Health related information and news from around the world.

One of the worst enemies that could be unleashed on the primitive peoples of the world was greed. It made them lose contentment and their inner balance, and it is therefore not without reason that many dangerous conflicts resulted. The same consequences may be triggered in children. Take an unspoilt child who is happy and content when playing with fir cones, pebbles and bits of wood. If the child is suddenly given purpose-made toys they arouse a feeling of desire and craving in him that cannot easily be allayed but demands satisfaction. In time, the desire inevitably increases. In the end, even an abundance of such toys will no longer be enough, because contentment will have been rejected and his greed will have become insatiable. Of course, this process is not confined to one child, it can take hold of whole nations, permeating them with discontent. It is this evil process which the ‘civilised’ world introduced to the developing countries, resulting, inevitably, in conflict and unrest.

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Focusing on smoking, however, what are the dangers inherent in nicotine? It is the arterial system in general and the coronary arteries in particular that are affected by nicotine. If the addict has constitutionally weak blood vessels to start with, the danger of smoking will be all the greater for him. The vessels lose their elasticity, become progressively narrower and thus restrict the flow of blood to the heart, the walls of which are poorly nourished and begin to deteriorate.

If we could see through the chest and look at the heart we would be shocked to notice the change in its appearance under the influence of chronic nicotine poisoning. The delicate, toned muscles become relaxed and their beautiful red colour gradually changes to a dirty brown. If a person’s heart muscles constantly suffer from lack of adequate nourishment, they will begin to look like those of a very old person. Pathological anatomy speaks of ‘brown atrophy’ in describing such cases, because the worn-out brownish pigments are deposited in individual cells of the heart muscles. In addition, a number of small white streaks are noticeable. These indicate that minute particles of the muscle itself have been destroyed and are now replaced by connective, or scar, tissue. Once the tissues of the heart muscles have been ruined, they cannot be replaced, not even by the best possible natural remedies. All one can do is to strengthen whatever undamaged tissue is left so that it can now do the work that had previously been done by the scarred tissue.

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The sandwich spread Herbaforce has the same herbal base and, in addition, is enriched with yeast extracts containing vitamin B. Plantaforce vegetable concentrate makes a delicious vegetable bouillon or drink. A teaspoonful of this added to a cup of hot water is enough to provide our guests with a nourishing and strengthening drink. We will also be glad to enjoy a cup of hot vegetable broth when we come home hungry and thirsty but it is not yet time to sit down to a wholesome meal. This drink is prepared in a jiffy and is invigorating as well. Plantaforce thus saves time, and time saves energy.

This brief discussion of how we can put our experience and observations to good use will no doubt help everyone to prepare tasty meals that benefit our health at the same time. Neither special knowledge nor ability is necessary, and this is most welcome for all those who have little time and a busy schedule. On the other hand, even if you have enough time to prepare your meals with care, the seasonings and flavourings we have just considered can bring you nothing but natural goodness and will enhance the goodness of your food.

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The Greek mountain peasants also use good wholewheat bread as the foundation of their diet. Wherever you find good bread, the health and resistance of the people consuming it is better than among those living on white bread. Where white bread and rolls are the common fare, I have always found more bad health. True, white bread may not be the only reason for this, but it does share the blame for lack of good health.

One cannot imagine Ruth, a woman of biblical fame, having gleaned the valuable ears of grain from Boaz’ field, only to turn it into refined flour. The Book of Books reports that in ancient times the whole grain, barley or wheat, was ground in a stone mill, then honey was added to it and it was made into cakes.

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A person who works in the garden with a spade and a fork has a different food requirement to someone who sits in an office all day. Climate must be considered too, according to whether one lives, for example, in Sweden, Switzerland, Africa or California. It has a bearing on one’s need of food as far as quantity and kind is concerned.

I myself never rely on systems that will probably change anyway, like so many other things in life. The only reliable guide is that furnished by the body itself, its automatic mechanisms the Creator endowed it with. Its demands will automatically vary or change with the prevailing circumstances. I fared well by listening to my body’s voice when I lived in a cold northern region, in the temperate region of my native Switzerland, and in the tropical regions with their steppes and deserts.

The basic rule to remember is that if you take care to eat only natural foods, wherever you are, you cannot go far wrong. Avoid refined products and imbalances in your diet. If you let nature guide you it will help you to follow your inner urges and interpret them correctly. In this way you will be able to feel more than just hungry; you will develop those finer instincts that nowadays only the more primitive peoples have retained.

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Anyone who has had jaundice should, especially in the spring, eat plenty of dandelion salad. Artichokes, chicory, and all bitter herbs and salad vegetables are also excellent for the liver. The various kinds of radish are considered medicinal and should for this reason be taken in moderate amounts, but too many can do more harm than good. And never forget to drink carrot juice, as I have already mentioned on different occasions.

If this advice is followed and the follow-up cure is faithfully adhered to, the jaundice patient will fully recuperate and suffer no unpleasant consequences.

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Dysbacteria is one of the new diseases that lead to a debilitating loss of strength in thousands of people. Some degenerate totally without knowing what is the matter with them. The main causes of dysbacteria are two modern groups of medicines, first sulphona-mides and second, antibiotics. To counteract their detrimental too, because these parasites can do a lot of harm to a child’s organism.

The same precautions grandmother exercised should be followed today. A child who is pale, always tired and moody could have worms and should be carefully examined. Otherwise, years may pass until someone is alerted to the problem and an examination of the stool and blood reveals their presence. What a pity, though, that these poor children meanwhile have had to suffer for years because of sheer negligence. Such lack of care can have serious consequences for the children’s normal growth and development, since the worms are responsible for their discomfort and their unhappy, moody state of mind, making it difficult for them to show willingness and be obedient.

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It often happens that the immediate family treat the patient with a mental problem either too gently and indulgently or else too strictly. Even qualified nurses do not always find it easy to adopt the right approach in dealing with emotional and mental illnesses.

It is true to say that strong nerves are needed to deal with such cases and the attendant’s own weakness, occasional helplessness and feeling of being ‘fed up’ must be carefully hidden. Patients must have confidence in the one caring for them, as they are exceedingly sensitive on account of their weak nervous system and they can react very quickly. If you become annoyed because the patient has done something wrong, or if you are unhappy because his progress is slow, be careful not to irritate him for this does not encourage him to get better; rather, it will throw him back once more into mental confusion and lead to unpleasant reactions and tensions that will have both physical and mental repercussions. On the other hand, the patient is likely to abuse your kindness, so it is better not to be too gentle, soft or even indulgent; be firm but kind at all times.

Nursing staff need tremendous self-control and self-confidence, also a measure of composure and vast reserves of strength, in order to help a patient with neurasthenic or mental problems to progress. If the patient is conscious of a strong hand supporting and guiding him he will come through the wilderness of his distraught emotions and thoughts with confidence in both himself and his future. He will then cooperate with his helper and begin to think, feel and behave quite normally again.

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Many patients whose kidney stones were dissolved by Rubia tincto-rum (madder root) have attested to its excellent therapeutic effect. In addition to taking this remedy, however, it is most important that the patient avoids catching cold and becoming exhausted. To ensure its success, a special diet should be followed during and after the treatment. The patient must avoid all denatured or refined foods containing white sugar and white, bleached flour. Nor should he use salt or any sharp condiments in the food. Furthermore, the kidney patient should not eat Brussels sprouts, spinach, asparagus, rhubarb or, especially, pork, luncheon meat and other cold meats. Since vitamin A deficiency promotes the formation of gravel and stones in the kidneys, it must be counteracted by eating plenty of carrot salad and drinking carrot juice. If bleeding is noticed in the urine, no meat should be eaten, the only animal protein allowable being soft white cheese (cottage cheese or quark). For the best results the patient should stick to a diet of brown rice, vegetables and raw salads.

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Nevertheless, it is not at all surprising to learn that about 50 per cent of all people today show some sort of abnormality in cheir heart function. Modern man always seems to be under stress and hurries even when there is no need, while at the same time he may be careless about attending to other responsibilities. This imbalance certainly does not make for peace of mind, as we still find it among those who enjoy their work as opposed to viewing it as a necessary evil. ‘Haste makes waste’, so the saying goes. Haste may indeed be harmful, but a steady pace is good for the heart.

The endocrine glands, especially the thyroid, influence the heart, a fact that can be noticed in patients with hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease). If the heart rhythm, the pulsation, is traced on paper by means of an electrocardiograph, a heart disorder can be detected. If the recording, called an electrocardiogram, shows two entwined curves, this indicates that two hearts are beating simultaneously. How can that be possible? The answer is simple if you are a pregnant woman! And if there are three curves, the happy mother-to-be can be told that she may expect twins.

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