ARUM TRIPHYLLUM.

THIS IS A USEFUL REMEDY FOR SINGERS WITH HOARSE VOICE. WHICH IS UNCERTAIN AND UNCONTROLLABLE.

This remedy is derived from the Indian turnip and belongs to the mustard family.

ACRIDITY is the keynote of the action of this remedy.

This remedy is useful whenever the child bores its head on the pillow during a headache.

 This remedy is useful in soreness of the nostrils, with an ACRID, EXCORIATING DISCHARGE, producing raw sores. The nose is obstructed and the patient is forced to breathe through the mouth.

 It is also useful whenever the nose is completely stopped up with a fluent acrid discharge.  This remedy is useful in Hay fever. 

 This remedy is useful when the patient picks his nose constantly till it bleeds.

 This remedy is useful when there is a raw feeling at the roof and the palate. The corners of the mouth are sore and cracked. The tongue is red and sore and the whole mouth is raw.

 The remedy is useful when the saliva is profuse and acrid and corroding.

 This remedy is useful whenever there is a swelling of the sub-maxillary glands and throat feels raw and burns and the lungs feel sore.  This remedy is useful in clergyman’s throat, when the voice is uncertain and uncontrollable.

 This remedy suits persons who are worse talking and singing.

 This remedy is also useful Typhoid fever or any other ailment associated with the constant picking of the nose.

 This remedy was found to be useful for Diphtheritic paralysis of the palate, a condition we do not see any more because of the Expanded program of Immunization.

 It is a useful remedy in children who refuse food and drink because of the soreness of the mouth and the throat.

 This remedy is also said to be useful in Acute Renal failure caused by Septic states.

 This remedy is useful in eczema of the scalp in children suffering from catarrhal affections of the eyes, nose and the throat.

 This is a terrific remedy in cases of nasal catarrh with an acrid nasal discharge with a sore throat.  I have also found it useful in laryngitis, where the patients lose their voice after expose to cold winds, speaking continuously and this remedy acts best in winter.

 Introduction:

 The Hippie generation of the 1960’s and 1970’s exposed America to Marijuana in a big way.

 History of Marijuana:

 The term “marijuana” is a word, which is derived from the Mexican words for “Mary Jane”; others hold that “marijuana” comes from. The Portuguese word marigu-ano, which means “intoxicant” (Geller and Boas, 1969: 14).  The plant has been grown for fiber and as a source of medicine for several thousand years, but until 500 A.D. its use as a mind-altering drug was almost solely confined in India. The drug and its uses reached the Middle and Near East during the next several centuries, and then moved across North Africa, appeared in Latin America and the Caribbean, and finally entered the United States in the early decades of this century (Snyder, 1970: 129). Meanwhile it had been introduced into European medicine shortly after the invasion of Egypt by Napoleon and had a minor vogue as an intoxicant for a time in France.
  

Consider these Marijuana Statistics.

• Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.
• The percentage of youth aged 12–17 indicating a great risk of smoking marijuana once a month remains at around 38%.

• Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including most of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette.

• Harvard University researchers report the risk of a heart attack is five times higher than usual in the hour after smoking marijuana.

• The risk of using cocaine is estimated to be more than 104 times greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it.

• Smoking marijuana can injure or destroy lung tissue. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50–70% more cancer causing chemicals than tobacco smoke.

• Reaction time for motor skills, such as driving, is reduced by 41% after smoking one joint and is reduced 63% after smoking two joints.

• There have been over 7,000 published scientific and medical studies documenting the damage that marijuana poses. Not one study has shown marijuana to be safe.

Medicinal uses of Marijuana:

Marijuana has been a main ingredient in natural remedies for thousands of years in China from as early as 3000 B.C.  It has found medical uses in diseases such as; easing the pain of childbirth, relieving asthma, epilepsy, improving appetite and disposition.  It has also been used to treat sciatica to insomnia.

 In recent years, researchers have tried marijuana for headaches, menstrual cramps and more recently for glaucoma, ‘wasting syndrome in AIDS’, multiple sclerosis and treating pain in the terminal stages of cancer. It may be used in certain medical conditions such as:

  used in the following conditions: 

• Muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis
• Nausea from cancer chemotherapy
• Poor appetite and weight loss caused by chronic illness, such as HIV, or nerve pain
• Seizure disorders
• Crohn’s disease

How does marijuana produce therapeutic effects?

 It is very difficult to understand how marijuana confers medical benefits.  It has over 400 compounds.  Your body already makes marijuana-like chemicals that affect pain, inflammation, and many other processes. Marijuana can sometimes help those natural chemicals work better,

However, it is seen that marijuana has the ability to improve the appetite, reduce nausea and vomiting and prevent muscle spasms.  The US FDA in 1985 approved a synthetic version of marijuana called as Dronabinol (trade name – Marinol) for nausea due to cancer chemotherapy.

Marijuana is unique because it can be absorbed by inhalation for all those patients with severe nausea.  Research is being done to deliver marijuana in the form of vaporizers.

 How Is It Used?

Medical marijuana may be:

• Smoked
• Vaporized (heated until active ingredients are released, but no smoke is formed)
• Eaten (usually in the form of cookies or candy)
• Taken as a liquid extract 

Side Effects:

Side effects of marijuana that usually don’t last long can include:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Short-term memory loss
• Euphoria

More serious side effects include severe anxiety and psychosis

 Dangers of using marijuana as a medication:

 It will be easily available to drug abusers.

It has a potential to impair the function of the immune system in severely ill patients.

It can damage the lung and has cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco

It can create drowsiness and muddle the thinking

It can speed up the heart rate.

Conclusion:

 It is not possible to predict if marijuana will get the medical nod as a medication. There is a lot of skepticism about the therapeutic benefits of this drug versus the dangers. Perhaps, many synthetic compounds will evolve from marijuana and might be found useful for migraines to wasting syndrome of AIDS.

Despite the strict federal laws, marijuana or pot is illegally available in the streets and despite stringent DEA laws, millions of Americans can still get it illegally from the street.

References:

 www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.org.

 www.gdcada.org/statistics/marijuana.htm

 www.alcohol-and-drug-guide.com.

 www.webmd.com.

ARSENICUM ALBUM.

This remedy is derived from Arsenious Oxide and it was Dr. Hahnemann who proved it.

It is a profoundly acting remedy on every tissue and organ.

 It suits persons who are extremely fastidious, critical and tidy.  Such patients are also anxious and become vexed very easily.

 It is useful whenever there is debility, exhaustion and restlessness with nightly aggravation.

 It is useful in burning pains.

 It is a useful whenever there is thirst for small sips of water.

 It is useful for injurious effects of fruits, especially the succulent ones.

 It is a great remedy that gives quiet and eases in the last moments of life.

 This remedy is useful when the patient has great anguish and restlessness, with fear of death, suicidal tendency and a despair that drives him from place to place.

 This remedy is useful in burning in eyes with acrid lachrymation with intense photophobia and corneal ulceration.

 This remedy is useful when there is a thin watery excoriation with discharge and the nose feels stopped up.

This remedy is useful whenever there is great thirst for small quantities of water, with nausea and vomiting after eating and drinking and the patient craves for acids and coffee. It is also useful whenever there is heartburn and dyspepsia with vinegar, ice cream, ice water and tobacco.

It suits persons who are allergic to ice cream, fruits, meat, fish and cheese.

 This remedy is useful in painful spasmodic protrusion of the rectum, tenesmus, burning pain and pressure in the rectum with small and offensive stools with great prostration. This remedy is also useful in dysentery and cholera.

 It is useful whenever the urine is scanty, burning and involuntary.  It is also useful in albuminuria. It is considered to be a useful remedy in Acute Nephritis.

Herpes Zoster.

 This remedy is useful whenever there is itching of the skin with burning, swelling, edema and eruptions, which are dry and scaly.  This remedy is also useful in Urticaria and in Psoriasis.  It is also useful in Herpes Zoster, where there is burning, shooting pain, with  black color exudates.

 This remedy is a good sleep inducer and can be giving when the sleep is anxious and restless.

 It is useful to break up fevers with a periodicity and marked exhaustion.

 This remedy suits persons, who are worse in wet weather, after midnight, from the cold weather, from cold drinks; seashore and all complaints have a preponderance to be on the right side.

 This remedy suits persons who are better from the heat, elevation of the head and warm drinks.

 TIPS FROM THE MASTERS…

 ARSENICUM is the most trusted remedy in collapse in Cholera.

Dr. Hughes, L.R.C.P.

 In various advanced septic cases with persistent vomiting (and possibly diarrhea) ARSENIC ALBUM possesses considerable virtue, I have known it to work almost miraculously in several desperate cases of this kind.

Dr. H. L. Northrop, M.D. F.A.C.S.

 Use ARSENIC ALBUM in high potency to relieve the mental distress of dying.

Dr. R.A.F. Jack.

ARSENICUM ALBUM is very valuable for the weak heart, which is irritable, rapid action on slightest provocation.

Dr. Allen, M.D.

 ARSENICUM is our most important diuretic suitable for all forms of dropsy, more particularly in dropsy depending upon heart disease and edema of the lungs.

Dr. Bahr.

When the Peptic ulcer is at the pyloric end: ARSENICUM should be considered.

Dr. Pope.

 Diarrhea after ice cream points to ARSENICUM.

Dr. Dorothy Shepherd.

In asthma, the more the patient seems on the point of suffocation, the more painful and distressing his restlessness, the more wheezing and louder his respiration, the more ARSENIC will be found appropriate.

Dr. Boehr.

 ARSENICUM ALBUM is very efficacious in the 30^th potency every half hour for 4 to 6 doses for the usual colds due to change of temperature.

Dr. Blakey.

 ARSENIC will establish more than any other remedy in the stage of effusion.

Dr. Mitchell.

 ARSENIC ALBUM is an excellent remedy for the treatment of Idiopathic neuralgia, which occurs as a result of Malaria or Influenza, more frequently as a symptom of pure debility.

Dr. Hughes, L.R.C.P.

In simple uncomplicated cases of Cholera, ARSENIC is only by far the best remedy.

Dr. Ringer.

Hay Fever

As a prophylactic, ARSENIC OR ALLIUM CEPA may be given for sometime before the expected time for the HAY FEVER.

Dr. Custis, M.D.

According to me, ARSENIC is proved specific to counteract the effect of PENICILLIN.

Dr. M.B. Desai.

ARSENICUM ALBUM antidotes the evil effects and distressing symptoms that follow the Yellow fever shots.

Dr. Grimmer, M.D.

I have relied upon ARSENIC ALBUM almost exclusively in the treatment of typhoid in hospitals.

Dr. Fleishmann.

 ARSENIC seems especially adapted to loss of vision dependent upon the use of tobacco, and has proven clinically to be the first value in Retro-bulbar neuritis.

Dr. Norton. M.D.

In Pellagra the most efficient remedy is ARSENICUM ALBUM in low potency.

Dr. Hunder B. Stiles, M.D.

ARSENICUM ALBUM is of great service in Epithelioma of the nose and the lips.

Dr.Kent. M.D.

ARSENICUM is an excellent remedy for baldness, if the hair falls out in consequence of an impoverished condition of the follicles, the scalp and the skin generally are dry, and the patient’s assimilative powers are impaired.

Dr. Charles Hempel.

Even in the most hopeless cases of extensive inoperable malignant disease, where morphia would seem to be indicated, small doses of ARSENICUM or some other indicated remedy would abolish the pain.

Dr. Kent. M.D.

I find this remedy extremely useful in fastidious and critical persons, who are easily vexed. It is useful in certain anxious patients with acidity and surprisingly in those patients, whose asthma gets worse at midnight.  It is said to be useful in cholera.  But, I have not tried it in such cases.  It is also useful in chronic bronchitis. I also find it useful in acute nephritis.  Of course, I have used it with supportive Allopathic care.

Introduction:

All of us desperately want to make a good impression. It is said that the FIRST IMPRESSION IS OFTEN THE BEST IMPRESSION. This is especially true in a financial deal, a social call, and maybe in a marriage proposal.

When asked what they first noticed about their life partners, more often than not, friends have replied “their teeth.”  A white smile is an important part of that all-important first impression, and because of that, here are some tips for getting that gorgeous, bright smile.

When it comes to whitening the teeth, many people swear by their dentist. While it’s true that many dentists nowadays perform whitening and other cosmetic procedures, and can do them in under an hour, the truth is that this can cost you hundreds of dollars for just one appointment. A much smarter option would be to go with a good at-home teeth-whitening kit.

Some homemade inexpensive ways of whitening your teeth:

1) Lemon Juice.

 Brushing teeth with lemon juice, or rubbing the peel across the teeth, is one of the most frequently mentioned ways to whiten teeth naturally. Unfortunately, it is also one of the worst.

 The way lemon juice works is by robbing your tooth enamel of calcium from the citric acid in the juice. This may lead to tooth decay without the right amount of calcium. Lemon juice can also strip away the tooth enamel until it is damaged beyond repair.

 Lemon juice for teeth whitening…not a good idea.

 2) Strawberries

 Another homemade remedy involves mashing strawberries into a pasty pulp and brushing your teeth with them. This tastes nice, but may be almost as harmful as lemon juice for the same reasons.

 Strawberries also contain acid, and the seeds can damage your gums or even your teeth if you brush too hard. If you do chose to use strawberries for teeth whitening, be sure to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth shortly afterwards.

 3) Crunchy Vegetables

 Vegetables such as celery, carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers are naturally abrasive and act like little toothbrushes that scrub away stains.

 4) Wood Ash (Lye)

 The potassium hydroxide found in hardwood ash is a bleaching agent and will whiten teeth. A popular home remedy is brushing with the wood ash on a regular basis. Potassium will harm the enamel in your teeth over time and it is best to stay away from this one.

 5) Baking Soda

 The process of brushing teeth with a baking soda and salt mixture has been around for a long time, and for good reason. It can actually be effective in removing stains, especially with the help of peroxide. Baking soda will also help to kill bacteria, which causes plaque, and reduce acids, which can harm tooth enamel.

 Baking soda is safe to use and easily obtained. If you do use a baking soda mixture, brush gently around your gums so you don’t irritate them.

6) Hydrogen Peroxide

 Gargling with peroxide is said to whiten teeth. The popular peroxide remedy has you brush your teeth normally, swish peroxide around your teeth, and then rinse with water. This is safe, however it may irritate the gums and cause tooth sensitivity over time.

 7) Baking Soda & Peroxide Combined

 This may be one of the best home remedies for teeth whitening and regular tooth maintenance.

 8) Homemade toothpaste:

 One of the better home recipes for whiter teeth is a paste consisting of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, table salt and a dab of toothpaste. Mix it all together and brush away stains.

 The secret to this inexpensive home whitening method is malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration.

  Ayurveda and teeth whitening

 Useful Herbs for Whitening of Teeth

 1. Babul (Acacia arabica)

The importance of babul in whitening of teeth cannot be expressed in words. It is so much important in Ayurveda for this purpose that the ancient Indians used nothing but the twigs of the babul (the other tree used for this is neem) as disposable toothbrushes. The tannin present in babul is effective in increasing the whiteness of teeth.

 2. Banyan (Ficus religiosa)

The aerial roots of the banyan can also be used as disposable toothbrushes. The banyan roots have astringent properties, which not only make the teeth whiter, but also make the teeth and gums healthier.

 3. Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

The leaves of the holy basil are dried in the sun and powdered and used for brushing teeth. The leaves help in maintaining dental hygiene and make the teeth whiter. Apart from the whitening properties, holy basil is also used for protection from problems such as pyorrhea (i.e. bleeding of gums).

 4. Margosa (Azadirachtha indica)

The neem tree, or the margosa, is a traditional remedy for having white healthy teeth. Several Indians even today as toothbrushes use neem twigs. Neem oils contain astringent and antiseptic properties to fight bad breath, kill microorganisms accumulated on the teeth and to combat dental caries and cavities.

 If you want white teeth then you must:

• In order to keep the teeth clean and white, pungent, bitter and astringent foods must be included in the daily diet. These tastes have an astringent effect on the teeth, which helps to maintain them clean.
• Sugary foods in any form are bad for the teeth.
• Chocolates are also not good.
• Avoid excess tea and coffee. These beverages contain strong alkaloids, which can stain the teeth.
• Avoid smoking. Almost every person who smokes will lose the white coloration of the teeth.
• Chewing of the paan (betel leaf), as is done in several Indian regions, is also disastrous to the whiteness of the teeth. This habit can stain the teeth cream, yellow or even a dirty shade of rust brown.

 Simple Home Remedies for Whitening of Teeth

 v  For teeth that have lost their white color, prepare a mixture of charcoal of babul wood, roasted alum and some rock salt. Rub this on the teeth instead of using the conventional toothpaste. You will have white and long-lasting healthy teeth.

v  You can try using sodium bicarbonate regularly each morning as a toothpowder instead of toothpaste. Sodium bicarbonate replenishes the lost mineral content of the teeth, which helps them to regain their whiteness.

v  Strawberries, tomatoes and amalaki contain good vitamin C content. These can be directly applied on the teeth. Vitamin C helps in removing the plaque on the teeth and makes them whiter.

v  Rub an orange peel on the teeth every night before going to sleep. The vitamin C of the orange peel will combat with the microorganisms all through the night.

v  Take adequate measures of dental hygiene. Brush your teeth after every meal, or at least in the morning and before going to bed. While brushing your teeth, take care to sweep out all the embedded food particles. This is the most natural way to keep your teeth white and healthy.

References:

 www.ayushveda.com

 www.makemyteethwhiter.com.

Introduction:

Chronic wounds often defy conventional treatment because they may be infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Orthodox practitioners have used many traditional methods of treatment and they include apitherapy (application of medicated honey), maggots and leaches. These unorthodox therapies have been found effective in MRSA infections.

Honey can be used as a topical treatment for wounds:

 Honey which is a plant nectar that is modified by the honey bee called as Apis mellifica has been used since thousands of years and there are references in history dating back to the early Egyptians, Assyrians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans.

 Honey acts like a sealant and keeps the wound moist and free from contamination. Honey contains glucose (35%), fructose (40%), sucrose (5%), and water (20%). This high sugar content plus vitamins, minerals, and amino acids) provides topical nutrition that is thought to promote healing and tissue growth.

 Honey is also a hyper-osmotic agent that draws fluid from the wound bed and underlying circulation and this action is thought to kill bacteria. Honey has a natural debriding action too.

 Manuka (Medihoney) is a medicinal honey with enhanced antibacterial properties derived from floral sources in Australia and New Zealand. It has been reported that it can stop bacterial growth even when diluted up to 56 times. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can stimulate epithelial growth, advancing closure of skin. 

 Maggot Therapy:

 Military surgeons have always known that soldiers whose wounds got infested with Maggots healed better.  Maggots have been used for centuries to help heal wounds. The beneficial effects of therapeutic maggots were first observed during the Napoleonic war by a surgeon who noted that soldiers whose wounds had become infested had an improved prognosis.

In recent times, medicinal maggots (sterilized larvae of the green bottle fly Lucilia sericata that do not reproduce nor feed on live tissue) work as biochemical debriding agents. They ingest bacteria and degrade them in their intestinal tract. They also secrete an enzyme that disinfects the wound, dissolves necrotic tissue, and stimulates wound healing. Maggots are now being used against a wide spectrum of wounds and are proving to be effective against MRSA and other multi-resistant microorganisms. They also appear to be more cost effective than other methods of wound healing.  Studies indicate that about 40% to 50% of wounds treated with maggot therapy as the last alternative before amputation were healed, and the limbs were saved. 

 Leeches in Wound Healing:

 Using leeches was once an indispensable part of the practice of medicine in the 19th century only to be abandoned in favor of scientific medical advances. Leach therapy is once again seeing a renaissance in the area of modern plastic reconstructive surgery — particularly in microsurgery transplantation.  In June 2004 the US FDA gave clearance to leach therapy and they are used today throughout the world as tools in skin grafts and reattachment microsurgery.

Leeches work by creating a puncture wound that bleeds for hours, while anesthetizing the wound, preventing clotting and dilating vessels to increase blood flow.

 The medical literature describes countless cases of the use of leeches to relieve venous congestions following reattachment or transplantation surgery of fingers, toes, ears, penis, and other skin-flaps; in addition to breast reconstruction, reduction, or augmentation procedures where engorgement of the nipple can be a complication.

 Leeches possess properties that make them uniquely able to assist with venous compromised tissues. Their saliva contains:

• Hirudin, which acts as a direct thrombin inhibitor;
• Hyaluronidase, which increases the local spread of leech saliva through human tissue at the site of the wound and also has antibiotic properties;
•   A histamine-like vasodilator that promotes local bleeding;

• And a local anesthetic.

 Complications of applying leaches:

Aeromonas hydrophila infections are a recognized complication of postoperative leech application, with reported incidences ranging from 2.4% to 20%. Prophylactic antibiotics are often recommended. In the event infection develops, early diagnosis and immediate initiation of an empirical intravenous antibiotic therapy are essential.

 Another major concern in the use of leeches is their migration from the surgical site, possibly into the body or the wound itself. One study suggested a possible simple solution, which was to attach 1 end of a surgical suture to the leech and tie the free end to a firm object or dressing..

While leeches still aren’t a surgeon’s first choice, they are considered in a transplant that has failed for lack of venous outflow on the patient that has been put on heparin or other anticoagulants, and has undergone repeat surgeries in which as many of the small veins have been attempted to be connected.

 References:

Lusby PE, Coombes A, Wilkinson JM. Honey: a potent agent for wound healing. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2002;29:295-300.

Fox C. Honey as a dressing for chronic wounds in adults. Br J Commun Nurs. 2002;7:530-534.

Ahmed AK, Hoekstra MJ, Hage JJ, Karim RB. Honey-medicated dressing: transformation of an ancient remedy into modern therapy. Ann Plast Surg. 2003;50:143-147; discussion 147-148.

Molan PC, Clinical usage of honey as a wound dressing: an update. J Wound Care. 2004;13:353-356.

Parnés A, Lagan KM. Larval therapy in wound management: a review. Int J Clin Pract. 2007;61:488-493.

Sherman RA, Sherman J, Gilead L, Lipo M, Mumcuoglu KY. Maggot debridement therapy in outpatients. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;82:1226-1229.

Sherman RA, Wyle F, Vulpe M. Maggot debridement therapy for treating pressure ulcers in spinal cord injury patients. J Spinal Cord Med. 1995;18:71-74.

Grassberger M, Fleischmann W. The biobag — A new device for the application of medicinal maggots. Dermatology. 2002;204:306.

Derganc M, Zdravic F. Venous congestion of flaps treated by application of leeches. Br J Plast Surg. 1960;13:187-192.

Banis JC, Upton J. Microsurgical reattachment of totally amputated ears. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1987;79:535-541.

Knobloch K et al. Hirudo medicinalis-leech application in plastic and reconstructive microsurgery — a literature review. Handchir Mikroochir Plast Chir. 2007;39:103-107.

ARGENTUM NITRICUM.

craving for sweets.

This remedy is deep and long acting and is derived from pure silver.

It is a useful remedy where the neurotic effects are marked.  These patients are anxious and apprehensive about their health.

 It is useful in ailments in persons with a great desire for sweets.

 It is useful when there is a runny nose with sneezing.  It is also useful in cough, with expectoration of gray viscid sputum.

improves weak memory

 This remedy is useful in persons with a weak memory with melancholy and useful in examination funk.

 It is useful in headaches caused due to emotional disturbances such as hemi-cranial attacks.

 It is useful when the inner canthi are swollen and red. It is useful in purulent ophthalmia.  It is useful in chronic ulceration of the margin of the lids, which are sore and thick.  It is useful in restoring the power of the weakened ciliary muscles.  It is useful in chronic granular conjunctivitis.

 This remedy suits persons who have a raw throat, which is sore and there is a sensation of a splinter in the throat.  The throat is filled with thick mucous.  It is useful for hoarseness of professional singers and public speakers

 This remedy is useful in most gastric ailments where belching is associated with stomach complaints.  It is useful for explosive belching in neurotics.

 The colic is associated with flatulent distension and the stools are water, noisy, green like chopped spinach and offensive.  This remedy is useful diarrhea occurs after eating and drinking and after sweets.

This remedy is useful when the urine passes unconsciously, day or night.  The urethra is inflamed with burning pain and itching as if there is a splinter.  The urine is dark and scanty and there is emission of a few drops after it is finished.  It is useful whenever the urinary stream is divided.  It is useful in the early stage of gonorrhea, where there is a profuse discharge and terrible cutting pains; with bloody urine.

 This remedy is useful in males with impotence when the erection fails when coitus is attempted.

 This remedy is useful in females with profuse leucorrhoea with erosion of the cervix.

 It is useful in respiratory diseases with chronic hoarseness and high notes cause cough. It is also useful in Angina Pectoris with nightly aggravation and palpitation, with irregular pulse.

 This remedy suits persons who are worse warmth in any form at night, after eating, from cold food, at the menstrual period, from emotions and lying on the left side.

 This remedy also suits persons who are better from eructation, fresh air, cold and pressure.

 TIPS FROM THE MASTERS…

 ARGENTUM NITRICUM is best applicable when heart attacks set in severely, after meals.

Dr. Leo Bonnin.

In the gastrointestinal sphere where there is a history of an old duodenal ulcer with intolerable burning epigastric pain and much flatulence, ARGENTUM NITRICUM is our remedy: patients are usually thin, high strung and chronic worriers.

Dr. Eisfielder, M.D.

In simple paraplegia from exhaustion, I have more than once found ARGENTUM NITRICUM of signal service.

Dr. Hughes, L.R.C.P.

 Don’t forget ARGENTUM NITRICUM:

 A) In Post-Diphtheritic paralysis (CAUSTICUM, CONIUM, NATRUM MUR, PHOS, NAJA.)

 B) In paralysis of the lungs following Diphtheria (LACHESIS, GELSEMIUM, OPIUM).

 Dr. C.P. Bryant, M.D.

The greatest service that ARGENTUM NITRICUM performs is in purulent ophthalmia.  With a large experience in both hospital and private practice, we have not lost a single eye from this disease and everyone and everyone has been treated with internal remedies, most of them with ARGENTUM NITRICUM of a high potency, 30^th or 200^th.  We Have witnessed the most intense chemosis with strangulated vessels, most profuse purulent discharge, even the cornea beginning to get hazy, and looking as though it would slough, subside rapidly under ARGENTUM NITRICUM internally.  The subjective symptoms are almost none.  Their very absence, with the profuse purulent discharge and the swollen lids from a collection of pus in the eye, or swelling of the subconjuctival tissue of the lids themselves indicates the drug.

 Dr. Tyler, M.D.

 In dull chronic headaches of literary and businessman, ARGENTUM NITRICUM is much recommended.

 Dr. Hughes, L.R.C.P.

Cures Claustrophobia.

ARGENTUM NITRICUM cures claustrophobia.

Dr. Tyler, M.D.

Introduction:

Beauty may be skin deep, but ugly goes clear to the bone.

Redd Foxx

  Humankind today spends billions of dollars on cosmetics and skin creams to look good and have an ageless skin.  Skin care begins with our birth. When we are young, we have diaper rash. In our childhood, we often get boils and scratches. As adolescents, we have pimples and in old age; we have wrinkles.  It is very important that we understand that the skin is a delicate organ and we should use natural skin products that do not harm it.

  Natural skin care is often available to all of us in our own kitchen cabinets and requires a few minutes to prepare. What is more encouraging is that these inexpensive homemade solutions contain natural ingredients that are bereft of costly chemical filled products.

Some simple home remedies for a glowing complexion:

Baking soda:

It makes great sense to rub baking soda over the skin once a week when we shower. It renders the skin smooth and silky. This treatment also helps removing black heads.

Tomatoes:

This home remedy is great to remove the oily areas of the face, Rinse the face with fresh tomato juice and rinse it off with Luke warm water after a few minutes.
 

Olive Oil:

Olive Oil is a great moisturizer for the skin and it soothes sunburns.

  Coltsfoot:

 Pour 1 cup boiling water over one tablespoon of coltsfoot.  Allow it to steep for 30 minutes. Strain this mixture and wash the face with it. It is useful if you have and oily face. In a few weeks the skin starts glowing.

 Avocados:

 This is a great treatment for dry skin. Avocados should be mashed and put as a paste on the skin and should be rinsed after 20 minutes.

 
Skin-Care & Herbs

Homemade pastes made from Rosemary, lavender, mint, ginger and chamomile, are good for skin irritations because they contain essential oils. 

Skin-Care & Fruits:

Packs made from strawberry, pineapples and more are good for skin conditioning, softening and have plenty of natural vitamins and essential oils.

Ayurveda and Skin Care:

The first step in the Ayurvedic approach to skin care is finding out your Ayurvedic skin type. There are three essential types namely; Vata Skin type, Pitta skin type and Kapha Skin type.

Vata skin is in generally dry, thin, delicate and cool to the touch, easily gets dehydrated, and is very vulnerable to the influence of dry windy weather. Vata skin may age faster, and tends to be dry, rough and flaky when out of balance.

For Vata skin to stay youthful, skin care products used should be very nurturing. They must include some essential oils or herbs in combination, which can nourish the skin and rehydrate it. Otherwise it may be susceptible to wrinkles and premature aging.  Eating meals that balance the Vata is very essential, as is going to bed on time, eating regular meals, and following a regular daily routine are essential components of the approach to Vata skin care,

Vata skin types should eat warm, unctuous foods and favor the sweet, sour and salty tastes to balance the dry, rough, moving Vata dosha. People who have a Vata skin type should nourish the skin by including organic milk, whole grains and green leafy vegetables in their diet.  They should drink lots of lukewarm water every day for internal hydration.  They should eat plenty of sweet juicy fruits which, will help cleanse the body from within and provide hydration as well. They should also include a little healthy fat such as Ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil in their diet for added lubrication. A warm oil self-massage is excellent for keeping skin lubricated. They should use a gentle, all-natural moisturizer to keep facial skin hydrated. They should also get plenty of rest so that the mind as well as the body will have an opportunity to recharge. Such persons of the Vata skin type could use a gentle, moisture-balancing cleanser and splash the face with water several times when they cleanse the face

Pitta skin type tends to be fair, sensitive, soft, warm, and of medium thickness. It has less tolerance to hot food, less tolerance to fieriness in temperament.  Pitta skin types tend to be more prone to freckles and moles than the other skin types.  When out of balance, Pitta skin can flare up in rashes, rosacea, acne, or sunspots.

Pitta Skin Care:

The Pitta skin type needs both cooling and nurturing to keep it in balance. Use skin care products that help enhance resistance to the sun. Avoid tanning treatments and therapies that expose the delicate sensitive skin.  Avoid steaming the face for extended periods of time.

The ayurvedic herb Flame of Forest can help protect Pitta skin from photosensitivity. But this has to be used in combination with other herbs for a balanced effect on the skin.

Caring for Pitta skin:

People who have a Pitta skin type will have to thrive on sweet, bitter and astringent tastes, as found in sweet, juicy fruits, rose petal preserve;. They should have plenty of cooked greens. They should avoid hot, spicy foods.  They should stay away from harsh, synthetic cosmetics that can damage their sensitive skin and cause breakouts. They should strictly avoid hot spicy foods and an excess of deep-fried foods, as such foods add heat to an already fiery constitution. They should eat lots of sweet juicy fruits and have some rose petal jam in cool milk every day.  The rose is considered cooling for mind, body and emotions. They should only use cooling oils, such as coconut oil, for the daily massage. They should cook their meals with cooling spices such as fennel and licorice.  They should take extra care to protect their skin when going out in the sun. They should use gentle, natural skin care products for cleansing and moisturizing their delicate skin…

Kapha skin tends to have all the qualities of water and earth — it can be oily, thick, pale, soft, cool and more tolerant of the sun. Kapha skin tends to age slower and form less wrinkles than the other two types. Kapha skin types may struggle with their dull complexion, enlarged pores, excessive oil, blackheads, and pimples, moist types of eczema and water retention.

Kapha Skin Care

“Kapha skin, because of its thickness and oiliness, is more prone to accumulate toxins under the skin.  People with Kapha skin need to do detoxification on a regular basis, both internal detoxification and external detoxification to flush toxins from the skin.   Scrubbing the skin with gentle exfoliating clay can help external cleansing.  Kapha skin types may also need to take herbal formulations to cleanse the skin from within.

Patients with the Kapha type skin need a diet that is warmer, lighter, less oily, and free of heavy, hard to digest foods. They should eat more bitter, astringent and pungent food that help stimulate digestion and balance Kapha skin. They should avoid too many sweet foods or deep-fried foods, which add to the oiliness in the skin. They should exercise everyday to improve the general circulation. A daily warm oil massage can also help circulation. They should eat plenty of organic vegetables and fruits to help cleanse the body from within. They should cleanse your skin twice everyday; exfoliate with a mud-mask at least once a week. They should cook with warming spices such as ginger and black pepper to stoke the digestive fire and inhibit the accumulation of toxins inside the body.

Nourishment for skin – General Principles in Ayurveda:

Besides following the diet for the various skin types, one must eat foods that are t skin-enhancers. These are: leafy green vegetables. They should also eat foods that have easily digested proteins such as paneer, milk, tofu and sunflower seeds.  Foods high in zinc are found in quinoa; and beta-carotene-rich foods are found in carrots and sweet cherries.  Almonds and walnuts support the skin with their protein and lubricating fat content. Some skin-friendly spices include turmeric to nourish the first four layers of the skin.  Cumin gets rid the body of toxins. Black pepper cleanses the channels, and fennel balances the transformational ability of the skin.  All antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, such as pomegranate, apple, pear, and bitter, green leafy vegetables are also excellent for the skin. It is better to eat only fresh, whole and organic foods.     

 AVOID ALL THAT IS TINNED, CANNED AND PROCESSED.

 Homeopathic remedies for a flawless skin:

Homeopathy offers many remedies for a flawless skin:

 Psoriasis and different kinds of eczemas:  Many remedies like Psorinum, Graphites, Chrysorobinum, Mezerium, Syphillinum, etc come to mind  and these can be used with certain Bach flower remedies bring back the smile of the patients..

 For itching chilblains and fungal infections: Many medicines like Tellurium, Bovista, Mezerium, Sulphur, can clear the lesions and make the skin flawless…

 Recurrent boils, carbuncles, acne, abscesses:  These stubborn conditions can be very effectively treated by remedies like Hepar sulph, Belladona, Merc sol, Silica, Arnica, Berberis, Tarentula cubensis, etc.

Pruritus or Itching:  This may be with or without eruptions may be associated with many disorders like diabetes, depression, old age dementia, etc. It can be at times very distracting for the day-to-day activities. Here remedies like Fagopyrum, Cicuta, Mezerium, Bovista, Graphites and Petroleum .come to mind

Unhealthy skin in children:   In children, many mothers often complain that the skin that is torn or cut after the child falls.  Every lesion tends to pus formation and delays healing.  Here, remedies like Hepar sulph, Silica, Borax etc. help to cool the lesions and heal the child…

Urticaria:

Painful, terribly itchy allergic rash makes life very uncomfortable for the sufferers. It is not always possible to identify the allergen. In these cases remedies like Apis mellifica, Urtica urens, Sulphur are simply marvelous and the patients can get rid of the allopathic anti-allergic tablets…

A natural skin conditioner:

Pound half a cup each of pumpkin, gourd and cucumber seeds until it is ground into a fine powder. Mix it with any cream base to make a thin paste.  To this add a few drops of lemon oil. Massage it into the skin and leave it overnight if possible. Wash off the skin with lukewarm water. The skin starts glowing

 Conclusion:

  Different homemade remedies are suitable for different people. What is good for one may be a poison for another.  With all these therapies, one must not forget to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day for a healthy skin.

  For a beautiful body and skin, it is very important that we accept ourselves as we are and take care of our bodies.

‘People often say that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder.  This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.’ Salma Hayak.

 References and links:

  www.beauty.indobase.com.

  www.beauty.iloveindia.com.

  www.naturalbodyskincare.com.

  www.ayurveda-foryou.com.

Introduction:

Do you have a deep muscular ache?  Do you feel fatigued all the time?  Do you have sleep disorders? 

In addition to this, do you have constipation alternating with diarrhea?   Do you feel bloated?  Do you frequently get tension-type headaches?  Do you suffer more in cold weather?  If you are a woman, do you have menstrual problems, painful periods, swollen extremities or symptoms suggestive of PMS?   Are you depressed all the time and sensitive to loud noises and bright lights and feel stressed out?

If you have answered yes to the first three and yes many of the questions below, the chances are that you would have visited your allopathic physician and he/she would have investigated you and told you that you have a condition called as Fibromyalgia.

 What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by a combination of widespread pain in the muscles, tendons, ligaments, fatigue, and multiple tender points on the body.

The American College of Rheumatology estimates that 3 to 6 million people are afflicted with this disease in the US.  Fibromyalgia is more common in women, especially between the ages of 30 and 50.  90% of cases of fibromyalgia occur in women in the US (NIH, The National Women’s Health Center)

 Allopathic Management of Fibromyalgia:

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but education, lifestyle changes, and proper medications can help the individual to regain control and achieve significant improvement.

Models of pain behavior that interrelate biologic, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral variables form the basis for cognitive-behavioral and operant-behavioral approaches to adult pain management. Fibromyalgia in children responds to a combination of psychotherapy, exercise, relaxation techniques, and education. Pharmacotherapy is generally not indicated in children.

Nonpharmacotherapy

• Diet : promote good nutrition, vitamin supplementation, bone health, weight loss
• Stress management
• Aerobic exercise
• Sleep therapy
• Psychologic/behavioral therapy

Pharmacotherapy:

Always combine pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Aggressively treat co morbid depression.

Medications used in the management of fibromyalgia include the following:

• Analgesics
• Antianxiety agents
• Skeletal muscle relaxants
• Antidepressants
• Anticonvulsants
• Alpha 2 agonists

Other agents used in fibromyalgia may include the following:

• Vitamins and minerals
• Malic acid and magnesium combination
• Antioxidants
• Amino acids
• Herbs and supplements.

Allopathic physicians all agree that patients with Fibromyalgia need a diet rich in  Coenzyme Q10, Acidophilus, Lecithin, Malic acid and magnesium, Manganese,  Proteolytic enzymes, Vitamin A and vitamin E, Vitamin C with bioflavonoids, Vitamin B complex, plus extra vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B12

They also agree that foods must be adequate in Calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc, DL-phenylalanine (DLPA), essential fatty acids (rich sources are black currant seed oil, flaxseed oil, and primrose oil), Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), L-Leucine plus L-isoleucine and L –valine, L- Tyrosine, Melatonin, naturally occurring multivitamin and mineral complex plus and natural carotenoids.

A Vegan diet can help:

According to Dr. Amy Lanou, Ph.D, the nutrition director of Physicians committed for Responsible Medicine, which is a non-profit organization based in Washington DC, Quote; “Switching to a vegan diet pulls away some of the most common suspected disease triggers, including dairy products, MSG, shrimp, food colorings and sulfites.”– Unquote.

Researchers have discovered that female fibromyalgia patients who consumed a vegan diet experienced a significant reduction in muscular pain, reduction in depression and improved sleep quality.

 The vegan diet, which primarily consists of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, also helped weight loss and better control of blood cholesterol.

Only a vegan diet can provide all these nutrients in an adequate quantity. 

Other therapies:

 v  Regular exercise to increase muscle strength and endurance.

v  Massage therapy.   Search out the trigger point areas using a massage tool.

v  Moist heat is helpful for relaxing muscles. Warm showers worked well for me.

v  Acupuncture and hypnosis.

v  Gentle yoga session to relax and lengthen tight muscles.

v  Cognitive-behavioral therapy and pain management therapy

v  Meditation, prayer and biofeedback therapy.

Herbs and natural supplements do not help much:

Some vitamins and minerals are considered as alternative therapy for Fibromyalgia and they include B-complex vitamins, omega –3 and 6 fatty acids. Sam-E, St. John’s wort and Kava are few herbs that sometimes offer marginal relief.

Mangosteen is a fruit that grows only in areas of Southeast and Central Asia and was used traditionally by native peoples in these areas to treat a number of conditions including pain. Studies and chemical evaluation has shown that the mangosteen contain analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents and Cox-2 inhibitors, all of which are pain relievers. 

Homeopathy:

There are many remedies in Homeopathy for Fibromyalgia and it is better for the patients to go to an experienced Homeopath and take a constitutional remedy. Some remedies that work marvelously are listed below.

 Ø  Arnica is generally prescribed for pain, tenderness, and stiffness. Arnica cream or gel can also be used topically.

Ø  Bryonia helps ease pain that increases with movement and is better when resting. It also helps with the constipation. 

Ø  Hypericum is useful for the unbearable prickly pain that radiates along nerve pathways, is worse with movement, and worse when touched. This remedy is especially effective for pain in the extremities.

Ø  Rhus toxicodendron is for the individual who feels better after moving around.

 Conclusion:

 The orthodox system treats Fibromyalgia victims with painkillers, muscle relaxants and physiotherapy and it is sad to see that dietary changes are seldom advocated. Fibromyalgia is a disease that responds adequately to diet, yoga and lifestyle modification.

 References and links:

 www.medscape.com.

http://www.restore-your-health.com.

 www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org.

 www.holisticonline.com.

 www.truestarhealth.com.

APOMORPHIA.

It is a useful remedy in seasickness.

It is great remedy to combat vomiting with nausea, retching, lassitude, increased secretion of sweat, saliva, mucous and tears preceding it.

 It can be used whenever there is constant retching in pregnancy.

 It is useful in seasickness.

 It is useful in Pneumonia with vomiting.

 It is useful in alcohol induced nausea and constipation and insomnia.

 This remedy is useful whenever there is a hot feeling all over the body, especially the head.

It can be used in low potencies and can be repeated frequently till the nausea subsides.  A note of caution:  If the nausea does not subside, then you must consult your doctor. This website not I will not be held responsible for any adverse side effects that may accrue.

Hi my Blog friends,

The objective of starting this blog was to present people all over the world with safe, harmless and cheap alternative remedies. I am not interested in debunking the allopathic system at all.  I do realize that there are people all over the world looking for Holistic alternatives that are inexpensive, safe and gentle.  Fortunately I am also a trained and qualified allopathic physician with over thirty years of experience and I know where the RED LINES are for my patients and for me.  Perhaps this will be a kind of defensive blog so that you do not unduly experiment and come to grief.  I will always attempt to draw the RED LINES clearly for you.

I am just a New-bee in blogging. In fact, I have been doing this for just over a month.  I am simply overwhelmed by your responses. I never expected such a vigorous and vibrant response from you.  Keep the comments flowing. I love both bouquets and constructive brickbats. I am sorry I just do not have the time to reply to all of your comments.

I encourage all of you to visit the site often and see the new offerings. I am surprised that most readers haven’t gone beyond my 21st post.

I once again appeal to all spammers, please please leave me alone.

I wish all of you  good health and cheer. God Bless!

Loads of love and prayers for your continued well being.

Dr. Rajesh Vishwanathan.