How scratching impacts on brain

Scratching impacts of various areas of the brain

Researchers have discovered why scratching an itch may be so addictive.

A team from Wake Forest University in North Carolina used imaging technology to follow the changes that take place in the brain when we scratch.

Activity was reduced in areas associated with unpleasant emotions, and memories, but increased in an area associated with compulsive behaviour.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology study raises hopes of new treatments for itching disorders.

Understanding how the process works could lead to new treatments Dr Gil Yosipovitch Wake Forest University

For some people the irritation of an itch can be so intense that they scratch so hard they draw blood.

Among those who are most badly affected are people with eczema and those on kidney dialysis.

The researchers used functoinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to monitor the brains of 13 volunteers while they were scratched on the lower leg with a small brush.

The scratching went on for 30 seconds and was then stopped for 30 seconds - for a total of about five minutes.

The results showed reduced activity in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, which is linked to unpleasant sensory experiences, and in the posterior cingulate cortex, which is associated with memory.

When the volunteers reported the scratching was most intense, activity in these areas was at its lowest.

Lead researcher Dr Gil Yosipovitch said: "This is the first real scientific evidence showing that itch may be inhibited by scratching.

"We know scratching is pleasurable, but we haven't known why.

"It is possible that scratching may suppress the emotional components of itch and bring about its relief.

"Of course, scratching is not recommended because it can damage the skin.

"But understanding how the process works could lead to new treatments. For example, drugs that deactivate this part of the brain might be effective."

Compulsion

The study also found some areas of the brain were made more active by the scratching.

These included the secondary somatosensory cortex, a sensory area involved in pain, and the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with compulsive behaviour.

One drawback to the study is that the scratching occurred in the absence of itch. The researchers now plan to examine whether the same pattern of brain activity is produced when a chronic itch is scratched.

Dr Irene Tracey, an expert in pain at the University of Oxford, said effective new treatments for itching would be a significant advance, as the problem could be a debilitating for some people.

"I know of people who have been given morphine for pain relief, and have developed a facial itch that was so severe they have opted to come off the morphine and put up with the pain," she said.

Dr Tracey said identifying the areas of the brain affected by itching and scratching could potentially lead to new treatments.

However, she said cognitive behaviour therapy designed to impact on the relevant areas was likely to be the most productive approach.

 

 

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Recipe column- fried banana

Click here

Recipe column-Vendaikai pachadi

Vendaikai Masiyal, Vendaikai Pachadi

Cook 1 cup of toor dal in a pressure cooker

Heat up a Kadai and fry 15 ladiesfingers cut into small pieces in a little oil.

Add this to the dal. Add a pinch of turmeric powder,hing and 1 teaspoon of coriender powder.

Split 2 green chilies vertically and add it.

Allow it to boil and add 1 teaspoon of tarmarind paste.

Add 1 teaspoon oil and allow mustard seeds to splitter and add 1/4 teaspoon of fenugreek / methi seeds, 3 red chilies and few curry leaves.

When it turns light brown in colour pour it into the boiling dal.

Add salt and mix well

Garnish with corriender leaves.

Taste this with rice.

Recipe column- Masiyal dal

Click here

Backache

• The application of oil prepared from garlic is beneficial in treating backaches. The oil is prepared by frying ten cloves of garlic in 60 ml of any rubefacient oil (mustard, sesame or coconut). Once the cloves are brown, and the oil is cooled, it should be vigorously applied on the back and allowed to remain for three hours. It should then be washed off by warm water. 
• Eating a small piece of Chebulic myroblan everyday will provide quick relief.
• Application of raw potato in the form of a poultice is an ancient remedy, and has been found very effective in the treatment of backaches.
• Taking about 2,000 mg of Vitamin C daily will show considerable improvement within two days.

 

 

Mobiles linked to disturbed sleep

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Recipe column- keerai masiyal

Keerai Msiyal
Clean the greens like spinach or any other green leaves of your choice and finely chop it.Cook 1 cup of toor dal.Add 1 teaspoon of gramdal,1/4 teaspoon of methi/fenugreek seed powder ,1/2 teaspoon corriender seeds powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cummin, A pinch of turmeric powder, A pinch of hing, 3 redchillies and if you need more spice add 2 green chillies fry it for a while and Add 2 to 3 chopped tomatoes. Finally Add Greens and cooked Dal.Mix well and leave it in the slow flame for 2 minutes. If necessary add water.Garnish with Curry leaves and corriender leaves.Easy to cook Keerai Masiyal is ready to serve.
For melagai masiyal http://tamilvegnhealth.blogspot.com/2007/12/recipe-column_3689.html

India's 'healing' herb-dyed cloth

Could an ayurvastra bedspread tempt you into the land of nod?

Cloth infused with the herbs of traditional Indian medicine is becoming increasingly popular as the country's stressed urban workers seek cures for conditions such as insomnia and eczema.

Wearing a special shirt is claimed to cure itchy or sore skin, while sleepless nights can be taken care of by putting a herb-infused sheet over your mattress.

The herbs are selected according to the traditional Indian medicine known as ayurvedia, with the infused cloth known as ayurvastra.

"We have selected 28 medicinal plants based on ayurvedic texts and theory - then we dip the natural cotton into it to make sleeping cloths," the chief dyeing technician of the ayurvastra project, Rajan Kay, told BBC World Service's Culture Shock programme.

"For skin problems we select a plant like indigo, and mix with the plant turmeric."

Proper effect

The main centre for ayurvedic practices is Kerala, where it has existed alongside Western medicine for two centuries.

The Keralan government is set to release a report on a local clinical trial that claims the clothes do indeed have health benefits.

And cloth which calms the nerves is certainly proving popular with stressed-out IT consultants from nearby Bangalore.

The herbs are added during the dyeing process

But Catherine Stubberfield, who has worked with textile manufactures all over the world before moving to work with ayurvastra, warned that the clothes must be combined with the right lifestyle to have the proper effect.

"I believe that wearing natural cotton, wool or silk which has been dyed naturally is going to obviously help your skin, but I think as far as the healing goes ayurvedia is a way of life," she said.

"Wearing a T-shirt made of ayurvedic dyeing is not going to cure you. What the government report will say is if you take it with ayurvedic medicine, it is OK. But it is very difficult for people from the West to understand this."

Meanwhile Dr K Ravi, who established the project, outlined that health benefits of ayurvastra cloth are only part of the story - he began the project not to promote health, but to sustain the traditional industries of rural Kerala.

"The tradition of the handloom is part and parcel of this land - and ayurvedia also," he said.

He pointed out that people in the area traditionally get only 35 rupees - $0.6 - per day to live on. But the ayurvedia sheets will allow them to get more money in domestic and international markets.

"The major part of that that will be transferred to these poor people," he added.

 

 

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Mobiles linked to disturbed sleep

The evidence on mobile phone safety has been contradictory

Using a mobile phone before going to bed could stop you getting a decent night's sleep, research suggests.

The study, funded by mobile phone companies, suggests radiation from the handset can cause insomnia, headaches and confusion.

It may also cut our amount of deep sleep - interfering with the body's ability to refresh itself.

The study was carried out by Sweden's Karolinska Institute and Wayne State University in the US.

This research suggests that if you need to make a make a phone call in the evening it is much better to use a land line Alasdair Philips Powerwatch

Funded by the Mobile Manufacturers Forum, the scientists studied 35 men and 36 women aged between 18 and 45.

Some were exposed to radiation equivalent to that received when using a mobile phone, others were placed in the same conditions, but given only "sham" exposure.

Those exposed to radiation took longer to enter the first of the deeper stages of sleep, and spent less time in the deepest one.

The scientists concluded: "The study indicates that during laboratory exposure to 884 MHz wireless signals components of sleep believed to be important for recovery from daily wear and tear are adversely affected."

Researcher Professor Bengt Arnetz said: "The study strongly suggests that mobile phone use is associated with specific changes in the areas of the brain responsible for activating and coordinating the stress system."

Another theory is that radiation may disrupt production of the hormone melatonin, which controls the body's internal rhythms.

Electrosensitivity

About half the people in the study believed themselves to be "electrosensitive", reporting symptoms such as headaches and impaired cognitive function from mobile phone use.

But they proved to be unable to tell if they had been exposed to the radiation in the test.

Alasdair Philips is director of Powerwatch, which researches the effects of electromagnetic fields on health.

He said: "The evidence is getting stronger that we should treat these things in a precautionary way.

"This research suggests that if you need to make a phone call in the evening it is much better to use a land line, and don't have your mobile by your bedside table."

Mike Dolan, executive director of the Mobile Operators Association, said the study was inconsistent with other research.

He said: "It is really one small piece in a very large scientific jigsaw. It is a very small effect, one researcher likened it to less than the effect you would see from a cup of coffee."

Last September a major six-year study by the UK Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHRP) concluded that mobile phone use posed no short-term risk to the brain.

However, the researchers said they could not rule out the possibility that long-term use may raise the risk of cancer.

 

 

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six [6] glasses of water (1.5 liter) everyday. ..

six [6] glasses of water

 

(1.5 liter) everyday… .. 

 

Drink six [6] glasses of water (1.5 liter) everyday and avoid medicine,

 

tablets, injections, diagnosis, doctor fees etc. You can never believe

 

before practicing. 

HOW TO DO THIS WATER THERAPY?

1.    Early morning, after you get up from bed, (without even brushing

your teeth) drink 1.50 litters of water i.e. 5 to 6 glasses. Let us all

know that ancient Indians termed this therapy as

 " USHA PAANA CHIKITSA ". You may wash your face thereafter.

2.    Here it is very essential to note that nothing else, neither
drinks nor solid food of any sort should be taken within 1 hr. before

 and after drinking these 1.5 litters of water.

3.    It is also to be strictly observed that no alcoholic drinks shall

be taken the previous night.

4.    If required, boiled and filtered water may be used for this purpose.

Is it possible to drink 1.50 litters of water at one time? This is a BIG QUESTION?

 To begin with, one may find it difficult to drink 1.50 litters ofwater at one time,

 but one will get used to it gradually. Initially, while practicing you may drink four

 glasses first and then the balance two glasses after a gap of 2 minutes. Initially

 you may find the necessity to urinate 2 - 3 times within an hour, but it will

become normal after quite some time.

By research and experience, the following diseases are observed to be cured

 with this therapy within the indicated days as below:
Constipation      --  1 day
Acidity          --  2 days.
Diabetes          --  7 days.
Cancer            -- 4 weeks
Pulmonary TB      -- 3 months
BP & Hypertension -- 4 weeks

Here is the list of diseases that can be cured by this water therapy:

1.Head Ache
2.Urogenital diseases
3.Blood Pressure / Hypertension
4.Hyper acidity
5.Anemia ( Blood shortage)
6.Gastro - entities
7.Rheumatism (Pain in  joints/muscles)
8.Dysentery
9.General Paralysis
10.Rectal Piodapse
11.Obesity
12.Constipation
13.Arthritis
14.Hostorthobics
15.Sinusitis 
16.Diabetes
17.Tachycardia
18.Eye diseases
19.Giddiness
20.Ophthalmic Hemorrhage & Opthalmia|
21.Cough
22.(Reddish eye)
23.Asthma
24.Irregular Menstruation
25.Bronchitis 
26.Leukemia
27.Pulmonary Tuberculosis
28.Uterus Cancer
29.Meningitis
30.Breast cancer
31.Kidney stones
32.Laryngitis

NOTE:
It is advised that persons suffering from Arthritis or Rheumatism should

 practice this therapy thrice a day i.e. morning, mid day and night, 1 hour

 before breakfast, lunch and dinner for one week and twice a day

subsequently until the disease disappears.

HOW DOES PURE WATER ACT ?

Consuming ordinary drinking water by the right method purifies human body.

 It renders the colon more effective by forming new fresh blood, known in

medical terms as Haematopaises. That the mucousal folds of the colon and

intestines are activated by this method, is an undisputed fact, just as the

 theory that new fresh blood is produced by the mucousal fold.  If the colon

 is cleansed then the nutrients of the food taken several times a day will

be absorbed and by the action of the mucousal folds they are turned in to

 fresh blood. The blood is all-important in curing ailments and restoring

health and for this water should be consumed in a regular pattern.

LIFE IS SHORT & INVALUABLE, JUST GO FOR IT.

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Health tips- Honey and Cinnamon

HAIR LOSS:
Those suffering from hair loss or baldness, may apply a paste of hot olive oil,
one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder before bath and keep
it for approx. 15 min. and then wash the hair. It is effective if kept for
5 mins. also.
BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of
luke warm water and drink it. It destroys the germs of the bladder.
TOOTHACHE:
Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and
apply on the aching tooth. This may be done 3 times a day till the tooth has stopped aching.
CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16
ounces of tea water, if given to a cholesterol patient, it reduces the level of cholesterol
in the blood by 10% within 2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken 3
times a day any chronic cholesterol is cured. Pure honey taken with food daily relieves complains of cholesterol.
COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon luke
warm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.
UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomachache and also clears stomach
ulcers from the root.
GAS:
If honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.
HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread or chappati instead
of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the
arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. For those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat. .
INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA
Honey contains a natural ingredient, which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.
LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly arrests the
ravages of old age. Take 4 spoons of honey, 1spoon of cinnamon powder and 3
cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps
the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life span also increases.
PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply
this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm
water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.
SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures
eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.
WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning, 1/2 hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and at
night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water.
If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also drinking of this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.