The kitchen clinic

Cold weather and pollution are a deadly combination for young asthmatics. Since Ayurveda classifies asthma as an acutely kaphic disorder brought on by excessive mucous and phlegm, the best prescription is honey. Read more

Food Allergens Show Up in Unexpected Places

(HealthDay News) -- While it may be hard to resist the sight and smell of food at summer festivals and fairs, people with food allergies need to be extra vigilant with such food, advises the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

"There are many questions about ingredients, preparations and possible cross-contamination that if left unanswered could lead to an allergic reaction," Dr. Amal H. Assa'ad, chairman of the academy's Adverse Reactions to Food Committee, said in a prepared statement.

Each year in the United States, up to 150 people die from anaphylaxis caused by food allergies, according to the AAAAI. Most people who experience allergic reactions to food experience skin irritation, asthma symptoms or gastrointestinal upset.

The 12 million Americans with food allergies should remember that food allergens can be present in unexpected places. For example, in an effort to eliminate trans fats, many vendors have started using peanut oil or soybean oil in their fryers.

The AAAI offers the following tips for avoiding serious allergic reactions to food:

• Get checked to see if you have food allergies.


• Avoid foods to which you're allergic.


• When eating away from home, always ask about the ingredients in food items and inform party hosts, service staff or vendors of the severity of your allergy.


• Carefully read all food labels.


• If you've had a severe reaction in the past, you should always carry self-injectable epinephrine.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about food allergies.

Increase in the Acceptance of Ayurveda

The Ayurvedic remedies act on the total body, strengthen the power of resistance and promote healing. Ayurveda is conducive to your health, provides you with new vital energy, prevents and corrects the ageing process.

An Ayurveda treatment helps combat chronic illnesses and at the same time frees you from psychological burdens. Ayurveda among other things provides swift relief in cases of rheumatic diseases such as arthrosis (signs of over- strain in spine and joints), arthritis, muscle tenseness, restriction of movement, disturbances of the vegetative nervous system such as disturbed sleep, nervousness, exhaustion, tiredness, excitability or irritability, migraine and other forms of headache, heart ailments connected to nervousness, high blood pressure, depression, chronic inflammation such as para nasal sinus inflammation, bronchitis, inflammation of the bladder, susceptibility to colds, skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, skin allergy, asthma, stomach or intestinal disorders, overweight or nicotine misuse. Ayurveda is recommended to all those seeking inward balance, a long and healthy life and to all those who like to experience the fullness of life.

more information:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/ayu_cure.htm

Do Blacks Have Genetic Weakness to Asthma?

(HealthDay News) -- Black Americans who have asthma are much more likely to visit emergency rooms or be hospitalized for the condition than their white counterparts.

That's the finding of a new study that reaches the controversial conclusion that "these findings suggest that genetic differences may underlie these racial disparities."

However, that genetics theory was quickly challenged by some experts in the field.

Previous studies have shown that black people with asthma have worse control of their symptoms and higher rates of hospitalization and death than whites, said the authors of the new study, who noted that adjustments for socioeconomic status have not explained the disparities.

The researchers, from the University of California, San Francisco, studied 678 people -- 524 white and 154 black -- who were being treated for asthma under a large health-care plan and were hospitalized between 2000 and 2004. All were interviewed at the time of hospital discharge about their health status and socioeconomic status, with U.S. Census data used to reinforce their socioeconomic information.

In a follow-up period that averaged 1.9 years, 35.7 percent of the blacks visited emergency rooms for asthma symptoms, compared to 21 percent of the whites. The hospitalization rate was 26.6 percent for the blacks, versus 15.3 percent for the whites.

"Even in a health-care setting that provides uniform access to care, black race was associated with worse asthma outcomes," and genetics could be the difference, said the researchers, who published their findings in the Sept. 24 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

But the reality is not that simple, said Dr. Lauren Smith, an associate professor of pediatrics at Boston University. She led a larger study two years ago that found that socioeconomics played a big role in asthma management when income fell well below the poverty line.

The San Francisco researchers said they adjusted for socioeconomic factors, "but even when one looks at such factors, there are differences that often go unincorporated because they are not easy to handle," Smith said. "Housing quality, segregation in the neighborhood, these are things that generally are not accounted for when you control for socioeconomic status. And the experience of race is complicated, and the measures you have to look at socioeconomic status generally are broad."

Those factors mean that "a genetic explanation needs to pass a high bar to come to that conclusion," Smith said.

The worse outcome for blacks could be partially explained by another factor noted in the study, Smith said, that blacks were less likely to achieve control of their asthma with medications. "There are substantial differences in medication use, and that is an important thing to recognize as a possible contributor," she said.

Dr. Ronina Covar, a staff physician at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, said the strength of the new study is that it eliminates one confounding factor from previous studies. "In this case, they all had equal health care," she said.

But "they obviously don't present any genetic data," Covar said. Still, she said, genetics "could be one of the mechanisms and possible explanations for the findings."

More information
To learn more about Asthma, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Bacopa: A Better Memory Booster?

Bacopa: A Better Memory Booster?

Q: What you can tell me about bacopa? I first read about it as a treatment for memory problems. Do you know anything about its effectiveness in treating memory problems or what the recommended dosage should be?

A: Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) is an herb native to India that has been used traditionally in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance memory, learning and concentration and also to treat anxiety, heart problems, digestive disorders, asthma, and bronchitis. Most of the research on bacopa has been in animals, but a few small studies on humans have also been done.

The single study I've been able to find on bacopa's effect on memory was a small, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial conducted in Australia with 46 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 60, divided into two groups.

The volunteers in one group were given 300 milligrams of bacopa daily, and the others received a placebo. Prior to the study, the researchers tested all the volunteers to assess their verbal learning abilities, memory and speed of information processing. The tests were repeated five and 12 weeks after the study began. The researchers noted a significant improvement among the volunteers in the bacopa group compared to those in the placebo group.

A review article of some 38 scientific studies of bacopa was published in the March, 2004, issue of the journal Alternative Medicine Review, and noted two small studies that demonstrated an improvement in cognitive function in children as a result of taking bacopa. A single small-scale human study also found a decrease in anxiety symptoms among patients treated with bacopa.
Bacopa is now being widely promoted as a treatment for memory problems, but I would recommend more proven protective strategies.

Keep your mind active by reading newspapers and books, doing crossword puzzles, playing musical instruments, participating in ongoing education, and learning a new language. As far as supplements to enhance memory are concerned, the ones listed below have been studied more thoroughly than bacopa:
Ginkgo biloba. This well-studied botanical remedy increases blood flow to the head, has a reputation as a memory-enhancing agent and may slow the progression of dementia in early onset Alzheimer's disease. You probably won't notice any effects for six to eight weeks. (Look for products standardized to 24 percent ginkgo flavone glycosides and 6 percent terpene lactones; the dose is 60 to 120 milligrams twice a day with food.) Ginkgo has low toxicity, although it may cause mild stomach irritation.

Acetyl-L-carnitine (also called ALC or ALCAR) is an amino acid derivative. Human clinical studies of this compound are currently underway, and the early evidence from animal trials is encouraging. Many people take ALC as a cognitive enhancer.

The dose is 500-1,000 milligrams twice a day on an empty stomach. It is nontoxic, but this is an expensive regimen.

Phosphatidyl serine, or PS. A naturally occurring lipid that is a component of cell membranes, PS is considered a brain-cell nutrient. Human studies have reported positive effects on memory and concentration; PS may improve cognitive function in normal adults and may help reverse age-related cognitive decline.

The supplement form, derived from soybeans, is readily available, but fairly expensive. The starting dose is 100 milligrams two or three times a day; if this produces positive benefits after a month or more, it may be possible to go on a lower maintenance dose. It is nontoxic.

Andrew Weil, M.D.–Author of:
Eight Weeks to Optimum Health
Spontaneous Healing
The Natural Mind
The Marriage of the Sun and Moon
Health and Healing
Natural Health, Natural Medicine
From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen)

The Ozone Factor

Ozone, one of the most common air pollutants, triggers asthma because it is extremely irritating to the lungs and airways. It is created when hydrocarbons from burned fuel and nitrogen oxide are present along with certain sunlight and wind conditions. Ozone concentration is directly related to asthma attacks, the need for higher doses of asthma drugs, and emergency treatment for asthma.

Throughout the United States, cities declare Ozone Action Days when pollution concentrations are highest. These warnings help people with asthma to avoid the smog as much as possible. You can hear about Ozone Action Days during the weather report on your local news.

On Ozone Action Days, people with asthma should limit their time outdoors, especially from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Stay in a well ventilated — preferably air-conditioned — building. Most of all, do not exercise outdoors on Ozone Action Days. As always, use your peak flow meter and follow your asthma daily management and action plans.

© Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Reproduced with permission.

• ozone therapy
• Asthma

Ayurvedic View of Diseases

by DR M V Subramanyam

Ayurveda claimed the following as main causes of disease

Adibalapravritta:Consists of ailments as obstinate skin diseases, hemorrhoids, diabetes, tuberculosis and asthma that arise primarily due to defects in the sperm (shukra) of the father – when it is called pitrija or the ovum (sonita) of the mother – when it is termed matrja.

Undigested food, abnormal behaviour, addiction of any type and stressful situations affect the reproductive elements of both the male and female, resulting in a defective foetus.

Congenital - Janmabalapravritta:Caused essentially due to nutritional disorder (rasakrita) and unfulfilled cravings of the mother during pregnancy (dauhrdya) If diet and / or conduct of the mother aggravates Vata, the foetus might end up with deformities as kyphosis (hunchback), blindness and dwarfism; increased Pitta may cause alopecia and yellowish pigmentation of skin; and enhanced Kapha might result in albinism.

Doshabalapravritta Arise out of any dietary or behavioural disturbance brought about by an imbalance in any one of the three vital physical energies (tridosha) or the three vital mental energies (triguna).

Thus constitutional disorders are of two types: somatic (Sharirika) & psychic (Manasika).
Sanghatabalapravritta: Undergoing any trauma causing experience – external or internal – leads to this. External trauma is induced by injuries inflicted by sharp instruments and bites of animals or venomous insects.Stress and overstrain lead to internal trauma.

Kalabalapravritta : Brought about by changes in the nuances of seasonality.Sometimes the body fails to adjust itself to the sudden and abnormal climatic changes – extreme cold might lead to frostbite and rheumatic disease. While extreme heat may cause sunstroke or fever.

Daivabalapravritta: Either born out of natural calamities as lightning, earthquakes, floods and the invisible, malignant forces of nature. Or contacted through sexual & physical intimacy and sharing of food, plates, bed, clothes, towels and cosmetics with effected friends & relatives. Or as a result of sheer jealousy.

Swabhavbalapravritta : Even the healthiest of people are struck by hunger, thirst, sleep, death or senility.Brought about by functional, organic and natural changes in the body.

In Ayurveda, vaidyas try to assess the symptoms of these diseases as much as the nature of ailment and its root causes (nidana). This is of utmost importance in ensuring correct choice of remedial & preventive measures for treatment of the disease. For otherwise, even after therapy, one might not get the desired response and there would remain a chance of recurrence.
The early signs and symptoms (purvaroopa) provide useful warnings and the opportunity for taking necessary action before a disease can assume dangerous magnitudes. The main signs and symptoms (roopa) reflect the true nature and intensity of the disease.

Another oft used method of diagnosis is exploratory therapy (upasaya) which uses diet, medicines and routines to detect diseases otherwise difficult to diagnose. Acting either against the cause of disease or the disease itself or producing relief. For example a swelling that is alleviated by an oily & hot massage, is obviously caused by an imbalance of Vata.
Ayurvedic Medicine
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