Herbal Health

AND TREATMENT

Signs and symptoms

Close observation will determine if your child is having trouble breathing or if the child is actually getting many full breaths of air in and out. Hyperventilation syndrome is never accompanied by cough or fever. There is no abnormal sound during breathing. Children who tend to hyperventilate may have repeated attacks.

Home care

It is important to remain calm and to reassure the child. Have your child breathe into a large paper bag held loosely over the mouth and nose. This will allow the child to re-breathe the exhaled carbon dioxide. Look for such causes as intolerable pressures or anxieties in the child’s surroundings – at home, at school, or in relationships with friends.

Precaution

• Hyperventilation syndrome can develop as a result of rapid, prolonged, forced deep breathing, which has become a party stunt in some circles. Encourage other kinds of games.

Medical treatment

A doctor will treat an acute attack the same as you would at home. Treatment of the underlying causes of hyperventilation depends upon investigating and analyzing possible sources of stress and emotional upset in your child. Psychiatric counseling may be advised for severe cases.

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What is it?

Drowning occurs when a person’s lungs become affected by water so that he or she cannot breathe. It is often fatal. Although only a few hundred people drown each year in all western countries almost all are preventable. Three-quarters of all drownings occur in inland waters (lakes, streams, brooks and ponds), and domestic paddling pools are a real hazard. Three-quarters of those who drown are males.

Although the lives of many are saved because they can swim the ability to swim is not enough to prevent drowning. Many people who drown had no intention of going anywhere near water.

What causes it?

• Ignorance or disregard of danger. Water can be much deeper than it looks and conditions in open water cannot be compared with those in a swimming pool. Even a confident swimming-pool swimmer can find such water a surprise.

• Access to danger is a constant problem. Fences are broken, warning notices pulled down, and home pools unfenced.

• Poor supervision. Young children should never be left alone near water-they can drown in a couple of minutes and in a few inches of water.

Prevention

• Never let young children out of your sight when you are near water or deep mud.

• Empty paddling pools after use.

• Keep swimming pools fenced off and covered in the winter.

• Never leave a child alone in a bath while you go away to answer the phone, or the front door.

• Fence off garden ponds and check that a child can’t get into water butts.

• Never change or remove warning notices to do with water.

• Leave life-buoys alone in their proper place-you never know when they will be needed.

• Always wear a life-jacket when boating, even if you are a strong swimmer.

• Never fool about near, or run around, swimming pools.

• Never dive into the shallow end of a pool.

• Learn to swim really well and confidently.

• Look before you jump into a pool.

• Ensure that cess-pit covers are safe from small children.

• Beware of home-made rafts and boats-they usually sink quickly and are very dangerous.

• Don’t play in or around gravel-works, excavations or reservoirs.

• Keep off frozen reservoirs and lakes.

• When at the seaside find out the times of the tides and be sure you don’t get trapped.

• Never swim immediately after a heavy meal.

• Don’t sleep on inflatables – you could drift out to sea.

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VITAMIN C

Functions: vital for a healthy immune system • helps protect body cells from oxidation (damage due to inappropriate combining of molecules with oxygen) • plays a vital role in forming collagen, the substance that holds the body’s cells together • encourages iron absorption • functions in regulation of cholesterol levels • necessary for proper functioning of the brain and nerves • important for health of capillaries and sex organs. Deficiency signs and symptoms: lassitude • weakness • irritability • vague muscle and joint pains • loss of weight • inflamed and bleeding gums • loosening of the teeth • hemorrages under the skin • bruising • the classic vitamin C deficiency disease of scurvy.

Vitamin C’s enemies: cigarettes • heat • excessive boiling of food • light • stress.

VITAMIN D

Functions: promotes absorption of calcium and phosphate. Deficiency signs and symptoms: nervous-system disorders • tooth decay • the classic vitamin D deficiency diseases are rickets (in children), osteomalacia (in adults) and osteoporsis (thinning of the bone).

Vitamin D’s enemies: anything that reduces the amount of sunlight you receive (such as smog and staying indoors all the time) interferes with vitamin D production by your body.

VITAMIN E (tocopherol)

Functions: vital for a healthy immune system • protects body cells against oxidation • helps control free radicals (unstable molecules in the body that can cause cancer and other problems). Deficiency signs and symptoms: nervous-system disorders • gastrointestinal problems • premature aging of the skin • dry, itchy skin • infertility • destruction of red blood cells in infants, leading to anemia.

Vitamin E’s enemies: mineral oil • cooking and processing of foods • heat • freezing • iron • chlorine.

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“I am upset not by events, but rather by the way I view them.”

—Epiclitus

A young woman sat in my office and said, “Whatever I do turns out wrong. I’ve been on five or six diets, but I can’t lose any weight. I’ve gone to three colleges in seven years, and I’ll never graduate. All I can get are jobs as a clerk or waitress. Then I do a lousy job and get fired after a while. I make resolutions to study harder, to work harder, to get along with my boyfriend. Nothing ever goes right for me! I don’t even try anymore because I know I’m a loser.” Like millions of Americans, she is depressed and has a negative self-image. She “knows” she’s a loser. Her conviction becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as she fails at one thing after another.

These unhappy people often wind up in doctors’ offices, complaining of various aches and pains, if they’re lucky. The unlucky ones may have more serious problems, such as cancer. These people aren’t hypochondriacs suffering from imaginary diseases. Depression and unhappiness cause physical illnesses.

Other patients I see are angry, eager to take on the whole world, to get back at someone, to show everybody what’s what. Herb A. was like that; he couldn’t wait to make his old boss eat his words. -

“Dr. Fox, I’m going to make him so sorry he fired me!” Herb fumed. “He said I didn’t run my department the right way. Well, I’m going to get a job with a bigger firm, take over the whole company and run it my way. That’ll show him! I’m going to buy him out, too. Just so I can fire him!”

The only person Herb showed was himself. His constant state of anger drove his blood pressure higher and higher until he had a heart attack.

Unfortunately, these people aren’t alone in their gloomy thoughts. Tens of millions of Americans are depressed, angry, bitter and frustrated. Many of them turn to alcohol, tranquilizers and other prescription or illegal drugs. Thanks to the magic of chemistry, they lose themselves for a little while. But the real problems haven’t been solved; the depression, anger and self-doubt always return. Meanwhile, the drugs and alcohol are busy attacking their body, destroying their relationships, harming their ability to work, draining their bank accounts and deepening their anger and/or depression.

Many of the patients I’ve seen through the years have told me , that they can’t get through the day without a tranquilizer, a few drinks or some marijuana. When I ask them if the drugs and/or alcohol make them any happier, they shrug and say no, but at least they’re surviving. My goal for you isn’t merely survival; it’s living life to its fullest. Dimming the lights of thought and perception isn’t living.

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KASHA (BUCKWHEAT) AND FISH

Here’s a tasty and wholesome meal that’s easy to prepare.

2 cups kasha

6 ozs. low-fat fish

garlic powder

white pepper

lemon juice

curry powder

Cook the kasha. Steam fish (see page 69). When fish and kasha are ready, fork-cut fish into small pieces and mix with kasha. Season with garlic powder, white pepper and lemon juice, and/or curry powder. If you prefer, use rice, barley or other whole grains.

Serves 2.

1
banana
2
apricots
1/4
Fresh cantaloupe
1
papaya
1
peach
1
lemon
1 cup
low-fat yogurt
3 cups
unsweetened, unfiltered apple juice
Peel and chop the banana, apple, apricots, cantaloupe, papaya and peach. Squeeze juice from the lemon into a cup and discard rind. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until thick and

MIDDLE EAST RICE OR MILLET

2 cups brown rice or millet

2 tbls. sesame seeds

2 tbls. .raisins

1 tbl. lemon juice

Cook brown rice or millet. Add other ingredients, mix and serve.

Serves 2.

YOGURT MILLET OR RICE

2 cups brown rice or millet

2 cups plain yogurt

2 tbls. fresh ginger, finely chopped

1/2 sweet red pepper, diced

1 tsp. celery seeds

Cook brown rice or millet. Add other ingredients, mix and serve.

Serves 2.

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Beta carotene/vitamin A is also great for your health in general. Vitamin A has long been known for its ability to protect the skin and linings (mucous membranes) of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts. The first line of defense against invading organisms and environmental poisons, these are very important parts of your “doctor within.”

Without sufficient vitamin A, your immune system suffers. Some important parts of your immune system (thymus and lymphoid tissue) shrink, and the total number of vital, immune-system soldiers (T-cells and B-cells) decreases, further crippling your ability to fight off disease. Because surgery normally depresses a person’s immune system, I advise my patients facing surgery to boost their immune system by eating lots of beta-carotene-rich foods well before their operation.

Various studies have shown that vitamin A is especially helpful in protecting the lungs and airways. For example, the lining of the respiratory tract is destroyed in laboratory animals exposed to noxious gases. But if the animals are pretreated with vitamin A, the lining grows back.

Notice the large amounts of beta carotene in carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes. You also get healthy doses of potassium and vitamin C in raw spinach.

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If you’ve recently started to take a newly prescribed medication, it may be the culprit. Antihistamines such as Benadryl, over-the-counter painkillers such as Motrin or Tylenol, and medications used to treat depression, like Elavil, are other drugs that can cause your mouth to suddenly turn dry. Some medications such as over-the-counter diet pills, diuretics like Diyzide, and any antispasmodic such as Levsin can also cause dry mouth. If this is the case, the dryness will disappear once the medication is stopped or switched. If you are undergoing radiation or chemotherapy, these treatments can also alter the salivary glands: the former by damaging them, the latter by altering the saliva’s makeup.

If you can’t change your medication or if your dry mouth persists, you can help alleviate the symptoms by drinking liquids while you eat as well as by sipping water frequently during the day. Some people have found that chewing gum or sucking on mints helps. Others have found some relief by using artificial saliva drops, such as Salagen tablets, which are available over-the-counter.

If you have a stone in the salivary duct, your physician will either remove it with surgery or attempt to push it out with his fingers and treat the pain and residual swelling.

If none of these treatment methods works, your doctor might prescribe the medication pilocarpine for you to take, 5 milligrams three times a day; this medication will stimulate your salivary glands.

Tips and Precautions

Many people experience dry mouth when they’re under stress. Simple anxiety and stage fright can also cause your mouth to become dry. If you consistently wake up with a dry mouth, it’s probably due to sleeping with your mouth open; the best thing to do is to keep a glass of water on your nightstand so you can take a sip when you wake up.

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Description and Possible Medical Problems

Though most midlife adults don’t have to worry about having their nose broken unless they box or play football, a broken nose can be more common in the elderly than in prizefighters, since the cartilage can weaken and become extremely thin and brittle with age. Frequent falls also make people 65 and over more susceptible to breaking or fracturing their noses.

Treatment

If you think you’ve broken or fractured your nose, see your doctor. If you attempt to let it heal by itself, the cartilage may fuse incorrectly, which may lead to breathing problems later on because of an obstruction.

Your doctor will treat your fracture by first setting the cartilage into place and then inserting a special packing material into your nose to support the cartilage as it heals. The packing will stay in place for about a week or so and won’t interfere with your breathing.

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The human ear is sensitive to an amazing range of sounds. From a ticking watch—which clocks in at a safe 20 decibels—to a dangerous 140-decibel shotgun blast, not much escapes the healthy ear.

But as we age the years of lawn mowers and loud music take their toll. Men and women are usually in their 40s and 50s when they first become aware that their hearing is not what it used to be. Typically, they first notice a loss when they can no longer hear some of the higher frequencies, such as a whistle or the notes of a flute. Gradual hearing loss is the result of slow damage to the nerves of the inner ear, which sends sounds to the brain and helps you maintain your sense of balance. It can also occur because the bones of the middle ear become less flexible; the middle ear is responsible for conducting sound to the inner ear. The eardrum can also thicken with age, which can interfere with the quality of your hearing.

Fortunately, most ear conditions are easily treated. Modern technology has provided us with small, unobtrusive hearing aids, a tremendous advance from the clunky appliances of just a few years ago. With these advances, preventing further hearing loss is easy.

As we age the nose also changes, though it’s usually one of the parts we’re least concerned with. Over the years the nose loses cartilage, which may cause the tip of the nose to fall, but gravity’s cumulative effects can also play a part. Though for most people the thinning cartilage brings only slight physical changes, in some the fall is so pronounced that the nose narrows and lengthens considerably. This can result in nasal obstruction, which makes it difficult to breathe. This loss of cartilage is a major reason why older people may snore more or breathe through their mouths when they sleep.

The mucus membranes in the nose also become thinner with age. Often the nose produces less mucus, which makes the nose feel drier. In addition, the sense of smell decreases with age, since the olfactory nerves become less effective after the age of 60.

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If you think you might have glaucoma, it’s important to act quickly, since once the blood flow to the optic nerve starts to slow down, your vision may be permanently affected. Prompt treatment will save much of the optic nerve and thus your vision. Your doctor will prescribe special eye-drops and medication such as Betoptic and Pilocarpine, which will open the drainage channel and decrease the amount of aqueous humor your eye produces. This will allow the aqueous humor to drain as well as decrease the pressure on the vitreous humor, and your vision will return almost immediately. In order to prevent future problems caused by glaucoma, these medications will probably become part of your daily routine for the rest of your life. The good news is that your eyesight will probably stay the same.

In rare instances, medication will not be effective in reducing the pressure on the optic nerve. If this is the case, you will probably be advised to undergo a surgical procedure that will permanently improve the drainage from the eye. The operation will consist of making a small cut that will increase the size of the drainage channel. This is usually done with laser surgery or by inserting a small tube through which the fluid can drain. Either procedure will ensure that your vision is saved.

Tips and Precautions

Once you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma, you’ll need regular eye checkups at least once a year. This is especially true if you are over 60 or if you have diabetes or hypertension.

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