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The current world population as of the beginning of 2008 has already reached above the 6.6 billion mark. Of this number, a significant percentage belongs to countries where there is little or no access to the proper medical help to maintain the health of its citizens. In this regard, you can probably already understand how essential living healthy can be.

Living healthy not only insures the absence of diseases, but it also allows a person to live longer, recover from environmental stresses faster, and to have an overall happier disposition in life. In short, if you live a life of health, you can enjoy it more with the people you love.

All Health Online aims to provide you with pertinent and updated medical information on several health issues that are a big concern today. Currently, government organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration are continually performing studies and trials to determine the best options for the prevention and treatment of diseases and other health conditions. You will find several useful pieces of information from the many articles posted on this site, including data from other organizations such as the American Cancer Society, and also medical publications.

It is true that one of the first things to do when attempting to overcome a disease is to know all there is to know about it. Knowledge can be a powerful thing, and reading up on causes, statistics, symptoms, and treatment options can be an effective tool in battling many health complications, as well as preventing them from happening in the first place. Both mental disorders and physical conditions are rampant, and they can happen to almost anyone, and often without warning.

It is well known that children are more susceptible to disease as compared to adults, which is why preventive medicine should be of high priority. As you go through the causes and symptoms of many health conditions, you better understand ways of dealing with it, whether or not it happens to you, or to someone in your family. Note that children require different forms of treatment and types of medication depending on their condition. A lot more on this can be found from the health articles on All Health Online.

Also, keep in mind how to perform maintenance on the body, especially following a medical condition or some form of medical treatment. Families should begin to establish healthy routines, such as exercise and the proper diet. One can not stress enough why health is wealth.

Hopefully, the articles provided for you by All Health Online will be more than just informative or entertaining. You might be surprised at how some symptoms can be indicators of more than just one condition, so it pays to be in the know. Learning about several treatment options can also assist you in determining a method for dealing with a condition. Furthermore, because of the advances in the field of medicine, more promising solutions to severe conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and other diseases are being found.

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Drunken driving may prove fatal

Alcohol impairs almost every aspect of the brain’s information and thus alcohol-impaired drivers require more time to read street signs or respond to traffic signals, says Dr H S Chhabra

It is established that alcohol impairs one’s ability to drive safely. At a blood alcohol concentration of .08%, drivers are 11 times more likely to have a crash than drivers under no influence of alcohol. Road accidents under influence of alcohol kill someone every 31 minutes and injure someone every two minutes in US. In India, alcohol abuse contributes to 30-50% of road accidents. Alcohol affects several skills necessary for driving. It only takes low to moderate blood alcohol concentrations (.03 to .05%) to interfere with voluntary eye movements and impairs the eyes’ ability to rapidly track a moving target. It also affects eye-tohand reaction time, affecting steering skills. Alcohol impairs almost every aspect of the brain’s informationprocessing ability. The permitted blood alcohol level in India is 0.03%. Though the number of drinks consumed is a poor measure of intoxication, generally the consumption of two standard drinks of alcohol (containing a total of 20g) by an average person will increase blood alcohol concentration roughly by 0.05%. The most common method of determining alcohol concentration is by measuring alcohol in an exhaled sample of breath. As per National Committee on Injury Prevention and Control, blood alcohol testing when crashes result in injury is mandatory. Alcohol affects people differently. Some people can experience signs of impairment at 0.02%, whereas others may not experience it until 0.05%. The only safe driving limit is 0%.

Home remedies for nausea

You can use a fresh piece of ginger in your tea for relief.
A simple and the best way to ease nausea is to vomit.
Morning sickness is a very common feature among pregnant women. To avoid morning sickness, mix one tablespoon apple cider vinegar with one tablespoon honey. Mix it in cold water and have it before going to bed.
Carbonated beverages such as soda are frequently used to suppress morning sickness or nausea associated with stomach flu. It is important to take small sips in order to avoid further upsetting the stomach.
Having few teaspoons of wheatgerm mixed with milk every hour may help you bid farewell to the nausea from morning sickness.
After boiling 1/2 cup of rice in one cup of water for 10-20 minutes, consume the rice water after draining the rice from it.
You should consume 1/2 teaspoon grounded cumin seeds to get relief.
Peppermint or camomile tea is capable of getting rid of the nauseating feeling.
You can have a mild tea or gingerale to help soothe your stomach. You can also have slippery elm, red raspberry as well as herbal candies.
Consume 1-2 tablespoon of any non-carbonated syrup will help bring relief to your system. These syrup formulas contain carbohydrates that help cool down the stomach.
You can treat it by having two capsules of gingerroot. It will give you quick relief, depending how severe your nausea is.

Fighting backache

Concentrate on the technique rather than the duration in the beginning. The asanas will come more naturally as your body will get used to the movements, says Nivedita Joshi

The following asanas help strengthening the spine, spinal muscles and leg muscles. It also helps to strengthen the back & relieves backache and reduces the problem of sciatica. From Samasthiti go to Uthit Hast Padasana and then Parsva Hast Padasana. Utthita Hasta Padasana From Samasthiti, go to Utthita Hasta padasana, then Parsva Hasta Padasana & then Virbhadrasana II Inhale, jump 4 ft apart Keep the feet parallel and pointing forward Knees lifted, thighs back Trunk and chest lifted Extend the arms straight out at shoulder level; keep the shoulders down and shoulder blades inwards Keep the elbows straight, palms open, facing down, fingers extended Neck straight, head straight, look straight ahead Come back to Samasthiti Parsva Hasta Padasana: Go to Utthita Hasta Padasana Turn the right leg, thigh and foot 90 degree to the right Turn the left foot slightly in Check that the middle of the thigh, knee and ankle are in line As the leg rotates to the right, resist having the whole trunk following by turning the abdomen in the opposite direction. Keep the head, middle throat, centre chest and navel in one vertical line
Keep both sides of the waist even and lifted
Come to Utthita Hasta Padasana; do on the left side
Come back to Samasthiti Make sure you don’t strain yourself by trying too hard. The asanas come more easily after you’ve had some practise. Concentrate on the technique rather than the duration and intensity in the beginning and you will find that the asanas come more naturally as your body gets used to the movements.

BALANCED DIET key to prevention

Physician Dr Jyothsna Krishnappa advises on the various monsoon diseases

WHAT ARE THE COMMON MONSOON DISEASES? Water-borne diseases like Gastroenteritis and Cholera Enteric Fever (of the intestines) like Typhoid and Para-typhoid Hepatitis — regular jaundice Vector-borne diseases like Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya Respiratory diseases like Common cold, Bronchitis and Pneumonia SYMPTOMS

FOR WATER-BORNE DISEASES
Fever Diarrhoea Vomiting Abdominal pain Dehydration

FOR HEPATITIS
Vomiting Lack of appetite Distaste for food (anorexia) Passing of dark yellow urine and fever Manifestation of yellowish colour in the eyes

FOR RESPIRATORY DISEASES
Typical common cold with cough and occasional whizzing, which means it is progressing to bronchitis

WHAT’S ADVISED
A balanced diet with appropriate intake of: Oral rehydration solution (ORS) Tender coconut Fruit juice Curd and butter milk Soft, non-spicy easily digestible food like idly, upma, pongal Maintain toilet hygiene Warm fluids like rasam and soups Fruits

FOR ENTERIC FEVER
Similar symptoms as waterborne diseases but fever more prominent and prolonged
Diarrhoea is predominant with signs of constipation sometimes

FOR VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES
Malaria High fever with rigours Sweating Complications involve liver and kidney problems and bleeding
Dengue Fever Bodyache Leads to hepatitis sometimes Low platelet count Skin rashes Bleeding manifestation anywhere on the body

FOR PNEUMONIA
High fever Cough Chest pain Yellowish or greenish sputum

Precaution
During the onset of diarrheal diseases, fluid intake should be monitored to prevent dehydration

FACT
Foot infections may aggravate, especially among diabetes patients. Keep the feet free and use antibiotic creams, if necessary

Food allergies now a fashion statement

Many People Claim Reaction To Everyday Foods Like Dairy Products, Wheat Without Being Tested

More people are claiming food allergies than ever before. So much so, throwing a dinner party these days is a gastronomic minefield. It begins with the required question that must be attached to every dinner invitation — “What don’t you eat?” — and ends with the cook tearing his or her hair out trying to make several different versions of the same meal because everyone says they have food allergies or preferences. Why has food become such an allergic trigger?

A report in Life Scientist says that as many as 11 million Americans have food allergies that send victims to the hospital in droves. Only about 150 people die each year from allergic reactions to food, but it seems odd that although we live in a time when we no longer forage through the forest and might unknowing eat toxic stuff, food allergies are on the rise. In fact, the allergies are to commonly ingested foods such as milk, eggs, wheat, soy, nuts and fish.

According to Hugh Samson of Mount Sinai Medical School and the Food Allergy Initiative, food allergies are a case of the immune system going haywire. Most of the food we eat is broken down in the digestive tract, but some bits of protein end up in the bloodstream where they are usually perceived by the immune system as harmless. In some people, the immune system doesn’t react properly and instead produces an antibody that attacks these proteins, sending the body into allergic shock.

The rise in allergic reactions is real, Sampson feels, because culture has changed the way foods are introduced into the diet. For example, peanut allergies are highest in Western culture, and this may be because we wait so long to eat peanuts. In cultures where peanuts are on the menu early, no one seems to need a peanut-free classroom.

For example, the leading kid snack food in Israel is Bamba, a corn puff made with peanut butter, and there seem to be few Israeli kids with peanut allergies.

In contrast, kids in Hebrew school in England, where there is no Bamba, often have peanut allergies. Culture also plays a role in food preparation that might be a set-up for allergic reactions. Sampson points out that Africans boil their peanuts while American eat them dry-roasted. Dry roasting, it appears, make the peanuts into little allergy bombs just waiting to get into our bloodstreams and cause havoc.

It’s also a cultural phenomenon that so many people claim food allergies without being tested, which means that certain food might cause intestinal distress (or the person imagines the distress). But that’s not an allergic reaction.

It’s also become fashionable in Western culture to claim an allergy to dairy or wheat as a cure-all for stress, upset, or an off day, but that also doesn’t make those foods a medical problem.

Food fear is our own invention, and yet one that we have to take seriously if a dinner guest can really end up dead. At my house, we cater to those with specific allergies, but we no longer attend to the preferences. Instead, we explain what’s for dinner and if a guest doesn’t like it, tell them to bring their own food.

So far, no one has died at the table, but some guests, our picky eaters, have surely gone home hungry. AGENCIES

FEAR FACTOR? Experts say the rise in allergic reactions is real because culture has changed the way foods are introduced into the diet

Courtesy: The Times of India

Veggies more prone to strokes

Strokes are the second most common cause of deaths and the commonest cause of severe disability. Now a study has shown that deficiency of Vitamin B12, seen in vegetarians, can predispose a person to strokes much more than the usual risk factors — diabetes and hypertension.

‘‘While 20% of Indians suffer from diabetes and high BP,’’ says Dr Arun Garg, consultant neurologist, Max Hospitals, ‘‘incidence of homocysteinemia (increased levels of homocysteine, an amino acid) caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, is 70%. This is seen more among vegetarians as this vitamin is mainly found in meat and milk, if it’s neither boiled nor pasteurised.’’ In fact, deficiency of vitamins B12, B6 and folate causes twothirds of strokes. This risk is four times higher in vegetarians. As folate is found in vegetables and fruits, its deficiency is rare among Indians, but that of vitamin B12 is common.

Normal levels of homocysteine are 5-15 micromol per litre. Increased levels heighten the chances of blood clotting, which can lead to decrease in blood supply to the brain, causing a stroke. Studies have found high levels of homocysteine in over 80% of stroke patients. Even a rise of five micromol increases the risk of stroke by two times.

The link between strokes and vegetarianism was confirmed in a five-year study by Garg and Dr A K Jain, neurologist, Jain Neuro Centre, in two Max hospitals and this Centre. From 2003, 4,680 OPD patients were screened for vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels. Those with a history of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, chronic renal, liver problems, alcoholics and those on vitamin supplements were excluded.

It was found that 60% patients had vitamin B12 levels below 400 pg/ml and 38.9% had less than 200 pg/ml. Homocysteine levels were high (over 15 micromol/l) in 36%. And out of these, over 80% were either strict vegetarians or took nonvegetarian food less than once a week. This showed the co-relation between vegetarians and strokes. To confirm the study, 418 ischemic stroke patients between 30-85 years admitted during the same period were analysed. It was found that homocysteine levels were high in 77.5% of the patients showing vitamin deficiency can result in strokes. The effects of a stroke are serious and sometimes fatal — paralysis, loss of speech and vision, unsteadiness, double vision or even unconsciousness.

Dr Vinay Goyal, associate professor, neurology, AIIMS, says, ‘‘It’s true that vegetarians have less vitamin B12 as compared to non-vegetarians. This has been proven in Indian Americans, Germans, and Chinese/Singaporeans.’’

Prevention would cost less than Rs 10 per day, says Garg. All one has to do is take prescribed doses of vitamin B12 and B6 and folic acid. These are shown to reduce homocysteine level by 38% and the risk of stroke by 20-30%. Goyal says, ‘‘Vitamin B12 is also there in soyabean, legumes, dairy products, cottage cheese, etc.’’ Garg and Jain gave vegetarian patients in their study daily vitamin supplements.

Their symptoms disappeared completely after 3-6 months of therapy. Vegetarians with vitamin B12 deficiency need life-long treatment. A dose of 1-1.5 mg/day is required, says Garg.

Courtesy: The Times of India

Use your mind to charge your body

The following method is a blend of techniques from clinical hypnosis and Hindu pranayama, or conscious life force control

The body has its own intelligence — every cell in the body contains enough information to recreate the entire body. Often, if healing is going slowly, it’s because the body lacks sufficient energy. Here I provide a method that will let you use your mind to super-charge your body with energy. This method is a blend of techniques from clinical hypnosis and Hindu pranayama, or conscious life force control. Before you start the method, review this illustration of the seven chakras and the types of emotional and spiritual issues associated with each, beginning with the first chakra at the base of the spine and ending with the seventh chakra at the crown of the head. Now, turn off the phone, sit back comfortably, close your eyes, and begin to monitor your breath going in and out. Next, begin counting backwards from ten to one. Count slowly, waiting about three seconds between numbers. Now take about 3 minutes to imagine a warm, relaxing feeling flowing in through the tips of your toes, all the way up your body. Meditate for 5 minutes, then place your attention on the medullary centre, a sub-chakra located at the base of your head. Whenever you breath in, prana(life energy), enters your body at the medullary centre. As you breathe out, you can send this energy from your head to any part of your body — simply “imagine” pranic energy as a flow of light, or “feel” it move as a physical sensation, or just “think” of it entering the head with the indrawn breath, and moving into the body with the out-breath. Now, focus on the first chakraat the base of the spine (where we store basic biological energy) and for two minutes, send pranato this energy centre on the outbreath. Continue working your way up the spine — sending pranato each chakrafor two minutes. If any part of your body is suffering from any kind of ailment, spend 5 minutes sending pranato the damaged part with the out-breath. This will vastly improve your health outcomes.

Courtesy: The Times of India

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The wet and dry spells

Weather changes can adversely affect your health. Nutritionists recommend consumption of antioxidants to boost immunity

Monsoon is in full swing with heavy showers to a mild drizzle and then a dry spell with the sun lurking in and out. Weather changes can play havoc with people’s health. According to the WHO reports, many diseases are highly sensitive to changing temperatures and precipitation. These include common vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue; as well as other major troublemakers such as malnutrition and diarrhoea. According to Anar Shah, consumption of antioxidants such as vitamin E or C can help boost your immunity. Proper nourishment during the season therefore may increase your body’s resistance to illnesses.

Following a dry spell

After heavy showers for days together you feel happy when you see sunshine. Moving out in the sun gets you out of that depressive state of mind. You instantly get out of your mundane rain wear and get into clean vibrant attire. Whether it is a wet spell or a dry one, monsoon is the season filled with moisture and humidity although the temporary dry spell does help reduce humidity in the atmosphere.

Viruses and bacteria thrive in the warm, moist and humid environment. Hence in spite of the dry spell, the backlash of rains is imminent. The pollutants are trapped within the settling air close to the ground thus irritating the eyes, nose and throat. Flu viruses may then latch on to these pollutants giving rise to flu epidemics that occur as you breathe in the damp and dirty air into the lungs.

The dampness in the air causes allergic disorders like asthma to flare up. Bronchitis is exacerbated. Arthritis, joint pain, skin infections, bunions spring up as the air pressure drops before it rains again.

Because of incessant rains, there are stagnant pools of water as in pot holes, where mosquitoes breed. The Aedes Egyptii mosquito, a day-biting mosquito causes dengue fever. The female Anopheles mosquito transmits malaria. People store water in their homes; they have potted plants, flower vases filled with water where mosquitoes breed readily. And so even after the wet spell is over the mosquito menace is on unless you take precautions to get rid of stored water.

Children at the mercy of weather changes

It is the beginning of the school term. And children end up with cold, cough, wheezing, viral fever, jaundice due to hepatitis and diarrhoea. Younger ones may even develop respiratory problems like pneumonia. If the fever persists for more than three days, you need to get medical help.

School-going children are more prone to skin infections during the wet season. Wet hair, wet socks, wet uniforms clinging to the skin can give rise to fungal infections, dandruff on the scalp and even lice infestation. Hygiene is very important at this time of the season.

Monsoon brings with it stomach ailments and diarrhoea is the commonest of all. Contaminated food and water are to blame. It is mostly the undernourished children who are prone to infections both viral and bacterial because of low immunity or low resistance to illnesses.

Boost your immunity this season

Vitamin C — Citrus fruits like orange, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, kiwi
fruit, sweet red peppers

Vitamin E — whole grains, wheat germ, leafy, green vegetables, sardines, egg yolk, nuts and seeds

Vitamin A — Carrots, dark, green, leafy vegetables like kale, collard, spinach, sweet potatoes, orange, cantaloupe, liver and milk fortified with vitamin A

Vitamin B6 — whole grains, fish, sea food, eggs, dairy products, leafy green vegetables, beans and peas

Zinc — oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains, dairy products, fortified cereals, legumes

Selenium — tuna, lobster, shrimp, whole grains, vegetables, brown rice, egg yolks, cottage cheese, chicken (white meat), sunflower seeds, garlic, and lamb chops

Omega-3 fatty acids as in flax oil and fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

Courtesy: The Times of India

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Systemic sclerosis can be genetic | Heal With Homeopathy

Systemic sclerosis is a multisystem disorder of unknown origin. It can cause hardening and thickening of the skin and attack the heart, lungs, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Systemic sclerosis develops in about two people in 100,000 per year. Women are about four times more likely than men to be afflicted with it. It is rarely seen in children and usually begins between the ages of 30 and 60.

Researchers have found some evidence that genes are an important factor, but environment seems also to play a role. For example, exposure to solvent mixtures used in paint thinners and removers (nail polish) has been reported to increase the risk of scleroderma in women, according to a study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

An increased frequency of skin cancer appears to be related to systemic sclerosis. It is believed that the skin in systemic sclerosis patients being more sensitive to ultraviolet light causes greater vulnerability to and higher incidence of skin cancer. The use of strong sun protection with an SFP of 45 and above before going out in the sun is recommended for patients with systemic sclerosis.
Patients are also advised regular monitoring of blood pressure, blood and urine and lung function. They must report any untoward symptoms promptly to a doctor.

Although not curable, systemic sclerosis can be managed and treated through early diagnosis and individually tailored therapy. Physical and psychotherapy are important adjunctive therapies in this multifactorial disease.

Homeopathy is strongly recommended to relieve symptoms, control the disease from progressing, treat complications and minimise any disability.
Thirty three year old Sushma Bhatt had suffered from systemic sclerosis for seven years. She had tried several doctors and treatments to little or no avail. She came to our clinic with multiple complaints, the chief being a severe dry irritating cough with breathlessness that did not respond to any anti-allergens or antibiotics. She had severe pain, swelling and deformities of the finger joints that restricted her daily activities inspite of taking painkillers two to three times a day. She was experiencing gradually increasing levels of irritability, anger, anxiety, fear and depression. A CT scan of her lungs showed changes suggestive of interstitial lung disease. She was on heavy allopathic doses of glucocorticoids and methotrexate (cytotoxic) as well as anti-inflammatory drugs.

Our detailed case study revealed that her sleep was very disturbed. She had repetitive horror-filled nightmares of ghosts, robbers, accidents and dead relatives. Further probing revealed that she had an intense fear of death — both her own and that of her family members. On the basis of her symptoms and state of mind, we prescribed her Stramonium 200.

From the time she started homeopathic treatment, there was a marked improvement in her condition. All pain in the long bones and major joints substantially reduced during the first month itself. Her ‘chronic’ cough disappeared by the second month, the edema on her legs subsided, and breathlessness improved to a great extent inspite of tapering off her allopathic medication. She began eating well and her overall health improved. She felt less fearful and anxious and was able to handle all her work during the day, and sleep soundly at night. Another happy ending for Homeopathy.
Homeopathic remedies for systemic sclerosis:

Silicea: 6x, 2 tablets twice daily indicated for fibrosis of lungs Calc f: 6x, 2 tablets twice daily indicated for thickening and hardening of the skin.

Courtesy: The Times of India