Cosmic Energy Healing and Research Foundation

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. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can ask a free question.

Wounds and bruises are both injuries. However, they differ widely in terms of the causing factors, the nature of the injury, the pain they cause and the kind of treatment they require.

The following are a few of the myriad ways in which the two injuries differ from each other:

1. A wound causes quick damage - the skin tissue is cut or punctured while a bruise (also called a closed wound) is where the skin is not torn.
2. A wound is usually caused by a sharp object but bruises are the results of blunt force or trauma.
3. A wound almost certainly bleeds due to ruptured tissue and blood vessels. Blunt injury also damages the blood capillaries of the skin and causes blood to accumulate under the skin tissue, creating a dark patch of skin. Blood vessels can also break due to lifting of heavy objects or overexertion of muscles.
4. A wound carries the risk of infection because the skin is open but a bruise does not get infected.
5. A wound has a burning or stinging sensation but a bruise is characterized by swelling and a blunt throbbing pain.
6. A wound can be healed by antiseptic and antibiotic medication. Large wounds need to be closed by stitching them up to avoid severe infection. On the other hand, a bruise usually heals by itself. A cold compress and pain killers may be used to ease discomfort. Heat can be applied to the injured spot to normalize the blood flow and dissolve the blood clot.
7. A wound can lead to complications like bacterial infections or the healing might be delayed by chronic diseases like diabetes. In case of a bruise, it usually does not cause complications but if there's a blunt injury to sensitive areas like the head, the tailbone or the eyes, medical attention is advised.
8. Wounds and bruises can also be differentiated on the basis of their subtypes.

The different types of wounds are:

• Incision (sharp objects cutting the dermis layer of skin)
• Abrasion (the epithelial tissue is scraped off)
• Avulsion (a body structure is torn off)
• Penetration (a sharp object causes an entry and an exit wound)
• Puncture (only an entry wound caused by a sharp object)

The different types of bruises are:

• Hematoma (blood pools under the skin)
• Purpura (tiny spots of blood on the inside of the mouth)
• Contusion (similar to hematoma and caused by external trauma)
• Crush injury (caused due to a large amount of force on the body part for a long time)

High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition where the long term force induced by blood on the artery walls may lead to health complications. In some cases high blood pressure can be a chronic condition without any visible symptoms. The normal value of blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Even if high blood pressure doesn't have any obvious symptoms, it can cause significant damage to cardiovascular health and blood vessels. Uncontrolled hypertension exposes you to the risks of stroke and cardiac arrest. Following are the causes and complications of hypertension:

Causes of hypertension

The causes of hypertension vary depending on the two types of the condition namely - primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. In case of primary hypertension there are hardly any identifiable causes. Secondary hypertension can occur due to the following causes:

1. Certain medications like contraceptives, painkillers and some other drugs
2. Sleep disorders
3. Problems related to the kidney
4. Tumors in the adrenal gland
5. Thyroid issues
6. Congenital heart defects from birth
7. Drug abuse
8. Excessive consumption of alcohol

Complications of hypertension

1. Persistent high blood pressure can result in atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries. This can severely wreck cardiovascular health and cause stroke, heart attack or other complications.
2. Hypertension can also result in a disorder called aneurysm in which the blood vessels tend to swell and weaken. Rupture of an aneurysm can be fatal.
3. Heart failure is one of the most serious complications associated with hypertension. It becomes increasingly difficult for the heart to pump blood along with the high pressure. Consequently the heart muscle thickens and leads to cardiac arrest.
4. Hypertension can also lead to kidney problems. Narrowing and weakening of certain blood vessels present in the kidney can cause organ failure.
5. It can also lead to eye problems and sometimes even loss of vision due to narrowing or thickening of blood vessels in the eye.
6. Metabolic syndrome, which refers to a cluster of deficiencies in the metabolism of your body including high triglycerides, low levels of good cholesterol (High density lipoprotein) and high levels of insulin. These metabolic disorders increase the risk of developing diabetes and other complications.
7. Uncontrolled high blood pressure and interference with your ability to remember and think. It can trigger memory loss and affect your understanding and deriving skills. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a general physician.

There are many kinds of food items that can do us a world of good. But there are certain man made food items that are synthetic in nature, and have more demerits than merits when it comes to our health. There is a long standing debate on the merits of various beverages, including soft drinks and alcohol.

Which one is the healthier choice?

To begin with, we cannot avoid a good beverage during social interactions, so we would do well to make a healthier choice. Here are the details about the healthier choice between alcohol and soft drinks.

1. Kilo calories: It is a well-known fact that both alcohol and soft drinks have plenty of kilo calories with one cola containing over 1000 kilojoules as they are known. Yet, as per this parameter, it would be a healthier choice if you were to choose soft drinks because even though they both have the same amount of calories, one tends to drink soft drinks at a slower pace, which means that you consume less of it. Once you start enjoying an alcoholic drink, you tend to take more of them and much faster. Also, alcohol makes you hungry, which implies that you start reaching out for various kinds of snacks and other unhealthy food. In such cases, you will tend to gain weight much faster if you choose alcohol every time. This will not really be the case when you choose soft drinks.
2. Toxins: The way alcohol is brewed ensures that it carries a whole lot of toxins, which are not good for your liver and heart in the long run. These toxins can easily clog your arteries and create complications for the functioning of the liver as well.
3. Glycemic index: This is the count that is accorded to the level of insulin resistance in one’s drink of choice. For alcohol, the glycemic resistance is much higher, which means that you have better insulin resistance as compared to other soft drinks, which are high in sugar content. Therefore, it makes alcohol a highly unhealthy choice, which can also result in diabetes in the long run, if one ingests too much of it.
4. Nutrition: From the nutrition point of view, cola and other soft drinks have absolutely no nutritional value because processed sugar is one of the main components. This will give rise to the toxin influx in the body and bring down the insulin resistance, which makes you susceptible to diseases like diabetes. Therefore, it would be healthier to have a beer rather than a cola because it has a small amount of protein due to the ingredients used when it is brewed for consumption. It also has some amount of antioxidants and potassium. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

There are many health benefits of donating blood which include good health, reducing the risk of cancer along with hemochromatosis. Moreover, blood donation is good for the normal functioning of pancreas and liver. With the blood donation, an individual can improve the cardiovascular health as well as reduce the risk of obesity.

Every day blood transfusions take place saving millions of life on earth. And the best part is that blood donation is good for the donor. It is crucial for the blood donation to take place in a medical facility under the supervision of experts. The donors must ensure that they are in optimum health conditions for avoiding any health issues after the transfusion is completed.

Benefits of donating blood:
There are numerous benefits of blood donation, and some of them include-

1. Hemochromatosis: The health benefits of blood donation reduce the risk of developing hemochromatosis. It is a disorder which arises owing to excessive absorption of iron in the human body. This condition can be inherited through the genes or may also be triggered by uncontrolled alcoholism, chronic anaemia and other health problems. One should take part in blood donation on a regular basis for the reduction of iron overload.
2. Anti cancer health benefits: Donating blood at regular intervals can also lower the risk of cancer. After donating blood, the iron stored in the body is maintained at healthy levels. The reduction in the iron concentrations in the body is also connected with reduced risk of cancer and thus helps keep cancer at bay.
3. Good for liver and heart: Blood donation is useful for reducing the risk of heart and liver disorders which are triggered by the iron overload in the body. Only a limited amount of iron can be absorbed by the body, and the rest starts accumulating in the heart, pancreas and lungs. This can pave the way for liver failure and cirrhosis, damage to the pancreas and complications in the heart such as irregular heart rhythms. The blood donation helps in maintaining the optimum iron levels as well as reduces the risk of different ailments.
4. Helps in weight loss: Regular blood donation also helps in weight of the donors. This is great for those who are overweight and obese. It is advantageous for those who are suffering from cardiovascular and other health disorders.
5. Production of new cells: After the donation of blood, the body starts working for replenishing the loss of blood. This helps in stimulating the production of new blood cells and in turn aids in the maintenance of good health.

It is imperative to note here that to enjoy the benefits of blood donation, an individual has to wait for eight weeks after a session of whole blood donation. Also, it is crucial to wait for 16 weeks in between the power red blood donation. One should always consult with the doctor to be sure that he or she is fit for donating blood and should avoid it while suffering from any disorders or infections.

Body and Mind are the physical manifestations of Supreme Energy .They get inflicted with pain, sickness disease on account of attachment to emotions like anger, jealously, fear, ego etc in our day to day life. Everyone cannot endure it with utmost calmness and positivity. Many gather negativity pessimism, guilt and remain frustrated forever. They develop abhorrence towards life.

As a doctor I feel that the only solution for this is to make them realize about their Inner Consciousness. This Consciousness is merely not a word but a connection with the Real Self; a mother who nurtures, cares and pours affection on her progeny.

Conceiving this on my clients I could observe a huge change in their health, their excitement growing gradually. They could explore their hidden potentials, strengths; became passionate, optimistic towards life. Indeed they could surmise a purpose to their life. They were healed at all levels be it physical-mental-Spiritual. They could face the world fearlessly and were accepted in it whole heartedly. So a simple holistic environment could do wonders with minimum efforts.

Time to ponder over it and communicate your inner apprehensions and queries to get healed at the core. Isn’t it!

Dr Neeraj Gupta

Parenting in the recent past has become extremely stressful than what it used to be a couple of generations earlier. This stress has increased manifold if the child has special needs. Be it a physical or an emotional disability, the caretaker has a lot of additional responsibilities when raising a child with special needs. Also bringing up such a child is extremely rewarding in the long run, when you see them accomplish things in life, for which your contribution is far greater than in normal children.

Read on to for some guidance on how to manage a child with special need.

1. Understand the problem your child is facing: The problem may become evident prenatally, at birth, or sometimes it will reveal itself as the child grows up. Whatever the case, once identified, understand the various issues it brings along. This is true especially in case of syndromes like Down's or learning disabilities, which have more implications. Review the medical history thoroughly with the doctor to understand the child better and play your role better.
2. Supportive community: There are a lot of supportive communities, which will consist of similar people and so a lot of mutual support and help would be available. The emotional components of empathy and sympathy play an equally important role here.
3. Let’s face it: Caring for such a child is an ongoing process. The sooner this fact is accepted, the easier the journey will be. The children need to be reassured that they are not alone, they are differently perfect, they need to forgive themselves, to not be hard on themselves, and not to lose heart. The parent and the caretakers also need to realize that it is like a never-ending marathon and bracing up for this long haul is very important. There might be times when mistakes happen, tough decisions are taken, and you have to be hard on the child and yourself. However, don’t lose heart and encourage both the child and yourself. It is okay for these slips to happen, just accept them.
4. Live for today: On a daily basis, forgive small wrongs both for your child and yourself. Trust your instincts, celebrate the little wins, don’t compare your child to anybody else, and protect him from getting bullied. The child needs to be told that you are unique and special and to set your own pace and compete against yourself. Work on your sense of humor and get professional help for both the child’s needs and your additional responsibilities.

While the stress of caring for a child with special needs is quite high, these are very small and simple ways to deal with the stress of raising a child with special needs. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a general physician.

Yoga has been touted amongst the best and most effective, time tested and natural way to eliminate various diseases and problems with the body as well as the mind. It is an antiquated craftsmanship that strengthens the body as well as relaxes the brain with the right dose of mindfulness as well. Yoga tends to stimulate the nervous system and the endocrine, digestive and circulatory systems and improve the functioning of the same.

The postures mentioned below affect at least one of these systems, thereby clearing the path for a strong immune system. These postures are as follows:

1. Shishuasana (child posture): Shishuasana is a phenomenal stance that de-congests the abdomen and constructs a superior and stronger immune system.
2. Setu Bandhasana (bridge posture): Setu Bandhasana opens the heart and enhances the blood flow. It increases the energy in the body to build a strong resistance against pathogens.
3. Halasana (plow posture): Halasana is a pose that requires a backward bend. It discharges white cells in the body and strengthens the immune system.
4. Bhujangasana (cobra posture): Bhujangasana is a mid-section opening posture which discharges white cells that enhance the body’s resistance.
5. Dhanurasana (bow posture): Dhanurasana is yet other posture that enhances the flow of white cells by putting weight on the working of the digestive system.
6. Matsyasana (fish posture): Matsyasana stretches the abdomen and chest and strengthens the thymus. This enhances the body's invulnerability level.
7. Vinyasa Adho Mukha Svanasana (flowing downward facing dog pose): Begin with the plank pose, palms lying on the floor just underneath your shoulder and extend the legs backwards. The whole body should form a straight line like a board. Taking a full breath, lift your hips off the floor. Hold yourself on the hands and heels. Your head needs to point towards the ground. Take full breaths, two or three times, as you hold the position. Breathe out a deep breath, relax and return to the plank posture. Gradually bring down your body. Slide your hands backwards, allowing your palms to rest alongside the chest. Toes need to be in contact with the mat or the floor.

Yoga is a holistic routine that strengthens the body physically and also mentally. Subsequently, the body’s immune system additionally enhances in such a condition. A sound life can be effortlessly accomplished if we figure out how to embrace a healthier way of life, healthy food decisions, and standard routines of yoga and meditation. Ayurveda, yoga and meditation are the perfect variables to carry on with a sound life.
Yoga is not an alternative option to medicines. It is a careful step to keep infections under control. Along these lines, one need not sit tight waiting for the seasonal flu to affect the body because it can be cured effortlessly with yoga. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Emotional pains are the most difficult pains to manage as they are diagnosed very rarely :)

Dr. Neeraj