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WHY CORNER

Why do some people have vertigo?

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Vertigo is a certain kind of dizziness, often wrongly used to describe a fear of heights (actually called acrophobia). Vertigo is not a disease, but only a symptom. It refers to the sensation of spinning or whirling one experiences when there is a disturbance in the body equilibrium    the feeling that you or the environment is moving when there is actually no movement. The sensation of movement is called subjective vertigo while the perception of movement in objects around is called objective vertigo. The term may also be used to describe lightheadedness, faintness or unsteadiness.

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Vertigo usually occurs due to a disorder in the vestibular system (comprising the inner ear, the vestibular nerve, brainstem and cerebellum). This system is responsible for integrating sensory stimuli and movement and keeping objects in visual focus as a person moves.

When the head moves, signals are transmitted to the labyrinth, an apparatus in the inner ear that is made up of three semicircular canals surrounded by fluid. The labyrinth then transmits the information to the vestibular nerve which in turn passes it to the brainstem and cerebellum (areas of the brain that control balance, posture and motor coordination). There are a number of reasons for dizzy spells.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most common form, caused by sudden head movements. Vertigo can also be caused by certain problems in the brain or the inner ear. It may also be caused by inflammation within the inner ear. Other causes include migraine, head trauma, decreased blood flow to the brain and base of the brain, fluctuating pressure of the inner ear fluid, systemic diseases, certain antibiotics, environmental chemicals, etc.

Source:The Telegraph(Kolkata,India)

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News on Health & Science

Cocoa, not tea, calms BP:

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Some may see a cup of tea as soothing but chocolate is more likely to lower one’s blood pressure, German researchers reported on Monday.

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The drop in blood pressure among participants who consumed cocoa products for at least two weeks was in the same range as achieved by someone taking drugs commonly prescribed to control high blood pressure.

The fall in blood pressure credited to cocoa could be expected to reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks by 10-20%, the report said.

Both cocoa and tea contain polyphenols, a class of chemicals known to help prevent cardiovascular disease that are present in most fruits and vegetables. But cocoa has a different type than tea — procyanids — that appear to be more active.

Currently, patients with high blood pressure are urged to eat more fruits and vegetables, although cocoa and tea products account for the bulk of total polyphenol consumption in Western countries, the study said.

But don’t start gobbling up chocolate bars just yet, wrote the study’s author of the University Hospital of Cologne.

Treats such as dark chocolate might be substituted for other high-calorie desserts, based on the study’s findings, but “we believe that any dietary advice must account for the high sugar, fat and calorie intake with most cocoa products.”

Source:The Times Of India

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Ailmemts & Remedies

Muscle Aches and Pains

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Alternative Names:
Muscle pain; Myalgia; Pain – muscles
Though not serious, muscle cramps or the muscle soreness that comes from overextending yourself can be very uncomfortable. And the weekend gardener is just as likely to be affected as the world-class athlete.

Definition:
Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve the soft tissues that surround muscles. These connective tissues include ligaments, tendons, and fascia (thick bands of tendons).

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Symptoms :
Sudden tightening of the muscles during physical activity.

What It Is :
There are two common types of muscle pain. The first is soreness and stiffness that develop as the result of overdoing some physical activity — whether running a marathon, digging in the yard, or simply carrying a heavy bag of groceries. This kind of pain, which doctors call delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), typically begins a day or two after the activity and can last up to a week. When a muscle suddenly contracts and can’t relax, the result is the second type of muscle pain, known as a cramp. Most common in the thigh, calf, or foot, cramps can strike at any time, even during sleep.


Causes:
Muscle pain is most frequently related to tension, overuse, or muscle injury from exercise or physically demanding work. In these situations, the pain tends to involve specific muscles and starts during or just after the activity. It is usually obvious which activity is causing the pain.

Muscle pain also can be a sign of conditions affecting your whole body, like some infections (including the flu) and disorders that affect connective tissues throughout the body (such as lupus).

One common cause of muscle aches and pains is fibromyalgia, a condition that includes tenderness in your muscles and surrounding soft tissue, sleep difficulties, fatigue, and headaches.
Common Causes:
The most common causes are:
Tension or stress
Overuse: using a muscle too much, too soon, too often
Injury or trauma including sprains and strains
Muscle pain may also be due to:
Polymyositis
Dermatomyositis
Lupus
Fibromyalgia
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Infections including an abscess in the muscle, Trichinosis (roundworm), Influenza (the flu), Lyme disease, Malaria, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Polio, and many others
Electrolyte imbalances like too little potassium or calcium
Rhabdomyolysis
Drugs including cocaine; statins for lowering cholesterol (such as atorvastatin, simvastatin, and lovastatin); ACE inhibitors for lowering blood pressure (such as enalapril and captopril); and many others

In contrast, muscle cramps are not always the result of an injury — though no one knows exactly why they occur. The cause may be an imbalance in the minerals that govern muscle contraction and relaxation-calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium — or a lack of fluid. Exercising too strenuously during the day may lead to calf cramps painful enough to wake you from a sound sleep, as can wearing high heels, or sleeping with your toes pointed or with bedding wrapped too tightly around your legs.

When to Call Your Doctor
If tightness or cramping occurs in the chest muscle-this may be a sign of a heart attack.

How Supplements Can Help:
To balance the minerals needed for proper muscle contraction, take supplemental calcium and magnesium on a routine basis. (Most people get enough potassium and sodium from their diet.) Add vitamin E daily if you are prone to exercise-related cramps or nighttime calf cramps.

What Else You Can Do:
Drink a lot of fluids before, during, and after exercise.

Supplement Recommendations:
Calcium/Magnesium
Vitamin E
Bromelain
White Willow Bark
Creatine
Valerian

Natural pain management

Ayurvedic treatment for muscle ache and pain

Self-Acupressure to eliminate aches and pains

Source:    Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs and healthline.com

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Herbs & Plants

Bhumiamla / Phyllanthus niruri

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Botanical Name:Phyllanthus niruri
Family:Phyllanthaceae
Genus:Phyllanthus
Species:P. niruri
Kingdom:    Plantae
Order:Malpighiales

Common names : Chanca Piedra in Spanish, Bhumyamalaki in Ayurveda, and Quebra-Pedra in Portuguese, Keezha Nelli  in Tamil, Nela Nelli  in Kannada,Keezhar Nelli in Malayalam and Nela Usiri in Telugu. It has many other common names in assorted languages, including dukong anak, dukong-dukong anak, amin buah, rami buah, turi hutan, bhuiaonla, and Meniran (in Indonesia).

Habitat : Common in central and southern India extending to Sri Lanka.
Historical aspects:
Charaka mentions the plant. In ayurveda the expressed juice of the fresh plant is given for a sluggish liver and also for chronic liver diseases. It is commonly and widely used for dysentery and intestinal colic. Phyllanthus niruri, also called “stonebreaker” due to its strong roots, is native to South America. The plant is dried into an extract that acts as a diuretic and an astringent.

Description:  The annual herb is 30-60cm high, quite glabrous, stem often branched at the base, angular. Leaves numerous subsessile distichous often imbricating, elliptic oblong obtuse.Stem is angular with numerous distichous, elliptic-oblong leaves. Stipules present, very acute. Flowers yellowish, very numerous, axillary, the male flowers 1-3, female flowers are solitary pistillate flower borne axillary. Fruits capsule, very small, globose, smooth, seeds 3-gonous, longitudinally ribbed on the back. Seed to seed cycle occurs in two or four weeks. The flowering time in Indian conditions is July to August.

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Pharmacognoy:
It is safe lipotropic drug and its primary action is on the liver. Blumberg showed in inhibition of DNA polymerase of Hepatitis b virus and a viral-agglutinating activity. The characteristics have been well studied.

Phytochemistry :
In the aerial parts, three crystalline lignans including phyllanthine and hypophyllanthine have been found. Five flavonoids have been identified, quercetin, astralgin, quercitrin, and rutin. Four leucodelphinidine alkaloids were separated from the leaves and stems one of then being and enantiomorph of securinine.

Medicinal Uses:
A clinical study with Phyllanthus niruri, indicated that it may reduce the levels of urinary calcium.  A subsequent study of 150 patients over a 6-month period indicated that an extract of this herb reduces the incidence of stone formation, and concluded, “Regular self-administration of P. niruri after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for renal stones results in an increased stone-free rate that appears statistically significant for lower caliceal location. Its efficacy and the absolute lack of side effects make this therapy suitable to improve overall outcomes after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for lower pole stones.”  A more recent rat study found that Phyllanthus niruri has been shown to interfere with many stages of stone formation, reducing crystals aggregation, modifying their structure and composition as well as altering the interaction of the crystals with tubular cells leading to reduced subsequent endocytosis.”

Ayurvedic properties :
Guna: Laghu, Ruksha.
Rasa: Tikta, kashaya.
Veerya: Sheeta.Vipaka: Katu.
Dosha: Kaphapittaghna
karma: Kasaswasahara, Dahaprashamana, Rochana, Yakrutottejaka, kandughna.

Safety:
With the formulation and dosage used no adverse reactions have been reprted.

Cinical Usage:
The fresh root is used for the treatment of viral hepatitis.the plant is also used as a diuretic in oedema.it is also used to increase appetite and locally to relieve inflammations.

Healing Options:
Phyllanthus has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 2,000 years and has a wide number of traditional uses.

This includes employing the whole plant for jaundice, gonorrhea, frequent menstruation, and diabetes and using it topically as a poultice for skin ulcers, sores, swelling, and itchiness

CHANCA PIEDRA (Phyllanthus niruri) is a composite name, “chanca” meaning “to break” in Quechua and “piedra” meaning “stone” in Spanish. It is the popular name given to several small shrub-like plants in the Phyllanthus genus (botanical family Euphorbiaceae), including Phyllanthus niruri, and Phyllanthus stipulatis. These two species have the same medicinal effects and look identical, except for their seeds, by which the botanist can tell them apart. A third species, Phyllanthus amarus, has been considered identical (perhaps not a different species at all) to Phyllanthus niruri. These species of Phyllanthus have been proven in scientific research to have antihepatotoxic, antispasmodic, antiviral, bactericidal, febrifugal, and hypoglycemic activity.*

Liver Disorders/ Jaundice :
The herb stimulates the liver and is useful in liver and spleen disorders. It can be used in jaundice and enlargement of liver. The leaf should be administered with black salt and ginger every morning for 10 days in the treatment of such disorders.

Loss of Appetite:
Its root, leaves, fruits, milky juice is very useful in Loss of appetite . It is a major component of many popular liver tonics which increase Appetite & locally to relieve inflammations.

Oedema:
The plant is also used as a diuretic in oedema. Powdered leaves & roots – pulverized & made into poultice with rice-water useful in oedematous swelling and ulcers.

Formulation and Dosage:
Juice: 10-20 ml b.i.d
Herb powder: 3-6 gms b.i.d

Ayurvedic supplements made from Bhumiamla:
Livgood
Livrol Syrup
Arogyavardhini Bati
Liver Tonic Livogod
Herbal Liver Tonic for cirrhosis,alcholic ilver and jaundice

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/Phyllanthus_niruri
allayurveda.com

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Yoga

Half Shoulderstand (Yoga Exercise)

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Benefits

1. Promotes proper thyroid function

2. strengthens abdomen

3. stretches upper back

4. improves blood circulation
induces relaxation

How to do the exercise:....click & see

1. Lie on your back and lift your legs up into air.

2. Place your hands on your lower back for support, resting
your elbows and lower arms on the ground.

3. Make sure your weight is on your shoulders and mid to
upper back — not your neck.

4. Breathe deeply and hold for at the posture for at least
5-10 breaths, increasing the hold over time.

5. To come down, slowly lower your legs, keeping them
very straight — a little workout for your abdominal muscles.
Source:Allayurveda.com

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