Dr. Mohammad Nezar Al Deker, who practices Islamic medicine specifically, raises important issues when it comes to sleep, digestion and breathing. He theorizes that sleeping on the right side promotes better digestion because of the positioning of...
When it comes to maintaining your metabolism and feeling full, timing and digestion are closely linked. This is why it is suggested you always eat breakfast -- because it gets your metabolism going -- and why you avoid a big dinner right before...
When trying to lose weight, you must consume a diet high in good quality proteins. Comprised of amino acids, proteins help build lean, metabolically active muscle tissue that helps the body burn more calories while at rest. Balancing carbohydrate...
What you eat and drink goes through a complicated process upon ingestion. Digestion breaks down solids and liquids, allowing for the absorption of vitamins and minerals necessary to feed cells and energize the body. To keep digestion running...
Yoga is widely known for its ability to improve strength, flexibility and balance. Different yoga positions have also been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep and digestion, and relieve a variety of medical conditions such as diabetes,...
Exercise is a central part of a healthy lifestyle, helping to prevent heart problems and other diseases while aiding with weight maintenance. However, there is such a thing as too much exercise, and overtraining can lead to injuries, burnout and...
Kickboxing, a hybrid sport that sprang from the desire of karate practitioners in the 1970s to expand the contact that was allowed in their competitions, has become a popular training activity as well as an athletic competition. Because kickboxing...
For the most part, yoga doesn't cleanse the body of impurities in a literal sense. However, in helping you shed stress, depression and anxiety, it can offer a spiritually cleansing experience, which also has significant health benefits.
While gravity boots and inversion tables might seem like new-fangled contraptions, yoga inversion therapy greatly predates them. Yoga inversion therapy offers all the benefits of inversion with poses that range from mild to "my goodness" without...
Massage therapy, as defined by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), is a profession in which the practitioner applies manual techniques with the intention of positively affecting the health and well-being of the client. Manual...
Documented as early as 5000 years ago, herbal remedies are categorized in Western medicine as a complementary and alternative therapy. Types of herbal remedies come from various cultures and geographic regions, and while some are backed by...
The perennial tarragon and the annual parsley are different herbs with similar uses. Both serve as culinary flavorings by themselves or as part of blends. They also contain some of the same vitamins and minerals, though you probably never eat...
Among all point location methods, palpation remains the most effective way to find acupuncture points with therapeutic value. Acupuncture points found by palpation may be of three types; tender, empty and full. The first group of points will be...
Depression is a chronic illness that affects your mental, emotional and physical systems. Over 21 million Americans have depression, and the 30,000 suicides that occur in the United States each year are mainly attributed to this disease, according...
From walking to strength training, exercise can provide physical and mental benefits to new mothers. According to the University of Michigan Depression Center, a little less than 80 percent of all women get the "postpartum blues," a mild form of...
Exercise provides many physical and mental health benefits. Not only does it pump up your feel-good hormones, also known as endorphins, physical exercise also combats stress, boosts self-confidence, promotes better sleep, sharpens your mental...
Alcohol cravings are likened to the urge of hunger, which varies in intensity as well as symptoms. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says that alcohol cravings occur as a physiological response to internal or external cues...
Antidepressants are prescription medications indicated for the treatment of major depression and bipolar depression. There are several classes of antidepressants; most boost serotonin levels, while some also work to increase dopamine and...
Yoga is well known for its ability to increase flexibility and reduce stress. Recent studies indicate yoga can provide all the required elements of a complete exercise program by building your strength and improving your cardiovascular function....
Researchers generally agree on the number of hours people need at various stages in life. And because those sleep requirements change as you age, it's important to understand what your goals should be and how to address sleep problems if you're...
Although massage is often used at spas for relaxation, the therapy also offers many health benefits aside from easing stress. If you have certain medical conditions, you might use massage as a complementary therapy in addition to conventional...
The structure of a yoga class depends on several factors, including the type of yoga, the intended therapeutic benefits and the emphasis that the teacher or studio places on yoga's spiritual aspects. Most yoga classes, however, adhere to a certain...
Most health experts agree that the only way to lose weight is to take in fewer calories than you burn. This means, of course, that you need to make careful food choices and increase your activity level. For most people, that's easier said than...
Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories for every action that is performed throughout the day. This not only includes physical movements, but it includes every bodily process as well as breathing, thinking, sleeping and digesting...
Balanced body pH plays a role in overall health as well as bone health. The Western diet and high-stress lifestyle promote a drop in pH, which can make your body more acidic. A pH of 1 is the most acidic, while a pH of 14 is the most alkaline. The...
Your metabolism is the rate at which your body utilizes calories for energy. This involves every voluntary and involuntary move you make such as walking, running, shoveling snow, breathing, sleeping and digesting food. It is often the goal of many...
The acai berry has hit the headlines over the last few years and the reviews are good. A fruit found in the Amazon, the berry is now being called the No. 1 super food. While the FDA has not approved the acai diet and there is no specific...
Losing weight can be a slow and frustrating process. Maybe you are exercising and eating right, but you're still not noticing any results. Or maybe you noticed results in the beginning, but now your weight loss has plateaued. Whatever the cause...
Metabolism is the rate at which your body utilizes calories to maintain all the functions that go on through the course of a day. This includes voluntary actions and involuntary actions such as breathing, sleeping and digesting food. As you age,...