healing powers of homeopathy over 20 years ago, when she was "cured" of chronic ENT problems after many years of ineffective conventional medicine. Laura, a former youth and community worker and college lecturer, is interested not only in treating patients, but also in widening their knowledge and understanding of the principles of homeopathy. Laura runs a private practice in Waikiki, near Rockingham. She is available at the All Creatures Healing complex by appointment. For further information or to make an appointment contact her on: 0438 825 016