Month: September 2007

Categories
Positive thinking

Present In The Progression

Letting Life Unfold
Our lives are guided by natural rhythms that are particular to each of us and cannot be altered by force of will alone. Life itself is a journey made up of processes and events that manifest before us only to be swept away when time marches on. Whether we envision ourselves creating a career, building a family, or developing the self, we instinctively know when the time has come for us to realize our dreams because all that is involved comes together harmoniously. When the time is right, the passage of destiny cannot be blocked. Yet as desperate as we are to touch these beautiful futures we have imagined, we cannot grow if we are not fully present in the evolutionary experience. The present can be challenging, uncomfortable, and tedious, but life unfolds as it will, and the universe will wait patiently as we make our way into the unknown.

The fate that awaits us is not dependent on our pace, which was preordained before we ever appeared in human guise. Therefore there is no reason to rush through life to reach those pinnacles of development associated with the paths we have chosen. Enjoying and fully experiencing the journey of life is as important as achieving goals and reaching milestones. There are lessons we can learn during those moments that seem immaterial or insignificant that we cannot learn at any other time. Appreciating these takes patience, however, because human beings tend to focus on the fulfillment of expectations rather than the simple joys of being.

Like many people, you have no doubt longed for a device that would give you the power to fast forward through certain periods of your existence. Yet haste is by its very nature vastly more stressful than serene fortitude. When you feel yourself growing impatient because the pace of your development is deceptively slow, remember that everything that will occur in your life will occur in its own time. Quelling your urge to rush will enable you to witness yourself learning, changing, and becoming stronger. There is so much to see and do in between the events and processes that we deem definitive. If you are patient enough to take pleasure in your existence’s unfolding, the journey from one pinnacle to the next will seem to take no time at all.

Source:Daily Om

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Astragalus

Botanical Name : Astragalus
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe:     Galegeae
Subtribe: Astragalinae
Genus:     Astragalus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order:     Fabales

Common names: Milkvetch (most species), locoweed (in North America, some species) and goat’s-thorn (A. gummifer, A. tragacanthus)

Habitat : The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere

Astragalus (As-trá-ga-lus) is a large genus of about 2,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milk-vetch (most species) and goat’s-thorn (A. gummifera, A. tragacanthus). Some pale-flowered vetches are similar in appearance, but vetches are more vine-like.

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It is a beautiful plant from the pea family, and native to northern China, has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, with is first recorded use transcribed over 2000 years ago. This powerful tonic root, has been traditionally used to invigorate vital energy, and an immuno-stimulant.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Astragalus should be implemented into a persons daily diet while the individual is healthy, and not only in time of sickness. This is said to build and strengthen the immune response, and carry the body through normal routines of healthy response.

Astragalus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the following case-bearers of the genus Coleophora: C. astragalella (feeds exclusively on A. glycyphyllos), C. cartilaginella (feeds exclusively on Astragalus), C. colutella, C. euryaula (feeds exclusively on Astragalus), C. gallipennella (feeds exclusively on A. glycyphyllos), C. hippodromica (feeds exclusively on A. gombo), C. onobrychiella (feeds exclusively on Astragalus), C. polonicella (feeds exclusively on A. arenarius) and C. vicinella.

Constituents
More than 40 Saponins such as Astragaloside, several Flavonoids, Polysaccharides, multiple trace minerals, Amino Acids, and Coumarins

Parts used
The root in whole, shredded or sliced form.

Typical preparations
Astragalus can be used in a number of ways. The root can be dried, powdered and encapsulated. It can be made into a liquid herbal extract. The root can be sliced into soups, and it can be chewed on like licorice root!

Medicinal use
Astragalus membranaceus, or huángqí (黄芪, literally “yellow leader”; also called bÄ›iqí, 北芪, literally “northern leader”) is a tonic herb originally used in Chinese medicine. It is believed to be a galactagogue, and recent studies show that it may strengthen the human immune system.

The natural gum tragacanth, which is used in pharmaceuticals and textiles, is obtained from Astragalus tragacanthus. It is claimed to help the immune system, and to increase the body’s resistance to common viruses.

In western herbal medicine, Astragalus is primarily considered a tonic for enhancing metabolism and digestion and is consumed as a tea made from the roots of the plant. It is also traditionally used to strengthen the immune system and in the healing of wounds and injuries.

Astragalus is an extremely versatile herb that has been used for centuries. Many published reports have found that it is quite useful for individuals undergoing chemo or radiation therapy, helps to support kidney function, protects the liver and promotes tissue regeneration. Many of the studies on Astragalus are preliminary, but they are promising.
In some other studies, primarily performed in the US, Astragalus appears to be a promising botanical for atherosclerosis, hyperthyroidism, hypertension and insomnia, as well as diabetes, hepatitis, herpes, AIDS, and the side effects of chemotherapy. These studies are recent, undeveloped and further research is needed.

The biotech company Geron Corporation has determined that a molecule from this plant called TA-65 is a telomerase activator. According to PRNewswire, TA Sciences, has a license from Geron to sell TA-65 and is now selling it as a neutraceutical anti-aging product at their TA Sciences Center in New York City.

Benefits of astragalus:

Can be used as an antibacterial

Used with the ginsengs

Helpful for young adults for energy production and respiratory endurance

Generates warming energy

Helpful in the treatment of hypoglycemia and used for “outer energy” as ginseng is used for “inner energy”

Used to bolster the white blood cell count

Strengthens the body’s resistance

Used to reduce debilitating conditions

Helps to promote the effects of other herbs and helps to improve digestion

Astragalus is of the most popular herbs used in the Orient; the Chinese name for astragalus is Huang Ch’i. This is a tonic producing warm energy and specifically tonifying for the lungs, spleen, and triple warmer via meridians.

In studies performed at the National Cancer Institute and 5 other leading American Cancer Institutes over the past 10 years, it has been positively shown that astragalus strengthens a patient’s immune system. On the basis of cell studies researchers believed that astragalus augments the white blood cells that fight disease and removes some of those which make the body more vulnerable to it. There is clinical evidence that cancer patients given astragalus during chemotherapy and radiation, both of which reduce the body’s natural immunity while attacking the cancer, recover significantly faster and live longer. It is evident that astragalus does not directly attack cancers themselves, but instead strengthens the body’s immune system. In these same studies, both in the laboratory and with 572 patients, it also has been found that astragalus promotes adrenal cortical function, which also is critically diminished in cancer patients.

Scientists have isolated a number of active ingredients contained in astragalus, including bioflavanoids, choline, and a polysaccharide called astragalan B. Animal studies have shown that astragalan B is effective at stimulating the immune system and protecting the body against a number of toxins.

Astragalus is well known for strengthening the immune system. Historical uses include oriental tonic and promoter of health, supports natural defenses and supports peripheral circulation.

Astragalan B seems to work by binding to cholesterol on the outer membranes of viruses, destabilizing their defenses and allowing the body’s immune system to attack the weakened invader. Astragalus shows support for peripheral vascular diseases and peripheral circulation.

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/Astragalus
http://www.gibsondentistry.com/n1.html
http://botanical.com/products/learn/astragalus_root.html

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Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Amebiasis

Amoebae in a colon biopsy from a case of amoeb...
Amoebae in a colon biopsy from a case of amoebic dysentery. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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The intestinal infection amebiasis is caused by the protozoan parasite entamoeba histolytica. worldwide, amebiasis is very common, affecting about 500 million people. it is the common and severe in the tropics but is rare in the us. in most cases, infection results from drinking water or eating food contaminated with the parasite, which is excreted in the feces of infected people. in severe cases, ulcers develop in the walls of the intestine, and the condition is then called amebic dysentery.

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What are the symptoms?
Most infected people do not develop symptoms or have only mild, intermittent symptoms, which may include:

· diarrhea.
· mild abdominal pain.

Click to see…>  Symptoms of Raw fish infection

if you develop amebic dysentery, the symptoms usually appear between 5 days and several weeks after the initial infection. symptoms may include:

· watery, bloody diarrhea.
· severe abdominal pain.
· fever.

in some cases, dehydration and anemia may develop. in addition, there is a risk of infection spreading through the bloodstream to the lever, causing high fever, painful liver abscesses, extreme fatigue, and loss of appetite.

What might be done?
Diagnosis of amebiasis is usually made from examination of a sample of feces under a microscope to look for the parasite. your doctor may also arrange for you to have a blood test to look for antibodies that are produced by the body in response to the parasite. if your doctor suspects that you have liver abscesses, he or she will arrange for you to have imaging tests, such as ct scanning or ultrasound scanning. amebiasis can be successfully treated with antibiotics, which usually kill the parasite within a few days. with drug treatment, most affected people make a full recovery from the infection within a few weeks.

Can it be prevented?
There are several preventive measures you can take against amebiasis if you visit a region where the disease is common. you should drink only bottled or thoroughly boiled water to be certain that it is safe. you should also avoid eating raw vegetables, salads, or fruits with skins that cannot be peeled because their skins may be contaminated with the parasite.

Click to learn more about Amebiasis & its modern treatment

Ayurvedic Recommended Product: Livomyn
Recommended Therapy: Virechan
Herbal treatments of Amebiasis
In Mexico, it is common to use herbal tinctures of chaparro amargo (English: castela). 30 drops are taken in a small glass of water first thing in the morning, and 30 drops before the last meal of the day, for seven days straight. After taking a seven day break from the treatment, it is resumed for seven days. Some mild cramping may be felt; it is claimed this means that the amoebas are dying and will be expelled from the body. Many Mexicans use the chaparro amargo treatment regularly, three times a year. The efficacy of such treatments has not been scientifically proven.

A 1998 study in Africa suggests that 2 tablespoons per week of papaya seeds may have some antiamoebic action and aid in prevention of amoebiasis, but this remains unconfirmed. Papaya fruit and seeds are often considered beneficial to digestion in areas where this plant is common.

Click for Homeopathic view of Amebiasis, its Diagnosis & Treatment

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.

Resources:

http://www.charak.com/DiseasePage.asp?thx=1&id=133

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoebiasis

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Categories
News on Health & Science

Obesity to be Cured During Pregnancy

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A new study has unearthed evidence that childhood obesity can be prevented if expectant mothers are treated for gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy).

Researchers at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research (CHR) in Portland and Hawaii used the organization’s integrated databases to analyse medical records of 9,439 mother-child pairs.

The women in the study were screened during pregnancy for blood sugar level and gestational diabetes, and their children were measured for weight between the ages of 5 and 7—known as the “adiposity rebound” period, a strong predictor of adult obesity. The relationship between maternal blood sugar and childhood obesity was then analysed.

The researchers found that the risk of childhood obesity rises in tandem with a pregnant woman’s blood sugar level, and that untreated gestational diabetes nearly doubles a child’s risk of becoming obese by age 5 to 7.

It was also found that treating gestational diabetes lowered the child’s risk of becoming obese during childhood to the same levels of those pregnant mothers with normal blood sugar levels.

“The key finding here is that the risk of overweight and obese children rises in step with higher levels of blood sugar during pregnancy. The good news for pregnant women is that by treating gestational diabetes, your children’s risk of becoming overweight or obese drops considerably,” said Dr. Teresa Hillier, an endocrinologist and senior investigator at CHR Northwest and Hawaii, and the lead author of the study.

“My advice to pregnant women is three-fold: Discuss gestational diabetes screening with your doctor, usually between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy; if you have gestational diabetes, work with your physician to treat it, and stick with the treatment during your pregnancy. It’s the best thing you can do to reduce your child’s risk of obesity,” she added.

Children of mothers with high levels of blood sugar who were untreated were 89 per cent more likely to be overweight and 82 per cent more likely to be obese by the time they were 5 to 7 years of age, compared to children whose mothers had normal blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

“The obesity risk of children whose mothers had the highest blood sugar levels—and were treated for gestational diabetes—was not statistically different than children of mothers with normal blood sugar levels. This suggests that the ‘metabolic imprinting’ for childhood obesity that results from gestational diabetes in pregnant women may be reversible,” Dr. Hillier said.

The study has been published in the journal Diabetes Care .

Categories
Dry Fruit Herbs & Plants

Prune

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Botanical Name: Prunus domestica
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Prunus
Subgenus: Prunus
Section: Prunus
Species: P. domestica
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Rosales

Synonym: Plum Tree.
Part Used: Fruit, dried.
Habitat: Asia and parts of Europe, best from Bordeaux.

Description: A small tree, 15 to 20 feet high, with numerous spreading branches without spines, young branches smooth, leaves small, alternate on longish petioles, provided with linear, fimbriated, pubescent stipules which are quickly deciduous, blade about 2 inches long, oval, acute at both ends, crenatedentate, smooth above, more or less pubescent underneath, convolute in the bud, flowers appear before leaves. The cultivated plum has been developed from the wild plum, the thorns being lost in the process. Plums were known to the Romans in Cato’s time.

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A prune is a dried fruit of various plum species, mostly Prunus domestica. It is wrinkly in shape, unlike its non-dried counterpart. More than 125 cultivars of plums are grown for drying. Four of the most common cultivars are French, Imperial, Italian, and Greengage. In general, prunes are freestone cultivars (the pit is easy to remove), whereas most other plums grown for fresh consumption are cling (the pit is more difficult to remove). Fresh prunes reach the market earlier than fresh plums and are usually smaller in size.

CLICK & SEE.>…....PRUNE TREE...…....FLOWERS.…....FRUITS...…...DRIED FRUITS..…....JUICE

Prune juice is richer in fiber than plum juice and is often marketed as a treatment for constipation, and it helps with kidney stones. One of the largest and best-known prune producers is Sunsweet Growers, headquartered in Yuba City, CA, who control more than 2/3 of the prune market worldwide. In the United States, an effort to rebrand “prunes” as “dried plums” began in 2000, to appeal to a younger market who associated prunes with elderly people. However, only some varieties of plum are usually called prunes when dried; others have usually been called “dried plums” in any case.

Prunes are used in cooking both sweet and savory dishes. Stewed prunes, a compote, are a dessert. Prunes are a frequent ingredient in North African tagines. Perhaps the best-known gastronomic prunes are those of Agen (pruneaux d’Agen).

There has long been an urban myth that prune juice is an ingredient in Dr. Pepper.

Constituents: Prunes have a faint peculiar odour and a sweetish slightly acidulous and viscid taste. The ripe fruit contains sugar, gum, albumen, malic acid, pectin, vegetable fibre, etc.

Medicinal Action and Uses: Dried prunes are mildly laxative and are frequently employed in decoction. They form a pleasant and nourishing diet for invalids when stewed; they enter into the composition of Confection of Senna. A medicinal tincture is prepared from the fresh flower-buds of the Blackthorn. Some 20 per cent of oil is obtainable by crushing the Plum kernel – this is clear, yellow in colour and has an agreeable almond flavour and smell. It is used for alimentary purposes. The residue after pressing is used in the manufacture of a brandy, which is largely consumed in Hungary.

All prunes are plums, but not every plum is choicest to be prune.They are very good source of Potassium the mineral that maintains normal blood pressure, heart function & reduces risk of stroke. It also promotes bone health & slow down mascular degeneration. Prunes also aids in normalizing blood sugar levels, provide an intestinal protection & lower cholesterol. Remember to keep prunes fresh by storing them in airtight containers in cool,dry and dark place.

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/Prunes
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/prunes72.html
http://www.adfs.in/dryfruit/prunes.htm

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