Conjunctivitis and Its Best Home Remedies

Conjunctivitis, otherwise known as pink eye, can either be caused by an infection - where there will be a greenish discharge or crusting of the eyelids in the morning, or by an allergy - most usually hay fever when itching is a prominent symptom, or by an irritant such as chillies.

• Infective Conjunctivitis

Standard treatment for infective conjunctivitis is an antibiotic cream or eye-drops, but many cases will clear with simple hygienic measures.

Warm water compresses: Dip a flannel in warm water and apply it to the eye three or four times a day for ten minutes. In addition, a cotton-wool bud dipped in a bowl of warm water with a couple of drops of baby shampoo can be used to clear away the crusts from the eyelids.

Apple juice: Apple juice is recommended for blepharitis-infection of the eyelids-which may be asso­ciated with conjunctivitis or come on its own accord. Peel off a two inch slice of apple, bend in half with the skin sides together till the juice appears, then press on the eye lids gently. The redness goes and so does the pus - not completely but it is kept in check if done several times a day. This is one of my best home remedies for conjunctivitis.

Urine: Urine may seem an unlikely home remedy for conjunctivitis, but urine eye-drops are a particu­larly appropriate way of making use of its anti-infective properties.

• Allergic Conjunctivitis

The best treatment is undoubtedly the anti-­allergic compounds Opticrom or Predsol, but warm water compresses as described for infective con­junctivitis can help relieve the symptoms of grittiness and itchiness.

• Irritative Conjunctivitis

Inadvertently rubbing the eye after having han­dled a chilli can cause intense pain and copious tears. Dr Richard Roberts, a genetic specialist in Texas and self-confessed chilli addict, describes the following interesting remedy: 'I once experi­enced the symptoms when in the company of several Mexican friends who urged me to put hair in the affected eye immediately. Though incredulous I grabbed for my wife's hair-his own was too short for the purpose - and the pain and tears cleared immediately. I cannot explain this effect.

source:  http://EzineArticles.com/

Benefit Of Soursop To Treating Cancer

Cancer can be treated by eating herbs or fruits. From many of these herbs, soursop has advantages over other fruit.

Soursop is known to prevent and also effective for treating some types of cancer. “For the soursop itself has been studied to treat colon cancer (colon), lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer (breast),” said Dr. Hardhi Pranata, SpS, as Chairman of the Association of Physicians Medical Herbs Indonesia.

Part soursop useful for cancer drugs are the stem, leaf, and also fruit or in juice form. The fruit can be eaten straight, made juice, or leaves are boiled and then the decoction drunk.

“Either way soursop drinks fruit juice or by boiling 9 soursop leaves and drinks the cooking water and then monitored the situation. Usually appetite will increase and the growth ofcancer cells is inhibited,” said dr Hardhi.

He also explained, soursop contain saponin compounds, polyphenols, as well as bioflavonoids that have antioxidant properties. Well, how to kill cancer cells by soursop is different with other herbs. Soursop just kills the cells or abnormal growth of specific cells such as free radicals existing cancer cells. But soursop does not destroy healthy cells.

Besides having good taste, soursop fruit also helps maintain health, prevent disease, and treat disease. This is because the soursop fruit can also reduce blood pressure, anti-parasite, a sedative that works to increase immunity and to overcome depression, arthritis, and also foruric acid.

“Consumption of soursop fruit again this should be encouraged so as not to become extinct because of the many benefits that can be obtained by eating this fruit,” said the doctor whopractices at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital this.

For in Indonesia, the research on the efficacy of soursop and other medicinal plants will be done in the near future. In this study, Dharmais Cancer Hospital will cooperate with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine PDHMI facilitated. In this research, a combination therapy of drugs and herbs.

“This cooperation MoU has been signed and is expected to begin in December already begun to do research in Indonesia,” added Dr. Hardhi.

He said that at Nanjing University, this combination therapy has been performed. Cancer patients there did not experience nausea, hair loss, weight loss, and could still walk around as usual.

Combination therapy is expected to reduce the side effects of standard cancer therapies that do, such as chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, and can reduce the amount of chemotherapythat should be done by the patient.

Plants and fruits that are known to have anti-cancer effects, such as:

1. Tomatoes are known to treat prostate cancer, by eating tomatoes that have been boiled.

2. Red pepper is known to prevent colon cancer if consumed in the long term.

3. Grape seed is also known to have anti-cancer compounds. Therefore, if you eat grapes, look who has the seeds and eat with the skin.

4. Red betel leaf is known as an anti-breast cancer by boiling.

5. Wild Ginger is known to have active substance cursil that is as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer.

“Some medicinal plants in Indonesia contain anti-cancer drugs, such as sitotoksin who has the ability to kill and detecting cells that grow abnormally. The compounds in this plant can functionin the form of joint, but there is also a single,” he said.

Source: health.kompas.com

Aging Changes In Sleep

Sleep occurs in multiple stages. The sleep cycle includes dreamless periods of light and deep sleep, with occasional periods of active dreaming (REM sleep). The sleep cycle is repeated several times during the night.

AGING CHANGES

With aging, sleep patterns tend to change. Most people find that aging causes them to have a harder time falling asleep, and that they awaken more often.

Total sleep time remains the same or is slightly decreased (6.5 to 7 hours per night). It may be harder to fall asleep. The transition between being asleep and awake is often abrupt, giving older people the feeling of being more of a "light sleeper" than when they were younger.

Less time is spent in deep, dreamless sleep. Older people average three or four awakenings each night, with increased recall of being awake.

Awakenings are related to less time spent in deep sleep, and to factors such as the need to get up to urinate (nocturia), anxiety, and discomfort or pain associated with chronic illnesses.

EFFECT OF CHANGES

Sleeping difficulty is an annoying problem, but it is seldom dangerous. Because sleep is lighter and awakenings more frequent, older people may feel deprived of sleep even when total sleep time has not changed.

Sleep deprivation can eventually cause confusion and other mental changes. It is treatable, and symptoms should lessen when adequate sleep is obtained. Sleep problems are also a common symptom of depression, so you should be evaluated and treated for depression if it might be causing the sleep problem.

COMMON PROBLEMS

• Insomnia is one of the more common sleep problems for the elderly.
• Other sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy or hypersomnia, can also occur.
• Sleep apnea, where the breathing stops for a time during sleep, can cause severe problems.

PREVENTION

The elderly respond differently to medications than do younger adults, so it is very important to consult with a health care provider before taking medications for sleep. Avoid sleep medications if at all possible. Medications for depression, on the other hand, can be very helpful if depression contributes to the cause of the sleep problem. Most antidepressants do not produce the problems associated with sleeping medications.

Sometimes a mild antihistamine is more effective than an actual sleeping pill for relieving short-term insomnia, but even nonprescription drugs can have side effects.

Sleeping medications (such as benzodiazepines) should be used only as recommended, and only for a short time. Some can lead to dependence (needing to take the drug to function) or addiction (compulsive use despite adverse consequences) in some cases. Some build up in your body, and toxic effects can develop if you take them for a long time. Confusion, delirium, falls, and other side effects can develop.

You can take measures to promote sleep:

• A light bedtime snack may be helpful. Many people find that warm milk increases sleepiness, because it contains a natural, sedative-like amino acid.
• Avoid stimulants such as caffeine (found in coffee, tea, cola drinks, and so on) for at least 3 or 4 hours before bed.
• Do not take naps during the day.
• Exercise (moderately) in the afternoon.
• Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake at the same time each morning.
• Use the bed only for sleep or sexual activity.

If you can't fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do a quiet activity such as reading or listening to music.

When you feel sleepy, get back in bed and try again. If not successful in 20 minutes, repeat.

Drinking alcohol at bedtime may make you sleepy, but it is best to avoid it, because alcohol increases awakenings later in the night.

*source: http://www.maimonidesmed.org/