As we age it becomes more important that we pay closer attention to our skin. For right now I will put emphasis on the elderly and the immobile. Their skin can be extremely fragile, but there are a few things you can do to help maintain good skin integrity and prevent skin breakdown. Immobilization can be a major obstacle when trying to maintain good skin integrity. The most important thing to remember in your immobile population is that it is extremely important to make sure that they are turned a minimum of once every two hours. Be aware of the fact while turning an immobile person, that rubbing and friction to the skin during repositioning can also impair the skin, so be careful during your turns. The first turn can be to the left or the right side. Alternate left and right turns with the person laying on their back. To help you remember the last position used you should document your position changes in a turn log.

It is also very important to keep the heels elevated off of the bed. A pillow can be used for this, even two. Foot drop can be avoided by positioning a pillow against the soles of the feet. This keeps the feet from falling forward. Be sure to massage (if no redness is present) and exercise the feet and upper extremities daily by flexing them; this can prevent or decrease muscle atrophy (wasting or loss of muscle tissue). For those with less fat tissue who have bony areas use a pillow between the knees or under the hip area.

I have to tell you that it doesn’t take long for the skin to become compromised after a person has been in one position for too long. The skin could look perfectly fine from the outside, but then once it breaks you could possibly have deterioration down to the muscle, opening the person up for infection. They could even become septic (infection in the blood stream.) I have seen patients come into the hospital with non stageable pressure ulcers, and it only took a week for their skin to get in that condition.

Make sure the skin stays clean. Be prompt after soiling in cleaning the area and always moisturize the skin, especially dry skin. Moisturizers rich in vitamin E and aloe are recommended. Your older population can have extremely fragile skin to the point of being paper thin, so during skin care be very careful.

Most people don’t realize that diet can play a very important role in tissue regeneration. In the hospital setting patients with impaired skin integrity are immediately put on a high protein diet ( Important for the growth and repair of tissue cells.)

The following supplements should also be added to the diet:

Vitamin C : This helps to prevent free radical production which could inhibit healing.

Arginine : Promotes collagen synthesis for new skin. It also increases the blood flow to the wound and may help to fight off infection.

Vitamin B12 : Aids in wound healing and tissue repair.

Zinc : Required for tissue regeneration and repair (BUT could also suppress the function of the immune System.)

Look for foods rich in these supplements and add them to the diet. If I was going to put emphasis on one thing it would be the protein. Finally, inspect the skin daily. This could be done during the time that you do your turns and also during soil changes. Document the condition of the skin on a skin log. Anything different that you notice should be documented on the log. Look for any signs of possible breakdown, which may include a redness that doesn’t go away once position is changed and pressure is removed from the area. Also be suspicious of open or blistered skin. Should you notice these or any sign suggestive of skin breakdown, immediately take pressure off of the area and keep it clean of urine and feces. If the skin is broken seek medical advice to obtain the best possible treatment to heal the ulcer. If there is redness do not massage the area. If you notice a progression seek medical advice for prompt treatment.

Any problems can be avoided if turns are done with diligence. Remember…..every two hours! Visit http://www.yourmedform.com for more information concerning turn and skin logs.

Water exercises are a good way to get rid of the pain caused by a herniated disc. Water-based exercises basically offer the same benefits you get from the associated land-based exercises. One great advantage to exercise in the pool is that water makes it easier for pain-patients to perform the movements.

This is due to some great property that water has:

• It takes the pressure away from the discs while you exercise
• It diminishes the risk of unwanted injuries due to inapt movements
• It makes exercising feel easy and even relaxing

Here are some of the most basic water exercises for herniated disc problems that help relieve the acute pain:

1. Marching or Running Exercise – Either in place or from one end to the other of the pool move your legs as if you were marching or running. Bring your knees as high as you can while doing it. While this exercise would be unthinkable on land for most of the herniated disc sufferers, in water it is a very useful and effective training method. If executed regularly, this routine helps stretching the back and thus making it more flexible.
2. Leg Raising Exercise – Grab hold of the pool side with one hand. Stand on one leg (bend this on a little) while outstretching the other one in front of you for a few seconds. Repeat this movement 5 to 10 times and then do the same with you other leg. This exercise strengthens and stretches your lower back and hip muscles at the same time.
3. Knee Raising Exercise – Again, hold tight on the side of the pool either with one hand or with both hands & your back to the wall. Lift one knee as close to the chest as you can and wait for a few seconds than put your leg back down and repeat with the other one then with both. Do it all over again for a number of times.

When you exercise in the water regularly you help release a lot of the acute pain caused by your herniated disc. Do not stop after you feel better, your pain will most certainly come back. These exercises along with other on-land herniated disc exercise options are designed to help you combat the symptom and not the root cause of the problem.

Exercise Tips

The most effective exercise regimen includes both strength training and cardiovascular (aerobic) training in a consistent, regular program.

· 2-4 days of strength training and

· 2-5 days of aerobic activity; or

· 3-4 days of circuit training.

Every safe and effective exercise program should consist of three elements. In order, they are:

· Warm Up

· Work Out

· Cool Down

Warm Up

Always warm up before exercising. People who do not warm up before exercising are the ones who usually end up sustaining injuries. Protect your neck, back, spine, and joints. Get the blood and juices flowing and wake up your muscles gradually through a series of stretches and preliminary sets using reduced resistance. This is one time when “going through the motions” can be extremely beneficial.

Strength Work Out

Perform at least one set of 8-12 reps to near fatigue for each muscle group in the body (chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs, thighs, hamstrings, and calves) a minimum of two times per week. Your goal should be to work up to doing three sets (increasing the resistance for each successive set) with 30-60 seconds of rest between each set.

Start out slowly.. By doing additional sets or combinations of sets you can realize even greater strength and body shaping gains. Following are some basic guidelines useful for all strength training exercises:

· Perform each exercise smoothly and evenly through the whole range of motion in a slow, controlled manner. Never jerk or lunge.

· Breathe. Exhale against the resistance; inhale on the return. Do not hold your breath.

· Always resist the Power Bands back to the starting position for each exercise. This provides a training effect in both directions.

· Increase the resistance for successive sets by 5%-10%. In general, increase the resistance when 12 repetitions can be completed in proper form; decrease the resistance when less than 8 reps can be completed.

· Replace fluids lost while exercising by drinking water at regular intervals during exercise. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink.

· Rest a minimum of 48 hours and a maximum of 96 hours between training sessions using the same muscle groups.

Aerobic Work Out

An exercise is classified as aerobic if the oxygen supply is sufficient to meet the oxygen demand of the working muscles during the exercise. When this occurs, it’s possible to continue the exercise for prolonged periods of time (12 minutes or more). Another aspect of aerobic exercise is that it engages the large muscle groups, principally those of the legs, continuously over the length of the exercise. Brisk walking, running, jogging, cycling, rowing, jumping rope, etc. are examples of aerobic exercise.

You can achieve an aerobic training effect by performing aerobic exercise for a minimum of 12 minutes during which your heart rate has been elevated to within your training range. The training range is between 65% and 80% of your Age-Predicted Maximum Heart Rate (approximately 220 minus your age). Remember: It takes a few minutes of exercise to elevate your heart rate into the training range and this time does not count toward the minimum 12 minutes.

Circuit Training Work Out

Circuit training consists of a series of strength training exercises, commonly interspersed with short episodes of aerobic exercise, all done one after the other with as little time between each exercise as possible.

The object is to perform strength training exercises on the major muscle groups while maintaining an effective aerobic training level. Circuit training takes significantly less time to achieve results comparable to separate programs of strength training and aerobics.

Since lack of time is the number one reason people give for failing to start or maintain a regular exercise program, circuit training is a method that makes sense. And SmartGYM, with its revolutionary new design that allows simultaneous aerobic and strength training, is the ideal circuit training machine.

Cool Down

Never quit exercising suddenly. Instead, decrease your intensity gradually and finish up with some stretching movements to allow your heart rate to come back down to normal, nice and easy. This can help to reduce muscle cramping and post exercise muscle pain.

Exercise Tips

The most effective exercise regimen includes both strength training and cardiovascular (aerobic) training in a consistent, regular program.

· 2-4 days of strength training and

· 2-5 days of aerobic activity; or

· 3-4 days of circuit training.

Every safe and effective exercise program should consist of three elements. In order, they are:

· Warm Up

· Work Out

· Cool Down

Warm Up

Always warm up before exercising. People who do not warm up before exercising are the ones who usually end up sustaining injuries. Protect your neck, back, spine, and joints. Get the blood and juices flowing and wake up your muscles gradually through a series of stretches and preliminary sets using reduced resistance. This is one time when "going through the motions" can be extremely beneficial.

Strength Work Out

Perform at least one set of 8-12 reps to near fatigue for each muscle group in the body (chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs, thighs, hamstrings, and calves) a minimum of two times per week. Your goal should be to work up to doing three sets (increasing the resistance for each successive set) with 30-60 seconds of rest between each set.

Start out slowly .. By doing additional sets or combinations of sets you can realize even greater strength and body shaping gains. Following are some basic guidelines useful for all strength training exercises:

· Perform each exercise smoothly and evenly through the whole range of motion in a slow, controlled manner. Never jerk or lunge.

· Breathe. Exhale against the resistance; inhale on the return. Do not hold your breath.

· Always resist the Power Bands back to the starting position for each exercise. This provides a training effect in both directions.

· Increase the resistance for successive sets by 5% -10%. In general, increase the resistance when 12 repetitions can be completed in proper form; decrease the resistance when less than 8 reps can be completed.

· Replace fluids lost while exercising by drinking water at regular intervals during exercise. Do not wait until you feel thirsty to drink.

· Rest a minimum of 48 hours and a maximum of 96 hours between training sessions using the same muscle groups.

Aerobic Work Out

An exercise is classified as aerobic if the oxygen supply is sufficient to meet the oxygen demand of the working muscles during the exercise. When this occurs, it's possible to continue the exercise for prolonged periods of time (12 minutes or more). Another aspect of aerobic exercise is that it engages the large muscle groups, principally those of the legs, continuously over the length of the exercise. Brisk walking, running, jogging, cycling, rowing, jumping rope, etc. are examples of aerobic exercise.

You can achieve an aerobic training effect by performing aerobic exercise for a minimum of 12 minutes during which your heart rate has been elevated to within your training range. The training range is between 65% and 80% of your Age-Predicted Maximum Heart Rate (approximately 220 minus your age). Remember: It takes a few minutes of exercise to elevate your heart rate into the training range and this time does not count toward the minimum 12 minutes.

Circuit Training Work Out

Circuit training consists of a series of strength training exercises, commonly interspersed with short episodes of aerobic exercise, all done one after the other with as little time between each exercise as possible.

The object is to perform strength training exercises on the major muscle groups while maintaining an effective aerobic training level. Circuit training takes significantly less time to achieve results comparable to separate programs of strength training and aerobics.

Since lack of time is the number one reason people give for failing to start or maintain a regular exercise program, circuit training is a method that makes sense. And SmartGYM, with its revolutionary new design that allows simultaneous aerobic and strength training, is the ideal circuit training machine.

Cool Down

Never quit exercising suddenly. Instead, decrease your intensity gradually and finish up with some stretching movements to allow your heart rate to come back down to normal, nice and easy. This can help to reduce muscle cramping and post exercise muscle pain.

Gone are the days when cheerleaders just clapped their hands and maybe did the occasional cartwheel. Today’s cheerleaders are performing very elaborate routines including gymnastics tumbling and gravity-defying stunts. For some, cheerleading is just as important as the athletes being cheered on, and many cheerleading teams are more focused on performing competitive routines than just rooting for their teams. These days, cheerleading is more of a sport in itself, with the participants performing gymnastic and dance routines with plenty of running and jumping. More and more males are becoming involved with cheerleading, and they are often the ones who do the tossing and catching, due to their strength. But you will also find plenty of females doing these same stunts, often displaying great strength, agility and flexibility.

Cheerleaders Need the Same Knee Protection as Athletes

Athletes are not the only people who are at risk for knee injuries. Because cheerleaders are doing moves that involve lots of running, jumping and some pretty hard landings, they risk a number of injuries to their legs, particularly in the knees. Cheerleaders can often be seen wearing knee braces or sleeves, which give them the protection they require, while allowing them a full range of movement, and the ability to remain extremely flexible. In the past, many wore Neoprene knee sleeves, which although they do the trick, are often hot, and therefore can get pretty uncomfortable. Also, many people report having allergies to Neoprene, which makes them unable to wear this type of knee brace. So, do people who do not like wearing Neoprene have any alternatives? They do when they use the DonJoy Elastic Knee Sleeve.

The DonJoy Elastic Knee Sleeve is Flexible and Lightweight, Making it Ideal for Cheerleaders

Because cheerleaders need knee braces that will allow them to perform their routines uninhibited, they need braces that are lightweight, but can still provide enough protection and pain relief for knees. The DonJoy Elastic Knee Sleeve is the ideal choice for cheerleaders, as well as athletes, because it is made from lightweight, breathable elastic cotton, which keeps the knees from getting too hot and sweaty beneath the braces. Also, it is a wonderful alternative for those who are allergic to Neoprene, the material that knee sleeves are commonly made from. Because it is made from cotton, the DonJoy Elastic Knee Sleeve is ideal for those who live in warm climates.

Not only is the DonJoy Elastic Knee Sleeve lightweight and breathable while still providing great protection against mild to moderate knee injuries, it also offers wearers a silicone donut that stabilizes and protects the patella (kneecap). It is available in sizes from small to extra large, and at less than $40 each, these braces are a great deal.

Anyone who is looking for a great knee brace that provides protection and patella stability while being lightweight and breathable should take a good look at the DonJoy Elastic Knee Sleeve.

What is the most effective way to lose 2 stone in a month? Calorie shifting of course, as it’s the only diet proven to not suffer from a rebound effect and best of all you will continue to lose weight from this diet even after you stop. There’s no starving, in fact its required that you eat frequently to achieve the greatest results. Find out how to burn 2 stone off in 1 month.

Eating to Lose Weight

It might come as a surprise that eating food is actually the most effective way to lose weight, but its no joke. You see when you eat on a calorie restricted diet your metabolism actually slows down as well, this is all a part of the homeostasis your body is constantly striving for. As a result of this when you stop a low calorie diet you are actually left with a slower metabolism and will find that you have to do more work to build your metabolism back up to a normal level. The opposite is true however if you eat a diet that is just enough every day to trigger your metabolism but varies enough as well to never let your body find its comfort zone you will continually burn off calories by eating.

Calorie Shifting Keeps the Weight Off!

Unlike all other diets, when you finish a calorie shifting program, your metabolism is literally supercharged and will be stimulated any time you eat for weeks following the diet. Oddly enough this is the exact opposite of what happens with most other diets as they will put the pounds back on, calorie shifting will keep them coming off for weeks because of its unique approach to weight loss.

Hepatitis C has long been a disease for which humanity had no effective cure. The well-known treatment standard with interferon was only successful in around 50% of cases. In 2013, a new drug under the trade name Sovaldi was introduced to the US market. With above 95% success rate the new drug changed the game and transformed Hepatitis C into an easily treatable liver disease.

What is more, Gilead added 90 mg of ledipasvir, a NS5A inhibitor, to existing 400 mg sofosbuvir formulation in Sovaldi. The newly created drug is named Harvoni and it is currently the most successful Hepatitis C treatment available.

Harvoni side effects

No drug is without side effect and even Harvoni is not an exception. The most frequent ones are headaches (20%) and fatigue (18%), followed by diarrhea and nausea. All these side effects were discovered during clinical trials and patients should expect some of them during the standard 12-week treatment.

However, more and more Hepatitis C patients are experiencing weight gain as a side effect of the treatment. In some cases, patients put up no less than 30 pounds in as little as 12 weeks. Is the new treatment stimulating weight gain?

Why are Hepatitis C patients gaining weight?

The treatment is most probably not a direct cause for weight gain. Nonetheless, there are two factors that can influence body mass increase during the 12-week regimen:

1. Headaches and fatigue decrease physical activity
2. Immune system is burning muscle tissue to fight off the disease

Normal physical activity is very important when it comes to weight maintenance. Even simple tasks such as cleaning or walking through the mall burn calories and little by little these calories add up. However, when being treated for Hepatitis C, headaches and fatigue usually prevent patients from performing those tasks. On the other hand, people on Harvoni usually find less time and motivation to prepare healthy meals. When suffering from a headache, taking snacks out of the fridge is much easier than making a healthy homemade meal. This adds to the calories being consumed and contributes to weight gain.

Nonetheless, consuming food is vital for fighting off the disease. While on treatment, the immune system is in hyper-drive and is in need of additional energy to construct antibodies against Hepatitis C virus. Antibodies are created out of proteins. This is why it is very important to consume a sufficient amount of protein while on treatment. Otherwise, the body in need of protein will start burning off valuable muscle mass in order to obtain the necessary building block for the immune system.

Both effects add up and influence weight gain. The important thing to know is that patients on treatment must eat in order to keep their immune system healthy. It is true that this will, in turn, increase their body weight. The primary focus of the treatment is still to cure Hepatitis C.

Get energy from fat tissue

The most brilliant way of getting the energy to fuel your immune system is by burning of excess fat. Most of us have fat on the stomach and thighs. This fat can be used to support our immune system. The added benefit is that you will not gain weight on Harvoni treatment. Not only this, many people report losing weight when being on a right fat burning program.

When someone thinks of their dream body type, they often use popular sports physique types to describe it. It isn’t uncommon to hear someone compare a mans build to that of a linebacker, or a womans build to that of a dancer. I am going to discuss in detail four types of athletic physiques.

The Swimmers Body: Look no further than record breaking Olympic Gold Medalist – Michael Phelps to find the picture perfect description of a swimmers body (for a man of course). His torso is lean and tone, with well defined (but not bulky) muscles. For men, the swimmer’s body type has broad shoulders, a medium to long torso and a flat as a board abdomen. What sets apart the swimmers body from other athletic types is the noticeable lean-ness of their physique and broadness of their shoulders. There long bodies combined with great posture makes for a regal effect. Ironically enough, a swimmers body type for women is a bit different. They too have well defined muscles, but because it shows mostly in their shoulders, triceps and biceps – it can come across as a little too broad or bulky. But trust there is nothing bulky about the female swimmers body – like most women athletes, the training of a swimmer leads to muscle development that the average woman never experiences.

The Gymnast’s Body: It’s usually easy to spot the trained gymnast – just look for the person that’s usually short in height, with long muscular legs and a short torso. Though male gymnasts are taller than female gymnasts (of course), generally speaking – gymnasts tend to be shorter than the average. Their strength is in their legs and upper body, so bulky muscular thighs, calves, biceps and triceps are not uncommon. This becomes even more noticeable in female gymnasts.Taller gymnasts, particularly female gymnasts tend to have leaner muscle definition. Most female gymnasts also have boxy hips and shoulders.

The Dancer’s Body: The dancer’s body type can be identified by defined calves and thighs, a long or straight torso (often emphasized by great posture) and lean muscular arms. In men, the waist line tends to be thinner and in women, the back/lower back is noticeably toned. Now this is just a general description – there are so many types of dance that bring strength and definition to different muscles in the body. For example, someone trained in ballet will have a taller and leaner looking physique, whereas someone trained in tap will have more definition in their lower legs.

The Track Runner’s Body: The sprinter track athlete’s body type is hands down the most muscular of them all and this goes for both men and women. This changes for long distance runners. Track athletes who run in cross country events have a leaner and longer muscle. The sprinter’s body type is what comes to the mind of most people when they think of a track athlete. Their muscles in their legs are extremely well defined, from the calves, to the quads and including the glutes. Theirs is a body type built for speed.

Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory system and may turn even fatal at times. It is therefore important for the asthma patients to take proper care and precautions regularly. Asthma patients suffer from attacks that enforce the system to breathe with difficulty. Wheezing, choking, gasping for breath and suffocation are the symptoms of asthmatic attack.

The attacks may last up to several minutes and leave a person thoroughly exhausted. There can be severe organ damage due to problem in respiration during the asthma attack. Also the system may suffer from lack of oxygen for a longer duration of time. It is therefore imperative to exercise proper caution and avoid the onset of an attack to the extent possible.

Some easily followed precautions everyday may keep an asthmatic without suffering an attack. These precautions are:

1. An asthmatic needs to follow routines. This is because it is generally seen that people do not suffer the agony of an asthmatic attack if they continue to live their life in a regular way. The problem arises mainly when the people go out of their way and break all the routines. The system thus gets unnecessarily pressured and reacts badly by manifesting the symptoms of the disease in the oddest of ways and without many warning signs. Sometimes the body does give the warning signs but the person may ignore them completely.

2. Daily morning walk does wonders to the system. But in the case of asthma patients the benefit from early morning exercise is enhanced manifold. This is because the early morning is the time when the air is pure and at its best. Exercising the lungs with the early morning air does wonders to the asthmatic lungs and respiratory tract.

3. Daily morning exercise schedule needs to be followed religiously in case of an asthma patient. Not only does this help in exercising the whole system but it also makes a person live a more disciplined and regularised life. This is because if a person gets into the habit of getting up early, in all probability he would try and sleep early too and his routine will automatically be set and fixed.

4. The daily diet of an asthma patient should be kept simple and nutritious. He should take care of not eating heavy meals as they would tax the system unnecessarily. Care should be taken to keep the meals small and frequent if need be, rather than consuming standard heavy meals at set hours. Also the food should be cooked with less oil and spices to keep it easily digestible. The diet should be mainly vegetarian with less of fats and carbohydrates. Sweets should best be avoided at night time. Dinner should be consumed at least two hours before sleeping so that the stomach is almost empty before sleeping. Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables should be enhanced. Snacks should be mainly in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables only and fatty, oily and salty or sweet snacks should be avoided completely.

5. Asthma patients should avoid smoking completely. Smoking fills the system with many toxins and the respiratory system gets flooded with them. These toxins are major irritants to the respiratory tract and create an undue pressure on the system that may be too much for an asthmatic to handle. An asthmatic may get more bronchial spasms and is more likely to be affected with respiratory infections if he continues to smoke.

6. An asthmatic person should also not indulge in drinking too much. This is because drinking causes a person to lose sense and become more prone to breaking disciplines of routine and diets. An asthmatic may become careless with his diet and may tend to overeat to counteract the influence of alcohol if he indulges in drinking too much.

7. Asthma patient’s surroundings should be kept neat and tidy. As far as possible clutter should be completely avoided to steer clear of dust induced allergies that may create an attack. Clutter in the surroundings inhabits several mites and allergy causing organisms. It is therefore necessary that the furniture and other stuff should be arranged in such a way, which allows proper dusting and cleaning on a daily basis.

8. Asthma patients may have difficulty with the atmospheric pollution also. It is very important to assess whether the patient may be allergic to any particular kind of allergen present in the atmosphere around his place of dwelling or occupation. Sometimes certain professions support the excessive usage of one kind of toxin or the other, in which case a change in profession or occupational conditions may remain to be the only option.

9. Asthmatics should also be very careful of not getting mentally excited too much. This is because the mental aggravation may lead to appearance of asthmatic symptoms in patients. On a daily basis it is better not to accumulate taking decisions, whether in the personal life or in the professional life. The work should also be handled as far as possible on a daily basis to avoid excess stress and anxiety.

10. In order to manage asthma it is very necessary to accept the disease and the limitations attached with it in one’s daily life. If proper discipline is maintained a patient can have a long and problem free life.

Ginseng is known as an adaptogenic herb. An adaptogen is an herb that regulates and helps the body handle stress and maintain vitality. Adaptogens are used for long term revitalization and not for immediate energy like central nervous system stimulants such as caffeine.

Ginseng is grown in many parts of the world. The roots are the part of the plant used for all Ginseng products. Each variety has its own health benefits. Ginseng benefits are cumulative. Taking the herb for several months to a year is far more effective than short-term doses. Ginsengs are used in many Eastern formulas to complement other herbs.

Ginseng in general provides energy to all body systems, is a stimulant for brain and memory centers, helps lower cholesterol and regulates sugar use in the body. Ginseng also promotes regeneration from stress and fatigue. All Ginsengs contain measurable amounts of germanium, a trace mineral also in mushrooms.

Panax Ginseng, (Also known as Asian Ginseng, Korean Ginseng, Chinese Ginseng, Ren Shen, Xi Yang Shen, or Say Yang Sum), grown in Korea is the broadest spectrum of all adaptogenic herbs. It is also considered one of the most prized and expensive herbs. Panax ginseng stimulates both long and short-term energy, so is know as a yang tonic replenishing Qi (energy.)

Panax is rich in phyto-hormones for both men and women’s problems. For men it helps in the formation of testosterone and for women it protects against breast cancer, hence the term adaptogenic (it will adapt to the needs of the body no matter what is needed and no matter what sex.) For this reason, Panax also fits into the aphrodisiac category. Panax Ginseng is used for enhancing the immune system, impotence and premature ejaculation, poor sleep and nervous exhaustion. It is especially useful for older bodies with debilitating conditions.

Contraindications: Panax, meaning panacea, is NOT universally applicable in every illness like its name implies. Yang Ginsengs should not be taken during acute inflammatory disease or for bronchitis. Use the yin American Ginseng for bronchitis. The yang Ginsengs are used in combination with other herbs to temper their powerful nature.

American Ginseng (Also called Panax quinquefolius, Xi Yan Shen) is a yin tonic. Yin tonics are cooling and slowing in nature. American Ginseng is used in China for fevers and for exhaustion due to chronic wasting diseases. It is also used for coughs related to lung weaknesses (such as tuberculosis, bronchial infections or asthma.)

Siberian Ginseng (also called Eleuthero or Eleutherococcus senticosus) comes from China. It is known for its long-term energy effects on the adrenal glands and circulation. In this day and age, most of our American population is overtaxing their adrenal glands with excess stress. There are just too many tasks enticing us to utilize our available time. We are spending less and less time with our families and doing what nourishes us (our Life Purpose or God Path.) Siberian Ginseng is a yang tonic herb, so it stimulates fast, hot, male energy type of function. Siberian Ginseng has been used for rheumatic complaints, low vitality, and weak liver and kidney energy for about 2000 years. It is considered less heating (less yang) than the Panax varieties (therefore safer.)

I use Siberian Ginseng in my “Old Dog Formula” to increase the circulation to the butt muscles and lower spine. I once had a client who came in regularly for Old Dog Formula for their two very aged shelties. I noticed that they came in a bit more regularly than they should for the dosage I had recommended. When I asked them about it, they confessed that they were also using the product with fabulous results. I like it too and use it occasionally for gardening season.

Panax notoginseng (Also known as Pseudoginseng or San Qi) is grown in China and is used as an analgesic and to stop internal and external bleeding. It is also added to treatments for coronary heart disease and angina. Quite interestingly, San Qi was used extensively by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War to increase recovery rates from gunshot wounds. Avoid this one during pregnancy. It could harm the fetus.

Wild Ginseng, from Manchuria, is considered the best, but is extremely expensive. For centuries in the East, top-grade Ginseng roots have been valued more than gold.

Ginseng comes in two varieties, red and white. Red Ginseng is cured by steaming which gives it its color and yang attributes.

So, next time you go to the health food store, don’t just ask for Ginseng, be specific.