Category: General Ailments

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder where there is metabolic dysfunction resulting in an accumulation of sugar in the blood. Normally, all the food we eat, especially carbohydrates, are digested and metabolised in the gastrointestinal tract, and broken down into simple sugar, to be assimilated, used or stored. At all times, there is a particular level that exists in the blood, to deliver glucose for energy needs. A rise/ fall in this level can give rise to life-threatening problems. Diabetes occurs in all age groups, from young infants to the elders, although it occurs rarely below the age of two years.

Diabetes Causes

Heredity plays an important role in the development of diabetes in children, but it alone cannot the cause the diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, recent research indicates that certain viruses may combine with an inherited susceptibility and may lead diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the available sugar in the blood is far above normal levels. This can be due to several causes :-

• Inadequate insulin, a hormone which is produced by a gland called the pancreas which metabolises sugar and maintains an optimum glucose level in the blood for energy needs.
• It can also be due to the failure of the body to utilize adequately the insulin produced.
• The interplay of the other hormones that indirectly influence the metabolism and utilization of sugar, e.g., the thyroid, adrenals and pituitary glands.
• The over-production of another hormone from the pancreas which has an effect opposite to that of insulin.
• Viral or bacterial infection or some environmental toxins which damage the pancreas.
• A genetic predisposition to diabetes.
• The latest finding is that mental or physical stress also causes diabetes or acts as a catalyst in the case of a pre-existing dormant predilection to diabetes.

Diabetes Symptoms

The onset of diabetes in children is acute or sub-acute. The history of illness varies from a few hours to a few weeks. The course of the disease may be so rapid that sometimes the child gets medical treatment for the first time only after coma has developed. The main symptoms of diabetes are :-

• Excessive thirst and appetite.
• Increased frequency of urination.
• General weakness.
• Wounds not healing quickly.
• Loosing weight.
• Sexual debility or impotence.
• Skin and tongue may be dry and breath sweet smelling.
• Diminishing eyesight.

The symptoms of diabetes described above are observed in only about 40 percent of diabetes patients. In others words, especially during the earlier stages of the disease, there are no symptoms and the disease is diagnosed accidentally or on the basis of other complications from which the patient is suffering.

Watch This Video – To Cure Diabetes Naturally:-

Home Remedies For Diabetes

The remedies stated below in some cases could control latent diabetes, and in others complement orthodox drug treatment so as to lower the total drug intake. Anyone who is on herbal treatment needs to get his blood sugar checked periodically so that the drug regimen and herb regimen is balanced and the blood sugar does not fall and precipitate another crisis called hypoglycemia-low blood sugar.

1. Jambul

The jambul tree’s produce heads the anti-diabetic herbal drug list. Numerous scientific studies have been carried out to confirm this. The seeds of the jambul have a distinct anti-diabetic action. Dry its seeds, grind, powder and store them. One-fourth of a teaspoon of this powder, taken every morning with a teaspoon of honey, helps to check the excessive conversion of starches into sugar and also helps the inherent insulin in the body utilize sugar better. The jambul pulp per se does not exhibit any significant anti-diabetic action. However, the seeds can bring the blood sugar down by 20 per cent.

2. Jambul Seeds

Jambul-seed powder can also be taken with milk. A teaspoonful with half a cup of milk, taken morning and evening, is beneficial.

3. Jambul and Turmeric

Take equal amounts of jambul-seed powder and some home-ground turmeric powder. (The ones sold in the market are processed and lose some of its properties. The rhizome should be dried and powdered). Half a teaspoonful of this mixture should be had with buttermilk or honey twice a day.

4. Jambul Tree Bark

The bark of the jambul tree also has anti-diabetic properties but not as much as the seed. The inner bark of the tree can be dried, burnt to an ash and stored. One level teaspoon of this ash, taken every morning on an empty stomach, and a similar amount an hour after the afternoon and evening meals, helps sugar to metabolize and maintains optimum blood sugar levels conducive to health. Meals should not be missed and should be balanced.

5. Indian Gooseberry

Take a tablespoon of fresh Indian gooseberry juice, a teaspoon of fresh lime juice, a teaspoon of honey, and add these to a cupful of water. Have every morning on an empty stomach. Helps to control diabetes.

6. Indian Gooseberry Powder

Indian gooseberry plays a vital role in containing diabetes. Take dried Indian gooseberry powder, turmeric and fenugreek-seed powders in equal quantities. Mix and store it. A teaspoon of this mixture taken thrice a day with water is beneficial for early diabetes-keeps it in check.

7. Fenugreek Seeds

Fenugreek seeds are a condiment used to season various culinary preparations in meals throughout India . A heaped teaspoonful of seeds soaked overnight in half a cup of water softens them and they become less bitter. Next morning drink this water and eat the seeds with a chapatti or whatever is being eaten for breakfast. This brings down blood glucose levels and reduces cholesterol, especially triglycerides. The seeds can also be eaten without being soaked, but they cause acidity in some people. Soaking the seeds does not change their effect. Ayurveda prescribes remedies depending on the body constitution of a person. The same medicine may have a different effect on different people,. hence the correct vehicle is needed. Do not miss meals when taking these medicines, but have them in the correct measure and in time.

8. Bitter Gourd Leaf

Two teaspoons of fresh bitter gourd-leaf juice, taken with a large pinch of ground asafoetida every morning, is a lesser-known remedy for diabetes.

9. Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourd is a very popular vegetable in Indian cuisine. Methods for its preparation are varied, but by and large, all the ingredients used help the body utilize sugar well. However, for those with diabetes, having the juice of two large or 3-4 small bitter gourds i.e., about one-third of a cupful daily in the morning, is beneficial. The juice should be extracted from the whole vegetable, including the skin, seeds, inner pulp, etc. Tender green bitter gourds should be cut into small pieces and completely dried in the shade. When dry, powder them fine and store them. A teaspoonful should be had in the morning and evening for at least 3-4 months. It is advised that a constitution identification be done by an expert ayurvedic physician first, as an excess could cause either vomiting or diarrhea. Besides, some skin aliments already present, not related to the diabetic condition, could get worse. It is a wrongly believed that drinking bitter gourd juice cures all skin aliments. Helps to control diabetes.

Alternatively, a tablespoon of fresh Indian gooseberry juice, mixed with a tablespoon of fresh bitter gourd juice, taken early in the morning, is also effective.

10. Saffron

Ayurveda recommends the use of saffron in a number of kidney ailments. Take a pinch of saffron dissolved in a teaspoon of milk, add half a teaspoon of honey, and have it once a day.

11. Herbal Tea

A herbal tea made with a teaspoon of dried Indian gooseberry powder and a teaspoon of sandalwood paste, taken once a day, is beneficial for persons with a pitha constitution, but not sedentary, laid back kapha types.

12. Cumin Seed Powder

Have half a teaspoon of fine cummin seed powder twice a day with water. This helps to control diabetes.

Useful References

• https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3977406/
• https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/statistics/national-diabetes-statistics-report.pdf

What is pain?

Pain is an emotionally and physically disturbing, distressing sensation which signals that something is wrong. Pain is physically and emotionally distressing for anyone and is a waring that something is wrong. People differ in their ability to bear pain, but eventually almost everyone seeks help to get to the root of the problem and cure it. There are different types of pain or the symptoms for each disease and ailments, like

• Back pain.
• Arthritis pain.
• Ear pain.
• Chilblain pain.
• Throat pain.

All above are some examples of different types of pain, which can be cured by taking some remedies.

Causes and Symptoms of Pain

Pain is caused by the stimulation of specific nerve endings in the skin and the lining of internal organs. The sensation of pain is the same, whether it is in response to the stimulus of injury, stretching, rise in temperature, loss of blood, or the impending cessation of cellular activity due to damage of any kind in the region.The interpretation of this complexity of reasons is a function of the higher centres in the brain.

The sensation of pain is only felt when the nervous impulse transported from an injured or stretched area reaches the brain and is translated into conscious feeling. The degree of pain felt by a person is no indication of the extent of injury, the depth of painful stimuli, the amount the lining covering an organ is stretched, the amount of blood lost in the area, etc. It can be described as soreness, an ache, a mild tenderness, a constriction, a burning, boring or agonising sensation. Depending on one’s tolerance to pain, a person seeks relief sooner or later. Examples of pain are dealt with under separate headings-headache, backache, pain in the abdomen etc., and remedies have been prescribed for the specific site or cause of pain.

Home remedies to get relief from pain

Most pains respond to rest. Once the cause has been identified, one can try and set the problem right with the resources available.

1. Relaxation

Mental relaxation and coming to terms with the cause of the pain releases certain bio-chemicals in the brain called endorphins. These are pain relievers. The application of a cold compress makes one feel better.

2. Henna

Local application of a paste made of henna leaves or flowers is soothing.

3. Basil

Holy basil herbal tea has good analgesic properties.

Useful References

• https://medlineplus.gov/pain.html
• https://www.nhs.uk/livewell/pain/pages/10painself-helptips.aspx
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703330/

Obesity may be described as a physical condition characterized by excessive deposition or storage of fats in adipose tissues. It usually results from consumption of food in excess of physiological needs. Obesity is a serious health hazard as the extra fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys and liver as well as the large weight bearing joints such as the hips, knees and ankles, which ultimately shortens the life span.

There is now growing realization that much adult obesity has its origin in infancy, childhood and adolescence. The prevention of obesity should therefore begin in infancy. The prevalence of obesity in children is estimated to be 25 per cent in the first year, less than five per cent at five years and nine per cent at 15 years. It is however, not necessary that fat babies become fat children, but obese five-years-old are more likely to become fat adolescents.

Crawford and co-workers conducted studies in obese infants. They concluded from these studies that the best obesity index for infants six months of age is a weight gain greater than 5.34 kg. during the period from birth to six months .of age. It can, however, be generally said that obese children are those whose weight exceeds the expected weight for height by more than 20 per cent.

Obesity Symptoms

During infancy and childhood, the disadvantages of obesity are relatively small. A fat child has an increased tendency to acute respiratory infections. Severe obesity can delay motor development A really fat child of two years may hardly be able to walk and his exploration of the environment will be delayed. Knock- knee is common. Emotional disturbances are likely to develop, particularly at adolescence and puberty may occur early.

Obesity Causes

Several factors can lead to obesity in children. These include genetic tendency, racial and familial diet habits, a personal habit of overeating, restricted exercise and emotional factors. Another important cause of obesity can be some abnormality in the metabolism of adipose cells or in energy expenditure. Some of common reasons of obesity are.

• Obesity can be caused by endocrine disorders, hypothalamus dysfunction, hypothesis tumors, and pineal gland tumors.
• Excessive eating as a result of stress increases the amount of fat and causes obesity.
• Among people who consume excess alcohol, there are many obese people.
• Lack of exercises – As life becomes more convenient and mechanical, most people don’t like to walk or use stairs and opt for cars and elevators, further compounding a chronic lack of exercise that many people experience.

Home remedies for Obesity

1. Make a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon powdered black pepper, 3 teaspoon lime juice, and 1 teaspoon honey in 1 cup water. Drinking this mixture for 3-4 months may be helpful in weight loss for obese and overweight people.
2. Take half lemon in hot water daily empty stomach in the morning.
3. Eating a tomato in the morning before breakfast for 3 to 4 months may be helpful in weight loss for obese and overweight people.
4. Finger millet is an ideal food for obese people, because its digestion is slow and due to this carbohydrates takes longer time to get absorbed. By eating finger millet preparations, the constant desire to eat will be curbed, reducing the daily caloric intake. At the same time, it supplies abundance of calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1 and prevents malnutrition in spite of restricted food.
5. Exercise also plays an important role in weight reduction plain. It helps to use up calories stored in body fat.
6. The leaves of jujube or Indian plum is another valuable remedy for obesity. A handful of leaves be soaked over night in water and this water should be taken in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach. This treatment should be continued for at least one month to achieve beneficial results.

Useful References

• http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/
• https://medlineplus.gov/obesity.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/

What is nosebleeds?

Nosebleeds are sometimes the aftermath of a blow on the nose in a fistfight between ‘un equals’, or it may be due to other reasons. Everyone experiences a nosebleed from time to time. The cause may be an impact to the nose, but many times the nose bleeds because of nasal congestion due to a nasal allergy, strep throat, a sinus infection, or a cold that irritates and weakens the delicate nasal lining.

Nosebleeds Causes

Blood vessels that supply the nasal mucosa are very delicate. Blowing one’s nose hard or removing a scab from the nostril can cause a nosebleed. Unprovoked bleeding from the nose may be a sign of undiagnosed hypertension. Sometimes a head injury may show no apparent external symptoms except a nosebleed. Do not treat it at home-rush to the doctor. It may be the first indication of something seriously amiss. Being outdoors during a particularly hot summer day may also cause a nosebleed . Some of the common causes of nosebleeds includes.

• Excessive dieting.
• Nasal tumors.
• Allergies.
• Common cold.
• Using cocaine.
• Dry air.

Nosebleeds Symptoms

• Excessive blood loss include dizziness.
• Stuffy nose.
• Dry nose.

Natural home remedies for the treatment of nosebleeds

1. Make the patient sit down and pinch his or her nose at the junction of the bony and soft parts, just at the edge of the sides of the bony prominence. Plug the bleeding nostril with a cotton wool swab.
2. Grind fresh coriander leaves and put one or two drops of its juice into the nostril. This will cause the bleeding to stop.
3. Vaseline – gently rub this around just inside the nose with a Q-tip or your finger twice a day.
4. Mango flowers are another effective remedy. The juice has an antiseptic action.

When should the doctor be called in the case of nosebleed?

• If the child frequently gets nosebleeds that take more than 15 minutes to stop.
• If the trouble in breathing.
• If the child is bleeding elsewhere, for example from their ears or gums.

Tips on preventing nosebleeds

1. Quit smoking.
2. Keep children’s fingernails short to discourage nose picking.
3. Keep the lining of your nose moist by applying vaseline.

Useful References

• https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003106.htm
• https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/nosebleeds.html
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9706379

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of internal disorder, the causes of which are many. Vomiting refers to the forceful oral expulsion of gastric contents. The contraction of the muscles of the abdomen and diaphragm raises the pressure within the abdomen and forces out the contents of the stomach. Generally, the act of vomiting is proceeded by an unpleasant feeling of nausea with excess watering of the mouth or queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach which makes you want to throw up.

Vomiting is a common problem in infancy and early childhood Indeed, it is actually not a disease, but a common symptom of numerous diseases of childhood. The condition results from irritation of the vomiting centre in the medulla or of the mucous membrane of the stomach.

Symptoms of nausea

Vomiting may be gentle or violent Gentle vomiting may result from distension due to colic and pains in the stomach, which cease as soon as-the patient vomits. Some times, a tender child may suck too much milk. He then lies whining, is uneasy, and cannot sleep. As soon as he vomits out a little milk, he is well again and falls asleep. Similarly, older children get pain in the stomach after eating or drinking too much, and thereby vomit Vomiting for long duration, or when it is frequent or is violent, is a serious matter, requiring proper treatment.

Causes of nausea

There are many and varied causes of vomiting. It is a common manifestation of organic and functional disorders. It may be caused by acute or chronic indigestion, nervous disorders and reflex irritation. Acute systemic infections with fever, especially in young children are frequently accompanied by vomiting and often by severe diarrhea. The ailment may be caused by a throat infection, tonsillitis, if the mucosal lining of the enlarged tonsils is inflamed and anything swallowed even saliva, may irritate the nerve ending, causing nausea or actual vomiting.

Hepatitis is another cause, where, depending on the extent and seriousness of the cause, there may be slight nausea or actual persistent vomiting. Certain drugs or prescribed medications, chemotherapy, systemic infections, poisoning, travel sickness, emotional upsets or stress, are some of the other causes. Simple causes, which are not life-threatening, such as morning sickness during early pregnancy, or the sight of blood, or seeing a reptile, may be simple and easy to treat. But persistent, unprovoked vomiting needs specific investigation. Whatever the cause, it needs to be discovered and treated. Meanwhile, there is the urgent need to settle that queasy feeling and to prevent dehydration by replacing vital fluids and essential electrolytes lost.

Natural home remedies for nausea

1. Ginger with Basil

Simmer a small piece of crushed ginger and a few basil leaves in a cupful of water. Strain the mixture, add honey, and sip hot or cold, as you prefer. Drink a total of half to three-fourth of a cup at a time, but do not drink it all in one go. Helps to get relief from nausea.

2. Mint Tea

Mint tea, with two ground cloves and a trace of nutmeg is also soothing and leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth.

3. Buttermilk with Curry Leaves

An infusion of curry leaves or sipping fresh, not too sour buttermilk, seasoned with curry leaves, to which a little salt and sugar is added, is a settling, soothing, refreshing and rehydrating drink. Best home remedy to cure nausea.

4. Curry Leaf

The bark of the curry-leaf tree has many medicinal properties. Dried bark can be powdered and stored. Half a teaspoon of the bark powder, taken with cold water, helps greatly in nausea or vomiting due to bilious disorders, hepatitis, etc .

5. Ginger

Another preparation to make and store is grated fresh ginger, rolled in salt and sun-dried-the extra salt can be dusted off when dry. Just keeping a little of this concoction in the mouth, and gently chewing it, lessens the feeling of nausea.

6. Bael

Tea made with a handful of fresh, tender, crushed bael leaves, sipped half a cup at a time, 2-3 times a day, also settles the stomach. Honey, sugar, jaggery and palm candy can be added for taste. This drink is very nourishing too.

7. Beet

The juice of red beet (chukandar) is another effective remedy for vomiting due to biliousness. About half a cup of the juice with equal quantity of water may be given twice daily. Adding half a teaspoon of lime juice to this juice will increase its medicinal value.

8. Coconut Water

The tender coconut water is also an excellent remedy for vomiting. It has a soothing effect on the stomach and the condition caused by irritation of the stomach may be relieved by drinking half a cup of this water twice daily.

Useful References

• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nausea-and-vomiting-in-adults/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/
• https://www.racgp.org.au/afpbackissues/2007/200709/200709metz.pdf
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25715910

What is kidney stones?

Kidney stones, medically termed renal calculi, are accumulations of mineral salts that can lodge anywhere along the course of the urinary tract, and they can be one of the most painful of all health ailments. Human urine is often saturated to the limit with uric acid, phosphates, and calcium oxalate. Normally, due to the secretion of various protective compounds and natural mechanisms that control the pH of urine, these substances remain suspended in solution. However, if the protective compounds are overwhelmed or immunity becomes depressed, the substances may crystallize and the crystals may begin to clump together, eventually forming stones large enough to restrict urinary flow. These stones can be jagged or smooth. Stones can range in size from microscopic specks to the size of a fingertip. There are four kinds of kidney stones: calcium stones (composed of calcium oxalate); uric acid stones; struvite stones (composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate); and cystine stones.

About 80 percent of all stones are calcium oxalate stones. High blood calcium levels lead to hypercalciuria-excessive absorption of calcium from the intestine-which increases the level of calcium in the urine. This excess calcium eventually forms a stone. High blood calcium levels can also result from malfunctioning parathyroid glands (tiny glands in the neck that regulate blood calcium levels), vitamin D intoxication, and multiple myeloma. The consumption of refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, can help precipitate kidney stones as well, because the sugar stimulates the pancreas to release insulin, which in turn causes extra calcium to be excreted in the urine. Mild chronic or recurrent dehydration can also be a factor in kidney stones; it concentrates the urine, increasing the likelihood of stone formation.

What causes kidney stones?

Kidney stones form when the salts and minerals that are normally found in the urine become out of balance. Different kinds of kidney stones are formed from salts in the urine.

Uric acid stones

Uric acid stones form when the volume of urine excreted is too low and/ or blood levels of uric acid are abnormally high. The latter condition is commonly associated with symptoms of gout. Unlike other types of kidney stones, struvite stones are unrelated to metabolism; these stones are caused by infection. Women often get them with recur­rent urinary tract infections. Cystine stones are caused by a condition called cystinuria, a rare congenital defect that can cause stones composed of the amino acid cystine to form in the kidney or bladder.

Struvite stones (infection stones)

These are caused by too much ammonia in the urine. Ammonia is a chemical produced by the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections. This kind of stone is most often found in women.

Calcium stones

Calcium stones often run in families because the tendency to absorb too much calcium is hereditary. Also, in people with a family history of kidney stones, there seems to be a stronger than normal correlation between the intake of either vitamin C or oxalic acid and the urinary excretion of oxalate. Apparently, such individuals either absorb more oxalate from their diets or metabolize greater amounts of oxalate precursors. People who have Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome, or who eat diets high in oxalic acid, may have an increased risk of kidney stones as well, as these factors can cause the excretion of oxalate in the urine to increase. Other risk factors for kidney stones include low urine volume, low bodily pH, heredity, living in a tropical climate, and reduced production of natural urinary inhibitors of crystal formation.

Cystine stones

These are caused by a hereditary disorder called cystinuria, which affects about one per cent of men and women.

Who gets kidney stones?

• Having only one kidney.
• A family history of kidney stones.
• Eating a diet high in protein but very low in fibre.
• Becoming dehydrated by not drinking enough fluids or living or working in a hot place.

kidney Stones Symptoms

Symptoms of kidney stones include pain radiating from the upper back to the lower abdomen and groin, profuse sweating, frequent urination, pus and blood in the urine, odorous or cloudy urine, absence of urine formation, and sometimes chills and fever. This can be one of the most painful of all health disorders. In milder cases, the symptoms may mimic a bad case of stomach flu or other gastrointestinal ailment.

Natural home remedies for the treatment of kidney stones

1. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera juice, taken at levels that do not produce a laxative effect, can be useful in preventing stone formation and in reducing the size of a stone during an acute attack.

2. Marshmallow Root

Marshmallow root tea daily helps to cleanse the kidneys and to expel kidney stones. Drink 1 quart daily. Helps to cure kidney stones

3. Lobelia Tincture

A combination of lobelia tincture (3 to 4 drops) and wild yam tincture (15 drops) in a glass of warm water helps to relax the ureters, relieve pain, and hasten the passing of stones. Sip this mixture throughout the day.

4. Lemon

For pain relief, drink the juice of half a fresh lemon in 8 ounces of water every half-hour until the pain subsides. You can alternate between lemon juice and fresh apple juice.

5. Vitamin A

Increase your consumption of foods rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A is beneficial to the urinary tract and helps to discourage the formation of stones. Good sources of vitamin A include alfalfa, apricots, cantaloupes, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and squash.

Prevention

1. Use only distilled water for drinking and cooking. Add trace mineral drops to your drinking water.
2. Reduce your intake of potassium and phosphates. Do not use any salt or potassium chloride, a salt substitute, and avoid carbonated soft drinks.
3. To help prevent any type of stone, fluid intake should be two to three litres per day – water is best.
4. Minimize your consumption of animal protein, or eliminate it from your diet altogether. A diet high in animal protein causes the body to excrete calcium, producing excessive amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and uric acid in the kidneys and often resulting in painful kidney stones.
5. Avoid all refined sugar and products that contains Sugar stimulates the pancreas to release insulin, which in turn causes extra calcium to be excreted in the urine.

Useful References

• https://medlineplus.gov/kidneystones.html
• https://www.bmj.com/content/334/7591/468
• https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones

A rise in blood pressure above the normal is referred to as high blood pressure or hypertension. But what is blood pressure?

Blood is a fluid medium-a vital tissue system with certain cellular elements which have specific functions. A certain faction carries oxygen and other essential nutrients to body cells, near and far. Another faction looks after the defence and immunity against infections. While yet another ensures that haemorrhage is controlled in time and a person does not bleed to death. To carry this blood to its destination, there are blood vessels; and the pressure exerted by the flow of blood against the vessel wall during its transit is called blood pressure. This pressure is caused by the force of contraction, which the heart muscle exerts to pump the blood out of the heart. The elasticity of the vessel wall sustains the onslaught of the pressure.

Blood pressure is determined by the force of the contraction of the heart muscle, the resistance or elasticity of the vessel wall, the quantity of blood being pumped from the heart into the vessels, and lastly the viscosity of the blood. The latter depends upon the cellular or fluid constituents which make up the blood volume.

The task of regulating or maintaining normal blood pressure is carried out by a centre in the brain which initiates some of the vital biochemical functions of the kidneys, and hormonal inputs from the suprarenal glands. The latter are endocrine glands situated just above the kidneys. They regulate the salt and water content in the body.

Hypertension Causes and Symptoms

A faulty diet, smoking, emotional upheavals, anxiety and stress are factors which often have a direct bearing on blood pressure. The elasticity of the blood-vessel walls diminishes with age, and certain deposits accumulate on the inner lining. These are worn-out cellular elements and certain cholesterol factions. For some not fully understood reason, some people are genetically predisposed to this condition. They have a familial tendency to certain lipid (fat) metabolic disorders.

High blood pressure in the initial stages usually goes undetected. It is often an accidental finding during a medical check-up for other reasons. However, headaches, fatigue, nosebleeds, shortness of breath, swelling of the feet, palpitations, nervousness are symptoms that warrant the necessity of an early blood-pressure check-up. Depending on one’s genetic disposition to high blood pressure, or dietary indiscretions, and the actual blood pressure, certain dietary supplements or restrictions can help keep it in check. In the early stages the high blood pressure have no symptoms.

Natural Home Remedies to control Hypertension

1. Bael

Boil a cup of water with a teaspoon of dried bael-leaf powder. Cool and filter it and drink it thrice a day. Bael leaves can be dried, ground in a mixie to a fine powder, and stored in a dry jar. The active ingredient in this powder has natural diuretic properties that helps to regulate blood volume, and hence blood pressure.

2. Cumin Seed

To prepare another remedy, make a paste using a teaspoon of finely ground cumin seed powder, a pinch of sandalwood powder, two-tablespoons of fresh coconut water, and two tablespoons fresh milk. Mix these together, and add sugar to taste. If you wish to add more coconut water to the mixture you can do so. This should be taken in the morning for a week to 10 days. It has anti-stress, adapto-genic properties, besides being a diuretic.

3. Fennel

Grind one measure each of fennel, cumin seeds and a small lump of crystallized sugar together, and have a teaspoon of this mixture in the morning and evening after meals. It has ample fibre, which helps to remove the bad cholesterol, and it is also an antiflatulent and diuretic. This remedy is especially beneficial in hypertension associated with pregnancy.

4. Indian Gooseberry Juice

A tablespoon of freshly expressed Indian gooseberry juice, sweetened with honey, and taken once in the morning, and half a teaspoon of the dried powder taken with hot water at bedtime, decreases the level of low-density cholesterol, which is instrumental in causing atherosclerotic changes and cholesterol deposits in the inner walls of blood vessels.

5. Watermelon Seed

Half a teaspoon of the kernel of watermelon seeds, mixed with half a teaspoon of poppy seeds, ground together and taken in the morning and evening for a month, brings down high blood pressure levels. They have no sodium or potassium in them.

6. Vegetable Juice

A glass of fresh orange juice or grape juice, or raw vegetable juice made with carrots and spinach, or a mixture of the two, is extremely beneficial. These juices are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin-C and potassium, which are all beneficial in bringing down blood pressure. Note :- A word of caution! Those who have hypertension associated with kidney disorders should avoid all these as their high potassium levels are lethal for already disturbed kidney functions.

7. Coriander Seeds

A decoction of a tablespoon of coriander seeds, with a glass of water, reduced to half, strained and taken twice daily, is a good diuretic as well as a cholesterol lowering remedy (coriander seeds are very low potassium).

8. Garlic

Half a teaspoon of dry garlic powder, or two cloves of garlic taken daily in the morning lower blood pressure levels. The garlic cloves should be soaked in fresh milk (just enough to cover them) for one hour. They can be chewed or just swallowed, which is much easier to do. However, those with weak stomachs or those prone to acidity, heartburn or peptic ulcers should avoid this much-publicised remedy.

9. Onion

To a cup of curd, add a medium-sized sliced raw onion, a pinch of turmeric powder, and a clove of lightly roasted, finely chopped fresh garlic. It is good for lowering high blood pressure, and specially beneficial for those who have hyperlipidemia. Onion and garlic both lower lipid levels in blood. In this preparation, only the curd has a little sodium and potassium, whereas onion and garlic have none. Chewing parsley leaves after eating garlic clears the garlic odour from the breath.

10. Cumin

Mix a teaspoon of powdered cumin seeds with a teaspoon of fresh ginger juice and a teaspoon of honey. Have this mixture once a day to reduce hypertension.

11. Drumstick

Having a teaspoon of fresh, yellow drumstick-leaf juice after meals is a lesser known remedy for lowering blood pressure. A palatable way of having it is as a chutney. Grind to a fine paste a handful of fresh, well-washed drumstick leaves, a medium-sized onion, a 1/2-inch piece of ginger, and a 1-inch-piece of tamarind (without seeds), with salt and green chillies to taste. This is rich in anti-oxidant beta-carotene, which neutralises free radicals.

Useful References

• https://medlineplus.gov/highbloodpressure.html
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2643187/
• https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/index.htm
• http://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2017/11/08/11/47/mon-5pm-bp-guideline-aha-2017

Headaches afflict almost 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.

Headaches can be a problem in some children in the rather turbulent, teenage years. While there can. be outlined definite physical causes for a headache, it is more often a sign of emotional strain. However, before attributing emotional cause for the headache, all possibilities of physical illness like meningitis, brain tumor etc. must be eliminated.

Many people suffer headache, and so often, that one wonders whether to treat it with over the counter medicines, which may or may not give relief, or just ignore it, hoping it will go away.

Headache Causes

A headache can be a symptom of an acute illness, such as infectious fevers or common cold. A headache can also persist following a cold, if the sinuses have been infected. But, if this is the cause of the problem, there will be other signs and symptoms such as a blocked nose or tenderness over the sinuses. A headache that becomes worse, or is associated with vomiting, during the course of the infective illness must always receive prompt medical attention. It is possible that the infection could have spread to the outer coverings of the brain, causing meningitis or encephalitis.

Some children also suffer from migraine headaches. But there is a possibility of wrong diagnosis, as stress may be the true cause. Classically, migraine is a severe one-sided headache associated with nausea or vomiting, specific visual symptoms and giddiness. Symptoms vary from person to person but, before a diagnosis is made, one or more of the classic symptoms should be present Migraine often runs in families.

Consuming too much caffeine in coffee, tea, cola, etc., can also alter the blood flow to the brain and cause a headache. Strong perfumes can bring about a headache too.

Symptoms of Headache

The main symptoms of Headache are following:-

• Pain in full or part of head.
• Irritation and anger.
• Allergy to certain foods.
• Excitement or depression.
• Feeling of mental fatigue.

Natural Home Remedies for the treatment of Headache

1. Cloves

A paste of 10-12 cloves and a few small crystals of normal salt with milk can also be applied on the forehead to relieve a headache.

2. Cinnamon

Very cold weather, or being exposed to a blast of cold wind, can be the cause of a headache, a precursor to a cold. The application of a paste of cinnamon and warm water on the temples and forehead induces a feeling of warmth and aborts a headache. However, it should be done early enough before the cold takes hold.

3. Aloe

Aloe grows wild in most places with sandy soil in India . Its leaves have many medicinal properties. Dried leaves can be powdered and stored. Take two pinches or one-fourth of a teaspoon of this powder, mixed with an equal amount of turmeric, dissolved in half a cup of water, and drink it. It is especially good for headache complaints associated with menstruation.

4. Basil Leaves

A headache caused by a cold coming on is relieved by a herbal tea made from an infusion of holy basil leaves, and if the throat feels sore, alternate it with a warm herbal mixture made with a level teaspoon of fresh ginger juice mixed with a spoonful of honey in hot water, thrice a day. Another effective remedy is a level teaspoon of ground long pepper, with jaggery to sweeten the taste, thrice a day with warm or hot water.

5. Rosemary

Headache associated with cold benefits from inhalation of a rosemary- leaf infusion.

6. Terminalia Chebula Powder

For headache associated with constipation, a level teaspoonful of terminalia chebula powder with hot milk effectively clears a loaded colon.

7. Cumin Seeds

A headache caused by indigestion, overeating, dyspepsia, will get well by sipping a tea made with a spoonful of cumin seeds added to a cupful of water. This can be had hot or cold, but acts better if it is warm, bordering on hot. Mint or thyme acts just as well.

8. Apples

Apples are valuable in treating all types of headaches. A ripe apple, after removing the upper rind the inner hard portion, should be taken with little salt every morning for about a week.

Headache Prevention

To avoid tension headaches, keep regular hours- eat in time and never eat in a hurry.

1. Get enough sleep.
2. Do not bring ‘work’ tension home.
3. Regular exercise (walking, jogging, swimming) will helps in relieving stress and tension.
4. Avoid drinking too much tea, coffee and alcohol.
5. Avoid perfume and perfumed products.

Note :- If the Headache persists then you should be taken treatment in the supervision of a competent physician.

Useful References

• http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/75/6/808.short
• http://n.neurology.org/content/63/3/427.short
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030881460400456X
• https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15326535
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2004.04014.x
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535210001899

Why is My Hair Falling Out?

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 up growth at the base of the follicle, called the papilla, actually produces hair, when a special group of cells turn amino acids into keratin, a type of protein of which hair is made. The rate of production of these protein “building blocks” deter­mines hair growth. The average growth rate is about 1.2 em per month, growing fastest on women between the ages 15 and 30.

What are the causes of hair falling out?

The most important cause of loss of hair is inadequate nutrition. Even a partial lack of almost any nutrient may cause hair to fall. Persons lacking vitamin B6108e their hair and those deficient in folic acid often become completely bald. But the hair grows normally after the liberal intake of these vitamins.

Another important cause of falling of hair is stress such as worry, anxiety and sudden shock. Stress leads to a severe ten­sion in the skin of the scalp. This adversely affects the supply of essential nutrition required for the healthy growth of the hair. General debility, caused by severe or long standing illnesses like typhoid, syphilis, chronic cold, influenza and anemia, also gives rise to this disorder. It makes the roots of the hair weak, resulting in the falling of hair. Unclean condition of the scalp can also cause less of hair. It weakens the hair roots by blocking the pores with the collected dirt. Heredity is another predisposing factor which may cause hair to fall

Treatment of hair falling out

The healthy condition of the hair depends, to a very large extent, on the intake of sufficient amounts of essential nutrients in the daily diet. Hair is made of protein and adequate protein is necessary for luxuriant hair. Women require 60 grams, men 80 to 90, adolescent boys and girls 80 to 100 grams of protein. It is supplied by milk, buttermilk, yogurt, soybean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish. A lack of vitamin A may cause the hair to be coarse and ugly. A deficiency. of some of the B vitamins, of iron, copper and iodine may cause hair disorders like falling of hair and premature greying.

Lack of inositol causes loss of hair. Any person having trouble with his or her hair should eat foods rich in inositol such as yeast, liver and molasses. Research has, however, shown that women have a low requirement of inositol. Although this vitamin may help to stimulate the growth of a woman’s hair, its lack is probably not a major cause of slow growth. Women are generally deficient in iodine and vitamin B1, either of which can slow down circulation to the scalp to such an extent that hair may fall out and new hair grow in very slowly. Women who keep their diets adequate in iodine, the B vitamins and iron have a better growth of hair.

According to Adelle Davis, a world famous nutritionist, “Increasing the intake of protein, particularly of liver, wheat germ and yeast, and supplementing the diet with a teaspoon of inositol daily usually stops a man’s hair from falling, and I have seen three or four persons whose hair became thick after these improvements were made.”

Persons with a tendency to lose hair should thus take a well balanced and correct diet, made up of foods which in combination should supply all the essential nutrients. It has been found that a diet which contains liberal quantities of (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetables, and (iii) fruits would provide adequate amounts of all the essential nutrients. Each food group should roughly form the bulk of one of the three principal. meals. These foods should, however, be supplemented with certain special foods such as milk, vegetable oils, honey, wheat germ, yeast and liver.

Home remedies for Falling Hair

Several home remedies have been found useful in the prevention and treatment of the loss of hair are.

1. Vigorous Rubbing

The most effective among these remedies is a vigorous rubbing of the scalp with fingers after washing the hair with cold water. The scalp should be rubbed vigorously till it starts to tingle with the heat. It will activate the sebaceous glands and energise the circulation of blood in the affected area, making the hair grow healthy.

2. Amla Oil

Amla oil, prepared by boiling dry pieces of amla in coconut oil, is considered a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth. A mixture of equal quantity of fresh amla juice and lime juice used as a shampoo stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss.

3. Lettuce

Lettuce (salad-ka-patta) is useful in preventing hair loss through deficiencies. A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice is said to help the growth of hair if it is drunk to the extent of half a litre a day. The juice of alfalfa (lucerne) in combination with carrot and lettuce juice, taken daily also helps the growth of hair to a remarkable extent. The combination of these juices is rich in elements which are particularly useful for the growth of hair. While preparing alfalfa juice, the leaves of the plant only may be used when it can be obtained fresh.

4. Coconut Oil

Daily application of refined coconut oil mixed with lime juice on the hair, prevents loss of hair and lengthens them. Application of the juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also considered beneficial. Amaranth, known as chaulai-ka-saag in the vernacular, is another valuable remedy.

5. Mustard Oil

Mustard oil, boiled with henna leaves, is useful in healthy growth of hair. About 250 grams of mustard oil should be boiled in tinned basin. A little quantity of henna leaves should be gradually put in this oil till about 60 grams of these leaves are thus burnt in the oil. The oil should then be filtered through a cloth and stored well in a bottle. A regular massage of the head with this oil will produce abundant hair.

6. Coconut Milk

Another effective home remedy for loss of hair is the application of coconut milk all over the scalp and massaging it into the hair roots. It will nourish the hair and promote hair growth. The coconut milk is prepared by grinding the coconut shavings and squeezing it well.

7. Black Gram Dal

Washing the hair with a paste of cooked black gram dal, (urad dal) and fenugreek (methi) lengthens the hair. A fine paste made from pigeon pea or red gram (arhar da!) can also be applied regularly with beneficial results on bald patches. Regular use of castor oil as hair oil helps the luxuriant growth of the hair.

8. Lime and Black Pepper Seeds

Certain home remedies have also been found useful in case of patchy loss of hair. The seeds of lime and black pepper seeds, ground to get a fine paste, is one of the valuable remedies. This paste applied on the patches, has mildly irritant action. This increases blood circulation in the affected area and stimulates hair growth. The paste should be applied twice a day for a few weeks.

9. Liquorices

Another useful remedy for patchy loss of hair is the paste of liquorices (mulethi) made by grinding the pieces in milk with a pinch of saffron. This paste should be applied over the bald patches in the night before going to bed.

Useful References

• https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/hair-care/hair-loss-vs-hair-shedding
• https://www.prevention.com/beauty/9-causes-of-hair-loss-and-thinning-hair/slide/3

What is 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.

Chronic fatigue can result from a variety of factors. A specific character trait, compulsiveness, can lead to continuous fatigue. Many persons constantly feel that they cannot take rest until they finish everything that needs to be done at one time. These persons are usually perfectionists, tense and cannot relax unless they complete the whole job, no matter how tired they may be

What are the causes of fatigue ?

The chief cause of fatigue is lowered vitality or lack of energy due to wrong feeding habits. Fatigue is an indication that the cells of the body are not getting sufficient live atoms in the food to furnish them with a constant flow of needed energy. The habitual use of refined foods such as white sugar, refined cereals and white flour products as well as processed, tinned and preserved foods have a very bad effect on the system in general. Foods ‘denatured’ in this way are deprived, to a very great extent, of their invaluable vitamins and minerals. Such foods lead to nervousness, tiredness, obesity and a host of other complaints prevalent today.

Certain physical conditions can cause fatigue. Anemia is a very common ailment leading to tiredness. It is known as ‘tired blood’ disturbance. In anemia, very little oxygen reaches the tissues with the result energy cannot be produced normally. This causes constant tiredness and mental depression. Anemia usually results from deficiencies of iron and vitamin B12.

Sometime deficiencies of vitamin B6 and folic acid are also involved.

Insomnia or lack of sleep can be a cause of torturing fatigue. Sleep induced by sleeping pills and other drugs does not banish fatigue. Intestinal parasites can also lead to fatigue as they rob the body of good nourishment and gorge themselves on rich red blood. Other ailments which can cause fatigue are low blood pressure, low blood sugar, any kind of infection in the body, liver damage, a sluggish thyroid and allergy in foods and drugs caused by additives including artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

Mental tension is one of the major causes of fatigue. A person who is tense and cannot relax has all the muscles of his body more or less contracted. This leads to needless waste of unusually large amounts of energy. Food is continuously burnt, lactic acid accumulates more rapidly than it can be carried to liver for conversion to body starch. Persons who are high strung, nervous and irritable usually suffer from this type of fatigue.

Fatigue Home Remedies

Nutritional measures are most vital in the treatment. of fatigue. Studies reveal that people who eat small mid meals suffer less from fatigue and nervousness, think more clearly and are more efficient than those who eat only three meals daily. These mid meals should consist of fresh or dried fruits, fresh fruit or vegetable juices, raw vegetables or small sandwich of whole grain bread. The mid-meal should be small and less food should be consumed at regular meals. They should be taken at specified time such as 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and before retiring to bed.

The patient should eat health foods which supply energy to the body. Charles De Coti Marsh of London in his book ‘Prescription for Energy’ prescribes foods to relieve fatigue and gain energy. He says, “Regenerating must begin with foods. They must be taken in their natural state. These cereals are corn seeds. wheat seeds. rye seeds. maize seeds. barley seeds and oat seeds. They must be freshly milled. In uncooked cereals. we do have one perfect food for perfect health which contains the essential vitamins and energy creators.” In addition to cereal seeds. Marsh recommends fresh raw nuts taken directly from the shell and root vegetables. He says, “Any seed or root vegetable that will grow again will renew human vitality. The patient should take an optimum diet made up of

• seeds, nuts and grains
• vegetables and fruits.

Roughly, each food group should supply the bulk of one of the three meals. Sprouting is an excellent way to eat seeds, beans and grains in raw form. Sprouting increases the nutritional value of foods and many new vitamins are created or multiplied in seeds during sprouting. The patient should supplement the three health-building food groups with special protective foods such as milk, high quality cold-pressed unrefined vegetable oil and honey. Some home remedies for the treatment of fatigue.

1. The patient should also take natural vitamin and mineral supplements as an effective assurance against nutritional deficiencies, as such deficiencies have been found to a factor in fatigue. Lack of pantothenic acid, B vitamin in particular, leads to extreme fatigue as deficiency of this vitamin is associated with exhaustion of the adrenal glands. In fact the entire B complex protect nerves and increases energy by helping to nourish and regulate glands. The vegetarian foods rich in vitamin’ B are wheat and other whole grain cereals, green leafy vegetables, rice polishing, milk, nuts, banana, yeast, pulses and peas.
2. Minerals are also important. Potassium is especially needed for protection against fatigue. Raw green vegetables are rich in this mineral. Calcium is essential for relaxation and is beneficial in cases of insomnia and tension both of which can lead to fatigue. Sodium and zinc are also beneficial in the treatment of fatigue.
3. Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot juice, taken separately or in combination with juices of beets and cucumbers, is highly valuable in overcoming fatigue. The formula proportions considered helpful in the combination juice of 500 ml. are carrot 300 ml. and beet and cucumber 100 ml. each.
4. The patient should avoid depending for an energy lift, on crutches such as taking aspirin, tranquilizers and other drugs, drinking coffee or alcohol, smoking, eating some sugar or sweets. They give only a temporary boost and this is soon followed by a downward plunge of energy, leaving a person worse than before.

Useful References

• https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003088.htm
• https://www.nhs.uk/livewell/tiredness-and-fatigue/Pages/tiredness-and-fatigue.aspx