Month: July 2014

Little Risk: Ebola’s Just One Flight Away, But Risk is Low

The Ebola virus, which has infected two U.S. humanitarian workers in Liberia, is only a short plane ride from any city on Earth. But federal health officials say it’s not a big worry for most Americans.

Ebola is causing the worst outbreak ever seen right now, in three West African countries — Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. It’s infected at least 1,200 people and killed more than 670 of them. Among those infected are a doctor working with the charity group Samaritan’s Purse, and a colleague working with a related group called Serving In Mission.

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Ebola has also been carried outside the region, by a traveler on a flight that ended in Lagos, Nigeria — a mega city of 21 million people. The traveler, a Liberian citizen named Patrick Sawyer, was isolated soon after he collapsed, and he later died.

It’s the first time this virus has moved by jet, even though public health experts love to warn that any disease is just a flight away from anywhere with an airport.

But it’s unlikely to come as far as the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

“Ebola poses little risk to the U.S. general population,” Stephan Monroe of CDC’s National Center for Emerging & Zoonotic Infectious Diseases told reporters in a conference call. It’s because you have to be in direct contact with someone who is ill to become infected.

“Transmission is through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person,” Monroe said. That includes vomit, blood or diarrhea. “Individuals who are not symptomatic are not contagious,” he said.

The incubation period can last for as long as 21 days, meaning it can take 21 days for someone to develop symptoms after being in contact with an infected person. So in theory, someone could be infected and get on a plane to travel to the U.S. before he or she got sick. But the odds of this are low.

Liberia closed some borders over the weekend to help control the spread of the virus, but the World Health Organization doesn’t recommend any travel restrictions yet. Liberia left its airport in Monrovia open, as well as major border crossings where there are facilities to watch for people with possible symptoms of Ebola, which include fever and vomiting.

There’s no need to control travel in and out of the U.S. CDC says. It has quarantine stations in major airports and agents can forcibly isolate or quarantine people with symptoms of Ebola and other diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis, plague or bird flu.

Careful questioning can usually rule out a disease such as Ebola. In this case, it would be asking people if they’ve been to West Africa in recent weeks or in close contact with someone who had been and who was ill.

U.S. health experts pulled this off with MERS — the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus, which was carried into the country twice by travelers, both of whom recovered fully without infecting anybody else.

“The likelihood of this spreading out of West Africa is very low,” Monroe said. While it’s possible someone ill could get on a plane, they couldn’t spread the virus to someone who just happened to be sitting nearby. “It is very unlikely they would be able to spread disease to their fellow passengers,” Monroe said. CDC worries more about airborne viruses such as measles, which can spread silently.

“People are not infectious prior to becoming symptomatic,” he stressed. And once in the U.S., doctors should isolate a patient quickly. “We are fairly confident that the standard of care in the U.S. would prevent much of the transmission of the virus were to show up here,” Monroe said.

“We do not anticipate this will spread in the US if an infected person is hospitalized here but we are taking action now by alerting healthcare workers in the US and reminding them how to isolate and test suspected patients while following strict infection control procedures.” CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden added in a statment.

Experience in Africa shows those who become infected have been caring for a patient with Ebola, or preparing the body for burial, both of which can bring then into contact with body fluids. Accidental needle sticks have also infected scientists and health care workers.

But Ebola, like any virus, is tricky. They can all look the same — people have fever, they feel terrible and they may be throwing up. Only about half of all Ebola cases show the bleeding that so frightened people, and that’s only in very advanced cases.

So the standard is the same with any infectious disease. People showing symptoms such as fever, cough or vomiting should be isolated as soon as they come into a medical facility, and all staff who come into contact should be gloved, gowned and masked.

Just to be sure, CDC has issued a “level 2” alert, which cautions people in the affected region to avoid contact with anyone who seems infected.

CDC also issued a health alert, a reminder to doctors in the U.S. “Ebola virus disease poses little risk to the U.S. general population at this time. However, U.S. healthcare workers are advised to be alert for signs and symptoms of Ebola virus disease in patients with compatible illness who have a recent (within 21 days) travel history to countries where the outbreak is occurring, and should consider isolation of those patients meeting these criteria, pending diagnostic testing,” it reads.

Source: nbcnews

Spanking the gray matter out of our kids

How to discipline the next generation is a hotly debated topic. In 2012, a national survey showed more than half of women and three-quarters of men in the United States believe a child sometimes needs a “good hard spanking.”

Science tells a different story. Researchers say physical punishment actually alters the brain — not only in an “I’m traumatized” kind of way but also in an “I literally have less gray matter in my brain” kind of way.

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“Exposing children to HCP (harsh corporal punishment) may have detrimental effects on trajectories of brain development,” one 2009 study concluded.

Harsh corporal punishment in the study was defined as at least one spanking a month for more than three years, frequently done with objects such as a belt or paddle. Researchers found children who were regularly spanked had less gray matter in certain areas of the prefrontal cortex that have been linked to depression, addiction and other mental health disorders, the study authors say.

The researchers also found “significant correlations” between the amount of gray matter in these brain regions and the children’s performance on an IQ test

Several other studies support these findings. A 2010 study published in Pediatrics found that frequent — more than twice in the previous month — spanking when a child was 3 was linked to an increased risk for higher levels of child aggression when the child was 5.

Another, from the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, found that corporal punishment doled out from the mother was independently related to a decrease in cognitive ability relative to other children. Corporal punishment had the largest effect on children 5 to 9.

Behind all this science-speak is the sobering fact that corporal punishment is damaging to children. That gray matter we’ve been spanking out of them? It’s the key to the brain’s ability to learn self-control.

“The more gray matter you have in the decision-making, thought-processing part of your brain (the prefrontal cortex), the better your ability to evaluate rewards and consequences,” write the authors of a 2011 study that appeared in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.

The sad irony is that the more you physically punish your kids for their lack of self-control, the less they have. They learn how to be controlled by external forces (parents, teachers, bosses), but when the boss isn’t looking, then what?
Elizabeth Gershoff, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, has been studying corporal punishment for 15 years, and is known as the leading researcher on spanking in the United States today. Over the years, Gershoff has done a systematic review of the hundreds of studies on the effects of corporal punishment.

“There’s no study that I’ve ever done that’s found a positive consequence of spanking,” Gershoff said. “Most of us will stop what we’re doing if somebody hits us, but that doesn’t mean we’ve learned why somebody hit us, or what we should be doing instead, which is the real motive behind discipline.”
Initially it was believed that spanking, at the very least, was associated with immediate compliance in children, and that parental warmth would buffer any harmful effects.

But the finding that spanking produced compliance “was overly influenced by one study,” Gershoff said; it turns out spanking “doesn’t make your kids better behaved. You think it does. … It doesn’t.”

What is spanking associated with? Aggression. Delinquency. Mental health problems. And something called “hostile attribution bias,” which causes children, essentially, to expect people to be mean to them.

This bias makes the world feel especially hostile. In turn, children are on edge and ready to be hostile back. Over time, across cultures and ethnicities, the findings are consistent: Spanking is doing real, measurable damage to the brains of our children.

And yet in 19 states, Gershoff notes, it is still legal for schools to paddle children.
For those thinking, “I was spanked, and I turned out fine,” or, “I spank my kids and they’re great!” consider that you don’t know who you would be or how your children would behave in a world without spanking.

Source: CNN

College students build bionic arm for 6-year-old, free of charge

An engineering student at University of Central Florida is making a six-year-old’s dream of being a normal kid, come true, by creating a new bionic arm.

The trick? All of the parts were made by a 3D printer.

UCF engineering student Albert Moreno has dreamed of making amazing things since he was 6-years old.

And he’s seen some truly amazing things during his time in the university’s engineering school.

bionic

“I’ve seen… the most incredible particle accelerators um… giant lasers… and incredible machines… ah… experiment halls,” said Moreno.

6-year old Alex Pring, on the other hand, just dreams of being a normal kid.

He was born with only half a right arm.

“He was like 2 or 3 the first time he realized. He was in preschool and they were showing him sames and differents. And he was just sitting in the car and he looked down and goes, my arms are different. And I said ‘What do you mean?’ And he goes, ‘I don’t have a hand,'” said his Mother Alyson.

Alex has even had issues with kids in school making comments about his arm, saying things like he was bitten by a shark or an alligator, or hit by a car.

And that’s where their two storylines come together. Alex’s mom was looking for someone she could get help from for her son, and Albert was looking for someone he could give help to, with all the amazing things he’s learned in school.

Albert Moreno created the team, at UCF, that created the arm.

It works with electrodes attached to his bicep.

When he flexes, his hand clinches.

Alex took to it quickly.

And after just a few fittings, he can throw a ball with the hand, and also write like any other kid.

“When he would hold the paper he’d have to turn his whole body to hold the paper. And they were worried that if he was taking a test for a long period of time he would hurt his back,” his mother said.

Not a problem anymore.

Oh by the way, Albert’s team did not make the arm using traditional machines.

The team made the arm with 3D printers and common off the shelf gears.

Normal prosthetic arms can run tens of thousands of dollars.

Alex’s new arm?

“Close to $350,” said Moreno.

Albert and his team did not do this for class credit, and they will not sell the arms.

Instead, they’ll make the plans available free for any parent who needs them.

“We have a responsibility to do this. With these degrees in engineering… if we can’t be helping people with it… then what are they worth?” said Moreno.

That’s the kind of thinking that changes lives.

Source: Foxnews

How Texas man survived 1,000 killer bees

Municipal worker who got stung by an estimated 1,000 bees while mowing a park lawn on Thursday (July 24) was in stable condition. So how did he survive the buzzing attack?

Turns out, the man’s attackers probably Africanized honeybees, according to the local fire department are not as deadly as their name may suggest. To be lethal, the bees would likely have had to sting the man several hundred more times, experts say. In addition, the victim seems not to have been allergic to the bees. (The bees also stung two other workers who tried to help the man.)

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Not-so-killer bees

Africanized honeybees, or “killer bees,” have been in the United States since about 1990, according to May Berenbaum, head of the department of entomology at the University of Illinois. But despite their dramatic nickname, these insects aren’t that deadly.

An estimated 40 people in the United States die every year from stings by hymenoptera species. That group of insects includes some 150,000 species of bees (and killer bees), wasps, ants and other bugs, Berenbaum said.

It’s hard to pin down specific data on the number of people attacked annually in the United States by Africanized honeybees: As Berenbaum explained, this is partly because not all attacks are reported and partly because, oftentimes, people aren’t quite sure what stung them.

Furthermore, it’s difficult to pin the blame on a particular species of bee in instances of injuries or deaths caused by insects, because some species dont leave any telltale evidence. While honeybee stingers stay behind in the body of the victim, many species take their stingers with them after attacking, Berenbaum explained.

Fierce defenders

Though Africanized honeybees don’t always attack, when they do, the results can be devastating. While the victim of Thursday’s attack in Wichita Falls, Texas, survived the incident, not all killer bee victims have been as lucky.

Last year in Waco, Texas, about three hours south of Wichita Falls, an estimated 40,000 Africanized honeybees attacked a local farmer who was mowing a neighbor’s pasture with tractor.  Larry Goodwin, 62, sustained more than 3,000 stings before collapsing to the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The number of stings that Goodwin sustained likely caused his unfortunate death, Berenbaum explained. The average person can sustain 10 bee stings per pound of body weight, both Berenbaum and the U.S. Department of Agriculture note. As such, 500 stings might be enough to kill a child, but the 1,000 stings suffered by the man in Wichita Falls did not deliver a lethal dose of venom, given his body weight.

“With honeybees, in particular, the venom isn’t really designed to kill. It’s designed to educate basically, to drive away an enemy and make sure the enemy doesn’t repeat the threat,” Berenbaum told

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Unfortunately for the victims of killer bee attacks, the insects aren’t very good at distinguishing between a true threat and an accidental nudge from a noisy mower. Africanized honeybees are extremely protective of their hive and brood, much more so than European honeybees. And their “home turf” is much larger than that of their calmer cousins. About 100 yards (91 meters), or the length of a four-lane highway, is usually a safe distance from these insects, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In addition to number of stings, other factors also play roles in determining a person’s chances of surviving a killer bee attack. These include the general health of the victims, and their weight and sensitivity to bee venom.

Furthermore, people who are allergic to bee stings can experience a severe physiological reaction after just one sting, Berenbaum said.

Called anaphylactic shock, this severe allergic reaction can prove lethal for some people attacked by bees. Berenbaum describes anaphylaxis as an “immune response running amuck,” and while she said that everyone is likely to experience some kind of allergic reaction to bee venom, only some individuals experience anaphylactic shock.

Allergic to bees or not, anyone who encounters a swarm of these defensive insects should “run away,” she said. “And don’t zigzag. That serpentine move you see in movies all the time just slows you down.”

Berenbaum also advises killer-bee targets not to jump into a pool or other body of water, which you might also have seen in movies. As she explained, the bees will just be waiting for you when you come up for a breath of air.

Source: Foxnews

How to avoid heat-related illnesses revealed

Washington: Bret Nicks, associate professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical, has revealed some simple steps to follow in order to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Nicks said exercising in high temperatures could limit people’s body ability to cool itself, especially if they weren’t accustom to it and that could result in serious health risks.

Heat

He further suggested that people should be proactive and should check with their doctors if any medical conditions they might have or medications that they were taking would not increase their sensitivity to the heat.

It was also revealed that people should know the symptoms like heavy sweating or inability to sweat, weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, confusion, fainting and seizures, which could damage their brain, vital organs and muscles.

The expert mentioned that Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothes and using sun protection like sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat would be a good idea to avoid sunburn. Furthermore, people should drink water early and often and they should avoid workout at peak sun time.

Source: Zeenews

Pumpkin seeds cure many diseases

Pumpkin seeds cure many diseases

Pumpkin seeds contain anti-stress, reduce anxiety, antibacterial and even prevent cancer.

Before processing pumpkins for meals, desserts or decorating, remember to retain its seeds. Do not throw away pumpkin seeds just by how you throw a lot of nutrients and the inherent benefits of it there.

1. The nutrients and vitamins
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of nutrition, providing all the nutrients such as manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, tryptophan, zinc, phosphorus, and many other minerals and vitamins.

2. Tryptophan – an essential amino acid in protein
Composition tryptophan in pumpkin seeds helps fight depression. Once in the body, tryptophan is converted into serotonin and niacin are helpful hormone, helps combat negative feelings.

3. Glutamate
This is a necessary component to create GABA – an anti-neuron nervous tension, helps reduce anxiety and cases involving other stress.

4. Zinc
This mineral helps strengthen the immune system and prevent osteoporosis.

5. Phytosterol
This substance works to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad actors) and increase HDL (good body). Phytosterols are also effective in preventing certain cancers.

6. Rich in antioxidants
Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phenolic antioxidants. It also contains vitamin E in many forms. The researchers also found in nuts contain the antioxidant minerals such as manganese, zinc, such as ferulic, protocatechuic, caffeic, vanillic, sinapic and syringic acid, hydroxybenzoiccoumaric.

7. Antibacterial properties
According to experts, the pumpkin seed extract and seed oil have been known for a long time because of their antibacterial benefits. Many studies have pointed out the role of a single protein in pumpkin seeds have antibacterial properties. The Lingnan in pumpkin seeds include lariciresinol, medioresinol, and pinoresinol also proven antimicrobial properties and especially anti-virus. Thus in folk, people often eat pumpkin seeds have eliminated the effects of helminths.

8. Diabetics Support
Several studies have demonstrated that the pumpkin seed extracts can improve insulin adjustment process and protecting the kidneys. County is especially good for diabetics.

9. Prevent Cancer
Because pumpkin seeds rich in antioxidants should be able to slow down the deterioration of cells, reduce the risk of cancer. Many works have focused on scientific research in the Lingnan nuts have discovered it has the potential to reduce the risk of breast cancer and prostate.

10. Hyperplasia Treat benign prostatic
Oil and pumpkin seed extract is used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Many studies have shown that nutrients in pumpkin seeds and its extracts have the effect of treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia properties. These compounds include lignans, phytosterols, zinc and other nutrients.

11. Protein
Besides the beneficial antioxidants and other nutrients as above, pumpkin seeds are also an excellent source of protein. Approximately 30 grams of pumpkin seeds contains 9.4 grams of protein.

 

Source: secretly healthy

Home remedies to remove blackheads

Home remedies to remove blackheadsBeing Healthy and fit is the significant challenges that most of us face today. The age old proverb that ” Health is Wealth” is the gateway to happiness holds good for varied reasons. You know how, your pants falls down when you are leaning a little bit and a millimeter of your crack shows? A millimeter and even the person in the space station can see that? Yes indeed we are taking about blackheads and they are annoying for sure. You can see them and you want them to be banished from the front of your eyes. Let us make it happen by implementing the following home remedies

1. Toothpaste – is an effective blackhead remover. Apply a thin paste to your affected areas and then sit on the paste for close to 25 minutes. One may feel a burning sensation when they apply the toothpaste, but hold on it will eventually pass of within a few seconds. Once the toothpaste is removed, the blackheads will be removed, but you still to wash your face to remove the buildup. Ideally for effective results this home remedy should be implemented on alternate days.

2. Rice- Soak rice in milk for 5 hours and grind it till it resembles the form of a paste like in consistency. Use the paste as a scrub to the affected areas of the body.

3. Tomatoes– have natural antiseptic healing properties that dry up blackheads. Peel and smash a tomato and apply the pulp to the blackheads before going to bed. Make it a point to leave the tomato pulp on your face and then wash your face in lukewarm water in the morning.

4. Almond– Mix almond with enough amount of rose water to make a suitable paste. Apply it to the affected areas with your fingertips and then apply it to the rest of the face. Let it set for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with cold water.

5. Baking soda- Prepare a mixture of equal parts of baking soda and water and rub it on to your face or other areas prone to blackheads. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.

Have any of you tried any of the sure shot ways of getting rid of blackheads from the comfort of your home? If not try it now and the results are bound to be seen.

Source: world factualy

Home Remedies for Stomachache due to indigestion

Home Remedies for Stomachache due to indigestion

If your abdominal pain is due to an upset stomach or indigestion, you might feel such symptoms as belching, nausea, bloated stomach and a general discomfort in your upper abdominal area including pain. You might be having indigestion and resultant stomach ache and discomfort due to one or many reasons including overeating, having spicy oily food, GERD, peptic ulcer and even smoking or anxiety. Certain medicines like antibiotics too lead to indigestion. Here are some home remedies for stomach ache or discomfort due to indigestion.

1. Cumin Seeds

Cumin has been long used for its fine properties that aid in digesting food. If you use cumin seeds in your cooking, you might not even suffer from indigestion at all. However, if anyway you feel uncomfortable due to all the food there in your stomach not getting digested, you may then take help of cumin seeds. This Mediterranean spice has been traditionally used as a treatment for inflammation and gastritis. Some people may feel symptoms of indigestion, abdominal pain or heartburn with gastritis. Cumin may help relieve these symptoms and grant relief from abdominal pain. The aroma of cumin due to its compound ‘cuminaldehyde’ activates secretion of saliva thus helping in digestion. Another compound of cumin called ‘thymol’ too activates gastric secretion for improving digestion. The method of consuming cumin given here is an Ayurvedic way of getting relief from stomach ache.
Get this:

  • Cumin seeds- 2 tbsp
  • Water- 4- ½ cups
  • Do this:
  • Add cumin seeds o the water.
  • Now boil this water for five minutes.
  • Let the cumin water cool down.
  • Now strain it and have this water everyday.

2. Lemon Juice
Citric acid in lemon juice triggers the production of hydrochloric acid in your body which breaks down the food. Not being able to break down the food to digest it properly is one of the main causes of Indigestion. Along with this,when you take lemon juice, you are helping your body keep itself hydrated enough to function smoothly.

Ways to have lemon juice for stomach ache

  • Get 1 glass of warm water, 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of honey. Mix them well and have this lime-honey warm drink after each of your meals.
  • Get half a cup of water, 2 tsp of lemon juice and ¼ tsp of rock salt. Mix them well and have this lemon drink thrice a day.
  • Get 1 tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of mint juice, 1 tsp of ginger juice and a pinch of black salt. Have this mixture for immediate relief from discomfort in stomach due to indigestion.

3. Homemade Probiotic Drink

Probiotics, as you may be knowing, are the good bacteria that help your stomach do its job smoothly by digesting foods that you eat. When you suffer from indigestion, there are enough chances that these probiotics have diminished in amount leading to your indigestion and the resultant stomach discomfort and pain. Yogurt, the plain one without any flavor or sugar, is one of the best natural probiotics. Why mot combine it with some really effective ingredients for digestion and have it to get relief from stomach problems!

Get this:

  • Yogurt- 1-2 tbsp
  • Coriander leaves- few of them (enough to get 3 tsp of juice)
  • Salt- a pinch of it
  • Cardamom powder- ½ tsp
  • Do this:
  • Add the yogurt in your cup of water.
  • Add salt and mix well to get a buttermilk type of drink.
  • Crush the coriander leaves and place them on sieve, then press to extract out their juice.
  • Add 3 tsp of this coriander leaves juice to your yogurt-water mix.
  • Add cardamom powder to this and mix well.
  • Have this excellent probiotic drink one hour after each of your meals.

Remember to use only plain yogurt having live culture bacteria in it

4. Fennel Seeds

In India, it is a tradition to chew fennel seeds or have betel leaf prepared with various ingredients along with fennel seeds. Fennel seeds excellently cure indigestion by triggering off the secretion of digestive juices. This happens due to the compound of fennel seeds called anethole, a volatile oil. Anethole can cure inflammation of the stomach lining and give you relief from pain occurring due to this.

Ways to have fennel seeds for stomach ache

  • Chew half to one teaspoon of fennel seeds after your meals. Do this at least when you eat heavy, spicy, oily food.
  • Make fennel tea to get relief from stomach ache as well as cramps. Put 1 tsp of fennel seeds in a cup and pour hot water over it. Cover and let steep for 8-10 minutes. Strain and have this digestive tea thrice a day.
  • You can even have raw fennel instead of fennel seeds. Take a fresh slice of raw fennel bulb and chew this after meals.

5. Rice Tea
If your stomach ache is due to indigestion and you also suffer from diarrhea at the same time, you may consider using rice in various forms for alleviating your stomach problems. What we call rice tea is actually the left out water we get after cooking the rice. This rice water acts as a demulcent by reducing inflammation as it creates a barrier over a membrane, the lining of your stomach.
Get this:

  • Rice- ½ cup
  • Water- 6 cups
  • Honey (optional)- 1-2 tsp
  • Do this:
  • Wash the rice and keep aside.
  • Boil water.
  • When it starts boiling, add rice to it.
  • Cover and let it boil for 15 minutes or till the rice becomes tender. Keep stirring in between.
  • Once the rice gets cooked, strain and save the rice for later use.
  • Let the water drained from cooked rice cool down a little. You have to make it warm.
  • Add honey if needed and sip this warm rice tea to relive stomach ache.

Home Remedies for Stomach Ache due to Gas Formation

When your stomach growls, groans, churns, turns, bloats, burns, or aches with intolerable cramps and pains, this may be due to formation of gas. You may feel uneasiness, bloating, nausea, headache, irritability and even chest pain as if you have got a heart attack! Gas formation is mainly caused due to indigestion of carbohydrates and cellulose along with other reasons like air swallowing when eating or talking. While you need to watch what you eat and drink, here are some remedies for such stomach ache due to gastric troubles.

6. Baking Soda for Stomach Ache due to Gastric Trouble
Any of the antacids that you buy from market to get relief from that bloating stomach, indigestion or accompanying nausea, it uses baking soda as its basic ingredient. So, why not use baking soda to make your own homemade antacid! Baking soda decreases excessive amounts of hydrochloric acid in your stomach. When the acid in your stomach acid combines with baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction which neutralizes the effect on the acid, thus giving you relief from stomach ache.

Ways to use baking soda for stomach ache

  • Mix ½ to 1 tsp of baking soda with 1 cup or 1 glass of water (whichever you can finish), and have this to get instant relief from gas-causing stomach pain.
  • You may also use warm water with baking soda. Mix ½ to 1 tsp of this soda with a cup of warm water and have it.
  • Make your own homemade antacid with baking soda. Squeeze lemon juice of half or 1 lemon in half glass of water. Now add 2 tsp of baking soda and a pinch of salt to this lemon water. Mix and have it. You’ll burp after a while pushing out all the gas from your stomach which was causing pain. This will even cure headache which you get due to gas.

However, you need to exercise a caution while using baking soda. Baking soda is nothing else but sodium bicarbonate, a sodium compound, a salt. If you suffer from high blood pressure or have been told by your physician to restrict sodium in your diet, you better use some other remedies for stomach ache.

7. Ginger for Stomach Ache due to Gas, Indigestion
Ginger, like some other home remedies, has been used since a long time to treat stomach ache. While our grandma or mama didn’t know and used it as a tradition, we know that ginger has in it the compounds called gingerols and shogaols. These compounds aids your muscles of intestinal track relax. This in turn, gives you relief from stomach ache occurring due to indigestion as well as gas.

Ginger also gets you rid of nauseating feeling accompanying your stomach ache. While you can have ginger in any form, raw ginger is far more beneficial than the dry one. Also, ginger ale is better avoided because it has more artificial flavors and sugars than having real ginger. Ginger candies too have a lots of sugar that may aggravate your problem. Instead, have ginger tea or use one of these ways to have ginger for stomach ache

Ways to use ginger for stomach ache
Make ginger tea by chopping a 1-2 inches piece of fresh ginger root after washing and peeling it. Boil 1-2 cups of water and add the ginger pieces to it. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Put off the flame and let it steep for another couple of minutes. Strain and add 1-2 tsp of honey which is entirely optional. You can have ginger tea without mixing honey too.

  • If you can’t get the raw ginger or you can’t stand the strong flavor of raw ginger, use 1-2 tsp of ginger powder to make your tea and have it.
  • Adding ginger powder to a glass of plain water and having it will also relieve you of stomach ache.
  • You can simple chew on a fresh piece of ginger though it will be a lot spicy so do it if you can stand it. If you want, sprinkle a little black salt before chewing the ginger pieces.
  • You may also crush a little piece of fresh ginger and extract its juice. Mix 1 tsp of such ginger juice with ½ tsp of ghee (clarified butter) and get relief from abdominal pain the Ayurveda way.
  • Fresh ginger juice can also be rubbed on the bottom belly to cure stomach ache, especially in children as they may not be able to ingest ginger.

8. Ajwain, Caraway and Other Seeds for Stomach Ache
There are certain herbs that are known as carminatives. They are great for digestion. For example, caraway seeds loaded with vitamins and minerals stop the growth of bad bacteria causing indigestion,gas and bloating. Some of such other seeds include cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, anise seeds, dill seed, and ajwain (sometimes called carom seeds).

Ways to use herbal seeds for stomach ache

  • Chew on some caraway seeds after every meal. A generous pinch or two can do. You can also chew them when you feel gas in your stomach.
  • Make a herbal tea by boiling 1-2 tsp of any of the seeds like cumin, fennel, coriander, anise, dill, ajwain or caraway seeds in 1-2 cups of water. You can even use a mixture of two or more of these seeds. Let the drink cool down and sip it to get relief from indigestion or gas induced stomach ache.
  • Take ½ tablespoon of water and add ajwain (sometimes also called bishopweed) and black salt in it. Take ajwain in four parts and black salt in one part. Mix them well with half tablespoon of water and have this to get instant relief from stomach pain and bloating.
  • Take ½ cup of warm water. Add 1 tsp ajwain, 8-10 drops of lemon juice and a pinch of black salt to it. Mix well and have it to relieve of stomach pain.
  • Make caraway seeds tea. Add a cup of hot water to 1 tsp of caraway seeds. Cover and steep for 8-10 minutes. Strain and drink this herbal tea thrice a day.

9. Mint Tea for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion and Gas
This is a folk remedy for stomach ache and it works. Fresh mint tea or peppermint tea, if you prefer to call it like this, can relax your stomach muscles and help smooth flow of bile (the digestive juice) so that you can digest your food properly and do not have stomach ache. This is equally true in case of gas and bloating and that’s why you find so many mint flavored antacids in market. Chewing some fresh mint leaves can do the wonders. You can even mix juice extracted from mint leaves in some water and have. However, mint tea not only cures your stomach ache but also refreshes you up so make mint tea for yourself.

Get this:

  • Fresh mint leaves- handful of them OR dried mint- 1-2 tsp
  • water- 1 cup
  • Do this:
  • Boil the water.
  • Add mint leaves to this.
  • Cover and steep for 5-10 minutes.
  • No need to strain if you have used fresh leaves.
  • Sip the tea slowly feeling that your pain is going away.
  • Chew the leaves too, if you can.

Home Remedies for Stomach Ache due to Stomach Ulcers
Most of the time stomach ache is due to gas formation in your stomach and some other times it is due to heartburn. The home remedies cited above will be enough to give you relief from stomach ache that you get from either cases. However, if the pain doesn’t go away, it could be due to stomach ulcers. It can be misunderstood as heartburn as you get a burning sensation along with acute pain usually in the upper abdomen and this can last for upto three hours. You get stomach ulcers when the mucous lining of your stomach is damaged either by hydrochloric acid present in digestive juices or Helicobacter pylori, an infection causing bacteria. Here are some home remedies for your stomach ache that you get from stomach ulcers.

10. Dandelion Root Tea for Stomach ulcer related Abdominal pain
Any part of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) plant can be used as a remedy for stomach ulcers. You can add dandelion in your salads or vegetables stir fries. However, the juice extracted from the root of dandelion is the most effective thing to have. You can make dandelion tea for this effect.
Get this:

  • Dandelion root herb- 1-2 tsp
  • Water- 1-2 cups
  • Do this:
  • Boil the water.
  • Add dandelion herb
  • Cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
  • Strain and have the tea
  • Have this tea for 2-4 weeks to cure stomach ulcers and then stop taking it. You will get rid of stomach ache due to ulcers. However, avoid having dandelion root tea if you have an allergy to such plants as ragweed, marigolds, daises or chrysanthemums.

11. Potato Juice for Stomach Ache due to Ulcers
Against the popular belief that potatoes are not good for health, this vegetable actually can relieve you of various stomach related ailments. Potatoes have in them, a unique antibacterial molecule which can treat stomach ulcers. What is interesting that the bacteria present in stomach cannot resist potato juice. Although all potatoes are good, the types of potatoes recognized as Maris Piper and King Edward are best suited to cure stomach ulcers. Potato juice can, in fact, apart from peptic ulcers, can cure heartburn, constipation and even gout and Rheumatism!

  • Get this:
  • Potatoes- enough to get ¼ cup of juice
  • Water- ¾ cup
  • Lemon juice (optional)- 1-2 tsp
  • Honey (optional)- 1-2 tsp
  • Do this:
  • In the morning, crush or grind the potatoes and extract their juice to get ¼ cup of potato juice.
  • Add ¾ cup of water to the potato juice. Now you have 1 cup of diluted potato juice.
  • Have this on an empty stomach every morning.
  • If you cannot stand the taste of raw potato juice, mix lemon juice and honey to this and have it.

When you suffer from stomach ache, this is a sign that your stomach needs some rest. Be kind to your digestive system and eat light and simple foods. Avoid having spicy and hot foods and also those made in too much of oil. Follow the rule of having simple diet like rice, toast, bananas, herbal tea, yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice etc. Use spices like cumin seeds, ajwain, caraway seeds etc. in your dishes. Chew mint or fennel seeds after your meals. If you suffer from gas, try doing exercise regularly even if simple walking for 30 minutes a day. Taking these measures will keep your stomach ache at bay. However, if your abdominal pain persists and you do not get relief from any number of home remedies for stomach ache, you should consult your doctor because then your stomach ache can be a symptom of certain serious ailment which may need medical intervention

Guava leaves cure for Diabetes

Guava leaves cure for Diabetes

Health Tips of Guava leaves

  •  Choose a bright healthy Guava leaf.
  •  Wash it well
  •  Pat dry
  •  Soak it overnight in a glass of clean drinkable water
  •  a copper glass is preferable
  •  Close it with a loose lid
  •  The person suffering from high blood sugar levels must drink this water early in the morning on an empty stomach.
  •  The water is taken very slowly without gulping
  •  The person should avoid eating or drinking anything for an hour.
  •  This should be done for a month for good results.

Doing this regularly for 1 month will definitely decrease high sugar levels.

Source: ayurvedic health tips

Fluoride, bleach and pesticide – common chemicals in conventional food

Fluoride bleach and pesticide - common chemicals in conventional food

Food chemicals are powerful. They can stave off mold and mildew and they can kill certain bacteria, including Salmonella and E. coli. Food chemicals kill insects, worms, beetles and some of the weeds that choke out crops. Plus, there’s fluoride, very toxic fluoride, in most municipal tap water. The bottom line is that chemicals kill good bacteria, and this is the number one detriment to all immunity. No wonder vaccines are so dangerous! People who eat nutrient-dead food regularly are getting shots full of chemicals. Eventually, after 10 to 20 years of consuming powerful food chemicals, putting toxins on your skin and having them injected into muscle tissue regularly (vaccines and flu shots), the human body breaks down, suffering from lack of flora and minerals, and that’s when the walking-talking machine you once knew falls apart.

What do you think you are eating if you don’t choose organic? Are you drinking insecticide (tap water) regularly because your “city” or “town” thinks that it’s safe? Based on what? Here’s some research from an earlier Natural News report by Mike Adams:

“What cities call ‘fluoride’ is actually a toxic cocktail of over 100 deadly industrial chemicals and heavy metals, many of which are purchased in bulk from China, where industrial processing plants are trying to get rid of their excess toxic waste by labeling it ‘sodium fluoride.'”

Do you eat white food regularly? It’s bleached! We’re talking about white flour, white pasta, white bread, white rice, white sugar, and you get the point. Every major junk food chain that sells rolls, buns, pizza dough, sub sandwiches, and so on, is selling you bleach that’s processed with so many food additives that you can’t taste it. Would you drink bleach at home if you couldn’t taste it or add it to your favorite meals? What if some corporation added vitamin C to your bleach, would you drink it then?

And then there’s pesticide. Oh, how the pesticide wrecks our health, and so quickly! Would you eat a cucumber or perhaps some lettuce from your own garden that you accidentally sprayed with a boatload of RoundUp herbicide? Yes, weeds are also pests, not just those pesky insects, but you won’t eat that food, because you’re not stupid. If you eat roach killer or weed killer, you get sick and die. Yet GMO food contains these chemicals that do just that — kill living things, including animals. Scientists fuse the genes of pesticidal bacteria into seeds that grow into pest-killer food, and millions of Americans eat it, as if it were food. Currently, 93% of soy, canola and cottonseed oil is GMO, so is 86% of corn and 95% of sugar beets. GMO rice is on the cutting board too.

Nerve Gas and Agent Orange Food

If you combine fluoride, bleach and pesticide with ammonia, you would create a toxic gas, like nerve gas. But ammonia is used in all kinds of food, all across America, to stave off infections, bacteria and the viruses so prominent in mass animal feeding operations that supply “Fast Food America.” Be sure not to cook those meats and fries at high heat! Health insurance companies invest in Fast Food, knowing that you will get sick and buy their policies and spend thousands in hospitals getting “sick care.”

Soon, most Agriculture in America will be dosed with 2,4-D, half of the ingredients of Agent Orange, used to defoliate the forests of Vietnam. Yes, children will be WALKING on this like the soldiers did in Vietnam. We will look back on this period as the time when dumb humans poisoned themselves with known carcinogens. So, what’s the solution? Don’t Eat Cancer!

Source: natural news