daily health tips

Copper is the essential complement to iron. There are approximately 75 to 150 mg of copper in the adult human body. Newborn infants have higher concentrations than adults. Liver, brain, kidney, heart, and hair contain relatively high concentration. Average serum copper levels are higher in adult females than in males. Serum copper levels also increase significantly in women both during pregnancy and when taking oral contraceptives. This mineral helps in the conversion of iron into haemoglobin. It stimulates the growth of red blood cells. It is also an integral part of certain digestive enzymes. It makes the amino acid tyrosine usable, enabling it to work as the pigmenting factor for hair and skin. It is also essential for the utilisation of vitamin C. Copper is found in most foods containing iron, especially in almonds, dried beans, peas, lentils, whole wheat, prunes and egg yolk. The recommended dietary allowance has not been established but 2 mg is considered adequate for adults. A copper deficiency may result in bodily weakness, digestive disturbances and impaired respiration.

Complement vitamins with minerals. The term "minerals" refers to elements in their simple inorganic form. In nutrition they are commonly referred to as mineral elements or inorganic nutrients. Minerals are vital to health. Like vitamins and amino acids, minerals are essential for regulating and building the trillions of living cells which make up the body. Body cells receive the essential food elements through the blood stream. They must, therefore, be properly nourished with an adequate supply of all the essential minerals for the efficient functioning of the body. Minerals help maintain the volume of water necessary to life processes in the body. They help draw chemical substances into and out of the cells and they keep the blood and tissue fluid from becoming either too acidic or too alkaline. The importance of minerals, like vitamins, is illustrated by the fact that there are over 50,000 enzymes in the body which direct growth and energy and each enzyme has minerals and vitamins associated with it. Each of the essential food minerals does a specific job in the body and some of them do extra work, in teams, to keep body cells healthy. The mineral elements which are needed by the body in substantial amounts are calcium, phosphorous, iron, sulphur, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chlorine. In addition the body needs minute (trace) amounts of iodine, copper, cobalt, manganese, zinc, selenium, silicon, fluorine and some others.

As you would oil a squeaky hinge, oil an inflamed joint. Warm coconut oil or mustard oil, mixed with camphor, should be massaged in case of stiff and aching joints. It will increase blood supply and reduce inflammation and stiffness on account of gentle warmth produced while massaging. Camphorated oil is an ancient rubefacient used for the purpose. Ayurveda teaches that sesame oil is ideal when the inflammation is of long duration or the patient is obese. Avoid the application of cool oils or cold conditions in the treatment of any person with arthritis.

An important cause of prostate disorders is constipation. In constipation, the faeces becomes hardened and the rectum or lower bowel overloaded. This causes undue pressure on the prostate gland. It also entails a great deal of straining at stools and this adversely affects the prostate gland due to its proximity to the rectum. How does one treat constipation complicating prostate disease? To begin with, the patient should forgo all solid foods and subsist on water only for two or three days. The intake of water should be as plentiful as possible. Nothing should be added to the water except a little lemon juice, if desired. The water may be taken cold or hot and it should be taken every hour or so when awake. This will greatly increase the flow of urine. An enema may be taken once a day during fasting to clear the lower bowel of accumulations. After a thorough cleansing of the bowels, hot and cold applications may be used directly on the prostate gland and its surrounding parts. The heat relieves the tissues and a brief cold immersion tones them up. The patient should take alternate hot and cold hip baths. These are of great value in relieving pain and reducing congestion. The hot bath should be taken first for 10 minutes, followed by a cold bath for one minute daily. After the short fast, the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for three days.

There are two warning signals to indicate the possibility of prostate disorders. The first is the interface with the passage of urine and the second is the need to void the urine frequently during the night's sleep. Other symptoms are a dull aching pain in the lower back and pain in the hips, legs and feet. Prostate enlargement affects the glandular system as a whole. The patient experiences all the symptoms of disturbed health such as lack of energy and physical, mental and nervous disturbances.

Certain home remedies have been found useful in the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair. The foremost among these is the use of Indian gooseberry or amla which is a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth and hair pigmentation. The fruit, cut into pieces, should be dried, preferably in the shade. These pieces should be boiled in coconut oil until the solid matter become little charred dust. This darkish oil is very useful in preventing greying. The water in which dried amla pieces are soaked overnight is Indian gooseberry (amla) is considered highly beneficial in the treatment of premature greying of hair. also nourishing to the hair. This water should be used for the last rinse while washing the hair. Massaging the scalp with a teaspoonful of amla juice mixed with a teaspoonful of almond oil or few drops of lime juice, every night has proved beneficial in the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair.

Liberal intake of curry leaves is considered beneficial in preventing premature greying of hair. These have the property to give vitality and strength to hair roots. New hair roots that grow are healthier with normal pigment. The leaves can be used in the form of chutney or these may be squeezed in butter- milk or lassi. When the leaves are boiled in coconut oil, the oil forms an excellent hair tonic to stimulate hair growth and bring back hair pigmentation.

The butter made from cow's milk has the property to prevent premature greying of hair. A small roll may be taken internally and a little quantity may be massaged into the hair root twice a week. Ribbed gourd, known as torai in the vernacular, boiled in coconut oil is another effective remedy for premature greying of hair. Pieces of this vegetable should be dried in the shade. These dried pieces should be soaked in coconut oil and kept aside for three or four days. The oil should then be boiled until the solid is reduced to a blackened residue. This oil should be massaged into the scalp. It will help enrich the hair roots and restore pigment to the hair.

Make a natural hair dye, the favourite of American actresses. The paste of henna leaves, boiled in coconut oil to get a darkish oil, can be used as a hair dye to blacken grey hair. The paste itself can be applied to the hair and washed away after a few hours to dye the grey hair. Washing the hair with concentrated tea extract twice a week is also considered useful in colouring grey hair to brown or black.

The power to cure disease lies within the body itself and not in the hands of the doctor. This is the third principle of the nature cure. The modern medical system treats the symptoms and suppresses the disease but does little to ascertain the real cause. Toxic drugs which may suppress or relieve some ailments usually have harmful side-effects. Drugs usually hinder the self-healing efforts of the body and make recovery more difficult. According to the late Sir William Osler, an eminent physician and surgeon, when drugs are used, the patient has to recover twice - once from the illness, and once from the drug. Drugs cannot cure diseases; disease continues. It is only its pattern that changes. Drugs also produce dietary deficiencies by destroying nutrients, using them up, and preventing their absorption. Moreover, the toxicity they produce occurs at a time when the body is least capable of coping with it. The power to restore health thus lies not in drugs, but in nature.