Healthcuring's Blog

Healthcuring is a health blog that is dedicated to providing the best information on health, fitness, weight loss, and beauty tips.

Amla –the medicinal fruit March 2, 2010

Filed under: Health — healthcuring @ 6:24 pm
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Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry is a wonder fruit with multiple properties due to its cool and astringent characteristics. Amla is the richest and natural source of vitamin C and Iron. It easily assimilates inside the human body and contributes towards health and longevity.

Benefits of Amla:

  • Increase body vigor
  • Removes dullness, and heaviness from brain
  • Very useful for the treatment of respiratory disorders such as asthma ad bronchitis
  • Useful for the treatment of conjunctivitis and glaucoma
  • Effective in diarrhoea and dysentery treatment
  • Gives strength and vigor in old age
  • Protects against infection
  • Excellent tonic for hair
  • Helps remove constipation

How to extract Amla juice?

Wash the fruit. Crush it lightly and remove the seed. Grind well in a mixer. Dilute the juice by adding water and strain. Drink immediately. This juice is very beneficial for the treatment of anemia. Take juice every morning in an empty stomach.

External Application of Amla

Cut and dry amla, preferably in shade – add pieces in coconut oil and boil the mixture till it becomes dust. The prepared oil is very useful for the treatment of graying of hair.

 

Benefits of Getting Up Early February 26, 2010

Filed under: Fitness, Health — healthcuring @ 4:25 am
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It is said that early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. This is absolutely true in the real practice. If one wakes up early i.e., before sunrise, his body and mind remain fresh all through the day and he feels active. In addition, one gets ample time to think, plan and organize the day.

Early rising does not mean you have to wake up at 3AM, but yes, you need to wake up before sunrise. If we get up early, our blood circulation in mind and body remain fresh and if we get up late in the morning, it turns into negative blood circulation and becomes sluggish.

Benefits of Early Rising:

  • Body and mind remain fresh all through the day
  • No problem of constipation or indigestion
  • Mind remains active and cheerful
  • One gets sufficient time to organize his/her work
  • Mind power and capacity increases
  • Memory becomes sharp
  • Eyesight remains healthy

Dos and Dont’s

  • Go for a morning walk in a green place
  • Breathe deeply
  • Do yoga and meditation
  • Sleep early at 11PM and take 5-6 hours sleep daily
  • Do Suryanamaskar
 

Quit Smoking Now! February 4, 2010

Filed under: Health — healthcuring @ 6:37 pm
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Smoking is a slow poison. If you want to quit smoking, do it now.

Smoking is a habit, which is often considered as a sign of machismo. It does not take much time to attract naïve teenagers to get addicted to smoking. It has been seen that people who are addicted often claim that they are in control of the number of cigarettes they smoke. However, the bitter fact is that there is no safe level of smoking.

What does it mean?

Smokers whether occasional or frequent are double at risk of dying from coronary heart disease as compared to those who do not smoke at all. They are also at risk of lung and other kinds of cancer. People who are diabetics and smoke increase the risk of poor blood circulation to their hands and feet, which may lead to gangrene.

Smokers need to change or modify their lifestyle so that they could kick the butt.

Foods that help quit smoking:

Research has shown that there are various food items that actually make cigarette taste worse. These food items also reduce the addictive effect of nicotine and help you keep smoke free.

Milk and Milk Products: Research suggests that cigarettes dipped in milk and then dried taste terrible when they are lit.

Vegetables: Celery, beans and cucumbers make cigarette taste terrible.

Oats: Oat meal as well as oat bran also help reduce the urge of smoking

Alkaline foods: Beetroot, spinach, figs and leafy vegetables help reduce the urge to smoke.

Detoxify your body:

Cigarette smoke contains at least 300 chemicals that fill the body with unwanted toxins. Those who quit smoking must take care of their eating habits.

  • Cut down caffeine intake
  • Increase intake of fresh fruits
  • Use anti-inflammatory Sulphur rich foods such as garlic, onion, and broccoli that reduce the effect of toxins caused by cigarette smoking.
  • Eat small meals every 2-3 hours
 

Depression is Curable December 29, 2009

Filed under: Diseases & Conditions, Health — healthcuring @ 5:06 am
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People who receive right treatment improve and live happily in their lives. Depression treatments include meditation, and talk therapy, etc.
Treatment for depression is as real as the disease in itself. However, depression can affect anyone irrespective of age, sex and gender.
Recovery rates for depression is higher as compared to other diseases such as heart disease. With early intervention, 60-80 % of patients can recover. So, don’t let depression overpower you — there is hope, help and dreams for everyone. Follow the three steps outlined below and save your life or others you know:
Step 1: Check out the signs and symptoms of depression:
  • Persistent sadness, emptiness
  • Hopelessness, pessimism
  • Guilt feeling, worthlessness
  • Low energy, fatigue
  • Low concentration, inaccurate decision-making
  • Appetite or weight changes
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
Step 2: Get help
See the doctor. Let the doctor physically examine you to rule out other possible symptoms for the disease. Let the doctor physically diagnose for the problem. Depending upon the severity of problems, treatments are available such as medication, psychotherapy, etc.
Step 3: Right treatment
Depressed people who get the right treatment at the right time improve quickly and enjoy their life normally. Treatment such as medication, talk therapy, etc are very effective — so go for it and stay fit, always.
Get your mom a plastic spoon
 

How to Get Rid of Depression Easily? December 24, 2009

Filed under: Diseases & Conditions, Health — healthcuring @ 5:57 pm
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Don’t let depression overpower your thoughts and dreams in life. Though medication and other therapeutic methods can help — personal initiative is one of the most important factors in fighting with the problem.

Depression can be of different kinds based on its severity. Emotional depression is very common, however, in severe conditions it could take the shape of a disorder. In severe condition, the most common symptoms include — depressed mood, guilt feelings, low self-esteem, disturbed sleep or appetite, etc. When the problem becomes chronic, it leads to substantial impairment in an individual’s ability to take his or her responsibilities. However, in worst condition, it could lead to suicide.

Some Eye Opening Facts:

  • Depression affects approximately 121 million people across the world
  • It is one of the common causes of disability worldwide
  • With early therapeutic intervention, 60-80 % of patients can recover
  • Only 25% or less have access to effective treatments

Keys to Recover From Depression

RESPONSIBILITY: Take responsibility in life rather than blaming yourself or others for your depression

COURAGE: Stigma sometimes causes more problems than depression itself. Build courage inside you and overcome stigma and other problems.

EMPOWERMENT: Empower your inner self through education, advocacy and optimism. Educate yourself more about depression and related problems, if any.

VISION: Don’t let depression overpower your vision. Create your own vision and achieve success in life.

EMPATHY: Depression not only affects an individual, it affects the family and social environments as well. Develp empathy for others in life.

YOU: You are the key responsible person for everything in life. So, look at the bright side of life and refresh your mind and inner-self so that you could thrive yourself best in life.

 

Watch Your Heart November 29, 2009

Filed under: Health — healthcuring @ 9:45 am
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Heart disease today has become a threatening ailment globally. Both men and women are affected by heart disease. But the risk for women remains under estimated by doctors and women themselves. However, the disease kills more than 8.5 million women worldwide.

 

Women become vulnerable to heart disease 10 years later in their lives than men. After menopause, women often invite problems such as hypertension, diabetes, hyper-lipidemia, central obesity and other metabolic syndrome.

Obesity in women often plays a major role in increasing the level of blood cholesterol level. Complicating matters further in the fact that women have atypical heart attack symptoms. Instead of symptoms such as burning sensation, tightness or pain in the chest – women experience breathlessness, weakness and unusual fatigue, cold sweat giddiness or neck and shoulder pain. Women often don’t associate these symptoms with the heart disease, but they really suffer in the end.

Well, the good news for all is that awareness is increasing everywhere and there is less gender bias seen. All we need is to be aware of the symptoms mentioned above. Women who smoke have a family history of a parent or sibling having heart disease, overweight, high blood sugar – they need to be more cautious.

 

World Diabetes Day: A Global Awareness Campaign November 18, 2009

Filed under: Diseases & Conditions, Health — healthcuring @ 3:42 pm
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November 14 is celebrated as “World Diabetes Day.” It is a global awareness movement of the diabetes world. It was first initiated in 1991 by the International diabetes federation (IDF) and the WHO to aware people in response to the alarming rise in diabetes all across the globe. In 2007, United Nations marked the Day for the first time and now it is an official United Nations World Health Day.

World Diabetes Day is a global movement that focuses on a specific feature chosen by the International Diabetes Federation each year. While, the theme campaign runs all through the year, it is celebrated on 14 November to mark the birthday of two great scientists: Frederick Banting and Charles Best who discovered insulin in 1922.

The 2007-2008 World Diabetes, theme is Diabetes in Children and Adolescents. It is the most chronic disease especially in children. Type 1 diabetes is more prevalent in children, but recent studies have revealed that Type 2 diabetes is also found in children and adolescents.

World Diabetes Day is celebrated all over the world every year. Almost 200 member associations in 160 countries take part in the campaign and aware people from the chronic diseases. Federation members, organizations, NGOs, hospitals and companies together perform activities including:

· Television and sports program
· Public Information meeting
· Diabetes workshops and exhibitions
· Press conferences
· Poster and Leaflet campaign

The World Diabetes Day logo: It is a blue circle that signifies positive ness. It also symbolizes life and health. Since the color blue is the color of the sky and unites the nation worldwide. Moreover, blue color also reflects the color of the United Nations flag.

 

Truth About Processed Food November 18, 2009

Filed under: Health — healthcuring @ 3:35 pm
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If you are living in an urban culture, chances are that you have missed home food for a long time. Our hectic lifestyle has made us dependent on processed food – easy to cook and eat. However, processed food according to nutritionists is not very good to depend on. Almost all-nutritional advice urges us to avoid it. But the million-dollar question is why and how?

The Real Truth

What is processed food? Well, it is a kind of food that is transformed using some techniques from its fresh state into something that can last longer. Processed food in simple words is not seen in its natural form. It is considered less healthy because it is not found in its fresh form and lots of its nutrients get killed during food processing method.

Whether a particular processed food is healthy or not depends on what exactly is done to the food during the processing. It depends on how many natural attributes are kept intact. It is important that key nutrients remain attached and fibers not taken away.

Well, the best way to check the nutritional value of processed food is to check the nutrition labels on the package. Check out trans packed sugar, sodium and color that are used. However, since you cannot avoid processed food, try to maintain a balance between natural and processed food in your daily lifestyle.

 

 

Foot care: For people suffering from diabetes November 5, 2009

Filed under: Beauty tips, Diseases & Conditions, Health — healthcuring @ 5:22 am
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People who suffer from diabetes often face foot problems. Diabetes can severely damage nerves. As a result, people with foot injury or pressure do not feel pain earlier until severe damage or infection develops.

Diabetes makes the body more susceptible to the injury, as it reduces the ability to fight infections. Damage to blood vessels occurs when blood and oxygen supply is checked to the feet region. This causes small sores or breaks in the skin – this may become deep skin ulcers. In severe cases, affected limbs may need to be ampulated.

If you have diabetes then you should take the following precautions:

1.    Control blood sugar

2.    Get a foot exam by a qualified doctor at least twice a year.

3.    Check and take care of your feet.

Instructions:

1.    Check your feet carefully – the top, sides, heels, and between the toes.

2.    Wash your feet with lukewarm water and soap. Do not use strong soaps.

3.    Dry your feet, particularly between toes. Infection can develop in moist areas.

4.    In order to keep the skin soft, use skin lotion, petroleum jelly, lanolin or oil.

How to trim foot nails?

If your toenails are not trimmed correctly, you may suffer from foot sore or ulcer. Following are the safest steps for trimming nails:

1.    Soak your feet in lukewarm water.

2.    Cut the nail straight across

3.    Avoid sitting or standing at one place for long periods of time.

4.    Stop smoking cigarettes, as it decreases blood flow to the feet.

Tips on shoes:

When you go outside, wear shoes to protect your feet from injury. Otherwise, in case of minor cuts, you will not feel the pain.

1.     Check the inside of your shoes for rough areas that may cause skin infection.

2.     Change your shoes every 5 hours of wearing them

3.     Wear comfortable, well fitting shoes that have plenty of room in them.

4.     Wear shoes that are made up of canvas, leather, or suede

5.     Do not wear shoes with pointed or open toes

 

Heart attack: How vulnerable are women? November 3, 2009

Filed under: Diseases & Conditions, Health — healthcuring @ 3:09 pm
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After breast cancer, heart attack is a  major cause of death in women. However, overweight women and those with high cholesterol level are more vulnerable to heart attack. Some research data suggests that women after menopause also become susceptible to heart disease. But today, young women are facing this problem, which is of great concern for doctors and the researchers. Women also experience heart pain during acute myocardial infraction (AMI). It is a condition in which there is a rapid development of myocardial necrosis due to the imbalance between supply of oxygen and the demand of myocardium.

Chest pain and discomfort are the most common symptoms of heart attack in men and women. A research matter published by the National Institute of Health revealed that chest pain is the most common sign of heart attack in women.

However, there are other symptoms found in women who suffer from heart diseases. Following are the symptoms women experience before heart attack:

· Shortness of breath
· Unusual tiredness or fatigue
· Sleep disturbance
· Pain in the neck, jaw, chest and other body parts

What are the risk factors associated with heart attack in women? Following are some of the most common risk factors mentioned:

· Overweight or obese
· Smoking
· High Cholesterol level and High Blood Pressure (HBP)
· Stress
· Diabetes