Home Remedies for Hangovers

It is Friday, time to loosen up and party with your friends, let's bring out those drinks! But wait, the funny thing with us is that we know what we should be doing to avoid a hangover and yet we ignore it . It is usually the morning after, we feel like hell on earth and with no money in our wallet that we regretted behaving like an idiot last night. So, before you booze tonight, read this first.

Before you go:
Have a meal reasonable high in fats. Fats is digested more slowly and will protect your stomach from the irritating effects and slows down the absorption of alcohol. If you do not want a full meal, a glass of full cream milk or a peanut butter sandwich is just as good.

While you are drinking:
Avoid dark coloured alcohol such as red wine, port, whiskey, dark rum and brandy as they tend to cause more severe hangovers. Before you start drinking, know your limit, one alcoholic drink per hour is a good rule of thumb.

Avoid mixing your drinks with different types of alcohol. When you combine drinks, you are increasing the amount of toxins and additives going into your body which can exacerbate the effects of a hangover. As the toxic levels increase, your liver struggles to detox the poisons. Alternate your alcoholic tipples with non-frizzy drink or water helps your liver to flush out toxins and ultimately more bearable hangovers. Orange juice or any other citrus fruit juice such as pineapple with honey added is best because Vitamin C speeds up the metabolism of alcohol by the liver. Experts recommend about 200ml of water is needed to effectively counteract every 30ml of alcohol you drink. In addition, before you go to bed, remember to drink a pint of water to combat the dehydrating effects of ethanol in alcohol. You can also opt for electrolyte containing beverage such as Lucozade.

A hangover?
A hearty breakfast will definitely help nurse a hangover. Eggs and meat are rich in the amino acid, cysteine, which is thought to be good at clearing out toxins. I swear by cheese and sausage roll.

Avoid coffee, tea or cola as these are diuretics and are likely to dehydrate you even further. The ideal beverage is freshly squeezed fruit juice and it works because it replaces lost vitamins. If you cannot stomach an acidic juice, add it to banana and yogurt smoothie or try any mixed vegetable juice. Bananas are rich in the important electrolytes, magnesium and potassium, which are depleted during heavy drinking. It is also a natural antacid to relieve nausea. Fructose in juices will boost your energy levels and replace lost nutrients. It is also good to take a over the counter Vitamin B complex (B1 and B6) pill to address the imbalances and lessen the severity of hangovers.

If you are desperately searching and thinking of getting some temporary relief from pain killers, be warned that acetaminophen (active ingredient in Tylenol, Excedrin) has potential to cause irreversible harm to your liver and cause hyper toxicity. If you must, wait for an hour or longer until most of the alcohol has been eliminated.

Sleeping as much as possible is a tried and true remedy. Since you cannot perform well with a sluggish system and a sober mind, might as well go back to sleep and recharge.

One last word of caution before you party tonight. If you drink don't drive, if you drive, don't drink. Cheers!




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How To Treat Cracked Heels

My son has a recurring problem with cracked heels. Being a competitive sportsman in the art of Akido, he trains intensively and regular practices left thick yellow calluses along the inside of his heels. The skin peels and can sometimes bleed. It pains me to see the state of his feet.

Dry cracked heels can happen to anyone. It is commonly caused by exposing your feet to the elements, prolonged standing, regular use of open back footwear, being overweight and walking barefoot on hard surfaces.

If untreated and with increasing pressure on the heels, the dry, rough skin and minor cracks can become more severe with deeper, bleeding cracks, which are painful and can become infected.The cracks may be so deep that they start to tear and bleed.

Treatment:
To get rid of dry skin on heels with minimal effort, you need a natural pumice stone and just a little extra attention to your feet while you are in the shower. Pumice stones can be bought cheaply at your local drugstore. I go for basic, unadorned ones. To use, soften the skin of the heels and dip your pumice stone in warm soapy water. Rub the stone gently against your heel to exfoliate dead skin . Rubbing too vigorously can break the skin and cause bleeding, cuts and scratches. Wipe feet dry and use a rich moisturiser or cream. There are many reputable formulas such as Kerasal and Scholl, available in stores for treating cracked heels. If you prefer to use a rich emollient body type moisturisers or cream, I suggest Shea butter or any other cream containing lanolin. I do not find much improvement with Vaseline or virgin coconut oil. My son has excellent results with Shea butter. It is best to apply liberally after a shower and then cover your feet with thick cotton socks overnight.

Some home remedies that might interest you:
Apply mashed ripe banana on the heels and leave on for 10 minutes to dry. Rinse off well with water, this remedy will provide much needed relief from the pain of heel cracks.

Alternatively, to relax sore feet, soak your feet in the lemon juice for 10 minutes once a week. A regular application of a mixture of glycerin and rosewater is also encouraged to soothe and cure cracked heels.

Preventive measures:
To prevent cracked heels, avoid wearing socks made of synthetic materials; cotton socks absorb moisture better and allow the skin on your heels to "breathe". Try not to have too hot showers as this can have a drying effect on the skin.

If you have any existing foot conditions such as flat arches, wear an arch support device that will help to support the foot at all times.

Keep the usage of open back footwear to the minimum or moisturise the heels if you choose to wear them.




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Home remedies for sore throat

Usually warm salt water gargle will reduce swelling and relieve any discomfort. To be effective, gargle using one teaspoon of common table salt or baking soda dissolved in a glass of warm water. Repeat every hour or two.

Drink lots of fluids to thin secretions and soothe irritated throat.Unsweetened warm herbal tea and soups help decrease throat irritation faster.Contrary to popular belief that sucking popsicles helps relieve sore throats, I don't quite advise you doing this as cold food irritates your throat making you cough more. Also, before making herbal teas, check if you've an allergy to herbs. I find raspberry tea the best though some may like peppermint, chamomile or liquorice. Warm water with lemon which is rich in vitamin C helps boost your immune system for faster recovery.

To help breathing easier, you can use a humidifier in your bedroom at night. The warm mist soothes swollen air passages. In the event that you do not have a humidifier, simply place a bowl of water in the room. It is wise to stop smoking as it irritates your sensitive membranes at this time.

Over the counter throat lozenges like Sucrets Maximum Strength or Spec-T contain medical composition that numb throats are safe and effective to use. Or you can consider sucking on hard candies to help bring moisture to dry throat and ease pain.

To make your breathing easier, use decongestant or a steam tent. A steam tent can also help get rid of a sore throat. Boil a pan of water and set it on the table. Drape a towel your head covering the pan. Breath deeply through both your mouth and your nose. This will help sooth sore throat.

If you experience a sore throat that persists over time or you have any strange symptoms, go to your local physician who will be able to decide if there's suspicion of a more serious condition and need immediate medical attention.



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Natural cure for impotence

Impotence refers to the inability of a man to become erect and remain rigid at that indicated moment to perform sexual act. An impotent man may have sperm quality that are viable and healthy and is therefore not sterile, just as a sterile man may not suffer from erectile dysfunction.


All men at some point in their lives experience temporary impotence for various reasons. Fatigue, anxiety, fear, over excitement, heavy alcohol and drug abuse, abnormally small penis and any major chronic illness such as diabetes, leukemia, cancer of the prostate will also inhibit erection.

Numerous promising herbal alternatives to viagara and cialis have been suggested to enhance penile erection. Horny goat weed, also known as yin yang hou, is one such herb used in traditional chinese medicine for centuries. The active compound in this reputed aphrodisiac, icariin, blocks PDE5 enzyme that restricts blood flow to the penis. Horny goat weed claimed to have testosterone like effects, increases sperm production and stimulate sensory nerves.

Other highly praised herbs include saw palmetto, ginseng, maca root. As there isn't enough evidence to show that herbal remedies work in all cases, I suggest you look at these safe and all natural libido-heightening foods from your kitchen instead.

Choose vegetables such as pumpkins, tomatoes, lettuce, okra.

Zinc rich foods. Raw oysters are very high in zinc which raises sperm and testosterone production.

Chocolate contains theobromine, a stimulating alkaloid, helps brain produce feel good serotonin.

You can make these juices:

Beetroot 225ml, carrot 225ml, cucumber 175ml

Celery 350ml

Beetroot 450ml

Most importantly, take time out to relax and enjoy your partner's company. Good luck!




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5 signs of skin aging and non-invasive treatments

You can't reverse the clock. Movies stars and famous public figures often have a host of help - inherited good genes, truckloads of expensive creams and serums,regular botox shots, plastic surgeons on call to maintain great looking sign. The truth is no one can really escape the harsh reality of ageing skin.


Ageing skin is characterised by at least 5 signs.

Pigmantations, blotches and age spots appearing. Pigmentation is when patches of skin are darker than the surrounding skin. Sometimes also known as freckles, it appears when an excess of melanin (gives you your natural skin colour) forms deposits in the skin due to long period of ultra violet rays exposure. Age spots or liver spots are relatively common form of hyper pigmentation, occurring when melanocites cells over produced due to sun damage. Melasma spots, often as a result of hormonal changes (pregnancy) look like liver spots but larger in size.

Avoid excessive sun exposure. Use sunscreen and apply vitamin C rich creams. Remeber to slip, slop, slap when you go outdoors. Wear a broad brimmed hat to protect your face.

Hydroquinone a popular active chemical and plant based kojic acid found in most skin whitening products bleach skin by disrupting reactions that lead to the forming of melanin. Because of potential cancer causing properties, these are not encouraged and banned in Japan.

Fine lines and wrinkles are grooves in aging skin. The skin is made up of 3 layers: epidermis (topmost), dermis (middle), subcutaneous fat (innermost). As we age, skin cells divide more slowly and dermis starts to thin. Habitual facial expressions such as laugh lines or frowns and over- exposure to the sun's harmful rays can damage skin elasticity and exacerbates wrinkles formation.

Hydrate daily with moisturizers, stay out of the sun or use SPF 15 or higher sunscreen.

Vitamin A (or retinol) accelerate skin cells turnover while peptides ( a form of amino acids) pump up fine lines. Keratolytic ingredients and lactic acid rejuvenates skin by encouraging dead skin cells removal.

Fat cells start to deteriorate while elastin and collagen fibers loosens as we age. Our skin no longer springs back when pressed but instead sags and forms furrows.

Consume foods rich in antioxidants (berries, teas) and omega 3 fatty acids( flaxseed, fish oil, cod liver oil) normalise skin lipids, keeps the skin supple and prevents dehydration.

Antioxidants like vitamin C stimulate collagen production and are effective in combating free radicals arising from stress, sun exposure, unhealthy diet and pollution.

Ability to retain moisture diminishes as sweat and oil-producing glands start to shrink resulting in dry and scaly looking skin. Wound healing ability also weaken as the skin ages.

As usual, moisturise daily and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Use Alpha hydroxy (AHA) or lactic acid primers to slough off dead skin to allow better cream absorption.

Hyaluronic acid, labelled as the key to the fountain of youth cushions, lubricates and pump up the face, giving it a healthy, youthful appearance.

Dullness is caused by natural aging and the slowing of skin's renewal process. Young skin allows light to enter the skin and reflects evenly back to the eye, creating a glow.

Exfoliate regularly with AHAs or go for mircodermabrasion treatments.













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How to reduce intestinal gas

Belching and flatulence, a part of life, is normal. But having too much gas in the stomach can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing in social situations.
Let's look at these simple guidelines that can help:

People sigh at work or under stress periods unknowingly. Each time you sigh, you swallow air. Try to be conscious of this so that you can refrain yourself. Avoid sucking hard candies or chewing gums containing sugar alcohol sorbitol, if possible.

Do not wash down your food. Consider drinking at the end of a meal. Do not sip, gulp or use a straw when drinking. Drink slowly from a glass or cup and keep your upper lip submerged by tilting the glass. Drinking hot beverage only causes you to swallow in more air.

Smoking increases saliva flow, excess saliva increases swallowing, excess swallowing increase air intake.

Certain fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber and certain hard to digest carbs are main culprits in producing gas in the stomach. Beans, onions, cabbage, apples, grapes, raisins, red wine and beer are the usual suspects.

Avoid all carbonated drinks from fizzy sodas to champagne; avoid all food that have air whipped into them which includes milk shakes, sponge cakes .

Lactose intolerance may also contribute. Either avoid milk based foods ( In my opinion, is almost impossible) or choose lactose free products.

Don't delay a bowel movement. Delaying causes gas build up in the colon making the condition worse.


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How to lift a heavy load correctly

Keep your feet apart and stand near the object. Bend at the knees, pick up the load, and rise slowly, using your legs to do so, never on your back, until your knees are straight.

If you're travelling with a luggage, get a suitcase with wheels.

Avoid lifting anything too heavy.

Good standing posture can be gauged by standing against a wall. Only the shoulder blades and buttocks should touch the wall.


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How to prevent back pain

Low back pain, a common complaint among many, can range from sudden acute pain radiating through your back or legs, a muscle spasm and maybe a numb tingling sensation in your legs.

Common causes of backaches are misuse of the body, natural ageing of the spine, incorrect posture, over exertion, poor-fitting footwear and poor muscle support in the trunk and abdomen.


Here's some suggested back-care techniques:

Sit properly. Sit maintaining the natural curve in the small of your back. Sitting puts pressure on the discs, which explains why many sufferers prefer to stand. Never cross your legs as this alter the natural alignment of your spine. Gravity impacts the spine, so get up and stretch every 20-30 mins.

Movement of the joints helps lubricate joint stiffness. Your back muscles, along with the abdominals, work hand in hand to support your spine. It makes good sense to strengthen perispinals to avoid significant pain.

Gentle exercises like yoga and taichi increases mobility and helps develop flexibility. Swimming, a great aerobic exercise for weight reduction also helps to keep the back limber as water reduces the load on your back by countering the effect of gravity.

Sleep on your sides ( foetal position). Sleeping on your back stresses you back and neck. Mattress should be firm yet comfortable to give you support in the right places.

Never overdo weekend activities. Do not over exert yourself while exercising. Going slow is a key prevention of back pain and ache.

Learn to lift and carry heavy loads properly. See post " How to lift a heavy weight".


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Yoga: Modified Yoga Breathing

Stand erect with both hands at the side, inhale slowly through your nostrils, filling your lungs with air from the abdomen first, then the lower chest and finally the upper chest to near full capacity.

While inhaling, raise your hands slowly overhead so that when inhalation is complete, your hands are directly overhead, touching each other.

Hold your breath for a few seconds with your hands remaining up. Exhale slowly as you bring your arms back to the sides. Repeat 4 times.

Inhale as in the above but this time, exhale rapidly, completely through the mouth, as you drop your hands as quickly to the sides. Repeat 4 times.

Inhale as in the above but exhale slowly and forcibly through a narrow opening in the mouth as if you're whistling. Repeat 2 to 4 times.

These 3 breathing exercises should be done as a set, 3 times daily

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Yoga: Postural Drainage

Postural draining is a method where secretions from the bronchi and the lungs are drained by placing the head lower than the chest.

This position will induce coughing up of phlegm. About 5 mins twice a day, morning and evening is recommended.

Place a firm well padded cushion or pillow under your stomach.

Lean over it with your chest supported by smaller pillows.

Remain in this pose and relax.



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