Cayce Castor Oil Packs Definitely A Congestion Remedy

http://www.blissplan.com/natural-remedies/cayce-castor-oil-packs-congestion-remedy/

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Cayce Castor Oil Packs Definitely A Congestion Remedy

Many years ago I read about the famous Edgar Cayce castor oil pack. At the time I was suffering from a cold and cough and all their hideous little cousins and the darned stuff just wouldn’t go away. So I figured I didn’t have much to lose. Since we’ve now entered the famous cold & flu season, perhaps this seems an appropriate time to discuss a [for me] amazing congestion remedy.
Now if you are freaked out by taking advice from a psychic, then you have two choices: stop reading now or get over it. If a natural remedy works, who cares where it comes from? Castor oil packs have been fabulous for me and I’m passing this along in the hope that it will help a reader.

What You Need For An Edgar Cayce Castor Oil Pack

1) Big surprise … castor oil
2) A piece of flannel
3) A couple of plastic baggies
4) A heating pad

Directions For Castor Oil Packs

I definitely recommend cold pressed castor oil. The less processing and refining an oil has undergone, the more potent it is. It’s not always easy to find, though, so if you just can’t lay your congested little hands on the cold pressed oil, ‘regular’ castor oil from WalMart or the drugstore will do.
About the flannel … Cayce was insistent that the flannel had to be 100% cotton or 100% wool. Since it has to go directly on your skin, I strongly recommend cotton since wool can be itchy. You will need a piece that will cover your chest and I really recommend that it big large enough to fold two or three times and still be the right size.
Castor Oil Pack Step #1: Fold your flannel as discussed above …
Castor Oil Pack Step #2: Pour castor oil over the flannel. You want it fairly soaked – but definitely not dripping …
Castor Oil Pack Step #3: The hardest part – lie down and put the damp flannel directly on your skin …
Castor Oil Pack Step #4: Cover the flannel with a couple of plastic baggies. Now obviously Edgar Cayce never mentioned plastic baggies. But the oil soaks through the flannel and I don’t know about you but I definitely do not want castor oil on my clothes and heating pad. Call me weird!
Castor Oil Pack Step #5: Cover all this with a heating pad that is as hot as you can stand it and then watch TV for a while. You might even read a book!  :-)
How long do you leave this on? As long as you can – I suggest at least an hour.

My Experience With Castor Oil Packs

Generally, I haven’t noticed any difference the next day. But if I repeat the castor oil pack a second time, there is almost always improvement the day after that. When you think about it, that’s about as quick-acting as most drugs. Even the wonder drug doesn’t create a miraculous change in minutes.
But thereÆs another reason to consider the Cayce castor oil pack: you are sick for a reason and your body is fighting the cause. For instance, when we have a fever the inflammation is the bodyÆs way of defending your body and it needs that heat to destroy something malignant. But what do we do? We race to the doctor for something, anything, to end the fever and the body never gets to complete its task. The castor oil pack supports the body in its work, rather than interfering. ThatÆs a very important diffe

A Congestion Remedy, Fine  – But Is There Any Other Use For The Castor Oil Pack?

Yes, indeed. I have used castor oil packs for all kinds of remedies like indigestion, stomach flu, a severely pulled muscle, cramps and an injury to my side. Castor oil will aid with almost any kind of internal complaint.

Will The Castor Oil Pack Work For ME?

I have no idea. It has been wonderful for me and for tens of thousands of other humans. But we’re all different and it might not help you in any way. There’s obviously only one way to find out. But it can’t possibly hurt you, it’s cheap to try and takes very little time or effort. So if you need a natural congestion remedy any time soon, this might be an answer for you.

Stimming behavior in autism

Stimming behavior in autism
“The stimming behavior increased very much, now he is clearly flapping his hand almost all the time (earlier it was just tapping some object on face, now he just shakes his hand for no reason, screaming at least 10-12 times in a day, he is running in circles on the bed , jumping on sofa …I am at my wits end … stimming is my biggest concern…”
http://autism-nutrition.com/stimming-behavior-in-autism
As a fellow parent, I completely empathise with the mother who posted the above comments on an autism forum. Stimming behavior makes our children look really autistic. Besides hand flapping, stimming can also take other forms:

Visual stimming: staring at lights, repetitive blinking, moving fingers in front of the eyes, rolling eyeballs
Auditory stimming: tapping ears, snapping fingers, making vocal sounds
Tactile stimming: rubbing the skin with one’s hands or with another object, scratching
Vestibular stimming: rocking front to back, rocking side-to-side
Taste stimming: placing body parts or objects in one’s mouth, licking objects
Smell stimming: smelling objects, sniffing people
Most of the time, these are coping strategies are due to overloads in sensory perception, such as noisy shopping centres, or due to psychological demands such as learning new tasks. Or, stimming behavior could also be due to biological reasons, such as yeast die-off effects. Sometimes, autistic children may also stim from lack of sensory input. In such cases, stimming behavior serves to stimulate the brain. So stimming actually serves a purpose for the autistic child.

In fact, normal adults also stim but not exactly in the same manner. For example, we might pace up and down while talking on the phone or twirl our hair when bored. Many students twirl their pens when solving complex mathematics problems. These activities do help release tension.

Donna Williams, a high functioning autistic individual, had this to say about stimming behavior:

Stimming is a word created by non-auties with often negative connotations. It was a word created by non-auties who didn’t understand that

some folks had compulsive but involuntary tics,
some had self calming tools they didn’t understand,
some had sensory fascinations they couldn’t relate to,
some needed to tune out to tune in,
some needed a tool for social distance in the face of compulsive social invaders,
some needed to be repetitive in order to download,
some needed to compensate for a non-autie multitrack world they couldn’t process in their mono-tracked reality,
some needed something to get lost in when utterly blowing all fuses….

and, anyway, the non-auties labelled, as is their tendency, this vast array of experiences with one word as if it was one thing at all times to all people labelled ‘Autistic’.

Forgive them. They know not what they see.

Given this, eradicating stimming behavior could lead to a full blown tantrum melt down. In fact, we allow children to stim as much as they need when they are in our clinic for consultation. However, this is obviously not desirable in public places. So what should parents do about the stimming behavior of their autistic children? If the cause is biological — for example, candida treatment or Vitamin mB12 therapy — the stimming is normally self-limiting and should stop in a matter of several weeks.

If there are obvious environmental stressors — like in a noisy place or consulting in a clinic — the child should be taken out of the situation as soon as possible. Stimming behavior due to new tasks should also resolve once the child has mastered the tasks.

Some autism therapists have suggested substituting full blown stimming behavior like hand flapping, for less obvious behavior like tapping the fingers on the thighs. This would be more socially acceptable. However, this implies that stimming cannot be eradicated. Yet, normal people can stop stimming behavior at will, once they become self-conscious. In other words, they have cortical brain control over their behavior.

Is this achievable for the autistic child or adult? Can we help the autistic child regulate the brain? Yes, my autistic teenage daughter has done this. She has recovered from very severe verbal stimming.

Nutritional Facts about Chicken

Nutritional Facts about Chicken
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/nutritional-facts-about-chicken.html
Chicken is one of the richest sources of not only proteins, but also many important vitamins and minerals. Know more about the nutritional value of chicken...

Chicken is a common domesticated fowl, supposed to have descended from the red and gray jungle fowl as per some genetic studies conducted in this regard. Chickens were thought to be first domesticated in India, from where they traveled to Persia. From there they reached Greece in 5th century BC. However, some recent evidences suggest that they were first domesticated in Vietnam around 10,000 years ago. Today, they are widely domesticated throughout the world for both meat and eggs, an important source of f

Chickens are not well-equipped to fly long distances like other birds and generally live for about 5 to 11 years. They are generally slaughtered for the meat when they are 14 weeks old. The term chicken originally referred to chicks or the young ones. Now, it is mainly used to signify the meat, which is a rich source of dietary protein, required to perform a number of vital functions in the body. Protein is also found to be essential for maintaining bone density and preventing osteoporosis. The meat or chi

Chicken Nutritional Benefits

Chicken is very rich in vitamin B6, which is required for carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, production of red blood cells and also for strengthening the immune system. Chicken can provide you almost 36% of the total daily requirement of vitamin B6. Besides, chicken can also provide almost 72% of the total daily requirement of another important vitamin niacin or vitamin B3, required for the metabolism of food, i.e, releasing energy from food and proper functioning of the digestive system, skin and n

Another important mineral required as a trace element in human body is selenium, and chicken can provide you with almost 40% of your daily requirement of this nutrient. Selenium is supposed to have antioxidant property, that can protect you from the damage caused by the harmful free radicals. It also boosts the immune system and ensures normal functioning of thyroid gland.

Chicken can also provide a sufficient amount of phosphorus, which is very essential for the formation as well as maintenance of teeth and bones, protein synthesis and growth as also, the repair and maintenance of muscle tissues. Phosphorus content of chicken is substantial and it can meet almost 36% of daily requirement. Phosphorus, along with vitamin B6, can facilitate the functions of kidney and nervous system.

Chicken provides potassium that is required by the body. 4 ounces of chicken contains around 300 milligrams of potassium. It also provides the body with some amino acids that are not manufactured by the body itself, known as essential amino acids. It also is a source of zinc, which is utilized in hormone formation by the body.

Chicken Nutritional Information

The table below is for 100 gram serving of chicken that contains 165 calories out of which 32 are from fat.

Nutrient Grams
Total Fat 4g
Saturated Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 85mg
Sodium 74mg
Total Carbohydrate
(DIETARY FIBER AND SUGARS) 0mg
Protein 31g

The table below gives the nutrition of chicken cooked by different methods.

Chicken Cooking Style Serving Size Calories Protein (g) Sodium (mg) Cholesterol (mg) Total Fat (g)
Chicken breast, baked 3 180 26 25 80 9
Chicken breast, baked, skinless 3 120 24 65 70 1.5
Chicken steak, poached 3 90 18 50 55 5
Grilled chicken breast,
marinated in rosemary
and Balsamic vinegar 3 110 24 125 65 1.5
Skinless chicken drumsticks 3 96 18 80 95 4
Skinless baked chicken drumstick 3 130 23 80 80 4
Baked Chicken wings 3 190 18 50 115 13
Thigh cutlets, broiled 3 140 19 40 85 7
Gizzards and heart 3 120 19 80 235 5
Whole chicken, roasted 3 200 19 40 90 14

Chicken provides you with vitamins, minerals and proteins. Another important nutritional fact about chicken is that it is low in fats. More than half of the fats it contains, are unsaturated fats, which in fact, help in lowering cholesterol. Usually, the skin of chicken contains the fats, therefore it is advisable to cook it after removing the skin and excess fats, in order to preserve its nutritional quality. Also, it is preferable to cook chicken in minimum fat or oil. Instead of cooking in oil, if it is
By Chandramita Bora
Last Updated: 1/24/2012

10 Manfaat Bawang Putih untuk Penyembuhan (I)

10 Manfaat Bawang Putih untuk Penyembuhan (I)
SENIN, 26 MARET 2012 12:55 wib
Gustia Martha Putri

Bawang putih (Foto: Google)
BAWANG putih merupakan salah satu bumbu dasar masakan peneman bawang merah. Selain meningkatkan kualitas rasa, bawang putih memiliki khasiat menyembuhkan beberapa penyakit.

Aroma dari bawang putih memang menyengat dan mungkin tidak terlalu disukai. Tetapi bawang putih memiliki efek penyembuhan yang hebat. Tanaman ini bisa menjadi ramuan obat untuk melawan penyakit dan menyembuhkan masalah kulit.

Berikut manfaat dari bawang putih dalam memberikan efek penyembuhan, sebagaimana dilansir Boldsky, Senin (26/3/2012).

Detoksifikasi dengan jus bawang putih

Ups, jangan mengernyitkan dahi dahulu! Jus bawang putih memang terdengar menyeramkan bagi yang belum pernah mencoba dan mendapatkan manfaatnya. Tapi, jus bawang putih memiliki beberapa manfaat kesehatan karena dapat mengeluarkan racun dari tubuh melalui pori-pori kulit.

Menjaga kesehatan jantung

Bawang putih sangat baik untuk pasien jantung. Sulfida dalam bawang putih menurunkan kadar kolesterol LDL sehingga mencegah penyakit kardiovaskuler seperti serangan jantung atau penyumbatan.

Memberi manfaat bagi penderita diabetes

Jika Anda penderita diabetes, baik untuk mengonsumsi beberapa siung bawang putih dalam menu makan harian. Bawang putih bermanfaat bagi kesehatan Anda dengan meningkatkan tingkat insulin dalam aliran darah.

Mengandung Allicin, si pelindung dari infeksi

Allicin dalam bawang putih merupakan senyawa anti-jamur yang melindungi tubuh dari infeksi dan meningkatkan antibodi.

Menjaga kesehatan telinga

Jika Anda memiliki infeksi atau sakit pada telinga, bawang putih dapat membantu Anda. Teteskan dua hingga tiga tetes minyak bawang putih hangat hasil ekstrak. Antioksidan dalam bawang putih membunuh bakteri dan mengeluarkan kotoran di dalamnya.
(TTY)

Antidepresan mungkin membantu rehabilitasi Stroke

Antidepresan mungkin membantu rehabilitasi Stroke
View Understanding Stroke Slideshow Pictures
Memahami Stroke tampilan slide gambar Understanding Stroke Slideshow Pictures
Take the Stroke Quiz Take the Stroke Quiz

Pasien stroke mengambil Prozac pulih fungsi fisik lebih daripada orang-orang di plasebo

Oleh Brenda Goodman
Berita WebMD kesehatan

Ditinjau oleh Laura J. Martin, MD

9 Januari 2011--Penelitian baru menunjukkan bahwa serotonin selektif reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepresan dapat membantu orang-orang yang bergerak lagi setelah stroke.

"Saya pikir studi cukup menarik," kata Robert Robinson, MD, neuropsychiatrist yang adalah Ketua Paul Penningroth psikiatri di University of Iowa. "Ini adalah sidang terbesar untuk tanggal yang telah menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan antidepresan obat dapat menambah pemulihan fisik dari stroke."

Penelitian tersebut adalah bagian dari cache kecil tapi tumbuh bukti yang menunjukkan bahwa SSRI antidepresan obat seperti Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozacdan Zoloft dapat membantu pasien stroke tidak hanya oleh meredakan gejala suasana hati, yang dapat menghalangi pemulihan dalam hak mereka sendiri dengan menyebabkan orang merasa putus asa dan lelah, tetapi juga oleh membantu neuron, tumbuh dan membangun kembali koneksi dalam otak yang penting untuk fungsi fisik.

Jika lebih lanjut penelitian terus mengkonfirmasi temuan, para ahli mengatakan SSRI antidepresan akan hanya jenis kedua terapi obat ditemukan untuk menawarkan manfaat apapun kepada pasien stroke.

Obat yang paling umum, bekuan buster, yang harus diberikan dalam jam stroke efektif; dan studi menyarankan hingga 90% dari orang-orang yang memiliki stroke tidak mendapatkan ke rumah sakit cepat cukup untuk mendapatkan keuntungan dari itu.
Peningkatan yang signifikan dalam fungsi

Studi baru yang diterbitkan dalam The Lancet, melihat peningkatan kelumpuhan dan kelemahan dalam 118 pasien stroke iskemik di Perancis yang secara acak untuk menerima baik 20 miligram Prozac atau plasebo setiap hari selama tiga bulan, mulai 5-10 hari setelah stroke onset. Semua studi peserta menerima terapi fisik.

Rata-rata, setelah 90 hari, pasien dalam kelompok Prozac telah meningkat 34 poin pada skala gejala 100 titik stroke. Pasien dalam kelompok plasebo, di sisi lain, melihat perbaikan 24-titik. Perbaikan tetap bahkan ketika peneliti disesuaikan hasil studi untuk mengecualikan pasien yang telah dikembangkan depresi. Studi ini disponsori oleh pemerintah Perancis.

Para ahli mengatakan temuan berarti SSRI antidepresan obat dapat membuat perbedaan antara seseorang membutuhkan bantuan untuk keluar dari tempat tidur atau berjalan dan mampu melakukan kegiatan sehari-hari mereka sendiri.

"Kita tidak berbicara tentang beberapa poin pada skala seperti yang terjadi di penyakit Alzheimer di mana peningkatan hampir tak terlihat," mengatakan Robinson, yang turut menulis sebuah editorial pada studi. "Kita berbicara tentang pasien yang seluruh kategori yang ditingkatkan. Kita berbicara tentang perbaikan klinis dan secara signifikan lebih besar untuk pasien dan keluarga mereka."

Robinson telah melakukan penelitian serupa, satu dengan obat Prozac dan lain dengan obat Lexapro, yang diikuti pasien untuk setahun setelah stroke mereka.

Bahkan ketika Anda berhenti obat, pemulihan terus untuk setidaknya lain sembilan bulan," katanya.
Bagaimana antidepresan dapat menyembuhkan otak

Robinson mengatakan dia percaya bahwa antidepresan SSRI dapat membantu untuk menyembuhkan otak setelah stroke dalam dua cara.

"Jika Anda memiliki stroke, sel-sel glial, putih sel dalam otak, melepaskan protein peradangan," Robinson mengatakan. "Antidepresan mengurangi jumlah Peradangan diproduksi oleh stroke."

Obat-obatan kemudian mendorong pertumbuhan baru sel saraf, disebut neuron, dan meningkatkan hubungan antara sel-sel saraf. Tindakan ini pada dasarnya rewire otak, membuatnya lebih baik dapat terhubung dengan seluruh tubuh.
SSRI antidepresan relatif aman, murah

Roger Bonomo, MD, Direktur perawatan stroke pada Lenox Hill Hospital di New York City, yang tidak terlibat dalam studi, mencatat bahwa banyak orang sudah diberi antidepresan setelah stroke mereka, meskipun mereka biasanya diresepkan untuk mengobati depresi, yang dapat menjadi masalah umum setelah cedera otak.

Perawatan orang dengan stroke dengan antidepresan bukanlah begitu baru. Ini adalah gagasan bahwa Anda dapat membantu mereka bermotor fungsi adalah apa baru di sini, "Bonomo mengatakan.

"Saya pikir apa juga penting tentang subjek adalah bahwa hal itu berarti bahwa orang mungkin perlu obat-obatan," katanya. "Terapi bicara sepertinya tidak akan cukup."

Dia mengatakan SSRI antidepresan memiliki efek samping yang relatif sedikit, sehingga mereka risiko rendah bahkan bagi orang-orang dengan penyakit kardiovaskular.

SUMBER:

Chollet, F. The Lancet, diterbitkan online 9 Januari 2011.

Robert Robinson, MD, University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Roger Bonomo, MD, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City.

© 2011 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.




Stroke Patients Taking Prozac Recovered More Physical Function Than Those on Placebo
http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=124508
By Brenda Goodman
WebMD Health News

Reviewed By Laura J. Martin, MD

Jan. 9, 2011 -- New research suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants may help people move again after a stroke.

“I think the study is quite exciting,” says Robert Robinson, MD, a neuropsychiatrist who is the Paul Penningroth chair of psychiatry at the University of Iowa. “It is the largest trial to date that has demonstrated that the use of an antidepressant medication can augment the physical recovery from stroke.”

The study is part of a small but growing cache of evidence that suggests that SSRI antidepressant medications such as Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft may help stroke patients not simply by relieving mood symptoms, which can hinder recovery in their own right by causing people to feel hopeless and tired, but also by helping neurons grow and re-establish connections in the brain that are vital for physical functioning.

If further research continues to confirm the finding, experts say SSRI antidepressants would be only the second kind of drug therapy found to offer any benefit to stroke patients.

The most common drug, a clot buster, must be administered within hours of the stroke to be effective; and studies suggest up to 90% of people who have strokes don't get to the hospital fast enough to benefit from it.

Significant Improvement in Function
The new study, which is published in The Lancet, looked at improvements in paralysis and weakness in 118 ischemic stroke patients in France who were randomly assigned to receive either 20 milligrams of Prozac or a placebo each day for three months beginning 5-10 days after stroke onset. All study participants received physical therapy.

On average, after 90 days, patients in the Prozac group had improved 34 points on a 100-point stroke symptom scale. Patients in the placebo group, on the other hand, saw a 24-point improvement. The improvement remained even when researchers adjusted the study results to exclude patients who'd developed depression. The study was sponsored by the French government.

Experts say the finding means SSRI antidepressant medications could make the difference between someone needing help to get out of bed or to walk and being able to do those daily activities on their own.

“We're not talking about a couple of points on the scale as happens in Alzheimer's disease where the improvement in barely noticeable,” says Robinson, who co-authored an editorial on the study. “We're talking about patients who are a whole category improved. We're talking about clinically and significantly bigger improvement for the patient and their family.”

Robinson has conducted similar studies, one with the drug Prozac and other with the drug Lexapro, which followed patients for up to a year after their strokes.

“Even when you stop the drug, the recovery continues for at least another nine months,” he says.

How Antidepressants May Heal the Brain
Robinson says he believes that SSRI antidepressants may help to heal the brain after a stroke in two ways.

“If you have a stroke, the glial cells, the white cells in the brain, release these inflammatory proteins,” Robinson says. “Antidepressants decrease the amount of inflammation produced by the stroke.”

The drugs then encourage the growth of new nerve cells, called neurons, and increase the connections between nerve cells. These actions essentially rewire the brain, making it better able to connect with the rest of the body.

SSRI Antidepressants Relatively Safe, Inexpensive
Roger Bonomo, MD, director of stroke care at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, who was not involved in the study, notes that many people are already given antidepressants after their strokes, though they are usually prescribed to treat depression, which can be a common problem after brain injury.

“The treatment of people with strokes with antidepressants is not so new. It's the idea that you can help their motor function is what's new here,” Bonomo says.

“I think what's also important about the subject is that it means that people probably need medication,” he says. “Talk therapy doesn't seem to be sufficient.”

He says SSRI antidepressants have relatively few side effects, so they are low risk even for people with cardiovascular disease.

SOURCES:

Chollet, F. The Lancet, published online Jan. 9, 2011.

Robert Robinson, MD, University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Roger Bonomo, MD, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City.

© 2011 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Can Herbs Fight Asthma?

Can Herbs Fight Asthma?
Preliminary Research Suggests They Can, but Further Study Needed
By Charlene Laino
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
http://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20120305/can-herbs-fight-asthma
March 5, 2012 (Orlando, Fla.) -- A traditional Chinese herbal remedy known as kampo helped to relieve daily asthma symptoms in nearly all of more than 200 people studied, Japanese researchers report.

North American allergy experts tell WebMD that although they find the preliminary findings fascinating, further study is needed before they would recommend the herbs.

Yoshiteru Shimoide, MD, head of the Yoshiteru Shimoide Clinic of Internal Medicine in Kagoshima City, Japan, presented the results here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (AAAAI).

Slideshow: 10 Worst Cities for Asthma, 2011
Asthma on the Rise in U.S.
The number of people in the U.S. with asthma is growing. One in 12 people had asthma in 2009, compared with 1 in 14 in 2001, according to the CDC.

There is no cure, but most people can control their symptoms, reduce the severity of their disease, and prevent asthma attacks by avoiding asthma triggers and correctly using prescribed medicines, such as steroid inhalers, the CDC says.

There's much room for improvement, Shimoide says. He says it was accidentally discovered that kampo herbs could wipe out symptoms in many people while testing the ancient remedy against an allergic skin disorder known as atopic dermatitis.

So his team studied 278 people with asthma who suffered daily symptoms of the disease. Of those, 52 were given standard treatment (typically an inhaled steroid and a bronchodilator), and 226 were treated with kampo herbs.

Symptoms completely disappeared in 94% of patients taking kampo herbs after an average of 16 days, Shimoide says.

In contrast, about three-fourths of those taking standard asthma medications still had daily wheeze and other symptoms.



Side Effects Still Need Study
The study did not look at possible side effects of kampo herbs. But a major problem facing kampo medicine is herbal product quality. There have been cases in which poisonous plants found their way into the herbal mix, resulting in kidney damage, for example.

In kampo medicine, most herbs are taken as a fixed formula. Each individual herb is thought to address a particular imbalance in an ill person.

Herbs used in the current study include Scutellaria root, Coptis rhizome, gardenia fruit, hoelen, cinnamon bark, and Glycyrrhiza (aka licorice) root.

Asked to comment on the findings, Peter Creticos, MD, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, tells WebMD: "This is a fascinating observation. We now need further study."

One of the big problems with this preliminary work is that people knew if they were taking the herbs, Creticos says. If people are given a drug or an herb that they think will help fight their disease, up to 40% will report they were indeed helped, Creticos explains.

Also, don't try this at home, he cautions. Until there is further study looking at the safety of the herbal formula, people should only take the herbs as part of a clinical trial, Creticos says.

Still, the AAAAI does think there is evidence for herbal therapy having an anti-inflammatory effect that would fight asthma's underlying cause and is supporting research in the field, says William Silvers, MD, former head of the group's committee on complementary and alternative medicine.

These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.

China: Parents struggle for autistic kids

China: Parents struggle for autistic kids Tian Ying http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/china-parents-struggle-autistic-kids-autism-22938234 China has no public schools specifically for autistic children so they are taught or treated in schools with others who are mentally challenged. By 2012 the government aims to build facilities in 31 pilot cities, Tian Ying reports. In an outdoor gym class in Beijing, parents are holding their young ones' arms and helping them follow the teacher's moves. None of the autistic kids are focusing on the teacher as they move awkwardly - gently pulled this way and that by their parents. In this nursery mainly for autistic children, parents accompany their kids all day long. Autism is a neural disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and repetitive behavior. The nursery belongs to the public-funded Beijing Chaoyang Anhua Intelligence Training School, where about one third of the 165 students suffer from autism. Since there are no public schools specifically for autistic children, these kids are taught together with others who are mentally challenged. According to WHO statistics, there are 600,000 to 1.8 million children with autism in China. But some scholars believe that the number might be several millions higher. When the kids are taking a nap at noon, 40-year-old Liu Jianhua is mopping his son's classroom floor and tidying up the toys. He volunteers and takes turns with his wife to look after their son. Now I'm pleased to see that my boy wants to hug his daddy occasionally, but before attending the school he treated me just like another person," he says. His five-year-old boy, Liu Shuai, doesn't talk and needs to be looked after constantly. Generally, unlike normal kids, autistic children seem emotionally detached from their parents, never showing intimacy. However, this doesn't make Liu Jianhua love his son any less. "What really worries me is my boy's future, especially when his mother and I are not with him anymore. Who will look after him?" asks Liu. Another parent Zhong Xueping says outside the classroom, "I dare not even think about it." In the classroom, his four-year-old boy Zhong Chuangli is waving his right hand, unaware of what the teacher is doing. Zhong Xueping says he has no idea if the training will help his boy, all he can do is to give his son the best he can afford - a huge financial burden for him. Anhua's tuition is 1,500 yuan (US$220) a month, roughly half the average salary in Beijing in 2009. Tuition at private schools can be double or triple that. Even the cost of the public schools can nearly bankrupt a family, as only one parent usually has time to work, while the other must look after their child all the time. To add to their struggle, some families have to leave their hometown and rent flats in big cities to ensure their children get proper care. Zhong Xueping's family is from Hubei Province. He and his wife sell clothes in Beijing for a living. "We barely make ends meet after the tuition is paid, and we can only afford to rent a small basement," he says. As to the kids' future, Long Jianyou, the principal of Anhua School, says: "In the best-case scenario, graduates from Anhua's vocational high school can find employment." Anhua caters for children from pre-school through high school. This year, 12 of the graduates have already found jobs in reputable hotels, doing simple jobs such as changing bed sheets. They could earn as much as 1,700 yuan a month, says Long. The employers offering jobs to our kids are all China-based foreign companies," says Long. There is not a single domestic company doing this. They might employ physically disabled persons, but never those who are mentally challenged," he says, citing widespread misunderstanding of autism. Zhong Xueping says his family is discriminated against because people think their child is some kind of lunatic. "We sell clothes in a market, and when my boy crawls into others' stands, they shun him as if he's an idiot." Talking about their child's future, Wang Hongli, mother of a 10-year-old boy who's just started to exhibit symptoms of autism, believes her son could do a lot better. She hopes one day her boy can socialize like normal kids. She's going to send her son back to regular school this autumn. But he will probably need a tutor, which could cost 2,000 yuan a month at least. Wang comes from a small city in northeast China's Liaoning Province. Because there is no special school in her hometown, she took time off from work and took her boy all the way to Beijing for treatment and schooling. Even in Beijing, there were no special schools for young children suffering for autism six years ago. Long, the Anhua principal, says: "We only realized recently that the earlier autism is diagnosed and treated, the better people fare later in life, so we started this autistic nursery." China has incorporated a plan for training autistic children into the country's development blueprint for 2006-2012, which specifies the building of autism training facilities in 31 pilot cities, and training professionals to diagnose, train and teach autistic children. From Shanghai Daily Read more: http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/china-parents-struggle-autistic-kids-autism-22938234#ixzz1yC1KRv86