Natural Hair Rinse

Hair rinses are good for adding “shine” to your hair and they nourish the hair, too. Natural hair rinses have the added advantage that they do not contain harmful chemicals. You can buy hair rinses from the stores and even better you can use your homemade natural hair rinse too!

Natural Hair Rinse with Cider Vinegar and Rosemary:

What You Need:

• 1 cup of finely chopped rosemary leaves*
• 2½ cups of cider vinegar

*You may also use herbs like chamomile and parsley.

How to Prepare and Apply:

• Pour the cider vinegar into a clean, dry glass bottle. Add the finely chopped sprigs of rosemary leaves. Seal the bottle, and store in a cool, dark place for about 15 days.
• After 15 days, use a muslin cloth or cheesecloth to strain this mixture. Pour the strained liquid into a clean, dry bottle. Refrigerate this natural hair rinse. This natural hair rinse should be used within 6 months.
• When you want to use this natural hair rinsemix 1 tbsp of the cider-vinegar and rosemary hair rinse in 1 cup of water. Apply the hair rinse uniformly on your hair. Leave it on 5 minutes and then rinse your hair with plain water. For better conditioning, use this natural hair rinse as your final wash after you shampoo your hair.
• Dry your hair with a towel.
• This natural hair rinse conditions and nourishes your hair. Ideally, this hair rinse should be used once in 7 days.

Lemon Natural Hair Rinse

What You Need:

• Juice of 1 ripe lemon
• 2 cups of water

How to Prepare and Apply:

• Pour 2 cups of water in a glass bowl and add the lemon juice. Mix well.
• After you shampoo your hair, apply the lemon rinse on your hair and scalp.
• Leave this natural hair rinse on your hair for 5 minutes.
• Rinse your hair with plain water.
• This natural hair rinse removes excess oil from your scalp and gives a “shine” to your hair.

Caution: If you are allergic to any one of the ingredients, then, do not use these natural hair rinses. You can also buy natural hair rinses. You may look up websites like Herbal-Gardens.Net if you want to buy natural hair rinses.

Purna Yoga Benefits

Purna Yoga gives Yoga a positive and dynamic form. It suggests three levels of integration- the integration of the inner, the integration of the human psyche with its external environment and the integration of the psyche with its ultimate spiritual Ground.

It not just brings optimism and positive energies to the body but also to the world at large. It is this united spirituality that proficiently combines self-transcendence with love, sympathy, and reverence for all living beings. It puts together the varied aspects of yoga, needed for transformation and healing.

* Many of us have different activities that we practice in order to promote good health. To get stronger we may lift weights, for cardiovascular exercise we may do an aerobic activity, for balance and harmony we may use tai-chi, for flexibility we stretch out and meditation to find peace of mind and relax.

• Does it all- It supports the mind, body, emotions and your Spirit

• It creates both strength and flexibility

• Promotes good cardiovascular health

• Helps to create mental clarity and will relieve stress

• Will create an emotional balance

• Connects you awareness to your intuition and wisdom within

• This style is safe for all ages and body types

• Promotes healing from injuries

• Promotes an overall sense of wellness.

* Purna Yoga Benefits Purna

Yoga is the style of yoga which teaches alignment-based asana, healthy living and heart-centered meditation to help people achieve a wholeness, fulfillment and healing to life’s purpose. Purna yoga teacher training creates a way to have a life changing experience and through practice meeting the needs of today’s world.

Healthy Heart is key to a Healthy Life

The most important factor for heart health is a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle is the key to preventing heart disease. the earlier healthy habits are embraced, the better.

* General health check-ups after the age of 25 years in case of family history of heart disease.

* Consuming food rich in protein, like fish as Fatty acids found in fish prevents clot formation.

* Maintain good oral hygiene: Studies suggest gingivitis may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke because of the high levels of bacteria found in infected areas of the mouth.

* Meditation: It has a direct impact on one’s blood pressure; there is a significant reduction in the blood pressure levels and is key to a healthy heart.

* Avoiding extreme weather. In the cold weather blood pressure increases harming blood vessels thereby inducing heart attacks.

* Consuming mixed nuts, about 25 gms of walnuts and peanuts as they help in bringing down cholesterol levels and are rich in proteins.

* Starting the day with a spoon full of honey- It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and prevents heart attack.

* Walking on dew bare feet: Walking restores a sense of balance and brings an inner calm hence it good for the heart.

* Taking a tablet of 10 mg of statin everyday at night (if over the age of 40 and particularly diabetic).It helps to decrease cholesterol and reduce risk of heart attack.

* Brisk walking for at least 30 minutes early in the morning since it reduces the affects of pollution on the heart, which are more likely during the evening hours.

Diabetes Care Tips

Diabetes is a condition in which the body either doesn't produce the insulin it needs or resists the insulin the body does produce.

Although numerous treatments exist for this condition, ultimately your destiny and prognosis lies in your hands; it depends on how well you care for yourself and manage your condition.

Diabetes may be classified into following 3 groups.

* Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM)

* Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM)

* Juvenile Diabetes

The main symptoms of diabetes are as under:

* Sugar in Urine

* Sticky and Concentrated Urine

* Frequent Urination

* Frequent Hunger

* Frequent thirst

* Dryness in the skin

* Weakness of eyesight

* Feeling of tiredness and weakness

* Itching in body

Some important things for a Diabetic patient:

* The use of fenugreek (methi) in food is beneficial for diabetic patients. Sprouted methi or one tsp of its powder may be taken daily.

* The diabetic patients may take the chapatti made up of wheat flour mixed with gram, soyabean and fenugreek (methi).

* All the sweet products, preserved and packed food products, smoking, chewing of Tobacco and consumption of alcohol is completely prohibited for diabetic patients.

* A diabetic patient should examine his blood sugar at the regular interval to ensure that it is in control.

* Regular long walks are beneficial for diabetic patients.

Heart Attack and The Facts

A heart attack is a frightening event, and you probably don't want to think about it. But, if you learn the signs of a heart attack and what steps to take, you can save a life–maybe your own.

We all think that heart attack is sudden intense, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over. But the truth is heart attack starts slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort. If you feel such a symptom, you may not be sure what's wrong. Your symptoms may even come and go. Even those who have had a heart attack may not recognize their symptoms, because the next attack can have entirely different ones.

Medical experts say the body likely will send one or more of these warning signals of a heart attack it could be like..

Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes.

Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. The pain may be mild to intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning, or heavy weight. It may be located in the chest, upper abdomen, neck, jaw, or inside the arms or shoulders.

• Chest discomfort with light head redness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
• Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin.
• Paleness or pallor.
• Increased or irregular heart rate.
• Feeling of impending doom.
• There is no rule that those all symptoms should occur in every attack. But If you notice one or more of these signs in yourself or others consult your immediately.

Causes of Heart Attack

Age

this is considered to be the largest risk factor. When a man is over 45 years, and the woman is over 55 years of age, their risk of having a heart attack starts to rise significantly.

Angina

Angina is an illness where not enough oxygen is reaching the patient's heart. This raises the risk of a heart attack. In some cases a diagnosis of angina was wrong - it could have been a mild heart attack instead. The main difference between a heart attack and angina is that the patient with angina will feel better about 15 to 30 minutes after taking medication, while the heart attack patient won't.

Blood cholesterol levels 

Iif a person's blood cholesterol levels are high, he/she runs a higher risk of developing blood clots in the arteries. Blood clots can block the supply of blood to the heart muscle, causing a heart attack.

Diabetes

People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing several diseases and conditions, many of them contribute to a higher risk of heart attack.

Diet 

A person who consumes large quantities of, for example, animal fats, or saturated fats, will eventually have a higher risk of having a heart attack.

Genes 

You can inherit a higher risk of heart attack from your parents, and/or their parents.

Heart Surgery

Patients who have had heart surgery have a higher risk of having a heart attack.

Hypertension (High blood Pressure) 

Tthis could be due to lack of physical activity, overweight/obesity, diabetes, genes, and some other factors.

Obesity, Overweight

As more and more people are overweight, especially children, experts believe heart attacks will become more common in future (if the overweight children become overweight adults).

Physical Inactivity 

People who do not exercise have a much higher risk of having a heart attack, compared to people who exercise regularly.

Previous Heart Attack 

Anybody who has already had a heart attack is more likely to have another one, compared to other people.

Smoking

People who smoke heavily or regularly run a much higher risk of heart attack, compared to people who never smoked and those who gave up. Smoking regularly means smoking every day.

Check your Family History

If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.

How to prevent Heart Attack

1. You are what you eat! Eat nutritious, healthy food.

2. Choose foods low in saturated fat. Make sure you include servings of fruit, vegetables and whole grains which are rich in starch and fiber, but low in fat.

3. Cutting down on dietary cholesterol consumption can help bring down blood cholesterol. Egg white, and foods from plant sources do not have cholesterol.

4. Read food labels. Look for the amount of saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and total calories per serving on the nutrition label.

5. Stress can be harmful by raising blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and making your heart beat faster. Relax, smile, don't get angry often.

6. Bring down high blood pressure. You can do this by minimizing risk factors, making lifestyle changes, or by taking medication if necessary.

7. Stop smoking. Stub out that cigarette butt - Now!

8. If you drink, do so in moderation. A limit of two drinks per day is good for your heart.

9. Fight the battle of the bulge! Obesity is bad. Stay slim and lean.

10. If you are overweight, try and lose the excess.

11. Don't try crash diets - instead opt for a slow, steady and sustained program to lose weight.

12. An active lifestyle is healthy. Exercise regularly.

13. Try and incorporate a higher activity level into daily activities like taking a walk, riding a bike to the supermarket, climbing stairs instead of using the elevator and playing sports like badminton and basketball.

Risk factors for heart attacks have often been talked about. Let us now focus more on the positive side of cardiac well being.

Kidney Stones and Causes

The kidney acts as a filter for blood, removing waste products from the body and making urine. It also helps regulate electrolyte levels that are important for body function. Urine drains from the kidney through a narrow tube called the ureter into the bladder. When the bladder fills and there is an urge to urinate, the bladder empties to the outside through the urethra, a much wider tube than the ureter.

What is a kidney stone?

A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in a kidney out of substances in the urine.

How does the stone form?

When chemicals crystallize in the urine, it form a kidney stone. These stones are very tiny when they form smaller than a grain of sand, but gradually can grow over time to 1/10 of an inch or larger. It obstructs urine from draining.

How do people come to know about it?

When the stone sits in the kidney, it rarely causes problems, but when it falls into the ureter, it acts like a dam, As the kidney continues to make urine, pressure builds up behind the stone and causes the kidney to swell and pain.

Kidney Stone

In Some people, chemicals crystallize in the urine and fprm a kidney stone. These stones are very tiny when they form, smaller than a grain of sand, but gradually can grow overtime to 1/10 of an inch or larger.

The three phases of kidney stone:

• Urolithiasis (presence of stones in the urinary tract)-Rarely causes problems

• Nephrolithiasis (Kidney stones)- Size starts in the ureter)-Acts like a dam & creats pressure which causes swell and pain.

The size of the stone doesn’t matter when it sits in kidney but when it falls in ureter it obstructs or prevents urine from draining which causes pain.

Causes

Kidney stones do not have a single, well-defined cause. When the urine contains more crystal-forming substances than the fluid can dilute, crystals can form. It may be caused by:

Heredity: The majority of kidney stones are made of calcium, and hypercalciuria. The predisposition to high levels of calcium in the urine may be passed on from generation to generation.

Geographical location: There may be a geographic predisposition, and where a person lives may predispose them to form kidney stones. There are regional “stone belts,” with people living in the southern united states having an increased risk of stone formation. The hot climate in this region combined with poor fluid intake may cause people to be relatively dehydrated, with their urine becoming more concentrated and allowing chemicals to come in closer contact to form a atone.

Diet

Diet may or may not be an issue. If a person is susceptible to forming stones, then foods high in calcium may increase the risk; however, if a person isn’t susceptible to forming stones, diet probably will not change that risk.

Medications: People talking diuretics (or “water pills”) and those who consume excess calcium-containing antacids can increase the amounts of vitamins A and D are also associated with higher levels of calcium in the urine. 

Underlying illness: Some chronic illnesses are associated with kidney stone formation, including cystic fibrosis renal tubular acidosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Symptoms & Signs Colicky Pain 

Colicky pain :  The pain typically comes in waves, with a typical wave lasting 20 to 60 minutes.

Nausea/vomiting: Embryological link with intestine-stimulates the vomiting centre. 

Hematuria: Blood in the urine, due to minor damage to inside wall of kidney, ureter and/or urethra.

Pyuria: Pus in the urine.

Dysuria: burning on urination when passing stones(rare).More typical of infection.

Oliguria: Reduced urinary volume caused by obstruction of the bladder or urethra by stone, or extremely rarely, simultaneous obstruction of both ureters by a stone.

Postrenal Azotemia: The blockage of urine flow through a ureter.

Hydroneprosis: The distension and dilation of the renal pelvis and calyces.

Diagnosis

Clinical diagnosis is usually made on the basis of the location and severity of the pain, which is typically colicky in nature. Pain in the back occurs when calculi produce an obstruction in the kidney.

X-Ray

The relatively dense calcium renders these stones radio-opaque and they can be detected by a traditional X-ray of the abdomen that includes the kidneys, ureters and bladder.

About 10% of stones do not have enough calcium to be seen on standard X-rays (radiolucent stones).

Computed Tomography

All stones are detected by CT without contrast is considered in the gold standard diagnosis test except very rare stones composed of certain drug residues in the urine.

Ultrasound

Gives details about the presence of hydronephrosis (swelling of the kidney)

PREVENTION

• Take special research homeo medicine for few weeks helps in prevention of further formation of stone.
• Drink 12 full glasses of water every day.
• The risk forming a stone can be minimized by avoiding dehydration. Making certain that the urine remains clear and not concentrated ( dark yellow) will help minimize stone formation.
• Medication may be prescribed for certain types of stones, and compliance with taking the medication is a must to reduce the risk of future episodes.
• Drinking lots of water helps to flush away the substances that form stones in the kidneys.
• Take lots of water melon juice.
• Take Horsegram powder.
• Take Radish
• Take lots of coconut water