Dr. Rashmi Chudhary

Drug addiction is an addiction of a very severe kind. This causes the sufferer i.e. the drug addict to seek and use drugs compulsively despite the destructive consequences to themselves and those around them. This is known as a chronic brain disease because of the functional and structural changes it causes in the brain. It is the overpowering dependence on illegal or legal medications and drugs. One cannot quit taking drugs just by strong will or good intentions. Ayurveda's holistic method combines exercises, meditation, and herbal medicines to cure addiction towards drugs.

Ayurvedic Remedies:

1. Panchakarma Therapies-Only an ayurvedic expert should perform the panchakarma therapies and rituals on you. It promotes cleanliness and helps in detoxifying the body. These therapies are done using various herbs and oils in accordance with the ancient traditions to eliminate negative conditions.
2. Virechana-It is the most useful Panchakarma therapy to treat addiction. Virechana is known to cleanse the gastro-intestinal tract and purify the blood of toxins of a period of a few days. It helps decontaminate your spleen, stomach, liver, kidneys, colon, intestines and sweat glands through varied herbs and laxatives such as castor oil, mango juice, raisins, cow's milk, psyllium seeds, flaxseed husk, prune and senna.
3. Rasayana therapies-Rasayana therapy is another very useful Ayurvedic treatment for treating drug abuse and addiction. It is based upon the transmutation and conservation of energy to improve the mental as well as physical characteristics in order to increase your body's natural metabolic processes while enhancing your immune system and brain function. Rasayana therapy consists of intricate face, head and full body massages which are combined with medicated creams and herb oils. This therapy is also useful to remove artificial aging which occurs due to prolonged drug abuse.
4. Yoga-The chaotic chemicals are known to wreak havoc on the drug addict's brain during the process of recovery. Resorting to exercise or yoga will help generate extra endorphins which are very helpful for clarity. To recover from drug addiction, you must join a structured yoga class along with other ayurvedic therapies. Yoga is beneficial since it stimulates every part of your body without applying too much stress on any one part. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.

For women, taking care of their health should be top priority, but especially so if one is expecting. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are more common in women and usually occur in the bladder or urethra. And with the rigours of pregnancy, would you avoid one if you could? Surely!

A UTI can be caused by sex, in a lot of cases. This is because there is a transfer of the bacteria, which has the potential to enter the urethra and cause a lot of damage to the bladder and possibly, even the kidneys.

The good news is that as long as a UTI is detected immediately after getting the infection, it can be easily treated. However, not treating this in time can lead to serious complications.

That being said, it is widely known that prevention is better than cure and the adage is just as true when it comes to infections such as these. There are quite a few steps which can be taken to reduce the risk of a pregnant mother falling ill due to a UTI.

How can pregnant women prevent UTI?
The first is to urinate frequently. This is because if the urination of the pregnant woman is not frequent, chances of the festering the bacteria are more. One should try to cut out caffeine and chocolate to as great an extent as possible in one’s diet. If she is able to do this, the amount of irritation to the bladder caused will reduce greatly and this reduces the risk of contracting a UTI.

Another thing which could be done from a dietary point of view is to drink cranberry juice on a daily basis. This is because cranberries have the ability to reduce the amount of E. Coli, which is a form of bacteria sticking around the bladder. However, before this is done, it is better to consult a doctor to make sure that the consumption of cranberry in any form does not clash with any medication.

Urination before and after sex is also a good practice as is having a low dosage of antibiotics which are prescribed by the doctor in case of recurrence of the UTIs. 

Apart from all these steps, the woman should not forget to make sure she stays well hydrated at all times, as this is not only good for the prevention of UTIs, but also for making sure the body functions well.

Follow these simple steps and keep UTI troubles away during pregnancy.

Spotting can be stated as a form of mild bleeding from the vagina. It is similar to a period, but it is much lighter and can occur in between your periods. Most women who are pregnant and are in their first trimester experience spotting. In fact, spotting is often seen as one of the early signs of pregnancy.

Spotting can happen because of any of the following reasons:

1. Cysts in the uterus can cause spotting
2. Though very rare, a thyroid problem can also lead to spotting
3. Any infection in the cervix or uterine cancer can also cause spotting
4. Lastly, hormonal imbalance can also cause spotting

What can spotting signify?
Spotting is completely normal and there is no need to be worried if it happens on account of any of the following reasons.

1. Light spotting at the end of the bleeding period during the menstrual cycle is common.
2. Spotting can also occur during ovulation; in fact, seeing some spots of blood when one is ovulating, is often considered as an excellent sign of fertility.
3. Mild spotting can also develop after sex, especially if it is for the first time, owing to the hymen getting ruptured
4. Mild spotting if one is on birth control pills is also normal.

When should you be worried?

1. Spotting is an early sign of pregnancy and if you are not planning to conceive any time soon, then you must visit your gynaecologist.
2. Spotting may also be a symptom of any STD, primarily Chlamydia or Gonorrhea.
3. As spotting could also be indicative of cancer, it’s advisable to not delay and consult the gynaecologist immediately.