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Saturday, May 30, 2009

A cool nut to beat the heat

This nut packs in quite a punch. And if the scorching summer is making you feel the heat, here is the secret you needed to crack! Including almonds, one of the world's oldest cultivated fruit, in your daily diet is one of the best ways to beat the heat. A rare fruit that is available through the year and can be eaten at all times, the sheer variety in which almonds can be consumed and used, makes it a fruit for all seasons.
The summer fruit
Over the years, almonds have proved their nutritional attributes, and socio-cultural importance. The nut's healthy properties won it a following for not just its delicate taste, but in various countries and regions of
the world,
for being auspicious and lucky. From Rome to Sweden and the US to India, almonds have been referred
to as symbol of fortune, happiness and health. Since the time when the Mughals popularised the fruit in India, almonds have been part of every Indian home's staple diet.
    From a simple snack that can be munched anytime, to being the essential ingredient of many a delicacy, the almond has been the classic choice of food lovers for a good reason. For one, it enhances any dish it is added to. But more importantly, almonds by themselves can be an healthy option for the fitness conscious.
    In fact, almond provides the body with many essential nutrients and can really help in summers when a lot of people cut back on heavy eating and so often fail to get the essential nutrients.
How can you use almonds?
Not surprising then, that this cool nut is a hit with most health conscious people in all seasons. Almonds are one of those rare fruits that are available through the year. For years now, almonds have been part of cool recipes and delicacies just right for the season. Simply toss in a handful of almonds into your every
day food and you add
crunch, great taste and natural nutrients.
    According to Researchers at Tufts University in the United States, a 28 gram serving of almonds packs the same level of flavonoid antioxidants as a serving of cooked broccoli or a serving of brewed green or black tea. Just a handful or about 23 almonds can provide an individual with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, protein, fibre, potassium, magnesium, and iron. That too, all in just 160 calories!
    There is nothing like a
    g o o d
    breakfast to kickstart the day. And yet, as calorie count gains prominence, the biggest challenge before most working Indians is perhaps finding the right option to start their day. Paranthas can be too filling and a glass of juice too light. So what do you do?
    Grab of glass of fresh badam sheera or sharbat, which is healthy and provides you with just the right amount of calories required. Almond shakes are, of course, the perfect bet for people who prefer a cool shake or smoothie to a heavy meal. A handful of almonds thrown into your fruit shake – be it strawberry, mango or for that matter chocolate, can make the beginning to your day just right.
    Summers are often the season when many people prefer to go the salad way. This is specially so for the increasingly weight watching generation that would rather have a large bowl of greens as against heavy paranthas.
    To the left is a simple recipe for tasty almonds that you can add to your salads anytime, or just pop them as a healthy snack, all spiced up just for the Indian taste buds!
    TNN
SWEET N SPICY ROASTED ALMONDS
Ingredients
One egg white; 15 ml water; 690 grams whole blanched almonds; 57 grams sugar; 10 grams ground cumin; five grams ground coriander; 10 grams coarse salt; seven grams ground red pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 135 o Celsius. Line a sided sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk egg white and water together until foamy. Add almonds and toss to coat. Transfer almonds to a sieve, toss gently and let drain. Stir together sugar, cumin, coriander, salt and red pepper. Add almonds and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread almonds on the sheet pan in a single layer; bake for 30 minutes. Gently stir almonds. Reduce the oven temperature to 93 o Celsius and continue to bake for another 30 minutes, until almonds are dry and nicely toasted. Set aside to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately or store airtight for up to one week.




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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

HOME REMEDIES VOLUME 1

 

Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

 

Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

 

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoid Peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

 

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of Horseradish in a cup of Olive Oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

 

Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly -- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

 

Eliminate puffiness under your eyes..... All you need is a dab of Preparation H, Carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The Hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.

 

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... . Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

 

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

 

Easy eyeglass protection.. .. To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

 

Coca-Cola Cure for rust.... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

 

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

 

Smart splinter remover... just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

 

Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure.... cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothes the pain and brings the boil to a head.

 

Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine... a powerful antiseptic.

 

Heinz Vinegar To heal bruises.... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour.. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

 

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn Dish Washing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

 

Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

 

Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days.. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

 

Vaseline cure for hair balls...... To prevent troublesome hair balls, apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.

 

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief.... It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.


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Sunday, May 24, 2009

What is your body trying to tell you? Secret signs to watch out for


Did you know your body often uses visual clues to tell you it's under the weather? It's simply a case of knowing what to look for
Miriam Stoppard
Posted On Thursday, May 21, 2009   

This might be a change in your eyes or nails or a mouth ulcer that points to an underlying health condition. As a doctor, I have been trained to spot these telltale signs - it's a vital part of making a medical diagnosis.

As part of my exams for the Royal College of Physicians, one of the tests was to work out what was wrong with a patient by looking only at their hands, and another by studying just their face.

There's no real mystery - it's all about careful observation and noticing any tiny differences in shape or colour. All doctors become good at this.

But by knowing some of the more obvious signs to look out for, you can do some detective work yourself - and learn to spot when something is wrong...

Secret signs to watch out for...

EYES

Red rims
/ What it could mean: Dermatitis - cosmetics or allergies such as hayfever are very common sources of eyelid irritation.
/ What to do: Stop using any new eye products and visit a pharmacy for a soothing, anti-inflammatory cream. Symptoms should clear in a few days or see your GP.

Pale ring around the iris
/ What it could mean: It is caused by fatty deposits and can reflect the health of your arteries - it suggests you're at higher risk of heart disease or stroke.
/ What to do: Talk to your GP about having a heart health check, including cholesterol test.

Fatty white spots around the lid
/ What it could mean: This can also mean too much fat in the blood and indicate high cholesterol levels.
/ What to do: Get your cholesterol checked as soon as possible.

Pale inner lid
/ What it could mean: This usually means you are anaemic and lacking iron, which is crucial for the healthy production of red blood cells.
/ What to do: Your GP can prescribe iron supplements to boost your levels.

Yellow tinge to the eyes
/ What it could mean: Jaundice or other liver or gall bladder problems.
/ What to do: Visit your doctor for further tests immediately.

One droopy eye
/ What it could mean: If the face, in particular the eye or mouth, is drooping on one side it can indicate Bell's palsy (a temporary facial paralysis) or possibly a mild stroke.
/ What to do: See a GP immediately.

HANDS

Spoon-shaped nails that curl up at the sides
/ What it could mean: Spoon nails are a sign of the iron-deficiency anaemia.
/ What to do: See your GP for a blood test

Rounding or 'clubbing' of nails in all directions
/ What it could mean: This condition results from low oxygen levels in your blood and could be a sign of lung disease. Clubbing is also associated with inflammatory bowel disease and liver disease.
/ What to do: If you're not already receiving treatment for one of these conditions, see a GP as soon as possible.

Horizontal nail ridges
/ What it could mean: Known as Beau's lines, these ridges appear when nail growth is interrupted by injury or severe illness, like uncontrolled diabetes or a virus accompanied by a high fever, such as mumps.
/ What to do: Nothing - provided you've fully recovered from the illness.

Inflammation of joints closest to fingertips
/ What it could mean: These joints tend to be affected by osteoarthritis - the type caused by general wear and tear on joints as we get older.
/ What to do: Your GP can prescribe treatment - usually rest, painkillers and anti-inflammatories.

Inflammation of knuckles
/ What it could mean: If the knuckle joints nearest the wrist are inflamed it's more likely to be rheumatoid arthritis causing the problem - an autoimmune disease where the body immune system attacks the joints.
/ What to do: Your GP can treat the condition with a combination of painkillers, anti-rheumatic drugs and steroids.

MOUTH

Cracks at the corners
/ What it could mean: Cracks are commonly caused by anaemia due to iron deficiency.
However, they may also suggest diabetes, as high levels of blood glucose encourages the growth of candida, a yeast-like infection in the corners of the mouth.
/ What to do: If your GP finds you're anaemic he can prescribe iron tablets and you can increase your intake of iron-rich foods such as red meat and leafy green veg.
And see your GP immediately if you notice any of the other symptoms of diabetes - including weight loss, thirst and a frequent need to urinate.

Blue lips
/ What it could mean: This indicates a lack of oxygen in the blood and in older people suggests a lung disease such as emphysema. However in children, the bluish tinge can occur with an acute lung infection such as bronchitis.
/ What to do: Take your child to casualty immediately.

White patches on the tongue
/ What it could mean: Creamy white patches on the tongue are most often a sign of oral thrush infection but, more rarely, they can indicate cancer
/ What to do: An anti-fungal mouthwash will clear thrush but if the patches don't go away after treatment they need to be checked by your doctor to rule out cancer.

Ulcers
/ What it could mean: Ulcers can be caused by stress, or by accidental damage from brushing your teeth too hard or biting the inside of your mouth.
More rarely, however, they can indicate mouth cancer.
/ What to do: Ulcers can be treated with an antiseptic mouthwash or gel and they usually heal within a week. However, if they last for more than two weeks, you should have them checked by your dentist.

Source: Daily Mirror


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Eczema's link to asthma uncovered

Eczema
Eczema causes red itchy patches on the skin

Scientists believe they have found what triggers many children with eczema to go on to develop asthma.

The Public Library of Science Biology study points to a way to stop what is known as the "atopic march".

The US team at the Washington University School of Medicine showed that a substance made by the damaged skin triggered asthma symptoms in mice.

The same substance, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), is also produced in the lungs of asthma patients.

Now it will be important to address how to prevent defective skin from producing TSLP
Lead researcher Dr Raphael Kopan

Early treatment of the skin rash and blocking TSLP production might stop asthma developing in young patients with eczema, they hope.

Drugs that act on TSLP might also protect against asthma development even in cases that are not linked to eczema.

Atopic march

Allergies and asthma often occur together. Studies show that 50-70% of children with severe allergic skin problems - atopic dermatitis - go on to develop asthma.

The researchers studied mice bred with a genetic defect that made them develop a condition similar to eczema in humans.

The defective skin secreted TSLP, which the researchers believe alerts the body that its protective barrier has failed.

When they tested the lungs of the mice, they found this tissue also responded strongly to the TSLP signal and had the hallmark traits of asthma - mucous secretion, airway muscle contraction and invasion of white blood cells.


These results were obtained from studies with mice, so it is important to establish whether the same causal link exists in humans

Dr Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK

They did more experiments and found that even mice with normal skin but bred to overproduce TSLP also developed asthma-like symptoms, suggesting TSLP is indeed the culprit.

Lead researcher Dr Raphael Kopan said: "We are excited because we've narrowed down the problem of atopic march to one molecule.

"We've shown that the skin can act as a signalling organ and drive allergic inflammation in the lung by releasing TSLP.

"Now it will be important to address how to prevent defective skin from producing TSLP. If that can be done, the link between eczema and asthma could be broken."

Dr Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK said: "This is the first piece of research to suggest that the natural protein TSLP could play a direct role in causing people with eczema to develop asthma.

"These results were obtained from studies with mice, so it is important to establish whether the same causal link exists in humans.

"Scientists are already exploring the potential of targeting TSLP to create new treatments for eczema, asthma and other allergic conditions.

"Although it is still a long way off, this research raises the exciting possibility that as well as improving symptoms, these treatments might be able to limit, or even prevent, the development of asthma."

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Big waistline is actually a boon for heart patients

Washington: Despite being a leading contributor to heart disease, and other allied ailments, obesity appears to play a protective role in a range of cardiovascular problems, says a surprising new study.
    Researchers found that obese heart patients respond better to strokes and heart attacks compared to normal or underweight patients.
    Although obesity is a leading cause of heart disease, paradoxically scientists say fat and even high cholesterol may have protective benefits.
    However, researchers say, losing weight is still best because obesity triggers more heart attacks and strokes.
    The study has been published in the May 26, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
    "Obese patients with heart disease respond well to treatment and have paradoxically better outcomes and survival than thinner patients," said Carl Lavie, medical director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans and lead author of the article. "Although these patients have a more favorable short- and long-term prognosis, we don't yet understand the mechanisms for why this might be the case," the expert added.
    The obesity paradox in patients with cardiovascular disease, which was first noticed earlier this decade, is complex. It is likely due to a combination of obesity's impact on fat cells and other metabolic processes , as well as other consequences of being obese. ANI
    Turmeric can help fight fat
    The fight against flab has got a spicy twist. Experts have found that curcumin, the major polyphenol found in turmeric, reduces weight gain in mice and suppress the growth of fat, reports ScienceDaily. "Weight gain is the result of the growth and expansion of fat tissue, which cannot happen unless new blood vessels form, a process known as angiogenesis." said author Mohsen Meydani, of USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. "Based on our data, curcumin appears to suppress angiogenic activity in the fat tissue of mice fed high fat diets," he added. AGENCIES
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Skinny jeans can wear your thigh nerves

Parmeeta Ghoman always believed that skinny jeans are haute, sexy, fashionable, but what she didn't know was they are also a health hazard.
In December, when the 28-year-old San Francisco resident wore a pair of super-tight skinny jeans to dinner with friends, she noticed an odd tingly sensation running up and down her thighs. And when she got up to walk around, things got weirder. She felt like she was almost "floating", because she couldn't feel her legs.
    Experts say Ghoman's skin-tight denim caused a temporary bout of a nerve condition called meralgia paresthetica, also known as "tingling thigh syndrome". The condition can happen when constant pressure—in Ghoman's case, from the skintight denim—cuts off the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, causing a numb, tingling or burning sensation along the thigh.
    "The nerve, in some people, is susceptible to compression," says Dr John England, a New Orleans neurologist. The femoral cutaneous nerve, he explains, runs from the outside of the pelvis and through the thigh. "It is a pure sensory nerve—it doesn't go to muscles or provide strength. Anything that is tight around there could potentially compress the nerve that goes there."
    Pair those skinny jeans with a pair of high heels, and your risk for upsetting this particular nerve increases, as Ghoman discovered the hard way. AGENCIES



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Health of urban poor should be top priority

The blinding lights of the city — good jobs, the promise of a financially stable future — are making the rural poor migrate to interior towns. And it is this population that India's new health minister will have to be concerned about. An ambitious plan — National Urban Health Mission envisaged by former health minister A Ramadoss — failed to take off during his tenure. Whoever now takes over the health portfolio will have to see it go through at the earliest.
    Designed on the lines of UPA's flagship National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) which aims to provide healthcare to the vast rural population, NUHM aims to provide accessible and affordable primary healthcare to the poor and homeless urban population — a number that is steadily rocketing. NUHM aims to improve the health of 22 crore people living in urban slums in 429 cities.
    And with the threat of pandemics becoming real, viruses re-asserting in nature to cause mass outbreaks, like the H1N1 swine flu virus presently causing havoc, the health minister's to-do list has to include an effective Integrated Disease Surveillance Network.
    India holds the dubious distinction of being the world's diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, TB and malnutrition capital. Government spends just 1% of GDP on health. As a consequence an already poor population has to meet medical needs through out of pocket expenditure amounting to about 4.2% of GDP. The country is short by six lakh doctors, 10 lakh nurses and two lakh dental surgeons. The new health minister must deliver what was declared under the 11th Plan — the setting up of six AIIMS-like institutions, 60 new medical colleges and 225 new nursing colleges.
TOP PRIORITIES
National Urban Health Mission needs to take off
Need to plug shortage of trained healthcare personnel — doctors, nurses, dental surgeons
Mechanism to combat mass outbreak of diseases needs to be finalised
New medical institutes need to be raised in double-quick time
Issues like rural stint for MBBS students, sex education in schools need to be sorted out
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