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Sunday, November 9, 2008

VAGINITIS: SYMPTOMS, CAUSES & TREATMENT

Virginities can be described as an inflammation of the vagina and vulva. It is a fairly common problem with women. This can be avoided by taking proper treatment in the initial stages itself.


But women usually tend to hide this problem.


Changes in the activity of the vaginal epithelium and in the vaginal secretion at different ages have a profound influence on the defense against vaginal infection. In the adult, the normal vaginal moisture or secretion consists of mucous and discarded vaginal cells. This discharge generally causes no irritation though the amount secreted and consistency varies. The variance is also due to the periodicity of the menstrual cycle and psychological conditions. Normal healthy women do not suffer from the sensations of the itching, burning, pain or irritation.


In unhealthy women and in abnormal conditions, the resident organisms (bacteria) multiply rapidly and produce excessive waste products. It causes tissue irritation in this region leading to itching, swelling, and burning. There is increase in the frequency or discharge of urine which is accompanied with an unpleasant order.


Symptoms


The symptoms of vaginitis are feeling of heat and fullness in the vagina, a dragging feeling in the groin, increased urinary frequency and vaginal discharge, that is, leucorrhoea. The clear or white secretion becomes purulent and yellow. The severity of leucorrhoea depends upon the degree of bacterial infection.


Causes


The main causes of vaginitis are irritation of vagina by external factors like cuts, abrasions in this region, constant wearing of tight-fitting clothes and wearing unclean clothes, using dirty or infected water and lack of hygiene.


Certain medications and treatments can increase susceptibility to infection. These include the use of antibiotics, hormones and excessive douching. Susceptibility is greater in cases of pregnancy, diabetes and certain psychological conditions as well as during the later half of the menstrual cycle. Irritation from contraceptive devices can also lead to this condition.


Unhygienic conditions combined with wrong dietary habits increase toxemia thereby lowering body resistance. According to the nature cure philosophy, whenever the body is loaded with toxins or morbid matter, it tried to eliminate it through the eliminative organs. In women, this elimination is established in the form of profuse discharge, that is leucorrhoea, initially, in later stages, the discharge can become offensive in cases of chronic inflammation.


Treatment


Maintenance of hygienic conditions is the most important factor in the treatment of vaginitis. It is only after disease achieved that morbidity and consequent inflammation and discharge can be prevented.


Another important factor is diet. The patient should be made to fast for three or five days.

Depending Ponte condition, the fasting period may be extended. During this period, she may take juices of lemon and other sub-acidic fruits. This will give the system an opportunity to divert its vital energies to check inflammation and infection.


After the juice fasting, the patient may adopt restricted diet, consisting of raw vegetable salads, fruits and sprouts. This will ensure minimal mucous secretions. This restricted diet should be continued for 10 to 15 days. It will help reduce inflammatory conditions. Boiled vegetables which are easily digestible and wheat chapattis may be added gradually to this diet. Later, rice, dal, vegetable soup or butter milk may be taken for lunch and an uncooked diet for dinner.

The patient should avoid coffee, tea and other stimulants as well as sugar, fried and refined foods.


Hydrotherapy


Treatment through water plays an important role in overcoming vaginitis. The patient should be given an enema with lukewarm neem water to cleanse the bowels and prevent the constipation which increases the toxemic condition, inflammation and infection in the genital organs. For general cleansing and elimination of purulent vaginal discharge, neem water vaginal douche at 35 o C - 40 o C followed by cold douche will be highly beneficial. In persistent cases, cold vaginal irritation provides relief. This treatment is best administered with a fountain syringe, containing water. The syringe should be placed two or three feet above the patient and water injected into the vagina. The patient should lie upon her back, with hips elevated and water should flow out of the vaginal canal.


A decoction of the herb chebulic myrobalan has proved very useful for vaginal irritation and inflammation. It should be used as an external douche to wash the vulvar parts. When there is a thick white discharge, washing the part with decoction made with neem leaves and chebulic myrobalan fruits will greatly help.


A moderately prolonged cold hip bath accompanied with a hot foot bath is also helpful. The level of cold water must be 34 inches in height. The patient should sit in the tub in such a manner that legs remain out of the tub. This bath can be given for 20 to 30 minutes.


Another mode of treatment considered beneficial is the wet girdle pack for about an hour. For this treatment, thin cotton underwear and thick or woolen underwear are required. The thin underwear should be wrung in cold water and worn by the patient. The thick dry underwear should be worn above the wet underwear. If the patient feels chill, she should be covered with a blanket. This treatment helps reduce inflammation.


A cold douche on the perennial region for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day helps reduce vaginitis. A mud pack on the abdomen for 10 minutes twice daily also helps reduce inflammation.

Chromo therapy can also be used to treat this complaint. Blue light treatment given to the afflicted region for an hour accompanied with vaginal irrigation using green colored charged water helps reduce the infection.


After recovery, it is essential to adopt correct eating habits and hygienic living conditions. Proper rest and exercise are also important.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

MENOPAUSAL PROBLEMS: SYMPTOMS, CAUSES & TREATMENT


The menopause or a woman’s change of life is a perfectly normal event which occurs in the mid or late forties. It signifies the end of the female reproductive period of life which commenced at adolescence in the early teens.

There are several misconceptions about menopause. Many women at this time feel that they are growing old and that they are well past their full physical vigor. Other women feel that the menopause brings a cessation of sexual pleasure. These apprehensions are far from true.

Menopause may be considered an end to women’s fertility but certainly not to her virility. It does not decrease a woman’s physical capacity or sexual vigor or enjoyment.


Symptoms


During the menopause, the entire chain of endocrine glands is disturbed, particularly the gonads, thyroid and pituitary. In a really healthy woman, the menopausal change takes place without any unpleasant symptoms. The only sign that the "change" taking place is the cessation of menstrual flow. There are, however, many women who do not enjoy good health due to dietetic errors and a faulty style of living. In these cases, the menopausal change often leads to all kinds of distressing physical, emotional and nervous symptoms and manifestations.

Hot flashes, night sweats, nervous tension, menstrual disturbances, insomnia, diminished interest in sex, irritability and depression are the typical symptoms of menopause. Other symptoms are chilly feelings, fatigue, palpitation, dizziness, headaches and numbness. Not every woman will get these severe reactions. The severity or otherwise of the symptoms depend on a variety of factors such as general health, previous surgery and radiation. Menopause and its problems are usually over when menstruation stops.


Causes


The annoying symptoms associated with menopause arise from the fact that the ovaries are no longer producing their normal amount of estrogen, the dominant female hormone. Anything which interferes with the normal functioning of the ovaries may also bring about these symptoms. The same strange feelings may occur if the ovaries are removed by surgery because of disease. This can also result from heavy X-ray therapy or the use of radiation.

A lack of normal hormone balance may also result in a severe backache. This is caused by thinning of the bones arising from the low level of estrogen in the bloodstream. Unless properly treated, this may eventually lead to a collapse of one or more of the vertebrae.


Treatment


Although menopause cannot be avoided, it can be postponed for as long as 10 to 15 years and it can be made a smooth affair when it comes, with a proper nutritional programmed, special supplements and the right mental attitude.

When a woman is affected by the menopausal change to any marked extent, it is a sure sign that her body is in a toxic condition and in need of a thorough cleansing. For this purpose, she should undergo a course of natural health building treatment.

Diet is of utmost importance in such a scheme of treatment. In fact the problems at menopause are often much more severe than that at puberty largely because the diet has been deficient for many years prior to its onset, in many nutrients such as protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamins D, E and antithetic acid.

The diet should be made up from three basic food groups, namely (I) seeds, nuts and grains (ii) vegetables and (iii) fruits. The emphasis should be on vitamin E-rich raw and sprouted seeds and nuts, unpasteurised high quality milk and home-made cottage cheese and an abundance of raw, organically grown fruits and vegetables. Plenty of freshly made juices of fruits and vegetables in season should also be included in this diet.

All processed, refined and denatured foods, such as white sugar, white flour and all articles made with them, should be completely eliminated. Take special supplements such as vitamins C, B6 and antithetic acid, which have a specific property of stimulating the body’s own production of estrogen or enhancing the effect of the existing estrogen.

During menopause, the lack of ovarian hormones can result in a severe calcium deficiency. For this reason, a larger than usual intake of calcium may help greatly. Vitamins D and F are also essential for assimilation of calcium. Any woman having difficulty at this time should supplement her daily diet with 1,000 units of natural vitamin D, 5000 milligrams of magnesium and two grams of calcium daily, which can be supplied by one quart of milk.

During the menopause, the need for vitamin E soars 10 to 50 times over that previously required. Hot flashes, night sweats and other symptoms of menopause often disappear when 50 to 100 units of vitamin E are taken daily. The symptoms recur quickly if the vitamin is discontinued.

Of late, it has become popular to take estrogen to prevent or postpone menopausal symptoms.

Although hormone therapy is apparently successful and will, in many cases, help the patient to feel and act younger, it cannot be recommended in all cases because of its carcinogenic effect.

If, however, estrogen therapy is undertaken, it should never be administered at the same time as vitamin E therapy. Ingestion of estrogen and vitamin E should be separated by several hours.

Beet juice has been found very useful in menopausal disorders. It should be taken in small quantities of 60 to 90 ml at a time thrice a day. It has proved much more permanently helpful than the degenerative effects of drugs or synthetic hormones.

Carrot seeds have also been found valuable in menopausal tension. A teaspoonful of the seeds should be boiled in a glassful of cow’s milk for about 10 minutes and taken daily as a medicine in this condition.

Plenty of outdoor exercise, such as walking, jogging, swimming, horse-riding or cycling, is imperative to postpone menopause. Other helpful measures in this direction are avoiding mental and emotional stress and worries especially worry about growing old, sufficient sleep and relaxation and following all general rules of maintaining a high level of health. The healthier a woman is, the fewer menopausal symptoms she will experience.

The menopause can be made a pleasant affair by building bodily health and a sane mental outlook. From puberty to menopause, a woman has been somewhat of a slave to her female glands. At specified intervals she was inconvenienced by her menstrual periods. She bore children, enduring the pain and discomfort of pregnancy. Menopause relieves her of this bondage to her femininity. She can now experience some of the happiest days of a woman’s life.

A whole new life is given to her, if she is wise enough to prepare for it and accept it as such.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

PILES: SYMPTOMS, CAUSES & TREATMENT


Piles or hemorrhoids are among the most common ailments today, especially in the Western world. They are a varicose and often inflamed condition of the veins inside or just outside the rectum. In external piles there is a lot of pain, but not much bleeding. In case of internal piles there is discharge of dark blood. In some cases the veins burst and this results in what is known as bleeding piles.

Symptoms

Pain at passing stools, slight bleeding in the case of internal trouble and a feeling of soreness and irritation after passing a stool are the usual symptoms of piles. The patient cannot sit comfortably due to itching, discomfort and pain in the rectal region.

Causes

The primary cause of piles is chronic constipation and other bowel disorders. The pressure applied to pass a stool to evacuate constipated bowls and the congestion caused by constipation ultimately lead to piles. The use of purgatives to relieve constipation, by their irritating and weakening effect on the lining of the rectum, also result in enlargement and inflammation of veins and bleeding of the mucus lining. Piles are more common during pregnancy and in conditions affecting the liver and upper bowel. Prolonged periods of standing or sitting, strenuous work, obesity and general weakness of the tissues of the body are the other contributory causes of piles.
Mental tension is also one of the main causes of hemorrhoids. Persons who are always in a hurry often strain while passing stools. They rush through defecation instead of making it a relaxed affair. The pressure thus exerted by the anal muscles affect the surrounding tissues. The extra rectal pressure and the resultant congestion of veins ultimately lead to hemorrhoids. There is probably a hereditary factor also involved in the development of piles.

Treatment

The treatment of the basic cause, namely, chronic constipation, is the only way to get rid of the trouble. To begin with, the whole digestive tract must be given a complete rest for a few days and the intestines thoroughly cleansed. For this purpose the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for at least seven days. After the all-fruit diet, the patient may adopt a diet of natural foods aimed at securing soft stools.
The most important food remedy for piles is dry figs. Three or four figs should be soaked overnight in water after cleansing them thoroughly in hot water. They should be taken the first thing in the morning along with water in which they were soaked. They should also be taken in the evening in a similar manner. This treatment should be continued for three or four weeks. The tiny seeds of the fruit possess an excellent quality of stimulating peristaltic movements of intestines. This facilitates easy evacuation of faces and keeps the alimentary canal clean.
The pressure on the anus having thus been relieved, the hemorrhoids also get contracted.
Mango seeds are regarded as an effective remedy for bleeding piles. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered and kept stored for use as medicine. It should be given in doses of about one and a half gram to two grams with or without honey.
The jambu fruit is another effective food remedy for bleeding piles. The fruit should be taken with salt every morning for two or three months in its season.
The use of the fruit in this manner in every season will affect a radical cure and save the user from bleeding piles during his / her entire life.
White radish is considered highly valuable in the treatment of piles. Grated radish mixed with honey may be taken in this condition. This vegetable can also be taken in the form of juice mixed with a pinch of salt. It should be given in doses of 60 to 90 ml. in the morning and evening. White radish well ground into a paste in milk can also be beneficial applied over inflamed pile masses
To relieve pain and swelling.
The patient should drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day. He should avoid straining to pass a stool. Cold water treatment helps the veins to shrink and tones up their walls. The treatment is done by sitting in a tub filled with cold water for two minutes with knees drawn up to your chin. The water level should cover the hips. This should be done twice a day. Other water treatments beneficial in curing piles include cold perennial douche and cold compress applied to the rectal area for an hour before bed time.
A patient with piles must make an all out effort to tone up the entire system. Exercise plays an important corrective role in this condition. Movements which exercise the abdominal muscles will improve circulation in the rectal region and relieve congestion. Outdoor exercises such as walking and swimming are excellent methods of building up general health. Yogic kriyas like jalneti and vamandhouti and asanas such as sarvangasana,viparit karani, halasana, gomukhasana are also useful. Sarvangasana is especially beneficial as it drains stagnant blood from the anus.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

EXERCISE FOR DIABETIC


The most common types of diabetes are known as Type 1 and Type 2. The Type 1 diabetes, which is also known as adolescent diabetes, differs from Type 2 in the sense that the body will stop producing insulin altogether. Type 2 diabetes is normally diagnosed in older adults and occurs as the body stops producing enough insulin or the individual becomes resistant to their own body insulin.

No matter what form of diabetes it is, you'll lose your ability to adequately utilize sugar. The blood sugar levels will increase due to the body's difficulty in transporting sugar into the cells and out of the blood stream. There are several ways to lower your blood sugar levels, including diet, exercise, and medication.

As a whole, exercise is a very important part of diabetic management for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. Those that have Type 1 will find regular exercise helps to maintain insulin sensitivity, helps to prevent the accumulation of excess weight, and also increases the use of glucose by muscles. Although there is really no way to prevent Type 1 diabetes, it is possible to prevent Type 2 diabetes.
The things to consider when you attempt to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes are regular exercise supplementation with vitamins and herbs that will help to prevent insulin resistance and proper control of weight.
Not only with exercise help directly with diabetic management by lowering blood sugar levels and maintaining insulin sensitivity, but it will also help minimize several of the complications that can occur in a diabetic individual. Research has shown that walking 30 minutes each day can diminish the possibility of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Almost all diabetics tend to develop circulatory problems and exercise can help lower blood pressure and improve circulation throughout the body. Seeing as how people with diabetes tend to have poor blood flow to their lower areas and feet, better circulation is a great benefit.
Even though there are risks associated with exercise, the potential benefits will outweigh the risks. Exercise does indeed lower blood sugar levels, so those with diabetes should measure their blood sugar both before and after they exercise. Since your body uses more sugar while you exercise and makes you more sensitive to insulin, there is a risk of blood sugar becoming too low and causing hypoglycemia as a result.
Whenever you exercise, it is important to let others know that you are diabetic. They should also be informed about what they should do in case of hypoglycemia. To be on the safe side, you should always carry candy or fruit juice with you to treat low blood sugar when it occurs.
During and after you have exercised, you should pay very close attention about how you feel, since rapid heart beat, increased sweating, feeling shaky, or hunger can signal that your blood sugar levels are getting too low.
With diabetic management and treatment, exercise is very important. Exercise will help with blood sugar control when the muscles use more glucose and the body becomes more sensitive to insulin. Exercise will also help to prevent and minimize
Common diabetic complications which include heart problems, high blood pressure, and circulatory deficiencies.
If you are a diabetic, exercise should be part of your daily routine. You should always exercise at a slow pace and never overdo it. Also, you should be sure to exercise around people you know or at a gym, so there will always be people around you in case something goes wrong. Being a diabetic doesn't have to hinder your life or your
Performance, as exercise can help you get your life back on track and heading in the right direction - the healthy direction.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

PRURITUS VULVAE, CAUSES & TREATMENT


Pruritus literally means a sensation of itching and vulva is the name given to the entrance to the vagina. It is a symptoms, not a disease in itself. Atleast 10 per cent of women all over the world suffer from this complaint.
Pruritus vulvae is generally relieved through scratching in the initial stages. At a later stage, the patient develops a burning sensation in this region. This can intensify to such an extent that women suffering from this complaint prefer to remain indoors and refuse to go out. This problem
occurs more during the night. The patient may scratch the area during sleep and wake to find that she has made herself bleed.

Causes
One of the main causes of pruritus vulvae is purulent and mucopurulent vaginal discharge. Due to this discharge, the vulva region chafes. The resulting tenderness causes pain. Over 80 per cent of these cases occur due to this cause. Prorates without vaginal discharge occurs in 15 to 20 per cent of the cases.
In some cases prorates vulvae may develop due to the presence of skin diseases not specific to the vulva such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and scabies. Other causes include animal and vegetable parasite infections which tend to cause pruritus public rather than prutitus vulvae, conditions of the urinary track like continence of urine and pyuria. Highly acidic urine sometime causes soreness which subsequently leads to pruritus. Glycosuria and diabetes also contribute to this condition.
Pruritus vulvae can result from skin sensitivity to various kinds of soaps, bath salts, deodorants and antiseptics which contain particular phenols and cresols and from certain drugs. These allergies may also be caused by nylons and tight-fitting clothes. In rare cases the disorders may develop as an offshoot of certain major problems like jaundice, uraemia, and other toxic conditions.
Many mental disturbances can affect the sexual bias and psychoneurosis results. The skin of the vulva region can also be a site of psychoneurosis, nervous fatigue and rough clotting Sexual frustration and guilt feelings can also lead to pruritus vulvae.

Treatments
There is always some underlying cause for the onset of purirtus, but scratching soon damages the skin and causes secondary changes which may obscure the primary cause. In addition, the skin may become sensitized to some local application. IN long standing cases, the diagnosis of both the initial cause and the reason for the maintenance of the irritation may become extremely
difficult, particularly when more than one factor is involved. Successfully treatment depends on two cardinal principles, namely, to remove any underlying cause and to stop further damage to the skin by scratching or by unsuitable application.
The most important factor in the treatment of pruritus vulvae caused by infections through fungus or parasites, is cleanliness. Bowels should be kept clean either through enemas or a natural diet. The patient must wear clean clothes to avoid this problem. After urination, the vagina should be thoroughly washed with plain cold water. IN case of severe pruritus, it is advisable to wash the vulva with neem leaves decoction and apply green light charged coconut oil.
Treatments like neem water vaginal douches help kill bacteria and fungus. The affect reaction should be exposed to green coloured light or rays of the sun through green coloured glass for 25 to 30 minutes. This will help reduce infections.
Purritus vulvae resulting from discharges from the uterus, cervix or vagina causes inflammations. This can be reduced by regular application of mud packs on the lower abdomen, twice or thrice a day. A cold hip bath may also be taken for 10 minutes. An alternate hot and cold hip bath is especially useful in reducing inflammation.
In cases of pruritus resulting from diabetes mellitus, glycosuria, uraemia, jaundice and other toxic states, specific diets and treatments for these complaints should be followed before pruritus
could be cured.
Skin diseases like psoriasis, scabies, fungal infections should be treated through nature cure methods. These include steam baths, mud baths, immersion baths, sun baths, spine baths and chromotherapy.
Diet plays an important role in the treatment of pruritus vulvae. Initially the patient should be put on a juice fast for a few days. She should drink fruit and vegetable juices, diluted with water on 50 : 50 basis. A warm water enema should be used daily during the period of fasting to cleanse the bowels.
Fasting helps relieve the toxic conditions not in just the affected region but also the entire body.
Thus inflammation is reduced. The diet after the juice fast could include seasonal fruits, salads,
sprouts, vegetables, soups or buttermilk. Cooked food should be included in the diet only much
later.
The patient should avoid all processed, refined and denatured foods such as white sugar, white flour and all products made from them as well a s coffee, tea, eggs, meat, spicy and oily foods. Alcohol and smoking are to be completely eliminated.
A natural mode of life will go a long way in overcoming pruritus vulvae. It will also lead to improvement in health in general.

VAGINITIS, SYMPTOMS, CAUSES & TREATMENT


Vaginitis can be described as an inflammation of the vagina and vulva. It is a fairly common problem with women. This can be avoided by taking proper treatment in the initial stages itself. But women usually tend to hide this problem.
Changes in the activity of the vaginal epithelium and in the vaginal secretion at different ages have a profound influence on the defense against vaginal infection. In the adult, the normal vaginal moisture or secretion consists of mucous and discarded vaginal cells. This discharge generally causes no irritation though the amount secreted and consistency vary. The variance is also due to the periodicity of the menstrual cycle and psychological conditions. Normal healthy women do not suffer from the sensations of the itching, burning, pain or irritation.
In unhealthy women and in abnormal conditions, the resident organisms (bacteria) multiply rapidly and produce excessive waste products. It causes tissue irritation in this region leading to itching, swelling, and burning. There is increase in the frequency or discharge of urine which is accompanied with an unpleasant order.

Symptoms
The symptoms of vaginitis are feeling of heat and fullness in the vagina, a dragging feeling in the groin, increased urinary frequency and vaginal discharge, that is, leucorrhoea. The clear or white secretion becomes purulent and yellow. The severity of leucorrhoea depends upon the degree of bacterial infection.

Causes
The main causes of vaginitis are irritation of vagina by external factors like cuts, abrasions in this region, constant wearing of tight-fitting clothes and wearing unclean clothes, using dirty or infected water and lack of hygiene.
Certain medications and treatments can increase susceptibility to infection. These include the use of antibiotics, hormones and excessive douching. Susceptibility is greater in cases of pregnancy, diabetes and certain psychological conditions as well as during the later half of the menstrual cycle. Irritation from contraceptive devices can also lead to this condition.
Unhygienic conditions combined with wrong dietary habits increase toxemia thereby lowering body resistance. According to the nature cure philosophy, whenever the body is loaded with toxins or morbid matter, it tried to eliminate it through the eliminative organs. In women, this elimination is established in the form of profused discharge, that is leucorrhoea, initially, in later stages, the discharge can become offensive in cases of chronic inflammation.

Treatment
Maintenance of hygienic conditions is the most important factor in the treatment of vaginitis. It is only after disease achieved that morbidity and consequent inflammation and discharge can be prevented.
Another important factor is diet. The patient should be made to fast for three or five days. Depending Ponte condition, the fasting period may be extended. During this period, she may take juices of lemon and other sub-acidic fruits. This will give the system an opportunity to divert its vital energies to check inflammation and infection.
After the juice fasting, the patient may adopt restricted diet, consisting of raw vegetable salads, fruits and sprouts. This will ensure minimal mucous secretions. This restricted diet should be continued for 10 to 15 days. It will help reduce inflammatory conditions. Boiled vegetables which are easily digestible and wheat chappatis may be added gradually to this diet. Later, rice,dal, vegetable soup or butter milk may be taken for lunch and an uncooked diet for dinner.
The patient should avoid coffee, tea and other stimulants as well as sugar, fried and refined foods.

Hydrotherapy
Treatment through water plays an important role in overcoming vaginitis. The patient should be given an enema with lukewarm neem water to cleanse the bowels and prevent the constipation which increases the toxemic condition, inflammation and infection in the genital organs. For general cleansing and elimination of purulent vaginal discharge, neem water vaginal douche at 35 o C - 40 o C followed by cold douche will be highly beneficial.
In persistent cases, cold vaginal irritation provides relief. This treatment is best administered with a fountain syringe, containing water. The syringe should be placed two or three feet above the patient and water injected into the vagina. The patient should lie upon her back , with hips elevated and water should flow out of the vaginal canal.
A decoction of the herb chebulic myrobalan has proved very useful for vaginal irritation and inflammation. It should be used as an external douche to wash the vulvar parts. When there is a thick white discharge, washing the part with decoction made with neem leaves and chebulic myrobalan fruits will greatly help.
A moderately prolonged cold hip bath accompanied with a hot foot bath is also helpful. The level of cold water must be 34 inches in height. The patient should sit in the tub in such a manner that
legs remain out of the tub. This bath can be given for 20 to 30 minutes.
Another mode of treatment considered beneficial is the wet girdle pack for about an hour. For this treatment, a thin cotton underwear and another thick or woolen underwear are required. The thin underwear should be wrung in cold water and worn by the patient. The thick dry underwear should be worn above the wet underwear. If the patient feels chill, she should be covered with a blanket. This treatment helps reduce inflammation.
A cold douche on the perennial region for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day helps reduce vaginitis. A mud pack on the abdomen for 10 minutes twice daily also helps reduce inflammation. Chromotherapy can also be used to treat this complaint. Blue light treatment given to the afflicted region for an hour accompanied with vaginal irrigation using green coloured charged water helps reduce the infection.
After recovery, it is essential to adopt correct eating habits and hygienic living conditions. Proper rest and exercise are also important.

Friday, September 5, 2008

INFLUENZA, SYMPTOMS, CAUSES & TREATMENT

Influenza, also known as flu, is the clinical condition that results from infection with influenza viruses. The main effects of the influenza viruses are on the upper respiratory tract, the nose and throat, with possible spread and involvement of the lungs and bronchi.
The disease is highly contagious and it has potential to cause wide spread epidemics affecting sizeable portion of a population at any time. Although it is more common during winter it may strike at any time. It affects people of all ages.

Symptoms
Influenza strikes suddenly. It usually begins with a chill, fever, headache and severe muscular pains. The patient feels miserable and weak. There is an inflammation in the nose and throat, which may spread down the windpipe to the lungs, resulting in a sore throat, cough, running of the nose and eyes. In milder case of influenza the temperature rises to 102 o F and lasts for two or three days. In severe cases, it may go upto 104 o F and last for four or five days. The consequent weakness and fatigue may continue for several weeks. This may be followed by a deep chest cough due to irritation in the windpipe.

Causes
Influenza is what is known as germ disease. It is, however, not caused primarily by the action of the germs as is generally believed, but develops due to a toxic and run-down condition of the system of the affected person. This condition is brought about by dietetic errors and a faulty style of living such as worry, over work, lack of proper exercise , living in stuffy rooms and keeping late hours. No disease germs can find lodgment and become active in the system of a person who is perfectly healthy in the true sense of the term. Influenza is passed on with ease from one affected person to an other especially to those who are also in an equally low vital stage. That is how an epidemic starts.

Treatment
Influenza , like all other acute diseases, is a natural attempt at self-cleansing and if rightly treated in a natural way, immense good can ensue so far as the future health of the patient is concerned. In the acute stage of influenza, a patient should abstain from all solid foods and only drink fruit and vegetable juices diluted with water, 50 - 50 for first three to five days, depending
on the severity of the disease. The juice fast should be continued till the temperature comes down to normal. The warm water enema should be taken daily during this period to cleanse the bowels.
After fever subsides the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for two or three days. In this regimen, the patient should take three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, oranges, pineapple, peaches and melons at five-hourly intervals. Bananas or dried, stewed or tinned fruits however, should not be taken. No other food stuff should be added to the fruit meals, otherwise the value of the treatment will be lost. This may be followed by a further two or three days on fruits and milk diet. Thereafter, the patient may adopt a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups namely, (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetables, and (iii) fruits.
Spices and condiments , and pickles, which make food more palatal and lead to overeating, must be avoided. Lemon juice may be used in salad dressing. Alcohol, tobacco, strong tea and coffee, highly seasoned meats, over-boiled milk, pulses, potato, rice, cheese, refined, processed, stale and tinned foods should all be avoided.
Certain remedies have been found highly beneficial in the treatment of influenza. The most important of these is the use of long pepper. Half a teaspoonful of the powder of the long pepper with two teaspoonfuls of honey and half a teaspoonful of juice of ginger should be taken thrice a day. This will help greatly if taken in initial stages of the disease. It is especially useful in avoiding complications which follow the onset of the disease, namely, the involvement of the larynx and bronchial tube.
Another excellent remedy for influenza is the green leaves of basil or tulsi plant. About one gram of these leaves should be boiled along with some ginger n half a litre ofwater till about half the water is left. This decoction should be taken as tea. It gives immediate relief.
Garlic and turmeric are other effective food medicines for influenza. Garlic is useful as a general antiseptic and should be given as much as the patient can bear. Garlic juice may also be sucked up the nose. A teaspoonful of turmeric powder should be mixed in a cup of warm milk and taken three times in the day. It will prevent complications arising from influenza and also activate the liver which becomes sluggish during the attack.