Coughs and colds are the commonest health issues that can occur to anybody and everybody at any point of time. Nasopharynx is one of the leading causes of common cold. Cold symptoms highly affect your body's immunity power. It is always better to rely on natural products rather than medicated drugs so that speedy results can be gained and on the other hand, side-effects can also be prevented.

Common cold is the most common dosha disorder affecting human beings. Everyone has suffered from common cold at some point or other in their lives. Its symptoms are too well-known. In ayurveda, this very ordinary ailment is called as pratishyaya.

All the three doshas are responsible for the occurrence of common cold. Vata dosha common colds have dry coughs, little mucus discharge, hoarse voice, headache and a runny nose. People with pitta dosha who have common colds will have fever, sore throat, yellowish nasal discharge and continuous blockage of the nose. People with kapha dosha common colds have thick mucus discharges with dull headaches and heaviness of the head.

Major ayurvedic products for treating cold:

Ayurveda is the ultimate solution for all kinds of health issues. There are few ayurvedic products that can efficiently deal with cold symptoms, and they are as follows:

 Karpooradi thailam: it is for direct application over face and chest. Few drops need to be put in water and then the solution should be boiled so that you can take the steam. The solution not only reduces inflammation, but chest congestion can also be well treated.
 Thaleesapathradi choornam: excess cough can be easily released if you take it along with honey.
 Agasthya rasayanam: it is equipped with potential anti-histaminic properties, and thus it acts as a valuable decongestant.
 Fluvin capsules: these capsules are now treated as one of the excellent ayurvedic solutions that can efficiently treat all kinds of cold symptoms. These capsules are enriched with anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties as a result of which cold symptoms can be easily cured, and you can get utmost relief. You also get increased immunity by having these capsules.

5 homemade solutions for dealing with cold symptoms:

 Drinking ginger tea: it improves taste buds and digestion can be stimulated as this tea is a decongestant.
 Having lemon juice: both honey and water can be mixed with this juice in order to soothe the sore throat. Excess cough can be driven out and vitamin c intake is also boosted.
 Taking garlic: this ingredient is highly enriched with antiseptic properties and thus infectious elements can be eliminated. Garlic can be used both in supplements and soup and thus you can choose any of these forms.
 Drinking ginger juice: water, amla juice and honey can be mixed with ginger juice in order to create a magical solution that can treat all signs of cold. It not only plays the role of decongestant, but your immunity can also be improved by the same.
 Make tulsi preparation: pepper and tulsi together create the most powerful combination, which drives away both toxins and infectious elements as a result of which suffering due to cold symptoms can be reduced, and you can get instant relief.

Top 5 Ways to Treat a Cold Using Ayurveda and Home Remedies

The world celebrates World Pneumonia Day on 12 November. As we all know, pneumonia, the world's greatest killer of children under five, is a respiratory illness. Pneumonia is a type of lung infection that may affect one or both lungs. In this condition, the air sacs, also known as alveoli, fill with pus or fluid, which makes it difficult to breathe. Moreover, pneumonia is known to cause inflammation in the air sacs. This disease may range from mild to life-threatening and the severity depends on the cause of inflammation, the organism fostering your infection, your age and general health. 

Symptoms:

Most common symptoms associated with the condition are:

Chest pain
Difficulty in breathing
Shaking chills
Rapid heartbeat
Fever
Rapid breathing
Dry cough
Vomiting
Wheezing
Nausea 
Muscle aches
Bluish skin tone due to oxygen deficiency 
Blood in sputum that is coughed up mucus
Labored breathing
Confusion 
High fever
Causes: 

Bacteria: One of the most common causes of pneumonia is the bacteria named as Streptococcus pneumoniae. This type of pneumonia may occur after you have had flu or a cold or maybe even on its own. Moreover, it may affect only one part of the lung i.e. the lobe and is also known as lobar pneumonia. 
Viruses: Viruses are one of the main reasons why children below 5 years of age suffer from pneumonia. Viruses that cause pneumonia may also cause cold or flu. Viral pneumonia is usually mild and may be treated at home itself. However, in some cases, it may be very severe and life-threatening. 
Mycoplasmas: Mycoplasma is a type of bacteria that doesn't have a cell wall around the cell membrane which is why they are usually unaffected by most antibiotics which target cell wall synthesis. The symptoms of pneumonia caused by mycoplasmas are mild and the patient does not require bed rest. This type of pneumonia is known as 'Walking Pneumonia'. 
Fungi: People with weakened immune systems or chronic health problems usually develop pneumonia due to fungi. You may also develop fungal pneumonia by inhaling large doses of it mainly found in soil or bird droppings.
Prevention against Pneumonia

It is important for all of us to prevent ourselves from pneumonia and for that we can follow the below mentioned steps:

Know about the symptoms of pneumonia first: It is difficult to detect or diagnose pneumonia, especially in people over the age of 65. In older patients, the common symptoms such as fever, chills, cough may not be experienced. You should watch out for non-respiratory symptoms like weakness, dizziness, delirium and confusion. It is even more difficult to diagnose pneumonia in people who are suffering from preexisting conditions.
Practice good hygiene: Common respiratory Infections, influenza and cold may cause pneumonia. You should follow hygienic habits. Wash your hands regularly before meals and use hand sanitizers in order to prevent the illness from spreading. You should also maintain proper oral hygiene as several oral infections may also lead to pneumonia. You should also keep away from people who are affected by pneumonia or any other illness like flu, cold and serious diseases such as measles or chicken pox. All these factors may cause pneumonia.
Get vaccinated: It is recommended for people of all ages who may be at a risk of getting pneumonia to get vaccinated and immunized against pneumonia causing virus called pneumococcal pneumonia. This is a one-time vaccine, which prevents and reduces the severity of pneumonia. A booster vaccine after every five years may also be prescribed. Elderly people should be vaccinated against all diseases which cause pneumonia.
Quit smoking: Smoking accounts for being a major cause or risk factor for pneumonia. It increases a person s chance of getting pneumonia as the lungs  ability to defend themselves from the infection is reduced. By quitting smoking, you will be able to prevent pneumonia.
Maintain a good general health: Maintaining an overall good health and following healthy habits will help you in preventing pneumonia. This is because your immune system stays strong and is able to fight efficiently against pneumonia-causing infections. A proper diet with all essential nutrients is also recommended along with regular physical exercise and proper rest.
Severe cases of pneumonia are capable of making you suffer and you may be admitted to a hospital. According to studies, it has been estimated that more than 60% of people over the age of 65 need to be hospitalised because of pneumonia. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a pulmonologist.

World Pneumonia Day - How Best Can You Prevent Yourself?

Gastrointestinal bleeding, as the name suggests, is characterized by bleeding in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and its accessory organs (esophagus, stomach, colon, small intestine, rectum, and anus). The bleeding also referred to as gastrointestinal hemorrhage, is not a disease in itself. However, it may be an indication of a disease, injury or infection in the digestive tract of a person. The bleeding in the GI tract may be mild to chronic (often fatal), depending on the severity of the condition that triggers the bleeding.

What causes the gastrointestinal bleeding?
As stated, the gastrointestinal bleeding may be indicative of some digestive tract disorder. Some of the common conditions that may trigger the bleeding include

Tumors that are malignant in nature.
Hemorrhoids (a painful condition where veins around the anus, as well as the lower part of the rectum, swell up)
Peptic ulcers.
Diverticulosis (formation of diverticula or pouches in the walls of the large intestine).
Inflammatory bowel disorder.
Colon polyps (a small mass of cells that develop on the inner lining of the large intestine or colon).
There may be problems in the blood vessels (in the digestive tract).
Anal fissures.
Esophageal varices (the veins of the stomach or esophagus swell up due to a liver disorder, such as cirrhosis).
Angiodysplasia (it is a minute vascular malformation that takes place in the gut).
There may be an inflammation of the gastrointestinal lining.
Symptoms:
The appearance of blood in the stool and vomit is one of the characteristic symptoms of the gastrointestinal bleeding. Other symptoms indicative of a bleeding include

Weakness and fatigue.
The stool appears black and tarry.
A person may complain of uneasiness and shortness of breath.
The skin appears pale. In some cases, prolonged bleeding that goes unattended may result in anemia.
Abdominal pain.
The stool may also appear maroon or bright red (often in the case of bleeding from the lower gastrointestinal part).
Consult a doctor at the earliest if the symptoms persist for more than a week.Timely medical assistance can help to minimize the extent of the damage.

Diagnosis and treatment:
Gastrointestinal bleeding in the colon or the stomach is easy to diagnose. However, the diagnosis of the bleeding that occurs in the small intestine may be tricky and often requires the use of advanced and sophisticated equipment. The diagnosis is often done by

Physical examination.
Liver function tests.
Complete blood count.
Endoscopy, colonoscopy, and sigmoidoscopy.
Treatment:

Endoscopic injections (often diluted epinephrine) at the bleeding site provides great relief.
To close or clamp off a bleeding blood vessel, doctors may use Endoscopic clips.
Endoscopic intravariceal cyanoacrylate injection is used to treat varices in the stomach effectively.
There are medications available to treat GI bleeding triggered by ulcers.
In the case of an acute bleeding, a person may need surgery (Laparoscopy).

Gastrointestinal Bleeding - How It Can Be Treated?

Excess of anything is never healthy and the same applies in the case of alcohol. Alcohol experts have come to a conclusion that drinking too much alcohol reduces affects negatively in both the genders.

Alcohol Myth Busted

Since time immemorial, people have considered alcohol to be an aphrodisiac. However, this myth has been busted time and again by the side effects of excessive alcohol. On the contrary, alcohol is known to induce depression after consumption.

Alcohol, if consumed in unnatural quantity over a period of time can turn conditions like 'brewer's droop', which otherwise might be temporary into permanent impotence. Alcohol addiction is a cardinal sin for couples planning on having a baby. Women, whose bodies are much more sensitive and complex than a man's body, react greatly to even a small quantity of alcohol. Even government's guidelines on low-risk alcohol consumption unit do not guarantee no harm, and people are known to have taken much longer time to get pregnant and irregularity in their menstrual cycles even after abiding by the government's guidelines.

What Is Moderation?

No one is asking you to completely cut down on alcohol. But moderation should then be a religion for all the drinkers. Moderate drinking includes no more than 2 drinks per day (US. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention). The explanation is that your liver can act on alcohol at one standard size drink an hour, so heavy drinking means that too much alcohol for the liver to handle and hence unhealthy toxins are released in the body having an adverse effect on the sex life.

Some of the more common problems caused by alcohol in a couple's sex life are:

Long-term erectile dysfunction: The most common of all the problems, erectile dysfunction can most commonly be attributed to heavy drinking. 60% of men who are alcohol addicts are known to be suffering from loss of sexual appetite.

Ruined Families and relationships: Alcohol can be considered one of the biggest inducers of divorce among couples. It makes people less caring and more and more involved in their drinking antics. 90% of domestic violence incidents include alcohol.

Side effects of smoking: Drinking is usually accompanied by cigarettes and a cocktail of these two substances can be a deadly weapon against your sanity. For men below 40, erectile dysfunction primarily happens because of excessive smoking.

STDs: Alcohol consumption helps people shed their inhibition and cases of unprotected sex increases. It increases your chances of actually getting an STD. 50% of all impromptu sexual encounters happen in the presence of alcohol and 60% STD spread when alcohol is also in the picture. Young adults who consume alcohol at an alarming rate are 7 times more likely to indulge in unprotected sexual intercourse.

Hence, we see that alcohol addiction does not compliment healthy sex life and therefore people must toe in line at the right time to ensure the wellbeing of their lifestyle and sexual activities.

Alcohol And Its Effect On Sexual Life

Osteoporosis is a condition of porous bones that makes your bones weak and fragile. There are 3 thing you can do to avoid falling prey to Osteoporosis:
*Consult your doctor to figure what's the optimum amount of Calcium you should be taking. Pregnant women, for instance, need more calcium than normal people.
*Take Sun-bath daily to ensure adequate amount of Vitamin D for your body. There are other sources of Vitamin D too. Consult your doctor to find out what are those sources and what's the right amount.
*Regular exercise is extremely necessary for good bone health. Make a plan and stick to it

3 Important Things to do to Avoid Osteoporosis

As we go about life and routine activities, we may be exposed to a lot of different types of environments. We may have to travel in heavy traffic and may be exposed to vehicular pollution, there may be times when we are at places that allow smoking and that may expose us to smoke from cigarettes. Our nature of work today requires us to be constantly in a situation where we take in industrial fumes and exhausts. Being in any of these conditions temporarily may not be a big matter of worry, but when the incidents get more frequent they may lead to troubles in breathing and diseases such as bronchitis or acute bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is a condition in which the bronchial tube that carries air to and from the lungs gets inflamed due to different reasons. The biggest hazard related to the inflammation of the bronchial tube is that the patient may suffer from constant coughing and irritation of the throat putting pressure on the lungs. In advanced cases, a bronchial infection may also leave the nodes of the lungs inflamed, making it more difficult for the patients to breathe.

Causes of Acute Bronchitis:

The most common causes of bronchitis include the infection of the bronchial tube with bacteria or virus, which lead to the inflammation of the tube and subsequent bouts of coughing.
A habit of smoking cigarettes or being exposed to cigarette smoke as a passive smoker may lead to the infection of the bronchial tube.
Vehicular smoke and fumes also lead to the inflammation and infection of the tube that plays an imminent role in supplying oxygen to the lungs.
Finally, when one works in a position where he/she is exposed to chemicals or harmful exhausts on a constant basis may also have to suffer from acute bronchitis.
What is the treatment for acute bronchitis?

Bed rest and supportive care such as reducing coughing are the main treatments for acute bronchitis. In most individuals, antibiotics are not needed, especially those who have as cause viral or environmental factors. For some patients who have wheezing with their cough, beta2 agonists may be helpful (bronchodilators). Perhaps the most useful treatments are directed at reducing coughing symptoms with over the counter preparations containing guaifenesin and mucolytics. NSAIDs are often added to reduce inflammation and help relieve discomfort. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend giving OTC cough and cold medications to children under two years of age; these medicines may cause harmful side-effects that can be life-threatening to young children.

What natural or home remedies treat and cure acute bronchitis?

Stay well hydrated by drinking fluids
Breath humidified air
Avoid dairy products because they thicken mucous secretions
Avoid alcohol and caffeine because of potential drug interactions
Avoid exposure to environmental smoke and other air pollutants

Know The Causes and Treatment Of Acute Bronchitis

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