Tip 35. The Surprising Causes of Leucoderma

Many wrong beliefs are prevalent about the causes of leucoderma. It is not caused by eating fish and drinking milk at the same time, as is generally believed because even vegetarians suffer from this disorder. Other food combinations such as pumpkin and milk, onion and milk as
possible causes of leucoderma also have no basis.
Leucoderma is not caused by any germs; nor is it due bad blood. It is neither infectious nor
contagious. It cannot be transmitted from one person to another by physical contact.
The main causes of leucoderma are excessive mental worry, chronic or acute gastric disorder,
impaired hepatic function such as jaundice, worms or other parasites in the alimentary canal,
ailments like typhoid which affect the gastrointestinal tract, defective perspiration mechanism
and burn injuries. Often the hormone secreting glands are involved in this disorder. Heredity is
also a causative factor and about 30 per cent of patients have a family history of the disorder.

Tip 34. Stress causes headaches

Intense emotions often cause headaches. Many people who outwardly appear to have a
pleasant disposition may actually be simmering about a job, or may bear resentment towards a
person or something. This hidden hostility may manifest itself as headache. It is important,
therefore, that negative feelings should not be bottled up, but should find some safe means of
expressions.
How can you know your headache is due to stress? The answer is simple. Tight neck muscles are a sign of stress. Pain across the forehead is a sign of stress.
What can you do to treat stress headaches. To relieve tension, add tension. Tighten the muscles at the back of the neck as you count 10, and then release. If you repeat this exercise several times, your headache will be relieved.

Tip 33. No drugs cure high blood pressure.

All drugs against hypertension without exception, are toxic and have distressing side effects.
The safest way to cure hypertension is to remove the real cause. The natural way of dealing with it is to eliminate the poisons from the system which cause it. Persons with high blood pressure should always follow a well-balanced routine of proper diet, exercise and rest.
Diet is of primary importance. Meat and eggs cause the blood pressure to rise more
than any other food. The pressure is lowered and blood clotting diminished by partaking of a
higher fruit content, lower protein and non-flesh diet. A natural diet consisting of fresh fruits and
vegetables, instead of a traditional diet, is helpful in getting rid of the poisons from the body. A
hypertension patient should start the process of healing by living on an exclusive fruit-diet for
at least a week, and take fruits at five-hourly intervals thrice in the day. Oranges, apples, pears,
mangoes, guava, pineapples, raspberry, water-melon are the best diet in such cases. Bananas
and jack fruit should not be taken. Milk may be taken after a week of "fruits only"' diet. The milk
should be fresh and should be boiled only once. The patient can be permitted cereals in his food after two weeks.

Tip 32. Meditate!

Meditation involves training the mind to remain fixed on a certain external or internal location.
All the mental faculties should be directed, without cessation, towards the object of meditation. It
can be achieved by constant practice. It will be advisable to meditate on God or Atman as one
becomes imbued with the quality of the object on which one meditates.
Meditation will help create an amount of balance in the nervous system. This would enable the glands to return to a correct state of hormonal balance and thereby overcome the feeling of depression. Regularity of time, place and practice are very important in meditation. Regularity
of practice conditions the mind to slowing down its activities. The most effective times for meditation are early dawn and dusk, when the atmosphere is serene and peaceful.

Tip 31. To avoid gout, avoid meat.

Gout was at one time considered the disease of the rich, when in the West only the rich ate meat.
The gout patient should avoid all purine and uric acid producing foods such as all meats, eggs, and fish. Glandular meats are especially harmful.
The one who has gout should also avoid all intoxicating liquors, tea, coffee, sugar, white flour and its products and all canned and processed foods. Spices and salts should be used as little as possible.

Tip 30. Low blood sugar is caused by too much sugar.

Hypoglycaemia is a condition of low blood sugars. Ironically, it is aggravated by consuming too much sugar.
Hypoglycaemia is usually caused by an excessive intake of refined carbohydrates and sugar
foods. These substances cause the pancreas, the adrenal gland and the liver to lose their ability
to handle the sugar properly. Other causes of low blood sugar are a tumour, disturbed functioning of the liver, pituitary gland or adrenal glands. Stress intensifies this condition as it weakens the adrenal glands and starts a faulty pattern of glucose intolerance.

Tip 29. Influenza is more than a viral infection.

Influenza, like all other acute diseases, is a natural attempt at self-cleansing and if rightly
treated in a natural way, immense good can ensue so far as the future health of the patient is
concerned. In the acute stage of influenza, a patient should abstain from all solid foods and only
drink fruit and vegetable juices diluted with water, 50- 50 for first three to five days, depending
on the severity of the disease. The juice fast should be continued until the temperature comes
down to normal. The warm water enema should be taken daily during this period to cleanse the
bowels.
After fever subsides the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for two or three days. In this regimen,
the patient should take three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes,
oranges, pineapple, peaches and melons at five-hourly intervals. Bananas or dried, stewed or
tinned fruits however, should not be taken. No other food stuff should be added to the fruit
meals, otherwise the value of the treatment will be lost. This may be followed by a further two or
three days on fruits and milk diet. Thereafter, the patient may adopt a well-balanced diet of three
basic food groups namely, (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetables, and (iii) fruits.
Spices and condiments, and pickles, which make food more palatal and lead to overeating,
must be avoided. Lemon juice may be used in salad dressing. Alcohol, tobacco, strong tea and
coffee, highly seasoned meats, over-boiled milk, pulses, potato, rice, cheese, refined, processed, stale, and tinned foods should all be avoided.

Tip 28. Indigestion may be caused by how you neat, not just what you eat.

The feelings of discomfort and distress in the abdomen are often caused by overeating, eating
too rapidly or not chewing properly. Overeating or eating frequently produces a feverish state in
the system and overtaxes the digestive organs. It produces excessive acid and causes the
gastric mucus membrane to become congested. Hyperacidity is usually the result.
Overeating makes the work of stomach, liver, kidneys and bowels harder. When this food putrefies, its poisons are absorbed back into the blood and consequently, the whole system is poisoned. Many people gulp their food due to stress or hurry. When food is swallowed in large chunks, the stomach has to work harder and more hydrochloride is secreted.
Eating too fast also causes one to swallow air. These bad habits force some of the digestive fluids into the oesophagus, causing burning, a stinging sensation or a sour taste, giving an illusion of stomach acid.

Tip 27. Hydrocele, The Common But Little-Known Condition of Men's Mature Years

Hydrocele is the painful swelling of the testes. It can be painlessly relieved.
Tapping (removing fluid with a long needle) is the method usually resorted to for removal of the fluid in hydrocele. This, however, does not remove the cause of the trouble but only its effects. The correct way in which the condition can be really dealt with successfully is through constitutional treatment. Such a
treatment should aim at removing the underlying toxicity of the system which is at the root of the
trouble.
The sufferer from hydrocele should begin with an exclusive fresh fruit diet for seven to ten days.
In this regimen, he should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits, such as apples, pears,
grapes, grape-fruit, oranges, pineapple, peaches, melon or any other juicy fruit in season but no
bananas or dried, stewed or tinned fruit, and no other foodstuff whatever. For drinks, lemon
water unsweetened or water either hot or cold may be taken.
If constipation is habitual, all steps should be taken for its eradication. During this period the bowels should be cleansed daily with a warm water enema.

Tip 26. Take heed of headaches. Headaches may be a symptom of hypertension.

High blood pressure can cause pounding headaches. The headache usually starts at the back of
the head on getting up in the morning. A safe method of treatment for this is to immerse your
legs to calf-level in a tub of hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. This draws the blood away from the head and down to the feet, relieving the headache.
Also helpful is the yogic practice known as pranayama. Stand erect with the feet aligned straight and touching each other. Lock the fingers together with the hands beneath the chin and keep them there through the entire exercise.
Slowly raise the arms as you inhale, filling your lungs with air. Feel the action of the breathing through your throat. Then raise your arms above your head as you lean back and exhale, all the while keeping the hands at your chin. When you completely exhale, feeling the movement of the air through your throat, lower your arms and repeat the exercise 20 times.

Tip 25. To avoid headache, avoid eyestrain.

Eyestrain is a common cause of headache. In such cases, an eye specialist should be
consulted and proper treatment taken. Simple eye exercises such as moving the eyes up and
down and from side to side, palming, rotating the head, with neck outstretched, forward and backwards three times, then three times clockwise and three times counter clockwise, can relieve eyestrain.
A surprising way to relieve eyestrain is to give gentle massage to the neck. Bring the shoulders together and release. Then take a few minutes to place a moist cool compress over the eyes to give them rest and recuperation.

Tip 24. Diet, not surgery, for kidney stones.

A majority of patients suffering from kidney stones can be treated successfully by proper dietary
regulations. These regulations will also prevent a recurrence of the symptoms. Only a few cases
require surgery.
The patient should avoid foods which irritate the kidneys, to control acidity or alkalinity of the
urine and to ensure adequate intake of fluids to prevent the urine from becoming concentrated.
The foods considered irritants to the kidneys are alcoholic beverages, condiments, pickles,
certain vegetables like cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, spinach, rhubarb, water-cress and
those with strong aroma such as asparagus, onions, beans, cabbage and cauliflower, meat, gravies, and carbonated waters.

Tip 23: Avoid medications for sleeplessness.

Sleeping pills are no remedy for sleeplessness. They are habit forming and become less
effective when taken continuously. They lower the I.Q., dull the brain and can prove fatal if taken
in excess or before or after alcohol. The side-effects of sleeping pills include indigestion, skin
rashes, lowered resistance to infection, circulatory and respiratory problems, poor appetite, high
blood pressure, kidney and liver problems and mental confusion.
To overcome the problem, one should adhere to a regular sleeping schedule, going to bed at a
fixed time each night and getting up at a fixed time each morning. Early to bed and early to rise
is a good rule. Two hours of sleep before midnight are more beneficial than four after. It is sheer
folly for students, at examination times, to keep awake until long after midnight, drinking one cup of tea after another, as that is only apt to cause blackness and inability to concentrate in the examination hall.

Tip 22. Remove morbid matter from the surface of the skin with the hot steam bath.

The steam bath is helpful in all forms of chronic toxaemias. It relieves rheumatism, gout, uric acid problems, and obesity. It also relieves neuralgias, chronic nephritis, infections, tetanus and migraine.
Steam bath is one of the most important time-tested water treatments which induces perspiration
in a most natural way. The patient, clad in minimum loin cloth or underwear, is made to sit on a
stool inside a specially designed cabinet. Before entering the cabinet, the patient should drink
one or two glasses of cold water and protect the head with a cold towel. The duration of the
steam bath is generally 10 to 20 minutes or until perspiration takes place. A cold shower should
be taken immediately after the bath.
Very weak patients, pregnant women, cardiac patients and those suffering from high blood
pressure should avoid this bath. If the patient feels giddy or uneasy during the steam bath, he or
she should be immediately taken out and given a glass of cold water and the face washed with
cold water.

Tip 21. Control and channel sexual desire with the neutral hipbath.

The quenching of unrequited sexual desire is accomplished through the neutral hipbath.
The neutral hipbath helps to relieve all acute and sub-acute inflammatory conditions such as acute catarrh of the bladder and urethra and sub-acute inflammations in the uterus, ovaries and tubes. It also relieves neuralgia of the fallopian tubes or testicles, painful spasms of the vagina and prorates of the anus and vulva. Besides, it is a sedative treatment for erotomania in both sexes.
The temperature of the water should be 32º C to 36º C. Here too, friction to the abdomen should
be avoided. This bath is generally taken for 20 minutes to an hour.

Tip 20. Enhance beauty with the mudpack.

The nature cure practitioners at present are making increasing use of mud packs of moistened earth in the treatment of diseases. The use of mud packs has been found highly beneficial and effective in the treatment of chronic inflammation caused by internal diseases, bruises, sprains, boils and wounds. Mud packs have been found to be a valuable treatment of diseases relating to general weakness or nervous disorders. It can also bring down fever and is beneficial in the treatment of scarlet fever, measles and influenza. The mud pack is prescribed for swellings, eye and ear troubles, gout, rheumatism, stomach troubles, kidney and liver malfunctions, diphtheria, neuralgia, sexual disorders, headache, toothache and general aches and pains. This mode of treatment is normally adopted in conjunction with a proper scheme of dietary and other natural therapies.
The advantage of mud treatment is that it is able to retain moisture and coolness for longer
periods than cold water packs or compresses. The cold moisture in the mud packs relaxes the
pores of the skin, draws the blood into the surface, relieves inner congestion and pain, promotes
heat radiation and elimination of morbid matter.
A mud pack is prepared with clay obtained from about ten cm below the surface of the earth,
after ensuring that it does not contain any impurities such as compost or pebbles. The clay is
then made into a smooth paste with warm water. This is allowed to cool and then spread on a
strip of cloth, the size of which may vary according to requirements. The dimensions of the pack
meant for application on the abdomen are generally 20 cm x 10 cm x 2.5 cm for adults. The mud bandage, after being placed on the body, should be covered with flannel or other protective material. The pack is applied for 10 to 30 minutes.
Hot and cold applications are useful in relieving chronic pains, intestinal cramps and lumbago.
Alternate application helps to relieve discomfort caused by flatulence and intestinal obstructions.
It is also helpful in amoebiasis, colitis, enteritis and other inflammatory conditions of bacterial
origin.

Tip 19. Use the mud bath to remove impurities.

The mud or clay bath is another mode of the nature cure. It is applied in the same way as mud packs, but only on a larger scale on the entire body.
In this, mud or clay is first ground and sifted to remove all impurities, and then made into a smooth paste mixed with hot water. The paste is then spread on a sheet that in turn is wrapped round the body. One or two blankets are then wrapped over this, depending on the temperature of the room and that of the pack. A mud bath is followed with a cleansing warm water bath and a short cold shower.
The mud bath is found to tone up the skin by increasing the circulation and energising the skin
tissues. Frequent mud baths help to improve the complexion, clear spots and patches on the
skin following skin disorders or due to smallpox. It is very beneficial in the treatment of skin
diseases like psoriasis, leucoderma and every leprosy. This bath is also valuable in getting relief from rheumatic pain or pain in the joints caused by injuries.
The duration of the bath should be from 30 minutes to one hour. Care should also be
taken to avoid the patient catching a chill during the bath. Mud applications also form a vital part
of natural beauty treatment.

Tip 18. The hot immersion bath is a valuable treatment in chronic rheumatism and obesity

It gives immediate relief when there is pain due to stones in the gall bladder and the kidneys. This bath also relieves capillary bronchitis and bronchial pneumonia in children. It relieves congestion of the lungs and activates the blood vessels of the skin muscles.
This bath can be taken from two to 15 minutes at a temperature from 36.6º C to 40º C. Generally
this bath is started at 37ºC and the temperature is then gradually raised to the required level by
adding hot water.
Before entering the bath, the patient should drink cold water and also wet the head, neck and shoulders with cold water. A cold compress should be applied throughout the treatment. This bath can be advantageously employed in dropsy when there is excessive loss of tone of the heart and blood. The bath should be terminated as soon as the skin becomes red.
In pneumonia and suppressed menstruation, the bath should be administered at 37.7º C to 40º C
for about 30 to 45 minutes. This bath should be given when the menstruation is due and may be
repeated for two to three days in succession. In dysmenorrhoea, this bath should be given at
38º C to 44.4º C for 15 minutes.
In chronic bronchitis a very hot bath taken for 5 to 7 minutes should be accompanied with
rubbing and friction. This relieves congestion of the mucous membrane and provides immediate
relief. After the bath, oil should be applied to the skin if necessary. The hot bath should not be
taken in cases of organic diseases of the brain or spinal cord, nor in cases of cardiac weakness
or cardiac hypertrophy.

Tip 17. A hot hipbath helps to relieve painful menstruation, pain in the pelvic organs, painful urination, inflamed rectum or bladder and painful piles.

It also benefits enlarged prostate gland, painful contractions or spasm of the bladder, sciatica, neuralgia of the ovaries and bladder.
This bath is generally taken for eight to 10 minutes at a water temperature of 40º C to 45ºC. The
bath should start at 40º C. The temperature should be gradually increased to 45 º C. NO friction
should be applied to the abdomen. Before entering the tub, the patient should drink one glass of
cold water. A cold compress should be placed on the head. A cold shower bath should be taken
immediately after the hot hipbath.
Care should be taken to prevent the patient from catching a chill after the bath. The bath should
be terminated if the patient feels giddy or complains of excessive pain.

Tip 16. A simple nature cure is the hot footbath.

In this method, the patient should keep his or her legs in a tub or bucket filled with hot water at a
temperature of 40ºC to 45ºC. Before taking this bath, a glass of water should be taken and the
body should be covered with a blanket so that no heat or vapour escapes from the footbath.
The head should be protected with a cold compress. The duration of the bath is generally from 5
to 20 minutes. The patient should take a cold shower immediately after the bath.
The hot footbath stimulates the involuntary muscles of the uterus, intestines, bladder and other
pelvic and abdominal organs. It also relieves sprains and ankle joint pains, headaches caused
by cerebral congestion, and colds. In women, it helps restore menstruation, if suspended, by
increasing supply of blood especially to the uterus and ovaries.

Why is Weight Loss Important?

If you are happy with your weight, you belong to the minority of people in the world, but should be applauded for your positive outlook on your life and your body. However, weight loss still may be needed. Many people who are overweight say that they are happy with their bodies, but the fact remains that weight loss in order to achieve a healthy weight is very important. There are a number of reasons you should consider weight loss, even if you don’t mind having a few extra pounds.

First a foremost, if you are overweight, you are at risk for a number of diseases. The main health risk you will probably experience is heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack. Many heart attacks are deadly. Heart disease develops when you heart has to work extra hard to pump the blood to the body, which causes it to become fatigued. This can occur simply because you are overweight, or can be a result of high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Along with heart disease, having high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can also put you at risk for a stroke. Strokes occur when blood, and therefore oxygen, cannot reach the brain. This can happen due to high cholesterol. When you have high cholesterol, the fatty deposits build up on your artery walls. If a piece of this plaque breaks off and travels to the heart, it causes a heart attack, and traveling to the brain causes a stroke.

Being overweight is also bad for women who wish to become pregnant. When you’re overweight, the hormones in your body are changing, and if you don’t get the right nutrients you may find that your body does not produce the right chemicals for the hormones needed to ovulate or carry a child. Even if you become pregnant, being overweight puts you at risk for a miscarriage or health problems with the baby.

Beyond the health world, being overweight can also affect your daily life. You may find it difficult to purchase clothing in your size or you may find that the clothing that does come in larger sizes is more expensive. This is simply due to the manufacturer need more material to make the same article of clothing. Problems extend beyond shopping when doing things like visiting theme parks, where you may not be able to ride all of the rides, or using public transportation, where you may feel crowded in seats made for smaller people. Losing weight, even if you are currently happy with your own weight, is always a healthy and smart option, until you reach a normal weight.

Tip 15. The Epsom salt bath is useful

The Epsom salt bath is useful in cases of sciatica, lumbago, rheumatism, diabetes, neuritis, cold and catarrh, kidney disorders and other uric acid and skin affections.
The immersion bathtub should be filled with about 135 litres of hot water at 40ºC. One to 1 1/2
kg of Epsom salt should be dissolved in this water. The patient should drink a glass of cold
water, cover the head with a cold towel and then lie down in the tub, completely immersing the
trunk, thighs and legs for 15 to 20 minutes. The best time to take this bath is just before retiring
to bed.

Tip 14. The cold hipbath is a routine treatment in most diseases.

The water temperature should be 10ºC to 18ºC. The duration of the bath is usually 10 minutes,
but in specific conditions it may vary from one minute to 30 minutes. If the patient feels cold or is
very weak, a hot foot immersion should be given with the cold hipbath.
The patient should rub the abdomen briskly from the navel downwards and across the body with
a moderately coarse wet cloth. The legs, feet and upper part of the body should remain
completely dry during and after the bath. The patient should undertake moderate exercise like
yogasanas in a warm room, after the cold hipbath, to warm the body.
A cold hipbath is a versatile therapy. It relieves constipation, indigestion, and
Obesity, and helps the eliminative organs to function properly. It is also helpful in uterine
problems like irregular menstruation, chronic uterine infections, pelvic inflammation, piles,
hepatic congestion, chronic congestion of the prostate gland, seminal weakness, impotency,
sterility, uterine and ovarian displacements, dilation of the stomach and colon, diarrhoea,
dysentery, haemorrhage of the bladder and so on. The cold hipbath should not be employed in
acute inflammations of the pelvic and abdominal organs, ovaries and in painful contractions of
the bladder, rectum, or vagina.

Tip 13. A simple nature cure for inflammatory conditions is the cold footbath.

Three to four inches of cold water at a temperature of 7.2 ºC to 12.7º C should be placed in a
small tub or bucket. The feet should be completely immersed in the water for one to five
minutes. Friction should be continuously applied to the feet during the bath, either by an
attendant or by the patient by rubbing one foot against the other.
A cold footbath, taken for one or two minutes, relieves cerebral congestion and uterine
haemorrhage. It also helps in the treatment of sprains, strains and inflamed bunions when taken
for longer periods. It should not be taken in cases of inflammatory conditions of the
genitourinary organs, liver and kidneys.

Tip 12. Hydrotherapy, the treatment of disease with the bath, is one of the most useful nature cures.

The hipbath is one of the most useful forms of hydrotherapy. As the name suggests, this mode
of treatment involves only the hips and the abdominal region below the navel. A special type of
tub is used for the purpose. The tub is filled with water in such a way that it covers the hips and
reaches up to the navel when the patient sits in it. Generally, four to six gallons of water are
required. If the special tub is not available, a common tub may be used. A support may be
placed under one edge to elevate it by two or three inches. Hipbath is given in cold, hot, neutral
or alternate temperatures.
IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS:
Certain precautions are necessary while taking these therapeutic baths. Full baths should be
avoided within three hours after a meal and one hour before it. Local baths like the hipbath and
footbath may, however, be taken two hours after a meal. Clean and pure water must be used
for baths and water once used should not be used again. While taking baths, temperature and
duration should be strictly observed to obtain the desired effects. A thermometer should always
be used to measure the temperature of the body. Women should not take any of the baths
during menstruation. They can take only hipbaths during pregnancy till the completion of the
third month.

Tip 11. (Basic Healing Principles) Fasting Is a Time of Rest

Fasting is a time of rest.
A lot of energy is spent during the fast in the process of eliminating accumulated poisons and toxic waste materials. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that the patients gets as much physical rest and mental relaxation as possible during the fast.
In cases of fasts in which fruit juices are taken, especially when fresh grapes, oranges or grapefruit are used exclusively, the toxic wastes enter the blood -stream rapidly, resulting in an overload of toxic matter, which affects normal bodily functions. This often results in dizzy spells, followed by diarrhoea and vomiting. If this physical reaction persists, it is advisable to discontinue the fast and take cooked vegetables containing adequate roughage such as spinach and beets until the body functioning returns to normal.
The overweight person finds it much easier to go without food. Loss of weight causes no fear
and the patient's attitude makes fasting almost a pleasure. The first day's hunger pangs are
perhaps the most difficult to bear.
The craving for food will, however, gradually decrease as the fast progresses. Seriously sick persons have no desire for food and fasting comes naturally to them. The simplest rule is to stop eating until the appetite returns or until one feels completely well.

Tip 10 (Basic Healing Principles) Control Pain with Heat

For relieving pain, use the hot compress.
This is a cold compress covered in such a manner as to bring warmth. A heating compress
consists of three or four folds of linen cloth wrung out in cold water which is then covered
completely with dry flannel or blanket to prevent the circulation of air and help accumulation of
body heat.
The hot compress sometimes applied for several hours. The duration of the application is
determined by the extent and location of the surface involved, the nature and thickness of the
coverings and the water temperature. After removing the compress, the area should be rubbed
with a wet cloth and then dried with a towel.
A heating compress can be applied to the throat, chest, abdomen, and joints. A throat compress relieves sore throat, hoarseness, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis. An abdominal compress helps those suffering from gastritis, hyperacidity, indigestion, jaundice, constipation, diarrhoea, dysentery and other ailments relating to the abdominal organs. The chest compress also known as chest pack, relieves colds, bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, fever, cough and so on, while the joints compress is helpful for inflamed joints, rheumatism, rheumatic fever and sprains.