Coconut Oil Must Be Organic and Virgin to Reap Health Benefits

Several years ago, a popular national magazine called coconut oil a “miracle food” touting its ability to burn fat, help the thyroid and increase energy. As you can imagine, everyone flocked to the health food stores and wiped out the nations supply of coconut oil. Manufacturers could not keep up with the demand for high quality virgin coconut oil. During this time, several companies started peddling a very inexpensive, highly processed and refined coconut oil that was very appealing to the pocketbook.

Once again, coconut oil is back in the headlines and consumers are out shopping for the best value. Buyer beware… this low grade coconut oil does not hold the same promise as the high quality organic, virgin grade. The low grade coconut oil starts out with coconuts that are split and left outside in the open to dry out. Due to the high heat and humidity in the tropics, the coconuts are susceptible to growing mold and attracting germy flies. From there, harmful solvents are used for extracting the oil and more chemicals are used to bleach it back to its original white color. All the health benefits have now been destroyed and what is left is odorless, tasteless and bleached oil that can actually cause your body harm to consume it. I also want to mention that most salad and cooking oils that are sold at the market are also highly refined and manufactured basically the same way as I described above. Always make sure all the oils you consume are cold pressed (no chemical solvents or heat used) and preferably organic.

To reap the health benefits of coconut oil, it must be organic and virgin. This means that the coconuts are organically grown without any pesticides or herbicides. They are then “hand” or “mechanically” pressed without the use of solvents. You end up with creamy, naturally white oil that has a delightful smell of coconuts.

In addition to the fat burning and thyroid stimulating benefits that coconut oil has to offer, it also is known for improving conditions such as chronic fatigue, Crohn’s, IBS, and diabetes to name a few. It is rich in lauric acid which has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol.

You can use coconut oil for cooking, on salads, spread over toast, vegetables or added to protein drinks. It does not even have to be refrigerated. Room temp is fine. It has a shelf life of 1-2 years.

Coconut oil can be used topically for moisturizing and toning. It makes the skin feel like silk, even on those with extremely dry skin. It also helps to prevent sagging and wrinkling by keeping the connective tissues strong. It will remove the outer layer of dead skin cells, making the skin smother giving a more youthful appearance.

This column, provided by Michael Comeau is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure disease. Always consult with your doctor when seeking medical advice.

The Causes and Symptoms of Melanoma

Melanoma is a malignant tumor predominantly found in the skin but can be found elsewhere, especially the eye. The vast majority of melanomas originate in the skin. Melanomas are the most lethal form of skin cancer. As with most forms of cancer, earlier detection gives patients a better chance of survival.

Epidemiologic studies from Australia suggest that exposure to ultraviolet radiation is one of the major contributors to the development of melanoma. Occasional extreme sun exposure resulting in a sunburn is causally related to melanoma. Those with more chronic long term exposure (outdoor workers) may develop protective mechanisms. Melanoma is most common on the back in men and on legs in women (areas of intermittent sun exposure) and is more common in indoor workers than outdoor workers (in a British study). Other factors are mutations in or total loss of tumor suppressor genes. Use of sunbeds with deeply penetrating UVA rays has been linked to the development of skin cancers, including melanoma.

Possible significant elements in determining risk include the intensity and duration of sun exposure, the age at which sun exposure occurs, and the degree of skin pigmentation. Exposure during childhood is a more important risk factor than exposure in adulthood. This is seen in migration studies in Australia where people tend to retain the risk profile of their country of birth if they migrate to Australia as an adult. Individuals with blistering or peeling sunburns especially in the first twenty years of life have a significantly greater risk for melanoma.

Fair and red-headed people are at greater risk for developing melanoma. A person with multiple atypical nevi or dysplastic nevi are at a significant risk. Persons born with giant congenital naevi are at increased risk.

A family history of melanoma greatly increases a person's risk. Certain 'melanoma families' display features of mendelian inheritance of cancer causing genes. It is critical that individuals with family members who have been diagnosed with melanoma be checked regularly for skin cancer. Patients with a history of one melanoma are at increased risk of developing a second primary tumour.

Do you suspect that you may have Melanoma?

Any mole that is irregular in color or shape should be examined by a doctor to determine if it is a malignant melanoma, the most serious and life-threatening form of skin cancer. Following a visual examination and a dermatoscopic exam (an instrument that illuminates a mole, revealing its underlying pigment and vascular network structure), the doctor may biopsy the suspicious mole. If it is malignant, the mole and an area around it needs excision by a surgeon or dermatologist.

The diagnosis of melanoma requires experience, as early stages may look identical to harmless moles or not have any color at all. Where any doubt exists, the patient will be referred to a specialist dermatologist.

How to Prevent Melanoma

Minimize exposure to sources of ultraviolet radiation (the sun and sunbeds).

Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and broad-brimmed hats offers the best protection.

Use a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or better on exposed areas.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you suspect you have Melanoma, please consult your physician as early as possible for diagnosis and treatment options.

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What is Natural Skin Care?

What is Natural skin care?

Do you know what is the best way to care for your skin naturally?

Put simply, ‘natural skin care’ is caring for your skin in a natural and chemical-free way. ‘Natural skin care’ advocates enabling the skin to take care of itself (without any assistance from synthetic materials/ chemicals). ‘Natural skin care’ is about inculcation of good habits in the way you lead your day to day life. A lot of natural skin care measures are actually the same as those for body care in general.

So let’s see what these natural skin care measures are.

Well the first and the foremost natural skin care measure is – ‘Drink a lot of water’. Around 8 glasses of water is a must everyday. Water helps in flushing out the toxins from the body, in a natural way. It helps in the overall upkeep of the body and promotes good health for all organs (not just skin).

General cleanliness is another inexpensive way of natural skin care. Daily shower, wearing clean clothes and sleeping on a clean mattress/pillow are all part of general cleanliness. After all, clean skin is the key to keeping the skin disorders at bay.

Regular exercise is the next thing on the cards. Exercise increases the flow of blood that helps in getting rid of body toxins and keeping you healthy. Exercise also helps in beating stress which is the worst enemy of good health.

Healthy food and eating habits are also recommended for natural skin care. Some type of food (e.g. oily food) is know to cause acne and should be avoided as much as possible. Your diet should be a healthy mix of various nutrient providing foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are known to provide freshness to your body and help in getting rid of body toxins.

A good sleep is also instrumental in maintaining good health and in beating stress. As a natural skin care measure, a good sleep delays slacking of skin.

Beating stress is another natural skin care therapy. Stress causes overall damage to body and health. Drinking a lot of water, getting a sound sleep and exercise has already been mentioned as stress busters. Indulging in a warm bubble bath, listening to music and playing your favourite sport are also good ways of beating stress. Yoga is yet another way of beating stress; it is fast gaining popularity amongst the masses.

Avoiding excessive exposure to sun (by wearing long sleeved clothes, hat and umbrella etc), is another natural skin care strategy. Sunscreen lotions are also recommended as necessary.

A lot of traditional and home made natural skin care products/ measures are also known to be very effective. Such measures are not only natural and easy-to-follow, but also relatively inexpensive.

Besides that, a lot of natural skin care products are available in the commercial market. These include things like lavender oil, aloe vera etc., which don’t have any side effects.

Lotion vs. Skin Care Creams

Lotions vs. skin care creams

There is no dearth of skin care creams and lotions in the market. Name an ailment, and you will find hundreds of skin care creams, lotions and other products for it. As a result of ongoing research and due to ever increasing demand, the number of skin care products seems to be on the increase. Skin care lotions and skin care creams are the most popular forms in which these products are available, and there always seems to be a debate on which form is better?

Well, there is no definitive answer to this. It seems more like a matter of personal choice. However, greasy creams are surely less popular as compared to the non-greasy (or less greasy) ones. Since the application of skin care creams is easier, they seem to be preferred (over lotions) in cases where the skin care product is not to be removed immediately after application. So, skin care creams seem more popular as moisturisers than as cleansers or toners. For toners, lotions seem to be preferred over skin care creams. There are some skin care creams that acts as toners too, but generally the toners are available in liquid form only. For cleansing, lotions and skin care creams are equally popular; however, the tilt seems more towards lotions.

Creams are known to be most effective in keeping skin moist; hence, the most popular form of skin care creams is moisturisers. Due to the same reason, a lot of people tend to associate skin care creams with dry and sensitive skin. Though it is true to a certain extent, skin care creams are not used only for dry skin, they are also used for making products for oily skin e.g. vitamin A creams and sulphur creams that help reduce the rate of sebum production.

Skin care creams are also used for products that cater to skin disorders especially for disorders that require the application of product over a small localised area. This is again due to the fact that skin care creams are easier to apply (without wastage) on the affected area. However, in cases where skin needs to be washed using a medicine/product, lotion is a better choice. Mostly, the manufacturers too realize this fact, making it easier for you to choose between a lotion and a skin care cream

Eye-creams and anti-ageing creams are other examples where skin care cream is preferred over its lotion counterpart.

Whatever your choice be (cream or lotion), knowing how to use it effectively, is more important than anything else.

Bladder Cancer And The Effects Of Colon Cleansing

You've probably heard of some of the many ways that you can clean your colon, but you may not understand the benefits of colon cleansing. There are many reasons you'll want to have a colon cleansing done at least every two years.

Herbs are good in intestinal cleansing since they get rid of pounds of foul smelling food debris that have been stored inside the colon. Often, cleaning the colon can take up to a month and there are products that are very effective as the powers, teas, and pills. Increase your exercise level to help eliminate constipation and accelerate detoxification and colon cleansing.

Increase fiber in your diet and include whole grains, fruits and vegetables to help activate the bowel cleansing and relief of constipation. Detoxification or colon cleansing, it is also important to include probiotics in your diet to restore the good bacteria in the intestines. Many people swear by the fact that after years of self-medication and doctor visits, a colon cleansing is what ultimately cure many diseases, they were suffuring years.

As awareness of colon cleansing is reaching more people and more, new methods of colon cleansing are also available. A kit for cleaning the colon is a system in 3 parts. The tea, powder and pills as mentioned above. But far from being the only thing on the market.


Constipation is caused by so many contributing factors that it is very difficult to find a recipe for colon cleansing works fairly widely. Juice fasting is a great way to cleanse the colon. The second way is to use formulas based cleaning plants that often contain herbs that are known to kill parasites, to reactivate the peristalsis (the muscular action of the colon) and remove mucus and compacted feces and sides of the colon wall.

Often, the muscles of the colon wall will expand and lose their tone. Good colon health implies the proper and adequate colon and state without toxic colon.
The best thing to do is ensure that you undergo a colon cleansing done every two years so you do not have complications in the near future because of all the toxins you take in. May S "If you please remember that it is important to consult a doctor for advice before starting any cleansing program colon. Healthy colon for you, please visit my website to learn more about cleansing colon detoxification.

Alternative herbal liver cancer cure

Our Liver Cancer Protocol incorporates changes in lifestyle, including proper nutrition, exercise and supplements and herbal. The formulations of herbal medicines used in our cons liver cancer have been clinically tested. Alternative treatment for liver cancer that could save your life that contain remedies herbal medicines are natural, without side effects.
The information contained in this article does not purport to be medical advice or to replace the expertise and trial of a physician or a team of cancer care. It is intended to assist individuals and families to make decisions, accompanied by their doctor.
Liver cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. A deadly cancer, liver cancer kills almost all patients who within a year. The role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in charge of liver cancer is well established. Several lines of evidence point to this strong association Furthermore, patients with hepatitis B who are most at risk of liver cancer are men with hepatitis B cirrhosis.

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I felt that if I looked hard enough, I find the missing links, the overlooked miracles, plants and herbs provided by nature to help us heal. I cross checked sources of information and plowed across the cancer treatment alternative that I could find. This is the most comprehensive collection you will find anywhere in the world today.

Whether you're looking to learn more about cancer treatment alternative for yourself or on behalf of a loved one, my comprehensive guide has been designed to satisfy your quest for answers.

I know how he feels helpless, not knowing what the future holds. I had so many questions. As I searched for information on cancer treatments both conventional and alternative, I was shocked to find cancer treatments how many others had been lost to public knowledge, or discredited, or forced into hiding.

You must make your own mind about cancer treatment alternative that sincerely urge you to own your own health and not hand them over to someone else to own. There is no one on the face of the earth with more interest in your well-being than yourself. You must take control of your own destiny and not leave it to others who have their own interests!

This disease occurs more frequently in males than females. Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) is a cancer arising from the liver. However, liver cells (hepatocytes) make up 80% of liver tissue. Thus, the majority of primary liver cancers (over 90 to 95%) arises from liver cells and is called hepatocellular cancer or carcinoma. When patients or physicians speak of liver cancer, however, they often refer to cancer that has spread to the liver and from other organs (such as colon, stomach, pancreas, breast and lung). More specifically, this type of liver cancer is metastatic liver disease (cancer) or secondary liver cancer. Thus, the term liver cancer may actually refer to either liver cancer or metastatic hepatocellular cancer. The subject of this article is hepatocellular carcinoma, which is called liver cancer.

After treated for liver cancer, he should follow up after treatment for liver cancer can and should because of the high rate of recurrence in patients who were treated and given the high risk of developing cancer liver seconds for patients with severe liver cirrhosis. Follow routine care should be performed every 3-6 months for years after treatment.

Follow-up care should include treatment of medical problems underlying, such as hepatitis or alcoholism, routine blood tests. Rapid assessment and treatment of suspicious results is critical. Ultimately, the treatment of liver cancer should be a cooperative effort between patient and doctor. It is important that patients know their disease so they may make informed decisions about their treatment. This article was intended to help answer some of the most frequently experienced by patients when they develop liver cancer. If you have additional questions, please contact your physician.

The goal of treatment varies depending on the characteristics of cancer each person. Treatment depends on the stage of cancer. The lack of consensus on the best treatment for liver cancer has contributed to the pessimistic attitude that many have about their treatment. Aggressive treatment strategies such as drugs with natural supplements herbal can cure or significantly prolong the lives of many people with liver cancer.
An integrated approach, using a combination of two or more of these methods often provides the best results. This should be a thorough evaluation with the appropriate specialist to cure disease with individual qualities and out to have a second life.

Adherence With Oral Meds-An Issue In Breast Cancer "Drugs don't work in patients who don't take them."

In the battle against breast cancer, patients are increasingly prescribed oral medications, such as hormone therapy, to limit the risk of recurrent disease. Research has shown that patients must remain on these drugs for five years to gain the maximum benefit.

But recently, community health care began to ask a question, once limited to the management of colds, not cancer patients breast cancer take their medications as prescribed?

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S. Of this total, about 100,000 have cancers that may respond to hormonal therapy. Taking therapy than that provided for five full years may reduce their risk of recidivism.

Easier Said Than Done

Based on the findings of a recent symposium on treatment adherence in patients with breast cancer, candidates for hormone therapy about 500,000 women in the U.S. may not be reaping the fruits of their drug treatments. According to some studies, rates of non-compliance up to 40 percent.

The symposium, called the Compliance Strategic Initiative (CSI), has addressed issues that lead to medication non-compliance among patients with breast cancer, and identified possible solutions to these issues. Representatives of major organizations of patient advocacy and professional associations, health and oncology experts and survivors across the nation gathered to share their views. The CSI has been directed by a steering committee that included representatives from the American Cancer Society, Cancer, the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), and Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization.

"Through research we know that five years of adjuvant hormonal therapy in women with estrogen receptor, breast cancer prolongs survival and reduces recurrence," said D. Lawrence Wickerham, MD, Associate Chair of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project. "Yet, studies also show that all patients remain under hormonal treatment as prescribed. It is important that providers of health care to understand why women make this decision, we can approach this question with information, resources and support necessary to help them through this part of their treatment. "

Based on the results of the meeting, participants gained a better understanding of the factors that contributed to non-compliance. Among these factors, patients often do not feel empowered to speak with their doctors on difficult issues, such as side effects, doctors and other health professionals are not equipped with the resources to help patients cope with or eliminate side effects, and, after their acute phase of treatment, women often feel they are left in May to manage the treatment of their own. Doctors are under pressure and more time and performance and may not always have the skills to listen to their patients, or simply not realize that their patients may not take their medications. These factors combine to create communication gaps through which compliance issues can fall.

In conclusion, advocates of breast cancer and experts attending the symposium agreed that the support mechanisms for patients and can be improved. Care providers and patients all play a pivotal role. Through education and communication, they can begin taking steps to help some patients with breast cancer reduce their risk of recidivism.

Two out of five patients with breast cancer do not take their medications correctly.