Naturopathy, The Way of Life

26/06/2017

12/03/2016

what is Thyroid and its cause, increasing patient in India particularly in Kashmir, and how to treat through Naturopathy

The thyroid, situated at the front of the neck below the voice box, is one of our most important glands. It secretes hormones, which govern the rate of most vital functions of the body. Disturbances of the thyroid can have quite serious effects on your health so you should always seek advice from your doctor if you think you have a problem, but naturopathic medicine can play an important supportive role in dealing with any imbalances in the function of the gland.

What happens when the thyroid goes wrong?
The thyroid gland can become underactive or overactive. The causes are complicated and not fully understood. When the gland is underactive (hypothyroidism) it does not produce enough of the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which help sustain healthy body function. Here are some of the symptoms of inadequate thyroid function:

lethargy and poor concentration
weight gain
muscular aches and pains
dry skin, brittle nails
thinning of hair
voice changes
feelings of chilliness even in warm weather
constipation
Because there may be other causes of these symptoms thyroid problems can often be overlooked. Nevertheless, if you have two or more of the above symptoms you should consult your doctor to see if the thyroid needs testing.

An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) is less common. Excess thyroid hormone may cause symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, anxiety attacks, and a staring appearance of the eyes. There may be swelling of the gland in the front of the throat.

How is thyroid trouble diagnosed and treated?
A history of symptoms such as those listed above are highly predictive of thyroid insufficiency. If you have several of them, an axillary temperature test (see below) would be the next step. If this shows your temperature to be consistently subnormal then blood or urine tests need to be done.

Axillary Temperature Test for thyroid function (Barnes’ Test)
Before retiring to bed, shake down an oral thermometer and place it within easy reach of the bed.
Immediately on waking, place it under the armpit for 10 minutes. It is important that you remain still and quiet to get an accurate reading.
Record the temperature each day for a minimum of 5 days.
The basal temperature should be between 97.8 and 98.2 degrees F (>36.5 degC). If it is consistently below this level you should seek professional advice.

Your doctor can arrange blood tests to check the levels of the thyroid hormones and the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) which is produced by the pituitary, the ‘master gland’ at the base of the brain. (It is important that the levels of free T3 and T4 are determined and not just TSH which is sometimes regarded as sufficient)

If the hormones are deficient you may need replacement therapy with thyroxine tablets prescribed by your GP. It may take several months to determine the right amount of thyroxine to suit your needs. (Although this is, strictly speaking, a hormone replacement therapy, do not confuse it with the more common use of the term HRT for the prescribing of female hormones in the menopause.)

Often the tests may be in the normal range when there are still symptoms suggestive of thyroid problems. In fact, TSH and T4 levels may not change significantly even when the patient has quite noticeable symptoms of hypothyroidism due to lack of active T3. Some practitioners believe these are, nevertheless, due to a condition of subclinical thyroid deficiency where the hormone needs of the individual are not being met.

There is, however, a better correlation between the amount of T3 and T4 that is secreted in the urine over 24 hours. (This test is currently available through a laboratory in the Netherlands but is more costly than the blood test)

Conventional medical treatment for an overactive thyroid is usually with drugs which suppress the excess thyroxine or, in severe cases, surgical removal of part or all of the gland. When this is done thyroxine may need to be taken for life to make up for any deficiency which is created.

Can naturopathic medicine help with thyroid problems?
Naturopathic medicine focuses on treating the whole person, using only non-toxic approaches, such as dietary regulation, nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, and physical therapy. It is essential to continue with the normal medical monitoring and treatment of your thyroid condition, but there may be a great deal you can do to support the function of the gland and help achieve a better level of health and energy. If you still experience symptoms even though you take thyroxine or if you think you may be a subclinical hypothyroid case, it may be worth consulting a registered naturopath.

Since naturopathic medicine places emphasis on the function of the body, lower levels of thyroxine, but within the ‘normal’ range on the blood test, may actually be insufficient for your particular needs.

What does a naturopath do for thyroid problems?
A naturopath will look at thyroid problems in the context of your general health. The practitioner will investigate other possible causes for your symptoms as well as considering anything that might have an effect on the function of the thyroid itself. These can include:

Imbalances of blood-sugar levels affecting energy metabolism.
Digestive disturbances, e.g., deficiency of enzymes, causing abdominal bloating and undigested food molecules leaking through the gut wall to trigger an inappropriate immune system response.
Imbalance of the detoxification functions of the liver resulting in an increase of toxic compounds which may irritate the thyroid tissues.
Deficiencies of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements needed for healthy thyroid function.
Prolonged stress, anxiety states, or sudden shock.
Muscle and joint problems in the neck and upper back which may interfere with circulation and nerve supply to the gland.
Most of these can be detected by careful questioning and examination and, if necessary, we can arrange for special laboratory tests to give more accurate information on digestive enzymes, trace elements, blood-sugar levels, or whether you have an overgrowth of yeast (candidiasis) in the gut.

What does treatment entail ?
The objective of treatment is to reduce the demands placed on the gland by stress or an unhealthy diet whilst supporting its functions and those of the general metabolism. Advice or treatment given by a naturopath may include:

Dietary adjustments and nutritional support for the thyroid.
Supplements of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, or natural enzyme preparations.
Herbal or homoeopathic support for liver and other metabolic functions.
Home hydrotherapy such as compresses and bathing to improve circulation and ease painful joints.
Gentle osteopathic and soft-tissue neuromuscular techniques to release neck, back, and chest restriction.
Relaxation and stress management techniques.
Individual needs may vary considerably and the naturopath will select treatment accordingly. Naturopathy also places much emphasis on self-help in health care.

Articale written by
Dr. Meraj Din
Doctor of Naturopathy ...

17/12/2015

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. The naturopathic philosophy is to stimulate the healing power of the body and treat the underlying cause of disease. Symptoms of disease are seen as warning signals of improper functioning of the body, and unfavourable lifestyle habits. Naturopathic Medicine emphasizes disease as a process rather than as an entity.

Treating both acute and chronic conditions, naturopathic treatments are chosen based on the individual patient – their physiological, structural, psychological, social, spiritual, environment and lifestyle factors. In addition to diet and lifestyle changes, natural therapies including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation and traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, may also be used during treatments.

In Canada, the naturopathic medical profession’s infrastructure includes accredited educational institutions, professional licensing, national standards of practice, participation in many federal health committee initiatives, and a commitment to state-of-the-art scientific research.
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17/12/2015

What's the Difference Between Asthma and Colds?
Asthma is associated with inflammation of the lower airways inside your lungs called the bronchial tubes. Colds result from infection with a virus. Cold viruses mainly affect your nose and throat. These are the upper airways.

You normally take air into your body through your nose and windpipe into your bronchial tubes, which go on to branch into smaller tubes. At the end of these tubes there are tiny air sacs called alveoli that deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the blood as we breathe.

During normal breathing, the bands of muscle that surround the airways are relaxed. Air moves freely. During an asthma attack, three main changes occur that stop air from moving easily through the airways:

The bands of muscle that surround the airways tighten. This makes the airways narrow. This tightening is called bronchospasm.
The lining of the airways becomes swollen or inflamed.
The cells that line the airways produce more mucus, which is thicker than normal.
All of these factors -- bronchospasm, inflammation, and mucus production -- cause asthma symptoms such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, breathlessness, and difficulty performing activities.

Colds are respiratory infections caused by viruses. Several hundred different viruses may cause your cold symptoms. These viruses can also affect your airways, sinuses, throat, voice box, and bronchial tubes.

What Are the Symptoms of Asthma?
Not every person with asthma has the same symptoms in the same way. Symptoms of asthma may also vary from one asthma episode to the next. They might be mild one time and severe another time.

Asthma does not cause a fever, chills, muscle aches, or sore throat. The most common asthma symptoms include:

13/07/2015

Home Remedies for Colds

Are cold symptoms making you feel miserable? Here are 12 cold remedies you can use right now -- at home -- to feel better.

Cold Remedy #1: Drink plenty of fluids to help break up your congestion. Drinking water or juice will help prevent dehydration and keep your throat moist. Most people should drink at least 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of fluid daily. Include fluids such as water, sports drinks, herbal teas, fruit drinks, or ginger ale. Your mother's chicken soup might help too!

#2: Inhale steam to ease your congestion and stuffy nose. Hold your head over a pot of boiling water and breathe slowly through your nose. Be careful. Don't let the steam burn your nose. You can also use a humidifier to get the same effect. Moisture from a hot shower with the door closed or saline nasal spray is just as helpful to ease congestion.

#3: Blow your nose often, but do it the proper way. It's important to blow your nose regularly when you have a cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your head. But when you blow hard, pressure can carry germ-carrying phlegm back into your ear passages, causing earache. The best way to blow your nose is to press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently to clear the other.

#4: Use saline nasal sprays or make your own salt water rinse to irrigate your nose. Salt-water rinsing helps break nasal congestion while also removing virus particles and bacteria from your nose. Here's a popular recipe:

Mix 3 teaspoons of iodide-free salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Place in an airtight container. Add 1 teaspoon of this mixture to 8 ounces of lukewarm boiled or distilled water. Fill a bulb syringe with this solution (or use a Neti pot, available at most health foods stores). Lean your head over a basin, and using the bulb syringe, gently sq**rt the salt water into your nose. Hold one nostril closed by applying light finger pressure while sq**rting the salt mixture into the other nostril. Let it drain. Then treat the other nostril.

To avoid exposing yourself to other bacteria and infections, it's important to watch what you put in your nose. According to the CDC, if you are irrigating, flushing, or rinsing your sinuses, use distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water to make up the irrigation solution. It’s also important to rinse the irrigation device after each use and leave open to air dry.

#5: Stay warm and rested. Staying warm and resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle. This battle taxes the body. So give it a little help by lying down under a blanket to stay warm if necessary.

#6: Gargle with warm salt water. Gargling can moisten a sore or scratchy throat and bring temporary relief. Try a half teaspoon of salt dissolved in 8 ounces of warm water four times daily. To reduce the tickle in your throat, try an astringent gargle -- such as tea that contains tannin -- to tighten the membranes. Or use a thick, viscous gargle made with honey, popular in folk medicine. Steep one tablespoon of raspberry leaves or lemon juice in two cups of hot water; mix with one teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling.

#7: Drink hot liquids. Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, prevent dehydration, and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat. If you're so congested you can't sleep at night, try a hot toddy, an age-old remedy. Make a cup of hot herbal tea. Add one teaspoon of honey and one small shot (about 1 ounce) of whiskey or bourbon if you wish. Limit yourself to one. Too much alcohol inflames those membranes and is counterproductive.

#8: Take a steamy shower. Steamy showers moisturize your nasal passages and help relax you. If you're dizzy from the flu, run a steamy shower while you sit on a chair nearby and take a sponge bath.

#9: Try a small dab of mentholated salve under your nose to help open breathing passages and help restore the irritated skin at the base of the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus, and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw.

#10: Apply hot packs around your congested sinuses. You can buy reusable hot packs at a drugstore. Or make your own. Take a damp washcloth and heat it for 30 seconds in a microwave. (Test the temperature first to make sure it's right for you.)

#11:Sleep with an extra pillow under your head. This will help relieve congested nasal passages. If the angle is too awkward, try placing the pillows between the mattress and the box springs to create a more gradual slope.

#12: Learn the truth about natural remedies like zinc, echinacea, and vitamin C. People looking for natural cold remedies often turn to supplements. Many of these remedies have not been shown to help and some can hurt.

07/07/2015

30/06/2015

These remedies are Natural , Herbal and Safe. Share

20/06/2015

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14/06/2015

Human Psychology and Salah

Prayer, or Salat, was made obligatory for all Muslims, whether they be rich or poor, strong or weak, black or white, male or female. Prayer allows the believer to enrich their spirituality and cultivate the soul’s right to love and worship the Creator, Allah.

“Verily, I am Allah! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance.” [Quran, Taha, 13-14]

The importance of prayer is conveyed constantly in the Quran and was also stressed by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): “Know that among your duties, prayer is foremost”.

The performance of prayer five times a day is considered vital to attain success in this life and the hereafter. Following the testimony of faith, performance of the prayers at their correct times and complete in bowings, prostrations and humility, will guarantee forgiveness from God and everlasting paradise. Muslims believe that the first matter that they will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of their deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad.

Prayer provides a constant reminder of the essence of our creation and provides a direct connection to Allah, who linked success and felicity to humility in prayer. It emphasizes the proximity between religion and daily life. Life, from an Islamic standpoint, is to be directed to Allah. Life is an opportunity for worship and the remembrance of Allah. Praying repeatedly throughout the day and interrupting the daily activities brings about the realization of this concept. The believer, through prayer, acquires a spiritual awareness that he takes with him throughout all of life’s endeavors.

Prayer purifies the heart and truly, through Prayer, a believer attains spiritual devotion and moral elevation. Prayer not only gives a deep connection with God, but in prayer one establishes patience, humility and sincerity. Prayer provides a means of repentance and is a restrainer from shameful and unjust deeds. This is portrayed through the following saying of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):

“If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?” The people said, “No filth would remain on him whatsoever.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.” (From the Hadeeth collections of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

Praying five times a day engages the believer in constant remembrance of God and keeps him away from any unjust deeds and leads him only to deeds that will earn the pleasure of God. It is through prayer that one really finds inner peace and fulfillment. It is also a source of patience, courage, hope, confidence, inner peace, stability, equality, unity and an expression of thankfulness to God.

27/05/2015

HOW TO LIVE A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE...

By Dr. Meraj Din ...

1
Exercise regularly. You should exercise about 2 hours a day. You don't have to do bench presses or lift weights to exercise. It could be simple press ups or maybe going on the trampoline if you have one.

2
Eat fruit daily. Eat about 5 vegetables and 5 fruits a day. Don't eat over 10 as this will cause you to gain weight. At dinner, don't eat chips, burgers and pizza, eat a salad and a glass of water.

Go on a diet. If you are eating about 15 dinners a day, that's bad for you. Try going for 3 meals a day. At breakfast, eat a healthy, well balanced cereal which has lots of vitamins. When its the evening, don't eat anything. If you can't go bed, just have a glass of milk or a glass of water.

4
Research illnesses. Spend some time to look at every illness on the NHS. This will allow you to see every illness there is out there and you will know what to avoid doing to stop you getting ill and if you do happen to get ill what your symptom/s could be. This may take hours but it helps you a lot.
Note down the causes. When looking through all the illnesses note down all the causes for everything. Don't just forget to note one down because you want to still do it. That does not help your health one bit. For an example, a cause of meningitis is using toothbrushes, ci******es others have used.
Note down the symptoms. Just like the causes, write down all the symptoms of all the illnesses as well. For example some symptoms of bacterial meningitis are a severe headache, fever, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, seizures/fits, photophobia and a stiff neck. Also, note down what to do if you notice these symptoms on yourself or your young child. For example, with meningitis, if you notice any one of the signs you must phone 999, or your local emergency service number immediately.
Know a test method for each illness. This will require long hours of studying, but learn a method to test if a person possibly has a certain illness off by heart.
Don't let this make you a hypochondriac, though. The point is to be aware, not to make you freak out every time you have an itch.

5
Consider becoming either vegan or vegetarian. Studies have shown people who eat off of strict, healthy diets, such as vegan or vegetarian, live longer. Not eating meat also reduces cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. If you choose one of these ALWAYS TAKE VITAMINS. Although vegan/vegetarian is fantastic for your body, you can be missing some vitamins and essential nutrients. Take vitamins, you can even find vitamins specific for vegan/vegetarians at a Whole Foods or other health stores.

Tips
Don't eat too much fruits and vegetables as this could cause stomach pain. Eat a balanced diet of sugary foods, healthy food and vitamins and minerals.
Everyone should get about 60 minutes of exercise a day. Don't give up trying because you won't get fit by doing nothing.
Eat small portions of meals. Don't eat too much, but this doesn't mean eat less, eat the right amount for your stomach.
Use a calorie watching app. If you aren't fit it helps a lot. It helps you to resist the urge of going over your calorie limit.