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| HEALTH TRIBUNE | Wednesday, April 2, 2003, Chandigarh, India |
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How to have wrinkle-free skin HOMOEOPATHY & YOU Ayurvedic food supplements for ulcerative colitis
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How to have wrinkle-free skin
It is not only an era of wrinkle-free trousers and shirts but also wrinkle-free skin. An aged wrinkled face is one of the ravages in life. A lady in her late 1930’s scans her face in the mirror everyday fearful of spotting some new line. She tries a variety of age-defying creams and pays great attention to her diet. But let another decade pass... let her turn 50... and then what? There are two reactions: either she feels that she is “over the hill” and just stops caring about her looks and even her health. Or she gets desperate and resorts to every trick in the book to literally “mask” her age. Woman number one is the one whose face is without make-up even for “occasions”. Woman number two has a face that is totally hidden behind layers of pancake, two shades lighter than her complexion with eyes and lips given a special treatment leading to a “over-zealous” look. Neither of these women projects the charm and savoir-faire that one expects to find in the mature woman. The ideal face is one that has a well-defined yet soft look. This can be achieved only if the face does not have hyperactive facial lines, which are unfortunately misinterpreted as manifestations of negative emotions, fatigue, stress or weariness. Since the primary cause of aging skin is not necessarily age itself but overexposure to the sun, women as well as men must use broad-spectrum sunscreen and avoid smoking — a health hazard that contributes to skin aging. The desire to look young and refreshed is universal, be it a housewife, businessman or top executive. People are constantly on the look-out for a product which will set the biological clock back by several years and BOTOX is surely one of them. Botox is a toxin derived from a bacteria and when injected it works by paralysing the connection between the muscles and the nerves thus erasing unwanted lines. The safety profile is excellent and the major advantage is that its effects are temporary and reversible. The diluted form of the toxin is injected into the overactive muscle and the pain is minimal — almost like a mosquito sting. It is an office procedure requiring only 10-15 minutes. The effect begins to show within three-seven days and last four-six months. The interval between sittings increases with time. For those who fear or dread the sight of a knife or idea of surgery, botox is a boon. It is a non-surgical approach to face-lift. It erases forehead lines, glabeller frown lines, crow’s feet and perinasal lines, thus giving a youthful and refreshed appearance. Lines on the upper lip in smokers, known as “smokers lines”, can be wiped off using botox. The “pocked” appearance in the chin of some people and the neck lines in others can be smoothed out. The other products worth mentioning for treating the unpleasant folds are the dermal filler substances such as collagen (zyderm, zyplast and fibrel) and hyaluronic acid (restylane). These are injected into the skin to “plump up” or contour and correct wrinkles or scars on the face. This is a convenient office procedure and gives instant results but needs to be repeated once in six months. Superficial glycolic acid peels have become increasingly popular because of the overall improvement in the appearance of the skin as well as the minimal post-peel recovery time. Patients who receive a series of glycolic acid peels usually notice a difference in skin texture, improvement in pigmentation, control of pimples, easier application of makeup and reduction of fine lines. Peel procedures can be performed on the face, head, chest, back, and any of the extremities. Each of these body sites will tolerate different concentrations and the variable contact time of peel solution. Microdermabrasion is the latest technology for skin exfoliation as it alleviates all the inconveniences due to the traditional dermabrasion. The microdermabrader uses a controlled vacuum to move sterile microcrystals to abrade the superficial skin layer of dead cells. The microcrystals and abraded skin are then vacuumed away. After multiple treatments, this skin renewal procedure can eliminate pigmented spots, post acne (pimple) scars and chickenpox scars and even improve post-injury scars, burn scars and atrophic stria marks. Besides whatever women do and whichever method they adopt for facial rejuvenation, they need proper guidance for the 50-plus make-up. The following guidelines should be followed by women when they cross 50: * Start by thoroughly cleaning and moisturising the skin. Your skin tends to dry out as you get older, so make moisturising a daily routine. Use a thin layer of fluid foundation. Avoid cake foundations as they give a matt look which can make you appear quite lifeless. Creme foundations are better if one does not want to use liquid. The colour should either match your complexion exactly or be a shade darker. Light colours give a pasty look to the face. Choose a slightly dark blusher but apply it sparingly so that the colour is subdued. Too much colour says “fever” rather than “health”. Outline the eyes with liner, keeping as close to the eye-lashes as possible. Gently smudge the line to soften it . Keep your brows neat. White or grey hairs in the brow? A touch of mascara will take care of that. On the lashes apply mascara with light feathery strokes. No glitter! And avoid strong shades of eye-shadow too. Both powder and creme eye-shadows have a tendency to settle in the creases of the eyelid. So, it’s better to go for light colours rather than dark ones which turn into strange-looking lines. Use eye make-up remover when you’re back home at the end of the evening. This allows you to take off the make-up without having to rub the skin too vigorously. Before you put on your lipstick, apply a touch of foundation on the lips, then powder them well. Now, outline your lip-shape with a lip pencil (this prevents “bleeding” of colour). Fill the lip colour with a brush. Blot and reapply. Throw away your powder compacts! Powder accentuates every single tiny line on your face. If you must powder, then choose the translucent kind. By now it is obvious that not only character and experience but also diet and lifetime habits are stamped on your face. Let the fifties be an age of peace, when you accept and appreciate yourself. It’s very easy to gain weight at this age, so be careful to eat a balanced diet that does not exceed your normal calorie needs. Don’t expect to hear people say, “how young she looks,”But you can certainly expect to hear, “how good she looks!” And don’t forget ...... 50 is certainly not the “end of the line”. Film actress Rekha is 55 and she certainly hasn’t given up yet. The writer is Chief Dermatologist, Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, Ludhiana. Mobile: 9814170054
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HOMOEOPATHY & YOU Dr Vikas Sharma Let’s take the big question head-on. Does homoeopathic treatment give permanent relief from those recurrent pimples? The answer is a big yes, but the treatment is quite different from the conventional ones. Homoeopaths realise the truth in skin disorders. All forms of pimples (acne) are due to an internal disorder, Thus the usage of external application does not yield permanent results. Internal homoeopathic medication is often the best natural option to stop the recurrence of acne and that too without side-effects. Medically speaking too, acne results out of an internal disorder. It is a disorder resulting from the action of hormones on the skin’s oil glands (sebaceous glands), which leads to plugged pores and the outbreak of lesions commonly called pimples or acne. They usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. An important causative factor is an increase in hormones called androgens (male sex hormones). These increase in both boys and girls during puberty and cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum (oil). Hormonal changes related to pregnancy or starting or stopping birth control pills can also cause acne. Another factor is heredity or genetics. Researchers believe that the tendency to develop acne can be inherited from parents. For example, studies have shown that many school-age boys with acne have a family history of the disorder. Certain drugs, including androgens and lithium, are known to cause acne. Greasy cosmetics may alter the cells of the follicles and make them stick together, producing a plug. The following factors also influence the growth of acne: Changing hormone levels in adolescent girls and adult women two to seven days before their menstrual period starts; friction caused by leaning on or rubbing the skin pressure from backpacks, or tight collars; environmental irritants such as pollution and high humidity; squeezing or picking at blemishes, hard scrubbing of the skin, etc. The writer is a Chandigarh-based homoeopath and can be contacted at 0172-721501. Medicines for acne Belladonna: It is very useful in an acute flare-up where pus formation hasn’t started and acne is red and fiery looking. 30c potency of belladonna taken internally 3-4 times a day can be used to treat this acute stage. Pulsatilla: It is often the most indicated medicine in the treatment of acne in girls. Acne associated with menstrual abnormalities are often best treated with pulsatilla. It is strongly indicated in a mild, yielding and sensitive personality with a weeping disposition. Sulphur: No other medicine is more effective than sulphur, and covers nearly all kinds of acne. Dirty unhealthy skin and abuse of cosmetics are leading indication for its use. It is very useful in stopping the recurrence of pimples. Sulphur is a very deep acting medicine and should be used only in consultation with an experienced homoeopath. Hepar sulph: Hepar sulph. is very appropriate for treating acne that has an easy tendency to develop into pustules (filled with pus), also where acne is very painful to touch. Silicea (also called Silica): It is often indicated in cases of long-standing acne along with general low resistance and is often used for its scar-dissolving properties. Developing a natural resistance towards acne: Once the acute flare-ups have been attended to, one would like a natural resistance towards acne. A thorough constitutional treatment by an experienced homoeopath would do the needful. |
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Ayurvedic food supplements for ulcerative colitis Ulcerative Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease where the innermost layers of the large intestine (bowel) become red and inflamed followed by ulceration in that layer. In ulcerative colitis inflammation starts typically in the inner lining of rectum and lower colon, and spreads throughout the entire colon. The ulcers bleed and produce pus and mucus, and the inflammation causes the colon to empty frequently, resulting in diarrhoea. The most common signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis include frequent loose motions and bloody stools. The other symptoms include an urgent desire to defecate, abdominal pain often just before stool is passed, a general feeling of tiredness, low-grade fever, weight loss, anemia, loss of appetite, sometimes joint aches, etc. For the diagnosis of the disease, patients are subjected to a sigmoidoscopic and colonoscopic examination. The rectum and colon are seen through a flexible optical/camera tube which is inserted through anus. During this examination a sample of tissue from the lining of the colon is taken to study it under the microscope. This is called a biopsy test. A barium enema is helpful in determining the nature and the extent of the disease in patients. In Ayurveda this condition is covered under Rakat Atisaar. Saint Sushruta mentioned in Sushruta Samhita about 3000 years ago that Pitta-type people are more prone to Rakat Atisaar (Ulcerative Colitis). As explained earlier, the Ayurveda theory is based on the principle of three types of bio-energies, also called Doshas and the constitution of a person depends on the predominant Dosha. Pitta-type people are usually of medium height and build with soft, fair skin, light brown or reddish hair; small yellowish teeth; a medium-sized mouth; and penetrating pink and grey or yellowish eyes. Pittas speak clearly, but often sharply. They enjoy light but uninterrupted sleep. Pittas are intelligent, but often aggressive, have a good clear memory, and can be fanatic in their beliefs. Pittas tend to be jealous, aggressive and easily irritated. Pittas tend to be emotionally intense. In Pitta-type persons, Pitta gets aggravated very quickly with Pitta increasing diets and lifestyles, and patients develop diarrhoea followed by bloody diarrhoea. However, modern researchers believe that the affected people have an abnormal immune system, which starts damaging the inner lining of the colon. Normally, there is no obvious cause for a relapse of ulcerative colitis. In a few cases a triggering event can be personal stress, common infections like common cold, flu or gastroenteritis, certain drugs
(eg. antibiotics, aspirin and anti-arthritis drugs) and diet — some patients may react to milk products, in which case they will need a milk-free diet. The choice of treatment for ulcerative colitis depends on the severity of the disease. Many people with chronic ulcerative colitis commonly turn to complementary and alternative remedies. The following Ayurvedic food supplements can help to reduce the symptoms of this disease and decrease the likelihood of recurrences: Aegle marmelos (the pulp of fresh bael fruit), holarrhena antidysentrica, bombax malbaricum, cyperus rotundus, woodfordia floribunda. For the past over one decade I have seen in my practice that Ayurveda-based treatment provides hope to patients, who cannot be adequately helped by steroid therapy. With the addition of the above mentioned herbs as food supplements, patients who never had a remission went in remission which enabled them to avoid surgery. The writer is an Ayurvedic consultant based in Delhi. Tel: 0091112050127, 2027375, 2050506, E-mail:
sushruta@bol.net.in
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INFO CAPSULE New cure for irregular heartbeat Washington: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is offering a different treatment option for people who suffer from irregular heartbeat. This is the first hospital in New Jersey and one of a few centres in the US to offer patients the option of Microwave Ablation as a stand-alone procedure to eliminate atrial fibrillation, the most common form of irregular heartbeat. Microwave Atrial Ablation is a minimally invasive technique in which a precise beam of microwave energy is applied to the source of the heart’s abnormal electrical activity that causes a cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.
ANI Fat removal hits immune system Washignton: Scientists have found that a liposuction-like procedure called lipectomy results in a loss of humoral immune protection in two commonly studied rodent models, the prairie vole and the Siberian hamster. The report by a team of researchers at Indiana University, Ohio State University and Johns Hopkins University is the first to show that even a moderate loss of fat leads to decreased amounts of infection-fighting IgG antibodies. “We were able to show that even a subtle decrease in fat can decrease humoral immunity, which has the potential to increase disease susceptibility. We knew that immune function is energetically costly, but it is now clear that animals use energy stored as fat to bolster immunity and likely to combat infection”, said Indiana University biologist Gregory Demas, who led the study.
ANI How to reduce blindness cases Washington: Without extra intervention, the global number of blind individuals is slated to increase from 44 million in 2000 to 76 million in 2020. However, over 52 million people world-wide can avoid going blind if current and new resources are successfully implemented, concludes a new study. “Vision 2020 - The Right to Sight”, an initiative co-sponsored by the World Health Organisation and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, is aimed at eliminating avoidable blindness from cataract, trachoma, onchocerciasis, vitamin A deficiency and refractive errors. This would decrease the 2020 projection by 52 million individuals.
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