Dr. Uma Patil

The cervix is a part of the female reproductive system. It is the lower part of the woman's uterus, and it connects the vagina with the uterus. This is usually closed and tight, but ends up dilating during occasions like pregnancy and childbirth. The cervix is also known to soften eventually during the course of one's pregnancy and delivery. In case the cervix starts to open up too early, this condition is known as an insufficient cervix or an incompetent cervix. Here is everything you need to know about this condition.

Definition and symptoms: An incompetent or insufficient cervix is one that opens up too early and does not support a normal delivery. The symptoms that may point at this condition include pressure in the pelvic area, pain in the back, light bleeding from the vagina, mild cramps in the abdomen, and a change in the odour and hue of the vaginal discharge that may be experienced by the pregnant woman. Usually, such symptoms and changes are not seen in the early stages of one's pregnancy. Mostly, the symptoms are experienced after the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, in the second trimester, when there is greater pressure on the area due to the growing fetus.

Risk factors: There are a number of factors that increase the risk of this condition, including congenital conditions like uterine anomalies and other genetic disorders. These disorders may affect the fibrous protein that produces the connective tissue of the body, which is also known as collagen. When there is a decrease in this kind of tissue, the cervix becomes incompetent or insufficient. Also, when there has been overexposure to synthetic estrogen, this kind of condition may be experienced. Further, cervical trauma is another factor that may cause this condition along with dilation and curettage, which is a procedure that corrects uterine conditions.

Treatment: The main form of treatment usually includes the prescription of progesterone supplements in the form of weekly administered injections. Also, serial ultrasounds every fortnight can help in monitoring the situation closely so that the doctor is able to ascertain whether or not you are going to be able to go through a normal delivery or not. Cervical cerclage is also a surgical procedure that can help such a condition. In this procedure, the cervix is stitched up with strong sutures, which will be removed in the last month of pregnancy, or just before the delivery. This is especially helpful if there have been cases of premature delivery in the past. This procedure is usually carried out within the first 14 weeks of the pregnancy to avoid loss of the fetus. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

In Ayurveda, vata is considered to be extremely important. It regulates the movements of your body and mind. In the body, large intestine is considered to be the main site of vata as well as in the bone tissue. Therefore, medications which are administered through the rectum affect the bone tissue. Vata maintains and regulates our daily activities, nervous system as well as our excretion. An enthusiastic and a lively mind are all manifestations of a balance of Vata. 

Subsequently, its imbalance is considered as detrimental to health. Basti therapy is a treatment that manages the pain and treats the diseases arising from this imbalance. In this, a liquid concoction of sesame oil and other herbs are inserted through the rectum, which in turn treats various ailments arising from the imbalance of vata, such as pain in the joints, in the spine and back as well as painful menstruations.
 
Before Basti therapy, Abhyangam and Sedanam are practiced. Enema can be assumed, but Basti has power to detox and nourish as well. Yoga Basti for is done for 8 days, Karma Basti for 1 day and Kala Basti for 30 days, or according to the health issues and affected system, in order  to drain doshas and nourish dhatus.

There are primarily three types of Basti therapy:

1. Niruha
2. Anuvasana
3. Uttar Basti

All three of them, individually treat various ailments, some of them are:

• Stiffness in the back and pain in the spine: In this method, pain in the spine and vertebral column are managed and treated. It involves pouring warm, herbal oil on the spinal cord, which is retained by small wells created from flour or gram paste. This method is particularly beneficial for treating back problems. This method nourishes the liquid in the joints that consequently relieves you of the pain.
• Bell's palsy: Bell's palsy is a disease where the muscles on the face become weak or you suffer from a facial paralysis. Basti therapy has proved to be particularly beneficial in treating it. In this, a medicated oil is placed on the head for a specific period of time which helps in treating Bell's palsy as well as any numbness on the face.
• Painful menstruation: Though menstruation is a natural process, most women suffer from extremely painful cramps during this time. Anuvasana therapy is extremely useful in lessening this pain. In this various oils and decoction enema is provided to patients, the consumption of which have resulted in significant improvements. Painful menstruation cramps are also treated by Uttar Basti where medicines are provided through the uterus. This method helps in cleaning the blockages in the uterus as well as providing nourishment to it. 

Ailments that accompany monsoon: Though monsoon provides relief from the scorching summer, but at the same time it is accompanied by a host of diseases. With the onset of monsoon and the fall in temperature, there is a tendency for acidity and the vata that was accumulated in summer manifests itself in loss of appetite, indigestion and piles. Basti therapy operates as a corrective for the vata imbalance and treats various digestion related problems. At the same time it also prevents return of the ailments. The oils and decoction used rejuvenates the body and as well as help in regulating the metabolism.

According to Unani, the act of eating is considered as life-giving, which is essential for both physical and mental health. Hence, Unani recommends a particular set of guidelines as to how, when and what foods should you eat to achieve a balance in the body. And, this includes eating freshly cooked foods for every meal because leftover foods are devoid of “Prana” which is the vital energy, so it restricts digestion and can disturb your well-being.

But we all often tend to store leftovers in the fridge and eat it either because it is easier than cooking every meal or because we end up making more than required and thus have to store it to avoid food waste. But it is an unhealthy practice. Read on to know more in this regard.

• Leftover food is the breeding ground for numerous microbes: None of us refrigerate the foods immediately after cooking. The food is left to be consumed first, and then the leftover is brought down to room temperature and is then refrigerated. This creates an ideal environment for the micro-organisms to multiply at a fast pace and spoil the food. This is the reason why leftover food sometimes doesn’t taste good enough. The classic example of this is cooked rice. The issues with leftover rice primarily arise from the way in which it is stored. According to the reports of the Foods Standard Agency, uncooked rice tends to contain spores of harmful bacteria which are sturdy enough to survive through the initial process of cooking. When the excess amount of rice is not stored at the right temperature, the spores will start spreading and multiplying leading to various digestion problems when consumed.
• Storing contaminated food can lead to cross-contamination: When you are storing foods rich in high bacterial load in your fridge, other foods can also get contaminated with these bacteria. Therefore, the chance of spoiling the foods increases at a fast pace while growing kids are likely to fall ill due to the different doshas occurring in the body.
• Leftover food doesn’t contain any nutrients: Most of us cook foods in high flames which causes a total loss of nutrients. Then we refrigerate it for long hours which worsens the condition of the foods thereby making the foods lack in most of the essential nutrients. Especially, Vata individuals with weak digestion should avoid leftovers altogether as it might cause stomach upset.

Though there are such compelling reasons for not eating leftovers, it cannot be avoided as well in our busy lives. So, in such circumstances, it is advisable to finish the leftovers within 48 hours at the latest. But in general, Unani recommends eating freshly prepared meals with fresh produce as much as possible to maintain overall well-being. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an unani practitioner.

Honey is packed with nutrients and is really delicious to eat. It can be easily added to any diet as a topping, say for fruit salads, ice-creams or as a spread. But are you aware that the jars of this tasty golden liquid could sometimes not be honey at all but syrup that tastes exactly like honey?

In order to boost profits, some producers of honey might dilute their product with adulterants such as flour, sand, and chalk or even syrup or molasses. Listed below are a few simple tips that can help you determine whether the product you are buying is genuine.

1. Read the label: In addition to buying well-known and reputed brands of honey, ensure that you check the label for the logo and brand name. This will guarantee that the jar you pickup is not only good quality but also genuine. The label on the jar should list only one ingredient, honey, no additives, or flavourings.
2. The warm water test: Add a spoon of honey to a glass of warm water. If the honey is pure when you stir this mixture the honey will sink to the bottom of the glass as a lump or stick to the spoon. If the honey is adulterated with any kind of syrup it will dissolve in the water.
3. The thumb test: Put a drop of honey on your thumb. If it spreads or dips then it is not pure. Pure honey is thick and would remain on your thumb.
4. The flame test: Dip a dry matchstick in honey, then strike the matchbox. If the matchstick lights with ease and continues to burn then the honey is pure. Due to the moisture present in adulterants, a matchstick dipped in fake honey will not light easily.
5. The foam test: Add 2-3 drops of vinegar essence to the honey and mix well. If it becomes foamy after 2-3 minutes then the product you have purchased is not pure.
6. The tissue paper test: Put a drop of honey on a piece of tissue paper, if it gets absorbed and leaves a wet or water mark on the paper then it is adulterated.

You might sometimes be able to spot fake honey by its taste and smell, though not always. Honey being a natural product and got from the nectar of different flowers it might not always taste the same. It would also be difficult to taste the product before you buy it if it comes in a sealed bottle or jar. Therefore, it might be beneficial to buy branded or organic products to ensure that the honey you buy is pure. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Unani practitioner.