Influenza

Influenza, also known as flu, is the clinical condition that results from infection with influenza viruses. The main effects of the influenza viruses are on the upper respiratory tract, the nose and throat, with possible spread and involvement of the lungs and bronchi.
The disease is highly contagious and it has potential to cause wide spread epidemics affecting sizeable portion of a population at any time

Indigestion

Indigestion or dyspepsia is one of the most common ailments today and is caused by dietetic errors. It is a condition of the stomach in which digestive juices are incorrectly secreted, resulting in discomfort.
The alimentary canal and the process of digestion begin at the mouth. The stomach, which is the most abused organ of the body, looks like a pear-shaped pouch. It forms part of the digestive tract which is a tube coiled in loops nearly 28 feet in length.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia or blood sugar is a disorder of blood sugar metabolism which may result in diabetes in later life. It is a condition in which the pancreas produces too much insulin, causing the blood sugar to drop.
Hypoglycemia sometimes occurs in healthy people some hours after a meal rich in carbohydrates, especially following muscular exertion. It is frequently found in the first few days of life, especially among premature infants.

Hydrocele

Hydrocele is a common condition of men in which there is accumulation of fluid in the tunica vaginalis, the sac which surrounds the testicle. It may occur at any age, but old men are usually more prone to the condition.
The testicles are the major sex glands in the male. Each gland is composed of myriads of coiled tubes in which the sperm cells are produced. It is the function of these cells to fertilize the ovum during sexual intercourse.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension - to give it the correct medical term - is regarded as the silent killer. It is a disease of the modern age. The fast pace of life and the mental and physical pressures caused by the industrial and metropolitan environments give rise to psychological tensions. Worry and mental tension increases the adrenaline in the blood stream and this, in turn, causes the pressure of the blood to rise.

High Blood Cholesterol

Cholesterol, a yellowish fatty substance, is one of the essential ingredients of the body. Although it is essential to life, it has a bad reputation, being a major villain in heart disease. Every person with a high blood cholesterol is regarded as a potential candidate for heart attack, a stroke or high blood pressure.
Cholesterol is a building block of the outer membrane of cells.

Heart Disease

The term coronary heart disease covers a group of clinical syndromes arising particularly from failure of the coronary arteries to supply sufficient blood to the heart. They include angina peactoris, coronary thrombosis or heart attack and sudden death without infarction.
There has been a marked increase in the incidence of heart disease in recent years. Heart attacks have become the number one killer in Western countries.

Headaches and Migraine Relief

Headaches afflict almost everyone at some time or the other. Most headaches are functional, caused by temporary upsets and are not related to any organic changes in the brain. A headache is often nature’s warning that something is wrong somewhere in the body. The actual pain, however, arises from irritation to nerve endings in the shoulder, neck and scalp muscles and also in the smooth muscles encircling the blood vessels which serve these areas.

Gout

Gout refers to a certain form of inflammation of the joints and swellings of a recurrent type. Although chronic in character, it breaks in acute attacks. It is a disease of the wealthy and chiefly affects middle-aged men. Women, after menopause, are also sometimes affected by this disease.
Gout was known to the physicians of ancient Greece and Rome

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a serious eye condition characterised by an increase of pressure within the eye ball, called intraocular pressure. It is similar to high blood pressure in the body. The condition is therefore, also known as hypertension of the eye.
A certain amount of intraocular pressure is considered necessary, but too much can cause damage to the eye and may result in vision loss. Glaucoma is the major

Gastritis

Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It is a troublesome condition which may lead to many complications including ulcers if not treated in time. Constipation aggravates the condition more than any other disorder.
The inflammatory lesions may be either acute erosive gastritis or chronic atrophic gastritis. The latter type has been found to be present in half the patients suffering from severe iron deficiency anaemia.

Gall-Bladder Disorders

The gall-bladder is a pear-shaped organ, 10 cm. long and three to five cm. wide,attached to the under-surface of the liver on the right side. The main function of the gall-bladder is to store the bile secreted by the liver. Bile is an excretion composed mainly of bile salts and acids, colour pigments and cholesterol. Bile assists in the digestion and absorption of fats and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, minerals and calcium.

Fatigue

Fatigue refers to a feeling of tiredness or weariness. It can be temporary or chronic. Almost every person has to work overtime on certain occasions, sacrificing rest and sleep, which may cause temporary fatigue. This condition can be remedied by adequate rest. Chronic or continuous fatigue is, however, a serious problem which requires a comprehensive plan of treatment.

Falling of Hair

Loss of hair at a very tender age has become a common disorder these days. It causes a great deal of concern to persons affected by loss of hair, especially Indian women who regard good hair growth with thick long hair as a sign of beauty.
Hair is formed in minute pockets in the skin, called follicles. An upgrowth at the base of the folic, called the papilla, actually produces hair ;

Epilepsy

Epilepsy refers to a chronic condition in which repeated fits or attacks of unconsciousness occur with or without confusions. It is a serious disorder of a central nervous system. It occurs in both children and adults. Most attacks, however, occur in childhood and in early adult life. Attack rates show a progressive decline in frequency with age.

Eczema and its treatment

The term ‘eczema’ is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘to boil.’ It refers to an inflammation of the skin which results in the formation of vesicls or pulstules. It is the most common and most troublesome of all skin diseases.
Eczema is essentially a constitutional disease, resulting from a toxic condition of the system. The disease covers a wide variety of forms, the majority of them being of a chronic variety.

Water

Water makes Life. Fresh, Pure Water benefits both the healthy and the sick. Consider what dehydration does to the body:

(1) It makes the cells in the body involved in fat-burning become sluggish.
(2) It makes you feel tired and weak.
(3) It disturbs appetite mechanism so u think you are hungry even when you are not.

Dysentery

Dysentery is a serious condition affecting the large intestine. It is characterised by inflammation and ulceration of the bowel, a colic pain in the region of the abdomen and passing of liquid or semi-formed stones with mucus and blood.

Diarrhoea and its treatment

Diarrhoea refers to the frequent passage of loose or watery unformed stools. As a rough guide it can be said that three or four loose or watery stools a day can be considered as diarrhoea. The disease may be acute or chronic. Commonly known as "loose motion", it is perhaps the most common disease in India.
The intestine normally gets more than 10 litres of liquid per day which comes from the diet and from secretion of the stomach, liver, pancreas and intestines. In the case of diarrhoea,

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a nutritional disorders, characterized by an abnormally elevated level of blood glucose and by the excretion of the excess glucose in the urine. It results from an absolute or relative lack of insulin which leads to abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism as well as in the metabolism of protein and fat.

Depression

Depression is the most prevalent of all the emotional disorders. This may vary from feelings of slight sadness to utter misery and dejection. It brings together a variety of physical and psychological symptoms which together constitute a syndrome.

Defective Vision

Defective vision is a common problem nowadays. The main reasons for eye defects are reading in bad light (either too dim or excessively bright ), excessive reading, reading in moving trains,buses or cars, watching too much television, seeing too many films, and eating artificial food. The popular belief that the use of spectacles can rectify all cases of defective vision is based on the assumption that such defects are caused by permanent changes in the eyes.

Dandruff

Dandruff refers to the flaking scalp which falls like a snow flakes and settles on one’s brows, shoulders and clothes, but assumes an unpleasant , irritating condition associated with bacteria, in the case of excessive formation of scales on the scalp. These scales are formed from the horny layer of the skin.

Constipation

Constipation is a common disturbance of the digestive tract, in this condition, the bowels do not move regularly, or are not completely emptied when they move.
Constipation is the chief cause of many diseases as such a condition produces toxins which find their way into the blood stream and are carried to all parts of the body. This results in weakening of the vital organs and lowering of the resistance of the entire system. Appendicitis, rheumatism,

Conjunctivitis

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

The Common Cold

The common cold, also known as "acute coryza," is an inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and is caused by infection with virus. It occurs more often than all other diseases. A person suffers from this disease three times in a year on an average. A cold usually lasts from three to ten days. The patient feels miserable for the first three days or so.

Colitis

Colitis is an inflammation of the colon or large intestine. There are two types of colitis : mucus and ulceratie. Mucus colitis is a common disorder of the large bowel, producing discomfort and irregular bowel habits. Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel in which ulcers form on the walls of the colon, resulting in the passing of blood stools with pus and mucus. Both forms of colitis are the results of prolonged irritation of the delicate membrane which lines the walls of the colon.

Cirrhosis of the Liver

Cirrhosis of the liver refers to all forms of liver disease characterised by a significant loss of cells. It is one of the most serious hepatic diseases. The liver gradually contracts in size and becomes hard and leathery.
The liver is one of the most important glandular organs in the body. It is located high up on the right side of the abdomen just under the diaphragm. It is a vast chemical laboratory which performs many important functions.

Cataract

Cataract is among the most common eye diseases. The term actually means a waterfall, and refers to the opacity of the crystalline lens of the eye on the assumption that the condition is caused by the humour of the brain falling over the pupil.

CANCER

The word ‘cancer ‘ comes from the latin "carcinoma" meaning crab. It is the most dreaded disease and refers to all malignant tumours caused by the abnormal growth of a body cell or a group of cells . It is today the second largest killer in the world, next only to heart ailments. The term covers more than 200 diseases.
The majority of cancers occur in the age group 50-60. Sex does not affect the incidence of the disease. It, however, affects the site of growth. In men, cancer is usually found in the intestines, the prostate and the lungs. In women, it occurs mostly in the breast tissues, uterus, gall-bladder and thyroid.

Bronchitis

Bronchitis refers to an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the bronchi and bronchial tube within the chest. It is a breathing disorder affecting the expiratory function. In most cases, some infection also occurs in the nose and throat. It is a disease endemic to cold, damp climates, but may occur anywhere.
Bronchitis may be acute or chronic. In chronic cases, the disease is of long duration. It is more serious than the acute type as permanent changes may have occurred in the lungs, thereby interfering with their normal movements. Chronic bronchitis is more frequent in males than in females and mortality rate is also higher in males.

Backache

Backache, one of the most common ailments, is widely prevalent these days due to sedentary living habits and hazardous work patterns. The psychological conditions associated with emotional stress, which bring about spasm of the muscles, may also cause backache. As the back bears the weight of the entire body it gives way when it has to carry an extra load in the case of persons who are overweight.

Arthritis

The word ‘arthritis’ means ‘inflammation of joints’. It comes from two Greek words, athron meaning joints and its meaning inflammation. It is a chronic disease process. In the early stages, the whole body is usually involved and one or two joints may become completely deformed, leaving the patient handicapped and somewhat weakened.
Arthritis assumes various forms, the most frequent being osteroarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation is the main feature of arthritis, which is a reaction of the joint tissues to some form of damage or injury.

Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is one of the most common diseases of the blood vessels. It refers to a thickening of the walls of the arteries due to the presence of calcium or lime. It has become a common ailment in modern times, accounting for much of the disability and high death rate among older people.
Arteriosclerosis is usually preceded by artherosclerosis, a kind of degeneration or softening of the inner lining of the blood vessels walls. The most risky places for such degeneration are the coronary vessels of the heart and the arteries leading to the brain.

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is the most common of all serious intestinal disorders. It refers to an inflammation of the vermiform appendix. It presents itself in acute and chronic forms and affects both the sexes equally. This disease now accounts for about half the acute abdominal emergencies occurring between the ages of 10 to 30 . It is more frequent in developed countries than underdeveloped countries.

Anaemia

Anaemia, which means " lacking in blood ", is among the most common diseases affecting human beings. It denotes a shortage of rich red blood cells and colouring matter and usually results from consumption of refined foods.

Allergies

An ‘allergy’ can be described as sensitiveness of the body to a substance which does not normally affect other persons. There are innumerable substances in the environment which can cause mild to violent reactions in many people. These reactions range from true allergies due to intolerance of certain foods and substances, to those resulting from pollution.

Alcoholism

Alcoholism refers to addiction to alcohol. It is a chronic disorder, in which a person is unable to refrain from frequent and excess consumption of alcohol for physical or psychological reasons. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed alcoholism as one of the three most deadly killer diseases of the 20th century.

Acne

Acne is perhaps the most common chronic skin disease. It is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous ( that is fat or grease) glands and hair follicles usually found on the face, the neck, chest and shoulders. Nearly eight out of ten young people between the ages of 12 and 24 suffer from some degree of acne. It is closely related to the disturbance in the hormones experienced at puberty.

Asthma

Asthma is an ancient Greek word meaning " panting or short- drawn breath." It is the most troublesome of the respiratory diseases. The asthma patient gets frequent attacks of breathlessness in between which he is completely normal.

Senna leaves

Senna leaves are better cooked or boiled for their water than taking it powdered. When cooked, Meccan senna leaves can be mixed with some sweet violet flowers and seedless red raisins. Modern studies have confirmed senna’s utility for alleviating severe and chronic constipation including that of children and cancer patients.

Royal Jelly

Queen bees are made, not born, and their feeding with Royal Jelly is the key to that process. Without this special food, queen bees would fail to develop properly. Royal jelly is a thick, extremely  nutritious, milky-white, creamy liquid secreted by the hypopharyngeal glands of the nurse bees. Queen bees live exclusively on royal jelly and it accounts for their incredible size and longevity. They average 42 percent larger and weigh 60 percent more than the worker bee. Amazingly, they live 40 times longer than worker bees, seven years as compared to seven weeks.

Nepthritis

Nepthritis refers to an inflammation of the kidneys. It is a serious condition and may be either acute or chronic. A synonym for nephthritis is " Bright’s disease, " for Bright (1789-1858) described examples of many different diseases which can be included under the term.

ONION AND ITS BENEFITS

Onion is a major source of protein, calcium, potassium, sodium, sulphur and iron. A 100 gm of raw onion contains: 1.3 gms of dietary fiber, 23 calories, 0.9 gms of protein and 5.2 gms of sugar. The white onions are the strongest followed by yellow. The red or purple onion variety are the mildest- flavored types.

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil contains over 75% monounsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols (an antioxidant), flavanoids and fat-soluble vitamin E. It has no protein, carbohydrate, sodium, cholesterols nor minerals. The first pressed olives (usually cold-pressed and produces lower acidity levels) is called Extra Virgin olive  oil. It is particularly rich in the phenolic antioxidants as well as squalene and oleic acid, so should be the best for usage. Olive oil should be stored in a cool, dark place, away from heat so as not to destroy its constituents.

SLEEPING POSITIONS

SLEEPING POSITIONS

There are many theories about good and bad sleeping positions. Practically everyone changes positions several times during sleep. Hence how one starts out is of no consequence. It is a good thing we do turn about in our beds. If we did not, we would awake in the morning stiff, having maintained the same position all night. For proper sleep, however, one should not sleep on one’s back but on the side with one or both legs brought well up and the head and the shoulder slightly forward.

DURATION OF SLEEPING

Another mystery about sleep is that no two persons need the same amount of sleep. Dr. Nathaniel Kleitman, Associate Professor of Physiology at the University of Chicago, who conducted years of extensive experiments at the University’s "Sleeping Laboratory" says that there is no more a normal duration of sleep than there is normal height and weight.

THEORIES OF SLEEP

Many theories of sleep have been advanced to explain the temporary loss of consciousness which we know as sleep. The oldest theory is that sleep is induced by a reduction in the blood supply to the brain or at least to conscious centres. This is known as ischemic theory. Even the ancient Greek physicians were aware that the carotid artery was in a way concerned with the onset of sleep. The name itself expresses this belief.

SLEEP VERSUS REST

For correct living, it is essential to differential between sleep and rest. At rest the body is disturbed by all exterior noises ; but in sleep it is screened from them by partial loss of consciousness and also by what is called " dream protection. " One useful purpose of the dream is to convert outside noises that might awake the sleeping person, into fantasies that do not disturb him.

Sleep : Restorative of Tired Body and Mind

Sleep is one of nature’s greatest inventions and blessings of life. It is a periodic rest of the body which is absolutely essential for its efficient functioning. It has been called " most cheering restorative of tired bodies. "