Total Health Care

एड्स का इलाज अब सम्भव

2010-07-24T00:40:00.000-07:00

दुनिया भर में तेजी से पांव पसारते जा रहे एड्स का इलाज अब सम्भव हैं। इस स्थिति की भयावहता का ही यह परिणाम है कि एचआईवी पॉजिटिव होने का मतलब आमतौर पर जिंदगी का अंत मान लिया जाता है, लेकिन यह अधूरा सच है। अगर डॉक्टरों की सलाह के मुताबिक चला जाए तो एचआईवी पॉजिटिव लोग भी लंबे समय तक सामान्य जीवन जी सकते हैं।

क्या है एचआईवी और एड्स ?

एचआईवी (ह्यूमन इम्यूनोडिफिशिएंसी वायरस) एक ऐसा वायरस है, जिसकी वजह से एड्स होता है। यह वायरस एक इंसान से दूसरे इंसान में फैलता है। जिस इंसान में इस वायरस की मौजूदगी होती है, उसे हम एचआईवी पॉजिटिव कहते हैं। आमतौर पर लोग एचआईवी पॉजिटिव होने का मतलब ही एड्स समझने लगते हैं, लेकिन ऐसा नहीं है।

दरअसल, होता यह है कि एचआईवी के शरीर में प्रवेश कर जाने के बाद शरीर की प्रतिरोधक क्षमता (बीमारियों से लड़ने की क्षमता) धीरे-धीरे कम होने लगती है। प्रतिरोधक क्षमता कम होने से शरीर पर तमाम तरह की बीमारियां और इन्फेक्शन पैदा करने वाले वायरस आदि अटैक करने लगते हैं। एचआईवी पॉजिटिव होने के करीब 8 से 10 साल बाद इन तमाम बीमारियों के लक्षण दिखने शुरू हो जाते हैं। इस स्थिति को ही एड्स कहा जाता है। वैसे, एचआईवी पॉजिटिव होने के बाद से एड्स होने तक के वक्त को दवाओं की मदद से बढ़ाया जा सकता है और कुछ बीमारियों को ठीक भी किया जा सकता है। जाहिर है, एचआईवी पॉजिटिव होना या एड्स अपने आप में कोई बीमारी नहीं हैं, बल्कि इसकी वजह से बीमारियों से लड़ने की शरीर की क्षमता कम हो जाती है और तमाम बीमारियां अटैक कर देती हैं।

कैसे काम करता है एड्स का वायरस -

वायरस (एचआईवी) की वजह से एड्स होता है। यह वायरस शरीर की जीवित कोशिका (लिविंग सेल) के अंदर रहता है। शरीर से बाहर यह आधे घंटे से ज्यादा रह नहीं सकता। यानी खुले में इस वायरस के जीवित रहने, पनपने या फैलने की कोई आशंका नहीं है।

एचआईवी दो तरह का होता है -

एचआईवी-1 और एचआईवी-2

एचआईवी-1 पूरी दुनिया में पाया जाता है और भारत में भी 80 फीसदी मामले इसी के हैं। एचआईवी-2 खासतौर से अफ्रीका में मिलता है। भारत में भी कुछ लोगों में इसका इन्फेक्शन देखा गया है। कुछ लोगों को दोनों वायरस की वजह से इन्फेक्शन होता है। वैसे, एचआईवी-2 इन्फेक्शन वाले लोग एचआईवी-1 वालों से ज्यादा जीते हैं। मां से बच्चे में एचआईवी-2 ट्रांसफर होने के चांस न के बराबर होते हैं।

शरीर में घुसने के बाद यह वायरस वाइट ब्लड सेल्स पर अटैक करता है और धीरे-धीरे उन्हें मारता रहता है।

इन सेल्स के खत्म होने के बाद इन्फेक्शन और बीमारियों से लड़ने की हमारे शरीर की क्षमता कम होने लगती है। नतीजा यह होता है कि आए दिन शरीर में तमाम तरह के इन्फेक्शन होने लगते हैं। एचआईवी इन्फेक्शन की यह लास्ट स्टेज है और इसी स्टेज को एड्स कहा जाता है।

ऐसे फैल सकता है -

एचआईवी पॉजिटिव पुरुष या महिला के साथ अनसेफ (कॉन्डम यूज किए बिना) सेक्स से, चाहे सेक्स होमोसेक्सुअल ही क्यों न हो।
संक्रमित (इन्फेक्टेड) खून चढ़ाने से।
एचआईवी पॉजिटिव महिला से पैदा हुए बच्चे में। बच्चा होने के बाद एचआईवी ग्रस्त मां के दूध पिलाने से भी इन्फेक्शन फैल सकता है।
खून का सैंपल लेने या खून चढ़ाने में डिस्पोजेबल सिरिंज (सिर्फ एक ही बार इस्तेमाल में आने वाली सुई) न यूज करने से या फिर स्टर्लाइज किए बिना निडल और सिरिंज का यूज करने से।
हेयर ड्रेसर (नाई) के यहां बिना स्टर्लाइज्ड (रोगाणु-मुक्त) उस्तरा, पुराना इन्फेक्टेड ब्लेड यूज करने से।
सलून में इन्फेक्टेड व्यक्ति की शेव में यूज किए ब्लेड से। सलून में हमेशा नया ब्लेड यूज हो रहा है, यह इंशुअर करें।

ऐसे नहीं फैलता -

चूमने से। लेकिन अगर किसी व्यक्ति को एड्स है और उसके मुंह में कट या मसूड़े में सूजन जैसी समस्या है, तो इस तरह के व्यक्ति को चूमने से भी एड्स फैल सकता है। यानी एड्स का संक्रमण चूमने पर भी फैल सकता है, अगर सावधानी न बरती जाए।
हाथ मिलाना, गले मिलना, एक ही टॉयलेट को यूज करना, एक ही गिलास में पानी पीना, छीकने, खांसने से इन्फेक्शन नहीं फैलता।
एचआईवी शरीर के बाहर ज्यादा देर तक नहीं रह सकता, इसलिए यह खाने और हवा से भी नहीं फैलता।
रक्तदान करने से बशर्ते खून निकालने में डिस्पोजेबल (इस्तेमाल के बाद फेंक दी जाने वाली) सुई का इस्तेमाल किया गया हो।
मच्छर काटने से।
टैटू बनवाने से, बशर्ते इस्तेमाल किए जा रहे औजार स्टर्लाइज्ड हों।
डॉक्टर या डेंटिस्ट के पास इलाज कराने से। ये लोग भी आमतौर पर स्टरलाइज्ड औजारों का ही इस्तेमाल करते हैं।

इनके जरिए पहुंचता है वायरस –

ब्लड
सीमेन (वीर्य)
वैजाइनल फ्लूइड (स्त्रियों के जननांग से निकलने वाला दव)
ब्रेस्ट मिल्क
शरीर का कोई भी दूसरा फ्लूइड, जिसमें ब्लड हो मसलन, बलगम
इनसे भी फैल सकता है एड्स (इनके संपर्क में अक्सर मेडिकल पेशे से जुड़े लोग ही आते हैं)
दिमाग और स्पाइनल कॉर्ड के इर्द-गिर्द रहने वाला दव
हड्डी के जोड़ों के आसपास का दव
भ्रूण के आसपास का दव

ये लक्षण हैं तो शक करें –

एचआईवी से ग्रस्त इंसान शुरू में बिल्कुल नॉर्मल और सेहतमंद लगता है। कुछ साल बाद ही इसके लक्षण सामने आते हैं। अगर किसी को नीचे दिए गए लक्षण हैं, तो उसे एचआईवी का टेस्ट कराना चाहिए :

एक महीने से ज्यादा समय तक बुखार बने रहना, जिसकी कोई खास वजह भी पता न चले।
बिना किसी वजह के लगातार डायरिया बने रहना।
लगातार सूखी खांसी।
मुंह में सफेद छाले जैसे निशान होना।
बिना किसी वजह के लगातार थकान बने रहना और तेजी से वजन गिरना।
याददाश्त में कमी, डिप्रेशन आदि।

(नोट : ये सभी लक्षण किसी साधारण बीमारी में भी हो सकते हैं। )

एचआईवी के लिए मेडिकल टेस्ट –

किसी को एचआईवी इन्फेक्शन है या नहीं, यह पता करने का अकेला तरीका यही है कि उस इंसान का ब्लड टेस्ट किया जाए। लक्षणों के आधार पर शक किया जा सकता है, लेकिन यह पक्के तौर पर नहीं कह सकते कि एचआईवी है या नहीं, क्योंकि एचआईवी के लक्षण किसी दूसरी बीमारी के लक्षण भी हो सकते हैं। कई मामलों में ऐसा भी होता है कि एचआईवी पॉजिटिव होने के बाद कई साल तक कोई लक्षण सामने नहीं आता।

एचआईवी टेस्ट और काउंसलिंग के लिए सरकार ने पूरे देश में 5 हजार इंटिग्रेटेड काउंसलिंग एंड टेस्टिंग सेंटर (आईसीटीसी) बनाए हैं। इन सेंटरों पर व्यक्ति की काउंसलिंग और उसके बाद बाजू से खून लेकर जांच की जाती है। यह जांच फ्री होती है और रिपोर्ट आधे घंटे में मिल जाती है। आमतौर पर सभी जिला अस्पतालों, मेडिकल कॉलेजों और कुछ कम्यूनिटी हेल्थ सेंटरों पर यह सुविधा उपलब्ध है। यहां पूरी जांच के दौरान व्यक्ति की आइडेंटिटी गुप्त रखी जाती है। पहले रैपिड या स्पॉट टेस्ट होता है, लेकिन इस टेस्ट में कई मामलों में गलत रिपोर्ट भी पाई गई हैं। इसलिए स्पॉट टेस्ट में पॉजिटिव आने के बाद व्यक्ति का एलाइजा टेस्ट किया जाता है। एलाइजा टेस्ट में कन्फर्म होने के बाद व्यक्ति को एचआईवी पॉजिटिव होने की रिपोर्ट दे दी जाती है।

एचआईवी कन्फर्म हो जाने के बाद मरीज को इलाज के लिए एआरटी सेंटर पर भेजा जाता है। पूरे देश में ऐसे करीब 280 एआरटी सेंटर हैं। इन सेंटरों पर इलाज शुरू करने से पहले व्यक्ति का एक और ब्लड टेस्ट किया जाता है, जिसमें उसकी सीडी-4 सेल्स की संख्या का पता लगाया जाता है। अगर यह संख्या 250 से कम है तो व्यक्ति का फौरन इलाज शुरू कर दिया जाता है और अगर उससे ज्यादा है तो डॉक्टर उसे कुछ दिन बाद आने की सलाह दे सकते हैं। इन सेंटरों पर भी काउंसिलर भी होते हैं, जो इलाज के साथ-साथ व्यक्ति की काउंसलिंग भी करते हैं। इलाज फ्री होता है और व्यक्ति की पहचान गुप्त रखी जाती है।

ज्यादातर मामलों में एचआईवी इन्फेक्शन हो जाने के दो हफ्ते के बाद टेस्ट कराने पर ही टेस्ट में इन्फेक्शन आ पाता है, उससे पहले नहीं। कई बार इसमें छह महीने भी लग जाते हैं। ऐसे में अगर किसी को लगता है कि उसका कहीं एचआईवी के प्रति एक्सपोजर हुआ है और फौरन टेस्ट कराता है, तो टेस्ट का रिजल्ट नेगटिव भी आ सकता है, लेकिन इसका यह मतलब नहीं कि उस व्यक्ति को इन्फेक्शन नहीं हो सकता। ध्यान रखें कि एचआईवी को शरीर में एक्टिव होने में छह महीने तक लग सकते हैं। इसलिए छह महीने बाद एक बार फिर टेस्ट कराना चाहिए। छह महीने बाद भी अगर नेगेटिव आता है तो आप खुद को सेफ मान सकते हैं। शरीर में वायरस की एंट्री से लेकर उसके एक्टिव होने तक के समय को विंडो पीरियड कहा जाता है। इस पीरियड में एचआईवी का टेस्ट से भी पता भले ही न चलता हो, लेकिन जिसके शरीर में वायरस है वह इसे दूसरे को ट्रांसफर जरूर कर सकता है।

एड्स का इलाज -

एड्स अब लाइलाज नहीं -

उत्तर प्रदेश के कुशीनगर में एक चिकित्सक ने अपने कठिन परिश्रम व लगन से एड्स जैसे लाइलाज बीमारी की आयुर्वेदिक दवा बनायी है जिसका भारत सरकार ने पेटेन्ट कर लिया है।
कुशीनगर के लक्ष्मीगंज के पास वगहा खुर्द निवासी डॉ. संतोष कुमार ने आटोमोवाइल से इंजीनियरिंग करने के बाद आयुर्वेदाचार्य की डिग्री ली और कड़ी मेहनत व लगन से एड्स जैसी लाइलाज बीमारी के लिए लक्ष्मीगंज में अपना अनुसंधान करके विशुद्ध रूप से हानि रहित हर्बल दवा बनायी जिसमें 16 माह में एड्स से निर्मूल रूप से मुक्ति मिल सकती है।

डॉ. पाण्डेय ने पत्रकारों को बताया कि इस दवा के पेटेन्ट के लिए नई दिल्ली स्थित भारत सरकार की पेटेन्ट कार्यालय में छह वर्ष पूर्व आवेदन किया गया था जिसको गहन जांच के बाद 19 जुलाई 2010 को बीस वर्षों के लिए पेटेन्ट कर दिया गया है। इस दवा से एचआई पॉजीटिव रोगी बिलकुल मुक्त हो जाएंगे।

Presented by- Ravi Srivastava.

(मेरी पत्रिका और टोटल हेल्थ केयर में एक साथ प्रकाशित)

With Thanks to Josh18.com
http://josh18.in.com/showstory.php?id=720302
& to Navbharattimes.com
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5279871.cms

एसिडिटी को ऐसे भगाएं दूर...

2009-11-19T21:40:00.000-08:00

एसिडिटी से आज हर दूसरा आदमी परेशान है। इसकी वजह गलत खान-पान, प्रदूषण, धूम्रपान, शराब का सेवन, चाय, कॉफी और कैफीनयुक्त पदार्थों का ज्यादा इस्तेमाल करना है। एसिडिटी होने पर शरीर की पाचन प्रक्रिया ठीक नहीं रहती।

एसिडिटी के मुख्य लक्षण -

- सीने और छाती में जलन - इससे सीने में दर्द रहता है, मुंह में खट्टा पानी आता है।

- अपचन - इसकी वजह से घबराहट होती है, खट्टी डकारें आती हैं।

- गले में जलन - खट्टी डकारों के साथ गले में जलन-सी महसूस होती है।

- वे लोग जो ज्यादा मिर्च-मसाले वाला भोजन करते हैं, ज्यादा शराब पीते हैं, एसिडिटी का शिकार हो जाते हैं। इसके अलावा और भी कई वजहें हैं जिससे एसिडिटी बढ़ती है।

- वक्त पर भोजन न करना, ज्यादा घी-तेल और मसालेवाला भोजन करना, दिन में भोजन करने के बाद सोना।

- अधिक समय तक तनावग्रस्त रहना, देर तक भूखे रहना।

- जंक फूड बहुत ज्याद खाना, पानी कम पीना।

कैसे करें बचाव -

जरा-सा सावधानी बरतने पर आप एसिडिटी से बचाव कर सकते हैं। इसके लिए जरूरी है कि आप अपने खान-पान में लगातार सुधार लाएं। मूलतः ज्यादा और अयोग्य पदार्थ खाने से पेट में बनने वाले एसिड गले तक पहुंच जाता है। इसी के बाद से शुरु होती है एसिडिटी की शिकायत। लेकिन अगर, खाने में चॉकलेट, शुगर कैंडी, रेड मीट, कॉफी, ज्यादा तली हुई चीजें तथा शराब और सिगरेट के बजाए हरी सब्जियों, मछली और फल को ज्यादा प्राथमिकता दी जाए यो यह शिकायत दूर हो सकती है। साथ ही अगर खाने को एक बार में न खाकर दिन में चार बार थोड़ा थोड़ा करके खाएं और खाने के तुरंत बाद न सोएं तो यह उपाय एसिडिटी को भगाने के लिए बढ़िया रहेगा।

- खाना जरूरत से थोड़ा कम ही खाएं, मिर्च-मसाले और ज्यादा तेलवाले भोजन से बचें।

- भोजन करने के बाद टहलें, रोजाना 8-10 गिलास पानी पिएं।

- समय पर भोजन करें , धूम्रपान, शराब से बचें।

कुछ घरेलू नुस्‍खें -

- आंवला एसिडिटी के उपचार में महत्‍वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाता है।

- अपने रोजमर्रा के आहार में मट्ठा और दही शामिल करें।

- ताजे खीरे का रायता एसिडिटी का बेहतरीन उपचार हैं।

- खूब पानी पिएं, क्योंकि इससे न सिर्फ पाचन में मदद मिलती है; बल्कि शरीर से टॉक्सिन भी बाहर निकल जाते हैं।

- यह सुनिश्चित कर लें कि आप हरी पत्तेदार सब्जियां और अंकुरित अनाज खूब खाएं। ये विटामिन बी और ई का बेहतरीन स्रोत हैं। ये शरीर से एसिडिटी को बाहर निकाल देते हैं।

एसिडिटी

रोग नहीं है। यह जीवनशैली की अव्यवस्था का लक्षण है। आप अगर अपने आहार में जरा-सा बदलाव लाएं, तो एसिडिटी से बचा जा सकता है।

सधन्यवाद- जोश १८

Piles & Home Remedies

2009-08-24T00:33:00.000-07:00

What is Piles?

Piles is a very common ailment. Women have higher incidence than men. The reason behind it is not clearly known. It is more commonly seen in adolescent age group and aged persons who all seem to be more tensed.
In medical terminology, piles is known as hemorrhoids. Piles refers to a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. It is the dilatation (varicosity) of the veins of anus. It appears as bluish coloured swellings due to stagnated blood. Piles arise due to the increased pressure of internal or external veins around the anal canal.
Piles can be both internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids, unless they are severe, cannot be seen or felt. There is however, a discharge of dark blood. External hemorrhoids can be seen around the outside of the anus, and there is a lot of pain but not much bleeding. In some cases, the veins burst and this results in what is known as bleeding piles.

Symptoms –

Symptoms of piles vary, and depend on the type and place of origin. Piles in its initial stage is most commonly found to be without any symptoms.
However, the most common symptoms include -
• Intense pain at the time of passing stool.
• A pain around the anus and lower rectum, which can be quite severe.
• Frequent ineffectual urge for stool without passing stool or without satisfaction of complete evacuation.
• Itching in the rectal area.
• There may be bleeding. This will be bright red blood, not usually mixed in with the motion.
• There is often a feeling of something bulging, or hanging down from the anus.
• If a haemorrhoid at the outside of the anus gets a blood clot, it leads to tender lump.
• Anemia due to profuse bleeding.
• Wind formation in the stomach.
• Sitting becomes difficult due to pain.
If left untreated, piles can lead to complications including, infection, prolapse, necrosis and gangrene. Painful bleeding usually indicates startup of complications.

Causes –

Haemorrhoids are very common. It is more common in people, who regularly follow a low fibre, and high processed diet, such as processed flour, polished rice, bread etc. The main contributory cause is anything that raises the pressure in the abdomen, which leads the blood vessels to swell and become engorged.
Thus, the main cause of piles include -
- People chronically suffering from constipation.
- Even diarrhoea can cause piles. The strain for passing the stool is the main reason for the development of piles.
- After or during pregnancy, as the baby may press on the main blood vessel that returns blood to the heart.
- Overweight people.
- Physical strain – even coughing for long periods can cause the anal veins to strain.
- General weakness of the tissues of the body.
- Low fiber diet
- Age
- Hereditary
- Anal intercourse
- Prolonged periods of sitting or standing.
- Strenuous work
- Mental tension

Prevention –

Haemorrhoids are very common, and may occur even after surgical removal. However, one may follow certain preventive steps to avoid recurrence –
- Avoid becoming overweight, and lose weight if you are.
- Eat a high fibre diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Take rest and avoid long walks if you are suffering form piles.
- Drink plenty of water and follow regular bowel habits to avoid constipation.
- Use Indian style toilets since the squatting position is better for natural defecation
- If required, pass stool twice a day to avoid constipation.
- Don’t strain to evacuate hard faecal matter.
- Take easily digestible, simple homemade food. Avoid spices, chilli, very hot or cold food, and alcohol.
- Take foods such as green vegetables, ginger, onion, garlic, beetroot, bitter gourd, which helps in healing piles.
- Avoid eating potato, and the yellow variety of pumpkin.
- Take plenty of high fibre fruits especially papaya, mango, lime, jamun, figs, etc.
- Avoid sedentary habits, alcohol, smoking and unnecessary drugs like painkillers.

Piles Treatment –

It is usually best to treat piles with the least treatment possible, as even after the most extensive treatments, there is a possibility that they may still return.
Usually, piles becomes better with increased water intake, a high fibre dietary regimen and other measures to correct the constipation. Care for blood loss should be taken to avoid anaemia. Many times, they settle on their own over a matter of days without any treatment.
Haemorrhoidectomy refers to the removal of the pile by surgery. In this advanced laser treatment, the surgery reduces the pain and blood loss. However, in course of time, there is a possibility of the recurrence of piles even after surgery.
Over the counter drugs, include cream or suppositories. These soothe itching and pain, and cause the swelling and bleeding to diminish.
If the pain is very severe, cold compresses with ice can be helpful.
Homeopathic treatment, under an expert is also an effective way of dealing with this problem.

Home Remedies for Piles-

Piles treatment using Dry Figs-

Three of four figs should be soaked overnight in water after being cleaned thoroughly in hot water. They should be taken first thing in the morning along with the water in which they were soaked. They should also be taken in evening in the similar manner. This treatment should be continued for three or four weeks. The tiny seeds of the fruit possess all excellent quality of stimulating peristaltic movement of the intestines. This facilitates easy evacuation of faeces and keeps the alimentary canal clean. The pressure on the anus thus being relieved, the hemorrhoids also contract.

Piles treatment using Mango Seeds-

Mango seeds are an effective remedy for bleeding piles. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade, powdered, and kept stored for use as medicine. This powder should be given in doses of about one and a half to two grams with or without honey, twice daily.

Piles treatment using Jambul fruit-

The black berry fruit is another effective remedy for bleeding piles. The fruit should be taken with salt every morning for two or three months during its season. The use of the fruit in this manner during every season will effect a complete cure and save the user from bleeding piles for his entire life.

Piles treatment using Radish-

White radish is considered highly valuable in piles; 100 mg of grated radish mixed with a teaspoon of honey may be taken twice daily in treating this condition. This vegetable can also be taken in the form of juice mixed with a pinch of salt. It should be given in doses of 60 to 90 ml, morning and evening. White radish, well ground into a paste in milk. can also be applied over inflamed pile masses to relieve pain and swelling.

Piles treatment using Turnip-

The leaves of turnip have been found useful in this disease. The juice of these leaves should be extracted and 150 ml given to the patient. It is, however, necessary to take a proper diet of raw fruits and vegetables while taking this juice. For better results, 50 ml of the juice should be mixed with equal quantities of juices of watercress, spinach, and carrots.

Piles treatment using Bitter Gourd-

The juice of the fresh leaves of bitter gourd is also valuable in piles. Three teaspoons of the leaf juice, mixed with a glass of buttermilk, should be taken every morning for treating this condition. A paste of the roots of the bitter gourd plant can also be applied over piles with beneficial results.

Piles treatment using Ginger-

Ginger is also useful in this disease. Half a teaspoon of fresh ginger juice, mixed with one teaspoon each of fresh lime juice and fresh mint juice, and a tablespoon of honey, constitutes an effective medicine for piles.

Piles treatment using Onion-

Onions are valuable in bleeding piles. About thirty grams of this vegetable should be finely rubbed in water and sixty grams of sugar added to it. It should be taken twice daily by the Patient. It will bring relief within a few days. Onion is also useful in the treatment of dry piles. A crushed onion, skinned and roasted in aches, may be applied with beneficial results.

Piles treatment using Wheat Grass-

Wheat grass juice used as an enema helps detoxify the walls of the piles. The general procedure is to give an enema with lukewarm or margosa water. After waiting for twenty minutes, 90 to 120 ml of the wheat grass juice enema is given. This should be retained for fifteen minutes.

Piles treatment using Sesame Seeds-

Sesame seeds are also valuable in piles. They can be taken in the form of a decoction by boiling twenty grams of seeds in 500 ml of water till it is reduced by one-third, or as sweetmeats. Ground to paste with water, they can be given with butter for bleeding piles.

Piles treatment using Chebulic Myroblan-

The herb chebulic myroblan is a popular remedy for piles. It is very effective as a laxative and is highly astringent. The fruit should be roasted to a brown colour in cluster oil, and then powdered and stored. Half a teaspoon of this powder at bedtime will bring about normal bowel movements in the morning, and the astringent property of the fruit will heal masses. A decoction of the herb prepared by boiling six 10 seven dry fruits in half a litre of water should be used for washing bleeding piles. The paste of the fruit mixed in a bland oil is good as an external application.

Some useful home remedies for piles [In Brief] –

- Take 1 table spoon of roasted black cumin seeds and mix with 1 tablespoon of unroasted black cumin seeds and powder both together. Take 1/2 a teaspoon of this mixture with a glass of water once a day.

- Drink a glass of buttermilk with 1/4 tsp carom seed powder (ajwain) and a pinch of rock salt.

- The jamun fruit should be taken with salt every morning for two or three months during its season.

- Soak 2-3 dried figs in a glass of cold water overnight. Have it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Have them for 2-3 weeks for good results. It is effective in the treatment for ordinary as well as bleeding piles.

- Mix 1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves juice with 1 teaspoon lemon juice & 1 tablespoon honey. Take 3 times a day for relief from piles.

- Take ½ cup radish juice in the morning and night for a period of 1 month.

- Boil 1 ripe banana in 1 cup of milk, mash well. Take 3-4 times a day.

- Extract 3 teaspoon of bitter gourd juice, and mix in 1 glass of buttermilk, and drink on an empty stomach every morning, for a month.

With spl.thanks to various sites

Blog Declaration:
The articles posted in this blog are only for personal information. This may be either own creation or collection. This blog is not responsible for any cause.

Swine flu – Symptoms, Treatment & Vaccine

2009-07-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

Swine flu is a respiratory disease which infects pigs. Caused by influenza type A virus, there are regular outbreaks among herds of pigs, where the disease causes high levels of illness but is rarely fatal.

It tends to spread in autumn and winter but can circulate all year round. There are many different types of swine flu and like human flu, the virus is constantly changing. Swine flu does not normally infect humans, but when the infection does occur, it can grow to huge proportions because humans can easily pass the infection to other humans – mostly through coughing and sneezing openly.

The outbreak in Mexico seems to involve a new type of swine flu that contains DNA that is typically found in avian and human viruses. This swine flu virus is genetically different from the fully human H1N1 seasonal influenza virus that has been circulating globally for the past few years. It contains DNA that is typical to avian, swine and human viruses, including elements from European and Asian swine viruses.

As of today, there is no swine flu vaccine that can specifically protect against swine flu, but the present antiviral drugs are do provide some level of protection – both, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem effective against the new strain. Both the drugs must be taken early, within a few days of the onset of symptoms, to be most effective.

What are the symptoms?

The swine flu symptoms are broadly the same as those of ordinary flu, but may be more severe and cause more serious complications. The typical swine flu symptoms are:

1. Headache
2. Tiredness
3. Chills
4. Aching muscles
5. Limb or joint pain
6. Diarrhoea or stomach upset
7. Sore throat
8. Runny nose
८।Sneezing
9. Loss of appetite
10. Fever
11. Cough
12. Nasal congestion
13. Rhinorrhea

Other swine flu symptoms reported with swine influenza A virus infection include vomiting, fatigue, and dyspnea. Conjunctivitis is rare, but has been reported. Severe diseases include pneumonia and respiratory failure. In addition, fatal outcomes have also been reported with swine influenza A virus infection.

However, if you have any of these symptoms but a flu pandemic has not been announced, you could have seasonal flu.

For now, while experts continue to investigate the current human swine flu cases, parents should simply call their doctor if their kids have swine flu symptoms, especially if they live in an area where swine flu cases are already being reported.

Can swine flu be treated with drugs?

Fortunately, swine flu is being treated with the available antiviral drugs. Work to manufacture specific swine flu vaccination is underway.

As with the regular seasonal flu, antiviral flu medications, including Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir), are available to prevent and treat swine flu. The H1N1 virus is resistant to older medications, but is still sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir.

Both, oseltamivir and zanamivir work best when they are started within 48 hours of developing swine flu symptoms. According to the CDC, these flu medications can also be started after 48 hours, especially if a patient is hospitalized or is at high risk to develop complications from the flu.

Swine flu drug treatment for kids:

Although Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is available in syrup form, it has never been approved for use in children under the age of 12 months. Fortunately, the FDA has recently approved the use of oseltamivir for infants under an Emergency Use Authorization.

Oseltamivir dosing for swine flu treatment in infants includes:

a. 12 mg twice daily for 5 days in infants under 3 months old
b. 20 mg twice daily for 5 days in infants 3 to 5 months old
c. 25 mg twice daily for 5 days in infants 6 to 11 months old

Dosing of oseltamivir for prevention of swine influenza in infants includes:

i) 20 mg once daily for 10 days in infants 3 to 5 months old
ii) 25 mg once daily for 10 days in infants 6 to 11 months old

However, it is not recommended that infants under 3 months old routinely take oseltamivir for prevention of swine flu.

Children over 12 months of age can take routine dosages of oseltamivir, to prevent and treat swine influenza. However, use of Relenza is only recommended for treating children who are 7 years and over and using it a preventive measure in kids who are 5 years and above.

Swine flu vaccine:

It is estimated that the swine flu vaccine will not be ready until sometime around September to November 2009. The swine flu vaccine, once manufactured, will likely be given out based on specific categories and priority levels and according to the severity of the pandemic.

Tamiflu to treat swine influenza:

Tamiflu is an antiviral prescription drug. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines in pill, liquid or inhaler form, which work actively against the influenza flu viruses, including swine influenza viruses. Oseltamivir can be used to treat swine influenza or to prevent infection with swine flu viruses. But, oseltamivir can only be prescribed by a health care professional.

Four influenza antiviral drugs are approved for use, which include oseltamivir, zanamivir, amantadine and rimantadine. The swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses that have been detected in humans are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. Therefore, these drugs will not work against the swine influenza viruses. Laboratory testing on the swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses so far indicate that these viruses are vulnerable (sensitive) to oseltamivir and zanamivir.

When infected with the swine influenza virus, oseltamivir can help make the illness milder and make you feel better faster. Moreover, it may also prevent serious influenza complications. Oseltamivir will work best when it is started soon after the onset of the illness. But in hospitalized patients and people at high risk for influenza-related complications, antiviral drug treatment should still be considered after 48 hours of symptom onset.

Oseltamivir an also be used as a preventive measure in people who are not ill, but who have been or may be near a person with swine influenza. Oseltamivir, as a preventive measure, is about 70-90% effective.

CDC also recommends the use of oseltamivir both for treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu ®) is approved to both treat and prevent influenza A virus infection in people one year of age and older.

With.Spl.Thks to various sites.

दिन में सपने देखना ... अच्छी बात है

2009-05-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

ऑफिस में काम करने के बजाय इधर-उधर की बातों में सिर खपाने को बुरी बात माना जाता है। दिन में सपने देखना इतना बुरा भी नहीं है और इससे मस्तिष्क को जीवन की जटिल समस्याओं को सुलझाने में मदद मिलती है। एक नए अध्ययन से यह तथ्य सामने आया है। दिमाग की आवारागर्दी को आमतौर पर नकारात्मक चीजों जैसे आलस्य या असावधानी से जोड़ा जाता है। परंतु अध्ययन से स्पष्ट हुआ है कि जागते हुए सपने देखने के समय दिमाग बहुत सक्रिय रहता है। किसी सामान्य कार्य को करने के दौरान जितना मस्तिष्क सक्रिय रहता है, उससे दिमाग की गति काफी अधिक रहती है।

लेकिन फिर भी लोग काम करते-करते दूर ख्यालों में खो जाते हैं। यूं दूर ख्यालों में खोना यानी दिन में ही सपने देखना बुरी बात नहीं है। साइंटिस्ट के मुताबिक इस तरह दिन में ही ऊटपटांग सपने देखना इंसान की रचनात्मकता में इजाफा करता है।

रिसर्च बताती है कि दिन में सपने देखने के दौरान दिमाग कई ऐसी बातों और संबंधों के बारे में सोचता है, जिन पर सामान्य परिस्थितियों में ध्यान नहीं जाता। इस दौरान इंसान का ध्यान अपने आसपास के हालात से परे जाकर अजीबोगरीब चीजों पर लगता है। ऐसे में उन चीजों की भी कल्पना कर ली जाती है, जो वास्तव में होती भी नहीं हैं।

दिन में सपने देखने के लिए खाली टाइम और उससे पैदा होने वाली बेचैनी खासी जरूरी है। कई बार कल्पना के घोड़े खुली आंखों से दौड़ाने पर न सिर्फ वक्त कट जाता है, बल्कि इसमें खासा मजा भी आता है। मगर दिन में सपने देखना यूं ही नहीं आ जाता, इसके लिए भी अभ्यास की जरूरत पड़ती है। दिन में सपने देखने के लिए बहुत आराम से सोचने की जरूरत है बिना किसी पूर्व निर्धारित शर्त या दबाव के। ऐसे ख्यालों को खास तौर पर आजादी देनी होती है, जो पहली नजर में बकवास लगते हैं।

दिन में सपने देखने से लोगों में खुद को फ्यूचर में प्रोजेक्ट करने और उसकी तमाम संभावनाओं पर प्रतिक्रिया जताने की क्षमता बढ़ जाती है। जब आप जागते हुए सपने देखते हैं तो आप अपने तात्कालिक लक्ष्य जैसे किताब पढ़ना या कक्षा में ध्यान देने को हासिल नहीं कर रहे होते लेकिन आपका दिमाग इस समय आपके जीवन के अधिक महत्वपूर्ण प्रश्नों जैसे करियर को आगे बढ़ाने या व्यक्तिगत संबंधों के बारे में सोच रहा होता है। सामान्य कामों में लगे रहने की बजाए दिमाग को खुला छोड़ देने से वह जटिल समस्याओं को अधिक सफलतापूर्वक सुलझा सकता है। उसके बिना हम बेहद सीमित सोच के इंसान बनकर रह जाएंगे। तो अगली बार जब दिन में ख्यालों की भूलभुलैया में भटकें, तो कोई गिला नहीं रहे क्योंकि इससे दिमाग तेज होता है।

स्रोत- विभिन्न साइटें

शराब न पियें तो ही अच्छा...अंतर्राष्ट्रीय रेड क्रास दिवस (८ मई) के अवसर पर विशेष प्रस्तुति

2009-05-07T00:44:00.000-07:00

हद से ज्यादा शराबखोरी कम उम्र में मौत की वजह मानी जाती रही है, पर रोजाना थोड़ी मात्रा में शराब पीने से उम्र में पांच वर्षों का इजाफा किया जा सकता है। नए शोध से इसकी पुष्टि हुई है। डच शोधकर्ताओं ने इस शोध के लिए ऐसे 1373 लोगों पर किए गए शोध निष्कर्षों को आधार बनाया है जिनके स्वास्थ्य पर वर्ष 1960 से वर्ष 2000 की अवधि के बीच गहन निगरानी रखकर एक शोध पूरा किया था।इस अवधि में औसतन 50 वर्ष उम्र वाले इन लोगों के हृदय संबंधी स्वास्थ्य और जीवन प्रत्याशा का अध्ययन किया। शोधकर्ताओं ने यह जानने की कोशिश की कि ऐसे लोगों के स्वास्थ्य पर मद्यपान का कैसा असर पड़ता रहा है। 40 वर्षों की निगरानी अवधि में इन लोगों में 1,130 की मौत हो गई। आधे से अधिक लोगों की मौत दिल की बीमारी से हुई। शोध से पता चला कि जो लोग रोजाना 20 ग्राम शराब पीते रहे उनकी जीवन प्रत्याशा शराब नहीं पीने वालों की तुलना में 2 वर्ष बढ़ गई। ब्रिटिश मेडिकल जर्नल द्वारा जारी एक विज्ञप्ति में कहा गया है कि नियमित रूप से रोजाना थोड़ी मात्रा में शराब पीने से उम्र में औसतन 5 वर्ष का इजाफा हो सकता है।

पुरुषों को आकर्षित करने के लिए कॉलेज जाने वाली महिलाएं शराब का अधिक सेवन करती हैं लेकिन इससे उन्हें कोई विशेष सफलता नहीं मिलती। एक नए अध्ययन में यह तथ्य सामने आया है। ‘डेट’ पर ज्यादातर महिलाओं को लगता है कि उनका पुरुष साथी उनसे और अधिक शराब पीने की उम्मीद करता है। परिणामस्वरुप किसी भी समारोह के दौरान पुरुष जितनी शराब पीने को वरीयता देते हैं उसे 71 प्रतिशत महिलाएं लांघ जाती हैं।शोधकर्ताओं के अनुसार 26 प्रतिशत महिलाओं ने कहा कि पुरुष उन महिलाओं से मित्रता करना पसंद करते हैं जिन्होंने पांच पेग से अधिक शराब पी हो और 16 प्रतिशत ने कहा कि पुरुष महिलाओं की ओर से सबसे अधिक यौनाकर्षित तब होते हैं जब महिला ने काफी अधिक शराब पी रखी हो। यह अनुमान वास्तव में उसका दोगुना है जिसको कि वास्तव में पुरुष वरीयता देते हैं। लायोला मेरीमाउंट विश्वविद्यालय में मनोविज्ञान के सहायक प्रोफेसर जोसेफ लाब्री ने कहा कि सभी महिलाएं पुरुषों को आकर्षित करने के लिए अधिक शराब नहीं पीती हैं लेकिन अधिकतर महिलाओं के खतरनाक हद तक पीने का यह बहुत साधारण स्पष्टीकरण हो सकता है।शोध के नतीजे अमेरिकन साइकोलॉजी एसोसिएशन द्वारा प्रकाशित साइकोलॉजी ऑफ एडिक्टिव बिहैवियर के मार्च अंक में दिए गए हैं।

लेकिन अगर आप सोचते हैं कि कम शराब पीने के कारण आप इसके दुष्प्रभावों से दूर हैं तो अपने मन से यह गलतफहमी निकाल दें। एक नए शोध के अनुशार थोड़ी मात्रा में ली गई शराब भी आपको हकीकत से दूर कर सकती है। कम मात्रा में ली गई शराब भी खतरनाक हो सकती है क्योंकि यह हमारे दिमागी संतुलन पर असर डालती है। उदाहरण के लिए वाहन चलाने वाले लोगों के लिए यह खतरनाक हो सकता है क्योंकि अक्सर वे नियंत्रण खो बैठते हैं और उन्हें यह ध्यान ही नहीं रहता कि वे क्या कर रहे हैं। पीने के बाद लोगों में अपनी मौजूदा स्थिति का आंकलन करने की क्षमता कम हो जाती है।

शराब का चयापचन यकृत (लीवर) में होता है। यही यकृत के क्षतिग्रस्त होने की मुख्य वजह भी है। यकृत में शराब खतरनाक रसायन एसिटेल्डिहाइड बनकर यकृत के ऊतकों को नुकसान पहुँचाती है। यकृत के सामान्य ऊतकों पर तंतुयुक्त ऊतक व कोशिकाओं के जमा हो जाने से यकृत की कार्य क्षमता कम हो जाती है। शराब के पहले हमले के नतीजे में मिलता है "फेटी लीवर"। यकृत वसा का चयापचय करता है। लेकिन तंतुयुक्त ऊतकों व कोशिकाओं के चढ़ जाने के बाद काम करना बंद कर देता है। यकृत जब वसा का चयापचय करना बंद कर देता हो वसा यकृत में जमा हो जाती है। जमा हो जाने के बाद वसा वहीं रह जाती है। इस स्थिति में यदि शराब छोड़ दी जाए तो न केवल आगे होने वाले स्थाई नुकसान को रोका जा सकता है अपितु लीवर के सामान्य स्थिति में लौट आने की संभावनाएँ भी बनी रहती हैं।

दूसरे हमले की देन है अल्कोहोलिक हेपेटाइटिस । यह अत्यधिक मात्रा में शराब पीने से यकृत पर सूजन आने से होती है। इसमें मरीज को भूख ना लगना , उल्टियाँ तथा पीलिया हो जाता है। तीसरे हमले में मिलता है सिरोसिस ऑफ लीवर। लंबे समय तक अत्यधिक मात्रा में शराब पीने से यकृत के 70-80 प्रतिशत भाग में फ्राईब्रोसिस हो जाता है। सिरोसिस के कारण पेट में पानी भर जाता है। शराब के कारण शरीर की रोगों से लड़ने की क्षमता काफी कम हो जाती है। शुरू में लोग शराब मजे के लिए पीते हैं पर बाद में शराब उन्हें पी जाती है।

इसलिए बेहतर यही है कि शराब थोडी या अधिक, किसी भी रूप में न पियें तो ही अच्छा।

अंतर्राष्ट्रीय रेड क्रास दिवस (८ मई) के अवसर पर विशेष प्रस्तुति।

with thanks to josh18

WORLD HUNGER – CRITICAL ISSUE

2009-04-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

World hunger is extensive in spite of sufficient global food resources. Therefore increased food production is no solution. The problem is that many people are too poor to buy readily available food. Therefore, measures solving the poverty problem are what is required to solve the world hunger problem. However, meaningful long-term alleviation to hunger is rooted in the alleviation of poverty, as poverty leads to hunger. World hunger is a terrible symptom of world poverty. If efforts are only directed at providing food, or improving food production or distribution, then the structural root causes that create hunger, poverty and dependency would still remain. And so while continuous effort, resources and energies are deployed to relieve hunger through these technical measures, the political causes require political solutions as well.

Hunger is a term which has three meanings -
a.) The uneasy or painful sensation caused by want of food; craving appetite. Also the exhausted condition caused by want of food.
b.) The want or scarcity of food in a country.
c.) A strong desire or craving.

World hunger refers to the second definition, aggregated to the world level. The related technical term is malnutrition. Malnutrition is a general term that indicates a lack of some or all nutritional elements necessary for human health. There are two basic types of malnutrition. The first and most important is protein-energy malnutrition--the lack of enough protein (from meat and other sources) and food that provides energy (measured in calories) which all of the basic food groups provide. This is the type of malnutrition that is referred to when world hunger is discussed. The second type of malnutrition, also very important, is micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiency. This is not the type of malnutrition that is referred to when world hunger is discussed, though it is certainly very important.

Cause of World Hunger -
There are many inter-related issues causing hunger, which are related to economics and other factors that cause poverty. They include land rights and ownership, diversion of land use to non-productive use, increasing emphasis on export-oriented agriculture, inefficient agricultural practices, war, famine, drought, over-fishing, poor crop yields, etc. The causes of poverty include poor people's lack of resources, an extremely unequal income distribution in the world and within specific countries, conflict, and hunger itself. Extreme poverty remains an alarming problem in the world’s developing regions, despite the advances made in the last decade till now, which reduced "Dollar/Rupees a day" poverty from Progress in poverty reduction has been concentrated in Asia, and especially, East Asia, with the major improvement occurring in China.

Hunger in India -

India is long known to have some of the highest rates of child malnutrition and mortality in under-fives in the world. According to the Indian government statistics two years ago, around 60% of more than 10 million children in the state were malnourished. Nutrition experts say the abysmal record is due to an inadequate access to food, poor feeding practices and poor childcare practices in India. And now the rise in the global food prices has reduced the food-buying capacity of many poor families, making their situation worse. In the past year food prices have increased significantly, but people's incomes haven't kept pace, forcing many families further into hunger, experts say. All states also need to improve strategies to facilitate inclusive economic growth, ensure food sufficiency and reduce child mortality.

World level of Hunger -
No one really knows how many people are malnourished. The statistic most frequently cited is that of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which measures 'under-nutrition'. The most recent estimate in 2006 of the FAO says that 854 million people worldwide are undernourished. This is 12.6 percent of the estimated world population of 6.6 billion. Most of the undernourished--820 million--are in developing countries. The FAO estimate is based on statistical aggregates. It looks at a country's income level and income distribution and uses this information to estimate how many people receive such a low level of income that they are malnourished. It is not an estimate based on seeing to what extent actual people are malnourished and projecting from there. It has been argued that the FAO approach is not sufficient to give accurate estimates of malnutrition.

Children are the most visible victims of under-nutrition. Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year--five million deaths. Under-nutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, including measles and malaria. Malnutrition can also be caused by diseases, such as the diseases that cause diarrhea, by reducing the body's ability to convert food into usable nutrients.

Solution of world hunger -
Solving world hunger in the conventional sense (of providing/growing more food etc) will not tackle poverty that leads to hunger in the first place. Further, there is a risk of continuing the poverty and dependency without realizing it, because the act of attempting to provide more food etc can appear so altruistic in motive. To solve world hunger in the long run, poverty alleviation is required.

Another view is that the belief that world hunger can be solved by increasing food production is an unsubstantiated myth. It has lead to policies by international organs that have supported farming policies that in practice have boosted production of expensive export foods on the expense of production of basic foods for the population. The real problem is poverty. As the market responds to money and not to actual need, it can only work to eliminate hunger when purchasing power is widely dispersed. As the rural poor are increasingly pushed from land, they are less and less able to demand for food on the market. Promoting free trade to alleviate hunger has proven to be a failure. In most developing countries exports have boomed while hunger has continued unabated or actually worsened according to the book.

(With thanks to various sites)

मोबाईल के खतरे

2009-04-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

How to reduce fat - Tricks

2009-03-31T02:32:00.000-07:00

First of all it's very necessary to know how much fat is there on stomach. The dieting & exercises would be done accordingly so that we may be healthy with smart look. The increasing of fat is a major cause of many problems.

For the purpose, you should have to fold the skin of stomach and measure the thickness. If the width is less than ½ inches, it may be reduced by doing exercises only without dieting. But if the width is more than ½ inches, the exercises and also dieting will have to be done regularly.

Some noticeable points are here:

1. Do your breakfast freely, lunch be done lesser and dinner be taken much lesser than that.
2. Dinner be taken soon just after evening so that there is no need to take meal meanwhile.
3. Try to reduce the use of more sugar and oily food. Take grains, green vegetables and fruits, etc. for fulfilling the required energy of body.
4. Take Vitamin C as much as you can which is generally found in some grains, green vegetables and fruits, etc. You can take tablets of the same after some intervals.
5. Soft drinks, coffee, tea, wines, meats and sweet drinks may not be taken because these things reduce our digesting process.
6. Take water alternatively as much as you can.
7. Light food be taken in the dinner because in the night, the digestion system is not much active. It results more insulin to change the carbohydrate into fat and more deposition of fat in the stomach.

योग से भगाएं सर्दी के रोग

2008-12-11T21:55:00.000-08:00

1st Dec. -World AIDS Day

2008-11-30T22:14:00.000-08:00

World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988. World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). By killing or damaging cells of the body's immune system, HIV progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers.
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is different from most other viruses because it attacks the immune system. The immune system gives our bodies the ability to fight infections. HIV finds and destroys a type of white blood cell (T cells or CD4 cells) that the immune system must have to fight disease.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. It can take years for a person infected with HIV, even without treatment, to reach this stage. Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system to the point at which the body has a difficult time fighting infections. When someone has one or more of these infections and a low number of T cells, he or she has AIDS.
Whereas there are symptoms of HIV, the only way to know that you are living with the virus is to be tested. Everyone should know their HIV status to protect themselves and others.

Over one million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS today. Worldwide, the figure is over 33 million. Effective HIV care—including antiretroviral drug therapies and regular access to primary health care—can help people manage their HIV disease and live longer.

Prevention & education:

HIV and AIDS are life threatening conditions. There is no cure yet for HIV/AIDS. The transmission of HIV occurs through three well documented means: 1) having sex (anal, vaginal, or oral) with someone infected with HIV; 2) sharing needles and syringes with someone infected with HIV; and 3) being exposed (fetus or infant) to HIV before or during birth or through breast feeding. HIV transmission can be prevented through avoiding behaviors that expose someone to the means of transmission and by taking preventive measures if identified risk behaviors occur.
To protect yourself, do not inject illicit drugs and remember these ABCs:
A=Abstinence
B=Be Faithful
C=Condoms
HIV is not transmitted through day-to-day activities such as shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, drinking fountain, doorknob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets. You also cannot get HIV from mosquitoes.
There is no cure for HIV or AIDS yet despite the large efforts underway to develop a preventative and therapeutic vaccine. However, research has advanced HIV/AIDS treatments greatly since the early days of the epidemic, and HIV drugs can slow down the virus’s attack on the human immune system. People with HIV/AIDS can now live healthier, longer lives.
Living with HIV/AIDS requires consultation with an HIV doctor who can help individuals with treatment and drug decisions. The decision to start drug treatment is a very personal decision and one that should only be made in consultation with a health care provider based on clinical status (symptoms), immune system health (CD4 count and viral load), whether a diagnosis of AIDS has been made, and whether a treatment plan can be maintained (treatment adherence). While treatment has its benefits, it also has its risks, such as multiple side effects from HIV drugs and therapies, potential toxicity from drug treatments, as well as possible resistance of HIV to drugs over time.
As HIV attacks the human immune system, the immune system weakens over time and becomes more susceptible to opportunistic infections (OIs). Opportunistic infections are generally illnesses that don’t make people with a healthy immune system sick or don’t occur as often. There are many kinds of opportunistic infections, including other viruses, bacterial infections, and some types of cancers. Even common colds can become more dangerous and the flu is considered a serious condition in persons with HIV/AIDS.
To name just a few, common HIV/AIDS related health issues include:
Tuberculosis (TB)
Hepatitis C
Cryptoccocal meninigitis
Pneumocystis carinii pneumosia (PCP)
Cryptosporidiosis (crypto)
Toxoplasmosis (toxo)
HIV/AIDS can make treating opportunistic infections more difficult. The longer an individual’s immune system can be kept healthy through diet, exercise, and working with health care providers regarding making treatment decisions and adherence to treatment regimens, the less likely opportunistic infections may occur.

Let’s swear to get this world rid of AIDS, today.

On World AIDS Day - Dec.01, 2008

2008-11-25T21:43:00.000-08:00

Hello !

This December 1st, 2008, ‘Friends-Love’s group requests its members to join the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of HIV/AIDS Policy’s AIDS.gov for Bloggers Unite For World AIDS Day.

We Need Your Help!
Nearly half of all AIDS cases in the U.S. involve people 13 to 24 years of age, placing many of ‘Friends-Love’ members or their children in the highest risk age groups. More than 250,000 are estimated to be HIV positive and not know it. And more than 1 million are estimated to have AIDS.
Of course, AIDS is not limited to the U.S. There are an estimated 33 million people with AIDS worldwide. It affects every country, city, and town in the world. And, the most frightening thing about it is that is going largely unchecked. In fact, that is one of the reason that worldaidscampaign.org is continuing its "leadership" theme, which it developed after learning that many leaders who promised to support AIDS were not keeping their promises.
As always, what you choose to write about is up to you. However, you might consider checking the NIDA and AIDS.gov research and prevention resources on the Bloggers Unite resource page. Or, for a more global view, check out http://www.worldaidscampaign.org

Unlike most campaigns where we hope awareness led to action, this is one campaign where awareness is action! If even just 10 percent of our members get involved, we can reach an estimated 4 million Blog readers. And if half of our members participate, we can reach 20 million. And if all bloggers participate, we can reach the entire world. But more importantly than all that. If your post just touches even one person and convinces them to get tested or helps someone learn about AIDS prevention, won't that will be worth it? Your words, voices, videos, and actions can all help people become more aware about AIDS and how to prevent it. And by doing that, you might not only save someone, but save someone close to you.

Please join us. We look forward to reading all of your posts this December 1st!…

...The ‘Friends-Love’ Team

ऐसे भी फैलता है ज़ुकाम

2008-11-06T02:40:00.000-08:00

सर्दियों के दिनों में बड़ी संख्या में लोग ज़ुकाम का शिकार होते हैं. अकेले ब्रिटेन में कुल आबादी का पाँचवाँ हिस्सा ज़ुकाम से पीड़ित होता है.
विशेषज्ञों ने चेतावनी दी है कि रिमोट कंट्रोल, बाथरुम के नल, रेफ़्रीजरेटर और दरवाज़ों के हत्थों के ज़रिए भी ज़ुकाम के वायरस फैलने का अंदेशा बहुत होता है.वर्जिनिया यूनिवर्सिटी के शोधकर्ताओं ने 30 घरों में ऐसे घरेलू उपकरणों की सतहों का अध्ययन किया और पाया कि उनमें 42 प्रतिशत बार ज़ुकाम के वायरस मौजूद थे. उनका कहना है कि हालांकि ज़ुकाम सबसे ज़्यादा खाँसने और छींकने से फैलते हैं लेकिन घरेलू उपकरणों की इन सतहों की भी नियमित सफ़ाई होनी चाहिए. संक्रमित होने वाली बीमारियों पर हो रहे एक सम्मेलन में शोधकर्ताओं ने कहा कि घरेलू उपकरणों की सतह पर ज़ुकाम के वायरस दो दिनों तक जीवित रहते हैं.
उनका कहना है कि घर का ही कोई सदस्य या बाहर से आने वाला कोई व्यक्ति दरवाज़े के हत्थों या नल के सतहों पर ज़ुकाम के वायरस छोड़ सकता है.
उन्होंने पाया कि वायरस से संक्रमित किसी सतह को छूने के एक घंटे बाद तक उंगलियों पर ये राइनोवायरस जीवित रहते हैं.
प्रमुख शोधकर्ता डॉ बरगिट विंदर का कहना है कि लोगों को पता होना चाहिए कि ज़ुकाम का संक्रमण इन स्रोतों से भी फैल सकता है.
उनका कहना है, "कुछ लोग संक्रमण ख़त्म करने वाली दवा का घर में छिड़काव करते हैं लेकिन यह समझने की ज़रुरत है कि ये वायरस हवा के ज़रिए नहीं फैलते. इसके बदले उन्हें सार्वजनिक रुप से उपयोग में लाई जाने वाली चीज़ों की सतहों को साफ़ करना चाहिए."
संक्रमण विशेषज्ञ प्रोफ़ेसर जॉन ऑक्सफ़र्ड का कहना है, "ज़ुकाम के वायरस बड़े जीवट क़िस्म के होते हैं क्योंकि ये किसी भी सतह पर लंबे समय तक जीवित रह लेते हैं."
उनका कहना है कि ठीक तरह से साफ़-सफ़ाई करके पूरे परिवार को संक्रमण से बचाया जा सकता है.
ब्रिटेन में नए नियमों के अनुसार डॉक्टर अब ज़ुकाम के लिए एंटीबायोटिक दवाएँ खाने की सलाह नहीं दे सकते, ऐसे में संक्रमण से बचने के उपाय करना ज़्यादा फ़ायदेमंद साबित हो सकता है.

Can Smoking Help You Lose Weight?

2008-10-25T01:20:00.000-07:00

Can Smoking Help You Lose Weight?

Smoking is highly damaging to your body and it is not an activity I recommend you participate in. However, there are limited advantages associated with this habit. One such advantage is that smoking can help you lose weight. In this article I discuss how it helps you lose weight and compare this with the damage it can cause.There are a number of reasons that smoking helps you drop the pounds and I have listed these below:1) Smoking Damages Your Taste Buds:- The more you smoke the more damage you do to your taste buds. Over time the chemicals and tar in cigarettes coat the inside of your mouth and cover your taste buds meaning that they become less and less effective. As your taste buds become progressively hampered the food you eat becomes increasingly bland. Therefore, you do not enjoy your food as much as you once did and there is less temptation to carry on eating. You start to eat until your hunger is satisfied and not for enjoyment which means you eat less. Since you are eating less the logical result is for you to lose weight.But is it worth damaging your taste buds just so that you eat a little less each day? In my opinion definitely not. I really enjoy tasting all the different flavours that food has to offer and would not like to have that taken away from me. I would much rather discipline myself to moderate my eating than damage my taste buds so much that I do not enjoy my food anymore.2) Nicotine is an Appetite Suppressant:- Studies suggest that nicotine acts as an appetite suppressant. Therefore, the more you smoke the less hungry you feel and the less you are likely to eat.However, nicotine is a very dangerous substance. Certain reports suggest that there may be a link between nicotine and kidney disease, that nicotine damages the inside of your arteries and that nicotine can increase your risk of heart disease. Furthermore, withdrawal from nicotine can lead to irritability, headaches, poor concentration, insomnia, constipation and it can even increase your appetite. Therefore, whilst you may feel less hungry when you have a steady supply of nicotine you quickly become reliant on this substance to suppress your appetite, all the time doing increased damage to your body.3) Smoking Increases your Metabolic Rate:- Smoking cigarettes makes your heart beat faster, meaning your body expends more energy and burns more calories. Therefore, when you smoke you will burn more calories than when you do not smoke. Heavy smokers are believed to burn up to 200 additional calories each day as a result of this.However, the extra pressure placed on your heart by smoking does not just burn calories. It also increases your risk of heart disease which is one of the most common causes of smoking related deaths. Is it really worth putting your heart in this much danger just to get a slight daily boost in metabolism?As I have already mentioned smoking is not a good habit and is something that I suggest you avoid. Nevertheless, I am prepared to offer a balanced argument and I admit that one of the few benefits of smoking is that it assists weight loss by boosting your metabolism and suppressing your appetite. However, when you balance this against the negatives which include damage to your lungs, arteries, veins & heart, bad breath, wrinkled skin and poor health smoking is not such an attractive weight loss solution.

मोटापे से बचना चाहते हैं तो धीरे-धीरे खाना खाइए...

2008-10-22T00:28:00.000-07:00

एक जापानी शोध में कहा गया है कि जो लोग अपना खाना तेज़ी से खाते हैं उनमें वज़न बढ़ने का ख़तरा लगभग दोगुना बढ़ जाता है. ओसका यूनिवर्सिटी के वैज्ञानिकों ने कोई तीन हज़ार लोगों के खाना खाने की आदतों का अध्ययन किया और अपने शोध के परिणामों को ब्रिटिश मेडिकल जर्नल में प्रकाशित किया है. ब्रिटेन के एक आहार विशेषज्ञ का कहना है कि समस्या एक हद तक इस बात से भी हो सकती है कि शरीर यह संकेत देना बंद कर दे कि कब खाना पर्याप्त हो गया. उनका कहना है कि यदि खाने की रफ़्तार जानबूझ कर धीमा कर दिया जाए तो इसका असर वज़न पर हो सकता है. ताज़ा शोध में खाने की रफ़्तार, पर्याप्त खा लेने का संकेत और वज़न बढ़ने के बीच संबंधों का अध्ययन किया गया है.

जिन 3000 लोगों पर अध्ययन किया गया, उनमें से आधे लोगों ने डॉक्टरों को बताया था कि उन्हें जल्दी-जल्दी खाने की आदत है। पाया गया कि जो लोग तेज़ी से नहीं खाते उनकी तुलना में तेज़ी से खाने वाले पुरुषों का वज़न बढ़ने का ख़तरा 84 प्रतिशत बढ़ जाता है लेकिन महिलाओं के मामले में यह ख़तरा दोगुना हो जाता है. लेकिन वो लोग जो पेट भर जाने का संकेत मिलते तक खाते ही जाते हैं उनका वज़न बढ़ने का ख़तरा तीन गुना तक बढ़ जाता है. नॉटिंघम यूनिवर्सिटी के प्रोफ़ेसर इयान मैक्डोनल्ड का कहना है कि इसके कई कारण हैं कि क्यों तेज़ी से खाना वज़न बढ़ाने के लिए ख़तरनाक होता है. उनका कहना है कि इससे मस्तिष्क को संकेत देने वाली वह प्रणाली में बाधा पहुँच सकती है जो यह बताती है कि पर्याप्त खाना हो चुका है. उनका कहना है कि खाना खाने की रफ़्तार कम या ज़्यादा की तो जा सकती है लेकिन यह आसान नहीं होता. प्रोफ़ेसर मैक्डोनल्ड का कहना है, "बुजुर्ग महिलाएँ जब कहती थीं कि एक-एक कौर को 20 बार चबाकर खाओ तो वे ठीक कहती थीं क्योंकि ऐसा करने से आपको खाना खाने में समय लग सकता है."

वहीँ दो ऑस्ट्रेलियाई शोधकर्ताओं का सुझाव है कि बच्चों को धीमे-धीमे खाने के लिए बढ़ावा देना चाहिए और जब उन्हें लगे कि उनका पेट भर गया है तो उन्हें खाना बंद करने की अनुमति दी जानी चाहिए. हालांकि अभी इस बात के कोई प्रमाण नहीं हैं कि यदि कोई बच्चा धीमी गति से खाना खाता है तो वह आगे चलकर भी मोटापे का शिकार नहीं होगा।

With Spl.Thanks to BBC

दिल को स्वस्थ रखना है तो सलाद खाइए...

2008-10-21T03:20:00.000-07:00

खानपान को लेकर हुए एक शोध के बाद कहा गया है कि तले हुए और नमकीन खाने की जगह यदि सलाद खाया जाए तो दुनिया भर में दिल का दौरा पड़ने की आशंका को एक तिहाई तक घटाया जा सकता है. शोधकर्ताओं ने 52 देशों में 16 हज़ार लोगों के खानपान का अध्ययन किया गया और खानपान की तीन वैश्विक तौर-तरीक़े उभर कर आई है. 'सर्कुलेशन जर्नल' के अनुसार पश्चिमी खानपान में नमक, वसा और मांस की मात्रा अधिक होती है, जो दुनिया के किसी भी भाग में दिल के दौरे की आशंका को तीन प्रतिशत तक बढ़ा देते हैं.

वैज्ञानिकों का कहना है कि फल और सब्ज़ियाँ खाने से दिल के दौरे की आशंका एक तिहाई तक कम हो सकती है. शोधकर्ताओं का कहना है कि टोफ़ू और सोया सॉस दिल के दौरे के ख़तरे पर कोई असर नहीं पड़ता. शोधकर्ताओं ने 19 तरह के खानपान को लेकर सवाल बनाए और फिर 5,561 दिल का दौरा झेल चुके लोगों से और 10, 646 दिल के रोगियों से इन सवालों के जवाब देने को कहा. शोधकर्ताओं का कहना है कि जो लोग पश्चिमी ढंग का खाना खा रहे थे उनमें दिल का दौरा पड़ने का ख़तरा दूसरों की तुलना में 35 प्रतिशत अधिक होता है.

हालांकि यह सर्वविदित तथ्य है कि पश्चिमी भोजन करने वाले लोगों में दिल की बीमारियों का ख़तरा बढ़ जाता है. ज़्यादा नमक से रक्तचाप बढ़ता है और ग़लत तरह के वसा से रक्तवाहिनियों में अवरोध पैदा होता है. अध्ययन के बाद पाया गया कि खानपान के तौरतरीक़े इस बाद से ज़्यादा अहमियत रखते हैं कि किसी ख़ास चीज़ में पौष्टिकता कितनी है. शोधकर्ताओं का कहना है कि इस शोध से पता चला है कि खानपान और दिल के दौरे का जो संबंध पश्चिमी देशों के लिए लागू है वह दुनिया के दूसरे हिस्सों के लिए भी उतना ही सच है.

कनाडा के मैकमास्टर यूनिवर्सिटी के प्रमुख शोधकर्ता रोमानिया इक़बाल का कहना है, "लोगों में दिल का दौरा पड़ने का 30 प्रतिशत ख़तरा खानपान से जुड़ा होता है।" ब्रिटिश हार्ट फ़ाउंडेशन की एलन मैसन का कहना है, "इस शोध से पता चलता है कि इससे कोई फ़र्क नहीं पड़ता कि आप बॉल्टन में हैं या बॉम्बे में, आप चाहे ब्रितानी खाना खाते हों या फिर अफ़्रीकन कैरेबियन या फिर एशियाई." वे कहती हैं, "महत्वपूर्ण चीज़ यह है कि आपको नमकीन, तली हुई और वसायुक्त खाने को कम करके फल और सब्ज़ी की मात्रा को बढ़ाना होगा."

साभार-बी.बी.सी.

Need Hair Extensions???

2008-09-18T01:19:00.000-07:00

Some are synthetic and some are made of human hair. The natural hair of Caucasians is different from that of Asians or Afro-Caribbeans and you should choose an extension that will match your own hair.

They come in many varieties and can be pre-colored, pre-highlighted or pre-permed with curls or a body wave. Depending on how it was attached, you may need to have your hair extension re-done after 6 or 8 weeks, or it might last up to 4 months. Re-attaching will always be periodically necessary because our natural hair continues to grow, the bonding agent becomes loose, life happens, and you’ll need to re-adjust and refresh your hair’s appearance.

What are hair extensions? Hair extensions are hairpieces that can be attached to your natural hair or scalp; they enhance the thickness of your hair or the length. There are several kinds, but the most popular ones are
• Strands, small clusters of about 30 pieces of hair
• Wefts, slightly larger curtains of hair, joined at the top and free flowing at the ends. The best wefts are hand-made, not machine-made.
• Braids and dreadlocks, which are pre-wound.

How are hair extensions attached?
• Strands are woven, glued, or clipped to your natural hair. If they’re clipped, you can take them off easily any time. If they’re glued, various bonding agents may be used and care must be taken to protect your scalp and natural hair.
• For wefts, your stylist will make a small corn row or weave in your natural hair, and sew the weft to this weave. This method uses no chemicals.
• Braids are usually woven in with your own hair and again no chemicals are used.

What kind of hair extension would best suit me? That’s a very personal matter and should be decided between you and your stylist. There are extensions for every kind of hair, even thin and baby-fine hair. Your stylist will assess your hair type, discuss how you would like to look and whether it’s possible given your particular circumstances and hair status, and explain alternatives. When an extension is decided upon, she will personally customize it to match your hair, will attach it, explain how she’s doing it, and give you information on how to care for it.

How do I care for my hair extension?
• Hair extensions can be shampooed, styled and brushed the same as your natural hair, but don’t try to alter their color. This should be professionally done.
• The most important thing is to be gentle with it so as to preserve the bond attaching it.
• Use a soft bristle brush and brush out tangles from the bottom ends up towards your head.
• At night, to avoid matting, tie it up or braid it if it’s fairly long, and never sleep with wet or damp hair.
• Avoid using any silicone-based products or conditioners on the extension where it is bonded to your natural hair, as this will make the extension slip off.

Does it hurt to get a hair extension? No, not when it’s properly done. In the first day or two it will feel a little heavy perhaps, and this added weight on your head may feel slightly uncomfortable until you get used to it. The process of attaching it should not hurt at all. If it does, something isn’t right. Sometimes if the cornrow method is being used, the weaving might be done too tightly, pulling too hard on your scalp. This can even cause headaches. But you should not accept this. The weaving doesn’t have to be so tight that it’s painful.

You may come across stories of how a person’s hair was broken, burned, or otherwise damaged by their hair extension. The odds are that this person had it done by an untrained stylist, or one with little experience.
Hair extensions, as their name suggests, are sections of hair added to your own natural hair, giving it added volume and length, even changing its style. Hair Extensions can be real or synthetic. The most expensive and most natural looking extensions are made from human hair. Other alternatives are animal hair, treated human hair, and synthetic fibers.

Hair extensions are available in many different colors, textures, styles, and lengths. A skilled stylist can choose hair extensions that are virtually indistinguishable from your own hair. Extensions made from human hair can be styled after application. This enables wearers to have greater flexibility and naturalness in their daily style. Human Hair Extensions, on the other hand, is colored and styled before application and cannot be changed.

Hair extensions can be applied in a variety of ways depending on your needs and budget. For a fun, inexpensive, and temporary change of style, consider clip-on extensions. These are available at most department stores. Ponytail extensions are popular choices in clip-ons. Though clip-ons are generally not available in subtle color variations, they do come in all of the more common shades.

For a larger commitment in time and money, hair extensions can also be attached to hair by weaving, sewing, braiding, gluing, and tubing. Some of these methods can last from two to six months with proper application and maintenance. These methods should be performed in a salon. To determine which method best suits your lifestyle and your hair, do your research and speak to a qualified professional. For the health of your natural hair, make sure the person applying the extensions is a licensed cosmetologist.

Want to get rid of Fat, Drink Green Tea

2008-09-17T01:15:00.000-07:00

The many beneficial health properties of green tea are still being discovered; this wonder herb contains ingredients which are still being researched but it is most famous for it's antioxidant properties. People requiring a natural product to burn calories will not find anything to compare with green tea weight loss supplements.

In addition to weight loss functions, it can also help slow the signs of aging by helping to speed up the regenerative functions of the cells. Although it is the toxin removal and laxative qualities that help with weight loss when taken regularly. The product increases the metabolic rate and the number of calories burnt so less fatty tissue forms.

This said, green tea weight loss supplements still need the help of the person using them because if you are eating large amounts of junk food every day without any physical activity then you will still put on weight. It is important to remember that weight loss also requires a person to completely change their eating habits otherwise just consuming the product will be a waste of time.

If you use green tea as a drink then the best time to take this is just before you retire for the night. Although it may at first seem a little scary, it has a strange effect on the body and as a consequence the stomach and bowls may not work as they should while you become accustomed to it during the first few days. By making adjustments to the metabolic rate, the body will not retain toxins long enough to enter the blood; this is how green tea weight loss products work. Providing you stick to your diet which would include exercise, an increase in fluids and vegetables you will see benefits within seven days of starting your diet.

Often, green tea is combined with other products to work more effectively and one such product is ginseng. Ginseng has also been used in Chin and Tibet for many thousands of years and helps by adding vitamins and minerals to supplement those already being used in the detoxification process.Increasing the energy and vitality level of the user, ginseng is a valuable addition to green tea products especially for people trying to get back to what should be their normal weight. Although safe to use, ginseng and green tea are not normally used for periods beyond six months at a time.

Bad Breath From Stomach Problems

2008-09-17T01:13:00.002-07:00

Many people are actually surprised to learn that bad breath doesn't always stem from the mouth itself but is caused by digestive disorders and other such issues. Conditions such as acid reflux disease, an obstructed bowel, diverticulitis, and just plain indigestion can cause chronic halitosis. But how are these conditions connected, and better yet, how can you cure bad breath from stomach problems?Most stomach and digestive conditions that cause bad breath do so because of bacteria and harmful enzymes that get absorbed into the system and then released through the breath. In the case of acid reflux disease, those stomach acids can work their way all the back up into the throat and then are expelled in the breath. In order to cure bad breath from stomach problems you need to understand what condition you have that's causing the problem and then address is appropriately. For instance, if it's acid reflux you need to make adjustments to your diet or get some medication to calm those stomach acids. You can't cure bad breath from stomach problems by just covering it up with gum or mints; once that smell from these products wear off, the bad breath is still present. If you have chronic indigestion you may want to see your doctor to get diagnosed correctly.Sometimes just understanding the problem doesn't necessarily mean that you can correct it that easily, especially if it's a condition that you're trying to treat and still have not quite fixed. In order to cure bad breath from stomach problems without being able to fix those problems, you need to make sure that you're following a good program of proper oral hygiene. Never neglect brushing and flossing, and of course rinsing afterwards. You might not be able to cure bad breath from stomach problems by doing this, but you can make sure that it's not any worse. Keep yourself adequately hydrated at all times so that you can neutralize stomach acids and help your mouth keep itself clean. Saliva is a great cleanser for the mouth and when your mouth is dry, your breath is going to be worse. There is no shame in asking your doctor for help in being able to cure bad breath from stomach problems. He or she may have seen this type of problem brought on by your condition before and may be able to recommend a permanent solution.

तनाव दूर करना है तो कीजिये योगासन

2008-09-17T00:45:00.000-07:00

क्या आपने कभी सोचा है कि हमारा मस्तिष्क कभी विश्राम नहीं करता है. हमेशा विचारों से घिरा रहता है. आज की भागदौड़ भरी ज़िंदगी में हमारे दिमाग पर भी बोझ बढ़ता जा रहा है. इससे बचने के लिए हमें कुछ पल निकालकर शवासन और अदबासन जैसे विश्रात्मक आसन का अभ्यास करना चाहिए. अगर शवासन को पूरी सजगता के साथ किया जाए तो यह तनाव दूर करता है, उच्च रक्तचाप सामान्य करता है और नींद न आने की समस्या को दूर भगाता है. इससे आप शारीरिक और मानसिक थकान को दूर भगा सकते हैं. बस ज़रूरत है आपको प्रयास करने की. जब भी आप योगाभ्यास करें तीन बातों का विशेष ध्यान रखें, पहली है मानसिक सजगता, दूसरी साँस का ध्यान और तीसरी है आप अपनी शारीरिक गतिविधियों को भी अन्तर्मन से देखने की कोशिश करें. शरीर में किसी प्रकार का तनाव न रखें. अगर आप योग का सहारा लेना चाहते हैं तो शवासन और अदबासन के अभ्यास से आप तनावरहित हो जाएँगे. आपका मस्तिष्क भी शांत अर्थात विचार शून्य हो जाएगा. इससे आपके शरीर की बैटरी भी रिचार्ज हो जाएगी.
कैसे करें शवासन -
पीठ के बल लेट जाएँ और दोनों पैरों में डेढ़ फुट का अंतर रखें. दोनों हाथों को शरीर से 15 सेमी की दूरी पर रखें. हथेली का रुख़ ऊपर की ओर होगा.सिर को सहारा देने के लिए तौलिया या किसी कपड़े को दोहरा कर सिर के नीचे रख सकते हैं. इस दौरान यह ध्यान रखें कि सिर सीधा रहे.शरीर को तनावरहित करने के लिए अपनी कमर और कंधों को व्यवस्थित कर लें. शरीर के सभी अंगों को ढीला छोड़ दें. आँखों को कोमलता से बंद कर लें. शवासन करने के दौरान किसी भी अंग को हिलाना-डुलाना नहीं है.आप अपनी सजगता को साँस की ओर लगाएँ और उसे ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा लयबद्ध करने का प्रयास करें. गहरी साँसें भरें और साँस छोड़ते हुए ऐसा महसूस करें कि पूरा शरीर शिथिल होता जा रहा है. शरीर के सभी अंग शांत हो गए हैं.कुछ देर साँस की सजगता को बनाए रखें, आँखें बंद ही रखें और भू-मध्य में एक ज्योति का प्रकाश देखने का प्रयास करें.अगर कोई विचार मन में आए तो उसे साक्षी भाव से देखें, उससे जुड़िए नहीं, उसे देखते जाएँ और उसे जाने दें. कुछ ही पल में आप मानसिक रूप से भी शांत और तनावरहित हो जाएँगे.आँखे बंद रखते हुए इसी अवस्था में आप 10 से 1 तक उल्टी गिनती गिनें. उदाहरण के तौर पर "मैं साँस ले रहा हूँ 10, मैं साँस छोड़ रहा हूँ 10, मैं साँस ले रहा हूँ 9, मैं साँस छोड़ रहा हूँ 9." इस प्रकार शून्य तक गिनती को मन ही मन गिनें.अगर आपका मन भटक जाए और आप गिनती भूल जाएँ तो दोबारा उल्टी गिनती शुरू करें. साँस की सजगता के साथ गिनती करने से आपका मन थोड़ी देर में शांत हो जाएगा.
कितनी देर करें शवासन -
योग की पाठशाला में आप 1 या 2 मिनट तक शवासन का अभ्यास कर सकते हैं. अलग से समय निकाल पाएँ तो 20 मिनट तक शवासन अभ्यास नियमित करना चाहिए. ख़ासकर थक जाने के बाद या सोने से पहले.
विशेष बात -
शवासन के दौरान किसी भी अंग को हिलाएंगे नहीं. सजगता को साँस की ओर लगाकर रखें. अंत में अपनी चेतना को शरीर के प्रति लेकर आएँ.दोनों पैरों को मिलाइए, दोनों हथेलियों को आपस में रगड़िए और इसकी गर्मी को अपनी आँखों पर धारण करें. इसके बाद हाथ सीधे कर लें और आँखे खोल लें.
फ़ायदा -
शवासन एक मात्र ऐसा आसन है, जिसे हर वर्ग और उम्र के लोग कर सकते हैं. यह सरल भी है. पूरी सजगता के साथ किया जाए तो तनाव दूर होता है, उच्च रक्तचाप सामान्य होता है, अनिद्रा को दूर किया जा सकता है.शरीर जब शिथिल होता है, मन शांत हो जाता है तो आप अपनी चेतना के प्रति सजग हो जाते हैं. इस प्रकार आप अपनी प्राण ऊर्जा को फिर से स्थापित कर पाते हैं. इससे आपके शरीर की बैटरी रीचार्ज हो जाएगी.
अदबासन -
जिस प्रकार मंदिरों में प्रभु के दरबार में दंडवत प्रणाम करते हैं यानी कि मत्था टेकते हैं, उसी प्रकार अदबासन करने के लिए हम पेट के बल लेटते हैं, माथा ज़मीन से स्पर्श करते हैं और दोनों हाथों को सिर से आगे की ओर फैलाकर रखते हैं. इस दौरान हथेलि का रुख़ ज़मीन की ओर होना चाहिए.अदबासन शरीर के सभी अंगों में शिथिलता लाता है. यह मन को शाँत और तनावरहित करने में भी है सहायक है. साँस को सामान्य रखें. लयबद्ध तरीक़े से साँस लें. पेट को फुलाएँ और साँस छोड़ते हुए पेट को पिचकाएँ. अदबासन को आप 1-2 मिनट या जब तक आपको आराम मिले अपनी सुविधानुसार कर सकते हैं.
विशेष बात -
आप उल्टी गिनती का अभ्यास साँस की सजगता के साथ कर सकते हैं. अपनी चेतना को साँस के साथ लगाकर रखे. शरीर के सभी अंगों को बारी-बारी से शिथिल करते जाएँ. मन में ऐसी धारणा बनाएँ और अपना ध्यान भ्रू-मध्य में लगाकर रखें.
फ़ायदा -
जिन्हें गले के पिछले हिस्से में दर्द या तनाव रहता है या स्लिप डिस्क की समस्या है, ऐसे लोग अगर अदबासन करें तो उन्हें आराम मिलेगा.इस आसन में वे विश्राम भी कर सकते हैं। यह शरीर के सभी अंगों में शिथिलता लाता है। अदबासन मन को शाँत और तनावरहित करने में भी सहायक है।
...With spl.Thanks to BBC.

Computer Vision Syndrom

2008-08-08T01:56:00.000-07:00

Children and Computer Vision Syndrome

The average American child now spends one to three hours per day on the computer doing homework, talking online with friends, and playing games.* Parents encourage children as young as two or three years old to use the computer. In fact:
90 percent of school-age children have computer access at home or in school.
54 million children in the United States alone use a computer at home or in school.**
Many pediatric computer vision eye doctors believe that heavy computer use among children puts them at risk for early myopia. They point to several recent studies as evidence that computers can have a negative impact on a child's vision:
25 percent to 30 percent of computer-using children need corrective eyewear to work comfortably and safely at the computer at home or in school, says a study at the University of California at Berkeley School of Optometry.
The percentage of first-graders with myopia has increased from 12.1 percent to 20.4 percent since 1995, according to a study by the Department of Health in Taiwan.
A similar study in Singapore found that in three years the percentage of seven- to nine-year-olds with myopia had doubled, to 34 percent.
Sitting for hours in front of a computer screen stresses a child's eyes because the computer forces the child's vision system to focus and strain a lot more than any other task. Twenty years ago, most children played outside, and their distant vision was more important. Today, most children work at a computer either at home or school each day. Sitting in front of a computer and staring at a computer screen is causing vision problems that were not known years ago.

Should you worry about how much time your child spends in front of the computer every day?
Today it is a "near-point world," and parents need to be aware of the vision problems associated with computer work. Computer use demands fine motor skills from young eyes that are not well developed. Only when the visual system matures is a child better able to handle the stress of a computer on that system.
According to the American Optometric Association, the impact of computer use on children's vision involves these factors:
Children have a limited degree of self-awareness. They may perform a task on the computer for hours with few breaks. This prolonged activity can cause eye focusing and eye strain problems.
Children are very adaptable. They assume that what they see and how they see is normal — even if their vision is problematic. That's why it is important for parents to monitor the time a child spends working at a computer.
Children are smaller than adults. Since computer workstations are often arranged for adult use, this can change the viewing angle for children. Computer users should view the screen slightly downward, at a 15-degree angle. Furthermore, as a result of difficulty reaching the keyboard or placing their feet on the floor, a child may experience neck, shoulder and/or back pain.
Five Tips for Preventing Computer Vision Syndrome in Children
Many pediatric eye doctors believe that environmental stress of the "near-point world" rather than heredity is creating the myopia (nearsightedness) epidemic. In fact, children using computers before their visual systems are fully developed are at the very heart of the public health problem called computer vision syndrome (CVS). To prevent your child from suffering from CVS, follow these five tips:
Before starting school, every child should have a comprehensive eye exam, including near-point (computer and reading) and distance testing.
Workstations should be arranged to suit a child — not an adult.
The recommended distance between the monitor and the eye for children is 18-28 inches. By viewing the computer screen closer than 18 inches, children risk straining their eyes. Read more tips for adjusting the monitor and room lighting to reduce glare.
Parents and teachers should be aware of any behavior that indicates potential problems, such as eye redness, frequent rubbing of the eyes, head turns and other unusual postures, or complaints of blurriness or eye fatigue. Avoidance of the computer may also be an indication of discomfort.
Most importantly, have your child's eyes examined by a computer vision specialist. Also read about how computer eyeglasses work to reduce vision problems and eye fatigue.

Yoga as Remover of Back Pain

2008-07-19T02:53:00.000-07:00

Yoga Exercises as Remover of Back Pain

1. Exercise and Back Pain
A typical response to experiencing back pain is to take it easy - either staying in bed or at least stopping any activity that is at all strenuous. While this approach is understandable and may even be recommended in the short term, when done for more than a day or two it can actually undermine healing. Instead, active forms of exercise are almost always necessary to rehabilitate the spine and help alleviate back pain.
When done in a controlled, gradual, and progressive manner, active exercise distributes nutrients into the disc space and soft tissues in the back to keep the discs, muscles, ligaments and joints healthy. Consequently, a regular exercise routine helps patients avoid stiffness and weakness, minimize recurrences of low back pain, and reduce the severity and duration of possible future episodes of low back pain.
Depending upon the patient’s specific diagnosis and level of pain, the back pain exercise and rehabilitation program will be very different, so it is important for patients to see a spine specialist trained to develop an individualized back exercise program and to provide instruction on using the correct form and technique.
Practical PointFor most back conditions, active exercise and stretching - not rest - is typically necessary to help reduce pain and encourage healing.
To be effective, a patient’s back pain exercise program should be comprehensive, working the whole body even if it targets the back. A balanced workout should include a combination of stretching, strengthening, and low impact aerobic conditioning.
Stretching as part of a back pain exercise routine
Almost everyone can benefit from stretching the soft tissues - the muscles, ligaments and tendons - in the back and around the spine. The spinal column and its contiguous muscles, ligaments and tendons are all designed to move, and reduced motion can accentuate back pain. Stretching different muscles and ligaments is essential for gaining and maintaining mobility and flexibility. Patients with chronic back pain may find it takes weeks or months of stretching to mobilize the spine and soft tissues, but will find that meaningful and sustained relief of low back pain typically follows the increase in motion

2. Yoga as Remover of Back Pain:
In this page, you will find all the information you need to reduce lower back pain with special yoga exercises for back problems. Perhaps even heal your lower back completely.
Many times all the back needs is a little regular exercise. Even just 10 minutes a day. With just a little effort and some experimentation you can find exactly how to exercise your back and reduce the pain or become pain free.
Yoga for back pain should begin with simple stretches for the lower back then exercises that strengthen the back and supporting muscles.
We have 2 downloadable clips for you. On the right you can see the easy version of exercises. In part 2 there is a slightly harder version of exercises. The aim is to create blood flow around the area and to strengthen the core.
You can greatly reduce back pain and help heal back problems with proper back exercises. This is no longer a theory and is accepted by all leading back care specialists.
Choose an exercise program that is not too intense. Slowly increase the intensity of stretches and strengthening exercises to prevent aggravation in the spine. There may be a little back pain after exercises but don't be put of. Try again at less intensity. Choosing the right Yoga for back pain will strengthen the spine and increase flexibility. This is necessary for support and greater range of motion.
Yoga for back pain exercises for stretching the spine are below. Exercises are necessary for a healthy spine and can many times remove back pain but proper posture must also be practiced to greatly reduce back pain on daily basis.
Simple sequence of yoga for back painThis sequence helps to heal the spine because it creates good blood flow which both reduces pain and supplies fresh nutrients to teh effected areas. It also pushes the discs away form the nreves in the lower back. Common Causes of Back Pain Disc injury can be the cause of prolonged back pain but muscles and ligaments may also be damaged or inflamed. Other causes may be infections, tumor, cysts and bone spurs.
Discs are located between the bones in the spine. Disc damage can be a slipped disc or sometimes called herniated disc, ruptured disc or bulging disc. Discs do not actually slip. Discs that rupture leak their internal fluid. This can interfere with nerve energy flow and can cause pain. Discs can degenerate causing bone to grind on bone and tissue to be displaced. This can also place pressure on nerves causing pain due to bone fragments or loose tissue.
Rupturing can quite often occur when a disc has been bulging for a while or can suddenly occur due to an accident or sudden force on the spine due to incorrect lifting. The synovium is thin tissue that allows fluid to aid in lubricating joints. Synovial cysts quite often occur as a result of degeneration. They are benign fluid filled sacs that develop on the joints of the lumbar spine. They can interfere and obstruct the electrical signals that run along the nerves causing pain. They can usually be removed quite easily but complications may occur depending on the exact location of the growth and a surgeons ability to access it. Many people have synovial cysts but have no symptoms.
The sacroiliac joint can create pain when it does not sit in its housing correctly. This problem occurs in a higher rate in women than men, this is due to the increased flexibility in this area. The joint fuses in men at about 35 years old and about 50 years old for women. A few factors may vary the time of this fusion.
Warning:
Unilateral movements can stress the Sacroiliac joint। These are yoga postures such as Tree pose and Warrior 3 which involve balance on one leg. Deep standing postures may also stress the joint but done lightly may be beneficial. If a posture feels like it is causing greater pain patterns it should be avoided or at the least modified. Postures like Cobra pose done mildly can really help sacroiliac displacement and herniated discs. A low Cobra pose is preferred for healing disc injuries.Cobra is a healing posture for the low back but this posture may have a negative effect if done incorrectly or too deep.Be sensible. If your attending a yoga class don't come straight into Upward Facing Dog. Choose a light Cobra posture and protect your back. Do this throughout your practice or at least for the first 5 to 10 Sun Salutations. This is the best way to aid the healing process.

...Ravi

Remedy for Piles

2008-07-16T03:52:00.000-07:00

A Remedy for Piles

Piles (haemorrhoids) are the loose lining of skin that bulges out through the ring muscle which holds the back passage shut. They contain big blood vessels which can bleed or clot up and cause pain. The loose skin can produce irritating tags. Haemorrhoidectomy simply means removal of the haemorrhoids.

You will probably have a general anaesthetic and be completely asleep. Sometimes you may be given an injection in the back to numb the area. The ring muscle is stretched and the piles are trimmed off. Usually after two or three days, when your bowels have opened, you will feel fit enough to leave hospital provided there is someone to look after you. The wound heals up within a week or two.

I am here to tell you that if you don't want operation, I know one place where Piles is totally removed for all over life. This is a small village namely, Hanumaanpur near Muhgalsarai, Chandauli (Varanasi), U.P., INDIA. Here, A villageman give freely a piece of root of a specific plant to be chewed which helps us to get rid of any type of Piles.

...Ravi

WEIGHT LOSS: TIPS AND TRICKS

2008-07-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

WEIGHT LOSS: TIPS AND TRICKS

The "Secrets" of Weight Loss The first and most closely guarded secret is there is no secret formula for effective weight loss. If a safe and effective diet pill is what you’re waiting for, I’ve got some bad news for you. It doesn’t exist, and probably never will. If you’re overweight, you have just two options – either learn to accept the way you are or learn how to lose weight. "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." Vince Lombardi Yes, weight loss can be a lot of work. But the more you know about nutrition, foods and exercise and how your body reacts to them in the form of fat loss,and the easier your task becomes. The 2 Most Important Facts about Successful Weight Loss Before beginning any diet plan, it’s important that you understand these two important facts: 1. *Weightloss depends on energy balance*. To lose weight, your energy intake must be less than your energy expenditure. This will always be true. There are no foods, pills, or potions that will magically melt the pounds off. The only approach that works is eating less and/or exercising more. 2. *Permanent weight loss requires permanent change*. Don’t assume that you can spend six weeks on a diet and then return to your old eating habits. Short term diet plans only produce short term results. The only successful way to keep the weight off is to make small but permanent changes in your lifestyle. Coincidentally, this is also the best way to improve your health. The 6 Most Important Principles for Enabling Weight Loss Although many different weight loss techniques exist, nearly all are variations of just six basic principles. Study these principles, and make them part of your action plan: 1. *Maintain or improve your health*. If you don’t take care of your body, it won’t take care of you. So, as a first step, make sure that your diet supplies adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, that you’re drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep and fresh air, and aren’t under too much unhealthy stress. Everything that you do to improve your overall health will help make weight loss more likely to occur. 2. *Reduce your Caloric intake*. To achieve fat loss, you have to change your energy balance. (See Fact #1 above.) There are just two ways to do this – either consume less energy (Calories) or expend more energy (via exercise). The easiest way to reduce your consumption is simply to cut back on the size of your meals and/or the amount of high-Calorie foods that you consume. This doesn’t mean that you have to give up any particular food. In fact, completely avoiding a food can lead to strong cravings that derail your diet. A smarter approach is to just eat less of those high-Calorie foods. Also beware of foods containing "hidden" Calories. For example: *Watch what you drink*. What you drink during the day can have a major impact on the number of Calories that you consume. There is very little difference between the satiating effects of different drinks, so this is one of the easiest places to improve your diet. Water is always your best choice, but coffee, tea, and diet drinks can also help cut Calories. *Be smart about condiments and toppings*. Butter, mayonnaise, and a lot of the "special sauces" used by restaurants are very concentrated sources of Calories. If you want to add flavor to your food, try using lemon juice, soy sauce, salsa or different spices instead. 3. *Maintain or increase your metabolism.* One of the most common mistakes that dieters make is to get excited or impatient with their diet, and reduce their Caloric intake /too far/. If you do that, your body will respond by lowering your metabolism and slowing your weight loss. To prevent this downward adjustment of your metabolism, make smaller changes to your eating habits. Your patience will pay off in terms of more consistent weight loss, more energy, and fewer cravings. For the best results, add exercise to your plan. Regular exercise not only expends energy as you’re doing it, but can also lead to increases in your basic metabolic rate, so you’ll burn more calories even at rest. High-intensity exercises burn the most calories, but don’t select exercises solely on their fat-burning potential. Instead, pick exercises (i.e. sports activities) that you enjoy, and want to incorporate into your daily routine. 4.*Avoid hunger*.Hunger is one of your body’s strongest stimuli, and can be an evil challenger to your will power. Hunger is also relatively slow to subside, and can cause you to eat more than you intended. To break this unproductive hunger-overeating habit, always try to eat before you get hungry. This may seem counter intuitive to someone who’s trying to limit their Calories, but it’s a very effective concept. Two different techniques can help make this easier to accomplish: *Eat smaller, more frequent meals*. Instead of three meals per day, try eating five or six smaller meals. By eating more frequently, there will be less time between your meals, and less chance of you experiencing such intense hunger. As an extra benefit, there is some evidence that suggests that eating more frequently can also help raise your metabolism. *Include more slow-to-digest foods in your meals*. When it’s not possible to eat more frequently, make sure that your meals contain a mix of nutrients. In particular, fats and protein are much slower to digest than carbohydrates. While most carbohydrates leave your stomach within about two hours, protein takes approximately four hours to digest, and fat takes as long as six hours. But remember fat has four times the calories of other energy sources. *Note*: The slower digestion of fat is one of the primary reasons that people on low-carb diets (like Atkins™ and South Beach™)experience less hunger than those on low-fat diets. It’s not necessary to completely eliminate carbohydrates from your meals, though. Most people on balanced-nutrient plans (like the Zone Diet) also experience better hunger control. 5. *Correct bad eating habits.* We eat not only for nourishment, but also as part of our social interactions. However, many people develop unhealthy habits that encourage overeating. Here are a few examples of bad eating habits that you should try to avoid: *Mixing food and entertainment. *It’s easy to mindlessly eat a tub of popcorn, a whole bag of chips, or a carton of ice cream while you’re watching TV. Make eating a separate activity, and you’ll consume less. *Eating to relieve stress.* There’s nothing wrong with taking pleasure from eating, but try not to use food as your primary stress reliever. Find other ways to dissipate stress (such as exercising, listening to music, or meditating) before eating. *Eating on the run*. With the abundant availability of convenience foods, it’s easy to grab something from a vending machine and eat your meals in your car. But try not to make this a regular daily habit. Plan your schedule to include enough time to prepare and eat your meals in a quiet place, without the rush. No one eats perfectly. However, if you continuously have trouble controlling what you eat, realize that correction of your eating problems may be beyond your own abilities. Please consult a psychologist or weight loss professional for additional help. 6. *Make a record of everything you eat* When making changes to your diet, it's very easy to lapse back into your old eating habits. Keeping a food diary is a great way to help prevent that from happening. Buy an inexpensive spiral notebook, and simply write down everything that you eat during the day. If possible, keep your food diary with you, and make your entries soon after you've eaten. For maximum benefit, keep making entries for at least three weeks. Keeping a food diary forces you to give conscious thought to everything that you eat. It may be a tedious task at first, but it will help you more quickly develop better eating habits. Your food diary will also be a tremendous asset if you later consult a dietician or health care provider for assistance with your diet. When keeping a food diary, it's also a good idea to take the time to add up the total Calories and nutrients that you consume eachn day. For your diet to be successful, your total Calories will need to decrease from their original level, but your nutrient intake must at least meet your minimum needs.

POPULAR EXERCISES TO LOSING STOMACH FAT AND LOVE HANDLESPart 2 contains the other 5 popular exercises to lose stomach fat and love handles, as well as some valuable Power Tips on putting your exercise into overdrive and gear up into high burning calorie mode. So, without further ado, here are the other 5 exercises:6)Dumbbell lunges: Stand up straight with feet together and a dumbbell in each hand against your sides. Take a step forward and bend your front leg till your thigh is parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position, bringing your arms up to your chest. Do one leg first and then repeat with your other leg.7)Dumbbell flyes: Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing into your sides. Slowly raise your arms out to the sides until it is parallel and level with your shoulders. Slowly return arms to your sides and repeat.8)Leg lifts: Attach ankle weights to both legs and assume a comfortable standing position. Lift one leg and try to touch your knee with the opposite elbow (almost like taking large steps with legs lifted up high). Interchange legs and elbows as one set and NOT as one leg at a time.9)Leg cycles: Lie flat on your back with hands behind your head (loosely!). Lift your legs into mid-air and bringing your knee up to your chest, try to touch your knee with the opposing elbow (feel it in your abs!). Interchange legs and elbows as one set.10)Cardio: Choosing either a treadmill or an exercise bike (preferred), do a quick 5 minute stint. Starting at a moderate pace for 30 seconds, raise the intensity level every 30 seconds for up to 3 minutes (e.g. end at intensity level 8 after starting at level 3). Finish the last 2 minutes at the starting intensity level as a cool down.Power Tips:*During the whole exercise routine do not take any breaks, rather just move right on into the next exercise to maintain a decent heart rate. You will notice that every other exercise targets a different muscle group, meaning you do not have to rest that muscle before continuing.*Exercise with a large squirt bottle of ice cold water with ice blocks and take a sip in between exercise, especially during cardio sessions. Ice cold water will burn more calories, even more so during exercise!*Do the cardio as if you are participating in a race, do not just leisurely cycle at the different intensity settings. Look like you are in a hurry to get there! Try to cycle 3 miles in 5 minutes as a challenge, or even more if that is too easily attainable for you!*Exercise before breakfast if at all possible. This will kick start your metabolism even more, enabling you to burn more calories during that whole day!

Diet Tips for Stomach (Belly) Fat Loss
In this article, I've posted the "diet tips for six pack abs" portion of our interview we recently did. Enjoy! Here it is...
CB: And finally Mike, 1 or 2 of your top secret nutrition tips for carving out those six pack abs. Open your vault of info!
MG: Well Craig, I think you'd agree that there has never been a more confusing time regarding proper nutrition for consumers. Every so called "expert" out there seems to disagree and contradict each other on what's the best way to eat for fat loss and overall good health.
One of the most important messages I try to teach my readers in this world of heavy confusion is that your diet doesn't need to conform to any of the fad diets... you don't need to go "low carb" or "low fat", or high or low anything for that matter to be successful in losing enough body fat to get lean enough to be able to see your abs. I like to try to simplify things for my readers. I think that balance is the key to success along with eating a diet that is made up of nutrient dense foods in their natural state (as unprocessed as possible).
In general, it is the heavy processing of foods that makes it wreak havoc inside our bodies. Most foods in their natural unprocessed state are inherently good for us. Of course there are always exceptions... a salad of poison ivy leaves is "natural and unprocessed" but certainly would not be good for us!
I'll leave your readers with a couple of the most important aspects of nutrition and diet that help to get you lean for life (and have any chance of getting those abs to show)...
1. Get enough quality protein in the daily diet - not only does it have a higher thermic effect than carbs and fat (so you burn more calories digesting it), but it also creates satiety so your hunger is satisfied longer. Plus it's a building block for maintaining and building lean muscle... And remember that the amount of lean muscle you carry is one of the main factors for controlling your metabolism.
2. Think fiber! When it comes to carbs, make sure that almost all of your carbohydrate intake is from higher fiber sources like vegetables, fruits, and high fiber unrefined grains. Try to avoid refined sugars and refined grains as that is one of the main reasons so many people struggle with body fat. I personally don't eat many grains as I prefer to get most of my carbs from veggies and fruits, but I am a bit of a fan of sprouted grains. I generally recommend looking for carbohydrate sources that have at least 2-3 grams of fiber per each 10 grams of total carbs. Remember that fiber helps fill you up and also slows down the glycemic response of the foods you eat, all beneficial for getting lean.
3. Don't be afraid to eat fat! Many people try to go way too low on their fat intake in their diet and this can negatively affect hormone levels in your body as well as causing more cravings. Try to eat enough healthy fats daily. Good sources are all nuts and seeds, nut butters, avocados, olive oil, organic meats and eggs, coconuts and virgin coconut oil. On that note, saturated fats from tropical oils are VERY misunderstood, even by many nutritionists and other health professionals. Yes they are composed highly of saturated fats, but are actually beneficial (but that's way beyond the scope of this article).
4. Avoid the two worst things in our food supply at ALL COSTS:
artificial trans fats from margarines, shortening, and hydrogenated oils that are in most processed foods
high fructose corn syrup, which is in almost all sweetened products on the market
Again, if you avoid processed foods, it becomes easy to avoid these two worst offenders in our food supply.
I always contend that once you get a handle on these 4 main points of your diet detailed above, the rest starts to take care of itself as you gain control over your appetite, blood sugar levels, hormone levels, etc. It all falls into place, and you eventually gain total control over how lean you want to get. Gain control of this part of your life, and those abs may be showing in no time!

Computer Eye Strain: How to Relieve It with free eye exercises ...

2008-07-14T01:33:00.000-07:00

How to protect our eyes from Computer radiation

COMPUTERS AND VISION

More than 50 percent of computer users experience eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision and other visual symptoms related to sustained use of the computer. This type of stress on the visual system can also cause body fatigue and reduced efficiency at work. In addition, there are now indications that heavy computer users are at risk.
Many of these symptoms can be reduced through a combination of correcting workstation conditions, posture, stress-relieving lenses prescribed specifically for computer operation, special anti-glare screens, eye exercises and nutritional supplementation.
We were born to have hunters' eyes, needed for spotting game or danger at a distance. But during the last 50 years nearly all our work and much of our recreation, for example, video games, has shifted the focus of our vision to arm's length. This increased amount of near visual tasks often produces such changes as nearsightedness, suppressed vision in one eye, poor eye teaming and reduced efficiency at work and at play.
Many computer users experience visual stress due to: 1) an increase in the number and complexity of necessary eye movements and focusing skills, 2) poor lighting conditions, glare and distracting reflections, 3) screen flicker rate, and 4) above all, the extended amount of computer use.
Computer visual stress may underlie many direct and indirect symptoms. Eyestrain is a common direct symptom, while the need for shifts in posture and muscular strain resulting from poorly arranged work stations cause eye problems indirectly and other physical problems directly.
Direct Computer Stress Symptoms
headaches while doing or following computer use
irritated and/or dry eyes
blurred vision
slow refocusing when looking from screen to distance objects
frequently losing place when moving eyes between copy and the screen
difficulty seeing clearly at a distance after prolonged computer use
occasional doubling of vision
changes in color perception
changes in glasses prescription
Other Computer Stress Symptoms
neck or shoulder tension and pain
back pain
pain in arms, wrists, or shoulders when working on the computer
lowered visual efficiency and more frequent errors
DeskTop Work Station Recommendations
The computer screen should be slightly below eye level (about 20 degrees). Copy should be at the same level as the screen.
Locate keyboard so your wrists and lower arms are parallel to the floor.
Chairs should provide proper back support and be adjustable
Adjust the chair height so your feet are flat on the floor with thighs parallel to the floor
Adjust the worktable so legs and knees clear it's underside
The screen brightness and contrast should be adjusted by the operator for the maximum viewing comfort
The workstation lighting should provide a 10:3 ratio: screen characters 10 times brighter than the screen background; room illumination 3 times brighter than screen background
Each workstation should have an adjustable shaded copy lamp that can be aimed by the operator without causing screen reflections
Eliminate glare and screen reflections by moving or tilting the computer or getting an anti-glare screen.
Try not to face toward windows or bright light sources
Operators should face into an open space beyond the computer screen
Clean the screen regularly as they attract dust
Short, frequent breaks are better than longer, less frequent breaks. Try 2-3 minutes every 15-20 minutes, 5 minutes every 30 minutes, or 10 minutes every hour.

DENTAL CARE: TIPS AND TRICKS

2008-07-11T03:29:00.000-07:00

DENTAL CARE: TIPS AND TRICKS

The mouth is a busy place, with millions of bacteria constantly on the move. While some bacteria are harmless, others can attack the teeth and gums. Harmful bacteria are contained in a colorless sticky film called plaque, the cause of gum disease. If not removed, plaque builds up on the teeth and ultimately irritates the gums and causes bleeding. Left unchecked, bone and connective tissue are destroyed, and teeth often become loose and may have to be removed.
A recent poll of 1,000 people over 35 done by Harris Interactive Inc. found that 60 percent of adults surveyed knew little, if anything, about gum disease, the symptoms, available treatments, and--most importantly--the consequences. And 39 percent do not visit a dentist regularly. Yet, gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. Moreover, a Surgeon General's report issued in May 2000 labeled Americans' bad oral health a "silent epidemic" and called for a national effort to improve oral health among all Americans.
The good news is that in most people gum disease is preventable. Attention to everyday oral hygiene (brushing and flossing), coupled with professional cleanings twice a year, could be all that's needed to prevent gum disease--and actually reverse the early stage--and help you keep your teeth for a lifetime.

· Care of my teeth? Sure I take good care of them: I brush them regularly, so what more do I need to do?
· Dearie me, you think brushing alone means good care of your teeth? Think again.
· First and foremost, is of course, brushing, as you rightly said. But are you following the right brushing technique? The next time you see your dentist, ask him to show you the right way to brush your teeth. Use a good toothbrush with SOFT or at the most MEDIUM bristles. Hard brushes only wear out your teeth, and are positively not recommended for those with weak or sensitive gums.
· You must preferably brush after each meal, or at least twice in a day. Use a good TOOTHPASTE: tooth powders, charcoal, sawdust etc. will only affect the enamel on your teeth in the long run, discolor your teeth, and make them sensitive.
· And remember to replace your tooth brush every three months. Don't chew on your brush like some folks do on those 'neem' sticks. Even if your tooth brush is less than three months old, if the bristles have spread out completely and look like they have been shredded, its time for a new toothbrush. Using shredded bristles will hurt your gums, and make brushing very painful and uncomfortable.

:ADDITIONAL BRUSHING TIPS:

+ Do not rush the brushing process: your entire brushing session should last at least for three minutes.
+Use a good brand of TOOTHPASTE. Avoid abrasive elements like tooth powder, charcoal etc.
+Wash the bristles of your toothbrush before you brush your teeth.
+Toothbrushes are ideally stored in a cup or toothbrush holder, in a vertical position with the bristles up.
+Change your toothbrush the moment the bristles become serrated. Even if it is not so, it is a good plan to change your toothbrush every three to four months.
+Don't scrimp: buy a good quality toothbrush. Cheap toothbrushes have rough and uneven bristles which could damage your gums and wear out the enamel of your teeth with repeated use.
+Use a SOFT or at the most MEDIUM toothbrush. Hard brushes damage your gums and wear out the enamel of your teeth.
+NEVER SHARE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH. Its amazing how many people do it. A toothbrush is a very personal possession. Sharing it could spread disease, and is downright unhygienic

· Flossing:
· After brushing, you must FLOSS your teeth. Flossing clears any debris or deposits that accummulate between your teeth.Flossing wire is cheap and easily obtainable from your friendly neighborhood chemist. Its easy once you get used to the technique. If you have money to spare, you can even but a Y shaped floss holder. This makes flossing as easy as brushing teeth. Make it a habit to floss at least once in a day, ideally just before you retire for the night.
Occasionally, you should use a good mouth wash, to give your mouth the fresh, clean smell.
Apart from this, the mouthwash even disinfects your teeth, keeps germs out and helps prevent oral diseases like gingivitis. Listerine is a famous brand of mouthwash. Of course, there are other brands available as well. Almost every tooth paste manufacturer makes mouthwash as well. Some of the other well known brands of mouth wash are Macleans, Listermint, Oral-B, Pepsodent, Sensodyne, Super-G, Aquafresh and Colgate Plax. However, many of these brands are now available in India.

...Ravi

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