Month: March 2014

6 home remedies to lighten stretch marks

If you’ve noticed unusual whitish and unsightly marks on the abdomen, upper arms, breasts, buttocks or legs, you probably have developed what is commonly referred to as stretch marks. These marks are most often a result of a sudden change – either an increase or a decrease – in body weight. Therefore, they are usually observed after pregnancy, or in teenagers who undergo the spurt in growth because of the hormonal changes associated with adolescence. These stretch marks are difficult to totally obliterate; however, there are some home remedies for lightening them so that they don’t appear as prominent.

Lemon juice to the rescue
With its acidic nature and natural bleaching properties, lemon juice is one of the most effective remedies to lighten stretch marks. Simply cut a lemon, squeeze out the fresh juice and rub it gently onto the affected skin. Keep for about 10 minutes and then rinse off with a little warm water. Repeat a few times each day to see better results.

Massage the area with vegetable oil
Traditionally, in many parts of India, during the first few months following childbirth, the mother is given an oil bath – that is, coconut oil or castor oil is massaged onto the entire body as well as the scalp and this is followed by a bath with hot water. Quite a few modern-day beauty treatment centers make use of the wisdom of this ancient custom. Vegetable oils such as coconut oil, castor oil and even olive oil have the property of moisturising skin and smoothing out the wrinkles. Both these actions ensure that these oils are equally good for getting rid of stretch marks. Warm a little olive oil and massage it deep into the affected skin before going to bed. Rinse the next morning with a little warm water and a mild soap if necessary. Or, you could try a mix of olive oil and coconut oil, too. When it comes to castor oil, the best way is to rub slightly warmed castor oil directly onto the affected skin and then wrap a cloth dipped in hot (but not uncomfortably so) water around the area. Or, you could wrap a plastic sheet over the skin where you have rubbed in the oil and use a hot water bag over this area – the warmth allows the pores in the skin to open up and absorb the oil better.

Egg whites can also lighten stretch marks
The white of the egg is rich in protein and this is useful in dealing with stretch marks. Collect the whites from two eggs, whip gently and apply as a thick layer onto the marks. Once the egg pack has totally dried, rinse it out with water and then moisturise the area by applying some olive oil.

Use a good moisturiser
Regular use of a moisturiser helps the skin stay hydrated and this can improve the elasticity of the skin, reducing the severity of stretch marks. Use one of the commercially available moisturisers with cocoa butter or aloe vera or make your own at home by mixing equal quantities of aloe vera and olive oil.

Rub vitamin E oil
Vitamin E has antioxidant properties; so it prevents the damage of collagen that can lead to skin damage. If you have longstanding stretch marks, try massaging some vitamin E oil into the affected skin on a regular basis and you are likely to find some improvement.

Use aloe vera gel
Stretch marks are an indication that the skin has lost its natural elasticity. Aloe vera, with its ability to heal the small tears in the skin layers is therefore the perfect solution to help regain the lost elasticity. Cut a leaf from the aloe plant, peel out the outermost skin and squeeze out the gel; massage it daily over the affected skin and you will find the stretch marks gradually fade. You could also combine aloe vera gel with vitamin E oil and use.

Source; Health

Salt makes overweight people age faster

Scientists have discovered that overweight teenagers who eat too much salt have shorter telomeres, the ends of the chromosome which protect the cells from harm

Eating too much salt may speed up the ageing process, scientists have discovered for the first time.
Although sodium is known to raise the blood pressure, which can lead to fatal heart attacks and strokes, it is the first time it has been linked to cellular ageing.

Scientists found that overweight or obese teenagers who had a high salt diet had shorter ‘telomeres’ – the protective caps at the end of chromosomes – compared with those who ate a low salt diet. Telomeres have been compared with the plastic tips that stop shoe laces fraying.

Each time a cell divides the telomeres get shorter and when they get too short the cell stops dividing and dies.

The same genetic process has been linked to conditions associated with old age such as heart disease, cancer, type-2 diabetes and dementia. High levels of body fat were already known to hasten the shortening of telomeres.

But the new study found that sodium in salt seems to work hand-in-hand with obesity to speed the effect up still further.
Lead scientist Dr Haidong Zhu, from Georgia Regents University in Augusta, US, said: “Even in these young people, we can already see the effect of high sodium intake, suggesting that high sodium intake and obesity may act synergistically to accelerate cellular ageing.

“Lowering sodium intake, especially if you are overweight or obese, may slow down the cellular ageing process that plays an important role in the development of heart disease.

“The majority of sodium in the diet comes from processed foods, so parents can help by cooking fresh meals more often and by offering fresh fruit rather than potato chips for a snack.”

Dr Zhu’s team divided 766 teenagers aged 14 to 18 into different groups according to their reported sodium intake.

Low-intake teens consumed an average of around 5g of salt a day, compared with more than 10g grams for the high-intake group. In Britain the recommended intake is 6g. A recent study showed the majority of teenagers exceed their daily limit, mainly through eating bread and cereal.

Researchers found that overweight or obese teenagers who at the most salt had significantly shorter telomeres than those who ate the least. But high sodium intake did not have a significant effect on telomere shortening in normal-weight teens.

Although the salt link was only found in obese people it is the first time that salt has been shown to affect cellular ageing.
The research, presented at an American Heart Association meeting in San Francisco, suggests a possible link with inflammation, said the scientists. Inflammation is known to hasten telomere shortening and is linked to obesity. It also increases a person’s sensitivity to salt.

Katherine Jenner, Campaign Director at Consensus Action on Salt and Health said: “Lowering your salt intake is essential to lower your risk of not just heart disease, but also stroke, heart attack and chronic kidney disease.

“As you might expect, teenagers often have a high salt diet, but it’s not just pizza, crisps and chips that are the culprits, every day foods such as breads, breakfast cereals and sauces can be surprisingly high in salt.” Nutritionist Sonia Pombo added: “Children are eating a worryingly high amount of salt.

“Dietary habits in childhood and adolescence are likely to influence eating patterns in later life.
“Liking salt and salty foods is a learned taste preference and the recommendation that the adult population reduce their sodium intake will be more successful if children do not develop a preference for salt in the first place.”

Source: telegraph

New lens design improves kidney stone treatment

Duke engineers have devised a way to improve the efficiency of lithotripsy — the demolition of kidney stones using focused shock waves. After decades of research, all it took was cutting a groove near the perimeter of the shock wave-focusing lens and changing its curvature.I’ve spent more than 20 years investigating the physics and engineering aspects of shock wave lithotripsy,” said Pei Zhong, the Anderson-Rupp Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke University. “And now, thanks to the willingness of Siemens (a leading lithotripter manufacturer) to collaborate, we’ve developed a solution that is simple, cost-effective and reliable that can be quickly implemented on their machines.”

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The incidence of kidney stones in the United States has more than doubled during the past two decades, due at least in part to the expanding waistlines of its citizens. The condition has also been linked to hot, humid climates and high levels of stress—a combination of living environments that seems to have led to a rise in kidney stone rates of veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

During the past two decades, lithotripter manufacturers introduced multiple changes to their machines. Rather than having patients submerged in a bath of lukewarm water, newer machines feature a water-filled pouch that transfers the shock wave into the flesh. An electrohydraulic shock wave generator used in the past was replaced by an electromagnetic model that is more powerful, more reliable and more consistent.

The new designs made the devices more convenient and comfortable to use, but reduced the effectiveness of the treatment. After years of research, Zhong and his colleagues have determined why.

The increased power in some third-generation shock wave lithotripters narrowed the wave’s focal width to reduce damage to surrounding tissues. But this power jump also shifted the shock wave’s focal point as much as 20 millimetres toward the device, ironically contributing to efficiency loss and raising the potential for tissue damage. The new electromagnetic shock wave generators also produced a secondary compressive wave that disrupted one of the primary stone-smashing mechanisms, cavitation bubbles.

“We were presented with the challenge of engineering a design solution that mitigated these drawbacks without being too expensive,” said Zhong. “It had to be something that was effective and reliable, but also something that the manufacturer was willing to adopt. So we decided to focus on a new lens design while keeping everything else in their system intact.”

The solution was to cut a groove near the perimeter of the backside of the lens and change its geometry. This realigned the device’s focal point and optimized the pressure distribution with a broad focal width and lower peak pressure. It also allowed more cavitation bubbles to form around the targeted stone instead of in the surrounding tissue.

In laboratory tests, the researchers sent shock waves through a tank of water and used a fibre optic pressure sensor to ensure the shock wave was focusing on target. They broke apart synthetic stones in a model human kidney and in anaesthesized pigs and used a high-speed camera to watch the distribution of cavitation bubbles forming and collapsing—a process that happens too fast for the human eye to see.

The results showed that while the current commercial version reduced 54 per cent of the stones into fragments less than two millimetres in diameter, the new version pulverized 89 per cent of the stones while also reducing the amount of damage to surrounding tissue. Smaller fragments are more easily passed out of the body and less likely to recur.

“We feel we have exceeded expectations in our evaluation of this new lens design, which is based on solid physics and engineering principles,” said Zhong, who expects the new lens to enter clinical trials in Germany this summer.

“My hope is that this will be a breaking point demonstrating that effective, interactive collaboration between academia and industry can really improve the design of lithotripters that will benefit millions of stone patients worldwide who suffer from this painful disease,” Zhong said.

“Our design, in principle, can be adapted by other manufacturers to improve their machines as well. I would like to see all lithotripsy machines improved so that urologists can treat stones more effectively and patients can receive better treatment and feel more comfortable with the procedure,” he added.

Source: India Medical Times

10 Homemade Hair Treatments for Dry, Dull or Frizzy Hair

Need to moisturize?

1. Avocado

Avocado has a well-deserved reputation for one of nature’s perfect foods. Its oils and proteins will smooth and moisturize your locks without weighing down fine hair. Mash up half an avocado and add a couple of drops of peppermint essential oil. Shampoo hair, squeeze out water and apply mask. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse. My hair came out super soft – not flat or greasy. And the added scent made sitting around with green goop on your head much more pleasant. If you’re not worried about weighing down your hair you can amp up the moisture by adding 1-2 tablespoons of oil, egg yolk or yogurt.

2. Coconut Oil

The wonders of coconut oil never cease! This oil is heavy, which is great for penetrating deep into the hair shaft, but use it sparingly, especially if you have fine or thin hair. Take a tablespoon of coconut oil and apply to the ends of damp hair. If the oil is solid just warm in the microwave until liquid before applying. Got really dry hair? Keep the oil on overnight and shampoo out in the morning.

3. Banana + Olive Oil

Not only can bananas work their magic on your feet, but they are awesome for your hair! Mix a banana with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mash thoroughly until the banana is pureed. (You want a smoothie like texture so you don’t end up with banana chunks in your hair.) Then massage into your hair and scalp. Leave treatment on for 30 minutes then rinse thoroughly and shampoo.

4. Pumpkin + Honey

The perfect use for canned pumpkin leftovers (because there are always leftovers). Pumpkins have lots of amazing benefits – they’re rich in vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, potassium, and zinc. Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey, a natural humectant, to one cup of pumpkin puree and pack as much as you can onto your hair and scalp. You’ll need to either wrap your hair in saran wrap or wear a shower cap to keep the mask in place. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes and then rinse. Feel free to apply to your face as well!

Need a color boost?

5. Cocoa powder

Give brown hair a boost with cocoa powder. According to Whole Living, a combination of cocoa powder, plain yogurt, honey and apple cider vinegar will give you a deeper, richer brown. I couldn’t test this one personally but if you can make bronzer lotion with cocoa powder why not try it in your hair?

6. Lemon + Chamomile

To warm up ashy blonde hair, try lemon and chamomile tea. Both have long been used as whitening agents for blonde hair. You can do a simple rinse by tilting your head back over the sink and pouring a cup of cooled tea combined with the juice of a lemon over clean, wet hair. Let sit for a couple of minutes and rinse. I also tried this brightening mask that combines tea and lemon with a grated potato. Yes, potato! Shampoo, apply to hair and blow dry hair on low for 2-3 minutes. Then rinse and style. This ended up being more work than I’d want to do on a regular basis but I loved how bright and shiny my hair ended up

7. Purple Koolaid

Got some brassiness in your blonde locks? Do a rinse with grape-flavored Kool-Aid to get rid of the dreaded orange. Dude, this totally works. I have never had a problem with my hair turning purple (I have heavy blonde highlights not all over color) but if you do see a hint of color, just shampoo again.

Dull, frizzy hair?

8. Sugar water

If your hair is frizzy, try mixing a packet of sugar (about a teaspoon or so) with a cup of water. Pour a bit into your palms then run hands over dry hair. Your hair will get a slight bit of “crunch” and hold because you basically just made homemade hair spray!

9. Aspirin

Residue and product buildup will also dull your hair. The cure is as simple as crushing an aspirin into shampoo! Just add the aspirin powder to a small amount of shampoo and lather up. The salicylic acid in aspirin helps remove buildup and restore shine. You can do this every two weeks. Another remedy: baking soda. Combine a handful of shampoo with one to two tablespoons of baking soda and massage into hair. Warning: I have used baking soda to intentionally strip out hair color (because the color was too dark) so don’t use baking soda on recently colored hair.

10. Apple cider vinegar

An apple cider vinegar rinse helps clarify and smooth hair cuticles – the secret to shiny hair! Combine a tablespoon of vinegar with a 1/2 cup of water and pour over damp hair. Add a couple of drops of essential oil is the smell is too much. Comb through hair, let it sit for five minutes and then rinse. The acidity in the vinegar helps seal the outermost layer of your hair, the cuticles, making it lie flat.

Source: Stumble Upon

 

Teeth whitening with baking soda

Baking soda has been touted by many as a safe and effective way to brush your teeth. The reality is that chronic baking soda use can cause some alarming problems to develop in your mouth. Knowing more about how to use baking soda correctly is an important part of long-term oral health.

Baking soda is a weak base or alkaline powder that is used in a variety of cleaning applications. When it comes in contact with water, baking soda releases free radicals that attack teeth stains and help remove discoloration caused from a variety of food sources and tobacco.

Benefits of Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda

In addition to a brighter smile, brushing with baking soda helps dislodge plaque built up on the teeth. Many foods and beverages such as tea, coffee, soda and red wine all cause staining of the teeth. In addition, plaque accumulates and causes additional yellowish discoloration. Baking soda is effective for both concerns and has a bleach-like action resulting in effective whitening of teeth. Plaque contributes to dental decay and cavity formation and must be removed on a regular basis. Baking soda is inexpensive and perhaps the most affordable combination of tooth cleaner and whitener. A single box generally lasts for over 100 brushings and costs around one dollar.

Options for Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda

1. Baking Soda and Water

Simply wet your toothbrush and dip into the baking soda powder. Make sure that the entire brush and all bristles are coated and appear white.
Brush in a normal manner and be sure to angle the brush accordingly to get at the gum line and between teeth.
Work from quadrant to quadrant in the mouth with a total bruising time of at least two minutes.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly afterwards.
It is not uncommon to experience a slight tingling sensation but stop if you experience an uncomfortable burning sensation.

2. Baking Soda and Vinegar

Dissolve the baking soda in water and add a few drops of white vinegar and a dash of salt.
Dip your toothbrush in the solution.
Brush as normal for two minutes.
Some recommend brushing with regular toothpaste after to remove any vinegar taste.

3. Baking Soda and Strawberry

Strawberries have powerful anti-oxidant properties and work well to whiten teeth.

Mash up one whole ripe strawberry into a pulp and then add enough baking soda to make a paste.
Now coat your toothbrush with the paste and enjoy the whitening effects as well as removing a lot of plaque in the process.
Rinse well after brushing for two minutes.

4. Baking Soda and Toothpaste

Mixing baking soda and toothpaste together imparts a nice flavor to the mixture.

Mix a small amount of baking soda with your favorite toothpaste to make a nice paste.
Apply to your toothbrush (an alternative is to simply sprinkle baking soda on top of the toothpaste on your brush).
Either way, two minutes of brushing is enough to freshen your breath, remove plaque and whiten your smile.

5. Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide has well-known whitening and bleaching effects.

Dip the toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide
Then dip in baking soda to enhance the whitening effect.
Rinse your mouth well after brushing for two minutes

6. Baking Soda and Salt

Add 1 teaspoon of table salt to 3 teaspoons of baking soda. The abrasive effect of salt will enhance the plaque removal and whitening process.
Use this mixture on your toothbrush or try a small amount on a soft cloth to remove tougher stains.
Rinse per usual after done brushing.

7. Baking Soda, Peppermint Extract and Glycerin

Mixing peppermint extract, glycerin and baking soda creates fresh tasting toothpaste.

Mix 3 teaspoons of vegetable glycerin with a few drops of peppermint oil.
Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt along with 5 teaspoons of baking soda. Stir the ingredients completely, apply and brush for two minutes, then rinse your mouth.

8. Baking Soda and Lemon Juice

Lemon has excellent teeth bleaching abilities and making a paste is an effective home remedy to whiten teeth.

Mix lemon juice with baking soda and apply to the teeth.
Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes and then rinse with cool water.
Try this at most once a week as excessive use can harm the enamel and inflame your gums.

Precautions for Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda

Although reported to be safe, effective and inexpensive, baking soda use for brushing your teeth is not without risks.

  • The abrasive properties of baking soda can cause excessive wear and damage to the enamel of your teeth. This results in sensitivity and increased risk for developing cavities.
  • Baking soda helps remove plaque, but doesn’t kill any bacteria and that can actually increase cavity formation in your teeth. This is why brushing with regular toothpaste remains important as well.
  • Baking soda can weaken the adhesive for those wearing braces or permanent dental appliances. This can result in darker spots appearing on the teeth.
  • Occasional use of baking soda is generally safe, but another option is to try a variety of toothpaste brands with mild abrasives instead.
  • Never scrub vigorously and if you choose to use baking soda use it no more than a few times a week or less. When using baking soda to brush, 2 minutes is long enough and can prevent excessive wear on the enamel and gums.

source: New Health guide

Drinking Hot vs Cold Water… What are the Benefits?

hot-water-vs-cold

The main purpose of drinking any liquid, water in particular, is to hydrate our body. Either hot or cold water will serve this purpose. Obviously, cold water sounds more tempting than hot water.

There is some evidence to suggest you can benefit from some extra calories being burned by drinking cold water. The body has to regulate its temperature to around 98.6 degrees. Drinking cold water forces the body to work a little harder to bring the temperature back up. Cold water is absorbed into the blood stream more easily. By being absorbed into the blood stream easier, it helps to keep your body better hydrated. Especially after heavy physical activity and a lot of sweating has occurred. So, with all these benefits of drinking cold water, what benefit could drinking hot water possibly have? Would purifying your body be a good enough reason? Drinking hot water is kind of like going to a sauna.

When you drink a glass or two of hot water, your body temperature will increase a little. Just like when you drink cold water, and your body had to regulate temperature by heating up, the hot water will cause your body to want to cool down. The way our bodies cool down is by sweating. When we sweat from drinking hot water, we are helping to purify our bloodstreams. We literally sweat out the toxins which have built up in our body.

Some evidence suggests that by drinking hot water, we remove built up deposits in our nervous system. These deposits are responsible for creating negative thoughts and emotions. By removing these build ups, we can help to purify our thoughts and put us in a better emotional state. Drinking hot water can also actually purify the toxins out of your body.

Hot Water Uses

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to gain the benefits of drinking hot water. To get the benefits of detoxification, you can drink hot water as little as 1-2 times a week. Of course, you can do it more often if you choose. The temperature of the water shouldn’t be so hot that it burns you, when you drink it. However, it has to be hot enough to cause you to sweat after drinking it. In fact, for maximum benefit, you should find yourself sweating profusely while drinking it. Once you stop sweating, be sure to wipe away your perspiration and then drink another glass of hot water. This will help to balance out your body temperature.

Drinking hot water also helps to cleanse the nasal cavities. This is especially useful when you are congested during an illness. The vapor from the hot water loosens up all the mucus buildup. This, in turn, will help you be less congested. The detoxification process is also more beneficial when you are sick. The hot water will make you sweat and remove some of the toxins in your body, and hopefully will allow you to have a quicker recovery.

All in all drinking or using Hot or Cold will make a beneficial difference in just how you use it for your everyday needs.

Source: amigas 4 my soul

 

Is Blinking keeps your Eyes Clean and Clear

Blinking is a crucial part of keeping the right amount of moisture in the eye surface, especially during cold, dry weather. It coats the eye with a fresh layer of tears while also cleaning the surface and moisturizing it. It is an almost subconscious action that means a lot to a dry eye patient.

Whether you work at a computer for +8hrs, watch a movie, or live in a dry environment, a slow blinking rate will increase your dry eye symptoms. Under normal circumstances, your blinking rate is an average 4 seconds, about 15 times a minute. When using the computer or staring at any other bright screen our blinking rate decreases by up to a whopping 70%!

Blink break! Before you continue reading… blink a couple of times.
Will blinking alone help my dry eyes during the day?
There are various blinking exercises that can help you further improve the condition of your eyes. These are designed to work your eye muscles and maintain your eyesight during the day.

Look at a distant object
This exercise benefits people who are glued to a monitor all day (iPads, tablets and smartphones included). In this day and age, people are dependent on technology for a larger number of daily tasks. We stare at bright screens a short distance from our eyes and this is causing eye strain, since our eyes are at rest when we look at distant objects.

So the first exercise goes like this: find a window, any window; now focus on a distant tree or car for 10 to 15 seconds. Slowly refocus your eyes on an object closer to you without moving your head. Focus on this new object for another 10 to 15 seconds. Do this 4 to 5 times, going back and forth between the distant object and the closer one.

Shut, squeeze, rinse and repeat This one’s a fairly quick one. Shut your eyes quickly, squeeze them and feel your facial muscles moving. Keep this for 3-5 seconds. Open your eyes slowly and relax the muscles, keep them open for another 3-5 seconds. Repeat this process 6 or 7 times.

Clockwise… counter-clockwise Roll your eyes clockwise one full round, then counter-clockwise another full round. Next, move your eyes up and down, then left and right. Finish up this exercise but looking at your nose tip.

Palming  works to relax your eyes and your mind. It is inspired by Yoga Eye Exercises and you can do this anywhere. To get started sit comfortably and rub your palms against each other until you feel them warm up (Mr. Miyagi-style!). Turn your palms facing upwards and place them over your eyes, making sure you are not covering your nose and that no light filters through them. Once your palms are positioned correctly, feel the warmth coming from your palms and close your eyes.

Concentrate on the complete darkness and relax your mind for a minute. Benefits of blinking exercises for dry eye patients These exercises will help you relax your eyesight, clear tear ducts and prevent further vision deterioration. It is recommended that you exercise your eyes for 5 minutes for every 30 to 40 minutes of near vision work.

Source: All about dry eye

World Water Day 2014: 5 Reasons You Can’t Survive Without Water

world-water-day-2014-logo

March 22 is World Water Day.

60% of our body-weight is made up of water and without it our organs wouldn’t function properly. A reduction of more than 10% of our normal body water percentage can be termed as a medical emergency and can be fatal. Despite being so important, a lot of people don’t drink enough water. The reason might be laziness or indifference, but not staying hydrated can be extremely dangerous. Here are some of the top reasons why your body needs water.

1. It maintains the balance of body fluids

Maintenance of body temperature, digestion and absorption of food, circulation of blood – these are all functions your body will be unable to perform if you don’t give it enough water.

2. Helps get rid of toxins

Without water, your body wouldn’t be able to get rid of toxins that can cause damage to your cells and organs. If you drink adequate water, your body will excrete harmful toxins like blood urea nitrogen through your kidneys.3. Keeps your digestive system in mint condition

3. Digestive System:

If you don’t get enough water, your colon will pull water from the stools to get enough water for your digestive system. This will result in dry stools that are difficult to pass through your colon. Drinking water or eating foods rich in water like cucumber or papaya will help prevent this problem.

4. Keeps you looking beautiful

Many actresses swear by water when it comes to maintaining their beauty. (Katrina Kaif drinks 4 glasses of water after waking up!) Drinking a lot of water will ensure that everything from your eyes to your skin look great.

5. Keeps you active

A loss of just one percent of your normal body water percentage can leave you feeling tired. A loss of more than 2-4% can affect your mental functioning too. This is why you need to drink enough water to keep yourself active and free from any sort of fatigue. Read more about how water is the fuel that keeps your body running.

These are just some of the basic health benefits of water. Besides this, it can also help you lose weight and prevent heart disease as it is a much healthier substitute to sugar-loaded soft drinks for quenching thirst. You may already be drinking water a few times in a day, but are you drinking enough?

Source: Alibaba clinic

How Google Glass could revolutionize medicine

web_GoogleGlass_RalfCheung

Here has recently been a slew of media attention to the possibility of an Apple Watch, and the soon to be released Google Glass. For those not familiar with the Google Glass Project, it is essentially a wearable device that mimics eyeglasses.

The hardware includes Wifi and Bluetooth capabilities (can work with Android and iOS devices), cameras, voice-activation commands, and a heads-up display.

This device will find many uses with the general populace, but what about the healthcare field, what does it mean for medicine?

Imagine several medical scenarios using Google Glass:

  • An emergency responder arriving at a motor vehicle accident is able to live stream to the emergency department the status of the patients and the associated trauma suffered to a patient. The ER is then able to assemble and prepare for a patient’s emergency treatment.
  • A surgeon live streams to residents and students a live surgery–so that they can see what work goes into a medical procedure first hand.
  • A visiting nurse seeing a patient in their own home video records and captures images of the patient’s wound (for which they are caring for) and sends them back to the physician.
  • A resident’s physical exam of a patient is streamed back to an attending physician, who can critique their work and make recommendations on questions to ask in real time. This could especially be useful when a resident consultant evaluates a patient while their attending is at home overnight.
  • A cardiologist in a cath lab overlays the fluoroscopy as they perform a femoral catheterization for a patient with a recent myocardial infarct.
  • A nurse scans the medication they are about to give the patient and confirms the correct drug and right patient by overlaying their patient profile with the person in front of them–possibly stopping a medical error.
  • A student brings up their notes and lab reports as they present their patient case to their attending, with data available in real time.
  • An oncologist can overlay the MRI scan over a patient, and show the patient and their family where the cancer exists.
  • The electronic health record at the hospital is available to caregivers, and able to be updated on major changes in the patients they oversee. For instance, the recent cultures from a septic patient’s wound comes back positive for MRSA and the physician changes their broad spectrum antibiotics to appropriate therapy based upon sensitivities.
  • A pharmacist is able to scan medications and verify the proper drugs after comparing the drug with images available in the database, ensuring the right drug is dispensed.
  • A physical therapist can see past sessions with a patient from previous recordings, overlaying their current range of motion, identifying changes as well as progression.
  • Any healthcare professional could walk up to a patient’s bed and instantly see all their vitals such as pulse, BP, O2 Sats, etc.

Could these be major changes that can be implemented by Google Glass or wearable computers? Let’s face it, medicine is changing. We are heavily involved with real time data to treat patients whose status frequently changes. The ability to utilize tools that can keep us connected and up-to-date may help prevent medical errors. It may also increase efficiency of care, collaboration with fellow providers, help educate new students, and lead to a potential major change in medical practice. No longer do we use the black bag of the 19th century physician, but rather we have graduated to using technology to increase our level of care.

Source: Imedical apps

Masala chai – a tasty cup of health!

There has always been a great controversy about whether green tea or masala chai is better for the body. While the debate rages on there has been news that Olympic athletes drink masala chai to help them better deal with the pain, inflammation and fatigue they experience after a grueling session. So what is it that this unique drink offers? Well, here is a breakdown of its health benefits.

Anti inflammatory: Masala chai is made up of a whole array of spices – clove, cinnamon, elaichi, ginger and tulsi. All these spices have their own individual health benefits but what makes masala chai perfect to beat inflammation is the fact that all the benefits of these spices work in synergy to help your body. One of the most important ingredients that helps with inflammation is ginger. A paper published by the National Institute of Health [1] highlighted ginger’s ability to stop the synthesis of prostaglandins (a major player in the initiation of the inflammation process) and leukotriene biosynthesis, which in turn helps reduce the amount of inflammation one experiences.

Another component that makes masala chai a great tool to reduce inflammation is clove. Known to be packed with compound eugenol, clove is great when it comes to reducing inflammation in the muscles of the body. To add to that both these spices are very potent painkillers.

Beats fatigue: For some the best thing after a long, hard day’s work is a hot cup of masala chai. Wondering why? Well, the tannins present in tea help calm the body and revitalize it. Moreover tea contains caffeine – a stimulant. Albeit in a much lesser quantity when compared to coffee, but it has the same uplifting effect as a cuppa. This combination of spices (that helps beat fatigue) combined with a stimulant like caffeine acts as the best way to drive away fatigue. The effects of masala chai are so well known that even Olympic athletes resort to the drink as a ‘banned-substance-safe’ pick-me-up.

Fights cold and flu: Believed to strengthen the immune system and keep common infections at bay, masala chai is infused with the goodness of all the antibacterial, anti fungal, anti parasitic properties of its constituent spices. Moreover the immune boosting effects of clove, cinnamon, elaichi and ginger makes masala chai a great way to keep coughs and colds at bay.

Improves digestion: Wondering how that is possible? Well, according to Mickey Mehta, holistic guru, ‘Masala chai contains spices like clove, tulsi, ginger and elaichi. What makes it great for people is that chai on its own is highly acidic in nature but when you add ginger to it making it masala chai, it becomes a great digestive and in fact cuts out the acidic nature of the tea. So drink a cup of chai, it will rejuvenate you, beat fatigue and make you calmer.’ Apart from ginger, clove and elaichi also help improve digestion by increasing the amount of saliva produced and peristalsis (the movement of food down the digestive tract).

Good for your heart: Black tea (one of the main constituents of masala chai) is known for the strong anti oxidant properties it contains. Apart from that, spices like clove and elaichi also help lower the amount of bad cholesterol and improves the amount of good cholesterol. Thereby, reducing the amount of plaque formation of arterial blocks. The tannins present in tea are also known to help regulate one’s heart rate and blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.

Boosts metabolism: Having a good and active metabolism is usually associated with weight loss, but did you know that a good metabolism is also responsible for other things like helping your body digest and use food more efficiently. Being an essential part of your health, drinking chai also ensures your entire digestive system is in top condition. Moreover in Ayurveda, tea is known as a heat generating food and therefore helps speed up your metabolism.

Prevents diabetes: Clove, cinnamon and elaichi are both known to help prevent diabetes by increasing the insulin sensitivity in the body and lowering one’s blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is known to keep the mind sharp and prevent the onset of diseases like Alzheimer’s and clove can help your body better utilize sugars.

Relieves PMS: If it’s that time of the month and you need something natural to fight the symptoms of PMS, tea is your best friend. Masala chai not only has agents that can help calm your nerves and make you happier, but it also has muscle relaxing properties. Elaichi, clove and cinnamon all act as potent painkillers and can help you deal with the pain of your periods.

Source: Health