Naturopathy

Dead bones give clues to heal back pain

2011-03-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

The bones of people long dead could be the key to healing chronic back pain, says a new research. It is combining the latest computer modelling techniques with archaeology and anthropology.Researchers there are analysing spines from up to 40 skeletons kept in museums and anatomy collections, according to a Leeds and Bristol statement.

The data will help develop innovative computer models and open up new ways of treating back pain and evaluating new implants. Ultimately, it will also be possible to use the models to pinpoint the type of treatment best suited to an individual patient.

"The idea is that a company will be able to come in with a design for a new product and we will simulate how it would work on different spines," says Ruth Wilcox of the University of Leeds, who is leading the project.
"The wider the pool of spinal data at our disposal, the more effective the computer models will be in terms of demonstrating the impact of treatments on different back conditions and back types

Unemployment causes health problems

2011-03-01T16:23:00.000-08:00

A new study has shown that compared to people in employment, men and women who are unemployed suffer more often and longer from both physical and emotional complaints.

The study was carried out in 2008-2009 by the Institute. The results showed that unemployed people between the ages of 30 and 59 years are especially often affected by physical, emotional, and functional impairments such as sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance addictions. As a result, the unemployed make more use of the health care system.

The health consequences of unemployment result from loss of income, loss of so-cial contacts in the workplace, or loss of social reputation. Unemployed men and women who are supported by their partners, family members, or friends are less frequently affected by these complaints.

Cut salt to ward off diabetes

2011-03-01T16:12:00.000-08:00

A new review of studies has found that reducing the amount of salt in diabetics' daily diet is key to warding off serious threats to their health. In the Cochrane review, the authors evaluated 13 studies with 254 adults who had either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. For an average duration of one week, participants were restricted to large reduction in their daily salt intake to see how the change would affect their blood pressure.

"We were surprised to find so few studies of modest, practical salt reduction in diabetes where patients are at high cardiovascular risk and stand much to gain from interventions that reduce blood pressure," said lead reviewer Rebecca Suckling. "However, despite this, there was a consistent reduction in blood pressure when salt intake was reduced."

High salt intake is a major cause for increased blood pressure and, in those with diabetes, elevated blood pressure can lead to more serious health problems, including stroke, heart attack and diabetic kidney disease. In the Cochrane review, the participants' average salt intake was restricted by 11.9 grams a day for those with type 1 diabetes and by 7.3 grams a day for those with type 2. The reviewers wrote that reducing salt intake by 8.5 grams a day could lower patients' blood pressure by 7/3 mmHg. This was true for patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The reviewers noted that this reduction in blood pressure is similar to that found from taking blood pressure medication. Suckling acknowledged that studies in the review only lasted for a week and that the type of salt restriction probably would not be manageable for longer periods. However, Suckling said, the review also found that in studies greater than two weeks, where salt was reduced by a more achievable and sustainable amount of 4.5 grams a day, blood pressure was reduced by 6/4 mmHg.

Incense burning tied to asthma

2011-02-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

Of those children, those with daily exposure to incense in their homes were 78 per cent more likely than those with no exposure to currently have asthma -- a pattern that was not true of children with the gene variant.

Incense is usually derived from fragrant plant materials, like tree bark, resins, roots, flowers and essential oils. Previous research has found that burning these materials can produce harmful substances, including benzene and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. A 2008 study of more than 61,000 Chinese adults followed for up to 12 years found a link between heavy incense use and various respiratory cancers, including oral, nasal and lung cancers.

While neither that study nor the current one proves that incense is the reason for the greater disease risks, the more recent one raises the possibility that limited incense use at home could help curb asthma risk for some children, Lee told Reuters Health in an e-mail. Some studies in Asian countries have found connections between incense burning and respiratory symptoms in children, but others -- including one of schoolchildren in Hong Kong -- have not, Lee and his team said.
It is also not clear whether the most recent findings can be generalized to other countries, he added.

Of the children, 48 per cent carried no copies of a gene variant known as GSTT1, which helps regulate a family of enzymes that protect body cells from oxidative damage, including that caused by cigarette smoke or other toxic chemicals. People without this variant have been found to have higher risks of allergies and asthma. "Incense burning is a risk factor for asthma and wheezing, especially in GSTT1 genetically susceptible children," wrote Lee and his colleagues.

5 foods good for your heart

2011-02-17T00:26:00.000-08:00

Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetable like spinach, fenugreek, pak choy, radish leaves, lettuce, etc. are healthy and are known to reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancer as well. That's because they are extremely low in fat, calories and high in dietary fibre. They also contain folic acid, magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc. These minerals are beneficial for the optimum functioning of the heart. Studies have shown that one daily serving of green leafy vegetables can lower the risk of heart diseases by 11 per cent.

Oats
Oats are one the most healthiest options available for breakfast. Not only do they make you feel full and energetic, they are great for your heart too. Oats contain beta glucan, which is a soluble fibre that helps bring down cholesterol levels especially LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body. Have oatmeal for breakfast or have oatmeal bread or cookies to absorb their benefits.

Whole grains
Whole grains whether its wheat, barley, millet, pulses and even beans for that matter are good for the heart because they provide natural fibre and vitamins. They contains vitamin E, iron, magnesium and a host of anti-oxidants. Regular consumption of of whole grains reduces blood pressure too.

Soy protein
Soy is essentially soyabean curd. They are also available in the form of soya chunks and soya mince easily in the market today. Soy is an excellent healthy substitute for red meats which are high in fat, increase the bad cholesterol and saturated fats which are very bad for the heart.

Olive oil
Olive oil is one of the most healthiest oils available, whose consumption is actually good for the heart. Having olive oil as a regular part of your diet, helps ion lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body. Also, olive oil contains monounsaturated fats that are good for the heart and are packed with anti-oxidants. Extra virgin olive oil contains polyphenols and gives even greater health benefits. Drizzle some olive oil in your salad as a dressing instead of that unhealthy mayonnaise and high-calories dressings, or better still substitute it for your normal cooking oil and see the difference.

Easy ways to cure acidity

2011-02-15T10:51:00.000-08:00

Acidity occurs when there is excess secretion of acids in the gastric glands of the stomach. When the secretion is more than usual, we feel, what is commonly known as heartburn, which is normally triggered off by consumption of spicy foods.
Here are some home remedies to cure acidity...

Skip the aerated drinks as well as the caffeine. Opt for herbal tea instead.

Have a glass of lukewarm water everyday.

Include banana, watermelon and cucumber in your daily diet. Watermelon juice is great for curing acidity.

Nariyal paani is known to soothe the system if you suffer from acidity.

Drink a glass of milk - everyday.

Have your last meal at least two to three hours before you hit the sack.

Keeping long intervals between meals is another cause for acidity. Have small but regular meals.

Try to avoid pickles, spicy chutneys, vinegar, etc.

Boil some mint leaves in water and have a glass of this after meals.

Sucking on a piece of clove is another effective remedy.

Jaggery, lemon, banana, almonds and yogurt are all known to give you instant relief from acidity.

Excessive smoking and drinking will increase acidity, so cut down.

Try chewing gum. The saliva generated helps move food through the esophagus, easing symptoms of heartburn.
Ginger aids in digestion. Either buy powdered ginger in capsule forms or add the herb to your recipes.

A simple preparation of lemon water with sugar can be sipped on an hour before lunch to reduce uneasiness.

Have vegetables like drumsticks, beans, pumpkin, cabbage, carrot and spring onions.

Treatment for a panic attack

2011-02-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

Panic attacks are one of the symptoms of anxiety disorders. A sudden wave of oversweeping panic, rapid heart-rate, dizziness, sweating, difficulty in breathing, a feeling of loss of control are among the chief indicators.

Panic attacks can affect people irrespective of gender and age. Here are some remedies for the same:
When you are facing a panic attack, the first and most important thing is to calm down. Take slow, deep breaths as this will not only help you calm down but also slow down heart-rate.

During a panic attack, there's an increase in adrenaline levels in the body. Drink ice water, this will also help cooling down one's body from within. Gently massaging the neck and throat is recommended as these areas of the body tend to get quite tense during a panic attack.

Learning to divert one's attention from the current situation, might not be that easy but is quite an effective way of treating a panic attack. Sniffing aromatic oils or listening to soothing music is another way to deal with a panic attack.

sneeze can contaminate a room for hours

2011-02-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

A single sneeze infests a room with deadly bugs and the contamination can last for hours.
Microscopic droplets sneezed or coughed out float around the air in large enough concentrations to spread disease.

A sneeze typically contain as many as 40,000 droplets, some of which leave the body at more than 160 kmph. Breathing in airborne specks of virus found in a typical office, plane or train could infect a person after just one hour, the Journal of the Royal Society Interface reports. It also highlights why so many holidaymakers pick up coughs, colds and sniffles at the start of their trip, following a flight.

Flu passes from person to person through direct physical contact, or when someone sneezes or coughs.
collected samples of air from the waiting room of a healthcare clinic, three rooms in a nursery and three cross-country flights. Half the samples contained small droplets containing the flu virus.

A typical cubic metre of air contained an average of 16,000 particles of flu virus. Most were less than 2.5 thousandths of a millimetre across, which remain suspended in the air for hours on end. Given these concentrations, the amount of viruses a person would inhale over one hour would be adequate to induce infection.

ultimate aphrodisiac

2011-02-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

Figs , she says, are loaded with manganese, magnesium, vitamin E and zinc, which are essential for sexual health.

Watermelons contain citrulline, which signals the body to release arginine, which relaxes blood vessels – an effect similar to Viagra.
Champagne is another one on the top. It enters the bloodstream more quickly than wine, so you drink less of it. And with pinot noir or pinot meunier grapes has as many antioxidants as red wine, reports Fox News.
About Rosemary, she said: "If you're preparing a meal of seduction, you want something that will be easier to digest. You don't want blood flow diverted to your stomach."

Chilli Peppers - they replicate symptoms of arousal: flushed cheeks, a tingle on your tongue and plumper, more kissable lips. And they raise body temperature too.

Cheese – releases ten times more endorphins than chocolate, and puts you in the mood.

Reiley adds that the multi-sensory experience of eating, when combined with the right ingredients, nutrients and intentions, makes food positively sexual. And given the frequency with which we eat, that makes food the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Chickenpox After Vaccine

2010-09-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

An Overview of Chickenpox After Vaccine -:
It is possible to develop chickenpox after getting the chickenpox vaccine. There are two situations where this could occur. The more common of the two is a breakthrough infection. Very rarely, chickenpox can occur from the chickenpox vaccine itself.

Breakthrough Infection in Chickenpox After Vaccine

No vaccine is 100 percent effective in preventing disease. After vaccination, some people (about 1 person in 10) do not develop enough protection to completely prevent them from developing chickenpox. For the chickenpox vaccine, about 8 to 9 out of every 10 people who are vaccinated are completely protected from chickenpox. The vaccine almost always prevents against severe disease.

If a vaccinated person does get chickenpox, it is called a breakthrough infection. This infection is believed to be caused by a wild-type varicella virus. A breakthrough infection is usually very mild with fewer skin lesions (usually less than 50) lasting only a few days, with no fever or a low fever, and few other chickenpox symptoms. Breakthrough infection is estimated to occur in approximately 2 percent of vaccinations per year. The rate does not appear to increase with length of time since vaccination.Vaccinated people who get this milder form of chickenpox may still spread the disease to others who are not protected. Therefore, these individuals should stay at home until the blisters have formed scabs; if there are no blisters present, they should stay home until no new spots or bumps are forming.

Chicken Pox Virus Cause Stroke

2010-08-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Suburbs

The virus Varicella zoster causes Chicken pox. One of the after effects of getting Chicken pox in childhood, is the condition called Ocular Shingles which can occur in Adulthood. It is an infection caused in the skin surrounding the eyes. The virus can remain inactive for several months or years in the cells of people who had chicken pox in childhood. Later, at some point of time in life, the virus can become active again causing this infection. Nearly 300,000 cases of shingles occur in the United States, every year. It was found out that nearly 20% of people who had chickenpox in their childhood developed shingles later in their lives. Though this infection can occur to people of all ages, Ocular Shingles increases with age. According to a research report published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, Ocular Shingles can cause Stroke. This article tries to gain further insight into this finding.

Knowledge Gained From Research:

•The research included 658 people found with ocular shingles and 1974 people without this infection, as volunteers in Taiwan, where the research took place.

•In the beginning of the one year study, none of the volunteers had the history of getting stroke.

•8.1 percent volunteers with shingles developed stroke, whereas only 1.7 percent of them without this infection had stroke.

•The statistics meant that people with shingles infection are four and a half times more likely to get stroke when compared to the people without this infection.

•The result applied on people irrespective of other health factors and complications like age, gender, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and medications.

•Ischemic stroke was found to occur more commonly in shingle-infected patients than hemorrhagic stroke.

•Though anti-viral drugs are available to treat Shingles infection, the study found out that people who take these drugs and those who don’t, are equally at risks of getting stroke

•However, this research didn’t take into consideration important factors like smoking and variation of stroke risks in different countries.

Using Caffeine Wisely

2010-07-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt that sudden burst of energy or overwhelming alertness after drinking a cup of coffee? What about the disappearance of your headache after a steaming mug of green tea? Since most of the world seems to think so, it's likely you think caffeine is bad for you. However, are you aware of the many benefits of caffeine?

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of caffeine is the stimulation it produces. Not that we should expect to live on two hours of sleep each night and coffee alone, but caffeine certainly does have an effect on our ability to function. Caffeine stimulates brain activity, creativity, focus, and motivation.When you have no ideas flowing through your mind, no energy to get outside, or no desire to work on a big project, caffeine supplements or caffeinated drinks can change everything. Within moments of caffeine consumption, you'll feel more energized, alert, and excited.

Aside from the outward improvements, caffeine also stimulates the cardiovascular and digestive systems to be at the top of their game. Caffeine works as a great total-cleansing agent as it keeps everything in the digestive track moving. It also gets the heart rate going and your blood flowing for something akin to an adrenaline rush that lasts a while. Caffeine is used in many medications as a pain reducer. It has been widely proven that a small amount of caffeine can help calm headaches and relieve pain (including lower back pain and cramps associated with pre-menstrual syndrome). Caffeine is even used for premature infants as a way to stimulate the activity of their lungs.

The fact of the matter is that, like with anything else, caffeine should be used wisely. "Everything in modern" is the key. Caffeine is not the cure for all of your problems, but it can be used in many beneficial ways. It'll help curb headaches, increase motivation and uplifting emotions, decrease mild pains, and even help as a weight loss solution. The most important thing to remember about using caffeine wisely is that it does dehydrate the body. Therefore, those who consume caffeine, whether in coffee, tea, soda, supplements, or food, should ensure they are also hydrating themselves with plenty of water (and essential nutrients) in order to keep the entire body functioning at its peak performance!

Enjoy your caffeine in whatever form you consume it! The benefits and results are above and beyond anything negative you've ever heard about this stimulant!

Prevent a heart attack

2010-07-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

RecoveryAs a woman, you might think that the scariest thing that might happen to you is breast cancer or cervical cancer. But “in reality, heart disease kills women more than any other disease,” says leading cardiologist Dr Ramakant Panda. It comes as a surprise to most as it is thought to be more a man’s disease. But women are as much at risk of heart disease as men.“Women are protected by hormones till they reach menopause,” Dr Panda goes on to say. Estrogen makes our arteries stronger. However, lifestyle changes might overpower the protection it offers. Risk factors include smoking, erratic working hours and obesity. Statistics say that in the next ten years, one out every three women will get a heart disease.

“Women are at a higher risk of dying within the first year of having an attack than men,” he adds. The possible reason for this according to him is that since women tend to get heart disease later in life, they may have other co-existing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or cholesterol. Here are some facts about women and heart disease:

* Women who smoke are at a risk of having a heart attack 19 years earlier than non-smokers.

* Women with diabetes are at a higher risk of heart attacks.

* Women are almost twice as likely as men to die after by-pass surgery.

* Women often do not have the typical symptoms of angina (chest pain radiating to the arms) or other symptoms associated with a heart attack. That’s why they are often not diagnosed correctly and in time.

The good news is that it can be prevented simply by following a healthier lifestyle, since women’s hearts respond better to them. Here are a few pointers from Dr Panda:

* Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.

* Cut out the extra salt in your food in the form of junk and processed foods. Cut down on sugar too.

* Substitute all high-fat foods with low fat ones.

* Don’t follow fad diets. Instead, eat sensibly.

* If you must drink, limit yourself to one a day and quit smoking.

* Walk for your heart or take the stairs. Get 30 minutes of any form of cardio everyday.

* Get yourself regularly checked for blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol. It will tell you if you are at risk.

A healthy lifestyle is very important. It goes a long way in protecting you from not just heat disease but lot of other lifestyle conditions like diabetes and osteoporosis. So start taking care today!

Losing Weight with no Dieting

2010-07-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you ask anyone who has been on a diet, they’ll tell you truthfully that diets just don’t work. The diet mentality is that you’ll take to a certain way of eating temporarily and all of the weight you need to lose will fall off and you will live happily ever after with your new little fit self. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. So if dieting doesn’t work, what can you do?Step one is to get real. You may not be honest with your friends or your family, but you must be honest with yourself. For one week, write on paper everything you eat and all of the physical activities you engage in. Write down everything including those hidden candy bars in your desk at work or that second piece of cake you ate before putting it away for the night. You may also want to write down the day’s occurrences. This will be enlightening. For example, if you ate a candy bar right after getting yelled at by your boss, you’ll realize why you were eating.

After getting a realistic look at yourself, you are going to play the role of teacher and mark red corrections on your own paper. For example, with the candy bar you ate after getting yelled at by your boss, you might begin to brainstorm ideas of what you could have done instead that would be healthier; (e.g. go for a walk with a friend and vent, go to the gym and punch a punching bag, play a favorite active game on the Wii, get a massage), or anything that leaves you feeling ‘truly’ satisfied.

The HeirNext, mark corrective ideas to the foods you ate. For example, if you see that you ate pizza for dinner, insert with the red marker a salad with low fat dressing before hand. If you see a piece of cake after dinner, correct that piece of cake into half a piece of cake and some delicious fresh fruit on top of the cake. Instead of a sandwich (white bread, ham and cheese), make it fiber filled bread, lettuce, tomato, ham and a half slice of cheese. With beverages, add more water or even flavored water to replace a few of your other calorie-laden beverages. Make some of these small changes and it will add up to big rewards both in your self esteem and your waistline.

Herbal Energy Secrets

2010-07-24T05:23:00.000-07:00

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G, 6" Display, White, 3G Works Globally - Latest GenerationHerbal supplements are often an overlooked part of the health arena, but utilizing an herbal remedy can often be the linchpin in solving energy problems. Everything from the little boost needed to focus and ace that big presentation or a continual input of energy that answers the demands of everyday life can be the key factor for motivation, improved concentration, success, happiness, and good health.

Herbal medicine dates back to historical records over five thousand years ago in Ancient Sumeria. However, herbal medicine has been around before the written record. Nearly every civilization on Earth has kept herbal remedies on hand, especially those for to boost and maintain energy levels. In fact, many widely available pharmaceuticals have long histories as herbal remedies. Most modern drugs contain synthesized products from plants, so it should be no surprise that herbal supplements are key to having the greatest energy potential.

Herbal solutions for energy are a wise choice to combat fatigue; instead of dreading the day, one can greet it head on. Herbal energy supplements are natural alternatives to the caffeine in soda or coffee drinks, which are usually loaded with sugars and other unwanted components that can add fat to the body. Integrating an herbal energy solution into the daily routine is easy, and requires little effort. Herbal energy supplements contain all the benefits of natural plant products, providing balance, stability, and harmony in the body. Many herbal remedies that directly impact energy can also have other beneficial effects, like treating pain, lowering cholesterol levels, increasing metabolism, promoting speedier healing, boosting the immune system, and so on.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
In other words, just one herbal supplement for energy can have other positive effects on health besides providing constant, stabilizing energy throughout the day. Coordinating multiple herbal energy supplements can create positive and long-lasting resistance to fatigue and weariness.

Women Health Care

2010-07-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

The HeirThe HeirWhenever there is a talk on health issues, women health is one of the elements, which is often left unnoticed. The fact is taken for granted that women are by nature strong and therefore it is always assumed that they will have the least number of ailments. This is not a correct view at any point. The truth is that, women folk suffer from scores of illnesses but the only thing is that most of them never really reveal the fact. Women health care is essentially important so that women can remain fit and healthy.The ability of the women to undergo all the pain and to sustain still makes the fact unrevealed that they also need health care to the core. In very few instances women health care is given importance and this is the reason, major ailments in women are detected in the last stage in most of the cases and at that time there remains very limited scope to treat them well.

We can take a small example in this regards. In most of the cases, we think that, the mother who is an absolute homemaker is the luckiest individual to live in utmost bliss, away from all the stressful work loads and deadlines. It is only when after a long stretch of gap when she falls sick momentarily, then we realize that to what greater horizons she has managed the entire home affair satisfying each and every inmate of it.

The household almost comes to a standstill, if the woman of the house becomes ill. Many times, its also been seen that she has turned seriously ill and it had been a matter of a long time and no one ever knew it. Hence women health care is very important. The cause is not that, she never told but it is our sole negligence that we never wanted to know or attempted taking the extra bit of care.Women health care always needs extra attention in regards to their health especially after they reach the age of 30. They should follow healthy diet regimen otherwise they will be suffering from different types of disease and illness. So try to maintain a healthy diet to avoid any kind of health complications. Some of the common illness which women suffer from is migraine, osteoporosis, anemia, weakness, anxiety, and depression. Do not neglect your health and delay treating your ailment if you have one, you may be badly affected with time.

Health Tips for Women
Some basic women health care tips can be followed in your daily routine so that you can maintain a healthy and fit body. Women health care is important and hence it is important for you to follow certain basic steps and procedures. You should drink ample amounts of water so that your body remains hydrated and the water can help drain out all the toxins. Your diet should include leafy vegetables and fresh fruits. Food with calcium and protein are to be consumed in moderate quantities. If you have any doubt regarding your bodily needs regarding nutrition you can consult a dietician. Try to incorporate some exercise routine in your daily work schedule to maintain a slim and fit body.The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Health Tips for Working Women

As a working woman you need to take more effort and care for your health care routine. Women health care should be formatted in a manner so that the working women benefit from it effectively without spending much time. Dont survive on the sugar based drinks instead opt for water thats a much healthier option. Morning walk or jogging can be a good way to exercise and reduce on your body weight. Dont overwork yourself and become all stressed out. Stress and anxiety will show on your face as wrinkles and dark circles. Hence a good nights sleep is very essential to beat all the stress, so that you can get up next morning looking absolutely fresh as a daisy. Do not skip meals, gastric problems may crop up and leave you in a lot of pain. Before leaving for office eat a big breakfast and then start your day. Try to limit the intake of alcohol at office parties.

Health Tips for Pregnant Women
Women health care needs special attention when they are pregnant. They have special needs and nutritional requirements. Hence you will have to know what to provide and what not. Special diet charts are to be made when you are pregnant. You can consult your doctor or a dietician can also guide you in chalking out your diet chart. During pregnancy you have to strictly stay away from alcohol.
Folic acid supplements are to be taken along with vitamins, calcium, and minerals. Ensure that you rest properly and dont take stress or work too much which may be harmful for you and your baby. Pregnant or not stay miles away from cigarettes it is harmful for you as well as your baby. Consume healthy food and try to avoid junk food. Mild exercise can be good for pregnant women as it helps in proper blood flow and increase of oxygen levels.

Health Care for Women
One of the biggest things you can do is get a health insurance for yourself today so that you can stay safe and secure from any unforeseen ailment or disease. Do not gorge on food try to maintain a balance of what you are consuming. Little intake of food can also be harmful. Your food should include items like grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits, fish, egg or meat. Avoid food which is deep fried. Food containing too much of oil can be harmful which may lead to different types of stomach problems. Food with high calories should be avoided if possible. For women health care try to have food which helps to develop your immunity so that you can stay healthy and fit.

Fitness and Diets

2010-07-21T04:02:00.000-07:00

Recovery
Weight loss is becoming the growing desire of every women of today irrespective of age. This is the various reasons most of them are getting involved into various weight loss programs, taking part in active exercise sessions.In this regards, it should be remembered that following a proper diet is more important than exercise.
Yoga exercises, work outs form a part of the weight loss itinerary but keeping a tab on the diet is the most important factor to keep yourself in shape. Here are some valuable diet tips which will help you in pursuit of both good health and a good figure at the same time.These diet tips are simple to follow and are very effective in achieving your goal of having the perfect statistics.
Types of Diet that you can follow:

1. Atkins Diet
Sample Atkins Diet Menu
Breakfast:
Italian sausage frittat
One Cup of herbal tea

Lunch:
Tuna salad with assorted leafy greens garnished with bacon bits
Dinner:
Bacon cheeseburger with broccoli and cauliflower
Fresh fruit kebobs
Snacks:
High-protein, low-sugar snack bar

Advantages of Atkins Diet
•These types of foods are generally restrained in many conventional diets and its inclusion suggests that many people like to consume as much protein and fat as they desire.

•This diet plan is for people who have tried and tested low-fat, high-carbohydrate weight loss diet without achieving successful results. Including more protein in diet often lead to reduced food cravings and speedy weight loss.

•The diet is comparatively easy to pursue as there are no intricate meal plans

2. Low Fat Diet
Breakfast:
Oatmeal formed with skim milk and garnished with blueberries
One Cup of herbal tea
Lunch:
Ginger carrot soup with whole-wheat bread
Pear, apple and cranberry fruit salad
Dinner:

Mediterranean chicken over whole-wheat spaghetti
Roasted vegetables
Small glass of red wine
Sliced melon with cherries
Snacks:
Celery sticks or broccoli and low-fat ranch dressing
Low-fat cottage cheese/ fat-free yogurt with fresh fruit

Advantages of Low-Fat Diet
•Vegetables, whole grains are foods which are not only low in fat but also healthy.

•Fatty foods are rich in sugar, which is not good for your health and can result in weight gain. Reducing on cookies and ice cream is a best option.

•A low-fat diet has been successful in lessening the chances of many health conditions, such as high cholesterol, obesity and heart ailments.

3.Slim Fast Diet
Breakfast:
Slim-Fast shake or bar
Lunch:
Shake or bar
Half a turkey sandwich or citrus spinach salad
Dinner:
Grilled or steamed asparagus, eggplant and squash
Baked fish, skinless chicken or lean beef
Salad with dressing
Small serving of potato, pasta, rice or corn
Fruit
Snacks:
Apple, half a cup of grapes, half a banana or small fruit salad
Ounce of pretzels or mini-bag of popcorn
Snack bar
Advantages of Slim Fast Diet
•Slim Fast Diet has flexible plan that can suit individual requirements

•Shakes and bars can offer a balanced diet.

•Once you decide to follow Slim Fast diet you can get sufficient online assistance from health communities, consultants and dietitians.

•You will also get information regarding lifestyle alterations, exercise regimes, healthy food, snack tips and weight maintenance.

4. Weight Watchers Diet
Breakfast:
Vegetables scrambled with egg whites, or cup of bran flakes with skim milk Cup of berries
Fat-free yogurt
Tea
Lunch:
Cup of vegetable soup
Black-bean burger or turkey on whole-grain bread with lettuce and tomato
Slice of melon
Water
Dinner:
Big green salad
Four slices of pork tenderloin
Steamed zucchini and summer squash
Half a cup of brown rice
Cup of fruit smoothie
Snacks:
Most vegetables and fruits
Lean protein such as a slice of chicken or turkey
Cup or two of air-popped or light popcorn

Advantages of Weight Watchers Diet:
•Weight Watchers Diet program concentrates on novel eating routines and eradicates food that lead to overeating.

•There is no counting of calories neither measuring of size in this diet plan.

•This program does not ban foods, but can educate how to restrict temptations and find interest in eating healthy food.

Fitness Tips:
•Check your Body Mass Index (BMI). You can access BMI calculator from the Internet. Input your weight and height and if it asserts that your weight is in the average range of people of your heights or not. By calculating your BMI you will know whether you need weight loss program or not.

•Keep a tab on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which indicates the amount of calories you consume regularly. If you consume the sufficient amount of calorie then it will help you perform regular activities better. It is vital because it would advise you when to put a halt to your eating habits and how much you need to restrict yourself. Through this, you can gorge on anything you want to; provided it is within the range of calories you should intake in a day.

•Another aspect of fitness training depends on the physical health which can be improved through exercise. You can begin with small work-outs and in due course exercise your way up, elevating the strength and intricacy of the exercise routine. It vital to do cardio and aerobic exercises, such as walking, running or jogging etc. You can graduate to some rigorous training work-outs and weight lifting if you want to reduce fats. Do this exercise for around three to five times a day for maximum outputs.

•Last but not the least take good care of your body and do not stress too much. Permit yourself to take some rest for a while, whenever you are tired.

•Remember, do not starve or deprive yourself from sumptuous meals otherwise you might end up consuming them in large quantity.

•Avoid the habit of taking diet pills, as it might seem to be an easy way to undergo diet but proves to be harmful in the long run.

•Be regimented and accountable for your body because then you would be happy on the hard work you did and your body will start loving you.

Treatment with Yoga for Bronchitis

2010-07-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

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Meaning of Bronchitis Bronchitis

is a disease that causes the inflammation of the bronchi. It is counted among critical lung ailments, comparable to asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). It leads to serious infections in the bronchial tubes and lungs. It becomes chronic after a certain stage. The condition may occur suddenly, following a bout of common cold. Degeneration of the lungs and bronchi is observed among patients suffering from chronic bronchitis.

Causes

Acute bronchitis is generally caused by certain viruses or bacteria. It is characterized by muco-purulent sputum production, coughing and contraction of the bronchi. People suffering from bronchitis often experience breathlessness and high temperatures.

Signs & Symptoms of Bronchitis

The main symptom of bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucus membrane. Patients face difficulty in expelling phlegm. In many cases the phlegm becomes gluey and purulent.
People suffering from bronchitis are often seen turning bluish (looks) due to the cold. Viscid phlegm sticks to the bronchi, leading to breathing problems. The lungs get less air at this time.
Loss of appetite, breathlessness or pulmonary dyspnoea and high temperature are common symptoms of acute bronchitis. Early treatment is recommended to avoid any critical problem in the future.
Patients suffer from frequent coughs and it leads to various problems. People detected with bronchitis are often emaciated and thin.

Bronchitis is caused by viral infection. According to Ayurvedic science, a digestive impairment is detected among patients suffering from bronchitis.

Home Remedies For Bronchitis

Common remedies for treating bronchitis include turmeric powder, or haridra. It can be added to a glass of milk and consumed. Doctors recommend taking it early in the morning.
Mix black pepper, dried ginger and pippali. Consume the mixture daily to get best results.
Ginger and honey can also do wonders in the treatment of bronchitis. Adhatoda vasica or vasa juice is also effective. Rasa Sindur, Silopaladi Churna and Pravala Pisthi are also useful cures.

Yogic Management for Bronchitis

Yoga exercises are quite effective. Relaxation and breathing techniques can also help in easing breathlessness. These, together, give a soothing feeling and help the lungs to function properly. During asthma attacks they enhance air flow.

Sukhasana is one of the common Yogic practices. It helps in calming the mind, slowing down metabolism, spine straightening and promoting mental tranquillity. Shoulder lift is another good asana. It can increase flexibility, ease tension and tone muscles. Shoulder lifts enable people to get rid of a bad posture and headaches.
Half spinal twist or Ardha Matsyendrasana is yet another effective yoga practice. It helps in strengthening the spine. Pavanamuktasana or wind relieving pose is also a good asana. Anuloma-Viloma is another effective practice.

Ayurvedic Management of Bronchitis

Silopaladi Churna, Pravala Pisthi and Rasa Sindur are the common Ayurvedic treatments to cure bronchitis.
Shringyadi Churna, Kaphakelu and Kaphachintamani are the other Ayurvedic treatments.
Conclusion Bronchitis can be treated with medical intervention. Several Yogic practices are also effective. Ayurvedic medicines can prove extremely helpful in treating the condition.

AYURVEDA

2010-06-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

Ayurveda- the science of living - has its genesis in ancient Indian Philosophy. Ayurveda is a medical science that helps people to stay healthy focusing on what is required to lead a healthy, normal life.
It talks about not only the illness but also prescribes the ways to promote and preserve good health and vigor. It deals with body care, healthy foods and drinks.The mainstay of Ayurveda is to provide cures for ailments through natural products. Ayurveda has its origin in the Atharva Veda.
Ayurveda contains complete descriptions of various diseases, their etiology and recommends the correct diet and behavior regimen to fight those diseases. Sushruta Samhita and Charak Samhita are the two scriptures from which the Ayurveda is drawn It is based on TRIDOSHA THEORY of Vatha, Pitha and Kapha.. These three are the primary forces of the body which develops from Panchbhoota - PRITHVI (earth), AP(water), TEJA (fire), VAYU(air) and AKASH(ether).

Everything in the universe, including food and the bodies we possess, is derived from these bhootas. A fundamental harmony therefore exists between the macrocosm (the universe) and the microcosm (the individual). Vata are the factors responsible for the movement and sensation in a single cell/ whole body, Pitha factors are responsible for digestion, metabolism and energy, Kapha factors are responsible for strengthening the stomach and the joints, providing firmness to the limbs, and refreshing the sense organs.

Ayurveda upholds that there is a definite relationship between illness and the metaphysical state of an individual. The treatment under Ayurveda therefore focuses on the person rather than the disease.Ayurveda has eight branches or subdivisions to deal with various aspects of health:

KAYA CHIKITSA - general medicine.
SHALYA CHIKITSA - surgery.
BALA TANTRA - obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics.
BHUTA VIDYA - psychiatry. SHALAKYA TANTRA - ear, nose, throat, eye and mouth diseases. RASAYANA TANTRA - rejuvenation.
AGADA TANTRA - toxicology.
VAJIKARANA TANTRA - aphrodisiacs.
The emphasis in this section is to keep the body healthy through natural means by eating the right foods and fighting the diseases through natural processes, keeping the reliance on medicines as minimal as possible. The audience is also invited to make their contributions to the benefit of all.

Acupuncture :-:a good alternative healing therapy

2009-10-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one of the oldest of the medical sciences, developed in China more than 2000 years. In fact, acupuncture is said to have been in existence even during the Stone Ages where there has been evidence of the use of crude stone needles.Acupuncture is the system of treatment of ailments by the insertion of needles at some definite points in the human body. It deals basically with the bioelectrical and biophysical properties of the human body, thus affecting the functioning of the whole mind and body.

Recent research confirms the existence of the meridians and acupuncture points in the human body. Acupuncture points are found to be small areas of lowered electrical resistance on the skin and acupuncture therapy brings about a dynamic equilibrium in the nervous system by detecting these points. Acupuncture therapists use the concept of 'yin' and 'yang' forces in the body which is akin to the sympathetic and parasympathetic activities of the nervous systems.

During an illness this balance is affected and acupuncture helps to stabilise this equilibrium.When can acupuncture be used?Acupuncture has proved to be a good alternative healing therapy and has gained the confidence of people all over the world.
Some of the ailments that can be alleviated using acupuncture are:
Muscular and skeletal disorders like osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cervical spondylosis and frozen shoulders.
Neurological disorders like paralysis, tremors, migranes and headaches.
Psychological disorders like depression, and addictions to drug and alcohol.
Disorders in the respiratory tract like bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and sinus problems.
Gastro-intestinal disorders like ulcers, acidity and chronic abdominal pain.
Menstrual disorders.
Other disorders like stammering and myopia in children.
Studies show that acupuncture has no side effects and is very effective. It aims at removing the root cause of the disease. As far as possible, it is best to avoid acupuncture therapy during pregnancy especially during the first trimester.

Importance of Vegetables

2009-09-07T05:02:00.000-07:00

Vegetables are important protective food and highly beneficial for the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. They contain valuable food ingredients which can be successfully utilized to build up and repair the body.Vegetables are valuable in maintaining alkaline reserve in the body. They are valued mainly for their high vitamin and mineral contents. There are different kinds of vegetables. They may be edible roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds. Each group contributes to diet in its own way.To derive maximum benefits of their nutrients, vegetables should be consumed fresh as far as possible. Most Vegetables are best consumed in their natural raw state in the form of Salads. To prevent loss of nutrients in Vegetables, it would be advisable to steam or boil vegetables in their own juices on a slow fire and the water or cooking liquid should not be drained off.An intake of about 280 grams of vegetable per day per person is considered ideal for maintenance of good health. The juices extracted from vegetables furnish all the cells and tissues of the body with the element and the nutritional enzymes which they need. Certain vegetables are highly beneficial in the treatment of various diseases.

Breathing:foundation for good health

2009-05-27T01:43:00.000-07:00

FOUNDATION FOR GOOD HEALTH-:This world of ours is encased in a layer of air called the atmosphere. It is believed that 78.5% of its is composed of nitrogen -so named from its chemical connection with the nitrates-particularly niter used in gunpowder. About 20.5% of the atmosphere consists of oxygen, which sustains life. the remaining one percent is composed of some rare gases such, as helium, argon, neon and griffin.

Breathing in oxygen is indispensable for all form of life. If there is no oxygen in the air, life will become extinct on earth. As one goes upwards from the surface of the earth, the air become less and less dense. Consequently, the quantity of oxygen progressively decreases. The air at the top of mountain contains less oxygen. This is why one is out of breath when climbing a mountain. Those who go beyond the atmosphere in rocket-propelled spacecraft, carry oxygen with them.

Nitrogen is not useful for breathing, except that it dilutes the oxygen in the air to the right degree for living beings. It goes in with the inhalation and comes out unchanged in the exhalation. It is not combustible. Nor will it support combustion as oxygen does. However, it plays an important part in agriculture. Nitrates constitute a rich food for all vegetation. These are derived from the nitrogen in the atmosphere. The hot electric discharges accompanying thunder synthesise the oxygen and the nitrogen in the air, to form oxides of nitrogen. These are washed down on the earth by rain. On reaching the earth, they generate nitrates and become food for the vegetable kingdom.Air has the capacity or tendency to spread i.e. diffuse.

That is why we notice a difference between the inhalation and exhalation of air.BreathingWhen we inhale, we suck in air from outside. Food burns in our body by a slow process of oxidation- combining chemically with oxygen- and produces energy. Wherever there is movement heat is generated by the slow burning or breaking down of body tissue. This produces carbon dioxide through a biochemical process. The blood carries this waste product into the lungs. When we breathe, the oxygen in the air enters the blood vessels through the network of fine air tubes inside the lung.

The waste product Viz.:- Carbon dioxide which passes out of the blood into the lung is thrown out through the outgoing breath. Thus, the work of carrying in oxygen into the blood and eliminating carbon dioxide, from it is carried on through breathing.One can survive for many days without food. But one cannot stay alive without breathing for more than three to four minutes. What is this due to? When there is some obstruction in breathing, the face is seen to turn blue. This change in color indicates the spreading of blood in which there is a heavy admixture of carbon dioxide.

In order words, the blue color on the face is a symptom showing that the carbon dioxide produced by meta bolism has not been sent out of the body and that the tissues have not received enough oxygen. The object of our breathing is to ward off these undesirable symptoms and live in health.The BreathAn inhalation and the exhalation following it are together denoted by the word' a breath'. During inhalation, we draw in air which goes into the lung through the nostrils. During exhalation we send this air out. This process starts from the moment of birth and goes on till death. Normally an adult breathes 17 to 20 times a minute and children 26 to 30 times. But the number of breaths per minute will go up when a person exercises or does hard work.It has been computed that a human being breathes 50 crore times in a life-time. The traditional view is that it is ordained how many times a person shall breathe in a lifetime. If he could slow it down, his life span can be extended proportionately.

The Muscles InvolvedIf one analyses the breathing process, one would find it a complicated operation. The lungs are kept suspended as two separate chambers in the chest. Air enters the lungs owing to the expansion of muscle fibres connecting the ribs or by the diaphragm going down or by both these action. When these muscle fibres or the diaphragm become relaxed and assume their natural condition the in-drawn air is expelled.The NoseAtmospheric air is full of dust and fluff. The air passage is so constructed that this dust and fluff do not get into the lungs. The hairs inside the nostrils filter this air. Glands in this passage secrete mucous and prevent the dust and fluff from going in farther along the passage. Invisible thread-like growths called 'Cilia' move up and down and sweep the dust up towards the food tract i.e. the throat.

No great harm results by this dust getting in to the digestive system. Millions of bacteria get in through the nose. These are all destroyed by the enzymes secreted in the air passage. Beside, the air attains the right temperature before it reaches the lungs. The air passage is so designed as to ensure this. Once we become aware of this, we shall understand why it is right to breathe through the nose and not through the mouth.The LungsAfter getting beyond the nose through the trachea (wind -pipe), the air enters the two lungs through the two bronchial tubes branching form the trachea. The brachial tubes become subdivided still further into smaller tubes till they end in little air cells or air pockets, resembling bunches of grapes. It has been computed that there are seventy-five crores of these air pockets called 'alveoli in a person's lungs. If these pockets are spread out they will cover an area of four hundred and fifty square feet!.The CapillariesThe breathing tube-trachea-which forks away into two inside the chest cavity and ends in tiny air pockets, meets a set of two other tubes. These are the blood vessels which get subdivided and become thousand of fine tubes carrying blood. The blood in these capillaries are pure or impure according as they spring from arteries carrying pure blood or veins carrying impure blood. These capillaries run round the little air pockets or alveoli inside the lungs and are in close contact with them.The exchange of GasesThe darker, colored, impure blood goes through the blood vessels and fills their capillaries.

The carbon dioxide dissolved in it enters the air in the air pockets and life-giving oxygen in the air enters the blood in these capillaries. Thus, an exchange of gases takes place here. This is one of marvels of the body. Through this exchange, the impure blood becomes pure, red blood and is collected by the capillaries of the artery in the lungs and carried through a pure-blood-carrying vessel called the Pulmonary vein to the heart. (Incidentally, it is called a "vein" because blood in it travels towards the heart, even though it is blood purified in the lungs). It takes three minutes for blood to go round the entire body.The work of carrying oxygen to the millions of cells in the body is performed through the circulation of blood.Blood CorpusclesWhat carries the oxygen throughout the body is the red corpuscle in the blood. There are 25 crores of red blood corpuscle in every drop of blood. A corpuscle stays alive or active only for a period of thirty days. 1,20,000 red blood corpuscles have to be generated per second in order to replace those that are being destroyed and lost in the normal course.The exchanges of gases between the 'tree of the blood and the tree of the breath' goes on uninterrupted, day and night. Normally, we breathe 16 to 20 times a minute exhaling and inhaling as many times. With every inhalation, we draw in a print of air. The capacity of the lung at red is 5 pints of air. Thus only a sixth of the air is changed in an inhalation. However, in the full or the deep breath, it is possible to draw in 10 times as much air.The lungs are never empty. Even after breathing out, about 200 c.ms of air are left behind in the lung-in the trachea, the breathing tube- and the alveoli. The exchanges of gases can take place only between the air in the tiny alveoli and the capillaries. As the walls of the trachea and its subdivisions are thick, exchange of gases does not take place at those points.Fresh air enters the lungs with oxygen in it.

This would travel right up to the air pockets called the alveoli. We have already seen that air is 70 percent nitrogen, 20.95 percent oxygen and 0.04 percent carbon dioxide and other rare gases. This stream of fresh air will go in like a spear, making its way through the gases already present in the lungs. Air already in the lungs will be in contact with the walls of the alveoli. There will be a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in this stale, old air. In the fresh air entering, the oxygen contents is proportionately higher. We have already seen that it is in the nature of air to diffuse or spread. Even so, it takes some time for the air to diffuse. That is why Yogis are of the opinion that air should be retained or held inside the lungs for some length of time. The air that is exhaled after retention thus will be 78.5 parts nitrogen 16.5 parts oxygen 4 parts carbon dioxide and nearly 1 part rare gases. If the air breathed in and air breathed out are compared, it will be found that the air which is breathed out is less by 4.5 parts of oxygen and higher by 4 parts of carbon dioxide than the normal air breathed in.Beside these, there are some other differences too. The air breathed out contains more water vapor. About 10 ounces of water are sent out of the body by way of water vapor. The air breathed out is warmer than the air breathed in.Breathing fully constitutes the foundation of good health. Yogis take advantage of this fundamental character of the breathing process to raise the level of human existence in all planes. There is a subtle connection between the min and the breath.That serene and blessed mood, In which the affections gently lead us on, Until, the breath of this corporeal frame And even the motion of our human blood Almost suspended, we are laid asleep In body, and become a living soul:When you are angry and agitated, you breathe fast in and out. When you are in a state of panic, the breathing becomes fast. But you can reach a peaceful state of mind on taking in a leisurely manner a few long and steady breaths. You fail to get sleep when in deep thought. If you taken a few deep breath, sleep readily comes to you. Yogic practices utilized this connection between the breath and the mind for bringing under control man's thought processes, his desires and imagination through some systematic exercises in breathing. Regulated BreathingMost people do not put their lung to the best and fullest use possible. Many breathe superficially, keeping their bodies in undesirable postures. Many people who work at desks have pointed out this as one of the attendant defects and hazards of their profession. Even peasants who have many chances of moving about in the open are found to be victims of such diseases as Asthma. Sportsmen are found to be victims of chest diseases. These troubles are the result of people not putting their lungs to the fullest use.To understand how air from outside enters the lungs and how it comes out of them, it is necessary to know the structure of the chest cavity, inside which the lungs are placed. The chest (Thoracic) cavity is topped by the neck and its muscles. It is bounded below by the muscular partition called the diaphragm. This is attached to the ribs at its edge or periphery.

There are fibrous muscles between the ribs. When these muscles stretch and contract alternately the chest cavity expands and contracts i.e. its capacity increases and decreases. Consequently, changes in air pressure occur inside the lungs. When the air pressure is lowered external air enter the lungs. When the air pressure in the lungs increases, air is sent out. With some people, the breathing act is confined to the chest cavity only. Some people use their diaphragms also in breathing. Yet others breathe by bringing the abdominal muscles also into play. These are called respectively, chest breathing, diaphragmatic breathing and stomach breathing. Each has its particular effect on the person accustomed to it. A person in normal health ought to take deep and full breaths. This is called deep breathing or the complete breath. Deep breathing is indispensable for supplying the requisite oxygen to the body and eliminating the poisonous gases that accumulate in the blood stream. This should be supplemented by breathing in air, slowly through the nose, retaining it for a short while and breathing out through the nose in the same slow manner. We have seen already that retaining the air a little longer helps in the transfer of air and gases inside the alveoli. Thus the blood becomes purified and enough oxygen becomes available to the tissues. Incidentally, the body cells are nourished better.The natural way to breathe is through the nose. That is the right way too. Yet some people are found to breathe through their mouths. This is a wrong practice. As the mouth cavity also opens out into the through passage (pharynx), it would be possible to breathe in through the mouth also. When there is an attack of cold one is compelled to breathe through the mouth. It should be clear from the structure of the mouth and the nose that the latter is the organ meant for breathing and not the former.

There are fine 'cilla' in the mucous membrane lining the nasal passage. There are many blood capillaries too there. In the anterior part of the nasal passage there are hairs which filter away the dust from the inhaled air. The tonsils in the anterior part of the pharynx (throat cavity) are capable of killing bacteria. Besides these, when the air passes through the constricted passages of the nasal chamber where there are innumerable capillaries, the air is warmed so as to reach the body temperature before actually gaining access into the lung. When one breathes through the mouth none of these can take place. Breathing through the mouth brings about irritation and ulceration of the tonsils. Those who breathe through their mouths are liable to be attacked by Adenoids. Pains in the joints and diseases of the kidneys have been noticed in such people. Cold will inevitably be a chronic complaint with them. To obviate these harms and ills, children breathing through the mouth should be systematically discouraged and corrected and they should be trained to breathe through the nose instead.PranayamaYogis claim that there is a third factor in breathing exercises besides the physical and the mental. There are many gases in the air. Their molecules are in a state of perpetual motion. They cell this motion "Pranashakthi". This is present in everything and everywhere. Those experienced in the field, claim that certain organs of the body can absorb and retain the 'prana' in the air. Only long practice can lead to the accomplishment of this.No doubt, Prana has not been demonstrated yet in the laboratories to the satisfaction of scientists. But one cannot deny its truth or validity. Time was when electricity, magnetism, the radio waves, and the X-rays were unknown to scientists. But there is no denying that they have all along been there. The truth is that there are many hidden truths which have not been caught in and perceived by the laboratory equipments of scientists. Science is engaged in indefatigable research. Let us hope that science discovers Prana and demonstrated it experimentally some day.Pranayama is the control of Prana. Prana cannot be directly got at. The manifest action of Prana in the body is the act of breathing. Only by regulating this activity we can regulate and control Prana. Once Prana comes under one's control, one can hold sway over life, steadiness of purpose, pleasure etc.There are three steps in Pranayama 'Rachaka' , 'Pooraka' and 'Kumbhaka'. Breathing out is Rechaka. The act of breathing in is called Pooraka. The holding of the breath in the lungs in Kumbhaka. Kumbhaka itself is classified into three. Retaining the breath inside the lungs is 'Andhar Kumbhaka' - in -word retention. Keeping the air out and preventing it from entering the lung is 'Baahaya Kumbhaka' (external resistance to entry of air). Holding the breath wherever it happens to be at the time is called 'Kevala Kumbhaka'. The method of Pranayama will vary according to the class of Pranayama that is intended to be practiced. Those who practice what is called Naadi Suthi, usually inhale through the left nostril for eight seconds (vinadis) and breathe out through the right nastril twice slowly as they had inhaled i.e. taking 16 seconds. In continuation of this air is inhaled through the right nostril now taking eight seconds and breathed out through the left nostril twice as slowly i.e. taking 16 seconds for the process. There is no retention of breath inside the lung in the method known as Naadi Suthi.The Prana that enters through the left nostril is referred to as Ida or Idagalai and that which enters through the right nostril is referred to as Pingala and that which travels through the spinal cord is called the Sushumna.

After attaining a fair degree of practice in Naadi Suthi, the air may be inhaled in 8 seconds, retained for 8 seconds and exhaled in 16 seconds. This Pranayama is in the scale of 1:1:2. It is good to practice the stopping of the breath from rushing in at the time of inhalation. Such resistance is called the external Kumbhaka. Including it, the proportion should be 1: 1: 2: 1. After acquiring full practice in this and accustoming oneself to it, the period of retention may be increased by slow and easy stage to 1: 2: 2: 1and 1: 3 : 2 : 1 till a maximum of 1: 4: 2:1 is reached. One need not go beyond this limit. If the eight second unit is found hard, one may adopt a four second unit to start with. What is of importance is the proportion between the duration of breathing in, retaining and breathing out.If regulated breathing in and breathing out alone are practiced one would attain physical health. If retention of breath is practiced correctly under the guidance of people well-versed in it, the Kundalini or "Coiled" energy will be awakened. In this connection it would be necessary to master the Hathayoga practices called the Moola. The Jalandhara and the Uddyana 'Bundhas' (inward constrictions or 'belts') in conjunction with 'Mudras' (Psychoneural mechanism of the gestic aspect of mystical awareness). When retention of breath is practised even without these bandhas and mudras, such benefits as purification of blood, nerve vigour, longevity, freedom from illness and peace of mind will accrue.It will be dangerous to retain the breath for too long. The duration of retention should be increased only by easy stages. If pranayama is to yield results, it is indispensable that the practitioners of it should cultivate regulated food habits.Pranayama is classified according to the needs and objectives of the practitioners. We shall examine the more important classes of Pranayama in the next issue

Natural Tips & Tricks

2009-05-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

Global Tips & Tricks
People have been so kind as to send us notes on whatever tips they have gleaned from moms and grandmas – from little bits of paper where someone has hastily jotted down whatever they have been told to do, to old notebooks that qualify to be called parchment, to notes stuck on the fridge with little magnets – we have put them all together for you here.

As a girl, I was always prone to small burns whenever I indulged in my passion – cooking. Mom used to rush to me with a tube of her favourite Colgate toothpaste (the white one) and apply it as a salve on the burn. It would heal immediately - no question of it getting septic!

Suffering from after-flu symptoms of aches and pains? Just mix about a spoon of horseradish in a cupful of olive oil. Keep it aside for ½ an hour and then massage your body with it.

Do you suffer from ugly toenail fungus? Don’t worry – here’s an easy solution my Mom has for this. Believe me, it actually works! Soak your toes in Listerine mouthwash which contains a powerful antiseptic that will heal your toenails beautifully.

Skin blemishes have an easy home remedy. My grandma would cover my teenage blemishes with a dab of honey which she would cover with a small band-aid. Her theory was that the honey would kill the bacteria and keep the skin sterile which would speed up the healing process. It worked for me - the blemish would be gone in the morning!

If you have broken a blister accidentally, don’t worry! Simply dab some Listerine on it and the antiseptic in the mouthwash will help heal it immediately. My Mom again!

I remember my Grandma using Quaker oats to relieve her of arthritis pain. She would mix 1 small cup of the oats in 2 small cups of water, warm the mixture and apply it immediately on her hands. She claimed it definitely soothed and alleviated the pain. My Mom does it now too!

If you can get hold of some Alka - Seltzer tablets you can use them effectively for any urinary tract infections. Simply dissolve 2 tablets in a glass of water and drink it up as soon as you notice the symptoms. You will be surprised at how fast you get cured, though this is not one of its advertised benefits! If you have neglected your condition, then of course you got to visit the doc.

Want to know what I have when I suffer from headache? I just drink 2 glasses of the sports drink Gatorade (now available here) and the headache’s gone – with no side effects! My friend who lives abroad gave me this tip and it is really effective. Which is why I thought of sharing it with the Sitagita family.

If you have a sensitive skin and are prone to bruise easily, all you have to do is to soak some cotton in vinegar and apply it on the bruise for at least an hour. The vinegar will reduce the blue discolouration and also speeds up the healing. My Mom’s contribution.

Here’s a strange use for Coca-Cola which I discovered by accident. No need to buy expensive rust removers – simply soak a steel sponge with Coke and scrub the rusted article and lo! The rust is removed! I also found out how this works – it is the phosphoric acid in the Coke that does the job!

Beet Root

2009-05-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

Beet Root, popularly called chukandar or garden beet, is a juicy root vegetable.It is distinguished by its unique flavour. It is more colourful than other root

vegetables. Beet is believed to be a native of the Mediterranean region of Europe or west Asia. It is now cultivated in the Caribean, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Centeral East and West Africa.

In India it is cultivated for its nutritious roots.Beet is a good and healthy food. It contains carbohydrates, protein and fat. It is taken in a variety of ways. They are widely used in salads and in the preparation of pickles and chutney. They are also baked like potatoes or boiled, steamed or cooked. They should be thoroughly washed before boiling and the skin should be removed before use. The leaves, like all green vegetables, should be cooked with a small amount of water and for only a short time.

The fresher the beets, the better the flavour and the quicker they cook. The beet juice is considered as one of the best vegetable juice. It is a rich source of natural sugar. It contains sodium, iodine, iron, copper, vitamin B1, B2, niacin, B6, C and P. This juice is rich in easily digestable corbohydrates but the calorie content is low.Natural Benefits amd Curative Properties Beets are of great therapeutic value. They have properties to clean the kindneys and gall bladder.

Being rich in alkaline elements, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron, they are useful in combating acidosis and aid the natural processes of elimination. Red beet juice is associated with human blood and blood forming qualities. Due to its higher content of iron, it regenerates and reactivates the red blood cells, supplies fresh oxygen to the body and helps the normal function of vesicular breathing. It is thus extremely useful in the treatment of anaemia. Beet juice is beneficial in the treatment of jaundice, hepatitis, nausea and vomiting due to biliousness, diarrhoea and dysentary.

Adding a tea spoonful of lime juice to this juice increases its medicinal value and can be given as a liquid food in these conditions. Fresh beet juice mixed with a tablespoonful of honey taken every morning before breakfast helps the healing of gastriculcer. The beet juice is an excellent solvent for inorganic calcium deposits. It is therefore, valuable in the treatment of hypertension, arteriosclerosis, heart trouble and varicose veins.

The beet juice, in combination with the juice of carrot and cucumber, is one of the finest cleansing material for kidneys and gall bladder. It is highly beneficial in all disorders relating to these two organs. The water in which beet roots and tops have been boiled is an excellent application for boils, skin inflammation and out breaks of pimples and pustules. The white beet is better for this purpose. The decoction of beets mixed with little vinegar can be used externally to cleanse scurf or dandruff from the head. For dandruff the beet water should also be massaged. into the scalp with the ginger tip every night.

Importance of vegetables

2009-04-28T04:06:00.000-07:00

Vegetables are important protective food and highly beneficial for the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. They contain valuable food ingredients which can be successfully utilized to build up and repair the body.

Vegetables are valuable in maintaining alkaline reserve in the body. They are valued mainly for their high vitamin and mineral contents. There are different kinds of vegetables. They may be edible roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds. Each group contributes to diet in its own way.To derive maximum benefits of their nutrients, vegetables should be consumed fresh as far as possible.

Most Vegetables are best consumed in their natural raw state in the form of Salads. To prevent loss of nutrients in Vegetables, it would be advisable to steam or boil vegetables in their own juices on a slow fire and the water or cooking liquid should not be drained off.An intake of about 280 grams of vegetable per day per person is considered ideal for maintenance of good health. The juices extracted from vegetables furnish all the cells and tissues of the body with the element and the nutritional enzymes which they need. Certain vegetables are highly beneficial in the treatment of various diseases

Importance of Nuts and Seeds

2009-02-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

Introduction Nuts and Seeds are the most important and potent of all foods. Nuts include a number of fruits, containing one or more kernels within a hard shell of woody fibre. There
are a variety of nuts like Coconut, almond, cashew nut, groundnut, pistachio and walnut. All these contain a concentrated food of high nutritional value.

Seeds also contain all the important nutrients needed for human growth like protein and the essential unsaturated fatty acid, which are necessary for health. Nuts are high in protein fat and Carbohydrate foods.Curative properties and Natural Benefits:Seeds contain pacifairns, an antibiotic resistance factor, which increases man's natural resistance to disease.Nuts should be used in their natural raw state.

Raw nuts are among the foods, highest in fat which is completely natural and unprocessed. It is best for the human body. Nuts often produce oil half their weight. ureure nut oils are often used in medicine.Raw nuts are safe food as their hard shell offers an effective barrier against bacteria. It can be preserv all its nutritional value intact for long periods in natural unshelled state.
Nuts have excellent storage qualities. It can be kept fresh for many years in sealed containers.Next week we will start our discussion on the curative properties of various nuts.

NUTS-:
ALMOND
The almond, the king of nuts, is a highly nutritious food, too. The popular Indian name of almond is Badam. It is an effective health-building food for both body and mind. Almond is a valuable food remedy for several common ailments.Almond is a native of Morocco. It has been cultivated from ancient times. In India it is cultivated mostly around Kashmir and some areas of Himachal Pradesh.

Two varieties of almond are common, the sweet and the bitter. The Sweet variety is best for use. The bitter variety of almonds should not be used as they contain prussicacid, a deadly poison. However they have some commercial importance and are used for producing almond oil, perfume and cosmetic.Almond is replete with Protein, Minerals, Vitamins and Fats. Fat in almond is unsaturated and it provides one of the most beneficial kind of fat to the system.
This is highly beneficial in lowering serum cholesterol levels.

Natural Benefits and Curative properties Almond is highly beneficial in preserving the vitality of the brain, in strengthening the muscles and in prolonging life. It forms a vital part of all tonic preparation in Ayurveda and Unani Medicines. Paste of almonds with milk cream and fresh rose buds' paste applied daily over the face is a very effective beauty aid. It softens and bleaches the skin. Its regular use prevents early appearance of wrinkles, black heads, pimples and keeps the face fresh. A teaspoonful of almond oil mixed with a teaspoonful of amla juice, massaged over scalp, is a valuable remedy for falling hair, thinness of hair, dandruff and premature graying of hair.

Almonds are a useful food remedy for anemia. The use of almonds has proved highly beneficial in the treatments of chronic constipation. 11 to 15 kernels (of almond) taken at a bed time facilitate clearing of bowel the next morning. Those who suffer from a weak stomach can take seven grams of almond oil with hot milk. Almond are very useful in case of loss of sexual energy in form of nervous debility and brain weakness. Their regular use strengths sexual prowess. Wild almonds are considered useful in skin diseases especially eczema.

An emulsion of almonds is useful in bronchial diseases, hoarseness and tickling cough. It is prepared by pounding the nuts and mixing the powdered kernels with orange or lemon juice. A teaspoonful of the oil given with 10 drops of fresh ginger juice, daily thrice, is a useful in asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough.The skin of almonds should always be removed before use as it contains irritating properties. This can be done by soaking them in water for two hours. Almonds should be thoroughly chewed and they should not be eaten immediately after meals.

HYPER ACIDITY & ULCERS

2008-11-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

DYSENTERY AND CATARRH OF THE INTESTINES

Treatment: :

Purgative taken to relive the constipation merely aggravate the disease. Catarrh of the intestines takes many years to develop and its treatment in the natural way can, take at least months: the patient should therefore, not lose patience. A start should be made with fasting. Only water, preferably lukewarm water, should, be taken.

One should continue to fast as long as one is able to between four days to a week. Break the fast with clear soup of boiled vegetables without adding salt or any other seasoning. This should be continued for two-three days and then the patient should go to boiled vegetables, adding churned curd of cow's milk. The curd, churned and mixed with water, may be taken upto two litres in a day.

When the discharge of mucus with the stools starts, warm water enema should be taken. Clay mixed with cold water may be plastered, over the lower abdomen upto half an hour. Mud pack can help deal with colic or dysentery.A patient suffering from catarrh of the intestines needs rest and fresh air. After he has gone through the regimen of a fast and then soup fo boiled vegetables, he should preferably take vegetables, potatoes and plantains roasted over coals and curds.

Cereals should be avoided as they tend to increase acidity. Salt should also be taken in small quantities and condiments, chilies and seasonings should be totally given up. Fats, particularly oils, should be avoided. Butter can be taken in small quantities. Honey could be used for sweetening instead of sugar. The vegetables should be peeled off their outer covering before cooking. Flea seed soaked in water may be taken twice in the day in the beginning of the treatment.Chronic cases: In certain chronic case the curd treatment might be needed but complete rest is advised throughout the treatment. Light exercise, walking, might be advisable after some days of complete rest.Catarrh of the intestines is an intractable disease and would need strong will power on the part of the patient to deal with.

Patient must have faith and confidence that he would recover not that without the faith and confidence his recovery would be hampered, it would only be slower. The greater the confidence and mental resilience in the patient, the quicker would his recovery be.But if you take plenty of water, exercise and avoid heavily spiced, fried things, you are not likely to fall a prey to the disease. Do not delay to answer the "call of nature". Suppression of the urge to void your bowels is the villain of the piece in many cases of catarrh of the intestines.

HYPERACIDITY AND ULCERS

Symptoms of Hyperacidity:

We have discussed the digestive processes in the previous section, and have noted the presence of the gastric juices which help in digesting the food. When the hydrochloric acid present in the stomach increases in quantity, the condition is known as hyperacidity. It is this condition which gives rise to gastritis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach) and ulcers - gastric, peptic and duodenal.

Symptoms of Ulcers:

The first symptoms of ulceration in the stomach include dizziness, nausea, eructation and loss of appetite. Acidity goes on increasing leading to a burning sensation or even pain in the stomach which is relieved after ingestion of food. As the disease progresses there is distension of the stomach due to excessive flatulence, mental tension, insomnia, bad temper and gradual weakening of the body.

Constipation also appears and sometimes the stools are tinged with blood.Serious complications like haemorrhage, perforation and obstruction of the pylorus (the orifice through which food passes from the stomach to the intestine) also appear. Unless it is detected in time massive bleeding may lead to death.In addition to dietetic indiscretions, habits of thought also play a vital role in cases of ulcers.

Those given to excessive worry, anger, tension, jealousy and hurrying are more prone to suffer from ulcers.Allopaths also prescribe bland food free from acidity and condiments for ulcer patients.

Treatment:

Ulcer patients should avoid spices and seasoned or fried foods. Nothing that is likely to augment the acidity of the stomach should be taken. Alcohol is, of course, the first thing which is forbidden. Milk, cream, butter, fruits and boiled vegetables are the best diet for an ulcer patient. The fruits recommended are banana, mangoes, musk melon and dates. This regimen would progressively reduce the acidity in the stomach.An advanced state of the disease should for only milk and fruits diet is recommended.

Milk should be taken in moderate quantities - say about 250 to 300 millilitres - every hour. Leafy vegetables should be avoided in the beginning. The various types of gourds should be boiled without their rind because the rind is likely to create friction in the stomach. Flea-seed husk - 10 to 15 grammes - should be taken with water or milk after every meal.The ulcer patient must take one to one and a half litres of water during the day.

He must bathe in cold water twice daily. Hip bath for ten to fifteen minutes and clay plastered over the lower abdomen for half an hour in the day can help the ulcers to heal. The hip bath or the mud pack should be taken on an empty stomach and should be followed by a walk. In case of constipation, daily enema should be administered.

Daily massage and deep breathing exercises also help. The patient must also try to get rid of his worries and stay cheerful. It has to be remembered that hyperacidity does not come up suddenly: it is a gradual development and its cure is also a gradual process.Distension or Dilation Associated with hyperacidity is another disease of the stomach: distension or dilation. It can occur without giving rise to any symptoms. If food is retained for a long time in the stomach, it gives rise to fermentation. The condition is both painful and irritating. It also tells upon the general health of the sufferer.

(Cont)

How to take care of youe eyes

2008-10-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

The sense of sight is perhaps the most important of the five senses nature has given to man. A sightless man is a pitiable sight. Anything that interferes with your vision is irritating and a danger to the capacity to see is the most serious danger of all. You must, therefore, take care of your eyes.

Sometimes eyes do the job of the tongue: a mere flickering of the eye-lids may express volumes. They reflect your inner mind.Large eyes ringed with dark circles are ugly, but sparkling eyes, even if they are small, are beautiful.

You can disguise your face under a coat of make-up, but the only thing that can make your eyes beautiful is their constant care.The beauty of the eyes depends on cleanliness of body. Constipation, for example, make the eyes dirty.

The white of the eyes no longer remains white: inadequate intake of water may give them a yellow tinge. Insufficient perspiration gives rise to accumulation of poisonous humours in the body and dark circles appear around the eyes.

Proper diet: It is the inner cleanliness which is the key to the beauty of the eyes. Improve you

diet, enjoy sun-shine and fresh air. Spend at least 15 to 20 minutes in the sun with the minimum of clothing so that fresh air can get into your pores and the heat of the sun can bring out the perspiration.Vitamin A is found in abundant quantities in spinach, leaves of turnip, sweet potatoes, milk, butter, cabbage, tomatoes, peas, gourds and carrorts.Vitamin B is to be found in the husk of the wheat seed, soyabeans, milk, peas, unpolished rice, toasted rice, raisin, cucumber, oranges, spinach, cabbage, carrot and pineapple.

The sources of Vitamin C are: green chillies, juice of lime, orange, leaves and stalk of the mustard plant, spinach, leaves of turnip, papaya, leaves of beet root plant, cabbage, tomatoes, mangoes and myrobalan. The cheapest sources of natural Vitamin D are: Milk, butter, sunlight. Exercises: Some exercise for eye care are also suggested:

Fold your arms with your hands under the arm pits and stand in a relaxed manner. Take your shoulders back in a circular motion and resume the earlier position.Touch the underside of the neck with your chin and then move your head as far back as you can.

Move your head in a circular motion so that it touches first the right and then the left shoulder. Then move in the reverse direction touching first the left and then the right shoulder.Move your head from side to side without moving your body. Keep your head stationary and then move your eyes upward and then downwards.

Move your eyes left and right. Repeat this process at least half a dozen times.Concentrate your gaze on your index finger extended outward and try to view a distant object across it just as you are taking aim. Repeat it twenty times.Stand with your feet one foot from each other. Close your eyes and move your body from right to left.

This should be done as you face the early morning sun. Sprinkle cold water over your eyes and then dry them with a soft piece of cloth.Put your palms on your eyes. Sit with you elbows on your knees and palms on your closed eyes.

Do it softly so that no pressure is exercised on the eye balls.All the exercise suggested here should be done while your body is completely relaxed and your mind free worries or thought of things that you have to do during the day. They will help to make the eyes healthier and more beautiful.Rheumy EyesRice, wheat, millets, as a matter of fact, all the cereals add to the amount of phlegm or mucus in the body.

It is only vegetables, particularly greens, and fruit which can clear this condition. Eat more of them and less of cereals. Exercise is also a must. Wash the eyes frequently with cold water.TrachomaPoisonous humours in the body lead to trachoma and only a cleansing of the humours can help.

Unless that is done, external applications, lotions and drugs will be of no avail.Vegetables and fruits clean the blood and refined foods like flour products, sugar, ghee, cereals, tea, coffee, cigarettes, condiments, produce morbid humours which give rise to disease. For a fortnight eat only fruits and raw vegetables like tomatoes, carrot and spinach. Give up salt during this period. After that take to bread, boiled vegetables and fruits.

Take an enema during the period that you live on fruits.Discolored EyesNight BlindnessNight blindness is a deficiency disease; if the elements needed are found in the diet night blindness will go. Natural salts and vitamins needed to make up the deficiency which casuses night blindness are found in wholemeal bread, unmilled rice, fresh vegetables and unboiled milk. Put the child on a diet of these foods and ask him to eat at least 250-grammes of carrots each day. Carrot is a vegetable which contains vitamins which make up the deficiency.

CHICKEN-POX and SMALL-POX

2008-10-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Symptoms: Chicken-Pox is usually an infantile disorder: it rarely attacks adults, but when it does, it leaves the patient prostrated for a length of time. There is fever and a skin eruption in the form of vesicles which look like blisters. They dry slowly and scabs are formed. The vesicles appear in crops; as one batch dries up, another appears as opposed to small-pox where the vesicles develop simultaneously over the whole body.

Treatment: The treatment of chicken-pox should start, as in the case of other fevers, by fasting. Only fresh orange juice and water should be allowed to the patient with an enema morning and evening till the temperature drops to normal, the scabs over the vesicles fall and the tongue reattains its healthy hue. The eyessss of the patient should be protected from strong light as it is likely to harm the tissues. If there is cough present along with the fever in the earlier stage of the disease, cold packs to the chest should be applied to relieve the condition. Care should be taken to see that the patient does not scratch the vesicles.

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SMALL-POX

Symptoms: Small-pox is an acute infectious disease which has taken a huge toll of humanity throughout recorded history. It is only recently that it has benn wiped out. The orthodox treatment for small-pox is mainly preventive. Inoculating everybody has had the effect of pushing the dreaded scourage into the limbo of history.

But cases are extent when the disease has been caught by persons inoculated. Sometimes inoculation has had deleterious effect on the health of the person. The onset of the disease is sudden without any premonitory symptoms.

The temperature suddenly shooting upto 104 degree F or more with shiveringl the pulse is rapid, extreme thrist, pain in the back of the neck, intense headache and vomiting. There is an eruption, more serious than that of scarlet fever, all over the body. The vesicles resemble blisters which harden and later on fill with pus. They dry up, the scabs fall off but they leave ugly scars on the body. In severe cases the eruption appears; also in the eyes, leading to total blindness.

Treatment: There are two sides to the treatment of this dreaded disease: preventive and curative. Prevention consists in keeping the environment clean and a clean, healthy living according tothe principles of naturopathy.

If fever of small-pox strikes, the treatment is the same as in other fevers. The best way to deal with the eruptions on the body is to keep them clean; the patient should be prevented from scratching himself as he has the temptation to do because of the itch which comes on during the period when the scabs are falling.

Scratching will only delay the recovery and the pitting on the skin may be more pronounced. A little olive oil may be heated and applied with a swab over the scabs. That will not only alleviate the itch, but would also help the scabs to fall early.A small-pox patient should be given a cold sponge twice or three times a day. Alternatively, the parts of his body on which there are no vesicles, should be wiped with a piece of cotton-wool dipped in could water.

Fight fat with aromatherapy

2008-09-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

Are you fighting weighty issues? Do gym sessions seem nearly impossible to balance with your tight scheduleAre crash diets leaving you and Fight fat with aroma therapy (Getty Images)tarved? Don't fret! Aromatherapy is of great help to shed that extra flab, sans strenuous workouts and fad diets.

Well, all you need to do to knock out approximately 3-4 kilograms in a month is to get a soothing massage twice a week with right essential oils, in addition to 45 minutes of brisk walk for 5 days in a week along with a well balanced diet (which is neither too bland nor intended at making you starve)! Essential oils used in aromatherapy work towards detoxifying three major systems in our body - the circulatory, gastric and excretory system.

Such an exhaustive and all natural detoxification stimulates the adipose tissues which get accumulated in the fat areas of our body (tummy, thighs, love handles). Thus, increasing our Body Metabolism Rate (BMR) finally melts the fat content and cellulite," explains aroma therapist.Heat generated during essential oil massages continue their decomposing effects on fat tissues for as long as 12-24 hours. As a result, even while your body is in an inactive state, calories will keep burning out.

These oils not only detoxify and cleanse the body of toxins, but also take care of resulting hunger pangs. If this much information is enough to heighten your curiosity about the wonder essential oils, read on to achieve a ten-on-ten figure you've always dreamt of:

1. Juniper oil Characterised by its earthy, fruity fragrance, Juniper oil is useful for the digestive system, especially in cases of obesity and fighting cellulite. Caution: Pregnant women and people with kidney problem should avoid using this oil.

2. Orange oil This oil with its citrusy aroma works wonders to cure constipation and slow digestion. It boosts the lymphatic system, which ensures fast decomposition of fat cells. Orange oil is also recognised as a great body toner. Caution: Might show phototoxic effect, so avoid using orange oil before exposing yourself to the sun for prolonged periods.

3. Cinnamon oil Cinnamon oil works wonders for treating constipation and indigestion, which ultimately adds to the complete detoxification process. Caution: Do not use during pregnancy.

4. Fennel oil Slightly spicy in its odour, fennel is a great detoxifier. It works wonders to suppress hunger pangs common to 'comfort eaters' as it promotes a 'full feeling' and possess a diuretic effect as well, which helps in dispersing cellulite. Apart from that, even this oil has a toning effect on one's skin, which is helpful to avoid sagging skin after weight loss. Caution: Do not use during pregnancy.

5. Lemon oil Again citrusy smelling, lemon oil helps to do away with cellulite deposited under the skin.

6. Grapefruit oil This refreshing oil bears diuretic properties, which help remove excess water from the body. Hence, it is a good option if treating cellulite is on your agenda. It also stimulates the lymphatic system. Caution: It can irritate the skin if exposed to strong sunlight after treatment.

Fever

2008-09-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

The term fever is applied to a condition of the body where the temperature has gone above the normal, which in health ranges between 98.4degree F and 99.5degree F.

Naturopathy believes that fever develops in a body only when the system is in a condition of internal uncleanliness. Fever is a direct manifestation of an acute disease but at the same time it represents the effort of the body to expel the poisons which have accumulated in it. If the fever is allowed to run its course in a natural manner, the sufferer would be in better health than before after the body has thrown off the affliction.

It is nature’s way of spring-cleaning of the body.Modern medicine seeks to cure the fever with drugs but it succeeds only in suppressing it. There may be a seeming cure after the administration of drugs and the temperature may go down but in umpteen cases maladies more serious than fever result because the drugs suppress the ejection of the poison which nature tried to by means of a rise in the temperature of the body.

Fever is a natural crisis and it must be helped to run its normal course; any interference, such as administration of drugs, is only likely to retain the poisons which caused the crisis. The first thing that should be done to help the body to carry out the spring-cleaning is to make the sufferer fast. The system of a person suffering from fever does not need any food because all his energies are directed towards ejecting the poisons accumulated in the body.

If the body has to divert a part of those energies towards the digestion of food which in most cases is forced on the patient because the physician thinks that his strength is to be maintained, the only result is that the course of nature is obstructed creating complications. One must not forget that anorexia- loss of appetite- accompanying most fevers is a signal from nature that the patient should not be given anything to eat.

Treatment:

The accumulation of poisons in the body, which results in fever, can be dealt with by making the patient fast. Only water and orange juice in limited quantities should be given. Denial of food to the patient may have to be continued for a week. Only when the temperature has dropped to 98degree F and the tongue of the patient is a healthy pink should he be given food.

During the fasting period the patient should be given a warm water enema daily; it should be discontinued after he has started feeding normally. The best and the safest way of reducing the temperature of the body is to use cold packs; they may be applied to the whole of the body in the case of high temperatures like those of malaria and typhoid, to the chest in the case of pneumonia, and to the throat in the case of diphtheria.

A large piece of linen material or a sheet may be dipped in water, wrung out and wrapped twice round the body (in the case of high temperature) and the patient covered with a blanket. The pack on the throat may be covered with a piece of flannel. Cold or tepid sponging of the body is also recommended and if the patient can stand it he may be given a cold shower.

The packs may be removed after temperature has come down to 100 degree F but the body should be thoroughly sponged. Mud-packs and hip baths also help.Those administering cold packs must hold on to their courage and not panic; if they do and send for a traditional physician, the patient may come to harm, because any food, solid or liquid, after the patient has fasted for some days would worsen his condition.

After the fever has gone down and the tongue of the patient is no longer furred, he should be put on an exclusive fruit diet of some days. The first two days only juice of fruits should be given and then the whole fruits; oranges, grapes and other juicy fruits are the best.

On the third day a limited quantity of unboiled fresh milk can be added to the diet of the patient. After he has been on a diet of fruit juices and milk for three to four days, he should be advised to start taking boiled vegetables and unleavened bread made of whole meal. If fruits are not available during the period of convalescence, vegetable juices may be given. Soups and broths made of animal material - chicken soup etc. - should be avoided.

DIABETES

2008-09-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

Symptoms :

Diabetes is a disorder of assimilation. When the pancreases become inactive or atrophied and cease to produce insulin, the body is unable to convert the sugar into energy for the muscles. Its chief symptoms are weakness and loss of weight, great thirst and increase in the amount of urine passed. There is some times voracious appetite but the patient gradually becomes more and more emaciated. Owing to poor vitality of the tissues, various skin eruptions like boils and carbuncles appear. There may be itching in the groins and eczema.

A serious complication could be gangrene of the skin of the feet, beginning with the toes. A curious phenomenon is that the younger the patient, the more rapid is the course of the disease.Allopathy depends mostly on administration of insulin to dissolve the sugar in the blood and forbidding starchy and sugary foods to the patients.

Treatment :

Naturopathy recommends a dieter ragmen and no drugs, for people suffering from diabetes. The main purpose is to help the body to assimilate the sugar into the system and that can be achieved by a special diet. Adiet, consisting of one kg. Of curd made from cow's milk and various types of gourds without salt is recommended .

The greener the vegetable, the most beneficial it would be. Sour fruits like tomatoes, oranges, pineapple, rose apple (jamun), Scolanum (makoy) could also be taken with advantage. The patient can also take one to two chappaties made of flour which has not been passed through sieve. The person suffering from diabetes must take long walks (preferably ten kilometers) daily.

Cereals, sugar and sugar preparations should not be taken for some time. The other method of treating the disease is by fasting for a couple of days and then eating sour fruit only for a week during which green vegetables may also be alternated with the fruits. Curd made from cow's milk must form an inevitable part of every meal.

If the curd is not available, about 50 grammes of germinated gram may be taken with every meal. After about a fortnight of this regimen, the patient can take bread made of whole flour. During the period of fasting, lukewarm enema should be taken every day.Diabetes must take physical exercise as that helps to utilize the blood sugar, walking, preferably jogging is the best exercise. Hip bath is also extremely beneficial in the case of diabetes, particularly for patients suffering from constipation. For a leathery skin most diabetics develop, the best exercise is vigorous rubbing of the skin with a rough towel for fifteen before a bath with cold water.The diabetic must also try to remain cheerful and keep his poise. There are some asanas recommended by yoga specialists which have proved helpful in dealing with the disease.

Hernia

2008-09-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

Causes and Symptoms:

Hernia means the protrusion of any organ, or part of an organ, into or through the well of the cavity which contains it. The most common form of hernia is the hernia of bowel, popularly known as rupture.Hernia may be caused due to a defect of injury of the abdominal wall or increase of pressure within the cavity. It may be caused by sudden exertion as during the lifting of a weight, but generally it develops gradually.

Pain may be experienced while coughing or straining at stool, but really acute pain is suffered when a hernia becomes strangulated as the result of stoppage of its circulation by the pressure of the opening through which it protrudes. It may become inflamed, turn acutely painful and may even produce peritonitis - inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal cavity - and finally prove fatal. Stoppage of the bowels, onset of acute pain and vomiting are the ominous symptoms which herald strangulated hernia.

Treatment :

The best treatment according to naturopathy is exercise. The torn muscles, the site of the hernia could be helped regain their tone and strength by application of could compresses or application of bandages covered with soft clay. Compresses should be continued for half an hour at a time and should be applied twice or thrice in a day. Diet plays an important part in dealing with a hernia as it does in other diseases.

The patient should take light, bland food, comprising boiled vegetables and fruits in order to reduce the pressure on the intestine. Too much of weight of waste matter would merely burden in increasing the risk of worsening of the hernia.The truss can help during the treatment of the hernia. It comprises a pad which fits over the opening a spring to run round the pelvis and a strap to pass between the legs and prevent the truss from sliding upwards.

Special trusses can be made by firms manufacturing medical and surgical supplies according to the needs of individual patients. The patient must find the truss which suits her hernia. It should be worn constantly so that the hernia does not recur. The regimen suggested needs to be followed strictly to get relief.

Some Exercises:

The following exercises are suggested for hernia patients:

(i) Lie on a hard bed and ask somebody to hold your feet firmly or bind them with a strap passed round the end of the bed. Put your hands on your waste and raise your head about six inches. Turn left and then right and resume your former position.

(ii) Lie in the position indicated above and take your arms behind your neck. Now try to rise with your feet in the former position. See that you do not overstrain yourself.

(iii) Lie straight and fold your knees to touch your abdomen. Then straighten them slowly without touching the bed.

(iv) Hold the bed with your hands and raise your legs and try to touch your head with your feet.Raise your feet perpendicularly and then twist your legs, first to the right and then to the left. Turn more towards the direction opposite to the site of the hernia.

COMMON COLD

2008-09-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Causes and Symptoms:

Common cold caused by a variety of factors, the most common being a sudden chilling because of a change of temperature, coming out of a cozy bed into a blast of cold air or walking from an air-cooled room into a blazing sun. There is an old adage that "if you take medicine, the cold is cured in a week, otherwise seven days". In the case of weak constitutions a cold may lead to more serious diseases like tonsillitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis. What is worse, a catarrh of the respiratory organs may degenerate into a catarrh of the alimentary system.A cold is an extremely irritating condition. You are not sick enough to get into bed, yet not well enough to lead a normal life. A running nose, feverishness, heaviness of the head, pains and aches in the body, loss of appetite and of smell are the main features of a cold which makes life miserable.

Treatment:

Like other disease to which human beings are subject, a cold is the result of inappropriate diet. It is nature's way of expelling poisonous humours from the body. We must attack the malady at its source and that is the putrifying matter in the intestines. The patient must fast till the cold is gone - it will not take more than two days - and take a warm water enema followed by a cup of warm water after every two hours. If he is unable to take the enema, Try the following method:Take half a kilogramme of spinach, 250 grammes of turnips (along with their leaves), 250 grammes of tomatoes, 75 grammes of coriander leaves and 25 grammes of ginger. Cut them into small pieces and boil them in about one litre of water. If some of these vegetables are not available, radishes or other greens may be used. Cover the lid of the vessel with a flat dish full of water so that the water does not evaporate and there is sufficient left. When the vegetables are done, strain them through muslin or other fine cloth. Add a little salt, the juice of a lime and roasted and ground cumin seed and take it in tumblerfuls after every two to three hours. This will clear the bowels and also open the pores by producing sweat. Chronic Cold: A cold sometimes becomes chronic. Such patients should also follow the regimen suggested above. It will clear their bowels. Let them also take some exercise so that their pores open. Those who are too weak should soak their feet in warm water for fifteen to twenty minutes the last thing at night. Let the patient wear a blanket while he is doing it; it will help open his pores and the nose will stop running.

ASTHMA

2008-09-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

Causes and Symptoms:-

Asthma is a disorder of the respiratory system characterized by severe paroxysms of difficult breathing. The onset of an attack is sudden, though the patient starts feeling uneasy, drowsy and irritable a little before the difficulty of breathing starts. Respiration becomes difficult and the breath comes with a wheezing and sometimes whistling sound. The general belief is that asthma is a chronic disease and that once gotten continues to dog its chronic disease and that once gotten continues to dog its victim till the day he dies.In fact, asthma is caused by excess of phlegm and the inability of the body to expel it.

If the patient gives up foods which tend to increase the phlegm, e.g., rice, flour passed through a sieve, sugar, lentils, milk and curds, he can find relief. He should be put on foods which discourage phlegm, such as green vegetables, fruits, and the like. That would tend to reduce the amount of phlegm present in the body and the disease will have him. Unfortunately, under the false impression that asthma being a weakening disease, the patients are fed on high protein diets like meat, fish, milk and milk products and fats and that makes there condition worse.

Treatment:-

An asthma patient must select foods which help contain the amount of phlegm in the body. For breakfast he should take foods like orange, tomato, papaya, guava, mango and rose apple and vegetables like carrots. His dinner and lunch should consist of boiled vegetables. His bath is recommended in the morning and evening to perk up his digestive powers. Taking a walk is also recommended, if jogging is beyond the capacity of the patient.Asthma, particularly when its attack is severe, tends to destroy the appetite of the patient. He should not be forced to eat. He should keep fasting till the attack is over.

The only thing he should take is a cup of warm water every two hours. An enema taken at that time would be doubly beneficial. If this regimen is followed, the attack will not last for more than 36 hours and its virulence in case of a recurrence would be very much less.An asthma patient should regularly fast once a week and take an enema the morning after the fast to clear his bowels. If he is unable to fast regularly, he must not hesitate to stop eating the moment the attack comes. A fortnight after the treatment has been started the patient can take cow's unboiled milk or curd with a breakfast of fruit.The sufferer from this disease should be extremely careful in his eating habits.

He must never overeat. The amount of food taken at one time should be so measured that he must feel extremely hungry at the time of the next meal. A salt-free diet would be the best.At the onset of the attack, soaking of the feet in warm water can relieve the agony to a large extent. A chest pack can also help, even though on application it may seem to aggravate the attack. The pack applied in the afternoon and immediately before sleep would do wonders. The main aim of treatment of asthma should be to augment the vital force of the body with the help of proper diet and a natural living in which clean water and sunshine play an important part.

BRONCHITIS

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Causes and Symptoms:

Bronchitis is the inflammation of the tubes that lead from the throat to the lungs. The inflammation tends to impede the process of breathing because phlegm tends to stick to its insides.

Treatment: The sufferer from bronchitis must fast for as long as the acute symptoms last. He should only take water and orange juice. An all fruit diet should be taken when the fever attendant upon bronchitis has gone down the breathing is easier. A hot Epsom salt bath every night or alternative nights will be beneficial during the acute stage of the disease. A wet pack should be applied to the upper part of the chest every day.

Hot towels (dipped in hot water and wrung out) applied to the chest are also helpful. The phlegm sticking to the insides of the bronchial tubes will be dislodged and the sufferer will feel an immediate relief in breathing. After the hot compresses, a cold compress should be applied.After relief is obtained the sufferer should take to natural feeding because if that is not done, the disease is likely to recur and it may become chronic.

Breathing exercises, a friction sponge (rubbing the body with a hand towel dipped in water and wrung out) should be taken regularly. Hot Epsom salt baths should be taken twice or thrice weekly.

DISEASE OF THE TEETH

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The common disease from which teeth suffer are: toothache, caries of the teeth, inflammation of the gums and pyorrhea. All of them are produced from common causes like improper brushing, not chewing your food properly, dyspepsia, too much of intake of refined sugar and general neglect.Pyorrhoea: Pyorrhoea or parodontal disease is characterized by the promotion of pockets of purulent material round the teeth and loosening of the affected teeth. It is a legacy of the modern civilization with too much of emphasis on refined and canned foods, sugar, refined wheat flour and polished rice. In other words, it is the result of too little roughage in the diet and inadequate care of the teeth. Food tends to stagnate between the teeth leading to the excessive formation of tartar. There is a foul taste and also a foul odour in the mouth. A characteristic feature in the later stages is the tendency for the gums to bleed easily.Our food must include alkalis which are to be found in wheat flour not passed through a sieve, unpolished rice, unboiled milk, fresh fruit and raw, green vegetables. Lack of calcium leads to decay of teeth and give rise to the various diseases.

Refined sugar, which does not contain any calcium needs It to be properly digested and takes the calcium from the bones to get assimilated into the system. The worst effect is, therefore, on the teeth. An adult needs ten grains of calcium in his daily diet which is available in flour, unpolished rice, banana, groundnut, coconut, green peas, almonds, figs, dates, cabbage, tomatoes, gourds, carrots, cucumber and spinach. It is also found in milk, oranges and sesame.Steam Treatment: Steam treatment should be taken in case of swollen or bleeding gums if nothing else helps. Keep a vessel filled with water on heat and cover it with a lid with a small opening. When the steam starts escaping, expose your gums to its action.

Intersperse the steam with rinsing your mouth with cold water. If the steam affects the face also, all the better. Apply fresh lime juice mixed with coconut or mustard oil after steaming it at night and the glow will be far better than the one given by any much-advertised cream or face lotion.

Treatment Under Naturopathy for various Diseases

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Dyspesia or Indigestion: The cardinal remedy for dyspepsia is light food, if the patient can take to fasting for 24 hours all the better. Thereafter in take of easily digestible, nutural foods is advised. Fats and condiments must be avoided. Bland food, mostly vegetables cooked in water, juicy fruits and buttermilk (churned curd with water added) should be taken. Excess of food, like everything else, is bad and a person suffering from indigestion must eat less than he can digest. That would be the first stop in the treatment of this dsease.Application of heat through hot compress or a hot water bottle to the abdomen for 15 to 20 minutes twice in the day, either on an empty stomach or two or three hours after meals, can activate your disgestive processe. The procedure could be alternated with cold compresses, applied for a minute or so in between hot compresses, could accelerate the pace of recovery.The above procedure is merely a palliative. The patient can get permanent relief if he increases his body heat through vigorous exercise. Indigestion is the disease of the sedantry, active and brisk people generally do not suffer from the malady. Take a walk to begin with or light exercise. Jog a long, if you can and if there is a grassy lawn around your house, walk on the dew covered grass. Avoid rice as in our country rice is associated with lentils which are not easy to digest. Eat rice with vegetables. Take fruits in-between the meals. Masticate your food properly so that it mixes well with the saliva. Take adequate quantities of water. Alcohol and tabacco should be taken in the minimum possible quantities, if not altogether stopped.Constipation:The treatment of constipation should start in the kitchen and not in the lavatory. Eat the wheat flour without passing it through a sieve; unmilled and unpolished rice is the best. Your food should contain two parts fruits and vegetables and one part cereals. Boil the milk only once; let it not thicken by overboiling. That would give your system the roughage it needs.In case of chronic constipation, eat more of cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, spinach and cabbage. The total intake of these should be a minimum of 250 grammes in the day. Eat them as you eat salad - season it with a pinch of salt and juice of a lemon in order to make it more palatable. Eat thrice in twenty-four hours, but if you are above forty, do not take more than two meals in the day. Do not take it literally: you can eat fruit in-between the meals, but in reasonable quantities. Better still, make fruits a part of your morning and evening meals. Talking of fruits, the best fruits are seasonal and those which are available to you within hours of having been picked.Some people suffer from constipation because their intake of water or liquids is too insufficient. The water intake should be three to four litres in summer and one to two litres in winter. A glass of water taken in the morning immediately after waking up can help many cases of constipation.When the muscles of the large intestine lose their tone or strength, stools tend to adhere to its insides. Atony of the intestines can be cured by exercise. A walk in the morning or evening, better still jogging will help.Another way to help the intestine to void the stool is to cool it. Take a rough towel, fold it so that it can absorb water and place it on your lower abdomen after immersing it in cold water. Let the coolness percolate to the abdomen for about fifteen minutes. A mud pack can also be tried. Take about one kilogramme of clay and knead it into a dough-like consistency and spread it evenly on your lower abdomen - from the navel to the pubes. Some people are known to have benefited more from a mud bath than from a cold towel. It should be done before you go for a walk. Cooling and then warming it through exercise helps the large intestine regain its tone.In the beginning, you may not have the urge to void your bowels. But do not wait for the 'Call" of nature. Visit the toilet at the time your usually do, even if the "call" is not there. Remember that habit plays an important part. The best course is to drink about half a litre of water and take a walk for ten to fifteen minutes before you visit the toilet immediately after dinner: it may surprise you to hear of intake of food followed by the effort to void your bowels, but remember that it takes fourteen to eighteen hours for the waste matter left after absorption of food into the system to leave the body. The churning of the stomach and the resultant activity of the intestines when you are ingesting food helps relieve constipation.

Mud Packs

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MUD PACKSThe best way to prepare a mud pack is to take clay from about four inches below the surface of the earth. Ensure that the clay does not contain any impurities, like compost or pebbles.Mix it with cold water and see that it has a consistency like soft dough. It should stick and not be thin enough to slide down when used in the pack. If the pack is to be applied on the abdomen (from the navel to the pubes) spread the mud evenly on a piece of cloth. See that it is about half an inch thick. Then place it gently with the cloth up and the mud touching the skin. Remove the cloth and place a thick woollen piece of cloth on the mud. You may even let the cotton cloth remain over the mud, but cover it with a thick woollen. If that is done the patient can keep lying down without covering himself with a blanket or a sheet. The mud pack should be used for 20 to 30 minutes. After it is removed, clean the skin using a soft piece of cloth dipped in cold water.

HIP BATHThe hip bath can be taken in tubs made specially for this purpose. The tub is oval in shape and one end of it is raised so that the patient can rest his back against it. Fill the tub with cold water. The level of the water should be so adjusted that it touches your navel when you sit in it. Your feet will be outside the tub and you can support them by keeping a low stool in front of the tub. You can rest your back against the raised portion of the rub and remain in that half-supine position. Take a rough towel and rub your abdomen from the right to the left. Do it gently so that the skin is not scraped. Do not apply too much pressure in rubbing.A hip bath can be taken from ten to twenty minutes. Thin persons should take it for only ten minutes and the stout ones can continue for 20 minutes. During winter the duration of the hip bath should be reduced by about 25 per cent.In the beginning, the hip bath should be taken only for a minute or two; the time should be increased gradually to ten or twenty minutes.Wipe your body with a towel when you get out of the tub, dress quickly and go for a walk or take some other exercise. Those too weak to engage in any such activity should get into bed and wrap a blanket around them and rest for half an hour to bring back warmth to their body.

GENITALS BATHkeep stool onw foot long, six inches wide and six inches high in the tub. It would be all the better if there is a circular cut in front of it. If a stool is not readily available keep four bricks, two upon to raise the level and sit on them. The water level in the tub should be such that it is one inch above the stool. The water should be cold; during summer the water of an earthern pitcher can be used for the purpose.Take off your clothes and sit on the stool. Take a piece of cloth, dip it in water and gently rub your abdomen with it for two minutes. Then take hold of the foreskin of your penis in two fingers and rub it lightly with a soft piece of cloth dipping cold water often. This can be continued for ten to twenty minutes. A lean person can do it for only ten minutes, and the hefty one for as long as twenty mintes. After the rubbing of the foreskin is completed, rub the entire spine with a wet towel for two minutes.Women should rub their abdomen. They should take a piece of soft cloth, pull up the lips of vagina and rub them slowly.

HOT FOOT BATHSit on a stool and lower your feet in a bucket full of hot water. The level of the water should, ideally, come up to the knees. The tempeature of the water should not be too much above the body temperature. As the water gets cold, go on adding more hot water. Take care to see that the hot water added later does not scald the feet.Cover yourself with a blanket. Wrap it around your body; even if the bucket is covered, it will be all right. The head should be covered with a towel wetted with cold water. As the coldness of the towel cvaporates, dip it in cold water, wring it lightly and again cover you head with it.Take some hot water before you lower your feet into the bucket water. Go on sipping hot water throughout the time your feet are in the bucket.A hot foot bath should be taken for 20 minutes. Wash your feet with cold water afterwards and wipe them with a towel. If you have perspired, wipe your body with a wet towel and dress yourself. An ordinary bath can be taken after the hot foot bath.

Diet

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Diet is a subject of the greatest importance in all systems of medicine, but in naturopathy it is of overriding significance because most of the treatment consists in cleansing the system through diet.The basic principle of dietetics is that the body has to fed like an engine which needs fuel. Food is the fuel for the body but just as there are various types of fuels for the various types of engines - diesel for the trucks, ATF for the planes and petrol for your scooter - the human body and its needs also need special types of food according to its condition. If you are a robust individual without any constitutional disorders you may take any type of food without impairing your health, but in a morbid condition special diets have to be taken.Foods are refined to such an extent that their value is lost, even it they become more pleasing to the taste bubs and the eye. In the process of preparing food we tend to lose many of the vitamins. The polishing of rice and the refining of sugar are other example where the preference for a nicer book leads to destruction of their essential value as foods.A continuous supply of mineral salts and vitamins is found in many natural and unspoilt food. They also cleanse and purify the body ridding it of toxins that give rise to various diseases.Another fallacy which modern medicine suffers from is the measuring of food value in terms of calories. Energy is something fundamental to the organism and can be enhanced because of the ability of the system to absorb it from the foodstuffs taken. If the foodstuffs lack the essential elements which school be present in them, the vital force of the body is not enchanced.Milk is a complete food and one can live on it without in any way imparing one's health. But it must not be boiled and should be taken fresh. In India's ancient system of medicine it was known as dugdha kalpa and was recommended in certain conditions. Pernicious anemia, diabetes, arthritis, neurasthenia and many other diseases have been cured by milk therapy followed by a long fast.Refined foods like sugar and white bread, polished rice, boiled potatoes, etc. are acid forming and should be avoided as far as possible. Brown sugar (in India gur), whole meal bread, unpolished rice and potatoes with their peel intact are recommended as they are less acid forming

Bacteria and Weak Human Body

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Naturopathy does not deny the existence of bacteria; they are inhaled from the air and ingested through contaminated food and water. But the presence of germs in human body is merely a symptom of a disease, not its cause.Naturopaths believe that it is the vital force in the body which fights the bacteria which need a breeding ground. And what better breeding ground could they find than a dirty, ill-kept body? One of the cardinal principles of naturopathy is that bacteria need a happy hunting ground of an ill-kept and ill-looked-after body. Injections administered to destroy them merely add to the poisons already accumulated in the body which have given birth to the bacteria in the first place. Naturopaths believe that bacteria help in fighting diseases and not in causing it. Bacteria are nature's scavengers; they would infest only that organism which is rotten. Injected into a healthy organism they would die of starvation since they cannot eat anything that is healthy. The only sane way to deal with disease is the naturopathic way. The vital force of the patient has to be augmented to make him well. That is the only way to eternal health.ARE HEIGHT-WEIGHT CHARTS BAROMETERS OF HEALTH? A thin, but sprightly lad may be told by the doctor that he is under-weight since his height and his weight do not measure upto the chart the doctor has before him.The height -weight charts are not, in fact, barometers of health; they are merely averages drawn from a mass of data. Their construction is defective, since nobody has bothered to relate the weight with the state of health. The fallacy lies in taking the average as the ideal. The moment a person's weight goes above the average, he is advised to reduce it without going into the state of his health. A person having a weight over the average indicated by the actuary's chart may be in bad health but to take the weight as the criterion of health is wrong. It may be an indication, but not the sole criterion. A healthy man should not, normally speaking, worry about obesity unless it gets out of hand. Nor should a lean, under-weight person lose sight of the need to maintain this condition.Bodily weight is the result of the cells, muscles, glands, the circumstances in which a person lives, and his heredity. If the glands and the cells do not misbehave, a person must attain a particular weight. Every person has his own weight; no objective standards can be laid down for universal application. A lean and this person can be as healthy as one who looks like a mound of flesh and bones.THE HEALING POWER OF NATUREEvery ill person wants to rid herself of the disease but indiscriminate use of drugs and medicines is likely to cause irreversible deleterious effects. Quick cures may suppress the symptoms of disease, but at the cost of permanent injury to the human body. The sick have a tendency to try one drug after the other in their eagerness to regain lost health.Practitioners of nature cure who prescribes fasting, the right food, hydropathy and other instruments of naturopathy, know that some patients on the road to recovery suddenly fall victim to an acute disease. That is nothing but aggravation of the malady, even if its form is a little different. The comprehensive treatment prescribed by the naturopath would sometimes produce rashes or boils on the skin. If the course of treatment is continued, they automatically disappear and the patient feels healthier than he did before the onset of the disease. It only means that the body reacts to the course of treatment by trying to expel the morbid matter. The expulsion of the morbid matter sometimes creates aggravation.When the natural diet - water, sunlight, fruits and vegetables- is prescribed t deal with an ailment, it helps the body to expel the morbid matter from the various orifices.NATURE CURE AND SURGERYThere is no need for surgery according to the naturopathic system of treatment. Many people who are unable to find relief after surgery take to nature cure. Even the largest boil can burst or dry up without the knife. Nature itself is the healer since it has given us the capacity to fight disease. Diet alone can cure many disorders which surgeons fail to ameliorate.

What is Naturopathy

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Naturopathy as a system of medicine may not be very old, but it has been practiced by all right-thinking physicians for more than two millennia. In fact, its genesis can be traced to Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.), who is mistaken as the father of modern medicine, as he tried to treat his patients according to the basic principles of nature cure. According to Hippacrates, " Nature is the physician of all our diseases". He, therefore, laid stress on the right diet than on drugs.But the real father of naturopathy was Vincenz Priesnitz, who established a clinic in Grafenburg, a small village in the Silesian mountains, more than a century ago. A simple, unlettered farmer, Priesnitz was endowed with a sharp intelligence and the capacity to go to first causes. It was he who discovered the healing power of a cold bath. His clinic became a center of pilgrimage from all over the world. Initially he had to face a lot of scorn and opposition from all quarters. He was hounded by traditional physicians who ridiculed and abused him. Priesnitz had a milestone near his clinic inscribed with the dictum YOU MUST BE PATIENT since he found that perseverance alone could deal with stubborn ailments. He found that the best way to deal with chronic illness was to strengthen the resistance of the body so that it could throw out the poisons accumulated in it due to a wrong way of life.Johannes Schroth followed his footsteps, mainly on the basis of his personal experience.He, too, faced ridicule and banter but the Duke of Wintumburg came to his help in 1849, when wounds in his feet refused to heal and the traditional physicians advised amputation as the only remedy. The patient insisted, however, on giving Schroth a trial and, not surprisingly, he was healed. Impressed by the natural system of drugless healing, the Duke had an account of his treatment printed and distributed to the armed forces of Austria, silencing Schroth's detractors.While Priesnitz depended on the cool waters of the streams and rivers, Schroth gave pride of place to the application of heat through compresses and fomentations. He also devised a system of dietetics, known as the Schroth System.Naturopathy is indebted to the German innovator, Dr. Heinrich Lahmann who opened a clinic in Dresden. He measured the nutrition value of the various food in terms of milk, using it as a standard. His contribution to the science of dietetics is considerable. He underlined the importance of natural foods as aids to health and dilated on the harmful effects of table salt and the senselessness of liquor.One of the greatest teachers of naturopathy was Kunhe, a German, who had lost his health at the young age of 20 years. Disappointed with traditional medicine as it failed to provide him any relief, he turned to nature cure with remarkable success. His recovery convinced him of the utility of the system which he studied for many years and opened a health home in Leipzig. His treatments included sun-bathing, steam baths, hip baths and the like. His dictum was that cleanliness is the only answer to diseaseAnother great teacher of nature cure, Adolf Just, is known for his discovery of the healing property of clay. He stressed the need for going barefoot so that the life giving properties of mother earth may touch a person's body. He believed that disease was a punishment for disregarding the laws of nature. He was a staunch opponent of inoculation.The first American exponent, James C. Jackson, suffered an intractable ailment at the age of 35 years which improved when he sought the help of Silas O. Gleason, one of Priesnitz's disciples. Having got considerable relief after a stay of about a year at Gleason's sanatorium, he went into partnership with him. Disregarding drugs, Jackson used hydropathy, rest, exercise, diet and a psychological approach - all tools of naturopathy. "The way to heath," Jackson taught, "is sane living". Other Americans who contributed to the science of naturopathy include Dr. Russel T. Trall, Dr. J. H. Kellog and Dr. Henry Lindlarh . Dr. Henry Lindlarh believed every acute disease was the sign of natural resistance which the human body possessed. The pride of place among the naturopaths of the USA goes to Dr. J.H. Tilden who taught that the real cure lay in mending one's habits.