For congestive type asthma - one should avoid dairy, wheat products, refined sugar and excess sweet,

sour and salty foods. They should try to eat bitter, astringent and spicy foods to increase circulation and flow of mucus and to prevent congestion. They can massage the chest and back with mustard oil to promote circulation in the chest. Balm of Gilead is very effective when rubbed on the chest. It can prevent a chest cold from turning into pneumonia and can dilate the bronchial tubes to encourage deeper breathing. People who are prone to this type of asthma should exercise daily and try to do some cardio exercise for fifteen minutes per day. They should also avoid eating before 10:00am and after 9:00pm to ensure that they do not suffer from weak digestion which is the prime cause of asthma for them. They should keep the head and torso covered on cool days and avoid walking in the rain. It is important for them to drink hot water or Luke warm water rather than cold water and they should avoid iced beverages, ice cream and other cold foods to prevent mucus from becoming clogged. In general, all people with asthma or chest problems should perform deep breathing exercises daily and can add a few simple spices to their diets to help keep their chests clear. Ginger, turmeric, black pepper cumin can be ground together and mixed with honey to create a paste. A teaspoon a day of this mixture is very useful in keeping the chest clear. Applying balm of Gilead, eucalyptus oil, cinnamon oil or clove oil to the chest and back also helps to improve breathing. Note, essential oils should be mixed with a base oil - sesame would be the best for those with dry or infection type asthma or mustard for those with congestion type asthma. Below is a breathing technique than can be used to help increase lung capacity and stamina. Deep Breath While inhaling, always remember that the body is being filled with air. When something is full it expands. When we exhale we are emptying the body, thus, it will contract or shrink as it is emptied. Also remember that unless otherwise mentioned, all breathing is done through the nose. Sit in a position that is comfortable. The posture should be good. If the spine is not straight, the body cannot fill to its full capacity. Sit with the hands on the ribs and tummy and inhale. Fill the tummy first and then feel the inhalation filling the rest of the lungs. Continue to breathe until the throat is full and then immediately begin to exhale. Exhale until the body is completely empty. Repeat this exercise four times. This breath can be performed anytime during the day to help you relax.

What is Asthma? Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by a decreased ability to breathe easily. The flow of air in and out of the lungs is obstructed in the airways that carry air to the air sacs deep inside the lung. The larger airways (bronchi), branches into smaller airways (bronchioles), which may be obstructed by tightening of muscles, irritation or swelling in the airways, and accumulation of mucous thereby resulting in asthma. Asthma can either be acute or chronic. Symptoms associated with asthma are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Common Causes of Asthma

Allergy to pollen, dust mites Air pollution Respiratory infections Non-specific hyperirritability Sulfites in food

Certain medications

Home Remedies for Asthma Tip 1: Mix 1 tsp honey with tsp cinnamon powder. Consume just before sleeping.

Tip 2: Boil 8-10 cloves of garlic in cup of milk. Have at night. Good for early stages of asthma.

Tip 3: Figs are good for draining phlegm. Wash 3-4 dry figs with water. Soak in 1 cup of water. Eat these on an empty stomach and drink the water that the figs were soaked in also. Do not eat anything else for an hour at least. Do this for 2 months.

Tip 4: Add 1 tsp of honey in very hot water and sip slowly. Take this just before sleeping to remove phlegm from the throat.

Tip 5: In 1 cup of water soak 1 tspn of Fenugreek seeds overnight. Strain. Add 1 tspn of Ginger juice and 1 tspn of honey to this. This should be taken morning and evening. Home remedies Honey is very effective to cure asthma. Figs can be a very good remedy in the treatment of asthma. Lemon juice drunk with water also has a positive effect on asthma. Mixture of 5 gm of Indian Gooseberry with 1 tablespoon of honey to control asthma. The roots of bitter gourd are also useful in the treatment of asthma. Soup of drumstick leaves can treat asthma effectively. A mixture of ginger and fenugreek decoction along with honey act as an effective means to control asthma.

 In the initial stages, garlic mixed in milk works as a tonic against asthma. Bishops weed is another means to cure asthma. It should be taken twice with buttermilk. Safflower seeds are also very useful in curbing bronchial asthma

AYURVEDA CURE FOR ASTHMA IN KIDS

Asthma:

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. It is a lung disease characterized by difficulty in breathing, cough with sputum and some time fever. Children with asthma typically cough, wheeze, and experience chest tightness and shortness of breath.

Symptoms of Childhood Asthma:

The symptoms of asthma may be mild, moderate or severe. They may include:

Coughing - chronic or recurring (worse particularly at night and in the early hours of the morning) Wheezing Shortness of breath Pain or a tight feeling in the chest Flaring of the nostrils when breathing in interrupted talking Agitation

These symptoms tend to be variable and may stop and start. They are usually worse at night. Accompanying infection in the respiratory system turns the problem severe to dangerous. Emergency treatment is advised in such cases. Causes of Asthma:

According to Ayurveda, it may be due to genetic factor or may be acquired.

Triggering factors of Asthma:

Ayurvedic management for Asthma:

A few Ayurvedic remedies and home preventive tips are mentioned here: 1. Asthmatic patients can go in for Panchkarma therapies like vamana and virechana before the onset of monsoon. 2. Honey is one of the most effective remedies used for Asthma. During bouts of Asthma, just holding a jug of honey beneath the nose and inhaling the air in contact with honey helps in easier breathing and provides temporary relief from Asthma. When consumed internally with equal parts of dates, black resins and pippali, it acts as a good lung tonic by thinning out the accumulated mucus and eliminating it from the respiratory system. 3. When five grams of Indian gooseberry or Amla is mixed with one table spoon of honey and consumed, it acts as an expectorant, and is an effective medicine for Asthma. 4. During Asthmatic attacks, massaging sesame oil with camphor over the chest will loosen the mucus and help easy breathing. Simultaneously, inhaling steam with a few caraway seeds (ajwain) added to boiling water will help in dilatation of bronchial passage. 5. Ayurvedic medicines for treating Asthma are:

Kumar kalyan ras Abhrak bhasm Praval pishti Ras sindhur Kastooribhairav ras Siddh makardhwaj ras Brihat haridra khand Sitopaladi churna Balrogantak ras Arvindasava Kafaketu ras Punarnava swaras

(P.S.- Do not have any medicines without Ayurvedic doctor's prescription)

Right Diet for Child having Asthma:

Must have: Lot of water (boiled water) Ample of fruits and vegetables Bitter vegetables

Cow's milk (warm) with a little ginger powder Turmeric powder in any form

Avoid: Eating anything after 10:00 pm Fried or spicy foods Excess of salt or sugar Red meat or any such heavy non-veg items Fruits like banana, custard apple, guava, etc. Vegetables like potato, sweet potato, brinjal, etc. Dairy products like yogurt, buffalo's milk, cheese, etc. Chocolates, desserts, ice-creams, etc. Nuts like groundnuts, cashew nuts, etc. Foodstuffs that are cold, raw and rough.

Exercise - Yoga - Pranayama:

Light exercises are advised to children having Asthma. Yoga asanas helpful for Asthma are:

Sukhasana Taadasana Ushtrasana Simhasana Sarvangasana Matsyasana Shavasana Yoga mudra Surya namaskara

Pranayama's helpful for Asthma are:

Anulom-vilom Kapalbhati Ujjayee

Beside the yoga and pranayama, practice of concentration and meditation gives best result.

Grandma's Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Childrens and Adults

Spices used in Home Remedies of Ayurveda.

Hi Five Spices..Fenugreek seeds, Cumin seeds, Carom seeds, Fennel seeds, Asafoetida powder..

Source: Personal pics

Cloves.

Black Pepper.

Vidanga seeds. Useful to treat worms.

Holy Basil leaves (tulsi)

Herbs at its best.

First Aid for Quick relief.

Ayurveda at its Best. My childhood was under the protection, love and care of my grandma not only one but my great grandma also. Ive spent almost 7yrs of my childhood with them. I still remember whenever I use to suffer from common cold, cough, indigestion, stomach pain etc. My mother, grandmother use to first pop in kitchen and use to do some magic and I wonder how the pain vanishes. Now I use the same methods to treat my son. As I personally feel kids body should get immune and we should not put their body dependant on too many medicines, until and unless its not in our reach. But better to build up there immunity to avoid especially common colds. And I feel, this magic everyone should know especially the Health ministers of family. Before I proceed to share do you people know what AYURVEDA is? Ayu means Life; Veda means to know. To know about life, existence is Ayurveda. It is the healthcare system prevalent in India

and its subcontinents since ancient times. Ayurveda is also suggested during pregnancy to ensure proper growth of the foetus; herbal decoctions, to be taken every month to a pregnant mum to be. So here comes the magic of Ayurveda from Grandmas corner. 1. Common Cold: Fresh juice of Tulsi leaves with honey is an effective remedy. Even, Basil (tulsi)leaves in boiled hot water is good. Use warm water for drinking. Onion soup with an extra pinch of pepper powder and flake of ginger is also a good remedy. Tip: At least thrice a week boiled garlic cloves 3-4 nos or Raw garlic (if you can have) is good to build up immunity also to stay away from cold or allergies. Its also good for sinusitis. 2. Cough and Wheezing: A juice of Basil( Tulsi) leaves with honey given every two or three hours is a good medicine. For allergic cough and wheeze add Yashtimadhu powder to tulsi leaves juice and honey. Avoid yoghurts, ice cold milk, ice cream, chilled water, fruits like custard apple and banana. 3. Indigestion: Over eating and eating unwholesome junk food is a serious problem what the generation faces today. You can also say as unhealthy eating habits. Which often leads to indigestion? A mixture of ginger and lemon juice with a pinch of salt taken frequently in sips helps to overcome indigestion. For kids add this mixture in Luke warm water. 4. Pain in Abdomen: This is the most common symptom found during childhood. Best way to get rid of this complaint give a mixture of Carom seeds(Ajwain), Aniseed (saunf), Cumin seeds(jeera) and Saindhav (variety of salt) powdered together along with luke warm water for relief. Pain occurring due to gases is relieved by externally putting drops of castor oil around naval or by applying asafoetida (hing) over the abdomen. Regular use of aniseed or cumin seeds water would prevent frequent occurrence of this symptom. In older children regular use of garlic in daily diet is effective. Avoid excessive use of white flour (maida) and substitute with whole wheat products. 5. Throat Infection: Gargling with a concentrated solution of warm water and one teaspoon salt is effective. Turmeric and Pepper boiled in milk is a good remedy. 6. Constipation: The major cause of constipation is lack in intake of water. When my son was very young I use to give him dry black currants soaked in water given with warm water at bed time which helps to keep his tummy fine and easy morning calls. A cup of warm milk with half tea spoon of Clarified Butter(Ghee) is also a good remedy. To avoid constipation it is advisable to eat fruits like Papaya, Bananas and melons. The habit of supressing natures call should be discouraged especially for younger ones. 7. Dental Caries and Toothache: Neem leaves, Turmeric powder and clove buds boiled in water and regularly given for oral rinse helps to maintain good oral hygiene . For caries in tooth and pain keep cotton swab dipped in clove oil and Asafoetida in cavity for older childrens.

8. Worms: Embella (Vidanga seeds) boil with milk should be given to kids. These seeds show anti worm properties. Same as, cumin seeds powder(jeera), embella(vidanga seeds), neem leaves, Saindhav salt boiled in water and given twice a month also helps to prevent repeated worm infestations. Also if fenugreek seeds add in daily diet is good. Your very First-Aid of house is in your kitchen's heart or in your terrace garden. Just dig inside more to use this magical powers for you and your loved ones.

Ayurveda approach According to Ayurveda, increased in kapha dosha in the stomach is the underlying cause of asthma. From the stomach, the increased kapha blocks the flow of natural air, creating spasm in the bronchial tree, hence it progresses to the lungs, trachea and bronchi. This results wheezing in asthma. To treat asthma the Ayurveda way, the kapha lodged in the lungs and bronchi, need to return to the stomach where it will be eliminated. Asthma is usually brought on by allergies and no matter what is the cause, it is important to relive the person from difficulty in breathing and asthmatic wheezing during an attack. Stop the Wheezing This licorice tea can be prepared as soon as you begin to feel an asthmatic attack is coming. Symptoms include tightness in chest, some difficulty in breathing or other symptoms you recognize from experiences. When you have prepared the tea, the effect can last for about 72 hours and does not lose its effectiveness. You need: 5 1- drops of mahanarayan oil or teaspoon plain ghee 1 teaspoon of licorice root (yashti madhu) Boil the root in a cup of water for a few minutes. When you are about to drink the tea, add the ghee or the mahanarayan oil. Sip the tea every 5 to 10 minutes. In some cases, the tea may induce nausea and vomiting, and this is beneficial for it eliminates kapha from the stomach and relieves the spasm from the lungs and bronchial tubes. The person will feel a lot better after this. This tea is mot limited to emergency only. As a precaution, you can also take it every day if you are prone to develop asthma. Warning: If you have hypertension, do not use licorice tea regularly as a drink as it makes the body retain sodium. USE IT only during an emergency to avert asthma attack.

Prevention is better than cure. Try and avoid the following: Asthma unfriendly food Avoid dairy food like cheese, milk, yoghurt and even cream. Fermented food such as soy sauce and even alcohol, and all hydrophilic food such as salty items, cucumber and tuna should be avoided. You may also want to avoid yeast, mushrooms, peanuts, walnuts and all kinds of nuts. For people who are very sensitive to these food, may reaction at once, or may take a few hours. Allergens Avoid any object that may cause a reaction and bring on an attack. If its dust, avoid book shelves or moldy basements, certain chemicals and even cuddly toys and pets with fur. Three Mustard Seeds Remedies Healing the bronchial system with mustard seeds can be most effective and here are three ways to take advantage of their heat and healing power: Brown mustard Rub Rub some brown mustard oil onto your chest to give some relief Mustard & Pippali Tea Add ground mustard and pippali (or black pepper) to tea. Steep teaspoon of each in a cup of hot water for about 10 minutes. You can add 2 teaspoons of honey to taste. Drink this 2 to 3 times a day. For better results, sip it every 15 minutes throughout the day. Brown Mustard Oil Just mix a teaspoon of brown mustard oil with 1 teaspoon of organic sugar, natural preferred. Take a dose of this mixture twice or three times a day on an empty stomach. Herbal Remedies You can take the following herbal cures regularly for a long term prevention of asthma: Half Licorice half Ginger tea Use teaspoon of the combined herbs of licorice and ginger in a cup of water. Cinnamon and Trikatu tea Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and teaspoon of trikatu to a cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes and add honey to taste before drinking. Take this tea twice a day. Bay leaf and Pippali Mixture Add teasppon bay leaf and teaspoon of Pippali to a teaspoon of honey. Mix well and take this mixture twice or three times a day. For both immediate relief of asthma and prevention, try: Herbal formula Mix teaspoon of sitopaladi, teaspoon of punarnava, and apinch of pippali and abrak bhasma together.

For immediate relief, take the whole mixture,little by little, with honey. For long term use, take it once a day. Onion and Black Pepper mixture To relief congestion and alleviate breathlessness, take cup onion juice with 1 teaspoon honey and 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper. Spinach tea with Pippali Drink 1/3 cup of spinach juice with a pinch of pippali twice day. Yoga Yoga too can be beneficial to help relieve asthma. Try effective yoga asanas like sitting in the Vajrasana, the Bow and Cobra poses, and the inverted poses like Shoulder Stand and Plow. Chronic Bronchial Asthma If you have this condition, try taking this cure: Stick 7 cloves into a peeled banana, and leave it overnight. Eat the banana and cloves the next morning. Obstinate from food and drink for an hour. Then drink a hot cup of honey water to energise the lungs and reduce any asthmatic wheezing. Ayurveda remedies can help asthma problems. If you find that some medication no longer help or seem to work for you anymore, or if you have difficulty breathing and other symptoms like swollen feet, chest pains and profuse sweating, and a history of heart problems, seek medical attention at once. Hi, Yes Ayurveda can cure asthma . The aim of treatment is for asthmatics to have a normal, active life. The treatment will include medicines and the removal of any allergy-causing substances or irritants from the environment. Two types of medications are used to control asthma fast acting medicines called bronchodilators and preventive medicines. Bronchodilators relax the muscles in the airways. When the muscles are relaxed, the airways become larger and allow more space for air to move in and out. This medicine is taken by inhaling it - breathing it into the lungs while spraying it into the mouth. People prone to asthma, should always have a bronchodilator with them. Taking the inhaler before exercise can prevent exercise-induced asthma. Salbutamol is the generic name of the most widely used fast-acting bronchodilator delivered by an inhaler or a nebulizer. The preventive medicines are now considered the best and safest way to control asthma. These medicines prevent asthma attacks and chronic asthma symptoms, such as shortness of breath, allowing people with asthma to live active lives, including participation in sports. The common preventive medicines are a long-acting bronchodilator called salmeterol and inhaled steroids, such as betamethasone. Additional types of preventive medicines include theophylline, a pill often taken at bedtime to

prevent wheezing at night and chromoglycate which is inhaled three to four times a day. In addition to using a quick-acting bronchodilator during an asthma attack, different types of preventive medicines may be combined for the best control of wheezing. For the right treatment, the asthmatics need to work closely with their doctor. The inhaler should be used correctly by reading the directions that come with it. Most inhalers work best when held 1 to 2 inches in front of the mouth during use. If the mouth is closed around the inhaler, less amount of the medicine will reach the lungs. A spacer tube or spacehaler can be used for better delivery of the medicine to the lungs. One end of the spacer is attached to the inhaler and the other end is put in the mouth. This allows the asthmatic to breathe in slowly and fully and to inhale more of the asthma medicine. This is especially useful in asthmatic children who can have a problem in coordinating the inhaler with their breathing. The cares should be taken at home. These guidelines may help to keep asthma under control:

Avoid smoke, especially cigarette smoke, vapours and chemical fumes. Stay indoors during the humid season or the change of seasons especially when the pollen count is high. Do not use fans in closed and dusty places. Cover mattresses and pillows with plastic covers. Wash the bedding in hot water every week. Do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless it is thoroughly cleaned. Do not have close contact with pets. Pet owners should bathe their pet weekly. The cleaning of the house or the surroundings should be done by wet mopping rather than sweeping, wherever possible. This avoids the generation of allergen aerosols which could act as a triggering factor. The doctor should be contacted in case the medicines are not effective in keeping the breathing comfortable.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Simple remedies for cold and cough
As this is the winter season and weather keeps fluctuating comman cold and fever are the more commanest ailments what most of us suffer from.So my todays topic of discussion is comman cold. Most commonest causes for cold coughare:-------------------------------Change or fluctuation in weather conditions which in turn results or favours growth of various varities of virusus. -Viral infections of throat -exposure to too cold climate -sudden exposure to cold then entering a well heated rooms or so

-Change or drinking water which is supposed to be most comman cause -excessive consuption of frosen or chilled food articles -exposure to dust and pollans -working late nights -exessive exposure with people who are already infected with cold -here the problems are more because of poor ventilation and extreemes of climate -staying in an room were there is poor air circulation ,or in a room with heaters or Air conditioner on for whole day So thus the list goes on.

Remedies:--------1.Daily intake of rejuvinating tonics which also enhances the immunity of the body and strengthens it from the core like chyavan prash leham,khushmanda Leham,Ashvagandha avaleham,swamala compound etc depanding on the body constituents can help to inbuilt the immunity within our body and prevent us from most of the diseases. 2.Practising breathing exercises like pranayama sudarshana kriya etc will make our respiratory system strong and prevent us from getting any respiratory illness. 3.There are certain yogas which also gives desired effect. 4.One who suffer from cold and cough very often there is a simple procedure for this.Early morning just immediatly after getting up from bed, gargle your mouth and give a quick rinse and the drink about 1.52 litres of water till you feel totally full,then kindle your throat with a finger ,just by tickling with your clean hands and vomit out the entire water till you feel the sourness in your mouth.This will help to expell out the sputum and other debries.This also helps in acidity problems also.

5. When you have cough and there is severe conjestion and feel difficult to breath ,take a hot vapour of water with ecalyptus oil ,or any vapouriser added to boiling water and take a steam for about 100 coulnt.This will dialate the bronchus and the blocks in the nose.Helps in nasal conjestions too. 6.Simple vapour with only water daily is helpful in sinusitis also.This must be done regularly before going to be .This also relieves head ache and helps to relax.Its even good for skin.It cleanses the pores and removes the debries form the skin pores.Hence helps the skin to breath.Helps in achne problems too.. 7.Water with hand full of rock salt should be used to take vapours in severe cough or mild could and heavyness in the head. 8.A concentrated decoction out of peppercorns with cumin and jaggery also helps to expell out all the sputun and gives a pleasent feeling when there is productive cough and thick cough comming out.

9.

Juice of beetle leaf must be extracted about 2 tsp to it add 1 tsp of honey mix well and give daily twice after 30 mins after food in case of cough.Helps a lot and should be done for 4-5 days atleast.

10.

Finely minced ginger mixed with llittle honey is really a good remedy in case of sevre night times cough.

11.

A quater of fresh onion chewed with a piece of jaggery kept in middle helps to relieve the chest congestion and helps in removing the sputum easily.Thus is a good cure for cough. 12.Cane sugar itself is a good medicine for dry cough which troubles a lot during night times. 13.

Just keeping a clove in your toung also helps in dry cough.

14.

Tulsi leaves about 6-8 leaves also helps in cough and cold.

15

Dhooma paan that is the smoke of turmeric has an antiseptic action in case of cold and cough.Burn a dried root of turmeric and inhale the smoke for about 5-6 times.This relieves the congestion.It can also be done in another way.Take a small mud vessel and place a cup of water below.Then add red hot charcoal to the clay or mud vessel and add little dried leaves to it.Then heap up a spoon full of turmeric cover it and give a gentle blow so that it catches fire then inhale it.This will act as a good antiseptic to your lungs and respiratory tract. 16.Dhouthi and nethi are the 2 procedures of yoga which are very beneficial. Posted by Dr. Soumya Bhat at 4:54 PM 39 comments:

USHA said...

Hi Soumya,

Wonderfull!!!!really very useful post for all of us.I got good remedy for dry cough,sometimes when my hubby suffer,i am helpness.Now i got it from you. Actually i came to your blog to keep a request for new post in this blog, to my surprise you have already done it..
February 8, 2007 at 12:58:00 PM PST

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hi Usha, Thanks dear.I always find your comments encouraging.Thanks a lot.Will love to post your request any time.
February 8, 2007 at 5:39:00 PM PST

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

People fall sick and then seek for remedies on the other hand I want to fall sick just for the sake of remedies written by you.
February 10, 2007 at 3:33:00 AM PST

sailaja said...

Fabulous post!
February 11, 2007 at 4:18:00 AM PST

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hi Harekrishnaji, Thanks a lot for a lovely compliment.

February 12, 2007 at 11:17:00 AM PST

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

HEllo Shailaja, Thanks dear.happy that you guys find it useful na.That good.
February 12, 2007 at 11:17:00 AM PST

Vcuisine said...

Dear Soumya, thanks for your wishes. I went through your articles about secrets of fruits. Very informative. I consume lots of fruits and always curious to read about the facts. Thanks for the valuable info. Next is your simple remedies for cold and cough. Very handy to have this as this is the season for cold and cough. Very interesting to see that we can cure with our natural products instead of going to antibiotics which is of no use in curing Viral infection. Tks Soumya for the wonderful info. Viji
February 19, 2007 at 9:27:00 PM PST

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hey Viji, Thanks to you too to follow my blog regularly.Very happy to read your commnets
February 20, 2007 at 10:58:00 AM PST

Seema said...

Soumya, How could I miss this post of yours. I will try all of your remedies for cold and cough becoz seems like both of them are just not ready to leave me. Good job gal!!!! Akka
February 20, 2007 at 1:58:00 PM PST

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

for your kind consideration http://harekrishnaji.blogspot.com/search/label/AROMATIC%20AND%20MEDICINAL %20PLANTS

February 25, 2007 at 5:42:00 AM PST

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hey akka,Then you must check this out and tell me how helpful it was

February 26, 2007 at 2:55:00 PM PST

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hello hare krishna ji.Will surely see this.Thanks

February 26, 2007 at 2:57:00 PM PST

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

You are ignoring this blog completly no new posts ?

March 6, 2007 at 8:40:00 AM PST

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hello hare krishnaji, Actually i was working on maany posts ....Sorry for the delay will try to post early and new informations.Many will be posted very soon..thanks for the consern
March 7, 2007 at 12:07:00 PM PST

rv said...

Liked all the remedies and your blog :) very very useful info which I was looking for....continue this good work :) am also adding u to my blogroll
April 18, 2007 at 6:51:00 AM PDT

sharmuki said...

Hi: I am new to blogging. Ayurvedic medicine was my flair and it still is. I never got a placement to be a BAMS like you.

What is panchakarma? Can these be done at home. Any special course to taken?
December 25, 2007 at 8:37:00 PM PST

aparna said...

hello dr.soumya, very nice to see u sharing such valuable and useful information with us. i have been trying the remedies for dandruff sugggested by u.can u give me some useful remedies for cracked feet.i have been using creams but of no use.ur guidance will help me.
January 4, 2008 at 12:35:00 AM PST

Tasneem said...

Dear Soumya, I'm worried to see that my right big toe has become dark and dull as if it is dead, without any earlier injury - is it fungal or sign of deeper disfunctioning? Often, esp. when I have gas or bloating I feel pinching pain in the nail bed. I eat s ind. veg food no diet - have 3 -4 glasses of tea, take no supplements. I have GERD and am allergic to red chillies, coriander, turmeric, onion garlic, milk, chick peas, eggplant, tomato and groundnuts, but I have been eating everything. I usually have 2 pieces of chocolate daily. i dont drink any milk.
March 16, 2008 at 7:15:00 AM PDT

Tasneem said...

PS I forgot to add, white rice at night gives me gas and I have some large raised reddish ulcers, deep inside at the back of my tongue, closer to the throat opening. But they don't give me any trouble - though I guess they are a sign that all is not well with me.
March 16, 2008 at 7:19:00 AM PDT

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

This indicates that You are not compatible to white rice.It cuases ushna to your body.There are many other causes which show similar symptos.So would like to know more about this.
April 15, 2008 at 9:42:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hey Doc, I had a cold start last friday. It started as a runny nose and sinus infection. In the morning I would spit out lots of green mucus. My sinuses were clogged up. On Sunday I put some garlic oil in my nose and it cleared everything up great. But the next morning I woke up with the same thing in my chest. I cant stop coughing at night when I lay down and the stuff is yellowish greenish phlegm. My dosha is mainly Kapha with a litle vata. Seems like greenish yellow phlegm in the chest is pitta. I have been using Vasant Lad's Home remedy book but im not sure if it is clearing it out. I usually have one cup of triphala tea a day but have increased it to 2 the lat 2 days. Any suggstions to get this out of my system as soon as possible? I tried number 4 this morning(drinking water and vomiting up) but am still coughing up a little green stuff. Thanks Jeremy Wills, D.C. wjeremy26@charter.net
May 20, 2008 at 7:10:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hi soumya, You have given really good remedies for common ailments.I am happy to have found this website. Thanks, Prathima Maryland.
June 26, 2008 at 1:26:00 PM PDT

Best Practices said...

Hi Soumya, I am Neethu.came to know about your blog while browsing.you have given tips about

gaining weight but not about loosing weight:).Can you please give some tips on this? -Regards, Neethu
August 22, 2008 at 5:31:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hi Soumya, Nice to see your articles, which are very usefull for us. can you please post some thing on Headache. Headache remedies. I get headache when i take headbath, for tension, if i visit crowded places,noisy places, if i doesn't take food at right time, lot of things induce headache allmost three time a week i get headache. Took lot of medicines, no use. Can you please post some article on headache instant remediesa and long term remedies. Thanks, Shilpa.
August 30, 2009 at 10:35:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

hello dr.soumya, Very helpful article , hope this year cold will not trouble me.
October 31, 2009 at 1:30:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hello doctor, This is a very well laid out web site. Thank you for the great indight you have provided with simple herbs and everyday vegetables/fruits. Wondering why you haven't posted any for weight loss. also I am interested in ADHD diet and PCOS syndrome..

Thank you very much. -Vidhya.

June 11, 2010 at 11:26:00 AM PDT

Susan said...

Hi Soumya, I have been viviting ur blog regularly for updates..Kindly continue updating with various ayurvedic practices for a healthy living. Thanks, Susan
June 15, 2010 at 6:08:00 AM PDT

shakti said...

hi soumya, I shakti fro india(Pune) Will u pls help me as from last 2 months i am facing problem,as pimpils & pigmintation on my face.I dnt like my face. please help me in this regards.
August 4, 2010 at 11:06:00 PM PDT

AParna said...

Hi Usha, What a bless to find these remedies posted by you. I have 2 little ones 5 and 2 , frequently catching colds and cough. for the older one when he gets cough he constantly coughs for 3 days and it subsides. but this is happening frequently. Any remedies please... Appreciate all that you do. Thanks, Aparna.
December 13, 2010 at 10:20:00 AM PST

Constipation Cure said...

Hi, Among the many reasons for contacting cough and cold, when there is improper digestion, the food transforms into a mucus toxin and this circulates through the body and reaches the respiratory system, where it causes coughs and colds.
May 28, 2011 at 2:32:00 AM PDT

Kuldeep said...

Hi, I want to ask about a problem related to cough and cold, the problem is with my niece (11 years old) for last 4 years. He has the problem of cough during the whole year (including summers too). What can be the remedy please suggest. The condition becomes worse during winter days. Esp. breathing disorder occurs he inhales (ESIFLO 250) when the condition is worse. Please reply asap.
December 7, 2011 at 5:57:00 AM PST

Anonymous said...

hi, i get common cold very often whether its winter or summer, when i take tablet it wil go.. what are the remedies to prevent it...
December 12, 2011 at 1:59:00 AM PST

Sushma Ribeiro said...

Hi saumya. My husband had loose motions for 4 days.On day 3 I read about the dried pomegranate to boil in water.On day 4 when we went to the doc Ayurvedic Of course and she said that you are on the right line of treatment and by evening day 4 my husband was perfectly fine thanks a ton.Very useful blog.God Bless you Sushma Ribeiro Mumbai
March 10, 2012 at 5:16:00 AM PST

JAGAYUVAN-

said...

Hi I am happy to say that treatment procedures mentioned by you for cold and cough are very effective and comprises of simplified procedures. Thank you very much for your useful suggestions. Kind Regards, Jagadeesan P. JRA, GVK Biosciences, Chennai
July 11, 2012 at 8:56:00 PM PDT

Unknown said...

Dear Soumya, I am new user of your blog, I found some really usefull,mind blowing,finger tip medicines,easilly availale remedies. I recomended to my family members and used all the prescribed methods to cure cold and cough. Deepak
July 12, 2012 at 9:32:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Dear Dr.Soumya,Could you post a page with complete info regd hyper acidity.Not able to get rid of it.with medication even ayurvedic get some relief for few days,then it recurrs.Basically non vegetarian.Plz tell me what to eat what not to?what to avoid and what I should not eat for ever.Is there any permanant solution?I suffer frm either burning sensation or headache or giddiness with weakness.Plz help
September 5, 2012 at 4:59:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Very Very useful & simple methods to get rid of cough & cold.

October 28, 2012 at 9:42:00 PM PDT

embedded said...

Hi Soumya Bhat, I am 29 years old , I am suffering from continous cold. Its like one day i will be fine , other day starts coughing , I took lot of medicine , but of no use , I still suffer with cough. If I take something cold , cough starts. After cough , i get small amount of mucous , sometimes I get colorless jelly like(bit hard) ,sometimes yellowish. Could you please suggest some suitable ayurvedic remedy.It would be very helpful. Thanks, Hari
November 27, 2012 at 10:17:00 PM PST

Bhavesh Solanki said...

hi, My mom is 54yrs old, she is having diabetes & bp. she is mentally weak from many days & suffering from cold & she cant sleep in piece. so please give me solution of it 9892826699.
July 12, 2013 at 4:01:00 AM PDT

Post a Comment

Quick and easy remidies for mouth ulcers

My todays topic is all bout mouth ulcers.This is one amoungst the most comman problem which everyone experience .There are certain things to know a bout the causes and how to prevent them what are the remidies. Mouth or the so called oral cavity is said to be the mirror of the digestive system mainly the stomach and the interstine. The mouth ulcers are called as stomatitis.Its a reddish small ulcer which occurs in the inner area of the mouth.They are of different varities like tromatic ulcer,Chronic ulcers,Acute,Malignant,Benign.....

Causes:-

---------1.Troma - This means any sort of injury .this is most commanest cause .Mainly while brushing or eating and sharp and hard objects ,or mainly while consuming any meat with intact bones , somethimes it might occur by your own teeth itself.. 2.Constipation - This is the main cause.Mostly the person suffering from constipation problem will have oral ulcers too.So the root cause here is to get rid of constipation which it self will act as a cure. 3.Indigestion- This is also the most comman reason .Any problem with digestion shows of in form of stomatitis. 4.Many ulcers mainly related too intestines or stomach in such a condition this can also be seen.But here that will remain for a long time. 5.In innumo compramise condition like AIDS and others. 6.Vitamin difficiancy like difficiancy of vitamin B- complex or vitamin-C. 7.Calcium difficiancy. 8.Indulgence in excessive of spicy food. 9.Reduced intake of water. Remidies:--------1.Water is a very good remidy for this problem.As it is a liquid when taken i good amount removes or washe s away the toxins,Relieves one from constipation problem.Not only this there are certain vitamins which are water soluble.Body requires adequate amount of water.Hence its really good way to prevent the onset of mouth ulcers. 2.Keep your body cool if you are of pitta prakrithi of tend to increase up the heat in your body eary.

3.

Take substances which cool your body like tender coconut water.

4.

Prepare a drink/kashaya by adding coarsely powdered coriander seeds and cumin about 1 tsp each to milk and add 1 tsp of powdered cane sugar or jaggery and boil and reduced to half .Consume this twice a day.This will help you in constipation and gastritis problem too. 5.If this problem of ulcer is due to constipation make a habbit of drinking large amount of water in a day and consume more of fibrous vegetable and fruits in your diet like leafy vegetables,oranges ,sweetlimes etc. 6.Application of honey with the help of tip of your finger to the spot where there is a ulcer daily about 34 times helps to get immediate relief from the pain and also cures the ulcers early.This will lead to a bit for burning sensation but then subsides after 1 mins of application.

7.

Ghee application is also beneficial like honey.

8.

Consume more of milk mainly in the night before bedtime. 9.Take B-Complex tablets for atleast 3 days,twice daily with milk 10.Chewing tender leaaves of mango or guava and then swallow the liquid and keep the leaf at the site for about ten minutes.this also will show wonderful results. 11.Tender leaves of Jaaji mallige is the best remidy amounst all.It gives quick results.It makes the area numb.Used the way as tender leaves of guava and mango.This helps in bad breath problem also,cleanses the touch and improves taste perceptions.Increases appitite. 12.Oil pulling is an ancients method used to prevent anu oral diseases like related to gums teeth and even for ulcers.Helps to restore the helath of oral cavity.

13.

Simply chewing about haqlf trp of cumin and then drink a cup of water this also shows wonderful results.this also helps when you feel blotting sensation in your stomach. Ayurvedic remidies:----------------1.Gandusha dharana with thriphala kwatha, i.e- gargling or holding the water or thriphala kwatha in the mouth of 10 mins twice daily. 2.Application of triphala churna mixed with honey over the small ulcers also gives good results. 3.Intake of a tablet by name-'' Khadiradhi Vati'' is really a good remidy.I always make it a point to have a strip of this tablet in my purse.This also helps in dry cough and bad breath. 4.Oil pulling with neem oil. Posted by Dr. Soumya Bhat at 3:48 PM 41 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Dr.Soumya,I am asha -regular reader of your blog.Good work i must say.Keep going.I find your site very useful .You give a lot of simple remedies for all our problems which are very effective.Now to my q;) i do aerobics early in the morning after brushing.I have started drinking 5 glasses of water as you have prescribed.I feel really good after starting this regime.I feel fresh thru out the whole day.My query is --Should i drink water before i start exercising or after finishing my exercise.In case i drink before what is the gap of time i shd maintain before i start my exercise.Or incase after exercising what is the time

gap i shd maintain i.e., after how many min or hr i shd drink water after my exercise. My second query is how long shd i wait after drinking water to have my breakfast.Can i have my breakfast after 15 min after drinking water.Please do reply at the earliest as i am eagerly waiting for your reply. Thanks , Asha
May 8, 2007 at 5:57:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

Asha, You can drink water anytime of your workout. There is no thumb rule as such. Your body starts losing water when you sweat and you need to replenish with water. You can drink before your aerobic, during your work out and after your work out also. If you drink ice cold water, that will shrink your stomach and will make you eat little lesser than the other times. So, if you wanna eat less, then drink a glass of ice cold water 15mins before eating. After excercising you can drink a large glass of warm water with a spoon of honey mixed in it.
May 9, 2007 at 10:34:00 AM PDT

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

very useful.
May 16, 2007 at 6:19:00 AM PDT

pacchai milagai said...

Hi Dr. Bhat, I just came across your blog today and it was a godsent because I complained to my father about mouth ulcers. I will try your remedy.Look forward to learning a lot from you.
May 16, 2007 at 8:30:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hi Soumya, Is there any perticular oil with which one should do oil pulling? How long it should be done? Thanks,
May 16, 2007 at 1:04:00 PM PDT

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

Besides this, What I do is rotate Alum in the glassful of water, 6-7 times and then gargle l
May 17, 2007 at 12:41:00 AM PDT

Nanditha Prabhu said...

hey, this is a really useful blog. my brother always complains of mouth ulcers.....i think ur remedies may help.
May 24, 2007 at 8:59:00 PM PDT

Taste of Mysore said...

Hi Dr.Sowmya, Good Work. A very useful blog with simple remedies.

May 27, 2007 at 11:59:00 PM PDT

Vcuisine said...

useful info Soumya. Viji

May 29, 2007 at 10:18:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hi Sowmya, I have a doubt...why do I always have a burning sensation in my chest area whenever I take honey?...
June 10, 2007 at 9:37:00 PM PDT

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hello, Well honey by nature has a thikshna guna.Are you sure your honey is pure one Is that all the time you take honey you experience this burning sensation.Try consuming milk or water in large amount when ever you take honey.This will help.
June 10, 2007 at 10:39:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the suggestion, Dr.Sowmya. I used to take honey regularly when in India & never had this problem. I have been experiencing this problem since 2 yrs or so(ie since I left India). I have no idea how to check if the honey is pure. I buy a brand tht says pure australian honey. Let me know if U have any technique to chk its purity. I'll also try changing to some other brand of honey. Also, there are many diff types of honey avail in the stores. which would u recommend for regular consumption. Also, it would be great if u can write an article on menstural cramps with some home remedies for it. Thanks in advance. Dev
June 13, 2007 at 8:30:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Sry...just saw an article abt menstru cramps... But are there any remedies using common ingredients avail in countries other than India?. Dev
June 13, 2007 at 8:36:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

hai how r u? i follows ur site regularly. i allready wrote my problem to u.o.k iam 30 years old.i my body type is pitta(last week i came to know that)i used to feel hungry in correct timings.every time of the day.7 years back we came to u.s. from that time my stress increased, i have loss of apetite problem from last 5 years.i have piles problem from last 10 years.last years i suffered from ulcer,serious depresion. doctor gave me the tablets for everything. i still have loss apetite problem.from last 1 months im having burning urination problem.he tested urine.came negative. but priscribed antibiotics.from last 1 month im using anti biotics. but no use.last week i ate rye,millet so my problem became worst.so i searched in the net.i stopped eating spicy,sour foods.it little decreased.but still i have burning urine,burning legs.having chills.do i need to cut back chilles,garlic,mustard,tamarind,ginger,chilly spices in my cooking.do i need to cut sore fruits.do i need to cut back idly, dosa.im from south. my son and hubby is kapha type. its difficult to make different meals.according to ayurveda i cant eat tamarind,urad,toor dal,chillys,tomatoes which is my daily food.it is difficult to give up. im fully confused.they r saying that we cant eat fruits with cooked foods.my head is spinning. thanku
June 13, 2007 at 12:45:00 PM PDT

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Well there are simple things what you can do for menstrual cramps.It would be good if you tell me details about your cycle,The nature of pain and how long you have it? nature of flow? color of blod etc.You can feel free to post a mail if you want with full details.Only then i can tell you which can suit you properly.
June 13, 2007 at 2:42:00 PM PDT

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hi there .well it says anonymous, Well i have gone thro' your complaints .Well how do you know you are of khapa prakrithi,Well it takes years to find out? which part of US are you staying? well i would like to prescribe medicines if you are willing to take them.Well the problem what you have is very simple.Well i dont think you will need so much of medication.will deal with one problem at a time.So do respond if you would like home remidies or ayurvedic treatment.

June 13, 2007 at 2:45:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

hai, thanks for ur answer.im pitta.not kapha.i have all, sensitive to heat.all what they wrote aboutfor pitta.i stopped taking antibiotics.i changed my food.the problem is decreased.im from michigan.3 yrs back we moved from newyork.first i have to try home remidies.i think its difficult to get medicines here.is triphala helpfull? thanku somuch
June 14, 2007 at 5:47:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

waiting for u actually.

June 16, 2007 at 3:52:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hi Sowmya, Have sent an email. please chk it out. Dev

June 17, 2007 at 11:12:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

hai can u tell me home remidies for burning urine i still have problem.i changed my diet according to my body type.please give me the answer if u have time.is heating honey is toxic,mixing milk ,banana is toxic? thanku. waiting sri

June 18, 2007 at 6:29:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

hai sowmya, how r u? u told me that u can give me the home remidies for my prob.what is the teason that ur not answering? r u afraid to give? thanku sri
June 26, 2007 at 6:25:00 AM PDT

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hi Sri, Sorry for the delay.Was busy with other patients and in between had some health problems also.So could'nt check and update. Well what made you think i am scared? Please do reply to this.I wanna know. Regarding the remedies i shall surely give.Im doing a service to give my best to the needy and help others i'm not here for some income. Comming to the remedies1] Heating honey is considered as virudha and acts like visha which does'nt mean its poisonous.It changes its properties when you heat .Hence the re will be a reverce action in the bodu .According to ayurveda its considered ad virudha. 2] Adding milk and honey causes no problem.I hope you have asked adding honey and banana to honey.As its not clear in your post if its wrong the question is something different please do correct me. 3]Regarding your burning urine problem.Well as you have said you are ready to change your diet according to your body? well i dont know what kind of body constitution is yours? can adivise on it only when you tell me in detail. First make a habbit of drinking large amount of water every now and then.this will help to dilute the concentration of your urine and help in washing away the toxins out of your body. 2.Take 1/2 a glass of milk to it add 3/4 glass of cold water and kallu sakkare that is cane sugar and mix and if required add 1-2 cubes of ice and drink it every now and then. 3.there is avariety of thulasi called Kallu thulasi that is purple variety of thulsi.Make a decoction out of it by adding 2 galss and reducing to 1/2 glass add cane sugar or jaggery to itand drink in empty stoomach when ever you have burning micturation. 4.Fry 2 tsp of cumin and Coriander seeds each in 1 tsp of ghee untill it stops to splutter.Then crush it to form a coarse powder add a glass of milk or even water will do.then prepare a drink in the same manner as tea.Add 1/2 tsp sugar and a drop of ghee

stir and drink it daily.this will keep your body cool and is definately a good medicine for your problem as well as gastritis. 5.Even freshly prepared dark grape juice is a good medicine for burning micturation. 6.Try getting cucumber seeds or else cucumber will also do.remove the outer skin and prepare juice by adding cold water and cane sugar and drink 4 times a day. Try these and tell me if you need more.
June 26, 2007 at 12:59:00 PM PDT

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hi there, this is regarding oil used for oil pulling.I had published the comment but cant find it.Well here again i wanna say.Normally oil which can be used is coconut oil.In case of oral diseases or bad breath neem oil is the best choice.If its to maintain good helath then Coconut oil is really good.til oil can also be used.As its a bit thicker when compared to others it becomes a bit difficult.Henge coconut oil is best .
June 26, 2007 at 1:02:00 PM PDT

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

this blog is ignored for a long time

July 5, 2007 at 7:28:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

hai, how r u? how is ur health? waiting for ur advice. thanku sri

July 6, 2007 at 10:00:00 AM PDT

roopa said...

hi soumya, nice subject to post....my husband recently had mouth ulcer as he recently had hot boiling soup without knowing its temperature...just one spoon he had and that caused it....i had him apply salt on the affectewd area as its worked for me, though it burns initially for a few minutes, the next day it reducwes the ulcer a lot....do u know if this is a good idea? or if its a harmful one?
July 15, 2007 at 5:13:00 AM PDT

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

hi Doctor, where are you ? no updates for long long time

October 26, 2007 at 1:06:00 AM PDT

Anu said...

Hi Soumya, You have a very good and informative blog. Keep up the good work :)
November 22, 2007 at 5:06:00 AM PST

Anonymous said...

Hello Soumya, I am Raje 34 years old with two kids last few years I have periods getting delayed- like it takes 60 days to more. My BP is normal, no thyriod problem and no cholestrol. Is this due to my body weight as my present body weight is 75 even though I have nonveg very rarely or is it due to mental stress. Please advice me. Thankyou.
June 18, 2008 at 3:59:00 AM PDT

Urmi said...

Hello Soumya ji, My father is experiencing some sensation in his mouth since six months. There is no

ulcer but he cant have anything spicy/ hot. If he does, it irritaes his mouth. What should he do?
October 24, 2008 at 2:17:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

holding raw milk gives great relief.... if u agree plz add to d remedies...
September 12, 2009 at 2:59:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hi Soumya, The blog was very usefull. Planning to look at your suggestion of having milk twice a day. I am one of the person who alway have ongoing 2 to 3 mouth ulcers. One thing I noticed that some how when I was pregnant, the mouth ulcer issue had disapeared. It started recurring post delivery. Would it be some medecines prescribed to me during pregnancy subsidising the mouth ulcer issue. Please advice. (My age is 33) Swati
August 15, 2010 at 4:18:00 AM PDT

sanya said...

Hi, Dr , My name is Rimple. I am pregnant and have really bad mouth ulcer since 5 days. Can you tell what should I eat and not eat to prevent this problem please.
September 20, 2011 at 7:52:00 PM PDT

vjdsivakumar said...

i have mouth ulcer due to chewing of tobaco what is remedy for me please post email to me my email id is vjdsivakumar@gmail.com
January 18, 2012 at 12:57:00 AM PST

Anonymous said...

Thanks, It will surely help me to recover.

March 21, 2012 at 1:39:00 AM PDT

sree said...

Hi Soumya, The blog was very usefull. Planning to look at your suggestion of having milk twice a day. I ve some small group of sores like spots in my inner cheek and on the mouth openings as well.I went to dentists and they said they might be probably stress sores or due to deficiency..but i ve taken some vitamins,riboflavins,,but they are still there., and i ve a burning sensation in mouth.what could be the reason.
May 22, 2012 at 7:53:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

please continue your online treatment it helps a lot to lots of people.

August 26, 2012 at 9:51:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this post. I my 5.5 years old daughter has mouth ulcer. I've given her khadiradi vati with honey. Hope it'll get healed soon. I'm always for ayurvedic/home remedies. Posts like these are truly useful.
July 17, 2013 at 7:19:00 AM PDT

Anonymous said...

Hi. Sir. I have anemia and also a cut / mouth ulcer since 7 weeks (approx. 1.2 cm) Its not healing completely. How can i get rid from mouth ulcer and anemia???pls reply soon as im very worried. Many thanks for ur help. Jasmin from uk My email: thecatgirla@yahoo.com
July 31, 2013 at 7:07:00 PM PDT

Anonymous said...

Ayurveda never allow to drink chilled water then why you are suggesting cold water before breakfast? Watch this video : rajiv dixit on cold waterhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY35ArFiQ6A
August 25, 2013 at 11:46:00 PM PDT

N.GOVINDARAJAN said...

my son had mouth ulcer, i suggested him to take tender coconut , he tookk it but it became even more , what could be the reason. please suggest us.

That nagging cough

SEP 2010

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Cough for a minute or two, and you may think something has "gone down the wrong pipe." Cough for a day or two, and you may think you've picked up a cold or the flu. After a week, bronchitis or allergies may come to mind. But after three or four weeks, your mind starts to race, and the worry begins to mount. For most men, chronic coughing raises the specter of cancer. But is cancer really a common cause of a cough that lingers? And if it's not, what is and what can you do to quiet a nagging cough?

What is a cough?
Although folk wisdom views coughing as a grave portent of illness What did one casket say to the other? "I hear you coffin" the cough is actually a vital player in the body's defense against disease. Coughing expels mucus, microbes, and foreign particles from the respiratory tract, protecting the lungs from infection and inflammation. The cough begins with an initial gasp that draws air deep into the lungs. Next, the glottis snaps shut, putting a lid over the trachea, or windpipe. The third step is the forceful contraction of the muscles of the chest cage, abdomen, and diaphragm (see figure). In normal breathing, these muscles push air gently from the lungs up through the nose and mouth. But when the glottis is closed, the air can't move out, so tremendous pressure builds up in the air passages. Finally, the glottis swings open and the air rushes out. And it is quite a rush; in a vigorous cough, the air travels out at nearly the speed of sound, creating the barking or whooping noise that we call a cough.

Anatomy of a cough

The cough starts with a gasp that sucks air down into the lungs. Next, the epiglottis snaps shut over the trachea, or windpipe. Then the muscles of the diaphragm, abdomen, and chest contract forcefully. Pressure builds up until the epiglottis opens, releasing a rush of air that makes the characteristic sound of a cough.

A cough can be a conscious, voluntary act or an uncontrollable, involuntary reflex. In the latter case, stimulation of nerves in the larynx ("voice box") and respiratory tract initiates the entire process. These nerves can be irritated by infections, allergies, cold air, tumors, chemical agents such as smoke, mechanical factors such as dust particles, or by normal body fluids such as nasal mucus or stomach acid. It's no wonder, then, that so many different things can trigger a cough.

The chronic cough

Everyone coughs, and nobody worries about an occasional cough. Many acute illnesses ranging from hay fever and the common cold to bronchitis and pneumonia produce recurrent coughs. But the cough that accompanies acute illnesses resolves in a matter of a few days to a few weeks. In contrast, a chronic cough is variously defined as one that lingers for more than three to eight weeks, sometimes lasting for months or even years.

Chronic coughing is common, so frequent that it rates as one of the most common reasons for seeing a doctor. Although both patients and doctors rightly focus their attention on finding the cough's cause, the cough itself is responsible for significant problems. In addition to worry about the diagnosis, patients experience frustration and anxiety, especially if diagnosis and treatment stretches out over weeks, which is often the case. Coughing interrupts sleep, producing fatigue and impairing concentration and work performance. In this age of scary new viruses, social interactions are likely to suffer. And coughing can also have important physical consequences, ranging from urinary incontinence to fainting and broken ribs. Between medical tests, lost productivity at work, remedies that don't help, and treatments that do, coughing is also expensive.

What causes chronic coughing?

Smoking is the leading cause. Sooner or later, most cigarette smokers develop a chronic "smoker's cough." Chemical irritation is responsible but the same noxious chemicals that cause the simple smoker's cough can lead to far more serious conditions, such as bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, and lung cancer. The chronic cough is always a cause of concern for smokers. A lingering cough is also a worry for nonsmokers. Fortunately, benign problems are responsible for most chronic coughs in nonsmokers. Benign or not, persistent coughing can cause worry, embarrassment, exhaustion, and more. That's why chronic coughs should be diagnosed and treated before they linger too long. Dozens of conditions can cause a recurrent, lingering cough, but the lion's share are caused by just five: postnasal drip, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic bronchitis, and treatment with ACE inhibitors, used for high blood pressure. Many people have several of these conditions, but in nonsmokers, the first three, singly or in combination, account for nearly all chronic coughs. The major causes of long-term coughing are listed below.

Persistent cough: Major causes

Common causes

Postnasal drip Asthma Gastroesophageal reflux disease Chronic bronchitis; bronchiectasis Treatment with ACE inhibitors

Less common causes

Airborne environmental irritants

Aspiration during swallowing Heart failure Lung infections Pertussis (whooping cough) Lung cancer Other lung diseases Psychological disorders

Common in smokers

Tobacco smoke itself Lung cancer Lung infections

Doctors can perform a variety of tests to diagnose patients with chronic coughs. The tests are accurate and successful, but aside from a simple chest x-ray, testing is usually not necessary. That's because people can often figure things out for themselves. But before you attempt to diagnose and treat yourself, review the red flags that call for prompt medical attention instead of a do-it-yourself approach (below). If you're like most men with a lingering cough, consider these major causes: 1. Postnasal drip (also called the upper airway cough syndrome). The human nose is more than the organ of smell. It is also the gateway to the lower respiratory tract. As such, its job is to condition the air passing through en route to the lungs. The nose warms air that is cool, adds moisture to air that is dry, and removes particles from air that is dirty. The nasal membranes accomplish all three tasks by producing mucus that is warm, moist, and sticky. Although the nose is a guardian of the more delicate lungs, it is subject to problems of its own. Viruses, allergies, sinusitis, dust particles, and airborne chemicals can all irritate the nasal membranes. The membranes respond to injury by producing more mucus and unlike normal mucus, it's thin, watery, and runny. All that mucus has to go somewhere. When it drips out the nose, it's a nuisance. But when it drips down the throat, it tickles the nerves of the nasopharynx, triggering a cough. In some cases, the nose itself is to blame (rhinitis), but in others, a prolonged postnasal drip lingers after a viral upper respiratory infection; some call this variety a post-infectious cough. In typical cases, patients with postnasal drip cough more at night, and they are often aware of a tickling feeling at the back of their throats. But they can cough during the day, and their throats may be irritated and sore or perfectly fine.

The best way to find out if a chronic cough is the result of postnasal drip is to try treatment. Nonprescription decongestant or antihistamine tablets are the first step. Most contain a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, an antihistamine such as chlorpheniramine or diphenhydramine, or a combination of the two. In one form or another, these medications are generally effective and safe, but some people complain of a racing heart and souped-up feeling (due to the decongestant), while others feel sleepy (due to the antihistamine). Men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may have difficulty passing urine while they're taking decongestants, and antihistamines can occasionally trigger acute glaucoma. As with all medications, read the directions carefully. Home remedies can help as well. Inhaling steam from a hot shower or kettle is the simplest. Nasal irrigations may also help by cleaning out irritating secretions. You can purchase saline nose sprays at your drugstore or you can do it yourself. First, soak a clean washcloth in a basin containing teaspoon of table salt for each cup of water. Next, hold the dripping wet cloth up to your nostrils and sniff in the saline solution. If saline irrigations seem to help, repeat them one to three times per day. If decongestants and nasal irrigations don't stop your cough, you may not have a postnasal drip. But don't give up just yet: nasal sprays are worth a try. Avoid over-the-counter decongestant sprays such as those containing phenylephrine or oxymetazoline; they can help for a day or two, but they're too irritating for long-term use. Instead, ask your doctor for a prescription nasal steroid spray such as beclomethasone (Beconase AQ) or triamcinolone (Nasacort AQ). Steroid sprays are safe and effective, but if they don't do the job, your doctor may prescribe a different type of spray such as ipratropium (Atrovent) or cromolyn (Nasalcrom). Although antibiotics are sometimes prescribed for the lingering cough due to postnasal drip, they are not helpful. And while most cases of sinusitis respond to decongestants and humidification, some do need antibiotics but it should be easy to spot the postnasal drip of sinusitis, which consists of thick, gluey fluid that is often foul-tasting. In addition, many people with sinusitis have pain behind their eyes or over their forehead or cheeks, and some have fever. Postnasal drip is the leading cause of the lingering cough. But it's far from the only cause. 2. Asthma. Wheezing and breathlessness are the usual symptoms of asthma. But not all patients with asthma wheeze. Indeed, some just cough. Asthma results from bronchospasm, the temporary, reversible narrowing of the medium-sized tubes that carry air into the lungs. In most cases, that air makes a whistling or wheezing sound as it moves through narrowed passages. Excessive mucus production, shortness of breath, and cough are the other classic symptoms of asthma. But in cough-variant asthma, coughing is the only symptom. It sounds exotic, but it's far from rare. In fact, asthma accounts for about onequarter of all chronic coughs. In most cases, cough-variant asthma produces a dry cough that occurs around the clock but may begin at night. Exposure to allergens, dust, or cold air often triggers coughing, as does exercise.

If doctors suspect that asthma is responsible for a chronic cough, they can order pulmonary function tests to confirm the diagnosis; if these tests are inconclusive, patients may be asked to inhale small doses of methacholine, a drug that often triggers wheezing in asthmatics. Another approach to the diagnosis of cough-variant asthma is to see if the cough responds to anti-asthmatic treatment. In most cases, inhaled steroids such as triamcinolone (Azmacort) or budesonide (Pulmicort) will do the trick. If not, a bronchodilator spray such as albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) is worth a try. If you have a chronic cough that may be due to asthma, ask your doctor to consider testing or treating. But if asthma is not the answer, ask him to think about the third leading cause of the cough that lingers. 3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Most people are surprised to learn that asthma can cause coughing without wheezing; most are shocked to learn that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause coughing without heartburn. GERD occurs when stomach contents travel upstream, making their way up into the esophagus instead of down into the intestines. Heartburn is the usual symptom; belching, a sour taste in the mouth, and bad breath are common too. But acid also irritates nerves in the lower esophagus, and these nerves can trigger the cough reflex even without the distress signal of pain. In fact, about one-third of all patients with GERD are pain-free, complaining instead of cough, recurrent laryngitis, or unexplained sore throats. GERD can be tricky to diagnose when there's no pain. Barium swallow x-rays and esophagoscopy can help, but the gold standard is esophageal pH monitoring, in which the patient swallows a probe that remains in the lower esophagus for 24 hours to detect the presence of acid. It's not as uncomfortable as it sounds, but it is expensive and inconvenient. As with the other causes of chronic cough, a simpler approach to diagnosis is to try treatment. You can begin on your own. Avoid alcohol and foods that often trigger GERD, including those that contain chocolate, peppermint, caffeine, garlic, onions, citrus fruits, tomato sauce, or lots of fat. Eat small meals, and never lie down until two hours after you've eaten. Take liquid antacids, particularly at bedtime, and consider elevating the head of your bed or sleeping on a wedgeshaped pillow to keep your stomach's contents flowing down at night. If you're coughing after a week or so, you can add an over-the-counter acid suppressor such as ranitidine (Zantac), cimetidine (Tagamet), or famotidine (Pepcid). In most cases, these medications will control GERD, but if they don't, doctors can prescribe more potent acid suppressors, such as lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex), or omeprazole (Prilosec, generic), which is also available without prescription. It may take three or four weeks of gradually escalating therapy to control GERD. But if your program doesn't work, you are probably coughing for some other reason. 4. Chronic bronchitis is persistent infection of the bronchial tubes, usually resulting from tobacco abuse or long-term exposure to high levels of industrial air pollutants. Bronchiectasis is

a chronic infection that also damages the walls of the bronchial tubes; it has become much less common since the advent of antibiotics. In either variant, chronic infection can lead to a chronic cough. But unlike the other leading causes of persistent coughing, this one is easy to spot because the cough produces substantial amounts of thick, dark-colored phlegm. And unlike the other situations, you'll have to turn to your doctor from the start instead of beginning with selftreatment, since prescription antibiotics are needed. 5. Therapy with angiotensin-convertingenzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Your doctor is also the key to this increasingly common cause of chronic cough, since the drug that he prescribed is to blame. Introduced in the 1980s, ACE inhibitors such as enalapril (Vasotec, generic), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril, generic), as well as many others, have assumed a prominent role in the treatment of high blood pressure. In the 1990s these medications also became important tools in the treatment of heart failure and heart attacks. Although they are expensive, ACE inhibitors are favored by many doctors because they produce good results with few side effects. Unfortunately, cough is one of these side effects, occurring in 3% to 20% of patients. It's a dry cough that can begin as soon as three weeks or as late as one year after the medication is started. Unfortunately, once the cough starts, it lingers and lingers. If the cough is mild, patients may choose to continue their medication, or they may cough less if they change to a different ACE inhibitor. But the only way to eliminate a severe cough induced by an ACE inhibitor is to switch to another type of antihypertensive medication. Fortunately, many are available, including angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) like losartan (Cozaar) and valsartan (Diovan) drugs that act like ACE inhibitors without causing a cough.

When to worry about a cough

Although a chronic cough is usually not serious, warning symptoms call for prompt medical care. The symptoms include:

Fever, especially if it's high or prolonged Copious sputum production Coughing up blood Shortness of breath Weight loss Weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite Chest pain that's not caused by the cough itself Night sweats Wheezing

Less common causes

In nonsmokers, the Big Five account for more than nine of every 10 chronic coughs. But other problems can and do cause lingering coughs. Lung infections make people cough. But most cases of pneumonia are acute infections requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment. Lung infections caused by mycoplasma, chlamydia, and tuberculosis, however, can be more indolent and can cause a persistent cough. Fever is the important clue to infectious causes of persistent coughing; patients with bacterial infections also raise thick, dark-colored sputum that is sometimes tinged with blood. Pertussis (whooping cough) is a respiratory tract infection that can cause serious problems in children who have not been immunized properly with diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine. Pertussis began to resurface in adolescents and adults because the original tetanusdiphtheria booster shots did not cover pertussis. That problem has been remedied, so whooping cough will drop off your worry list if you get your recommended immunizations. Heart disease can masquerade as lung disease if coughing and breathlessness are its main symptoms. It's a common occurrence in patients with heart failure (HF). Patients with HF usually have a history of heart disease. Their cough is most pronounced when they're lying flat, so they often resort to sleeping propped up on three or four pillows. The cough of HF may be dry, or it may produce thin, frothy white sputum. Leg swelling, fatigue, and exercise intolerance are other common symptoms of HF. Abnormal swallowing can lead to persistent coughing if food triggers the cough reflex by heading down the "windpipe" instead of the "food pipe." Called aspiration, the problem occurs mainly in people with strokes or other neurologic disorders that hamper normal swallowing. Environmental irritants can trigger the cough reflex, not just once but with nearly every breath of air laden with chemicals or particles ranging from sulfur dioxide to nitric oxide to dust and molds. Even clean air can trigger coughing if it is too dry or too cold. Lung cancer certainly belongs on the list of disorders that cause persistent coughing. Fortunately, though, it's not high on the list, at least in nonsmokers. Still, even in nonsmokers, bloody sputum (hemoptysis) or chest pain should raise concern about a lung tumor. Stress. Mental factors can produce many physical symptoms, including cough. Psychogenic coughing increases at times of stress and disappears during sleep. The cough itself is innocent, but it can sometimes signal serious emotional problems.

Cough medicine
If you don't think that coughing is a common complaint, just head to the nearest drugstore. You'll

find a bewildering array of syrups, sprays, tablets, and lozenges designed to control coughing. You'll also see a steady stream of customers coughing up lots of money to purchase products that may be ineffective. In all, Americans spend about $3.5 billion a year on over-the-counter and prescription cough remedies. Many cough remedies contain expectorants, compounds intended to loosen sputum, making it easier to raise; guaifenesin is the most popular expectorant. Unfortunately, there is little scientific evidence that expectorants are effective. You'll probably do just as well by using a humidifier and drinking lots of water. Cough suppressants are also very popular. Nonprescription agents such as dextromethorphan can partially suppress the cough reflex, promoting patient comfort. Prescription drugs such as codeine are much more potent, but are more likely to produce nausea, constipation, or other side effects. When used appropriately, cough suppressants can reduce discomfort; remember, though, that because coughing can serve a useful function, it should not always be suppressed. Many over-the-counter cough remedies contain additional ingredients. Antihistamines can be helpful if an allergy or postnasal drip is responsible for the cough, but they are often used for other coughs. Antihistamines dry out secretions, making them harder to expel and worsening sinusitis. They often cause sleepiness, an advantage only at night. Decongestants are present in many cough remedies, but they make sense only for patients who are coughing because of postnasal drip or sinusitis. Topical anesthetics such as benzocaine are sometimes part of the mix; although they are intended to quiet the nerves that trigger the cough reflex, they are of dubious value. Alcohol is present in some cough syrups but has no direct benefit. Medicated lozenges and cough drops are among the most widely sold cough remedies. These products contain various combinations of menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, honey, and other ingredients. Like with liquid cough medicines, some also contain topical anesthetics. Despite their popularity, there is no evidence that medicated cough drops are more effective than simple hard candies. When it comes to cough, consumers are often rather indiscriminate in their choice of medication. Doctors, unfortunately, are not much better. A revealing study of 3,416 patients who visited their doctors because of cough found that 66% of them received an antibiotic prescription, even though antibiotics are not effective in many cases of cough.

Finding causes and cures

Don't ignore a chronic cough but don't panic just because your cough lingers for more than three or four weeks. Most often, the puzzle can be solved without elaborate tests, and the problem can be corrected with simple treatments. In fact, you may be able to diagnose and treat yourself, especially if postnasal drip or gastroesophageal reflux is the culprit. Even so, your doctor can also help. In most cases, it won't take much more than a stethoscope and a treatment trial or two. But if your cough is accompanied by sputum production, bloody sputum, fever,

weight loss, night sweats, breathlessness, undue fatigue, or chest pain, you should consult your doctor without delay. You can expect tests ranging from sputum exams and chest x-rays to pulmonary function tests, CT scans, and bronchoscopies. In most cases, you'll get good news and you can expect to get a treatment program that will quiet your nagging cough.