daily health tips

Certain remedies have been found highly beneficial in the treatment of neuritis. One such remedy is soybean milk. A cupful of soybean milk mixed with a teaspoonful of honey should be taken every night in this condition. It tones up the nervous system due to its rich concentration of lecithin, vitamin B1 and glutamic acid. Soybean milk is prepared by soaking the beans in water for about 12 hours. The skin of the beans is then removed and after a thorough wash, they are turned into a fine paste in a grinding machine. The paste is mixed with water, three times its quantity. The milk should then be boiled on a slow fire, stirring it frequently. After it becomes little cooler, it should be strained through a cheese cloth and sugar added. barley brew is another effective remedy for neuritis. It is prepared by boiling one-quarter cup of all natural pearled barley in two quarters of water. When the water has boiled down to about one quarter, it should be strained carefully. For better results, it should be mixed with butter-milk and lime juice.

In calcium phosphate stones, over-secretion of parathyroid hormone causes loss of calcium from the bones resulting in a high blood level of calcium with increased excretion of calcium in the urine. An abnormally high intake of milk, alkalis or vitamin D may also result in the formation of calcium phosphate stones. For controlling the formation of calcium phosphate stones, a moderately low calcium and phosphorous diet should be taken. The intake of calcium and phosphates should be restricted to minimal levels consistent with maintaining nutritional adequacy. The maintenance level of calcium is 680 mg and of phosphorous 1000 mg. In this diet, milk should constitute the main source of calcium and curd or cottage cheese, lentils and groundnuts should form the main sources of phosphorous. Foods which should be avoided are whole wheat flour, Bengal gram, peas, soyabeans, beets, spinach, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, almonds and coconuts. When stones are composed of calcium and magnesium phosphates and carbonates, the diet should be so regulated as to maintain acidic urine. In such a diet, only half a litre of milk, two servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables (200 grams) should be taken. The vegetables may consist of asparagus, fresh green peas, squash, pumpkins, turnips, cauliflower, cabbage and tomatoes. For fruits, watermelon, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapple, papayas and guavas may be taken.

Uric acid stones of the kidneys require special dietary measures. Uric stones occur in patients who have an increased uric acid in the blood and increased uric acid exertion in the urine. Since uric acid is an end product of purine metabolism, foods with a high purine content such as sweet bread, liver and kidney should be avoided. On the other hand the urine should be kept alkaline if oxalate and uric acid stones are being formed. In this diet, fruits and vegetables should be liberally used and acid-forming foods should be kept to the minimum necessary for satisfactory nutrition. When the stones contain oxalate, foods with high oxalic acid content should be avoided. These foods include almonds, beetroots, brinjal, brown bread, cabbage, cherry, chocolate, French Beans, potatoes, radish, spinach and soyabeans.

The following is the suggested diet for persons suffering from hypertension or some disorder of the heart:

On rising: Warm water with lemon juice and honey or fresh fruit juice of apple, grapes, orange, pineapple.

Breakfast: Fresh fruit such as apples, grapes, pears, peaches, pineapple, orange, melons, one or two slices whole meal toast, yoghurt, skimmed milk or soy milk.

Mid-morning: Fresh fruit juice or coconut water.

Lunch: Combination salad of vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, endive, carrots, cucumber, beetroot, tomato, onion and garlic. One or two slices of whole meal bread or chapattis, curd, fresh grapes and other fruits in season.

Mid-afternoon: One or two wholemeal biscuits and fruit juice.

Dinner: Fresh fruit or vegetable juice or soup, two lightly cooked vegetables, one or two whole wheat tappets. The patient should also pay attention to other laws of nature for health building such as taking moderate exercise, getting proper rest and sleep, adopting the right mental attitude and getting fresh air and drinking pure water.

Cabbage leaves have been successfully used in the form of compresses in the treatment of psoriasis. The thickest and greenest outer leaves are most effective for use as compresses. They should be thoroughly washed in warm water and dried with a towel. The leaves should be made flat, soft and smooth by rolling them with a rolling pin after removing the thick veins. Also important is that the leaves should be warmed and then applied smoothly to the affected part in an overlapping manner. A pad of soft wooden cloth should be put over it. The whole compress should then be secured with an elastic bandage.

Cabbage is considered to be an effective home remedy for obesity. Recent research has discovered in this vegetable a valuable content called tartaric acid which inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction. A helping of cabbage salad would be the simplest way to stay slim, a painless way of dieting. A hundred grams of cabbage yields only 27 kilo calories of energy while the same quantity of wheat bread will yield about 240 calories. Cabbage is found to possess the maximum biological value with minimum calorific value. Moreover, it gives a lasting feeling of fullness in the stomach and is easily digestible.

The favourable effect of raw juices in the treatment of disease is attributed to the following facts: Raw juices of fruits and vegetables are extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes and natural sugars. They exercise beneficial effect in normalising all the body functions. They supply needed elements for the body's own healing activity and cell regeneration, thereby speeding the recovery.

The juices extracted from raw fruits and vegetables require no digestion and almost all their vital nutrients are assimilated directly in the bloodstream.

Raw juices are extremely rich in alkaline elements. This is highly beneficial in normalising acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues as there is over-acidity in most conditions of ill-health.

Generous amounts of easily assimilated organic minerals in raw juices especially calcium, potassium and silicon help in restoring biochemical and mineral balance in the tissues and cells, thereby preventing premature ageing of cells and disease.

Raw juices contain certain natural medicines, vegetal hormones and antibiotics. For instance, string beans are said to contain insulin-like substance. Certain hormones needed by the pancreas to produce insulin are present in cucumber and onion juices. Fresh juices of garlic, onions, radish and tomatoes contain antibiotic substances.

Asthmatics should always eat less than their capacity. The patient should fast for a few days on lemon juice with honey and thereafter resort to a fruit juice diet to nourish the system and eliminate the toxins. Gradually, solid foods can be included. The patient should, however, avoid the common dietetic errors. Ideally, his diet should contain a limited quantity of carbohydrates, fats and proteins which are acid-forming foods, and a liberal quantity of alkaline foods consisting of fresh fruits, green vegetables and germinated gram. Foods which tend to produce phlegm such as rice, sugar, lentils and curds as also fried and other difficult- to- digest foods should be avoided. Breakfast may consist of prunes, orange or berries or a few black raisins with honey. Lunch and dinner should consist of a salad of raw vegetables such as cucumber, lettuce, tomato, carrot and beets, one or two lightly cooked green vegetables and wheat bread. The last meal should preferably be taken before sunset or at least two hours before going to bed.

One of the most effective home remedies for arteriosclerosis is the lemon peel. Lemon peel is believed to be one of the richest known sources of vitamin P. It strengthens the entire arterial system. Shredded lemon peel may be added to soups and stews, or sprinkled over salads. To make a medicine, the peel of one or two lemons may be cut up finely, covered with warm water and allowed to stand for about 12 hours. A teaspoonful may be taken every three hours, or immediately before or after a meal.

Another effective remedy for obesity is an exclusive lemon juice diet. On the first day the patient should be given nothing but plenty of water. On the second day juice of three lemons mixed with equal amount of water should be given. One lemon should be subsequently increased each day until the juice of 12 lemons is consumed per day. Then the number of lemons should be decreased in the same order until three lemons are taken in a day. The patient may feel weak and hungry the first two days, but afterwards the condition will stabilise itself.