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HEALTH ALERT

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SOME CAUSES OF BRAIN DAMAGE…………………

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1.           No Breakfast:   People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

      
2.           Overeating:   It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3.           Smoking :   It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4.           High Sugar consumption:   Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5.           Air Pollution :   The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our 20 body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6.           Sleep Deprivation :   Sleep allows our brain to rest… Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells…

7.           Head covered while sleeping :   Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8.           Working your brain during illness :   Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9.           Lacking in stimulating thoughts:   Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10.       Talking Rarely :   Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.

 

SOME CAUSES OF LIVER DAMAGE

1.           Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
   
2.           Not urinating in the morning.
   
3.           Too much eating.
   
4.           Skipping breakfast.
   
5.           Consuming too much medication.
   
6.           Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food colouring, and artificial sweetener.
 
7.           Consuming unhealthycooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.

8.           Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to ‘schedule.’

TOP FIVE CANCER CAUSING FOODS:

1.     Hot Dogs……...CLICK & SEE

Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can’t live without hot dogs, buy those made withoutsodium nitrate.

2.     Processed meats and Bacon…...CLICK & SEE

Also high in the same sodium nitrates found inhot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.

3.     Doughnuts…….CLICK & SEE
.
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, andhydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.

4.     French fries…...CLICK & SEE

Like doughnuts, French fries are made withhydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries.

5.     Chips, crackers, and cookies……..CLICK & SEE


All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.

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Herbs & Plants

Mentha cervina

Botanical Name : Mentha cervina
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Mentha
Species: M. cervina
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales

Common Names : Hart’s Pennyroyal

Habitat :Native to  S.W. Europe.Grows in Damp places.

Description:
Mentha cervina is a Perennial, sprawling herb growing up to .3m tall.
It  is not frost tender. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. It is noted for attracting wildlife.  It is very closely related to the “real” pennyroyal. It has very fragrant leaves and foliage. Its essential oils are high in pulegone, a natural abortifacient.

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The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Cultivation:
Succeeds in most soils and situations so long as the soil is not too dry. Prefers a slightly acid soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. A sunny position is best for production of essential oils, but it succeeds in partial shade. Most mints have fairly aggressive spreading roots and, unless you have the space to let them roam, they need to be restrained by some means such as planting them in containers that are buried in the soil. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. The leaves have a strong peppermint smell. The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies. A good companion plant for growing near cabbages and tomatoes, helping to deter insect pests. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation
Seed – sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually fairly quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Mentha species are very prone to hybridisation and so the seed cannot be relied on to breed true. Even without hybridisation, seedlings will not be uniform and so the content of medicinal oils etc will vary. When growing plants with a particular aroma it is best to propagate them by division. Division can be easily carried out at almost any time of the year, though it is probably best done in the spring or autumn to allow the plant to establish more quickly. Virtually any part of the root is capable of growing into a new plant. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. However, for maximum increase it is possible to divide the roots up into sections no more than 3cm long and pot these up in light shade in a cold frame. They will quickly become established and can be planted out in the summer.

Medicinal Uses:
Antiseptic; Carminative; Febrifuge.

A tea made from the leaves of most mint species has traditionally been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders and various minor ailments. The leaves are harvested as the plant comes into flower and can be dried for later use. The essential oil in the leaves is antiseptic, though it is toxic in large doses.

Other Uses
Essential; Repellent; Strewing.

An essential oil is obtained from the whole plant. Rats and mice intensely dislike the smell of mint. The plant was therefore used in homes as a strewing herb and has also been spread in granaries to keep the rodents off the grain[

Scented Plants
Leaves: Crushed Dried
The leaves have a strong peppermint smell.

Known Hazards :  Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, large quantities of some members of this genus, especially when taken in the form of the extracted essential oil, can cause abortions so some caution is advised.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentha_cervina
http://digedibles.com/database/plants.php?Mentha+cervina
http://www.gardening.eu/plants/Aquatic-plants/Mentha-cervina/3879/
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Mentha+cervina

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Featured Health Alert

Brain attack (Stroke)

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An elderly person’s worst nightmare is suffering a stroke. It conjures up visions of being confined to bed with the inability to move or speak and, worst of all, loss of bowel and bladder control. A cerebral stroke occurs when blood supply to a part of the brain stops for any reason. Though strokes can occur at any age, they are more common after 65 years. With the increase in life expectancy in India, the incidence of stroke has doubled from 175 to 350 per 1,00,000.

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Although it is uncommon for strokes to occur in young people, it can happen in youngsters born with a malformed blood vessel in the brain, brain tumours or those who suffer severe dehydration. Also, at any age, irregular heartbeats can lead to small clots in the brain called emboli, which can block vessels. The chances of having a stroke increase in those above 65 years if they have diabetes, hypertension, obesity, elevated blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), are smokers, take more than 60ml of alcohol a day and do not have an active life.

Pregnant women can also suffer a stroke because of an increase in clotting tendency . In fact, the number of such women having a stroke has increased internationally. This upsurge has been blamed on older age at first pregnancy, an inactive life prior to and during pregnancy and obesity.

The manifestations of a stroke are giddiness, weakness or paralysis of muscle groups, blurring of vision, inability to speak or loss of consciousness. This is followed by paralysis of a limb, or a side of the body. A stroke occurs when blood supply to an area of the brain is cut off, either as a result of a block or a bleed.
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Usually, there are a few warning TIA (transient ischaemic attacks) before a stroke or cerebral attack. There can be sudden blurring of vision, inability to speak or weakness of a limb. These signs are due to spasm of a diseased vessel in the brain or to small amounts of blood leaking. Many people do not take these symptoms seriously since recovery is spontaneous and complete. But appropriate preventive treatment at this point can prevent a full-blown stroke.

In the absence of treatment, TIAs are soon followed by the real thing — a stroke. The devastation caused by it depends on the extent of damage to the brain. This in turn depends on the site and size of the block or leak. Thirty three percent of stroke victims recover, 33 per cent have permanent disability and another 33 per cent die. Cerebral stroke is responsible for 1.2 per cent of the recorded deaths in India.

The most common effect is paralysis of a part of the face or one side of the body. Muscles in the throat and mouth lose co-ordination, making it difficult for the person to swallow and talk. Speech may become slurred and distorted. If the speech centre in the brain is affected the person may understand everything that is said but be unable to reply. Memory loss may make recollection of present events a blur. Quite often though past memories are intact. A person may also lose the ability to make judgements, reason and understand concepts. This makes them appear unnecessarily stubborn. A strange numbness or pricking sensations may occur in the paralysed limb. Since all these effects are because of damage to the brain, they are difficult to treat with medication.

All injuries heal given time and treatment, the brain is no exception. It is capable of rewiring itself so that lost skills are regained to an extent. A person who is predominantly right handed can learn to write with his left hand. Physiotherapy makes the paralysed muscles flexible and stronger. Since a few muscle spindles may be still active, they can be retrained to enlarge and take over the function of the paralysed muscles. The bladder can be trained to empty itself every 3-4 hours. By speaking slowly and using simple sentences, it is often possible to be understood. The brain can be stimulated with puzzles and poetry to enable faster healing.

Better still, try to prevent a stroke. :-

• Keep diabetes and hypertension in control.

• Take medications to reduce lipid levels.

• Take aspirin and clopidogrel, usually prescribed to diabetics and those with high pressure, regularly to prevent a stroke.

• Walk, swim or cycle for at least 30 minutes a day.

• Stimulate yourself intellectually by learning new skills and doing puzzles.

When it comes to brain circuits, the correct mantra is “use it or lose it!”

Source : The Telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

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News on Health & Science

The Switch

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Learning and memory are regulated by the hippocampus of the brain. Scientists have now found the molecule that decides how many neurons the hippocampus will have.

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Shubha Tole couldn’t have asked for a better birthday present. Two doctoral students in the lab of the neurobiologist — who will turn 44 later this month — at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai have unravelled a mechanism that has puzzled brain researchers for years. Anindita Sarkar and Lakshmi Subramanian have found the substance that gives the brain the signal to stop producing neurons and start forming glia cells.

Neurons are the brain cells that transmit information. Glia cells, which are far more numerous in the brain, supply nutrients to neurons and protect them from toxic attacks as well as maintain glucose levels in the brain.

The scientists studied the hippocampus — the region where learning happens and memories are formed — and found that a gene called Lhx2 has a critical role in deciding the number of neurons and glia cells. Interestingly, both types of cells are formed from the same stem cells. Scientists have known for a while that in a developing brain (in the embryo stage) the production of glia cells — particularly star-shaped astroglia cells that surround neurons to insulate and support them — commences only after the production of neurons stop. But they didn’t know what drives this switch.
Learning and memory are regulated by the hippocampus of the brain. Scientists have now found the molecule that decides how many neurons the hippocampus will have. T.V. Jayan reports

The findings, announced in a recent issue of the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences journal, not only contribute significantly to the understanding of brain formation but also have clinical implications. It may help doctors understand the mechanisms underlying disorders like temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) better, hopefully leading to better clinical intervention.

The TIFR scientists found that when they inactivated the Lhx2 gene in mice embryos, the production of neurons in the hippocampus stopped, triggering an early onset of astroglia production. And when the gene was kept active longer than normal, neuron production too continued longer than usual.

….
“Our experiment has clearly demonstrated that the levels of Lhx2 decide the fate (of brain stem cells),” Tole told KnowHow. “It decides whether the glia-making pathway can be allowed to work or not.”

“This indicates the presence of a molecular timer that brings about the switch from neuron-making to glia-making,” says Aurnab Ghose, a neurobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune. This is an important step in understanding the regulation of timing in brain development.

According to Tole, striking the right balance between neurons and astroglia is critical. “If there are not enough neurons in the hippocampus, its function will be compromised,” the TIFR scientist says.

The mismatch between neurons and astroglia cells is implicated in TLE. “Loss of neuronal population (atrophy) and proliferation of astroglia in the hippocampus is the commonest pathology encountered in patients with drug-resistant TLE,” says K. Radhakrishnan, neurosurgeon and director of the Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Thiruvananthapuram. This means that TLE patients have too many glia cells in their hippocampus and keep losing neurons.

Such loss of neurons is found in nearly two-thirds of TLE patients. Though it was first described more than a century ago, it is not yet clear how this happens, says Radhakrishnan. It is presumed that febrile seizures occurring at a vulnerable period in early childhood in a person with a differently developed hippocampus results in the loss of neurons (hippocampus sclerosis).

The research provides an important insight into the factors that control the development of the hippocampus and at least one of the mechanisms that result in a differently developed hippocampus, the SCTIMST director says.

“How this information translates into human hippocampus sclerosis shall remain elusive till we learn more about the molecular genetic association of Lhx2 function/dysfunction in people with TLE,” says Radhakrishnan.

Significantly, switching on glia production in the hippocampus is not the only thing that Lhx2 does. Nearly three years ago Tole’s team, working jointly with their US counterparts, found that Lhx2 nudges brain stem cells to turn into the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex, which consists of the hippocampus and the neocortex, is involved in higher functions like language and complex thinking, apart from memory formation.

Interestingly, the TIFR scientists found that Lhx2 has no hold over the process of switching from neuron making to glia making in the neocortex. “We think that some other molecule may be doing that job,” says Tole.

“Lhx2 was already known to have a fundamental role in early brain development, required for the cortex to form in the first place instead of non-cortical structures. The current study uncovers an additional later role in development that is equally fundamental,” says Tole.

It is surprising that the same molecule has two really powerful roles to play. “It looks like a good example of evolutionary parsimony (one molecule having more than one critical function),” says Ghose.

Here’s to multitasking, Nature’s way!

Source : The telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

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Herbs & Plants

Rumex hymenosepalus

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Botanical Name :Rumex hymenosepalus
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Rumex
Species: R. hymenosepalus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales

Synonyms :Rumex arizonicus Britton,Rumex salinus A.Nelson,Rumex hymenosepalus var. salinus (A. Nelson) Rech.,Rumex saxei Kellogg

Common Name : Canaigre dock,  Canaigre or Wild Rhubarb,

Habitat : Rumex hymenosepalus  is native to the United States and  it is found on sandy roadsides and fields at lower to middle elevations.It has been cultivated in the southwestern United States.  It grows in dry sandy places below 1500 metres in California

Description:
Rumex hymenosepalus is a perennial flowering plant with tall reddish colored stems .Rumex hymenosepalus grows very large basal leaves early in the spring.  The leaves are elliptic, thick, and wider than those of Rumex crispus.  The leaves can be wavy at the margin, but usually not as much as with Rumex crispus.A tall, stout flower stalk follows with tiny green/red/yellow flowers that are replaced by showy pink/red/brown seed pods.  Early leaves of this and related Rumex species are palatable as a potherb, giving rise to the “Wild Rhubarb” common name.  Leaves persist through the summer but toughen with age.  A number of species of Rumex are found in Canyon Country and were probably a common food for the Anasazi.
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The reproductive panicles are thickly packed  . Typically, Rumex hymenosepalus leaves are among the first early signs of spring in the lower parts of the Gila. The stems are reddish with an interior that is somewhat spongy with airspaces.
Cultivation : Succeeds in most soils but prefers a deep fertile moderately heavy soil that is humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained and a position in full-sun or part shade. Judging by its native range, this plant should succeed in dry soils. Extensively cultivated for the tannin contained in its root.

Propagation : Seed – sow spring in situ. Division in spring.

Edible Uses: 
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root; Seed; Stem.
Edible Uses: Drink.

Young leaves – cooked as a pot-herb. They are usually cooked in several changes of water to remove the bitter-tasting tannin. Leaf stems – cooked. Crisp and tart, they are excellent when used in pies like rhubarb. They are often cooked with sugar, or can be baked and the central portion eaten. The stems, harvested before the flowers open, have been boiled to make a drink. Seed – raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder, cooked with water to the consistency of a thick gravy and eaten as a mush. The powder can also be mixed with water, shaped into cakes and baked. Root. Eaten raw by children in early spring.

Medicinal Uses:
The use of cañaigre root in folk medicine has been as an astringent, prepared as a tea for diarrhea and as a garble for sore throat.  These uses are probably effective, owing to the plant’s high tannin content.  Herbalists have traditionally relied upon cañaigre as an astringent.  They used its large tuberous roots to make a tea for treating diarrhea and a gargle for easing sore throat.  One herbal suggests using the boiled root extract to stop bleeding from minor scrapes and cuts.  For sunburn, the root can be grated fresh on the burned skin, allowed to dry and a poultice of the inner pith of the cactus placed over or the juice rubbed in.  An infusion of the stems and leaves has been used as a wash for sores, ant bites and infected cuts.  The root has been chewed in the treatment of coughs and colds. The dried, powdered roots have been used as a dusting powder and dressing on burns and sores. A tea made from this plant is used to treat colds. The dried root combined with water is used as a mouthwash for pyorrhea and gum inflammations.  Sucking on a slice tightens the teeth.  The tea is used as a wash for acne and other moist or greasy skin problems.

Other Uses:
The roots are a good source of tannin, for use in leather tanning.  It is also a source of a mustard-colored dye.

Known Hazards : Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_C.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumex_hymenosepalus
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Brown%20Green%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/rumex%20hymenosepalus.htm
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/rumex_hymenosepalus.html

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rumex+hymenosepalus

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