Natural Remedies for Common Ailments (Part 2)

In the last edition of the magazine, we featured natural remedies for sore throat, stomach ache, cough and heartburn. In this issue, we focus on four others, namely headache, flatulence or farting, anxiety, insomnia or sleeplessness. We emphasize that these are merely palliatives for minor ailments and not cures for diseases that should be treated by qualified physicians.

Headache

Headache can refer to pain in the head that feels like throbbing or squeezing sensations; and may be constant or intermittent. The pain may be felt in one part of the face or skull or may be generalized involving the whole head. Headaches may arise spontaneously or may be associated with activity or exercise. It is often associated with nausea and vomiting, especially migraine. Common types are tension, migraine and cluster headaches.

Causes of headaches

1. Inflammation or irritation of structures that surround the brain;
2. Infection or dehydration;
3. Changes in circulation and blood flow;
4. Medication reactions, drug abuse and drug withdrawal;
5. Certain foods; and
6. Stress.

Symptoms

1. Tension headaches appear as pain that begins in the back of the head and upper neck, often described as band-like tightness or pressure. It is not associated with nausea and vomiting;
2. Migraine headaches manifest as throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head. They can be intense enough to prevent the victim from completing simple tasks. Migraine attacks can cause vision problems, oversensitivity to light and nausea; and
3. Cluster headaches occur periodically with pain-free periods of months or years in between. The pain is usually excruciating and located around or behind one eye. This type of headache affects men more often.

Natural Remedies

1. Get enough rest and stay dehydrated;
2. If possible, rest in a dark room to hasten sleep;
3. Wrap an ice pack in a cloth and apply it to the neck or head area;
4. A gentle massage may help to relieve some of the tension in the temples or neck; and
5. Inhale lavender essential oil for 15 minutes to help ease the pain of migraine.

Consult your doctor if the headaches are accompanied by weakness, dizziness, loss of balance, difficulty speaking, seizures, blurry vision, fever, shortness of breath, a stiff neck, rash, nausea or vomiting.

Flatulence or Farting

Commonly known as farting, passing wind, or having gas, flatulence is a medical term for releasing gas from the digestive system through the anus. It occurs when gas collects inside the digestive system. Flatulence can have causes that are not due to underlying disease. Examples include having wind or food intolerance.

Causes of Flatulence

Flatulence is very common. We all accumulate gas in our digestive system. Most people pass gas about ten time a day. If you pass wind more frequently than this on a regular basis, you could have excessive flatulence, which has a number of causes, including the following:

1. Swallowing air by chewing gum, smoking, sucking on objects such as pen tops, consuming carbonated drinks and eating too quickly;
2. Dietary choices which increase flatulence such as beans, cabbage, broccoli, raisins, lentils, prunes, apples, foods high in fructose or sorbitol like fruit juices.
3. Constipation;
4. Gastroenteritis;
5. Food intolerance such as lactose intolerance;
6. Irritable bowel syndrome;
7. Crohn’s disease;
8. Celiac disease;
9. Diabetes;
10. Eating disorders;
11. Ulcerative colitis;
12. Dumping syndrome;
13. Gastroesophageal reflux disease;
14. Autoimmune pancreatitis; and
15. Peptic ulcers.

Natural Remedies

1. Eat meals and snacks slowly and carefully;
2. Stop chewing gum;
3. Look out for food intolerances and allergies;
4. Avoid tight-fitting clothes;
5. Avoid or reduce intake of gas-producing foods, especially beans and other legumes, as well as carbohydrates that contain fructose, lactose, insoluble fibre, and starch that ferments in the large intestine;
6. Avoid carbonated beverages, fruit juice, onions, pears and antichokes;
7. Give up smoking;
8. Do more exercise;
9. Drink plenty of liquids;
10. Tackle constipation; and
11. Take a glass of a mixture of warm water, lemon juice and apple cider on an empty stomach in the morning.

Anxiety

Anxiety is intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Fast heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating and feeling tired may occur.

Common Causes

Anxiety can be normal in stressful situations such as public speaking or taking a test. It is only an indicator of underlying disease when feeling become excessive, all-consuming and interfere with daily living.

Symptoms

1. Feeling nervous, restless or tense;
2. Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom;
3. Having an increased heart rate;
4. Breathing rapidly;
5. Sweating;
6. Trembling;
7. Feeling weak or tired; and
8. Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry.

Natural Remedies

1. Set aside five minutes before starting your day for slow, deep breathing;
2. Think about the day ahead, what you are grateful for and the people in your life;
3. Teach your kids to use breathing exercises to help them prepare for the day ahead;
4. Slow down breathing by inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for six seconds to activate the part of the nervous system that calms us;
5. Choose calming music to listen to on your way to and from work or school;
6. Spend a few minutes after work to prepare for the transition home; and
7. Put to rest the unresolved issues at work and shift your focus to your family.

Insomnia or Sleeplessness

Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which the victim has trouble falling and or staying asleep. The condition can be short-term (acute) or can last a long time (chronic). Acute insomnia may last from one night to a few weeks. There are two types of insomnia, primary and secondary. Primary insomnia is where the sleep problem is not linked to any other health condition. In secondary insomnia, the victim has problem sleeping due to health conditions like asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer and heartburn, or other factors such as pain, medication or substance use like alcohol.

Causes

1. Stress related to big events like a job loss or change, the death of a loved one;
2. Things around the victim like noise, light or temperature;
3. Changes to sleep schedule like jet lag, a new shift at work, or bad habits picked up when the victim had other problems;
4. Genetic make-up of the victim;
5. Mental health issues like depression and anxiety;
6. Medications for colds, allergies, depression, high blood pressure and asthma;
7. Pain or discomfort at night;
8. Caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol use, as well as use of illicit drugs;
9. Hyperthyroidism and other endocrine problems;
10. Other sleep disorders like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome;
11. Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia;
12. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and
13. Premenstrual syndrome and menopause.

Symptoms

1. Sleepiness during the day;
2. Fatigue;
3. Grumpiness; and
4. Problems with concentration or memory.

Natural Remedies

The natural remedies for insomnia focus on prevention. Good sleep habits, also called sleep hygiene can help anyone beat insomnia. Here are some tips:

1. Go to sleep at the same time each night, and get up at the same time each morning;
2. Try not to take naps during the day, because they may make you less sleepy at night;
3. Don’t use phones or read e-books before bed as their light can make it harder for you to fall asleep;
4. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol late in the day because they are stimulants and can keep you from falling asleep;
5. Get regular exercise, but try not to work out close to bedtime, because it may make it hard for you to fall asleep- experts suggest exercising at least 3 to 4 hours before going to bed;
6. Don’t eat a heavy meal late in the day, but a light snack before bedtime may help you sleep;
7. Make your bedroom comfortable- dark, quiet, and not too warm or too cold; if light is a problem, use a sleeping mask;
8. To cover sounds, try earplugs;
9. Follow a routine to relax before bed, such as reading a book, listening to music, or taking a bath;
10. Don’t use your bed for anything other than sleep;
11. If you can’t fall asleep and aren’t drowsy, get up and do something calming, like reading until you feel sleepy; and
12. If you tend to lie awake and worry about things, make a to-do list before you go to bed- this may help you put your concerns aside for the night.

            Besides the listed natural remedies, people who put their faith in God can lay hold of His promises in Scripture for wholeness. Jesus Christ said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). In the Old Testament, Almighty God said to the Israelites in Exodus 15:26, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commandments and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you”.  

God promises us wholeness and abundance. But we must submit to His Lordship over our lives. We must trust and obey Him in all areas of our lives. Then we can be sure that our physical bodies will prosper and be in health just as our souls prosper or are made whole by the blood of Jesus and the transformation power of the Holy Spirit (3 John 2).

 Culled from https://www.mountelizabeth.com.sg, https://www.mayoclinic.com, https://wwwhealthline.com, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com, https://www.webmd.com