Showing posts with label Fasting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fasting. Show all posts

MIGRAIN HEADACHE

Migraine Headache

Migraine can be defined as a paroxysmal affection, accompanied by severe headache, generally on one side of the head and associated with disorders of the digestion, the liver and the vision. It usually occurs when a person is under great mental tension or has suddenly got over that state.

Migraine is also known as "sick headache" because nausea and vomiting occasionally
accompany the excruciating pain which lasts for as long as three days.

Migraine usually gives warning before it strikes : black spots or a brilliant zig-zag line appears before the eyes or the patient has blurring of vision or has part of his vision blanked out. When the headache occurs, the patient may feel tingling, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg.

Migraine sufferers have what is known as a "migrainous personality ". They are compulsive
workers and perfectionists, who feel that they have to do everything right away. When they complete a task, they are suddenly laid down from a state of temporary tension to a feeling of utmost relief. Then comes the migraine. It is a purely physiological process. The head and neck muscles, reacting to continuous stress, become overworked. The tightened muscles squeeze the arteries and reduce blood flow. When a person relaxes suddenly, the constricted muscles expand, stretching the walls of the blood-vessel. With every heart beat, the blood being pushed through this vessels expands them further and causes incredible pain.

When a headache strikes, one should stay on one’s feet in the daytime and do simple chores which do not require too much concentration or walk, move around and get some fresh air. The best remedy to prevent headaches is to build up physical resistance through proper nutrition, exercise and constructive thinking. As a first step, the patient should undertake a short fast.


During the fast, citrus fruit juices, diluted with water may be taken six times daily. By taking the load of digestion, the patient will at once save nervous energy which can be utilised for more important purposes. The blood and lymph will also be relieved of a great burden. After a short fast, the diet should be fixed in such a way as to put the least possible strain on the digestion.

Breakfast should consist of fruits, both fresh and dried. Lunch should consist largely of protein foods. Starchy foods such as whole wheat bread, cereals, rice or potatoes should be taken at dinner along with raw salads. Spices, tomatoes, sour buttermilk and oily foodstuffs SHOULD BE AVOIDED!!!. Drinking a glass of water ( warm water in winter and cool water in summer) mixed with a teaspoonful of honey the first thing in the morning, is also a good remedy.

Water Treatment
There are certain water applications which help relieve headaches. Copious drinking of water
can help , as do the cleansing enema with water temperature at 98.6 o F, the hot foot bath, a
cold throat pack, frequent applications of towels wrung out from very hot water to the back of the neck, a cold compress at 40 o to 60o F applied to the head and face or an alternate spinal
compress. Hot fomentations over the abdominal region just before retiring relieve headaches
due to stomach and liver upsets.

Yogic kriyas like jalneti and kunjal, pranayamas like anuloma-viloma, shitali and sitkari and
asanas such as uttanapadasana, sarvangasana, paschimottanasana, halasana and shavasana
are useful in the treatment of headaches.

CONCLUSIONS

DO some fasting (JUICE FAST)
Spices, tomatoes, sour buttermilk and oily foodstuffs SHOULD BE AVOIDED!!!

Links

Headache

Fruit Juice Theraphy
Yoga

ACNE

ACNE

Acne, wargh!!! My skin looks so ugly!!! When talking about acne, usually mens don’t really bother about it including me, but girls do. So what is acne? Lets get to know acne more closer so that we will know how to treat it.

Acne is perhaps the most common chronic skin disease. It is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous (that is fat or grease) glands and hair follicles usually found on the face, the neck, chest and shoulders. Nearly eight out of ten young people between the ages of 12 and 24 suffer from some degree of acne. It is closely related to the disturbance in the hormones experienced at puberty.

The majority of patients recover between the ages 20 and 30 years. But it is still common in men over 30 years. In women, it rarely lasts beyond the early thirties and is normally worse before each menstrual period. The disease causes a great deal of embarrassment at an age when people tend to be sensitive about personal appearance.




CAUSES

All forms of acne have their origin in wrong feeding habits, such as irregular hours of eating, improper food, excess of starches and sugar, excess of fatty foods. Chronic constipation is another major cause of acne. If the bowels do not move properly, waste matter is not eliminated as quickly as it should be and the bloodstream becomes surcharged with toxic matter.

The extra efforts of the skin to eliminate excess waste result in acne and other forms of skin disease. Yet another important cause of acne is a devitalized condition of the skin resulting from unhygienic living habits. Other causes of the disorder are excessive use of tea, coffee, alcohol or tobacco, strenuous studies, masturbation and sedentary habits which lead to indigestion and general debility.



Treatment

The treatment of acne by the administration of salve or ointment does not serve any purpose. They only suppress the action of the sebaceous glands temporarily. In nature cure, the main emphasis is on diet and certain water applications. To begin with the patient should resort to all -fruit diet for about a week. IN this regimen, there should be three meals a day, consisting of fresh juicy fruits, such as apples, pears, grapes, grape-fruit, pineapple and peaches. Citrus fruits, bananas, dried, stewed or tinned fruits should not be taken. Unsweetened lemon or plain water, either hot or cold, should be drunk and nothing else.

During this period, warm -water enema should be taken daily to cleanse the bowels and all other measures adopted to eradicate constipation. After a week of all fruit diet, the patient can gradually adopt a well-balanced diet.

Emphasis should be on raw foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouted seeds, raw nuts and whole grain cereals, especially millet and brown rice. Further shorter periods on the all-fruits for three days, or so may be necessary at a monthly interval till the condition of the skin improves.

Strict attention to diet is essential for recovery. Starchy, protein and fatty foods, should be restricted. Meats, sugar, strong tea or coffee, condiments, pickles, refined and processed foods should all be avoided, as also soft drinks, candies, ice cream and products made with sugar and white flour.

Two vitamins, namely, niacin and vitamin A have been used successfully to treat acne. The vitamin therapy which may comprise a niacin, 100 mg. three times daily and vitamin A in large doses up to 1,50,000 units per day should not exceed one month. Vitamin E is also vitally important to prevent scarring from acne and in removing old scars.

Another effective remedy in the realm of nutrition that seems to offer new promise of help for acne is zinc. It has shown dramatic results in some cases. Zinc should be taken in therapeutic doses of 50 mg. three times a day. After noticeable improvement it can be gradually reduced.

RELATED LINKS =

  1. ALCOHOLISM
  2. FOOD TO AVOID AND TO REPLACE
  3. BENEFITS OF FASTING
  4. ACNE on www.acne.org
  5. ACNENET




ALCOHOLISM

ALCOHOLISM


Alcoholism refers to addiction to alcohol. It is a chronic disorder, in which a person is unable to refrain from frequent and excess consumption of alcohol for physical or psychological reasons. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed alcoholism as one of the three most deadly killer diseases of the 20th century.


Alcoholism is also one of the serious social problems. It often brings poverty and certain amount of crime and results in material unhappiness and broken homes. It also leads to numerous traffic accidents.

“DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE”

CAUSES


Alcoholism results from intemperate drinking. Sometimes it sneaks upon a person comparatively rapidly; other times, years may pass before a person becomes a full-fledged alcoholic. A weak-minded person consoles himself by taking to drugs or alcohol. In doing so he simply tries to escape the situation rather than face it boldly.

A person generally takes to drinking as a means to enliven social life, to overcome anxiety or to induce sleep. He becomes an alcoholic if he gets dependent on alcohol physically and psychologically. He resorts to heavy drinking because of his maladaptive way of dealing with life’s stresses.

“ Music and fresh air is better than being drunk ”.


TREATMENT


The chronic alcoholic first of all must make a firm resolve to stop drinking. He should abstain from alcohol all at once for the habit cannot be got rid of in gradual stages.



The most effective way to treat alcoholism is to build the body’s nutritional integrity soaps to prevent craving for stimulants like drinks. The patients should be put on a cleansing JUICE fast for at least ten days in the beginning.

During this period, he should have juice of an orange every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The juice may be diluted with warm water, if desired. If orange juice does not agree, vegetable juices may be taken.

“ Its good that the treatment uses juices, but what if you have to take some injection shots? Painful isn’t it? “

It will be advisable to follow the ten commandments to prevent alcoholism, offered by a psychiatrist =

  • never drink when you ‘ need one’;
  • sip slowly ;
  • space your drinks, taking a second drink 30 minutes after
  • the first and a third an hour after the second ;
  • dilute your alcohol;
  • keep an accurate and truthful record of the amount and
  • number of drinks you take ;
  • never conceal the amount of alcohol you drink ;
  • do not drink on an empty stomach ;
  • stop drinking on ‘signal ‘ ( signals are lunch, dinner, fatigue, sex stimulation, boredom, frustration
  • and bedtime);
  • make it a rule never to take a drink to escape discomfort - either physical or mental ; and
  • never, never take a drink in the morning thinking it will cure a hangover.

But its still better for NOT TO DRINK !! SAY NO TO ALCOHOL !!!

RELATED LINKS =

  1. HOW NATURE CURES
  2. MOOD FOODS
  3. FASTING
  4. NIAAA
  5. ABOUT ALCOHOLISM


Fasting In ISLAM


Fasting on Islamic Point of View


Fasting is the fourth pillar in Islam perform by Muslims during the month of Ramadhan, in Sunni Islam and one of the Furoo-ad-Deen in Shi'a Islam, and thus one of the most important acts of Islamic worship. By fasting — whether during Ramadhan or other times — a Muslim draws closer to his Lord by abandoning the things he/she enjoys, such as food, drink and sexual intercourse. This makes the sincerity of his/her faith and his/her devotion to Allah (God) all the more evident. The believer knows that Allah will love him/her when he/she is ready to abandon worldly comforts for Allah’s sake.- WIKIPEDIA -

Fasting starts from 10 minutes prior to fajr (dawn), until maghrib (sunset in Sunni Islam; Astronomical Dusk in Shi'a Islam) is observed during the month of Ramadhan.

This is stated in the Qur’an: {O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restrain} (Al-Baqarah 2:183).

The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) also declares: "It happens that a person who fasts may gain nothing of his fasting but hunger, and it happens that a person who spends his night in prayer may gain nothing from his prayer but sleeplessness" (Narrated by Ibn Majah).

Muslims believe that fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also means to abstain from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and fighting. Therefore, fasting helps to develop good behavior.

Fasting also inculcates a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, as a Muslim feels and experiences what his needy and hungry brothers and sisters feel. Moreover, Ramadhan is a month of giving charity and sharing meals to break the fast together.

A Muslim is encouraged to read the entire Qur'an during Ramadhan and to perform extra salat (Prayers) at night, which, in Sunni Islam, are known as taraweeh. In almost every masjid in the world, taraweeh prayers are held every night of Ramadhan following isha. Thus Ramadhan becomes a blessed month of physical and spiritual renewal through fasting and worship.

Breaking of Fast

Breaking of Fast

Means - after a period of time of fasting, we break the fast by drinks and foods.
(The picture shows traditional malay food which is "NASI LEMAK", Rice cooked with coconut milk, eggs, anchovies, Sambal (chillies), chickens and etc.)

The success of the fast depends largely on hos it is broken. This is the most significant phase. The main rules for breaking the fast are : do not overeat, eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly ; and take several days for the gradual change to the normal diet. If the transition to
eating solid foods is carefully planned, there will be no discomfort or damage. The patient should
also continue to take rest during the transition period. The right food after a fast is as important
and decisive for proper results as the fast itself.

Benefits of Fasting

BENEFITS OF FASTING


There are several benefit of fasting.During a long fast, the body feeds upon its reserves. Being
deprived of needed nutrients, particularly of protein and fats, it will burn and digest its own
tissues by the process of autolysis or self-digestion. But it will not do so indistriminately. The
body will first decompose and burn those cells and tissues which are diseased, damaged, aged
or dead.

The essential tissues and vital organs, the glands, the nervous system and the brain
are not damaged or digested in fasting. Here lies the secret of the effectiveness of fasting as a
curative and rejuvenative method. During fasting, the building of new and healthy cells are speeded up by the amino acids released from the diseased cells. The capacity of the eliminative organs, that is, lungs, liver, kidneys and the skin is greatly increased as they are relieved of the usual burden of digesting food and eliminating the resultant wastes. They are, therefore, able to quickly expel old accumulated wastes and toxins.

Fasting affords a physiological rest to the digestive, assimilative and protective organs. As a
result, the digestion of food and the utilisation of nutrients is greatly improved after fasting. The
fast also exerts a normalising, stablising and rejuvenating effect on all the vital physiological,
nervous and mental functions.

Fasting Durations

FASTING DURATION

The duration of the fast depends upon the age of the patient, the nature of the disease and the
amount and type of drugs previously used. The duration is important, because long periods of
fasting can be dangerous if undertaken without competent professional guidance. It is, therefore, advisable to undertake a series of short fasts of two to three days and gradually increase the duration of each succeeding fast by a day or so. The period, however, should not exceed a week of total fasting at a time. This will enable the chronically sick body to gradually and slowly eliminate toxic waste matter without seriously affecting the natural functioning of the body. A correct mode of living and a balanced diet after the fast will restore vigour and vitality to the individual.

Fasting is highly beneficial in practically all kinds of stomach and intestinal disorders and in
serious conditions of the kidneys and liver. It is a miracle cure for eczema and other skin
diseases and offers the only hope of permanent cure in many cases. The various nervous
disorders also respond favourably to this mode of treatment.

Fasting should, however, not be restored to in every illness. In cases of diabetes, advanced
stages of tuberculosis, and extreme cases of neurasthenia, long fasts will be harmful. IN most
cases, however , no harm will accrue to fasting patients, provided they take rest, and are under
proper professional care.

WHAT IS FASTING?

WHAT IS FASTING ?

Fasting according to www.dictionary.com is = To abstain from food, To eat very little or abstain from certain foods, especially as a religious discipline, The act or practice of abstaining from or eating very little food, A period of such abstention or self-denial. According to Cambridge Advanced Learner Dictionary, fasting is a period of time when you eat no food for health or religious reason. According to on-line Medical Dictionary, Fasting is abstaining from all foods. Fasting according to WIKIPEDIA, is is the act of willingly abstaining from all food and in some cases drink, for a period of time. Depending on the tradition, fasting practices may forbid sexual intercourse, (or any sexual desire), masturbation, as well as refraining from eating certain types or groups of food (e.g. meat).

Fasting refers to complete abstinence from food for a short or long period for a specific purpose.
The word is derived from the old English, ‘feastan’ which means to fast, observe, be strict.
Fasting is nature’s oldest, most effective and yet least expensive method of treating disease. It is recognised as the cornerstone of natural healing. Dr. Arnold Eheret, the originator of the
muscusless diet healing system, describes it as " nature’s only universal and omnipotent remedy of healing" and "nature’s only fundamental law of all healing and curing. "

The practice of fasting is one of the most ancient customs. It is followed in almost every religion. Islam , the Buddhists, the Hindus and many others have their periods of strict
fasting. The saints of medieval times laid great stress on this method.
Fasting indisease was advocated by the school of natural philosopher, Asclepiades, more than
two thousand years ago. Throughout medical history, it has been regarded as one of the mostdependable curative methods. Hippocrates, Galen, Paracelsus and many other great authorities on medicine prescribed it. Many noted modern physicians have successfully employed this system of healing in the treatment of numerous diseases.

The common cause of all diseases is the accumulation of waste and poisonous matter in the body which results from overeating. The majority of persons eat too much and follow sedentary occupations which do not permit sufficient and proper exercise for utilisation of this large quantity of food. This surplus overburdens the digestive and assimulative organs and clogs up the system with impurities or poisons. Digestion and elimination become slow and the functional activity of the whole system gets deranged.

The onset of disease is merely the process of ridding the system of these impurities. Every
disease can be healed by only one remedy - by doing just the opposite of what causes it, that is,
by reducing the food intake or fasting. By depriving the body of food for a time ,the organs of elimination such as the bowels, kidneys, skin and lungs are given opportunity to expel, unhampered, the overload of accumulated waste from the system. Thus, fasting is merely the process of purification and an effective and quick method of cure. It assists nature in her continuous effort to expel foreign matter and disease producing waste from the body, thereby correcting the faults of improper diet and wrong living. It also leads to regeneration of the blood as well as the repair and regeneration of the various tissues of the body.