Health Guidance: 01/01/2008

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Advice For Your Eyes - Part 2

Dark Circles Around Your Eyes - Many may suffer from this problem as the first thing you try hide during a make-up session is the dark circles around your eyes. Some very common factors play an important role in developing this kind of a problem. These factors are: your increasing age - as the skin becomes thin making it more vulnerable and saggy, some kind of an allergy which affects your nasal passage, lack of sleep, pregnancy, smoking, menstruation and heredity.

Home Remedies for Dark Circles

You can open up a vitamin E oil capsule and apply it over the skin. This would help you to get rid of the dark circles.

Apply cream containing Vitamin C which is very beneficial for your eyes.

Yoga plays an important role to overcome the dark circles problem. Sarvangasana and Jal Neti are one of the best and natural ways of treating this problem. Doing sarvangasana everyday and Jal Neti five times a week would serve its purpose.

Have cod liver capsule everyday to strengthen your eyes.

You can make a fine paste by mixing teaspoon of tomato juice, drops of lemon juice, pinch of turmeric powder and little flour. Apply it under your eyes. Keep it for 15 minutes and wash it off with cold water.

Keep yourself hydrated by consuming eight to ten glasses of water per day.

Apply cucumber, potato or tomato slices over your eyelids for 10 minutes and relax. This encourages the blood circulation and helps remove the dark circles. You can also use cucumber juice for this purpose. Dab cotton pods in the cucumber juice and place it over your eyelids. This would work too.

You can also place used tea bags over your dark circled eyes. If these are herbal tea bags well and good, if not, ordinary ones will also do.

A mixture of potato and cucumber juice in 1:1 ratio applied on the eye with cotton pods and kept for 20 minutes; prove to be very useful for your eyes.

Equal parts of lemon and tomato juice used in similar fashion as above also helps to clear dark circles.

A paste of turmeric powder and pineapple juice is very good for dark circles.

Use crushed mint over your eyes to treat dark circles.

Massaging almond or saffron oil daily around your eyes for two weeks before going to bed helps in discarding the dark circles.

Use grated potato wrapped in cheesecloth to be applied over your eyelids for 15-20 minutes to lighten the dark circles. After 15 minutes dab yourself dry and apply an eye cream.

For bright and shiney eyes free from dark circles dip two cotton pods in fig juice, rose water or cold milk to be placed on your eyelids. Keep it for 10 minutes and later see the difference on continuous use.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Kevin Pederson

Advice For Your Eyes - Part 1

Eyes are one of the finest assets which help us see the world in a better manner. With the vision we have found enough ways to nourish it too. Over exertion makes our eyes saggy, covered by dark circles, puffy and tired. With the different ways and means we can protect our eyes and also enhance our vision.

Eyestrain - A very common problem which causes dullness in your eyes as well as a pain due to continuous strain put on your eyes through TV or your personal computer. This kind of a strain leads to a headache which can be stopped once you switch off your TV or your PC. This mainly happens because your eyes have been over-worked. Other than TV or PC your eyes get strained due to reading, minute work such as embroidering, or sewing.

Self-Care Measures

Have good amount of sleep i.e. at least eight hours.

Lie down in a dimly lit room and apply a cold compress over your eyes. Relax and continue with this process for minimum ten minutes.

Keep taking enough intervals to avoid any strain.

In every half hour you can focus on something in a distance for 1 or 2 minutes to avoid the strain.

Puffy Eyes: A common reason for our eyes is to go through so much is mainly due to stress. If we avoid stress many of our eye problems will be solved. Puffiness has many causes and some of them are heredity, fluid retention due to weather changes and hormonal imbalance. With minor changes in your routine life you can make a lot of difference to benefit your eyes.

Home Remedies for Puffy Eyes

Raise the head-level of your bed as this would prevent puffiness by avoiding fluid retention around your eyes during your sleep.

You can dip cotton in a mixture of rosewater or milk or almond oil to keep your eyes refreshed.

Soak couple of cotton pads in Witch Hazel to be placed on your eyelids. Due to the good starch content, potatoes work greatly to minimize puffiness and redness.

The first thing in the morning you see in the mirror is the puffed eyes. You can use ice, chilled spoons or tea bags on your eyes to get rid of that look.

Lavender oil is another soothing agent which helps to keep your eyes fresh and radiant. Add a drop of this oil in two and a half cup of water. Shake it well before use. You can use two cotton pods as eye pads which are dipped in this solution to be placed on your eyes.

Easiest of all the solution is to wash your face with cold water. This helps in making your face clean and clears your face from any inflammation and also moisturizers it to avoid any eye problems.

You can use egg whites which have been stiffly beaten then add a drop of witch hazel to it. Apply this under your eyes to avoid the puffiness and to keep your skin tighter.

Some of the remedies for dark circles and puffy eyes are similar. You can use these remedies to help clear both the problems.

Contact Lenses or Spectacles?

While plenty of people still wear glasses, there seems little doubt that they're on the way out. There's no doubt that putting them in and taking them out can be scary at first, but once you're used to it they are much more convenient than having bulky glasses on your face, not to mention almost invisible, even to people who get close to your eyes.

Vanity isn't the only reason to wear contact lenses, though. For many people, it is simply more practical - they work better for sport or any kind of manual work, for example, where glasses could easily get damaged. Contact lenses are also not subject to the many things that can go wrong with glasses, such smashing, breaking, or being affected by the weather (when they get rained on, for example).

If you're just entering the world of contact lenses, though, it can feel like a bit of a maze. What should you get? Hard lenses or soft? Daily lenses or monthly? Each option comes with its advantages and disadvantages.

The easiest question to tackle is probably that of hard lenses. While hard lenses are still used in many parts of the world, this is mainly down to reasons of habit - people who are already using them are unlikely to switch. To the new user, hard lenses offer no advantages, and they are incredibly uncomfortable until you get used to them. It is much better to simply go with soft lenses.

When it comes to the question of whether daily disposable lenses are better, however, there is some controversy. Once you factor in the cost of cleaning solution for monthly lenses, there is little difference in price, but some people simply prefer not to buy and throw away so many lenses. Ultimately, though, daily disposables tend to be thinner and therefore more comfortable, as well as costing you less if you happen to lose one, which makes them better suited to the beginner.

John Gibb

Conjunctivitis, The Ailment Behind Those Pink Eyes

Conjunctivitis is an eye ailment characterized by soreness and redness of an eye or both eyes in a person. The inflammation occurs in the clear covering that coats or protects the white portion of the eye.

Conjunctivitis also affects the lines which are inside the eye lids. This infection of the eye sometimes quickly manifest, but it may be a consolation that the duration of the infection would only last for just a short period of time.

Conjunctivitis, or more popularly known as pink eye, is not curable, only treatable. That means, even without medication the infection would subside.

The body will mostly do its work in curtailing this eye ailment. It should be noted, however, that people with conjunctivitis should seek immediate medical help to ease and relieve the discomfort that will surely arise from its onset.

Otherwise, further infection or complication might surface, making the infection more painful and more discomforting.

Causes of conjunctivitis

Doctors and medical professionals cite three causes for the onset of conjunctivitis. One, the infection would be viral or caused by virus. Second, conjunctivitis can be caused by allergic reactions to substances, called allergens, that cause adverse reactions from the body's protective immune system.

Lastly, conjunctivitis can be bacterial in nature. Conjunctivitis caused by bacteria are the fastest- healing. Such kind of conjunctivitis will also tend to become less distracting.

Other than three mentioned, experts attribute conjunctivitis to other causes that may include vitamin deficiency, allergy to chicken meat, contact lens overuse, chemical contacts, intrusion of foreign substances into the eye and ultraviolet or thermal burns.

Treating conjunctivitis or pink eye

The usual home remedy advised to patients or victims of conjunctivitis may be somehow discomforting and scary. But the thing is, although medical and modern science fail to provide specific and exact reason for it, is surprisingly effective.

Adhering to simple home remedies, the conjunctivitis victim is advised to put a mild slat solution into the infected eye. If it will be uncomfortable and too painful, opening the eyes in a small tub containing a little pinch of salt in it would be an alternative measure.

Upon doing so, be sure to wash your hands after. That is because conjunctivitis is spread and communicated through touching things that may also be touched by other people, especially your housemates and loved ones.

It would be imperative to consult or seek help from the doctor to determine or pinpoint the cause of the infection.

Conjunctivitis caused by bacteria can be relived by antibiotic eye ointments or eye drops. If the cause is viral or allergens, then the infection would not be immediately relived, but the doctor can try to prescribe other practical medications to soothe out.

Conjunctivitis caused by allergens or allergy-causing substances could also be relived by taking in antihistamines, which is the usual and most common drug prescribed to people with asthma and other allergies.

Conjunctivitis Prevention

It is observed that people are more prone to the eye infection immediately after recovering from colds. Remember that conjunctivitis is contagious, and you should be responsible to give out your share in curtailing the infection's spread.

Always wash your hands and avoid making physical contacts with objects that may be in constant physical contact with other people.

Prevention is better than cure. Help prevent the spread of pink eyes. Will you?

Charlene J. Nuble

Ocular Nutrition And Eye Health

Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of the ways to support your vision. As early as age 30, our eyes and vision can begin to deteriorate. Wind, dust, chlorine fumes, automobile fumes, smoking, freezing temperatures and physical injury are examples of threats to healthy eyes and good vision. Long hours spent at a computer screen and the vibration from driving have a cumulative negative impact on eye health over time.

Healthy vision is related to the health of the individual parts of the eye - the cornea, iris, macula, lens, optic nerve, pupil, retina and the vitreous humor. And making good ocular nutrition and eye health food choices are one of the ways that good vision can be supported. Information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute and the results of other ocular nutrition and eye health studies have shown that using nutrition to improve and support eye health definitely happens.

Here are foods that are known to support and improve eye health:

Collard greens, kale and spinach - studies on ocular nutrition and eye health show that eating foods rich in carotenoids is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Foods rich in carotenoids are leafy green vegetables such as spinach, collard greens and kale. Macular eye nutrition becomes increasingly important as we get older.

Green vegetables and corn - another study on ocular nutrition and eye health has shown a reduced risk of developing cataracts for persons having diets higher in lutein and zeaxanthin. Foods high in these two carotenoids include broccoli, collard greens, corn, green peas, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens and zucchini. Lutein is also found in egg yolks. Persons with diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin were also less likely to need cataract surgery. In another study done on persons ages 40-59, those with diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin experienced a reduced risk of developing adult macular degeneration.

Apricots, bilberries and blueberries - apricots are rich in beta carotene and lycopene that help promote good vision. Beta carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A as needed, an important antioxidant that resists oxidative stress damage to cells and tissues including the eye lenses. Continued oxidative stress may result in the development of cataracts or damage the blood supply to the eyes and lead to macular degeneration. Eating blueberries has been associated with the reduction of eye fatigue.

Blueberries are related to cranberries, and both also help the body resist urinary tract infections. Bilberries are a form of wild blueberry that grow on small bushes. Bilberries were used by British pilots to improve their night vision during World War 2. Fresh bilberries and bilberry jams would be sources of this ocular nutrition and eye health food. Bilberry seems to improve eye health by increasing the blood supply to the eyes.

Our eyes are considered to be the most important of the senses. By knowing which ocular nutrition and eye health food choices support the eyes, you can include more of these foods in daily meal planning.

David Buster

Your Expectations for Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is one of those elective surgeries that you may have your own ideas of what the outcome will be that may not necessarily be the true outcome. As with any type of elective surgery you must realize what your expectations, ideas, and hopes are for the outcome of the surgery. Is it your expectations that your vision will be 20/20 as it was when you were a child?

Before any type of elective surgery including laser eye surgery, you should discuss your hopes and expectations with your ophthalmologist. He should be able to explain that not all of your ideas are true with laser eye surgery. Yes, your blurry vision will be improved but maybe not to the extent that you desire.

Normally, individuals with very poor vision to the extent that their vision is so bad that they cannot be fitted with contacts are very pleased after laser eye surgery. Any improvement over wearing those thick ugly glasses is a lifesaver. However, if you are one of those individuals who are mild to moderately nearsighted then you must know that 90 percent of patients are able to drive during daylight hours without wearing glasses or contacts. The other 10 percent still need to wear corrective lenses. Out of the 90 percent that can see to drive without their glasses during the day, the majority, still have to wear glasses at night to see to drive.

When you think of good vision, you may not really be considering all the aspects of good eyesight, which include such things as depth of field, night vision, color vision, contrast sensitivity, and bi-ocular vision. The depth of field is if you can see clearly from near to far. Color vision is if you can differentiate between the colors of red and green. Contrast sensitivity is the ability to differentiate between the various shades of gray. Night vision is the ability to see in low lighting conditions. Bi-ocular vision is your eye working together properly.

To ensure if you will be happy with your laser surgery you should of course talk it over with your eye surgeon. Remember, you may not receive perfect vision, but your eyesight will be improved over what you now have without wearing glasses or contact lenses full time. The choice is yours, just be sure that you will be happy with the results.

Nicky Pilkington

Home Remedies For Bloodshot Eyes

As the name suggests bloodshot eyes makes your eyes blood colored. The blood vessels in the white portion of the eyes are enlarged and irritated causing the redness. Some common reasons for the redness of the eyes are due to coughing, eyestrain, dry air, over exposure to sun, dust, foreign body, an allergic reaction, infection, trauma, fatigue, alcohol consumption, lack of vitamin B2 and B6 and high blood pressure.

You can get bloodshot eyes by

Blepharitis - Caused by skin bacteria that leads to itching and turns your eyelid greasy and crusty.
Conjunctivitis - Also known as pink eye is caused by a virus, bacteria and allergy or skin irritation. It is very contagious if caused by an organism.
Corneal ulcers - It is caused by viral infection affecting the outer cover of the eye.
Uveitis - It causes inflammation of uvea, including iris, ciliary body and choroids. It is related to autoimmune disorder, infection or exposure to toxins.

Home Remedies for Bloodshot Eyes

Reduce the redness by splashing cold water over closed eyes. This soothes the eye and shrinks the blood vessels as in case of an allergic reaction.

You can apply cold compress to your eyes by using an ice pack wrapped in a towel.

Use warm compress for red eyes without any itching. This may be due to fatigue or tiredness.

Put three drops of rose water in your eyes.

Soak cotton pad in a mixture of rose water, milk and Aloe Vera juice. Place these cotton pads over your closed eyes for 10-20 minutes in a dimly lit room. This will help in reducing the redness.

You can try the hot and cold compress on your eyes, alternately.

Stay away from allergy triggering agents which may lead to bloodshot eyes.

Goldenseal is a native medicinal plant that contains berberine which compresses blood vessels and helps in reducing the bloodshot effect. You can use it as a compress or wash to get rid of the pain.

To get relief from bloodshot eyes have two ripe tomatoes first thing in the morning on empty stomach. The vitamin C and flavonoids in the tomatoes makes the blood vessel walls stronger.

You can also use non-preservative artificial tears, this helps in soothing your eyes and clearing the redness.

Wear genuine preservative-free contact lenses. The ones with preservatives can cause redness and other related infections.

Kevin Pederson

A Quick Fix for Sagging, Heavy Eyelids

Droopy eyelids are a sure sign that Mother Nature has arrived to make your face look old.

You know the look and the feel of heavy lids – they seem to have a mind of their own. You constantly lift your forehead when you are speaking and your eyes may begin to feel a tiredness that just doesn't go away.

Not only are your eyes bothering you, those forehead wrinkles may have you thinking that a paralyzing injection might be required or even more drastic measures such as surgery may be needed.

The medical community wants you to believe that you need to consider this route to look younger but in reality – this is not a fact!

The upper eye lids, the brow and upper forehead are connected under the skin with muscles that weave over and under each other. The actual forehead muscle is vertical and it originates in the hairline.

Usually by age 40, gravity has affected the forehead resulting in poor muscle tone and its downward slide pushes into the eyebrow muscles which then affects the upper eye lid and creates crow's feet. This downward movement of loose skin can impair one's vision if the lid puddles onto the eyelashes.

There are only a few options available to enjoy younger looking eyes.

Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure to correct sagging upper and lower eyes. The upper eye procedure involves actually cutting the eyelids, removing excess tissue and then suturing the eyelids usually in the existing crease. The surgery is performed while the patient is under general anesthesia although there are other types of local and oral anesthesia's available; the procedure takes about 2 hours to complete and just like any other invasive procedure there are risks to consider.

Electro-stimulation devices, using minute electrical currents, claim they can lift eyelids and brows. According to some well-paid physicians they do work but there is a healthy amount of skepticism from their peers.

Overuse can cause spasms, headache, irritation, redness and burning. Electro-stimulation is very time consuming as each area requires about three minutes to treat so it's not unusual to spend an hour or more trying to lift your face every other day.

The above mentioned options are not only costly; they're very temporary. Yes, temporary! Surgery does not correct poor muscle tone and neither do injections or electro-currents.

What's the solution?

Facial exercise is the smartest thing you can do to stop the cause of aging in your face but not all facial exercise programs work. Why? Because scrunching and contortions are not exercises!!! When there is no resistance or anchoring to create a contraction, your face cannot lift or look younger. Genuine facial exercise is not about scrunching or making contortions, rather, they are bone fide, precise movements that treat the cause of aging in your face.

How long until you see results? Well, most people see results immediately and you should know that it takes about three to four weeks to see permanent results. Permanent results occur when the muscles are sufficiently strengthened to retain their new positions. If you do not regularly exercise the muscles in the face, you will look older.

Our entire body needs exercise, and that includes our faces and necks. From head to toe, you can look healthier and vibrant without ever thinking about surgery, injections or electricity. Exercising your face requires only minutes per day and in less time than it took for your morning shower, you can have a face that looks 10-15 years younger.

Cynthia Rowland

What Do You Need To Know About Multiple Sclerosis

1. Multiple Sclerosis:

Multiple Sclerosis is one amongst the widely afflicting diseases today. It can be interpreted to be a disease of nervous system where it worsens over a period of time with loss of feeling and loss of control of movement and speech. So, MS attacks the individual’s central nervous system that is constituted of different nerves and nerve fibers. It involves a threat to his brain, spinal cord and eye or optical nerves. Basically MS hampers or destructs the protein that safeguards the nerve fibers. This protective protein is known as myelin and it aids in the communication between nerve cells. Once myelin gets burnt up, a breakdown occurs in the nerve cells’ co-ordination. Its effect is visible in the behavior (that drifts from normal to abnormal) of the individual. Along with this there appear lesions and plaques occur on that part of the body where demyelination takes place. But this is not all. Most often the cells that help in regaining myelin are even eliminated. The individual’s body then succumbs to damage and disability.

2. Invoking and Provoking Multiple Sclerosis: Various conditions are deemed to invite multiple sclerosis.

• An individual’s genes are the first and foremost factor that contributes to the risk of developing MS at any stage of life. Medical research reveals that the kids born of those parents where either of them has a history of MS, are largely prone to it.

• Apart from the genes, an environment change is also instrumental in causing MS.

• Viruses of diseases such as herpes, measles, flu etc. have proved to be quite effective in invoking multiple sclerosis.

• Hormones, especially the sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone have weakened the immunity system and instigated MS.

3. The Indications:

MS may be exposed differently in different people or a single person may face various symptoms. Actually, the time MS strikes the nervous system, it becomes manifested via some or the other indicator. For instance, as soon as demyelination begins, the individual may experience lack of balance of his body, tremors, a paralytic attack and so forth. Gradually, these symptoms translate to outburst of the disease.

4. The Varying Features:

According to doctors, there are differing types of multiple sclerosis. The primary is the Relapsing- Remitting MS. As the name suggests, relapsing MS is that where MS dissolves or disappears but only initially, it recurs after a span of time. After relapsing, the disease begins to catch pace and so injure the spinal cord and brain.

If the nervous system starts worsening right after the inception of the symptoms, it is Progressive-Relapsing MS. Similarly there are Primary-Progressive and Secondary Progressive stages of Multiple Sclerosis. At the onset of this disease, the doctors by studying the symptoms determine or adjudicate which form it will take.

5. Diagnosing and Medication

Right after the perception of MS indicators, in order to confront the actual status of multiple sclerosis, doctors ask the individual to undergo different tests. MRI and blood tests are commonly advised to estimate the actual status of the disease. Besides the tests, medicines too are prescribed. There are quite a few good drugs available in the market such as Avonex, Rebif etc. However, MS does not seem to be cured by any of these measures then chemotherapy is the final resort. It is an extremely difficult treatment but it entails positive results.

6. Precautionary Measures:

• The best possible defence against all diseases is the intake of a rich balanced diet that strengthens the immunity system.

• If an individual has a background of diseases like hypertension, kidney issues and fluid retention etc. then the doctor ought to be ultra cautious prior to recommending any medicine. For there can be many serious hostile effects of these antibiotics.

• Those who fear MS due to appearance of some similar symptoms must go for an instant check up. Otherwise also, the people born of any of the MS parents must pay extra heed to their health ad consult doctor time and again.

• The effects of an environmental change should be carefully studied before making any trip to a foreign place.

Mansi Gupta

Lichen Sclerosis

What is lichen sclerosis and what does it look like?

Lichen sclerosis (LS) is a skin condition that makes the vulva look white, slightly shiny, and smooth. The skin's surface becomes thin and delicate so that it tears easily. This can cause bleeding under the skin. In severe cases of lichen sclerosis of the genital area, scarring can occur. This causes the inner lips of the vulva to get smaller. The clitoris can become covered in scar tissue.

What causes lichen sclerosis?

We do not know the exact cause of lichen sclerosis. Scientists have different theories to try to explain the cause. Some scientists think that an overactive immune system may play a role in causing the disease. Some people may also develop lichen sclerosis due to their genes or to changes in hormones. Since lichen sclerosis is not caused by an infection, it cannot be spread and is not contagious.

What are the symptoms of lichen sclerosis?

Symptoms of lichen sclerosis may be different from one person to another and can be mild to severe. Girls and young women who have this disease may experience some or all of the following symptoms in the vulva area:

Mild to severe itching in the vulva area

Skin that appears fragile, pale, and/or white

Bruised skin with broken blood vessels or "blood blisters"

Small tears or fissures in the skin

Scar tissue covering the labia or clitoris

Bleeding or tearing of skin when having bowel movements

How is lichen sclerosis diagnosed?

Lichen sclerosis can be a difficult diagnosis to make. It is not unusual for someone to see more than one doctor before the disease is finally diagnosed. Most of the time, doctors who see many patients with lichen sclerosis can often make the diagnosis just by looking at the skin. However in most cases if you are in the early stages of lichen sclerosis, the doctor may have to do a biopsy (removal and examination of a small sample of affected skin) to identify the cause of your symptoms.

David Chandler

Multiple Sclerosis - What Is It?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) where the body's own immune cells attack the nervous system. In Multiple Sclerosis, inflammation of nervous tissue causes the loss of myelin, a fatty material that acts as a sort of protective insulation for the nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This demyelination leaves multiple areas of scar tissue (sclerosis) along the covering of the nerve cells, which disrupts the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain, producing the various symptoms of multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis-Causes, symptoms, and risk factors.

The cause of multiple Sclerosis is unknown. Geographic studies indicate there may be an environmental factor involved. Multiple Sclerosis is more likely to occur in northern Europe, the northern United States, southern Australia, and New Zealand than in other areas.

Symptoms of multiple Sclerosis vary because the location and extent of each attack varies. There is usually a stepwise progression of the disorder, with episodes that last days, weeks, or months alternating with times of reduced or no symptoms (remission). Recurrence (relapse) is common although non-stop progression without periods of remission may also occur.

The exact cause of the inflammation associated with multiple Sclerosis is unknown. An increase in the number of immune cells in the body of a person with multiple Sclerosis indicates that there may be a type of immune response that triggers the disorder. The most frequent theories about the cause of multiple sclerosis include a virus-type organism, an abnormality of the genes responsible for control of the immune system, or a combination of both factors.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects approximately 1 out of 1, 000 people. More women are affected than men are. The disorder most commonly begins between ages 20 and 40, but can strike at any age. Risks include a family history of multiple Sclerosis and living in a geographical area with a higher incidence rate for multiple Sclerosis.

David Chandler

Multiple Sclerosis - What are the Effects

What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is a central nervous system disorder characterized by damage to the messages transmitted to and from the brain. These messages generally control the way the body works. Thus, any damage can cause problems with vision, memory, balance and movement. It may also affect the ability to feel sensation, pain and vibration.

The human body is serviced by an extensive system of nerves that control the way the body functions. These nerves are protected by a fatty substance called myelin which insulates them from damage. If a person suffers from multiple sclerosis, the myelin is damaged thus blocking the impulses from the brain.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis

The early symptoms include loss of vision, loss of balance, weakness, and numbness. These symptoms are not universal to all sufferers. In fact, some people suffer little more than intense fatigue while others may be so affected they may become paralyzed.

The term 'sclerosis' means scarring and anyone looking at the brain or the tissue of the spinal cord sees what looks like intense scarring.

The damage in multiple sclerosis is thought to be caused by an unusual reaction to infections. The immune system produces white blood cells that destroy dangerous bacteria or viruses. However, in cases of multiple sclerosis, the white cells attack healthy tissue like myelin and nerve cells. This is called an auto immune response.

What are the types of multiple sclerosis?

There are four main kinds of multiple sclerosis, with symptoms varying in severity. These are:

Benign Relapsing/remitting (RRMS).
Secondary progressive (SPMS).

Primary progressive

People with benign multiple sclerosis may have the occasional attack while feeling perfectly healthy at other times. They suffer only a mild disability or no disability at all though medical examination shows evidence of multiple sclerosis damage to the brain. The lack of disability is because the damage may be in places in the brain that do not cause obvious disability or the damage is minimal.

More than fifty percent of sufferers start with relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis in which they may suffer relapses two or three times a year with partial or complete recovery at other times. However, due to the gradual death of nerve cells and the myelin, the symptoms may get worse and more frequent. This takes them into the stage of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS).

In secondary progressive multiple sclerosis or SPMS, the disability increases as there is a progressive loss of nerve cells. During this stage, the sufferer no longer has relapses and remissions and the disability becomes progressively worse.

There are some people who become more and more disabled without ever having relapses and remissions. This type of multiple sclerosis is called primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

How is it diagnosed?

Our bodies fight infection by producing white blood cells, a natural disease fighter. However, in people with multiple sclerosis, the protective covering of the nerve fibres (myelin) is also attacked by these white blood cells. One of the tests done to diagnose multiple sclerosis is a lumbar puncture. In this test, cerebrospinal fluid is extracted from the spine through a hollow needle and is examined for signs of this disease.

The hidden signs of multiple sclerosis can also be detected using an MRI (magnetic resonance image). This uses a combination of radio waves and magnetic fields that provide a detailed view of the brain and spinal cord. By using this, the lesions in the myelin can be detected.

Treatment and outlook

At this time, multiple sclerosis is incurable, although thre is research taking place globally in an effort to find a treatment that will slow down the progression of this illness. In the meantime, there are a number of options which may make life more bearable. Some doctors prescribe ACTH, a steroid that accelerates the healing actions of the body.

Though there is no scientific evidence that special diets are beneficial, anecdotal evidence suggests that diets such as gluten free diets or those low in animal fats do help. Many multiple sclerosis sufferers seek out alternative therapies to relieve their symptoms. This may include acupuncture, homeopathy, and yoga.

For each person, the answer may be different and, though multiple sclerosis has no cure, it is important for the sufferer to find a positive way of living with this illness.

Anne Wolski

Home Remedies for Arteriosclerosis

If the causes of arteriosclerosis are known, remedial action should be taken promptly to remove them. To begin with, the patient should resort to short juice fast for five to seven days. The juices of fresh raw vegetables and fruits may be taken diluted with water on 50:50 basis. Grape-fruit, pineapple, lemon and juice of green vegetables are specially beneficial. A warm water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels during the period of juice fasting.

After that, the patient should take optimum diet consisting of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits, with emphasis on raw foods and sprouted seeds. Vegetable oils like sunflower oil, flex seed oil and olive oil should be used regularly. Further short fasts on juices may be undertaken at intervals of three months or so, depending on the progress being made.

The patient should take several small meals instead of a few large ones. He should avoid all hydrogenated fats and an excess of saturated fats, such as butter, cream, ghee and animal fat. He should also avoid meat, salt and all refined and processed foods, condiments, sauces, pickles, strong tea, coffee, white sugar, white flour and . all products made from them. Foods cooked in aluminum and copper untensils should not be taken as toxic metals entering the body are known to be deposited on the walls of the aorta and the arteries. Smoking, if habitual, should be given up because it constricts the arteries and aggravates the condition.

Recent investigations have shown that garlic and onions have a preventive effect on the development of arteriosclerosis. They should be included in the daily diet either raw or cooked.

One of the most effective home remedies for arteriosclerosis is the lemon peel. 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.

Parsley is another effective home remedy for this disease. It contains elements which help to maintain the blood vessels, particularly the capillaries and arterial system in a healthy condition. It may be taken as beverage by simmering it gently in the water for a few minutes and partaking several times daily.

The beet juice has also proved valuable in arteriosclerosis. It is an excellent solvent for inorganic calcium deposits. Juices of carrot and spinach are also beneficial. These juices can be taken individually or in combination. Formula proportions found helpful when used in combination are 300 ml carrot and 200 ml spinach to prepare 500 ml of juice.

Honey is also considered beneficial in the treatment of arteriosclerosis. It is easily digested and assimilated. The patient should take a glass of water with one teaspoon each of honey and lemon juice in it, before going to bed. He can also take it if he wakes up at night.

The patient should undertake plenty of outdoor exercise and eliminate all mental stress and worries. Prolonged neutral immersion baths at bed time on alternate days is beneficial.

Krishan Bakhru

Health Guidance