Smoking and Baldness!!

If you have been taking lung cancer as the only risk surrounding smokers then it won’t be wrong to say that you are a bit less informed about the risks that you puff in, every time you smoke.

Actually, a new study aimed at knowing risk factors, associated with cigarette smoking has revealed that smoking habit might add to your scalp’s visibility by speeding up the thinning process.

Findings of this study are based on an analysis of around 740 middle aged and older Asian men who were suffering a common kind of hair problem, generally known as androgenetic alopecia. During the course of study, experts admitted that no doubt, age is a major factor behind thinning of hair, still smoking contributes considerably. And this effect was more palpable in men smoking 20 or more cigarettes, daily.

The way smoking contributes to it, is still not very clear. However, experts opine that may be smoking increases the risk for hair loss by either destroying hair follicles or disturbing normal bodily functions, important for healthy hair.

This is not the first time when smoking has been linked to hair problems and it is quite understandable that when smoking can affect overall health drastically, so nothing strange if it affects hair-health too. Actually, when we smoke different kinds of gases and chemicals get into our mechanism, restricting the levels of oxygen and nutrients in our blood, which deeply affects entire mechanism, no matter it’s in the form of bad lung functioning or in the form of unhealthy skin or hair!

So choice is yours, whether you want big cloudy puffs or healthy and bouncy hair!

Home Remedies for Morning Sickness!!

Vomiting is a symptom, which may be related to pregnancy or may be a manifestation of some medical, surgical, gynecological complications, which can occur at any time during pregnancy. Vomiting during pregnancy is common. It is mostly limited to the first trimester. It is more common in first pregnancy, with a tendency to recur again in subsequent pregnancies. It is more common in multiple pregnancies.

The vomiting is related to the pregnant state and depending upon the severity it is classified as:

Simple vomiting or pregnancy

Hyperemesis gravidarum or severe type.

The patient complains of nausea and occasional sickness on rising in the morning. Slight vomiting is common in early pregnancy (about 50%) that is considered as a symptom of pregnancy. It may occur at other times of the day. The vomitus is small and clear. It does not produce any impairment of health or restrict the normal activities of the women. The feature disappears with or without treatment by 12-14 th week of pregnancy.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is a severe type of vomiting of pregnancy, which has got harmful effect on the health of the mother and the growing fetus. I t can result in dehydration, acidosis, malnutrition and weight loss. This condition can be dangerous to the fetus if persists. The reason for Hiperemesis gravidarum has not been identified yet, but an association between high levels of the hormones estrogen and chronic gonadotropin ( HCG ) has been found. HCG is a hormone produced by the placenta that increases until the end of the first trimester.

Other possible problems related with abnormal o severe vomiting includes bile duct disease, drug toxicity, pancreatitis, low blood sugar, and problems with the thyroid and inflammatory bowel disorders.

HOME REMEDIES FOR MORNING SICKNESS

To avoid vomiting, try grasping your tongue with a piece of cloth and pulling gently but firmly.
For excess of vomiting , try limiting your diet to a single food, one that you know you can tolerate. Add one additional food per day as you can tolerate them.
Scent the air by preparing a mixture of three drops of lavender essential oil and one of peppermint in a diffuser or humidifier.
Place a cool lavender scented compress on your forehead and a warm lavender compress over your rib cage.
Dissolve wheat germ in warm milk, and take a few teaspoons every hour.
Dissolve 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1-tablespoon honey in cold water and take it before bed. This is very effective home remedy for morning sickness.
Drink red raspberry leaf, peppermint, and squaw vine or spearmint tea.
Prepare ginger tea by boiling some ginger root in water. Strain it and add honey to sweeten. Take this tea when you feel nausea.
Don't brush your teeth immediately after eating.
For morning sickness cure, lie completely still with your eyes closed.
Taking ½ to 1 tsp of Wild yam root every day will help you fight with the morning sickness.
Keep your meals small and to drink plenty of fluids. Smaller meals mean less in your stomach, and less to make you nauseated.
Have a snack such as yogurt, milk, bread, dry cereal, or a small sandwich before going to bed. Try eating during the night. This may prevent nausea in the morning.
Keep your feet up and your head slightly raised on a pillow when resting.
Take a short walk or try to sleep with the window open. When you are cooking, open windows to get rid of odors.
Do not eat fatty foods, which take longer to digest, particularly during pregnancy, when your stomach takes longer to empty. Also avoid rich, spicy, acidic, and fried foods, which can irritate your stomach and digestive system.
Take a few soda crackers or dry toast when getting up early in the morning. This is also very effective home remedy for morning sickness.
Increase vitamin B6 in your diet by eating whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Acupressure wristbands or acupuncture may help. These bands can be found in drug, health food, and travel stores.
Chew your food thoroughly.
Do not keep your stomach completely empty. Carry fruit, cheese and/or crackers around with you to prevent nausea throughout the day.
Chewing gum also helps in reducing the morning sickness.

ABC of Diabetes!

What is DIABETES?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or alternatively, when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.

Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset) is characterized by a lack of insulin production.

Type 1 diabetes is rapidly fatal.
Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia) , constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes and fatigue. These symptoms may occur suddenly.

Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin- dependent or adult-onset) results from the bodys ineffective use of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes around the world, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.
Symptoms may be similar to those of Type 1 diabetes, but are often less marked. As a result, the disease may be diagnosed several years after onset, once complications have already arisen.

What are common consequences of DIABETES?

Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

Diabetes Facts
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030.
In 2005, an estimated 1.1 million people died from diabetes

Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.
Almost half of diabetes deaths occur in people under the age of 70 years; 55% of diabetes deaths are in women.

WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action. Most notably, diabetes deaths are projected to increase by over 80% in upper-middle income countries between 2006 and 2015.

Do & Dont For DIABETIC PATIENTS
Fortunately or unfortunately for the diabetes patients, there are many dont's and only a few do's. But these few do's are so powerful, if done properly, they are the cure-all for the diabetes.

Firstly, confidence and the will power to develop a fighting spirit in life, are the cornerstone for meeting the diabetes challenge. Mind is more subtle than the body. Body is made up of gross material. The same is not the case with the mind. The subtle is always more powerful than the gross.

Let me tell you about the do's first. You need to have a definite schedule for walking and for doing the right type of exercises. There are many types of physical exercises and yoga asanas, but you , in consultation with the physiotherapist, should decide, which are the right ones for you.

Similarly, the early morning walks go a long way in controlling the blood sugar levels. Avoid intensity of workouts, but swimming, walking and moderate biking and working on treadmill will do good for glucose tolerance, glucose control and in the area of overall metabolism.

Let your diet be in agreement according to the laws of nature. You will know more about it in the later part of this article.

The word diet frightens some persons, thrills many. The main purpose of the diet is to understand your food. Why you eat, what you eat! Formerly, you ate as per the demand of your stomach. Now your mind is also involved in the eating exercise.

Mind will instruct you to eat right things at the right time and avoid certain types of food altogether! When I say, diet, I have no intention of making you to starve. Eat plenty, but eat the reasonable ones and shun the unreasonable. Need has to score over taste.

I don't wish you to confuse with counting the calories. Stop eating, when you feel that you want a little more. There needs to be enough 'elbow room' in the stomach for the process of digestion.

Now, you know the causes and the reasons that led you to the pedestal of diabetes.

Avoid all types of sweets, refined sugar, oily food, foods that have too much carbohydrates and junk food. Treat junk food and processed food full of additives, as your enemy. Avoid cheese, cream and other dairy products. You are encouraged to take fruits and vegetables in which the fiber content is more. You need to avoid constipation at all costs.

Try to develop the habit of living in a relaxed atmosphere. Mental stress is also the main cause of tension, leading to the portals of diabetes.

You know, you need to defeat diabetes. Why then smoke or drink? Both are the trusted agents of the diabetes.

Let food be Thy medicine and the medicine be Thy food...the old saying goes thus!

10 Tips for Good Digestion!

1. Eat in order of digestibility. You should eat the easiest to digest foods first in each meal and slowly move towards the more complex. Think of a highway, if the slowest cars are in front they'll hold up the faster cars behind them, causing a traffic jam. The same goes for your food. Eat those fastest to digest first and save the tougher to digest foods for the second half of your meal.

Here are the time sequences for different food groups:
* Water & Juices: 20-30 minutes
* Fruits, Smoothies, Soups: 30-45 minutes
* Vegetables: 30-45 minutes
* Beans, Grains, Starches: 2-3 hours
* Meat, Fish, Poultry: 3 or more hours

2. Drink warm or hot liquids with your meal. Ice cold drinks can slow down the digestive process, think of it as putting ice on a muscle. The muscle stiffens and does not function as well. Warm or room temperature water, juice, or decaf tea will encourage proper digestion. (Just remember the traffic jam drink liquids prior to
meals)

3. Eat at regular meals times. It is important to be regular with what you eat and the times of day you eat. Eating similar food groups and at similar times each day has a regulating effect on your digestive system. Regular in means regular out.

4. Be conscious of what you eat and your portion sizes. Over consumption is the number one cause of indigestion. Our brain signals the feeling of fullness about ten minutes after we're actually full. So stop eating before you are full. Odds are you'll feel full ten minutes later!

5. Chew your food completely and don't talk while eating. Incomplete chewing and talking while eating can cause premature swallowing. Our digestive systems are not designed to digest large pieces of food, when we put large pieces in our stomachs it can lead to incomplete digestion (aka: digestive discomfort).

6. Relax while eating your meal. Eating when you are rushed increases your stress and slows down the digestive process.Create a nice calming atmosphere when eating and make sure you can devote time to eating.

7. Practice good posture. When you slouch or hunch over extra pressure is put on the digestive organs in your abdomen. This extra pressure can cause poor digestion. You should practice sitting with your shoulders back and your chin tucked in. This will allow more room for the digestive organs and will help improve digestion.

8. Don't eat late at night. Our bodies, including our digestive system, slow down in the evening hours as it gets ready to rest and rejuvenate. When we put food into our stomachs at these late hours there are not enough digestive enzymes to properly digest it. This undigested food sits in your stomach and will often disturb your sleep.

9. Take a brisk walk after eating. Forget about not be active for 30 minutes after each meal. Increased physical activity actually helps jumpstart your digestive system and increases the production of digestive enzymes. This will lead to more complete digestion of your food and less digestive discomfort!

10. Try a spinal twist. Spinal twists allow excess toxins in the digestive system to be released, which has a calming effect. While in a cross legged sitting position, slowly turn to the right and hold while taking 5 deep breathes then repeat this process on the left side.

Stress:Causes and Effects!!

Prime Causes

A stress-free existence is, perhaps, a mirage. Hans Selye aptly commented: "Complete freedom from stress is death!" The pressures of modern living ensure that stress is always lurking in the background. It is generally assumed that adverse life events or challenges called stressors cause stress. If this stress becomes very intense or chronic, it leads to stress-related diseases.

However, this phenomenon is not as simplistic as it sounds. Different individuals subjected to the same stressful event may react differently, with responses ranging from extreme to mild to absent.

Although the causes of stress are myriad, we could loosely categorize these into common and uncommon stressors. Common stressors comprise disease, academic stress (heightened during examinations), marital discord, separation or divorce, career stress, bereavement and unemployment.

The uncommon ones include overcrowding, commuting, sleep deprivation, shifts (home, school, career), malnutrition, drug abuse, phobias, excessive exercise, noise pollution, et al.

It isn't just adults who fall prey to stress. Modern lifestyles are exacting a toll on impressionable kids and unsuspecting teenagers too. In the words of Dr Chugh: "A fairly large number of children have stress problems related to studies and unrealistic parental expectations. And there are huge numbers of stressed teenagers. These are cases related to academics, relationships, parental expectations, drug and alcohol abuse and even sexual experimentation that backfires. Examination stress is phenomenally high, especially during board exams."

Frustration through sexual deprivation, social or peer pressure to conform, and the struggle for professional advancement all cause stress. It was Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) who pointed out that if psychic energy is unable to meet its original objective, it fixes upon an alternative. This impulse leads to sublimation. It can also lead to stress. While the individual adapts to the situation, if pressures become unbearable or persistent, he may enter a state of chronic stress.

Most of these stressors can ultimately impair immune functions.

Insidious Effects:
As early as the 2nd century AD, the deleterious effects of stress were recognized. In his treatise on tumors, De Tumoribus, the Greek physician Galen noted a greater tendency for development of breast cancer among melancholic women than those with sanguine traits.

Earl Wilson drove this point home laterally in his pithy observation on hypertension: "One way to get high blood pressure is to go mountain climbing over molehills."

Stress can be the culprit in palpitations, heart attacks, migraine and tension headaches, eating disorders, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, diabetes, backache, chronic fatigue syndrome, dermatitis, allergies, colds and coughs, asthma, insomnia, stammering, phobias, depression, premature aging… The list is endless.

In many illnesses, however, there may be multiple pathways by which symptoms occur, and stress may act as a predisposing, precipitating, and/or sustaining factor. Not surprisingly, many of these ailments are associated with immune alterations. The influence of stress may also be complex and indirect. In his study of gout, H. Weiner (1977) discovered that exacerbation were connected to dietary habits. Flare-ups typically occurred during periods of stress when patients exhibited less dietary control, guzzled greater amounts of alcohol, took medication less regularly and got insufficient sleep.

Can stress really cause illness? The ecumenical belief holds that an individual's emotional state can directly affect his well being. Empirical evidence demonstrates that a variety of personality traits and stressful life events are correlated with both the provocation and the increased incidence of many psychosomatic disorders, including cancer.

B.H. Fox (1978) hypothesizes two primary cancer-causing mechanisms. The first, 'carcinogenesis', involves an agent or mechanism which produces cancer by overcoming the body's natural resistance. The second, 'lowered resistance to cancer', permits a potential carcinogen normally insufficient to produce cancer to do so due to a weakened emotional state, for example.

Researchers like D.M. Kissen (1969) have argued that the stress of adverse circumstances and the loss of a loved one can lead to cancer by psychological mechanisms of "despair, depression and hopelessness".

Some researchers have linked the theory of learned helplessness to health. Helplessness has been defined as "the psychological state that frequently results when events are uncontrollable". It is used interchangeably with hopelessness, describing a feeling that a situation is without solution. Hopelessness has often been associated with early relapse and mortality in cancer studies. Examining survival rates of patients post-surgery and 10 years after a psychological interview, S. Greer (1985) found telling conclusions. Those displaying a helpless attitude or a stoic acceptance had recurrent disease or died earlier than those responding with 'denial' or a 'fighting spirit'.

In the 1950s, Dr Franz Alexander of Chicago found that strong but inhibited aggressive impulses led to increased muscle tension, a contributing factor in rheumatoid arthritis. Along with anxiety, it raised blood pressure, as though the body "were constantly in preparation for a fight which never takes place". Dr Alexander showed that high blood pressure is rare among African blacks, but frequent in American blacks-an incontrovertible proof of the damaging effects of a more stressful environment.

An American study in the 1970s discovered that 20 out of 25 new diabetics had suffered the loss of a loved one or a severe setback shortly before the symptoms developed.

Drinking water on empty stomach!!

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven a its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water.

2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute.

3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.

4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours.

5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.

6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/ reduce main diseases.

1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days
2. Gastric - 10 days
3. Diabetes - 30 days
4. Constipation - 10 days
5. Cancer - 180 days
6. TB - 90 days
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards - daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.

Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.

It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks: Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.

Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.

You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.

Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.

60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.

Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

Kundru can lower blood sugar: Study

New Delhi: This humble vegetable, so far met at the dining table with indifference, may now find new respect, even among picky palates. That's because new research shows that consuming 50 grams of kundru daily can help keep your blood sugar under check.

A three-month study conducted by doctors at the Institute of Population Health and Clinical Research, Bangalore, has found that the common kundru, which looks like a poor cousin of the tasty gourd parwal and has no particular gastronomic appeal, can reduce blood sugar levels in patients with mild diabetes.

The team found that sugar levels in new diabetics, with fasting blood sugar counts below 200, can drop by 16% by simply slurping the curried vegetable, known to botanists as Coccinia indica. It also reduced postprandial blood glucose (sugar count after a meal) by 18%.

The findings have been reported in the latest issue of the international journal Diabetes Care. ''We fed 30 early diabetics a daily capsule of one gram of frozen, dried powder of kundru, that is equivalent to 15 grams of the vegetable, for three months and found it to greatly reduce blood sugar. It also reduced glycosylated haemoglobin by 0.4%, which is significant,'' said Dr Ganapathi Bantwal, associate professor of endocrinology at St John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. However, doctors say when cooked and consumed, the dose has to be higher than that of the extract — typically about 50 grams.

Kundru used in many ayurvedic cures

New Delhi: A study conducted at the Institute of Population Health and Clinical Research, Bangalore, has found that kundru can reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics.

''For those with blood sugar count during fasting higher than 200, kundru could be a supplement along with blood sugar reducing tablets,'' Dr Bantwal said. Although modern science has just stumbled on this culinary oddity, ancient sages pounding herbs into ayurvedic cures have known of kundru's powers. It has been used to treat ''sugar urine" too. However, studies of its efficacy on blood glucose levels of type 2 diabetic patients requiring only dietary or lifestyle modifications were lacking. This triggered the research.

The study entailed giving a control group the kundru powder as well as observing a similar group given placebos. Sixty type 2 diabetics (aged 35-60) were recruited from St John's Medical College Hospital. The subjects were randomly assigned into the placebo or experimental group.

How to reduce eye strain?

This article outlines simple eye exercises and acupressure points that you can use to reduce eyestrain and support optimal vision.

To reduce eyestrain and experience optimal vision, two major requirements are as follows:

The six muscles that move each of your eyes need to be strong and relaxed.
You must have strong and steady blood flow to your eyes and to the muscles that control your eyes.

The six muscles that control all of your eye movements are as follows:

Lateral rectus - Primarily moves the eye outward, away from your nose.
Medial rectus - Primarily moves the eye inward, toward your nose.
Superior rectus - Primarily moves the eye upward.
Inferior rectus - Primarily moves the eye downward.
Superior oblique - Primarily rotates the top of the eye toward your nose.
Inferior oblique - Primarily rotates the top of the eye away from your nose.

Perhaps the single greatest reason why people in today's society suffer from chronic eyestrain and deteriorating vision is the amount of time that is spent staring at computer monitors and television screens.

Your eyes are designed to move regularly, and regular movement of your eyes is what promotes optimal blood flow and nerve function to your eyes and the six muscles that control your eye movements.

What follows are several simple eye exercises that you can do on a regular basis to keep your eyes and vision as healthy as possible:

Look as far to your right as possible for 3-5 seconds, then as far to your left as possible for 3-5 seconds. Rest for a few seconds, then repeat this sequence several times.

Look as far up as possible for 3-5 seconds, then look as far down as possible for 3-5 seconds. Rest for a few seconds, then repeat this sequence several times.

Slowly roll your eyes in a circle, first clockwise, then counter-clockwise. Rest for a few seconds, then repeat this sequence several times. Be sure to roll slowly - it should take at least 3 seconds for you to roll your eyes in a full circle.

Hold a pen in front of you, about an arm's length away. Focus your vision on the tip of your pen for 3-5 seconds, then shift the focus of your vision to an object that is farther away for 3-5 seconds. The greater the distance between your pen and the distant object, the better. If you are indoors, look out a window to find a distant object to focus your vision on. Repeat this sequence of going back and forth between your pen and a distant object several times.

Just for interest's sake, this exercise is routinely used by professional baseball players to optimize visual acuity, which is essential for the hand-eye coordination that is needed to play pro ball.

Please note that all of these exercises should be done with your eyes, not your head and neck. In other words, keep your head and neck still while you take your eyes through the movements described above.

Preventing Asthma!!

Asthma is an ancient Greek word meaning 'panting or shortdrawn breath'. It is an allergic condition resulting from the reaction of the body to one or more allergens, and is the most troublesome of respiratory diseases. An asthma patient gets frequent attacks of breathlessness, in between which he may even be completely normal.

Asthma Symptoms
Gasping for breath
Patients suffering from asthma appear to be gasping for breath. Actually, they have more difficulty in breathing out than breathing in, and this is caused by spasms or sudden involuntary muscular contractions of the smaller air passages in the lungs.

Asthma Causes
Allergy caused by weather conditions
Asthma is caused by a variety of factors. It may be due to an allergy caused by weather conditions, food, drugs, perfumes, and other irritants. Allergies to dust are the most common.

Asthma Cures
Asthma treatment using Honey
Honey is one of the most common home remedies for asthma. It is said that if a jug of honey is held under the nose of an asthma patient and he inhales the air that comes into contact with it, he starts breathing easier and deeper.

Asthma treatment using Figs
Among fruits, figs have proved very valuable in asthma. They give comfort to the patient by draining off the phlegm. Three or four dry figs should be cleaned thoroughly with warm water and soaked overnight.

Asthma treatment using Lemon
Lemon is another fruit found beneficial in the treatment of asthma. The juice of one lemon, diluted in a glass of water and taken with meals, will bring good results.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fats and Oils-Dr.Ben Kim

After graduating from chiropractic school, I made my way to a small Inuit village at the northern tip of Alaska to begin my first practice as a chiropractor. One of the most impressive memories I have of my time in northern Alaska was watching the natives haul a 20-foot whale onto the beach and divide the “muktuk” (whale blubber) into three by three sheets, one per family. I learned that the natives chopped these sheets of whale blubber into small pieces, about the size of small grapes, to be eaten raw and sometimes dipped in seal oil. In addition to whale blubber and seal oil, the natives continued to eat traditional staples such as whale meat, caribou meat, fish, and goose meat.

My observations in rural Alaska are congruent with the studies of Weston A. Price, a Harvard-trained dentist who traveled around the world in the 1930s, visiting many indigenous populations and observing their diets and health. Dr. Price found that the foods of isolated primitive peoples contained at least ten times the fat-soluble vitamins A and D found in modern diets. He also found that all healthy populations had at least one source of animal fat and protein in their diets, such as fatty fish, wild game, organ meats, eggs, and butter. These healthy populations did not suffer from heart disease, digestive problems, cancer, or obesity at the rates that we do.

For the past twenty years, we have been encouraged to believe that saturated fats and cholesterol, both found in animal fats, are the main causes of chronic degenerative diseases. Ask the average North American what they know about saturated fat, and the majority will answer that it causes heart disease. Ask the average high school student what they know about cholesterol, and they will tell you that it is bad for you. For years, I would have answered the same. Are these views on saturated fat and cholesterol with merit?

Here are some facts about saturated fats:

They make up at least 50 percent of our cell membranes, providing essential rigidity and strength
They enhance the immune system
They help incorporate calcium into our bones
Some of them have antimicrobial properties that protect us against harmful microorganisms in our digestive tracts

And here are some facts about cholesterol:

It contributes to cell membrane rigidity and strength, just as saturated fats do
It is used to make hormones that help us deal with stress, as well to make sex hormones
It is converted to vitamin D, essential for proper growth, healthy bones, a healthy nervous system, muscle tone, and proper immune system function
It is used to make bile, needed for digestion of fat in our foods
It acts as an antioxidant, actually protecting us against cellular damage that leads to heart disease and cancer
It helps maintain a healthy intestinal lining, offering protection against autoimmune illnesses

Clearly, saturated fat and cholesterol are needed for many vital processes. We need both in our diets to be as healthy as possible. The danger comes when we eat fats and cholesterol that have been damaged by heat, oxygen, and unnatural farming practices. Damaged fats and cholesterol can lead to injury to the walls of our blood vessels, promoting a build-up of plaque that heals the injured areas. It is this build-up of plaque that impairs blood circulation and paves the way to heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

The following foods are likely sources of damaged fats and/or damaged cholesterol:

Pasteurized dairy products – this includes cheese and ice cream that have been made from pasteurized milk
Powdered milk
Powdered eggs
Meats that have been cooked at high temperatures, especially those that have been fried or deep-fried
Most vegetable oils
All hydrogenated oils

The following foods are concentrated sources of healthy fats and/or healthy cholesterol:

Avocado
Nuts and seeds
Cold-water fish
Organic eggs
Organic chicken
Grass-fed beef
Virgin Coconut Oil
Red Palm Oil – used throughout Africa
Cold Pressed Olive Oil

The difference in organic and non-organic animal foods is significant. As an example, let’s look at the difference between organic and non-organic eggs. We function best when we eat an equal balance of two fatty acids: omega-6 and omega-3. Having too much omega-6 and too little omega-3 leads to numerous health problems, including generalized inflammation, high blood pressure, depressed immune function, weight gain, an irritated intestinal tract, and a tendency to form blood clots. An organic egg, one that comes from a hen allowed to eat green plants and insects, contains an optimal ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids of 1:1. A commercial supermarket egg from a hen that is fed mainly grain in a factory-farm environment has a ratio closer to 15 or 20:1.

Virgin coconut oil and red palm oil are the best oils to cook with because they contain a large percentage of saturated fats that remain stable and undamaged with heat. All other vegetable oils are damaged easily with heat exposure. This is why cold-pressed olive oil is best eaten raw.

Getting back to my time in rural Alaska, I remember being impressed with stories that some of my elderly patients told me about how strong and healthy their parents and grandparents were. For Inuits living before the mid 1900s, it was a regular occurrence to use small, homemade kayaks to go hunting in cold arctic waters. Every spring and fall was time to go out on the ice or water for several days to weeks at a time to hunt for whales. Although hunting and eating traditional foods are still a part of the Inuit culture, some of my older patients remarked how sad it was to see today’s generation of Inuits suffering from numerous health problems like cancer, heart disease, horrible dental health, and crippling arthritis. By all accounts, these ailments were very rare in the recent past.

Of course, it was no surprise to discover that soft drinks and fast food have become staples in the Inuit diet. Planes flew in to our village everyday, carrying many cases of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Doritos, and most processed convenience products found in regular supermarkets. As a special treat, many people who were returning from trips to Anchorage and Seattle brought back boxes from Pizza Hut and McDonalds for their families and friends.

I can only hope that populations like this one will not mistakenly group their pizzas and Big Macs with their traditional animal foods as fatty foods that cause chronic disease. Many people I have worked with over the years have made this mistake and ended up developing health problems that were partly due to a deficiency of healthy fats in their diets. I made this same mistake for five years

How to prevent Osteoporasis?

Based on my work experiences over the past several years, I'm convinced that osteoporosis is one of the most misunderstood health conditions that we know of. The purpose of this article is to help you identify the essential choices that you must make on a regular basis to minimize your risk of developing osteoporosis. Put another way, this article is intended to help you understand what it takes to build and maintain healthy bones.

Understanding how to prevent osteoporosis requires that you have a clear understanding of the physical structure and functions of your bones.

Your bones are active organs that are filled with a number of different tissues, the main ones being bone tissue (hardened minerals), bone marrow, specialized tissues that line different sections of your bones (endosteum and periosteum), cartilage, blood vessels, and nerves.

Why are there so many different types of tissue in your bones? Because your bones need to carry out a number of functions, the most important ones being:

Production of blood cells (hematopoiesis) - The inner portion (medulla) of your long bones is where most of your blood cells are formed.
Maintenance of delicate acid-alkaline balance within your blood - Your bones act as storage sites for minerals, providing a buffering mechanism that allows the pH of your blood to stay within a slightly alkaline range (approximately 7.35 to 7.45).
Provision of structural framework and protection - Your bones serve to support your entire structure and protect your internal organs. For example, your ribcage serves to create and protect your thoracic cavity, home to your heart and lungs.
Transduction of sound - Small bones that exist in your inner ear region help you hear and distinguish different sounds.

Due to the number of functions that your bones carry out on a daily basis, they are constantly being remodeled according to your needs and circumstances. This remodeling process is mainly carried out by two types of cells that exist within your bones:

Osteoblasts - Responsible for new bone production.
Osteoclasts - Responsible for removing damaged or unneeded cells.

Together, osteoblasts and osteoclasts remodel your bones on a continuous basis with three primary goals in mind:

Repair areas that are damaged from stress associated with your activities of daily living - most of this damage is microscopic.
Regulate calcium levels in your blood.
Optimally shape your bones while you are growing.

If you are not yet impressed by the amount of activity that goes on within your bones on a second-to-second basis, consider the fact that virtually all of the hormones that your body produces have some effect on your bones. Here is a severely truncated list of hormones that you produce on a daily basis that affect the activities and health of your bones:

Growth hormone
Testosterone
Estrogen
Progesterone
Thyroid hormones (T4, T3 and their derivatives)
Cortisol
Erythropoietin

At this point, it should be clear that primarily focusing on how much calcium you need to take each day is not likely to ensure that you build and maintain healthy bones. As dynamically alive as your bones are, I also hope it's clear that you can do so much more than take the right daily dose of alendronate (fosamax) or any other osteoporosis-related drug to keep your bones strong as you age.

So what should you be doing to keep your bones strong and flexible as you age?

How to Build and Maintain Healthy Bones

1. Be physically active.

No other facet of your life has greater impact on the health of your bones.

Your body is designed to adapt all of your organs -- your bones included -- to your specific needs. If you are physically active, your body will work to make your bones as strong and flexible as possible with its resources. If you lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle, your body will not work to produce and maintain strong bones since your lifestyle is not signaling a need for such bones.

Being physically active doesn't mean that you have to jog "x" number of miles per day or attend aerobics classes at your local gym 3 times a week. If you are regularly doing chores around your living and work areas, walking or biking when you can instead of taking your car, and finding other ways to go about your daily routine while being physically active, there is no need to make time to "exercise," since you are already exercising for most of the day. If you spend most of your day sitting for long stretches at a time, for the sake of building and maintaining healthy bones, you should incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine.

2. Eat mineral-rich foods on a regular basis.

Your body needs much more than calcium supplements to build and maintain healthy bones. When you consider that your bones are comprised of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, manganese, zinc, iron, silica, and many other trace minerals, it should be clear that eating mineral-rich foods is far superior to taking calcium-based supplements when it comes to providing real nourishment for your bones.

Generally speaking, green vegetables and herbs are the healthiest, mineral-rich foods that you can eat. If you want to ensure that you are actually getting the minerals in green vegetables and herbs into your bloodstream to become available to your bones and other organs, you must be mindful of chewing these plants thoroughly. Thorough chewing helps to ensure that the protective cell walls that surround all plant cells are broken sufficiently to allow your digestive tract to have access to the many minerals contained within those cells.

Drinking freshly pressed vegetable juices and well blended green smoothies are other ways of ensuring that you actually get the minerals in green vegetables and herbs into your bloodstream.

Use of high quality green food powders can also help to provide your bloodstream and bones with a rich supply of minerals.

3. Consider drinking mineral-rich broths on a regular basis.

Broths that are made by simmering bones and a variety of vegetables for an hour or longer are a fantastic source of calcium and other minerals that can be used to keep your bones strong and flexible.

Mineral-rich broths are a chief source of dietary calcium in east Asian countries like China and Korea, where many people are unable to fully digest dairy products. These broths take significant time and effort to make on a regular basis, but there's no question that they can provide almost instant nourishment to your bones and other organs.

4. Ensure adequate vitamin D status.

Adequate amounts of vitamin D must be present in your body for calcium in your foods to be optimally absorbed and used.

When the weather is warm and sunlight is readily present, the best way to ensure adequate vitamin D status is to expose your skin to sunlight on a regular basis without getting burned. Sunlight acts on cholesterol found in your skin to produce vitamin D. Your body knows to stop producing vitamin D in this fashion when you have built up an adequate level. Please keep in mind that use of a sunscreen with an SPF of 8 or higher can prevent sunlight from acting on cholesterol in your skin to produce vitamin D.

When the weather is cool and sunlight is not readily available, the best way to ensure adequate vitamin D status is to eat one or more foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D on a regular basis. Different varieties of fish like wild salmon and sardines are good food sources of natural vitamin D. High quality cod liver oil is another good food source of natural vitamin D.

5. Eat high quality fats and cholesterol.

Consumption of high quality fats optimizes the absorption of vitamins A and D into your bloodstream. And vitamin A is needed to keep your intestinal lining healthy and readily able to absorb minerals in the foods that you eat. For these reasons, it's virtually impossible to have optimally healthy bones and teeth without including healthy fats in your diet.

Here are some examples of foods that are rich in healthy fats:

Extra virgin olive oil
Avocados
Organic eggs from cage-free birds
Soaked nuts and seeds (about a handful per day at most)
Cold-water fish and high quality fish oils
Coconuts and coconut oil
Bone broths

Organically raised red and white meats (should be eaten sparingly if eaten at all - with proper planning, there is no physiological requirement for red and white meats)
Healthy cholesterol is also needed for a healthy intestinal lining that is able to optimally absorb minerals into your bloodstream. Healthy dietary cholesterol can help to ensure adequate cholesterol status in your system so that sunlight has enough cholesterol to act on when producing vitamin D. While your body is capable of producing cholesterol from other nutrients, it makes sense to ensure adequate cholesterol levels via intake of healthy cholesterol.

For more information on healthy fats and cholesterol, view:

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fats and Oils

6. Learn how to effectively manage emotional stress.

Chronic emotional stress can elevate the level of cortisol in your blood. Cortisol is useful for combating stress, but if it remains elevated in your system over the long term, it can cause the matrix of your bones to weaken. Corticosteroid drugs can also weaken your bones and cause osteoporosis if used in large quantities and/or over the long term.

For comprehensive help with stress management, visit:

The Less Stress System.

7. Avoid regular consumption of foods that may cause your bones to lose calcium.

Acid-forming foods are foods that bring the pH of your blood down. Because you cannot survive if the pH of your blood moves outside a very narrow range (7.35 to 7.45), your body must buffer the effects of acid-forming foods to maintain a healthy blood pH level. One of the main ways in which you body buffers acid-forming foods is to take calcium from your bones and use it to neutralize the remnants of acid-forming foods. If your body is repeatedly forced to do this, your bones may be weakened.

Foods that are strongly acid-forming in your blood and should not be staples in your diet include:

Artificial sweeteners
Soft drinks (pop)
Sugar
Cookies, cakes, and pastries made with white flour
Table salt
Alcohol

8. Regularly eat foods that are rich in vitamin C.

Collagen is a long, fibrous protein that is critical to providing your bones with tensile strength. In short, the more quality collagen that you have in your bones, the more physical stress that your bones can tolerate before breaking.

Your body needs vitamin C to synthesize collagen. Please note that there is a big difference between the full vitamin C complex found in real foods and synthetic forms of vitamin C found in many nutritional supplements. Some excellent food sources of real vitamin C are:

Organic goji berries
Bell peppers
Citrus fruits
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Acerola cherries

I hope that this article makes it clear that your bones are active organs that are slowly supported or eroded by every food and lifestyle choice that you make. Addressing osteoporosis with a calcium supplement or drug without regard for your overall health will not allow you to build and maintain the healthiest bones that your genetics and upbringing will allow. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, please be encouraged by this article; weakened bones can become healthy again if you consistently make the right choices in the days ahead.

Health Myths:Do you know the truth?

You may be making health decisions based on incorrect or outdated information. Make sure that your sources for health information are current and accurate. Also, check with your health care provider if you have any questions about living a healthier life.

You CAN take simple steps everyday to protect yourself against illness and disease. It is important to get appropriate health screenings to find potential problems early and get proper treatment to prevent more serious problems later. Know that the health choices you make can also impact the health of others.

Below are links to health-related myths and rumors you may have heard from others or the internet. Click on a health topic for related myths, facts, and links to more information.

Cancer
Myth: Cancer cannot be prevented.
Fact: Scientists estimate that as many as 50 percent or more of cancer deaths in the United States are caused by social and environmental conditions and unhealthy choices. These conditions and choices can result in an unhealthy diet, obesity, or unhealthy human behaviors such as smoking and physical inactivity. We now know more about how to prevent many cancers including cancers of the lung, cervix, colon, rectum, and skin.

In general, the factors that can help prevent cancer include:
· not using cigarettes or other tobacco products
· avoiding second-hand smoke
· not drinking too much alcohol
· avoiding weight gain and maintaining a healthy weight
· eating five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables and a low-fat diet
· balancing calories with physical activity
· being physically active
· protecting skin from sunlighy
· supporting community efforts to develop a healthy social and physical environment

Breast Cancer
Researchers estimate that a fourth to a third of breast cancers in postmenopausal women may be due to physical inactivity and overweight/obesity.*

·Mammography is the best available method to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage— an average of 1 to 4 years before a woman can feel a lump. Women aged 40 years or older should have a screening mammogram every 1 to 2 years.
·Maintain a healthy weight. Limiting weight gain during childhood and adulthood is likely to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Losing weight if overweight may also reduce risk
·Regular physical activity is likely to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
·Community efforts to increase physical activity, such as school-based physical education programs and creation of walking trails, can contribute to increased physical activity in your community.

Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer can usually be prevented if women are screened regularly at least every three years with a test called the Pap test. The Pap test can find abnormal cells in the cervix. These cells may, over time, turn into cancer, and could take many years to happen. If the results of a Pap test show there are abnormal cells that could become cancerous, a woman can be treated. In most cases, this treatment prevents cervical cancer from developing.

Pap tests can also find cervical cancer early. When it is found early, the chance of being cured is very high. When it is found early and treated, cervical cancer is highly curable. The most important thing you can do to avoid getting cervical cancer is to have regular Pap tests.

Abnormal cells in the cervix and cervical cancer don't always cause symptoms, especially at first. That's why getting tested for cervical cancer is important, even if there are no symptoms.

Community efforts to increase access to and use of cancer screening can lead to greater cancer screening in your community.

Colorectal Cancer
If you're 50 or older, getting a screening test for colorectal cancer could save your life.
Colorectal cancer usually starts from polyps in the colon or rectum. A polyp is a growth that shouldn't be there. Over time, some polyps can turn into cancer.
Screening tests can find polyps, so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening tests can also find colorectal cancer early. When it is found early, the chance of being cured is good.
Researchers estimate that a fourth to a third of colorectal cancer may be due to physical inactivity and overweight/obesity.*
Maintain a healthy weight. Limiting weight gain during childhood and adulthood is likely to reduce risk of colorectal cancer and losing weight if overweight may reduce risk.
Regular physical activity is likely to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Community efforts to increase physical activity, such as school-based physical education programs and creation of walking trails, can contribute to increased activity in your community. Community efforts to increase access to and use of cancer screening can lead to greater cancer screening in your community.

Lung Cancer
Avoiding tobacco use is the single most important step Americans can take to reduce the cancer burden in this country.
Secondhand smoke is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer and coronary heart disease in nonsmoking adults. Secondhand smoke is a known cancer-causing agent.
Quitting smoking has immediate as well as long-term benefits, reducing risks for diseases caused by smoking and improving health in general.
Community efforts to limit smoking, such as indoor smoking policies and cigarette taxes, can help reduce smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Skin Cancer
Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays appears to be the most important environmental factor involved in the development of skin cancer. When used consistently, sun-protective practices can prevent skin cancer.
Although anyone can develop skin cancer, some people are at particular risk, including those with light skin color, hair color, or eye color; family history of skin cancer; personal history of skin cancer; chronic exposure to the sun; history of sunburns early in life; certain types of moles or a large number of moles; and freckles, which indicate sun sensitivity and sun damage.
Protect your skin from the sun, by choosing five sun protection options: seek shade, cover up, get a hat, wear sunglasses, and rub on sunscreen.

Healthy Foods That Promote Deep Sleep

By Dr. Ben Kim
DrBenKim.com

If you are following sound advice on how to get a good night's sleep, but are still having trouble sleeping soundly, you may want to try eating a bedtime snack that combines a concentrated dietary source of tryptophan with a healthy carbohydrate-rich food.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that your body cannot make; you must obtain it from the foods that you eat. Once tryptophan crosses your blood-brain barrier to gain access to your brain, it is used to make a hormone called serotonin.

Serotonin acts within your body to promote feelings of sleepiness, calm, and relaxation.

Without adequate levels of serotonin in your system, you will have a hard time feeling sleepy enough to rest soundly. And without adequate levels of tryptophan within your brain, you will not be able to produce significant amounts of serotonin.

The challenge with shuttling tryptophan through to your brain is that it has to compete with other amino acids for access to the limited number of channels that line your blood-brain barrier. And tryptophan tends to be outnumbered by other amino acids in natural foods.

The key to getting enough tryptophan to your brain to sleep well at night is to combine a tryptophan-rich food with a carbohydrate-rich food. This is because ingesting a carbohydrate-rich food causes your body to release insulin, which diverts many of your other amino acids away from your brain, leaving tryptophan with little competition to cross your blood-brain barrier to gain access to your brain.

Here is a list of some healthy foods that are naturally rich in tryptophan:

Beans
Whole grains, including rice
Lentils
Chickpeas
Hazelnuts
Peanuts
Eggs
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
Miso (fermented soy beans)
Unsweetened soy milk
Raw dairy products (if you can tolerate dairy)

If you combine any of the food listed above with a healthy carbohydrate-rich food as an evening snack, you will provide your body with a good opportunity to produce enough serotonin to facilitate a good night's rest.

What follows are some suggestions for healthy meals and snacks that combine a tryptophan-rich food with a carbohydrate-rich food:

Rice with miso soup
Whole grain pita with hummus (add tomato and red onion slices for flavor)
Whole grain crackers with organic peanut butter (add a touch of honey for sweetness, if desired)
Unsweetened whole grain cereal with soy milk
Rice with lentils
Rice, black beans, and guacamole
Hummus with steamed broccoli
Eggs with whole grain toast

Clearly, the possible combinations of tryptophan-rich foods and carbohydrate-rich foods are endless. Be creative and enjoy the process of figuring out which combinations suit your palate and help you sleep like a bear.

Naturally removing Gall Bladder stones!!

It has worked for many. If it works for you please pass on the good news. Chiu Nan is not charging for it, so we should make it free for everyone. Your reward is when someone, through your word of mouth, benefits from the regime.

Gallstones may not be everyone's concern. But they should be because we all have them. Moreover, gallstones may lead to cancer. 'Cancer is never the first illness,' Chiu Nan points out. 'Usually, there are a lot of other problems leading to cancer. In my research in China, I came across some materials, which say that people with cancer usually have stones.

We all have gallstones. It's a matter of big or small, many or few.

One of the symptoms of gallstones is a feeling of bloatedness after a heavy meal. You feel like you can't digest the food. If it gets more serious, you feel pain in the liver area. So if you think you have gallstones, Chiu Nan offers the following method to remove them naturally.

The treatment is also good for those with weak liver, because the liver and gallbladder are closely linked.

1) For the first five days, take four glasses of apple juice every day.
Or
eat four or five apples, whichever you prefer.Apple juice softens the gallstones.

2) During the five days, eat normally.

3) On the sixth day, take no dinner.

At 6 pm, take a teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) with a glass of warm water. Magnesium sulphate could be bought from the pharmacy.

At 8 pm, repeat the same. Magnesium sulphate opens the gallbladder ducts.

At 10 pm, take half-cup olive oil (or sesame oil) with half cup fresh lemon juice. Mix it well and drink it. The oil lubricates the stones to ease their passage.

4) The next morning, you will find green stones in your stools.

Home remedies for Hangovers!!

Hangovers are caused by drinking too much alcohol at one time, and are dependent on each person's tolerance level for alcohol. It can be based on height, weight, and the genetics of a person. Hangover symptoms last only about 24 hours.

The main symptom of a hangover is dehydration and drinking plenty of water can minimize. A headache is a symptom of dehydration and may be relieved by drinking water. Drinking too much alcohol decreases the essential nutrients of the body such as vitamins, minerals, water, and blood sugar.

Some of the important symptoms of hangover are headache, nausea, intestinal upset, and perhaps diarrhea, aches in the muscles and joints, and fatigue. Some alcohol is worse than others - Brandy, red wine, rum, whisky, white wine, gin and vodka

Some alcoholics drink more or less steadily, others drink only when under stress or anxiety. Some drink in excess and destroy themselves rapidly. Alcohol often destroys the liver, causing hepatic cirrhosis. It produces gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. Their effect upon the brain is even more marked. Alcohol makes the heart weak and flabby. Some alcoholics may develop the symptoms of peripheral neuritis in which the nerves become weakened and deteriorated.

Alcohol in any form may cause intoxication if enough has been taken. It is responsible for many deaths. The alcoholic who is dead drunk can be allowed to sleep off his stupor. This may one or two days. But the man who is half drunk is often violent, and may not be restrained. Young people should avoid the use of alcohol in any form. Many people suffer from a severe headache due to hangover after taking large quantities of alcohol. Alcohol is toxic to the tissues and directly irritates the meninges and coverings of the brain, thus causing pain in the head. The alcohol also dilates the arteries in the brain, and this produces a pain. The best treatment for this type of headache is to avoid the excessive use of alcohol in any form.

HOME REMEDIES FOR HANGOVERS

• A large glass of orange juice or tomato juice will help to remove the alcohol from the system the morning after.
• Honey is a very concentrated source of fructose, and eating a little the morning after is another way to remove the remaining alcohol from the body.
• Amino acids play a role in repairing the effects of a hangover.
• Few cup of coffee can do a great deal to relieve the headaches associated with hangovers.
• Take Vitamin C as it may increase the rate of alcohol breakdown in the body.
• For hangover treatment, drink plenty of water to cover the deficiency of fluids caused by dehydration.
• Bouillon soup or sports beverages (i.e. Gatorade) may help to replace depleted salt and potassium.
• Eating 6 raw almonds before consuming alcohol helps prevent intoxication.
• Put a teaspoon of bifidus powder in a glass of water and drink before going to bed.
• Evening primrose oil helps prevent hangovers. Take two teaspoons.
• Eating peanut butter before drinking is an African remedy.
• To help stop the urge for alcohol drink a tangy drink, such as tomato with the juice of one lemon added.
• A good, brisk walk will increase circulation and help to get rid of your hangover by helping the body rid itself of toxins.
• For hangover treatment, apples eaten on an empty stomach the day after drinking is an effective.
• One of the quickest ways to cure a hangover is to make a banana milkshake sweetened with honey.
• Chicken soup, seems to work as well for hangover problems as it does for colds.
• Add the juice of one lemon to a cup of black coffee and drink it without sugar and without milk.
• Add two teaspoons of fresh limejuice and a teaspoon of sugar to 8 ounces of water. Drink it slowly.
• Make a tea by pouring one cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of the dried peppermint; cover; steep for fifteen minutes; strain. Drink 1-2 cups as soon as you can. Peppermint either in tea or chewing leaves as such will relax the intestines and this is very effevtive home remedy for hangovers.
• Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) extract has been found to relieve hangover nausea and dry mouth.
• Eat raw cabbage to give relief to the headache.
• Drink sauerkraut juice with some tomato juice. This drink helps to replace lost nutrients.
• Pull your hair in clumps so that your full scalp is stimulated. This remedy brings blood to the scalp and relieves the headache.
• Prepare a tea by lightly crushing five fresh or dried leaves; place in a cup and fill with water cooled to just below boiling; cover and leave to infuse for five minutes; remove leaves and drink. This is also very effevtive home remedy for hangovers .
• Putting anything in the stomach prior to indulging in alcohol helps prevent a hangover.
• Never skip breakfast, especially when hangover. The classic eggs and toast is the best breakfast.

Dengue’s Symptoms & Prevention

Dengue surfaced around 200 years ago and remains a serious health hazard, with often fatal consequences. Closer to home it made its first appearance in October last year and hung around until March 2007 and due to inadequate fumigation campaigns and lack of hygiene maintenance has re-emerged six months later, much stronger than before.

In such circumstances it is best to understand the nature of this dangerous disease. Dengue is caused by the Flavivirus, which is transmitted by the daytime biting mosquito. Aedes Aegypti.

The different varieties of the dengue virus all cause a similar illness. It takes between two to seven days for the disease to present itself after the mosquito bite. The disease can take one of these forms: Dengue Fever (DF).Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) or Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS).All three occur in South Asia as well as South-East Asia.

DENGUE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:

• High-grade fever, sore throat, malaise and chills. The fever has two phases with a characteristic break on the fourth or fifth day and then a reoccurrence of the fever commonly called the’ saddle back pattern’.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Excruciating body and joint pains.
• Signs of DHF include tiny to large reddish spots on the skin, bleeding from the mouth, nose and gums. And blood in stool and urine.
• Continuous abdominal pain, vomiting, low blood pressure, decreasing levels on consciousness and subnormal body temperature are highly indicative of DSS.

DENGUE PREVENTION:
1.Eradicating of breeding sites of the mosquito through extensive, thorough and timely fumigation and campaigns.
2.Use mosquito nettings, repellent mats and coils and anti aerosol sprays at home.
3.Positive cases should be screened from further mosquito bites to stop the disease from spreading.

Treatment in a hospital setting includes intravenous fluids (drips), paracetamol and in cases of DHF – blood and mega units of platelets.

Experiments are underway on a vaccine (Tetravalent Vaccine) which would confer immunity against all varieties.*

Benefits, recipe & nutrional facts of Guava!!

Guava (Psidium guajava) belongs to the tropical and subtropical regions and is largely grown in the Indian subcontinent. There are several varieties of the fruit with different shapes, colours and flavours. The flesh is creamy white and rarely may be pink as well.

7 Benefits of guava
7 Nutritional Facts of guava
Recipe of guava jam

7 Benefits of Guava :-

• High nutraceutical values and a good source of vitamins, fibres and minerals.
• High amounts of Vitamin C compared to other fruits. The flesh usually provides 230 mg per 100 gram (3.5 oz) Vitamin C. However, the level varies from 10 to 410 mg per 100 gram depending upon the variety. This can be compared to the recommended daily allowance which is only 60 mg of Vitamin C per person per day.
• General haemostatic properties. Treats bleeding nose, gums and minor internal haemorrhaging.
• Treat male infertility (due to high Vitamin C content) caused by sperm clumping, adhesion and other abnormalities.
• Effective antioxidant because of the presence of Vitamin C and other phytonutrients such as caretenoids, isoffavonoids and polyphenols.
• Combating free radicals produced during metabolism and aids in preventing age related chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, cataracts, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels due to the presence of complex carbohydrates (not rapidly digested) and dietary fibers (only partially digested by gut bacteria).

Guava Nutrition Facts:-
Guava - one medium sized
Kcal 46
Carbohydrates (g) 11
Fibre(g) 5
Water (g) 77
Vitamin A-retinol equivalent 72
Folic Acid (ug) 13
Vitamin C(mg) 165
Calcium (mg) 18

Recipe of Guava Jam
Ingredients
8 guavas, variable in degree of ripeness
8 cups of sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

• Cut the fruit in half.
• Place in a pan with a little water and cook until soft.
• Strain the fruit, leaving behind the seeds and skins.
• Add sugar and the lemon juice and bring to a boil.
• Steadily boil untill you achieve the setting test for jam.
• Bottle and seal.

How to get rid of Dandruff!!

It can be very embarrassing and hard to manage

General Dandruff Information
Dandruff is a common skin condition that causes excessive amounts of dead skin to flake from the scalp. People with dandruff experience an unusually fast rate of skin renewal and flaking, which causes the dead skin to fall onto the shoulders and neck in excessive amounts. Dandruff is not a serious condition, but it can be very embarrassing and hard to manage. There is no real cure for dandruff as cells continue to die, but the condition may be minimized to a more manageable state with proper treatment and nutrition.

Possible Causes of Dandruff
Dandruff is caused by trauma, stress, tension, hormonal imbalance, dermatitis seborrhea, improper carbohydrate consumption and excessive intake of sugar. Vitamin deficiencies can also lead to dandruff. Dandruff usually worsens in the winter months. Some people think dandruff is caused by infrequent shampooing. This is not true; however, an existing case of dandruff can be worsened by sporadic hair washing.

Possible Symptoms of Dandruff
The main symptom of dandruff is the presence of flaky skin in and around the scalp area. The scales can vary in size from small dust-like particles to large, greasy, yellow flakes. Some cases of dandruff are accompanied by itching.

Possible Lifestyle Changes for Dandruff
Wash hair regularly with an over-the-counter dandruff shampoo. Do not pick or itch the scalp. Avoid fried foods, dairy products, sugar, flour, chocolate, nuts and seafood. If dandruff worsens, see a doctor.

Beneficial Dietary Supplements
Essential Fatty Acids, such as Flax seed Oil and Primrose Oil, are important for healthy skin.

Vitamin B Complex supports healthy skin and hair.

Selenium is an excellent antioxidant for the scalp, but limit intake to no more than 40 mcg per day if pregnant.

Kelp provides minerals and iodine for scalp.

Vitamin E improves the blood circulation to the scalp.

Multivitamin and Multimineral Complex insures good nutrition and supports healthy skin and scalp.

How to get rid of Head Lice!!

Lice can infest people of all ages, rich or poor, any status, any country. Lice prefer clean hair because their nits can stick to cleaner hair better than oily. Head lice and body lice are similar in appearance, although head lice are somewhat smaller than body lice.

Important Symptoms of head lice are:-

•Having an itchy scalp
•Seeing red bumps on your child’s scalp and neck
•Seeing live lice moving around on your child’s head
•Finding nits (lice eggs), which are tiny white oval shaped specks that are attached to the sides of hairs

Effective home remedies for head lice

• Rinse hair with vinegar Wait 5 to 10 mins and rinse hair with hot water. Repeat vinegar rinse.
• Wash the hair, apply mayonnaise all over hair and scalp, cover your head with a plastic bag, and keep on overnight. The next morning, rinse the hair and comb out with a lice comb. All the lice will come off as well as the nuts.
• Boil a handful of neem leaves in a mug of water and use the water on your hair after shampooing. Soak with the water on your hair for few minutes after shampooing and rinse with plain water. Repeat if lice persist. This is also very effective home remedy for head lice.
• Saturate hair with olive oil, put in a shower cap, or a wal-mart size bag with clip, and leaves in overnight. Brush out hair, then use nit comb to get out nits and bugs.
• Mix equal parts cooking oil and vinegar to remove the nits and bugs.
• Do not share personal items like combs, brushes, clips, hair bands, hats, scarves, coats, brushes or towels
• To prevent the spread of head lice, if any family member is infected, treat all members of the family at the same time
• For head lice treatment wash your all the clothes after you visit to a hairdresser.
• Check your child’s hair behind and above the ears and on the back of the neck carefully every day.
• Rub shaving cream on the scalp and apply a thick foam coating on hair for half an hour. The chemicals in the cream will kill the lice and eggs.
• Prepare a mixture of neem leaves, basil leaves and 8-10 cloves using beer.
• For head lice treatment spray the Listerine on scalp and leave it there for at least 10 minutes then rinse.
• Put three teaspoons of lemon juice in a small container. Pour in one tablespoon of butter. Apply to hair, and wait 15 minutes. Rinse hair, no need to use comb.
• Mix 10 tbs of olive oil, 10 drops of lavender oil and 10 drops of tea tree oil. Leave it for 30 minutes the lice will turn white and be easy to find, pick them out one by one then wash hair with tea tree oil shampoo to keep them away, it will kill all the nits as well.
• For head lice treatment prepare a paste by adding one part limejuice and one part garlic. Apply to the hair.
• Mix 10-15 drops of black walnut extract with about 15-20oz of water in a spray bottle. It will help to remove the lice

7 Tips to lose your weight!!

You know you are experiencing improper dieting, but do not know how to stop it! It is time to get your balance back. The following easy weight loss tips will help you lose weight in a healthy way.

7 Weight Loss Tips :-

Tip 1:
Find out how many calories you need
Do not eat more then your body need. Your diet should be according to your healthy and the consumption of food.Tip 2: Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day

Tip 2:
Fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They fill up your stomach fast so you feel full earlier. They are also low in calories and helps to keep your calorie count low.

Tip 3: Do not Skip Meals
Eating small frequent meals help to balance your calorie intake throughout the day and also keeps your blood sugar level balanced. Instead of eating 3 big meals, try to eat 5 - 6 smaller meals throughout the day.

Tip 4: Go for wholesome fresh foods
If possible, purchase fresh foods and avoid package (processed) and convenient foods such as fast food. Packaged and convenient foods are often higher in sodium and fat content. Many people we spoke to are amazed that they can easily lose weight by packing a home-cooked lunch to work instead of eating out.

Tip 5: Watch for the sugary drinks
Juices, pop, cream & sugar in your coffee or tea all add up. Opt for drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. In addition to providing hydration to your body, it will also help
you feel full.

Tip 6: Keep a food journal
Keeping a food journal helps you pin point your eating pattern and will enable you to easily modify it. If possible, have your Registered Dietitian review your journal.

Tip 7: Exercise
Most authorities recommend 30 - 60 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy. Also try adding weight-bearing exercises at least 2 times a week. This will help burn some of the unwanted calories.

Smoking Increases Risk Of Psoriasis, Study Shows

Source:Science Daily

This study is the largest prospective assessment of multiple markers of smoking status, duration, and intensity in relation to the risk of psoriasis. Using data from the Nurses Health Study II (NHS II), an ongoing longitudinal study of 116,608 female registered nurses from 15 states between the ages of 25 and 42 years at baseline who completed and returned an initial questionnaire in 1989, the researchers documented 887 incident cases of psoriasis during the 14 years of follow-up. Lifetime smoking exposure was measured in pack-years, equal to smoking 20 cigarettes per day for one year.

Compared with women who never smoked, the risk of psoriasis was 37% higher among past smokers and 78% higher among current smokers. Pack-years were associated with a graded increase in the risk for psoriasis. Compared with never smokers; the risk was 20% higher for 1-10 pack-years, 60% higher for 11-20 pack-years, and more than two times higher for +21 pack-years. The significant trends persisted with smoking duration in both current and past smokers.

Furthermore, exposure to passive smoke during pregnancy or childhood was associated with an increased risk of psoriasis. The risk of psoriasis among former smokers decreases nearly to that of never smokers 20 years after cessation.

Investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Harvard School of Public Health, all in Boston, USA, and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada, have published the results in The American Journal of Medicine.*

Writing in the article, Hyon K. Choi, MD, DrPH, states, "These findings, along with well-established hazardous health effects of smoking, provide clear incentives for smoking cessation in those at risk for and suffering from psoriasis. Beyond the potential effect on psoriasis, smoking cessation would lead to a better overall clinical outcome in psoriasis patients, who often suffer co-morbidities related to smoking."

The study is "Smoking and the Risk of Psoriasis in Women: Nurses' Health Study II" by Arathi R. Setty, MD, MPH, Gary Curhan, MD, ScD, and Hyon K. Choi, MD, DrPH. It appears in The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 120, Issue 11 (November 2007).