Monday, August 28, 2006

Food pesticides

There is a raging controversy in India about the presence of pesticides in Pepsi and Coke. All being said and done, one should realize that even most of the vegetables, fruit and cereals that we consume are grossly contaminated. For instance, fish is likely to contain a large number of pollutants like mercury. Most of those shiny apples, tomatoes and mangoes are polished to give it that bright and colorful look. Some precautions that you can follow are:

* Wash fruits thoroughly under running water and later with mild soap.
* Do not eat vegetables like carrot raw; peel the skin throughly.
* All vegetables, grains etc should be throughly washed.
* The best bet is to grow your own vegetables! If this is not possible, try organic food. Organic vegetables, fruits etc are grown without pesticides or fertilizers. They are however, more expensive, but a small price to pay for a truly healthy diet. Don't you think so?

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

The health benefits of massage therapy


Massage helps in blood circulation, stimulates the nerves, which control the blood vessels, and aids in the relaxation of tense muscles and tight connective tissues, which could have a constricting effect. Although massage can be done with just simple massage oil, the use of essential oils, as in aromatherapy, has an additional benefit.

Essential oils are the pure volatile portion of aromatic plant products, normally extracted by distillation and encompass more than sixty kinds of herbal oils. Aromatherapy is the use of such essential oils for therapeutic or medical purposes. In addition to being used to ease aches, pains and injuries, aromatherapy also acts on the central nervous system, thereby decreasing anxiety and depression, reducing stress, inducing sedation, and restoring both physical and emotional well-being. Aromatherapy massage can also be beneficial to the immune system. Eight primary research studies on the effect of aromatherapy massage on anxiety in cancer patients revealed that seven of the studies showed a significant decrease in anxiety after aromatherapy massage.

Massage is also widely employed in Ayurveda. Special oils are used for this purpose. In ayurveda, specific types of massage (uzhichal and pizhichal) are used for different kinds of pains and other medical conditions or just as an energy booster.


Stevia

Stevia is a natural plant, which contains an active molecule called stevioside. Some studies have reported that when administered twice daily, stevioside demonstrated glucose lowering effects in diabetic rat models.

In addition, stevia has no calories, lowers blood pressure and inhibits fat absorption. It is said to be much sweeter than sugar and is available in both powder and liquid form. Further studies of this agent for the treatment of diabetes are underway.

Artificial Pancreas
Inhalable insulin

Symptoms of food allergy

Food allergy is a condition wherein an individual who is sensitive to certain types of food, develops symptoms after eating that particular food. This reaction (IgE reaction) is most commonly associated with cow’s milk (in infants), shellfish, wheat, eggs, nuts, chocolate, certain types of sea-food (prawns) etc.

The acute symptoms include swelling of the lips, itching of the skin (urticaria), asthma or rarely anaphylactic shock and death. Sometimes, the symptoms may be delayed (delayed hypersensitivity) and include: joint pain, fatigue, and altered sensory perception.

If you suspect anyone suffering of food allergy, rush him immediately to emergency.

Steroid-based lung inhalers for asthma patients

Common inhaled steroids include: budesonide, fluticasone, flunisolide, triamcinolone and beclomethasone. There are four groups of inhaler devices:
1. Pressurized MDIs (Metered Dose Inhalers)-the most common device.
2. Inhalers with spacer devices –for children and very old people with incoordination.
3. Dry powder inhalers- each dose contains the medicine in a powder form that has to be sucked in. It is not suitable for children under 5-6 years.
4. Nebulisers- a nebuliser generates an aerosol vapor of the medicine. It is used mainly in hospitals for those with severe attacks of asthma when large doses are required.

Steroid-based lung inhalers reduce the need for oral corticosteroids. Some guidelines recommend steroid-based lung inhalers to be started in any patient whose asthma is not controlled by inhaled bronchodilators. If asthma is not controlled by the standard dose, then it may be increased two-fold or more. The majority of currently available steroid-based lung inhalers require 2-4 weeks of treatment to produce relief. Simultaneously, oral corticosteroids can also be started for faster resolution. The improvements can be maintained d with an inhaler after oral treatment is stopped. One of the most common complication of steroid inhalers is the development of thrush.

Tips for improving indoor air quality to prevent allergies

*Keep your house clean and free of dust.
*Control allergens (pollen from outside, dust mites, pet dander, mold, and mildew).
*Increase ventilation. Use exhaust fans when cooking, showering, and using the dishwasher.
*Maintain a comfortable temperature and low humidity.
*Do not allow smoking in the house.
*Keep your house clean and free of dust.
*Use trigger sprays instead of aerosols.
*Improve air filtration.
*Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom to remove moisture and indoor pollutants.
*Monitor the temperature and humidity in the home. Air-conditioning often helps. Clean the filters regularly.
*Use a dehumidifier to keep the level of moisture at 35-50%. This helps to reduce mold, dust mites, and cockroaches.
*Avoid smoke and combustion products.
*Keep the house clean.
*Inspect the air ducts in your house.
Controlling dust mite exposure for allergy sufferers

To control dust mites, you have to hit them where it hurts the most, i.e., deprive them of their food! They basically survive on dead skin cells. These may originate from people inhabiting the house and from pets in the house. Therefore, your mattress and pillows must be encased in tight covers. This prevents the dead cells from entering in and also prevent dust mite residue to escape from the bedding. Ban pets (especially the furry ones) from entering your house, and especially the bedroom. Kill the existing mites- by washing bedding in water at 120-130 F. Destroy their habitat- by removing carpets or clean carpets by steaming at least once a year. Dust and vacuum regularly- a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air filter) vacuum is the best. Reduce humidity levels- air conditioners and dehumidifier’s lowers the relative humidity to 50 % or below. Dust mites die because they can't absorb moisture from the air.

Remedies for dark circles under eyes

The skin under the eyes is very loose and thin. This makes it to darken under various influences. Let us know about some of the common conditions of dark circles, these include: heredity, fatigue and lack of proper sleep, allergies, asthma, eczema and uncorrected refractive errors (presence of any of these conditions make you to rub your eyes. Chronic rubbing of the eyes makes the skin under the eyes to darken), excess exposure to sun- this can cause higher skin pigmentation under the eyes, poor nutrition- the lack of proper nutrients in the diet, or the lack of a balanced diet may cause the skin under the eyes to look lackluster and dark, physiologic conditions like pregnancy and menstruation cause hormonal changes, which makes the skin, especially under the eyes to darken, increasing age also makes the skin thinner and paler, causing dark circles.

The treatment includes the following: lightening agents, such as hydroquinone, chemical peels remove the dead layers of skin and reduces pigmentatation, laser treatment- this involves Q-switched Ruby laser treatment or high-energy pulsed CO2 laser treatment.

Techniques to conceal dark circles- use an under-eye concealer, which is a shade lighter than the foundation you're using. Use a soft, gentle, circular motion to apply the concealer under your eyes. Apply the foundation up to the concealer and blend the two shades together, again using a gentle, circular motion. It is important NEVER to use an over-the-counter facial or body cream bleach under the eyes.

Natural remedies-these includes application of any of the following for about 15 minutes daily: chilled cucumber slices, half a peeled potato, almond oil massage under and around the eyes at bed time daily for 1-2 weeks or lemon juice application.
It is important to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water everyday. Avoid straining or rubbing the eyes. Get any refractive errors corrected. Get at least 8 hours of sleep.

Seeing the world through the eyes of your child

Very often, I see parents yelling at their kids. “No! Stop! Don’t touch it!” and so on. We tend to see things through the eyes of an adult; always critical and judgmental. It is important to realize that kids (especially in the 1-5 year age group) are very curious. This is the age when their urge to explore their surroundings is the maximum. They are seeing many things for the first time, and naturally, their brain is urging them to touch, to feel, to hear and to taste. Kids in this age group love to break toys, tear up paper, put things in their mouth, play with mud or bang on utensils. It is all a natural urge. This is how their neural network and proprioceptive senses develop. The more you try to stop them from doing it, the more you retard their natural neural growth, and more urge they have to do it.

So, does this mean that you should let them loose in the house, allowing them to destroy things? Well, not exactly. It means that you should see the world through their eyes. If they are tearing up some paper, which is not important, let them do it. If junior loves to play in mud, let him. Just clean him up later. Here are some tips to ensure that you can relax while the little one can play around the house, without trouble.

· Keep all valuable papers, glass, knives, medicine, crockery or other items in a place where kids can’t reach it.
· Avoid plastic toys and pacifiers. Many toys and pacifiers contain harmful chemicals like PVC, VMC and DHEP. Wooden toys are safer and more durable.
· Most plug points are within reach. Close them with a removable closer. Alternatively, you can tape points, which you don’t use frequently..
· If at all they get their hands on something valuable or dangerous, don’t panic. Just go beside them and calmly request them to hand it over. Most often it works. If you throw a fit and yell at them, they too get excited and understand that it is something valuable. The next time, they will have the natural urge to pick it up again.
· Whenever you are with the child, try to explore things together. Encourage them to feel the texture of a leaf or the smell of a flower. Give them a pen and paper and let them scribble. It will not only keep them occupied, but also allows for that crucial development.