Fatigue caused by excess work or lack of sleep is one of the most common kinds of fatigue. Caffeine, in its many forms has been the treatment of choice, for such a condition since ages.

Coffee is the strongest natural form of caffeine. However, coffee is addictive and drinking more than three cups a day could lead to problems such as jangled nerves and diarrhea.

Other sources of caffeine include colas, tea, cocoa, and South-American beverages such as yerba mate. Although tea has comparatively lesser caffeine, it contains more of Theophylline, which in its pure form, is used to treat Asthma. Like caffeine, it causes nervousness, insomnia and increased heart rate.

However, in cases of stress-induced fatigue, which could lead to loss of sleep at night an exhaustion during the day, folk practitioners prescribe variety of herbal relaxants, including valerian and lavender.

Black Tea: A cup of black tea contains about 30mg of caffeine. About two doses (60mg) of this tea act as a stimulant increasing activity of central nervous system. The tea can be prepared by pouring a cup of boiling water over one and a half teaspoon of black tea leaves. Allow it to steep for five minutes. Strain and drink.

Valerian: It is a sleeping aid which has been in use for more than 2000 years now, and has been helpful in treating stress-induced fatigue. Pour one cup of boiling water to ½ to 1 teaspoon of minced fresh roots, or mix a few drops of valerian extract or tincture into a glass of warm water. This makes a good bedtime tea. However, it is not advisable to be used for longer than two weeks.

Lavender: The herb has been well-known as a calmative. The dried flowers or an extract of the herb can be added to warm bath water, just prior to bed time. The oil too can be dabbed on to the temples before bedtime.

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Women undergoing In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) can increase their chances of getting pregnant by 65 percent, if they are prepared to undergo acupuncture treatment too, simultaneously, suggests a preliminary study, mentioned in ‘HealthDay News’.

About 10-15% of the couples, who face difficulty conceiving, opt for in-vitro fertilization procedure, which involves fertilizing a woman’s egg in laboratory and then transferring into her womb. Now there are evidences that acupuncture treatment can increase the rate of success of this procedure.

The Lead Researcher, Eric Manheimer, Research-Associate at the University of Maryland School of Medicines Center for Integrative Medicine, says “Complementing an embryo transfer process with acupuncture seems to increase the odds of pregnancy by 65 percent, in comparison to no adjuvant treatment or sham acupuncture.”

For conducting this study, Manheimer’s team underwent seven trials, including 1366 women who underwent IVF. Each trial compared the Acupuncture given within a day of embryo transfer, to Sham Acupuncture or no Acupuncture. The researchers found that women who underwent Acupuncture, had their success rate increased by 65 percent, in comparison with those who had no acupuncture or sham acupuncture.

“In other words, this implies that 10 women would need to be treated with Acupuncture to result in an additional pregnancy,” revealed Manheimer.

“Acupuncture can be used as an adjuvant treatment in the IVF process, but I think there need to be more studies to confirm these findings, as they are still preliminary,” Manheimer concluded.

However in studies where the pregnancy rates were high, the benefit of acupuncture seemed small and in-significant, the researchers noted.

Dr. Marshall H. Sager, the Past President, American Academy of Medical Acupuncture says “Am not surprised by the findings. All women undergoing In-vitro Fertilization can benefit from Acupuncture, and increase their chances of success.”

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A desert flower, Cistanche Tabulosa, popularly known as ’schenk’, with high medicinal values has been found in large numbers in the deserts of Mesaieed.

The parasitic plant has numerous yellowish-brown flowers. Numerous empty stumps of the plant with withered flowers have been found. The plant blooms in early spring.

Environmentalists reveal that the plant belongs to ‘Cistanche family’ usually found in deserts across the world, particularly in China. The herbal medicine ‘Cistanche’ is very popular in China. Chinese use this plant in treating infertility and also for relief from all kinds of pain.

 “It has been used as a medicine for the past 1800 years and has been recorded even in ancient Chinese scripts. Today, in Chinese herbalism, ‘Cistanche’ is used for treating various ailments, particularly for infertility and constipation,” The Peninsula reported.

The herb was traditionally used as a tonic for menstrual difficulties, as an aphrodisiac for men, as a cure for impotence, gonorrhea, spermatorrhea and such other problems. At present, it is used to reinforce the vital functions of the kidneys, is a mild laxative in treating chronic constipation among the elderly and is also used as an anti-aging medicinal herb.

Being sweet and salty in taste, it is non-toxic and warm, and acts on kidney and large intestine meridians. In treating impotence, Cistanche is mixed with processed rehmannia root, and cuscuta seed and schisandra fruit.

It is also used for relief in knee and joint-pains, and for lassitude of the muscles. For such purposes, Cistanche is used in combination with morinda root and the eucommia bark.

For treatment of female infertility, and to strengthen the vital essence, Cistanche is combined with other medicinal herbs, such as Chinese angelica, antler glue and white peony.

Cistanche moistens the bowels and induces laxation. For chronic constipation among the elderly, and in women after child birth, Cistanche is prescribed as a decoction, together with hemp seed, aquilaria, dry rehmannia, Chinese angelica and bitter orange.

Clinical research has proven that the herb acts as a stomachic and aids digestion.

However, the herb should be avoided in cases of hyperactivity, or for those experiencing loose stools due to spleen-yin deficiency or constipation due to heat in intestinal tract.

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Asparagus is the Greek word for stalk or shoot and belongs to the family Asparagaceae. Although a native of Europe, Asparagus is grown well in the sub-tropics. The emerging shoots can be eaten as a vegetable, after harvesting the shoots that are 2-3cm thick and about 15-20cm long. The shoots, called spears, if allowed to grow, would develop into soft, ferny fronds that are a meter or more in height.

The botanical name of the herb, ‘officinalis’, by itself, signifies that it is an official therapeutic herb. The Asparagus genus carries medical importance due to the presence of steroidal saponins and sapogenins in various parts of the plant.

The herb is highly valued for its use of stimulating and strengthening Kidney functioning. Fresh spears or spear juice, when eaten, is a strong diuretic, and helps in cleaning and revitalizing the bladder and the Kidneys, and in relieving edema, that arises due to congestion around the heart.

Asparagus is also considered as an excellent aphrodisiac. Even scientific evidence has proven this belief, as it contains a compound that helps in stimulating production of sex hormones.

Asparagus has an alkalizing effect, and hence is a very powerful acid reducer, which is a known therapy for cancer. The high ammonia content literally plummets into alkalinity within a short span of time.

It has been proven that consumption of Asparagus aids in curbing dyspepsia, dysentery, diarrhea, hyperacidity, bronchitis and cough and other infectious diseases.

Boiled Asparagus is said to contain 18 calories per 100gm serving. It provides several vital nutrients, including iron, calcium, phosphorous, carotene, sulphur and potassium. Being low on fat and cholesterol, Asparagus is a much preferred healthy food.

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According to a new study, a concentrated extract of freeze-dried Broccoli sprouts helped cut-down the development of bladder tumor by more than 50%. According to researchers, this finding supports the earlier studies, which indicated that broccoli consumption is associated with lower risk of bladder cancer.

A Professor of Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Dr. Yuesheng Zhang, said that the study conducted in rats, gives sufficient evidence that eating vegetables is beneficial in prevention of bladder cancer.

It is believed that the protective effect of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as kale, cabbage and collard greens is partly due to presence of Isothyiocyanates (ITCs), a group of phytochemicals with anti-cancerous properties. The bladder is, in particularly, more responsive to this group of natural chemicals.

Zhang and his colleagues tested the freeze-dried Broccoli sprout extract in rats, with a chemical that induces bladder cancer. While one group of rats did not receive the extract, the other two groups were given a high or low dose of the extract in the food, prior to two weeks before injecting the cancer-causing chemical. An average of about two tumors developed in 96 percent of rats that were not given the extract. However in 74 percent of rats that received a low dose of extract developer an average of 1.39 tumors, while those that received high dose of extract developed only 0.46 turmors in 38 percent of the rats.

The results which were published in the Cancer Research Journal, clearly indicates that Broccoli sprouts have30 times more ITCs than mature broccoli.

However, according to Zhang, as far as humans are concerned, the dosages of ITCs need to be much lower than the dosages given to rats.

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Ensure that you and your family members do not fall sick again, the next time, with the change in weather. Including these basic foods in your daily diet will help boost body immunity.

Loading your grocery cart with nature’s supplements such as green leafy veggies, cherries, tomatoes, carrots, guavas, citrus fruits and Amla will go a long way in keeping you robust and healthy, as these contain Vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E. These are excellent anti-oxidants that inactivate harmful free radicals, while maintaining natural immunity of the body.

Tea is packed with anti-oxidants that help in fighting harmful bacteria. Tea, particularly, green tea and black tea contains ‘Theanine’, an important anti-oxidant that enhances immune function by producing substances that help immune cells in the body and destroy microbes. They also help in producing various protective enzymes.

Lemons are excellent in restoring body pH, by maintaining the internal ‘climate’ levels of the body at a pH that supports healthy bacteria. Although they are acidic, the end product obtained by the body through consumption of lemons is alkaline.

Deficiency of Zinc could suppress the function of immune system and shut down the immune system completely. Hence optimum Zinc levels in the body are a must, as it helps in producing antibodies faster and stronger. Good sources of Zinc include beans, yogurt, milk, fortified cereals and poultry.

Allow the Probiotics to do the healing. Probiotics are good bacteria found in yogurt and such other cultured dairy products. Probiotics helps increase the secretion of immunoglobin, the disease fighting enzyme found in intestine, and hence help fight infections better. Hence include yogurt and other fermented foods as a part of your diet.

Try to perk up your meal by adding immunity-boosting herbs, as these apart from making your meal tastier, also helps in kicking out infections. Hence, herbs such as garlic, turmeric, fennel, and sage are a popular choice to be added to meals, as the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in these help in dealing with a range of illness.

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Curcumin, an ingredient found in turmeric, reduces heart enlargement, lowering risk of heart failure, reveals researchers in Canada.

The Researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Center, Toronto General Hospital, tested the effects of curcumin in mice with ‘Hypertrophy’ (enlarged hearts). They found that curcumin could prevent and reverse the condition and restore heart function, apart from reducing scar formation. The results of this study were published in the ‘Journal of Clinical Investigation’, February issue.

The human clinical trials that were conducted, supported these findings, and the researchers are of the opinion that Curcumin-based treatments may prove to be a safe and inexpensive new option for patients suffering from heart enlargement.

“Curcumin works directly in the cell nucleus by preventing abnormal unraveling of the chromosome when subjected to stress, and also preventing production of excessive abnormal proteins. This ability of curcumin to shut off one of the major switches at the chromosome source itself, where the enlargement and scarring genes are being turned on is quite impressive,” said Dr. Peter Liu, Cardiologist at the Peter Munk Cardiac Center.

Liu said that irrespective of age or sex, the larger the heart, the higher is the risk for developing heart attacks or heart failure in the future. However, until the clinical trials are through, the patients are not recommended to take curcumin routinely. But, necessary initiatives such as reducing cholesterol and lowering blood pressure, exercising, and healthy eating can be started immediately.

According to the study, the clinical trials being carried-out on curcumin-based treatments for colorectal and pancreatic cancer are yielding promising results.

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Although the Beta-blockers help by ‘blocking’ some of the effects of adrenaline that surges through the body during stressful situations, natural calming methods helps in dealing stress in a more effective manner in the long-run, as they help you tide through movements of higher-anxiety easily.

Go herbal

Passion Flower: Passion Flower (passiflora incarnata) is an effective herbal relaxation aid, with no side effects, but gives results equivalent to the effectiveness of the anxiety-relieving drug ‘oxazepam’. Researchers at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran have confirmed this fact. This is available in the form of capsule or tincture in health food stores.

Chamomile: A time-honoured relaxer is a strong cup of Chamomile tea. But, care should be taken to ensure that tea bags are fragrant and maintains freshness and potency. The tea should be allowed to steep in for ten minutes in a covered container, before consumption.

Deep breathing

The 4-7-8 breathing method is a simple way to evoke the natural relaxation response of the body. This could be done a couple of times while under stress. Sit in a straight posture. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue behind the upper front teeth. Exhale through your mouth and around the tongue, keeping lips slightly pursed. Empty your lungs making a whooshing sound. Inhale through the nose by closing your mouth and hold on until a count of 4. Hold on your breath until a count of 7. Then blow out through the mouth, making a whooshing sound until a mental count of 8. Repeat the cycle three times.

Prayer

There has been a growing body of evidence that suggest prayer could indeed play a major role in healing. Several studies have linked religious and spiritual practice to stronger immunity, lower blood pressure, reduced depression and longevity. A study has even revealed that praying on behalf of others (intercessory prayer) helped heart patients who were prayed for, by others, for 4 weeks, and they had 11% fewer complications than their peers.

Although, several other studies claim that praying for others does not have an effect on healing, it has been evident that prayer improves wellness in many ways. In the first place, religious practices decrease unhealthy behavior such as alcohol abuse, and helps people cope with stress in a better manner.

Finally, health is not ‘only’ about eating right, or hitting the treadmill; it is a state of well-being that includes mental and physical aspects. If you are not happy and calm from within, you cannot be healthy.

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