Having a medical emergency is no-one's idea of a picnic. However, there are things you can do so that the job of the medical services team is made easier. What they need is your medical information and they need it quick. It is this information that will allow them to administer the right medication knowing that there is not going to be an adverse reaction.

A Medical Alert Bracelet is a very good way of giving the medical team the information they need. In fact, a recent study showed that paramedics check a patient for a Medical alert Bracelet in 95% of cases. The benefits that can be gained from immediate access to such information is immeasurable and could save your life

There are lots of situations where a Medical Alert Bracelet can help; such as warning the medics of certain allergies or of needing certain medication at regular intervals. A Medical Alert Bracelet can be a life saver in many situations including letting the medics know you are allergic to certain drugs or that you need certain medication at certain times.

The Medical Alert Bracelet is designed so that it can give the medical team all the information that is necessary so that, if the patient is unconscious, they have everything they need to know without verbal communication.

Any drug administered in an emergency could react adversely to existing medication. However, if the medical team know that there was existing medication, they could make an informed decision on what to do next. Food and medication allergies, if known to the medical team, will also impact on what action they take next in the situation of a medical emergency. All of this information is contained in a Medical Alert Bracelet

So, now we know why we should wear a Medical Alert Bracelet, what should be included in the information? Well, long term health issues e.g. diabetes is a good start. Long standing medication such as heart medication etc is also useful. If there is anything that you know you react badly to; that should be included too. Anything that is short term is not as useful and so it is better to leave that information out.

Want to find out more about medical alert bracelets, then visit Lizzie Dawdon's site on how to choose the best medical alert bracelet for your needs.

Posted under Allergies

Medicinal mushrooms have been immensely popular in Asia for millennia. Today, Americans are waking up to these powerful nutraceuticals. In the wake of this new awareness follow issues of product quality claims made by competing brands.

All species of medicinal mushrooms appear haunted by this issue. Particularly so, it seems, is red reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the oldest medicinal mushroom in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Please note, however, that the information in this article applies generally to all medicinal mushroom species.

First off, stay clear of cheap, mass-produced medicinal mushrooms. If they are just dried and pulverized, then the medicinal compounds are still inaccessible behind the mushrooms' cell-walls. You'll be wasting your money on inert matter.

There are many real therapeutic brands on the market, though. But even among them, there are significant differences. They all claim to be the best, naturally, because they all want to sell their particular brand. So let's sift the data, get the facts straight, and clear up misleading information that is out there.

Following are the three primary ways of creating reishi extracts. Each method yields different medicinal compounds, all of which are shown in scientific studies to have important properties.

1. Hot Water Extraction (polysaccharides, etc.)

2. Alcohol/Ethanol Extraction (triterpenoids, etc.)

3. Fermenting (arabinoxylanes, etc.)

The water soluble compounds, primarily polysaccharides, are powerful anti-tumor agents, immune enhancers and strong antioxidants. [1]

Through alcohol extraction, we get triterpenoids, a large group of lipids with many sub-groups. Research shows triterpenoids help regulate clotting, blood pressure and cholesterol. More importantly, they are the anti-inflammatory compounds that are the reason why reishi often gets recommended for arthritis, asthma and allergies. [1]

Finally, by fermenting the red reishi, the original medicinal compounds break down to form new compounds with unique healing properties. These "secondary metabolites" have among other things been shown to be immune enhancing and help regulate blood sugar, as well as having unique anti-tumor properties. [2]

This article is intended to give general guidelines to help you choose an effective reishi product, not to recommend any particular brand. But there are at least two reishi companies on the market which both state only hot water extract is useful while alcohol extracts are of no value.

Naturally, the reason they say so is because they want to sell their own brand. However, those statements are scientifically untrue. Hot water and alcohol extractions both contain critical compounds.

To find the best red reishi products, look for those brands that use at least the first two extraction methods in combination: Hot Water Extraction and Alcohol Extraction. Better yet would be brands that incorporate all three extraction methods, including Fermentation.

As a last point, when you look for the best reishi extract, one thing to look at is the form it comes in. For example, any reishi extract that fully dissolves in a water-based liquid such as coffee probably only contains hot water extracted reishi. So while reishi/ganoderma coffee certainly makes for a superbly delicious and healthy cup loaded with polysaccharides, it won't include the important anti-inflammatory triterpenoids.

On the other hand, alcohol tinctures can actually contain both water soluble polysaccharides and alcohol soluble triterpenoids. The way you know is that the polysaccharides will fall out of solution because of the alcohol, and will make the tincture cloudy. That's alright though; you just need to shake before you take. Capsules and tablets may be one or the other or both. The only way to know is ask the manufacturer or read their information.

[1] Boh B, Berovic M, Zhang J, Zhi-Bin L, 2007. "Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds." Biotechnology Annu Rev 13:265-301.

[2] Tang YJ, Zhang W, Zhong JJ. "Performance analyses of a pH-shift and DOT-shift integrated fed-batch fermentation process for the production of ganoderic acid and Ganoderma polysaccharides by medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum." Bioresour Technol. 2009 Mar;100(5):1852-9.

Dr. Rafael has worked with natural health since the 1990's, recently focusing on medicinal mushrooms. He partners with Davida Sara on premium reishi extract and cordyceps extract plus the newly popular mesima mushroom and more.

categories: herbs,herbal,supplements,wellness,nutrition,medicine,allergy,arthritis,asthma,diabetes,blood pressure,cancer,disease,self help

Posted under Allergies