Monday, December 29, 2008

Health Tips!!

Answer the phone by LEFT ear.
Do not drink coffee TWICE a day.
Do not take pills with COOL water.
Do not have HUGE meals after 5pm.
Reduce the amount of OILY food you consume.
Drink more WATER in the morning, less at night..
Keep your distance from hand phone CHARGERS.
Do not use headphones/earphone for LONG period of time.
Best sleeping time is from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning.
Do not lie down immediately after taking medicine before sleeping.
When battery is down to the LAST grid/bar, do not answer the phone as the radiation is 1000 times.

Friday, December 26, 2008

10 Tips for a Good Night Sleep!!

Stick to a schedule.
Erratic bedtimes do not allow for your body to align to the proper circadian rhythms.
Mum was right when she set a time we always had to go to sleep as kids. Also, make sure you try to keep the same schedule on weekends too, otherwise the next morning, you'd wake later and feel overly tired.

Sleep only at night.
Avoid daytime sleep if possible.Daytime naps steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to 20-minute, power naps.

Exercise.
It's actually known to help you sleep better.Your body uses the sleep period to recover muscles and joints that have been exercised.Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.

Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep because they can relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating just before bed.
Avoid eat large meals or spicy foods before bedtime.Give yourself at least 2 hours from when you eat to when you sleep.This allows for digestion to happen (or at least start)well before you go to sleep so your body can rest well during the night, rather than churning away your food.

Avoid caffeine.
It keeps you awake and that's now what you want for a good nights sleep. We all know that.

Read a fiction book.
It takes you to a whole new world if you really get into it. And then take some time to ponder over the book as you fall asleep.I find as I read more and more, regardless of the book, I get more tired at night and so find it easier to fall asleep. Different for others?

Have the room slightly cooler.
I prefer this to a hot room. I prefer to turn off the heat and allow the coolness to circulate in and out of the windows.If I get cold, I wear warmer clothes.It also saves on the bills as you're not going to require the heat all night long.

Sleep in silence.
I find sleeping with no music or TV on more easy and restful.I guess others are different, but sleep with no distractions is best for a clearer mind.

Avoid alcohol before bedtime.
It's a depressant; although it may make it easier to fall asleep, it causes you to wake up during the night. As alcohol is digested your body goes into withdrawal from the alcohol, causing nighttime awakenings and often nightmares for some people.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Useful Article on Cancer!!

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

"Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life." - Johns Hopkins.

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental,food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to no urish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Friday, November 21, 2008

10 Tips for Sound Sleep!!

Stick to a schedule.
Erratic bedtimes do not allow for your body to align to the proper circadian rhythms. Mum was right when she set a time we always had to go to sleep as kids. Also, make sure you try to keep the same schedule on weekends too, otherwise the next morning, you'd wake later and feel overly tired.

Sleep only at night.
Avoid daytime sleep if possible. Daytime naps steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to 20-minute, power naps.

Exercise.
It's actually known to help you sleep better. Your body uses the sleep period to recover muscles and joints that have been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.

Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep becausethey can relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating just before bed.
Avoid eat large meals or spicy foods before bedtime. Give yourself at least 2 hours from when you eat to when you sleep.This allows for digestion to happen (or at least start)well before you go to sleep so your body can rest well during the night, rather than churning away your food.

Avoid caffeine.
It keeps you awake and that's now what you wantfor a good nights sleep. We all know that.

Read a fiction book.
It takes you to a whole new world if you really get into it.And then take some time to ponder over the book as you fall asleep. I find as I read more and more, regardless of the book, I get more tired at night and so find it easier to fall asleep.Different for others?

Sleep in silence.
I find sleeping with no music or TV on more easy and restful.I guess others are different, but sleep with no distractions is best for a clearer mind.

Avoid alcohol before bedtime.
It's a depressant; although it may make it easier to fall asleep, it causes you to wake up during the night. As alcohol is digested your body goes into withdrawal from the alcohol, causing nighttime awakenings and often nightmares for some people.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Leading a healthy life!!

I have never been an athlete. I have never been much interested in sports, ever since I stopped playing touch-football with the boys, when I hit puberty. I have tried tennis. I hit the ball too high, too long, and way over into left field. I have tried softball. Thank goodness that ball is "soft" and big, because it felt just awful when it hit me in the eye. I tried running, but I could not get anyone to chase me.

I tried swimming, but even though I float like a cork, and have had numerous lessons, I cannot seem to get over the idea, that I am really going to drown. Finally, I settled on walking and for a number of years, I walked 3 to 5 miles a day. I realize that there is an Olympic sport referred to as "walking," but when I tried that, all I succeeded in doing was throwing my hip out.

I am definitely NOT an athlete, but I make do, especially in my "mid-life" years. Which brings a question to my mind? When did I hit mid-life? I remember when I hit thirty. I had to visit a grief counselor, because I knew my life was over. I remember forty. I had to see a grief counselor, the day after my first child graduated from high school and moved out of the house, because I knew my life was over. I remember forty-four. For some reason I thought my life was over. Then I hit fifty, and I was all excited, because I was able to join an organization called AARP. My husband was, especially, excited because he is younger than I, and he got to join, too!

Fifty became the magic age. I knew that as long as I was in good health, in this day and age, I probably had a good fifty years ahead of me. Then came the asthma. O.K., I had that much earlier, but it only became life threatening after fifty. Then came the fibromyalgia. O.K., I had THAT earlier, but it is not life threatening. Then came the arthritis, and, more recently, at fifty-five, came the diabetes. Somewhere, along in there, I became very interested in pharmaceuticals, and, finally, one day, I became free.

I began by noticing the sunsets, and I had the time to stop and really wonder, at the beauty and the magnitude of it all. Then I moved onto the sunrises, and I quickly found out that if I wasted the early morning, I missed the loveliest part of the day. Then I began to notice how grateful I was to be able to witness the changing of the seasons. The first whisper of spring; the rustling of the leaves beneath my feet, in the fall; that first breathless covering of a winter's snow; and in the summer, all the flowers, and the buzzing of a bumblebee.

When illness would hit me, I found that I, actually, enjoyed the solitude. A time to reflect, gathers my thoughts, and prays, at leisure. I found that I was "experiencing" this mid-life season, and I was no longer missing every moment, shackled to the chains of worry, and what "might" be. I found that worrying about tomorrow, only served to make me overlook the blessings of today.

It is not always easy. A few loads of laundry, and a pile of dishes can take an entire day; but then I do not push myself a lot. So, I forget to make the bed, as I watch the rosy glow of dawn meet the rising sun. I have time to walk our little, wooded acre with my little dachshund straining at the leash. I get to read the "signs," with my Happy Dog, sniff the air, and gaze out at nowhere, studying the sky, with the same intensity that my little dog studies the ground.

I get to meet the day, every day. I get to say "good-night," to the sunsets. I have studied a lot of sunsets, in the last five years, and I have never seen two that were alike. I get to know my Creator as I never have before, and I have gotten to make MY mind up, about the mysteries of life; and I have grown certain, that all this was no accident.

I feed the birds, and I take great delight in their multicolored hues, especially in the spring. I drag a chair to stand on, so that I can fill the feeders to the brim, myself. I say a little prayer, as I wobble, a little cock-eyed on the chair, and I laugh, at myself, and all the pretensions of my younger life. I take great delight in my life. I thank God for all the precious little things of every day. Friends. Family. Neighbors. And health. A health of the soul. For I have come to understand, what real health is, and when you have REAL health, then you truly have everything.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

5 rules to a lean body!!

Snack on almonds.
In a study of 65 men and women who were following a low calorie diet, California researchcers found that those who noshed on the nuts shrank their waistlines nearly 50 per cecnt more than dieters who didn't eat them, despite consuming the same number of calories. Likewise, even without increasing exercise, a diet enriched with monounsaturated fatty acids (found in foods suchc as almonds and avocados) decreased the accumulation of abdominal fat compared with a carb-heavy diet, which increased it.

Fill up on fibre
"When you slow digestion, you slow the delivery of glucose to the bloodstream" says Marie Savard, M.D., author of "The Body Shape Solution to Weight Loss and Wellness". "That means less insulin is released, and with lower insulin release comes lower visceral (belly) fat storage." Aim for atleast 25 GMs a day from such foods as vegetables, fruits, beans lentils, brown rice, and whole grain bread, and pasta.

Stay satisfied with protein
Gram for gram protein has the same number of calories as carbs (and half that of fat), but takes longer to digest, so you feel full longer. It also seems to help lower levels of the hormone ghrelin, which is known to stimulate appetite. Include a serving of lean protein with each meal and snack-eggs for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch, low-fat or fat-free yoghurt or milk for a snack, and grilled fish and vegetables for dinner.

Skip the sweetener.
Researchers believe artificial sweetners may hinder your body's ability to regulate calories based on taste, so you end up overeating. Go with natural sweetner, such as raw sugar or honey, instead.

Dum one high-cal item from your diet
By eliminating just one-high calorie item from your dialy diet, such as a large latte, or substituting cereal and low-fat milk for a bagel and cream cheese, you can easily reduce your intake by 250 calories.

Courtsey:New York Times Service

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Home remedies for Conjuctivitis!!

Conjunctivitis refers to an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin transparent membrane covering the front of the eye. This is also referred to as having 'sore eyes' and is a very common form of eye trouble. It spreads from person to person through direct Contact. Overcrowding, dirty surroundings and unhealthy living conditions can cause epidemics of this ailment.

Conjunctivitis Symptoms
Eyeball and underside of the eyelids become inflammed
The eyeball and underside of the eyelids become inflammed. At first, the eyes are red and itchy. Later, there may be a watery secretion.

Pus formation
In more serious cases, there is pus formation, which dries up during sleep, making the lashes stick together.

Causes of Conjunctivitis

Bacterial or virus infection or eyestrain
Conjunctivitis results from bacterial or a virus infection or eyestrain. Prolonged work under artificial light and excessive use of the eyes in one way or the other, no doubt, contribute towards the disease.

Catarrhal condition of the system from general toxaemia
Its real cause can be traced to a catarrhal condition of the system resulting from general toxaemia due to dietetic errors, and a faulty style of living. The patient generally suffers from colds or other ailments indicative of a general catarrhal condition.

Home Remedies for Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis treatment using Vegetable Juices
Raw juices of certain vegetables, especially carrots and spinach, have been found valuable in conjunctivitis. The combined juices of these two vegetables have proved very effective. In this combination, 200 ml of spinach juice should be mixed with 300ml of carrot juice. Raw parsley (prajmoda) juice-200 ml, mixed with 300 ml of carrot juice has also been found beneficial in the treatment of this disease.

Conjunctivitis treatment using Indian Gooseberry
The juice of the Indian gooseberry, mixed with honey, is useful in conjunctivitis. A cup of this juice should be taken mixed with two teaspoons of honey twice daily in treating this condition.

Conjunctivitis treatment using Vitamins
Vitamins A and B2 have proved useful in conjunctivitis. The patient should take liberal quantities of natural foods rich in these two vitamins. Foods rich in vitamin A are wholemilk, curds, butter, carrots, pumpkin, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, mangoes, and papaya. Foods rich in vitamin B2 are green leafy vegetables, milk, almonds, citrus fruits, bananas, and tomatoes.

Conjunctivitis treatment using Coriander
A decoction prepared with a handful of dried coriander in 60 ml of water is an excellent eye-wash in conjunctivitis. It is said to relieve burning and reduces pain and swelling. This decoction should, however, be sparingly used by persons suffering from bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis.

Conjunctivitis diet
Take fresh fruit diet, avoid bananas
The best way to commence treatment for conjunctivitis is to adopt an exclusive fresh fruit diet for a week. In this regimen, the three meals a day should consist of fresh, juicy seasonal fruits. Bananas should, however, not be taken. Those with acute conjunctivitis should undertake a juice fast for three or four days.
All-fruit diet followed by a restricted diet of chapatis, nuts etc

The short juice fast may be followed by an all-fruit diet for a further seven days. Thereafter, the patient may adopt a restricted diet, consisting of fresh fruits, raw mixed-vegetable salad, wholemeal bread or chapatis and steamed vegetables, and nuts.
Avoid starchy and sugary foods, refined cereals, strong tea ans coffee

The patient should avoid an excessive intake of starchy and sugary foods in the form of white bread, refined cereals, potatoes, puddings, sugar, jams, confectionery, meats, fatty foods, strong tea and coffee, too much salt, condiments, and sauces which cause a general catarrhal condition as well as conjunctivitis.

Other Conjunctivitis treatments

Warm-water enema
Those taking a juice fast for the first three or four days of the treatment should take a warm-water enema daily during the fast.

Cold water fomentation of the eyes
A cold water fomentation of the eyes provides almost immediate relief. The procedure is to fold a small hand towel, saturate it with cold water, squeeze out excess water and place the towel gently over both the eyes. It should be covered with a piece of warm cloth to retain the temperature. The process should be repeated as soon as the foment becomes warm. Fomentation should be done for an hour. The eyes should then be covered with a dry towel, and the patient should lie back and relax. The damaged eye tissues will quickly return to normal. This treatment should be repeated every night for a week, even though the problem may clear up with the first treatment itself.
Relaxing, strengthening of eyes by doing eye exercises

The patient should also adopt various methods of relaxing and strengthening the eyes. These include moving the eyes gently up and down, from side to side and in a circle - clockwise and anticlockwise; rotating the neck in circles and semicircles; and briskly moving the shoulders clockwise and anticlockwise. Palming is highly beneficial in removing strain and relaxing the eyes and its surrounding tissues.

The procedure is as follows: sit in a comfortable position and relax with your eyes closed. Cover the eyes with the palms, right palm over the right eye and the left over the left eye. Do not press on the eye balls. Then allow your elbows to drop to your knees, which should be fairly close together.

Insominia!!

The term insomnia literally denotes a complete lack of sleep. It is, however, used to indicate a relative inability to sleep that consists of difficulty in falling asleep, difficulty in remaining asleep, early final awakening, or combinations of these complaints. This disease has assumed alarming proportions in the present times, specially among the upper classes in the urban set-up.

Insomnia Symptoms

Lack of sleep, emotional instability
The single symptom that most frequently marks the onset of insomnia is difficulty in falling asleep. There may he changes in the duration and quality of sleep, persistent changes in sleep patterns, lapses of memory, and lack of concentration during the day. Other symptoms are emotional instability, loss of coordination and confusion.

Insomnia Causes

Tension, anxiety, stress
The most common cause of sleeplessness is mental tension brought about by anxiety, worries, overwork, and overexcitement.

Suppressed Resentment, anger, bitterness
Suppressed feelings of resentment, anger, and bitterness may also cause insomnia.
Constipation, overeating, excessive tea/coffee/smoking
Constipation, dyspepsia, overeating at night, excessive intake of tea or coffee, smoking, and going to bed hungry are among the other causes. Often, worrying about falling asleep is enough to keep one awake.

Insomnia Home remedies

Insomnia treatment using Thiamine
Of the various food elements, thiamine or vitamin B is of special significance in the treatment of insomnia. It is vital for strong, healthy nerves. A body starved of thiamine over a long period will be unable to relax and fall asleep naturally. Valuable sources of this vitamin are wholegrain cereals, pulses, and nuts.

Insomnia treatment using Lettuce
Lettuce is beneficial in the treatment of insomnia as it contains a sleep-inducing substance, called 'lectucarium'. The juice of this plant has been likened in effect to the sedative action of opium without the accompanying excitement. Lettuce seeds taken in a decoction are also useful in insomnia. One tablespoon of seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one-third.

Insomnia treatment using Milk
Milk is very valuable in insomnia. A glass of milk, sweetened with honey, should be taken every night before going to bed in treating this condition. It acts as a tonic and a tranquilliser. Massaging the milk over the soles of the feet has also been found effective.

Insomnia treatment using Curd
Curd is also useful in insomnia. The patient should take plenty of curd and massage it on the head. This will induce sleep.

Insomnia treatment using Bottle Gourd
The mixture of bottle gourd juice and sesame oil in 50:50 ratio acts as an effective medicine for insomnia. It should be massaged over the scalp every night. The cooked leaves of bottle gourd taken as a vegetable are also beneficial in the treatment of this disease.

Insomnia treatment using Aniseed
A tea made from aniseed is valuable in sleeplessness. This tea is prepared by boiling about 375 ml of water in a vessel and adding a teaspoon of aniseed. The water should be covered with a lid and allowed to simmer for fifteen minutes. It should then be strained and drunk hot or warm. The tea may be sweetened with honey, and hot milk may also be added to it. This tea should be taken after meals or before going to bed.

Insomnia treatment using Honey
Honey is beneficial in the treatment of insomnia. It has a hypnotic action and induces a sound sleep. It should be taken with water, before going to bed, in doses of two teaspoons in a large cup of water. Babies generally fall asleep after taking honey.

Insomnia treatment using Rauwolfia
The herb rauwolfia is a valuable medicine for insomnia because of its indisputable efficacy as a sedative. The hypnotic action of the drug appears to have been known since ancient times. The very first dose of rauwolfia will enable a patient with a phlegmatic and gouty nature to go to sleep. The powder of the root in a quantity of 0.25 gm to 0.5 gm should be mixed with some scented substance like cardamom and given to the patient The patient will have a sound sleep during the entire night. If the disease is chronic, the patient should take O.25 gm twice a day, in the morning as well as at night before retiring.

Insomnia Diet

Low salt diet
The patient should take a low-salt diet as salt is said to interfere with a restful sleep. A balanced diet with simple modifications in the eating pattern will go a long way in the treatment of insomnia.

Avoid white flour products, sugar products, tea etc.
Such a diet should exclude white flour products, sugar and its products, tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, alcohol, fatty foods, fried foods, and foods containing additives.
Other Insomnia remedies

Regular active exercise
Regular active exercise during the day and mild exercise before retiring at night enhances the quantity and the quality of sleep. Yoga helps in a majority of cases. It provides physical and mental relaxation from one's disturbing problems.

Meditiate, eliminate stress, hobbies
The patient should make an all-out effort to eliminate as many stress factors as possible. The steps in this direction should include regular practice of any relaxation method or meditation technique; cultivating the art of doing things slowly, particularly activities like eating, walking and talking; limiting the working day to nine or ten hours and the working week to five and a half days; cultivating a creative hobby and spending some time daily on this; and avoiding meeting unrealistic targets.

Yogasanas
The traditional yoga asanas which are effective for insomnia patients are shirshasana, sarvangasana, paschimottanasana, uttanasana, viparit karni, and shavasana.

Constipation!! Home Remedies!!

Constipation is a common disturbance of the digestive tract. In this condition, the bowels do not move regularly, or are not completely emptied when they move. This condition is the chief cause of many diseases as it produces toxins which find their way into the bloodstream and are carried to all parts of the body. Appendicitis, rheumatism, arthritis, high blood pressure, cataract., and cancer are only a few of the diseases in which chronic constipation is an important predisposing factor.

Constipation Symptoms

Infrequency, irregularity in elimination of hard faecal matter
The most common symptoms of constipation are infrequency, irregularity or difficulty in elimination of the hard faecal matter.

Coated tongue, Foul breath, headache, depression , insomnia etc
The other symptoms include a coated tongue, foul breath, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, dark circles under the eyes, depression, nausea, pimples on the face, ulcer in the mouth, constant fullness in the abdomen, diarrhoea alternating with constipation, varicose veins, pain in the lumbar region, acidity, heart burn, and insomnia.

Causes of Constipation

Faulty diet and style of living
The most important causes of chronic constipation are a faulty diet and style of living.
Insufficient intake of water, strong tea and coffee etc
Intake of refined and rich foods lacking in vitamins and minerals, insufficient intake of water, consumption of meat in large quantities, excessive use of strong tea and coffee, insufficient chewing, overeating and wrong combination of foods, irregular habits of eating and drinking may all contribute to poor bowel function.
Irregular habit of defecation, lack of physical activity
Other causes include faulty and irregular habit of defecation, frequent use of purgatives, weakness of abdominal muscles due to sedentary habits, lack of physical activity, and emotional stress and strain.

Home Remedies for Constipation

Constipation treatment using Bael Fruit
Generally all fruits, except banana and jack fruit, are beneficial in the treatment of constipation. Certain fruits are, however, more effective. Bael fruit is regarded as the best of all laxatives. It cleans and tones up the intestines. Its regular use for two or three months throws out even the old accumulated faecal matter. It should be preferably taken in its original form and before dinner. About sixty grams of the fruit are sufficient for an adult.

Constipation treatment using Pear
Pears are beneficial in the treatment of constipation. Patients suffering from chronic constipation should adopt an exclusive diet of this fruit or it's juice for a few days, but in ordinary cases, a medium-sized pear taken after dinner or with breakfast will have the desired effect.

Constipation treatment using Guava
Guava is another effective remedy for constipation. When eaten with seeds, it provides roughage to the diet and helps in the normal evacuation of the bowels. One or two guavas should be taken everyday.

Constipation treatment using Grapes
Grapes have proved very beneficial in overcoming constipation. The combination of the properties of the cellulose, sugar, and organic acid in grapes make them a laxative food. Their field of action is not limited to clearing the bowels only. They also tone up the stomach and intestines and relieve the most chronic constipation. One should take at least 350 gm of this fruit daily to achieve the desired results. When fresh grapes are not available, raisins, soaked in water, can be used. Raisins should be soaked for twenty-four to forty-eight hours. This will make them swell to the original size of the grapes. They should be eaten early in the morning, along with the water in which they have been soaked.

Constipation treatment using Orange
Orange is also beneficial in the treatment of constipation. Taking one or two oranges at bedtime and again on rising in the morning is an excellent way of stimulating the bowels. The general stimulating influence of orange juice excites peristaltic activity and helps prevent the accumulation of food residue in the colon.

Constipation treatment using Papaya and Figs
Other fruits specific for constipation are papaya and figs. Half a medium-sized papaya should be eaten at breakfast for it to act as a laxative. Both fresh and dry figs have a laxative effect. Four or five dry figs should be soaked overnight in a little water and eaten in the morning. Constipation treatment using Papaya and Figs

Constipation treatment using Spinach
Among the vegetables, spinach has been considered to be the most vital food for the entire digestive tract from time immemorial. Raw spinach contains the finest organic material for the cleansing, reconstruction, and regeneration of the intestinal tract. Raw spinach juice-100 ml, mixed with an equal quantity of water and taken twice daily, will cure the most aggravated cases of constipation within a few days.

Constipation treatment using Other Remedies
Half a lime, squeezed is a glass of hot water, with half a teaspoon of salt is also an effective remedy for constipation. Drinking water which has been kept overnight in a copper vessel, first thing in the morning, brings good results. Linseed (alse) is extremely useful in difficult cases of constipation. A teaspoon of linseed swallowed with water before each meal provides both roughage and lubrication.

Constipation diet

Natural and simple diet consisting of unrefined foods
The most important factor in curing constipation is a natural and simple diet. This should consist of unrefined foods such as wholegrain cereals, bran, honey, lentils, green and leafy vegetables, fresh and dry fruits, and milk products in the form of butter, ghee, and cream. The diet alone is not enough.

Chew food properly, Avoid hurried meals and irregular meals
Food should be properly chewed. Hurried meals and meals at odd times should be avoided. Sugar and sugary foods should be strictly avoided. Foods which constipate are all products made of white flour, rice, bread, pulses, cakes, pastries, biscuits, cheese, fleshy foods, preserves, white sugar, and hard-boiled eggs.

Other Constipation treatments

Fresh air, outdoor games and exercise
Toning up the muscles also helps in the treatment of constipation. Fresh air, outdoor games, walking, swimming, and exercise play an important role in strengthening the muscles, and thereby preventing constipation.

Alcoholism!!

Alcoholism is a chronic disorder in which a person is unable to refrain from frequent and excessive consumption of alcohol.

Signs of Alcoholism (alcoholism symptoms)
Bloodshot eyes, rapid pulse

ALCOHOLISM
Alcoholics have a puffy face with bloodshot eyes, hoarse voice and a rapid pulse. They are suspicious, irritable and over-emotional.

Vomiting, delirium
Vomiting, delirium, impaired judgment, and disturbed sleep are some of the other symptoms that alcoholics suffer from. Excessive drinking damages the liver and gradually leads to cirrhosis. It also leads to disorders of the stomach and bowels.
It can cause damage to the brain cells, and also affects the heart, which becomes weak and flabby.

Causes of Alcoholism

Occasional drink
Alcoholism starts with the individual taking an occasional drink. This gradually becomes a habit and leads to a state where the person cannot do without alcohol. Some people drink alcohol to enliven social gatherings under social pressure; for others, it is an escape from the responsibilities or stresses of life.

Alcoholism Treatment

Alcoholism treatment using Grapes
The most important home remedy for alcoholism is an exclusive diet, for a month or so, of grapes. Since this fruit contains the purest form of alcohol, it is an ideal yet healthy substitute for alcohol. Alcoholics should take three meals a day of fresh grapes at five-hourly intervals. The success of this treatment depends on the determination of the alcoholic to stop drinking.

Alcoholism treatment using Apples
Apples are another effective remedy for alcoholism.A generous intake of apples helps remove intoxication and reduces the craving for wines and other intoxicating liquors.

Alcoholism treatment using Dates
Dates are considered beneficial in the treatment of alcoholism. The patient should drink half a glass of water in which four or five dates have been rubbed together. This remedy should be taken twice daily for a month. It will bring definite relief.

Alcoholism treatment using Bitter Gourd
The juice of the leaves of bitter gourd is an antidote for alcohol intoxication. It is also useful for a liver damaged due to alcoholism. Three teaspoons of this juice, mixed with a glass of butter milk, should be taken every morning for a month.

Alcoholism treatment using Celery
The juice of raw celery has also been found useful in alcoholism. It exercises a sobering effect on the patient and is an antidote to alcohol. Half a glass of celery juice mixed with an equal quantity of water should be taken once daily for a month.

Diet for alcoholism recovery

Build up body's nutritional integrity, juice fast
The most effective way to treat alcoholism is to build up the body's nutritional integrity so as to prevent craving for stimulants like drinks. The patient should be put on a cleansing juice fast for at least ten days in the beginning. During the juice fast, the patient will gradually feel less craving for alcohol. This is a good beginning towards breaking the drinking habit.The patient should eat several small meals a day in preference to two or three large ones. Plenty of rest and outdoor physical exercises are also necessary.

Optimum diet and fresh fruit juice
After the initial fast of juices, the patient should take an optimum diet of vital nutrients consisting of wholegrain cereals, nuts, seeds and sprouts, fresh fruits, and vegetables. It is advisable that at the beginning of the treatment, the patient is given a suitable substitute to relieve the craving if and when it occurs. The best substitute drink for alcohol is a glass of fresh fruit juice. The patient should drink juices and eat candy or other snacks if he feels a craving for a stimulant.

Avoid refined foods
All refined foods such as sugar, white rice, macaroni products, strong condiments, white flour, and meat should be avoided.

Other Suggestions and herbal treatments for alcoholism

Firm willingness of alcoholic to stop drinking
The most important step towards breaking the 'alcohol habit' is the willingness of an alcoholic to do so. He must make a firm resolve to make a clean break at once, as giving up in stages is next to impossible.

Warm-water enema and physical exercises
During the first ten days of the 'juice fast', a warm-water enema should be taken everyday to cleanse the bowels. Plenty of rest and outdoor physical exercises are also necessary.

Avoid smoking
Smoking must be avoided as it increases the desire for alcohol.

CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS!!

Medical Treatment
Usually Analgesics and muscle relaxants are advised . In more severe cases the orthopaedic doctor may suggest cortisone injections near the joints of the vertebral bodies to ease the swelling of the nerves and relieve pain.

Surgical Treatment
If the medical treatment and physiotherapy fails, and the condition is severe, where the nerves are affected, surgery may be required.. Decompression of the nerve is done to relieve the nerve which is compressed by the bones and the disc.
Physiotherapy
The goal of physiotherapy treatment is to relieve pain, and enhance movements of the neck.

Shortwave Diathermy - A disc or heating pad is placed over the back of the neck. The warmth obtained from the shortwave diathermy current relaxes the muscle and the pain is relieved.

Cervical Traction - Traction is a mechanical device, which supports the head and chin. It is used to relieve the nerve compression by a bone.

Posture correction - Simple postural exercises can be taught to correct the faulty position of the neck.

Motivation is given to maintain the erect posture:

Collars - Two types of collars can be prescribed:

Soft Collar - Soft collar is used during night times to prevent awkward position of the neck during sleep.

Firm Collar - Firm collar steadies the neck and relieve pain, especially during traveling or work. It is removed when the pain subsides. Relaxation

Relaxation is essential part of treatment. Tension in neck and shoulder muscle, pain, anxiety are all relieved by relaxation.

Relaxation can be done in two ways:

Physical Relaxation.

Mental Relaxation.

Physical Relaxation:
The whole body is relaxed by free suitable and comfortable positions, so that the muscles are freed from tension and the pain is relieved. For eg., position of relaxation - when you are lying flat on your back.

One pillow under the head
One cushion for the shoulder and
One under knees.

The pillow should be firm and thin. This position will allow relaxation for your body while lying down.

Relaxation while sitting.
The head, neck and shoulder are supported by high backed chair, with a small pillow at lower back.

Feet supported on stool or low bench
Arm, resting on arm of chair or pillow

Mental Relaxation
Positive thinking and using imagination is the way of relaxing mentally. This type makes one feel better and breaks the pain cycle. Muscle tension, anxiety, loss of sleep and pain are all relieved by mental relaxation exercises like yoga.

Lifestyle Modifications
Some modifications in life style will help in over coming problems of cervical spondylosis. For example:-

Avoid any strain of neck and shoulder like reading and writing for long hours.

Avoid the use of very soft cushion bed and avoid using a very high pillow.

Ergonomics
Ergonomics concentrates on the architectural design of furnitures like desk, chairs, tables etc. The design of the furniture should be such that it should support the body structure without causing any undue strain to the muscles of the back and neck .

Do's and Dont's
If you are prone to cervical spondylosis, Avoid bad roads, if travelling by two or four wheelers

Do not sit for prolonged period of time in stressful postures
Do use firm collars while traveling
Do not lift heavy weights on head or back
Do not turn from your body but turn your body moving your feet first
Do turn to one side while getting up from lying down
Do the exercises prescribed regularly
Do use firm mattress, thin pillow or butterfly shaped pillow
Do not lie flat on your stomach.

Low blood pressure-Causes and remedies!!

Low blood pressure or hypotension refers to the fall in blood pressure below normal. It is a condition in which the action of the heart, in forcing the blood through the arteries, is weak. This is a direct outcome of a weakened and devitalised system.

Low blood pressure symptoms
Lethargy, weakness, dizziness
The patient with chronic low blood pressure may complain of lethargy, weakness, fatigue, and dizziness. The patient may faint, especially if arterial pressure is lowered further when he assumes an erect position. These symptoms are presumably due to a decrease in perfusion of blood to the brain, heart, skeletal muscle, and other organs.
Low blood pressure causes
Faulty nutrition, Malnutrition
The most important cause of low blood pressure is faulty nutrition. It makes the tissues forming the walls of the blood vessels over-relaxed, and flabby or streched. This results in less supply of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. Malnutrition can result from a diet deficient in calories, proteins, vitamin C, or almost any one of the B vitamins.
Loss of blood, slow internal bleeding
Sometimes the blood pressure falls rapidly because of loss of blood. Low blood pressure may also develop gradually because of slow bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, or bladder.
Emotional instability
Emotional problems are a far more frequent cause of low blood pressure. To a lesser degree, prolonged disappointment and frustration may result in a subnormal blood pressure.
Low blood pressure home remedies
Low Blood Pressure treatment using Beetroot
The juice of raw beetroot is one of the most effective home remedies for low blood pressure. The patient should drink a cup of this juice twice daily for treating this condition Considerable improvement will be noticeable within a week.
Low Blood Pressure treatment using Indian Spikenard
The herb Indian spikenard is another effective home remedy for low blood pressure. It should be taken in doses of thirty to forty grains with a pinch of a little camphor and cinnamon (dalchini). An infusion can also be prepared by steeping 15 to 20 gm of the herb in 250 ml of boiling water, and taking it thrice a day.
Low Blood Pressure treatment using Epsom Salts Bath
Hot Epsom salt bath are one of the simplest remedy for low blood pressure. An Epsom salt bath is prepared by dissolving one to one and half kg of commercial Epsom Salt in an ordinary bath of hot water. The patient should remain immersed in the bath for ten to twenty minutes. This bath should be taken just before retiring to bed, and care should be exercised not to catch a chill afterwards.
Low Blood Pressure treatment using Nutrients
Protein, vitamin C, and all vitamins of the B group have been found beneficial in the prevention and treatment of low blood pressure. Of these, pantothenic acid is of particular importance. Liberal use of this vitamin alone often helps in raising the blood pressure. A diet which contains adequate quantities of complete proteins, B vitamin and, particularly, the nutrients that stimulate adrenal production, quickly normalizes low blood pressure.
Low Blood Pressure treatment using Salt
The use of salt is valuable in low blood pressure. Until the blood pressure reaches normal levels through proper dietary and other remedies, it is essential that the patient should take salty foods and half a teaspoon of salt in water daily.
Low blood pressure diet
Exclusive fruit diet
The treatment for low blood pressure should aim at rejuvenation of the whole system. To begin with, the patient should adopt an exclusive fresh fruit diet for about five days, taking three meals a day of fresh fruity fruits at five-hourly intervals.
Milk and fruit diet
Thereafter he may adopt a fruit and milk diet for two or three weeks. After the fruit and milk diet the patient may gradually embark upon a well balanced diets consisting of seeds nuts and grains with emphasis on fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Further period of all fruit diet followed by a milk and fruit diet may be necessary every two or three months in some cases, depending on the progress being made.
Other Low blood pressure treatment
Warm-Water enema treatment
A warm-water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels during the first few days of the treatment, and afterwards, if necessary. Those who are habitually constipated should take all the possible steps for its eradication. Daily dry friction and sponging should be undertaken by those suffering from low blood pressure.
Light walking, cycling, swimming and Breathing exercises
They should undertake breathing and other light exercises like walking , swimming and cycling. The patient should take sun and air baths and spend as much time as possible in the fresh air.
Avoid excessive work, anxiety
All living habits which tend to enervate the system, such as overwork, excesses of all kinds, needless worry, and negative thinking must be eliminated as far as possible.

Home remedies for kKidney stones!!

What is Kidney stones?
Kidney stones are one of the most painful disorders that affect humans. Kidney stones are solid masses of mineral salt deposits that are normally filtered through the kidney and emptied via urine. Urine has a natural substance, which dissolves these minerals, thereby preventing them into becoming solids or calculi. Sometimes due to dehydration, these salts don't get dissolved and crystallization takes place. It grows large enough to obstruct the renal ducts or stuck in the uterus, causing sharp and severe pain in the urinary tract. Untreated, kidney stones can cause renal failure.

Common Causes of Kidney stones
Urinary tract infection (UTI)
Overdoses of Vitamin D
Mineral imbalance
Kidney disease
Dehydration
Gout
Diet

Home Remedies for Kidney stones

Tip 1:
Boil two figs in a cup of water. Drink this first thing in the morning for one month.

Tip 2:
Mix 1 tspn of Holy basil leaves juice with 1 tspn of honey. Have this every morning for 5-6 months.
Eat 2-3 Apples a day.

Tip 3:
Watermelon, either eaten as a fruit or had a juice is very good.

Tip 4:
1 cup of juice made with radish leaves taken 2 times a day.

Tip 5:
First thing in the morning, drink 1 glass of fresh Tomato juice. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to this.

Home remedies to quit smoking!!

Smoking tobacco or other substances can be dangerous and addictive. The tobacco contains nicotine which can cause heart diseases and cancer. More over smoking causes: yellow teeth, bad breath, and bad smell of cloth, difficulties to breathe, and much more. To quit smoking is not an easy thing to do because the materials are addictive.

How to Quit Smoking with Natural Treatments

Put mustard seeds on the lungs and tape them with plaster, also rub the spot.
Drink a lot of water, that will help you to quit smoking and will clean your body from the toxic.
Every time you have the urge to smoke, put some salt of the tip of your tongue. Repeat for 1-2 month.
When you feel an urge to smoke, take a gum or a candy.
Drink a lot of celery juice and carrot juice, that will reduce the urge for cigarettes.
Work out daily.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Attending Food Allergies!!

In this day and age we know so much more about our relationship to food than our predecessors, and the way we eat and think about food has become almost unrecognizable to our grandparents' generation. One example of this is our awareness of food allergies, a condition that has recently entered the collective consciousness. Most of us know someone who is allergic to such commonplace foods as wheat and dairy, and we may even be prone to such an allergy. Understanding how our bodies react to food, and making the necessary adjustments in our diet, can have a profound effect on our whole energy system, and can be the key to shifting our mind into a state of greater clarity.

When we are continuously exposed to a food that gives us an allergic reaction, we feel lethargic, foggy-headed, or as if we always have a low-grade sinus infection. Other symptoms can include nausea, digestive difficulties, skin problems, and difficulty breathing. Many of us have been fighting these symptoms our whole lives without realizing that getting relief could be as simple as cutting a particular food out of our diet. When we do, we feel as if we are waking up out of a fog, and our whole system, cleared of substances that work against it, benefits. Many people see skin improvements, they sleep better, have more energy, and feel able to think more clearly. When we feel less than well, testing ourselves, or getting tested by someone else, for food allergies may be a good place to start.

If you know how to do kinesiology, or if you work with a pendulum or have access to clear signals from an inner guide, you can test yourself. If these modes of gaining information are unfamiliar or uncomfortable, you can get tested through a doctor of your choice. However we go about it, exploring our relationship to the foods we eat can be the first step to a more optimal state of health, well-being, and clarity of mind.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Just smell coffee to pep yourself up!!

For many of us, the day begins with a steaming cup of coffee. We get over our sleep hangovers and get geared for the day after tasting that special caffeine ambrosia. But now a research published in the June 25th issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry implies that one can get over the stress caused due to lack of sleep by just smelling coffee!

The experiment was conducted on rats and has not been tried on humans yet. Sleep deprived rats were made to smell coffee and it was found that it activated seventeen different genes in their brains to diminish the stressful effects of sleep deprivation. Moreover, thirteen of these genes formed proteins to protect nerve cells from the damaging effects of stress. According to the scientists, this is the first study conducted on the aroma of coffee.

Do you know what this implies? If it works for humans then you do not need to necessarily drink coffee. You can get its good effects by just smelling it. Given the harmful effects of caffeine on the kidney, heart and the liver this comes as a boon for the people who would like to have coffee to get over their stress but cannot do so due to the harmful effects.

With this study it certainly looks as though you can have the cake and eat it too!

Friday, May 30, 2008

VITAMIN B15!!

Vitamin B-15 (Pangamic acid): This has not been qualified as being essential to our diets. Very little is known about this ingredient and therefore our information is very sketchy. Until further research is available, be careful of supplements containing pangamic acid, calcium pangamate, DMG or B15.

Other names :: Pangamic acid, calcium panmanate

Vitamin B15 (Pangamic acid) is water-soluble but its essential requirement in the diet has not yet been proven. Research points to B15 aiding in lowering cholesterol blood levels, aid in protein synthesis, neutralize liquor cravings etc.

Actions and benefits of vitamin B15
Increases tolerance to hypoxia (insufficient oxygen to tissues and cells).
Vitamin B15 has been used to treat cancer, schizophrenia and heart disease.

Deficiency symptoms of Vitamin B15
There is no evidence to suggest that a lack of pangamic acid has any adverse effects

Best food sources of vitamin B15
Seeds, nuts, brown rice, brewer's yeast, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds .

Friday, May 23, 2008

Tips to Quit Smoking!!

1. Make a personal commitment to yourself.

2. Are you worried about your health? Or do you want to quit for your kids or family? Think about what will make you want to give up smoking. Write those reasons down.

3. Start building a support network to help you quit smoking

4. Tell your friends and family that you need their support. Talk about your reasons for quitting with them, too.

5. Make an appointment with your doctor

6. Talk to your doctor about wanting to quit. Ask about treatment options and support. Then decide on a quit date.

7. Set a quit date

8. Pick a date within the next 2 weeks. That's enough time to get ready, but not so long that you'll lose your will to quit. Mark your calendar. You may be more likely to go through with your quit if you see your quit day in writing.

9. Enroll in a support program to help you quit smoking

10. Look for a program that helps with your urge to smoke and helps you break your smoking routine.

11. Clean up your living spaces.

12. Get rid of anything that reminds you of smoking. Don't forget to throw out lighters, ashtrays, and cigarettes the night before.

13. Anticipate withdrawal symptoms.

14. Withdrawal symptoms are part of quitting smoking. Start to plan what you will do when you feel a symptom. It's an important part of the quitting process.

15. Know your smoking triggers.

16. Be aware of your triggers so you can understand why you get the urge to smoke.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

10 steps to better heart health!!

1. Stop smoking. Nourish yourself with a handful of sunflower seeds and a cup of nettle or oatstraw infusion daily for 4 to 6 weeks before quitting. Sunflower seeds reduce the body's craving for nicotine by filling the nicotine receptor sites. The infusions strengthen blood vessels and nerves and cushions the impact of withdrawal.

2. Touch and be touched. Many scientific studies have shown that people who were touched lovingly every day had significantly fewer heart problems than the control group.

3. Eat seaweeds. They have been shown to stabilize blood pressure, regulate levels of triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterols, they dissolve fatty build-ups in the blood vessels, they can restore cardiac efficiency and prolong the life of the heart muscle, and they encourage a steady heartbeat.

4. Eat foods rich in beta-carotenes: it can cut your risk of a stroke by 40 percent. Foods rich in beta-carotenes are orange, green, yellow and red. They include carrots, cabbage, winter squash, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, apricots, and seaweed.

5. Eat garlic. Study after study has confirmed garlic's abilities to lower blood pressure, reduce phospholipids and cholesterol, strengthen heart action, increase immune response, reduce platelet clumping and clotting (thus reducing strokes) and stabilize blood sugar levels. Eat garlic raw or lightly cooked, several cloves a day.

6. Eat foods rich in essential fatty acids. Fresh pressed oils of wheat germ or flax seed are especially nourishing.

7. Drink lemon balm tea. It is so strengthening to the heart that there's an old saying about it: Those who drink lemon balm tea daily will live forever! You can also steep a handful of fresh leaves in a glass of white wine for an hour or so and drink it with dinner. Or make lemon balm vinegar to use on your salads.

8. Move! Go for a walk, jump rope, swim, or do leg lifts and arm raises from your bed or wheelchair: however you can do it, do it! Regular exercise is key.

9. Avoid restrictive diets. Frequent dieting, fasting, binging and purging imbalance your electrolyte levels, causing weakening of the heart muscle and damage to the heart.

10. Eat as much as you want of: whole grains, vegetables, beans, greens, fruits, fish, seeds, and yogurt. Go easy on: nuts, cheese, and milk

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

What does a healthy diet really mean?

Is it a Diet or a Lifestyle Change?

Think of the word "diet" and what springs to mind? Restrictive meal plans? Best-selling books by skinny celebrities? Guilt producing health nuts who make us feel like anything that we might want to eat is not only bad for us but will ultimately cause our unfortunate demise and it will be all our fault because we didn't listen to them and follow their diet?!? OK, maybe that last one is just me.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes has heard the word "diet", usually in the context of a health care professional telling us that we need to change to a healthier diet. But these days, we tend to think that there must be a detailed diet we need to follow, a book we have to read a membership we have to buy, or a guru we need to pledge our allegiance to.

But "diet" actually has another meaning. According to our good friend Merriam Webster, the word "diet" can also mean "food and drink regularly provided or consumed." Another definition is "habitual nourishment".

Here in this country, there is so much talk of diets, that we start to think that we have to be "on a diet." The other meaning of the word diet gets lost in the hype: Your diet is what you eat everyday.

People can have a healthy diet, a junk food diet, or a steady diet of Steven King novels. It's just another way of saying... something you consume on a regular basis.
So when we hear in the news that we should add something, say, like olive oil, to our diet, it just means that we should chuck the trans-fat laden hydrogenated gunk we're eating and substitute something that's kinder to our heart instead.

No fancy diet required. Just tossing out some bad stuff and adding some healthier choices to what we already eat everyday.

More unhealthy items to limit or eliminate from our diets:
Beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup
Packaged salty, fried snacks
Other packaged snacks that contain trans fats or high fructose corn syrup
Deep fried or breaded, battered foods
Creamy sauces or soups
Processed foods like hotdogs, luncheon meats, or high-fat frozen foods
Sugar-laden foods like packaged cookies, cakes and breakfast cereals

Healthy things to add to our diets:
Fresh or frozen vegetables and salads
Lean meats
Water and other unsweetened beverages like green tea
Homemade low fat, low sugar treats
Fresh fruit
Monounsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds
Whole grain breads, brown rice, and other sources of fiber

A diet doesn't have to be rigid, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money and it doesn't have to be on

The New York Times Bestseller List. It just has to be something that we can follow everyday. Good choices that fit our preferences and our lifestyles. In other words, an everyday diet that we can follow for life.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

10 Tips for Better Health!!

1. "Eat it, it's good for you." - Listen to your mother and eat breakfast every morning. People who eat breakfast regularly are 5 times less likely to put on weight.

2. "How do you know you don't like it, if you haven't tasted it?" – Remember to add fish to your diet. The omega 3's found in cold water fish can cut your risk of heart disease and decrease symptoms of depression.
3. "I can't believe you can sleep in this filth!" - Get plenty of rest. People who sleep less than 7 hours a night on average are 2½ times more likely to die prematurely.

4. "You can say just about anything about anyone, as long as you "bless their heart" somewhere in the sentence." -Remembering those social skills come in handy when meeting new friends. Elderly people who are more involved in communal activities live longer and have less medical problems.

5. "If you're going kill each other, do it outside" - Get outdoors and experience nature. It raises brain serotonin (the feel-good hormone). It's easy, start with a daily walk.

6. "Don't put that in your mouth, you don't know where it's been." – Brush your teeth and floss already. Studies have shown that practicing good dental hygiene can add 6.4 years to your life.

7. "You WILL eat it, and you WILL like it!" - Eat your vegetables, your mother was right, again - bless her soul(or heart!). Fruits and vegetables are chock full of good things - fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Remember fiber keeps things moving.

8. "Why didn't you go before we left the house?"- Another of life's mysteries. Remember peeing is good, so drink lots of water. For every ounce of coffee or soda pop you consume, ½ ounce of water is siphoned from your tissues.

9. "Why? Because I said so, that's why!" - Need to think about the logic of that one? Maybe a little meditation is in order. Take time for quiet reflection and prayer-- it is shown to reduce stress and lower blood pressure.

10. "A little soap & water never killed anybody." - Wash your hands. Yup, we are channeling mom, again. By frequently washing your hands you wash away germs that you have picked up from other people, or from contaminated surfaces, or from animals and animal waste. One of the most common ways people catch colds is by rubbing their nose or their eyes after their hands have been contaminated with the cold virus.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Mobiles can be cancerous than smoking!!

A new study by an Indian-origin neurosurgeon has shown that cell phone use could kill more people than smoking, because of its possible association with brain cancer.

Dr Vini Khurana, a staff specialist neurosurgeon at the Canberra Hospital and an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Australian National University, said heavy usage of mobile phones might turn out to be a greater threat to human health than smoking and even asbestos.

To support his finding, Khurana conducted a 15-month 'critical review' of the link between mobile phones and malignant brain tumours, and said that using mobiles for more than 10 years could result in more than double the risk of brain cancer.
In order to curb this danger, he has urged for 'immediate and decisive steps' by industry and governments to reduce people's exposure to invisible electromagnetic radiation emitted by handsets.

He has also asked to begin a 'solid scientific study' observing heavy mobile phone users for a period of at least 10-15 years.

'It is anticipated that this danger has far broader public health ramifications than asbestos and smoking, and directly concerns all of us, particularly the younger generation, including very young children,' the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Khurana, as saying.
However, he added that it is not that smoking was better for people than using mobile phones, but mobile-phone related health issues were a lot more dangerous and affected a far greater number of people.
He pointed out that currently there were 3 billion mobile phone users worldwide, and the number is growing with each passing day. In fact, people started using them as young as three.

He underlined that mobile phone radiation could result in heating up the side of the head or potentially thermoelectrically interact with the brain, while Bluetooth devices and 'unshielded' headsets could 'convert the user's head into an effective, potentially self-harming antenna'.

Khurana indicated that there had been increased reports of brain tumours linked with heavy and prolonged mobile phone use, particularly on the same side as the person's 'preferred ear' for making calls.

However, Chris Althaus, chief executive of the industry body, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, rejected Khurana's conclusions, saying handsets were designed, built and tested to comply with strict science-based guidelines.

He also pointed out to a 2000 World Health Organisation fact sheet, which said no recent reviews had concluded that exposure to the radiofrequency fields from mobile phones and their base stations caused any adverse health consequences.

But this was denied by WHO, saying that there were 'gaps in knowledge' that required further research to better assess health risks, which would take several years to complete. Even Khurana said that the WHO fact sheet was irrelevant in this instance because 'most of the worrisome data has been surfacing in the last 12-24 months'.
Another fact sheet on the NSW Cancer Council's website said stressed for further research as not much was known on the long-term effects of electromagnetic field exposure.

Khurana said there is a time-gap of 10-20 years between the starting of regular mobile phone usage to the diagnosis of a malignant solid brain tumour. And the link between mobile phones and brain tumours had not yet been 'definitively proven' because widespread mobile phone usage started in the mid-1980s and solid tumours might take several years to form.

'In the years 2008-2012, we will have reached the appropriate length of follow-up time to begin to definitively observe the impact of this global technology on brain tumour incidence rates,' said Khurana.

However, he stressed that there was already enough evidence to warrant industry and governments taking immediate action to reduce mobile phone users' exposure to electromagnetic radiation and inform them of potential dangers.

'Worldwide availability and use of appropriately shielded cell phones and hands-free devices including headsets, increased use of landlines and pagers instead of current mobile and cell phones, and restricted use of cellular and cordless phones among children and adults alike are likely to limit the effects of this physically invisible danger,' said Khurana.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Reducing Weight Naturally

In ayurveda, Charak Samhita describes eight different types of bodies that are disease prone. Out of these, the obese body is described as the one afflicted with the most diseases and troubles. Obesity is the condition or physical state of the body when excessive deposition of fat takes place in the adipose tissue.

Extra fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys, liver and the joints such as the hips, knees and ankles and thus, overweight people are susceptible to several diseases like coronary thrombosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gout, liver and gall bladder disorders. Chief cause of obesity is overeating, irregular eating habits and not following the rules of eating or mixing non-compatible food items in one meal.

To decrease weight and get rid of obesity three things must be kept in mind:
>>Controlling eating habits.
>>Regular exercise.
>>Avoiding the causes of weight gain.

Diet recommended to lose weight


>>Early morning
Juice of half a lemon mixed in a glass of warm water and a teaspoon of honey.

>>Breakfast
Wheat or Mung bean sprouts and a cup of skimmed milk.

>>Midmorning
A glass of orange, pineapple or carrot juice.

>>Lunch
>Salad of raw vegetables such as carrot, beet, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes. Steamed or boiled vegetables.
>Whole grain bread or whole wheat chapatis (Indian bread) and a glass of buttermilk.
>Roasted cumin seeds, green coriander leaves, a little salt and some grated ginger mixed in the buttermilk.

>>Mid-afternoon
Coconut water
>Dry fruits
>Lemon tea
Fresh vegetable soup

>>Dinner
>Whole grain bread or chapatis
>Steamed vegetables
>Seasonal fruits except banana and apple.

Home Remedies for Losing Weight
.Increase the quantity of fruits and vegetables and low calorie foods.
.Avoid intake of too much salt as it may be a factor for increasing body weight.
.Milk products like cheese, butter etc. and non-vegetarian foods should be avoided as they are rich in fat.
.Mint is very beneficial in losing weight. A chutney of green mint with some simple spices can be taken with meals. Mint tea also helps.
.Spices like dry ginger, cinnamon, black pepper etc. are good for loosing weight and can be used in a number of ways.
.Regular intake of carrot juice.
.Avoid rice and potato, which contain a lot of carbohydrates. Among cereals wheat is good.
.Vegetables like bitter gourd (Karela), and bitter variety of drumstick are useful in loosing weight.
.Honey is an excellent home remedy for obesity. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions.
Dosage: One should start with small quantity of about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning. A teaspoonful of fresh lemon juice may also be added.
.Fasting on honey and lime- juice is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without the loss of energy and appetite. For this, mix one teaspoon of fresh honey with the juice of half a lime in a glass of lukewarm water.
Dosage: Take several times a day at regular intervals.
.Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.
.Exercise is an important part of any weight reduction plan. It helps to use up calories stored in body as fat.
.Walking is the best exercise to begin with and may be followed by running, swimming or rowing.
.The gum of Commiphora Mukul called 'guggulu' is the drug of choice for the treatment of obesity.

Preparation of Home Remedies
According to ayurveda home remedies are prepared in the same way and with the same purpose as other ayurvedic medicines. The main aim is to obtain the maximum therapeutic benefit while making it palatable.

Some common methods of preparing home remedies are:
>Juice
The juice may be taken from the fresh leaves, flowers or stems of the herb. The part of the herb used should be crushed or ground in a mortar and pestle, to make a paste. This paste should be put in a piece of cloth and squeezed to take out the juice.
Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.

>Powder
Dried herbs are used for powders. The herbs are usually dried in a cool, shady and well-ventilated place, although some herbs are dried in direct sunlight. The herbs are then ground into a fine powder and stored in a dry, airtight bottle. The powder may be taken with water, or if specified, with milk or honey.
Dosage: Half to one teaspoon twice a day.

>Decoction
A decoction is prepared by boiling the herb in water (ratio: 1 part herb to 16 parts water). The herbs are broken into pieces and soaked in water overnight. This mixture is then boiled until it reduces to one quarter of the original volume. It is then filtered and stored in a glass bottle.
Dosage: One to two tablespoons twice a day.

>>Infusion
Herbs are soaked in water to make an infusion (ratio: 1 part herb to 8 parts water). Hot infusions result from adding herbs to hot water, or gently heating but not boiling the mixture. This is strained and taken internally. Herbal teas are forms of hot infusions. Cold infusions are made from soaking the herb overnight. Honey can be added.
Dosage: half to one cup once or twice day.

>>Paste
A paste can be made from either fresh or dried herbs. The flowers, roots, stems, leaves or bark are ground and mixed with water. Pastes are mainly used for external application, in cases of cuts, burns and swellings. The paste should be thick enough to be applied in a layer to the skin.

>>Tablets
The herbs should be first dried separately and then mixed together in a powder form, in fixed proportions. Water or herbal juice can be added to this powder to make a paste, from which tablets of a specific size or weight are made. Tablets remain potent longer than juices, powders, pastes or decoctions.
Dosage: 1 or 2 tablets twice a day.

>>Medicated ghee and oil
Ghee is cooked with herbal juices, decoctions or pastes. The ghee should be heated with the herbal mixture at a moderate, controlled temperature. High temperatures can easily burn the ghee or oil, destroying its effectiveness. Medicated ghee and oils are either used internally or massaged externally.
Dosage: Half to one tablespoon.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Obesity Can Double The Risk of Cancers!!

According to a recent report published in the Lancet medical journal, obesity can cause the risk of several cancers like those of the bowel, kidney, and breast to almost double up. Risk of numerous blood cancers such as adult leukemia, multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma also increases with increase in body fat.

Andrew Renehan, a cancer specialist at the University of Manchester led the study. Renehan made his analysis after looking into the results of about 282,000 men and women, of what happened to people whose body mass index (BMI) increased from the normal range (18 to 25) to overweight ( more than 25) or from overweight to obese (above 30).

The study also showed that gender too plays a very important role between obesity and certain cancers. For eg, for men, the risk of thyroid cancer rose by a third, while colon and kidney cancers rose by almost 24 percent. When women gained more than necessary weight, their risk gall of bladder cancer rose by almost 59 percent, while 34 percent was the increase in the kidney cancer rate.

Obesity has become a world-wide phenomenon now days; the reasons are multiple some of them include more fast food, less exercise and unhealthy eating habits.

The mantra for staying lean and cancer-free is really simple, all you need to do is to eat sensibly and exercise regularly. Follow it, for not only will you look good, you will stay disease-free too.

Smoking kills almost a million in India per year!!

“Smoking is harmful to Health” - This is a statutory warning printed on all cigarette packets. Yet the question arises as to how many people pay heed to this warning. Statistics will reveal a very small number. Majority knowingly jump in the fire or continue to smoke, risking even the lives of those around them, due to passive smoking.

A recent research has revealed that smoking kills almost a million people in India per year. More so the high smoking risk among Indians was a surprise when actually Indians start smoking at a later age and even smoke less than their European and American counterparts.

Also smoking results in most Indians dying from Tuberculosis rather than cancer as Indians prefer Beedis, that are traditionally leaf wrapped and hand rolled rather than manufactured brand filters. And since most of them never quit till death, the risk just doubles.

The study also revealed that almost 120 million people smoke in India, majority being men. Due to smoking most men in India get infected with asymptomatic tuberculosis - that is, smoking damages the lungs to such an extent that the latent infection cannot be sustained, eventually leading to death.

Illiteracy is one of the evil causes of smoking, for half of the Indian smokers are illiterate and barely 2% quit smoking in their lives. For the other half literate people who continue to smoke in spite of being aware of the dangers involved, the Indian health authorities are rooting for tobacco companies to print images of diseases that are tobacco related. But politicians want to save their vote banks in the name of protecting jobs of tobacco workers.

The research which was recently published was based on a study of the smoking history of 74,000 Indian who had recently died and 78,000 Indians living.

Well research or no research, smoking is injurious to health - is a known fact. And yet people continue to...smoke!
Courtsey:Rueters

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Fatty Liver!!

Fatty liver is the accumulation of fat in the cells of the liver. About one in 10 Australians are affected by this condition.

....Fatty liver disease is often caused by an excessive alcohol intake, but it is increasingly being found in people who do not drink to excess but who are obese or have diabetes.
....Fatty liver disease can also occur, although far less commonly, with malnutrition, certain medicines and occasionally as a complication of pregnancy.

The major factor in the development of non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease is insulin resistance, a condition usually associated with obesity.

Normally, the hormone insulin tells the body's cells to take up glucose (a type of sugar) from the bloodstream to use as fuel. In insulin resistance, however, the cells don't respond properly to insulin. They cannot take up sufficient glucose and are therefore deprived of fuel. The blood does not have much glucose removed from it by the cells, so blood glucose levels rise.

Doctors have not yet discovered exactly how insulin resistance causes fat to be deposited within liver cells. However, it is clear that fatty liver disease is not necessarily caused by eating too much fat.

Diagnosis
Fatty liver disease usually does not cause any symptoms. Occasionally, people with the condition will complain of feeling tired or generally unwell, but this varies between individuals, and the degree of symptoms does not usually equate to the severity of the disease.

Often fatty liver disease is diagnosed after finding an abnormality incidentally on blood tests or an abdominal ultrasound. Alternatively, your doctor may detect an enlarged liver while examining your abdomen.

A biopsy of your liver is the only test that can definitively diagnose fatty liver disease, but this is not always necessary, as other tests can be sufficiently suggestive to warrant treatment.

Outlook
Originally, fatty liver disease was thought to be a harmless condition, but it is now known that it has the potential to progress to more serious liver conditions, such as cirrhosis.

Treatment
There is no proven cure for fatty liver disease, but active lifestyle changes can significantly improve the condition and perhaps even reverse it. These changes include:

....Avoiding alcohol and medicines that may affect your liver, such as steroids.
....Losing weight. This is not easy for many people with fatty liver disease, so having a well-designed management plan designed by a doctor or dietitian can be beneficial. Gradual weight loss is the key, as sudden, severe weight loss can actually make the condition worse.
....Exercising. Even if this does not result in weight loss, it is worthwhile as it can reduce the amount of fat around your abdominal organs.
....Controlling your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes.

Treating high cholesterol.

There are a number of medicines that have been suggested for the treatment of fatty liver disease, although research into these is continuing. These are sometimes prescribed by doctors in particular cases.

By focusing on reversible factors associated with fatty liver disease, it may be possible to prevent progression of the disease.

Courtsey:http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=4132

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Cramps-Home Remedies!!

Cramps can be defined as an unpleasant and painful sensation of the muscles. They are normally caused by overexertion of the muscles, causing them to contract and shorten painfully.

Cramps can also be triggered by the cold weather. Other causes of cramps could be food poisoning or illness.

If you suffer from cramps all of a sudden, there are the home remedies that can give you relief readily available from your kitchen counter.

Home Remedies For Cramps

Home Remedies for Cramps with Hot beverage:
If you get the cramps, try to sit and relax for a while.
Then drink some hot water with ginger in it. You can also take a hot cup of tea or coffee if you find water with ginger not pleasant to your taste buds.

Treat Cramps with Pickle Juice:
Cramps can be very painful. To counter the pain, ask somebody to get you the pickle jar from the fridge. Drain its juice and drink it. You should drink at least a cup of pickle juice for the cramps to disappear fast.

Natural Treatments for Cramps with Hot compress:
If these juices and beverages are nowhere in sight for some reason, just get the heating pad and put it on the affected part.
You can also use a hot compress or any water bottle filled with very hot water. Place it exactly on the painful area and just leave it there until the pain subsides.

Natural Remedies for Cramps with Peppermint candies or lollipops:
You might look like a child asking for some treats with these home remedies for cramps. But they really work so give it a try. Find yourself some lollipops and peppermint from the candy jar. Finish it up and your cramps should go right after.

Remedies for Cramps with Massage:
  • No other remedy would be best for cramps other than a good massage.
  • However, you have to remember this rule of thumb when massaging muscles to relieve cramps: rub the muscles that are the exact opposite of the affected area. For example, if the cramped muscle is the lower thigh, massage the upper thigh muscle to achieve the desired results.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Monday, February 4, 2008

The 6 Big Sleep Busters!!

At some point or another, it happens to everyone: You can't sleep. When you finally drop off, the alarm buzzes a microsecond later. Then you can't get up. And then it gets worse: When you finally drag yourself out of bed, you look like youknowhat.

Can't imagine why the sleep gods had it in for you? Think about what you ate the night before, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of The Food & Mood Cookbook. Any of the following--much less a combo platter--can leave your body on uneasy street for hours.

1. Spicy Foods Garlic, chilies, cayenne, and other intense spices are yummy going down but can keep you up with heartburn or indigestion. Avoid MSG too, as it can trigger dreams that are a bit too vivid.

2. A Big Dinner An overtaxed digestive system takes hours to settle down and there's nothing restful about that. When sleep's critical, make lunch your largest meal and enjoy a light 500-calorie dinner early in the evening.

3. Raucous Veggies Eat those good-for-you-but-gassy foods--beans, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts--in the middle of the day. A tankful of gas can keep anyone up at night.

4. Speed Eating Relax and enjoy meals to avoid swallowing air, another common cause of midnight tummy trouble.

5. Nightcaps Alcohol may make you drowsy at first but later on it disturbs sleep patterns and leads to awakenings and restlessness. A 4-ounce glass of wine with dinner won't hurt, as long as it's not within two hours of bedtime.

6. Coffee after breakfast Caffeine can linger in your body for as long as 12 hours. So if you're often wide-eyed at bedtime, make sure you're caffeine-clean for at least 12 hours. (Skip tea, chocolate, cola, or other caffeine culprits too.) Still watching the clock at 2 a.m.? Wean yourself off even morning java, then stay caffeine-free for two weeks. If you definitely sleep better, you have your answer: Caffeine is not your friend. If the results are mixed, "Try adding back a cup or two of coffee or tea in the morning and watch what happens," says Somer. "But if sleeplessness comes back, cut it out."

Getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night doesn't just make your eyes bright, your skin happy, and your mind sharp, it can also make your RealAge as much as 3 years younger.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Diabetics, say no caffeine!!

Diabetics who drink tea and coffee every day are increasing their blood sugar levels and undermining efforts to bring their condition under control, scicentists have discovered.

Researchers in the US say that although there are no gudielines warning patients with diabtetes against consuming caffeine, that may have to change.

The study, conducted by Dr.James Lane from Duke Univesity Medical Center, in Durham, North Caroina, is the first to track the impact of caffeine consumption as patients go about their normal lives.

Researchers monitored 10 regular coffee drinkers with established type 2 diabetes who were managing their disease through diet and exercise but with no extra insulin.

The patients were fitted with a tiny monitor which continously tracked their glucose levels over a 72-hour period. Each took capsules equal to four cups of coffee on one day, and identical capsules containing a placecbo on another.

All were free to eat whatevevr they liked. Researchers found that when the participants cconsumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up eight percent.

Caffeine also exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals, increasing by nine percent after breakfast, 15 percent after lunch and 26 percent after dinner.

The findings, which appear in the February issue of Diabetes care, add more weight to a growing body of research which suggests eliminating caffeine from the diet might be a good way to manage blood sugar levels.

Dr.Lane said: "Coffee is such a common drink in our society that we forget that it contains a very powerful drug - Caffeine. Our study suggests that one way to lower blood sugar is to simply quit drinking coffee, or any other caffeinated beverages."

It futher studies corrborate the results, Dr.Lane says there would be a case for doctors to instruct patients with diabetes to banish caffeine from their diets altogether.

Black-berry (Kalajam)

Botanically it is known as Polianthes tuberosa. It is a large tree 20 to 60 ft. high or sometimes more. The leaves are elliptical, usually 6 to 12 inches long. The fruits are black containing juicy, fleshy rind and are delicious and nutritious too. It is one-seeded fruit and the seed is usually a large one. The tree is extensively cultivated all over India for its fruits.

Black-berries are available only during summer months. The fruit juice is valuable in summer time as it subsides bile (pitta). It presents sun-stroke, heat­stroke and keeps the body cool. It has special qualities to stop vomiting and travel sickness.

Medicinal uses of black-berry :
The bark, fruits and seeds of the tree are medicinal. The bark is very astringent and is given in sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, ulcers and dysentery; it is also used for purifying blood. The fresh juice of the bark with goat's milk is given in diarrhoea. The seeds are very useful diabetes. The fruit juice cures burning sensation of hands and feet. It subsides excessive heat in the body.

Benefit and uses of Black-berry.
Black raspberries' ability to slow the growth of certain cancers. Extracts of raspberries and blackberries may slow or reverse the growth of breast, cervical, colon, oral and esophageal cancers.
60–80 % reduction in colon tumors in rats fed a diet with black raspberries added.
Phenolic compounds such as ellagic acid, gallic acid and rutin contribute to the health benefits of black raspberries.
A cordial from the juice of the blackberry has been used in the past as a stimulate for the body and heart, and is helpful in overcoming an illness.
Blackberries have been used through the ages for a variety of medicina purposes, from diarrhea to a general restorative.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin and it is readily absorbed from foods, such as meat, dairy products, and fortified grains. This vitamin is essential to energy generation, nerve development, blood cell development, and the regulation of certain hormones. It is required by the body to use oxygen and the metabolism of amino acids, fatty acids, and carbohydrates. Riboflavin is further needed to activate vitamin B6 and helps to create niacin and assists the adrenal gland.

Functions and benefits of Vitamin B 2
.Vitamin B1 has a number of important functions and benefits. For example it:
.It helps burn carbohydrates, fat and protein
.Necessary for good vision, skin, hair and nails
.Eliminates soreness of mouth and lips
.important for good muscle tone

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin B 2
.For men, the usual dose of Vitamin B2 is 1.7 mg.
.For women, the usual dose of Vitamin B2 is 1.3 mg.
.For Pregnant women, the usual dose of Vitamin B2 is 1.6 mg.
.For Lactating women, the recommanded dose of Vitamin B2 is 1.8 mg.

Food sources of Vitamin B 2
.bran
.Yoghurt
.Brewer's Yeast
.Cheese
.Pulses, such as lentils
.Eggs, especially whites of egg
.Fish
.Green leafy vegetables and whole grain breads
.Milk
.Organ meats, such liver and tongue

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin B2
.swollen
.cracked mouth and tongue
.fatigue
.depression
.anemia
.greasy
.scaly skin

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.