Sunday, September 30, 2012

7 ways to calm your upset stomach


7 ways to calm your upset stomach


Maybe you've just eaten, or finished a meal an hour or so ago — and now our stomach just doesn't "feel right." You feel bloated and uncomfortable. Or maybe it's more of a burning sensation. Maybe you feel queasy, or even throw up. You might say you have an "upset stomach" or indigestion. If there is no known medical cause for your symptoms, your doctor would call it "dyspepsia" or "bad digestion."
Indigestion is real. The medical term for persistent upper abdominal pain or discomfort without an identifiable medical cause is functional dyspepsia. Eating often triggers symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Sometimes the discomfort begins during the meal, other times about half an hour later. It tends to come and go in spurts over a period of about three months. One of the annoying things about functional dyspepsia is that a medical workup often finds no physical or anatomical cause for it.
If you suffer from functional dyspepsia, you're not alone. Roughly 25% of the population is affected, and it hits men and women equally. It's responsible for a significant percentage of visits to primary care doctors; in part because many people worry they might have an ulcer. It's a reasonable concern, given that 10% of Americans develop a peptic ulcer at some time in their lives. While it's frustrating that the cause of functional dyspepsia is unknown, it's even more frustrating that there is no surefire cure.
The good news is that there are simple things you can try to help get some relief.
  1. Avoid foods that trigger your symptoms.
  2. Eat small portions and don’t overeat; try eating smaller, more frequent meals and be sure to chew food slowly and completely.
  3. Avoid activities that result in swallowing excess air, such as smoking, eating quickly, chewing gum, and drinking carbonated beverages.
  4. Reduce your stress. Try relaxation therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy, or exercise. An aerobic workout 3-5 times per week can help, but don’t exercise right after eating.
  5. Get enough rest.
  6. Don’t lie down within two hours of eating.
  7. Keep your weight under control.
For more on diagnosing and treating indigestion, buy The Sensitive Gut by Harvard Medical School.

Putting the kibosh on belching

Constant burping can be annoying...and embarrassing! But there are some simple steps that can help you squelch belching. The key is to reduce the amount of air you swallow.
Start by looking at some simple habits. Two of the biggest culprits behind swallowing too much air are chewing gum and smoking. Drop these habits and you'll be gulping less air—and quitting smoking has even more important health benefits! If you wear dentures, make sure they fit snugly. And avoid "high air" foods and beverages like carbonated beverages and whipped desserts. After eating, consider taking a stroll rather than plunking down in front of the TV. Staying upright and moving helps your stomach empty and relieves bloated feelings. When it's time to go to bed, try sleeping on your stomach or right side to aid in the escape of gas and alleviate fullness.
Some people swear by eating brown rice or barley broth regularly. Papaya and pineapple are also said to help. Whatever you eat, chew foods slowly, avoid washing meals down with liquids, and try to eat smaller servings. If you find that you're swallowing a lot of air often, talk with your doctor. Sometimes this problem (aerophagia) can be related to stress or anxiety and treating these underlying issues may help calm your digestive tract.
For more information and advice on ways to control discomfort in your digestive system, buy The Sensitive Gut from Harvard Medical School.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

[menow] Resourcefu​l and Informativ​e Websites with lots of tools and documents to download and knowledge to share


Resourceful and Informative Websites with lots of tools and documents to download and knowledge to share

This website is just enough for any documentation and knowledge – filled with awesome information and downloads

For Behavior modification etc., - http://behavioradvisor.com/oldindex.html

Lots of ideas and interventions - http://www.interventioncentral.org/index.php

For teachers and school psychologists –

Psychological Groups with Resources @ FB
A Psychotherapy Book Club where you can download good psychology books
A psychiatry discussion forum where intense discussion takes place on cases by psychiatrists and psychologists
An informative forum where jobs, seminars, conferences, workshops in INDIA and around the world are posted

A discussion forum where psychological cases relating to adolescents and adults are discussed

A page for free and paid webinars happening around the world

Fusing good taste and good nutrition

Fusing good taste and good nutrition
Every spring, Harvard Medical School's Department of Continuing Education, The Osher Institute at Harvard Medical School, and The Culinary Institute of America present a special event called "Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives."
This four-day conference brings together doctors, dietitians, and health care professionals for an experience that combines the latest nutrition research with healthy cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops.
Here are some practical tips for nutritious and delicious home-cooking from a recent Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives.
Make plants the main attraction
A substantial amount of research shows that people who eat a plant-based diet — mainly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes — live longer and enjoy better health than people whose diets consist mainly of animal-based foods like meat.
Many cultures developed their cuisines around plant foods out of necessity. Traditionally, animal protein was expensive, so limited quantities were available. Mediterranean, Latin American, and Asian cultures are known for pairing healthy plant foods with lean protein (fish, chicken) and monounsaturated fat (olive oils, nuts).
These diets can have substantial health benefits. For example, a Mediterranean-style diet has been found responsible for:
  • longer life expectancy
  • reduced heart disease
  • relief from rheumatoid arthritis
  • lower rates of Parkinson's disease
  • lower rates of Alzheimer's disease
Here are three tips to get creative with your plant-based meals:
  1. Follow the motto "If it grows together, it goes together." For example, try the Spanish sauce called romesco over grilled vegetables. It's made from roasted red peppers, olive oil, and nuts.
  2. Make olive oil really shine by matching a bold olive oil, such as a Tuscan varietal, with other bold flavors, such as rosemary and pine nuts.
  3. Complement a milder olive oil, such as a French varietal, with subtly flavored foods.
Eat locally
Locally grown foods may be fresher and have higher nutrient content. Since they spend less time being shipped and handled, they may look and taste better.
Spice it up
Despite the lack of research on their health benefits, spices, herbs, and aromatics (any plant, herb, or spice that adds lively scent to a beverage or food) make other plant foods mouth-watering treats. And they are definitely a healthier option than piling on the salt. Unlike salt, spices have not been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke.
Here are four ways to ensure the quality and flavor of your spices:
  1. Buy them in small quantities and in their whole form to ensure freshness.
  2. Store them in a cool, dry space.
  3. Grind them right before use.
  4. Toast them dry in a hot skillet or stir-fry them in oil over medium-high heat (both for just 10-20 seconds).
Get excited about whole grains
Rich in fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium, whole grains (such as whole-wheat bread or pasta, or brown rice) are far better nutritionally than refined grains (such as white bread or white rice). And they make you feel fuller longer. Because the starch inside of them is absorbed more slowly, they're less likely than refined grains to quickly be stored as fat. Regular consumption of whole grains also reduces the risk of:
  • diabetes
  • cancer
  • heart disease
  • stroke
  • diet-related depression (usually associated with very low-carbohydrate diets)
Here are five ways to incorporate different types of whole grains into your diet:
  1. Use whole-grain bread, pasta, and brown or wild rice.
  2. Try grains from around the world such as teff, spelt, farro, kamut, and amaranth.
  3. Blend whole grains with colorful vegetables, spices, and olive oil.
  4. Eat whole-grain cold or hot cereals, adding fruit, low-fat milk, or nuts.
  5. Season whole grains with sweet spices like nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and masala spice.
Go a little nuts
In a large trial of men and women, eating nuts five times a week or more lowered diabetes risk by 27%. In another large study, women who ate nuts just about every day lowered their risk of heart disease by 32%.
However, since a one-ounce portion of nuts can pack 160 calories or more, eat them in moderation to help prevent weight gain. Two tasty suggestions: toasted pine nuts sprinkled over whole-grain pasta, or almonds on cereal.
Following the above advice will not only make your meals nutritious, but will also allow you to enjoy some of the most delicious food you've ever eaten.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

ACIDITY

Acidity

Our stomach produces acid to digest the food that we eat. This is a regular and natural process. Whenever we eat, cells within the lining of the stomach pump acid to liquefy your sumptuous dinner, from mash potatoes to a slab of steak.

Problem occurs when these cells produce large amount of acid, more than your stomach needs. When this happens, you will suffer from stomach acidity. You would know if you were suffering from stomach acidity if you feel a burning sensation just above the stomach, or right below (the hollow part) your breastbone. This is the most classic sign of acidity.

Symptoms:

Respiratory problems.

inadequate weight.

vomiting.

coughing.

turning down food.

heartburn, chest and stomach pain, gas formation in stomach.

Root Causes

A weakness of the valve between the stomach and oesophagus (food pipe) can cause a reflux of the acid from the stomach to the lower part of the oesophagus. This gastro-oesophageal reflux can cause heart-burn.
Sometimes, a heavy meal or increase in intra-abdominal pressure such as while straining or lifting weights, can bring about this reflux.
Excess acid secretion can also cause acidity and ulcers, when the normal protective lining of the stomach and duodenum (the part of the intestine that joins the stomach), is damaged. The resulting ulcer is called gastric ulcer if it is in the stomach and duodenal ulcer if it is in the duodenum.
In a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, a large amount of acid is secreted because of stimulation by tumours located in the pancreas or duodenum.
Any kind of break down in the defense mechanisms that protect the stomach and intestine from damage by acid can cause acidity.
The body secretes bicarbonate into the mucous layer, which neutralises the acid. Hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins, help to keep the blood vessels in the stomach dilated, ensuring adequate blood flow.
Lack of adequate blood flow to the stomach may contribute to ulcers.
Prostaglandins are also believed to stimulate bicarbonate and mucous production, which help protect the stomach.
Consumption of alcohol, highly spicy foodstuffs, irregular food habits, and Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) also predispose to gastric acidity.
There is a higher incidence of acidity in highly emotional and nervous individuals. It is also more common in the developed and industrialized nations, though a recent increase in incidence has also occurred in the developing countries.
Healing Options

Herbs 
Yastimadhu (Glycyzrrhiza glabra)
Amla (Phyllanthus emblica)
Lavanga (Syzygium aromaticum - Clove)
Black pepper (Piper nigrum)

Ayurvedic Supplements
Ayucid 
Avipatrikar Churna 
Lavanbhaskar Churna 
Amla Capsule 

Diet & Lifestyle 

Avoid foods that are rich in oils and fats. These foods are difficult to digest, so they may make the stomach release more acids.

The diet should contain a proper blend of all the tastes. Spicy food must be just one dish rather than the whole meal.

Fibers are necessary in the diet as they help in the digestion.

After a meal, the body must be given some sort of exercise. This could be as simple as going for a stroll.

Too much addiction to strong foods such as tea and coffee may cause hyperacidity. This is also true for other addictions such as smoking and alcohol.

Do not consume sour foods as they already have acidic contents. Acidic foods to avoid are pickles, curds, tamarinds, vinegar, etc.

Avoid alcohol.

Maintain upright position during and at least 45 mins after eating.

Try elevating the head of bed 6 - 8 inches when lying down. 

Yoga 
Peacock (Mayurasan)
Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasan)

Thursday, September 6, 2012

TIP for healing burns fast and giving fast soothing too......t​ry when u need to and write back ur expirience​..

Alok adds: Normally on burns I used to apply Ice and if Ice was not available then used to pour water or keep under tap water and it used to heal faster and better then applying any cream etc .. But this new info has come. sharing with you without having tried. If u try then let me know your expirience.....


Keep a bag of flour in your fridge
Impressive! Why did we never hear of this before??!! I've always just
run it under the cold water tap.A woman's experience with burns . . .
Some time ago I was cooking some corn and stuck my fork in the boilingwater to see if the corn was ready. I missed and my hand went into theboiling water....

A friend of mine, who was a Vietnam vet, came into
the house, just as I was screaming, and asked me if I had some plainold flour... I pulled out a bag and he stuck my hand in it. He toldme to keep my hand in the flour for 10 minutes which I did. He saidthat in Vietnam, there was a guy on fire and in their panic, theythrew a bag of flour all over him to put the fire out...Well, it notonly put the fire out, but he never even had a blister!!!!
... Long story short, I put my hand in the bag of flour for 10 mins,pulled it out and did not even have a red mark or a blister andabsolutely NO PAIN. Now, I keep a bag of flour in the fridge andevery time I burn myself. *Cold flour feels even better than roomtemperature flour.
I use the flour and have never ONCE had I ever had even a red
spot/burn mark, or a blister! I even burnt my tongue once, put theflour on it for about 10 minutes .... the pain was gone and no burn.
Try it . . . Experience a miracle! Keep a bag of flour in your fridgeand you will be happy you did!
BTW, don't run your burn area under cold water first, just put it directly into the flour for 10 minutes.