Our bodies are marvellously skilled in maintaining balance. When our body’s temperature escalates, for instance, we sweat to cool down; or, when our blood pressure levels fall, our hearts pound to compensate.

Medical researchers are finding that almost everything from blood pressure to brain function varies rhythmically with the cycles of the sun, moon, and the seasons. What’s more, their insights are yielding new and better strategies: the planned use of time in medicine. This is called chronotherapy, or chronomedicine – zeroing-in on time as a strategy for medicinal treatment.

The inner clock

Chronotherapy is distinctly related to studying and interpreting our inner “timepiece:” the bio-clock, whose functioning is evident through the sleep-wake cycle. It is also closely associated with other mechanisms such as regulation of body temperature, tolerance to pain, sensitivity to drugs, hormonal levels, a variety of emotional deviations, at the time of new and full moon nights, and so on. Complex? Not at all, if only we examine the exact chemistry – whatever is known by way of history, theory, and scientific evidence – of the inner clock that runs us all.

What drives the bio-clock has fascinated mankind from the days of Aristotle. What we really know today is that every function of the bio-clock rises and falls with a kind of expected regularity, tuned as bio-rhythms are to a finer, as yet undiscovered, balance. So delicate is this balance that if a bio-clock goes wrong, it can lead to symptoms of depression, among other illnesses.

The existence of the bio-clock was first demonstrated by Erwin Bunning, in 1939. His research, confirmed by other investigators later, demonstrated that there existed a solitary, master circadian [circa = about; diem = day] clock in all animals, including man, coupled to a series of “subordinate oscillators.”

Research has shown that the pineal gland and its hormone, melatonin, are both needed for maintaining the normal phase and amplitude of different body rhythms and their synchronisation with one another. For example, the level of melatonin in depressed patients has revealed not only decreased values, but also a marked variation in body rhythms.

Melatonin is a chemical messenger. It functions as a chrono-biotic substance: one which has the capacity to reset desynchronised bodily rhythms back to normal by penetrating though all cells and tissues. One outstanding example of the mechanism is “jet-lag,” which, in real terms, is the inability of the air traveller to resynchronise his/her body rhythms with the time of his/her destination, immediately. This is precisely the reason why melatonin has become a sort of a craze, as a low-dose supplement, for reducing “jet-lag” without the hazards, or side-effects, of prescription sleeping pills.

Cyclical tempo

It’s all about cyclical tempo, or regularity, that makes us tick as a species, including the ability to correct bio-clocks that have gone wrong for whatever reason. It’s also not without reason that Frank Brown, after a lifetime of research in the field, was led to the conclusion that many different, subtle geophysical factors, including cyclical changes of the geomagnetic field, could be used by a variety of animals, including man, to reset their internal bio-clocks. In other words, this could relate to the time of the tides, or the day, the phases of the moon, the time of the year etc.

The post Why the timing for taking your medicine matters appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

They may also be harmless to the child’s overall development. However, excessive indulgence may sometimes cause damage to teeth and lead to psychological and social distress.

Nail biting often begins as soon as the baby learns to control the movements of hands. It shows a steady increase up until 12 years of age, or later. Thumb sucking too may be a “focus” of worry, around the same time. The habit seems to affect girls to a greater extent than boys.

Habits that co-exist

The three habits may also have a tendency to co-exist. While thumb and finger sucking happen to be rarely the cause of a complaint, a sense of guilt, shame or ridicule, may result from their practice, especially in sensitive children.

Nail biting is known to be caused by impulses of an intense nature towards a parent. The habit may not be restricted to kids. In adults, it may occur due to a previous attempt at suicide and/or sexual “prompts.”

Likewise, if the child’s impulse towards a parent is curbed, it may undermine the child’s thought of dependence. So, in order to resolve the conflict within oneself, the child starts biting his/her nails to overcome a sense of loss, guilt and hostility, and also to show resentment. S/he may, in the process, injure oneself, without taking recourse to physical violence.

Thumb sucking, to cull a popular example, is evidenced to be a means to rid oneself of tension, or anxiety. An exciting cricket match, or a suspense thriller movie, for many of us, can lead to a “nail-biting” binge – and, a cumulative build-up to a “nail-biting” finish.

Psychoanalysts feel that inadequate or unsatisfactory breast-feeding may be one of the causative factors for the development of the three habits during child growth. Other factors which may cause a spurt in the habits range from anything between the child’s and social environment, including rocking, lullabies, or story-telling, by a loving parent.

Extremely severe nail biting, thumb and finger sucking, can lead to finger necrosis [death of tissue].

In fact, after the age of four, the trio also becomes a great cause for concern, owing to possible damage it can cause to the development of teeth. Aside from this, the child may invite social disapproval, especially in the most severe cases. This may also lead to a plunge in the child’s image of oneself.

Active vs passive

While nail biting is an active process, thumb and finger sucking happen to be passive. While the former, a tension-relieving impulse, is indulged by a child/person, who is just too bored or over-anxious, the latter may be present in nearly all babies in the first year of life. Interestingly, nail biting may also be present in a child/person who has no emotional disturbance at all.

Experts say that thumb and finger sucking under emotional stress before one year of life should not be a cause for concern. However, persistence of the habit may reflect general immaturity. It could, in some cases, be amplified by habits such as baby-talk and bed-wetting.

There’s another worry. The trio can also lead to worm infection in children. Thanks to the irritation caused by worms in the anus, especially at night, kids unwittingly place their fingers and scratch over the part during sleep. The eggs may get under and inside the nails and fingers and find their way into the body – to prosper merrily along and develop into fresh broods of worms.

It becomes mandatory for children, who are – or, not – prone to worm problems, to give up the habit. Else, a cure from worms would be difficult, or almost impossible.

Management

For children who don’t over-indulge, no special treatment is needed. Parents would only do well to give them more attention. If this is achieved, the “affected” child gains confidence and can easily get over the problem.

In certain cases, anxiety or tension, in the child’s mind, need to be reduced with parental empathy and understanding.

From the physical angle, the child may be asked to soak his nails/thumb/fingers in olive oil, for the placebo effect to emerge, and keep him/her off the habit.

It may be mentioned, and for obvious reasons, that the use of the stick, or the rod, by a parent or teacher, may only worsen the child’s emotional frame and balance.

In cases where the three habits become relentless, leading to social, emotional and psychological problems, it would only be appropriate for the parent to solicit the help of a physician. Your physician would be in the best position possible to attend to your child’s pressing stresses, if any, and manage the problem.

The post Three Habits that Affect Kids appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

It is imperative that we purge toxins from the inside-out.

The process of cleansing we are now going to talk about is natural flushing. You could think of the process as something we often do to clear our drainage system. When a drain is clogged, we add a compound. The substance dissolves the blockage. Soon after, the resulting compound is also removed from the drain through the plumbing system.

The natural flushing process, we are going to discuss, works in the same manner in our body. But, don’t be alarmed – it is safe and its health effects are immense.

To help you understand the technique better, let’s think of a common example. Our digestive system, an excellent natural process. Think of digestion and assimilation of food. Or, the natural action of amino acids, or proteins, and minerals – to which blood cells fasten to obtain iron. Iron is fundamental for the transportation of nutrients within the body.

To use another illustration. Green vegetables contain iron. When we consume them, our digestive process releases the iron to which it is bound. Iron is now combined with amino acids and carried through the intestinal membranes into the bloodstream.

You get the point. The whole flushing, or detox, process is, therefore, dependent on our nutritional intake, especially foods rich in vitamin C – or, supplements – or, iron. Put simply, vitamin C combines with iron. It now boosts and quickens the absorption of iron. And, once iron enters the bloodstream, it is freed from the proteins to which it was bound.

Why detox

You know about the many toxins that we ingest from the air and elsewhere. This is one part. Ever thought of the tiny pieces of metal, the mainstay of dental treatment, for instance, which are actually toxic, albeit they are still used in practice? It is an established fact that they can cause heart disease and cancer.

When a disease-causing free radical wallops into one of these tiny pieces of toxic metal, it could cause a deluge of free radicals – a dangerous outcome.

Free radicals

Free radicals are a large number of harmful compounds released during any inflammatory/infection process. Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if anti-oxidants are unavailable, or, if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur.

Major anti-oxidants such as vitamins C and E are evidenced to protect the body against the destructive effects of free radicals. These anti-oxidant nutrients don’t transform free radicals, but they actually act as scavengers, helping to prevent cell and tissue damage that can lead to cellular damage and disease, including heart disorders, diabetes, and cancer.

There are a host of natural chemicals and substances found in nature that have anti-oxidant properties and beneficial effects. Experts advise that the best way to ensure adequate intake of anti-oxidant nutrients is through a balanced diet consisting of 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. If not, a supplement with the right proportion of vitamins and minerals is obligatory.

Flush, naturally

Do you know there are a handful of easy-to-do home detox programmes that you could do to catch the free radical phantom by its neck?

• Drink good, clean, pure water – at least 10 glasses everyday. Water is a great detox agent [See box]
• Sustain at least two bowel movements everyday. If you can’t get it going, you may add psyllium, or isapgol [from the genus, plantago] to your diet plan. Take a tablespoon of isapgol in a glass of water, last thing before bed-time
• You may also use chlorella to remove toxic substances from the connective tissues, likewise.

Chlorella is a protein-rich algae with high levels of chlorophyll. It is one of the purest, most potent forms of food on Earth. Only thing is – it may not be tolerated by some people.

You can use garlic and MSM [methyl-sulphonyl-methane], a natural form of organic sulphur – an essential nutrient available in capsule/pill form – to remove the toxic effects of mercury, to highlight another example. Garlic and MSM are rich in sulphur – sulphur, as you know, is a good anti-mercury agent. It is always good to use garlic in food. Garlic improves the body’s sulphur reserves, which are vital for good health.

Clove is another good flushing agent; try to eat 2-3 cloves everyday.

You may also introduce cilantro [a member of the carrot family; also referred to as Chinese parsley and coriander] to your diet. Cilantro helps “muster” mercury, and other toxins, and flushes them out of the body through excretion. Cilantro, which is readily available, is an indispensable part of our diet. Which is good!

You may also take a multi-purpose vitamin supplement on a daily basis — to bring about the detox process. However, make sure that it contains all the essential minerals.

Natural garlic

Natural garlic, or garlic detox pills, available at certain health food stores, are useful for your natural detox plan. They –

• Prevent and reduce plaque build-up in arteries
• Lower elevated blood pressure; and, thin the blood by inhibiting platelet aggregation
• Reduce blood clots
• Restore blood flow, and provide oxygen, and nutrients to tissues and cells
• Improve heart, brain, kidney, lung and all organ functions
• Make bones stronger
• Reduce cholesterol
• Improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles.

Note: Experts suggest that garlic capsules should be supplemented with a good multivitamin/multimineral formulation that also includes sufficient amounts of magnesium and zinc.

Last, but not the least, consult a therapist before you begin a natural flush treatment programme, and find out what suits you and your individual needs best.

Water Detox Plan

Water is the foundation of good health and wellbeing. It also holds the key to removing toxins – the body’s detoxifying and cleansing efforts.

All of us need to drink at least one-and-a-half to two litres of good, pure, filtered water every day.

If you drink hard water, you need to take a little bit more, because the surface tension of water is high, unlike carrot juice, for instance. Also, if you are the “dry” type, you need to consume more water.

This is not all. The more warm/hot the weather, the more water you will need, because large amounts of water are lost by sweating. It is best you regulate your water intake, in humid climes, in such a way that it meets your individual requirements.

Listen to your body’s signals – drink good, clean and filtered water the moment your body tells you to hydrate.

It is not uncommon for many of us to think of consuming an extra glass of water quite a task, even when we are thirsty. It is also a routine we have neglected to balance, due to our many preoccupations and/or lack of time.

It would be no exaggeration to say that depletion of water can lead to an emergency. Just think of it – when we are dehydrated, our entire body, most importantly our physiological parameters, are put on high alert. This is nature’s way of maintaining balance. When our body does not have enough water to sustain, it closes all our natural outlets and prevents water loss. Result: the body’s signal to stop water loss can limit metabolism and elimination of wastes.

It is good to set a time for drinking water. Take at least two glasses of water soon after you wake up in the morning. This will not only hydrate your body, but it will also prevent acidity, bloating, or gas. Taking a glass of water one hour before lunch is another good idea. You may also include a glass of water at 5.00 pm, and at bed-time.

The bottom line: it takes more than just patience and perseverance to cultivate the idea of drinking water adequately. When you do this, you will realise how good you feel.

In addition, think also of one major, supplementary benefit. Your skin will glow and you will have more vitality and energy!

Simple tricks

• Write a diary or journal, and make an entry every time you drink water during the course of the day, or wakeful hours
• In the event you find it difficult to keep a tab, remember to use pointers to drink water. Have tags – when you brush your teeth, eat breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Or, use prompts such as drinking a glass of water, before you leave for work, or one hour before lunch
• Keep in “touch” with water always. Carry a bottle of water wherever you are — at work, or home. Also, make sure you have an additional bottle with you, which is always full.

The post Home cures for detoxification appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Chopra also relates to the responsiveness you ought to have when you are putting food into your body. He observes that you need to possess the soulful qualities of a chef while cooking your food. If you also add to this the love of the cultivator who is growing the grain, the idea will not only influence the life energy, prana, or chi, of the food, but also your entire being.

Picture this: when you know what you eat comes out of a can, it does not provide you the same feeling of energy. Why? Because, the can does not celebrate prana!

Chopra connects just as much to the taste of food – an indicator of what is in the food is in your mind. He says: “Nature gave us the ability to taste because, in Nature, knowledge about nutrition is obtained through taste.”

He notes that the ayurvedic concept of nutrition is related to taste and after-taste. Translated, this means that the effects of food are attuned to your consciousness. There is also an aside. For instance, the food you eat may make you feel heavy or light, crammed or keyed-up, or hot or cold. Chopra observes that these are all subjective experiences – a feeling that comes from “pumping” vitality, or energy, into your body.

Food, says Chopra, affects us in different ways. You may eat a great deal, but you don’t put on weight. In contrast, there are people who tend to bulge at the very thought of food. There is no perfect “fit” for all – because, no diet is Universal. The reason is, again, simple: we are unique beings.

“I think that the most enjoyable thing about food is the experience of it.” He explains: “All cultures traditionally have rituals and celebrations around food, and what we have done is sterilise some of the experience of food intake into calories, nutrients etc., So, once we give thought for food, food becomes a cheerful experience, a very healthy attitude.”

His advice: use common sense, your own body signs, or signals. Don’t overdo things; don’t under-do things. Follow the path of balance, including balance – in everything you do!

Fat debate

What about fat — for instance, the use of ghee [clarified butter] in ayurveda? He says: “The fear that people have for high cholesterol is quite far off-the-mark. Because, results have shown that it is totally unfounded. Why? Dietary intake of cholesterol doesn’t control cholesterol levels; it’s your body’s metabolism that controls cholesterol levels. A lot of it has to do with your constitutional body type and genetics. We are not sure if cholesterol is damaging. It may be the [peroxide] toxic by-product of fat.”

The best thing one can do for optimal health or wellbeing, says Chopra, is to follow a suitable programme, or healthy plan of action, which should ideally include a balanced diet, exercise, and meditation.

The idea of wellbeing, of course, is not just for us – you and me, or individuals – today. In Chopra’s words: “The new watchword in the corporate [world] seems to be “wellbeing,” a term associated with alternative medicine; not the hard realities of business. Google and Apple, among other corporations, have won admiration for providing work environments, full of amenities like on-site gyms, day-care centres, and other life-enhancing add-ons. Japanese corporations pioneered this trend decades ago. But, now a new dimension has been added: the wellbeing of the public, at large, which includes the wellbeing of the environment. Business is beginning to take seriously that their future depends on going green.”

To cull a handful of thoughts from Chopra’s book, Journey into Healing:

• When the mind is peaceful, inner energies wake up and work miracles for us
• The use of love is to heal
• Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things towards you
• Healthy people live in the present
• An intimate relationship allows you to be yourself
• Accept what comes to you totally and completely
• When life is full, it is only love, and when awareness is full, it brings only love
• Health is not just the absence of disease, it is inner joyfulness
• Enchantment is our natural state
• Attend to your own inner health and wellbeing
• Allow your love to nourish yourself as well as others.

Timeless spirit

Living well and healing, says Chopra, are spiritual phenomena. He notes that the most important thing to do is to get in touch with that part of yourself, which is immortal, unchanged, and timeless. This is a holistic experience by itself. It’s also an understanding that helps us to get rid of the trepidation that we may all have, including the apprehension of mortality. “If you lost the fear of mortality, it wouldn’t matter if you were going to die. I think this is important – to lose this fear [of death], and have the experience of timeless spirit.”

This, avers Chopra, does not mean that emotional and physical healing are not important. The very word “healing,” notes Chopra, comes from the word, “holy.” The word, “holy,” emerges from the expression, “whole.” “My understanding is in the essentials – the part played by the spiritual, emotional, physical and environmental factors, in healing.”

CW writer Mary Angela attended one of Chopra’s workshops, “Soul of Healing,” a transformative journey into healing, in New York, US, recently. Here’s her story:

“Soul of Healing”

The 5-Day “Soul of Healing” is filled with balance, healing, discovery and awakening. It helps you clear your mind, lessen anxiety, detoxify your body, empower your nutrition, manage stress, re-centre yourself, and bring peace, health and wellness into your life. In addition to mind-body consultation, participants learn techniques, personal solutions, and daily routines to help them move beyond career, relationships, and personal challenges, that may trap us in our current patterns.

Each day, participants learn and practice the ancient art of Primordial Sound Meditation, Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, and connect at the level of the soul with Deepak Chopra, MD, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, and David Simon, MD, CEO, Medical Director, and Co-Founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, in an intimate environment.

“Soul of Healing” also includes a rejuvenating ayurvedic therapy [panchakarma]. The Workshop is limited to 35 attendees — to ensure a close and personal experience.

Infinite possibilities

Wellbeing means accepting that everything is as it is meant to be, right now, and that each infinitesimal flicker of time is pregnant with infinite possibilities that exist beyond time and space.

In other words, wellbeing means accepting ourselves as we are, and what we are, right now – and, that, we all possess what it takes to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. Put simply, wellbeing includes the whole of the Universe – manifest, and not manifest. Put simply, it encompasses all aspects of life.

Though physics confirms that the Universe is actually in a constant state of evolution and, in a sense, intangible, we are all endowed with the gift to experience this amazing “chimera” called life – in all its varied hues. This only means that we are all bound together, as ever-changing clouds of atoms, by what is called as empathy – or, what some of us would simply call, love.

Thomas Berry, a historian of cultures, speaks of the Universe as a communion and community, and that “we ourselves are that communion [that] becomes conscious of itself.”

This means, that, if we experience joy seeing the first blossoms of Spring, the Universe also experiences this delight with us. If we experience sorrow, the Universe also will – because, we are all one. On the other hand, no matter how wrenching our distress may be, or how great our exaltation – life keeps evolving. Reason: our experience is part of a living continuum.

Great teachers like the Buddha, or Jesus, try to remind us of the essence of our being that exists beyond pain, or suffering, time, space, and differentiation. Though this may not ease our occasional pain – it can help place things in perspective. We can witness what we are experiencing from the security of the quiet centre of our being, without be consumed by the flux of life. When we are in Nature, or practicing meditation, to cull a major example, we experience this healing quiet centre within us – the source of our life.

Spirit activated

“Soul of Healing” is designed to equip participants with –

• Tools for greater health
• Awareness
• Happiness
• Vitality
• Love, and a sense of purpose.

Drawing on the best principles and practices of mind-body-spirit medicine from around the world, the Workshop focuses its compass, in particular, on ayurveda – the 5,000-year-old healing system from India. Ayurveda means “the wisdom of life.” It embraces the connection between the body, mind, and spirit. In so doing, it views human beings as “fields of intelligence in dynamic exchange with the energy and information of the environment.”

The Workshop includes six major areas of focus:

1. A discussion on the multi-dimensional nature of life in which “the body, mind, and soul are seen as inter-connected aspects of one underlying field of intelligence.” It also includes instruction in meditation with each participant receiving their own “primordial sound” mantra to be used during meditation
2. A discussion of the five elements that are the building blocks of Nature: space [akasha], air [vayu], fire [tejas], water [jala] and earth [prithvi]. This leads to the exposition of the three doshas derived from the elements: vata [the Wind principle], pitta [the Fire principle], and kapha [the Earth principle]. Participants were asked to fill questionnaires to determine their personal doshas, and each received private consultation to discuss diet, exercise, and how to balance their doshas – to develop a lifestyle that would optimise their mental and physical wellbeing
3. “Conscious Communication.” Emotional Freedom was an aspect of this segment – the need to become aware of our feelings and reactions, taking responsibility for them without blaming ourselves, or others, and processing them so that they are completely “metabolised.” Result: there’s no accumulated emotional toxicity which can surface as fatigue, irritability, lack of enthusiasm, depression, emotional reactivity, and cynicism
4. “Activating our own capacity to heal, and be a source of healing by metabolising sensory experiences through the five senses.” This session included learning how to nourish the body daily with self-abhyanga [therapy], with each participant receiving special detoxifying “rubs” and facial treatments. Healing through sound, sight [yantra meditations], and smell [aromatherapy] was also used
5. “Conscious Diet.” This covered the typical ayurvedic diet with emphasis on the six tastes [sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent], and how food should be chosen and combined for each dosha type
6. Last, but not the least – the Workshop covered yoga-centred restful awareness and Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga developed by Chopra.

Towards the conclusion of the programme, there was a ceremony conducted by David Greenspan, a teacher. The “seventh” point Greenspan made, in his address, was, to me, the most meaningful. Gentleness. Because, no matter where we are in life, whether we are beginners, teachers, seekers, or totally unaware, we all need gentleness to nurture each other – as we evolve together in this wonderful mystery called life.

The post Deepak Chopra on Living and Healing appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

It’s a routine that he’s accustomed to – for long. He knows what he needs to do, quickly. He takes his “puff” of medicine from the inhaler. He soon feels better – and, he’s back to work as if nothing has happened.

It ain’t as easy as it sounds. Asthma can be severe – even debilitating. More so, when regular measures don’t provide quick or long-lasting relief.

The word “asthma” is derived from the Greek aazein, which translates to “sharp breath.”

The expression was originally used in Homer’s Iliad. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was, of course, the first to use it for a condition in 450 BC.

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways. The airways are tubes [bronchi] that carry air in and out of your lungs.

In an asthmatic individual, the inside walls of the airways get swollen [inflamed]. This inflammatory state causes the airways to become sensitive. Reason enough why they respond strongly to things that you are allergic to, or find irritating.

As the airways react, they get narrower. This leads to reduced air flow through to your lung tissues. Result: you experience typical asthmatic symptoms such as wheezing, or a whistling sound when you breathe, coughing, tightness of the chest, and troubled breathing, especially at night and towards the wee hours of the morning.

The important point is: asthma should not be considered a single disease. It simply does not have a uniform mechanism of presentation. In other words, its symptom picture is often variable. What’s more, while factors that cause airway obstruction in asthmatic patients are typically spasm of the bronchial muscles, mucosal swelling, and mucous plugs, or heightened bronchial reactivity to a variety of stimuli, including pollutants, they may not necessarily be diagnostic.

Beyond allergy

Asthma is highlighted by a prolonged expiratory [exhalation] breathing phase, and reduced inspiratory [inhalation] breathing phase. This is a result of bronchial spasm. The condition is caused by a combination of several exciting factors. Some examples: allergy, due to inhalation of dust, grass, pollen, pollutants, or physical exertion, viral infections, cold air, tobacco smoke, feathers, and animal danders, or food such as egg, prawn, shell fish, and certain medicines – e.g., aspirin.

On the other hand, the condition may also be precipitated by any irritation/infection of the respiratory tract, or gastro-intestinal disturbance. Examples: late meals, hyperacidity, improper eating habits, and dietetic excesses, or junk-food.

Emotional factors in the form of anxiety and worry may also cause the problem – including sudden bouts of wheezing.

Psychologists suggest that asthma is essentially a psychosomatic and/or psycho-physiological disorder. They contend that it is a form of allergy, which occurs most among children and males.

It is also suggested that a constitutional predisposition may be an important factor in the development of the disorder – one that is often connected with unsatisfied feelings of dependency. For instance, a child’s asthmatic attacks are sometimes considered as an unconscious appeal to its mother for help.

This is not all. A wide spectrum of respiratory viruses can provoke broncho-spasm [airway obstruction] in asthmatics. But, what characterises asthma is a common clinical observation – the occurrence of increased wheezing in individuals following a short period of exercise.

Age is a significant influencing factor in the development of the problem just as well. The first asthma attack often occurs before the age of 20.

Some experts concur that the condition is not only hereditary and familial, but it may also be strongly influenced by weather changes.

Classical symptoms

Some of the typical symptoms of asthma are breathlessness, wheezing, coughing, or chest tightness. Tenacious sputum, by way of cough, is another common accompaniment and major symptom.

The extent of breathlessness, or wheezing, is variable and may range from slight to extreme difficulty in breathing, even at rest. In severe asthma, the inspiratory effort during respiration, or breathing, is all the more exhausting than expiration.

Asthmatic signs will inevitably depend on the severity. There are paradoxes, too. At one end of the problem, a patient may have no obvious abnormality; while on the other, the patient may be frantic during an acute, or severe, asthmatic attack.

Other indicators of severe asthma include increased heart rate, respiratory rate etc., – in addition to a rising level of carbon dioxide. The factor last mentioned is associated with increased exhaustion and drowsiness. This isn’t all.

While all these signs may be useful, they are best evaluated by simple measurements of airflow, such as the peak expiratory flow rate, and blood analysis.

Types

Extrinsic asthma is a term applied when outside [extrinsic] allergic factors can be identified for asthmatic attacks. While a vast number of extrinsic asthma patients have a positive family history, the onset of the disorder usually occurs in infancy, or childhood.

While wheezy episodes are spurred on by cough in association with respiratory tract infections in the initial stages of the disorder, a more typical pattern of sporadic wheezing develops as the child grows older. The latter may be seasonal in nature and/or related to exposure to specific allergens — the most common being the house dust mite. Extrinsic asthma has good forecast in terms of response to treatment. However, a type of extrinsic asthma, in a small percentage of patients, may be dangerous, thanks to its sea-changes – from apparent harmony to sudden life-threatening attacks.

Intrinsic asthma is a term applied to those patients in whom there is no obvious allergic factor. This is also called as cryptogenic asthma – a form that tends to develop in one’s middle age, following a respiratory tract infection. While suffocation [dyspnoea] is quite often severe, there may also be sudden and marked improvement on occasions. Aspirin and other drug-related asthma, including occupational types of the disorder, are other forms of intrinsic asthma. There are other types too – classified in accordance with their clinical patterns, or features.

Managing asthma

The management of asthmatic patients depends upon a host of factors. This may not necessarily be related to the type and/or the severity of the disorder.

The significance of reassurance for many parents of asthmatic children and asthmatic patients themselves need not be stressed. It is simple, effective, and practical. Also, since asthma is a condition that is subject to natural fluctuations, it would be a good idea to identify the offending mechanism – e.g., allergy. This will help reduce one’s exposure to the allergen wherever and whenever possible – to minimise its traumatic influence.

Measures such as meditation, self-hypnosis, and yoga, along with medications, may all be incorporated for the overall benefit of the patient – especially in the more severe forms of the disorder.

Investigations

Investigations that may be useful in the management of asthma are blood [haematological] examination, skin tests, lung function tests, and chest X-ray. These tests not only hold value in confirmatory diagnosis of asthma, but they also go a long way in documenting its reversibility and exclusion of complications. Most important: diagnosis of asthma should be seriously considered in middle-aged patients, who are non-smokers, but have “evidence” of airway obstruction.

Your physician/therapist will also listen to your breathing and look for signs of asthma, or allergies. S/he will use a device called the spirometer to check how well your lungs are functioning The test measures how much air you can blow out of your lungs after taking a deep breath, and how quickly you can do it. What the test signifies? It will help your physician/therapist to know whether your airways are inflamed and narrowed, or the muscles around your airways are constricted. Depending upon the result, your physician/therapist may prescribe a medicine that helps open narrowed airways. S/he will also conduct the test, as and when required, to figure out if the medicine changes, or improves, your results.

Asthma cannot always be cured. However, most people with asthma can control it, reduce its symptoms, and lead active lives. Remember, asthma never bogged down the likes of tennis stars like Vijay Amritraj, Olympic champions, athletes, footballers, and other sportspersons, including one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders Ian Botham who, as a kid, suffered from the disorder. So, take a lungful of fresh air and confidence from their success stories – and, do a star-turn for yourself, right now!

Wheeze of the matter

When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode, or attack. During an asthma attack, the muscles around the airways tense up. This makes the airways narrower – it leads to reduced air flow. Cells in the airways now produce more mucous than normal. The excess mucous narrows the airways – leading to difficulty in breathing.

Asthma attacks are not all the same. They differ in their intensity. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close to such an extent that not enough oxygen reaches the vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe asthma attacks, if they are not attended to quickly. So –

• Stay calm, sit upright with hands on knees for support
• Loosen tight clothing; try to breathe slowly and deeply
• Sip a cup of warm water; take your prescribed medication
• Call your physician/therapist, if your symptoms don’t recede.

Other things to do

• Take good care of your asthma and control it
• Work closely with your physician/therapist to learn what to do, and what you should not do
• Avoid things that trouble your airways
• Take medicines as directed by your physician/therapist
• Keep track of your asthma episodes. This will help you respond quickly to signs of an impending attack
• Control your asthma every day, because this is the only way you can prevent serious symptoms and also take part in all activities
• Help your kids control their asthma. This will help them attend school, with relatively less “absentee-days,” and allow them to take part in their regular school activities
• Keep your medicines handy.

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Not long ago, memory loss and confusion were thought to be a normal part of aging. It is, according to new studies, not always the case.

Agreed, that, many people experience memory lapses – in their varying degrees. However, not all memory problems are serious, although there may be others that are.

When people exhibit serious changes in their memory, personality, and behaviour, which may affect their day-to-day activities, they may possibly suffer from a form of brain disease, or dementia [impaired memory].

Alzheimer’s disease is one form of dementia.

Symptoms

Dementia represents a group of symptoms caused by changes in brain function. The condition is marked by symptoms such as asking the same questions repeatedly, getting lost in familiar, or known places, or not able to comprehend directions, including a disoriented relationship with time, people, and places. In addition, patients may not take account of personal safety, hygiene, and nutrition. The condition has different effects on different people. Hence, people often lose their abilities at different levels and pace.

A host of conditions indicates dementia. While some conditions that cause dementia can be reversed, others don’t respond to treatment. Also, many conditions imitate Alzheimer’s disease, though they may not have the classical signs and symptoms of the disorder. In addition, not all conditions can be treated with medications. Also, the response rates with medical treatment are not always encouraging, or perceptible.

Difference, inference

Reversible forms of memory loss, or dementia, may be triggered by high fever, dehydration, vitamin deficiency or poor nutrition, certain medications, thyroid gland disorders, or even a minor head injury. These are also serious medical conditions that cause memory lapses – they need to be treated by a doctor as quickly and briskly as may be possible.

Dementia is often mistaken in elder or older people, even in the absence of classical symptoms. Those with retirement blues, for example, may display certain symptoms – they may feel sad, lonely, or worried, not knowing what their post-retirement life holds for them.

Also, certain symptoms may result following bereavement – the loss of a spouse, relative, or friend. While adaptation is not easy in some individuals, a change in circumstance can push some people to become confused, or restless. Problems, in such instances, can often be relieved through social contact, and by friends and family. As for those who don’t seem to get a “hold” on their emotions, professional help from a doctor or counsellor will often help one cope with the situation.

Alzheimer’s disease and multi-infarct dementia [vascular dementia] are the two most common forms of dementia in older people. In the latter, a series of small strokes or changes in the brain’s blood supply system results in the death of brain tissue. The location of the stroke actually determines the seriousness of the problem and also the symptoms that emerge. The two are irreversible conditions — beyond the hope of a cure. They may also co-exist.

What causes Alzheimer’s disease

The cause/s in Alzheimer’s disease is not difficult to comprehend. Nerve cell changes in certain parts of the brain often result in the death of a large number of cells. Slow in onset, Alzheimer’s disease has a tendency to worsen gradually. Once the disease gets entrenched, symptoms may range from mild forgetfulness to serious aberrations in thinking and judgment, including the inability to perform daily chores. In its most severe form, Alzheimer’s patients cannot take care of themselves. They would need institutional care.

Symptoms that begin suddenly may be a sign of multi-infract dementia. Patients with the disorder are quite likely to show signs of improvement with treatment. Curiously, they remain stable for long periods of time and also as quickly develop new symptoms if more strokes occur. The usual cause of multi-infarct dementia is most often high blood pressure. Enough reason, why the control of high blood pressure, needs to be instituted promptly, and effectively, to avert strokes.

Stress, anxiety, or depression can also sometimes bring about forgetfulness. But, the effects in such cases are temporary. If the feelings persist for a long period of time, getting professional help is crucial.

Seek professional help

People who think they have memory problems should see their doctor immediately. If the problem is severe, a thorough physical, neurological, and psychiatric examination is instituted, followed by a complete medical examination for memory loss.

Criteria of referral may include gathering information about the person’s medical history, use of prescription and over-the-counter [OTC] medicines, diet, past medical history, and general health. A correct diagnosis, needless to say, would be dependent on recalling symptom-details accurately. It is also possible for the doctor to ask a family member for additional information about the affected person.

While routine tests [blood and urine] may be advised to ascertain any problem, there are a number of tests for mental abilities, as regards memory, problem solving, counting, and language. They are all used to help the doctor arrive at a diagnosis.

In the clinical setting, a brain CT scan is done to rule out certain problems. While a scan may show signs of normal age-related changes in the brain, a follow-up scan is often necessary to ascertain further changes, if any, in the brain.

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