MYOPIA or SHORTSIGHTEDNESS

MYOPIA or SHORTSIGHTEDNESS

Normal vision 

With Myopia

Myopia or shortsightedness refers to the inability to see or hazy or blurred vision on seeing things that are at a distance; e.g. the blackboard at school, the screen in a cinema hall or the TV screen may start looking blurred and the eyes of the sufferer may start watering due to the strain on the eyes. There may be itching and heaviness in the eyes and the patient may complain of a mild headache due to the eyestrain. Myopia may 

result especially in cases where the child or the person is reading in dim light,reading in moving vehicles or from watching too much of television. The other causes of myopia are mental strain, wrong food habits and improper blood and nerve supply. Mental strain correspondingly puts physical strain on the eyes, their muscles and nerves. 

SOME EXERCISES 

1. All eye muscle exercises should be performed while being seated comfortably and in a relaxed atmosphere.

2. Move the eyes up gently and slowly in a circle, then move them down in the reverse direction. Do this four times and then rest for a second or two and repeat the movement two to three times, using minimum effort. Do this a few times daily.

3. Rotate the neck in circles and semi-circles. Move the shoulder clockwise and anti-clockwise briskly, drawing them up as far as possible several times. Bend the head forwards and backwards as far as possible several times. Turn the head to the right and to the left as far as possible several times. These exercises help to loosen up and relax the contracted neck muscles that may restrict blood supply to the head.

4. Keep the head still and relaxed and gently move the eyes up and down six times. Repeat the same movement 2-3 times at two-second intervals. The eyes should move slowly and regularly as far down as possible and then as far up as possible.

5. Move the eyes from side to side as far as possible, without any force or jerky movements six times. Repeat this two to three times daily.

6. Sit on a bench facing the sun with your eyes closed and gently turn the head from side to side several times for about ten minutes. Then open the eyes and blink about ten times at the sun and then look at some greenery. This helps to relieve shortsightedness.

7. Hold the index finger of the right hand about eight inches in front of the eyes, then look from the finger to any other large object ten or more feet away (e.g. the door or  the window). Look from one to the other ten times. Do this exercise frequently throughout the day.

8. Splash plain, cold water several times on the eyes when closed. This helps to cool the eyes and boosts its blood supply.

HOME REMEDIES 

1. Natural, uncooked foods especially fresh fruits (like oranges, apples, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries) and fresh green vegetables (like lettuce, cabbage, spinach and turnip tops), root vegetables (like potatoes, turnips, carrots, onions and beetroots), nuts, dry fruits and dairy products should be taken liberally. Jams, pastries, refined and processed products, white bread, tea, coffee, meat, fish and eggs are better to be avoided. Genuine wholemeal bread is useful.

2. Having a diet rich in vitamin A is of utmost importance. The rich sources of thisvitamin are raw spinach (palak), lettuce, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, turnip tops, green peas, soya beans, cod liver oil, fresh milk and its cream, cheese, butter, egg yolk, liver, wheat germ, oranges and dates. If the person wants to just take a supplement, 25,000 IU of Vitamin A is recommended.

3. Two glasses of carrot juice should be taken daily for a few months.

4. Instill two drops of black holy basil (tulsi) juice into the eyes daily at bedtime.

5. Bilberry is a well known herb for poor vision. It can be taken in the capsule form - one capsule thrice daily or 15-40 drops of the extract of the herb is taken in water or juice thrice daily.

6. Putting a few drops of castor oil (arandi) into each eye and rubbing some on the top of the scalp before bath helps.

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Simple Home Remedies For Acidity

Simple Home Remedies For Acidity

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

Top 10 home remedies to cure acidity

1. Cloves 
If you are suffering from gastritis, then clove acts as the wonder drug to get you rid of this sensation. Just chew say about two cloves and slightly bite them so that juices keep oozing out. Soon, the problem will vanish.

2. Cumin seeds 
Take say about a teaspoon of cumin seeds and then roast them. After roasting, crush them in such a manner that they don't become powder. Now, add this to a glass of water and have it with every meal you take. It does wonders.

3. Jaggery 
Jaggery can help a lot in treating heartburn and acidity. Consume a small lump and allow it to get dissolved in your mouth to get relief from acidity. But, this remedy should not be tried by people who have diabetes.

4. Raita 

Raita prepared with curd and added with ingredients like grated cucumber and coriander will surely aid in digestion and help eliminate acidity.

5. Basil leaves 
Basil leaves are popular for their medicinal properties. Chewing say around 5-6 basil leaves relieves acidity to a lot of extent. One can also make a blend of crushed basil leaves and dried leaves which can be consumed with water or tea or simply be swallowed.

6. Butter-milk 

Left-Milk,Right-Butter milk

A yet another simple and most easy homemade remedy to treat acidity is consuming butter milk mixed with a little say about ½ teaspoon of black pepper powder.

7. Mint 
It is also a good idea to drink fresh mint juice or chew raw mint leaves after meals everyday to keep acidity and indigestion away from you.

8. Ginger 
Ginger is considered as a cure-all herb as it helps in treating so many different kinds of conditions. Consume just the right amount of ginger about half an hour before each meal and feel the difference.

9. Milk 
Milk is a drink that consists of a large amount of calcium which helps in preventing build-up of stomach acid. So, drink a glass of milk after your meal to soothe your stomach after having a spicy meal.

10. Vanilla ice cream 
Yes, gorging a cup of your favourite vanilla ice cream not just savours your sweet tooth but also helps combat gastritis. This is an easy home remedy to fight acidity.

Some more remedies.
Eating water melon, banana and cucumber also reduces the acidity. 

Drinking the almond milk made from blanched almonds is very helpful as it supplies good quality protein and also binds the excess of acid in the stomach. This is another effective Home Remedy for Acidity.

Take tender coconut water 3- 4 times a day. 

By Eating sprinkle sugar and pepper on the piece of pineapple, you will get relief from acidity. 

You can also get relief from acidity, by drinking pumpkin juice and also adding sugar in it for better taste.

Drink carrot juice, it is also used to get relief from acidity.

Take 1 tablespoon of amla with 1 tablespoon of haritaki. It is an effective Home Remedy for Acidity.

Squeeze the juice of an orange and mix it with roasted cumin seeds. You can also add some rock salt to make taste good. This will give you an instant relief from acidity.

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PRICKLY HEAT-HOME REMEDIES

PRICKLY HEAT-HOME REMEDIES 

"Prickly heat" is especially seen in people who, unaccustomed to high temperatures, are exposed to extreme heat of the summer and is also seen in those wearing an excess of clothing in the summer. Perspiration is a mechanism that helps regulate the body temperature by cooling the skin as it evaporates; but in this condition the sweat gets trapped under the garment resulting in blockage of the sweat ducts and heating up of  the skin.complains of itching, burning, redness and inflammation of the skin in patches with formation of small red vesicular eruptions, about the size of a pin's head with an inflamed base. The areas usually affected are the ones where the sweat usually collects (armpits, chest, back, etc.) or where the skin repeatedly rubs against skin (e.g. inside of breasts, inside of elbows, armpits, buttocks, etc.).

Wear comfortable, loose fitting, cotton clothes and take cool showers or apply wet cold compresses to help decrease the complaint. When the skin is very red and angry-looking put some ice cubes in a plastic bag and wrap it in a towel and apply it locally every few minutes till some relief is obtained.

HOME REMEDIES

1. Drink a lot of diluted limejuice, coconut water, buttermilk or lassi and water flavored with Khus grass roots. These decrease the overall heat in the body and thus prevent the prickly heat.

2. Almond and grapes (especially dry grapes) are very useful for these patients.

3. Increase your intake of Vitamin C by taking more of citrus fruits, black currents, green peppers, parsley, broccoli etc.

4. Fruit juice should be taken in plenty by these patients.

5. Application of sandalwood paste has a cooling effect and so heals the inflamed skin or  dried sandalwood powder and powdered coriander seeds (dhania) is mixed in rosewater and applied over the affected parts.

6. Aloe vera gel is a soothing itch controller.

7. Make an infusion out of chickweed and apply it locally over the patches.

8. Grated coconut is ground well with a teaspoonful of cumin seeds (jeera) and the coconut milk is extracted from it. This milk is applied over the body and after that a cold bath is taken.

9. The soft pulp of palm-fruit (Targola) also has a cooling effect and so is an effective remedy for prickly heat.

10. A paste of seeds of Jambul tree is applied locally.

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ZINC - DIETARY BENEFITS

ZINC - DIETARY BENEFITS

Zinc is vital in the absorption and action of many vitamins. It is essential for the maintenance of growth, development, cell division, protein and DNA synthesis. It is a component of insulin and is necessary for proper skin, nail and hair growth and appearance. Zinc is also very useful for the fast and healthy healing of cuts and burns because we need zinc in so many enzymatic activities in repair work.

Zinc supplements are needed in diabetes, hearing affections and brain functions. The sources of zinc are brewer's yeast, egg yolk, fish, lamb chops, legumes, lima beans, liver, meat, mushrooms, oysters, pecans, poultry, pumpkin seeds, sardines, seafood, soybeans and whole grains. Indications of deficiency include:

1. Fatigue. 

2. Prolonged healing of wounds. 

3. Smell and taste dysfunctions.  

4. Stretch marks on the skin. 

5. White spots on the fingernails. 

6. It causes dwarfism since it retards growth and maturity and produces anemia. 

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HYPOTENSION (LOW BLOOD PRESSURE) - HOME REMEDIES

HYPOTENSION (LOW BLOOD PRESSURE) - HOME REMEDIES

Blood pressure readings that are below the average range of 110/70 mmHg are termed as "low blood pressure or hypotension', but if it does not cause any trouble, it is considered to be quite normal. Low blood pressure becomes something to worry about when the blood flow to the brain is reduced so much so as to cause dizziness and fainting attacks. "Postural hypotension" is defined as a drop in the blood pressure of 20 mmHg in the systolic or 10 mmHg in the diastolic pressure on standing from a supine position and the person complains of dizziness on rising from a sitting or lying down posture. Certain drugs like antihypertensives and diuretics can exacerbate these attacks. 

Take in a lot of fluids and instead of taking two heavy meals, take small, frequent meals. Include extra salt in the diet for a hypotensive.  On rising in the morning do not get up with a jerk. Stretch-up before rising, contracting and relaxing the muscles in the body. Arm exercises are particularly effective at raising the blood pressure.

HOME REMEDIES AND PREVENTIONS 
1. Take a high-protein diet, which includes organ meat, potatoes, green leafy vegetables, soybeans and wheat germ.

2. A diet containing adequate quantities of proteins, B vitamins (especially pantothenic acid), vitamin C and the nutrients that stimulate adrenal production, quickly normalize the low pressure.

3. Take in atleast two glasses of raw beetroot juice daily.  Considerable improvement will be seen within a few days time.

4. Add cayenne pepper to all your food. Having ginger tea with a pinch of cayenne pepper thrice daily also helps.

5. Eat six dates daily in the morning.

6. Increase the intake of cucumbers, cabbage, sweet potatoes, peas, tomatoes, onions, dates, citrus fruits, raisins and whole grains.

7. Drink four to five glasses of fresh limejuice without any sugar and salt, daily.

8. Take in a lot of apricots and dark raisins throughout the day. 

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KIDNEY STONES - HOME REMEDIES

KIDNEY STONES - HOME REMEDIES

Kidney stones develop when the concentration of minerals in the urine like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, uric acid oxalate or xanthine becomes too high thus resulting in a build-up of their crystals (which are normally flushed out of the system during urination) in the urinary tract. The signs and symptoms differ according to the size, shape, consistency and position of the stone and there can be cases where the renal calculi may be present for years together without giving rise to any kind of symptoms or signs. But more commonly, the stone formation can lead to an obstruction in the flow of urine and the patient may complain of pain in the back or the loin, which radiates round the flank to the groin and sometimes into the testis and  is increased by any kind of movement. The patient also complains of a frequent desire to urinate, painful and scanty urination, nausea and vomiting, fever and occasionally red cells, white cells, proteins, sand or deposits in the urine. This is usually more common in males than females and heredity and a sedentary lifestyle plays an important causative factor. The person is asked to take strict bed rest and an application of warmth to the painful area is advised. The patient is advised to increase the consumption of water and other fluids, which helps in increasing the production of urine and thus help in flushing out of the stone and the bacteria.

HOME REMEDIES
1. Avoid excessive intake of calcium  or  oxalate  or  proteins in your diet (i.e. avoid  beef, cabbage, cashew nuts, cauliflower, cheese, chickoo, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, custard apple, eggs, figs, gelatin, herring, khus khus, kidney, liver, milk and milk products, molasses, paneer, pear, salmon, sardine, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, yeast, etc.).

2. Avoid taking beans and pulses in any form. Yellow variety of pumpkin, colocasia and lady's fingers are to be strictly avoided. White variety of pumpkin and gourd are useful for this condition.

3. Take in more of barley (jau) water, coconut water, fruit juices, limejuice etc.

4. Imbibing four to five bottles of strong, dark beer, heated almost to simmering, is a useful remedy for kidney stones.

5. Make a decoction of kidney beans (Rajmah) and consume within twenty-four hours.

6. Remove the beans from inside the pods, then slice the pods and put about sixty grams in four liters of hot water and boil them slowly for four hours. This liquid is then strained through fine muslin and then allowed to cool for about eight hours. Then the fluid should be poured through  another piece of muslin without stirring. A glass of this decoction should be given to the patient every two hours throughout the day for one day and thereafter it may be taken several times a week.

7. A few drinks of lemon juice daily will help reduce the uric acid stones.One teaspoonful each of holy basil (tulsi) leaf juice and honey should be taken daily for six months.

8. Take two glasses of cranberry juice daily.

9. Juice of watermelon should be taken daily for fifteen to twenty days since it is rich in potassium salts and is one of the safest and the best diuretics. Watermelon seeds are also useful for renal calculi.

10. A regular intake of celery  leaves  (ajwan-ka-patta) is necessary (especially in those prone to stone formation) to prevent further stone formation.

11. Aloe vera juice helps to reduce the size of the stone.

12. The juice of the fig fruit  or a decoction made out of figs (anjeer) helps to dissolve the stones.

13. Ripe fresh apples and grapes are useful for renal calculi.

14. Pieces of sugarcane chewed frequently help the stones to melt.

15. The seeds of both sour and sweet pomegranates (anar) are a useful medicine for kidney stones. A tablespoonful of the seeds are ground to a fine paste and is given along with a cup of horse gram (kulthi) soup (two tablespoonfuls of horse gram should be used for preparing the soup) to dissolve the kidney stones.

16. Chew two to three cloves of garlic daily in the morning.

17. Chew about two to three cardamoms (elaichi) thrice daily after meals.

18. Parsley, Red Clover, Uva Ursi, Pumpkin seeds and  Watermelon seeds are useful herbal remedies for dissolving kidney stones.

19. Take half a glass of radish juice daily for fifteen to twenty days in the morning.

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HAIRFALL AND EARLY GREYING OF HAIR

HAIRFALL AND EARLY GREYING OF HAIR

The hair root is encased in a follicle that is nourished by blood vessels. A youthful scalp contains approximately 100,000 to 200,000 hairs. Normally, an average person loses about 50-100 strands daily and the average hair grows only half an inch per month. Excessive loss or absence of hair is called as 'alopecia or balding'. Common causes of hairfall and early pecacu are-inadequate nutrition, heredity, stress, high fever, hormonal imbalance, side effect of some medication (cytotoxic agents, anticoagulants, antithyroid drug s and oral contraceptives) and certain illnesses (like anemia, thyroid disorders, autoimmune disorders, etc.). Alopecia areata appears as sharply defined non-inflamed bald patches on the scalp. Alopecia totalis is a condition where there is total or complete loss of the scalp hair and alopecia universalis signifies a complete loss of hair all over the body. Avoid massaging the scalp vigorously. Massage the scalp gently with the fingertips. This increases the circulation and thus helps provide proper nutrition (through a blood circulation) to the hair follicle. Comb or brush the hair when it is dry since grooming it when wet can lead to breaking of the hair. Do not blow-dry the hair on a high setting.

SOME HOME REMEDIES
1. Increase the intake of alfalfa sprouts, barley (jau) and oats, wheat germ, fish, meat, liver, cheese, milk, ghee, butter, eggs, fresh fruit (especially citrus fruits) or vegetable juices, green vegetables, parsley, broccoli, green pepper, peas, beans, prunes (dried plums), some berries and black currants. Avoid salt, spicy, hot and pungent food as far as possible. Taking a well -balanced diet with adequate proteins and iron, consisting especially of servings of seeds, nuts, grains, fresh vegetables, fish, chicken and fruits.

2. Washing the hair with a paste of cooked black gram (urad dal) and fenugreek (methi) lengthens the hair.

3. Applying aloe vera gel on the scalp is useful for hair growth.

4. Apply fresh coconut milk to the hair roots all over the scalp twice a week for increasing the hair growth. Coconut milk is prepared by grinding the coconut shavings and squeezing it well to remove the milk.

5. A mixture of lettuce and spinach (palak) juice, atleast half a litre daily helps to increase the growth of hair.

6. Lemon juice when taken internally or rubbed on the scalp at night proves to be useful to reduce the hairfall.

7. Drink a glass of water containing one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Also apply vinegar to the bald spots with the help of a toothbrush.

8. Grapefruit (chakotra) juice if taken daily gives some relief.

9. Make a mixture of half a cup of castor oil (arandi), one cup of olive oil and two cups of coconut oil. Heat this and then store it and apply it after it cools.

10. Apply a sliced onion over the bald spots in the evening and wash it the next morning.

11. Using Indian gooseberry (amla) oil, made by boiling the dry Indian gooseberry fruits in coconut oil, is an effective remedy for stimulating hair growth. A mixture of an equal quantity of fresh Indian gooseberry juice and limejuice, used as a shampoo, also stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss.

12. Grind a few pieces of liquorice (mulethi) in milk with a pinch of saffron and this paste is then applied over the bald patches at night before going to bed.

13. A fine paste is made from pigeon pea (arhar dal) or red gram and applied regularly on bald patches.

14. Local application of til oil helps one get rid of early pecacu.

15. Fresh leaf juice of amaranth (chauli) when applied to the hair will promote hair growth and make the hair softer.

16. Massage a beaten egg  on the head and then rinse it out and shampoo it.

17. Washing the hair with a decoction of the leaves of the Margosa (Neem) tree will stop the hair from falling and stabilize its blackness. It will also kill the lice and make the hair longer.

18. Henna leaves (mehndi) are ground to a paste and this is then boiled in mustard oil and the darkish oil is then filtered and used to blacken grey hair. The paste is applied to the hair and washed away after a few hours to dye the hair.

19. Make a mixture from two tablespoons of vodka and one tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of onion juice and apply it on the scalp daily.

20. The seeds of lime and black pepper seeds are ground and made into a paste by adding it to plain water or ginger juice. This paste is applied on the bald  patches once  or twice daily for a few weeks to encourage growth of new hair

21. Coconut milk is applied all over the scalp and massaged into the hair roots. Coconut milk is prepared by grinding the coconut shavings and squeezing them well.In pure coconut oil, the following ingredients are boiled-dry pieces of gooseberry, a few crushed capsules of Harir with red hibiscus flowers till the solid matter turns black. The oil is filtered and stored and is to be applied twice daily for a few months.

22. Crush raw fruit of Indian gooseberry (amla) and apply over the head and allow it to dry for a few hours and then wash it off. This is a useful method for preventing premature pecacu of hair.

23. Increase the intake of chutney made from curry leaves for hair growth since these leaves provide good strength and vitality to hair roots.

24. Wash the hair with concentrated tea extract twice a week. This will gradually change the hair color from brown to black.

25. In the olden days it was said that rubbing the nails of your palms with each other for three minutes continuously at least thrice daily helps hair growth.

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