Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis refer to acute inflammation of the tonsils. It is also known as acute sore throat. Chronic tonsillitis is aterm applied to cases inwhich there is enlargement of the tonsils accompanied by repeated attacks of infection.The tonsils are two small lymphoid organs that lie one on each side of the throat. They can be seen just behindthe back of the tongue between two folds of membrane running upto the soft palate. Normally, they are aboutthe size of a lima bean but they can become very much larger if severely infected. They are valuable organs ofselective elimination and perform a two-fold function. Firstly, they protect the throat against disease germs.Secondly, they serve as barometers for indicating infection elsewhere in the body, when they become sore andswollen.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of tonsillitis are sore throat, fever, headache, pain in various parts of the body, difficulty inswallowing and general weakness. The tonsils are seen to be inflamed and red when the mouth is openedwide. In many cases, spots of pus exude from them. Externally, the tonsillar lymph glands which lie just behindthe angle of the jaw are tender and enlarged. In several cases there may be pain in the ear.

Causes

The chief cause of tonsilities is a toxic condition of the system generally and is brought to a head by suddenlowering of vitality resulting from exposure and sudden chill. Tonsils enlarge and get inflamed when the toxinscannot be got rid of through the normal channels of elimination such as the bowels, kidneys and skin. Throatafflictions of this kind is also associated with the result of chronic constipation, when toxin, which should shouldhave been ejected from the system in the normal way, are reabsorbed into the blood-stream.

Treatment

The treatment of the tonsillitis on the lines of modern medical system by means of painting and spraying is bothharmful and suppressive. It does not help to rid the system of the toxins, which are the root of the trouble. Infact it forces these toxins back into the system, which may cause more serious trouble later on. The correctway to treat the disease is to cleanse the system of toxic waste through proper dietary and other naturalmethods. To begin with, the patient should fast for three to five days by which time serious symptoms wouldsubside. Nothing but water and orange juice should be taken during this time. The bowels should be cleanseddaily with a warm water enema during the period of fasting. A cold pack should be applied to the throat at twohourlyinterval during the day.

The procedure is to wring out some linen material in cold water, wrap it two orthree times around the throat and cover it with some flannelling. The throat may be gargled several times dailywith neat lemon juice. Gargle made from the fenugreek seeds is very effective in severe cases. To make sucha gargle , two tablespoonful of fenugreek seeds should be allowed to simmer for half an hour in a litre of waterand then set aside to cool. The entire quantity should be used as a soothing gargle in a day with beneficialresults. A hot Epsom -salt bath taken every day or every other day will also be beneficial. After the acutesymptoms of tonsillities are over, the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for further three or four days. In this regimen, three meals of fresh, juicy fruits such as apples, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, pears, pineapple,peaches and melon may be taken.

Rheumatism

The word rheumatism is derived from the Greek word "rheuma" which means a swelling. This disease isrecognised as one of the most serious threats to health. It is a crippling disease which causes widespreadinvalidism, but seldom kills. Rheumatism refers to an acute or chronic illness which is characterised by painand swelling of the muscles, ligaments and tendons or of the joints. It affects men and women, both young andold. Quite often, this disorder extends to the heart and the values and the lining of this vital order becomesinflamed. It is the most common cause in 80 per cent of the cases of valvular organic diseases of the heart. Rheumatism , perhaps,more than any other disease, although readily diagnosed, is never the same in any twoindividuals. There are too many variations in the development of this disease. Broadly speaking, however,rheumatism, which may be acute or chronic, can be roughly grouped into two classes. These are muscular rheumatism which affects the muscles and articular rheumatism which affects the joints. The muscular varietyis, however, far less common than that affecting the joints. In the acute form, it is often found among children and young people, but in the chronic form, it is generally confined to adults.

Symptoms

The onset of the acute type of rheumatism is characterised by fever and rapid pulse with intense soreness andpain. In the acute muscular type, the tissues become so sensitive that even the weight of bed clothingaggravates the pain. The liver is found to be swollen. Acute rheumatism is extremely painful but it leaves nopermanent defects, if treated properly. It may settle into a chronic state under a wrong mode of treatment. Thesymptoms of chronic muscular rheumatism are pain and stiffness of the affected muscles. The pain increaseswhen an effort is made to move these muscles. IN cases of chronic articular rheumatism, pain and stiffness arefelt in one or more joints of the body, with swelling in most cases. It is not usually fatal but there is a danger ofpermanent deformity.

Causes

The chief cause of rheumatism is the poisoning of the blood with acid wastes, which results from imperfectelimination and lowered vitality. Meat, white bread, sugar, and refined cereals, to which modern man is mostaddicted, leave a large residue of acid toxic wastes in the system. These acid wastes are not neutralised due toabsence of sufficient quantities of alkaline mineral salts in the foods eaten. This upsets the acid-alkaline balance in the body and produces the condition described as acidosis. When there is abundant vitality, excessacids are ejected almost before they reach any appreciable concentration in one or the other of the acutecleansing efforts such as colds and fevers. When the vitality is low, the acid wastes are concentrated aroundthe joints and bony structure, where they form the basis of rheumatism. The reason why large quantities of acidwastes piling up in the system are attracted towards body structure for storage is that lime, which is the most prominent constituent of the bony structure, is an alkaline substance. In certain cases, infection from the teeth,tonsils and gall bladder may produce rheuamtism. The disease is aggravated by exposure to cold water.

Treatment

In the case of acute rheumatism, the patient should be put on a short fast of orange juice and water for three orfour days. While fasting, the bowels should be cleansed through a warm water enema. After the juice fast, thepatient should be placed on a restricted diet for 14 days. In this regimen, orange or grapefruit may be taken forbreakfast , lunch may consist of a raw salad of any vegetables in season, with raisins, prunes, figs or dates ;and for dinner, one or two steamed vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, carrots, turnips, cauliflower, etc., and a few nuts or some sweet fruit maybe taken. NO bread or potatoes or other starchy food should be taken ; otherwise the effect of the diet will belost.

Thereafter, the patient may gradually commence a well balanaced diet of three basic food groups, namely(i) seeds, nuts and grains (ii)vegetables and (iii) fruits. In case of chronic rheumatism, the patient may beplaced on an all-fruit diet for four or five days. In this regimen, he should have three meals a day of fresh, juicy fruits such as apples, grapes, peaches, pears, oranges, pineapples and grapefruit. He may thereafter graduallyadopt a well-balanced diet. The patient should take ripe fruits and fresh vegetables in abundance. Lots ofbuttermilk should be taken. The foods which should be avoided are meat, fish, white bread, sugar, refinedcereals, rich, indigestible and highly seasoned foods tea, coffee, alcohol, sauces, pickles and condiments.

Raw potato juice is regarded as an excellent food remedy for rheumatism. One or two teaspoonful of the juice pressed out of mashed raw potato should be taken before meals. This will help eliminate an acid condition andrelieve rheumatism. In some rural areas in Great Britain, it is a custom for rheumatic suffers to carry a potato intheir pockets, in the belief that the potato will absorb in itself some of the acid from the sufferer’s body. The old potato is thrown away and replaced by a new one after a few days. The skin of the potato is also an excellentfood remedy for rheumatism. The skin is exceptionally rich in vital mineral salts and the water in which thepeelings have been boiled is one of the best medicines for the ailments caused by excess of acid in thesystem. The potato peelings should be thoroughly washed and boiled for a few minutes. The decoction shouldthen be strained and a glassful of the same should be taken three or four times daily.

Celery is another effective food remedy for rheumatism. A fluid extract of the seeds is more powerful than the raw vegetable.This also has a tonic action on the stomach and kidneys. Five to ten drops of this fluid should be taken in hotwater before meals. Powdered seeds can be used as a condiment. Lemons are also valuable and the juice oftwo or three lemons may be taken each day. Other helpful methods in the treatment of rheumatism areapplication of radiant heat and hot packs to the affected parts, a hot tub bath, cabinet steam bath, dry frictionand a sponge bath. Hot Epsom-salt baths are also beneficial and should be taken twice a week for threemonths in case of chronic rheumatism and once weekly thereafter. The affected parts should also be bathedtwice daily in hot water containing Epsom-salt after which some olive oil should be applied. Fresh air, deep breathing and light outdoor exercises are also beneficial. Dampness and cold should be avoided.

Colitis

Colitis is an inflammation of the colon or large intestine. There are two types of colitis : mucus and ulceratie.Mucus colitis is a common disorder of the large bowel, producing discomfort and irregular bowel habits. Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel in which ulcers form onthe walls of the colon, resulting in the passing of blood stools with pus and mucus. Both forms of colitis are theresults of prolonged irritation of the delicate membrane which lines the walls of the colon. Normally, it is thefunction of the colon to store waste material until most of the fluids have been removed to enable well-formedsoft stools, consisting of non-absorbable food materials to be passed. Persons who suffer from an irritablecolon have irregular and erratic contractions which are specially noticeable on the left side.

Symptoms

Chronic ulcerative colitis usually begins in the lower part of the bowels and spreads upwards. The firstsymptom of the trouble is an increased urgency to move the bowel, followed by cramping pains in the abdomenand bloody mucus in the stools. As the disease spreads upwards, the stools become watery and more frequentand are characterised by rectal straining. All this loss of blood and fluid from the bowels results in weakness,fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and anaemia. The patient may develop a bloated feeling because thegas is not absorbed or expelled normally. Some patients suffer from constipation alternating with period ofloose bowel movements. Still others may suffer from a persistent diarrhoea for years together. The patient isusually malnourished and may be severely underweight. He may suffer from frequent insomnia. Ulcerativecolitis in its severe form may also lead to nutritional problems. The improper assimilation of the ingested foodsdue to inflammatory conditions may cause deficiency diseases. This may gradually result in nervous irritability,exhaustion and depression. In very severe cases, the patient may even develop suicidal tendencies.

Causes

The main cause of colitis is chronic constipation and the use of purgatives. Constipation causes anaccumulation of the hard faecal matter which is never properly evacuated. Purgatives used as a ‘cure’ onlyincrease irritation. Often, colitis is caused by a poorly digested roughage, especially of cereals andcarbohydrates, which causes bowel irritation. The disease may also result from an allergic sensitivity to certainfoods especially milk, wheat and eggs. Often, the intake of antibiotics may upset the bacterial flora in theintestines and interfere with proper digestion. Severe stress may also produce ulcerative colitis. During anyform of severe stress, outpouring of adrenal hormones causes such destruction of body protein that at timesparts of the walls lining the intestines are literally eaten away. Such stress also depletes the body ofpantothenic acid. Experiments on animals have shown that they can develop ulcerative colitis when they arekept on diets deficient in pantothenic acid.

Treatment

The usual treatment of colitis with suppressive drugs is based on the assumption that colitis is due to germinfection, which it is not. The suppressive drugs drive back into the system the toxic matter in the colon whichnature is endeavouring to eliminate in the form of mucus. They suppress the symptoms temporarily, withoutremoving the cause. In such cases, the symptoms recur and colitis becomes chronic. Plain warm water orwarm water with a little olive oil used as a wash-out is the only method of softening and removing theaccumulations of hardened matter sticking to the walls of the colon.Diet plays an important part in the treatment of colitis. It is advisable to observe a juice fast for five days or so inmost cases of ulcerative colitis. The juices may be diluted with a little boiled water. Papaya juice, raw cabbageand carrot juices will be especially beneficial. Citrus juices should be avoided. The bowel should be cleanseddaily with a warm water enema. After the juice fast, the patient should gradually adopt a diet of small, frequentmeals of soft cooked or steamed vegetables, rice, dalia (coarsely broken wheat), well ripened fruits like bananaand papaya, yogurt and home-made cottage cheese. Sprouted seeds and grains, whole meal bread and rawvegetables may be added gradually to this diet after about 10 days. All food must be eaten slowly and chewedthoroughly. Foods which should be excluded from the diet are white sugar, white bread and white flour products, highly seasoned foods, highly salted foods,strong tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages and foodscooked in aluminium pans. Ripe bananas are highly beneficial in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, being bland,smooth, easily digested and slightly laxative. They relieve acute symptoms and promote the healing process.An effective remedy for ulcerative colitis is the use of butter- milk. It is the residual milk left after the fat hasbeen removed from yogurt by churning. Buttermilk enema twice a week is also soothing and helps in reinstallinga healthy flora in the colon. Another valuable remedy for colitis is tender coconut water, it is soothingto the soft mucosa of the colon. Cooked apple also aids the healing of ulcerative conditions because of its ample concentration of iron and phosphorous. The patient should have a bowel movement at the same timeeach day and spend 10 to 15 minutes in the endeavour. Straining at stools should be avoided. Drinking twoglasses of water the first thing in the morning will stimulate a normal bowel movement. An enema may be usedif no bowel movement occurs. Complete bed rest and plenty of liquids are very important. The patient shouldeliminate all causes of tension, adjust to his disability and face his discomfort with patience.

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a nutritional disorders, characterized by an abnormally elevated level of blood glucose andby the excretion of the excess glucose in the urine. It results from an absolute or relative lack of insulin whichleads to abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism as well as in the metabolism of protein and fat. Diabetes is adisease known to the medical world since time immemorial. Its incidence is , however, much higher at presentthan ever in the past. This is especially true in case of more advanced countries of the world due to widespreadaffluence and more generous food supply. The most commonly-used screening tests are the determination ofthe fasting blood glucose level and the two-hour postprandial, that is after a meal. The normal fasting bloodsugar content is 80 to 120 mg. per 100 ml. of blood and this can go up to a level of 180 mg. per 100 ml. ofblood two hours after meals. Anything above these norms can be termed diabetic levels. Diabetes occurs in allage groups, from young infants to the elderly. The greatest incidence occurs in middle or older aged persons. Itis estimated that 80 to 85 per cent of all individuals with diabetes mellitus are 45 years of age or older.

Symptoms

The word diabetes is derived from the Greek word meaning "to siphon to pass through", and mellitus comesfrom the Latin word "honey". Thus two characteristic symptoms, namely, copious urination and glucose in theurine give the name to the disease. The normal volume of urine passed daily is about one and a half litres. Theurine is of a pale colour, has an acidic reaction and sweetish odour. The quantity of sugar present in it variesfrom one-and-quarter decigram to two and-a-half grams the total per day in many cases reaching as much asone kg in 15 litres of urine. A diabetic feels hungry and thirsty most of the time, does not put on weight, thoughhe eats every now and then, and gets tired easily, both physically and mentally. He looks pale, may suffer fromanaemia, constipation, intense itching around the genital organs, palpitations and general weakness. He feels drowsy and has a lower sex urge than a normal person.

Causes

Diabetes has been described by most biological doctors as a "prosperity" disease, primarily caused bysystematic overeating and consequent obesity. Not only the overeating of sugar and refined carbohydrate butalso of proteins and fats, which are transformed into sugar if taken in excess, is harmful and may result indiabetes. Too much food taxes the pancreas and eventually paralyses its normal activity. It has been estimatedthat the incidence of diabetes is four times higher in persons of moderate obesity and 30 times higher inpersons of severe obesity. Grief, worry and anxiety also have a deep influence on the metabolism and maycause sugar to appear in the urine. The disease may be associated with some other grave organic disorderslike cancer, tuberculosis and cerebral disease. Heredity is also a major factor in the development of thedisease. It has been rightly said, " Heredity is like a cannon and obesity pulls the trigger."

Treatment

Any successful method of diabetes treatment should aim at removal of the actual cause of the disease andbuilding up of the whole health-level of the patient. Diet plays a vital role in such a treatment. The primarydietary consideration for a diabetic patient is that he should be a strict lacto-vegetarian and take a low-calorie,low-fat, alkaline diet of high quality natural foods. Fruits, nuts and vegetables, whole meal bread and dairyproducts form a good diet for the diabetic. These foods are best eaten in as dry a condition as possible toensure thorough salivation during the first part of the process of digestion. Cooked starchy foods should beavoided as in the process of cooking the cellulose envelops of the starch granules burst and consequently, the starch is far too easily absorbed in the system. The excessabsorbed has to be got rid of by the kidneys and appears as sugar in the urine. With raw starchy foods,however, the saliva and digestive juices in the small intestine regulate the quantities required to be changedinto sugar for the body’s needs. The unused and undigested portion of raw starchy foods does not becomeinjurious to the system, as it does not readily ferment. The diabetic should not be afraid to eat fresh fruits andvegetables which contain sugar and starch. Fresh fruits contain sugar fructose, which does not need insulin forits metabolism and is well tolerated by diabetics. Fats and oils should be taken sparingly, for they are apt tolower the tolerance for proteins and starches. Emphasis should be on raw foods as they stimulate and increaseinsulin production. For protein, home- made cottage cheese, various forms of soured milks and nuts are best.The patient should avoid overeating and take four or five small meals a day rather than three large ones. The following diet should serve as a guideline.

Upon arising : A glass of lukewarm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Breakfast : Any fresh fruit with the exception of bananas, soaked prunes, a small quantity of whole mealbread with butter and fresh milk.

Lunch : Steamed or lightly cooked green vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, spinach,turnip, asparagus and mushrooms, two or three whole wheat chapatis according to appetite and a glass ofbutter-milk or curd.

Mid-afternoon : A glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice.

Dinner : A large bowl of salad made up of all the raw vegetables in season. The salad may be followed by ahot course, if desired, and fresh home-made cottage cheese.

Bedtime Snack : A glass of fresh milk.

Flesh foods find no place in this regimen, for they increase the toxaemic condition underlying the diabetic stateand reduce the sugar tolerance. On the other hand, a non-stimulating vegetarian diet, especially one made upof raw foods, promotes and increases sugar tolerance. Celery, cucumbers, string beans, onion and garlic areespeciallybeneficial. String bean pod tea is an excellent natural substitute for insulin and highly beneficial indiabetes. The skin of the pods of green beans are extremely rich in silica and certain hormone substanceswhich are closely related to insulin. One cup of string bean tea is equal to one unit of insulin. Cucumberscontain a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin. Onion and garlic have provedbeneficial in reducing blood sugar in diabetes. Recent scientific investigations have established that bitter gourd(karela) is highly beneficial in the treatment of diabetes. It contains an insulin-like principle, known as plantinsulinwhich has been found effective in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. It should, therefore, beincluded liberally in the diet of the diabetic. For better results, the diabetic should take the juice of about 4 or 5fruits every morning on an empty stomach. The seeds of bitter gourd can be added to food in a powdered form.Diabetics can also use bitter gourd in the form of decoction by boiling the pieces in water or in the form of drypowder. Another effective home remedy is jambul fruit known as jamun in the vernacular. It is regarded intraditional medicine as a specific against diabetes because of its effect on the pancreas. The fruits as such, theseeds and fruit juice are all useful in the treatment of this disease. The seeds contain a glucoside ‘jamboline’which is believed to have power to check the pathological conversion of starch into sugar in cases of increasedproduction of glucose. They should be dried and powdered. This powder should be taken mixed in milk , curdor water. The patient should avoid tea, coffee and cocoa because of their adverse influence on the digestivetract. Other foods which should be avoided are white bread, white flour products, sugar tinned fruits, sweets,chocolates, pastries, pies, puddings, refined cereals and alcoholic drinks. The most important nutrient in thetreatment of diabetes is manganese which is vital in the production of natural insulin. It is found in citrus fruits,in the outer covering of nuts, grains and in the green leaves of edible plants. Other nutrients of special value are zinc, B complex vitamins and polyunsaturatedfatty acids. Exercise is also an important factor in the treatment of diabetes. Light games, joggingand swimming are recommended. Yogic asanas such as bhujangasana, shalabhasana, dhanurasana,paschimottanasana, sarvangasna, halasana, ardha-matsyendrasana and shavasana, yogic krisyas like jalnetiand kunajl and pranayamas such as kapalbhati, anuloma-viloma and ujjai are highly beneficial. Hydrotherapyand colonic irrigations form a very important part of treatment. The colon should be thoroughly cleansed everysecond day or so, until the bowel discharge assumes normal characteristics. Bathing in cold water greatlyincreases the circulation and enhances the capacity of the muscles to utilise sugar. The diabetic patient should eliminate minor worries from his daily life. He must endeavor to be more easy-going and should not get undulyworked up by the stress and strain of life.

Dysentery

Dysentery is a serious condition affecting the large intestine. It is characterised by inflammation and ulcerationof the bowel, a colic pain in the region of the abdomen and passing of liquid or semi-formed stones with mucusand blood. The pathological condition of dysentery is caused by two organisms, protozoa and bacilli. Theformer is generally known as amoebic dysentery and later as bacillary dysentery. An attack of amoebicdysentery is milder in comparison with bacillary dysentery. But while bacillary dysentery can respond quickly totreatment, amoebic dysentery does not leave the patient easily, unless he is careful. Dysentery is prevalentallover the world except in very cold countries. Places where insanity conditions prevail are particularlyaffected. The disease strikes both sexes equally. Similarly, no age is immune, though children are more prone.

Symptoms

Desentery may be acute and chronic. The acute form is characterised by pain in the abdomen, diarrhoea anddysenteric motions. Yellowish white mucus and sometimes only blood from the intestinal ulcers passes withstools. The evacuations are preceded by pain and tenesmus. The patient feels a constant desire to evacuate,although there may be nothing to throw off except a little mucus and blood There is a feeling of pain in therectum and along the large intestine. With the advance of the disease the quantity of mucus and bloodincreases. Occassionally casts or shreds of skinline mucous membrane, from small fragments to 12 inches orso long and an inch wide , are seen to pass out with motions. Sometimes pus is also thrown out with motionsand often the smell of the stools becomes very foetid. All the digestive processes are upset and secretions arechanged or stopped. The saliva becomes acid instead of being alkaline and the gastric juice itself may becomealkaline. The stomach loses power to digest and absorb food. The bacilli create toxins and the foetid mattersformed also augment further manufacture of toxins and consequent absorption in blood. Chronic cases areafter-effects of acute attacks. The patient does not recover completely. Stool remains putrid and may containblood, while diarrhoea and constipation may alternate, and general health is disturbed. In severe cases, thetemperature may rise to 104 - 105 o F. It may occasionally become subnormal also.

Causes

The cause of dysentery, according to modern medical system, is germ infection. The germs, which aresupposed to cause dysentery only develop in colon as a result of putrefaction there of excessive quantities ofanimal protein food, fried substance, over-spices foods and hard to digest fatty substances. The real cause ofdysentery is thus dietary indiscretion and eating of excessive amounts of flesh food in hot weather or tropicalclimate unsuited to the digestion of such foods. Other causes include debility, fatigue, chill, lowered vitality,intestinal disorders and overcrowding under insanitary conditions.

Treatment

The treatment of dysentery should aim at removing the offending and toxic matter from the intestines and foralleviating painful symptoms, stopping the virulence of the bacteria and promoting healing of the ulcer. Fastingis the only correct remedy for dysentery to bring with. The patient should fast as long as acute symptoms arepresent. During the period of fasting, only orange juice and water should be taken. In the alternative, the patientshould subsist on buttermilk till the acute symptoms are over. Butter- milk combats offending bacteria and helpsestablishment of helpful micro-organisms in the intestines.The patient may be given small doses of castor oil in the form of emulsion. This acts as a mild aperient andfacilitates quicker removal of offensive matter, minimises the strain during motion and also acts as a lubricant tothe ulcerated surfaces. In addition to administration of castor oil, the mechanical removal of accumulatedpoisonous matter should be attempted by giving very low pressure enema, admitting as much water as thepatient can tolerate. This can be done twice or thrice daily. The patient should take complete bed rest asmovement induces pain and aggravates distressing symptoms. A hot water bag may be applied over theabdomen. After the acute symptoms are over, the patient may be allowed rice, curd, fresh ripe fruits, especiallybael, banana and pomegranate and skimmed milk. Solid foods should be introduced very carefully andgradually according to the pace of recovery. Flesh foods of all kinds should be avoided in future as far aspossible. Other foods which should be avoided are tea, coffee, white sugar and white flour and products madefrom them as well as alcohol in all forms. Foods which have a detoxifying and cleansing effect upon theintestines on their passage, through, such as fruits and vegetables, are most essential to a future dietary.Among specific food remedies, bael fruit is, perhaps , the most efficacious in the treatment of dysentery of boththe varieties. Pulp of the fruit mixed with jaggery should be given thrice daily. To deal with a chronic case ofdysentery, unripe bael fruit is roasted over the fire and the pulp is mixed with water. Large quantities of theinfusion so made should be administered with jaggery. The pulp of the unripe fruit mixed with an equal quantityof dried ginger can also be given with butter milk. The use of pomegranate rind is another effective remedy fordysentery. About 60 grams of therin should be boiled in 250 grams of milk. It should be removed from the firewhen one third of the milk has evaporated. It should be administered to the patient in three equal doses atsuitable intervals. It will relieve the disease very soon. Lemon juice is very effective in dealing with ordinarycases of dysentery. A few lemons, peels and sliced, should be added to 250 ml. of water and boiled for a fewminutes. The strained infusion should be administered thrice daily. Other remedies considered useful in thetreatment of dysentery are the use of small pieces of onions mixed with curd and equal parts of the tenderleaves of the peepal tree, coriander leaves and sugar chewed slowly.

Eczema

The term ‘eczema’ is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘to boil.’ It refers to an inflammation ofthe skin whichresults in the formation of vesicls or pulstules. It is the most common and mosttroublesome of all skin diseases.Eczema is essentially a constitutional disease, resulting from a toxic condition of the system.The diseasecovers a wide variety of forms, the majority of them being of a chronic variety.

Symptoms

Eczema in its acute form is indicated by redness and swelling of the skin, the formation of minute vesicles andsevere heat. If the vesicles rupture, a raw, moist surface is formed. From this, a colourless discharge oozes,which forms skin crusts when it accumulates. The disease is usually worst at night when the heat of the body isretained by the bed-clothes. The skin itches at all stages. In the wet stage, it may become infected withbacteria. The healing of the condition is affected by scratching in response tothe irritation. Scratching not onlyspreads infection but also lengthens the stage of dryness and scaling.

Causes

Allergies play an important part in causing eczema. Some women get eczema on their hands due to an allergyto soap or detergents used to wash clothes or dishes. Some persons develop it around the fingers when theywear rings because of allergy to metals. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at SanAntonio, in a recent study of children with atropic eczema, found that 75 per cent were allergic to a number offoods. The most common triggers for sensitive persons are eggs, peanuts, chocolate, wheat, cow’s milk,chicken and potato. The real cause of eczema however is the failure of the human system to excrete thepoisons from the various orifices of the body. Waste matter is excreted from the rectum through stools, from thebladder through urine, from the lungs through breath and from the pores of the skin through sweat. Sometimethe pores of the skin are overworked as waste matter is not properly eliminated from the other orifices. If thepores are not given the chance to perform their normal function, the sweat will be full of morbid matter and thisgives rise to skin diseases like eczema, acne, boils and other eruptions. Other causes include faulty metabolism, constipation, nutritional deficiencies and stress brought about by nagging spouses, jealousy,frustration and a host of other emotions. Suppressive drug treatment of the formal disease is also a most potentsubsidiary causative factor in many cases.

The Cure

Skin applications to cure eczema may give temporary relief. If the exudation is suppressed, some other moreserious disease may develop. The best way to deal with eczema is to cleanse the blood stream and the body.The treatment should start with a fast on orange juice and water from five to days, depending on the severityand duration of the trouble. Juice fasting will help eliminate toxic waste from the body and lead to substantialimprovement. In some cases, the condition may worsen in the beginning of the fast due to the increasedelimination of waste matter through the skin. But as fasting continues, improvement will manifest itself. Fruits,salt free, raw or steamed vegetables with whole meal bread or chappatis may be taken after the juice fast.Carrot and musk melon are particularly beneficial. Coconut oil may be used instead of ghee. After a few days,curd and milk may be added to the diet. The patients may thereafter gradually embark upon a well-balanceddiet of three basic food groups, namely(i) seeds, nutsand grains (ii) vegetables and (iii) fruits. The large proportion of the diet should consist of rawfoods. Seeds and beans such as alfalfa, mung and soyabeans can be sprouted. This diet may be supplemented with cold-pressed vegetable oils, honey and yeast. Juice fasting may berepeated at intervals of two months or so, depending on the progress being made, in chronic and more difficultcases of eczema, patient should fast atleast once a week till he is cured. The patient should avoid tea, coffee,alcoholic beverages and all condiments and highly flavoured dishes. He should also avoid sugar, white flourproducts, denatured cereals like polished rice, and pearled barley and tinned or bottled foods. He should eatonly pure and wholesome foods. Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot juice in combination with spinachjuice, have proved highly beneficial in the treatment of eczema. The formula proportions considered helpful inthis combination are carrot 300 ml. and spinach 200 ml. to make 500 ml. or half a litre of juice. The patientshould get as much fresh air as possible. Restrictive clothing should not be worn. Two or three litres of watershould be taken daily and the patient must bath twice or thrice a day. The skin, with the exception of the partsaffected with eczema, should be vigorously rubbed with the palms of the hands before taking the bath. Coconutoil may be applied to the portions with eczema. It will help the skin to stay soft. Walking or jogging should beresorted to in order to inactivate the bowels. Sun bathing is also beneficial as it kills the harmful bacteria andshould be resorted to early in the morning, in the first light of dawn. A light mudpack should be applied over thesites of the eczema is also helpful. The pack should be applied for an hour at a time and should be repeatedtwice or thrice a day .

Epilepsy

Epilepsy refers to a chronic condition in which repeated fits or attacks of unconsciousness occur with or withoutconfusions. It is a serious disorder of a central nervous system. It occurs in both children and adults. Most attacks, however, occur in childhood and in early adult life. Attack rates show a progressive decline infrequency with age. Epilepsy is a very ancient disease which afflicted some of the world’s greatestpersonalities, including Napoleon, Alexander and Julius Ceasar. Theactual word " epilepsy" comes from the Greek word which means " to seize upon". The ancient people believed that evilspirits entered the body of theperson afflicted, seized upon his soul and threw his body into convulsions. The Greeks believed that the godsinduced this disease. The early Christians blamed the devil for convulsions. One of the main problems that aperson with epilepsy has to face is continual uncertainty about whether or not he or she will have an attack onany particular occasion. Patients may find themselves increasingly inhibited from engaging in social eventsbecause of the understandable fear that they might embarrass themselves by having another attack. Such people also encounter difficulties in employments and other relationships.

Symptoms

Epilepsy is recognised by recurrent sudden attacks at irregular intervals. The patients twitch convulsively andfall unconscious to the ground during these attacks which cause tremendous nervous unheavel. There are twomain types of epilepsy known as petit mal and grand mal. Each follows its own specific pattern. In petit mal,which is a less serious form of epilepsy,an attack comes and goes within a few seconds. The patient has amomentary loss of consciousness, with no convulsions except sometimes a slight rifidity, or there may be slightattack of convulsions such as a jerk, or movement of the eyes, head trunk or extremities, with no perceptibleloss of consciousness. The patient may not fall. He may suddenly stop what he is doing and then resume itwhen the attack is over, without even being aware of what has happened. Petit mal attacks may occur at anytime in life but are most frequent in children. The attack in case of grand mal comes with a dramatic effect.There are violent contractions of the arms, legs and body, accompanied by a sudden loss of consciousness.Before the onset of an attack, some patients have a warning or aura in the form of strange sensations such asa current of air or a stream of water flowing over a body, noises, odours and flashes of light. In a typical attack,.the patient cries out, falls to the ground loses consciousness and develops convulsions. With the convulsionsmay come foaming at the mouth, twitching of the muscles, biting of the tongue, distorted fixation of limbs,rotation of the head and deviation of the eyes. The patient may lose control of his urine and faeces. The attackmay last several minutes and is usually followed by a deep sleep. On waking up, he may remember nothing ofwhat happened to him. People who suffer from epilepsy are not abnormal in any other way. They usually knowthat fits can be triggered off by particular stimuli. Between epileptic attacks, their brain functions normally.

Causes

Epilepsy denotes electrical malfunctioning within the brain due to damage of brain cells or some inheritedabnormality. There are many causes of epilepsy. Digestive disturbances, intestinal toxaemia and a strainednervous condition are very often the main cause of petit mal. Grand mal usually results from hereditaryinfluences, serious shock or injury to the brain or nervous system. Meningitis, typhoid, and other diseasesattendant with prolonged high temperature can also lead to grand mal.Epilepsy may be caused by several other factors. It may result from allergic reactions to certain foodsubstances, especially some particular form of protein which is the main constituent of meat. Circulatorydisorders such as hardening of arteries leading to the brain may also cause epileptic seizures. This type is rareand occurs only in very aged people. Chronic alcoholism, lead poisoning, cocaine and other such habits canalso lead to this disease. Other causes of epileptic seizure include mental conflict, deficient mineralassimilation, particularly of magnesium and calcium and wrong vitamin metabolism. According to someresearchers, hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is also involved in most cases of epilepsy.

Treatment

In the natural form of treatment, the sufferer from epilepsy has to follow a rigorous regimen consisting of a strictdietary, complete relaxation and optimum exercise in the open air. He must adhere to a simple and correctnatural life. He must assume a cheerful, optimistic attitude, refrain from mental and physical overwork andworry. The most important aspect of the treatment is the diet. To begin with, the patient should be placed on anexclusive fruit diet for first few days. During this period he should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruitssuch as oranges, apples, grapes, grapefruit, peaches, pears, pineapple and melon. Thereafter, he maygradually adopt a well balanced diet of three basic food groups viz. (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetablesand (iii) fruits with emphasis on sprouted seeds such as alfalfa seeds and mung beans, raw vegetables andfruits. The diet should include a moderate amount of raw milk preferably goat’s milk and milk products such asraw butter and homemade cottage cheese. The diet should eliminate completely all animal proteins, exceptmilk, as they not only lack in magnesium,but also rob the body of its own magnesium storage as well as ofvitamin B6. Both these substances are needed in large amounts by epileptics. The best food sources ofmagnesium are raw nuts, seeds, soyabeans , green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, beet-tops etc. Thepatient should avoid all refined foods, fried and greasy food, sugar and products made with it, strong tea,coffee, alcoholic beverages, condiments and pickles. The patient should avoid over eating and take frequentsmall meals rather than a few large ones. He should not eat large meals before going to bed. Mud packs on theabdomen twice daily help remove toxaemic conditions of the intestines and thereby hasten removal of epilepticconditions. The application of alternate hot and cold compresses to the base of the brain, that is at the back ofthe head will be beneficial. The procedure is to dip the feet in a bucket of hot water and apply first a hot toweland then a cold one to the base of the brain. The alternate hot and cold towels should be kept for two or threeminutes about four times. The process shall be repeated twice every day. Full Epsom-salt bath, twice a weekare also beneficial. If the sufferer from epilepsy has taken strong drugs for many years, he should not leave offentirely all at once. The dosage may be cut to half to begin with and then gradually reduced further until it canbe left off completely. An epileptic should strictly observe all the natural laws of good health and build andmaintain the highest level of general health. He should remain active mentally but avoid all severe mental andphysical stress. And above all, he should avoid excitements of all kinds.