Both fresh garlic and its oil are effective. An ancient method of its medication was to place a couple of cloves of fresh garlic in each shoe. As the person walks, it is crushed and the worm-killing garlic oil is absorbed by the skin and carried by blood into the intestines as it possesses a powerful penetrative force. This method is worth a trial by those who do not like the taste of garlic and cannot eat it. Also, carrot is valuable in the elimination of thread worms from children as it is offensive to all parasites. A small cup of grated carrot taken every morning, with no other food added to the meal, can clear those worms quickly.
The digestive enzyme papain in the milky juice of the unripe papaya is a powerful anthelmintic for destroying roundworms. A tablespoon of the fresh juice and equal quantity of honey should be mixed with three to four tablespoons of hot water and taken as a dose by an adult. This should be followed two hours later by a dose of 30 to 60 ml. of castor oil mixed in 250-375 ml. of lukewarm milk. This treatment should be repeated for two days, if necessary. For children of 7-10 years, half the above doses should be given. For children under three years, a tablespoon is sufficient.
Papaya seeds are also used for this purpose. They are rich in a substance called caricin which is a very effective medicine for expelling roundworms. The alkaloid Carpaine found in the leaves has also the power to destroy or expel intestinal worms. They are given with honey. The bark, both of the root and the stems of pomegranate tree, is well known for its anthelmintic properties of destroying parasitic worms. The root-bark is, however, preferred as it contains greater quantity of the alkaloid punicine than the stem-bark. This alkaloid is highly toxic to tapeworms. Ninety to 180 ml. of the cold decoction of bark, preferably fresh bark, should be given three times at intervals of one hour to an adult. A purgative should be given after the last dose. The dose for children is 30 to 60 ml. The decoction is also used for expelling worms.
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The eggs of these parasites are introduced into the human system through the medium of food or water, especially undercooked meat. Roundworms may result from dirty fingers and food. Hookworms enter the human body through the skin from infected water. The tapeworms are transmitted into the body through undercooked flesh foods or foods contaminated by dogs. The real cause of intestinal worms, however, is wrong feeding. The eggs of these worms, taken into the human body through food and water, can breed in the intestines only if they find there a suitable medium for their propagation. This medium is an intestinal tract clogged with morbid matter and systemic refuse due to wrong feeding habits.
The treatment for intestinal worms should begin with diet. The patient should be kept on an exclusive diet of fresh fruits for five to seven days. Thereafter, he may adopt a well-balanced diet consisting mainly of fruits, vegetables, milk and wholemeal bread. The diet should exclude fatty foods such as butter, cream, oil, refined foods and flesh foods. This dietary should be continued till the parasites are completely eliminated. In some cases, depending on the progress made, the all-fruit diet may have to be repeated at regular intervals. In obstinate cases, the patient should resort to short fasts on raw fruit and vegetable juices. This fast has to be of a fairly long duration in case of tapeworms.
Among the numerous home remedies found beneficial in the treatment of intestinal worms, the use of coconut is most effective. It is an ancient remedy for expelling all kinds of intestinal worms. A tablespoon of the freshly ground coconut should be taken at breakfast followed by a dose of Castor oil after three hours. The process may be repeated till the cure is complete. Garlic has been used for expelling intestinal worms from ancient times by Hindus, Chinese, Greeks, Romans and Babylonians. It is also used by the modern biological practitioners for this purpose.
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Worms and other intestinal parasites which infest human beings are found in all countries of the world. However they are more common in tropical and subtropical areas and are widely prevalent during the rainy seasons. Children are more infested with these worms than adults. There are several types of intestinal worms. The most common of these are roundworms, pinworms, threadworms, hookworms, tapeworms and giardia. The usual symptoms of intestinal worms are diarrhoea, foul breath, dark circles under the eyes, constant desire for food, restlessness at night with bad dreams, anemia and headache.
Roundworms may give rise to inflammation of the intestine and lungs, nausea, vomiting, loss of weight, fever, nervousness and irritability. Pinworms and threadworms may bring on intense itching in the area around the rectum. Threadworms may cause periodic bouts of diarrhoea alternating with constipation, loss of weight, cough and fever. Hookworms may give rise to anaemia and nutritional disorders. The presence of giardia my result in pain in the calves and weakness in the legs.
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In the modified eating pattern, breakfast should contain of fresh and dried fruits, whole cereals, seeds and yogurt. Of the two main meals, one should consist of a large mixed salad and the other should be protein-based. A cup of milk sweetened with honey at bedtime is helpful as the amino-acid tryptophan contained in milk induces sleep. Sleep is often elusive. Any attempt to force it only drives it further away.
Hence, while going to bed, visualize a blank black wall occupying the entire field of vision. Turn your thoughts to light and cheerful matters. Use light bed clothes and relax. Do not lie on your back, but on your side with one or both knees brought well up and the head and shoulders slightly forward. During the quently and a healthy sleeper usually shifts from one side to the other several times in the course of the night.
Controlled breathing is also a great help in inducing sleep. The method is to lie on your side in bed, and then take three deep breaths expanding the abdomen completely. The hold your breath as long as you can. Next, take three more breaths and repeat the breath-holding. While you hold your breath, carbon dioxide accumulates in the body and induces natural sleep. Regular, active exercising during the day and mild exercise at bedtime enhances the quantity and the quantity of sleep. Exercise stimulates the elimination of lactic acid from the body which co-relates with stress and muscular tension. Regular exercise also produces hormonal charges which are beneficial to the body and to the sleep pattern. Walking, jogging, skipping, swimming are all ideal exercises.
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To overcome the problem, one should adhere to a regular sleeping schedule, going to bed at a fixed time each night and getting up at a fixed time each morning. Early to bed and early to rise is a good rule. Two hours of sleep before midnight are more beneficial than four after. It is a sheer folly for students, at examination times to keep awake till longer midnight, drinking one cup of tea/coffee after another, as that it only apt to cause blankness and inability to concentrate in the examination hall.
Research has shown that people with chronic insomnia almost invariably have marked deficiencies of such key nutrients as B-complex vitamins, vitamin C and D as also calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium and zinc. The sleep mechanism is unable to function efficiently unless each of these nutrients is present in adequate amounts in the diet.
A balanced diet with simple modifications in the eating pattern will go a long way in the treatment and cure of insomnia. Such a diet should exclude white flour products, sugar and its products, tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, alcohol, fatty foods, fried foods, foods containing additives (such as chemicals used for preserving, coloring and flavoring), excessive use of salt and strong condiments.
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The signs of pathological insomnia are dramatic changes in the duration and quality of sleep, persistent changes in sleep patterns, lapses of memory and lack of concentration during the day. Other symptoms are emotional instability, loss of coordination, confusion and a lingering feeling of indifference. The most common cause of sleeplessness is mental tension brought about by anxiety, worries, overwork and over excitement.
Suppressed feelings of resentment, anger and bitterness may also cause insomnia. Constipation, dyspepsia, over-eating at night, excessive intake of tea or coffee are among the other causes. Smoking is another unsuspected cause of insomnia as it irritates the nervous system, especially the nerves of the digestive system. Often, worrying about falling asleep is enough to keep one awake.
Sleeping pills are not a remedy for sleeplessness as they are habit forming and become less effective when taken continuously. They lower the I.Q. , dull the brain and can prove fatal if taken if taken in excess or before/after consuming alcohol. The side-effects of sleeping pills include indigestion, skin rashes, lowered resistance to infection, circulatory and respiratory problems, poor appetite, high blood pressure, kidney and liver problems and mental confusion.
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Insomnia or sleeplessness has assumed alarming proportions in present times, especially among the upper classes of society in urban areas. This is evident from the wide range of medication for this condition prescribed by physicians and sold by chemists. Instances of people taking an overdose of sleeping pills with fatal results are quite frequent. Insomnia deprives a person of mental rest and thereby interferes with his activities in the daytime. It constitutes a severe health hazard when it becomes a habit.
Sleep is a periodic state of rest for the body which is absolutely essential for its efficient functioning. Sleep gives relief from tension, rests the brain and body and a person wakes up in the morning fresh and relaxed after sleep. The amount of sleep, however, varies within very wide limits from individual to individual. Normally, seven to eight hours of sleep every night is adequate for most people. Some, however, do well with four to five hours because their sleep is deeper and more refreshing.
Insomnia is common among the elderly for a variety of reasons. The sleep of the elderly is often punctuated by brief periods of wakefulness during the night. In such cases, it is the quality rather than the quantity which is most affected. With age, there is a gradual reduction of periods of deep sleep. The older person, therefore, gets aroused easier. Sleep requirements also diminish with ageing.
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After the fever subsides, the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for two to three days. In this regimen, the patient should take three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, oranges, pineapple, peaches and melons at five-hourly intervals. Bananas or dried, stewed or tinned fruits however, should not be taken. No other food stuff should be added to the fruit meals, otherwise the value of the treatment will be lost. This may be followed by a further two or three days on fruits and milk diet. Thereafter, the patient may adopt a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups namely - seeds, nuts and grains; vegetables; and fruits.
Spices and condiments, which make food more palatable and lead to overeating, must be avoided. Lemon juice may be used in salad dressing. Alcohol, tobacco, strong tea and coffee, highly seasoned meats, over-boiled milk, pulses, potato, rice, cheese, refined, processed, stale and tinned foods should all be avoided. Certain remedies have been found highly beneficial in the treatment of influenza. The most important of these is the use of long pepper - Half a teaspoonful of the powder of long pepper with two teaspoonfuls of honey and a half a teaspoonful of juice of ginger should be taken thrice a day, as this will help greatly if taken in initial stages of the disease.
Another excellent remedy for influenza is the green leaves of basil plant - About one gram of these leaves should be boiled along with some ginger in half a litre of water till about half the eater is left. This decoction should be taken as tea. It gives immediate relief. Also, garlic and turmeric are other effective food medicines for influenza as garlic is useful as a general antiseptic and should be given as much as the patient can bear.
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Influenza is what is known as germ disease. It is, however, not caused primarily by the action of germs as is generally believed, but develops due to a toxic and run-down condition of the system of the affected person. This condition is brought about by dietetic errors and a faulty style of living such as worry, over work, lack of proper exercise, living in stuffy rooms and keeping late hours, No disease germs can find place and become active in the system of a person who is perfectly healthy in the true sense of the term.
Influenza, like all other acute diseases, is a natural attempt at self-cleansing and if rightly treated in a natural way, immense good can ensue so far as the future health of the patient is concerned. In the acute stage of influenza, the patient should abstain from all solid foods and only drink fruit and vegetable juices diluted with water, depending on the severity of the disease. The juice fast should be continued till the temperature comes down to normal. The warm water enema should be taken daily during this period to cleanse the bowels.
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Influenza, also known as flu, is the clinical condition that results from infection with influenza viruses. The main effects of the influenza viruses are on the upper respiratory tract, the nose and throat, with possible spread and involvement of the lungs and bronchi. The disease is highly contagious and it has potential to cause widespread epidemics affecting sizeable portion of a population at any time. Although it is more common during winter, it may strike any time. It also people of all age group.
Influenza strikes suddenly. It usually begins with a chill, fever, headache and severe muscular pains. The patient feels miserable and weak. There is an inflammation in the nose and throat, which may spread down the windpipe to the lungs, resulting in a sore throat, cough, running nose and eyes. In milder cases of influenza, the temperature of the body increases to 102 degree Fahrenheit and lasts for two to three days. In severe cases, it may go up to 104 degree Fahrenheit and lasts for four to five days. The consequent weakness and fatigue may continue for several weeks, though.
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