Do seasonal allergy symptoms have your kids down for the count? The runny nose, itchy eyes, and nasal congestion can leave even the most even-tempered kid tired and out of sorts.
The next time seasonal allergic rhinitis -- the term allergists use for the symptoms we call hay fever -- has your children feeling bad, you’ve got the tools to make them feel better: These simple tips from allergists and others can help you soothe kids’ allergy symptoms in no time.
Perk up kids with these simple home treatments for seasonal allergies.
16 Tips to Help Kids Cope With Allergy Symptoms
Managing allergies starts with a medical assessment, says Rod Moser, PA, PhD. So before you treat symptoms you think are allergies, be sure that’s what they are with a visit to an allergist. Once you know seasonal allergies are what you’re child is dealing with, these quick tips can offer kids much-needed symptom relief.
Stay Inside. The best way to treat allergy symptoms is to avoid allergens to begin with, say the experts at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI). So when pollen counts soar, keep kids indoors as much as possible. Pollen is usually at its peak mid-morning, early evening, and when the wind is blowing.
Use Saltwater. Nasal congestion can be one of the most exhausting symptoms for children with allergies. For relief, older children might want to try nasal irrigation with a saline solution, one of the “best home remedy of all,” says Alan Goldsobel, MD, a California physician and spokesman for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. You can buy saline at the drugstore or make your own by mixing in a squirt bottle eight ounces of water to one teaspoon non-iodized salt.
Stay Hydrated. All that sneezing and blowing can leave a child parched. Keep a water bottle full and close to hand and encourage your children to stay well-hydrated.
Warm It Up. A hot shower or bath seems to offer allergy symptom relief for some, says Asriani Chiu, MD, associate professor of pediatrics and medicine at the College of Wisconsin, so encourage kids to enjoy a little tub time.
Keep It Cool. To keep pollen out when the weather’s hot, air condition your car and home and keep windows closed.
Deal With Dry Air. A little moisture in the air makes breathing easier for most, so if you suspect the air in your house is dry, you may want to turn on a humidifier. But be careful: Humidity over 40% can encourage the growth of indoor allergens like mold and dust mites.
Go Cold. When itchy eyes are driving your kid crazy, try a cold compress, says Chiu, which may help reduce the itch and inflammation.
Keep Your Hands to Yourself. And encourage kids to avoid rubbing their itchy eyes. Rubbing will only irritate them -- and could make the itchiness even worse.
Spice It Up. If your kids enjoy spicy foods, a piquant dish made with cayenne pepper, hot ginger, fenugreek, onions, or garlic may help thin mucus and clear nasal passages.
Use Top Tissues. When kids’ allergies are at their peak, tender noses can get sore pretty fast. Look for tissues with lotion or other soothing additives.
Rub Jelly On It. And if your child’s nose is raw and red from blowing, you can soothe their sniffer with a dab of petroleum jelly.
Gargle to Relieve Sore Throats . If postnasal drip leaves your child with a sore throat, gargling with warm salt water made of 1-2 tablespoons of table salt in 8 ounces of water may ease the pain.
Drink Warm Tea . Drinking more fluids can also help sooth tender throats. Try a weak tea with honey and lemon. Bonus: The steam from a piping hot cup may relieve sinus congestion, too.
Get Face Time. Warm compresses applied to the face may also help soothe a child’s sinus pressure and pain.
Avoid Milk. Some folks may find milk can make mucus worse, though “that’s not a proven concept,” says Goldsobel. If in doubt, it may be a good idea to steer clear of milky goodies when kids are coping with allergy symptoms.
Avoid Certain Foods . If your child is allergic to ragweed, they may also have an allergic sensitivity to certain foods. Symptom-provoking foods to avoid may include bananas, melons, chamomile tea, sunflower seeds, and cucumbers.
10 Tips to Help Prevent Allergy Symptoms in Your Kids
The best allergy symptoms are the ones that never occur. Here are a few tips to help you prevent symptoms before they take hold.
Go Take a Shower! If the kids were outdoors, they almost certainly brought allergens back inside on their clothes and hair. That’s why it’s a great idea for them to take a shower or bath and change their clothes when they come back inside, suggests Chiu.
Wash Your Hands . If the kids pop in and out during high pollen days, the very least they should do is wash their hands often, suggests the ACAAI, a prime way to remove clinging pollen.
Protect the Eyes . Encourage your kids to wear glasses or sunglasses when outdoors to minimize pollen getting into their eyes.
Clean Up . We all track in allergens, on our shoes, clothes, hands, and hair. To keep them at bay, try to keep floors clean with a damp rag or mop rather than dry dusting or sweeping; vacuum rugs and carpets often; and change bedding frequently.
Get Better Bedding. To help control allergies, Goldsobel recommends looking into special bedding designed to be less permeable to allergens.
Keep Laundry Indoors. If you’ve got kids susceptible to outdoor allergens, don’t hang sheets or clothes outside to dry. They make excellent pollen and mold collectors.
Keep an Eye on Indoor Plants. An abundance of overwatered plants inside the house can encourage mold growth. So manage your green menagerie: avoid sopping wet soil and don’t collect too many plants.
Talk to Your Child’s Doctor . There are over-the-counter and prescription medications and eye drops to help treat children with allergies. Talk to your child’s allergist or pediatrician to find out which medicines are best for your child’s allergy symptoms.
Be Faithful -- and Smart -- With Medication . Don’t forget to encourage kids to take the medications prescribed by their doctor -- but remember more medicine doesn’t mean fewer symptoms. Take only as much as recommended.
Get Teary . If recommended by your child’s doctor, eye drops/artificial tears can help flush allergens out of kids’ eyes.
It’s not always easy, but with a little time and effort you can help your kids manage -- and avoid -- allergy symptoms all year, every year.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Beat the Heat!
Summers have arrived and the sun seems to be depriving us of the moisture beneath our skin. During this period, we might commonly experience our body temperatures rise and suffer acidity, bloating and lethargy.
Our body adapts to the temperature outside. When it's hot, blood circulation towards the surface of the skin increases to dissipate body heat and make it cool down. In the process, you end up losing moisture.
So it is important to drink fluids to aid the body's cooling mechanisms. If the water intake is inadequate, body temperature can soar and even lead to a heat stroke.It'd also be wise to eat foods that keep the body cool. Reduce body heat
Foods that help you bring down the heat include:
*Sabza: Seeds of sabza are a natural cooling agent. They need to be soaked in water for half-an-hour after which they swell up and look gelatinous. They can be added to cold milk with rose syrup. It can cause water retention for some.
*Onions: Raw onions are great to cool the system. Have them as part of a vegetable salad or chutney.
* Mango: Raw mangoes are ideal to prevent sunstrokes and diarrhoea during summer. They are a source of Vitamin C and prevent the loss of excessive salts and iron from the body.
* Barley: Barley can be used to make gruels and porridges. First, make a healthy barley drink by boiling barley grains along with rock sugar and pandan leaf (a Thai aromatic leaf). Strain the liquid, cool and serve with slices of fresh lime.
*Spices: Spices such as poppy seeds, cardamom, sandalwood, fennel (saunf) and saffron are great cooling agents. A sandalwood drink enhanced with cardamom, saffron, saunf and rock salt is great.
*Raisins: Soaked black raisins are beneficial when had with an equal mix of cold milk and water.
*Gulkand: This cooling preserve made from rose petals and sugar fights fatigue, lethargy, muscular aches and heat-related conditions. be wary of the sugar though.
*Fuel up with fluids: Drink more than 8-10 glasses of water everyday. You can even have coconut water, fresh fruit juices, buttermilk or water flavoured with mint leaves.
*Fruits and vegetables: Most fruits and vegetables including cucumber, water melon, jackfruit, grapes and pineapple help hydrate.
* Drink two tsp of amla juice with half a glass of pomegranate juice.
*Try to follow a vegetarian diet.
* Eating too many mangoes increases body heat. Try to consume not more than one a day.
* Avoid using garam masala, methi seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies in your daily cooking as these aggravate heat symptoms. Steer clear of these
Maximise the benefits of cooling foods by avoiding these:
* Cut down on caffeinated beverages. Caffeine and alcohol make you urinate more, thereby dehydrating your body and increasing your susceptibility to heat strokes.
* Alcohol dissipates immense heat and must not be had during the summer season. Either avoid it completely or drink with plenty of water.
* Avoid sour, spicy and oily foods. Cut down on spices, cheese, fermented foods, vinegar and excess oil.
* Avoid mutton, chicken and fish gravy that appears greasy. Papaya, too, is known to heat up the body.
Change yourself A few such modifications in your lifestyle will save you from the onslaught of the sun:
* Restrict outdoor activities to early mornings or late evenings.
* Wear comfortable cotton clothes to aid absorption of sweat. Use an umbrella to cover your head when you go out.
Our body adapts to the temperature outside. When it's hot, blood circulation towards the surface of the skin increases to dissipate body heat and make it cool down. In the process, you end up losing moisture.
So it is important to drink fluids to aid the body's cooling mechanisms. If the water intake is inadequate, body temperature can soar and even lead to a heat stroke.It'd also be wise to eat foods that keep the body cool. Reduce body heat
Foods that help you bring down the heat include:
*Sabza: Seeds of sabza are a natural cooling agent. They need to be soaked in water for half-an-hour after which they swell up and look gelatinous. They can be added to cold milk with rose syrup. It can cause water retention for some.
*Onions: Raw onions are great to cool the system. Have them as part of a vegetable salad or chutney.
* Mango: Raw mangoes are ideal to prevent sunstrokes and diarrhoea during summer. They are a source of Vitamin C and prevent the loss of excessive salts and iron from the body.
* Barley: Barley can be used to make gruels and porridges. First, make a healthy barley drink by boiling barley grains along with rock sugar and pandan leaf (a Thai aromatic leaf). Strain the liquid, cool and serve with slices of fresh lime.
*Spices: Spices such as poppy seeds, cardamom, sandalwood, fennel (saunf) and saffron are great cooling agents. A sandalwood drink enhanced with cardamom, saffron, saunf and rock salt is great.
*Raisins: Soaked black raisins are beneficial when had with an equal mix of cold milk and water.
*Gulkand: This cooling preserve made from rose petals and sugar fights fatigue, lethargy, muscular aches and heat-related conditions. be wary of the sugar though.
*Fuel up with fluids: Drink more than 8-10 glasses of water everyday. You can even have coconut water, fresh fruit juices, buttermilk or water flavoured with mint leaves.
*Fruits and vegetables: Most fruits and vegetables including cucumber, water melon, jackfruit, grapes and pineapple help hydrate.
* Drink two tsp of amla juice with half a glass of pomegranate juice.
*Try to follow a vegetarian diet.
* Eating too many mangoes increases body heat. Try to consume not more than one a day.
* Avoid using garam masala, methi seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies in your daily cooking as these aggravate heat symptoms. Steer clear of these
Maximise the benefits of cooling foods by avoiding these:
* Cut down on caffeinated beverages. Caffeine and alcohol make you urinate more, thereby dehydrating your body and increasing your susceptibility to heat strokes.
* Alcohol dissipates immense heat and must not be had during the summer season. Either avoid it completely or drink with plenty of water.
* Avoid sour, spicy and oily foods. Cut down on spices, cheese, fermented foods, vinegar and excess oil.
* Avoid mutton, chicken and fish gravy that appears greasy. Papaya, too, is known to heat up the body.
Change yourself A few such modifications in your lifestyle will save you from the onslaught of the sun:
* Restrict outdoor activities to early mornings or late evenings.
* Wear comfortable cotton clothes to aid absorption of sweat. Use an umbrella to cover your head when you go out.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Fish oil 'calms children better than Ritalin'
A daily dose of fish oil is better at treating hyperactivity than Ritalin - the 'chemical cosh' linked to the deaths of children, stunning research has revealed.
Just six capsules a day of the naturally-occurring oil can vastly improve children's behaviour without any of the side-effects of Ritalin and related drugs.
The controversial drugs can cause heart problems, dizziness and insomnia and have been blamed for the deaths of nine children in the UK and dozens more in the US.
The new study provides a natural alternative - and gives fresh hope to the parents of the 30,000 British children prescribed Ritalin and similar medicines such as Concerta.
Last night, experts accused doctors of being too quick to boost the coffers of large drug companies by writing out prescriptions - and urged parents to look into the value of improving their child's diet.
Psychiatrist Dr Sami Timimi (CORR) said: 'It stands to reason that using a natural supplement that has few dangers or side-effects must be preferable to using drugs which have considerable dangers associated with them.
'This is a non-toxic way of doing something that might make a difference.'
Last year, a study by Durham Local Education Authority showed that omega 3 can improve the brainpower and concentration of hyperactive children.
The latest findings, from the University of Adelaide, are the first to show that omega 3 fish oil may be better than medication at treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
The compound, which occurs naturally in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, is responsible for a range of health benefits, from combating heart disease to boosting intelligence.
Despite this, most people eat just a fifth of the amount recommended for good health.
The Australian researchers looked at the effect of eye q (CORR) fish oil capsules on a group seven to 12-year-olds with ADHD.
Some were given the capsules, while others took a placebo or dummy capsule.
Within three months, the behaviour of those on the fish oils had dramatically improved and, by seven months, many of the children were less restless and doing better at school.
The most striking improvement was in concentration or attention, which improved by a third.
When those taking the dummy capsules switched to the fish oils, they also saw their behaviour improve.
Researcher Natalie Sinn (CORR) said: 'Many of those who had children who showed improvements commented that their children were calmer, were doing better at school and were able to concentrate longer and were therefore reading more.
'Overall, 30 to 40 per cent of children over 15 weeks and 40 to 50 per cent of children over 30 weeks had improvements.'
She added that week-on-week improvements were still being seen at the end of the study - suggesting the results of an even longer course of treatment, may be even more dramatic.
The researchers also compared their results to those from studies of Ritalin and Concerta and found fish oils are more effective, a Sydney conference on omega-3 will hear this week.
British experts said the research, which is to be published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (CORR), underlined the value of exploring alternative treatments to Ritalin.
The number of hyperactive children on medication is soaring, with a staggering 330,000 prescriptions written out each year, or 6,350 a week.
Nine British children have died after taking the drugs. Two died of heart problems, while others suffered illnesses including strokes and swelling of the brain. Dr Timimi, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Lincolnshire NHS Trust, said: 'Drugs like Ritalin have considerable dangers associated with them, including insomnia, changes in personality and cardiotoxicity - they are bad for the heart and can cause heart attacks, strokes and sudden death.
'It must be preferable to that.'
Nick Giovannelli(CORR), of the Hyperactive Children's Support Group, urged parents to consider using natural alternatives to Ritalin.
He said: 'GPs seem to be too quick to prescribe medication.
'This new study adds to the mounting evidence that nutrition is safer and more effective than stimulant medication.'
Dr Madeleine Portwood, the educational psychologist who led the Durham trial, said: 'This study shows once again that omega 3 can have a very beneficial effect for children with concentration and behaviour problems.'
The Royal College of Psychiatrists said the findings were 'promising' and warranted further research.
Other studies have shown that omega 3 is also effective in children without ADHD or learning difficulties, boosting their grasp of the three Rs and improving their GCSE grades.
Concerta's manufacturers, Buckinghamshire-based Janssen-Cilag (CORR), said the drug is part of a package of care which should include attention to diet.
Dr Tony Donovan, the firm's associated medical director, said Concerta had a good safety record but did not suit all children.
He advised parents considering switching their child to fish oil to consult their child's specialist.
'It is not a decision to make off your own bat,' he said. 'I would advise a parent to have a discussion with their specialist about the benefits or otherwise about changing medication before making any changes.'
The makers of Ritalin, Swiss-based Novartis, said the drug had a long record of being a safe and effective medication. A spokesman advised anyone concerned about side-effects to consult their doctor
Just six capsules a day of the naturally-occurring oil can vastly improve children's behaviour without any of the side-effects of Ritalin and related drugs.
The controversial drugs can cause heart problems, dizziness and insomnia and have been blamed for the deaths of nine children in the UK and dozens more in the US.
The new study provides a natural alternative - and gives fresh hope to the parents of the 30,000 British children prescribed Ritalin and similar medicines such as Concerta.
Last night, experts accused doctors of being too quick to boost the coffers of large drug companies by writing out prescriptions - and urged parents to look into the value of improving their child's diet.
Psychiatrist Dr Sami Timimi (CORR) said: 'It stands to reason that using a natural supplement that has few dangers or side-effects must be preferable to using drugs which have considerable dangers associated with them.
'This is a non-toxic way of doing something that might make a difference.'
Last year, a study by Durham Local Education Authority showed that omega 3 can improve the brainpower and concentration of hyperactive children.
The latest findings, from the University of Adelaide, are the first to show that omega 3 fish oil may be better than medication at treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
The compound, which occurs naturally in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, is responsible for a range of health benefits, from combating heart disease to boosting intelligence.
Despite this, most people eat just a fifth of the amount recommended for good health.
The Australian researchers looked at the effect of eye q (CORR) fish oil capsules on a group seven to 12-year-olds with ADHD.
Some were given the capsules, while others took a placebo or dummy capsule.
Within three months, the behaviour of those on the fish oils had dramatically improved and, by seven months, many of the children were less restless and doing better at school.
The most striking improvement was in concentration or attention, which improved by a third.
When those taking the dummy capsules switched to the fish oils, they also saw their behaviour improve.
Researcher Natalie Sinn (CORR) said: 'Many of those who had children who showed improvements commented that their children were calmer, were doing better at school and were able to concentrate longer and were therefore reading more.
'Overall, 30 to 40 per cent of children over 15 weeks and 40 to 50 per cent of children over 30 weeks had improvements.'
She added that week-on-week improvements were still being seen at the end of the study - suggesting the results of an even longer course of treatment, may be even more dramatic.
The researchers also compared their results to those from studies of Ritalin and Concerta and found fish oils are more effective, a Sydney conference on omega-3 will hear this week.
British experts said the research, which is to be published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (CORR), underlined the value of exploring alternative treatments to Ritalin.
The number of hyperactive children on medication is soaring, with a staggering 330,000 prescriptions written out each year, or 6,350 a week.
Nine British children have died after taking the drugs. Two died of heart problems, while others suffered illnesses including strokes and swelling of the brain. Dr Timimi, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Lincolnshire NHS Trust, said: 'Drugs like Ritalin have considerable dangers associated with them, including insomnia, changes in personality and cardiotoxicity - they are bad for the heart and can cause heart attacks, strokes and sudden death.
'It must be preferable to that.'
Nick Giovannelli(CORR), of the Hyperactive Children's Support Group, urged parents to consider using natural alternatives to Ritalin.
He said: 'GPs seem to be too quick to prescribe medication.
'This new study adds to the mounting evidence that nutrition is safer and more effective than stimulant medication.'
Dr Madeleine Portwood, the educational psychologist who led the Durham trial, said: 'This study shows once again that omega 3 can have a very beneficial effect for children with concentration and behaviour problems.'
The Royal College of Psychiatrists said the findings were 'promising' and warranted further research.
Other studies have shown that omega 3 is also effective in children without ADHD or learning difficulties, boosting their grasp of the three Rs and improving their GCSE grades.
Concerta's manufacturers, Buckinghamshire-based Janssen-Cilag (CORR), said the drug is part of a package of care which should include attention to diet.
Dr Tony Donovan, the firm's associated medical director, said Concerta had a good safety record but did not suit all children.
He advised parents considering switching their child to fish oil to consult their child's specialist.
'It is not a decision to make off your own bat,' he said. 'I would advise a parent to have a discussion with their specialist about the benefits or otherwise about changing medication before making any changes.'
The makers of Ritalin, Swiss-based Novartis, said the drug had a long record of being a safe and effective medication. A spokesman advised anyone concerned about side-effects to consult their doctor
Friday, March 18, 2011
Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins
AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .
Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:
1. Every person has cancer cells in the body.. These cancer
cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have
multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients
that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after
treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the
cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable
size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a
person's lifetime.
3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer
cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and
forming tumors.
4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has
nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic,
but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing
diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day
and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing
cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells
in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can
cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars
and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often
reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of
chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor
destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from
chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either
compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb
to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to
mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.
Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other
sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer
cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.
*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made
with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute
would be raisins, honey or molasses, but only in very small
amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in
color Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the
gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting
off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer
cells are being starved.
c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based
diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat,
like chicken. Meat also contains livestock
antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all
harmful, especially to people with cancer.
d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole
grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into
an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked
food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live
enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to
cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance
growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building
healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most
vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw
vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at
temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high
caffeine Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer
fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or
filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap
water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of
digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the
intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic
buildup.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By
refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes
to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the
body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system
(IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals,
EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy
cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known
to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's
normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or
unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.
A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior
be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put
the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to
have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy
life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated
environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to
get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen
therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer
cells.
1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave..
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life
Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:
1. Every person has cancer cells in the body.. These cancer
cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have
multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients
that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after
treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the
cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable
size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a
person's lifetime.
3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer
cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and
forming tumors.
4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has
nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic,
but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing
diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day
and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing
cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells
in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can
cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars
and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often
reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of
chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor
destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from
chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either
compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb
to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to
mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.
Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other
sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer
cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.
*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made
with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute
would be raisins, honey or molasses, but only in very small
amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in
color Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the
gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting
off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer
cells are being starved.
c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based
diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat,
like chicken. Meat also contains livestock
antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all
harmful, especially to people with cancer.
d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole
grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into
an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked
food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live
enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to
cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance
growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building
healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most
vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw
vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at
temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high
caffeine Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer
fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or
filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap
water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of
digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the
intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic
buildup.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By
refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes
to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the
body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system
(IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals,
EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy
cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known
to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's
normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or
unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.
A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior
be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put
the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to
have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy
life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated
environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to
get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen
therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer
cells.
1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave..
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life
Cancer Treatment: EAT FRUIT on empty stomach
Dr Stephen Mak told …..that he treats terminal cancer patients in an "un-orthodox" way, and many patients recovered. He explained, that before he uses solar energy to clear the illnesses of his patients, he believes on natural healing in the body against illnesses. It's one of the strategies to heal cancer. Lately, my success rate in curing cancer is about 80%. Cancer patients shouldn't die.. The cure for cancer has already been found, whether you believe it or not.
I am sorry for the hundreds of cancer patients who die under the conventional treatments. Very few live for 5 years under conventional treatments, and most live for only about 2 to 3 years... The conventional treatments don't make any difference, because most cancer patients also live for about 2 to 3 years without any treatment. It is difficult to cure cancer patients who've undergone chemo and radiotherapy, as their cells are toxic and weak. When there is a relapse, the cancer spreads very fast, as the resistance is poor.
EATING FRUIT
We all think eating fruit means just buying fruit, cutting it up and popping it into our mouths. It's not that easy. It's important to know how and when to eat fruit.
What's the correct way to eat fruit?
IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUIT AFTER A MEAL! FRUIT SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
Eating fruit like that plays a major role in detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities..
FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.
Let's say you eat two slices of bread, then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it's prevented from doing so.
In the meantime, the whole meal rots and ferments, and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach, and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.
Eat your fruit on an empty stomach, or before your meal! You've heard people complain: Every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc. This will not happen if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. Fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas. Hence, you bloat!
Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes - all of these will NOT happen if you eat fruit on an empty stomach.
There's no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruit becomes alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruit, you have the Secret of Beauty, Longevity, Health, Energy, Happiness and normal weight.
When you need to drink fruit juice drink only freshfruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't drink juice that has been heated. Don't eat cooked fruit; you don't get the nutrients at all. You get only the taste... Cooking destroys all of the vitamins.
Eating a whole fruit is etter than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit-fast to cleanse your body. Eat fruit and drink fruit juice for just 3 days, and you will be surprised when your friends say how radiant you look!
KIWI: Tiny but mighty, and a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange!
AN APPLE a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C, thereby helping to lower the risk of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.
STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.
EATING 2 - 4 ORANGES oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones, and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. Also a key source of lycopene, the cancer-fighting oxidant. Also found in watermelon: Vitamin C & Potassium..
GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, good for your eyes..
Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer!
Can u believe this? For those who like to drink cold water, this applies to you. It's nice to have a cold drink after a meal, however, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you've just consumed, which
slows digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
I am sorry for the hundreds of cancer patients who die under the conventional treatments. Very few live for 5 years under conventional treatments, and most live for only about 2 to 3 years... The conventional treatments don't make any difference, because most cancer patients also live for about 2 to 3 years without any treatment. It is difficult to cure cancer patients who've undergone chemo and radiotherapy, as their cells are toxic and weak. When there is a relapse, the cancer spreads very fast, as the resistance is poor.
EATING FRUIT
We all think eating fruit means just buying fruit, cutting it up and popping it into our mouths. It's not that easy. It's important to know how and when to eat fruit.
What's the correct way to eat fruit?
IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUIT AFTER A MEAL! FRUIT SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
Eating fruit like that plays a major role in detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities..
FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.
Let's say you eat two slices of bread, then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it's prevented from doing so.
In the meantime, the whole meal rots and ferments, and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach, and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.
Eat your fruit on an empty stomach, or before your meal! You've heard people complain: Every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc. This will not happen if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. Fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas. Hence, you bloat!
Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes - all of these will NOT happen if you eat fruit on an empty stomach.
There's no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruit becomes alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruit, you have the Secret of Beauty, Longevity, Health, Energy, Happiness and normal weight.
When you need to drink fruit juice drink only freshfruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't drink juice that has been heated. Don't eat cooked fruit; you don't get the nutrients at all. You get only the taste... Cooking destroys all of the vitamins.
Eating a whole fruit is etter than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit-fast to cleanse your body. Eat fruit and drink fruit juice for just 3 days, and you will be surprised when your friends say how radiant you look!
KIWI: Tiny but mighty, and a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange!
AN APPLE a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C, thereby helping to lower the risk of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.
STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.
EATING 2 - 4 ORANGES oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones, and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. Also a key source of lycopene, the cancer-fighting oxidant. Also found in watermelon: Vitamin C & Potassium..
GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, good for your eyes..
Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer!
Can u believe this? For those who like to drink cold water, this applies to you. It's nice to have a cold drink after a meal, however, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you've just consumed, which
slows digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
How to take care of your hair and skin in this Holi
From among all the festivals of India, Holi is the most colorful festival. In fact, Holi is essentially the festival of colors. In ancient times, the festival of holi was welcomed by making a lots of natural holi colors with the help of flowers and household ingredients. With time, people became busy and also in want of permanent colors, started using chemical laden holi colors sold in markets. This had a negative health effect on people in form of skin rashes and allergies, dry brittle hair, eye injury etc. Whatever be the harms of playing with colors, people in India cannot let go the occasion of merrymaking with colors. So, play holi and use a lots of holi colors but take some precautions before holi and some measures after holi to keep your skin, hair, eye etc. intact from harmful effects of Holi. Here are some hair care and skin care tips for a safe holi this year.Holi colours, both dry and liquid, strip your hair off its natural sheen and lustrous quality, making it dry and frizzy. This causes permanent damage to your scalp resulting in hair loss and dandruff.
The synthetic colours available in the market comprise of toxic components such as lead oxide, engine oil, diesel, chromium iodine and copper sulphate which lead to rashes on the skin, allergies, pigmentation, frizzy hair and eye irritation. In extreme cases, it can cause serious skin diseases and clogging of hair cuticles resulting in severe hair damage.
Precautions
Follow these simple precautions to enjoy Holi:
1. Avoid synthetic colours and powdered dyes. Instead opt for skin-friendly vegetable or natural colours.
2. Apply a thick layer of moisturizer, petroleum jelly or coconut oil on your face and other exposed parts to prevent dyes and colours from coming into direct contact with your skin.
3. Oil your hair and scalp with olive, coconut or castor oil. Add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent dandruff and infection triggered by the chemical colours.
4. Wrap a bandanna around your head to prevent direct contact with the colours.
5. A mixture of jojoba and rosemary oil can also be applied to make the right base for your hair and prevent the harmful colours from settling down.
Use Herbal Holi Colors
Use only herbal holi colors. Its true that you can't tell people coming to your home to bring herbal colors. However, you can buy a lots of herbal holi colors and offer to play holi with them only with your guests. Remember, this may cost you a little more but your skin and hair will be safe. Moreover, the cost of dermatologist and other medical expenses resulting from use of chemical holi colors will be saved. When buying herbal holi colors, feel them. They should be soft and must feel powdery, like talc or refined flour (maida) and not grainy or gritty. For a cheaper option, you can even make natural colors by doing it yourself. Tips for making such DIY herbal holi colors are given in the last section of this article.
Apply Protective Lotions or Oils Before Playing Holi
Prepare yourself for the holi colors. Although its good to wear comfortable clothes but ensure that your clothes cover the maximum of your body. Apply some oil (best ones are coconut oil and mustard oil) all over the exposed skin of your body. Paint your nails with nail polish. Apply petroleum jelly under nails, behind ears, on lips- wherever, there is the possibility of colors getting stuck. If possible, use shower cap to cover your hair. Apply some hair oil (olive oil or coconut oil) on the scalp and hair length. Oil forms a layer on your skin and hair and prevents the color from going deep into skin or hair roots. Also the holi colors come off easily when washed later. Also apply sunscreen lotion on skin after letting the oil absorb for 15 minutes. This will prevent UV rays from doing harm to skin by mixing with colors.
Remove Holi Colors Gently After Playing Holi
Try to wash off the wet holi colors as soon as possible. For dry holi colors, just rub them off gently. If you can not remove the colors immediately, don't worry about it. Enjoy the Holi with herbal colors and use the following tips to remove the colors from your skin and hair.
• Wash off your hair first with plain water so that most of the color comes off. Then use a mild herbal shampoo or home made shampoo ( made with shikakai, reetha and amla or Indian gooseberry soaked overnight, boiled and strained in the morning). If you have taken hair care and had applied oil before, you will not have any difficulty in washing off the holi colors from your hair.
• For removing the holi colors from skin, first wash with cold water. Rub some lemon wedges over the skin (lemon is a natural bleaching agent that helps remove stains). Wash it off. Apply lots of moisturizer and leave it for at least 15 minutes. You can even use cleanser for the purpose. Put some drops of lemon juice in your lukewarm bathing water (not hot) and have a bath using a mild moisturizing soap. Take care to rub the skin gently.
• If the color doesn't come off, apply some warm olive oil. Rub the skin with a soft cloth gently. Apply curd or a herbal pack made with gram flour and milk afterwards. It will soften the skin. Use face pack made by mixing gram flour & curd till it becomes a smooth paste then apply it on face & massage gently to take out the traces of color left. Avoid bleaching, waxing or facial for a week after holi (even before holi).
Skin Care: The hazardous chemicals can cause skin discolouration, dermatitis, skin allergy or irritation of mucous membrane. To prevent this,
- Use natural/skin friendly and herbal colours or the ones made by reputed companies using natural products.
-Wear clothes that cover the maximum part of your body.
-Apply waterproof sunscreen on all exposed body parts.
- Trim your nail properly .Use a thick coat of nail paint on the nails and put Vaseline under the nail edges.
-After Holi, use warm water and moisturising soap to scrub the colours off. Use a baby oil to gently massage off the left over colour. Follow this up with lots of moisturiser, especially one that is meant for sensitive skin to correct dryness.
Eye Care: Eyes are extremely vulnerable to harmful chemicals in colors. Chemicals in concentrated form can lead to kerato-conjunctivitis and staining of the cornea. Water balloons can also injure eyeball, especially in children.
To avoid this,
-Make sure that colours do not get inside your eyes. If a colour comes in contact with the eye, one should immediately wash it with large amounts of water and in case irritation persists, medical aid should be sought immediately.
-Please ensure that your eyes remain protected at all times. You can use sunglasses to protect your eyes from colour filled balloons or water jets.
Hair care:
-If possible, cover your hair. Make use of hat or caps to protect your hair from being coloured with hard-to-rinse dyes.
-Use hair gel to counter the harmful effects as colours doesn't stick on your hair and can be washed off easily later. Rinse your hair with a mild shampoo as early as possible but don’t keep on washing them again and again.
General Tips:
• Avoid running and jumping on wet floors, you can slip and injure yourself. Your bones are especially vulnerable.
• Avoid too much indulgence in bhang, alcohol or food to avoid a bad day ahead.
• Do not drive if you are high on alcohol or bhang for your and other road user’s safety.
A step-wise ways to make your skin supple and smooth & your hair shiny and healthy is detailed below:
Wash the Holi colour off using besan and malai instead of strong soaps and detergents.
Apply paste of besan and yoghurt pack as it is also highly effective in removing colour and revitalizing skin.
Follow it up by a deep moisturizing agent like almond oil or a moisturizing cream.
Use a mild shampoo to wash off hair colours and condition them using a pH balanced conditioner.
A hydrating and detanning facial is also a good option to pamper the damaged skin, post Holi.
Go in for a manicure and pedicure to cleanse the colours off the nails.
If possible visit a dermatologist post Holi to get a microdermabrasion or a peel treatment done to strip off the damaged layers followed by a hydrating mask to make the skin soft and supple.
Mesothreapy (Mesoglow) is another option to regain the lost charm of skin. In this therapy superficial injections of vitamins and other skin brightening agents are imbibed in the skin with a gunshot.
Keeping all these things in mind, let us make this Holi fun filled and safe for all of us.
The synthetic colours available in the market comprise of toxic components such as lead oxide, engine oil, diesel, chromium iodine and copper sulphate which lead to rashes on the skin, allergies, pigmentation, frizzy hair and eye irritation. In extreme cases, it can cause serious skin diseases and clogging of hair cuticles resulting in severe hair damage.
Precautions
Follow these simple precautions to enjoy Holi:
1. Avoid synthetic colours and powdered dyes. Instead opt for skin-friendly vegetable or natural colours.
2. Apply a thick layer of moisturizer, petroleum jelly or coconut oil on your face and other exposed parts to prevent dyes and colours from coming into direct contact with your skin.
3. Oil your hair and scalp with olive, coconut or castor oil. Add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent dandruff and infection triggered by the chemical colours.
4. Wrap a bandanna around your head to prevent direct contact with the colours.
5. A mixture of jojoba and rosemary oil can also be applied to make the right base for your hair and prevent the harmful colours from settling down.
Use Herbal Holi Colors
Use only herbal holi colors. Its true that you can't tell people coming to your home to bring herbal colors. However, you can buy a lots of herbal holi colors and offer to play holi with them only with your guests. Remember, this may cost you a little more but your skin and hair will be safe. Moreover, the cost of dermatologist and other medical expenses resulting from use of chemical holi colors will be saved. When buying herbal holi colors, feel them. They should be soft and must feel powdery, like talc or refined flour (maida) and not grainy or gritty. For a cheaper option, you can even make natural colors by doing it yourself. Tips for making such DIY herbal holi colors are given in the last section of this article.
Apply Protective Lotions or Oils Before Playing Holi
Prepare yourself for the holi colors. Although its good to wear comfortable clothes but ensure that your clothes cover the maximum of your body. Apply some oil (best ones are coconut oil and mustard oil) all over the exposed skin of your body. Paint your nails with nail polish. Apply petroleum jelly under nails, behind ears, on lips- wherever, there is the possibility of colors getting stuck. If possible, use shower cap to cover your hair. Apply some hair oil (olive oil or coconut oil) on the scalp and hair length. Oil forms a layer on your skin and hair and prevents the color from going deep into skin or hair roots. Also the holi colors come off easily when washed later. Also apply sunscreen lotion on skin after letting the oil absorb for 15 minutes. This will prevent UV rays from doing harm to skin by mixing with colors.
Remove Holi Colors Gently After Playing Holi
Try to wash off the wet holi colors as soon as possible. For dry holi colors, just rub them off gently. If you can not remove the colors immediately, don't worry about it. Enjoy the Holi with herbal colors and use the following tips to remove the colors from your skin and hair.
• Wash off your hair first with plain water so that most of the color comes off. Then use a mild herbal shampoo or home made shampoo ( made with shikakai, reetha and amla or Indian gooseberry soaked overnight, boiled and strained in the morning). If you have taken hair care and had applied oil before, you will not have any difficulty in washing off the holi colors from your hair.
• For removing the holi colors from skin, first wash with cold water. Rub some lemon wedges over the skin (lemon is a natural bleaching agent that helps remove stains). Wash it off. Apply lots of moisturizer and leave it for at least 15 minutes. You can even use cleanser for the purpose. Put some drops of lemon juice in your lukewarm bathing water (not hot) and have a bath using a mild moisturizing soap. Take care to rub the skin gently.
• If the color doesn't come off, apply some warm olive oil. Rub the skin with a soft cloth gently. Apply curd or a herbal pack made with gram flour and milk afterwards. It will soften the skin. Use face pack made by mixing gram flour & curd till it becomes a smooth paste then apply it on face & massage gently to take out the traces of color left. Avoid bleaching, waxing or facial for a week after holi (even before holi).
Skin Care: The hazardous chemicals can cause skin discolouration, dermatitis, skin allergy or irritation of mucous membrane. To prevent this,
- Use natural/skin friendly and herbal colours or the ones made by reputed companies using natural products.
-Wear clothes that cover the maximum part of your body.
-Apply waterproof sunscreen on all exposed body parts.
- Trim your nail properly .Use a thick coat of nail paint on the nails and put Vaseline under the nail edges.
-After Holi, use warm water and moisturising soap to scrub the colours off. Use a baby oil to gently massage off the left over colour. Follow this up with lots of moisturiser, especially one that is meant for sensitive skin to correct dryness.
Eye Care: Eyes are extremely vulnerable to harmful chemicals in colors. Chemicals in concentrated form can lead to kerato-conjunctivitis and staining of the cornea. Water balloons can also injure eyeball, especially in children.
To avoid this,
-Make sure that colours do not get inside your eyes. If a colour comes in contact with the eye, one should immediately wash it with large amounts of water and in case irritation persists, medical aid should be sought immediately.
-Please ensure that your eyes remain protected at all times. You can use sunglasses to protect your eyes from colour filled balloons or water jets.
Hair care:
-If possible, cover your hair. Make use of hat or caps to protect your hair from being coloured with hard-to-rinse dyes.
-Use hair gel to counter the harmful effects as colours doesn't stick on your hair and can be washed off easily later. Rinse your hair with a mild shampoo as early as possible but don’t keep on washing them again and again.
General Tips:
• Avoid running and jumping on wet floors, you can slip and injure yourself. Your bones are especially vulnerable.
• Avoid too much indulgence in bhang, alcohol or food to avoid a bad day ahead.
• Do not drive if you are high on alcohol or bhang for your and other road user’s safety.
A step-wise ways to make your skin supple and smooth & your hair shiny and healthy is detailed below:
Wash the Holi colour off using besan and malai instead of strong soaps and detergents.
Apply paste of besan and yoghurt pack as it is also highly effective in removing colour and revitalizing skin.
Follow it up by a deep moisturizing agent like almond oil or a moisturizing cream.
Use a mild shampoo to wash off hair colours and condition them using a pH balanced conditioner.
A hydrating and detanning facial is also a good option to pamper the damaged skin, post Holi.
Go in for a manicure and pedicure to cleanse the colours off the nails.
If possible visit a dermatologist post Holi to get a microdermabrasion or a peel treatment done to strip off the damaged layers followed by a hydrating mask to make the skin soft and supple.
Mesothreapy (Mesoglow) is another option to regain the lost charm of skin. In this therapy superficial injections of vitamins and other skin brightening agents are imbibed in the skin with a gunshot.
Keeping all these things in mind, let us make this Holi fun filled and safe for all of us.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Dandruff and its Managment
Dandruff is a condition that causes itchy, greasy flakes and scales of dried sebum (an oily skin-lubricating fluid secreted by the sebaceous glands) and dead skin to appear on the scalp and in the hair, and as the flakes fall, on the shoulders. It is commonly caused by seborrheic dermatitis, a disorder of the sebaceous glands.
The sebaceous glands are tiny glands in the skin that open into hair follicles. These glands are especially numerous in the areas of the scalp, the face, the anus, the nose, the mouth, and the external ear. If they produce too much sebum, it dries into flakes and plugs up the ducts. The sebaceous glands respond by putting forth even more sebum in an attempt to force out the obstructions and open a passageway to the surface of the skin. Scaling, flaking, and itching occur.
Dandruff may be complicated by the presence of a persistent yeast called Pityrosporum ovale that normally lives in the hair follicles. In severe cases, the face, eyebrows, and ears may be affected.
General recommendations for dandruff
Do not pick at the scales. Doing so may cause an infection.
Applying apple-cider vinegar to the affected areas in an old home remedy that has been helpful to many. Use two parts apple-cider vinegar to one part of water. Heat the mixture to a comfortably warm temperature and apply it to your scalp. Wrap a towel around your head and wait thirty minutes, then rinse out the vinegar.
Shampoo thoroughly when you wash your hair. Some people find that use a regular nonmedicated shampoo formulated without oil is more helpful than antidandruff formulas.
Preventive measures for dandruff
To avoid an accumulation of dead skin cells and flakes, gently but thoroughly brush or comb your hair at least twice a day.
If your scalp is dry, before shampooing, try massaging your scalp with oil at least once a week.
Dandruff Treatment
Antidandruff shampoos available over the counter are effective for many people. The active ingredients in these shampoos may include one or more of the following: salicylic acid, selenium sulfide, menthol, and zinc pyrithione (ZPT). If a particular medicated shampoo seems to be losing its effectiveness after a few uses, select another shampoo with a different active ingredient and switch back and forth between formulas. Medicated shampoos are very drying. For that reason, it is best not to use them more often than necessary.
Shampoos containing coal tar are effective against dandruff. Be aware, however, that they can leave a dulling residue behind that darkens light-colored hair.
If you do not get satisfactory results with over-the-counter remedies, consult your doctor or dermatologist for a diagnosis. If the condition is complicated by a yeast infection, for example, he or she may prescribe a shampoo containing an antifungal such as miconazole (in Micatin-Derm and Monistat-Derm) or clotimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex, and others).
Selenium sulfide suspension can be applied directly to the scalp once a week. It is nontoxic, but it can irritate the scalp in some cases, and there have been reports of oiliness, dryness, darkening of very light hair, and changes in the rate of hair loss. Its safety for use by pregnant women has not been tested.
In severe, difficult cases, the intermittent use of topical Corticosteroids may be recommended. However, it is best to avoid these agents unless they are absolutely necessary, as they may be absorbed into the body through the scalp. In addition, the body gets used to their effects quickly, so that increased doses can become necessary to achieve the same effect.
Diet and dandruff
Eat a high-fiber whole-foods diet.
Avoid saturated animal fats and hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats and oils.
Avoid refined sugars and processed foods. Both bacteria and yeasts thrive on sugar.
Yogurt and other fermented foods containing active cultures of probiotic bacteria can help clear a yeast infection. Enjoy them often.
Maximize the use of vitamin B in your diet. You can found vitamin B in yeast and raw wheat germ, especially vitamin B6 which is important to control dandruff.
Vitamin B6 can also be found in eggs and cabbage, also found sulphur and beaty minerals which are helpful for skin and hair.
Unpasteurized milk is a good source of vitamin B6, while pasteurization destroys the vitamin B6.
Sometimes dandruff is caused by allergy to some dairy products. In this case alternative sources of vitamin B6 are prefered.
Other allergens that can cause dandruff are chocolate, nuts and shellfish, refined carbohydrates in white flour or sugar.
Dandruff Nutrition & Supplements
Essential fatty acids decrease dryness of the skin, which can contribute to dandruff. For their content of the essential fatty acids, take 500 to 1,000 milligrams of black currant seed, borage, evening primrose, or flaxseed oil twice daily.
Probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidbacterium bifidum) are cleansing to the body. They foster healthy flora and help fight yeast infection. Take a probiotic supplement as recommended on the product label. If you are allergic to milk, select a dairy-free product.
Selenium is an antioxidant that fights free radicals and is cleansing to the body. It also tends to have beneficial effects specifically for dandruff. Take 100 micrograms twice daily.
Vitamin A and beta-carotene are necessary for healthy skin. Take up to 10,000 international units of vitamin A and 20,000 international units of beta-carotene daily for two weeks.
Note: If your pregnant, or intended to get pregnant, or if you have liver disease, consult your doctor before taking supplemental vitamin A. Pregnant women should not ingest a total of more than 25,000 international units of supplemental vitamin A per week from all sources.
Vitamin-E oil can be used topically to soften scales and nourish the scalp. Simply massage it into the affected areas and leave it in place overnight (or for at least thirty minutes), then shampoo.
Homeopathy treatment for dandruff
Sepia: If you have a moist, greasy scalp, and is sensitive around the hair roots then sepia is preffered.
Graphites: If you have a encrusted, moist, smelly scalp, and crusting behind ears then graphites is recommended.
Arsenicum: It is prefered when you have a dry, sensitive, hot scalp and is very itchy at night, also round bare patches of scalp showing through hair.
Natrum mur: It is preferred when you have lank and greasy hair with crusting around the hairline.
Sulphur: If you have a thick dandruff and the scalp becomes dry after washing. Wants to scratch at night which leads to scalp burning then sulphur is helpful over it.
Thuja is good for the person who is cooler and calmer, and who likes settling down under a thick comforter. If Sulfur doesn't clear the condition, take one dose of Thuja 30x or 9c twice daily for two days.
The sebaceous glands are tiny glands in the skin that open into hair follicles. These glands are especially numerous in the areas of the scalp, the face, the anus, the nose, the mouth, and the external ear. If they produce too much sebum, it dries into flakes and plugs up the ducts. The sebaceous glands respond by putting forth even more sebum in an attempt to force out the obstructions and open a passageway to the surface of the skin. Scaling, flaking, and itching occur.
Dandruff may be complicated by the presence of a persistent yeast called Pityrosporum ovale that normally lives in the hair follicles. In severe cases, the face, eyebrows, and ears may be affected.
General recommendations for dandruff
Do not pick at the scales. Doing so may cause an infection.
Applying apple-cider vinegar to the affected areas in an old home remedy that has been helpful to many. Use two parts apple-cider vinegar to one part of water. Heat the mixture to a comfortably warm temperature and apply it to your scalp. Wrap a towel around your head and wait thirty minutes, then rinse out the vinegar.
Shampoo thoroughly when you wash your hair. Some people find that use a regular nonmedicated shampoo formulated without oil is more helpful than antidandruff formulas.
Preventive measures for dandruff
To avoid an accumulation of dead skin cells and flakes, gently but thoroughly brush or comb your hair at least twice a day.
If your scalp is dry, before shampooing, try massaging your scalp with oil at least once a week.
Dandruff Treatment
Antidandruff shampoos available over the counter are effective for many people. The active ingredients in these shampoos may include one or more of the following: salicylic acid, selenium sulfide, menthol, and zinc pyrithione (ZPT). If a particular medicated shampoo seems to be losing its effectiveness after a few uses, select another shampoo with a different active ingredient and switch back and forth between formulas. Medicated shampoos are very drying. For that reason, it is best not to use them more often than necessary.
Shampoos containing coal tar are effective against dandruff. Be aware, however, that they can leave a dulling residue behind that darkens light-colored hair.
If you do not get satisfactory results with over-the-counter remedies, consult your doctor or dermatologist for a diagnosis. If the condition is complicated by a yeast infection, for example, he or she may prescribe a shampoo containing an antifungal such as miconazole (in Micatin-Derm and Monistat-Derm) or clotimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex, and others).
Selenium sulfide suspension can be applied directly to the scalp once a week. It is nontoxic, but it can irritate the scalp in some cases, and there have been reports of oiliness, dryness, darkening of very light hair, and changes in the rate of hair loss. Its safety for use by pregnant women has not been tested.
In severe, difficult cases, the intermittent use of topical Corticosteroids may be recommended. However, it is best to avoid these agents unless they are absolutely necessary, as they may be absorbed into the body through the scalp. In addition, the body gets used to their effects quickly, so that increased doses can become necessary to achieve the same effect.
Diet and dandruff
Eat a high-fiber whole-foods diet.
Avoid saturated animal fats and hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats and oils.
Avoid refined sugars and processed foods. Both bacteria and yeasts thrive on sugar.
Yogurt and other fermented foods containing active cultures of probiotic bacteria can help clear a yeast infection. Enjoy them often.
Maximize the use of vitamin B in your diet. You can found vitamin B in yeast and raw wheat germ, especially vitamin B6 which is important to control dandruff.
Vitamin B6 can also be found in eggs and cabbage, also found sulphur and beaty minerals which are helpful for skin and hair.
Unpasteurized milk is a good source of vitamin B6, while pasteurization destroys the vitamin B6.
Sometimes dandruff is caused by allergy to some dairy products. In this case alternative sources of vitamin B6 are prefered.
Other allergens that can cause dandruff are chocolate, nuts and shellfish, refined carbohydrates in white flour or sugar.
Dandruff Nutrition & Supplements
Essential fatty acids decrease dryness of the skin, which can contribute to dandruff. For their content of the essential fatty acids, take 500 to 1,000 milligrams of black currant seed, borage, evening primrose, or flaxseed oil twice daily.
Probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidbacterium bifidum) are cleansing to the body. They foster healthy flora and help fight yeast infection. Take a probiotic supplement as recommended on the product label. If you are allergic to milk, select a dairy-free product.
Selenium is an antioxidant that fights free radicals and is cleansing to the body. It also tends to have beneficial effects specifically for dandruff. Take 100 micrograms twice daily.
Vitamin A and beta-carotene are necessary for healthy skin. Take up to 10,000 international units of vitamin A and 20,000 international units of beta-carotene daily for two weeks.
Note: If your pregnant, or intended to get pregnant, or if you have liver disease, consult your doctor before taking supplemental vitamin A. Pregnant women should not ingest a total of more than 25,000 international units of supplemental vitamin A per week from all sources.
Vitamin-E oil can be used topically to soften scales and nourish the scalp. Simply massage it into the affected areas and leave it in place overnight (or for at least thirty minutes), then shampoo.
Homeopathy treatment for dandruff
Sepia: If you have a moist, greasy scalp, and is sensitive around the hair roots then sepia is preffered.
Graphites: If you have a encrusted, moist, smelly scalp, and crusting behind ears then graphites is recommended.
Arsenicum: It is prefered when you have a dry, sensitive, hot scalp and is very itchy at night, also round bare patches of scalp showing through hair.
Natrum mur: It is preferred when you have lank and greasy hair with crusting around the hairline.
Sulphur: If you have a thick dandruff and the scalp becomes dry after washing. Wants to scratch at night which leads to scalp burning then sulphur is helpful over it.
Thuja is good for the person who is cooler and calmer, and who likes settling down under a thick comforter. If Sulfur doesn't clear the condition, take one dose of Thuja 30x or 9c twice daily for two days.
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