Treating Sciatica Naturally: Home Remedies & Foods for Lower Back Pain

Estimates suggest that one in every hundred people suffer from lower back pain due to sciatica. The prevalence of back pain due to sciatica increases with age, with 50% of all cases of back pain above the age of 60 years being attributed to sciatica. Sciatica is a nerve-related condition that causes excruciating pain and discomfort, due to the impingement of the sciatic nerve.



Causes of Sciatica: Sciatica Symptoms
The most common etiological factor for the occurrence of sciatica is pressure from a herniated disc. Another important cause is the Piriformis Syndrome. The piriformis muscle puts pressure on to the sciatic nerve when it gets imbalanced, thereby, making the pelvic bones displaced, and compressing the sciatic nerve. Spinal canal stenosis causes inflammation because of continuous pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Common clinical features of sciatica include: lower back pain that radiates down to the posterior aspect of the thighs and calves, sometimes causing pain in the ankles and toes as well. Tingling numbness is an associated feature. Dietary prescriptions and exercises can help alleviate the pain and discomfort and also ward off aggravations.

Home Remedies for Sciatica: Lower Back Pain Remedies

Foods have immense healing and curative powers. Research says, certain specific food prescriptions are known to manage the pain and ‘pins and needles’ sensation associated with sciatica and treat sciatica successfully. Make sure you incorporate these foods in to your daily diet.

Radish is beneficial
for treatment of sciatica

• Garlic: Garlic is a potent inflammation fighter. It can assuage pain, boost blood circulation, and also provide the body with energy and vigor. Have two flakes of raw garlic everyday.
• Horse radish: Is a very effective home remedy for the successful treatment of sciatica. Crush fresh horse radish to make a poultice; apply this to the painful areas, and leave on for half an hour. This stimulates the sciatica nerve and will proffer relief from the pain.
• Essential oils: aroma oils such as: Clove Oil, Cardamom Oil and Ginger Oil are decidedly beneficial in the treatment of sciatica. These oils help lessen the pain appreciably and decrease the discomfort and distress associated with the condition. Blend these oils with a carrier oil, such as, coconut oil or sesame seed oil and massage the lower back and the back of the legs daily.

Diet for Sciatica: Lower Back Pain Diet

Here are some diet prescriptions for managing Lower back pain due to sciatica,

• You must ensure that the protein consumption is good. Also, ensure that you have soy in some form everyday. Excellent sources of proteins are: meat, eggs, chicken, legumes and milk.
• Vitamin B rich foods: supplementing your diet with vitamin B is very essential; vitamin B is crucial for optimal nerve health. Excellent sources of the vitamin are: whole grains, nuts, spinach, peas, meat, beef, pinto beans, bananas, soy, and legumes. Make sure that you get a generous dose of these foods on a daily basis. Doctors also recommend starting a vitamin B complex supplement daily. Vitamin B complex helps manage tingling numbness and pain effectively.



Virbhadrasana is effective
in Sciatica managment

• Carrot ought to be a part of your everyday diet. Have one glass of carrot juice everyday. Carrot supplies the body with most of the essential vitamins and minerals that keep the nerves functioning normally.

Exercises and Stretches For Sciatica: Exercise for Lower Back Pain  

All health care professionals stress on the need for exercising and physiotherapy. Exercises stretch the muscles, ligaments and tendons and reinforce them; they ease pain and stiffness and thus improve the range of motion, and consequently enhance the quality of life. Sustained practice is very vital for quick relief of pain.

Certain yoga exercises like Virbhadrasana and Gaumukhasana are considered beneficial for lower back pain management. 

What are Pre-menstrual Syndrome?: Natural Pre-menstrual Cramp Relief

Pre-menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome are not signs of gynecological or menstural disorder but are often a part of the normal menstrual periods in most of the females. Though these condition can be treated using over the counter medications there are several natural and home remedies to manage the condition promptly. As per a recent study conducted in Germany, Chaste tree extract and Vitamin B6 supplements aided in reducing menstrual cramps and other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome in about 36% and 21% of the participants respectively.

PMS is associated with
severe distress

Premenstrual Cramps: Causes of Premenstrual Cramps

As a part of the larger syndrome (Premenstrual Syndrome), premenstrual cramps are relatively common among females during their reproductive age. However about 5-10% of females suffer from severe abdominal pain prior to their menstrual periods, which often tend to interfere with their routine functioning.

• Experts believe that premenstrual cramps stem from the imbalance among female sex hormones namely estrogen and progesterone. This alteration in balance tends to result in smooth muscle contractions due to electrolyte imbalances. 
• Liver Disorders also contribute to the development of premenstrual cramps. Liver plays an important role in excreting excess of estrogen from the blood. If the liver is not functioning adequately due to hepatitis, pre-menstrual cramps are experienced
• Some experts believe that premenstrual cramps can be attributed to lower production of serotonin (a chemical messenger and neurotransmitter). Studies have shown that serotonin resulted in increased sensitivity to pain and can result in cramping feeling in the abdomen.

Premenstrual Cramps and Premenstrual Syndrome: Symptoms of PMS

Pre-menstrual cramps may be primary or secondary in origin. Primary cramps are associated with primary dysmenorrhea and begin a couple of days prior to menstruation. These cramps are relatively severe and associated with colicky pain in the abdomen which may radiate down to the thighs/ hips. Secondary dysmenorrhea on the other hand is associated with genital disease namely pelvic inflammatory disease or urinary tract infection.

In addition to the menstrual cramps, a female may experience a host of other symptoms as a part of the Premenstrual Syndrome complex,

• Breast pain and breast tenderness
• Abdominal bloating and gaseous distention with gassy stomach
• Fatigue with lack of energy
• Sleeplessness or insomnia
• Headache along with generalized body pain and joint pain
• Constipation or diarrhea along with nausea and vomiting may also be experienced.

Premenstrual cramps relief: Natural and Effective Home Remedies to treat PMS

A large number of females usually treat pre-menstrual cramps using over the counter NSAIDs, which are often associated with various health implications include heartburn, reflux disease and peptic ulcers. Fortunately, there are a wide range of natural treatment options that can help in long term and effective management premenstrual Cramps.

• Chaste Tree extracts are considered beneficial in management of premenstrual cramps. Chaste tree supplements help regulate the hormonal imbalance by acting on the pituitary gland. Herbs like dong qaui and black cohosh are considered to increase the efficacy of chaste tree extract.



Magnesium and Vitamin
Supplements can reduce
Pre-menstural Cramps

• Vitamin B6 supplements are also beneficial in management of menstrual cramps. Vitamin B6 not only improves the livers ability to process and excrete excess of estrogen, it enables the brain to stimulate the production of serotonin.
• Magnesium supplements are known to reduce muscular contractions and can help in management of menstrual cramps
• Aroma Oils are considered to benefit in reducing pre-menstrual cramps. Lavender and geranium oils can aid in reducing abdominal colic and pain.
• Regular exercise or yoga therapy can help in improving the pain threshold along with playing a key role in improving hormonal imbalances. 

Home based Eye Care for Computer Users: Vision Eye Care with Eye Excercises

Eye care is important for computer users. Prolonged time in front of the computer screen increases need for vision eye care. This article is about how to care eyes and key eye care tips especially for computer users. Eye Yoga is a unique technique to maintain healthy vision and prevent eye problems

Vision Eye Care For Computer Users: Home based Care of Eyes Naturally

Nearly all of us spend long intervals of time working at the computer. Whether you spend 2 hours or 20 hours staring at the computer screen, taking good care of your eyes will help promote eye health, prevent eye disorders and reduce the brutal effects of exposure to the screen.
Prolonged exposure to computer screen often results in blurring of vision, which increases eye strain and can result in other symptoms like headache and irritability.

Vision Eye Care  results in blurring of vision which can be treated promptly at home by performing certain eye exercises and eye yoga daily. Other Eye tips like taking frequent breaks from the computer can also reduce eye strain and improve eye health.

Eye Glasses are frequent
among computer users

Vision Eye Exercises for Computer Users: Natural Eye Care Tips

The following exercises are decidedly beneficial and can even be done at your office desk. These exercises help relieve stress and strain in the muscles of the eyes, keep the vision good, give your eyes a much needed rest and also rejuvenate them.

• Palming: Palming soothes tired eyes and banishes eye strain. Sit in a chair, comfortably. Close your eyes. Massage your palms briskly, and place them over the shut eyes. When doing so, do not put excessive pressure over the eyes, just cup them gently. Hold for a minute. This technique helps soothen the eye and also aids in improving vision.
• Scanning: Scanning helps your eyes fine-tune to near and far objects. Sit comfortably. Focus your eyes on an object in the room; draw the outline of each object, moving from wall to wall. The eyes should move continually, from object to object, on the other hand, not in a haphazard manner. Scan the room for 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Eye Aerobics: Close your eyes. Keeping them closed; look up as far as you can. Do not strain your eyes though. Then, look down. Repeat thrice. Now, open your eyes. After a minute close them again and move them to the left, and then to the right. Repeat thrice. Open your eyes..

How to Care for Eyes at Home: Eye Yoga for Care of the Eyes among Computer Users

Trataka cures diseases of the eyes and removes tiredness. It also helps focus the mind, improve concentration and is calming.

• Light a candle and place it on a low table. The candle should be in level with your eyes. Sit comfortably on the floor. The flame should be about 1 meter from your face.
• Gaze at the flame steadily, without blinking, for about 30 seconds. Gradually, increase this count to 60 seconds.
• Initially, gazing without blinking will be difficult; however, with regular practice you will be able to do it well.
• Keep your mind steady and resist any temptation to blink.
• When your time is up, close your eyes. An after image of the flame will appear. When it disappears, open your eyes. You can do the second round of gazing then.
• Repeat thrice. After the third round, practice palming of the eyes.

Vision Eye Care Tips for Computer Users: Home based Eye Tips for Better Eye Vision

In addition to eye excercises and eye yoga, there are a host of other health tips that can prove beneficial in Vision eye care. These are simple home based tips that can help strenghten vision naturally,

• Increase the intake of foods rich in Vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for the eyes as it contains retinol, which is important to maintain healthy vision. Increase intake of carrots, green leafy vegetables, liver and organ meat.
• Take frequent breaks when in front of the computer.
• Ensure that the computer screen is not very bright. Ensure that the brightness is at par with the surrounding areas. Too bright computer screens can cause eye strain and eye damage
• Slash cold water on the eyes frequently. This soothens the eyes and reduces eye strain.
• Ensure that the fonts on the computer screen are large. Fonts smaller than 14 can lead to eye strain, especially after prolonged usage.