Cold-Fighting Foods, Avoiding and Activities

Foods that should be consumed

Cayenne pepper and hot chilies

Chicken soup

Orange juice

Ginger tea

Garlic

Consume many liquids

Hot milk with a piece of crushed ginger

Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder mixed in milk provides relief

Foods that are to be avoided

Cold foods and drinks

Ice cream, sweets, Fried foods

Milk products (cheese, creams)

Sweet fruit juices

Breads

Meats

Nuts

Pastries

Activities that are to be avoided

Sleeping during the day

Taking a cold shower

Avoid coffee and alcohol

Do not Exercise

Exposure to cold wind, fans, air conditioners

Different kinds of food

Cold food helps the body to get rid of heat. It also helps to remove toxins in the inner environment. People who have an inner environment with a cold manifestation are likely to have the following symptoms: Feel cold, cold hands and feet, aching knees resulting from coldness, like hot weather and dislike cold weather, inconstant urine, faeces with undigested food in it, deficient in energy, depressed, need lots of sleep, in favour of hot food, pale face

Hot food helps to warm up the stomach , clear coldness, and strengthen the body. People who have an inner environment with a hot manifestation are likely to have the following symptoms: like cold weather, dislike hot weather, hot in five “little centres” (two palms, two feet and chest), thirsty with dry throat, feel stressed, upset and nervous, insomnia, like to eat cold food.

Hot food

Meat: beef, pork, chicken, duck.

Seafood: Prawns, butterfish, carp

Vegetable: Ginger, garlic, onion, leek, carrot, pumpkin, taro, sweet potato, corn, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, potato, chilli, green beans, beans.

Fruit: Plum, papaya, grape, jujube, orange, peach, apple, rockmelon, litchi, walnuts, fig, mango, grapefruit, cherry

Soybean oil

Cold food

Seafood: Clams, crab, oyster

Vegetable: Chinese cabbage, bai cai, cucumber, melon, fresh mushroom, bamboo shoot (Australian), radish, kelp, seaweed, celery, tofu, bitter melon, eggplant, tomato, bean sprouts

Fruit: Pear, watermelon, kiwi, banana, pomegranate, apricot, loquat, mandarin, persimmon, lemon, strawberry, pineapple.

Cool food

Cucumber, apple, barley, bean curd, chicken egg white, Chinese wax gourd, common button mushroom, eggplant, Job's tears, lily flower, loquat, mandarin orange, marjoram, mung bean, oyster, pear, peppermint, radish, sesame oil, spinach, strawberry, tangerine, wheat, wheat bran, cream, yogurt and cheese.

Neutral food

Corn, abalone, apricot, beef, beetroot, black fungus, black sesame seed, black soybean, cabbage (Chinese), carp, carrot, castor bean, celery, chicken egg yolk, cuttlefish, dry mandarin orange peel, duck, fig, grape, honey, horse bean, kidney bean, kohlrabi, licorice, lotus fruit and seed, milk, olive, oyster, papaya, peanuts, pineapple, plum, rice, pork, potato, pumpkin, radish leaf, red bean, rice bran, Japanese mushroom, sour plum, sunflower seed, sweet rice, sweet potato, taro, white fungu, sugar, yellow soybean.

Warm food

Chicken, apricot seed, brown sugar, caraway, carp, cherry, chestnut, chive, cinnamon twig, clove, coconut, coffee, coriander (Chinese parsley), date, dillseed, eel, fennel, garlic, ginger (fresh), ginseng, grapefruit peel, green onion, guava, ham, kumquat, leaf mustard, leek, litchi, longan, maltose, mutton, nutmeg, peach, raspberry, rosemary, shrimp, spearmint, squash, star anise, sweet basil, sword bean, tobacco, vinegar, walnut, wine.

Foods for fighting Cold

Turmeric, Garlic, Pumpkins, Ginger, Honey, Hot Peppers, tomatoes

Chicken Soup, Sweet Potato

Oranges, Grapefruit

Green tea

A daily routine of high-fat, high-sugar junk foods, skipped meals and lots of caffeine can make you more susceptible to minor illnesses like colds and flu. Instead, make sure you eat plenty of whole grains, fruit, vegetables and low-fat protein to keep your immune system strong.

High blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension

High blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries.

Problems does high blood pressure cause

Both high blood pressure and prehypertension damage blood vessels. Raises risk of stroke, kidney failure, heart disease and heart attack.

Recommended Lifestyle

- Don't smoke

- Lose weight if you're overweight.

- Exercise regularly.

- Eat a healthy diet (fruits, vegetables, low in fat)

- Limited sodium, alcohol and caffeine intake.

- Try relaxation techniques.

Remedies for Sinus Pressure Relief

* You should inhale steam vapors periodically. This is a very simple yet effective home remedy for sinus allergies. All you have to do is bow your head over a hot water bowl so that the steam can reach your face directly. Start inhaling the steam vapors. Repeat this for 2-3 mins as many times as it is convenient to do so. The main purpose is to thin the usually thick mucus so that
drainage is enhanced.

* Consumption of garlic juice or garlic capsules. It has been said that garlic has anti-bacterial and anti fungal properties. Since a sinus infection could be either bacterial or fungal in nature, the properties of garlic should be an effective natural cure. Another option is to put some chopped fresh garlic in a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam 2-3 times a day. This is another effective home remedy of sinus allergies.

* Another natural cure and home remedy for sinus infection is to use Apple Cider Vinegar, which contains potassium. This helps decrease mucus production and have shown to be beneficial as a natural home remedy of sinus allergies, runny nose and the common cold. Mix 2 teaspoonfuls of organic Apple Cider Vinegar in a full glass of warm water and drink it up. Do this 3 times a day.

* Food allergy is one of the major causes of sinus allergies . It may sound preposterous, but many people have found that avoiding certain food groups totally cured them of this condition! For chronic sinus allergies sufferers, you need to avoid taking dairy products, wheat, eggs, chickens, ducks, chocolates, peanuts, bananas and corn. To be absolutely sure which food group you may be allergic to, a diagnostic blood test is highly recommended. Therefore, avoiding certain food groups which are known to cause allergic reactions can be a simple and yet effective home remedy for sinus allergies.

* 2 fresh young nettle tops, 1 tablespoon blackberry leaves, 1 sprig fresh peppermint, 1 head meadowsweet 600 ml(1 pint) boiling water. Infuse all the herbs in the boiling water for 10 mmutes, covered. Take in the springtime to clear this painful problem before summer arrives. This will prevent sinus infection.

* Taken separately or in combination with juices of beet and cucumber, or with spinach juice, has been found beneficial in the treatment of sinus trouble. In the case of combined juices, 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices, or 200 ml of spinach juice, should be mixed with 300ml of carrot juice to make 500 ml or half a litre of the mixed juice. This will help in reducing sinus allergies.
* Natural home remedy for sinus infection using Essential oil of eucalyptus or pine. A few drops of either in hot water are good to inhale. This is beneficial for the treatment of sinus allergies.

* The liberal use of mangoes during the season is considered an effective remedy for prevention and treatment of sinusitis. Mangoes contribute towards formation of healthy epithelium, thereby preventing frequent attacks of common infections like sinusitis. This is attributable to a high concentration of vitamin A in the fruit.

Sinusitis, Basics Sinusities

Sinuses

The sinuses are small, air filled spaces inside the cheekbones and forehead. They make some mucus which drains into the nose through small channels.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis means inflammation of a sinus. Most bouts of sinusitis are caused by an infection. The cheekbone (maxillary) sinuses are the most commonly affected.

Acute sinusitis

Infection develops quickly (over a few days) and lasts a short time.

Chronic sinusitis

Sinusitis becomes persistent and lasts for longer than 12 weeks. Chronic sinusitis is uncommon.

Avoidance of things that may make your symptoms worse

If you have chronic sinusitis and you are a smoker, you may find that if you stop smoking your symptoms improve. This may especially be the case if you have allergies as well. You should also practice good dental hygiene if you are prone to chronic sinusitis as it can be caused by a dental infection.

RAMADAN - Exercise,Diet

The best time for exercising is almost an hour before iftar. Empty stomach cardio is one of the most approved ways of losing weight. Exercise such as walking, jogging, etc., on an empty stomach are a proven formula for shedding a few pounds.

The problem with eating too much too frequently is that our digestive system gets jammed up. This means it takes longer to digest the food, and also slows down the metabolic rate. This is a major reason why people gain weight during this month.

Your meal should have low-carb, high-protein content. Now, don't get happy and have all the chickens! Avoid animal protein during iftar, as it is too high in protein and takes a lot of time to digest. Opt for chola. Again, don't get too happy! Unfortunately, the way we cook chola, with oil and spices kills the protein content. The best option is to eat them raw after you have soaked them in water for a few hours.

Another factor why people gain so much weight during Ramadan is because of lack of sleep. Many people skimp on sleep during this month. Surprisingly, not sleeping enough can cause you to gain weight too!

The obvious thing to do is to drink a lot of water during sehri as to give yourself the best chance of being well hydrated throughout the day. Remember drinking too much water quickly will only leave you feeling bloated prohibiting sufficient intake of food.

Swine Flu

Symptoms of novel H1N1 flu in people are similar to those associated with seasonal flu.

• Fever

• Cough

• Sore throat

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Body aches

• Headache

• Chills

• Fatigue

• In addition, vomiting (25%) and diarrhea (25%) have been reported. (Higher rate than for seasonal flu.)

How does novel H1N1 Influenza spread?

• This virus is thought to spread the same way seasonal flu spreads

• Primarily through respiratory droplets

– Coughing

– Sneezing

– Touching respiratory droplets on yourself, another person, or an object, then touching mucus membranes (e.g., mouth, nose, eyes) without washing hands

Take these everyday steps to protect your health

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, especially after you cough

or sneeze. Wash for 15 – 20 seconds.

• Alcohol-based hand wipes or gel sanitizers are also effective.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Germs spread this way.

• Avoid contact with sick people.

• Stay home if you’re sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you’ve been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.

• If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible.

Antiviral drugs - Tamiflu and Relenza

Swine flu is being treated with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza. Antiviral drugs work by preventing the flu virus from reproducing - to be effective you need to take them within 48 hours of the symptoms beginning. This can reduce the risk of complications and possibly shorten the illness by a day.

If the National Pandemic Flu Service or your GP confirm you have swine flu, you will be told where your nearest antiviral collection point is so your 'flu friend' - a friend or relative who does not have swine flu - can pick up antiviral drugs for you.

Adverse reactions to Tamiflu

In some cases, antiviral medicine can cause side effects, such as:

· nausea

· vomiting

· diarrhoea

· stomach ache

· headache

Even if you do feel these symptoms it is important that those prescribed antiviral medicine complete the course, even if symptoms of swine flu clear and you start to feel better quickly.