A nice article on the uses and benefits of ALOE VERA

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Home Remedies for Sinusitis..

Sinusitis refers to an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the paranasal sinuses. It often follows a common cold, influenza, and other general infections. Infecting germs sometimes find their way into sinuses or chambers on either side of the nasal passage, leading to sinus trouble.

Sinusitis symptoms

Constant sneezing, headaches and low grade fever

The symptoms of sinusitis are excessive or constant sneezing ; a running nose; blockage of one or both nostrils; headaches and pressure around the head, eyes, and face. Sinus headaches are usually felt in the forehead and in the face just below the eyes.The patient may suffer from low grade fever, lack of appetite, and difficulty in breathing.

Sinusitis causesInflammation of the sinus passages

Sinusitis results from the inflammation of the sinus passages and oversecretion of mucus by the membranes lining the nose and throat .

Home Remedies for Sinusitis

Sinusitis treatment using Mango

The liberal use of mangoes during the season is considered an effective remedy for prevention and treatment of sinusitis. Mangoes contribute towards formation of healthy epithelium, thereby preventing frequent attacks of common infections like sinusitis. This is attributable to a high concentration of vitamin A in the fruit .

Sinusitis treatment using Garlic and Onion

The use of pungent foods like garlic and onion is one of the most effective remedies for sinus problems. One should begin with small mild doses and increase them gradually. Beneficial results can also be achieved by adding these herbs in moderate amounts to regular meals

Sinusitis treatment using Fenugreek

The seeds of fenugreek are another effective remedy for sinusitis. A tea prepared by boiling one teaspoon of seeds in 250 ml of water till it is reduced to half, will help the body to produce perspiration, dispel toxicity, and shorten the period of fever in the acute stage of the disease. Upto four cups should be taken daily. The quantity should be reduced as the condition improves

Sinusitis treatment using Cumin Seeds

A teaspoon of black cumin seeds tied in a thin cotton cloth can provide relief when inhaled. The condition can also be relieved by taking a mixture of 100 gm of roasted and ground cumin seeds and 200 gm of pure honey

Sinusitis treatment using Vegetable Juices

Carrot juice, taken separately or in combination with juices of beet and cucumber, or with spinach juice, has been found beneficial in the treatment of sinus trouble. In the case of combined juices, 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices, or 200 ml of spinach juice, should be mixed with 300ml of carrot juice to make 500 ml or half a litre of the mixed juice

Sinusitis treatment using Vitamins A and C

A diet rich in vitamin A is the best insurance against cold and sinus trouble. Vitamin A is the 'membrane conditioner' and it helps build healthy mucous membranes in the nose and throat. Some of the valuable sources of this vitamin are whole milk, curds, egg yolk, pumpkin, carrots, leafy vegetables, tomatoes, mangoes, and papaya. When the sinus trouble has already developed, relief can be obtained by taking vitamin A in large therapeutic doses of 25,000 IU per day. Vitamin C has also proved beneficial in the treatment of sinusitis and the patient should take one gram of this vitamin per day in two therapeutic doses of 500 mg each

Diet for Sinusitis

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices with water

In the acute stage of the disease, when fever is present, the patient should abstain from all solid foods and drink only fresh fruit and vegetable juices diluted with warm water on a 50:50 basis

Well-balanced diet

After the fever subsides, he may adopt a low-calorie, raw fruit and vegetable diet with plenty of raw juices. Once the acute symptoms are over, the patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet, with emphasis on seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits. In persistent chronic conditions, repeated short juice fasts may be undertaken for a week or so at intervals of two months

Avoid fried and starchy food

The patient should avoid fried and starchy foods, white sugar, white floor, rice, macaroni products, pies, cakes, and candies

Other Sinusitis treatments

• Hot and cold water application
• A cold application over the sinus will give great relief, while alternate hot and cold applications also prove beneficial.
• Take pans of hot and cold water, bathe the whole face with hot water as hot as you can bear-and then apply cold water for a short duration
• Inhalation of steam, proper sleep and adequate rest
• Nasal inhalation of steam for five minutes every hour will also give relief.
• Plenty of sleep, adequate rest, and fresh air are essential in the treatment of sinus trouble
• Avoid perfumes and scented hair oil
• Patient should avoid the use of perfumes and strongly scented hair oil

Home Remedies for Menstruation...

The two major female sex hormones in the body are estrogen and progesterone. They are produced in a pair of organs in the abdomen, known as the ovaries. The ovaries start producing large quantities of estrogen when a girl reaches about 12 years of age. This enables her to grow rapidly and develop into a normal young woman. The commencement of menstruation at this time heralds the reproductive phase of her life, when she can have children. The main problems relating to menstrual flow are pre-menstrual tension, painful menstruation, stoppage of menstruation, and excessive menstruation. These disorders are not uncommon.

Menstrual Problems symptoms & causes

Premenstrual Tension and Menstrual Cramps
A few days before menstruation, some women become nervous and irritable. They suffer from depression, headaches, fullness in the breasts, insomnia, and swelling in the lower extremities. This may be due to a hormonal imbalance. These problems cease within twenty-four hours of the start of the menstrual flow.

Dysmenorrhoea
Painful menstruation, as it is called in medical parlance, is a common condition. The pain may be felt either two or three days before or immediately before or during the flow. This may also be due to a hormonal imbalance.

Amenorrhoea or Stoppage of Menstrual Flow
This is natural during pregnancy and at the menopause, but abnormal at any other time. It denotes a debilitated and devitalized condition of the body. The main causes contributing towards this condition are anemia, worry, grief, fright, or other serious emotional disturbances; malformation of the womb; tuberculosis; displacement of the womb; and debility, especially after a serious illness.

Menorrhagia or Excessive Menstrual Flow
This is common in some women. A variety of causes may be responsible for this trouble, including fibroids.

Home Remedies for Menstrual Problems

Menstrual Problems treatment using Parsley
Parsley is one of the most effective among the several home remedies in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It increases menstruation and assists in the regularization of the monthly periods. This action is due to the presence of apiol, which is a constituent of the female sex hormone estrogens. Cramps, which are a result of menstrual irregularities, are relieved and frequently corrected entirely by the regular use of parsley juice, particularly in conjunction with beet juice; or with beet, carrot, and cucumber juices. The recommended quantity is 75 ml of each of the four juices.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Ginger
The use of ginger is another effective home remedy for menstrual disorders, especially in cases of painful menstruation and stoppage of menstrual flow. A piece of fresh ginger should be pounded and boiled in a cup of water for a few minutes. The infusion, sweetened with sugar, should be used thrice daily after meals as a medicine for treating this condition.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are valuable in menstrual problems. Half a teaspoon of powder of these seeds, taken with hot water twice daily, acts excellently in reducing spasmodic pain during menstruation in young, unmarried anaemic girls. Its regular use, two days prior to the expected periods, cures scanty menstruation. A warm hip bath containing a handful of crushed sesame seeds should be simultaneously taken along with this recipe.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Papaya
The unripe papaya helps the contractions of the muscle fibres of the uterus and is thus beneficial in securing a proper menstrual flow. Papaya is especially helpful when menstruation ceases due to stress or fright in young unmarried girls.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Bengal Gram
A bath prepared by putting an entire Bengal gram plant in hot water is beneficial in painful menstruation. The plant also may be used for a sitting steam bath.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Marigold
The herb Marigold, named after the Virgin Mary, is useful in allaying any pain during menstruation and facilitating menstrual flow. An infusion of the herb should be given in doses of one tablespoon twice daily for the treatment of these disorders.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Banana Flower
The use of banana flower is one of the most effective home remedies in the treatment of menorrhagia or excessive menstruation. One banana flower should be cooked and eaten with one cup of curd. This will increase the quantity of progesterone and reduce the bleeding.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Coriander Seeds
Coriander seeds are also beneficial in the treatment of excessive menstruation. Six grams of these seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water. This decoction should be taken off the fire when only half the water remains. Sugar candy should be added to it and the patient should drink it when it is still warm.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Mango Bark
The juice of the fresh mango bark is another valuable remedy for heavy bleeding during menstruation. The juice is given with the addition of white of an egg or some mucilage- a kind of vegetable glue obtained from a plant, and a small quantity of the kernel of a poppy. As an alternative, a mixture of 10 ml of a fluid extract of the bark, and 120 ml of water may be given in doses of one teaspoon every hour or two.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Ashoka
The bark of the Ashoka tree is an effective remedy for excessive blood loss during the monthly period which occurs due to uterine fibroids and other causes. It should be given in the form of decoction in treating this condition. About 90 gm of the bark should be boiled in 30 ml of milk and 360 ml of water till the total quantity is reduced to about 90 gm. This quantity should be given in one day, in two or three doses. The treatment should commence from the fourth day of the monthly period and should be continued till the bleeding is checked. A fresh decoction should be made for use each day.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Indian Barbery
The herb Indian barbery is also useful in case of excessive bleeding. It should be given in doses of thirteen to twenty-five grams daily.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Rough Chaff
The herb rough chaff is also valuable in excessive menstruation. An infusion of the herb should be prepared by steeping 15 gm of rough chaff in 250 ml of water and used for treating this condition.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Hermal
The herb hermal is useful in regulating the menstrual periods. It is especially beneficial in painful and difficult menstruation. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one - third. This decoction should be given in 15 to 30ml doses.

Menstrual Problems treatment using Hemp
Hemp can be successfully used when menses do not start at the scheduled time. Five large heads of hemps should be boiled in half a litre of water till the water is reduced to half. It should then be strained and drunk before going to bed for two or three nights. This remedy seldom fails.

Other remedies

· Goldenseal with a very small amount of mistletoe is an effective remedy to reduce blood flow.
· To relieve menstrual cramps quickly and easily, wrap a hot, wet towel around mid-section and lay in the fetal position.
· Chamomile, parsley, safflower, and squaw vine is useful in cases of amenorrhoea.
· Boil a teaspoon of saffron in a half cup of water until it reduces to a tablespoon. Divide into three portions and take three times during the day. This gives relief to cramps.
· Make a paste of six or eight almonds and mix with a cup of milk, an egg yolk, a half-teaspoon sesame powder, and a teaspoon honey. Take a couple of times a day to relieve cramps.
· Drink a glass of milk with a half-teaspoon cinnamon every night to relieve cramps.
· Place a pinch of dried ground ginger in a cup of hot boiling water for a tea (no sugar), and let steep for 5 minutes. Drink this tea. It will give relief to the cramps.
· Dissolve 2 aspirins, 1/2 tsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of honey into 1/2 cup of water. Drink this solution if you are missing periods. This is very effective home remedy for menstruation and will lead to regular menstrual cycle.
· Take a teaspoon ground dried mint leaf and a teaspoon of honey twice a day to relieve cramps.
· Drink parsley, beet, carrot, and cucumber juices on a regular basis to relieve cramps.
· Dissolve half-teaspoon sesame seeds in hot water. Drink this twice daily to relieve spasmodic pain.
· Eat 5 raw adzuki beans (also called aduki, or azuki) will help to stop the heavy bleeding.
· Boil 1 cup of black beans in 5 cups of water and drink the juice half cup before your 3 meals this will help regulate menstruation.
· Mix half a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a cup of hot water and leave for half an hour; then drink (eat the seeds as well). Do this every morning with an empty stomach. This will give strength to the uterus.
· Most of the problems in women arise due to undue stress of life. Reducing stress may help resolve the disorder in some women.
· Being either over- or underweight is a contributor to menstrual disorders. Women should make every effort to maintain a normal weight.
· Agnus castus fruit, also known as chaste tree berry (Vitex), helps alleviate symptoms of PMS.
· Black cohosh (Remidfemin) has been used for amenorrhea and symptoms of menopause.
· Low-fat vegetarian diet during menstrual cycles leads to less pain and bloating and a shorter duration of premenstrual symptoms than those who ate meat.
· Reducing caffeine, sugar, and alcohol intake during menstruation may be beneficial.
· Massage lobelia extract into any area that is cramped. Drink a tea of red raspberry leaves to prevent and reduce the severity of menstrual cramps.
· Drink a tea of comfrey leaves and alfalfa to lessen the pain of muscle cramps.
· Drink 1 or 2 glasses of tomato juice, every day. It will give significant improvement in your flow, and fewer cramps in your next period. This is also very effective home remedy for menstruation.
· Parsley is one of the most effective among the several home remedies in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It increases menstruation and assists in the regularization of the monthly periods.
· The unripe papaya helps the contractions of the muscle fibres of the uterus and is very effective in maintaining a proper menstrual flow.
· Put an entire Bengal gram plant in hot water. Take a bath to get relief from painful menstruation.
· The herb Marigold, named after the Virgin Mary, is useful in alleviating any pain during menstruation and facilitating menstrual flow. One tablespoon of the herb should be taken twice daily for the treatment of these disorders.
· The use of banana flower is one of the most effective home remedies in the treatment of menorrhagia or excessive menstruation. One banana flower should be cooked and eaten with one cup of curd.
· Coriander seeds are also effective in the treatment of excessive menstruation. Six grams of these seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water. Boil the mixture till only half the water remains. Sugar candy should be added to it and the patient should drink it when it is still warm.
· The juice of the fresh mango bark is another valuable remedy for heavy bleeding during menstruation. The juice can be taken along with white of an egg or some mucilage- a kind of vegetable glue obtained from a plant, and a small quantity of the kernel of a poppy.
· The bark of the Ashoka tree is an effective remedy for excessive blood loss during the monthly period, which occurs due to uterine fibroids and other causes. About 90 gm of the bark should be boiled in 30 ml of milk and 360 ml of water till the total quantity is reduced to about 90 gm. This quantity should be given in one day, in two or three doses. The treatment should commence from the fourth day of the monthly period and should be continued till the bleeding is stopped. A fresh decoction should be made for use each day.
· The herb Indian barberry is also useful in case of excessive bleeding. It should be given in doses of thirteen to twenty-five grams daily.
· The herb rough chaff is also valuable in excessive menstruation. Prepare a solution by heating 15 gm of rough chaff in 250 ml of water and use for treating this condition.
· The herb hermal is useful in regulating the menstrual periods. It is especially beneficial in painful and difficult menstruation. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one - third. This mixture should be given in 15 to 30ml doses.
· Hemp can be successfully used when menses do not start at the scheduled time. Five large heads of hemps should be boiled in half a litre of water till the water is reduced to half. It should then be strained and drunk before going to bed for two or three nights.

Menstrual Problems diet

All-fruit diet
The various disorders relating to menstrual flow, being systemic in origin, can be tackled only by treating the system as a whole, so as to remove the toxicity from the body and build up the general health level of the sufferer. To undertake such a scheme of all-round, health-building treatment, the sufferer should begin with an all-fruit diet for about five days, taking three meals a day of fresh, juicy fruits. However, if there is excessive weight loss during the all-fruit diet, those already underweight may add a glass of milk to each fruit meal.

Well-balanced diet
After the all fruit diet, the sufferer should adopt a well-balanced diet, with emphasis on fresh fruits, raw vegetables, and wholegrain cereals.
Avoid white flour products, sugar, confectionery, tinned or preserved foods, strong tea/coffee
foods which should be avoided are white flour products, sugar, confectionery, rich cakes, pastries, sweets, refined cereals, greasy foods, tinned or preserved foods, strong tea, coffee, pickles, and condiments.

Other Menstrual Problems treatment

Warm-water enema
During the first five days of an all-fruit diet, the bowels should be cleansed daily with a warm-water enema

Dry friction and a cold hip bath
Dry friction and a cold hip bath should form a regular feature of the treatment every morning. All cold baths should however be suspended during the menstrual period.

Avoid smoking
Smoking if habitual should be given up completely as it aggravates menstrual disorders.

Lower Back Pain for Computer Professionals...

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Detailed information on Diabetes

Click here to download detailed information on DIABETES in pdf format.

Article on heart attack...(Submitted by: Sudhir Warrier)

What to do when we get a heart attack at a time when we are alone and no help is available....

Click here to download some important information to help us handle such situations.

(Contributed By : Sudhir Warrier)

Yoga to fight Diabetes....

A study has been conducted on the causes and prevention of diabetes among the Indian population for the first time. Until now, such studies were conducted only on Western populations and the results of the study were not applicable to residents of South Asia.

The results of the study, conducted by the Chennai-based M V Hospital for Diabetes and Diabetes Research Centre (a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Diabetes in India) under the guidance of scientist Dr A Ramachandran, were published in Diabetologia, the International Journal of Diabetes.

The study discovered that India has an estimated 35 million diabetics and worse, that nearly 13.3 million cases remain undiagnosed.

Various studies reveal that the high incidence of diabetes is mainly because of rapid urbanisation, decreased physical activity, obesity, stress and above all, the low threshold level among Indians to environmental risk factors.

Only 6 percent of the urban population in the West have diabetes. In contrast, the number is between 12 and 15 percent in the case of urban South Asians.

The incidence of diabetics in urban India has increased 20 times In the last 20 years!

Another startling revelation is that over 50 percent cases of diabetes in rural India and 30 percent in urban areas go undiagnosed.

Undiagnosed diabetes can lead to long-term complications. "Early detection and proper treatment are very important," says Dr Ramachandran.

A question often asked is whether it is possible to prevent diabetes. Various studies and programmes in the West have shown that a modification in lifestyle and proper medication can delay and prevent diabetes in high-risk groups. Western studies showed reduction diabetes among obese people who reduced their weight.

Indians are also relatively non-obese but highly insulin resistant. The onset of diabetes in Indians is significantly at a young age compared to their Western counterparts.

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Article on cancer. (Submitted by Venugopal Warrier)

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

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This article may be sent to anyone important in your life.

(Contributed by: Venugopal Warrier)