Health

Sleeping is a pleasure… yes. Except when sleep eludes us, or when nightmares invade us. So, sleeping is an ambiguous pleasure. And above all, it’s a physical need. And also a mental one.

Do you want to know details that you didn’t know about sleep and its many ambiguities? Join us on our journey through one of the most everyday yet unknown mysteries. Sleep.

Because we need to sleep

The answer is obvious, isn’t it? Because we need to rest our body and our mind. But is our body completely at rest during sleep?

It’s true that our temperature and heart rate drop to a minimum, just enough to keep us going, but that doesn’t mean we spend our sleep time in absolute stillness.

We move, cough, talk, scratch ourselves… In fact, there are sedentary jobs that involve so little movement that some people move more during sleep than during their working day.

And what about our mind? Well, for a change, it doesn’t stop. It’s widely proven that the mind doesn’t cease its activity during sleep.

One of the things the brain does while we sleep is to select what it considers important that happened to us during the day. This way, it ensures not to store unnecessary memories.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to choose which memories to keep and which to discard? Undoubtedly, but if we didn’t remember bad experiences, we wouldn’t be able to identify them. And therefore, we wouldn’t learn to avoid certain situations, certain people…

So, our brain learns while we sleep.

The function of sleep

Does the term “restorative sleep” sound familiar to you? Well, that’s exactly one of the functions of sleep. It has been shown that during sleep, the brain is able to minimize the emotional impact caused by both images and situations. What we usually call stress.

Sleep, therefore, repairs that emotional damage. Completely? Hopefully, but no, it’s just an aid, very welcome, but an aid.

The ideal would be to be able to sleep after experiencing a traumatic situation. Some people achieve it and others wonder, how can you sleep after what happened? Precisely to better cope with “what happened,” the brain needs sleep.

The REM phase of sleep

The REM phase (for Rapid Eye Movement) is the phase in which “miracles happen.” It’s the phase of sleep in which the brain shows the most activity, hence our eyes moving from side to side non-stop.

Our mind is working, a lot! A study from the University of San Diego showed the following. They took three groups of people. They presented them with a series of simple problems of abstract logic.

Then, one group rested for a while without falling asleep; another group took a short nap without reaching the REM phase; and the third group took a nap of approximately an hour and a half (the time needed to reach the REM phase is one hour).

The study showed that the group that had slept until reaching the REM phase achieved a 40% improvement in answers to problems similar to those they had been presented before the nap.

Does this mean that sleeping makes you smarter? Intelligence is like a spider’s web, it has multiple paths, more and less obvious. But we could certainly say that creativity improves after a “restorative sleep.”

What to do when we can’t sleep?

There are nights when we can’t stop tossing and turning, our mind doesn’t seem to want to “shut down,” and our body, tired from the whole day, wakes up even more tired. Bad mood, irritability, drowsiness, inability to concentrate, apathy and exhaustion are some of the most notable consequences of lack of sleep.

Our brain doesn’t separate what’s important from what’s unnecessary, it’s hard for us to know what’s true and what’s not, and the more sleep we lack, the harder it is for us to fall asleep. Sound familiar? We sincerely hope not. But if it is, here are some tips to make sleep less elusive.

Try to maintain regular sleep schedules

It’s one thing to go to bed a little later on weekends. Or that some nights we stay up late for one reason or another, but it’s another thing to go to bed at a different time every day.

The body needs its routines, for eating, for evacuating, and yes, also for sleeping. Try, as much as possible, to go to bed and wake up at a similar time every day.

Prepare your sleeping space with care

We love to cook, set a dazzling table, dress up for special occasions, indulge in a hot or cold bath or shower, don’t we? And not just out of the need to eat and keep warm and clean. Why do we neglect something as important as our rest?

Make your room inviting for sleep, keep it clean, ventilated, and tidy. Let all your senses feel the peace that awaits you when you’re about to get into bed. Make it smell good. Try to maintain an average temperature that doesn’t make you sweat or feel cold.

Invite sleep by closing the blinds, keeping away acoustic and visual pollution. You can help yourself by listening to white noise, or the type of noise that best suits your ears.

Establish a pre-sleep routine

Turn off the TV, mobile phone, tablet, console, or any other screen, at least 45 minutes before going to bed. This way your eyes will stop receiving intense lights and images. Also, don’t drink stimulating or sugary drinks, even if you think they don’t affect you, they do.

You may sleep the same, but you won’t rest in the same way. You can take a quick shower, or wash your face and hands well after brushing your teeth. Put on your sleepwear and make a list of things you need to do tomorrow. This way, you won’t wake up in the middle of the night thinking “the car inspection!”

Reading a bit before bed also helps to fall asleep. If you do it always in the same order, your body will start preparing for the next step, which is getting into bed and… sleeping.

Need extra help?

If the answer is yes, come to Zenia Natural. We have supplements for you like magnesium, melatonin, valerian, alpine chamomile… and many others, which can help you fall asleep and retain the desired sleep.

In our store, you’ll find diffusers and essential oils, so you can aromatize your room easily and safely. Soaps with scents that will relax you. Herbal sachets to help with joints, neck or back pain, or just to give you warmth. Bach flowers with which our specialist can prepare a personalized formula tailored to your needs.

The main cause of insomnia is anxiety

What you do know for sure, if you follow our blog, is how to deal with it. Indeed, acupuncture can be very useful to improve your rest, reduce anxiety, and, as you already know, for a thousand other things! In fact, we invite you to visit our BLOG, as you’ll see, we’ve been talking for a long time about how to improve rest in general and sleep in particular.

In addition to acupuncture, you can use CBD, you can also enjoy a relaxing massage, foot reflexology, or a wonderful kobido facial massage, undoubtedly one of the most demanded by our clients.

If you liked this article, visit our blog where you’ll find more interesting and updated content

If you’re having sleep problems or simply want to improve your quality of life by enhancing your rest, come visit us at our store in La Zenia, Orihuela Costa, in Alicante. We’ll be here, as always, looking forward to seeing you.

On this occasion we will talk about CBD to treat osteoarthritis in dogs. A problem so common that, however, it increasingly has more treatment alternatives.

Various sources point out that, on average in Spain, four out of every ten households have a dog and one out of ten have a cat. And with these data in hand, we thought that it was time to write an article about our inseparable companions.

Want to know more? Keep reading as in this article we explain how you can significantly improve the quality of life of your pet.

What is CBD and what is it for?

CBD (short for cannabidiol) is one of the many components of the cannabis or hemp plant, also known as marijuana. This plant is famous for its more playful and social properties. In addition to CBD, another component is mainly known from the cannabis plant, THC.

Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is the other best-known element of cannabis and is responsible for the psychoactive effects that the use of this plant entails. CBD, however, is not attributed this kind of effect, quite the opposite.

Unlike THC, CBD does not produce psychoactive effects, which means it will not make you feel or intoxicated. CBD has been studied for its potential therapeutic properties and has been used in the treatment of a wide variety of medical conditions.

Various studies suggest that consuming CBD, mainly as oil, helps the endocannabinoid system to regulate itself and function fully.

The endocannabinoid system

Surely the nervous system, the digestive system, the renal system or the circulatory system among others sound familiar to you. But have you heard of the endocannabinoid system?

The endocannabinoid system is a biological system present in the human body and many other mammals. This system plays a crucial role in the regulation of several physiological functions and biochemical processes.

Although it can be commonly associated with cannabis, it is important to note that the endocannabinoid system is an inherent part of our body, independent of the consumption of this plant. It is a communication system between cells.

How does the endocannabinoid system work?

The endocannabinoid system works globally and not just in the brain, so although it may seem similar to a neurotransmitter system, the endocannabinoid is even more complex, having to reach other organs. This system is present in all mammals, not just humans.

What the consumption of CBD achieves activates certain receptors in our brain to send our brain messages of well-being to the cells of our body.

So, CBD cannot be considered as a medicinal agent itself, but rather as a palliative supplement that can help reduce the symptoms of some disorders. Among them pain, inflammation, anxiety and other discomforts derived from diseases.

Osteoarthritis in senior dogs

If you are reading this article it is because you consider your dog as someone else in your family. You take care of it, you feed it, you play with it, you keep it clean, hydrated and ultimately you are concerned about its well-being as you are about your own.

Unfortunately, we know that our best friends have a very short lifespan compared to ours and we must be aware that their care must change over time as their needs change.

If your dog is already considered senior, you may notice that he no longer wants to play, has trouble going up and down stairs or wants to shorten his walks. If he also withdraws when you caress him or even whines or reacts angrily, it is possible that your dog is showing some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Talk to your veterinarian so that he can confirm the diagnosis and establish an appropriate treatment.

How to treat your dog’s osteoarthritis with CBD?

The use of CBD to treat osteoarthritis in dogs is already as common as it is in humans. As you can imagine, osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative joint disease and it is a pathology that is as annoying in animals as it is in humans.

You can start by “listening” to their reactions. If it bothers him that you touch him, don’t do it, if he has trouble running or limps, don’t force him, if he can’t jump into the car or the sofa, help him. Buying him a particularly soft bed, trying not to expose him unnecessarily to the cold during the winter and of course a good diet, are small details that will make his life considerably more comfortable.

And if you want to go a step further and treat their pain from within, consult your veterinarian about chondroprotectors or supplements that promote hydration and nutrition of articular cartilage in dogs and about the star of our article, CBD.

CBD to treat osteoarthritis in dogs

Several studies have concluded that the intake of CBD oil in dogs and other domestic animals with osteoarthritis problems has significantly helped to improve their discomfort. Its benefits in animals suffering from seizures, nausea, arthritis, allergies and even cancer are also relevant.

As in humans, the cannabinoid system positively influences various physiological processes such as appetite, stress and anxiety management, inflammation and emotions, among many others.

How to administer CBD oil to your dog?

As we always advise you, and this time it will not be different, the most important thing is that you always go to your trusted specialist. In this case to your vet, who knows your dog and can diagnose any ailment that he may suffer.

CBD oil should be administered according to your veterinarian’s guidelines, since each animal has a weight and characteristics that make it different. So that, always under his supervision, you will be able to supply the precise dose to alleviate the discomfort of your furry companion.

In addition to the physiology of your dog, it must be taken into account that not all oils have the same concentration of CBD. For this and the above reasons, always seeking the advice of a professional is essential.

Where to buy CBD for my dog?

Do you have an older dog that has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, arthritis or any other disease that causes pain? Are you or are you going to travel to Alicante, near Orihuela Costa or Torrevieja? Come talk to us.

At Zenia Natural we have a wide range of CBD oils to treat both your dog and you. We want to help you improve your quality of life. Our specialist in Natural Medicine will advise you so that you can take home the best possible product according to your individual needs.

In addition, as you already know, we have a wide variety of natural products and we will be happy to recommend those that can best contribute to your well-being. Contact us, you can come visit us at our store, call by phone, or write an email or WhatsApp, we can’t make it easier for you!

Tell us about your case and let us accompany you. Your health is our priority.

It’s spring and the dreaded allergies are already here. And with them, itchy and red eyes, tearing, congestion and runny nose, constant sneezing…

What does western medicine offer to treat your symptoms? Steroids, corticosteroids and antihistamines. What do we advise you from Zenia Natural? Treat seasonal allergy with acupuncture.

Against seasonal allergies, acupuncture is our best ally.

Yeah! It is true, we have already talked about acupuncture in this blog to treat muscle fascia problems, we have also talked about acupuncture for facelift. And again, acupuncture is going to help us treat a really annoying and increasingly common condition, the different types of allergies, and how we can treat seasonal allergies with acupuncture.

Although before getting fully into the subject, we are going to talk about the most common spring allergies that we can suffer from.

After a very mild winter with hardly any rain, those with seasonal allergies are having an even worse time this year. Rain causes pollen, a major cause of many seasonal allergies, to sink to the ground and not be in the air where it is more likely to be breathed.

Fortunately, in our area, south of the province of Alicante, Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, we enjoy quite good air quality. Even so, allergies are being especially complicated, due to the absence of rain to clean the environment.

Most Common Types of Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies are an exaggerated immune reaction of the body to substances present in the air, the most common types of seasonal allergies are:

Allergic rhinitis

Let’s start with allergic rhinitis. Also known as hay fever, it is characterized by affecting the nose. Sneezing, itching and nasal congestion, watery mucus and sometimes conjunctivitis are its most common symptoms. When inhaling an allergen, the tissue that lines the nostrils is affected, causing the aforementioned symptoms.

Acupuncture to treat seasonal allergy

They can often be confused with the symptoms of a common cold. The difference is that allergic rhinitis does not cause general malaise, muscle aches, or fever.

Also, it disappears when you stop being exposed to the agents that cause it. And finally, that the nasal secretions are always watery, they do not become thick over the days.

Bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma is another disease that can develop from inhaling an allergen. This condition is accompanied by various symptoms, including coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing, and tightness in the chest.

A bronchial asthma attack is caused by the contraction of the muscles that surround the bronchial tubes. These ducts narrow causing an act as natural and reflex as breathing to become not only difficult but also painful.

Conjunctivitis

Let’s talk now about conjunctivitis, which is another of the most common types of allergies. It is characterized by itching and tearing, and the sensation of having something in the eye.

Unlike viral conjunctivitis, which occurs first in one eye and then may or may not spread to the other, allergic conjunctivitis starts in both eyes at the same time.

Runny nose and sneezing also often accompany this annoying allergic condition.

Contact dermatitis and urticaria

As we have seen, the respiratory tract and the eyes are the areas most affected by seasonal allergies. But the largest organ in our body, the skin, is not exempt from being the target of two other types of allergies, contact dermatitis and urticaria.

Both are accompanied by skin rashes and intense itching. Contact dermatitis is also called contact eczema. When the skin is exposed to the allergen, it produces “bubbles” that, when broken, exude a liquid, to later appear in scabs.

In the case of urticaria, what appears are pinkish bumps that can vary in size and that produce a terrible itch.

Why treat seasonal allergy with acupuncture?

Firstly, because we humans are becoming immune to many chemical drugs due to overexposure to them. So they have less and less effect on us and therefore we must increase the dose or decrease the time between taking and taking.

This can be considered anything but healthy. Secondly, because some of the advice given to us by Western medicine directly interferes with our quality of life, or is simply impossible to follow.

For example, they tell us to “avoid” contact with allergens. And for this they advise us to go out as little as possible, especially first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon. That we close the windows at home and the windows in the cars. Even if we don’t dry our clothes in the open air!

Considering that not everyone with seasonal allergies can follow these guidelines, it’s only reasonable that we look for other alternatives. Actually, in Eastern medicine, acupuncture has been a most common treatment when it comes to treating conditions caused by allergens.

Our body as a whole

Traditional Chinese Medicine, as we already know, treats the body as a whole, it is what is known as a holistic approach to health, instead of different organs that have no relationship with each other. And it makes perfect sense.

Our body is a whole, made up of many parts. Yes, but linked, for example, by the blood system. Also for the fascia as we already explained in another article on our blog. And by an endless network of cells, connectors and transmitters that have to be kept in balance to function in optimal conditions.

The acupuncture specialist will insert the needles into the appropriate points to treat both causes and effects. So, in the long term, treating allergies with acupuncture is much more effective.

Through the use of acupuncture techniques, the energy balance of our body is restored and in this way, the immune system is strengthened.

The objective is to prevent allergies from recurring, while satisfactorily treating the symptoms derived from the different alterations that spring allergies cause in our bodies.

Seasonal allergy treatment with acupuncture and other therapies at Zenia Natural

Other therapies? Yeah! In addition to acupuncture, at Zenia Natural we recommend other natural methods to treat seasonal allergies.

For example, moxibustion or suction cups, which have turned out to have excellent results in this type of condition.

We recommend that if you are one of the millions of people who see how their quality of life decreases with the arrival of spring and their allergies, you visit us. You can contact us in various ways, call us, come see us, send us a message or an email. We will inform you and seek the treatment that best suits your symptoms.

This spring as always, trust Zenia Natural, where your health and well-being come first.

Are you a woman of… any age? This article interests you. Because in it we are going to talk about menopause. You may still see it far away, perhaps you are already in the process, you may have already passed it, or perhaps you have it just around the corner.

What is clear is that it never hurts to find out about something that, at one time or another, whether we are mothers or not, we are going to go through.

Every woman is different, no two menopausal processes are the same, just as no two pregnancies are the same or two births are the same. Each woman has her own genetic characteristics, lifestyle, socioeconomic conditions, medical history and many other factors that influence the onset of the menopausal process.

What is menopause?

Menopause is often referred to as “the time” when women stop having periods. But is it really a moment? The truth is that this definition is somewhat simplistic. It is not a moment, but rather a process.

The organism of women undergoes a series of changes throughout their lives. There is a hormonal adjustment period around the time we get our first period, and then every month after our cycle is complete.

In the same way, this gradual transformation happens when we stop having it.

Different phases of menopause.

As we have commented, this process is divided into several phases, which we will go through in this article.

Premenopause.

This long period goes through adolescence, youth and ends in maturity. Premenopause is not a phase of the menopause itself, however, we include it to resolve doubts.

This period includes any moment of our life between the first period and the menopause. So women are in this phase for most of our lives.

Perimenopause.

In this phase our body experiences a hormonal reduction, that is, the ovaries produce less and less estrogen. The prefix “peri” means “around”.

This stage can start up to 10 years before menopause, although it usually starts about 3 or 4 years before. It is this period women begin to suffer the symptoms associated with menopause.

Finally, the ovaries stop producing eggs and the next phase would begin.

Menopause.

Women are considered to be in the menopause phase when we have not had the period for a full year. The ovaries considerably slow down the production of estrogen and the symptoms that we were already beginning to notice in perimenopause are accentuated.

Postmenopause.

Once the menopause phase is over, women enter the postmenopause. The symptoms finally disappear and the body stabilizes in this new stage.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

The symptoms of this stage in our lives are caused by the hormonal changes to which we are exposed. One of the first symptoms is that we begin to have irregular periods.

Of course, as we pointed out before, each woman is different and many of us have irregular periods throughout our lives. But speaking in general terms, we can affirm that the most common symptoms are:

Hot flushes.

The reduction in estrogen levels causes a mismatch in the thermal self-regulation of our body. As if our thermostat had broken.

It is very difficult to measure the temperature rise, as it occurs suddenly and has a (fortunately) short latency period.

It is said that the increase is between 1 and 2 degrees Celsius, although our patients have come to suffer temperature rises of up to 4.5 degrees during a hot flash.

Generally the sensation of unbearable heat begins in the chest and goes up through the neck to the head.

Night sweats.

The nocturnal variant of daytime hot flashes. Probably one of the most annoying symptoms that menopause brings with it. The sensation of extreme heat occurs during sleep, causing the body to drench in sweat.

Why is it so annoying? In addition to the obvious, because it means that you have to get up, shower, change your pajamas and wash the sheets. This in the middle of the night. As we see, annoying falls short.

Vaginal dryness.

Again the reduction in estrogen levels is the cause of this symptom. This dryness causes discomfort and pain when having intercourse with vaginal penetration.

Fortunately, there are, as we will see later, some ways to alleviate this symptom.

Other symptoms.

Weight gain, insomnia, dry skin, hair loss, and mood swings, among others, are some of the symptoms that we can also experience during the menopausal process.

Hormonal imbalances are again the cause.

How to improve the quality of life in menopause?

The first thing we recommend from Zenia Natural is regular visits to our gynecologist. Through a hormonal analysis we will be able to know at what point in our reproductive cycle we are.

If estrogen production begins to drop, we already know that we are in perimenopause. Knowing this, we can prepare ourselves to cope with this inevitable process in the best possible way.

It is possible that our gynecologist decides to give us a hormonal treatment. Why? To reduce the risks of suffering from diseases associated with estrogen deficiency, such as osteoporosis.

In addition to going to a health professional, we offer below a series of tips that can help you.

• Never forget to hydrate well. Drink water or infusions throughout the day. They will help you maintain optimal hydration levels after hot flashes and night sweats and also improve the dryness of your skin.
• You’ve probably heard that evening primrose oil can help with hot flashes. There are also other specific supplements that contain active ingredients such as sage, soy, red clover, hops, black cohosh and yam that contribute to increasing well-being in the menopausal process. Others that contain maca, rhodiola, tribulus, ginkgo and schisandra that help fight fatigue and increase libido.
• Dress in clothing of organic origin, such as cotton, and avoid synthetic fabrics as much as possible. Wear clothes that you can easily button and unbutton.
• To alleviate vaginal dryness, there are lubricants based on essential oils that provide a pleasant sensation while helping to continue with a full and healthy sexual life.
• Pamper yourself a lot. At this stage of your life you should not forget that self-care is essential to maintain balanced physical and emotional health.

Diet and menopause

We help you in Zenia Natural

Our expert nutritionist Abel Henarejos, assures that there are very interesting studies about the importance of the microbiota when it comes to assimilating isoflavones and thus improving the symptoms of menopause.

Having a healthy microbiota is the key. Therefore isoflavones do not have the same effect in all cases.

His advice to improve the health of the microbiota is to eat a diet rich in fiber from fruits, vegetables and tubers. Likewise, he advises consumers of soy-based products that it is better to take it fermented, in the form of misho, tempeh or natto, than non-fermented (sprouts, tofu, etc.).

If you have any questions regarding this or other issues, do not hesitate to call us, send us a message, contact us through our social media or visit us at our physical store, where our expert in natural medicine will be delighted to assist you.

Treat yourself to one of our treatments, try a relaxing massage, reduce anxiety through acupuncture, or ask us for more information about the supplements that we offer you. Get with us the well-being you deserve.

Muscle Fascia and Acupuncture

On this occasion, we are talking about Acupuncture and Muscle Fascia, a very important part of our body that turns out to be a great unknown. But before going fully into what fascia is and what are the benefits that acupuncture treatments can have on it, let’s briefly recall what acupuncture is.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the technique of inserting fine, solid metal needles into the skin. These needles are activated by precise and smooth movements of the practitioner’s hands. They can also be activated by electrostimulation.

Related content: What is Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese Medicine, from which this technique comes, considers that there are more than 2000 interconnected points in the body through meridians. By stimulating these points, they make energy flow and the body heal its ailments.

Acupuncture treats those energy points, returning to the body, both body and mind, the lost balance.

What is muscle fascia?

As we already pointed out at the beginning of this article, the fascia could be described as the great unknown within our body. Other parts of our body have been the subject of countless studies. For this reason, its characteristics and functions are in the public domain. However, the fascia, which as we will see is really important, did not begin to be studied in depth until well into the 20th century.

Today much more is known about her. We can affirm that the fascia is a resistant connective tissue. Among its components are elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid. The fascia covers our body like a second skin in addition to covering our organs, muscles, bones, veins and cells.

Fascia is throughout our body. In fact, we can refer to several fascias, depending on where they are. In this article we are going to focus on the Muscle Fascia or Myofascial Membrane, which covers our muscles and allows, among other things, movement.

How to maintain the health of the fascia?

Muscular fascia is key in the locomotor function of our body. It protects everything that covers it, among other things our muscle fibers, preventing them from rubbing against each other.

It also facilitates movement, since it is a sliding and slippery fabric. Being the fascia a whole, (remember that it is a connective tissue that is interrelated throughout our body), it would be advisable to keep it healthy in its entirety.

It is important to keep it hydrated so that it does not lose its elasticity (the fascia is made up of 80% water) and its protective properties. Unfortunately, the fascia is the subject of countless injuries, since it is a very delicate tissue.

What should we do to prevent the myofascial membrane from being injured?

Take care of trauma.

The fascia is injured with blows, cuts and ultimately with any trauma that our body suffers. In fact, the fascia is part of the scar tissue. So if a wound or cut, whether due to surgery or accidental, is not treated properly, healing can be ‘faulty’.

And we are not referring only to the external appearance, but to the tissue that accumulates in the epidermis and that can cause, among other things, lack of mobility and temporary and even chronic pain. Avoiding infections in open wounds and trying to promote good healing are key points.

Maintain healthy habits.

The human body, although divided into innumerable parts, is a whole. Everything we expose it to internally or externally has an effect on it. Our eating habits, the exercise we do, the postures we adopt, our sleeping habits…

All these factors influence the health of our body, and of course, the health of the myofascial membrane.

Controlling stress.

It seems that all roads lead to stress, and it is actually one of the direct causes of many of our discomforts. When we get stressed we release cortisol and adrenaline. In episodes of punctual stress, these substances disappear over time.

On the other hand, if stress persists, so do cortisol and adrenaline. They navigate through our body through the lymphatic system, from which the fascia feeds, since the lymph is also responsible for distributing water throughout our body. The fascia loses elasticity and gains rigidity.

This causes us to suffer pain and alter our posture, significantly impairing our state of health.

How can acupuncture help muscle fascia problems?

Fascia interconnects our body like a complex protective network. Any alteration that it suffers affects its entire framework. So it is extremely important to treat your injuries with a methodology that understands their complexity.

Likewise, the treatment must understand the specific lesions as a global problem. One of the pillars of acupuncture is based precisely on this principle.

Treat ailments understanding the body as a set of differentiated but interconnected parts. In such a way that, if one suffers, all the others are destabilized.

Fascia balance is vital to our overall health, and acupuncture can help restore that balance.

How can acupuncture help us?

As we have already seen, Acupuncture can help us treat a wide range of ailments and improve general health. It is considered a safe and effective technique when performed by an accredited professional.

Here are three aspects in which acupuncture can be useful:

Acupuncture to treat scars.

Acupuncture significantly reduces the pain and immobility of a poorly healed scar. It favors blood circulation in the area and decreases adherence (accumulated fascial tissue that causes stiffness and pain in the affected area).

Acupuncture to improve lifestyle habits.

Acupuncture helps reduce the processes related to migraines, headaches and headaches, which we know as headaches. This common pain is often caused by an alteration of the myofascial membrane.

The causes are diverse, including cold, poor posture, poor rest, stress… Headaches prevent us from sleeping well, make us irritable, make us sensitive to light, noise, however light it may be, and In short, it reduces our quality of life.

It is possible to solve through acupuncture something as common but as limiting as a headache. In this way we will reduce the intake of medicines, the quality of our rest will improve, we will resume outdoor activities, we will socialize again and in general, we will live better.

Acupuncture for stress.

Stress causes the myofascial membrane to be altered causing pain. Due to the interconnection of this membrane throughout our body, it is vitally important that we prevent stress from becoming chronic.

Acupuncture has been shown to be a beneficial method in reducing stress and anxiety. With its help, the rigidity of the fascia decreases and therefore the pain that this stiffness causes is attenuated.

Where can I treat muscle fascia problems with acupuncture?

At Zenia Natural, our expert in traditional medicine can inform you about the methods available to care for injuries and alterations in the fascia. And of course she will be able to inform you about any other ailment that may be impairing your quality of life.

Find out here about our different types of treatments and we will help you find the one that best suits you.

It is very important that you always go to certified professionals and that you put your health in the hands of experts. And remember that it is not necessary to wait until something is wrong to start taking care of yourself.

Ashwagandha is a medicinal plant that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional medical system in India. It is also known by its scientific name, Withania somnifera.

Ashwagandha root extracts have traditionally been used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including stress, fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and inflammation. It has also been suggested that ashwagandha may have antioxidant properties and may be beneficial in improving cognitive function and memory.

Today we would like to review the extraordinary properties that ashwagandha has. Most common uses and the ailments in which it can be useful. Finally bring you a real case of a person who has recently used this plant with positive results.

What is ashwagandha used for?

Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub from the Solanaceae family that grows in Asia (originally from India) and has spread to the East, some parts of North Africa and even southern Spain.

It is also known as bufera, Indian ginseng, greater nightshade, orval and oroval, among other nomenclatures, although its Sanskrit name, ashwagandha, which translates as horse odor, is the one that has become more common, due to the characteristic aroma that give off their roots, reminiscent of the smell of the horse.

This plant has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, it has become popular in the West in recent years due to the number of properties attributed to it and the rise of ailments in which it seems to have a positive effect.

Anxiety and stress management

Among these properties we highlight that ashwagandha acts as an adaptogen. This means that the root of this plant, taken regularly and in the doses recommended by a professional, helps the body to adapt to the adverse situations that we face every day.

It helps to improve stress management and its main reaction, anxiety, which is becoming more and more common in our society.

Ashwagandha is frequently used in patients with mild depressive symptoms, of course always under the supervision of a specialist. There are studies that even determine that ashwagandha can be used to relieve patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments against cancer.

Because it contains whitanolides, ashwagandha seems to work as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Improve sleep quality

The scientific name of Ashwagandha is Withania Somnifera, which can give us a pretty accurate idea of another of its uses. Indeed, there are studies that have determined that ashwagandha, depending on the dose, can help reduce insomnia.

It can also be used to improve the quality of sleep, especially in its REM phase, where the body takes the opportunity to repair itself, hence the expression “refreshing sleep”.

Other benefits of Ashwagandha

There are many more properties that are attributed to ashwagandha. Among the long list, we can mention those that have been proven by studies. These benefits would be, among others, the reduction of inflammation that helps in processes of mild osteoarthritis, reduction of cholesterol and triglycerides.

Ashwagandha can help improve memory and intellectual performance, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system. Its active principles are mainly extracted from its root and it can be taken directly in powder, in the form of capsules and also gummies.

Why is ashwagandha so popular?

We live in a time when everything moves so fast, we want it all and we want it now, we are barely allowed to rest, “stop and smell the roses” as the expression goes. Youth has gone from being one more period of our lives to becoming the goal. Stay young, active, productive.

Our society has little or no tolerance for frustration, the imposed pace of life makes it increasingly difficult to reconcile work and personal life. All these are factors that contribute enormously to the fact that anxiety, discontent and depression have an ever-growing dent in our lives.

And of course, we cannot fail to mention the latest events that we have had to experience as a society. Uncertainty, isolation, worry, all of them ingredients for a deterioration of our mental health.

Mental health

Social isolation, the fear of losing our loved ones, our work and having social networks and the media as the only window to the world, have taken their toll on our mental health, as well as the limited access we have had to health care. to our overall health.

Many people have chosen to resort to traditional medicine, finding in it products such as ashwagandha, which has a history of thousands of years of use in Traditional Indian Medicine, or Ayurveda, and with numerous studies that support its effectiveness in the treatment conditions such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain due to cortisol (produced by stress), fatigue…

So the boom in the use of this ancient medicinal plant is directly related to the increase in ailments that seem to improve.

Ashwagandha, a real case.

We wanted to share the testimony of one of our clients about her experience with ashwagandha.

Zenia Natural: Laura tell us, why did you decide to start taking ashwagandha?

Laura: Well, for several reasons. My work is not constant, I work for projects and sometimes I have several in a row. I don’t have time to rest, my schedules get out of control, I barely go home…

That level of activity can go on for one or two weeks, sometimes more, with no project in sight and therefore nothing to do at work. These sudden changes were taking their toll on me emotionally and also physically.

After so much adrenaline I ended up exhausted, which prevented me from sleeping well. In addition, I am very active and the periods of pause between projects were terrible, it frustrated me a lot. It’s not like I knew how to manage busy times either, after the last anxiety attack I decided to take my health seriously and seek help.

I read an article about the properties of ashwagandha and decided to come to Zenia Natural to find out.

ZN: Have you noticed improvement since taking ashwagandha?

L: I have noticed improvement, yes. I think I take things a little more philosophically. I am calmer when I work and also when I don’t. In addition, it has been very good for me to regulate sleep, now, although in periods of more work I continue to sleep little, the rest is of better quality.

ZN: Would you recommend the use of ashwagandha?

L: I recommend always consulting a professional, because each person is different and each case is different. It is better to always talk to someone who advises you on times, doses, compatible treatments, etc. And based on my personal experience, yes, I would recommend its use without a doubt.

We say goodbye with Laura’s words and we thank her for her testimony. We believe that consulting with professionals is always the best decision.

At Zenia Natural we are at your disposal to advise you both on ashwagandha, its indications, how to use it, etc.

As well as on any of the treatments that we make available to you and that you can consult on our website zenianatural.es, where you will also find our contact information so that you can come visit us at the store or call us by phone.

Acupuncture is one of the oldest practices within traditional Chinese medicine. This is a technique in which fine, solid metal needles are inserted into the skin. These needles are activated by precise and smooth movements of the professional’s hands or by electrostimulation.

Traditional Chinese medicine therapists consider that the human body has around 2,000 acupuncture points interconnected by pathways or meridians. These pathways establish a flow of energy (Qi, pronounced “chee”) through the body that is essential for overall health.

On many occasions the disease is caused by the alteration of the flow of vital energy. for this reason, it is considered that the application of acupuncture in certain points favors the flow of Qi and, consequently, health.

What does acupuncture feel like?

Acupuncture is applied with very fine needles. Most people say they feel nothing or only minimal pain when the needle is inserted. The needle is placed at a point that produces a sensation of pressure. The needles may be heated during the treatment or a slight electrical current may be added to them.

There are people who claim that acupuncture gives them energy. On the other hand, some others comment that they remain more relaxed. It is important to go to a qualified acupuncture professional.

In some cases, instead of needles, other sources of stimulation are used on the acupuncture points, among them

• Suction (cupping)
• Pressure (acupressure)
• electromagnetic energy impulses
• Friction
• heat (moxibustion)

How does it works in our body

Acupuncture points are considered to be capable of stimulating the functioning of the central nervous system. This, at the same time, causes chemicals to be released in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These changes at the biochemical level are capable of boosting the body’s innate ability to heal itself and promote both physical and mental balance.

Various studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies to treat the following:

Several studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with general medicine to treat

• Addictions
• Osteoarthritis
• Asthma
• Tennis elbow
• Dental pain produced by surgery, headache, menstrual pain, myofascial pain.
• Fibromyalgia
• Lumbar injuries
• Nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and chemotherapy
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

Also, therapy can facilitate recovery from strokes.

What conditions can improve with acupuncture

Many people seek the help of acupuncture to treat chronic ailments, such as arthritis or back pain. Although acupuncture has broader uses such as the conditions indicated below:

• Digestive problems: gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, hepatitis and hemorrhoids.
• Emotional problems: anxiety, depression, neurosis, insomnia.
• Gynecological problems: infertility, menstrual cramps.
• Muscle and bone problems: arthritis, back pain, muscle cramps and weakness, neck pain, sciatica.
• Neurological problems: headaches, migraines, neuronal dysfunction of the bladder, Parkinson’s disease, stroke.
• Ear, nose and throat problems: rhinitis, sinusitis, sore throat.
• General problems: addictions, male infertility, prostatitis, irritable bladder.

Where can I access an acupuncture treatment?

It is essential that the treatment be carried out by a professional expert in traditional Chinese medicine and especially in acupuncture. Luckily, at Zenia Natural we have Saray Martínez, a graduate in Natural Medicine from the Napier University of Edinburgh.

In addition to her degree, Saray has continued to train by taking countless acupuncture courses and other techniques, to offer her patients the best quality treatments at more than competitive prices.

Come to Zenia Natural and our expert will advise you on the best procedure to treat your particular ailment. Our treatment rooms are disinfected after each procedure and, of course, we use disposable needles, thus avoiding any unnecessary risk and guaranteeing the hygiene and total safety of both our patients and our staff.

So you don’t know us yet, what are you waiting for?

Today we talk about the difference between homeopathy and naturopathy. It is common that these terms are sometimes confused, however we are trying to see what they consist of and we will comment on the main differences.

Both disciplines try to heal the body using natural remedies, but apart from this, they have little else in common. Although many people think that there is no big difference between homeopathy and naturopathy, the truth is that both approach the disease from two totally different points of view.

Homeopathy is based on the premise that a certain disease with the same or similar symptoms is capable of curing another disease. On the contrary, the different naturopathic treatments try to strengthen the body so that it can fight it.

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy, which has been practiced for about 200 years, maintains that the symptoms caused by a toxic substance in a healthy person can be cured by a remedy prepared with the same toxic substance, according to the similia similibus curantur principle (what like cures like).

The homeopathic remedy is made from the dilution of natural substances of animal, vegetable or mineral origin. These substances produce effects in the body identical to those produced by the diseases to be treated. The patient takes these same substances but administered in highly diluted doses.

The homeopath is in charge of prescribing the homeopathic medicine, taking into consideration the patient’s medical history, their symptoms, their physical and psychological state. Homeopathy can be used as a sole treatment or as a complement to conventional drugs.

In Spain, for some time now, homeopathic remedies have been sold exclusively in pharmacies. Its use in other European countries is widespread.

What is naturopathy?

Naturopathy is one that seeks diagnosis and treatment without resorting to pharmacology. It focuses on eliminating the source of the disease rather than just treating the symptoms by stimulating the body itself. Naturopathic treatments take into account the entire organism, in other words, they are aimed at treating the body and the mind.

The integral treatment of the patient is one of its aspects to underline. This fact includes several methodologies such as herbal medicine, nutrition, aromatherapy, reflexology, herbal medicine, acupuncture and many others.

Currently, with a sedentary lifestyle, stress, vices and poor nutrition, our bodies are losing their ability to regenerate themselves, so we must return to a more natural life, combining a healthy and balanced diet with more air and sun. , the exercise that suits us best according to age and possibilities and the much-needed rest that we sometimes overlook.

What are the differences between homeopathy and naturopathy?

While homeopathy uses medicines to cure diseases, naturopathy treats the body globally. Basically, what you are trying to achieve through naturopathy is to prevent these diseases from appearing, or at least, try to provide the body with the necessary tools for better healing.

Homeopathic treatments usually come in the form of small balls that are administered to the patient according to the advice of the professional consulted. Naturopathy can be administered through infusions, tinctures, pills, massages, acupuncture techniques, dietary guidelines, Bach flowers, etc.

At Zenia Natural we have naturopathy consultations available to our clients. We offer complete advice regarding the different treatments, and the different ailments that may affect you. Come and meet us if you want to maintain or improve your health in a natural way.

If you live in Spain, you already know that on the last Sunday of March clocks will go forward one hour and on the last Saturday of October they go back, this is known as Daylight Saving Time .

This Daylight Saving Time which in principle, is done to promote energy savings, results in a sudden change in our sleeping and eating routines.

How does Daylight Saving Time affect our health?

These routines, called circadian rhythms (from the Latin circa = around and diem = day), respond to light and dark and are controlled by the hypothalamus. This sends signals to the pineal gland, responsible for manufacturing melatonin, essential in regulating sleep.

The fact that night comes so soon gives us the feeling that the day doesn’t give us everything that needs to be done. Does the phrase “doesn’t give me the day” ring a bell? This feeling affects women more, who mostly carry the bulk of the household work and also deal with the mental load of the tasks to be done.

Aside from sleep, circadian rhythms influence our digestion, body temperature, eating habits, and hormone secretion. That is why we help you minimize the effects of the Daylight Saving Time with these simple tips.

How to minimize the effects of the Daylight Saving Time ?

As we have discussed, light prevents the production of melatonin and darkness triggers it. One of the consequences of the Daylight Saving Time  is that it gets dark an hour earlier, which added to the fact that the days are considerably shorter, causes the body to produce more melatonin (causing a feeling of drowsiness and tiredness) and less serotonin (causing a feeling of sadness or negativity).

We have compiled a series of simple tips that will help you make the Daylight Saving Time more bearable.

• Try to anticipate. You can go to bed ten minutes later each day the days before the time change to get your body used to the new time. If possible, try to get up a little later each day as well.
• Delay your meals so you don’t go to bed hungry or just had dinner and thus promote sleep.
• Exercise. Yes, once again exercise is recommended. Try to do it as soon as you get up, but never before going to bed, so as not to activate your body before rest.
• Skip the nap for a few days. If you are taking a nap, try not to sleep it to be tired at bedtime. And if you are not, do not take the habit to recover hours of sleep.
• Reduce the consumption of caffeinated beverages and alcohol before resting, as well as the use of computers, tablets or mobile phones at least one hour before going to bed.
• Self-medication is never the solution, there are natural products that will help you fall asleep without resorting to “sleeping pills”.

What natural products can help me with the Daylight Saving Time?

To regulate sleep there are several natural products. You can find it in different formats such as tablets, tinctures and infusions.

Melatonin

In addition to regulating sleep, it is an ally against premature aging due to its high antioxidant power, and its effect against free radicals. The immune system also improves when taking melatonin.

Passionflower

Fights insomnia, relieves muscle fatigue, migraine and helps in mild states of anxiety.

Valerian

Acts as a sedative agent, relaxes the mind and helps to fall asleep.

Acupuncture, Bach Flowers and auriculotherapy are other ways to counteract the adverse effects of jet lag, as well as having many benefits.

St. John’s Wort and 5HTP are natural supplements that have an effect on neurotransmitters and are used in episodes of depression, anxiety, decay and melancholy as they help improve mood.

In the case of St. John’s wort it also helps with vegetative disorders associated with menopause.

5HTP is an amino acid generated by the body that helps the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with a good mood. If serotonin levels drop, it can be taken as a supplement to treat, among others, the negative effects associated with Daylight Saving Time.

Always remember to seek advice from a traditional medicine practitioner before taking any natural supplement. Contact us or visit our store. At Zenia Natural and we will be happy to help you.