Senses sensibility

Our body is endowed with five wonderful senses to connect us to the environment. These senses are the information gatherers and sentinels, which teach us and help to guard our bodies from harm. When these receiving systems perform less than perfectly, our experience of life is less complete and we are less able to discern positive and negative influences in our environment.

We are all born with genetic weaknesses, and sometimes our senses are weak or impaired through no fault of our own. However, these senses can also be damaged by poor life-style habits. They can also be strengthened by the use of appropriate nutrition and health practices.

The Eyes
Here are some general herbs and supplements for strengthening the senses, beginning with the eyes.
British pilots found that their night vision improved after snacking on bilberry jam (a blueberry species) prior to takeoff.

Today, this herb is widely recognized in Europe as an aid for night blindness. Another famous herb for the eyes is eyebright. Although this herb has not received any serious consideration by the scientific community, thousands of people over generations claim it has helped relieve a wide variety of eye problems, especially when used as eyewash. It is also found in combination with red raspberry, goldenseal and bayberry in the formula EW. This combination has helped many people with eyestrain, infections and even cataracts. You may already know the positive effect of Vitamin A on the eyes. Taken internally or rubbed on the skin around the eyes (NOT placed in the eye itself) this vitamin has helped infections and other eye problems.

The Ears
Moving to the ears, we find many herbal remedies for earaches, such as aloe vera juice, lobelia essence, garlic oil and CBG extract. These work best when they are warmed to body temperature and put directly in the ear. Beyond earaches, however, herbal literature has little to say about this important sense.
Ginkgo and combination HY-C have both been used for ringing in the ears. (HY-C, by the way, is also indicated for blurred vision.) Some people have reported that regular daily use of the CBG extract has helped to improve their hearing, but more research would definitely be helpful in this area.

Smell and Taste
There is even less in herbal literature on helping a person’s sense of taste and smell. Zinc is known to help when there is a loss of these two senses, but there are no popular herbal remedies for this problem. Still, many people have noticed that when they had cleaned out their bodies, especially through water or juice fasting, that these senses improved greatly.So, let’s be sensible with our senses, so we can better sense the wonderful sensations around us.The Nose Knows...Unless It’s Plugged

Victims of chronic sinus misery are often unaware of the effective natural remedies that can have them breathing freely again. However, discovering how our sinuses work is the first step in treating sinus problems.

Sinuses, Mucous and more

First, hairs inside your nostrils remove debris from the air you breathe. The air is further purified in eight cavities inside the head called sinuses.These cavities act as a filtering device to clear the air of micro-particles before entering the lungs. The sinuses also warm and moisturize the air for a more efficient transfer of gases within the lungs.

Next, mucous-producing cells line the nose, throat and lungs. The mucus produced by these cells keeps the tissues from drying out too fast. Mucus also serves to trap dust and other particles and prevent them from irritating body tissues. Mucus also has an antiseptic function that serves to trap harmful microorganisms. Thus, mucus is one of the immune system’s first lines of defense.

Finally, tiny cilia, which look like hairs, continually move in waves in only one direction to clear out old mucus and the debris it carries. The cilia in the nose and sinus cavities sweep the mucus to the back of the throat, where it drains into the stomach. Cilia in the lungs sweep the mucus to the top of the lungs where it is swallowed as we clear our throats. The hydrochloric acid (PDA) in the stomach then digests the mucus and destroys any microorganisms the mucus may be carrying. Mucus is pure when it is first produced but becomes contaminated with debris, requiring it to be replaced regularly. This is the natural process that occurs when we are in good health.

The flow of mucus appears to have a strong connection with the lymphatic system, which is also part of our immune system. When the lymphatic system is sluggish due to an accumulation of debris in the body or an infection, mucus production increases. The lymphatic system is able to relieve this excessive burden of impurities via the mucous membranes.

To Pinpoint Potential Problems

However, these “poisons” found in the mucus can irritate and inflame the sinus cavities, and provide a breeding ground for microorganisms. The irritating nature of mucus can be demonstrated by the fact that this secretion inflames the skin under your nose, making it red and sore when you have a cold. Mucus drainage can also cause inflammation of the eustachian tubes leading into the ears, which can cause the tubes to swell and close off, resulting in earaches. Mucus can also inflame the throat (sore throats) and the upper lungs (bronchitis).

One area that may be affected due to mucus drainage are the tonsils, which are bundles of lymphatic tissue in the throat that help to eliminate some of the debris carried by the lymphatic system. Tonsils can also become inflamed when they are forced to process too many irritants.

Another sinus problem occurs during a rapid change in barometric pressure, which can damage clogged sinuses by internal expansion of the tissue as the pressure outside the body decreases. This occurs during airplane flights, for example. Abscessed teeth can also infect the sinuses eventually.