Curry Leaves : Freshness In Every Splutter

Curry leaves are loaded with potential for use in food and medicine. The next time you see it floating in your dal, just chew it and enjoy the benefits.

I am one of those who always recommend a garden patch or a green balcony spot around the house. The cook that I am, I may even say make it only beds or pots of tulsi and kadipatta! Cleaner air, lesser insects and a mild appealing fragrance are all yours to enjoy. The kadipatta or meetha neem or curry leaves plant, for that matter, is easy to maintain; just water it daily and enjoy fresh leaves whenever you need them.

Our cook of many years is a grand old lady from Andhra, who is still emphatic about using only tender fresh kadipatta in dal and sambhar. No stale leaves will do – that for her are not kadipatta but kadva patta (bitter leaf)! Thanks to her stand, a few stalks of fresh kadipatta, as compliments from the vendor, have for long been a part of every batch of fresh vegetables delivered to our house. If at all they are stored in the refrigerator the whole stalk goes into a ziplock bag (shelf life two days).

I confess that kadipatta does not play a big role in a North Indian household. We are used to fresh coriander in everything! But in South Indian cuisine kadipatta is a vital ingredient. In recipes for chicken, mutton, fish, chutneys, vegetables, dals, rice dishes, rasams, poha, wadas, aloo wadas, sambhars – you name them and all the other great dishes – and the kadipatta is there. Dried kadipatta is also an essential ingredient in certain spice mixtures.

Source: Apollo Life

Hypnosis for Coping with Fear of Death

Hypnosis is a scientifically acknowledged psychological and therapeutic discipline and is the most expedient way to access the Subconscious Mind. It is a method by which any person may be guided into an altered state of conscious awareness in which psychological and physical changes beyond normal conscious capability can be achieved.

 "Our Mind controls absolutely everything about us." It creates every disease that manifests in the physical body as everything starts with a THOUGHT. According to the conventional medical world wisdom, a number of diseases are what are called psychosomatic, which means mainly in the mind.

How the mind works
The mind is divided into two parts – the Conscious Mind and the Subconscious Mind. The Conscious Mind is our logical, reasoning, thinking mind that we use all the time when we are awake.

The Subconscious Mind is a repository of all our experiences and memories. It permanently stores everything that we ever see – hear – smell – feel – every thought – every emotion.

Who we are - how we respond – and what we believe - are functions of the subconscious mind. The Subconscious Mind has all the information about us - knows everything about us, and looks after and protects us all the time. We however, do not have direct access to the information in the Subconscious Mind.

The Conscious Mind has access to the Subconscious Mind and uses this information to reach its own decisions, and many times, manipulates the information it obtains from this base. Our behavior is a combined response of our conscious and our subconscious mind. Our conscious mind has set up the 'rules' for our behavior, based on our belief system, which originates from our subconscious mind which has the memories of all our prior experiences, thereby telling us what feels good and what does not.

Source: Apollo Life

Skin Wounds - Diagnosis and Treatment

A wound is an injury to the skin. The skin may be torn, cut, punctured or bruised. In pathology, it refers to any injury that damages the dermis of the skin. It is a common injury and nearly everyone has experienced one type of wound or another. Minor wounds are especially common in childhood.

Types of Wounds:
Based on duration

• Acute Wound: Acute is a new wound resulting from an acute injury or trauma.
• Chronic wound: It is typically a long-standing wound which takes a long time to heal, usually existing for six weeks or more.

Based on appearance

• Open Wounds
• Closed Wound

Open Wounds:-
These are wounds that present as raw open areas and are of various types:

• Cut wounds or incision wounds are a result of cuts by a clean, sharp-edged object such as a knife or a glass cutting into the skin.
• Lacerations are irregular tear-like wounds caused by blunt trauma.
• Abrasions are superficial wounds in which the topmost layer of the skin is scraped off. They are often caused by sliding or falling on a rough surface.
• Puncture wounds are caused by an object puncturing the skin, such as a nail or needle. t Penetration wounds are caused by an object, such as a knife, entering and coming out from the skin.
• Missile wounds, also called velocity wounds, are caused by an object entering the body at a high speed, typically a bullet.
• Avulsions occur when an entire structure or part of it is forcibly pulled away; such as the loss of a permanent tooth or an ear lobe.

From a purely clinical point of view, abortion is a safe procedure when performed under the supervision of a qualified medical professional and under appropriate sanitary conditions. There is no scientific evidence to show that a woman going in for an abortion risks infertility. An improperly done abortion can, however, lead to infection and result in sub-fertility.

Closed Wounds:-
Closed wounds are wounds beneath the skin where the skin surface remains intact despite the injury. They are of few types but are just as dangerous as open wounds. The types of closed wounds are:

• Contusions, more commonly known as bruises, are caused by blunt force trauma that damages tissues under the skin.
• Hematoma, also called a blood tumor, is caused by damage to a blood vessel that causes blood to collect under the skin. t Crush injury or crush wounds occur when a heavy object falls on a person, splitting the skin and shattering or tearing underlying structures.

 Source: Apollo Life

Ways to Manage High Blood Pressure

Normal blood pressure is usually between 110/70 up to 120/80. Anything above that and up to 140/90 is often referred to as borderline or mild hypertension, numbers above that may be referred to as high blood pressure.

What is Blood Pressure?

The pressure exerted by the flow of blood inside the blood vessels is known as blood pressure. When this pressure is abnormally high, it is referred to as high blood pressure or hypertension. The pressure inside the artery rises and falls with every beat of the heart. Maximum pressure is exerted when the heart contracts and pumps blood into the arteries. This pressure is referred to a Systolic pressure. When the heart relaxes between contractions and is not pumping blood into the arteries, the blood pressure within the arteries falls, this is known as Diastolic pressure and is the lower of the two numbers.

Is It Harmful?

If ignored, yes it is. Hypertension puts a considerable strain on the heart and blood vessels and is often referred to as a silent killer because it displays no clear symptoms. Untreated hypertension is the leading cause of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage and severe eye damage. About 20 percent of our population is affected by High Blood Pressure which is categorized either an Essential Hypertension or Secondary Hypertension.

Tips to Manage High Blood Pressure:

1. Medical Check up: Since High Blood Pressure is a silent killer and has no discernable symptoms, the first thing to do is to have a medical check-up every year to monitor your blood pressure.
2. Medication: Is often prescribed by the physician to reduce fluid retention, relax the artery muscles etc.Make sure you don’t miss even a single dose of medication and have it on time, to avoid further complication or even serious situations.
3. Lose Weight: In case you are overweight, you must shed your excess weight. You can do this by containing your dietary intake to not more than 1200 calories per day. Include sufficient fruits, vegetables and dietary fiber in your meals to lose 2 to 3 kilograms per month.
4. Avoid Saturated Fats:   These include butter, ghee, whole cream milk, meat fats, eggs, coconut oil, margarine and other hydrogenated fats. Instead, use moderate quantities of unsaturated oils including mustard oil, olive oil, rice bran oil, groundnut oil, sunflower oil etc.
5. Reduce Salt Intake: All foods contain natural sodium and potassium salts. Avoid salted snacks like chips, nuts, salted popcorn and other fast foods, all of which contain large amounts of salt, sugar, fat and other chemicals and preservatives.
6. Exercise Regularly: For at least one hour a day, 5 to 6 days a week. The easiest exercise is brisk walking, yoga is excellent so is swimming. Avoid weight lifting and active competitive sports.
7. Quit Smoking: This includes all types of cigarettes including cigars, pipes, hookahs.
8. Control Alcohol: Never exceed one or two units of alcohol per day. A unit is a 60ml peg of spirits, 200ml of wine, or 400 ml of beer. Do not drink more than once or twice a week and never drink on two consecutive days.
9. Manage Stress: Stress and mental tension are caused by over ambition, at work, problems at work, difficult relationships, home problems, financial problems, health problems etc. These daily tensions are the prime cause for hypertension. Daily exercise, support from family and friends, helps to manage and reduce the effects of stress.
10. Rest and Relaxation: Sleep for at least 8 hours every night. Spend the weekends with family and friends. Cultivate a hobby and take a 10 to 15-day break from work and give yourself a well-deserved holiday at least once or twice a year.

Yoga and Naturopathy for Hypertension

Hypertension or increased blood pressure is a staggering health problem today. It has become very common and about 20 percent of adults all over the world suffer with hypertension without even knowing, as it remains asymptomatic until late in its course. Hence it is called a silent killer.

 Its effects when unattended are devastating, affecting every system of the body, and could be fatal. 50 years ago, hypertension or high blood pressure was a relatively uncommon condition.Today, it has become more than just a chronic complaint. It has become a disease of the affluent and middle class population. It still poses a challenge for the medical world for its dependency on continuous medication, and is the most common risk factor for heart attacks."

Blood Pressure and Hypertension
The force with which the heart pumps blood through arteries to reach various parts of body is called blood pressure. The pressure is greatest when the heart contracts and pumps blood into the arteries. This is called systolic pressure. The pressure is lower during the relaxation phase of heart and is known as diastolic pressure.

Blood pressure in an adult male (20 – 50 years) during systole when a left ventricle contracts is around 100 - 140 mm of Hg, and during diastole when left ventricle relaxes is around 60 - 90 mm of Hg. Without this pressure, blood will not be able to supply the body oxygen, food and essential nutrients. The pressure varies with physical and mental activity and from person to person with an average of 120 / 80mm of Hg. When the blood pressure is constantly recorded above 140/90 mm of Hg in successive intervals, then it is called hypertension.

Source: Apollo Life

Spine Health and Signs of an Ageing Spine

Curves are a normal part of the spine’s structure. A side view of the spine resembles a soft ‘S’ shape. The normal curves are termed lordosis and kyphosis. However, the natural curves should not be mistaken for spinal disorders also called Lordosis and Kyphosis.

Good posture is about all parts of the spine being in correct alignment so that the body weight is evenly distributed. This means that if someone is not in correct posture it can put strain on certain parts of the spine (usually the lumbar or lower back).

The spine is not straight and it was never meant to be straight. Each part of the spine has a soft curve to it. The curve directions alternate down the spine. These form a kind of spring that enables shock absorption by the spine. It would actually be very bad if the spine were to be straight!

During our lifetime, our spines are required to withstand considerable physical weight bearing stresses resulting from activities of daily living. As a result of these stresses, ‘wear and tear’ or degeneration occurs in all parts of the vertebral column. Degeneration which occurs in the spine as a consequence of daily living is considered part of the normal ageing process.

Signs Of An Ageing Spine:

Most people are concerned with changes in their body shape as they age. Although some changes inevitably occur with ageing, your lifestyle choices can slow down or speed up these changes. With age a person may become shorter. After the age of 40, people typically lose 1cm every 10 years and the height loss increases after the age of 70.

Some people live to old age without experiencing any of the symptoms typically associated with an ageing spine. Others may experience the following:

• Loss of bone density
• Spinal fracture, even from minor trauma
• Stiffness
• Decreased range of motion in the joints: difficulty in bending, twisting, or walking
• Discomfort or pain after long periods of sitting or standing
• Difficulty in getting up from a sitting position
• Difficulty in lifting heavy objects
• Loss of flexibility
• Increased susceptibility to back problems in colder weather

 Check out Apollo Life website to know what are the Conditions Associated With An Ageing Spine

A Brief Note On Water Related Diseases and Its Prevention

Water-borne diseases are illnesses caused and transmitted by the use and consumption of contaminated water. Irrespective of the Old Issues & New Risks In Clean Water Dr Suneetha Narreddy cause and point of water contamination, infections are picked up in the course of basic everyday activities like drinking water, preparation and consumption of food, bathing and washing.

The long list of water related diseases and conditions include Anaemia, Ascariasis, Botulism, Diarrhoea, Dracunculiasis, Fluorosis, Hookworm infection, Japanese encephalitis, Lymphatic filariasis, Malaria, Malnutrition, Polio, Ring Worm, Tinea, Scabies, Schistomiasis. But prevalently, the most common and the most troublesome of water-related diseases, in terms of public health or health of a community are:

• Typhoid fever
• Cholera
• Leptospirosis
• Hepatitis A

There is also the increased risk of infection or water-borne diseases contracted through direct contact with polluted waters.
Among them are:

• Wound infections
• Dermatitis
• Conjunctivitis
• Ear, nose and throat infections

 Go to our online portal Apollo Life to know the prevention process of the same.

Effectiveness of Liquid Diets

In today’s context and lifestyle, liquid diets not only help a lot by detoxifying your system, but are almost imperative to maintaining good health.

 Naturopathists are of the opinion that if you follow a liquid diet once a week, not only will this help the digestive system to rest but also allow it to get rid of toxins accumulated over time. In all, it energizes you, helps in rectifying water retention problems as well as it contributes to weight loss leading to a general overall feeling of well being.

A sample of a liquid diet that I have seen working with people I know is as follows:

You can kick start your day at, lets say, 7 a.m. by taking a glass of water and then every one hour, you can consume some form of a liquid diet alternating it with a glass of water, the next hour. The options are in plenty ranging from tea, coffee, juice (fruit/vegetable), buttermilk, soup and finally a cup of milk at 10 p.m. if you are hungry.

A Reiki master once told me about several juices that enhance a person’s well being. For example carrot and celery juice, chaal kurunda/white pumpkin juice, pomegranate juice and sweet-lime juice. All these juices should be combined with 6—8 glasses of water taken at various intervals.

Source: Apollo Life

Know Health Benefits and Nutritional Facts of Dates

Whether you are looking for a sweet treat with natural goodness or a nutritionally packed snack to fight fatigue, dates easily qualify as the perfect choice for most health enthusiasts. High in carbohydrates and fibre, and rich in exotic taste and essential minerals, dates can be a healthy addition to any diet.

 Originally dates came from the Middle East and South Asia. It was prominently so around the Persian Gulf and River Nile. Today they are grown extensively in the warm climate zones across Africa, Europe and Asia. The date fruit belongs to the ‘drupe’ category having a fleshy outer layer and an inner hardened pit with a seed.

Date variants are available either as the soft ‘Medjool’ and ‘Khadrawy’, the semi dry ‘Deglet Noor’ or the dry form ‘Thoory’. The popular and revered cultivars include ‘Medjool’, ‘Khadrawy’, ‘Amer Haji’, ‘Khalasah’, ‘Kenta’ and ‘Khajoor’.

Weighty Affair!

Dates are cholesterol free and loaded with dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These energy-dense delicious fruits are rich in potassium (which helps to check hypertension), calcium (which is useful for skeletal and dental health), selenium (the immunity booster), magnesium and copper.

If the antioxidants in dates are chiefly the powerful carotenoids, the vitamins comprise the entire range of the B complex – B6, niacin, and folic acid. It is also rich in amino acids. About 100 g of fresh dates provide 400 kcal approximately. So, the flip side is you must be careful about nibbling on too many dates! It is especially so if you are trying to watch your weight.

Browse our online health magazine Apollo Life to know more benefits of Dates.

Its all About King of Fruits - Mango

Delicious, fragrant, and a powerhouse of nutrients, this succulent fruit makes it to the top of almost every Indian’s list of favourite fruits.

A potent source of fibre and iron, mango is rich in Vitamins A, C, E and K. It contains significant amounts of phosphorus, manganese and potassism. The presence of flavonoids
and polyphenol antioxidants in the fruit provides a variety of health benefits

Digestion
The fibre found in mango helps regulate bowel movement and keeps constipation at bay. Mango contains digestive enzymes that help relieve acidity and break down proteins thereby aiding digestion

Diabetes
Mango has a low glycemic index - between 41 and 60 and it is known to reduce complications associated with diabetes. A decoction made with mango leaves is an excellent remedy for diabetics.

Heat Stroke
Unripe mango is a rich source of pectin. When steamed and juiced with cumin (jeera), rock salt and sugar, it offers relief against heat stroke or heat exhaustion in summer.

Cancer
New research suggests that the polyphenol antioxidant compounds in mango act as protection against breast and colon cancers. It is also rich in carotenes that are known to protect the body from cancers of the lung and oral cavity.

Source: ApolloLife

Little Note on Wedding Hairstyles

                                            A wedding is not karaoke. You don’t just wake up and perform while people egg you on even though you sound disastrously pathetic. A wedding has to be perfect in every way. Everyone wants to look their best on the occasion and the best of all should be and must be the bride. Every pleat should fall in place, the blush and colour should match your grace and no hair should be out of place.

 So, if you’re the bride, you can’t let the others get ahead of you. Check out some choicest wedding hairstyles and be a stunner on your Wedding Day!

Classic Bun

• Neat and elegant, the classic bun is perfectly suited to a bride who needs to create beautiful lines and keep hair off her face.
• Once in place, you can accessorize with hairgrips and hair slides; choose a colour that compliments your hair tone and outfit.
• Completely chic and classy, you can wear the classic bun sleek and groomed, or looser and accessorized for a more contemporary feel. You’ll always look pulled together and timeless in all of your wedding pictures.

Fresh Flowers For Your Hair

• A single bold flower or a cluster of delicate blooms, add a romantic flourish to your wedding-day hairstyle.
• In general, use larger blossoms with simple styles, smaller ones for more intricate looks.
• Opt for flowers that are in season and are resilient.
• Some flowers shouldn’t be used near your skin; for safety reasons, have your florist guide you to sensible choices.
• Highly fashionable flower pieces tucked within the braided bun `look splendid.
• Place a flower at the base of the bun for a simple, effective detail.
• Having the flower to one side or slightly below the top of the bun is more elegant than placing it above the bun.
• Source: ApolloLife

Colour Therapy - Healing with Colours

Colours do affect our thought process in subtle ways. That’s why people feel blue when they’re sad, go green with envy, grow pink with embarrassment, and see red when they are angry. Apart for the mood altering qualities, colours are also known to have healing properties.

The History:
Though the term ‘colour therapy’ has come recently, the idea existed from ancient times. Warriors painted themselves in reds, blacks and browns as they believed these colours made them look fierce. Tribal women dressed themselves in bright colours to look attractive. The ancient Egyptians too understood the importance of colour - and they used colour to heal. They built temples for healing, where the rooms were coloured in different colours. The Chinese practised colour healing too, called the nei ching, nearly 2000 years ago.

India too has credited colours with incredible healing power from ancient times. Sages understood the healing vibrations of different colours and how they helped cure aliments, this is reported in Atharva Veda; where they connect the seven colours of the rainbow (violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red) to the seven energy centres, also known as the chakras, of our body for healing purposes. Each chakra is further related to a certain gland, so they believed that the proper use of a specific colour helps cure that body ailment concerned.

Another aspect of colour therapy is the close relation the five elements of the body: fire, air, water, ether and earth, have with colours. Fire is associated with red, air with green, water with deep blue, ether with light blue and earth with yellow. Thus colour therapy draws the vibrations and energy from the five elements and colours. Together combines them to better our body’s ailments. These ancient beliefs and practices are what we still carry forward and have proved to be beneficial in today’s practice of colour therapy.

SOURCE:  ApolloLife

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Benefits of Brahmi The Healing Herb!

Herbal healing is one of the most ancient forms of holistic healing. The latest Ayurvedic herb that is finding its wave in beauty and health care is none other than Bacopa. Known by different names such as Brahmi or Water Hyssop, this creeping herb with white and pink flowers grows wild across India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, China and Florida.

Best-known for its memory boosting and mood stabilizing capacities, the Bacopa or Brahmi is being extensively used in beauty treatments of the hair, body and skin because of its potent antioxidant properties.

Many centuries ago, the Bacopa herb was used as a tonic for the heart and the nervous system. The main credit for it being an ideal herb for increasing brain function goes to bacopasides, chemical compounds responsible for repairing damaged neurons in the brain.

Uses Of Brahmi

• To improve memory
• As a nerve and cardio tonic; helps in Alzheimer’s disease
• As a diuretic, to help solve urinary problems
• As an adaptogenic (to adapt and adjust to a new place); helps relieve anxiety
• Increases cognitive ability; helps in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Works as an antioxidant to purify the body of harmful toxins and impurities

Brahmi For Skin And Hair:

• It strengthens hair roots and helps in treating dandruff.
• Juice extracted from the plant is used for treating epilepsy.
• Brahmi oil, infused with sesame or coconut oil, has useful benefits for the hair. When massaged deep into the scalp, it helps promote healthy and strong hair, thereby preventing hair damage such as split ends and hair discolouration.
• It works as a cooling agent. Massage the head with Brahmi oil and it will surely give you a restful night’s sleep.
• Regular use of Brahmi oil helps increase concentration, improve retention and memory.
• A paste prepared from its leaves works as an antibacterial cure for
  treating Syphilitic sores.
• Brahmi oil, used in a warm bath, helps in treating dry and damaged skin.
• Powdered organic Brahmi, added to cream cleansers, works effectively as an effective exfoliant.
• Source: ApolloLife

Know Common Causes Of Occupational Nerve Injuries

Things like complex-regional pain syndrome or carpel tunnel syndrome account for some common occupational nerve injuries. All these injuries are mostly related to the peripheral nervous system. Injury to a peripheral nerve or a dysfunctional peripheral nerve can be cause for concern, because it can distort or interrupt the signals or communication between the brain and the related part of the body.

Patients with acute trauma are easily identifiable by the emergency of the event, as in the case of crush injury or laceration. But, repeated mechanical injuries resulting from external forces, as when using a tool in a certain manner or maintaining a body part in a certain position for long periods, may cause sub acute or chronic dysfunct of nerves. The affected person or worker is likely to overlook or ignore the problem until the impaired function affects productivity and safety.
Common Causes Of Occupational Nerve Injuries

• Laceration
• Focal contusion
• Stretching/traction injury
• Compression
• Electric injury

The peripheral nerves are susceptible to such injury because they do not have the barrier of protection that the skull or the spinal cord or the bloodstream provides to the other nerves.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis of individual nerve dysfunction can be done with an assessment of the history of loss of specific motor and sensory function and with standard neurological examination. Nerve conduction test and electromyography study help in differentiating between lesser and higher grades of injury. If the nerve injury is a result of trauma, X-rays, CT scan or MRI scan may be needed to assess the associated injury to bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons and ligaments. 

Source: ApolloLife

Some Ayurvedic Principles in Diet

Whilst the basic elements of a healthy balanced diet regime comprising fibre-dense grains, fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts remain the same, an ayurvedic diet also outlines the specific foods which must be included or avoided as per the existing doshas in an individual. Such a personalised diet with a holistic approach ensures optimum health and vitality.

Ayurvedic Diet Principles

As per ayurvedic classification, our body’s metabolism is governed by three doshas or characteristic body humours which determine our physiology, temperament and risk to diseases. It is believed that the Panch Tatva i.e. jal, vayu, agni, aakash and prithvi make up our body and the way they work in our body is described as doshas, namely Vaata, Pitta and Kapha . Each dosha constitutes a combination of any two Tatva or elements and the two most predominant dosha decide the ‘Prakruti’ of an individual. This unique doshic thumbprint must be maintained and any imbalance or ‘vikriti’ in the dosha levels results in ailments. An ayurvedic practitioner analyses the individual’s prakruti, dosha tendencies, degree of ama (or toxins) and the strength of digestive fire before designing a customised ayurvedic diet.

Certain basic principles of an ayurvedic diet regime are:

A meal must include the six rasas or flavours like sweet (madhur), salty( lavana), sour (amla), pungent (tikha), bitter ( katu) and astringent (kasahaya). Each flavour or taste enjoys a unique impact on different doshas.  Vaata is pacified by sweet, sour and salty foods; kapha by bitter, pungent and astringent foods and pitta by sweet, pungent and astringent foods. But it is not as simple as a formula! For instance, eating more of vaata pacifying foods by a vaata person may aggravate his kapha dosha and again create imbalance. So moderation is the key.

Apollo Life will guide you more on types of different diet types.