MENSTRUATION
The two major female sex hormones in the body are estrogen and progesterone. They are produced in a pair of organs in the abdomen, known as the ovaries. The ovaries start producing large quantities of estrogen when a girl reaches about 12 years of age. This enables her to grow rapidly and develop into a normal young woman. The commencement of menstruation at this time heralds the reproductive phase of her life, when she can have children. The main problems relating to menstrual flow are pre-menstrual tension, painful menstruation, stoppage of menstruation, and excessive menstruation. These disorders are not uncommon.
Menstrual Problems symptoms & causes
Premenstrual Tension and Menstrual Cramps
A few days before menstruation, some women become nervous and irritable. They suffer from depression, headaches, fullness in the breasts, insomnia, and swelling in the lower extremities. This may be due to a hormonal imbalance. These problems cease within twenty-four hours of the start of the menstrual flow.
Dysmenorrhoea
Painful menstruation, as it is called in medical parlance, is a common condition. The pain may be felt either two or three days before or immediately before or during the flow. This may also be due to a hormonal imbalance.
Amenorrhoea or Stoppage of Menstrual Flow
This is natural during pregnancy and at the menopause, but abnormal at any other time. It denotes a debilitated and devitalized condition of the body. The main causes contributing towards this condition are anemia, worry, grief, fright, or other serious emotional disturbances; malformation of the womb; tuberculosis; displacement of the womb; and debility, especially after a serious illness.
Menorrhagia or Excessive Menstrual Flow
This is common in some women. A variety of causes may be responsible for this trouble, including fibroids.
Home Remedies for Menstrual Problems
Menstrual Problems treatment using Parsley
Parsley is one of the most effective among the several home remedies in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It increases menstruation and assists in the regularization of the monthly periods. This action is due to the presence of apiol, which is a constituent of the female sex hormone estrogens. Cramps, which are a result of menstrual irregularities, are relieved and frequently corrected entirely by the regular use of parsley juice, particularly in conjunction with beet juice; or with beet, carrot, and cucumber juices. The recommended quantity is 75 ml of each of the four juices.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Ginger
The use of ginger is another effective home remedy for menstrual disorders, especially in cases of painful menstruation and stoppage of menstrual flow. A piece of fresh ginger should be pounded and boiled in a cup of water for a few minutes. The infusion, sweetened with sugar, should be used thrice daily after meals as a medicine for treating this condition.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are valuable in menstrual problems. Half a teaspoon of powder of these seeds, taken with hot water twice daily, acts excellently in reducing spasmodic pain during menstruation in young, unmarried anaemic girls. Its regular use, two days prior to the expected periods, cures scanty menstruation. A warm hip bath containing a handful of crushed sesame seeds should be simultaneously taken along with this recipe.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Papaya
The unripe papaya helps the contractions of the muscle fibres of the uterus and is thus beneficial in securing a proper menstrual flow. Papaya is especially helpful when menstruation ceases due to stress or fright in young unmarried girls.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Bengal Gram
A bath prepared by putting an entire Bengal gram plant in hot water is beneficial in painful menstruation. The plant also may be used for a sitting steam bath.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Marigold
The herb Marigold, named after the Virgin Mary, is useful in allaying any pain during menstruation and facilitating menstrual flow. An infusion of the herb should be given in doses of one tablespoon twice daily for the treatment of these disorders.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Banana Flower
The use of banana flower is one of the most effective home remedies in the treatment of menorrhagia or excessive menstruation. One banana flower should be cooked and eaten with one cup of curd. This will increase the quantity of progesterone and reduce the bleeding.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Coriander Seeds
Coriander seeds are also beneficial in the treatment of excessive menstruation. Six grams of these seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water. This decoction should be taken off the fire when only half the water remains. Sugar candy should be added to it and the patient should drink it when it is still warm.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Mango Bark
The juice of the fresh mango bark is another valuable remedy for heavy bleeding during menstruation. The juice is given with the addition of white of an egg or some mucilage- a kind of vegetable glue obtained from a plant, and a small quantity of the kernel of a poppy. As an alternative, a mixture of 10 ml of a fluid extract of the bark, and 120 ml of water may be given in doses of one teaspoon every hour or two.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Ashoka
The bark of the Ashoka tree is an effective remedy for excessive blood loss during the monthly period which occurs due to uterine fibroids and other causes. It should be given in the form of decoction in treating this condition. About 90 gm of the bark should be boiled in 30 ml of milk and 360 ml of water till the total quantity is reduced to about 90 gm. This quantity should be given in one day, in two or three doses. The treatment should commence from the fourth day of the monthly period and should be continued till the bleeding is checked. A fresh decoction should be made for use each day.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Indian Barbery
The herb Indian barbery is also useful in case of excessive bleeding. It should be given in doses of thirteen to twenty-five grams daily.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Rough Chaff
The herb rough chaff is also valuable in excessive menstruation. An infusion of the herb should be prepared by steeping 15 gm of rough chaff in 250 ml of water and used for treating this condition.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Hermal
The herb hermal is useful in regulating the menstrual periods. It is especially beneficial in painful and difficult menstruation. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one - third. This decoction should be given in 15 to 30ml doses.
Menstrual Problems treatment using Hemp
Hemp can be successfully used when menses do not start at the scheduled time. Five large heads of hemps should be boiled in half a litre of water till the water is reduced to half. It should then be strained and drunk before going to bed for two or three nights. This remedy seldom fails.
Goldenseal with a very small amount of mistletoe is an effective remedy to reduce blood flow.
To relieve menstrual cramps quickly and easily, wrap a hot, wet towel around mid-section and lay in the fetal position.
Chamomile, parsley, safflower, and squaw vine is useful in cases of amenorrhoea.
Boil a teaspoon of saffron in a half cup of water until it reduces to a tablespoon. Divide into three portions and take three times during the day. This gives relief to cramps.
Make a paste of six or eight almonds and mix with a cup of milk, an egg yolk, a half-teaspoon sesame powder, and a teaspoon honey. Take a couple of times a day to relieve cramps.
Drink a glass of milk with a half-teaspoon cinnamon every night to relieve cramps.
Place a pinch of dried ground ginger in a cup of hot boiling water for a tea (no sugar), and let steep for 5 minutes. Drink this tea. It will give relief to the cramps.
Dissolve 2 aspirins, 1/2 tsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of honey into 1/2 cup of water. Drink this solution if you are missing periods. This is very effective home remedy for menstruation and will lead to regular menstrual cycle.
Take a teaspoon ground dried mint leaf and a teaspoon of honey twice a day to relieve cramps.
Drink parsley, beet, carrot, and cucumber juices on a regular basis to relieve cramps.
Dissolve half-teaspoon sesame seeds in hot water. Drink this twice daily to relieve spasmodic pain.
Eat 5 raw adzuki beans (also called aduki, or azuki) will help to stop the heavy bleeding.
Boil 1 cup of black beans in 5 cups of water and drink the juice half cup before your 3 meals this will help regulate menstruation.
Mix half a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a cup of hot water and leave for half an hour; then drink (eat the seeds as well). Do this every morning with an empty stomach. This will give strength to the uterus.
Most of the problems in women arise due to undue stress of life. Reducing stress may help resolve the disorder in some women.
Being either over- or underweight is a contributor to menstrual disorders. Women should make every effort to maintain a normal weight.
Agnus castus fruit, also known as chaste tree berry (Vitex), helps alleviate symptoms of PMS.
Black cohosh (Remidfemin) has been used for amenorrhea and symptoms of menopause.
Low-fat vegetarian diet during menstrual cycles leads to less pain and bloating and a shorter duration of premenstrual symptoms than those who ate meat.
Reducing caffeine, sugar, and alcohol intake during menstruation may be beneficial.
Massage lobelia extract into any area that is cramped. Drink a tea of red raspberry leaves to prevent and reduce the severity of menstrual cramps.
Drink a tea of comfrey leaves and alfalfa to lessen the pain of muscle cramps.
Drink 1 or 2 glasses of tomato juice, every day. It will give significant improvement in your flow, and fewer cramps in your next period. This is also very effective home remedy for menstruation.
Parsley is one of the most effective among the several home remedies in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It increases menstruation and assists in the regularization of the monthly periods.
The unripe papaya helps the contractions of the muscle fibres of the uterus and is very effective in maintaining a proper menstrual flow.
Put an entire Bengal gram plant in hot water. Take a bath to get relief from painful menstruation.
The herb Marigold, named after the Virgin Mary, is useful in alleviating any pain during menstruation and facilitating menstrual flow. One tablespoon of the herb should be taken twice daily for the treatment of these disorders.
The use of banana flower is one of the most effective home remedies in the treatment of menorrhagia or excessive menstruation. One banana flower should be cooked and eaten with one cup of curd.
Coriander seeds are also effective in the treatment of excessive menstruation. Six grams of these seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water. Boil the mixture till only half the water remains. Sugar candy should be added to it and the patient should drink it when it is still warm.
The juice of the fresh mango bark is another valuable remedy for heavy bleeding during menstruation. The juice can be taken along with white of an egg or some mucilage- a kind of vegetable glue obtained from a plant, and a small quantity of the kernel of a poppy.
The bark of the Ashoka tree is an effective remedy for excessive blood loss during the monthly period, which occurs due to uterine fibroids and other causes. About 90 gm of the bark should be boiled in 30 ml of milk and 360 ml of water till the total quantity is reduced to about 90 gm. This quantity should be given in one day, in two or three doses. The treatment should commence from the fourth day of the monthly period and should be continued till the bleeding is stopped. A fresh decoction should be made for use each day.
The herb Indian barberry is also useful in case of excessive bleeding. It should be given in doses of thirteen to twenty-five grams daily.
The herb rough chaff is also valuable in excessive menstruation. Prepare a solution by heating 15 gm of rough chaff in 250 ml of water and use for treating this condition.
The herb hermal is useful in regulating the menstrual periods. It is especially beneficial in painful and difficult menstruation. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one - third. This mixture should be given in 15 to 30ml doses.
Hemp can be successfully used when menses do not start at the scheduled time. Five large heads of hemps should be boiled in half a litre of water till the water is reduced to half. It should then be strained and drunk before going to bed for two or three nights.
Menstrual Problems diet
All-fruit diet
The various disorders relating to menstrual flow, being systemic in origin, can be tackled only by treating the system as a whole, so as to remove the toxicity from the body and build up the general health level of the sufferer. To undertake such a scheme of all-round, health-building treatment, the sufferer should begin with an all-fruit diet for about five days, taking three meals a day of fresh, juicy fruits. However, if there is excessive weight loss during the all-fruit diet, those already underweight may add a glass of milk to each fruit meal.
Well-balanced diet
After the all fruit diet, the sufferer should adopt a well-balanced diet, with emphasis on fresh fruits, raw vegetables, and wholegrain cereals.
Avoid white flour products, sugar, confectionery, tinned or preserved foods, strong tea/coffee
foods which should be avoided are white flour products, sugar, confectionery, rich cakes, pastries, sweets, refined cereals, greasy foods, tinned or preserved foods, strong tea, coffee, pickles, and condiments.
Other Menstrual Problems treatment
Warm-water enema
During the first five days of an all-fruit diet, the bowels should be cleansed daily with a warm-water enema
Dry friction and a cold hip bath
Dry friction and a cold hip bath should form a regular feature of the treatment every morning. All cold baths should however be suspended during the menstrual period.
Avoid smoking
Smoking if habitual should be given up completely as it aggravates menstrual disorders.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
ASTHAMA IN TODDLERS & CHILDREN
The worse thing than childhood asthma is asthma in toddlers. Most children who have asthma, developed the disease while they were still toddlers. With a reported 5 million American children suffering from asthma, 173 thousand of them hospitalized for severe symptoms and 864 thousand receiving emergency treatment annually, it is important that your toddler be evaluated for asthma as early as possible.
Since it is more difficult to diagnose asthma among infants and toddlers, it would be best to look for signs or symptoms that characterize the disease.
Many cases of asthma deaths were due to the parents' failure to recognize the severity of the toddler's condition. Common colds and respiratory diseases such as bronchitis can exhibit asthma-like symptoms. But this does not mean you should ignore your child especially when he has difficulty in breathing or a wheezing cough.
When your toddler is diagnosed with asthma, it does not mean he will be forever afflicted with the disease. On the contrary, there are lots of documented cases where the toddler's asthma no longer persisted into adulthood. It can also be deduced from this observation that toddlers are more susceptible to asthma triggers but develops immunity as they grow older.A toddler with asthma will have persistent cough that is hacking and congested. Sometimes the toddler may have wheezing cough and sometimes have none. In addition to this symptom, your toddler will display muscle retractions and flaring nostrils. He would also experience difficulty in breathing making feedings impossible. You will also observe your toddler rapidly breathing even while he sleeps.
If you think, your toddler is breathing too rapidly, you should take him to the nearest hospital.Another sign you should watch out for is your toddler's lack of stamina and enthusiasm during playtime. This may be because he is associating physical activities with breathing difficulties and naturally gets discouraged to join other children. Having him checked by your pediatrician can determine if your toddler has asthma.Asthma in toddlers may be more difficult to manage.
The best way to do this is to enlist the help of your care provider or his teachers. You can prepare some detailed instructions so they would know what to do in case of an asthma episode. Your toddler's pediatrician can help you prepare this set of instructions.You should never take your toddler to a smoky place since cigarette smoke can easily trigger an asthma attack. Your pediatrician can test your child's sensitivity to dust mite protein. Sometimes, parents overlook the fact that stuffed toys are hosts to these dust mites. During falls and spring seasons when levels of pollen are high, you should limit your toddler's outdoor activities.
Emotional stress is also considered to be a trigger factor. Not only does it cause an asthma attack but it could also worsen asthma symptoms. Anxiety or panic attacks should be dealt with reasonable calm to help relax your child. The moment your toddler calms down you can administer treatment such as bronchodilator medication.Keep your children safe and protect them from elements that can lead to long-term damage.
These kinds of problems can haunt them through adulthood, so take caution when it comes to your young loved ones.About the Author: Article provided by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about the Asthma in Toddlers and Children.
Since it is more difficult to diagnose asthma among infants and toddlers, it would be best to look for signs or symptoms that characterize the disease.
Many cases of asthma deaths were due to the parents' failure to recognize the severity of the toddler's condition. Common colds and respiratory diseases such as bronchitis can exhibit asthma-like symptoms. But this does not mean you should ignore your child especially when he has difficulty in breathing or a wheezing cough.
When your toddler is diagnosed with asthma, it does not mean he will be forever afflicted with the disease. On the contrary, there are lots of documented cases where the toddler's asthma no longer persisted into adulthood. It can also be deduced from this observation that toddlers are more susceptible to asthma triggers but develops immunity as they grow older.A toddler with asthma will have persistent cough that is hacking and congested. Sometimes the toddler may have wheezing cough and sometimes have none. In addition to this symptom, your toddler will display muscle retractions and flaring nostrils. He would also experience difficulty in breathing making feedings impossible. You will also observe your toddler rapidly breathing even while he sleeps.
If you think, your toddler is breathing too rapidly, you should take him to the nearest hospital.Another sign you should watch out for is your toddler's lack of stamina and enthusiasm during playtime. This may be because he is associating physical activities with breathing difficulties and naturally gets discouraged to join other children. Having him checked by your pediatrician can determine if your toddler has asthma.Asthma in toddlers may be more difficult to manage.
The best way to do this is to enlist the help of your care provider or his teachers. You can prepare some detailed instructions so they would know what to do in case of an asthma episode. Your toddler's pediatrician can help you prepare this set of instructions.You should never take your toddler to a smoky place since cigarette smoke can easily trigger an asthma attack. Your pediatrician can test your child's sensitivity to dust mite protein. Sometimes, parents overlook the fact that stuffed toys are hosts to these dust mites. During falls and spring seasons when levels of pollen are high, you should limit your toddler's outdoor activities.
Emotional stress is also considered to be a trigger factor. Not only does it cause an asthma attack but it could also worsen asthma symptoms. Anxiety or panic attacks should be dealt with reasonable calm to help relax your child. The moment your toddler calms down you can administer treatment such as bronchodilator medication.Keep your children safe and protect them from elements that can lead to long-term damage.
These kinds of problems can haunt them through adulthood, so take caution when it comes to your young loved ones.About the Author: Article provided by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about the Asthma in Toddlers and Children.
HOME REMEDY FOR MEASLES
Measles, a highly infectious disease, is very common in childhood. It is so common at this stage of life that nearly all children in most parts of the world suffer form it.
Measles symptoms
feverishness, cold, watering of the eyes
The first symptoms that appear for seven to fourteen days after exposure to the virus are feverishness, cold, watering of the eyes, and a dry cough. A rash appears on the skin four days after the onset of these symptoms. This rash, which consists of small rounded spots with reddened skin in between, initially appears on the sides of the face and the neck, and then gradually spreads allover the body, appearing last on the extremities. Initially pink in colour, the spots grow darker as time passes.
Fever and diarrhoea
Measles is usually accompanied by fever and diarrhoea. In severe cases, high fever and delirium may occur. Complications which can arise from this disease include pneumonia, bronchitis, and abscesses in the ears. One serious but rare complication is inflammation of the brain.
Measles and the Symptoms:
First 2 to 3 days
Very high fever (up to 105 degrees) .
Cold like symptom, including a runny nose: a dry cough: swollen glands: red, watery eyes, loss of appetite and aching muscles.
A day or two later
Inside the mouth, painless small gray or white bumps, like grains of salt surrounded by red rings.
In another day
Small red spots that first appear on the face and the neck. As they spread down the body, they join to form large blotches .
Measles causes
Virus
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases caused by a virus. This disease is easily transmitted in the early stages through the invisible droplets of moisture, which are discharged from a patient's nose or mouth when he coughs or sneezes.
Wrong feeding habits and unhygienic living conditions
The real causes of this disease, like other diseases of childhood, are however; wrong feeding habits and unhygienic living conditions.
Home Remedies for Measles
Measles treatment using Orange
Oranges are very valuable in measles, as the digestive power of the body is seriously hampered. The patient suffers from intense toxaemia, and the lack of saliva coats his tongue and often destroys his thirst for water as well as his desire for food. The agreeable flavour of orange juice helps greatly in overcoming these drawbacks. Orange juice is the ideal liquid food for this disease.
Measles treatment using Lemon Juice
The juice of lemon also makes an effective thirst-quenching drink in measles. About 15 to 25 ml of lemon juice, diluted with water, should be take for this purpose.
Measles treatment using Turmeric
Turmeric is beneficial in the treatment of measles. Raw roots of turmeric should be dried in the sun and ground to a fine powder. Half a teaspoon of this powder, mixed with a few drops of honey and the juice of a few bitter gourd leaves, should be given to patients suffering from measles.
Measles treatment using Liquorice
Powdered liquorice has been found valuable in relieving the cough, which is typical in measles. The child patient should be given half a teaspoon of powdered liquorice mixed with the same quantity of honey.
Measles treatment using Barley
The use of barley water has proved beneficial for the troublesome cough in measles.
This water should be taken frequently, sweetened with the newly-drawn oil of sweet almonds.
Measles treatment using Egg Plant Seeds
The seeds of the egg plant are a stimulant. Intake of half to one gram of these seeds daily for three days will help develop immunity against measles for one year.
· Give your chills lots of fluids .
· Help your child rest in bed.
· Use a cool-mist humidifier in your child's bedroom.
· If your child's eyes are sensitive to light, darken the bedroom.
· If your child has minor aches or pains, give acetaminophen.
· Keep your child away from others.
Measles diet
Juices of fresh fruits like oranges and lemons frequently.
At the beginning of the treatment, the patient should be given juices of fresh fruits like oranges and lemons frequently. This is sufficient as the child suffers from a lack of appetite during this period.
All-fruit diet followed by well-balanced diet
As the condition improves, the child can be placed on an all-fruit diet for a few days. Thereafter he may be allowed to gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet.
Other Measles treatment
Well-ventilated room is essential
The child should be kept in a well-ventilated room. As light has a detrimental effect upon the eyes during measles because of the weakened condition of the external eye tissues, the child should have his eyes shaded or the room should have subdued light.
Warm-water enema, application of mud packs
The treatment should aim at bringing down the temperature and eliminating the toxins from the system. This can be achieved by administration of a warm-water enema every morning, application of mud packs on the abdomen twice a day - in the morning and evening, and repeated application of chest packs. Lukewarm water baths can be given every day to ease itching. Addition of extracts of neem leaves to this water will prove beneficial.
Complete rest
Children having measles should not be allowed to mix with others so as to avoid passing on the infection to them. In fact, they should take complete rest. Hygienic conditions, along with the above-mentioned treatment, will lead to a speedy recovery.
Avoid medication
Medication should be strictly avoided.
Prevention of Measeles:
Make sure your child gets the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. This shot is given at 12 to 18 months, with booster at 4 to 6 years.
Measles symptoms
feverishness, cold, watering of the eyes
The first symptoms that appear for seven to fourteen days after exposure to the virus are feverishness, cold, watering of the eyes, and a dry cough. A rash appears on the skin four days after the onset of these symptoms. This rash, which consists of small rounded spots with reddened skin in between, initially appears on the sides of the face and the neck, and then gradually spreads allover the body, appearing last on the extremities. Initially pink in colour, the spots grow darker as time passes.
Fever and diarrhoea
Measles is usually accompanied by fever and diarrhoea. In severe cases, high fever and delirium may occur. Complications which can arise from this disease include pneumonia, bronchitis, and abscesses in the ears. One serious but rare complication is inflammation of the brain.
Measles and the Symptoms:
First 2 to 3 days
Very high fever (up to 105 degrees) .
Cold like symptom, including a runny nose: a dry cough: swollen glands: red, watery eyes, loss of appetite and aching muscles.
A day or two later
Inside the mouth, painless small gray or white bumps, like grains of salt surrounded by red rings.
In another day
Small red spots that first appear on the face and the neck. As they spread down the body, they join to form large blotches .
Measles causes
Virus
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases caused by a virus. This disease is easily transmitted in the early stages through the invisible droplets of moisture, which are discharged from a patient's nose or mouth when he coughs or sneezes.
Wrong feeding habits and unhygienic living conditions
The real causes of this disease, like other diseases of childhood, are however; wrong feeding habits and unhygienic living conditions.
Home Remedies for Measles
Measles treatment using Orange
Oranges are very valuable in measles, as the digestive power of the body is seriously hampered. The patient suffers from intense toxaemia, and the lack of saliva coats his tongue and often destroys his thirst for water as well as his desire for food. The agreeable flavour of orange juice helps greatly in overcoming these drawbacks. Orange juice is the ideal liquid food for this disease.
Measles treatment using Lemon Juice
The juice of lemon also makes an effective thirst-quenching drink in measles. About 15 to 25 ml of lemon juice, diluted with water, should be take for this purpose.
Measles treatment using Turmeric
Turmeric is beneficial in the treatment of measles. Raw roots of turmeric should be dried in the sun and ground to a fine powder. Half a teaspoon of this powder, mixed with a few drops of honey and the juice of a few bitter gourd leaves, should be given to patients suffering from measles.
Measles treatment using Liquorice
Powdered liquorice has been found valuable in relieving the cough, which is typical in measles. The child patient should be given half a teaspoon of powdered liquorice mixed with the same quantity of honey.
Measles treatment using Barley
The use of barley water has proved beneficial for the troublesome cough in measles.
This water should be taken frequently, sweetened with the newly-drawn oil of sweet almonds.
Measles treatment using Egg Plant Seeds
The seeds of the egg plant are a stimulant. Intake of half to one gram of these seeds daily for three days will help develop immunity against measles for one year.
· Give your chills lots of fluids .
· Help your child rest in bed.
· Use a cool-mist humidifier in your child's bedroom.
· If your child's eyes are sensitive to light, darken the bedroom.
· If your child has minor aches or pains, give acetaminophen.
· Keep your child away from others.
Measles diet
Juices of fresh fruits like oranges and lemons frequently.
At the beginning of the treatment, the patient should be given juices of fresh fruits like oranges and lemons frequently. This is sufficient as the child suffers from a lack of appetite during this period.
All-fruit diet followed by well-balanced diet
As the condition improves, the child can be placed on an all-fruit diet for a few days. Thereafter he may be allowed to gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet.
Other Measles treatment
Well-ventilated room is essential
The child should be kept in a well-ventilated room. As light has a detrimental effect upon the eyes during measles because of the weakened condition of the external eye tissues, the child should have his eyes shaded or the room should have subdued light.
Warm-water enema, application of mud packs
The treatment should aim at bringing down the temperature and eliminating the toxins from the system. This can be achieved by administration of a warm-water enema every morning, application of mud packs on the abdomen twice a day - in the morning and evening, and repeated application of chest packs. Lukewarm water baths can be given every day to ease itching. Addition of extracts of neem leaves to this water will prove beneficial.
Complete rest
Children having measles should not be allowed to mix with others so as to avoid passing on the infection to them. In fact, they should take complete rest. Hygienic conditions, along with the above-mentioned treatment, will lead to a speedy recovery.
Avoid medication
Medication should be strictly avoided.
Prevention of Measeles:
Make sure your child gets the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. This shot is given at 12 to 18 months, with booster at 4 to 6 years.
HOME REMEDY FOR PSORIASIS
PSORIASIS
Psoriasis is one of the most stubborn skin diseases. It is a chronic disease, characterized by thick, red, silvery, scaled patches of the skin. This disease affects both sexes equally, and is more common during the first fifteen to thirty years, although it may appear at any age. Psoriasis is not contagious
Psoriasis symptoms
Skin appears red, irritated and with bright silvery scales
Generally, the skin of the person suffering from this disease appears red and irritated and may be covered with bright silvery scales. Sometimes there is also a little itching
Psoriasis causes Abnormality, metabolism of amino acids
The areas usually involved are the elbows, knees, and the skin behind the ears, the trunk, and the scalp. The disease may also affect the underarms and genital areas. The lesions vary in size from minute papules to sheets covering large parts of the body. Quite often, they are discs from half an inch to several inches in size. The lesions are always dry and rarely become infected. Recent studies have shown that psoriasis involves an abnormality in the mechanism in which the skin grows and replaces itself. The abnormality is related to the metabolism of amino acids, the nature's basic building blocks for the reproduction of cell tissues
Heredity
Heredity also plays a role in the development of psoriasis as it tends to occur in families.
Stress, infections and medicines
The factors that aggravate and precipitate the outbreak of this disease are physical and emotional stress, infections, and use of certain medicines for the treatment of other diseases
Home Remedies for Psoriasis
Psoriasis treatment using Cabbage Leaves
Cabbage leaves have been successfully used in the form of compresses in the treatment of psoriasis. The thickest and greenest outer leaves are most effective for use as compresses. They should be thoroughly washed in warm water and dried with a towel. The leaves should be flattened, softened and smoothed out by rolling them with a rolling pin after removing the thick veins. They should he warmed and then applied smoothly to the affected part in an overlapping manner. A pad of soft woollen cloth should be put over them. The whole compress should then be secured with an elastic bandage.
Psoriasis treatment using Bitter Gourd
Bitter gourd is a valuable remedy for psoriasis. A cup of fresh juice of this vegetable, mixed with a teaspoon of lime juice, should be taken sip by sip, on an empty stomach daily for four to six months
Psoriasis treatment using Avocado Oil
The oil of avocado has been found beneficial in the treatment of this disease. It should be applied gently to the affected parts
Psoriasis treatment using Cashew nut Oil
The oil extracted from the outer shell of the cashew nut is acrid and rubefacient. It can be applied beneficially on the affected area
Psoriasis treatment using Buttermilk
The use of curd in the form of buttermilk has proved useful in psoriasis and the patient should drink it in liberal quantities. The application of buttermilk compresses over the affected parts will also be useful in treating this condition.
Psoriasis treatment using Vitamin E
Vitamin E therapy has been found effective in the treatment of psoriasis. The patient should take this vitamin in therapeutic doses of 400 mg a day. It will help reduce itching and scab formation.
Psoriasis treatment using Lecithin
Lecithin is also considered a remarkable remedy for psoriasis. The patient may take six to nine lecithin capsules a day-two or three capsules before or after each meal. If taken in the form of granules, four tablespoonfuls may be taken daily for two months. The dosage may be reduced thereafter to two tablespoons.
Psoriasis Diet
Carrots, beets, cucumbers and grapes juices
Since psoriasis is a metabolic disease, a cleansing juice fast for a week is always desirable at the beginning of the treatment. Carrots, beets, cucumbers, and grapes may be used for juices.
Well-balanced diet made of raw seeds, nuts etc
After the juice fast, the patient should adopt a well-balanced diet consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits. Emphasis should be placed on raw seeds and nuts, especially sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and plenty of organically grown raw vegetables and fruits. When there is a substantial improvement, goat's milk, yoghurt, and home-made cottage cheese may be added to the diet. The juice fast may be repeated after a month or so.
Avoid animal fats, refined or processed foods
All animal fats, including milk, butter, eggs; refined or processed foods; foods containing hydrogenated fats or white sugar; all condiments; and tea and coffee should be avoided. When there is a substantial improvement, goat's milk, yoghurt, and home-made cottage cheese may be added to the diet. The juice fast may be repeated after a month or so.
Other Psoriasis treatments
Warm-water enema and Sea-water baths
During the initial juice fast, a warm-water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels. Regular sea-water baths and application of sea water externally over the affected parts once a day are beneficial
Frequent bath and soap should be avoided
Frequent baths should be avoided. Soap should not be used.
Hot Epsom salts bath
Hot Epsom salts baths also prove valuable in psoriasis. After an Epsom salts bath, a little olive oil may be applied. The skin should be kept absolutely clean by dry friction or daily sponging.
Psoriasis is one of the most stubborn skin diseases. It is a chronic disease, characterized by thick, red, silvery, scaled patches of the skin. This disease affects both sexes equally, and is more common during the first fifteen to thirty years, although it may appear at any age. Psoriasis is not contagious
Psoriasis symptoms
Skin appears red, irritated and with bright silvery scales
Generally, the skin of the person suffering from this disease appears red and irritated and may be covered with bright silvery scales. Sometimes there is also a little itching
Psoriasis causes Abnormality, metabolism of amino acids
The areas usually involved are the elbows, knees, and the skin behind the ears, the trunk, and the scalp. The disease may also affect the underarms and genital areas. The lesions vary in size from minute papules to sheets covering large parts of the body. Quite often, they are discs from half an inch to several inches in size. The lesions are always dry and rarely become infected. Recent studies have shown that psoriasis involves an abnormality in the mechanism in which the skin grows and replaces itself. The abnormality is related to the metabolism of amino acids, the nature's basic building blocks for the reproduction of cell tissues
Heredity
Heredity also plays a role in the development of psoriasis as it tends to occur in families.
Stress, infections and medicines
The factors that aggravate and precipitate the outbreak of this disease are physical and emotional stress, infections, and use of certain medicines for the treatment of other diseases
Home Remedies for Psoriasis
Psoriasis treatment using Cabbage Leaves
Cabbage leaves have been successfully used in the form of compresses in the treatment of psoriasis. The thickest and greenest outer leaves are most effective for use as compresses. They should be thoroughly washed in warm water and dried with a towel. The leaves should be flattened, softened and smoothed out by rolling them with a rolling pin after removing the thick veins. They should he warmed and then applied smoothly to the affected part in an overlapping manner. A pad of soft woollen cloth should be put over them. The whole compress should then be secured with an elastic bandage.
Psoriasis treatment using Bitter Gourd
Bitter gourd is a valuable remedy for psoriasis. A cup of fresh juice of this vegetable, mixed with a teaspoon of lime juice, should be taken sip by sip, on an empty stomach daily for four to six months
Psoriasis treatment using Avocado Oil
The oil of avocado has been found beneficial in the treatment of this disease. It should be applied gently to the affected parts
Psoriasis treatment using Cashew nut Oil
The oil extracted from the outer shell of the cashew nut is acrid and rubefacient. It can be applied beneficially on the affected area
Psoriasis treatment using Buttermilk
The use of curd in the form of buttermilk has proved useful in psoriasis and the patient should drink it in liberal quantities. The application of buttermilk compresses over the affected parts will also be useful in treating this condition.
Psoriasis treatment using Vitamin E
Vitamin E therapy has been found effective in the treatment of psoriasis. The patient should take this vitamin in therapeutic doses of 400 mg a day. It will help reduce itching and scab formation.
Psoriasis treatment using Lecithin
Lecithin is also considered a remarkable remedy for psoriasis. The patient may take six to nine lecithin capsules a day-two or three capsules before or after each meal. If taken in the form of granules, four tablespoonfuls may be taken daily for two months. The dosage may be reduced thereafter to two tablespoons.
Psoriasis Diet
Carrots, beets, cucumbers and grapes juices
Since psoriasis is a metabolic disease, a cleansing juice fast for a week is always desirable at the beginning of the treatment. Carrots, beets, cucumbers, and grapes may be used for juices.
Well-balanced diet made of raw seeds, nuts etc
After the juice fast, the patient should adopt a well-balanced diet consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits. Emphasis should be placed on raw seeds and nuts, especially sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and plenty of organically grown raw vegetables and fruits. When there is a substantial improvement, goat's milk, yoghurt, and home-made cottage cheese may be added to the diet. The juice fast may be repeated after a month or so.
Avoid animal fats, refined or processed foods
All animal fats, including milk, butter, eggs; refined or processed foods; foods containing hydrogenated fats or white sugar; all condiments; and tea and coffee should be avoided. When there is a substantial improvement, goat's milk, yoghurt, and home-made cottage cheese may be added to the diet. The juice fast may be repeated after a month or so.
Other Psoriasis treatments
Warm-water enema and Sea-water baths
During the initial juice fast, a warm-water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels. Regular sea-water baths and application of sea water externally over the affected parts once a day are beneficial
Frequent bath and soap should be avoided
Frequent baths should be avoided. Soap should not be used.
Hot Epsom salts bath
Hot Epsom salts baths also prove valuable in psoriasis. After an Epsom salts bath, a little olive oil may be applied. The skin should be kept absolutely clean by dry friction or daily sponging.
5 Reasons Why You Should Start Practicing Yoga And Meditation
5 Reasons Why You Should Start Practicing Yoga And Meditation
Some of the benefits of practising yoga and meditation. I believe that there are numerous benefits. These are just some of the benefits for your reference.The practice of yoga and meditation has become increasingly popular in the past few years, but I am sure that there are many people who are still asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” So, if you have been wondering whether it would be worth your time to start practicing yoga and meditation, I would like to give you five good reasons why it would be a very worthwhile activity for you.
1. Yoga and meditation will improve your healthYoga postures put gentle pressure on the internal organs of the body and help them to function properly. In particular the postures help your digestive system to work smoothly and thus avoid problems such as constipation, acidity and indigestion, which are common conditions that can lead to more serious problems later on. Meditation and deep relaxation can be just what you need to lower your blood pressure. Thus, yoga postures plus meditation is a great combination for maintaining and improving health.
2. Yoga and meditation will help you to overcome bad habitsWhat’s a “bad habit?” It’s something that you are doing continually, and something that you know is harming you but you can’t stop it. Are you smoking now? Maybe you thought it was good when you started, but you would now like to stop. The trouble is that it is not so easy to quit smoking or a similar habit once it has become established.This is where yoga and meditation can help you out. The yoga postures help you to become more relaxed and mentally balanced. Meditation can help you to concentrate your mind and build up your will-power. Once you become internally balanced and have a stronger will power, it will become possible for you to break any habit, even one that you have been troubled by for many years.
3. Yoga and meditation will help you to lose weightObesity is one of the biggest health problems of the modern era. Our lives have become more sedentary and our food sources have changed over the last 100 years and this why many adults and even children are now overweight.Although this is a life-style problem, it is something that can be dealt with. The surest way to lose weight is to get more exercise and to control what you are eating. This is of course, easier said than done. But yoga and meditation can help you out. There are some yoga postures that are helpful in weight loss programs. Similarly, the mental strength that you can get from both yoga postures and from meditation can help you to gain a better control over your diet and this can result in healthy and permanent weight loss.
4. Yoga and meditation will bring you inner peaceYou may be earning a lot of money and you may have a lot of social prestige but is physical or social wealth the goal of your life? Whatever material or social wealth you have, if you are not contented, satisfied and at peace with yourself then you will not be a happy person.The goal of meditation is to help you find the inner core of your being. Who are you? Is it the name and address on your identity card? If you start meditating you will find that deep within you is a pool of infinite love and peace. This is the real you. If you can reach this place, then you will find peace and contentment; it is guaranteed!
5. Yoga and meditation will make you a wiser person.Every one of us has made mistakes that we regret. There is nothing we can do about the past. We can’t go back in time and not make the mistakes. But what we can do is to build up our capacity to see what has permanent value and what is transitory. When we attain this state of discrimination, then we will not do actions that we will regret later on.Meditation helps a person to go beyond the “chatter” of the mind and attain a state of wisdom that will always be of help. Wisdom does not mean stuffing your mind with “facts” but it does mean to have a mind that will choose a course of action that brings about the welfare of everyone.I have a list with many more reasons why yoga and meditation are helpful, but I thought I would start off with these five reasons. So, if any one of these items are interesting for you, then why not see for yourself, and start practicing yoga and meditation?
Some of the benefits of practising yoga and meditation. I believe that there are numerous benefits. These are just some of the benefits for your reference.The practice of yoga and meditation has become increasingly popular in the past few years, but I am sure that there are many people who are still asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” So, if you have been wondering whether it would be worth your time to start practicing yoga and meditation, I would like to give you five good reasons why it would be a very worthwhile activity for you.
1. Yoga and meditation will improve your healthYoga postures put gentle pressure on the internal organs of the body and help them to function properly. In particular the postures help your digestive system to work smoothly and thus avoid problems such as constipation, acidity and indigestion, which are common conditions that can lead to more serious problems later on. Meditation and deep relaxation can be just what you need to lower your blood pressure. Thus, yoga postures plus meditation is a great combination for maintaining and improving health.
2. Yoga and meditation will help you to overcome bad habitsWhat’s a “bad habit?” It’s something that you are doing continually, and something that you know is harming you but you can’t stop it. Are you smoking now? Maybe you thought it was good when you started, but you would now like to stop. The trouble is that it is not so easy to quit smoking or a similar habit once it has become established.This is where yoga and meditation can help you out. The yoga postures help you to become more relaxed and mentally balanced. Meditation can help you to concentrate your mind and build up your will-power. Once you become internally balanced and have a stronger will power, it will become possible for you to break any habit, even one that you have been troubled by for many years.
3. Yoga and meditation will help you to lose weightObesity is one of the biggest health problems of the modern era. Our lives have become more sedentary and our food sources have changed over the last 100 years and this why many adults and even children are now overweight.Although this is a life-style problem, it is something that can be dealt with. The surest way to lose weight is to get more exercise and to control what you are eating. This is of course, easier said than done. But yoga and meditation can help you out. There are some yoga postures that are helpful in weight loss programs. Similarly, the mental strength that you can get from both yoga postures and from meditation can help you to gain a better control over your diet and this can result in healthy and permanent weight loss.
4. Yoga and meditation will bring you inner peaceYou may be earning a lot of money and you may have a lot of social prestige but is physical or social wealth the goal of your life? Whatever material or social wealth you have, if you are not contented, satisfied and at peace with yourself then you will not be a happy person.The goal of meditation is to help you find the inner core of your being. Who are you? Is it the name and address on your identity card? If you start meditating you will find that deep within you is a pool of infinite love and peace. This is the real you. If you can reach this place, then you will find peace and contentment; it is guaranteed!
5. Yoga and meditation will make you a wiser person.Every one of us has made mistakes that we regret. There is nothing we can do about the past. We can’t go back in time and not make the mistakes. But what we can do is to build up our capacity to see what has permanent value and what is transitory. When we attain this state of discrimination, then we will not do actions that we will regret later on.Meditation helps a person to go beyond the “chatter” of the mind and attain a state of wisdom that will always be of help. Wisdom does not mean stuffing your mind with “facts” but it does mean to have a mind that will choose a course of action that brings about the welfare of everyone.I have a list with many more reasons why yoga and meditation are helpful, but I thought I would start off with these five reasons. So, if any one of these items are interesting for you, then why not see for yourself, and start practicing yoga and meditation?
MISCARRIAGE BLUES
Miscarriage blues
Around one in five women have had a miscarriage at least once in their lifetime. But once a woman is over 40, her chances of miscarriage increase due to the lack of quality of her eggs.
WHY DO MISCARRIAGES HAPPEN?
Most miscarriages occur before the 12-week stage. And half of all of these early miscarriages are related to a genetic problem such as chromosomal abnormalities.A chromosome abnormality is when some of the information taken from both parents' genes at conception is lost for no other reason than bad luck. This means the baby can't develop properly and is miscarried.Most chromosomal problems happen by chance, have nothing to do with the parents, and are unlikely to reoccur. A miscarriage is the body's way of rejecting a pregnancy with abnormalities such as Down's syndrome.
PHYSICAL REASONS
Problem: A common anatomical problem is a weak cervix, which means the cervix is not strong enough to hold the baby. In this case, miscarriage usually happens after 15 weeks. Treatment: If this has happened, you can have a stitch put in the neck of the cervix after you fall pregnant again to reduce your risk. It's a quick operation under general anaesthetic and the stitch is removed before you go into labour.Problem: Another is antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), also known as sticky-blood syndrome. This is where the circulation of blood is poor, causing blood clotting, which means the egg can't attach to the uterus lining.Treatment: APS can be treated with aspirin to thin the blood. Aspirin stops the blood cells sticking together and creates a better circulation in the lining of the uterus, reducing the risk of miscarriage.Problem: Some women don't make enough progesterone, the hormone that prepares the lining of the uterus to nourish a fertilised egg. If the uterus lining can't sustain an egg, miscarriage will occur.Treatment: A blood test and a biopsy of a small amount of tissue taken from the uterus lining can determine whether you are producing enough progesterone naturally. This hormone imbalance can be caused by diabetes mellitus or thyroid disease.
OTHER REASONS•
Minor infections such as coughs and colds aren't harmful.• A high temperature and some illnesses or infections, such as German measles, may also cause miscarriage. So if you begin to get a temperature, contact your doctor.• A miscarriage can also be caused by lifestyle choices such as flying and eating certain foods.• One of the common questions asked is: 'Can I fly?' If you've had any bleeding, or previous miscarriages, then think twice about going on a long-haul flight. You don't want to be stuck at 30,000 feet having a miscarriage.• You should also avoid putting yourself at risk by not carrying heavy objects or climbing up ladders.• When it comes to food, it's unusual but not uncommon for a miscarriage to be triggered by listeria. This bacteria is found in unpasturised milk and some soft cheeses such as unpasturised brie and Camembert. Listeria is also found in liver pate. The bacterium causes food poisoning. There is a small risk if you're in the first trimester and up to the second trimester, which is six months.• Ideally, you should avoid unpasturised foods while pregnant. Other lifestyle changes like drinking and smoking can also cause problems.• Studies have shown that overindulging in alcohol effects the early stages of foetus development. Give up alcohol completely. However, if you want to enjoy the odd glass of wine you should be fine. And stop smoking completely.• The chemicals in cigarettes narrow the blood vessels and make it difficult for the womb to provide enough blood supply for the baby to develop properly, which can lead to miscarriage.
DOES DRINKING COFFEE INCREASE THE DANGER?
Pregnant women who drink more than two cups of coffee a day may double their risk of miscarriage.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MISCARRY?
At first you may experience slight bleeding and a bit of pain. At this point it's a "threatened miscarriage" and the neck of the womb is closed, so you may still be able to save your baby. Contact your midwife, doctor or go to your nearest accident and emergency department. In the next stage, the bleeding and pain increases. When examined, if the cervix is opening it's inevitable that a miscarriage will occur.
THE MEDICAL PROCEDURE
Women often have to wait a week and have a repeat scan before a miscarriage can be confirmed. But if the worst has happened, the doctor will help you choose the right option for you:Let nature takes its course - where the foetus comes out naturally. This method can take anything from a few days to the next cycle of your period, how long depends on the stage of your pregnancy. So you may be on your own at home when it happens.The doctor can give you misoprostil, a tablet which encourages the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy, and also pessaries, which speed up the natural process of miscarriage. Often you're given the pill in hospital then asked to return when you start bleeding so you can be monitored.Alternatively you may need to undergo a D&C, which stands for "dilation and curettage", where the uterus is cleaned out under general anaesthetic.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MISCARRIAGE AND A STILLBIRTH?
A miscarriage occurs before 24 weeks. A stillbirth occurs after 24 weeks, once the baby is fully formed — so you usually need to undergo an induced labour to deliver it.YOUR AFTERCAREIf you've had two miscarriages, you can ask your doctor to refer you to an Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic when you are five to six weeks pregnant, before your usual 12-week scan.Three miscarriages in a row is known as a recurrent spontaneous miscarriage and you'll be referred to a gynaecologist for special investigation.You should wait at least until you have had another cycle before trying to fall pregnant again. Three months is usually a good length of time.Although you recover physically within about six weeks, miscarriage is a bereavement and is likely to affect you emotionally. Everyone reacts differently. But feelings of sadness, depression, self blame and anger are common. Talking to someone who's been through one can help.
Around one in five women have had a miscarriage at least once in their lifetime. But once a woman is over 40, her chances of miscarriage increase due to the lack of quality of her eggs.
WHY DO MISCARRIAGES HAPPEN?
Most miscarriages occur before the 12-week stage. And half of all of these early miscarriages are related to a genetic problem such as chromosomal abnormalities.A chromosome abnormality is when some of the information taken from both parents' genes at conception is lost for no other reason than bad luck. This means the baby can't develop properly and is miscarried.Most chromosomal problems happen by chance, have nothing to do with the parents, and are unlikely to reoccur. A miscarriage is the body's way of rejecting a pregnancy with abnormalities such as Down's syndrome.
PHYSICAL REASONS
Problem: A common anatomical problem is a weak cervix, which means the cervix is not strong enough to hold the baby. In this case, miscarriage usually happens after 15 weeks. Treatment: If this has happened, you can have a stitch put in the neck of the cervix after you fall pregnant again to reduce your risk. It's a quick operation under general anaesthetic and the stitch is removed before you go into labour.Problem: Another is antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), also known as sticky-blood syndrome. This is where the circulation of blood is poor, causing blood clotting, which means the egg can't attach to the uterus lining.Treatment: APS can be treated with aspirin to thin the blood. Aspirin stops the blood cells sticking together and creates a better circulation in the lining of the uterus, reducing the risk of miscarriage.Problem: Some women don't make enough progesterone, the hormone that prepares the lining of the uterus to nourish a fertilised egg. If the uterus lining can't sustain an egg, miscarriage will occur.Treatment: A blood test and a biopsy of a small amount of tissue taken from the uterus lining can determine whether you are producing enough progesterone naturally. This hormone imbalance can be caused by diabetes mellitus or thyroid disease.
OTHER REASONS•
Minor infections such as coughs and colds aren't harmful.• A high temperature and some illnesses or infections, such as German measles, may also cause miscarriage. So if you begin to get a temperature, contact your doctor.• A miscarriage can also be caused by lifestyle choices such as flying and eating certain foods.• One of the common questions asked is: 'Can I fly?' If you've had any bleeding, or previous miscarriages, then think twice about going on a long-haul flight. You don't want to be stuck at 30,000 feet having a miscarriage.• You should also avoid putting yourself at risk by not carrying heavy objects or climbing up ladders.• When it comes to food, it's unusual but not uncommon for a miscarriage to be triggered by listeria. This bacteria is found in unpasturised milk and some soft cheeses such as unpasturised brie and Camembert. Listeria is also found in liver pate. The bacterium causes food poisoning. There is a small risk if you're in the first trimester and up to the second trimester, which is six months.• Ideally, you should avoid unpasturised foods while pregnant. Other lifestyle changes like drinking and smoking can also cause problems.• Studies have shown that overindulging in alcohol effects the early stages of foetus development. Give up alcohol completely. However, if you want to enjoy the odd glass of wine you should be fine. And stop smoking completely.• The chemicals in cigarettes narrow the blood vessels and make it difficult for the womb to provide enough blood supply for the baby to develop properly, which can lead to miscarriage.
DOES DRINKING COFFEE INCREASE THE DANGER?
Pregnant women who drink more than two cups of coffee a day may double their risk of miscarriage.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MISCARRY?
At first you may experience slight bleeding and a bit of pain. At this point it's a "threatened miscarriage" and the neck of the womb is closed, so you may still be able to save your baby. Contact your midwife, doctor or go to your nearest accident and emergency department. In the next stage, the bleeding and pain increases. When examined, if the cervix is opening it's inevitable that a miscarriage will occur.
THE MEDICAL PROCEDURE
Women often have to wait a week and have a repeat scan before a miscarriage can be confirmed. But if the worst has happened, the doctor will help you choose the right option for you:Let nature takes its course - where the foetus comes out naturally. This method can take anything from a few days to the next cycle of your period, how long depends on the stage of your pregnancy. So you may be on your own at home when it happens.The doctor can give you misoprostil, a tablet which encourages the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy, and also pessaries, which speed up the natural process of miscarriage. Often you're given the pill in hospital then asked to return when you start bleeding so you can be monitored.Alternatively you may need to undergo a D&C, which stands for "dilation and curettage", where the uterus is cleaned out under general anaesthetic.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MISCARRIAGE AND A STILLBIRTH?
A miscarriage occurs before 24 weeks. A stillbirth occurs after 24 weeks, once the baby is fully formed — so you usually need to undergo an induced labour to deliver it.YOUR AFTERCAREIf you've had two miscarriages, you can ask your doctor to refer you to an Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic when you are five to six weeks pregnant, before your usual 12-week scan.Three miscarriages in a row is known as a recurrent spontaneous miscarriage and you'll be referred to a gynaecologist for special investigation.You should wait at least until you have had another cycle before trying to fall pregnant again. Three months is usually a good length of time.Although you recover physically within about six weeks, miscarriage is a bereavement and is likely to affect you emotionally. Everyone reacts differently. But feelings of sadness, depression, self blame and anger are common. Talking to someone who's been through one can help.
FOOD POISIONING CAN BE LONG-TERM PROBLEM
It's a dirty little secret of food poisoning: E. coli and certain other foodborne illnesses can sometimes trigger serious health problems months or years after patients survived that initial bout. Scientists only now are unraveling a legacy that has largely gone unnoticed.What they've spotted so far is troubling. In interviews with The Associated Press, they described high blood pressure, kidney damage, even full kidney failure striking 10 to 20 years later in people who survived severe E. coli infection as children, arthritis after a bout of salmonella or shigella, and a mysterious paralysis that can attack people who just had mild symptoms of campylobacter. "Folks often assume once you're over the acute illness, that's it, you're back to normal and that's the end of it," said Dr. Robert Tauxe of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The long-term consequences are "an important but relatively poorly documented, poorly studied area of foodborne illness."
These late effects are believed to make up a very small fraction of the nation's 76 million annual food poisonings, although no one knows just how many people are at risk. A bigger question is what other illnesses have yet to be scientifically linked to food poisoning. And with a rash of food recalls - including more than 30 million pounds of ground beef pulled off the market last year alone - these are questions are taking on new urgency."We're drastically underestimating the burden on society that foodborne illnesses represent," contends Donna Rosenbaum of the consumer advocacy group STOP, Safe Tables Our Priority. Every week, her group hears from patients with health complaints that they suspect or have been told are related to food poisoning years earlier, like a woman who survived severe E. coli at 8 only to have her colon removed in her 20s. Or people who develop diabetes after food poisoning inflamed the pancreas. Or parents who wonder if a child's learning problems stem from food poisoning-caused dialysis as a toddler. "There's nobody to refer them to for an answer," says Rosenbaum.So STOP this month is beginning the first national registry of food-poisoning survivors with long-term health problems - people willing to share their medical histories with scientists in hopes of boosting much-needed research. Consider Alyssa Chrobuck of Seattle, who at age 5 was hospitalized as part of the Jack-in-the-Box hamburger outbreak that 15 years ago this month made a deadly E. coli strain notorious.She's now a successful college student but ticks off a list of health problems unusual for a 20-year-old: High blood pressure, recurring hospitalizations for colon inflammation, a hiatal hernia, thyroid removal, endometriosis. "I can't eat fatty foods. I can't eat things that are fried, never been able to eat ice cream or milkshakes," says Chrobuck. "Would I have this many medical problems if I hadn't had the E. coli? Definitely not. But there's no way to tie it definitely back." The CDC says foodborne illnesses cause 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths a year. Among survivors, some long-term consequences are obvious from the outset. Some required kidney transplants. They may have scarred intestines that promise lasting digestive difficulty. But when people appear to recover, it is difficult to prove that later problems really are a food-poisoning legacy and not some unfortunate coincidence. It may be that people prone to certain gastrointestinal conditions, for instance, also are genetically more vulnerable to germs that cause foodborne illness. For now, some of the best evidence comes from the University of Utah, which has long tracked children with E. coli. About 10 percent of E. coli sufferers develop a life-threatening complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, where their kidneys and other organs fail. Ten to 20 years after they recover, between 30 percent and half of HUS survivors will have some kidney-caused problem, says Dr. Andrew Pavia, the university's pediatric infectious diseases chief. That includes high blood pressure caused by scarred kidneys, slowly failing kidneys, even end-stage kidney failure that requires dialysis. "I don't want to leave the message that everyone who had symptoms ... is in trouble," stresses Pavia.Miserable as E. coli is, it doesn't seem to trigger long-term problems unless it started shutting down the kidneys the first time around, he says. "People with uncomplicated diarrhea, by and large we don't have evidence yet that they have complications." Other proven long-term consequences:
About 1 in 1,000 sufferers of campylobacter, a diarrhea-causing infection spread by raw poultry, develop far more serious Guillain-Barre syndrome a month or so later. Their body attacks their nerves, causing paralysis that usually requires intensive care and a ventilator to breathe. About a third of the nation's Guillain-Barre cases have been linked to previous campylobacter, even if the diarrhea was very mild, and they typically suffer a more severe case than patients who never had food poisoning. While they eventually recover, "We don't know a great deal about what happens to those people five years later. What does 'normal' look like?" Tauxe says.A small number of people develop what's called reactive arthritis six months or longer after a bout of salmonella. It causes joint pain, eye inflammation, sometimes painful urination, and can lead to chronic arthritis. Certain strains of shigella and yersinia bacteria, far more common abroad than in the U.S., trigger this reactive arthritis, too, Tauxe says.What about other patient complaints?A variety of other organ problems might be triggered by HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome), that severe E. coli - because it causes blood clots all over the body that could leave a trail of damage, says Utah's Pavia. Among his hottest questions: HUS patients often suffer pancreatitis. Does that increase risk for diabetes later in life?
But proving a connection will require tracking a lot of patients who can provide very good medical records documenting their initial foodborne illness, he cautions.
These late effects are believed to make up a very small fraction of the nation's 76 million annual food poisonings, although no one knows just how many people are at risk. A bigger question is what other illnesses have yet to be scientifically linked to food poisoning. And with a rash of food recalls - including more than 30 million pounds of ground beef pulled off the market last year alone - these are questions are taking on new urgency."We're drastically underestimating the burden on society that foodborne illnesses represent," contends Donna Rosenbaum of the consumer advocacy group STOP, Safe Tables Our Priority. Every week, her group hears from patients with health complaints that they suspect or have been told are related to food poisoning years earlier, like a woman who survived severe E. coli at 8 only to have her colon removed in her 20s. Or people who develop diabetes after food poisoning inflamed the pancreas. Or parents who wonder if a child's learning problems stem from food poisoning-caused dialysis as a toddler. "There's nobody to refer them to for an answer," says Rosenbaum.So STOP this month is beginning the first national registry of food-poisoning survivors with long-term health problems - people willing to share their medical histories with scientists in hopes of boosting much-needed research. Consider Alyssa Chrobuck of Seattle, who at age 5 was hospitalized as part of the Jack-in-the-Box hamburger outbreak that 15 years ago this month made a deadly E. coli strain notorious.She's now a successful college student but ticks off a list of health problems unusual for a 20-year-old: High blood pressure, recurring hospitalizations for colon inflammation, a hiatal hernia, thyroid removal, endometriosis. "I can't eat fatty foods. I can't eat things that are fried, never been able to eat ice cream or milkshakes," says Chrobuck. "Would I have this many medical problems if I hadn't had the E. coli? Definitely not. But there's no way to tie it definitely back." The CDC says foodborne illnesses cause 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths a year. Among survivors, some long-term consequences are obvious from the outset. Some required kidney transplants. They may have scarred intestines that promise lasting digestive difficulty. But when people appear to recover, it is difficult to prove that later problems really are a food-poisoning legacy and not some unfortunate coincidence. It may be that people prone to certain gastrointestinal conditions, for instance, also are genetically more vulnerable to germs that cause foodborne illness. For now, some of the best evidence comes from the University of Utah, which has long tracked children with E. coli. About 10 percent of E. coli sufferers develop a life-threatening complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, where their kidneys and other organs fail. Ten to 20 years after they recover, between 30 percent and half of HUS survivors will have some kidney-caused problem, says Dr. Andrew Pavia, the university's pediatric infectious diseases chief. That includes high blood pressure caused by scarred kidneys, slowly failing kidneys, even end-stage kidney failure that requires dialysis. "I don't want to leave the message that everyone who had symptoms ... is in trouble," stresses Pavia.Miserable as E. coli is, it doesn't seem to trigger long-term problems unless it started shutting down the kidneys the first time around, he says. "People with uncomplicated diarrhea, by and large we don't have evidence yet that they have complications." Other proven long-term consequences:
About 1 in 1,000 sufferers of campylobacter, a diarrhea-causing infection spread by raw poultry, develop far more serious Guillain-Barre syndrome a month or so later. Their body attacks their nerves, causing paralysis that usually requires intensive care and a ventilator to breathe. About a third of the nation's Guillain-Barre cases have been linked to previous campylobacter, even if the diarrhea was very mild, and they typically suffer a more severe case than patients who never had food poisoning. While they eventually recover, "We don't know a great deal about what happens to those people five years later. What does 'normal' look like?" Tauxe says.A small number of people develop what's called reactive arthritis six months or longer after a bout of salmonella. It causes joint pain, eye inflammation, sometimes painful urination, and can lead to chronic arthritis. Certain strains of shigella and yersinia bacteria, far more common abroad than in the U.S., trigger this reactive arthritis, too, Tauxe says.What about other patient complaints?A variety of other organ problems might be triggered by HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome), that severe E. coli - because it causes blood clots all over the body that could leave a trail of damage, says Utah's Pavia. Among his hottest questions: HUS patients often suffer pancreatitis. Does that increase risk for diabetes later in life?
But proving a connection will require tracking a lot of patients who can provide very good medical records documenting their initial foodborne illness, he cautions.
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