Have you ever had to clean and dress a wound over a prolonged period? If you have, you’ll know how painful this experience can be, especially if the wound is serious and sensitive. Bed sores, ulcerated wounds, cancer lesions, deep wounds, wounds covering an extensive area, herpes or cold sores, ulcerated tumors on the surface of the skin, and ulcers in general – imagine applying a harsh, stinging or burning solution on any of these! And what if you need to clean and dress the wound several times a day? Get ready to scream!

Antiseptics containing alcohol BURN. Hydrogen peroxide, a traditional mainstay, bubbles and foams and is believed to eat away both bad bacteria and dead tissue. However, studies have shown that hydrogen peroxide is not effective in inhibiting bacterial growth. Being corrosive, it also eats away good tissue in the wound, and can inflame healthy skin cells! Bluntly speaking, it can cause tissue necrosis. This delays healing as well as increases the chances of infection, because wounds, sores and cuts which are still raw are wide open (no pun intended) to attack by germs.

These are just some reasons why most wound specialists avoid using hydrogen peroxide and other harsh wound cleansers. Don’t ever use it to irrigate wounds! High potency hydrogen peroxide is particularly dangerous. In fact, in July 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about high strength hydrogen peroxides, saying they could lead to serious health risks and even death.

Normal saline solution is safer to use for wound cleansing. Personally, I like to use another safe and gentle product called Eliminator from Neways. The main ingredients are purified water with stabilised chlorine dioxide, an anti-bacterial agent and disinfectant. It also fights odors, an unpleasant characteristic of festering, fungating wounds. Peppermint adds freshness to the solution. Eliminator is so soothing, cooling and kind to sensitive skin that it’s my first choice for wound cleaning. It never hurts me, no matter how tender the wound may be. Ok, I admit it – I’m a coward. I’m afraid of pain.

The greenie is me also likes the fact that this solution is environmentally-friendly and not tested on animals. It has a hundred other uses too, which makes it a really handy staple to have around. I always have a bottle at home, as well as carry a small spray bottle in my purse. Wonder how I ever managed before without it.

Currently, my favorite combination for wound cleansing is, first, Eliminator to kill the bacteria and disinfect, as well as control odours, followed by tea as an antiseptic and astringent. I gently dab both on with a well-saturated cotton ball. NEVER swab, as that can create friction and damage sensitive tissues.

No more pain at wound cleaning time – YEAH! To try Eliminator yourself, go to Neways’ Product Page and just key in ‘Eliminator’ in the search box. No more ‘OUCH!’

Posted: June 5th, 2009 under Alternative Remedies, Cancer, Wound Healing.
Comments: 1

A recent study by the Department Of Psychological Medicine at the National University of Singapore found that men who are better educated, physically active, have a proper diet and have religious or spiritual beliefs tend to age better.

Professor’s Ng Tze Pin’s study covered about 1,300 Chinese men aged 65 and older. What is considered positive ageing? Professor Ng defined four factors: good physical health and the ability to function independently; being mentally alert and emotionally well; being engaged socially; and being able to say they are highly satisfied with life.

According to Professor Ng: “What’s very interesting is that those who have some religious or spiritual belief tend to age more successfully, Spiritual help seems to be a source of emotional and mental support.”

Man is made of mind, body and spirit. Is anyone surprised by these findings? There’s a well-known verse in the Bible which goes:

“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers”
(3 John 1:2)

Clearly, a healthy spirit produces good fruit in the physical realm as well. Someone who has a strong relationship with God is more likely to stay fresh and green, like a healthy tree, as this next verse indicates:

“And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers”
(Psalm 1;3)

Jesus has helped me get through many difficult trials, including my battle with cancer. There’s no way I’m alive today without Him. By God’s grace, I look forward to living a long, happy, healthy life. Amen!

Posted: June 3rd, 2009 under Health Basics 101, Healthy Spirit.
Comments: none