Natural Healing Perspective

Spice Up Your Health

By admin | Published: January 9, 2012

Spices and Herbs are enjoyed by all of us to varying degrees in soups, meat dishes, stews, curries, and even desserts. In reality, spices and herbs are parts of plants and often used for their medicinal values as well. Hence, using herbs and spices daily may provide subtle health benefits to us.

Please see a naturopathic doctor to help you treat any health conditions with herbal medicine. Spices and herbs used in excessive or inappropriate amounts may cause harm, or interfere with medications or supplements you are currently taking.

Spices and herbs are natural flavor enhancers, help to predigest (break down and soften) foods in marinades, preserve foods from spoilage, and in the past were used to cover up the not so pleasant smell and flavor of rotting meat.

Even thousands of years ago, people noticed that many of these spices and herbs reduced intestinal distress such as flatulence (abdominal gas), burping, and intestinal cramps (colics), in part because of their medicinal properties.

These medicinal properties of spices and herbs not only protect us from the microbes that we often ingest along with the foods but also promote healthy digestion by supporting liver, gallbladder, and pancreatic function, thus helping to regulate sugar, fat, and protein metabolism. Moreover, spices and herbs, when used in natural medicine (naturopathy, alternative medicine) as teas, tinctures, extracts, and topically in poultices, help to support healing of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tracts, as well as the healing of cuts and bruises.

Below are some examples:

Indigestion — Allspice, Anise, Basil, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Coriander, Cumin, Ginger, Nutmeg, Red Pepper, Rosemary, Spearmint, Thyme, Turmeric
Abdominal Cramping — Caraway, Clove, Cumin, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Peppermint, Thyme
Cough — Anise, Dill, Ginger, Peppermint, Licorice, Sage
Bronchial Asthma — Anise, Licorice
Congestion of the Upper Respiratory Tract — Basil, Bay Leaf, Cardamom, Fennel, Thyme
Glucose (blood sugar) Regulation — Ginger, Onion, Fenugreek
Fat Metabolism — Garlic, Ginger, Onion, Red Pepper, Rosemary
Cardiovascular Health — Cinnamon, Garlic, Onion, Red Pepper,
Infection of the Digestive Tract — Basil, Bay Leaf, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin, Garlic, Ginger, Fennel, Thyme, Turmeric
Inflammation of the Digestive Tract — Basil, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Fennel, Marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme, Turmeric
Inflammation of the Respiratory Tract — Allspice, Anise, Basil, Bay Leaf, Caraway, Cardamom, Fennel, Fenugreek, Garlic, Ginger, Licorice, Nutmeg, Onion, Peppermint, Sage, Thyme
Inflammation of the Genito-Urinary Tract — Basil, Bay Leaf, Garlic, Oregano, Rosemary
Skin Conditions — Ginger, Rosemary, Turmeric
Wound Healing — Basil, Bay Leaf, Fenugreek, Garlic, Onion, Thyme, Turmeric

So, don’t be shy about adding spices and herbs to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, knowing that with each bite you’re not only indulging your taste buds but also supporting your health.

Until the next natural healing perspective blog…

To Your Health

Posted in Other Conditions | Tagged abdominal cramping, abdominal gas, allspice, alternative medicine, anise, basil, bay leaf, blood sugar, break down, bronchial asthma, bruises, burping, caraway, cardamom, cardiovascular health, cause harm, cinnamon, clove, colics, congestion, coriander, cough, cumin, curries, cuts, desserts, digestion, digestive tract, dill, extract, fat metabolism, fennel, fenugreek, flatulence, flavor, flavor enhancer, food, foods, gallbladder, garlic, genitourinary tract, ginger, glucose, glucose regulation, healing, health, health conditions, healthy digestion, herbal medicine, herbs, indigestion, infection, inflammation, intestinal cramps, intestinal distress, licorice, lipid metabolism, liver, liver support, marinades, marjoram, meat dishes, medications, medicinal, medicinal properties, microbes, natural, natural healing, natural healing perspective, natural medicine, naturopathic doctor, naturopathy, nutmeg, onion, oregano, pancreatic funciton, peppermint, plants, poultice, predigest, preservative, preserve foods, protein metabolism, red pepper, respiratory tract, rosemary, rotting meat, sage, skin, skin conditions, soften, soups, spearmint, spices, spoilage, stews, sugar regulation, supplements, taste buds, teas, thyme, tinctures, turmeric, upper respiratory tract, urinary tract, wound healing | Leave a comment

CAT & DOG HEALTH — THE NATURAL WAY

By admin | Published: November 1, 2011

Our beloved CATS and DOGS are as responsive to natural ways of becoming and remaining healthy as are we. Conversely, they mirror our ill health, be it mental, emotional, or physical, because they live in the same enviroment as their human friends. Moreover, their health care has become mostly a version of human healthcare, which heavily relies on technology and prescription drugs. We even take out health insurance for our pets because pet healthcare has become nearly as expensive as human healthcare.

Drugs don’t cure. They only dupe the body into believing that it doesn’t need to react to intruders, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or enviromental pollutants such as pesticides, smoke, and other chemicals. The inflammatory reaction, which is the body’s natural way to rid itself of these intruders, is being suppressed in order to block pain, inflammation, and swelling.

Moreover, over-the-counter and prescription medications put a heavy toll on the liver and kidneys, as these organs are involved in the breakdown and elimination of these drugs from the body. Anti-inflammatory drugs and many antibiotics are particularly toxic to these organs. (Take a look at all the side effects and organs affected by the drugs you or your pets are taking)

While anitbiotics do decrease bacterial count (bacterial load), thus allowing the body to repair the damage done by the bacteria, they often also destroy the bacteria in the intestinal flora that we need to maintain our health. Moreover, indiscriminary or overzealous, as well as improper, use of these antibiotics has lead, and continues to lead, to resistance to many antibiotics.

Surgery may save or extend a pet’s life but is too often rushed into for lack of alternative options such as herbs, homeopathy, nutritional counseling, or physical therapy, which are not part of the average veterinarian’s training and skill set.

Chronic illnesses now so common in our dogs and cats, such as chronic heart failure, diabetes, digestive disorders, chronic urinary and bladder infections, as well as arthritis and chronic musculoskeletal pain reflect poor nutrition, excessive use of medical drugs, and a sedentary lifestyle with little exercise in the fresh air.

Commercial dog and cat food supposedly is nutritionally balanced to keep your pet healthy. However, a great percentage of pet food is high in calories but falls way short on nutrients. While commercial pet food does supply carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, it falls short on vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients necessary for the metabolic processes of your beloved pet. Moreover, the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates often come from sources that are of low quality, setting your pet up for digestive ill health.

Digestive ill health leads to poor nutrient absorption, no matter what quality of food you give your pet. Lack of nutrients leads to physical and mental ill health in pets and humans alike.

Natural medicine for humans has been making a comeback over the past 20-30 years, as longterm studies reveal the often devastating side effects of prescription drugs. A similar trend is noticible in the pet healthcare industry. Some veterinarians now offer herbal, nutritional advice, and physical medicine, such as acupressure or acupuncture, for your pet. The same can be seen with pet nutrition. Pet stores now offer a variety of natural pet foods, even organic ones.

Your cat or dog can greatly benefit from animal massage or craniosacral therapy. Craniosacral therapy is particularly gentle and thus more tolerable when your pet is in acute or great pain. Bodywork supports the physical and emotional health of your pet the same way as it does for us.

In the long run, you will save a lot of money on health care for your pet, and save your pet the discomfort or agony of invasive procedures, unnecessary surgery, and the many side effects of prescription drugs. Your beloved cat or dog will enjoy life more fully and probably stay around much longer for you to enjoy.

Until the next natural healing perspective blog…

To Your Health

Posted in Other Conditions | Tagged acupressure, acupuncture, acute pain, agony, alternative health care, alternative options, animal massge, arthritis, bacteria, become healthy, beloved pet, benefit, bladder infections, block, body, bodywork, carbohydrates, cat food, cats, chemicals, chronic heart failure, chronic illness, chronic pain, chronic urinary infections, commecial dog food, craniosacral therapy, devastating, diabetes, digestive disorders, digestive ill health, discomfort, dogs, emotional, enjoy life, environmental pollutants, fats, fresh air, gentle, great pain, healing, health care, healthy, herbs, high in calories, homeopathy, human friends, humans, ill health, inflammation, inflammatory rezction, intruder, invasive procedures, keep pet healthy, lack of exercise, little exercise, low quality, medical drugs, mental, mental ill health, metabolic processes, micronutrients, minerals, musculoskeletal, natural, natural healing, natural healing perspective, natural health, natural medicine, natural pet food, natural way, nutrients, nutritional couseling, nutritional therapy, nutritionally balanced, organic, pain, parasites, pesticides, pet, pet care, pet food, pet health, pet health insurance, pet healthcare, pet nutrition, pet stores, pet's life, pets, physical, physical ill health, physical therapy, poor nutrient absorption, poor nutrition, prescription drugs, proteins, remain healthy, sedentary, sedentary lifestyle, side effects, skill set, smoke, suppress, surgery, swelling, training, unnecessary surgery, veterinarian, viruses, vitamins | Leave a comment

Painful And Stiff Joints

By admin | Published: October 23, 2011

There are over 200 joints in the human body. No wonder, we experience pain and/or stiffness in some of these joints at some points in our lives.

While the joints give us the ability to bend, lift, and rotate many parts of our bodies, they also protect the bones forming a joint from friction and impact resulting from many of our activites. Continue reading “Painful And Stiff Joints” »

Posted in Painful Conditions | Tagged ACL injuries, acupressure, acute pain, agricultural work, back, bend, blood supply, body, body parts, bones, cartilage, children, chronic muscle tension, chronic pain, construction work, craniosacral therapy, cross the joints, dance, dardened, decreased joint space, dehydration, distorted, dry, dry joints, dry out, energetic unwinding of spine joints muscles, excessive vibrations, facet joints, fascia, fever, fingers, football, friction, golfer's elbow, gout, gymnastics, hands, healing, health, heat, heavy physical labor, herbs, hobbies, homeopathy, human body, impact, improper use, industrial accidents, infections, injuries, joint capsule, joint pain, joints, lack of exercise, lack of movement, liaments, lift, ligaments, lubricate, natural, natural healing, natural protection, naturopathic doctor, neck, needle work, night time repair, nutrition, nutritional deficiency, osteoarthritis, overuse, pain, painful great toe, playing musical instruments, poor nutrition, poor posture, pressure, protect friction, QiGong, redness, reduce friction, repetitive stress, repetitive use, rest, restore function, restore mobility, rheumatoid arthritis, rheymatoid arthritis, rotate, rotator cuff injuries, sedentary lifestyle, shorten, shoulder, skiing, skin infection, smaller joints, soccer, soft tissue work, sports, stiff, stiffen, stiffness, stimulate, stretching, swelling, swimming, synovial fluid, synovial fluid production, synovial joints, Tai Chi, tearing of connective tissue, teenager, tendons, tennis elbow, tension, thin filmy tissue, trauma, vertebrae, vertebral joints, waling, weak muscles, wear and tear, Yoga | Leave a comment

Back Pain — What To Do?

By admin | Published: October 10, 2011

BACKPAIN is all too common. Even children experience back pain quite frequently but may not tell you about it.

Children undergo many changes as they grow into young adults. The musculoskeletal system is continuously being challenged to keep up with those changes. Moreover, children are very active and often ignore little aches or pains that over time may grow into more serious musculoskeletal issues.

Infants and toddlers may experience discomfort or pain as the curvature of the neck and lower back establishes itself. Continue reading “Back Pain — What To Do?” »

Posted in Painful Conditions | Tagged abdominal gas, aches and pains, acupuncture, ankles, at bed time, aupressure, back, back pain, baths, before going to sleep, body, bodywork, bony structures, childhood, children, chinese medicine practitionaer, chronic back pain, chronic pain, constant pain, craniosacral therapy, curvature of neck, curvature of the lower back, diffuse, digestive problems, dull, during sleep, energetic unwinding of spine joints muscles, essential oils, evaluation of jposture, feet, feldenkrais therapist, flatulence, flower essences, fussing, fussy, gall bladder, general health, gentle, gentle stretching, good health, health professional, heart, herbal teas, herbs, hobbies, improper use of back muscles, infants, infection, inflammation, injuries, injury, irregular bowel movement, irritable, joint degeneration, joint pian, joints, kidneys, knees, lack of exercise, legs, less vulnerable, limber, localized, location of pain, lower back pain, lubrication of joints, lungs, maintenance, massage, musculoskeletal pain, musculoskeletal system, natural, natural health, naturopathid doctor, neurologist, numbness, organ health, organ involvement, organs, origin of pain, over use of muscles, pain, pain comes and goes, pancreas, play, poor posture, prostate, QiGong, radiating down the legs, radiating into arms, radiating pain, rejuvinator, relaxing, repair, repeated injuries, resolve pain, ribs, rusty joints, sharp, shiatsu, shoulder blades, spiinal cord, spinal nerves, sports, symptoms, synovial fluid, Tai Chi, tense muscles, therapies, tingling, toddlers, tumors, type of pain, unconsolable, vertebrae, weak back muscles, well toned, Yoga | Leave a comment

Shoulder Pain — Intractable For A Good Reason

By admin | Published: September 28, 2011

SHOULDER PAIN has many causes and manifestations. The pain can be pinpoint sharp, stabbing, tearing, burning, dull, diffuse, constant, or appear with only certain movements. One example of such diffuse shoulder pain is adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder syndrome).

With acute trauma to the shoulder joint or the rotator cuff tendons, pain will be located right in the joint or around the joint. Continue reading “Shoulder Pain — Intractable For A Good Reason” »

Posted in Painful Conditions | Tagged acupressure, acupuncture, acute, arm, attachments, back, biceps, biceps brachii, bind together, blood vessels, body structures, bodywork, burning, cells, chest muscles, chronic, clavicles, collarbones, connetive tissue, constant, coracobrachialis, correct habits, craniosacral therapy, deltoid, diffuse, discomfort, dull, emotional, emotions, energetic unwinding, energetic unwinding of the spine joints muscles, energy, energy pathways, energy pathways of the body, fascia, Feldenkrais, flower essences, forearm, gentle, healing, health, health professional, herbs, homeopathy, humerus, hydrotherapy, improper use, infraspinatus, injury, intractable, latissimus dorsi, levator scapulae, massage, mental, meridians, mind, movement, muscle tension, muscles, natural, natural healing, natural healing perspective, neck, nerves, old injuries, organs, overuse, pain, pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, physical pain, physical therapy, poor posture, posture, radiate, radius, recovery, recovery process, reduce pain, reeducate, relax, relaxation, release, restrictions, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, rib cage, rolfing, rotator cuff, rotator cuff injury, rotator cuff musclers, rotator cuff tendons, scapula, scapulae, scar formation, scars, serratus anterior, sharp, shiatsu, shoulder, shoulder blades, shoulder joint, shoulder movement, shoulder pain, soft tissue work, soothe, speed up, spine, stabbing, stress, subscapularis, support, supraspinatus, surgery, tearing, tension, teres major, teres minor, therapy, tissues, trapezius, trauma, triceps, ulna, upper arm bones, use of muscles | Leave a comment

Tight Neck Muscles — A Pain In The Neck

By admin | Published: September 22, 2011

Neck pain often arises from tight neck muscles that pull the neck vertebrae slightly out of alignment (subluxation), which then impinge on sensory nerves entering the spine between these vertebrae. These sensory nerves relay that information back to the brain setting off the alarm in the form of pain. Compression or stretching of the motor nerves that exit the spine at the same places may cause twitching , numbness, or weakness of the muscles supplied by these nerves, most frequently in the arms and hands. Continue reading “Tight Neck Muscles — A Pain In The Neck” »

Posted in Painful Conditions | Tagged acupressure, acupuncture, alignment, arms, asymmetric use of muscles, back of th head, balance the emotions, blood supply, blood vessels, body, bodywork, bones, brain, breathe, calm the mind, chew, cluster headaches, compress, compression, connective tissue, cranial nerves, craniosacral therapy, deep breathing exercises, digest, discomfort, ears, emotional stress, esophagus, facial expressions, fatigue, fibrous, fingers, flower essences, fuzzy thinking, gateway to the brain, hands, have heart beat, head, head pain, headaches, health, hear, heart beat, impinge, injury, intervertebral foramina, lack of motivation, larynx, massage, master gland, mastoid process, mental stress, migraine headaches, misalignment, motor nerves, muscle contraction, muscles, natural, natural healing, natural healing perspective, neck, neck area, neck muscles, neck pain, neck vertebrae, nerves, numbness, occiput, oxygen, oxygen delivery, oxygen supply, pain, pectoralis muscles, poor memory, poor posture, QiGong, relay information, release tension, restrictions, see, sensory nerves, shiatsu, shift, shifting of head bones, shoulder blades, shoulders, skull skull base, smell, speak, sphenoid, spinal cord, spinal nerves, spine, stress, stretch, stretching, structures, subluxation, suture lines, sutures, swallow, symptoms, Tai Chi, taste, temporal bone, tension headaches, thyroid, tight muscles, tight neck muscles, tighten up, tightness, trachea, twitching, upper back, vertebrae, voice box, weakness, wind pipe, Yoga | Leave a comment

The Simple Act Of Breathing – Not So Simple

By admin | Published: September 21, 2011

We take breathing for granted unless we experience an obvious difficulty with breathing because of illnesses, such as asthma, chronic lung or heart disease, respiratory infections, or sleep apnea. Being tethered to an oxygen tank is a stark and shocking reminder that we cannot survive without oxygen, which we conveniently, and at no cost, get from air. Continue reading “The Simple Act Of Breathing – Not So Simple” »

Posted in Other Conditions | Tagged act of breathing, acupressure, acupuncture, air, air hunger, air in reserves, alert, allergies, anemia, anxiety, asthma, back, body's energy pathways, break down food, breath, breathe, breathe in deeply, breathing, breathing challenge, breathing difficulty, breathing exercises, challenging to breathe, chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, clavicle, collar bone, connective tissue, daily walks, deep breath, deep breathing, depression, deviated nasal septum, difficulty breathing, difficulty concentrating, emotional, emotional outbursts, energy, energy pathways, enjoy life, enjoyment of life, exertion, fascia, fascial restrictions, fatigue, fatigued, fear, feeling out of breath, fighting an infection, fresh air, fresh fruits, healthy, healthy event, illness, increased need for oxygen, infection, lacking motivation, life, life style, life style changes, life's processes, light headed, listless, liver, lungs, massage, medications, mental tension, metabolic processes, minerals, muscles, muscular tension, nasal obstructions, natural, natural event, natural healing, natural healing perspective, neck, nutrients, on a trail, open windows, oxygen, oxygen tank, oxygen utilization, park, physical, physical labor, physical trauma, polyps, pregnancy, promote health, QiGong, recess of the lung, recover from trauma, relax, relaxation, release blockages, release tension, remove stale air, respiratory infections, running on low fuel, shallow breathing, shoulder, shoulders, simple act of breathing, sinus problems, sleep apnea, small amount of air, sports, stale, stale air, stomach, stretching, Tai Chi, taking small breaks, tired, toning, toning exercise, utilize breath, vegetables, ventilate, ventilate the lung, vitamins, weak, well being, Yoga | Leave a comment

Sprains & Strains — Not Just A Local Event

By admin | Published: August 16, 2011

SPRAINS & STRAINS can occur at any joint of the body, but most commonly do so at the ankle, knee, and wrist joints. A strain only involves the muscles, while a sprain is more serious, involving the muscles, as well as the tendons and ligaments.

These injuries cause us a lot of pain and discomfort. Moreover, they put us out of commission for some time, keeping us from sports and other recreational activities, as well as interfering with the tasks of daily living. Continue reading “Sprains & Strains — Not Just A Local Event” »

Posted in Injuries | Tagged aches, aches and pains, acupressure, acupuncture, acute, acute injury, ankle, ankle joint, body, chronic, chronic injury, craniosacral therapy, daily living, discoloration, discolored, discomfort, energetic unwinding, energetic unwinding of the spine joints muscles, focus, focused, foot, function, gentle, healing, healing process, health, herbs, homeopathy, injury, joint, joints, knee, knee joint, ligaments, lower leg, mobility, muscles, natural, natural healing, natural healing perspective, needles, pain, painful, painful site, palpable, physiotherapy, process of aging, range of motion, recreational activities, resilience, soft tissue, soft tissue work, sports, sprains, stiffness, strains, strength, swollen, tendons, toes, treatment, weakness, wrist | Leave a comment

Indigestion — Poor Nutrient Absorption

By admin | Published: August 15, 2011

INDIGESTION manifests in discomfort or pain in the stomach area or anywhere in the abdomen, sometimes radiating up toward the throat (heartburn) or through to the back and up to the shoulder blades. Other well known symptoms are belching, bloating, flatulence (gas), and irregular bowel movements (stools), as well as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mental fogginess, and headaches.

Indigestion is not just a long or short moment of discomfort, pain, or embarrassment. It is a red flag for incomplete digestion Continue reading “Indigestion — Poor Nutrient Absorption” »

Posted in Digestive Health | Tagged abdomen, absorption, accidental, acupressure, acupuncture, advice, arms, belching, bloating, blood vessels, body, cell, compress, connective tissue, craniosacral therapy, difficulty moving, digestion, digestive system, digestive tract, diminished blood flow, discomfort, distort, distortion, effective. natural, embarrassment, energy, energy flow, energy pathways, fascia, fatigue, flatulence, food, gas, gentle, headaches, health, healthy digestion, heartburn, herbs, homeopathy, immune system, impaired organ function, improve digestion, incomplete digestion, indigestion, irregular bowel movements, legs, lifestyle counseling, ligaments, lymph flow, lymph vessels, mental, mental fogginess, mental power, meridians, muscles, natural healing, natural healing perspective, naturopathic doctor, nausea, nerve conduction, nerves, nutrients, nutrional counseling, organs, pain, red flag, relaxing, release, resore, restricitons, scarring, scars, sense of well being, spine, sticky, stomach, stools, strangulation effect, stretch, strong immune system, structures, support, surgery, surgical, susceptibility disease, symptoms, tendons, therapy, throat, tissue, tools, tough, treatment suppress symptoms, twist, vomiting, vulnerability, well being | Leave a comment

Scoliosis — A Crooked Spine

By admin | Published: July 19, 2011

SCOLIOSIS deserves our attention even when it’s only a mild case.

Scoliosis is the term used for a “crooked” spine; a spine that curves laterally (to the side) when viewing the person from behind. The spine not only curves to the side but the vertebrae involved also rotate to varying degrees, creating a corkscrew like effect. Continue reading “Scoliosis — A Crooked Spine” »

Posted in Other Conditions | Tagged abdomen, abdominal cavity, abnormal curvature of the spine, abnormal lung function, acupressure, age related, aorta, asymmetric activities, back, bending, bladder, bladder issues, bloating, blood flow, body, body structure, bowel movements, brain, cell, chest, congeal, connective tissue, connective tissue disease, corkscrew, corkscrew like effect, craniosacral therapy, crooked, crooked spine, curvature, damage, deformity, difficult birth, difficult pregnancy, digestion, discomfort, distorted, distorted space, distortion, energetic unwinding, energetic unwinding of the spine joints and muscles, enjoyable, esophagus, fascia, fatigue, flatulence, gentle, headaches, healing, health, healthy, heart, heart function, holding hostage, inside rib cage, intercostal nerves, irregular bowel movements, irritation, joint degeneration, kidneys, large intestine, lateral curvature, ligaments, liver, lower back, lungs, menstrual pain, mental fogginess, messages, mood, muscle, muscle fatigue, natural, natural healing, natural healing perspective, neck, neuromuscular condition, non-invasive, organ, organs, pain, pancreas, perineal pain, poor posture, pressure, progress, reproductive organs, ribs, rotate, rotation, scoliosis, sex life, shrink wrap, slowed recovery from birth, small intestine, soft tissue work, space, spinal nerves, spine, spleen, stomach, straightening out, swallowing, tendons, tension, therapy, thoracic, thoracic cavity, thymus, traction, trauma, unique, upper back, ureters, vena cava, vertebrae, weakness | Leave a comment

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a blog by Andrea Hambly, ND - Portland, OR

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