Coping skills

A diagnosis of cancer, whether yours or your child's, presents big challenges. Remember that no matter what your concerns or the prognosis, there are resources and strategies that may make dealing with cancer easier. Here are some suggestions for coping:

Learn all you can. Find out everything you can about your or your child's cancer — the type, stage and risks involved and your treatment options and their side effects. The more you know, the more you can participate in treatment decisions. In addition to talking with your doctor, look for information in your local library and from reliable Internet sources. The National Cancer Institute answers questions from the public over the phone at (800) 4-CANCER, or (800) 422-6237. Or contact the American Cancer Society at (800) ACS-2345, or (800) 227-2345.
Be proactive. Although you may feel tired and discouraged, don't let others — including your family and your doctor — make important decisions for you. It's vital that you take an active role in your own or your child's treatment.
Maintain a strong support system. Having a support system and a positive attitude can help you cope with the challenges cancer brings. Although friends and family can be your best allies, they sometimes may have trouble dealing with the illness of a loved one. If so, the concern and understanding of a formal support group or of others coping with their own cancer or that of their child can be especially helpful. Although support groups aren't for everyone, they can be a good source for practical information for you and your family, too. You may also develop deep and lasting bonds with people who are going through the same things you are.
Maintain hope. Although your hopes may change as you go through a cancer diagnosis and treatment, it's important to have hope. For example, when you first hear the diagnosis, you may hope that there's been a mistake. Once you accept the diagnosis, you'll hope for a good result from treatment. One way to maintain hope is to set goals. Having goals helps you feel in control and can give you a sense of purpose. But don't choose goals you can't possibly reach. You may not be able work a 40-hour week, for example, but you may be able to work part time. In fact, many people find that continuing to work and engage in everyday activities can be helpful.
Take time for yourself. Eating well, relaxing and getting enough rest can help combat the stress and fatigue of cancer. Also, plan ahead for the times when you may need to rest more or limit what you do. If your child has cancer, one of the most important things you can do is take care of yourself. As a caregiver, you need to have the strength and emotional reserves to meet your child's needs.
Stay active. Having cancer doesn't mean you have to stop doing the things you enjoy or normally do. For the most part, if you feel well enough to do something, go ahead and do it. It's important to stay involved as much as you can. If your child has cancer, try to keep his or her life as normal as possible.
Look for a connection to something beyond yourself. Having a strong faith or a sense of something greater than yourself seems to be a key factor in successfully coping with cancer.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy — also called radiotherapy or X-ray therapy — involves treating cancer with beams of high-energy particles, or waves (radiation), such as gamma rays or X-rays. Although radiation can affect healthy cells as well as cancer cells, it's much more harmful to cancer cells because cancer cells divide more rapidly than most healthy cells do. Cells are more vulnerable to damage when they're dividing, making cancer cells more susceptible to radiation than normal cells are. In addition, normal cells can recover from the effects of radiation more easily than cancer cells can.
Many people with cancer undergo some type of radiation therapy. Your doctor may suggest using radiation therapy at different times during your cancer treatment and for different reasons, such as before surgery to shrink a cancerous tumor or after surgery to stop the growth of any remaining cancer cells. In addition, doctors sometimes use radiation therapy to shrink tumors to decrease the pressure, pain or other symptoms they may cause.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses medications to kill rapidly dividing cells. These cells include cancer cells, which continuously divide to form more cells, and healthy cells that divide quickly, such as those in your bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system and hair follicles. Healthy cells usually recover shortly after chemotherapy is complete — so, for example, your hair soon starts growing again.
Unlike radiation therapy, which treats only the part of your body exposed to the radiation, chemotherapy treats the body as a whole (systemically). Its purpose is to treat cells that may have escaped from where the cancer originated.
Depending on the type of cancer you have and whether it has spread, your doctor may use chemotherapy to:
Eliminate all cancer cells in your body, even when cancer is widespread
Prolong your life by controlling cancer growth and spread
Relieve symptoms and enhance your quality of life
In some cases, chemotherapy may be the only treatment you need. More often, doctors use it in conjunction with other treatments, such as surgery or radiation, to improve results.

Surgery

Surgery is the most common treatment for bone cancer. Surgery for cancer that hasn't spread involves removing the cancer and a rim of healthy tissue surrounding it.
In the past, amputation was common for bone cancer in an arm or leg. Today, advances in surgical techniques and chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) or after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) and radiation therapy make limb-sparing surgery possible in many cases. With osteosarcoma, limb-sparing surgery involves replacing the cancerous bone with an artificial device (prosthesis) or bone from another part of your body or from another person (transplant).
If osteosarcoma spreads, it often goes to the lungs. Treatment may involve surgical removal of both the bone tumor and the cancer in the lung.
Ewing's sarcoma has a tendency to metastasize rapidly. Treatment may involve chemotherapy with multiple drugs as well as radiation therapy and surgery to remove the primary tumor.

Grading and staging

Besides determining whether the tissue is cancerous, examining tissue can determine how aggressive the cancer is (its grade). Further testing, such as scans and blood tests, will determine if the cancer has spread and how far (its stage).
Childhood bone cancers, such as osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, are generally grouped into two stages, depending on whether the cancer is contained in one part of the body (localized) or has spread to other parts (metastasized).
Survival is based on a number of factors, including the type of cancer, at what stage the cancer was discovered and where the tumor is located. If the tumor is very small and localized, the five-year survival rate is close to 90 percent. If the cancer has begun to spread, however, survival becomes more difficult.

Complications

The complications of bone cancer may include weakened bones and bone fractures. If the cancer spreads to other organs, complications include dysfunction of the affected organ, such as shortness of breath if it spreads to your lungs.

Treatment

As with other cancers, treatment for bone cancer depends on the size, type, location and stage of the cancer, including whether it has spread to the lungs or other parts of your body, and your overall health

Techniques for removing a sample of a suspected bone cancer include:

Needle biopsy:- Your doctor uses a thin needle to remove small pieces of tissue from the tumor. There are two types of needle biopsy — fine-needle aspiration and core biopsy. A core biopsy involves using a slightly larger needle to remove a small, solid core of tissue.

Surgical biopsy:- Your doctor makes an incision through your skin and removes either the entire tumor (excisional biopsy) or a portion of the tumor (incisional biopsy). In some cases you may need only local anesthesia. For a larger or deep-seated tumor, you'll likely require general anesthesia for the procedure. It's important that a doctor experienced in the treatment of sarcomas perform the excisional biopsy.

When to seek medical advice

Talk to your doctor if you develop signs or symptoms that may indicate bone cancer, such as unexplained bone pain. Having bone pain doesn't necessarily mean you have bone cancer. Bone pain is more commonly due to injuries or arthritis. And bone tumors are often noncancerous (benign). However, the only way to determine whether a tumor is cancerous or not is for a doctor to examine a sample of the tissue.

Screening and diagnosis

If your doctor suspects you have bone cancer, he or she will take a medical history and perform a physical exam. Imaging tests, such as X-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), enable your doctor to see and evaluate the area of concern. Your doctor may also request a bone scan, a procedure in which you're injected with a tiny amount of radioactive material, called a tracer, which can be detected by a special camera used to create images of your bones.
Determining whether a tumor is malignant requires removal of a sample of tissue (biopsy) from the tumor for examination. If your doctor suspects you have bone cancer, ask for a referral to a cancer doctor (oncologist) who specializes in bone cancer before the biopsy is performed.

Causes

Most of the time, rather than starting in bones, cancer cells spread (metastasize) to the bones from other areas of cancer in the body. This is called secondary or metastatic bone cancer. This means that the cancer originated in a different place but has now migrated to the bones. For example, lung cancer commonly spreads from the lungs to the bones.
In general, no one knows for certain what causes most primary bone cancer. Adults with Paget's disease of bone, which involves abnormal development of new bone cells, may be at increased risk of osteosarcoma.
In a few cases, bone cancers may have a hereditary component, such as in:

Li-Fraumeni syndrome:- This condition is characterized by an increased risk of many different cancers, including osteosarcoma, leukemia, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and others.
Rothmund-Thomson syndrome:- This condition causes short stature, skeletal problems and rashes, and increases risk of bone cancer.
Hereditary retinoblastoma:- Children with this rare cancer of the eye have an increased risk of osteosarcoma.
Multiple exostoses:- Children with this inherited condition that causes cartilage bumps to form on your bones have an increased risk of chondrosarcoma.

Radiation is occasionally associated with bone cancer. Exposure to radiation from an X-ray won't harm you. But heavy doses of radiation, such as radiation therapy given for other cancers, can increase your risk of developing bone cancer, especially if you receive the therapy at a young age. Still, radiation therapy is becoming more and more sophisticated, which may lead to fewer of such side effects. For example, doctors today are better able to regulate doses of radiation and more precisely target the tumor being treated.

Bone cancer

Cancer that originates in the bone — primary bone cancer — is rare. The condition affects more children than adults. More often, cancer cells spread (metastasize) to the bones from other areas of cancer in your body.
The most common forms of primary bone cancer are:
Osteosarcoma, which occurs primarily in growing bone tissue
Chondrosarcoma, which occurs in cartilage
Ewing's sarcoma, which arises primarily in immature tissue in bone marrow
Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma occur most often in children, adolescents and young adults, ages 10 to 25. Chondrosarcoma is more common in adults.
Treatment of bone cancer depends on the type of bone cancer, as well as its location, size and stage.

Signs and symptoms

Pain is the most common symptom of bone cancer. Although bone cancer can arise in any of your body's 206 bones, it most frequently occurs in the long bones of your arms and legs.
Other possible signs and symptoms of bone cancer include:
1. Weakened bones, sometimes leading to fractures
2. Joint swelling and tenderness (for tumors in or near joints)
3. Fatigue
4. Fever
5. Weight loss
6. Anemia

Sniffing Out Cancer


Two new developments in cancer research involve detecting cancer cells based on the gases they emit – either through exhaled breath, or from skin.
We’ve heard from those who know that cancer stinks. Turns out, it really does. Scientists this month have discovered in two separate studies that cancer molecules give off gases that are different from, well, the regular gases our bodies emit. The studies were both inspired by dogs. The first study, performed by scientists at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, and presented at the 236th meeting of the American Chemical Society, was developed after years of anecdotal reports of dogs being able to correctly identify melanomas based on their scents. The researchers wanted to find out if gases, detectable as odors, were composed of different molecules than gases that are given off by healthy skin. First the team examined healthy skin samples from 25 men and women. They determined that "regular" skin emits about 92 different molecular compounds into the air immediately around it, a combination of organically occurring molecules and those from soap and other environmental sources. Then they narrowed down the chemicals to six naturally occurring gases, and when samples of skin with basal cell carcinoma (the most common form of skin cancer) were compared to the healthy skin, the chemicals were different. What this means, say the researchers, is that the carcinoma cells have a different gas profile than regular cells, meaning they have a particular "odor" that could someday be used to help identify various types of skin or other cancers. The second development in cancer detection research involves a team working at the University of Oklahoma. Led by electrical engineering and computer science professor Patrick McCann, the team hopes to develop a hand-held breath sensor that can detect cancer. They’re using mid-infrared lasers to detect gases exhaled in human breath that may be markers of certain cancers. The Oklahoma team’s research was also inspired by our canine friends. A study done in March of 2006 showed that dogs could accurately identify a high percentage of lung and breast cancers by sniffing samples of exhaled air from cancer patients (97 and 88 percent, respectively). The researchers concluded that the dogs must be smelling chemical differences in the breath of cancer patients. The Oklahoma researchers are not working, like the Monell team, to identify which gases are different, but rather they are developing the technology to enable doctors to do so with a high level of accuracy and ease of use. Professor McCann says they plan to use nanotechnology to make the laser detection systems small enough to use as hand-held devices. Though the development of such a device could still take five to ten years before it would reach the public market, its potential significance to the field of cancer research and treatment is great. "A device that measures cancer-specific gases in exhaled breath would change medical research as we know it," said McCann to reporters. Just make sure to remember, when all is said and done, to thank your trusty pal Fido. The scientists involved in these studies, and future cancer patients, will be glad that cancer research has gone to the dogs.

Breaking the Fast

The great benefit may all be lost, and followed by harmful after effects, if the fast is not broken in the right way. In fact, the best effects of a fast depend upon the dietetic management after it is broken. The longer the fast, the more care must be taken in breaking it.
The greatest danger lies in eating too frequently and too much at a time. After a long fast the digestive organs are in a condition of complete inactivity, and to overload them suddenly with a large amount of food may provoke acute attacks of indigestion and produce many other kinds of serious disturbances. The organs must be trained to return to normal activity gradually, beginning with very small quantities of light food.

Sequence

1st Minute : Break the fast with a few tablespoonfuls of freshly toasted popcorn, unsalted and unbuttered.
1st Day : The popcorn may be followed, within an hour by some mild fruit juice, preferably lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit juice. Not more than the juice of half a grapefruit or of one orange should be taken at a time.
Thereafter : The quantity of undiluted fruit juice may be gradually increased to three or four half-full tumblers. On the 3rd day, the meat of acidic or sub acidic fruits may be taken instead of the juice alone.
Next : The fruit diet may be supplemented with raw vegetables and salads. The raw food diet may be followed by the regular vegetarian diet.

Reactions caused by Fasting

Gas Formation : One of the common symptoms exhibited after starting on a fast is excessive gas production accompanied by rumbling in the bowels and colicky pains.

Temperature : In many instances, the temperature rises during the first day of the fast and sometimes a slight febrile condition prevails during the entire period or subsides after a few weeks. In other cases a lowering of the temperature below normal is observed. All these and similar reactions are not of a serious nature.

Cotton Mouth : Another unpleasant but perfectly natural symptom is the gathering of thick and sticky viscous accumulations of saliva in the mouth.

Bilious Vomiting : In some cases where the liver has been enlarged and gorged with morbid accumulations, bile gets discharged in large quantities into the intestine and from there it regurgitates into the stomach, causing bilious vomiting of an extremely offensive character. This symptom is more terrifying than dangerous. It is a rather unpleasant but nevertheless an effective way of "house cleaning".

Offensive Sweat odour : Another unpleasant symptom which we frequently observe during prolonged fasting is a very offensive odor of perspiration, which indicates vigorous elimination of pathogenic materials through the skin.

Fruit Juices in Fasting

Fruit juices are rich in mineral salts which are necessary to neutralize the negative pathogenic substances with which the circulation is flooded during the fast.
Besides having a neutralizing and eliminating effect, they are splendid tonics and antiseptics and are rich in vitamins which sustain and stimulate the vital activities. Fasting, therefore, is much easier to endure and more pleasant when the diluted fruit juices are taken.
Fruit juices should not be taken pure or in large quantities because in this form they may excite the digestive process. There is no danger of this, however, when they are taken in dilute form; for instance, add the juice of half an orange or half a lemon to a tumbler full of cold water. The water should be of natural or room temperature. Ice Water should not be used under any circumstances.

FASTING

In nature cure, one of the very important tools for health and disease cure is fasting.
Many people are learning the trick of curing their colds, headaches, nervous spells and other acute troubles by missing a few meals or taking a short fast. It is the simplest and the most efficient way of relieving the overloaded and "food-poisoned" system. You would be surprised to know how little food is actually required to keep the individual healthy.
One of the commonest complaints of the sick is that they have "lost their appetite". In fact, the greatest blessing to them would be to lose their appetite long enough to find their hunger. Loss of appetite is an indication that the system is overcharged with toxins and nature is trying to correct this by giving a chance to the waste accumulation in the organs to escape from the system.
Fasting as a remedy is fully in harmony with the "nature-cure" philosophy of the cause of disease. If the disease is created by an abnormal accumulation of toxins in the system, it stands to reason that fasting will help in their elimination from the system. The membranous linings of the stomach and intestine which act as a "sponge" to absorb food materials are now "squeezed" to throw out the waste matter from the system.

Exercises While Fasting
The idea prevails that during a prolonged fast one should have complete rest. This however, is a serious mistake. There is no reason why one should not take the usual amount of or accomplish the accustomed daily tasks, provided, these do not strain the physical and mental energy to the point of exhaustion.

Preparation for Fasting

Beginning a fast anytime may be all right in certain cases which are not affected by serious chronic diseases. But in a diseased condition, it is much safer to prepare the system for the fast through a low protein diet rich in positive mineral elements, or better still through a raw food diet and through systematic natural treatment. Large amounts of negative pathogenic materials eliminated from the tissues and thrown into circulation must be neutralized by the positive alkaline mineral elements and eliminated from the system. These neutralizing and purifying elements can be introduced into the system only through a fruit and vegetable diet, low in starch and protein matter and rich in the positive alkaline mineral elements. When the natural diet and treatment have purified the system sufficiently then the physiological and psychological moment for fasting has arrived. The system is not in condition for the digestion and assimilation of food. Therefore fasting becomes imperative.

Kinds of Fasts

The Regular Fast : No food, but sufficient water to quench the thirst to dilute the pathogenic materials and thereby facilitate elimination through the skin and kidneys.
The Dry Fast : This means total abstinence from food and drink. It is a powerful method for promoting elimination of morbid matter and disease taints.
The Seven Day Fast : Cannot produce any harmful or weakening results.
The Long Fast : Extends from one to seven or more weeks, according to individual indications and the vitality of the patient.

Naturopathy

Nature Cure or Naturopathy

Naturopathy is a system of medicine aimed to diagnose and treat any human ailment, pain and injury through the use of natural elements, mainly 5 in number - Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
Naturopathy believes that all forms of disease are due to the same cause, that is, the accumulation of waste materials and toxins in our bodies that are steadily piling up.
“Nature cure believes that disease is one , its cause is one and so its treatment is one”.

How do the waste materials pile up?

·Natural means - Our body is made up of cells, some of which continuously die and are replaced by new ones. The old dead cells are foreign material to the body and need to be eliminated. In addition, processes of the living cells also generate toxic wastes due to metabolic reactions.
·Unnatural means - Wrong ways of life also cause production of excess toxins.
·When these toxins are not eliminated at a reasonably fast rate, a diseased condition is created.

Myth !! Germs cause Disease

·Germs do not cause disease but are found breeding in the accumulating waste matter in the body. In a healthy body, having normal secretions and excretions, the germs cannot find a breeding ground and are destroyed by the antibodies present in the secretions. There have been extensive experiments to prove this.
"Just as mud cannot stick to a smooth, oily surface, similarly, the germs cannot blemish a healthy body."
·Germs are part of the result of disease and not the cause.
·Nature Cure recognizes this. Instead of concentrating its energy on killing germs, the activity of which we cannot escape when the conditions are ripe, nature cure attempts to invigorate the system, to build up blood and lymph, and to purify the tissues so that germ activity is rendered inconsequential.
·Exercise keeps the balance between nutrition and drainage. Exercise -both physical and mental - help greatly in removing toxins. Exercises provide for a greater intake of oxygen and help in improving blood circulation. Organ massage also takes place.

Honey & Cinnamon

Uses of Honey & Cinnamon & it's Benefits

It is found that mixture of Honey and Cinnamon cures most of the diseases.
Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Ayurvedic as well as Yunani medicine have been using honey as a vital medicine for centuries.
Scientists of today also accept honey as a Ram Ban (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases.
Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet,if taken in the right dosage as medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients also.
A famous magazine named Weekly World News published in Canada dated 17 January 1995 has given a list of diseases that can be cured by Honey and Cinnamon as researched by western scientists.

ARTHRITIS:
Take one part honey to two parts of Luke warm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder, make a paste and massage it on the itching part of the body. It is noticed that the pain recedes within a minute or two. Or for arthritis patients daily morning and night take one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If drunk regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.
In a recent research done at the Coppen Hagen University. It was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week out of the 200 people so treated practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

HAIR LOSS:
Those suffering from hair loss or baldness may apply a paste of hot olive oil, one tablespoon or honey, one teaspoon cinnamon powder before bath and keep it for approx. 15 min. and then wash the hair. It was found very effective even if kept for 5 min. also.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of Luke warm water and drink it. It destroys the germs of the bladder.

TOOTHACHE:
Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and apply on the aching tooth. This may be done 3 times a day daily till such time that the tooth has stopped aching.

CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water if given to a cholesterol patient,it reduces the level of cholesterol in the body by 10% within2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken 3 times a day any chronic cholesterol cured. As per the information received in the said journal,pure honey taken with food daily relieves complains of cholesterol.

COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon Luke warm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the
sinuses.

DATES (Khajoor)

"if anyone of you is fasting, let him break his fast with dates. In case he does not have them, then with water. Verily water is a purifier."
The Prophet used to break his fast by eating some dates before offering Maghrib prayer, and if ripe dates were not available, he used to substitute them with some dried grapes. When they too were not available, he used to have a few sips of water, according to some reports. Modern science has proved that dates are part of a healthy diet. They contain sugar, fat and proteins, as well as important vitamins. Hence the great importance attached to them by the Prophet.
Dates are also rich in natural fibres. Modern medicine has shown that they are effective in preventing abdominal cancer. They also surpass other fruits in the sheer variety of their constituents. They contain oil, calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium. In other words, one date is a minimum of a balanced and healthy diet. Arabs usually combine dates with milk and yogurt or bread, butter and fish. This combination indeed makes a self-sufficient and tasty diet for both mind and body. Dates and date palms have been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an 20 times, thus showing their importance. The Prophet likened a good Muslim to the date palm, saying, "Among trees, there is a tree like a Muslim. Its leaves do not fall."
Sayyidah Mariam (the Virgin Mary) mother of Jesus (Pbuh) had dates as her food when she felt labour pains and during confinement. They are definitely the "crown of sweets," and ideal food which is easy to digest, and within half an hour of taking it, the tired body regains a renewed vigour. The reason for this is that a shortage of sugar in the blood is the main factor that makes people feel hungry and not an empty stomach as is often assumed. When the body absorbs the nutritional essence of a few dates, the feeling of hunger becomes appeased. When one breaking the fast with dates takes some other food afterwards, he cannot eat much. It would seem that breaking the fast with dates then helps one avoid excessive eating.
Experiments have also shown that dates contain some stimulants that strengthen the muscles of the uterus in the last months of pregnancy. This helps the dilation of the uterus at the time of delivery on one hand and reduces the bleeding after delivery on the other. Dieticians consider dates as the best food for women in confinement and those who are breast-feeding. This is because dates contain elements that assist in alleviating depression in mothers and enriching the breast-milk with all the elements needed to make the child healthy and resistant to disease. The Prophet (Pbuh) has emphasized the importance of dates and their effectiveness in the growth of the fetus. He has also recommended they be given to women. Modern dietary institute now recommend dates to be given to children suffering from a nervous nature or hyperactivity. The Prophet (Pbuh) has also recommended dates as a medicine for heart troubles, according to some reports. Modern science has also proved the effectiveness of date, in preventing diseases of the respiratory system.Sayyidah Ayisha, (R.A.) wife of Prophet (Pbuh), used to prescribe dates for those suffering from giddiness. It is now well known that a fall in the level of the sugar in the blood and low blood pressure are among the causes of giddiness. She was also reported to have used dates combined with cucumber to treat her over-slim condition! She said, "they've tried to fatten me giving me everything. But I did not become fat. Then they fattened me with cucumber and ripe dates and I gained!" Ayisha was quite correct, as we now know that one kilogram of dates contains nearly 3,000 calories which alone are sufficient to supply the minimum daily requirements of an active man for one full day.Dates are rich in several vitamins and minerals. When the level of trace elements falls in the body, the health of the blood vessels is affected leading to an increased heart-rate and a consequent inability to perform its function with normal efficiency. As dates are also rich in calcium, they help strengthen the bones. When the calcium content in the body decreases, children are affected with rickets and the bones of adults become brittle and weak.Dates are also important in keeping up the health of eyes. It is quite effective in guarding against night-blindness. In the early years of Islam, dates served as food for Muslim warriors. They used to carry them in special bags hung at their sides. They are the best stimulant for muscles and so the best food for a warrior about to engage in battle.The Prophet (Pbuh) used to combine dates with bread sometimes. At other times he mixed ripe dates with cucumber, or dates combined with ghee. He used to take all varieties of dates, but he preferred the variety called Ajwah.

Stretches and Vitamin vitals

Stretch at the desk

Stretching plays a key role in a balanced fitness program. It prevents injury, reduces muscles tension and relaxes the body, increases blood supply and nutrients to tissues, while increasing flexibility, improving posture and keeping the body agile. Here are simple stretches that anyone can do anytime, preferably twice a day.


Neck Stretch
Drop your head to the right side and then to the left bringing your ear close to your shoulder.

Shoulder Stretch
Cross the right arm horizontally over your chest, placing your left hand just above the elbow joint, pull the right arm closer towards your chest. Repeat with the left arm.

Chest Stretch
Clasp your hands behind you so that you feel a stretch in your chest muscles.

Upper Back Stretch
Clasp your hands in front of you so that you feel the stretch in your upper back.

Arms Stretch
Extend both hands straight above your head, palms together in a namaste.

Shoulder Rolls
Rotate your shoulders forward a few times and then in the reverse direction. Remember to hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Breathe normally when you hold the stretch and don’t hold your breath.


Are vitamins vital?

Are you considering taking vitamin or mineral supplements? Do you think you need them or plan to go for it anyway since they “can’t hurt”? Well, think again. Our body needs a small amount of vitamins and minerals everyday.
“Research indicates that most of the vitamins we get from the food we eat are better than those contained in tablets. However, some people may need supplements to correct deficiencies of particular vitamins or minerals. Low levels of certain vitamins may lead to a deficiency disease.”
Taking too many vitamins can also be dangerous. This is especially true of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, because it’s harder for the body to get rid of any excess through urine. “If you’re generally healthy and eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meats and fish, you don’t need dietary supplements.”
Dietary supplements can complement your regular diet, but are not food substitutes.

Who needs Dietary Supplements?
They may be appropriate if you…
Don’t eat well or consume less than 1,600 calories a day.
Are allergic to particular foods.
Are a geriatric patient unable to consume balanced diets.
Are a vegetarian and don’t substitute or complement your diet appropriately.
Are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Are a woman who experiences heavy bleeding during the menstrual period.
Are a postmenopausal woman.
Are a chain smoker or alcoholic.
Have a medical condition that affects how your body absorbs, uses or excretes nutrients, such as diarrhea, food allergy, disease of the liver, gallbladder, intestines or pancreas.
Have had surgery on your digestive tract and are not able to digest and absorb nutrients.

What to Look For
Check the label for the ingredients.
Look for expiration dates. Dietary supplements can lose potency over time, especially in hot and humid climates.
Avoid supplements that provide mega doses.
Choose those that provide about 100 percent of the daily value (DV) of all the vitamins and minerals, rather than one, for example, with 500 percent of the DV for one vitamin and 20 percent of another.

Mind management

In Commune with self

We are constantly surrounded by the clamour of traffic, television, computers and of course cell phones. It is no wonder then, that we often can’t hear ourselves think – or even talk. Somewhere our lives seem to have lost that quiet, alone-time. It is important to pull away from the outer world of commotion and reconnect to our inner silence.
Sit quietly with hands at your sides or in your lap. Now, with your eyes closed, start to breathe lightly and easily. Let your attention follow your breath. Continue this exercise for two to five minutes – just closing your eyes and focusing your mind on easy, natural breathing.
Focusing on the breath means keeping the mind alert and free of clutter. The mind often wanders, so this discipline trains the mind to develop focus and concentration.
Meditation is concentration. It is not really forcing your mind to be quiet; it is finding the quiet that is already there. And it requires perseverance to be able to plunge deep within.
As you meditate regularly, you will find an appearance of youthful energy and vitality; and calmness that the restless mind so often craves for.

Benefits

Nowadays, stress, depression and physical illness are major health concerns.
Meditation causes deep relaxation at the nervous system level, at the muscles level and in the internal organs. Our heart’s ejection fraction improves and even cholesterol management improves. It is observed that since tension in the arteries is reduced, blood pressure is also regulated. Overall, general well-being is felt instantly. In case of diabetics, glucose tolerance improves to a great extent. So, the insulin dependency reduces. It is observed that if it was a stress diabetic that is the occurrence of diabetics is after the age of 40 years and above, the dependency on medicines is greatly reduced.
Day-to-day stress is managed efficiently through meditation, 5 to 10 minutes of meditation is recommended for persons who are sick or healthy, burdened with responsibilities or pressed for time.
Meditation de-stresses the mind. The mind is able to concentrate better and there is greater clarity of thought. Regular practice equips the mind to deal with life’s problems calmly.
The heart rate and respiration rate slows down – this results in efficient working of the heart and lungs. When the mind is calm, there is better balance in the body as the cells work in unison, bringing harmony and health to the system.

Losing Fat

Lose Fat Naturally

You can burn fat naturally and permanently if you just follow some simple methods.

Exercise – Starting your day with exercise first thing in the morning helps burn fat more effectively by elevating the metabolism. After a sleep of about six hours, the body uses up all the carbohydrates for body functions. Hence, it now uses body fat to provide energy, burning calories in the process.

Don’t skip Breakfast

Your morning meal is what kick-starts the metabolism. Have a perfect low-fat breakfast with complex carbs to start burning fat.

Low-Fat is the Best


Opt for low-fat dairy products instead of whole fat. Use herbs and lime instead of mayo salad dressing, Grilling, steaming, microwaving are better than deep or shallow frying.

Avoid Sugar and highly processed Foods at bedtime

These include breads, snacks and candies. Eating these foods immediately before sleeping will result in increased fat deposits and prevent your body from staying in fat-burning mode.

Don’t Starve, Eat less


Time your meals so that you eat before being hit by hunger pangs. This will help you eat less. Having smaller and healthier meals at regular intervals will help burn more calories.

Walk to Revive your Metabolism

Walk for 10 minutes after each meal or 30 minutes in the evening.

Increase Roughage

Larger amounts of greens and salads will significantly aid efforts to burn fat.

Stay Active

To burn more calories, park your car farther away from the store, use the stairs instead of the elevator and if you’re gossiping, do so standing.

Body Basics

Foot Care

Bathe your feet everyday. Lather with an antibacterial soap and scrub with a loofah.
Dry your feet completely when you’re done. Leftover moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria, which causes odour.
Always cut your nails and file them to a suited shape.
Take care of your cuticles and use cuticle softener and orange stick to push them back.
Buff your feet with foot paddles or pumice stone to avoid dry skin.
To relax and relieve tired feet, soak them in salt solution.
Massage your feet with foot cream and not lotions, because cream has more percentage of nourishing oil.
Apply sunscreen to protect your feet in the summer and nourishing cream in winter.
Avoid too much contact of feet water as it dehydrates the skin.
Tight shoes make your feet sweat more than normal. Make sure yours aren’t.
Sun your shoes to keep them bacteria-free.
Go barefoot. Let your feet breathe.
At night, apply moisturizer, and then slip on a pair of cotton socks for soft feet.

Anger management

How can we Reduce Anger?

Heard the saying, anger is one word short of danger? Well, it’s true. People with short temper are also vulnerable to heart-related ailments. Anger could be triggered by stress, lack of sleep, crash diets and insufficient water intake. Here are simple things one can do to arrest anger.
Practice relaxation exercises and breathing techniques to calm the mind and body.
Learn to resolve conflicts through effective communication minus outbursts.
Use problem-solving techniques such as goal setting and time management to reduce stress levels.
Eating well and at regular intervals helps to keep energy levels in check.
Get at least 6-8 hours of sleep, so that you don’t feel irritable and grouchy.
Take a break when you’re tired. This can help you rejuvenate.
Keep yourself upbeat by indulging in a hobby.
Compartmentalise your work and personal lives.
Nurture your support systems, like family and friends.
Regular exercise helps to keep the mind and body fresh.
Seek counseling for interpersonal conflicts.
Be assertive instead of aggressive.

Strategies to Control Aggression

Accept that being angry is perfectly normal.
Identfy your source/trigger of anger.
Shift your focus from ‘what was done to me’ to ‘what I can do’.
Create positive self-talk.
Identify your irrational beliefs.
Think of a more rational and adaptive plan of action.
Change thoughts that provoke anger, interpreting the situation from a different(less provocative) point of view.
Write down angry thoughts.
Focus on gratitude – make a list of things you are thankful for.

Know your Thyroid

Today’s superwoman, balancing home and carrier may be more prone to thyroid disorders than she realizes. The pressures of multitasking put her system at risk, which goes up particularly for new mothers.


What is Thyroid?

The thyroid is butterfly-shaped gland in front of the neck, which produces the hormones T3 and T4. The thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) produced by the pituitary gland controls their production.

What Causes Hypothyroidism?

Stress makes the thyroid gland falter. It has a strong genetic basis and a gender bias, being more common among women.

What are the Symptoms of Hypothyroidism?

It’s often linked to depression or abnormal cholesterol and sugar levels, particularly during pregnancy or lactation. There are a number of subtle symptoms which mimic hypothyroidism, the commonest being “feeling drained or tired”. This is often accompanied by weight gain, swelling of the feet, body or face, water retention, irregular cycles, dry skin, constipation and hair loss.

How is it Tested and Treated?

Usually, blood tests of Free T3, Free T4 and TSH are conducted. The thyroid hormone replacement (T4) pill has to be taken life long.

Tips to Control Hypothyroidism?

Eat right and less, walk more, sleep well, smile.
Take medicine regularly.
Drinked boiled or mineral water; avoid water filters, which use iodine as disinfectants.
Avoid iodine-rich foods like broccoli, soya, prawns, shellfish and crabs.
Get Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 levels checked, particularly if you’re a vegetarian.
Test your thyroid regularly and keep it in control.
The winter season aggravates thyroid, so be careful.You Lifestyle measures like yoga have long-term benefits.