HERBAL TREATMENTS FOR COMMON COLD

Common Cold treatment using Lemon

Lemon is the most important among the many home remedies for common cold. It is beneficial in all types of cold with fever. Vitamin C-rich lemon juice increases body resistance, decreases toxicity and reduces the duration of the illness. One lemon should be diluted in a glass of warm water, and a teaspoon of honey should be added to it. This should be taken once or twice daily.

Common Cold treatment using Garlic

Garlic soup is an old remedy to reduce the severity of a cold, and should be taken once daily. The soup can be prepared by boiling three or four cloves of chopped garlic in a cup of water. Garlic contains antiseptic and antispasmodic properties, besides several other medicinal virtues. The oil contained in this vegetable helps to open up the respiratory passages. In soup form, it flushes out all toxins from the system and thus helps bring down fever. Five drops of garlic oil combined with a teaspoon of onion juice, and diluted in a cup of water, should be drunk two to three times a day. This has also been found to be very effective in the treatment of common cold.

Common Cold treatment using Ginger

Ginger is another excellent remedy for colds and coughs. About ten grams of ginger should be cut into small pieces and boiled in a cup of water. It should then be strained and half a teaspoon of sugar added to it. This decoction should be drunk when hot. Ginger tea, prepared by adding a few pieces of ginger into boiled water before adding the tea leaves, is also an effective remedy for colds and for fevers resulting from cold. It may be taken twice daily.

Common Cold treatment using Lady's Fingers

Lady's fingers are highly valuable in treating irritation of the throat and a persistent dry cough. This vegetable is rich in mucilage and acts as a drug to allay irritation, swelling, and pain. About 100 gm of lady's fingers should be cut into pieces, and boiled down in half a litre of water to make a decoction. The steam issuing from this decoction may also be inhaled once or twice a day to relieve throat irritation and a dry cough.

Common Cold treatment using Bitter Gourd Roots

The roots of the bitter gourd plant are used in folk medicine to cure a cold. A teaspoon of the root paste, mixed with an equal quantity of honey or holy basil leaf juice, given once every night for a month, acts as an excellent medicine for colds.

Common Cold treatment using Turmeric

Turmeric is an effective remedy for colds and throat irritations. Half a teaspoon of fresh turmeric powder mixed in 30 ml of warm milk, and taken once or twice daily, is a useful prescription for these conditions. Turmeric powder should be put into a hot ladle. Milk should then be poured in it and boiled over a slow fire. This mixture should then be drunk by the patient. In case of a running cold, smoke from the burning turmeric should be inhaled. It will increase the discharge from the nose and provide quick relief.

Common Cold treatment using Tamarind and Pepper

Tamarind-pepper rasam is also considered an effective home remedy for a cold in South India. Dilute 50 mg tamarind in 250 ml of water. Boil the diluted tamarind water for a few minutes with a teaspoon of hot clarified butter and half a teaspoon of black pepper powder. This steaming hot rasam has a flushing effect, and should be taken three times a day. As one takes it, the nose and eyes water and the nasal blockage is cleared.

Common Cold treatment using Vitamin C

Regular intake of vitamin C-75 mg for adults and 35 mg for children-will prevent the common cold. If, however, a cold has already appeared, large doses of this vitamin will relieve the symptoms and shorten its duration. He estimates that one to two grams (1000 mg to 2000 mg) per day is approximately the optimum amount of this vitamin for this purpose. His advice is to swallow one or two 500mg tablets of vitamin C at the appearance of the first sign of the cold and continue the treatment by taking one to two 500 mg tablets daily.

easy eradication for Stuffy Nose

Inhale turmeric fumes, for this tie some turmeric in a clean cloth and light it. Boil some water and allow it to cool, now add ¼ teaspoon table salt to it. Put 2 to 3 drops of this solution in your both the nostrils before meals and going to bed. Mix natural apple cider vinegar and water in equal parts. Boil this solution in a pan, when the fumes rises lean over the pan and inhale the fumes. Prepare a solution using 4 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and Pine Essential Oil, 3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil and 7 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil. Inhale vapors of this solution by putting it on a cotton ball or an aromatherapy diffuser.

Dietaries for Common Cold

Abstain solid foods, drink fruit and vegetable juices

During the acute stage of the cold, when fever is present, the patient should abstain from all solid foods and only drink fruit and vegetable juices, diluted with water.

Well-balanced diet of seeds, nuts

After the acute symptoms are over, the patient can gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet, consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Avoid meat, fish, eggs and starchy foods

It is advisable to avoid meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and starchy foods.

Other Common Cold treatments

Mild sunbath, fresh air, deep breathing, sound sleep etc

Other useful measures in the treatment of a common cold are a mild sunbath, fresh air and deep breathing, brisk walks, sound sleep, and adjustment of one's clothes and habits to the requirements of the season so as to nullify the effect of weather fluctuations.

I HATE THE SCARES

Acne scars are one of the most common skin disorders among young people. Acne rears its ugly head mostly between 12-24 years of age and is known to cause a great deal of concern and embarrassment to young people at an age when they are most concerned about their physical appearance. Acne and acne scars are a common chronic skin disorder which can be treated naturally.

Acne is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles appearing largely on the face, neck, chest and shoulders. Acne problem may also result due to hormonal disturbances during puberty.
Acne Scar Symptoms
Acne scars are a result of acne which appear in various forms
Acne appears in various forms and most of them are concerned with sebaceous glands or glands connected with hair follicles.

Acne commonly affects areas on the face such as: forehead, cheeks, chin and temple. The chest and back are equally prone to acne. Acne is characterized by the appearance of:
- Comedones or blackheads - Pimples - Small cysts or scars

Acne Scar Causes

Acne scars can be caused for a number of reasons

Some of the commonly known causes for acne scars are:
- Improper diet and food habits
- Chronic constipation
- Unhygienic living conditions
- Stress


Different types of foods can accelerate the onset of acne during adolescence. Excessive consumption of certain foods that lead to acne includes:
- Starch, sugar and fatty foods - Tea, coffee
- Animal fats
- Chocolates
- Alcohol, tobacco etc

Simple cure for Acne Scars

There are various acne scar treatments that help banish acne and resulting acne scars.

Common home remedies for acne scars are:
- Eating a balanced and health diet devoid of excessive starch, sugar and fatty foods.
- Hot fomentation to open pores and rinsing the skin with cold water after squeezing waste is an effective remedy.
- Sun and air baths for the body are beneficial to the skin.
- Healing packs of grated cucumber, orange peels, lemon peels are effective remedies when applied on affected areas.
- A teaspoon of coriander juice mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder is also considered an effective remedy to treat acne scars naturally.
- Intake of garlic as well as rubbing garlic on affected areas can prove beneficial in treating acne scars.

Maintain a balanced diet plan and avoid certain foods to help treat acne scars

A suggested acne diet plan must include:

- An all fruit diet comprising three meals a day for a week, followed by raw foods and sprouts three meals a day before resuming an all inclusive balanced meal can improve skin tremendously.
- It is advisable to avoid tea, coffee, pickles, condiments, fried foods, refined and processed foods, soft drinks, candies, ice cream etc.

Regular physical fitness is beneficial

Skin disorders can be naturally treated only through diet and exercise. A right amount of exercise such as walking; cycling or swimming should be added to benefit any diet program.

A BLOW TO BREAST CANCER

GOOD NEWS..........................

Breast Cancer may soon be history. A research at the cleveland clinic ohio,United States, has produced a 'vaccine' for breast cancer.When approved, the 'vaccine' would prevent cancer from forming in the breast and stop existing ones.
       The 'vaccine' was developed in the clinic and was injected into six mice that were bred to be prone to cancer. At the end of the research, none of the mice developed cancer tumour. On the other hand a control group of mice that were also bred to cancer were not given the 'vaccine'. All of them developed breast tumour.
       According to Vincent Tuohy, the leader of the research team, the discovery is monumental step toward eradicating the disease and its pain. " if it works in humans the way it works in mice, this will be monumental. We could eliminate cancer. We believe this vaccine will someday be used to prevent breast cancer in adult women in the same way that vaccines has prevented many childhood diseases."
       The vaccine propels the immune systemto attack a specific protein found in breast cancer cells and in the mammary tissues. Clinical trails to ascertain its effect in humans in underway.

A BLOW TO BREAST CANCER

GOOD NEWS..........................

Breast Cancer may soon be history. A research at the cleveland clinic ohio,United States, has produced a 'vaccine' for breast cancer.When approved, the 'vaccine' would prevent cancer from forming in the breast and stop existing ones.
       The 'vaccine' was developed in the clinic and was injected into six mice that were bred to be prone to cancer. At the end of the research, none of the mice developed cancer tumour. On the other hand a control group of mice that were also bred to cancer were not given the 'vaccine'. All of them developed breast tumour.
       According to Vincent Tuohy, the leader of the research team, the discovery is monumental step toward eradicating the disease and its pain. " if it works in humans the way it works in mice, this will be monumental. We could eliminate cancer. We believe this vaccine will someday be used to prevent breast cancer in adult women in the same way that vaccines has prevented many childhood diseases."
       The vaccine propels the immune systemto attack a specific protein found in breast cancer cells and in the mammary tissues. Clinical trails to ascertain its effect in humans in underway.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS GIVING AWAY YOUR AGE? ? ?

How to keep your hands and neck from adding years to your looks.


While you've been slathering anti-aging creams and sunscreen on your face to help stave off lines (and years), the skin on your hands and neck may be telling another story. A recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that most people can correctly guess whether a woman is in her 40s, 50s, 60s, or older simply by glancing at her hands. Clues also turn up on the neck, where blotchiness and sagging can stand in stark contrast to a smooth, well-cared-for complexion, says Zoe D. Draelos, M.D., a dermatologist in High Point, NC. But don't stock up on Diane Keaton-style turtlenecks or pants with deep pockets quite yet. Although there may not be a quick fix for every problem, you can get a more youthful look and a smooth, supple feel by giving your hands and neck some much-needed attention.

Helping Hands

They're likely the second place people look (after the face) to guess your age. But with these tips, only the clerk at the DMV will know for sure.

Erase Age Spots

As the years add up, skin often produces more pigment, which clusters together in dark patches instead of being evenly distributed, says Leslie Baumann, M.D., director of cosmetic dermatology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. Doctors aren't sure exactly why this occurs, though they suspect sun exposure is to blame. One theory: A lifetime of UV rays causes mutations in cells' DNA, changing how they function. To see spots disappear:
Dab on hydroquinone. "There's no more effective bleaching agent," says Dr. Baumann, echoing the opinion of many dermatologists. Hydroquinone — which comes in over-the-counter concentrations of up to 2 percent and prescription strengths of 4 percent — blocks the enzyme needed to make melanin (skin's pigment). As surface cells slough off, new, nonpigmented cells replace them. Many doctors recommend you spot-apply hydroquinone with a cotton swab on dark spots only, since it can lighten normal skin, too.
You may have heard rumors about the chemical's safety. It is banned in some European and Asian countries due to links to renal and other cancers (found after rats consumed large doses) and to a rare skin condition called ochronosis. The FDA has been reviewing data on hydroquinone for the past two years, but has yet to make a ruling. But the American Academy of Dermatology (and all the doctors we spoke to) maintains that it's safe. "I have prescribed it for many years and have never seen so much as an allergy to it," says Howard Murad, M.D., a dermatologist in El Segundo, CA. The bottom line: If you want to remove age spots with a topical treatment, it's the most effective option.
Multitask. You'll get faster results using hydroquinone in conjunction with ingredients that slough off dead surface cells, like prescription retinoids (Tri-Luma, for instance, blends a retinoid with hydroquinone, plus a topical steroid), milder over-the-counter retinol, or alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) serums, like glycolic acid. They all enhance penetration of the bleaching agent and speed up production of new, nonpigmented cells. AHAs may deactivate retinoids, so apply them separately. In addition to hydroquinone, you'll also find glycolic acid paired with milder lighteners, such as kojic or azelaic acid. Two to try: DDF Fade Gel 4 ($52, Sephora) and Palmer's Skin Success Age Spot Serum ($14, drugstores).

DIABETES DIVIDED BY BROWN RICE= HEALTHY/SAFE

Brown Rice Reduces Diabetes Risk

 

              The scientists examined rice consumption and diabetes risk in 39,765 men and 157,463 women in three large studies -- the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study I and II.
They analyzed responses to questionnaires completed every four years about diet, lifestyle, and health conditions.
After adjusting for age and other lifestyle and dietary risk factors, people who consumed five or more servings of white rice per week had a 17% increased risk of diabetes, compared to people who ate less than one serving per month.
But eating two or more servings of brown rice per week was associated with an 11% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to eating less than one serving of brown rice per month.
White rice has a higher glycemic index than brown rice, the researchers say. That index is a measure of how fast a particular food raises blood glucose levels, compared with the same amount of glucose.
“The high glycemic index of white rice consumption is likely the consequence of disrupting the physical and botanical structure of rice grains during the refining process,” the authors write. “The other consequence of the refining process includes loss of fiber, vitamins, magnesium and other minerals, lignans, phytoestrogens, and phytic acid, many of which may be protective factors for diabetes risk.”
They recommend replacing white rice and other refined grains with brown rice to try to prevent type 2 diabetes.
               Brown rice, the researchers say, often does not generate as fast an increase in blood sugar levels after a meal.
Replacing white rice in your diet with brown rice may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

The finding is important because the consumption of white rice in the United States has increased dramatically in the past few decades, and about 18 million Americans have type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health say eating two or more servings of brown rice weekly seems to be associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, they report, eating five or more servings of white rice per week is associated with an increased risk.
Qi Sun, MD, now an instructor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues at Harvard estimate that replacing 50 grams daily of white rice (uncooked, equivalent to a one-third serving) with the same amount of brown rice would lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 16%.
Replacing the same amount of white rice with other whole grains, such as barley and wheat, is associated with a 36% reduced risk.
The study is published in the online journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
The researchers say the study is the first to specifically examine white rice vs. brown rice in relation to development of type2 diabetes among Americans.
“Rice consumption in the U.S. has dramatically increased in recent decades,” Sun says in a news release. “We believe replacing white rice and other refined grains with whole grains, including brown rice, would lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.”
White rice is created by removing  the bran and germ portions of brown rice. The authors say that more than 70% of rice eaten in the U.S. is white.

HEALING POWERS OF IPHONE ON ACNE

AcneApp Promises to Clear Skin With Light Therapy; Dermatologists Express Doubts

           iPhone users love their apps, so it's no surprise that AcneApp, a light-based therapy, is drawing interest from the blemish-prone who like the concept of zapping zits while talking to friends.

It's supposed to work like this: Download the application and hold the phone to the skin so the light therapy can do its work. Multitask if you wish, remembering to switch sides so your entire face gets the treatment.

But more than four months after its release, there are still no clinical studies proving it works. Other dermatologists express doubt it could help, and users are giving it mixed reviews -- from terrific to skeptical.
            AcneApp is listed as No. 1 in the medical category on iTunes for Jan. 27, yet the Apple store web site cautions that ''the app is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended for treatment of any disease or medical condition."
            AcneApp was developed by Houston dermatologist Greg Pearson, MD, who wasn't available to talk to WebMD but concedes in a YouTube video that studies need to be done to verify the app's effectiveness.
While light therapy for acne is sometimes effective, according to other dermatologists, they're skeptical the iPhone app has enough power to blast away zits.