Constipation is an uncomfortable problem which causes bloating and build of gas. The problem can be painful if the gas is building up for more than 3 days. The only way to reduce constipation is to make changes in the diet and including leafy vegetables and fluid in daily diet. Fruits and vegetables are the best way to relieve from constipation. The fibre content in fruits and vegetables help in timely stools and hence, reduce constipation.

What Drinks are Good to Relieve Constipation?

Here are some of the drinks that one can try:

Apple Juice -
An apple has the highest fibre contents. You can make fresh apple juice in the home by cutting apples into small pieces and grinding them into a paste. Pass the content in the sieve and extract juice from it. The apple is a good source of pectin, which is soluble fibre and helps in relieving from constipation. Make this drink in the morning and drink it while it is still fresh.

Prune Juice -
Prunes (also known as dried plums) have mild laxative effects. Dried plums are very rich in dietary fibres, and are very healthy for bowel movements. With the laxative properties, they are best suited to people who are unable to go for regular stools. Take some prunes and soak them in water for overnight. In the morning, when they are soft and mushy, grind them into a fine paste. Extract the juice and drink immediately.

Salty Lemon Water -
The easiest drink to calm constipation is the Lemon water with salt. Lemons are a very good source of Vitamin C and fibres which regulate the bowel system. Salt is good for a bowel movement and healthy for maintaining PH balance. You can add lemon juice in a glass of water with two pinches of table salt. You can also add black salt or pink Himalayan salt for energy.
What is a Safe Laxative to Use Daily?

Over the counter, laxatives are not recommended for a long time. There are some natural laxatives available for daily consumption like prunes and pomegranate. Apart from fruits, you can also take fibre supplements which provide essential fibres to the body and help you calm constipation.

How Much Prune Juice Should I Drink to Poop?

Prune juice is not advisable if you are facing dysentery. However, prune juice is recommended by the doctors to treat constipation in adults as well as children. Prune has laxative effects in the body. Hence, its consumption should be limited according to the needs of the patient.

Do Prunes Make You Poop Right Away?

There is no evidence that prunes induce poops right after drinking. They help to add bulk to the food in the digestive system, which allows you to digest food quickly. It contains soluble fibre, which is helpful as a mild laxative.

Takeaway 

There are many fruit juices which help in treating and reducing the problem of constipation. However, it is advisable to consult a Gastrologist before making a change in the diet.

Constipation - Know Best Juices For It!

Ayurvedic treatment for Hyperacidity

Acidity gives you tremendous discomfort. The stomach condition wherein acid levels of the gastric juices are much more than normal is known as hyperacidity. It causes uneasiness alongside symptoms like loss of appetite, heartburn, unexpected stomach pain, etc. According to Ayurveda, the main cause of this condition is the worsening of the Pitta Dosha (the fire element) in your body.

The reasons that worsen this dosha are:

- Having foods that don't match your constitution or which aren't supposed to be had like milk and salt or milk and fish
- Extremely spicy and sour beverages and foods
- White flour products
- Products made from white sugar
- Smoking
- Excessive intake of coffee and tea
- Alcohol
- Having food even though you may be suffering from indigestion
- Controlling the urge to urinate or pass stool
- Prolonged exposure to heat and the sun

What happens to your digestive power?

The exacerbated Pitta worsens your digestive fire, causing your food to be not properly digested as well as influence the production of ama (toxins). When ama builds up in your various digestive channels, it brings about the problem of hyperacidity. The treatment focuses on calming down the irritated Pitta Dosha. For this, certain herbs are used to get rid of the toxins that block these channels. This automatically improves your digestive fire, bringing about better digestion.

What changes you're required to make?

To keep this problem at bay, there are certain lifestyle changes that you may have to make such as

- To curb the consumption of acidic foods like garlic, onions, ginger, vinegar, and tomatoes
- Avoid having curd/yogurt at night
- Practice yoga and Pranayam like Bhujangasana, Vajrasana, Shitkari Pranayam and so on
- Avoid fermented as well as processed foods
- Avoid coffee, tea, alcoholic or carbonated beverages

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

15 Best Ayurvedic Remedies to Cure Hyperacidity | Acid Reflux

The human hand has multiple bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles which in unison help us to grip things and manipulate other objects to do our work. Within the wrist lies a narrow passageway on the palm side which houses the main nerve for movement of the nine tendons. These tendons help us to move our fingers individually and grip things or accomplish any task we want with our hands.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition where this nerve gets pinched due to variety of factors and may have adverse affects. Some of the symptoms include tingling, numbness and pain with movements of the arm.&nbsp;

Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome-
The nerve within the wrist which is known as the median nerve can be pinched due to a variety of factors:

Movements where the wrists are always higher and in an angle - repetitive movements of the wrists where the hands are always at a lower angle can increase the chances of carpal tunnel syndrome. This is usually a workplace related problem and thus be caused by bad hand posture.
Medical conditions - there are certain medical conditions that may also trigger the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome such as diabetes, thyroid, menopause and other problems.
Pregnancy - pregnancy has also known to cause carpal tunnel disorder as it can alter the balance of fluids within your body. However, other factors could also put your fluids in imbalance and cause problems with the median nerve.
Conditions that may cause inflammation - certain conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis can cause the inflammation within the joints which might lead to the median nerve being pinched which in turn might lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Some preventive measures from carpal tunnel syndrome-

Breaks from repetitive work - it is important for your wrists to have a break when you are doing repetitive tasks that might cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Relax and stretch your muscles within the break time
Wear wrist splints - these are support devices which can help correct problems for repetitive actions throughout the day while you are sleeping.
Take pain reliever if you start having chronic pains - if your wrist pain is not letting you functions normally, take a pain reliever such as ibuprofen or aspirin and go to a doctor as soon as possible for a more thorough treatment.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - An Overview

The skin is an elastic organ (yes, it is an organ!), but only to a certain extent. It has a limit to which it can accommodate the underlying tissues. With the increase in bulk, for example, puberty, pregnancy, muscle mass building or surgical implants, the skin is made to stretch beyond its limits. What happens is this stretch causes the skin to stretch too, and these stretch marks or striae become an unpleasant thing that needs to be hidden. 

Dressing needs to be changed so that they are not showing. Dermatologists see a big demand for getting rid of these marks too. There have been conventional, time-tested methods which help in getting rid of these. However, with newer advancements in dermatology, the platelet rich plasma is being widely used for getting rid of these stretch marks.

Why stretch marks? 

In any of the scenarios above, the stretch marks appear because there is a lack of underlying supportive tissue when it is stretched out. There is a lack of collagen and connective tissue, causing stretch marks. These are most evident in fat collecting areas like breasts, abdomen, thighs, upper arms, etc.

What is platelet-rich plasma or PRP? 

The blood is composed of a liquid portion known as plasma, which contains three main types of cells i.e. white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. The white blood cells are the ones responsible for fighting infections. The red cells give blood its color and also are responsible for carrying nutrients to the various organs. The platelets are tiny fragments of cells which help in blood clotting. Platelets are also rich in what are called totipotent cells, which can grow into any type of cells. When the body is affected, due to injury, infection, trauma, etc., these get concentrated in the affected area and are produced in large numbers to help in the recovery of the particular affected area.

Technique: 

The area to be treated is isolated and prepared. Blood is centrifuged to remove other cells and obtain platelet rich plasma. This RPR is injected into the underlying layers of the skin. This induces the release of growth factors into the connective tissue space. Collagen is produced over a period of time, which causes the skin to become taut and lose the stretch marks. The injection can be repeated if required on the topmost layer. It can also be mixed with thrombin to form a gel, which is then used similarly. Using it both in the underlying and superficial layers helps in completely getting rid of the marks.

Studies have shown a reduction in both the depth and size of the stretch marks and some might require two to three repeat injections.


Stretch Marks - How PRP Therapy Can Help You?

World Hepatitis Day or WHD takes place every year on 28 July and it is designed to raise awareness about viral hepatitis and to influence real change. WHD, endorsed by the World Health Organization, unites patient organisations, governments, medical professionals, and civil society, as well as the public, to boost prevention measures for fighting viral hepatitis like vaccination.

In the simple terms, hepatitis means injury to your liver due to inflammation. There are five main types of hepatitis and the type that you are suffering from is determined by a laboratory test. All the five main types of hepatitis are caused by viruses. Out of the five, Hepatitis C and B are quite big. Globally, around 250 million people are affected by hepatitis C and 300 million people are estimated to be hepatitis B carriers.

Fact sheet on hepatitis

Hepatitis A & E is caused by consuming contaminated water.
Hepatitis B, C and D is transmitted through infected blood to blood contact.
Hepatitis C is usually spread via direct contact with the blood of an infected person.
The initial symptoms of hepatitis are the same as those of flu.
Hepatitis can heal on its own causing no significant liver damage; however, if it progresses, it can cause extensive liver scarring and extensive damage of your liver.
Most liver damage is caused by 3 hepatitis viruses, and these are hepatitis A, B and C. 

How do you safeguard yourself against infection from these three dangerous hepatitis viruses?

The most common cause of concer is that a lot of us who are infected with hepatitis, especially hepatitis B don t know that we are. The biggest bulwark against hepatitis is periodic testing and vaccination. Vaccination is available for most hepatitis viruses including A and B, which tend to be extra virulent.

So, do take care and go for periodic testing. We are reiterating this because if you are infected with hepatitis B and are not treated you can develop serious problems of the liver, including liver cancer. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 people living with hepatitis B develop serious liver problems including liver cancer. Hepatitis B related liver cancer is a leading cause of fatality and getting tested for hepatitis can help you access life-saving treatments that can prevent serious liver damage.

Other ways to prevent hepatitis are
Hepatitis A

Wash your hands with soap after using the toilet
Only consume freshly-cooked food
Only drink bottled or boiled water
Only eat fruits that can be peeled. Don t eat fruit that has been cut and kept
Avoid eating raw vegetables
Vaccinate yourself against hepatitis A if you travel a lot.
Hepatitis B

Practice safe sex by using condoms
Only use new syringes for injections
Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or manicure instruments with others
Vaccinate yourself against hepatitis B
Take care while getting tattooed. Only use brand new tattoo needles. Also, ask for new needles during acupuncture treatments.
Hepatitis C

Avoid sharing toothbrushes, razors, and manicure equipment
Cover open wounds if you are infected
Don t share needles. Always ask for fresh needles.
Use only well-sterilized equipment for acupuncture, piercing, and tattooing etc.
Cut down on alcohol
Do not share drug needles

World Hepatitis Day - Tips To Help You Prevent Yourself!

Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder in recent days, is a major mood disorder characterized by hypomanic or manic episodes (deviation from one's usual mood along with abnormally high energy levels). Mania involves sleeplessness, along with psychosis, hallucinations, rage, grandiose delusions or paranoia. Mania or hypomania isn t usually harmful to the patient and they might exhibit increased capacity for work and creativity. Depressive episodes however, can be debilitating and often life threatening as the person becomes self-destructive and suicidal in many instances. 

The extent of mood swings can vary from extreme to very mild. They can occur progressively or suddenly and might last for few days to weeks. Patients affected by bipolar disorder may experience disturbances in thinking apart from depressive or manic episodes. Distortions of perception and impaired social functioning are also not uncommon. The cause of bipolar disorder is not fully understood like most mental health conditions and is often thought to be hereditary.

The extent of the seriousness of the bipolar symptoms varies from person to person. In some people, the disorder is not full blown and they don t exhibit all the symptoms. Others who aren t that lucky might have to be hospitalized multiple times in their lives as the symptoms creep into their work and personal life and make living a normal life a tough challenge. 

Psychotic symptoms such as disorganized thinking, hallucinations and delusions might make a person do things that demand the urgency of hospitalization to keep them safe from their suicidal impulses. These symptoms might need to be urgently addressed by a psychiatrist and with the help of medications, the person might be able to regain control of their lives.

The symptoms of bipolar disorder are many and can be mainly categorized into two (sometimes overlapping) categories of mania or hypomania and depression:

Manic symptoms include: 

Grandiose delusions (delusion of grandeur) 
Racing thoughts which are often disconnected
Sense of euphoria or false elation
Irritability without cause
Hampered social functioning
Increased sexual inclination and risky sexual behavior
Hyperactivity
Increase in talking volume or speed
Impaired judgment
Reduced sleep requirements owing to extra energy levels
Increased productivity and creativity
Depressive symptoms include:

Abnormal eating patterns like over or under-eating to the extent of severe medical complications accompanied by drastic changes in weight
Difficulty in concentration, making decisions and remembering
Lack of energy or fatigue 
Contemplating about death for prolonged periods of time and suicidal behavior
Oversleeping, insomnia or early awakening
Persistent pessimism 
Irritability and restlessness
Feeling of hopeless and negative attitude
Mood stabilizers, such as lithium are commonly employed to treat bipolar disorder. Anti convulsants, benzodiazepines and anti psychotics can also be used in the treatment. Along with medications, support from family and friends is of the utmost importance as they need to help provide all the support required in making the person functional and healthy.

Manic Depressive Disorder - 11 Signs to Help You Spot it 

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