മഞ്ഞളിന്റെവ ഔഷധഗുണങ്ങള്‍

മഞ്ഞള്‍ നല്ലൊരു ആന്റി ഓക്‌സിഡന്റും കരളിന്റെ രക്ഷകനുമാണ്‌. മഞ്ഞളും നെല്ലിക്കയും ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ തയ്യാറാക്കുന്ന നിശാമലകീ ചൂര്‍ണ്ണം പതിവായികഴിച്ചാല്‍ ലിവര്‍ സിറോസിസ്‌ ഉണ്ടാകാനുള്ള സാധ്യത വളരെ കുറവാണ്‌.

മഞ്ഞള്‍ നമ്മുടെ ശരീരത്തിലെ രക്തത്തെ ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കുകയും രക്തത്തിന്റെ അളവ്‌ ശരിയാക്കുവാനും ഉപകരിക്കുന്നു.

6 ഗ്രാം മഞ്ഞള്‍ മോരില്‍ ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ കഴിച്ചാല്‍ മഞ്ഞപിത്തം മാറാന്‍ നല്ലതാണ്.

കണ്ണില്‍ വരുന്ന കണക്ടിവെറ്റിസ് എന്ന രോഗത്തിന് ഒരു ഗ്രാം മഞ്ഞള്‍ വെള്ളത്തില്‍ തിളപ്പിച്ച്‌ തുണിയില്‍ മുക്കി ചെറുചൂടില്‍ കണ്‍പോളകളില്‍ തുടച്ചാല്‍ വേഗം മാറുവാന്‍ നല്ലതാണ്.

മഞ്ഞള്‍ റോസ്‌റ്റ്‌ ചെയ്‌ത്‌ ഒന്നോ രണ്ടോ ഗ്രാം പൗഡര്‍ തേനില്‍ ചേര്‍ത്തു കഴിച്ചാല്‍ ചുമ മാറും. മഞ്ഞള്‍ നല്ലൊരു അണുനാശിനി ആണെന്നത് ശാസ്‌ത്ര ലോകം പരക്കെ അംഗീകരിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളതാണ്‌.

സാധാരണ വയറു വേദന ഉണ്ടായാല്‍ പത്തു ഗ്രാം മഞ്ഞളിന്റെ തൊലി വെള്ളത്തില്‍ തിളപ്പിച്ച്‌ കുടിച്ചാല്‍ നന്നായിരിക്കും. ശര്‍ക്കരയും കൂടി ചേര്‍ത്താല്‍ അതു അത്യന്മമായിരിക്കും.

ഏല്ലാതരം മൂത്രാശയത്തിന്റെ അസുഖങ്ങള്‍ക്കും മഞ്ഞളും നെല്ലിക്കയും ചേര്‍ത്ത ചൂര്‍ണ്ണം തേനില്‍ ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌കൊടുക്കുന്നത് ഉത്തമമാണ്. സാധാരണയായി കണ്ടുവരുന്ന വീക്കത്തിന്‌ മഞ്ഞള്‍ പൊടിയും കടുകെണ്ണയും ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌‌ തേച്ചാല്‍ ശമനം ഉണ്ടാകും.

Don’t underestimate the mortality risks of being overweight or obese

A new research suggests that many obesity studies substantially underestimate the mortality risks associated with excess weight. The scholarly community is divided over a large meta-analysis that found that overweight is the optimal BMI category and that there are no increased risks associated with obese class.

Skeptics of the meta-analysis argue that the findings are likely driven by biases, especially by illness-induced weight loss. Using BMI at the time of the survey to assess the mortality risks of overweight and obesity is problematic, especially in older populations, because slimness can be a marker of illness.

Researchers have attempted to address this bias by eliminating ill people from their samples; however, such measures are inadequate because information on illness is ascertained by self-reporting and not everyone with an illness has been diagnosed.

Here in the new study researchers use highest BMI in life to predict mortality rates. They said that in the previous literature, the normal weight category combines data from low-risk, stable-weight individuals with high-risk individuals who have experienced weight loss. Use of weight histories makes it possible to separate the two groups and redefine the reference category as people who were a consistently normal weight throughout their lives.

They found that the percentage of mortality attributable to overweight and obesity in this group was 33 percent when assessed using maximum BMI. The comparable figure obtained using BMI at the time of survey was substantially smaller at 5 percent. The source of the discrepancy became clear when they started looking more closely at peoples' weight histories.

A considerable fraction of individuals classified as normal weight using BMI at time of survey were formerly overweight or obese. This group had substantially elevated mortality rates compared to individuals that were consistently normal weight throughout their lives, suggesting that for many of them the weight loss was related to an illness.

The researchers concluded that the findings provide simple and compelling evidence that the prior literature underestimates the impact of obesity on levels of mortality. But the current results need corroboration in future studies because maximum BMI was calculated from peoples' recollection of their maximum weight, which may be subject to recall error.

Ginger has beauty benefits too!

Ginger is a herb that has been used as a spice since times immemorial. Also known as ginger root, it is basically the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale belonging to the family Zingiberaceae which also includes turmeric, cardamom and galangal. Ginger has a peppery flavor with a hint of lemon and sharp aroma. Its pungent, spicy and aromatic smell can be attributed to the presence of essential oils and phenolic compounds such as gingerols and shogaols.

You thought that ginger was only used as a kitchen condiment and for health benefits? Think again! Because the wonderful spice also has beauty benefits and can be a savior of skin and hair in more than one ways. Check how –

• Anti-ageing benefits: Ginger comes with anti-oxidants which reduce toxins from skin and increase blood circulation, ultimately slowing down the ageing process.
• Soothes burns: Have you burnt your skin? Applying fresh ginger juice can help you soothe the burnt skin.
• Radiant skin: Rubbing some ginger on your skin can give you fresh, radiant skin!
• Reduces hair loss: Ginger root makes hair stronger and thus reduces hair loss
• Stimulates hair growth: If you want to have long and shiny hair, you should consume ginger juice regularly. It can also be applied on the scalp for good results. Just make sure that when you are applying it to your scalp, the consistency of water should be less. Ginger acts as a good conditioner to your hair; it also helps to reduce dandruff and speeds up hair growth. When ginger juice is applied to your hair, it creates irritation on your scalp which stimulates the flow of blood.
• Fights dandruff: Ginger has antiseptic qualities that can help one fight dandruff problems in a natural way.
• Get rid of split ends and dry hair: Ginger oil mixed with shampoo helps one get rid of split ends and also acts as a natural moisturizer for dry hair.
• Acne: Ginger juice when consumed helps reduce acne or pimples and it also prevents occurrence of acne in the future as it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Now that you know the benefits of Ginger juice, try to include it in the ways mentioned above in your skin and hair care routine.

What is the difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest?

We often hear in news reports that some well-known person has died of a "heart attack" or a "cardiac arrest." Or worse, after the sudden death of a loved one, a doctor might use one of these two terms to describe the cause of death. Unfortunately, these terms often seem to be used almost interchangeably by news reporters (and even, disturbingly, by some doctors). They are two different things.

A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when a coronary artery (one of the arteries that supplies blood to the heart muscle) becomes suddenly blocked. The sudden blockage robs a portion of the heart muscle of its vital blood supply, and the muscle dies. So a heart attack is the death of a part of the heart muscle.

The sudden blockage of a coronary artery is usually caused by the rupture of a plaque in the artery. Plaque rupture can produce a variety of clinical conditions -- including heart attacks and unstable angina -- that are lumped together under the name acute coronary syndrome (ACS). All forms of ACS are medical emergencies, and they generally need to be treated with medications, angioplasty and stenting, or surgery to restore normal blood flow through the blocked artery. If blood flow can be restored within a few hours, permanent damage to the heart muscle can usually be minimized.

A cardiac arrest, in contrast, is caused by a sudden heart arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation. In ventricular fibrillation, the electrical signals within the heart suddenly become completely chaotic. Because these electrical signals control the timing and the organization of the heartbeat, when those signals degenerate to total chaos, the heart suddenly stops beating. That is, it goes into "cardiac arrest." The most common outcome of a cardiac arrest is sudden death.

The treatment for a cardiac arrest is to begin immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to support the victim's circulation, and, as soon as possible, to deliver a large electrical shock to the heart with a device called a "defibrillator." The large shock allows the heart's electrical signal to reorganize itself, and the heart starts beating again. Unfortunately, because death occurs within a few minutes of cardiac arrest unless expert help is available, the large majority of individuals who suffer cardiac arrest are not successfully resuscitated.

Cardiac arrest tends to be much more common in people who have various types of underlying heart disease -- most commonly, a prior heart attack or any condition that produces heart failure.

If a close relative has died, especially if suddenly, it is important to try to learn the precise cause of death. Your risk of heart attack, and of some types of cardiac arrest, may be higher if a close relative has experienced these events. Make sure you get as much information as you can. Ask the doctor to speak precisely to you about what actually happened.

Ayurvedic Approach in the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids

Now a days case of women suffering from fibroids in uterus is large. Uterine fibroids are non-malignant tumours of the uterus, affecting about 20% of the female population over the age of 35. Fibroids can vary in size, shape, position and number, some causing symptoms of pressure and uterine enlargement, while others are small and discrete.

Uterine fibroids are composed of dense muscular fibres arranged in circular layers, and encapsulated in a layer of smooth muscle. Fibroids may be located within the uterus (intrauterine), in the wall of the uterus (myometrial), or outside of the uterus (extrauterine). Intrauterine fibroids can inhibit fertility by interfering with implantation. Myometrial fibroids can place pressure on adjacent organs, and in some cases, can affect renal function by placing pressure upon the ureters. Extrauterine fibroids are located under the serous membrane of the uterus, and can be on or near the fallopian tubes and can affect fertility.

According to Ayurveda, fibroid is growth in mamsadhatu of uterus. According to ancient texts, mamsarbuda means growth in muscles and connective tissue. Fibroid often manifests itself as excessive bleeding and hence this should be treated as 'Yoni-vyapad' (group of disorders related to female reproductive system).

Uterine fibroids are considered mostly a kapha-accumulation disorder, but often involve pitta and vata displacements also, in which case the patient may be considered as pre-cancerous. Therefore, treatment must be deep-acting to balance the tri-dosha and must be sufficiently sustained over time to eradicated slow-moving kapha. The fibroids can be dissolved by diet, lifestyle changes and Yoga.

Diet for the patient of uterine fibroids should be kapha-soothing and perhaps also pitta-pacifying, depending upon the bleeding patterns. Bitter, pungent and astringent foods are favored to support the metabolism in reducing its tendency to form fibrotic cellular changes from kapha. Dietary changes should reflect an increase in whole foods and fiber, and a decrease in saturated fats and alcohol consumption.

Lifestyle should be aimed to reduce kapha; one should be active before sunrise. The earlier the rising time, the quicker kapha can metabolize itself. Self-massage with a minimal quantity of light oil such as sunflower oil can helps to invigorate the body. Exercise, beginning gradually and becoming more vigorous over a few months is advocated.

Plants like Kumari, Shuda Guggulu, Neem, Ashoka, and Manjistha are useful. Warm castor oil packs applied to the lower abdomen will help to 'melt' the fibroids and retract the kapha via apana vayu. Massaging Pure, Cold-Pressed Castor Oil daily to lower abdomen around naval area in a circular motion is also helpful.

Adequate doses of massage treatment necessary for relief of neck pain

Neck pain is a common and debilitating condition, and massage therapy is commonly used to treat it, yet there is little quality research on the optimal dose of therapeutic massage for neck pain.

The researchers randomized 228 patients with chronic neck pain to five different groups receiving various doses of massage for a five-week period, researchers found the benefits of massage treatments for chronic neck pain increase with dose.

Specifically, they found that patients who received 30-minute treatments two or three times weekly were not significantly better than a wait-listed control group in terms of achieving a clinically meaningful improvement in neck dysfunction or pain. In contrast, patients who received 60-minute treatments two or three times weekly showed significant improvement in neck dysfunction and pain intensity compared to the control group. Compared with their control counterparts, massage participants were three times more likely to have clinically meaningful improvement in neck function if they received 60 minutes of massage twice a week and five times more likely if they received 60 minutes of massage three times a week.

The authors conclude patients who receive massage treatment for chronic neck pain may not be realizing benefits from treatment because they are not receiving an effective treatment dose.

Massage is believed to improve blood and lymph circulation. This is probably due partly to the physical manipulation of soft tissue and partly to the chemicals released as part of the relaxation response.

Improved circulation can enhance the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells. As cellular health improves, tissues function more efficiently. More efficient functioning leads to the removal of waste products and may increase the absorption of excess fluids and reduce swelling in soft tissues. Massage therapy relaxes muscle tissue, which reduces painful contractions and spasms. Massage can also reduce nerve compression.

Regular aerobic exercise boosts memory in older women

Regular aerobic exercise seems to boost the size of the area of the brain (hippocampus) involved in verbal memory and learning among women whose intellectual capacity has been affected by age.

The hippocampus has become a focus of interest in dementia research because it is the area of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning, but it is very sensitive to the effects of ageing and neurological damage.

The researchers tested the impact of different types of exercise on the hippocampal volume of 86 women who said they had mild memory problems, known as mild cognitive impairment - and a common risk factor for dementia. All the women were aged between 70 and 80 years old and were living independently at home.

Roughly equal numbers of them were assigned to either twice weekly hour long sessions of aerobic training (brisk walking); or resistance training, such as lunges, squats, and weights; or balance and muscle toning exercises, for a period of six months. The size of their hippocampus was assessed at the start and the end of the six month period by means of an MRI scan, and their verbal memory and learning capacity was assessed before and afterward using a validated test .

Only 29 of the women had before and after MRI scans, but the results showed that the total volume of the hippocampus in the group who had completed the full six months of aerobic training was significantly larger than that of those who had lasted the course doing balance and muscle toning exercises. No such difference in hippocampal volume was seen in those doing resistance training compared with the balance and muscle toning group.

Worldwide, one new case of dementia is diagnosed every four seconds, with the number of those afflicted set to rise to more than 115 million by 2050 out.

A glass of milk a day may delay knee osteoarthritis in women

A degenerative disease causing pain and swelling of the knee joints, knee osteoarthritis currently is difficult to cure. But researchers say drinking milk every day has been linked to reduced progression of the disease.

The researchers say while their findings show that women who regularly drank fat-free or low-fat milk experienced delayed progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA), those who ate cheese actually experienced an increase in progression of the disease. They also note that their findings are not applicable to men, and that yogurt did not affect OA progression.

Osteo Arthritis is characterized by degeneration of the cartilage and its underlying bone in a joint, is believed to result from "mechanical and molecular events in the affected joint. However, the actual causes of the disease are unknown. Treatment for the condition aims to relieve symptoms and improve function, which can include physical therapy, weight control and medications.

The study authors say milk consumption has been acknowledged as playing an important role in bone health, but until now, its role in the progression of knee OA has been unknown. The researchers found that, in women, as milk intake increased (from none to less than 3, 4-6, and more than 7 glasses per week), the joint space width decreased (by 0.38 mm, 0.29 mm and 0.26 mm, respectively). Though obesity has been cited as a risk factor for knee OA, the researchers say their results remained, even after adjusting for body mass index.

Additionally, they say there was no association between milk consumption and joint space width decreases in men. When asked why their study revealed that women who consumed cheese showed increased progression of OA, researchers told that the high saturated fat acids in cheese could be to blame. There is one recent study reported that increased consumption of saturated fatty acids was associated with an increased incidence of bone marrow lesions, which may predict knee OA progression.

With the aging population and increase in life expectancy, there is an urgent need for effective methods to manage OA. The study by Lu et al. provides the first evidence that increasing fat-free or low-fat milk consumption may slow the progression of OA among women who are particularly burdened by OA of the knee, which can lead to functional disability.

Ayurvedic approach in varicose veins

Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins near the surface of the skin. They are most common in the legs and ankles. They usually aren't serious, but they can sometimes lead to other problems.

Varicose veins are caused by weakened valves and veins in your legs. Normally, one-way valves in your veins keep blood flowing from your legs up toward your heart. When these valves do not work as they should, blood collects in your legs, and pressure builds up. The veins become weak, large, and twisted.

Any condition that puts excessive pressure on the legs or abdomen can lead to varicosity. Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and menopause may be responsible for the high proportion of varicosities among women. Dietary deficiencies or the loss of skin elasticity due to aging are the contributory factors. Prolonged standing or sitting, constipation, constructive clothing, lack of exercise, obesity, or repeated heavy lifting can interfere with normal circulation and can worsen existing varicosities.

Surgery is often used to remove the unsightly damaged veins, by either stripping them out, or by tying or blocking them off, or thus allowing secondary channels of circulation to take over the load. However, this is not a permanent cure as there is a possibility of recurrence.

Herbal treatments, dietary changes and lifestyle modification appear to work by strengthening the walls of veins and other vessels. They primarily relieve symptoms of aching, heaviness, and swelling in the legs and ankles.

Prefer whole foods diet with fresh fruits, including gooseberry, and citrus family fruits, whole grains, especially, wheat and millet. To disperse build-up of a protein that makes skin near varicose veins hard and lumpy, try eating more garlic, onion, ginger, and pineapple, which contains bromelain, an enzyme that promotes break-up of fibrin. Eat plenty of fish and cut down on red meat as much as possible.

Any programme of regular exercise stimulates circulation, improves muscle tone, and helps prevent varicosities. Walking and swimming are considered excellent therapy, as are gentle leg-muscle stretches and utilizing a rocking chair while watching television. Start your morning with a brisk walk or finish your day with a swim or bicycle ride.

Regular massage can significantly alleviate discomfort associated with varicose veins. Never massage directly on varicose veins. For an additional benefit, you can apply Prasaarini tailam or Chandanabala laakshaadi tailam externally.

Raise the foot of the bed by up to six inches (place wooden block under the feet). This is not uncomfortable and helps gravity to ease backpressure on the veins at night. Also, avoid standing still for lengthy periods. If your job requires you to be on your feet constantly, stretch and exercise your legs as often as possible to increase circulation and reduce pressure build-up. If you like to sit with your legs crossed, cross them at the ankles rather than the knees for better circulation.

Reasonably, well-documented treatment for venous insufficiency is the tropical creeper Brahmi. In practice, four weeks of treatment with Brahmi frequently produces welcomed benefits in the discomfort of chronic venous insufficiency. The usual dosage of Brahmi is 10 to 20 ml, two times a day. Punarnavaadi guggulu. Naagaarjunaabhra ras, Chandra prahbaa vati etc., are some of the popular prescribed medicines.

Eat legumes to keep away 'bad cholesterol'

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. But it can be avoided by simple dietary modifications. Non-oil-seed pulses, such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas, are already recommended as part of dietary guidelines to prevent major chronic diseases. A large observational study has also linked consumption of these pulses with lower LDL cholesterol levels. The new study, by Canadian researchers at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, was intended to improve the evidence on which these dietary guidelines are based.

To do this, the researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of pulse consumption on reducing LDL cholesterol. The reduction of 5% LDL cholesterol in this study suggests a potential risk reduction of 5-6% in major vascular events.

The study also found a greater reduction in LDL cholesterol in men than women. The researchers think this might be because men generally have poorer diets and higher cholesterol than women, so they show greater improvements from a healthier diet.

Despite the reduction in LDL cholesterol, some participants did experience minor side effects from the diet, such as bloating, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation. However, the researchers write that the suggested one serving a day is currently consumed by many cultures without reports of adverse effects that would limit consumption.

As well as improving LDL cholesterol, the researchers also believe that eating legumes every day could have other beneficial effects that may protect against cardio metabolic problems. These could include improving body weight, blood pressure and glucose control.

Vector-borne diseases – small bite, big threat: World Health Day 2014

The World Health Day is celebrated by the people all across the world every year on 7th of April under the leadership of World Health Organization to draw the mass people attention towards the importance of global health. World Health Assembly was held first time in the year 1948 in Geneva by the WHO where it was decided to celebrate the World Health Day annually on 7th of April. It was first celebrated worldwide in the year 1950 as the World Health Day. Varieties of events related to the particular theme are organized on the international and national level by the WHO.

It is an annual event being celebrated for years to raise the common public awareness towards the health issues and concerns. A particular theme is chosen to run the celebration and take care of the health for whole year. Global Polio Eradication was also one of the special themes of the year 1995 of world health day. From then, most of the countries have become free of this fatal disease whereas in other parts of the world its awareness level has increased. The topic for 2014 is vector-borne diseases.

Vector-borne disease have now become a global public health threat with more than half of the world`s population at risk from it, especially pregnant women and children. However, most of these diseases are preventable through informed protective measures.

Vector-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, lyme disease, schistosomiasis, and yellow fever, etc. While mosquitoes are the best known disease vector, others include ticks, flies, sandflies, fleas, triatomine bugs and some freshwater aquatic snails. According to the WHO, vector-borne diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases, and as a result of which more than 1 million deaths happen annually.

Of all the vector-borne diseases, malaria is the most deadly disease causing more than 600000 deaths every year globally. But, dengue is the fastest vector-borne disease with 40% of the world`s population at risk. Also, an estimated 1.3 million new cases of leishmaniasis occur annually.

It has been observed that vector-borne diseases affect the poorest populations, where there is a lack of access to adequate housing, safe drinking water and sanitation. And around 70 percent of the countries and territories hit by VBDs are low income and lower-middle income with causes like climate, environmental change and globalization. The burden and risk of vector-borne diseases is massive, posing major public health problems and hamper socio-economic development in India. For instance, cases of mosquito-borne dengue have been rising every year in India, where the disease is now endemic in the country. Last year over 70,000 cases of dengue were reported in the country. Dengue is now found in 100 countries.

The Health Benefits of Fenugreek

ഔഷധശക്തിയുള്ള ധാന്യങ്ങള്‍ നിരവധി ഉള്‍പ്പെടുത്തിയാണ്‌ പരമ്പരാഗതമായി നമ്മള്‍ ആഹാരം കഴിച്ചുപോന്നിരുന്നത്‌. ധാന്യവര്‍ഗത്തില്‍ വളരെ ശ്രേഷ്‌ഠമെന്ന്‌ ആയുര്‍വേദം വിശേഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നതാണ്‌ ഉലുവ. ഉലുവാ കഞ്ഞി തന്നെ ഒരു പ്രധാന ഭക്ഷണമായി മലയാളികള്‍ കഴിച്ചിരുന്നു.

നമുക്ക്‌ വരുന്ന അനവധി രോഗങ്ങളെ അകറ്റാന്‍ ഉലുവ നല്‍കുന്ന പ്രയോജനം മഹത്താണ്‌. ഉലുവ, ജീരകം എന്നിവ 1:2 എന്ന അനുപാതത്തില്‍ എടുത്ത്‌ അരച്ച്‌ മോരിന്‍ വെള്ളത്തില്‍ കലക്കിക്കുടിക്കുന്നത്‌ വയറ്‌കടി ശമിപ്പിക്കും. ഉലുവ വറുത്ത്‌ പൊടിച്ച്‌ തിളപ്പിച്ചാറിയ വെള്ളത്തില്‍ കഴിക്കുന്നതും ഇതേ പ്രയോജനം ചെയ്യും. അതു പോലെ വാതസംബന്ധമായ നീരിനും വേദനയ്‌ക്കും ഉലുവ, പാലിലോ തേങ്ങാപാലിലോ പുഴുങ്ങിയരച്ച്‌ സ്വല്‍പ്പം വെണ്ണ ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ സേവിച്ചാല്‍ മതി. ഉലുവയരച്ച്‌ ചൂടാക്കി തണുപ്പിച്ച്‌ ലേപനം ചെയ്യുന്നത്‌ പൊള്ളലിന്‌ ഒരുത്തമ പ്രതിവിധിയാണ്‌. കാപ്പിയില്‍ അല്‌പം ഉലുവപ്പൊടിയും കൂടിയിട്ട്‌ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത്‌ വാതരോഗങ്ങള്‍ ശമിപ്പിക്കും. കൈയുടെ ചലനങ്ങള്‍ക്കുണ്ടാകുന്ന ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടുകള്‍ക്ക്‌ ഉലുവ, ഉഴുന്ന്‌, എള്ള്‌ എന്നിവ പാലില്‍ പുഴുങ്ങി തേങ്ങാപ്പാല്‍ കൂട്ടിയരച്ച്‌ തേച്ചാല്‍ ഫലപ്രാപ്‌തി ഉറപ്പ്‌.

ഉലുവ പാലില്‍ പുഴുങ്ങി ഉണക്കിപ്പൊടിച്ച്‌ ഒരു സ്‌പൂണ്‍ വീതം രാത്രി കിടക്കാന്‍ നേരം സേവിച്ച്‌ പാല്‍ കുടിക്കുക. ഇപ്രകാരം ഒരു മാസം തുടര്‍ന്നാല്‍ ശരീരശക്തി നല്ലപോലെ വര്‍ദ്ധിക്കും. ഉലുവ പ്രധാനമായി ചേര്‍ത്തുണ്ടാക്കുന്ന പുളിങ്കറി വയറ്റിലെ എരിച്ചിലിനും, അജീര്‍ണ്ണത്തിനും വളരെ നല്ലതാണ്‌. നീരുകളിലും വീക്കങ്ങളിലും മറ്റും ഉലുവ അരച്ചുപുരട്ടിയാല്‍ നീര്‌ ചുരുങ്ങുകയും വറ്റി ഇല്ലാതാകുകയും ചെയ്യാറുണ്ട്‌.

കാപ്പിയുടേയും, ചായയുടേയും ദോഷങ്ങള്‍ അറിഞ്ഞിരുന്ന്‌ കൊണ്ട്‌ തന്നെ പതിവായി അതുപയോഗിക്കുന്ന ശീലമുള്ളവര്‍ക്ക്‌ പ്രകൃതി ചികില്‍സകരുടെ അമൂല്യ നിര്‍ദേശങ്ങളിലൊന്നാണ്‌ ഉലുവാക്കാപ്പി. കാപ്പിക്കുരുവിന്‌ പകരം ഉലുവ വറുത്ത്‌ കരിഞ്ഞു പോകാതെ വാങ്ങി ഇതിന്റെ കൂടെ സ്വല്‍പ്പം മല്ലിയും ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ പൊടിച്ച്‌ ഉലുവാക്കാപ്പി ഉണ്ടാക്കി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത്‌ ശരീരത്തിന്‌ ഒരു ഉത്തമ ടോണിക്കിന്റെ ഫലം ചെയ്യും. പഞ്ചസാരയ്‌ക്ക്‌ പകരം കരുപ്പട്ടി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതായിരിക്കും കൂടുതല്‍ ഉത്തമം. ഉലുവ കഴുകി ശുദ്ധമാക്കി വെയിലത്ത്‌ ഉണക്കി വറുത്ത്‌ നന്നായി പൊടിച്ചു, പൊടി ഒരു ടേബിള്‍ സ്‌പൂണ്‍ വീതം കാലത്തും രാത്രി കിടക്കാന്‍ നേരവും ചൂടുവെള്ളത്തിലോ, പാലിലോ കലര്‍ത്തി സേവിച്ചാല്‍ പ്രമേഹരോഗത്തിന്‌ അത്ഭുതകരമായ ശമനമുണ്ടാകുമെന്ന്‌ ആയൂര്‍വേദം അനുശാസിക്കുന്നു.

ഒരു പിടി ഉലുവ ശുദ്ധമാക്കി തലേദിവസം രാത്രി ശുദ്ധജലത്തിലിട്ട്‌ പ്രഭാതത്തില്‍ എടുത്ത്‌ നന്നായി അരച്ച്‌ അതിന്റെ കൂടെ 20ഗ്രാം ജീരകവും, 10ഗ്രാം കുരുമുളക്‌ പൊടിയും 5ഗ്രാം ഉപ്പു പൊടിയും ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ 15ഗ്രാം കറിവേപ്പില പൊടിയായി അരിഞ്ഞതും കൂട്ടിച്ചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ നന്നായി ഇളക്കി ചെറിയ വടകളാക്കി രൂപപ്പെടുത്തി വെയിലത്തു വച്ച്‌ നന്നായി ഉണക്കിയെടുത്ത്‌ സൂക്ഷിക്കുക. ഇതില്‍ നിന്ന്‌ ഒരു വടയെടുത്ത്‌ നെയ്യില്‍ വറുത്ത്‌ ഭക്ഷിക്കുക. കുടുംബത്തിന്റെ ആരോഗ്യത്തിന്‌ ഈ ചേരുവ അത്യുത്തമമാണ്‌. ശരീരത്തിന്റെ രോഗപ്രതിരോധ ശേഷിയെ വര്‍ദ്ധിപ്പിച്ച്‌ രോഗം വരാതെ സംരക്ഷിക്കുകയും സര്‍വ്വോപരി ഓജസ്സിനെയും കായിക ശേഷിയേയും പ്രദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നതാണ്‌ ഈ ഔഷധക്കൂട്ട്‌.

Eat Light in summer

In a tropical country like India, summers could lead to a heat stroke if you don’t hydrate yourself properly, and those with jobs that require a lot of field work are particularly at risk. So while some city-based nutrition experts caution against these hazards, there are some who feel that this is the season to drop those extra kilos.

Often, people complain of loss of appetite, and don’t feel inclined to eat rich or heavy foods. The best thing is to use this as an opportunity to watch your diet and lose weight. But what one has to guard against the intake of extra calories in drinks. People use summer as an excuse to gulp down aerated drinks and sherbets. The sugar in them adds calories. Tea, green tea or herbal tea is beverages that are preferable to coffee, which flushes out water from your system.

The first recommendation is of course water, a zero-calorie drink. But you could also opt for tender coconut water or lime juice which has high sodium and potassium content that replenish your electrolytes.

The ideal recommendation is an Indian breakfast or cereal and fruits in the morning. Rice or vegetables with high water content are good options for lunch. The gourds — ridge-gourd or cucumbers — are great. For tea time you can opt for salads, soups or fresh fruits.

It is suggested that one should keep away from fried, fatty, pungent and spicy items as well as solid food. It’s better to have liquids and semi-solids. Fruit juices, especially ones prepared from citrus fruits like orange and mosambi should be diluted with water. Then people won’t suffer from acidity also, but don’t add sugar.

Fractures: First-aid and treatment

A fracture occurs when the bones counter a strong force (usually stronger than they can bear). Though the most common causes are trauma due to a fall/fight/vehicular accident etc., they may also be caused when the bones get weak due to conditions like osteoporosis (in old age mostly), brittle bone disease, osteomalacia etc.

How do I know it’s a fracture?

• A loud snapping or cracking sound during an accident.
• Severe pain in the injured area, which increases on trying to move that part of the body.
• Inability to use that part of the body or loss of function.
• Bruising, swelling and tenderness of the injured area.
• An obvious deformity, such as the foot and leg rotated in the wrong direction in the case of fracture in the leg, or a bent wrist in case of a wrist fracture.
• A bone sticking out of the skin.
• Numbness or change in the color of the skin (bluish tinge) at the extreme end of the involved part, such as the fingertips in case of fracture of the arms.
• In case of a hip fracture, inability to put one’s weight on the leg or on the affected side.

If you realize that you or the injured person has a fracture, the first thing you should do is to call for emergency help. Until help arrives you can administer some first aid to the injured area.

What first-aid can I give the person who suffers from a fracture in my presence?

• Do no harm: Never moves the patient or the affected part, unless you need to do so to prevent further emergency.
• Administer CPR: If the patient is unconscious, is not breathing and has no signs of a pulse, administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. It is a systematic method of reviving a patient using alternate mouth to mouth breathing and chest compressions. But be cautious if you suspect the patient to have a fracture in the back of the neck. Then you should not try to tilt the head of the person back to maintain the airway; instead try to thrust the jaw forward with the help of your fingers.
• Be alert about the person’s breathing: If the patient is in shock, i.e. he/she faints or has shallow and rapid breathing and his/her skin turn pale. Make the patient lie on his/her back and raise the legs by a few inches. Avoid this if you think he/she has a fracture in the leg.
• Try to stop bleeding: This could be done by applying pressure at the bleeding point with a clean piece of cloth or gauze.
• Try to stabilize the fractured part(s): This can be done by applying a splint to the fractured part(s).The splint can be in the form of a piece of metal, wood or plastic that has been padded (the padding will reduce discomfort). The main function of the splint is to prevent the movement of the fractured part.
• Do not attempt anything drastic: This means that you should not try to push back a bone that has come out through the skin. Apart from causing immense pain, it could cause more damage than good.
• Help with the pain: Apply ice packs to the fractured area to reduce swelling and tenderness.

When you finally reach a doctor’s office, the physician will do a careful physical exam of the injury and order diagnostic tests of the injured area to assess the type and extent of the fracture. The investigations may be in the form of routine X-rays or CT scans, MRI, angiogram, etc.

How is the fracture treated?

Whatever the fracture may be, after proper alignment or ‘reduction’ the fracture fragments will be immobilized and kept in position for a certain period of time in order to heal. The immobilization may be done with the help of a plaster of Paris cast, splint or traction.

In certain fractures, a minor surgery may be required (also called an open reduction) and metallic plates, rods, screws or pins are used to stabilize the bone fragments in position. Sometimes when the bone fragments are damaged beyond repair, then the doctor may choose to replace the damaged bone fragments with a metallic prosthesis.

Some amount of physical therapy is required during the period of immobilization in order to prevent medical complications. After the period of immobilization is over, one should gradually start to use that portion of the body in order to gain complete strength. This may take a few weeks to a few months, depending on the type and location of injury and the age of the patient.

Yoga offers unique benefits to breast cancer patients: Study

For women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy, yoga offers unique benefits beyond fighting fatigue, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (www.mdanderson.org).

The preliminary findings were first reported in 2011 by Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson, and are now published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. This research is part of an on-going effort to scientifically validate mind-body interventions in cancer patients and was conducted in collaboration with India's largest yoga research institution, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana in Bangalore, India (www.svyasa.org).

Researchers found that while simple stretching exercises counteracted fatigue, patients who participated in yoga exercises that incorporated controlled breathing, meditation and relaxation techniques into their treatment plan experienced improved ability to engage in their daily activities, better general health and better regulation of cortisol (stress hormone). Women in the yoga group were also better equipped to find meaning in the illness experience, which declined over time for the women in the other two groups.

The study also assessed, for the first time, yoga benefits in cancer patients by comparing their experience with patients in an active control group who integrated simple, generic stretching exercises into their lives.

"Combining mind and body practices that are part of yoga clearly have tremendous potential to help patients manage the psychosocial and physical difficulties associated with treatment and life after cancer, beyond the benefits of simple stretching," said Cohen.

To conduct the study, 191 women with breast cancer (stage 0-3) were randomized to one of three groups: 1) yoga; 2) simple stretching; or 3) no instruction in yoga or stretching. Participants in the yoga and stretching groups attended sessions specifically tailored to breast cancer patients for one-hour, three days a week throughout their six weeks of radiation treatment.

Participants were asked to report on their quality of life, including levels of fatigue and depression, their daily functioning and a measure assessing ability to find meaning in the illness experience. Saliva samples were collected and electrocardiogram tests were administered at baseline, end of treatment, and at one, three and six months post-treatment.

Women who practiced yoga had the steepest decline in their cortisol levels across the day, indicating that yoga had the ability to help regulate this stress hormone. This is particularly important because higher stress hormone levels throughout the day, known as a blunted circadian cortisol rhythm, have been linked to worse outcomes in breast cancer.

Additionally, after completing radiation treatment, only the women in the yoga and stretching groups reported a reduction in fatigue. At one, three and six months after radiation therapy, women who practiced yoga during the treatment period reported greater benefits to physical functioning and general health. They were more likely to find life meaning from their cancer experience than the other groups. (Credit: Science Daily)

Oil Pulling and Ayurveda

Oil pulling is the latest trend to take the wellness community by storm, but it’s actually a traditional practice in Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda, it’s when the balance of the three doshas viz. Vata, Pita and Kapha is disturbed that sickness can occur. To maintain order, specific treatments, including oil pulling, are determined based on a person’s dosha, or mind-body type.

And this pull toward wellness has seemingly reached the masses. All across the Internet, oil pulling has been said to whiten teeth, strengthen your gums and jaw, prevent gingivitis, rid the body of toxins, improve skin, clear sinuses, promote heart health, and even prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. But is it really worth the hype?

Oil pulling is one part of a daily morning routine in Ayurveda to cleanse the body called dhinacharya. Dhinacharya are these things we do for longevity. If you want longevity, you have a daily routine. It increases a person’s stability and mental focus.

Typically, upon waking up putting cool water on the eyelashes, rinsing the mouth with water, scraping the tongue, brushing the teeth and using the oil. Rinsing, scraping and brushing work together to manually remove bacteria from the mouth so that when you swish with oil, the oil has an ability to reach a little deeper to pull toxicity out and nourish the gums because it’s not stuck on all the other stuff.

But oil pulling is more than just moving oil around in your mouth. Ayurveda mentions two primary techniques—Gandusha and Kabala Graha. In Gandusha, you fill your mouth completely with oil and hold it there for three to five minutes. In Kabala Graha, you use a smaller amount of oil, swish between the teeth, and gargle at the back of the throat.

Oil is antimicrobial and gets into the tissues of the mouth to inhibit bacterial growth. Recent clinical studies have shown that oil pulling does decrease bacterial counts and plaque index in the mouth as well as halitosis (bad breath), similar to chlorhexidine mouthwash. Recently, a small pilot study showed that oil pulling reduced levels of Streptococcus mutans, a strain of bacteria associated with cavities. However, once participants stopped pulling oil, bacterial counts began to increase. It’s also worth noting that these studies included small sample sizes.

It has been seen that when a patient begins pulling oil, their gums no longer bleed and become pinker and healthier. In the longer term, this shows big strides in preventing tartar build-up and halting receding gums. Oil pulling can also effectively clean the mouth if someone has oral ulcerations, which make it painful to brush teeth normally. Much of this makes sense since the oil helps to manually remove bacteria and reduce inflammation. But what about the larger health claims?

We know there’s definitely a link between poor dental health and heart disease, but the connection between oil pulling and the other health benefits is a little fuzzy. Ayurveda recognizes the whole body as one system. Typically you’re not going to have inflammation in the mouth and not elsewhere, whether it’s the brain or the heart.

According to some practitioners, you can map the entire body on the tongue and channels connect the tongue to the rest of the body. So, cleansing and treating the tongue can help to bring other parts of the body into balance.

Additionally, since regularity is paramount to well-being in Ayurveda, simply “implementing dhinacharya can change people’s choices and encourage them to make healthier decisions overall. Once we start to change people’s mindset and bring catabolic changes in the body into check, we can have an effect on inflammation in the body.

Smokers’ taste buds do not allow them to taste bitterness of coffee

Though conventional pairing has cigarettes and coffee going together, researchers has found that the toxic chemicals in tobacco may hamper taste bud regeneration, resulting in smokers not being able to adequately taste the bitterness of their regular cup of coffee.

The researchers note that tobacco's chemicals are already known to cause a loss of taste in smokers, as well as structural changes to the fungiform papillae of the tongue - where taste buds are found. What has been unknown is to what extent smokers' taste range is affected, whether it returns to normal upon quitting smoking and if so, how long that takes.

Taste buds are largely responsible for conveying sweet, sour, bitter, salty and metallic sensations. To further investigate the changes in taste buds caused by smoking, they tested the ability of 451 study participants to recognize and rate intensity of the four basic tastes - sweet, sour, bitter and salty.

Dividing the participants into three groups (smokers, non-smokers and former smokers), the team conducted the voluntary tests during three separate and consecutive "World No-Tobacco Days."

A person's ability to recognize salty, sweet or sour tastes was not influenced by smoking status, the researchers say. However, smoking status did affect their ability to taste the bitterness in caffeine. While bitter receptors in the tongue are normally able to detect this sensation in even low concentrations, nearly 20% of smokers were not able to correctly identify the taste. Of the former smokers, 26.5% were not able to identify the taste, while only 13.4% of the non-smokers were unable to correctly identify the bitter samples.

The perception of bitter taste should be examined more closely, both as a tool for smoking cessation or for preventing smoking initiation. More generally, it should be worthwhile to consider the role of chemosensory perceptions in smoking behavior. The team believes the accumulation of some tobacco products in the body could impede taste buds regenerating, which could still affect a person's ability to recognize certain tastes after they have quit smoking.

How Clothing Can Affect Psoriasis?

If you're one with psoriasis, the simple act of getting dressed is not always so simple. Your clothing choices can affect more than just your style; they can actually help ease or exacerbate your symptoms.

For instance, certain types of clothing can aggravate skin irritation and flare-ups related to psoriasis, yet those with psoriasis often use clothing to mask symptoms. It can become a vicious circle if you aren’t careful.

Patients with psoriasis have very itchy, irritated, cracked dry plaques or areas of skin. As a consequence the skin will readily bleed. Because the skin is dry, cracked, and oozing at times, clothes will stick to the open areas, further contributing to the bleeding.

The good news is that there are things you can do, clothing-wise, to help manage the pain, bleeding, and discomfort associated with psoriasis. Consider these steps:

Choose cotton- Compared to other fabrics, cotton is less likely to irritate the skin or cause overheating. So try to wear lightweight cotton clothing next to your skin when possible, and avoid materials such as wool and synthetic fabrics. Synthetic clothes do not 'breathe' as much as cottons. Synthetic fabrics are a bit worse in part because they cause heat retention and also because they stick to the open areas.

Launder fragrance-free- Laundry detergent can also affect your psoriasis. It is recommended to use unscented detergents and fabric softeners. Sometimes scented products can aggravate psoriasis. Liquid detergents may be preferable to solid ones, as they dissolve better and detergent particles may be less likely to stick to clothing.

Go loose- Tight clothing can worsen the symptoms of psoriasis. Comfort is a very important issue for those with psoriasis. If an article of clothing is too tight, for example, and rubs on an existing lesion, it can cause more pain or irritate the sore. So choose looser clothing and undergarments when possible.

Wear light-colors to minimize the look of flakes- If you're concerned about skin flakes appearing on your clothing, remember that light colors and patterns typically hide flakes better than dark colors.

If you need to hide your psoriasis- A National Psoriasis Foundation survey found that 40 percent of patients reported choosing their clothing to hide their psoriasis. For days when you don’t want to deal with strangers’ reactions, wearing a long-sleeve shirt, full-length pants, and a strategically-placed scarf will reduce the number of unwanted stares. But be aware that covering up may contribute to heat retention, so choose fabrics wisely.

Also, keep in mind that as you're treating your skin condition, your comfort level with wearing different types of clothing may increase.

Being overweight may benefit older people!

A new study from Australia finds that people aged 65 and over with a body mass index in the overweight range live longer and suggests perhaps the World Health Organization guidelines on BMI may not be suitable for older people.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25, and a BMI of 30 or over as obese. BMI is equal to a person's weight in kilos divided by the square of their height in meters (kg/m2).

Caryl Nowson, professor of nutrition and aging at Deakin University in Melbourne, and colleagues looked at links BMI and risk of death in people aged 65 and over, and found those with the lowest risk of death had a BMI of around 27.5. They also found those with a BMI between 22 and 23 - considered to be the normal weight range - had a significantly higher risk of death. They say their findings; question whether the WHO guidelines are suitable for older adults. Prof. Nowson suggests it is time to reassess them.

The current results showed that those over the age of 65 with a BMI of between 23 and 33 lived longer, indicating that the ideal body weight for older people is significantly higher than the recommended 18.5-25 'normal' healthy weight range.

വാതരോഗത്തിനെതിരെ കരുതലാവാം

സന്ധികളില്‍ ഒരിക്കലെങ്കിലും വേദനയോ നീരോ പിടുത്തമോ മരവിപ്പോ ഉണ്ടായിട്ടില്ലാത്തവര്‍ നമ്മളില്‍ ചുരുക്കമാണ്‌. പൊണ്ണത്തടിയുള്ളവര്‍ക്ക്‌ സന്ധിതേയ്‌മാനം മൂലവും മറ്റുള്ളവര്‍ക്ക്‌ സന്ധികളില്‍ വേണ്ടത്ര വഴക്കം കിട്ടാത്തതു മൂലവും സന്ധിവേദനയും നീരും ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു. റുമാറ്റോയിഡ്‌ ആര്‍ത്രൈറ്റിസ്‌, റുമാറ്റിക്‌ ഫിവര്‍, ഡയബറ്റിക്‌ ന്യൂറൈറ്റിസ്, സോറിയാറ്റിക്‌ ആര്‍ത്രൈറ്റിസ്‌ തുടങ്ങിയവയെക്കുറിച്ചെല്ലാം ആയുര്‍വേദം എത്രയോ മുമ്പുതന്നെ വ്യക്‌തമായി പറയുന്നുണ്ട്‌.

കാല്‍മുട്ടു വേദന, തോള്‍ വേദന, കഴുത്തു വേദന തുടങ്ങി സന്ധികളില്‍ വേദനയും നീരുമുണ്ടാവുക, വെരിക്കോസ്‌ വെയിന്‍, പ്രമേഹം, പ്രഷര്‍, കൊളസ്‌ട്രോള്‍ വര്‍ധന, പിത്താശയത്തിലെ കല്ല് തുടങ്ങി പല രോഗങ്ങളുടേയും തിരനോട്ടകാലം കൂടിയാണ് നാല്‍പ്പതുകള്‍. പൊണ്ണത്തടിയും ഹൃദയ തകരാറും കൂടിയായാല്‍ ഏതാണ്ട്‌ എല്ലാമായി എന്നു പറയാം. ഇതോടൊപ്പം പ്രായം നല്‍കുന്ന വാതരോഗങ്ങളുടെ അലോസരം കൂടിയായാല്‍ അറുപതിനുശേഷം ഈ രോഗങ്ങളൊക്കെ നമ്മുടെ ശരീരത്തില്‍ ശക്‌തിപ്രകടനം നടത്തി തുടങ്ങും. 

നാല്‍പ്പതുകള്‍ക്കു ശേഷമാണ്‌ വാതത്തിന്‍റെ  കാലമാരംഭിച്ച്‌ ജരാനരകളോടെ വാര്‍ധക്യത്തിലേക്ക്‌ നയിക്കുന്നത്‌. അറുപത്‌ വയസാകുമ്പോഴേക്കും വാര്‍ധക്യ ദശയിലേക്ക്‌ കാലെടുത്തുവയ്‌ക്കുകയായി. ഈ പ്രായത്തില്‍ കുളിക്കാനും കുടിക്കാനും ചൂടുവെള്ളവും മിതമായ ഭക്ഷണവും വ്യായാമവും ശീലമാക്കുകയാണ്‌ വാതോപദ്രവം ഉണ്ടാകാതിരിക്കാന്‍ ശീലിക്കാവുന്ന എളുപ്പമാര്‍ഗം.

ഭക്ഷണം കഴിക്കുമ്പോള്‍

നാല്‍പ്പതിനുശേഷം ചിട്ടയായ ആഹാരരീതി ശീലിച്ചാല്‍ വാതോപദ്രവം തടഞ്ഞുനിര്‍ത്താന്‍ കഴിയും.

നാരുകള്‍ (ഫൈബേഴ്‌സ്) കൂടുതലുള്ള പച്ചക്കറികളും പഴങ്ങളും ആഹാരത്തില്‍ ഉള്‍പ്പെടുത്തണം. സന്ധികളേയും പേശികളേയുമാണ്‌ വാതം കൂടുതല്‍ ശല്യംചെയ്യുന്നത്‌. അതിനാല്‍ കാല്‍സ്യം കൂടുതലുള്ള ചെറുമീനും മുട്ടയുടെ വെള്ളക്കരുവും ചീരയും റാഗിയും നിര്‍ബന്ധമായും ആഹാരത്തിലുള്‍പ്പെടുത്തണം.

ചികിത്സ എന്തൊക്കെ?

ഫലപ്രദമായ ചികിത്സകള്‍ വാതരോഗത്തിനായി ആയുര്‍വേദത്തിലുണ്ട്‌. ഘൃതവും തൈലങ്ങളുംകൊണ്ടുള്ള പ്രയോഗങ്ങള്‍, കഷായവും അരിഷ്‌ടവും ചൂര്‍ണവും ലേഹ്യവുമുള്ള യുക്‌താനുസരണ ചികിത്സാരീതികള്‍ എന്നിവയാണ്‌ പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ടവ. പഞ്ചകര്‍മ്മങ്ങളായ വമനം, വിരേചനം, വസ്‌തി, രക്‌തമോക്ഷം  എന്നീ ശോധന ചികിത്സാരീതികളുമുണ്ട്‌.

സാധാരണ വാതരോഗങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌ ശോധന ചികിത്സയ്‌ക്ക് മുമ്പുചെയ്യുന്ന പിഴിച്ചില്‍, ധാര, കിഴി എന്നിവയ്‌ക്കുശേഷം വയറിളക്കിയാല്‍ മതി. ചെറിയ വാത ഉപദ്രവങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌ എണ്ണതേച്ച്‌ ചൂടുവെള്ളത്തില്‍ കുളിച്ചാല്‍ ആശ്വാസം ലഭിക്കും. പരിചയസമ്പന്നനായ ചികിത്സകന്‍റെ മേല്‍നോട്ടത്തില്‍ മാത്രമേ വാതചികിത്സ നടത്താവൂ.

ആഹാര നിയന്ത്രണത്തോടൊപ്പം വ്യായാമത്തിനും വാതരോഗനിയന്ത്രണത്തില്‍ വളരെയേറെ പ്രാധാന്യമുണ്ട്‌. നടത്തം, സൈക്കിള്‍ ചവിട്ടല്‍, നീന്തല്‍, പൂന്തോട്ടനിര്‍മ്മാണം തുടങ്ങി അര മണിക്കൂറെങ്കിലും വ്യായാമത്തിലേര്‍പ്പെട്ട്‌ ശരീരത്തെ ഊര്‍ജസ്വലമാക്കി നിര്‍ത്തുന്നത്‌ വാതരോഗാക്രമണത്തെ തടഞ്ഞുനിര്‍ത്താന്‍ സഹായകമാണ്‌.

കടപ്പാട്: മംഗളം ദിനപത്രം 

Fighting antibiotic resistance with honey

Honey, that delectable condiment for breads and fruits, could be one sweet solution to the serious, ever-growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, researchers say.

Medical professionals sometimes use honey successfully as a topical dressing, but it could play a larger role in fighting infections, the researchers predicted. The unique property of honey lies in its ability to fight infection on multiple levels, making it more difficult for bacteria to develop resistance. That is, it uses a combination of weapons, including hydrogen peroxide, acidity, osmotic effect, high sugar concentration and polyphenols - all of which actively kill bacterial cells, she explained. The osmotic effect, which is the result of the high sugar concentration in honey, draws water from the bacterial cells, dehydrating and killing them.

In addition, several studies have shown that honey inhibits the formation of biofilms, or communities of slimy disease-causing bacteria. Honey may also disrupt quorum sensing, which weakens bacterial virulence, rendering the bacteria more susceptible to conventional antibiotics. Quorum sensing is the way bacteria communicate with one another, and may be involved in the formation of biofilms. In certain bacteria, this communication system also controls the release of toxins, which affects the bacteria's pathogenicity, or their ability to cause disease.

Another advantage of honey is that unlike conventional antibiotics, it doesn't target the essential growth processes of bacteria. The problem with this type of targeting, which is the basis of conventional antibiotics, is that it results in the bacteria building up resistance to the drugs.

Honey is effective because it is filled with healthful polyphenols, or antioxidants. These include the phenolic acids, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and ellagic acid, as well as many flavonoids. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between the non-peroxide antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of honey and the presence of honey phenolics. A large number of laboratory and limited clinical studies have confirmed the broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties of honey.