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Saturday 23 October 2010

Your food shall be your medicine!

In Ayurveda it is mentioned that ,Every Dravya (Material) present in this world can be used as Medicine, if you know its proper use,if not then it may acts as Poison.This concept is also applicable with our foods.In this article the Medicinal importance of food is described:Your food shall be your medicine,' said Hippocrates, the Father of modern medicine. He knew what he was talking about way back in 424 BC! Choose the food that suits your needs from this guide...


DIABETES:
  • Drink the juice of 4-5 bitter gourds on an empty stomach every morning.
  • Add a teaspoon of dried and powdered jamun seeds to a cup of milk, and drink it first thing in the morning.
  • Swallow dry methi seeds (fenugreek) whole, or soaked overnight in water. Depending on the severity, you can have 25-100gm of the seeds.
MENOPAUSE

Drink beetroot juice regularly. Take it in small quantities (around 30gm), three times a day.

HEART DISEASE:
  • Have lots of grapes - they tone up the heart muscles and reduce symptoms such as palpitation.
  • Take a spoonful of asparagus juice mixed with honey (in a 2:1 ratio) three times a day if you have an enlarged heart or any other heart ailment.
INSOMNIA:
  • Have a glassful of lettuce juice daily before bedtime for sound sleep. Lettuce contains lectucarium, which helps induce sleep.
  • Drink a glass of warm milk with honey at bedtime to relax yourself.
CONSTIPATION:
  • Soak 4-5 dried figs in half a glass of water before you go to bed, and eat the fruit first thing in the morning to get rid of stomach problems.
  • Eat papaya at breakfast - it is a natural laxative.
TOOTHACHE:
  • Gently bite into a clove of garlic smeared with salt, letting the juice seep into your tooth.
  • Apply clove oil on the affected tooth for instant relief.
DYSENTRY:
  • Have half a teaspoon of Isabgol, mixed in a bowl of curd, about three times a day.
  • Boil pomegranate rind in about two cups of milk, reduce to half the quantity. Divide it into three parts and have throughout the day.
COUGH:
  • Take a teaspoon of onion juice mixed with honey 2-3 times a day.
  • Have haldi (turmeric) powder mixed with hot milk (half a teaspoon mixed with half cup milk) three times through the day.
  • Mix a tablespoon of haldi (turmeric)powder mixed with three tablespoons of honey and have it thrice through the day.
It's all about substitutesThe next time you are browsing through the items available at the market, make the right choices; go healthy. Here are some handy tips:
  • Skip the cream for a hung-curd dip. You can season with herbs of your choice.
  • Reach for low-fat (eggless) mayonnaise if you must have it.
  • Multigrain bread (Rs.20-60) is a healthier choice than white bread, which may be cheaper. (Choose the light-brown variety.)
  • Switch to probiotic curd. While regular curd costs Rs.27 for a 400gm pack, probiotic curd is just about a rupee costlier.
  • Always opt for low-fat cheese; it even costs less.
  • Toned milk is a better bet than whole milk. It's costlier at Rs.43 a litre, but worth the investment.
  • Choose cooking oils that are heart-friendly. You'll get a 5-litre pack for around Rs.550. Rotate oils.
  • Go for fruit or vegetable juices instead of aerated drinks, even if they cost a little more. Look for varieties without added sugar. It's best to switch to home-made veggie juices.


Vandrevala Foundation to start 24x7 mental health helpline all over India

The Vandrevala Foundation that works in the area of mental health is in the process of starting 
a 24x7 mental health helpline in Pune, Delhi and Chennai soon. The foundation had started with 
a 24x7 mental health helpline in Mumbai which offers telephonic counselling to people for a range
 of mental health issues from August 2009. Following a sudden spurt in suicides by students in 
January 2010, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had given the Foundation’s 
helpline the status of an official BMC helpline.In view of the excellent response to this unique
 venture of mental healthcare helpline in Mumbai and part of the future expansion plans, the
 Foundation has chosen Pune to be the first city to be added on to the helpline grid which 
would soon have a Pan-India presence. To achieve the same, it is currently in the process 
of acquiring a four-digit MTNL/BSNL number as well as an eight-digit private service provider 
number for seamless and uninterrupted connectivity throughout the country.To cater to callers from
 Northern India, a replicated model of Mumbai would be set up in Delhi wherein the Foundation 
would soon be signing an MoU with a major healthcare service provider to give the same 
level of mental health care services that the Foundation is currently offering in Mumbai and 
adjoining areas. It is also in theprocess of setting up and identical hub at Chennai for 
southern India where it faces a unique challenge 
of diversity of languages of the callers. Recently, the Foundation has been designated by the DG Shipping 
as the official helpline for the Indian seafarers to contact in case of distress and despair wherever
 in the world they may be sailing. Their families on shore in India too can avail of the services. 
The foundation is being approached by many other such organisations wanting similar services.
The helpline is manned by certified clinical psychologists who have been trained to counsel
 people over the phone. The helpline also has tie-ups with back up services to deal with 
psychiatric emergencies as well as assist people in various areas of mental healthcare. 
The helpline follows a three-tier system wherein the call is received by a trained clinical 
psychologist and then depending upon the severity and complexity of the call, it is 
escalated to tier II level which is manned by trained psychiatrists. In life threatening cases, 
wherein
 the caller may exhibit violent or suicidal tendencies or in acute psychiatric emergencies, 
the call is 
escalated further and senior psychiatrists also get involved. The whole operation is backed
 up by 
an extremely sophisticated IT communication system where in eight people can 
simultaneously be
 in touch with the caller data. As a natural sequel to crisis intervention through
 tele-counselling, the
 Foundation offers a 24X7 crisis face to face counselling service. It is also in the
 process of setting
 up support groups at four different locations in the city of Mumbai. 
These support groups would
 be both for the patients as well as for the care givers. The Vandrevala Foundation identified mental
 health as an area where it could usefully and practically contribute to society in India. The Foundation
 would also be involved in major awareness and anti stigma programs soon.
Source:Pharmabiz

Indian market will grow to US$ 55 bn by 2020, may go global top-tier: McKinsey report


Homeopathy treatment can cure dengue, claims doctor

A homeopathy doctor here claims to have found an effective treatment for dengue.
Anoop Maheshwari treated not only his own 10-year-old son who had suffered from the mosquito-borne disease, but has also effectively treated scores of cases of dengue with homeopathic drugs.
'Why spend Rs.25,000 and more, when homeopathic medicines can be bought for Rs.25,' Maheshwari told IANS.
'In 80 percent of cases, a dengue patient taking allopathic medicine with homeopathic drugs usually do not have drastic fall in blood platelets,' he said.
Some effective homeopathic medicines are Psorinum200, Pulsatilla30, Ars Alb30, Gels30 and China30.
In addition to this, a decoction of tulsi leaves and black pepper also helps in reducing and controlling the spread of the disease, Maheshwari added.
Source:Sify News

Our Brains can 'See' Objects by 'listening' to Them

Scientists at The Montreal Neurological Institute and McGill University have discovered that our brains have the ability to determine the shape of an object simply by processing specially-coded sounds, without any visual or tactile input. The research provides important new possibilities for aiding those who are blind or with impaired vision."The fact that a property of sound such as frequency can be used to convey shape information suggests that as long as the spatial relation is coded in a systematic way, shape can be preserved and made accessible - even if the medium via which space is coded is not spatial in its physical nature," said Jung-Kyong Kim, student in Dr. Robert Zatorre's lab at The Neuro. This means that our brains can be trained to recognize shapes represented by sound and the hope is that those with impaired vision could be trained to use this as a tool. 
Following training, the study individuals were able to match auditory input to tactually discerned shapes and showed generalization to new auditory-tactile or sound-touch pairings.
Neuroimaging studies have identified brain areas that integrate information coming from different senses - combining input from across the senses to create a complete and comprehensive picture.
Source-ANI
 

INFERTILITY AND AYURVEDA

The principles of Ayurveda do not focus solely on disease. The main focus of Ayurveda is on wellness in all aspects of life.A branch of Ayurveda deals with reproductive issues, including infertility. This branch is known as Vajikarana.The name "Vajikarana" is derived from "vaji" which means "horse". This is one dramatic example of virility. And in Ayurveda, virility is not separate from reproductive capacity.
In Ayurveda, healthy shukra dhatu, or reproductive tissue, will determine a couple's ability to conceive. And healthy shukra dhatu is built on the health of the rest of the body. Shukra tissue produces a woman's ovum (egg), and a man's semen.Impurities or imbalances in health for the body can cause problems with the reproductive system as well. Lifestyle changes that emphasize good eating habits, proper exercise and rest are important for the foundation of health in the body.Ayurveda devotes itself to development of healthy shukra dhatu. An Ayurveda doctor will make recommendations that analyze diet and lifestyle. They will recommend cleansing and rejuvenation therapies.The Ayurveda doctor will suggest nutritional supplements and herbs that can address any problems with ovulation and menstruation, or other hormonal irregularities. They will suggest meditation and yoga for stress management.A first visit with an Ayurveda doctor can last over an hour. This first visit will determine the patient's body humor, or dosha, as to whether it is Vata, Pita or Kapha. According to Ayurveda, an imbalance here can cause infertility.To ascertain the patient's dosha, the doctor will monitor the patient's pulse(Nadi), to determine the whole body's health status.The doctor will examine the appearance, color and coating of the tongue. This helps the doctor to discover which organs may be out of balance.The doctor will examine the color and shape of the patient's nails, for signs of dosha imbalance. The color, shape and size of the eyes can indicate the patient's dosha.Next, the doctor will proceed with panchakarma treatments, which flush out toxins.Ayurvedic Herbal purification, medicinal enemas, fermented liquid massages and oil massages are part of the panchakarma treatments.The doctor will use rasayana treatments which build up the body, bringing balance to the doshas. This is done with improvements in diet and daily habits, and the use of medicines and Ayurveda tonics.Yoga and better stress management are strongly recommended. Over a period of two to four weeks, the body's overall health should increase.

Ayurveda, Backwaters identified to pomote brand Kerala

Identifying Tourism as an 'opportunity area' for God's Own Country, Ayurveda and the serene backwaters were picked up to build and promote brand Kerala, thus creating a 'stand alone' destination, T Balakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary Industries and Commerce today said. 
Kerala is today's India's most significant tourism success story. But 25 years ago, the state was an unknown destination having less than handful quality hotels, resorts and restaurants, Balakrishnan said in his inaugural address at the 'Brand Conclave 2010' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). 
However, a 'great potential' in tourism was seen and it was decided to take a totally different approach to develop and market the same. A decision was taken to fall back on the private sector and be a facilitator, he said. 
'We did not want to depend on the central government and wanted to have our own promotion and marketing'. 
'Hot, dusty, crowded, and dirty these were the image of India. We wanted a completely different image for Kerala -- 'Green and Cool' and it was decided to promote backwaters and Ayurveda thus creating a 'stand alone' destination', Balakrishnan said. 
Every other state and the centre was promoting tourism on standard menu -- monuments. Surveys conducted showned no one comes to India to see the Taj Mahal alone, but those who come to the country, do see the Taj. 
Kerala wanted to be different and started promoting backwaters, discovered Ayurveda and built it on further. 
The state government decided to take up the marketing part while the setting up the infrastructure like hotels and other facilties was left to the private sector. 
During the nineties there were debates on what kind of tourists kerala should cater to. While the politicians and economists said the state should cater to 'Mass Tourism', few stood firm and said 'Class Tourism' was needed. A conscious decision was taken that the state would go for quality and not for mass tourism, he said.
Source;The Economic Times

Friday 22 October 2010

Leech therapy at BHU gains popularity

A long queue of patients waiting for their turn at the leech therapy unit of the faculty of ayurvedaBanaras Hindu University, on Friday was a witness to the growing popularity of the therapy.
A number of persons could be seen busy getting registration done for the different sittings at the unit. They reflected the faith and interest in the therapy in the treatment of various ailments, some of them being chronic wounds.
"Clinically, the therapy has shown dramatic response in the treatment of various ailments including chronic wounds and other skin infections like eczema and psoriasis (skin disease marked by red scaly patches)," associate professor, department of kayachikitsa, BHU, OP Singh informed TOI on Friday. "On an average, we are witnessing registration of 10 to 15 patients for different sittings of leech therapy on each of the three days of OPD in a week. Patients are coming from all parts of the country including east UP, Bihar, MP, Chhattisgarh and even from metropolitan cities like New Delhi and Mumbai," he said.
It may be mentioned here that the leech therapy was started at the faculty of ayurveda, BHU, in January 2006 and gained popularity soon after its inception in the region. The therapy requires a number of sittings (between five to 10 sittings) depending on the nature of the ailment and leeches are pasted along the affected parts to allow natural healing due to the blood sucking capability, removing impure blood from the body.
Saying that the therapy had also shown promising results in management of other conditions like alopecia (baldness), filaria and arthritis, Singh, who pioneered the start of therapy at BHU, emphasised after clinical investigations and validation, efforts were being made for completing biochemical analysis that would open the doors to treatment and management of other conditions in the next six months. "We are also looking for global use of the therapy like in the West where efforts are being made to use the technique in neuro surgery due to anti clotting properties of the saliva of leech," he added.
It is also worth mentioning that some blood tests including HIV, total leucocyte count (TLC), differential leucocyte count (DLC), blood sugar and other tests for bleeding disorder have been made mandatory under the therapy for ensuring better healing.
Source:TNN
 

Nature Reduces Pain of Cancer...

Experts has suggested that showing relaxing pictures of idyllic scenes and playing out relaxing sounds at a cancer patient's bed can reduce the feeling of pain. 
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, United States set up a series of tests analysing patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) - known to be a particularly painful form of cancer treatment.However, the researchers believe they have come up with a cheap, inexpensive way of making painful procedures like BMAB more bearable.
"We wanted to find a way to improve their experience," the BBC quoted Noah Lechtzin, from the department of 
medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, as saying.
"So we did a study in which 
patients were assigned to either standard care, to have the procedure done with a nature scene and accompanying nature sounds, or a city scene and city sounds.
"Our scene was a very open picture that had running 
water, the sounds had birds chirping and wind rustling through trees," Lechtzin said.
The nature scene consisted of typically relaxing images, such as Victoria Falls in Zambia, painted onto bed curtains surrounding the patient as he or she is being treated.
The city scene had pictures of your average urban environment. Busy streets, people rushing - an altogether more stressful experience.
To add to the atmosphere and help with the process, the nature scene added sounds of birds chirping and wind rustling through trees was played to the patient through headphones.


Source:MedIndia

Thursday 21 October 2010

Global Nuclear Medicine Market to Reach US$1.69 Billion by 2015


Nuclear medicine is one of the fastest growing and most promising segments of the medical imaging industry. Nuclear medicine comprises of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures through the use of safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques. The technology provides functional as well as anatomical information, and is found highly beneficial in diagnosis of organ function abnormalities, cancerous growths, cardiac diseases, neurological disorders, blood flow blockages, and dysfunction of any major organ. The procedure faces immediate competition from alternate methods such as Magneto Cardiography (MCG) and Magneto Encephalography (MEG), although on the whole, the impact of these methods remains restricted in terms of widespread acceptance. Over the last few years, there has been a heightened level of R&D activity aimed at use of nuclear medicine in diagnosis and treatment of serious and incurable diseases. Some of these areas coveting medical attention include Parkinson's disease, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, autoimmune disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), among others. Gamma cameras and PET scanners are the most widely used imaging equipment in nuclear medicine, whereby the market is experiencing a marked shift to hybrid PET/CT imaging from PET-only imaging. This transition is driven by use of the technology in an expanded variety of clinical applications.
Advancements in imaging technologies that help diagnosis and treatment of diseases, as well as aging population is driving demand for nuclear medicine equipment. Proven efficacy of technology, reimbursement approvals and improved supply and distribution of radiopharmaceuticals, are expected to drive market growth. Greater use in applications such as cardiology and oncology would positively impact the market in the coming years. Technological developments in PET/CT scanner technology is also expected to generate greater revenues as they promise excellent market diffusion for cancer detection and therapy planning. Dedicated positron emission tomography equipment is expected to exhibit strong growth prospects compared to conventional imaging modalities. In addition, the growing number of new application areas such as neuroendocrine tumor imaging is expected to establish SPECT/CT as an important technological tool in the area of nuclear medicine in the near future.
The global market for nuclear medicine systems experienced steep decline in revenues in late 2008, as a result of the worldwide economic downturn. Decrease in demand from US, the most influential and mature nuclear medicine market worldwide, was one of the major reasons for the revenue decline. The medical imaging systems and equipments in the country were not used to their fullest capacities and did not yield the required revenue gains. Apart from these, factors such as saturated western markets, low reimbursement rates and government-imposed restrictions in certain countries like China played a major role in sustained slowdown and decrease in market growth for 2008-2009. Nevertheless, the world market is expected to stabilize as the economic downturn retreats in 2010, making way for replacement sales and growth in PET/CT procedure volumes. This would be mainly driven by PET/CT scanning benefits in oncology. Developments in technology and novel clinical applications meant for imaging modalities are expected to drive growth in the nuclear medicine market.
 Source:San Francisco Chronicle

In US New Naturopathic medical school opens


One of only five accredited naturopathic colleges in US, the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences officially opened a new medical center in Tempe recently, bringing new teaching facilities and increased treatment opportunity to the Valley.“We expect it to be a magnet for people with chronic diseases to come from all over the country,” said Paul Mittman, president and CEO of SCNM. “There are also educational components to it that will advance our students’ experience here dramatically.”SCNM offers a four-year doctoral program in naturopathy, an alternative branch of medicine focusing on natural remedies and holistic care. Naturopathy has historically received criticism from the larger medical community for its unconventional treatments, including acupuncture, kinesiology, nutrition and homeopathy. But Arizona officially licensed naturopathic medicine in 1935, and since SCNM opened in 1993, naturopathy has gained much wider acceptance, Mittman said.The renovated $4 million medical center combines an electronic medical records system and updated clinical teaching facilities with naturopathic services, including a sauna, medical dispensary and light-therapy rooms.SCNM historically offered clinical services at a facility in Scottsdale, approximately 10 miles from the college’s main campus located in Tempe near Broadway Road and State Route 101.The new center, located on the main SCNM campus, will accommodate the college’s growing student population and offer clinical training in the center’s six classrooms, which feature closed-circuit monitors that allow students to unobtrusively observe patients receiving treatments in another room. The facility also boasts a completely electronic medical records system donated by American Medical Solutions, Mittman said.“It’s the future of health care,” he said. “It’s important for us to make sure our students are literate in electronic medical records. It’s what everyone is going to have to use.” But beyond updated facilities and educational opportunities, the community will also benefit from the specialized care options the center makes possible, Mittman said. The center will specialize in long-term treatment options for chronic diseases like diabetes, autism and asthma.“The school has a significant public health commitment,” he said. “We expect (the center) to have a greater impact on public health.”Amanda Bird, a fourth-year student at SCNM, said she enrolled in naturopathic college after becoming disillusioned with mainstream medicine. Most doctors have a tendency to focus more on “politics” than people, she said — health insurance, quick patient turnarounds and generic treatments. She hopes naturopathic medicine will allow her to escape the politics of the doctor’s office.“I didn’t even know this field existed,” Bird said. “Now, I really want to work with mental and emotional complaints … it’s great to follow patients throughout the process and really see the fruits of your labor.”Before becoming a naturopathic doctor, Bird must complete her final year at SCNM, the second part of a two-part board exam and apply for certification through the Arizona Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board — similar to licensing for medical doctors, Mittman said.But unlike medical doctors, naturopathic physicians take a more holistic approach to medical diagnoses. They account for variables like a person’s lifetime medical history, diet, behavioral practices and environment, Mittman said. The approach focuses on finding the underlying causes of aliments.“Naturopathic physicians, in addition to doing routine history and clinical exams, ask very in-depth questions to find the underlying cause of a condition,” he said. “By nature, we spend a lot of time with patients … which gives us enough time to really delve into underlying causes.”Naturopathic physicians can prescribe nearly every treatment available to a medical doctor, including prescription drugs, Mittman added. But the naturopathic method emphasizes prevention and supports the body’s ability to heal itself. With demand growing for preventive medicine and natural treatments, the new medical center will allow SCNM to help the community for the naturopathic approach.“Patients are demanding more than drugs and surgery,” he said. “That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with drugs and surgery, but people lead complex lives and have complicated health problems. You need to take a holistic approach.”
Source:East Valley tribune.com 

New Guidelines for CPR from American Heart Association


For more than 40 years, CPR training has emphasized the ABCs of CPR, which instructed people to open a victim's airway by tilting their head back, pinching the nose and breathing into the victim's mouth, and only then giving chest compressions," said Michael Sayre, chairman of the American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Committee.

"This approach was causing significant delays in starting chest compressions, which are essential for keeping oxygen-rich blood circulating through the body. Changing the sequence from A-B-C to C-A-B for adults and children allows all rescuers to begin chest compressions right away," he added.

Now, compressions should be started immediately on anyone who is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
All victims in cardiac arrest need chest compressions. In the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, victims will have oxygen remaining in their lungs and bloodstream, so starting CPR with chest compressions can pump that blood to the victim's brain and heart sooner.
The change in the CPR sequence applies to adults, children and infants, but excludes newborns.
Other recommendations:
During CPR, rescuers should give chest compressions a little faster, at a rate of at least 100 times a minute.
Rescuers should push deeper on the chest, compressing at least two inches in adults and children and 1.5 inches in infants.
 
"For more than 40 years, CPR training has emphasized the ABCs of CPR, which instructed people to open a victim's airway by tilting their head back, pinching the nose and breathing into the victim's mouth, and only then giving chest compressions," said Michael Sayre, chairman of the American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Committee. 
"This approach was causing significant delays in starting chest compressions, which are essential for keeping oxygen-rich blood circulating through the body. Changing the sequence from A-B-C to C-A-B for adults and children allows all rescuers to begin chest compressions right away," he added. 
Now, compressions should be started immediately on anyone who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. 
All victims in cardiac arrest need chest compressions. In the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, victims will have oxygen remaining in their lungs and bloodstream, so starting CPR with chest compressions can pump that blood to the victim's brain and heart sooner. 
The change in the CPR sequence applies to adults, children and infants, but excludes newborns. 
Other recommendations: 
During CPR, rescuers should give chest compressions a little faster, at a rate of at least 100 times a minute. 

Rescuers should push deeper on the chest, compressing at least two inches in adults and children and 1.5 inches in infants.
Source:MedIndia


 

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