The thyroid gland, which is housed just below your voice box, derives its name from the Greek word for shield due to its shape. A healthy thyroid is just a little bigger than a quarter and cannot be felt under the skin. It has two lobes. A swollen lobe may just feel like a lump in your throat.

A swollen lobe is called a goiter that is normally caused due to iodine deficiency. There are, however, other abnormal conditions of thyroid, out of which, thyroid cancer (thyroid carcinoma) is the most serious.

Often, thyroid cancers in early stages produce no thyroid cancer symptoms. As the cancer grows, a small lump or nodule can be felt in the neck. The vast majority of thyroid nodules are caused by benign conditions – only about 1 percent of these types of nodules actually signify the presence of thyroid cancer.

If it is indeed thyroid cancer and begins to spread, it can cause thyroid cancer symptoms that include:  Read more...

The first sign of a varicose vein is swelling along the path the vein takes down the leg. After this most people notice bluish or reddish tinged coloring to the area as well as a swelling along the vein. These varicose veins are result of damaged one way valves that helped push the blood through the veins and on to the heart. When the valves become damaged the blood is able to pool within the veins and decreases the ability of the body to remove toxins and oxygenate the tissues.

At this time, traditional Western medicine believes that sclerotherapy is the gold standard for treating varicose veins. However, some insurance companies do not cover this expense if there are no other underlying medical symptoms. And, some women would like to try other more natural remedies in order to treat their varicose veins and prevent any further from occurring.  Read more...

Understanding the immune system is crucial for both medical and bioscience students, with new research revealing yet more secrets year on year. Many books offer in-depth introductions to the subject, but How the Immune System Works remains uniquely popular for its personable and practical overview of the nuts and bolts of the immune system.

This third edition provides a perfect introduction to the essential principles of the immune system, covered in humorous but… More >>

How the Immune System Works

Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of a multitude of illnesses, diseases and conditions that are known to scientists and doctors today. Cigarette smoking will account for more than 440,000 deaths of the more than 2.4 million who die every single year. Smokers have a higher risk of developing many different chronic disorders that are a result of the chemicals and nicotine ingested into the body during smoking.

While the drug nicotine may be primarily responsible for the addiction to cigarettes there are over 2000 other chemicals that affect the body during smoking. The most hazardous substances included in cigarettes are tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide. Smoking will decrease the levels of oxygen which reached the tissues because of the carbon monoxide which also increases susceptibility at the cellular level for damage to be done by the over 40 different known carcinogens inhaled with each cigarette.  Read more...

In cases where topical eczema treatment is not successful, doctors may prescribe oral eczema treatment. You may be prescribed one of the following namely antibiotics, antihistamines, corticosteroids and cyclosporine.

The antibiotics given are designed to decrease the irritation caused by Staph bacteria. You will have to take it for the next 14 to 28 days. In cases where you have this condition repeatedly, you may need to take maintenance antibiotics.

Some examples of these antibiotics include Bactroban, Cephalosporins, Cloxacillin, Erythromycin and Fucidin.

Next you have antihistamines which are very helpful in reducing itch. Because the side effect of this is drowsiness, patients are advised to only take it at night. Studies have shown that this will also help with any urticarial component of eczema of this skin condition. Two of these that are commonly used include Doxepin and Hydroxyzine.

You might be wondering if there are antihistamines that do not cause drowsiness and yes there are. But in a study that compared drowsiness and non-drowsiness antihistamines, the one that does not cause drowsiness is not as effective in helping those who have eczema.  Read more...

What is Kiddie Florish?

Kiddie Florish is a 100% safe and natural complex herbal remedy for children who are uninterested in eating. The herbal ingredients in Kiddie Florish help to naturally strengthen the constitution, maintain healthy appetite and mood, and promote the health of the nervous system. Kiddie Florish comes in a convenient liquid drop form that is easy to administer. It may be diluted in water or juice, or even a favorite snack. The dosage is easy to adjust for different ages.

Like all Native Remedies products, Kiddie Florish is developed with care by our practicing Clinical Psychologist, is 100% natural and manufactured according to the highest pharmaceutical standards. Individual ingredients are well-researched and have been specially chosen for their high safety profile in children’s remedies.

How has Kiddie Florish helped others?  Read more...

Antihistamines are used to suppress the bodys natural production of histamines. When one is exposed to certain allergens substances that cause allergic reactions the body produces histamines as part of its defense systems. This is why an eczema treatment may sometimes include antihistamines to lessen the symptoms of the skin disease, such as inflammation, reddening and itching of the affected areas.

However, antihistamines interfere with the role of histamines in suppressing allergic reactions. So if you are suffering from eczema, you might as well give scrambling to your doctors clinic right away to get a prescription a second thought. Antihistamines may give you side effects even worse than the eczema symptoms you are trying to do away with. This is why many doctors recommend other forms of topical treatments for flare ups, such as ointments, foams, lotions and gels.

How do antihistamines work?

Certain organs in the body the skin, lungs and the length of the digestive system naturally contain high amounts of histamines. In fact, almost any of your bodily organs have them for defense. Aside from immune regulation, histamines also play other roles in the body such as:  Read more...