Although the word “arthritis” means joint inflammation, the term is used to describe around 200 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissue.

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Other common rheumatic conditions include gout, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis.

What is arthritis?
Typically, pain, aching, stiffness and swelling in and around one or more joints characterize rheumatic conditions. The symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly. Certain rheumatic conditions can also involve the immune system and various internal organs of the body.
Some forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can affect multiple organs and cause widespread symptoms.

Arthritis is more common among adults aged 65 years or older, but people of all ages (including children) can be affected.
Arthritis has a significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence in women (23.9%) than men (18.6%), with the prevalence increasing with age and higher among women than men in every age group.

Prevalence of arthritis increases with body mass index (BMI). Prevalence increases from 16.3% among underweight and normal adults to 20.3% of overweight adults and 28.9% of obese adults.

Reports among adults by BMI show the following groups express activity limitations:

* 38.2% of underweight and normal
* 37.2% of overweight
* 44.8% of obese.
* Arthritis and exercise

Physical activity and exercise have been shown to benefit people with arthritis by improving pain, function and mental health. However, around 24% of adults with arthritis report being physically inactive compared with 18.6% of adults without arthritis.

By partaking in low levels of exercise, individuals with arthritis face placing themselves at risk of conditions associated with lack of activity such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and functional limitations.

TYPES OF ARTHRITIS :-
There are around 200 types of arthritis – or musculoskeletal conditions – which are split into seven main groups:26

1. Inflammatory arthritis
2. Degenerative or mechanical arthritis
3. Soft tissue musculoskeletal pain
4. Back pain
5. Connective tissue disease
6. Infectious arthritis
7. Metabolic arthritis.

DIAGNOSIS OF ARTHRITIS :-
Most cases of arthritis are diagnosed with a detailed medical history of current and past symptoms, physical examination and particular radiographic and laboratory studies. It is possible to have more than one form of arthritis at the same time, and only a few rheumatic diseases have a definitive diagnosis, such as gout.

# Diagnosing arthritis depends on the type of arthritis suspected. # Some tests that may be completed to make a diagnosis are :
# Rheumatoid factor
# Anti-CCP antibody
# Complete blood count (CBC)
# C-reactive protein
# Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
# Joint ultrasound or MRI
# Joint X-ray
# Bone scan
# Synovial fluid analysis
# Antinuclear antibody (ANA)
# HLA antigens for HLA B27
# Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Aspiration of joint fluid for cell count, examination of crystals under the microscope, gram stain and culture
# Blood culture
# Thyroid function tests
# Synovial biopsy
# Uric acid – urine
# Uric acid – blood
# Schirmer’s test of tear production
# Salivary gland biopsy
# Tear test
# Slit lamp examination of the eyes
# Urinalysis.

TREATMENT OF ARTHRITIS :-
Whether you have a non-inflammatory or inflammatory type of arthritis or even a painful case of gout, there are numerous medications and recommendations to relieve pain and ensure that your joints do not become damaged further.
The focus of treatment for arthritis is to control pain, minimize joint damage and improve or maintain function and quality of life.

# Medications
# Non-pharmacologic therapies
# Physical or occupational therapy
# Splints or joint assistive aids
# Patient education and support
# Weight loss
# Surgery – joint replacement and joint surgery.

There are seven important self-management habits that can help you successfully manage your disease:

1. Be organized: keep track of symptoms, pain levels, medications, and possible side effects for consultations with your doctor
2. Manage pain and fatigue: a medication regimen can be combined with non-medical pain management. Learning to manage fatigue is key to living comfortably with arthritis
3. Stay active: exercise is beneficial for managing arthritis and overall health
4. Balance activity with rest: in addition to remaining active, rest is equally important when your disease is active
5. Eat a healthy balanced diet: a healthy diet can help you achieve a healthy weight and control inflammation by eating foods with anti-inflammatory properties and high in antioxidants
6. Improve sleep: poor sleep can aggravate arthritis pain and fatigue, there are measures that can be put in place to make sure you fall asleep and stay asleep such as avoiding caffeine or strenuous exercise in the evenings
7. Joint care: tips for protecting joints include using your stronger, larger joints as levers when opening doors, using several joints to spread the weight of an object such as using a backpack and gripping as loosely as possible by using padded handles.

Do not sit in the same position for long periods; take regular breaks to keep mobile.

For any Problem Consult your Doctor.

ACNE & PIMPLES….NATURAL WAYS TO TREAT…100% EFFECTIVE….

Acne (acne vulgaris, common acne) is a disease of the hair follicles of the face, chest, and back that affects almost all teenagers during puberty — the only exception being members of a few primitive Neolithic tribes living in isolation. It is not caused by bacteria, although bacteria play a role in its development. It is not unusual for some women to develop acne in their mid- to late-20s.

Acne appears on the skin as…
occluded pores (“comedones”), also known as blackheads or whiteheads,tender red bumps also known as pimples or zits, pustules, and occasionally as cysts (deep pimples, boils).

No one factor causes acne. Acne occurs when sebaceous (oil) glands attached to the hair follicles are stimulated at the time of puberty by circulating male hormones. Sebum (oil) is a natural substance that lubricates and protects the skin. Associated with increased oil production is a change in the manner in which the skin cells mature, predisposing them to plug the follicular pore.

The plug can appear as a whitehead if it is covered by a thin layer of skin, or if exposed to the air, the darker exposed portion of the plug is called a “blackhead.” The plugged hair follicle gradually enlarges, producing a bump. As the follicle enlarges, the wall may rupture, allowing irritating substances and normal skin bacteria access into the deeper layers of the skin, ultimately producing inflammation. Inflammation near the skin’s surface produces a pustule; deeper inflammation results in a papule (pimple); if the inflammation is deeper still, it forms a cyst.

TREATMENT –
1. ICE
Ice can be used to quickly reduce the redness, swelling and inflammation of pimples. It helps in improving blood circulation to the affected area, and in tightening the skin and removing dirt and oil accumulated on the skin. You can use ice cubes or crushed ice, whichever is convenient.

** Wrap the ice in a piece of cloth and hold it on the affected skin area for a few seconds.
** Wait a few minutes and repeat the process.

2. LEMON
Another quick way to get rid of pimples is the use of lemon juice, which is rich in vitamin C. Lemon juice helps pimples dry up faster. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice and not bottled juice, which has preservatives. There are a couple of ways to apply this remedy.

** Dip a clean cotton swab in fresh lemon juice and apply it to the pimples before going to bed.
** You can also mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and put it on the pimples overnight. In the morning, wash the skin well with lukewarm water. However, this particular remedy is not suitable for those with sensitive skin.

3. TOOTHPASTE
The toothpaste that you use every morning to clean your teeth also can be used to treat pimples quickly. It is most effective when used following the ice remedy. You must use white toothpaste; avoid using gel toothpaste.

** Apply some white toothpaste over the affected skin area before going to bed.
** In the morning, wash your face with water and you will see a significant improvement in the swelling.
If you wish, you can repeat the process in the daytime also. Just make sure the toothpaste remains on the pimples for at least half an hour.

4. STEAM
Steaming is wonderful for your skin at any time, but particularly when you have pimples. The steam will open your pores and allow your skin to breathe. This helps get rid of oils, dirt and bacteria trapped in the pores that can cause infection or inflammation.

**Fill a large container with hot water and allow the steam to come in contact with your face for a few minutes.
**Rinse your face with lukewarm water and, after drying, apply an oil-free moisturizer.

5. GARLIC
Garlic is an antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic and antioxidant agent that can help in the fast treatment of pimples. The sulfur in garlic also promotes quick healing of pimples.

** Cut a fresh garlic clove into two pieces.
** Rub the garlic on the pimples and leave it for five minutes before washing the skin with lukewarm water.
** Repeat the treatment several times a day.
Eating one raw garlic clove daily can also help purify your blood. But do not to eat too much raw garlic as it can upset the stomach.

6. BAKING SODA
Baking soda is another effective home remedy to get rid of pimples because it helps exfoliate the skin to remove excess oil, dirt and dead skin cells.

** Make a thick paste by mixing one teaspoon of baking soda with some water or lemon juice.
** Wash your skin well, leaving it slightly damp. Apply the paste on the affected areas and allow it to dry for a few minutes. Never keep baking soda on your skin for longer than a few minutes as it can cause dryness or irritation.
** Wash your face with warm water.
** Repeat the process twice a day for quick results.

7. HONEY
Honey is a source of natural antibiotics that can speed up the healing process, as well as help prevent infections.

** Dip a clean cotton swab in honey, put it directly on the affected area and leave it on for half an hour.
** Wash the skin well with lukewarm water.
** Do this a few times a day.
Another option is to mix honey and cinnamon together to make a paste and applying it over the pimples before going to bed. In the morning, there will be less inflammation or swelling. Wash the skin well with cold water.

8. CUCUMBER
Cucumber is a rich source of potassium and vitamins such as A, C and E. It also has a cooling and soothing effect on the skin.

** Cut one or two fresh cucumbers into pieces and soak them in water for about an hour. The nutrients, such as vitamin A, potassium and chlorophyll will transfer to the water.
** Strain the water and drink it, or use the water to wash your face.
You can also make a face mask by grinding one cucumber. Apply the mask on your face and allow it to dry for 15 minutes. Wash your skin with warm water. This will help clean dirt and bacteria from your pores.

9. PAPAYA
Papaya fruit has a number of properties that help in the treatment of pimples. It is a good source of the antioxidant vitamin A, and it has enzymes that help reduce inflammation and make your skin soft and smooth.

** Crush raw papaya pieces to extract its juice and apply it over the pimples. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing it off.
** To make a exfoliating face mask, mash some papaya pieces and add a little honey. Apply this paste on your face and massage gently. Leave it on until it dries completely and then rinse it off.

10. ALOE VERA
The soothing and anti-inflammatory properties in aloe vera can treat acne in a matter of a few days. Aloe vera gel is also helpful in healing the scars caused by acne. Apply fresh Aloe Vera pulp on face. Leave it for sometime & then wash with cold water. Do it for nearly 2 weeks. See & Feel the Difference.

Here I am giving a download link for 30 Best Homoeopathic Books to read. These Books are in .pdb format for which you need a software which is also present in the Folder. Run .exe file & put the serial. Thats all.

Enjoy !

DOWNLOAD

Courtesy:- http://www.mritechnicianschools.org/60-free-science-games-to-excite-inspire-your-kids/

By this point, everyone realizes that there need not be any delineation between education and entertainment. Parents and teachers alike can supplement a student’s knowledge of biology, geology, physics, chemistry, and other scientific disciplines with literally hundreds of free games available online through a multitude of sources. The following list compiles 60 of the most popular ones, mostly involving some of the more popular subjects among children.

Funschool

1. Zoo Crew : Zoo crew teaches children interested in animals and animal behavior the proper terminology for certain groupings of species.

2. Animal Homes : In Animal Homes, kids pair up a number of different species with their appropriate habitats and learn the very basics of ecosystems and environments.

3. Wild Animals : With this interesting matching game, participants must identify animals based on their distinguishing characteristics such as horns, tails, and fur patterns.

4. Animal Safari : Functioning as both a scientific and vocabulary exercise, this game is perfectly suitable for very young audiences that teaches them the proper names of various popular animals.

5. What’s My Class? : More advanced young children may enjoy What’s My Class? if they want to learn about what animals qualify as what taxonomic category.

6. Animal Spot : This very easy matching game appropriate for the preschool set asks children to look at a pair of horns, coat pattern, or tail and pick the corresponding species.

7. Space Watch : Explore the Solar System with Space Watch, an interactive odyssey with excellent artwork and information on every planet.

8. Animal Tracks : Budding outdoors enthusiasts will have quite a bit of fun with this game that asks users to match animals with their respective footprints.

9. Space Patrol : The Space Patrol needs to save Planet X229, and the only way to do so is with a basic knowledge of the universe.

10. The Heart Facts : Learn all the fundamentals of one of animal life’s most integral organs and eventually test memory retention with an informative quiz.

11. Pet Party : Responsibility, pet care, and basic biology all factor into this unique game revolving around how to properly keep an animal companion safe, happy, and healthy.

12. Birds of a Feather : Any child fascinated by the birds flitting about outside will enjoy matching a series of birds up with their appropriate habitats as well as their shadows.

13. Fun Science : The life cycle of both plants and animals comprise the content of this game, where the objective involves placing different points in development in the proper chronological order.

14. Computer Whiz! : Computer Whiz! makes for a lovely educational tool revolving around the history of computers and technology.

15. Incredible Edibles : Teach kids all the fundamentals of proper nutrition and food science with this informative game that starts them on the road to healthy lifestyle choices early.

16. Earth Day : Pollution and its negative impact on the environment inspired this game, which asks kids to find the factors that cause contamination and hurt the planet.

17. Food Groups : Another nutritious game, this one involves dragging different foods into containers identifying the 6 food groups.

18. Element Lab : Discover the Periodic Table of Elements – the very core of chemistry – by matching different substances with their respective symbols.

19. Fun in the Garden : Home economics, botany, and food science collide with Fun in the Garden, which teaches children how to differentiate between fruits and vegetables.

20. Hungry Monkey : Appropriate for preschoolers and kindergartners, Hungry Monkey illustrates the differences between different types of fruits.

Apples4theteacher.com

21. Mammal Match : Participants are asked to match up a given animal with its appropriate sound, making for an excellent introduction for children interested in how other mammals communicate with one another.

22. Space Vocabulary Memory Game : Build a kid’s vocabulary and understanding of the universe beyond Earth with this simple memory game, which asks them to match a word with its corresponding picture.

23. Hangman Game : The classic game of hangman gets a biological makeover, and children playing this updated version walk away with a greater knowledge of animal classifications.

Weather Channel Kids

24. WeatherREADY Emergency Supplies : In this extremely useful resource, users must scramble to find the appropriate emergency supplies for instances of severe weather before the clock runs out.

25. WeatherREADY Severe Weather Challenge : Another excellent scientific and safety lesson for children from the Weather Channel, this game aims for an older set and teaches them about how to react to severe, potentially dangerous conditions such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards, and other forces of nature.

Discovery Kids

26. Make a Volcano : Learn all of the fundamentals regarding one of the most awe-inspiring – yet painfully devastating – geological formations on the planet with a fantastically detailed and informative game on all the different types of volcanoes and their eruptions.

27. Darcy’s Wild Life Quiz : A quick little overview of animal life that asks some rather advanced questions of older participants fascinated by zoology.

28. Stinky Animals Quiz : Another fun, low-pressure quiz for kids to enjoy, this time focusing on some of the more pungent beasts in the biosphere.

29. Shark Quiz : Sharks enjoy quite a bit of popularity amongst the younger set due to their sheer power and dangerous, mysterious habitat. With this short quiz, they can learn more about the giant cartilaginous fish they love so much.

30. Penguin Quiz : Children also enjoy the waddling quirkiness of penguins, and they can test their knowledge of these beloved birds against a series of short multiple-choice and true-or-false questions.

31. Croc Quiz : Fans of crocodiles and other large reptiles may find a bit of fun and enjoyment with this brief quiz that challenges everything they know about the animal.

Magic School Bus

32. Gets an Earful : Alongside Mrs. Frizzle and the Magic School Bus gang, children can learn about how sound works by matching up a noise with its appropriate maker.

33. Maze Craze : This engaging and extremely fun gave requires participants to navigate through a maze, picking up plants and animals to place in their proper environments along the way.

34. Monster Bugs : Educating and nurturing creativity are the two main goals of Monster Bugs, which asks kids to identify the proper body parts for certain bugs as well as create their own unique critters.

35. Pop Quizzes : Children have 8 different fun quizzes to choose from based on their areas of scientific interest, including insects, space, and the human body.

36. Space Chase : Mrs. Frizzle sends out clues regarding her location, and participants need to pick the planet based on her hints.

37. The Great Habitat Match-Up : Another game revolving around placing animals in their corresponding habitats.

38. The Adventures of Weatherlizard : Venerable Magic School Bus mascot Liz asks a series of questions regarding tornadoes, thunderstorms, and blizzards.

Energy Quest

39. Watt’s That?! : Host Flip Switch offers up a game show-style quiz asking questions about electricity, energy, and how to conserve them.

40. Watt’s That?! Jr. : With 6 different styles to choose from, a younger audience has another opportunity to learn about how power is generated and how it may be best preserved.

41. Test Your Energy IQ : Through California Energy Commission’s official website, the U.S. Department of Energy offers up two brief quizzes on conservation and generation.

KS2 Bitesize

42. Changing state : The BBC hosts a slew of games on its KS2 Bitesize site, and this one focuses on how matter can shift from a liquid to a solid to a gas – and back again.

43. Characteristics of Materials : Receive a quick overview of the different properties of some common materials such as glass and metal with this interesting little game.

44. Gases, liquids and solids : Another interactive activity regarding the different properties of matter, this time asking for participants to correctly categorize items as a solid, a liquid, or a gas.

45. Keeping warm : Children learn all the basics of heat transfer and warmth with this informative resource that asks them to find the best possible insulator in different situations.

46. Different changes : Receive a brief education in chemical and physical changes by trying to differentiate between the two with a series of varying scenarios.

47. Rocks and soils : Budding geologists get a chance to play with virtual rocks and understand their properties and categorizations.

48. Solids and liquids : Discover the very fundamental physics of hot and cold by achieving an objective demanding participants to find the freezing and melting point of various substances.

49. Living Things : These 10 mini-games cover everything from basic biology to health-related issues, with something to offer almost any interest.

50. Physical Processes : With 10 more games, participants can receive an education in the fundamental principles that drive the physical world.

Miscellaneous

51. Why Gravity Causes Things to Fall : Physics factors into this painless, easy game that has users drop balls from different famous landmarks and generates a real-time approximation of the event.

52. 4th Grade Magnetism and Electricity Review : Aimed at 4th graders, the Magnetism and Electricity Review allows at least 2 players to compete in related trivia.

53. Chemical and Physical Change Lab : Offered through Ohio University, the Chemical and Physical Change Lab helps participants learn how to tell the two different matter transitions apart.

54. Ocean Trivia Machine : This enjoyable little game generates a series of questions regarding oceanography for up to 2 players.

55. The Incredible Megacell : Kids who love biology will find plenty to love about this interactive activity, which educates them on all the different parts of a cell.

56. Who Wants to Win $1,000,000? – The Science Game : Compete against other students with a series of questions regarding all different areas of science – not for real money, however.

57. Lights Out! : Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFLs in a harried race against a burning house that also serves as a lesson in conserving energy.

58. Hot Stuff : Play 3 quick, traditional true-false, word scramble, and matching games relating to geothermal energy. All of the answers can be found elsewhere on the website.

59. Quiz Your Noodle: Astounding Animals : National Geographic offers up a great little quiz game feature facts about some of the most popular animals on the planet.

60. Cloud Matching Game : This simple matching game asks kids to pair up pictures of clouds with their respective labels in a quick meteorological lesson.

With these 60 games – and the myriad others available free of charge over the internet – both educators and parents alike can illustrate the basic principles of many areas of scientific studies in a way that engages children without talking down to or completely boring them. Whether they enjoy or need a leg up in geology, physics, chemistry, biology, or other studies, there is a game out there to help guide them through all the necessary fundamentals.

In today’s fast-paced, competitive world, building your brain power gives you an edge in the job market as well as other aspects of life. These tips will teach you how to boost your brain and memory to increase productivity and make you a superstar at trivia.

Nutritional Brain Boosters

1. Eat foods with lots of omega-3 fatty acids to boost your brain.
2. Avoid sugary snacks and other junk.
3. On a related note, healthier eating promotes a stronger brain.
4. Get just the right amount of caffeine. Not so much that you’re stressed or unable to sleep, but just enough to focus.
5. Ditch the alcohol and drugs. Those old afterschool PSAs were right—these are one of the quickest ways to keep yourself from thinking clearly.
6. Embrace multivitamins and fish oil, as they’re a great chemical brain booster.
8. Eat blueberries. Besides being delicious, they help your brain focus.
9. Be sure to eat breakfast. A hungry body is a hungry mind.
10. Eat lots of fiber for a more balanced body. It balances your mind, too.
11. Eat lots of foods high in antioxidants, as it helps shield your brain cells from decay.
12. Get lots of folic acid to prevent memory loss. Consult your doctor first though.
13. Eat lots of strawberries to boost your antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.
14. Drink lots of water. It’s good for you, and avoids brain-killing dehydration.
15. Avoid too many food additives, as they can slow your thought processes to a crawl.
16. Beware diet sodas. Certain studies think the aspartame within may harm your brain cells.
17. Brew some tea and drink it. The creation of it is relaxing, and drinking it sharpens your mind.
18. Try to eat at different restaurants in town—engaging new tastes engages the brain.

Memory Tricks

19. Avoid standing too close to the microwave, or your brain cells will be over easy.
20. Use an organizer, whether paper or electronic, to keep yourself focused.
21. Keep a journal of major questions you have, and check them off as you research answers.
22. Get enough sleep. While everyone remembers those late night study sessions in college, avoiding the solid 8 hours is a good way to drain your brain.
23. Try to do things with your non-dominant hand—it’s tied to parts of the brain that normally don’t get to come out and play.
24. Whenever you are learning something new, take copious notes. Afterwards, make annotations of the questions you still have.
25. Map out your upcoming day visually; this is a great way to maximize your productivity.
26. Beside all of the items on your to-do list, scribble what the importance of that item is. That helps bring meaning to your day-to-day actions.

Big Brain Tips

27. Find the best way you learn—auditory, visually, or kinesthetic.
28. Read as much as you can, about as many subjects as possible.
29. Try relocating yourself. You may think much clearer at the park or the gym than in your home or office.
30. Volunteer. You never know what or whom you’ll learn from while you are serving your community.
31. Walk away from a problem after you’ve pondered it, and come back to it later.
32. Exercise to clear your head.
33. Turn the boob tube off. Ever see a kid study hard when their favorite show is on? No? Why do you think you’ll fare better?
34. Go back to school. While not the option for everybody, there’s few better ways to learn something new.
35. Take a freelance job if you can. You’ll explore new materials and tasks outside of your everyday experiences.
36. Tackle philosophical questions. Ponder the great questions—what is truth? What is beauty? How can we define these, or should we define them?
37. Tackle ethical questions. Try to ponder both sides of tough issues like abortion—you’ll learn a lot, and stimulate your brain.
38. Read an encyclopedia…for fun, even. This is a great way to stay in touch with the history lessons you may have forgotten.
39. Take on your worst school subject. If math or science vexed you in your youth, go back and tackle them now. You’ll learn a lot, and build confidence in your own capacity to learn.
40. Rearrange your home and office. While you don’t have to go fully Feng Shui, a change of view at home can serve just as well as stepping out of the house for your brain cells.
41. Keep track of the news. While you don’t have to be your dad slumped over the evening paper, the sheer proliferation or TV and Internet news sites makes it easy to watch current events unfold.
42. Read scientific journals whenever possible.
43. Take a different route to work or school, and try to really focus on all of the new sights and sounds.
44. Even when you’re stuck doing the same old boring tasks, try to research (or create) new ways of doing them to keep your mind fresh.
45. Take a break from your deep thoughts for your favorite video game or trashy TV show. This helps you come at old problems from a new direction once you’re done.
46. Listen to political talk radio in your car, particularly for views you disagree with. Think of cogent disagreements to their rhetoric to get your mind grapes going.
47. Search the Internet for answers to your questions. While LOL cats aren’t exactly a brain booster, searching for answers helps fire all of the cylinders in your brain.
48. Sit up straight. Good blood flow follows good posture, and good thoughts follow that.
49. Keep the temperature cool, but not freezing; this helps focus your thoughts.
50. Model a person you wish to emulate; this is a great way to learn new things and become a better person in the bargain.
51. Make use of dead/spare time with audio books. All of a sudden your boring commute has become your morning and evening class sessions.
52. Develop 5 and 10-year plans, and adjust your learning and organization to meet them.
53. Channel the power of positive thinking. Negativity just shuts your neurons down.
54. Visualize your goals—both long-term and short-term.
55. Avoid sensory deprivation—when your brain has only you to keep it company, bad things (visions, voices, etc.) happen.
56. Clear your head by spending a day without any technology. Yes, that means your cell phone, too.
57. Try to recognize things in your peripheral vision—this keeps your mind and your eyes sharp.
58. Try to eat blindfolded, or watch TV with your ears covered. The lack of one sense will force your others to overcompensate.
59. Take a little time to be alone and relax each and every day.
60. Try to experience something new each and every day.

Creative Brain Boosters

61. Try to avoid stress, and never try to solve major problems while you’re stressed out.
62. Try new things—go where you’ve never gone and taste what you’ve never tasted.
63. Read literature, as well. It combines empathy, philosophical and ethical questions, and other matters that keep your brain racing.
64. Explore your creative side—writing, art, and the like—to boost your cognitive side.
65. Take MIT’s free online courses and school your brain into shape.
66. Explore local culture. Forgo another football game for a trip to your local art museum or library.
67. Play an instrument. This stimulates your brain by asking you to think of things in an entirely new way.
68. Having sex is a great way to de-stress and begin concentrating.
69. Take up a new hobby. Learning new rules and meeting new people really stimulates the noggin.
70. Relax. Whether you’re deep in meditation or just feeling mellow, this is a great way to surf your brain waves.
71. Become a teacher, coach, leader, etc. Teaching knowledge to others really helps it stick with you.
72. On a similar note, write as much as you can. Blog, write e-mails, articles, papers, whatever it takes to help knowledge stick with you.
73. Talk to others. There’s no easier way to get a new perspective on an issue than to simply ask for it.
74. Listen to lots of music. This helps stimulate your mind, and serves as a rockin’ de-stressor.
75. Learn a new language. While learning anything is good for your brain, this literally provides an entirely new way of thinking for you.
76. Deliberately read books that normally aren’t to your taste—if you love romance, try a thriller or historical fiction to stimulate the brain.
77. Watch or read something that makes you laugh very hard. You’ll de-stress, release dopamine, and actually be a better thinker for it.
78. Dust off old yearbooks and scrapbooks and embrace the nostalgia of all those old neurons firing.
79. Hang out with people who love to dish about topics you’re unfamiliar with. You’ll learn a lot from them, and be prompted to learn more about the topics on your own.
80. Developing your intuition is one of the best ways to boost your brain.
81. Listening to classical music—particularly Mozart—can help stimulate your brain.
82. Have a copy of famous quotes, and read it regularly. It’s a great way to get a lot of different perspectives.
83. Keep a dream journal, and try to figure out what your mind is showing you.
84. Study ancient rhetoric—you’d be surprised how much it applies to the 21st century.
85. Write summaries of books after you read them—this helps reinforce what you’ve read.
86. Buy art that you don’t like. Analyze it every day, and articulate your issue with it.
87. Work on your vocabulary—the more you can articulate thoughts, the more you’re thinking.
88. Use social networking tools like Facebook to take thought-provoking challenges and engage friends in debates.
89. Try to look at things through your child’s (or at least, a child’s) perspective; this is a great way to re-discover the world.
Fun and Games – All work and no play is, well, no fun
90. Play competitive brain games such as Trivial Pursuit—you’ll have fun and learn at the same time.
91. Play puzzle or logic games such as crosswords on your lunch break or on the way to work to keep your brain in shape.
92. On a related note, play video games to boost your brain; Nintendo has several DS and Wii titles designed for this very purpose.
93. Play a sport. Despite the dumb-jock stereotype, this mixes learning new rules and strategies with an exercise-fueled endorphin release.
94. Sudoku is a fun and easy way to boost your concentration powers.
95. Try to solve anagrams.
96. Though downright stereotypical for braininess, playing chess is a great way to get you thinking several steps ahead.
97. Play with your pet or child. It makes you happy, which—surprise, surprise—makes you a better thinker.
98. Build a model—it requires intimate concentration, which boosts your brain immeasurably.
99. Try yoga—as cheesy as it sounds, it really does relax your body and your mind.
100. Learn how to juggle —eventually, your brain will be as fast and non-stop as what you’re juggling.

Don’t just stop at these 100 tips on making your brain bigger. Try other methods you find to help you remember where you put your keys and return those over due movies.

Courtesy: http://www.mritechnicianschools.org/100-ways-to-make-your-brain-better-faster-and-stronger/

Courtesy: Dr Sreevals G Menon

The renewed and more vigorous attack on the efficacy of homoeopathy as a curative therapy picked up by the media is nothing but a sinister pogrom by the powerful pharmaceutical corporations the world over. The news and the discussion related to it as quoted from those released at UK a few days back, is only based on a latest flare up of events, a part of a few year long series of organized assault against homoeopathy, was very likely triggered, sponsored and funded by a consortium of allopathic pharmaceutical corporations.

The series of events can be traced back to less than a decade. Until then the allopathic and the homoeopathic community including the practitioners and academicians of UK was in close ties for the cause of health care delivery on the private and the NHS frontiers.

If one is keen on finding the genesis of the present tirade, one would find reported in Guardian-online, that The Prince of Wales had ordered a leading independent economist to examine whether the use of complementary therapies could save the NHS money. Homoeopathy was one among the priorities. A draft of the report’s conclusions said ’’economy-wide’’ savings of between £500m and £3.5bn could be achieved by offering spinal manipulation therapies, such as chiropractic therapy, as a standard NHS option for back pain, according to the Times. The report also claims up to £480m could be cut from the prescription drugs bill if 10% of GP’s offered homoeopathy as an alternative to standard drugs, according to the paper. The report was instantly reacted to by the pharmaceutical industry wherein they criticized the Prince. It was reported in www.scotsman.com

The news and a few others from the royal family favorable for Homoeopathy, pressed the ‘panic button’ for the pharmaceutical manufacturers and as a sequel Lancet, a leading allopathic journal suddenly come up with an article urging to give up homoeopathy and stating it as medicines which has no drug content and that the outcome as a mere  ‘placebo effect’. The interesting observation is that Lancet is known to have always upheld the homoeopathic possibilities, treatment and clinical observations with articles in its previous editions, from its very inception. However, Lancet did succeed in confusing its readers with this one.

For its article, Lancet is known to have conducted drug trials in Homoeopathy. But this time the modes of study and the methods used were purely those used for the study of allopathic medicines, well connected to the quantitative aspect of the drug with respect to the clinical diagnosis. The study proves that Homoeopathic medicines are insignificant and carry only a placebo effect. Prominent U.S. scientists strongly rejected findings on homeopathic medicine to be published in the August 27, 2005 edition of the Lancet. They found that they have successfully applied a methodological approach to the articles they reviewed that is highly suitable for drawing conclusions about conventional medicine but is incomplete in evaluating homeopathic medicine. They did not include criteria that would apply to high quality homeopathic research reflecting the nature of homeopathic practice.

Furthermore, a single remedy selection for a given conventionally-diagnosed condition is not homoeopathy, yet there are numerous conventionally-judged high quality studies that were so designed. The analogy would be to test the effects of penicillin for all patients with symptoms of an apparent infection. The quality of the studies would otherwise be excellent in design. However, penicillin will not work for patients with viral infections or bacterial infections resistant to its effects or for persons with fevers from other non-infectious causes – and it thus might show benefit only for a subset of patients with symptoms of infections, i.e., the ones with true penicillin-sensitive infections. How would penicillin fare in a meta-analysis of studies designed to ignore the intrinsic nature of penicillin in benefiting patients, as observed by Dr Iris Bell MD, PhD.

Well aware about the different philosophical structure of Homoeopathy, this study was more than deliberate as anyone who know homoeopathy and its phil. background close knows that the composite symptom structure, the totality, the miasm and the individualizing elements with respect to the patient and the drug-picture are those based on the selection of medicines and not merely the clinical diagnosis or the pathology though they give clues helping prescription. One could compare this to attempting to read a French book in English, considering the fact that the alphabets used are the same !!.

The lancet has also challenged the plausibility of homeopathic effects given that homeopathic remedies are often administered in dilutions in excess of Avogadro’s number. Dr. Rustum Roy, Ph.D., a distinguished material scientist from Penn State University commented that the chemistry argument made in this study and by conventional medicine in general is false science. “The underpinning of the editorial content of the Lancet as it relates to homeopathy relies on a quaint old idea from the nineteenth century that the only way that the property of water can be affected or changed is by incorporating foreign molecules. This is the Avogadro-limit high-school level chemistry argument. To a materials scientist this notion is absurd; since the fundamental paradigm of materials-science is that the structure-property relationship is the basic determinant of everything. It is a fact that the structure of water and therefore the informational content of water can be altered in infinite ways”.

There has been an allegation on the present development in UK which decides to stop funding the NHS based facilities listening to the remarks by lancet and the observations by those less into detailed exposure into Homoeopathic pharmacology and philosophical background. This is when there is a dire need of funding for the right research for trying to find how the homoeopathic medicines works at the nano-molecular levels with the use of the latest available technology and scientific development.

Absence of Evidence is not Evidence of Absence. There is every possibility that answer lies somewhere in the new sciences like Quantum Physics and Material-Sciences; both of them are in their infancy and man has got a lot of learning to do. One can hope that the advanced technology in nano-medicine could also help unfold the mystery in the successful action of homoeopathic remedies well satisfying the scientific Community worldwide.

With time, the lancet impact did fade away. But those that have come up off late are more vigorous, renewed and more organized assaults and well focused on the Homoeopathy ‘wash away’. The prolonged waiting times for homoeopathic consultation at NHS when compared to those of allopathic specialties, and the ever increasing popularity as the fastest growing alternative medicine around the world has had a catalytic impact on this fresh attacks on Homoeopathy. Homoeopathy has had an impact on the per-capita health expenditure at the many pro-homoeopathic countries where it is well evolved, like in India, Belgium etc. In India we have a well evolved department of Homoeopathy under a cabinet minister with extensive reach out of national rural health mission as peripheral homoeopathic clinics. This is apart from the hundreds of academic institutions attached to hospitals under govt and private sector and the clinics by local state governments which in few states is present in almost every panchayat, for eg. Kerala.  In India, the private health care in Homoeopathy is also well evolved, with strong presence of Dr Batras positive health clinics & Bakson’s clinics across the nation & Aditya Institute of Homoeopathic Medical Sciences [AIHMS HOMOEOPATHY ltd] in south India, currently spreading into middle east and south east asia. This is apart from the thousands of independent clinics and hospitals in private sector across the nation.

Dr Sreevals G Menon

National Mass media Officer

Indian Homoeopathic Medical Association

IHMA www.ihma.in

(By Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad,BHMS)

*Director, LIFECARE Advanced Homoeopathy,Aligarh,INDIA

AUTISM:-

Autism is a severe developmental disorder that begins at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years of life. Most autistic children are perfectly normal in appearance, but spend their time engaged in puzzling and disturbing behaviors which are markedly different from those of typical children. Less severe cases may be diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or with Asperger’s Syndrome (these children typically have normal speech, but they have many "autistic" social and behavioral problems.

Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood.

Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) is explained more by rare mutations, or by rare combinations of common genetic variants.In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects.

The prevalence of autism is about 1–2 per 1,000 people; the prevalence of ASD is about 6 per 1,000, with about four times as many males as females.The signs usually develop gradually, but some autistic children first develop more normally and then regress. Although early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help autistic children gain self-care, social, and communication skills, there is no known cure.Not many children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, though some become successful.

It is distinguished not by a single symptom, but by a characteristic triad of symptoms: impairments in social interaction; impairments in communication; and restricted interests and repetitive behavior. Other aspects, such as atypical eating, are also common.

Contrary to common beliefs, autistic children do not prefer being alone. Making and maintaining friendships often proves to be difficult for those with autism. For them, the quality of friendships, not the number of friends, predicts how lonely they feel. Functional friendships, such as those resulting in invitations to parties, may affect the quality of life more deeply.The limited data suggest that, in children with mental retardation, autism is associated with aggression, destruction of property, and tantrums.

Autistic individuals may have symptoms that are independent of the diagnosis, but that can affect the individual or the family.An estimated 0.5% to 10% of individuals with ASD show unusual abilities, ranging from splinter skills such as the memorization of trivia to the extraordinarily rare talents of prodigious autistic savants.Many individuals with ASD show superior skills in perception and attention, relative to the general population.Sensory abnormalities are found in over 90% of those with autism, and are considered core features by some,although there is no good evidence that sensory symptoms differentiate autism from other developmental disorders.

Autism is one of the five pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which are characterized by widespread abnormalities of social interactions and communication, and severely restricted interests and highly repetitive behavior.These symptoms do not imply sickness, fragility, or emotional disturbance.

Related Disorders

• Angelman Syndrome
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• Fragile X Syndrome
• Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
• Prader-Willi Syndrome
• Rett Syndrome
• Tardive Dyskinesia
• Williams Syndrome

DIAGNOSIS:-

Diagnosis is based on behavior, not cause or mechanism.Autism is defined in the DSM-IV-TR as exhibiting at least six symptoms total, including at least two symptoms of qualitative impairment in social interaction, at least one symptom of qualitative impairment in communication, and at least one symptom of restricted and repetitive behavior. Sample symptoms include lack of social or emotional reciprocity, stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language, and persistent preoccupation with parts of objects. Onset must be prior to age three years, with delays or abnormal functioning in either social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play. The disturbance must not be better accounted for by Rett syndrome or childhood disintegrative disorder^.

PROGNOSIS:-

No cure is known.Children recover occasionally, so that they lose their diagnosis of ASD; this occurs sometimes after intensive treatment and sometimes not. It is not known how often recovery happens; reported rates in unselected samples of children with ASD have ranged from 3% to 25%.A few autistic children have acquired speech at age 5 or older. Most children with autism lack social support, meaningful relationships, future employment opportunities or self-determination^.

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT:-

Homeopathic remedies are prescribed by symptoms rather than conditions, as each case of a particular illness can manifest differently in different people.

As per Murphy Repertory

Autistic, Children :Cannabis Indica, Carcinosin, Natrum Mur, Opium, Thuja

Except these there are a lot of drugs which can be chosen if selected as per the Similimum of the particular case.

KEY POINTS:-

• We can definitely help & assist such autistic children.
• Detailed history from Birth is required.
• Differentiate closely related medicines & a thorough observation is needed to reach upto any medicine.
• Medicine should not be changed too frequently.
• Use Miasmatic drugs to break the hindrance if favorable response is not there.
• Give the medicines till the patient is better.
• Get the patient evaluated by a Psychiatrist and Psychologists.

THE END

Courtesy:- http://http://www.cancerdecisions.com/content/view/414/2/lang,english/

Sunday, 21 February 2010

A landmark paper on homeopathy and cancer has appeared in the February 2010 issue of the International Journal of Oncology. Scientists at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDA), led by Moshe Frenkel, MD, have confirmed the ability of four homeopathic remedies to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in breast cancer cell lines in the laboratory. The scientists in question were from the Integrative Medicine Program, the Department of Molecular Pathology, and the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology of MDA. Their two Indian collaborators were from the Banerji Homeopathic Research Foundation, Kolkata, India, where these same remedies are employed clinically with apparent success. The four ultra-dilute remedies in question were Carcinosin, Phytolacca, Conium and Thuja.

"The remedies exerted preferential cytotoxic effects against the two breast cancer cell lines, causing cell cycle delay/arrest and apoptosis" the authors wrote.

It was particularly interesting that the cell-killing effects of two of the remedies investigated in this study, Carcinosin and Phytolacca, appeared similar to the activity of paclitaxel (Taxol), the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drug for breast cancer, when it was tested in the same two adenocarcinoma cell lines investigated in this study.

Phytolacca is better known as pokeweed root, which grows as a towering weed in the US and elsewhere. Conium maculatum is poison hemlock, while Thuja occidentalis comes from the Eastern Arborvitae tree. Carcinosin is the only non-botanical in the group. It is made from a highly diluted extract of breast cancer tissue. These are typically used at the Banerjis’ clinic in India to treat breast cancer. The use of poisonous plants to treat cancer, while unusual, is not necessarily controversial. Madagascar periwinkle, for instance, yields the familiar vinca alkaloids–vincristine and vinblastine. The aforementioned paclitaxel (Taxol) is derived from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree.

Even the use of a cancer tissue extract might be explained in immunological terms. No, what makes these remedies highly unusual is the degree to which they have been diluted. These are given in the Frenkel article as follows: Carcinosin, 30C; Conium maculatum, 3C; Phytolacca decandra, 200C and Thuja occidentalis, 30C.

Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Homeopathy Graduation Programme, Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT:

Homeopathy is a complementary and integrative medicine used in depression, The aim of this study is to investigate the non-inferiority and tolerability of individualized homeopathic medicines [Quinquagintamillesmial (Q-potencies)] in acute depression, using fluoxetine as active control. Ninety-one outpatients with moderate to severe depression were assigned to receive an individualized homeopathic medicine or fluoxetine 20 mg day^–1 (up to 40 mg day^–1) in a prospective, randomized, double-blind double-dummy 8-week, single-center trial. Primary efficacy measure was the analysis of the mean change in the Montgomery & Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) depression scores, using a non-inferiority test with margin of 1.45. Secondary efficacy outcomes were response and remission rates. Tolerability was assessed with the side effect rating scale of the Scandinavian Society of Psychopharmacology. Mean MADRS scores differences were not significant at the 4th (P = 0.654) and 8th weeks (P = 0.965) of treatment. Non-inferiority of homeopathy was indicated because the upper limit of the confidence interval (CI) for mean difference in MADRS change was less than the non-inferiority margin: mean differences (homeopathy–fluoxetine) were –3.04 (95% CI –6.95, 0.86) and –2.4 (95% CI –6.05, 0.77) at 4th and 8th week, respectively. There were no significant differences between the percentages of response or remission rates in both groups. Tolerability: there were no significant differences between the side effects rates, although a higher percentage of patients treated with fluoxetine reported troublesome side effects and there was a trend toward greater treatment interruption for adverse effects in the fluoxetine group. This study illustrates the feasibility of randomized controlled double-blind trials of homeopathy in depression and indicates the non-inferiority of individualized homeopathic Q-potencies as compared to fluoxetine in acute treatment of outpatients with moderate to severe depression.

…..For full Article  READ

George Vithoulkas
Alternative Nobel Prize, 1996

Prof. University of the Aegean, Greece
Prof. Kiev Medical Academy
Hon. Professor Moscow Medical Academy (Department Restorative Medicine)
Collaborating Professor Basque Medical University

Website: www.vithoulkas.com
www.syros.aegean.gr/homeopathy