Category Archives: General health - Page 7

Antibacterial Activity of Medicinal Plants

Posted by on August 2, 2011 No comments
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Antimicrobials are produced by higher plants as a shield against various infections. Thousands of plants have medicinal values such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, etc. We are going to take a look at some medicinal plants that are antibacterial in nature in this article.

Antibacterial Medicinal Plants

  • Garlic

Garlic, also referred to as Gallium Sativum has high antibacterial value and is associated to Allin, which is a sulfur amino acid. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Several medications are prepared from dried garlic bulbs due to its high medicinal value.

  • Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus, also referred to as Eucalyptus Globulus, is used to treat urinary and respiratory tract infections due to its high Eucaliptol content. Eucalyptus is used as an antiseptic for external use. In addition to being an antibacterial, Eucalyptus also has antifungal properties.

  • Acacia

Acacia, also known as Acacia Farneciana is a medicinal plant containing Tannin that works in agreement with the concentration of the extract.

  • Oregano

Oregano, also termed as Origanum Vulgare provides alcoholic and aqueous extracts along with essential oils. It has high antimicrobial properties that can control bacteria, algae and fungi.

  • Bardana

Bardana, also referred to as Arctium Lappa has high antimycotic property which works best for fungal infection of nails. Alcoholic extract of roots is used as antibacterial medication.

  • Cumin

Cumin also called as Cuminum Ciminum is rich in essential oils and has high antibacterial and antifungal properties.

  • Indian Cress

Flowers and leaves of Indian Cress or Tropaeolum Majus are antibiotic in nature due to their isotianate content, which promotes antibacterial activity. It is highly effective in treating urinary and respiratory bacterial infections.

  • Walnut

Walnut bark extracts are antimicrobial in nature that acts against pseudomonas and candida microorganisms.

  • Macela

Macela, also termed as Marcela is found in South America and Amazon and is commonly used in these regions as antibacterial and antiviral agent because of its effective hydroalcoholic extract.

  • Thyme

Thyme or Thymus Vulgaris has a strong antiseptic and antibacterial property which can be used through essential oils and extracts that are rich in carvacrol, thymol and phenol. Leaves and flowers are antifungal as well and this can be exploited for relieving fungal infections.  Due to the presence of Tannins, it is used for preparing herpes medication.

  • Grapefruit

Grapefruit, also referred to as Citrus Paradise is highly effective as an antibacterial agent. On breaking the shell of the fruit, an antibacterial agent is produced; however it is not present in healthy fruits.

  • Yarrow

Yarrow, also termed as Achillea Millefolium has healing antibacterial, antifungal properties which can be used to cure wounds. Alcoholic extract of the plant has strong antibacterial activity.

  • Pine

Pine, also called as Pinus Silvestris is enriched with essential oils with high antiseptic activity due to the presence of turpentine. Pine is highly recommended for infection in the urinary tract. In addition to being antibacterial, pine acts as antifungal agent as well.

  • Cat’s Claw

The roots of this plant contain aqueous and alcoholic extracts that are highly antibacterial. Aqueous extracts are also recommended as immune enhancers.

  • Jacaranda

Jacaranda or Jacaranda Mimosaefolia fruits contain essential oils and glutamic acid with antimicrobial properties. Jacaranda can be used internally or externally. It is employed for food preservation as well.

 

Thus we looked at antibacterial medicinal value of some plants. There are thousands more with high medicinal value. However one should not use these for infections or for curing disorders without doctor’s advice. Consult a physician and these plants can work really well for you to alleviate infections.

Bulimia Nervosa Sufferer Elton John

Posted by on July 26, 2011 2 comments
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A person suffering from bulimia nervosa overindulges in food, goes on a binge eating spree and then purges the food out with the help of enemas, laxatives or by vomiting to inhibit weight gain. It is, at many times linked with anorexia nervosa where the person avoids eating due to the fear that he/she will gain weight. Eating disorders along with alcohol and cocaine addiction saw voluntary rehab commitment of pop legend Elton John. Bulimia nervosa along with cocaine addiction had taken control over his life.

elton john

Celebrities with eating disorders

It was in 1990 that Elton John decided to get his life back on track. Getting help then was not that easy as there were no clinics in LA ready to admit addiction and bulimia patients.

John was quoted as saying, “I finally sought help and now they are telling me that nobody will accept me”? Finally John found a rehab in Chicago and got admitted there. That is when the struggle started. Elton’s ego wouldn’t let him listen to people telling him what to do and what not to. Princess Diana, John’s close acquaintance also suffered from bulimia. Larry King in an interview that aired on CNN in 2002 asked John whether he was aware that Diana had battled bulimia too. John said ”Yes, I knew. We were both sufferers of bulimia”. Elton John has overcome all the odds in life and come out clean.

Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa

In case of a person suffering from bulimia nervosa, the impulse to overeat every now-and-then becomes more of a compulsion. Instead of eating moderately to make up for it, the person ends up adopting frantic efforts like purging, fasting, vomiting to wipe out those extra calories, etc. This ghastly method of binging followed by purging eventually takes a toll on the body and emotional composure. However, this cycle can be put an end to. With bulimia treatment and support, you can develop an amicable relationship with food and overcome feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety over it.

The following binge signs are spotted in case of a person suffering from bulimia nervosa.

  • The person swings between fasting and overeating and hardly consumes a normal meal. It’s all-or-nothing regarding food.
  • You can notice loads of empty food containers or food wrappers in the garbage or hidden stocks of junk foods around the patient.
  • The person consumes excess amounts of food however doesn’t gain weight.
  • The bulimia sufferer feels the need to eat in privacy. In many cases, the person develops the habit of eating when everybody else in the family is asleep.
  • The person loses control over eating, usually unable to stop him/her and eats to the level that causes discomfort.

The following purge signs are spotted in case of a person suffering from bulimia nervosa.

  • The person works out excessively after eating and does strenuous calorie burning activities such as aerobics and running.
  • The patient smells like vomit. The person may try to cover up the odor by room fresheners, perfume or mouthwash.
  • The person uses enemas, diuretics or laxatives after eating to lose weight.
  • Patient takes frequent trips to the washroom to puke.

Treatment for Bulimia Nervosa

Seeking professional help is the best remedy to get rid of bulimia. You tend to get isolated because of the shame and guilt that comes with episodes of binging and purging. Professional therapists can help you with cognitive-behavioral therapy that addresses issues like negative thoughts that trigger bulimia and help in breaking the binge-purge cycles.

This is about bulimia. Don’t let this disorder ‘eat you out’. Seek help if you are suffering from it.

Freddie Mercury and HIV

Posted by on July 26, 2011 3 comments
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Are you one of the diehard fans of the tracks such as “Don’t stop me now”, “We are the champions”, “killer queen”, “Bohemian rhapsody” and “Somebody to love”? Well if you are on this page, I am sure you are a big fan of these! And I bet anybody who likes rock music is indeed a fan of Freddie and his work! Freddie was the songwriter and lead vocalist of the English rock band ‘Queen’. Freddie is known as ‘Britain’s first Asian rock star’. He received innumerable awards and acclaims for his work. Rolling stone in 2008 named him the 18thgreatest singer in the list of top 100 singers ever. Classic rock poll in 2009 termed him as greatest rock singer ever. However, there is a sad part to Freddie’s life. Freddie Mercury and HIV, which triggered his death were the most discussed and written issues in 1991 after he died of bronchopneumonia, triggered by HIV. HIV struck Freddie only one day after he publicly acknowledged that he was suffering from the most dreaded monster disease – HIV.

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury Was HIV-Positive

Jim Hutton, Freddie’s partner later shared that Freddie was diagnosed as HIV positive shortly after 1987 Easter. However, around that time Freddie had claimed to be negative in an interview. However, Freddie’s cut down tours, his gaunt appearance and the reports from ex-lovers had some rampant rumors doing the rounds among his fans and press. On November 22nd 1991, Freddie issued a public statement through Jim Beach, ‘Queen’s manager’ that he was diagnosed positive. 24 hour later, Freddie died at his home in Kensington.

Sexual Orientation

Freddy was an acknowledged bisexual. Some critics say that Freddy Mercury was openly gay. One of Freddie’s most famous quotes is “I am as gay as a daffodil my dear!”. John Marshall opined in Gay Times in 1992, ‘Freddie was never afraid to speak in the public about his gay nature; however he was not willing to justify and analyze his lifestyle as well”. Freddie once told about his gayness to the new musical express, “I had experienced things schoolboys do. I have had my piece of share in schoolboy pranks. I don’t want to explain further”.

HIV Causes and Symptoms

HIV is present in genital secretions and the blood of individuals who are infected with HIV, no matter if they do or do not show the symptoms. The proportions of HIV contained in blood and genital secretions vary. HIV can spread when these secretions come in direct contact with the tissues lining the mouth, the anal area, the vagina and the mucous membrane or through a cut in the skin by affected needle. The most common ways for the spread of HIV include transmission to newborns from affected mothers during pregnancy, sexual contact, breastfeeding and sharing infected needles. The best way to prevent HIV through sexual transmission is avoiding sexual contact unless you are sure that none of the partners are HIV infected.

Symptoms of HIV

The time from getting HIV infected to developing AIDS varies. Rarely, some individuals develop the symptoms of AIDS in 1 year, whereas many people take several years to show the symptoms. The time taken from the infection to deteriorate to AIDS in absence of antiretroviral therapy is approximately 8-10 years. The most common symptoms of HIV include swollen lymph nodes in the neck, sore throat, aches in joints and fever. Depending upon the severity of the infection symptoms may worsen.

In case of getting infected, it is important that the treatment for AIDS starts on time. And as we all know “prevention is better than cure”, the precautions suggested above must be taken.

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Mel Gibson: Manic Depressive Episodes

Posted by on July 25, 2011 5 comments
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In 2010, Mel Gibson was the celebrity name that made scandalous headlines in media all over the world when his coarse behavior towards his ex-girlfriend was caught on tape just when their custody battle was making the rounds on TV and print media. Mel’s statements to his ex-girl friend were circulated in all forms of media and that left many to wonder about his emotions getting the better of him. Lots of people are still unaware of the fact that Mel has lived a life full of battle with manic depression. The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Mel in 2002 as saying, “I have had some really good highs, but some really worse lows. I discovered recently that I am manic depressive”.

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson suffers from manic depression

It’s well known that Mel has alcoholism problem too. Mel got arrested on DUI charges in 2006, when he targeted a sheriff with a verbal attack and made some anti-Semitic comments. Later on, Popcrunch quoted the star in his public apology, “When I was arrested, I acted totally out of control and said despicable things that I don’t believe to be true. I apologize for everything that I said and to anyone who I have offended. I am deeply ashamed for what happened”.

There are a lot of other Hollywood heavy weights that have battled bipolar disorder and manic depressive episodes like Mel Gibson. Manic depressive episodes have bothered few prominent figures including Ben Stiller, Robert Pattinson, Catherine Zeta Jones, Elvis Presley and even the rapper DMX.

Manic Depressive Episodes

Manic depressive episodes which are characteristics of bipolar mood disorder are the episodes that show one or more incidents of abnormally elevated mood, cognition or energy levels termed as mania. Often, these are marked with one or more episodes of depression and sometimes mixed state in which features of both mania and depression are observed in a single episode. In many cases, these episodes get separated by a normal state, however, in some individuals, the manic and depressive episodes keep appearing rapidly, which is called as rapid cycling. Severe manic episodes are often coupled with incidents of delusions and hallucinations. The problem has been categorized into bipolar I, II and cyclothymia based on the severity of episodes.

Lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder is estimated to be seen in approximately 1% of the cases. The onset of the symptoms is usually observed in young adulthood or late adolescence. Diagnosis is done on the basis of observed behavior and self reported experiences of the person. Abnormal episodes are often associated with turmoil and distress and increased risk for suicidal tendency during depression state. Even though in some cases, manic depression has been a long lasting and devastating condition, in most of the cases it has been associated with creativity and positive achievements. Researchers strongly believe that creativity and manic depression or bipolar disorder is often linked.

Both environmental and genetic factors can trigger manic depression. Psychiatric medications are prescribed to treat Bipolar disorder. However, the most interesting fact to be noticed is psychotherapy with regular medications can do wonders to the person suffering. In most of the stable cases, psychotherapy has played a significant role. However the person needs involuntary commitment into a rehab if the episodes of mania and depression are extreme.

If any of your near and dear ones are suffering from manic depression, try to learn about the disorder and work on eradicating the social stigma associated with the disease. Educate patient’s immediate family members about the disease. You can certainly get your loved one out of this problem with regular medicines and therapy.

David Bowie Health Problems

Posted by on July 25, 2011 4 comments
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David Bowie, the king of pop music for over 20 years, finally had to pay the price of stardom. He had to cancel a part of his European tour in the year 2004 when he felt sharp pains in his shoulders. The investigations of the shoulder pain showed blocked arteries of the heart.

david_bowie

Bowie Heart Disease Problems

He was diagnosed as suffering from Coronary Artery Disease. He was at high risk of a heart attack or even a stroke due to his stardom-induced lifestyle and a long history of smoking. He had to undergo an emergency angioplasty. Fortunately, for David Bowie, the procedure was successful and he has not reported any heart problems till date.

However, it has definitely drawn the attention of the world to the alarming rise in Coronary artery disease (CAD) all over the world. It is necessary for all to understand the causes, symptoms, preventive measures and treatment of coronary artery disease in order to prevent any heart complications. The causes, symptoms and treatment options of CAD are given below –

What is Coronary Artery Disease?

The coronary arteries surrounding the heart are the arteries supplying blood to the muscles of the heart. The cardiac muscles need a continuous supply of blood to carry out their function of pumping the blood throughout the rest of our body. The various arteries supplying blood to the heart are shown below in the diagram –

 

If these arteries are blocked or constricted due to any cause, like arteriosclerosis, it is called Coronary Artery Disease. The blockage of these arteries can hamper the blood supply to the cardiac muscles resulting in a condition called myocardial ischemia.

The important signs and symptoms pointing towards CAD are given below –

  • Angina Pectoris or pain in the chest
  • Difficulty in breathing

    • Angina pectoris can be felt as a sharp pain in the chest with heaviness, tightness, a squeezing sensation or pressure in the chest. It may also present as burning in the chest. Pain may be felt in the neck, arms or jaw. It may be triggered by sudden emotional stress, extreme temperatures or excessive physical activity. The presentation of symptoms varies in different individuals. Hence, it is important to know the wide range of symptoms of this disease and to look out for any symptom that may point to CAD.

    Heart Disease

    David Bowie had heart attack

    Risk factors of CAD

  • Gender: The risk of CAD is higher in men compared to pre-menopausal women. However, both men and post-menopausal women are at equal risk of CAD.
  • Hereditary factors – People with a family history of CAD are at greater risk of developing the disease.
  • Age: The risk of CAD increases with age.
  • Obesity: Obese people are more prone to this disease.
  • Diet: People who feed on a diet rich in carbohydrates and fats are at more risk of CAD.
  • Other disorders: People suffering from hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes are more prone to CAD.

    • Treatment of CAD

    The 3 modes of treatment available for CAD are –

  • Medications
  • Interventional cardiac procedures
  • Cardiovascular surgeries

    • These treatment options do not provide a complete cure for this heart disease, but only alleviate the symptoms. The patient must change his lifestyle and dietary intake in order to prevent heart disease in the future.

    David Bowie health problems are an eye opener for all individuals. We should take a lesson from the incident and try to avoid the risk factors leading to the disease and keep an eye on the early signs and symptoms of the disease to prevent the occurrence of life threatening complications like myocardial ischemia.

    Black Tea Health Benefits for Stress

    Posted by on July 15, 2011 4 comments
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    Tea is the most-consumed hot beverage all over the world. Tea is available in different forms like black tea, green tea and white tea, depending on its ingredients. Black tea is prepared from a plant called Camellia sinesis. The old leaves and the stem of the plant are used in the preparation of black tea, while green tea is prepared from the fresh leaves of the same plant. Black tea is used as a cold as well as a hot beverage.

    black_tea

    Health Benefits of Tea - Calm Stress with Tea

    It offers numerous benefits to us due to its high content of vitamins and minerals. The uses of black tea in treating various disorders are given below-

    Black tea in stress

  • It improves the mental alertness of patients suffering from severe stress and depression and prevents aggravation of the condition.
  • It improves the memory and learning skills of the person. Lack of these skills can lead to depression and stress in patients. Consuming black tea improves these skills and reduces the stress.
  • It enhances our information processing skills. It helps in rapid analysis by our brain and thus helps in avoiding stressful conditions.
  • It helps in reducing repeated attacks of headache in patients suffering from stress and depression.

    • Black tea in diabetes

  • Black tea can help in prevention of type 2 diabetes in patients who are prone to it due to dietary or genetic reasons.
  • Black tea contains high levels of polysaccharides, which help in treatment of diabetes. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate, which includes cellulose and starch. They reduce the absorption of glucose in the body and reduce the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients.
  • Drinking black tea can expand the arteries and improve the blood circulation in all parts of the body. So, consuming black tea regularly can help in prevention of diabetes related complications like thickening of the arterial walls and heart attacks.
  • Increased cholesterol level is the commonest precursor to diabetes. Drinking black tea reduces the cholesterol in the body and helps in prevention of diabetes.

    • Black tea in weight loss

  • Drinking black tea increases the basal metabolic rate of the body, which helps in increasing the energy consumption of our body. The food that is eaten is utilized by the body at a faster rate. Thus, black tea can help in reducing the calorie intake of our body.
  • Also, black tea can burn fat at a higher rate and so helps obese people to get rid of excess fat in the body. The fat is mobilized from the fat deposits and converted into energy for its utilization at an increased rate. This helps patients who want to lose weight.
  • Black tea contains several anti-oxidants that help in detoxifying our body to get rid of unwanted toxins. So, black tea assists in weight loss in a healthy manner unlike other methods used for weight loss.

    • Hence, it can be concluded that there are several benefits of black tea for stress, diabetes and weight loss in patients suffering from them. It should be noted that black tea may lose some of its beneficial properties if mixed with milk.

    Regular consumption of black tea can help patients to relieve their anxiety and live a stress-free life. It can benefit a lot of people as it helps in prevention of diabetes, which is the commonest metabolic disease all over the world. It helps obese patients in their weight loss programs as it helps in reducing their weight in a harmless and healthy manner. Consuming black tea will help in weight loss when coupled with dietary restrictions and regular exercises.

    Gary Mabbutt Footballer Diabetes

    Posted by on July 15, 2011 3 comments
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    Gary Mabbutt kick started his career with Bristol Rovers to become one of the best defenders in English football. Gary was on the FA and UEFA winning teams of the London club. Before retiring from the game at 37, Gary had won 16 England caps. Gary was awarded with an MBE for his service to the game. Gary now promotes the work of the charity Diabetes UK.

    Gary-Mabbutt

    Gary Mabbutt with Diabetes

    In 1978, when Gary was playing for Bristol Rovers, one day around Christmas, he felt raging thirst along with extreme tiredness and lethargy. He felt so thirsty that he kept on drinking and would not stop. These are the most common signs of diabetes, however Gary had no idea. Before the game against Leicester, Gary was fit; however during the game he was running a good half a pitch behind other footballers. He went to see the doctor and was shocked to know that he was a diabetic. The doctor had diagnosed the problem within a few minutes. In an interview with BBC news, Gary quoted, “I was barely 17 when I was diagnosed with diabetes. I was shocked and concerned about my career”.

    Gary’s parents consulted the top 4 doctors in the country to know if Gary could still continue with the professional football. First 3 said it was going to be very difficult, however the 4th doctor advised to give it a try. Later on Gary recollected during an interview, “My father explained to me that I could still make a career in football and I replied, ‘I will be the first footballer in the country suffering from diabetes’.

    Gary’s Treatment

    The treatment immediately started for footballer Gary Mabbutt. Diabetes treatment usually begins with insulin. Gary was administered insulin and was hospitalized for 3-4 days. In those days people were quite ignorant about di

    abetes. Later Gary recalled the funny incident at the hospital. “My brother came to see me at the hospital. He had brought with him, football magazines and a box of sweets”. Gary was then taught how to inject insulin and was given an orange to practice on. He got discharged soon from the hospital and his diet had to be worked out for matches and training, however initially it was quite of a trial and error exercise. Gary had to often change the time of his injections and diet according to his match schedule, which was difficult.

    Gary is still on animal insulin and takes 4 injections a day and periodic blood tests. With blood tests, Gary has been pretty much able to control his diabetes.

    Diabetes Precautions

    Whether your treatment comprises of diet and tablets, diet alone or insulin and diet, regular blood tests are necessary to control your blood sugar level. If blood glucose content is higher than 200 mg/dl, for a couple and half months, the concentration of (HbA1c) or glycosylated hemoglobin increases. HbA1c value in the range of 6-7% shows quite good control over diabetes. One should always try to keep blood glucose level in the normal range i.e. less than 180mg/dl after eating, 90-130 mg/dl while fasting and HbA1c approximately 7%. In case you are using capillary blood glucose test, ask your nurse for demonstration since it is important to do it correctly.

    This is about diabetes control and precautions. If you follow the changes in food habits and life style suggested, diabetes can be managed with regular blood glucose tests. Gary had given a message to diabetics worldwide – “Whatever you want to achieve in life, diabetes won’t stop you. You need not live life round diabetes, let your diabetes live round you.”

    Hydrophobia Disease Symptoms

    Posted by on July 13, 2011 4 comments
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    Rabies or hydrophobia is an acute infective condition affecting the central nervous system. The infection is transmitted to humans via an animal bite. The disease can be fatal once the symptoms start to appear. Giving a proper immunization to the patient immediately after the infection can prevent the invasion of the central nervous system and save the life of the patient. The incidence of rabies has been reduced since the past few decades due to the stringent vaccination and control of domestic animals in the United States. Understanding rabies causes, symptoms and treatment is essential for all individuals so that the disease can be detected and treated at an early stage.

    Symptoms of rabies

    Hydrophobia disease symptoms

    Causes of rabies

    The virus responsible for rabies is the lyssa virus. The virus has an ability to fight against our immune system. Hence, it is very difficult to treat patients of rabies once the infection has penetrated the body. The body finds it very hard to fight against this virus as no immunity response can be developed against it. After an animal bite, the virus travels along the nerve pathways of the muscles and reaches the central nervous system. There is rapid replication of the virus, here, followed by spread of the virus to all parts of the brain. It causes inflammation and loss of functions of the brain.

    The disease passes from animal to animal and also from animals to humans. The animals infected by the rabies virus turn aggressive and are difficult to control. They attack humans and bite them without any provocation. Thus, the virus spreads from the saliva of an animal to the tissues of the bitten person or animal. The infections can also spread when the infected animal licks the owner or any other person. It is most commonly found in dogs, cats, monkeys and foxes.

    Laboratory workers are at risk of rabies as the virus may also enter the human system, if accidentally inhaled by the laboratory workers.

    Symptoms of rabies

    Hydrophobia disease symptoms begin approximately 2-8 weeks after infection. The symptoms of rabies include fever, malaise and headache along with tingling and numbness around the bitten part. The autonomic nervous system is affected at this stage. This phase is called the prodomal phase of rabies infection.

    The next stage is called the neurological phase. The symptoms in this phase are spasms in the throat causing difficulty in swallowing. The person feels very thirsty but he can not drink water. The person is terrified of water and becomes anxious even by looking at water. For this reason, rabies is also known as hydrophobia, meaning fear of water. The person loses his sense of reasoning in this phase causing confused behavior and delirium.

    Treatment of rabies

    The treatment of rabies should begin as early as possible to avoid life threatening conditions. When the person is bitten, the possibility of infection can be determined by the incidence of recent cases of rabies in the area. Also, a bite that was unprovoked can point towards rabies infection. The patient should be given specific antibodies against the rabies virus that acts as an antidote. These antibodies bind themselves to the rabies virus and prevent the virus from entering the cells. This gives time to the body to react against the infection. However, this does not provide complete protection to the person. The patient should be given active immunization with the rabies vaccine for complete protection.

    It is more important to prevent this disease, rather than giving treatment once the infection occurs. Prevention can be achieved by vaccinating all pet animals, taking a pre-exposure prophylaxis along with booster dose and avoiding contact with wild animals.

    Honey Health Benefits for Diabetes

    Posted by on July 13, 2011 3 comments
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    Honey is a sweet, delicious and viscous liquid that is made by the honeybees for their nourishment. The process of preparation of honey starts when the honeybees feast on beautiful flowers and collect flower nectar in their mouth. Then, this nectar mixes with the saliva of the bees, which contains a special enzyme that turns the nectar into honey. This honey is then carried to the hive and deposited in the walls of hive by the bees.

    Honey For Diabetes

    Honey For Diabetes

    Honey has been used as a food and medicine since a long time. Honey is regarded to have several medicinal properties and is effective in the treatment of various disorders. It contains simple sugars like fructose and glucose, apart from several minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, phosphate and sulfur. It is a rich source of vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6. Due to its rich content of minerals and vitamins, it offers numerous health benefits to humans. It is specifically used in treating cases of diabetes. The important properties of honey useful in treatment of diabetes are given below-

  • Easy digestion: Despite its high acid content, honey is easily digested by our digestive system. When taken regularly, it harmonizes the gastrointestinal hormones of the body and improves the secretion of insulin that helps in reducing the blood sugar levels in diabetic patients.
  • Low calorie content: Honey provides great energy to our body. Still, it is very low in calorie content. Hence, it can be used in cases of diabetes where patients suffer from weakness and lethargy. Taking honey helps these patients to elevate their energy levels, at the same time keeping their calorie consumption within limits.
  • Skin care: Honey provides good nourishment to the skin. Honey has an ability to absorb water. It provides good moisturizing effect to the skin and prevents drying of the skin. A mixture of Honey and ground almonds works as a cleansing scrub for the body. It removes the dead cells of the skin and stimulates new growth of the cells and thus prevents diabetic sores and diabetic ulcers.
  • Cardiac tonic: Honey is regarded as a cardiac tonic as it helps to prevent heart attacks. It does so by reducing the cholesterol content in the arteries and prevents thickening of the arterial walls. It is a known fact that people suffering from diabetes are at high risk of developing cardiac ailments. By taking 1 teaspoon of honey everyday, first thing in the morning, patients can keep both these ailments in control.
  • Infections: A non-healing wound is a common symptom of diabetes. Patients can suffer from chronic wounds after insect bites and infections, which refuse to heal. A mixture of 1 teaspoon of honey with double the amount of water along with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder can be applied to the site of a wound. This can be practiced 2 times a day. Reduction in the pain in the wound along with reduced redness and swelling can be noticed within a few days of applying the mixture. Thus, honey helps in the treatment of complications of diabetes.

    • Due to these properties, there are several benefits of honey for diabetes and its compications.

    How to use honey for diabetes?

    One teaspoon of honey should be mixed with 1/4th teaspoon of a mixture of Indian blackberry and Jamun seed powder. This is to be taken once daily, for 50 days. A significant drop in the blood sugar levels can be observed in patients of diabetes at the end of 50 days. The same medicine can be continued in titrated doses, thereafter.

    Psychological Disorders and Their Symptoms

    Posted by on July 13, 2011 3 comments
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    In the past few decades, there has been a sharp rise in the incidence of psychological disorders, especially in the western countries. The causes of this rise can be attributed to several factors as mentioned below-

    Symptoms of somatoform disorders

    Symptoms of Psychological Disorders

  • Changes in life style
  • Shrinking family size
  • Tough competition on the educational and career front
  • Changing attitudes of Society
  • Changes in social values
  • Lack of a proper support system

    • These factors have led to several people falling prey to mental imbalance and psychological illnesses. These cases, if not well attended to, can lead to extreme situations like suicide or mass murders. To avoid such situations, it is necessary to understand the early signs and symptoms of these disorders so that the condition is diagnosed at an initial stage and treatment is started before it is too late. These psychological disorders and their symptoms based on their classification are discussed below-

    Neurosis – patients suffering from neurotic disorders suffer from symptoms of anxiety, which could be a result of internal conflict. The person may try to hide the outward reflection of anxiety and tries to remain in touch with reality.

    Psychosis – symptoms of psychosis are characterized by loss of being in touch with reality. A person shows symptoms of delusions, hallucinations, and irrational thoughts and behavior. Some patients may also complain of severe anxiety.

    The above two categories are the psychological disorders based on the old, broader, classification. But due to its inability to classify all the psychological illnesses accurately, a new classification of psychological disorders was formed that was called DSM IV classification. The psychological disorders and their symptoms as per the new classification are as follows-

    Anxiety disorders – a person may suffer from a specific irrational phobia or fear. For example, a person can have a fear of open places that is called agoraphobia. Anxiety disorders can also take the form of panic attacks. The symptoms of severe anxiety include the fear of unknown things, making the person live under stressful conditions. The obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic disorders and generalized anxiety disorders are also classified under anxiety disorders as per DSM IV classification.

    Somatoform disorders – the symptoms of somatoform disorders are characterized by hypochondria and conversion disorders. A person with hypochondria has a constant feeling that he or she is suffering from a dreadful disease and is surely going to die if the condition is not treated. Conversion disorders are more common among females. The patients complain of a sensory loss of one or more special senses with or without loss of sensation in the limbs. However, the medical examination of the patient does not reveal any abnormality.

    symptoms of schizophrenia

    Psychological Problems & Disorders

    Dissociative disorders – a person suffering from this disorder shows symptoms like loss of memory due to psychological causes, forgetting his own identity, having an imaginary identity for the self or living a life with a new identity. The symptoms also include developing different personalities alternatively, each of which looks and acts like a normal person.

    Schizophrenia – it means a spilt mind. The symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, irrational thoughts, disordered behavior, difficulty in paying attention, delusions,catatonic state and word salad. Word salad means the speaking of sentences that are completely disconnected and exhibits the confused and disordered state of mind of the person.

    Bipolar disorders – a person shows 2 sets of extreme behavior alternatively, with a period of normal behavior, in between. During one phase, the person may be very ecstatic and during other phase, will show symptoms of extreme depression.

    The identification of these symptoms at an early stage of the disorder can help an individual get medical and psychiatric help and can prevent worsening of these conditions.

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