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).

Health Benefits of Vegetarianism

It was only recently that smoking only recently became recognized as a health and environmental hazard. As a result of research and education on a habit once believed to be not only harmless but stylish, most major U.S. cities have banned smoking of cigarettes, cigars or pipes in all public places. Smoking has also been outlawed in government offices and completely eliminated from all domestic U.S. air flights. Now, another, even more devastating problem is under scrutiny.

Its threat to health and the environment is being realized based on overwhelming evidence amassed by recognized authorities over the past fifty years. Recently a group of eminent doctors called the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), themselves members of the American Medical Association (AMA), have gathered to change the U.S. consciousness on human nutrition, particularly among the medical community. The PCRM is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., consisting of doctors and lay persons working together for compassionate and effective medical practice, research and health promotion. Founded in 1985, the PCRM is supported by over 3,000 physicians and 50,000 lay persons PCRM president Newal D. Barnard, M.D., is a popular speaker and the author of The Power of Your Plate.

As stated by the PCRM in their 1991 literature, "A vegetarian diet has been advocated by everyone from philosophers, such as Plato and Nietzsche, to political leaders, such as Benjamin Franklin and Gandhi, to modern pop icons such as Paul McCartney and Bob Marley. Science is also on the side of vegetarian foods. A multitude of studies have proven the health benefits of a vegetarian diet to be remarkable.

"Vegetarian is defined as avoiding all animal flesh, including fish and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh, but do eat animal products such as cheese, milk and eggs are ovo-lacto-vegetarians (ovo = egg; lacto = milk, cheese, etc.). The ranks of those who eschew all animal products are rapidly growing; these people are referred to as pure vegetarians or vegans (vee'guns). Scientific research shows that ovo-lacto-vegetarians are healthier than meat-eaters, and vegans are healthier than ovo-lacto-vegetarians." It should be noted that the Indian Hindu tradition has always been lacto-vegetarian, permitting the consumption of milk products.

The PCRM literature lists a host of health benefits of a vegetarian diet, including the following:

• Preventing cancer: "Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that vegetarians are nearly 50% less likely to die from cancer than non vegetarians."
• Preventing heart disease and lowering blood pressure.
• Preventing and reversing diabetes.
• Preventing and alleviating gallstones, kidney stones and osteoporosis.
• Preventing and alleviating asthma.