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Health Problems & Solutions

Some Health Quaries & Answers

Touch the Grass


Q: I am 23 years old and have been reading a lot about exercising bare foot. I want to give it a try.

A: Barefoot running has really caught on. In fact, there is even a special barefoot shoe, which is similar to a glove. If you plan to run or walk long distances barefoot, make sure you do it on grass or soft soil. Tarred and cement roads or tracks with stones will hurt your feet. Also, make sure you acclimatise and harden your soles by doing short runs or walks at first. Running barefoot on the treadmill or skipping rope without shoes is, however, not a good idea.

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Pee pain

Q: My 9-month-old son strains to pass urine. His face turns red and he cries every time.

A: Check to see if his foreskin balloons out when he urinates. If that happens it means that the skin around the meatus (hole through which the urine comes out) is tight. You need to consult a paediatric surgeon. They can dilate it. Otherwise they might suggest a small operation called a circumcision.

Sometimes children may strain to urinate owing to posterior valves in the urinary bladder, which obstruct the free flow of urine. Both the conditions need evaluation, diagnosis and surgical correction. So consult your doctor immediately.

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Acne farewell

Q: I am being treated for acne and want to know if I can continue with the treatment after marriage.

A: Stop the treatment if you think that you might become pregnant soon after the marriage. Small quantities of products you apply on the skin can get absorbed and affect the foetus. Many common over-the-counter acne treatments contain benzoyl peroxide retinoids, minocycline and tetracyclines, all of which can potentially cause birth defects and need to be avoided during pregnancy.

Here are some safe, non medical ways to control acne:-

Wash your face using a wash cloth 3-4 times a day.

Do not apply talcum powder or greasy make up.

Shampoo your hair regularly.

Keep hair off the face.

Avoid picking and scratching acne

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Bow legs


Q: My daughter is three years old and bow-legged. It looks awkward and we are worried that the deformity will persist and cause problems when she is an adult.

A: Children are normally born bow-legged. It may be more obvious in some than in others. It usually gets corrected by the age of 5-6. If the legs are curved more than normal, it may be due to rickets (a consequence of vitamin D deficiency), or Blount’s disease. It is better to have your paediatrician evaluate the child.

Prostrate trouble


Q: My father gets up several times in the night to go to the loo, where he spends a lot of time as he says the urine does not flow freely.

A: Your father needs to be evaluated for an enlarged prostrate. It seems the likely diagnosis as he is complaining of “an obstructed feeling”. Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or prostatic growth begins at approximately 30. Around 50 per cent of men have evidence of BPH by age 50 and 75 per cent by 80. It can usually be tackled with medication. However, you need to do scans and a blood test called PSA (prostate specific antigen) to rule out cancer. Appropriate treatment can be provided by a urologist.

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Leg ache


Q: I develop a shooting pain down the back of my leg when I move suddenly. The doctor said it is sciatica and that I need surgery.

A: Sciatica is a generic term that describes a set of symptoms like tingling, pain or numbness in one leg. It is due to compression of one or more of the nerves coming out of the spinal cord. This may be due to the collapse of the lumbar vertebrae or herniation of the discs in between the bones. It needs to be evaluated with a CT scan or an MRI. If the symptoms are mild and there is no actual muscle wasting, traction and exercise can be tried. If the herniation is severe, surgery may be required.

Milk allergy


Q: My 6-month-old son had such a bad bout of diarrhoea that he lost a kilo. The paediatrician said he is allergic to cow’s milk and asked me to give him soya milk. I tried but my son does not like the taste. Can I use Nan or Lactogen instead? I have no milk so he has been on cow’s milk since birth.

A: Nan, Lactogen and other baby formulae are made by processing cow’s milk. So if your son is allergic to cow’s milk, he will be allergic to these tinned products also. Since your son is six months old, in addition to soya milk, you can start giving him solid food. You can give khichdi, potatoes, carrots, idlies and bananas. The ready-to-serve weaning foods available in packets and tins often contain milk powder so they are better avoided. If you want to use them, check the packaging label.

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Source : The Telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

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Herbs & Plants

Rhodiola rosea

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Botanical Name : Rhodiola rosea
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Rhodiola
Species: R. rosea
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Saxifragales

Common Names :Golden Root, Roseroot, Aaron’s Rod

Habitat : Rhodiola rosea  is a plant that grows in cold regions of the world. These include much of the Arctic, the mountains of Central Asia, the Rocky Mountains, and mountainous parts of Europe, such as the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathian Mountains, Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain and Ireland.

Description:
The perennial plant grows in areas up to 2280 meters elevation. Several shoots grow from the same thick root. Shoots reaches 5 to 35 cm in height. Rhodiola rosea is dioecious – having separate

 

click to see the pictures….>...(01)......(1).…....(2)…....(3)..…....(4).………………

Medicinal Uses:
Chinese medical practitioners describe adaptogens as “superior” plants that profoundly benefit the human body without dangerous side effects. While the most famous adaptogen is ginseng, cutting-edge research by top Russian doctors and scientists has shown that Arctic Root can ease more conditions, including stress, depression, heart disease and cancer
.           Rhodiola rosea has been shown to shorten recovery time after prolonged workouts, to increase attention span, memory, strength, and anti-toxic action. Rhodiola rosea extract increases the level of enzymes, RNA, and proteins important to muscle recovery after exhaustive exercise.  It has also been shown to increase the levels of beta-endorphin in blood plasma which helps prevent the hormonal changes indicative of stress.  This effect has also been linked to maintaining an increased cardiac output and subsequently having a cardioprotective effect.  Studies using proofreading tests have demonstrated that Rhodiola rosea enhances memorization and concentration ability over prolonged periods.  Finally, Rhodiola has been shown to increase anti-tumor activity by increasing the body’s resistance to toxins.

In Siberia it is said that “those who drink rhodiola tea regularly will live more than 100 years.” Chinese emperors always looking for the secret to long life and immortality sent expeditions into Siberia to collect and bring back the plant. Being one of the most popular medicinal herbs of middle Asia, for many years Rhodiola was illegally trafficked across the Russian border to China  In Siberia it was taken regularly especially during the cold and wet winters to prevent sickness. In Mongolia it was used for the treatment of tuberculosis and cancer.      Formerly regarded as a scarce plant, researchers from Tomsk State University found significant stands of this valuable herb growing wild in Sibera at elevations of 5000 to 9000 feet above sea level.  Subsequent research has substantiated high live giving biological activity with no toxicity.    For the treatment of depression extracts of rhodiola, namely rosavin and salidroside, in animal studies seem to enhance the transport of serotonin precursors, tryptophan, and 5-hydroxytryptophan into the brain. Serotonin is a widely studied brain neurotransmitter chemical that is involved in many functions including, smooth muscle contraction, temperature regulation, appetite, pain perception, behavior, blood pressure and respiration.  When balanced, it imparts a a sense of contentment and mental ease. Either too much or too little serotonin on the other hand has been linked to various abnormal mental states such as clinical depression. Thus rhodiola has been used by Russian scientists alone or in combination with antidepressants to boost one’s mental state, a boon in countries and seasons where one is deprived of adequate sun over prolonged periods of months. This leads to a condition known as SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder common to Northern European countries.
Rhodiola has also been shown to be effective for cardiac problems caused or aggravated by stress. Its action for these conditions is in its ability to decrease the amount of catecholamines and corticosteroids released by the adrenal glands during stress. The abnormal presence of these stress hormones will subsequently raise blood pressure, cholesterol, potassium levels and increase risk factors for heart disease. Rhodiola has been found to decrease harmful blood lipids and thus decrease the risk of heart disease. It also decreases the amount of cyclic-AMP (c-AMP) released into cardiac cells. Cyclic AMP is related to ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body’s primary energy molecule. C-AMP acts as a ‘second messenger’ or liaison between the outer and inner environments of the cell. It assists in the uptake of more intracellular calcium into the heart thus promoting a greater potential for heart muscle contraction. Rhodiola thus regulates the heart beat and counteracts heart arrhythmias    As an adaptogen, rhodiola both stimulates and protects the immune system by reinstating homeostasis (metabolic balance) in the body. It also increases natural killer cell (NK) in the stomach and spleen. This action may be due to its ability to normalize hormones by modulating the release of glucocorticoid into the body.

Rhodiola has potent antioxidant properties. By limiting the adverse effects of free radical damage, it is able to combat all the diseases associated with aging. The presence of free radicals is associated with cell mutagenicity, the immediate cause of cancer. Again, Russian researchers have found that the oral administration of rhodiola inhibited tumor growth in rats 39 percent and decreased metastasis by 50 percent. It improved urinary tissue and immunity in patients suffering with bladder cancer. In other experiments with various types of cancer, including adenocarcinoma (cancer of glandular tissue such as breast cancer) and lung carcinoma, the use of extracts of rhodiola rosea resulted in significant increased survival rate                 Like Siberian ginseng, rhodiola is routinely used by athletes to improve performance. While the mechanism is not completely understood, rhodiola seems to improve the ratio of muscle-fat and increases hemoglobin and erythrocytes levels in the blood.

Many other benefits from the use of Rhodiola has been found including its ability to improve hearing, when applied to the gums to inhibit the progression of pyorrhea, to regulate blood sugar levels for diabetics and protect the liver from environmental toxin.

You may click to see :Rhodiola Rosea root extract supplement benefit, side effects and dosage

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.metaefficient.com/medicines-and-remedies/rhodiola-rosea-hypereffective-adaptogen.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodiola_rosea
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_RST.htm?Voucher2=Connect+to+Internet

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Health Problems & Solutions

A Herald of Diabetes

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The young woman who walked in for a consultation had a scarf wound around her neck. “I came to show you this,” she said, taking it off. There was a dark patch on the back of her neck with ridges and bumps, the skin raised and velvety. “I have already tried fairness creams,” she said. “They only make it worse.”
CLICK & SEE
The diagnosis was easy. She had a peculiar skin lesion known as acanthosis nigricans.

click & see

The cosmetically disfiguring and aesthetically displeasing lesions usually occur on the neck (where they are clearly visible), armpit, groin, knees or elbows, in short areas with skin folds. Very rarely, it can be found on the fingers or around the lips or in the nipple area. It can occur at any age and in both men and women. It is seen in children and even in babies. The lesions appear gradually and do not itch or pain. This means that they remain unnoticed until they have spread over a large area. Initially it looks like dirt so people try to scrub it off, damaging the skin in the process. Others try to camouflage it unsuccessfully with talcum powder and make up.

Nearly 20 per cent of the population has acanthosis nigricans and the numbers are rising rapidly because obesity is the commonest risk factor. More and more people are becoming overweight in India and the world.

An inactive lifestyle causes weight gain and these two factors together cause relative insulin resistance, which results in elevated glucose levels, an abnormal lipid profile and high blood pressure. These changes are grouped together as the “metabolic syndrome X”. Acanthosis nigricans is one of the early markers of this syndrome. The American diabetic association classified it as a risk factor for the development of diabetes in 2000. In children and adolescents, symptoms of syndrome X or frank diabetes begin to appear within two years of the appearance of acanthosis nigricans.

The disease can also be hereditary and in typical inherited acanthosis nigricans, skin lesions are confined to one half of the body. They spread and increase till a certain age and then remain stationery or regress. In other families the lesions, though present in almost all family members, are not really hereditary. The biggest difference is that they are present on both sides of the body. The family usually has an inactive lifestyle, members are obese and go on to develop diabetes.

Medications can also cause these skin changes as a side effect. The most common offenders are hormones — like oral contraceptive pills (OCP), hormone replacement therapy (HRT), insulin, pituitary extract, growth hormone or systemic corticosteroids. Unfortunately, pituitary extract or steroids may be added to unregulated “natural herbal supplements” or “tonics” so the person may not even know that he or she is ingesting such substances. Sulpha drugs (antibiotic)and nicotinic acid (for high cholesterol) can also cause these.

Certain types of acanthosis nigricans are peculiar to women. It is associated with the polycystic ovary syndrome and appears at adolescence. Such girls are obese and have irregular periods and facial hair.

If you develop acanthosis nigricans, it is worthwhile consulting a physician. Although you may be obese, and that is the commonest cause of these skin changes, some investigations and tests need to be done. This is because the skin changes can (though this is rare) be associated with cancer, particularly in the abdomen. It can appear before any other obvious sign of a tumour. It can also be a part of the spectrum of autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, Sjögren syndrome, or Hashimoto thyroiditis.

There really is no specific treatment for the skin changes in acanthosis nigricans. The disease itself is harmless. The main danger lies in the complications associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Tackling the underlying problem makes the skin lesions fade. Here is what you can do to tackle it:

• If it is due to medication or health supplements, stop taking them.

• Reduce your weight with diet and exercise. Try to reach your ideal body weight (height in meter squared multiplied by 23).

• Eat more protein, fresh fruits and vegetables. Starches and sugars provide empty calories and aggravate insulin resistance.

• Sweat trapped in the folds can make the lesions malodorous. Bathe twice a day with a medicated soap like Neko if that is the case.

• Evening primrose oil or fish oil supplements may help.

• Some prescription creams or lotions help lighten the affected areas. These contain modified vitamin A products and are often prescribed for acne.

• Fairness creams do not help.

• Surgical dermal abrasion can be done.

Source:  The Telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

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Herbs & Plants

Cacalia decomposita

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Botanical Name :Cacalia decomposita
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribus: Senecioneae
Genus: Psacalium
Species: Psacalium decompositum
Order: Asterales

Synonym :Psacalium decompositum  (Gray) H.E. Robins. & Brett.

Common Name : Cacalia decomposita Desert Indianbrush, Indian plantain, Matarique, Maturi

Habitat : Native to Maxico

Description;
Cacalia decomposita is a  Perennial herb.Grows to a height of 3ft to 6 ft.Flowers are flat top cluster of small flower heads each containing five or more white to yellowish green flowers; five lobes; stiff, slender bracts. Blooms during summer….

click to see the pictures.
Foliage: Undersides of leaves and stems have a waxy, white coating; leaves are irregular, fan shaped; coarsely lobed or toothed

Medicinal Uses:
Folk uses include diabetes, as a purgative, sprains and strains (external), and wounds (Kay 1996).

The roots are used to treat adult-onset, insulin-resistant diabetes.  An eighth of an ounce is taken in a cold infusion once or twice a day for several days, then handing to Bricklebush for maintenance.  Maturique seems to be the best initial therapy when a person is overweight, soft and tired.  But it is strong and most people who use it slip into a gentler approach for the long haul. The root tea or tincture is an excellent liniment for sprains, hyperextensions, and acute arthritis.  Folk uses also includes the plant as a purgative, and wounds.  The dried rhizome and root  may work to prevent gluconeogenesis (the formation of glycogen from noncarbohydrates such as protein or fat, by conversion of the later into glucose) in the liver. Its method of action is unclear, but it appears to dramatically lower serum-glucose.

Known Hazards:
Contains toxic pyrrolizidine-like alkaloids. Plants containing these alkaloids have caused fatalities (Kay 1996)

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.azcert.org/medical-pros/herbs/plantDetail.cfm?plantID=65
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/wildflowers/cacalia_atriplicifolia.html
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?430221
http://www.madrean.org/maba/symbflora/taxa/index.php?taxon=2287
http://131.230.176.4/imgs/pso/r/Asteraceae_Cacalia_decomposita_2709.html
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_LMN.htm
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/psacalium_decompositum.html

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Herbs & Plants

Pomaderris hamiltonii

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Botanical Name ; Pomaderris hamiltonii
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Pomaderris
Species: P. hamiltonii
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales

Common Name : Kumarahou or Pale flowered kumarahou,Pomaderris elliptica.Golden Tainui, Gum Digger‘s soap

Habitat : Kumarahou is an attractive ornamental shrub that grows extensively on the gumfields of the North Island and in the scrub on the edges of roads.

Description:
Pomaderris hamiltonii  is a rare shrub to 4m tall with soft oval pointed leaves which have prominent veins on the underside and sprays of pale cream flowers. Leaves 5-6.5cm long by 2-3cm wide, tip pointed, with white star-shaped hairs underneath (lens needed). Fruit dry, small.The leaves are  oval dark green somewhat wrinkled . The small yellow flowers are in dense clusters forming a spectacular display in the spring
CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Medicinal Uses:
Kumarahou is a traditional Maori remedy that has been used to treat a wide range of illnesses.  Its most common use is as a remedy for problems of the respiratory tract, such as asthma and bronchitis.  However, it has also been used in the treatment of indigestion and heartburn, diabetes, and kidney problems.  Kumarahou is considered to be a detoxifier and “blood cleansing” plant, and is used to treat skin rashes and sores, including lesions produced by skin cancer.  High in anti-oxidants, protects liver from lipid peroxidation. Adaptagenic activity increases performance, speed and stamina.

Fresh leaves are applied to wounds. Wounds are also bathed in extracts obtained from boiling the leaves.
An infusion obtained from boiling leaves in water is used internally to treat bronchitis, asthma, rheumatism, to stop vomiting, for coughs and for colds.

Other Uses:
It is commonly called “gum diggers soap” as a slight lather can be formed when its flowers are rubbed with water. The flowers contain saponin a substance which is used in detergents and foaming agents.

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://web.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/science/about/departments/sbs/newzealandplants/maoriuses/medicinal/trees/kumarahou-pomaderris.cfm
http://www.antiqueprintroom.com/catalogue/print-print?id=9a43b0f09481243b16872b2c3aedc9fc&catalogid=f56719726dd4e9ad77bb2820e1a4a2bd&sessid=23ceafd4c846e5eb2a8e34ff8730d8e4
http://www.nzplantpics.com/pics_shrubs/nz_native_shrubs/pomaderris_hamiltonii.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomaderris_hamiltonii
http://www.bushmansfriend.co.nz/xurl/PageID/9165/ArticleID/-36699/function/moreinfo/content.html
http://www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz/kumarahou

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