The next time that you experience a cold or the flu, remember to give your body plenty of rest while allowing the cold or flu to run its course is good for your health.
Conventional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry would want you to believe that there is no "cure" for the common cold and flu, that you should protect yourself against the flu with a vaccine that is full of toxic chemicals, and that during the midst of a cold or flu, it is favorable to ease your discomfort with a variety of medications that can suppress your symptoms (coldcap, flucid…name them).
Unfortunately, all three of these positions represent a lack of understanding of what colds and flus really are, and what they mean to your body.
Colds and flus are causes by viruses. So to understand what colds and flus do at a cellular level, you have to understand what all viruses flu & cold inclusive do at a cellular level.
Do you remember learning about cellular division in high school? Each of your cells are called parent cells, and through processes of genetic duplication (mitosis) and cellular division (cytokinesis), each of your parent cells divides into two daughter cells. Each daughter cell is then considered a parent cell that will divide into two more daughter cells, and so on, and so on, and so on.
Viruses are different from your cells in that they cannot duplicate themselves through mitosis and cytokinesis. Viruses are nothing but microscopic particles of genetic material, each coated by a thin layer of protein.
Due to their design, viruses are not able to reproduce on their own. The only way that viruses can flourish in your body is by using the machinery and metabolism of your cells to produce multiple copies of themselves.
Once a virus has gained access into one of your cells, depending on the type of virus involved, one of two things can happen:
1. The virus uses your cell's resources to replicate itself many times over and then breaks open (lyses) the cell so that the newly replicated viruses can leave in search of new cells to infect. Lysis effectively kills your cell. That’s what the HIV virus does to Immune Cells.
2. The virus incorporates itself into the DNA of your cell, which allows the virus to be passed on to each daughter cell that stems from this cell. Later on, the virus in each daughter cell can begin replicating itself as described above. Once multiple copies of the virus have been produced, the cell is lysed.
Both possibilities lead to the same result: eventually, the infected cell die due to lysis.
Here is the key to understanding why colds and flus, when allowed to run their course while you rest, can be good for you:
By and large, the viruses that cause the common cold and the flu infect mainly your weakest cells; cells that are already burdened with excessive waste products and toxins are most likely to allow viruses to infect them. These are cells that you want to get rid of anyway, to be replaced by new, healthy cells.
So in the big scheme of things, a cold or flu is a truly natural tool that can allow your body to purge itself of old and damaged cells that, in the absence of viral infection, would normally take much longer to identify, destroy, and eliminate.
Have you ever been amazed by how much "stuff" you could blow out of your nose while you had a cold or the flu? Embedded within all of that mucous are countless dead cells that your body is saying good bye to, largely due to the lytic effect of viruses.
So you see, there never needs to be a cure for the common cold, since the common cold is nature's way of keeping you healthy over the long term. And so long as you get plenty of rest and strive to stay hydrated and properly nourished during a cold or flu, there is no need to get vaccinated or to take medications that suppress congested sinuses, a fever, or coughing. All of these uncomfortable symptoms are actually ways in which your body works to eliminate waste products and/or help your body get through a cold or flu. It's fine to use over-the-counter pain medication like asprin, coldcap, chloropheniramin (piriton) if your discomfort becomes intolerable or if such meds can help you get a good night's rest. But it's best to avoid medications that aim to suppress helpful processes such as fever, coughing, and a runny nose.
It's important to note that just because colds and flus can be helpful to your body doesn't mean that you need to experience them to be at your best. If you take good care of your health and immune system by getting plenty of rest and consistently making health-promoting dietary and lifestyle choices, your cells may stay strong enough to avoid getting infected by viruses that come knocking on their membranes. In this way, you won't have enough weak and extraneous cells to require a cold or the flu to work its way through your body to identify and lyse them.
Curious about how to differentiate the common cold and the flu? Here is an excellent summary of the differences:
A cold usually comes on gradually — over the course of a day or two. Generally, it leaves you feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and plagued by a running nose. You often don't have a fever, but when you do, it's only slightly higher than normal. Colds usually last three to four days, but can hang around for 10 days to two weeks.
Flu, on the other hand, comes on suddenly and hits hard. You will feel weak and tired and you could run a fever as high as 40 C. Your muscles and joints will probably ache, you will feel chilled and could have a severe headache and sore throat. Getting off the couch or out of bed will be a nightmare. The fever may last three to five days, but you could feel weak and tired for two to three weeks.
One more thing to remember: because the common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses, antibiotics are not necessary. People who take antibiotics while suffering with a cold or flu often feel slightly better because antibiotics have a mild anti-inflammatory effect. But this benefit is far outweighed by the negative impact that antibiotics have on friendly bacteria that live throughout your digestive tract. In this light, if you really need help with pain management during a cold or flu, it is usually better to take a small dose of asprin or panadol than it is to take antibiotics.
Please share this basic health information on colds and flus with family and friends; although it isn't readily available from the annals of conventional medicine, this information can save you and your loved ones significant time, money, and anguish.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Health Benefits of Guava
The health benefits of guava include diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin care, high blood pressure, weight loss, scurvy, etc.
Many of you might have tasted this mouth-watering treat, or at least have seen it or heard about it. Guava is very common in Asian and African countries. In my village in Western Kenya it grows wild. It is a good looking pear shaped or round shaped seasonal fruit, light green or yellow or maroon in color from outside when ripe, with white or maroon flesh and lots of small hard seeds enveloping very soft and sweet pulp. It is eaten raw (ripe or semi-ripe) or in form of jams and jellies. This attractive fruit is a real storehouse of nutrients. If it is “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” in Europe and Americas, it must be “A few guavas in the season keeps the doctor away for the whole year” in places where guavas grow. Its scientific name is Psidium Guajava.
Let me share some of its brilliant health benefits with you.
Diarrhea & Dysentery: Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds those make your gums feel tighter and fresh after you chew guava leaves or eat a raw guava or use some toothpaste) which binds up loose bowels in diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus help cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Further, other nutrients in guava, such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium strengthens and tones up the digestive system and disinfect it. Guava is also beneficial in gastroenteritis due to reasons stated above.
Constipation: Guava is one of the riches sources of dietary fiber. Its seeds, if ingested whole or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives. These two properties of guava help forming bowels, retaining water and clean your intestines and excretory system thoroughly. It is said that single constipation can lead to seventy two types of ailments. It is absolutely true. Every way to your total health goes through proper digestion and more importantly, proper excretion. Guava ensures both of these.
Cough & Cold: Juice of raw and immature guavas or decoction of guava-leaves is very helpful in giving relief in cough and cold by loosening cough, reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs and inhibiting microbial activity due to its astringent properties. Guava is one of richest in vitamin-C and iron which are proven to be preventive against cold and viral infections. In some areas in India and West Africa, roasted ripe guava is used as a remedy against extreme cases of cough and cold and congestion.
Skin Care: Guavas can help improve your skin texture and avoid skin problems more than the best of beauty creams or skin toner gels can do. This is chiefly due to the abundance of astringents in its fruits (more in immature ones) and in leaves. You can benefit from it either by eating the fruits (this help tighten your muscles apart from your skin) or by washing your skin with the decoction of its immature fruits and leaves. It will tone up and tighten the loosened skin. In addition to the astringents, guava is very-very rich in vitamin-A, B, C and potassium which are very good anti oxidants and detoxifiers and keep your skin glowing and free from aging, wrinkles and other disorders.
High Blood Pressure: Guava helps reduce cholesterol in blood and prevents it from thickening, thereby maintaining fluidity of blood and reducing blood pressure. Studies have shown that food stuffs which lack fiber (such a refined flour) add to blood pressure, due to quick conversion to sugar. Guava, being very rich in fiber and hypoglycemic in nature, helps reduce blood pressure.
Weight Loss: Guava is very helpful for those who want to lose weight without compromising with their intake of proteins, vitamins and fiber. Guava, being very high in roughage and very rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but with no cholesterol and less digestible carbohydrates, is very filling and satisfies appetite very easily. Just have a medium sized guava in the lunch and you will not feel hungry till night. But ironically, it helps gaining weight in lean and thin people. This is probably due to its richness in nutrients, which keeps your metabolism right helping proper absorption of nutrients.
Scurvy: Guava can outdo many other fruits, including orange and other citrus fruits, when it comes to concentration of vitamin-C, whose deficiency causes scurvy and which is the only remedy to it. It contains five times the vitamin-C in oranges.
Other Benefits: Where to begin? Shall I start with the fact that guava helps control diabetes, protects prostrate, its Lypocene reduces the risk of cancer, the juice of the leaves cures toothache, swollen gums & oral ulcers, heals wounds when applied externally, convulsions, epilepsy, bacterial infections and so on and so forth.
Actually, I do not know where to stop.
Many of you might have tasted this mouth-watering treat, or at least have seen it or heard about it. Guava is very common in Asian and African countries. In my village in Western Kenya it grows wild. It is a good looking pear shaped or round shaped seasonal fruit, light green or yellow or maroon in color from outside when ripe, with white or maroon flesh and lots of small hard seeds enveloping very soft and sweet pulp. It is eaten raw (ripe or semi-ripe) or in form of jams and jellies. This attractive fruit is a real storehouse of nutrients. If it is “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” in Europe and Americas, it must be “A few guavas in the season keeps the doctor away for the whole year” in places where guavas grow. Its scientific name is Psidium Guajava.
Let me share some of its brilliant health benefits with you.
Diarrhea & Dysentery: Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds those make your gums feel tighter and fresh after you chew guava leaves or eat a raw guava or use some toothpaste) which binds up loose bowels in diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus help cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Further, other nutrients in guava, such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium strengthens and tones up the digestive system and disinfect it. Guava is also beneficial in gastroenteritis due to reasons stated above.
Constipation: Guava is one of the riches sources of dietary fiber. Its seeds, if ingested whole or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives. These two properties of guava help forming bowels, retaining water and clean your intestines and excretory system thoroughly. It is said that single constipation can lead to seventy two types of ailments. It is absolutely true. Every way to your total health goes through proper digestion and more importantly, proper excretion. Guava ensures both of these.
Cough & Cold: Juice of raw and immature guavas or decoction of guava-leaves is very helpful in giving relief in cough and cold by loosening cough, reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs and inhibiting microbial activity due to its astringent properties. Guava is one of richest in vitamin-C and iron which are proven to be preventive against cold and viral infections. In some areas in India and West Africa, roasted ripe guava is used as a remedy against extreme cases of cough and cold and congestion.
Skin Care: Guavas can help improve your skin texture and avoid skin problems more than the best of beauty creams or skin toner gels can do. This is chiefly due to the abundance of astringents in its fruits (more in immature ones) and in leaves. You can benefit from it either by eating the fruits (this help tighten your muscles apart from your skin) or by washing your skin with the decoction of its immature fruits and leaves. It will tone up and tighten the loosened skin. In addition to the astringents, guava is very-very rich in vitamin-A, B, C and potassium which are very good anti oxidants and detoxifiers and keep your skin glowing and free from aging, wrinkles and other disorders.
High Blood Pressure: Guava helps reduce cholesterol in blood and prevents it from thickening, thereby maintaining fluidity of blood and reducing blood pressure. Studies have shown that food stuffs which lack fiber (such a refined flour) add to blood pressure, due to quick conversion to sugar. Guava, being very rich in fiber and hypoglycemic in nature, helps reduce blood pressure.
Weight Loss: Guava is very helpful for those who want to lose weight without compromising with their intake of proteins, vitamins and fiber. Guava, being very high in roughage and very rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but with no cholesterol and less digestible carbohydrates, is very filling and satisfies appetite very easily. Just have a medium sized guava in the lunch and you will not feel hungry till night. But ironically, it helps gaining weight in lean and thin people. This is probably due to its richness in nutrients, which keeps your metabolism right helping proper absorption of nutrients.
Scurvy: Guava can outdo many other fruits, including orange and other citrus fruits, when it comes to concentration of vitamin-C, whose deficiency causes scurvy and which is the only remedy to it. It contains five times the vitamin-C in oranges.
Other Benefits: Where to begin? Shall I start with the fact that guava helps control diabetes, protects prostrate, its Lypocene reduces the risk of cancer, the juice of the leaves cures toothache, swollen gums & oral ulcers, heals wounds when applied externally, convulsions, epilepsy, bacterial infections and so on and so forth.
Actually, I do not know where to stop.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Happily Marrieds Have Lower Blood Pressure Than Social Singles
Happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks. Both men and women in happy marriages scored four points lower on 24-hour blood pressure than single adults. Having supportive friends did not translate into improved blood pressure for singles or unhappily marrieds.
New research shows that happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks, suggesting marriage may literally be a matter of the heart.
A University professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad found that men and women in happy marriages scored four points lower on 24-hour blood pressure than single adults. Having a network of supportive friends did not translate into improved blood pressure for singles or unhappily marrieds, which surprised Holt-Lunstad and her two student collaborators.
The study also found, unsurprisingly, that unhappily married adults have higher blood pressure than both happily married and single adults.
Holt-Lunstad, a psychologist who studies relationships and health, arranged for 204 married and 99 single adults to wear portable blood pressure monitors, mostly concealed by their clothes, for 24 hours.
The monitors recorded blood pressure at random intervals throughout the day – even while participants slept. Each participant’s blood pressure level was recorded about 72 times.
All participants completed a roster of friends in their social network and answered questions about the quality of those relationships. Married participants also completed questionnaires on the quality of the relationship with their spouses.
With the monitors recording blood pressure both day and night, the researchers could see that blood pressure for married adults – especially those happily married – dipped more during sleep than happens with singles.
The research has shown that people whose blood pressure remains high throughout the night are at much greater risk of cardiovascular problems than people whose blood pressure dips. Holt-Lunstad said that spouses can promote healthy habits, such as encouraging each other to see a doctor and to eat healthy. The marriage relationship is also a source of emotional support in good and bad times. Sharing good news, for example, generates positive emotions, which in turn boosts the body’s functioning.
New research shows that happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks, suggesting marriage may literally be a matter of the heart.
A University professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad found that men and women in happy marriages scored four points lower on 24-hour blood pressure than single adults. Having a network of supportive friends did not translate into improved blood pressure for singles or unhappily marrieds, which surprised Holt-Lunstad and her two student collaborators.
The study also found, unsurprisingly, that unhappily married adults have higher blood pressure than both happily married and single adults.
Holt-Lunstad, a psychologist who studies relationships and health, arranged for 204 married and 99 single adults to wear portable blood pressure monitors, mostly concealed by their clothes, for 24 hours.
The monitors recorded blood pressure at random intervals throughout the day – even while participants slept. Each participant’s blood pressure level was recorded about 72 times.
All participants completed a roster of friends in their social network and answered questions about the quality of those relationships. Married participants also completed questionnaires on the quality of the relationship with their spouses.
With the monitors recording blood pressure both day and night, the researchers could see that blood pressure for married adults – especially those happily married – dipped more during sleep than happens with singles.
The research has shown that people whose blood pressure remains high throughout the night are at much greater risk of cardiovascular problems than people whose blood pressure dips. Holt-Lunstad said that spouses can promote healthy habits, such as encouraging each other to see a doctor and to eat healthy. The marriage relationship is also a source of emotional support in good and bad times. Sharing good news, for example, generates positive emotions, which in turn boosts the body’s functioning.
Phoenix Ice-sampling probe set to land on Mars
A new chapter in Mars exploration begins on Sunday 25th May 2008 when a small robotic probe jets down to the planet's Arctic Circle to learn if ice beneath its surface ever had the right chemistry to support life reports NASA mission managers.
NASA approved the mission, known as Phoenix, after the Mars orbiter Odyssey found ice surrounding the polar caps in 2002. Five probes landed near Mars' equatorial zones, including the rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which discovered signs of past surface water. Odyssey found no sign of buried ice around Mars' equator.
On Earth, the arctic regions hold the history of the planet's climate changes, which are locked layer by layer into the ice core. Usually this is where the history of life is preserved.
On Earth, the arctic regions hold the history of the planet's climate changes, which are locked layer by layer into the ice core. Usually this is where the history of life is preserved.
Phoenix is not going to search for life directly, but it should be able to determine if the Martian ice was ever liquid. Liquid water is believed to be an essential ingredient for life to exist.
Among Phoenix's science instruments are small ovens to vaporize and chemically analyze the Martian ice, revealing, some of the processes the molecules underwent before reaching their present condition. Other sensors will study minerals in the soil and ice and image the shape and structure of individual grains in the soil.
The U.S. space agency faces a formidable obstacle before its new round of Mars studies can begin. Phoenix has to land in a process that requires it to slow itself from 19,000Kph to zero in seven minutes. This will be a very nail-biting time for the team members.
Exploration program manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, which oversees Phoenix. From 170 million miles away, flight controllers will only be able to watch and wait to learn Phoenix's fate. Radio signals from Mars traveling at the speed of light take 15 minutes to reach Earth, so by the time flight controllers learn that the probe has begun its descent it already should have landed.
Among Phoenix's science instruments are small ovens to vaporize and chemically analyze the Martian ice, revealing, some of the processes the molecules underwent before reaching their present condition. Other sensors will study minerals in the soil and ice and image the shape and structure of individual grains in the soil.
The U.S. space agency faces a formidable obstacle before its new round of Mars studies can begin. Phoenix has to land in a process that requires it to slow itself from 19,000Kph to zero in seven minutes. This will be a very nail-biting time for the team members.
Exploration program manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, which oversees Phoenix. From 170 million miles away, flight controllers will only be able to watch and wait to learn Phoenix's fate. Radio signals from Mars traveling at the speed of light take 15 minutes to reach Earth, so by the time flight controllers learn that the probe has begun its descent it already should have landed.
Finally, Phoenix has to unfurl its solar power panels to begin collecting energy from the Sun. Otherwise its batteries will last just 31 hours. All of these events have to occur exactly as planned
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
One Lemon A Day Keeps Doc Away
Let me ask you people a question; (1) when did you last go to the market to buy lemon? When did you last have food poisoning?
Am sure the answer to first question is…..rarely…. especially with today’s food trends, no time for lemons. Answer to second question from most of you…quite often…especially for my dear bachelors who just drop into any joint and grab some bites.
Well I have good news for all those who want to defeat food poisoning and other funny ailments; but first you have to go to the market.
Lemon juice is well known as a refreshing drink and has been used since dawn of mankind. Lemon juice with water and sugar is undeniably the best drink to take when you have a fever. When the temperature of the body is high, whether from the effects of the sun or from the results of illness, it is necessary to take regular drinks in order to prevent dehydration. Sugar is not normally a desirable part of a healthy diet, nonetheless it has its part to play with lemons, and although there is no doubt that the addition of honey if available is very much to be preferred.
The high vitamin C content of the lemon has been used for hundreds of years to treat and ward off scurvy. The fruit also contains little sodium, so the fruit is good as a flavoring for those on a low salt diet.
The pulp left from the juicing experience is excellent for the skin and can also soothe the bites and stings of insects. If you add equal parts of distilled water and of glycerin to the lemon pulp residue the mixture can be made to keep the hands smooth.
Scientists have demonstrated that the extract of lemon when vaporized will neutralize the bacteria of meningococcus (that causes meningitis), typhoid, pneumococcus (pneumonia causing) and staphylococcus (that causes food poisoning) in 15 to 180 minutes. When you add lemon juice to raw food before eating destroys 92% of the bacteria present within 15 minutes. A good reason to wait before you eat!
This information is relevant to the idea that lemon juice is a most important therapy to be used in all cases of infection of the respiratory tract and as a general tonic.Provided that the juice is diluted with water, there is no danger in taking any reasonable quantity of lemon juice.
Be sure to choose firm, clear colored lemons that have not begun to wither and we are sure going to have a sick-free nation.
Am sure the answer to first question is…..rarely…. especially with today’s food trends, no time for lemons. Answer to second question from most of you…quite often…especially for my dear bachelors who just drop into any joint and grab some bites.
Well I have good news for all those who want to defeat food poisoning and other funny ailments; but first you have to go to the market.
Lemon juice is well known as a refreshing drink and has been used since dawn of mankind. Lemon juice with water and sugar is undeniably the best drink to take when you have a fever. When the temperature of the body is high, whether from the effects of the sun or from the results of illness, it is necessary to take regular drinks in order to prevent dehydration. Sugar is not normally a desirable part of a healthy diet, nonetheless it has its part to play with lemons, and although there is no doubt that the addition of honey if available is very much to be preferred.
The high vitamin C content of the lemon has been used for hundreds of years to treat and ward off scurvy. The fruit also contains little sodium, so the fruit is good as a flavoring for those on a low salt diet.
The pulp left from the juicing experience is excellent for the skin and can also soothe the bites and stings of insects. If you add equal parts of distilled water and of glycerin to the lemon pulp residue the mixture can be made to keep the hands smooth.
Scientists have demonstrated that the extract of lemon when vaporized will neutralize the bacteria of meningococcus (that causes meningitis), typhoid, pneumococcus (pneumonia causing) and staphylococcus (that causes food poisoning) in 15 to 180 minutes. When you add lemon juice to raw food before eating destroys 92% of the bacteria present within 15 minutes. A good reason to wait before you eat!
This information is relevant to the idea that lemon juice is a most important therapy to be used in all cases of infection of the respiratory tract and as a general tonic.Provided that the juice is diluted with water, there is no danger in taking any reasonable quantity of lemon juice.
Be sure to choose firm, clear colored lemons that have not begun to wither and we are sure going to have a sick-free nation.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Parents Pray for Miracle Cure, then Pray for Resurrection
Crazy parents
The police in the UK are investigating a couple who purposely chose to pray for their diabetic daughter rather than seek doctor’s advice. Unfortunately their daughter died and they again chose to pray for her to be resurrected.
Call it crazy world, but the couple is claiming that they are not religious…so what are they? Your guess is as good as mine.
Their daughter was suffering from a form of diabetes, ketoacidosis, which left her with too little insulin. When asked they further said they didn’t expect their daughter to die and blamed her death on lack of faith and still were insistent that their daughter was merely in a coma.
Interesting things…
The police in the UK are investigating a couple who purposely chose to pray for their diabetic daughter rather than seek doctor’s advice. Unfortunately their daughter died and they again chose to pray for her to be resurrected.
Call it crazy world, but the couple is claiming that they are not religious…so what are they? Your guess is as good as mine.
Their daughter was suffering from a form of diabetes, ketoacidosis, which left her with too little insulin. When asked they further said they didn’t expect their daughter to die and blamed her death on lack of faith and still were insistent that their daughter was merely in a coma.
Interesting things…
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