Author Archives: blogger

Cool Ways To Combat The Common Cold

Yes, it’s that time of year again-cold season. The typical cold is an upper respiratory infection that can be caused by more than 200 different viruses. Symptoms include sinus pressure, nasal congestion, headaches, body aches and sometimes fever and cough.

Recent statistics have shown that adults average two to four colds a year, which amounts to one billion colds nationwide. Contrary to popular belief, exposure to cold weather is not proven to cause colds. In fact, spending more time indoors actually increases the chance for viruses to spread.

When someone has a cold, sneezing, nose-blowing and nose-wiping may spread the virus. You’re likely to catch a cold by inhaling the virus if you are sitting close to someone who sneezes, or by touching your nose, eyes or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the cold virus.

There are over-the-counter (OTC) medications available at your local pharmacy to relieve symptoms of the common cold. If you’re looking for 12 hours of relief from just one pill, Aleve Cold & Sinus is effective in treating headaches, body aches, fever, nasal congestion and sinus pressure that may result from a cold.

New guidelines published by The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) suggest that the pain reliever naproxen, an active ingredient in Aleve Cold & Sinus, is more effective in treating cold-induced coughs than popular OTC cough syrups.

If a cold causes your sinuses to become congested, this congestion may lead to painful sinus headaches. You might have a sinus headache if you are experiencing pain or pressure around the eyes, cheeks and forehead; tender skin and bones over and under the eyes; and pain when bending over. The active ingredient in Aleve Sinus & Headache is an extended-release decongestant that works to reduce sinus pressure for up to 12 hours.

In addition to an OTC medication, other ways to treat your cold include:

Get plenty of rest

Drink plenty of fluids

Don’t drink alcohol

Gargle with warm water to soothe a sore throat.

Adhatoda Vasica -vasa Best Herb For Respiratory Disorders

ADHATODA VASICA
(VASA)

Botanical Name: Adhatoda vasica, Justicia adhatoda

Family: Acanthaceae

Common names: Adatodai, Arusa, Vasaka, Adulsa, Adathoda, Adalodakam, Adusoge, Lions Muzzle, Stallions Tooth

Vernacular names:
Hindi- Adusa, English- Malabar Nut, Punjabi- Vamsa, Marathi- Adulsa, Telugu- Addasaramu, Tamil- Eidhabad, Bengali- Bakas, Gujarati- Araduso
Synonyms: Atarusa, Bhisagatma, Vasika, Vrsa, Simhasya, Simhi

Classcal Categorization :
Caraka: Tikta skandha
Susruta: –
Vagbhata: Durvadigana

General Discription:
Adhatoda is a well known herb which have been used extensively in Ayurvedic Medicine for over 2000 years,mainly for respiratory disorders. It is also used for bleeding disorders and febrile illness.

Properties:
Rasa: Tikta, Kashaya
Guna: Ruksha, Laghu
Veerya: Shita
Vipaka: Kattu
Karma: Kapha-Pittahara, Hrdya, Svarya

Origin:
A small evergreen, sub-herbacious bush which grows commonly in open plains, especially in the lower Himalayas (up to 1300 meters above sea level), India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Malaysia. This plant is also cultivated in other tropical areas. It grows well in low moisture areas and dry soils.

Botanical description:

Adhatoda vasica is a small, evergreen, dense shrub with elliptic or lanceolate, acuminate leaves.
Flowers- are white in colour with streaked purple lower lip., deeply five lobed, stamens gre glabrous.
Fruits- four seeded small capsules.
Seeds- are glabrous.
The flowers and fruits of Vasa appear during Februray- May.

Parts Used: Leaves, Roots, Flowers and Stem bark are used for medicinal purposes.

Major Chemical Constituents:
The chief principle present in Vasa is the quinazoline alkaloid, Vasicine. This herb also contains several other alkaloids such as vasicinine, b-sitosterol, kaempferol, vasicinolone, vasicol, peganine etc.

Pharamacology:
The alakalois vasicine has bronchodilatory and antihistaminic properties. The Uterotonic stimulant activity and moderate hypotensive activity of the alkaloids have also been reported. The leaves are a rich source of vitamin C and carotene and yield an essential oil.Vasicine also exhibited strong respiratory stimulant activity and cardiac-depressant effect.

Indications:
Swasa (chronic bronchitis, asthma)
Kasa (cold, sore throat, cough, whooping cough)
Jwara
Chardi
Prameha
Kshaya (tuberculosis)
Pandu
Raktpitta
Pyorrhoea and in bleeding gums(local application)

Therapeutic uses:
Vasa is a Expectorant (an agent that promotes the discharge of mucous and secretions from the respiratory passages)

Bronchodilator, Antiasthmatic

An Antispasmodic (an agent which relieves or eases muscular spasms, cramps or convulsions)

Antitussive (an agent that relieves coughing)

Oxytocic (an agent that stimulates contraction of the uterine muscle, facilitating or speeding up childbirth)

Uterotonic (an agent that tones, strengthens and invigorates the uterus or the entire organism giving a feeling of well-being)

It acts as a sedative, a bronchial antiseptic and is used in treating other lung and bronchiole disorders.Adhatoda vasica has also been used to speed delivery during childbirth.

The flowers of vasa are Kapha-pitta hara thus these are useful in treating various respiratory disorders. It is used to control bleeding conditions like menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding), postpartum (after childbirth) hemorrhage and assists uterine involution.

The hypotensive activity of the alkaloids present in this herb are useful in lowering blood pressure and other pulmonary diseases. It also is useful in Dyspepsia, intermittent fever, typhus fever and also in local bleeding due to peptic ulcer and piles (hemorrhoids).

Large doses may cause
Diarrhoea
Irritation of the alimentary canal
Vomiting, in some people.

Dosage:
0.5-1.5g/day dried root
1-3mL/day fluid extract

Imporatant Preparations:

Vasavlehya : 6-12 g b.d.
Vasarishta : 15 ml t.i.d.
Vasasvarasa : 10-20 ml b.d.
Vasadigutika : 250-500 mg t.i.d.
Vasaghrita : 6-12 g b.d.
Vasakhanda : 6-12 g b.d

Benefits Of Steam Bath

Steam bath is a good way of helping with any respiratory ailment you may be suffering from as the steam helps to remove allergens and mucus that have got into the lungs. For a long time now doctors have always advised patients to use steam in helping with any respiratory problems that they may have. The benefits of a steam bath are that this allows the person inhaling the steam to take in larger concentrations than they would get just by using a vaporizer which provides them with the maximum benefits of such a treatment.

A steam bath uses steam to generate temperature and humidity and the combination of heat and humidity is what makes it beneficial for many people. For people with respiratory problems the steam gives them a measure of relief from their suffering. While the temperature raises within a steam baths the steam bath don’t get as hot as saunas. This is more suitable to those that are looking for relief from respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, or even a simple stuffy nose.

Steam bath is a very useful method for the elimination of toxins from the body by inducing profuse perspiration. This is a foolproof method of increasing the metabolic rate and reducing weight. It is very effective and widely used method in reducing weight without spending lot of money.Excess should be avoided and moderation exercised in this matter. After emerging from the bath, the body should be wiped with a wet cloth, or a cold bath should be taken. The body feels light and sprightly after a steam-bath.

A good sweat is excellent for healthy skin. Dermatologists understand the benefits of steam to create a beautiful, healthy glow. Serious sweating washes the skin better than soap and water since it unlocks the pores and lets deep-seated grime along with dead cells to be washed out. Also a steam bath increases the blood circulation to the skin contributing to a healthy, glowing manifestation, you will glisten!

In a steam bath it is moist heat. The steam bath uses a steam generator. The sauna has very low humidity, whereas the steam bath has high humidity. In a steam bath the steam builds up to create a humidity level of around 100%. Because of the humidity factor the heat in the sauna is far higher than that of the steam bath. The difference in temperature can be anywhere from 40C to 60C.

The health benefits of either depend upon what you want. Both steam baths and sauna are good to unwind and relax. They both help to cleanse by sweating. They are both good for blood circulation.

There may be issues that need to be addressed before installing a steam shower in your bathroom. The purpose of the steam room is to generate humidity and heat. While these can be beneficial to us, they can be destructive to materials that are not water and heat resistant. Bathroom walls, floors, and ceilings should be made of tile, sealed stone, cedar, or treated wood. Untreated wood can not resist moisture or mildew and will become warped over time.

How Can A Personal Trainer Help Me Improve Cardio And Respiratory Functioning

The heart and lungs work together during exercise to provide us with the energy we need to sustain an activity. During exercise your heart pumps blood out to the arteries, which act as transport mediums to deliver the nutrients (namely oxygen) to the working muscles and cells.

Individuals that spend a lot of time doing cardiovascular-type training have more efficient hearts that are capable of delivering greater amounts of nourishment to working tissues with less stress placed on their hearts.

In addition to having a greater amount of working capacity, regular aerobic-type training can help prevent certain diseases and disorders that can impair an individual’s cardiovascular system.

Take a look at the following list of reported benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness. It should make you feel good to know that your physical activities are lengthening your life span and improving your quality of life because you will have more endurance and energy to do what you want to do.
Reported Benefits of Cardiorespiratory Fitness

– Reduction in blood pressure
– Increased HDL-cholesterol (the good one)
– Decreased total cholesterol
– Decreased body fat stores
– Increased aerobic work capacity
– Decreased symptoms of anxiety, and depression
– Increased heart function
– Possible reduction in mortality in post myocardial infarction patients

Beginning and Continuing a Cardiovascular Exercise Program

The following guidelines are tools to use when your trainer and you design an exercise program to train your heart. As with all types of exercise it is important to check with your physician before starting a new fitness routine.
How often should you work out? The ideal is 3-5 days per week. For optimum health results and to improve cardiovascular fitness, try to exercise aerobically at least three days per week with no more than two days rest in between sessions.

At a minimum, you can work with a personal trainer one day a week and two days on your own. If you can work in five days in a week, that is great! However, do not feel defeated or quit if you miss a day or two in a week. This happens to everyone. Just get back to your regular schedule when you can. It is better to exercise a little than not at all.

How long should each workout be? A cardio workout should be between 20 and 90 minutes a session. Trainers usually recommend a 50-60 minute session to get optimal results. If you cannot get to the gym, jog for at least 20 minutes. Or do interval training, in which you alternate between a faster jog or run and a slower paced walk. If take a 20-minute walk, walk at a pace fast enough so it is not a leisurely stroll.

As with most things in life, consistency is key. Put your workout times into your calendar like you would any important appointment or meeting. Make cardio exercise part of your life. Your trainer can help you do that. He or she will encourage you to work at a comfortable pace, never do anything that hurts, and the most important training rule — have fun! Enjoy your cardio program and you will also keep your heart healthy.