For example, if you want to lose weight and have been advised to exercise daily and stick to a diet plan devised for you, you can afford to skip exercising or indulge in binge eating once in awhile. This way, you lose weight gradually, whilst taking the liberty of giving in to your temptations at times, so that you don’t end up frustrated to an extent that you drop your weight loss plans completely.

The 80-20 rule is useful even in the case of addicts, who are desperately trying to give up their addiction. Thus, an alcoholic can probably stop drinking everyday and switch to drinking only on the weekends. At least this drunkard will have made a good start on his way to being healthy. In fact, even in relationships, a person who is usually gentle, caring, and loving most of the times can be pardoned if he or she loses control and sounds rude or bitter occasionally.

Being totally focused at work most of the time often wins for you the privilege of taking a few valuable breaks whenever you need them. Life is an admixture of positive as well as negative events; but so long as positivism has the upper hand, the overall picture is satisfactory. The all or none law, on the other hand, is more or less a display of mental rigidity that leaves the person and the people interacting continuously with him in a state of turbulence, at the level of the body as well as the mind. Discipline and fastidiousness have their charm so long as the individual doesn’t become an obsessive-compulsive personality.

Faulty eating habits along with a sedentary and stressful lifestyle are known to take their toll on the human body due to the accumulation of toxic substances and free radicals that trigger degenerative and autoimmune disorders, besides also dropping the immunity and inviting a number of disease-causing organisms to attack the body. Patients who have been on a lot of medications tend to suffer because of the deleterious effects of these drugs.

Under these circumstances, fasting can give rest to the gastrointestinal tract and facilitate the elimination of harmful substances through the feces, urine, sweat, and respiration. It can produce miraculous results in the case of skin diseases and gastrointestinal disorders. All the organs get stimulated to function optimally; and in the process, regeneration and repair of the body tissues takes place.

Fasting for shorter durations is recommended as long periods of fasting can prove to be dangerous. The duration and nature of the fast should be decided, depending upon the person’s age and disease. Lean patients and the elderly should never fast for more than a day at a time. While some people refrain from both food and drinks for a day (often for religious purposes), others avoid food and drink only water. However, the safest and best method is by drinking fruit or vegetable juices.

During a fast, the basal metabolic rate of the body goes up. Hence, physical and mental relaxation is a must at that time. Drinking filtered and boiled water, when thirsty during a fast, is essential to prevent any pathogens from entering the body through water. Similarly, the fruit or vegetable juices drunk during fasting must be hygienically prepared at home using potable water and should never be ordered from outside.  

Overeating immediately after a fast is broken is not advisable at all. Starting off with semisolid and bland foods, and then gradually changing to normal meals, is recommended.  One should eat slowly and chew the food properly. One must eat right and exercise regularly after fasting; or else, the very purpose of having fasted will be defeated. Always consult your doctor before going on a fast and if you experience any untoward symptoms when fasting, break your fast immediately by eating boiled vegetables and see your doctor.

Aloe vera is a popular herb with laxative, blood-cleansing, and antioxidant properties. It is an important component of a number of skin creams and is known to be useful even in the treatment of burns. Not many people know that this wonder drug can trigger intestinal obstruction and Crohn’s disease, especially in children and pregnant women. It may also interfere with the action of potassium-dependent cardiac drugs.

Garlic, a household herb that is found to be beneficial in the treatment of migraine, arthritis, allergies, and fever, is capable of increasing the heart rate, causing mouth or gastric ulcers, and leading to muscle stiffness. It is known to potentiate the action of blood-thinning medications and can, when consumed in excess, facilitate bleeding.

Another common herb ginger is efficacious in the management of high blood pressure, elevated lipid levels, and increased blood glucose. But, it also has a reputation of causing stomach irritation and increasing the bleeding time of an individual. Like garlic, it potentiates the activity of antithrombotic medicines like warfarin and aspirin.

Women suffering from perimenopausal disturbances keep popping in preparations of the evening primrose, an herb with marked decongesting, antispasmodic, and nerve-stimulating properties. However, few are aware of its ability to cause headaches, restlessness, palpitations, increased blood sugar levels, and frequent urination.

Psyllium husk, a commonly abused substance used in the prevention and treatment of constipation, is helpful in stabilizing diarrhea and lowering the blood sugar and cholesterol levels. This can be habit-forming and can also decrease or delay the absorption of ingested medicines, thereby reducing their efficacy in the treatment of a particular condition.

There are various movements involved in a typical massage, namely rubbing, kneading, tapping, vibrating, and stroking or tickling.  Each of these actions uses varying degrees of pressure and is used singly or in combination with one another over a particular part of the body or in general for a complete body massage. These days, you can find a number of gadgets and devices, both electric as well as battery-operated to massage specific areas of your body. They’re in demand because you can easily massage yourself without tiring your hands.  

Coconut oil, olive oil, mustard oil, mineral oil (liquid paraffin), and castor oil are the most popular oils used for massage purposes. However, some people also use cod liver oil and vitamin E oil for massage. While these are quite expensive, they certainly have more medical value and therefore increase the efficacy of the massage.  Excessively hairy people should never go in for rough massages as the friction involved can pull out some of the hair and lead to the formation of boils or cellulitis followed by the development of abscesses.

The Kerala herbal massages are now a health craze all over the world. Qualified Ayurvedic doctors use oils, medicated with time-tested herbs in accordance with the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia, not only to revitalize the person but also to cure a number of maladies by combining massage therapy along with other Ayurvedic treatment modalities such as Panchakarma, which is the Vedic science of detoxifying the body. 

Such massages are also known to induce good sleep in insomniacs. Abdominal massages are extremely useful in the prevention and treatment of constipation. Neck massages can help to treat cervical spondylosis and stimulate the thyroid gland. Massaging the lower back acts on the sacral plexus and relieves symptoms caused by pelvic congestion. Thus, irrespective of whether you are healthy or not, you always stand to benefit from a massage.

The modes of transmission of this virus include unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner; sharing of injecting equipment like needles, especially amongst intravenous drug users; transfusion of infected blood and blood products; transplantation of an organ donated by an infected person; use of contaminated, unsterile hospital equipment; and vertical spread from an infected mother to her unborn child. The child may also get infected during delivery or after birth by drinking infected breast milk.

HIV is an RNA virus that falls under the category of human retroviruses, which are subtypes of lentiviruses. These viruses contain an enzyme reverse transcriptase that is capable of converting viral RNA into a type of viral DNA that alters the cellular DNA of the lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells). Each HIV virus is approximately 80-120 nm in diameter and has an envelope comprising two layers of lipids that encapsulates the proteins and the RNA that form the core. This envelope has 72 spikes or knobby structures, which contain glycoproteins. Glycoprotein numbers 120 and 41 are the most important ones as they are responsible for destroying the host’s immune system.

The disease is diagnosed by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test and is then confirmed by a Western blot test. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be used to estimate the viral load, but it is not a regular investigation as it is very expensive. Dropping CD4 T-cell counts are indicative of disease progress. The time period between exposure to the virus and the development of antibodies is known as the window period. During this period, people infected with HIV do not have sufficient amounts of antibodies in their blood so as to be detected by an HIV test. This is dangerous because such people test negative for the disease in spite of being infectious.

Within a month or so of getting infected, a majority of people experience acute symptoms like fever, joint pains, muscular aches, laziness, weakness, and enlarged lymph nodes. Some of them may develop meningitis, encephalitis, or inflammation of the peripheral nerves. Generalized itching along with development of a rash is also quite common. Fungal infections are common and there is an increased tendency to suffer from tuberculosis.

HIV treatment has a four-pronged approach. Firstly, the HIV infection is treated using antiretroviral drugs; secondly, the patient’s immunity is reconstituted; thirdly, opportunistic infections and concomitant cancers are treated; and fourthly, vaccines and other prophylactic measures are used to prevent diseases that are common to that particular area. While there is no cure for AIDS as of now, appropriate medications along with a good diet and regular exercise can improve the life expectancy of a patient and also ensure a life that is close to normal.

Our immune system is constantly under attack from disease-causing organisms and toxic substances, but our defenses diligently fight back to preserve health. Nature somehow knows exactly what to do and when in most of the cases; and even in cases where it is apparently unintelligent, it is actually working hand-in-glove with destiny and the intelligent design. Although mankind is struggling to unfold all the mysteries of nature and is striving to overpower them all, his endeavors seem to be too farfetched and are bound to fail.

While overeating can lead to conditions like diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, dyspepsia, and heart disease, under-eating will lead to nutritional deficiency diseases like anemia, rickets, beri beri, marasmus, and a gamut of other diseases invited by a drop in the immunity because of either of the above mentioned conditions. Similarly, one can neither afford to sleep less or oversleep because both of these can begin a chain of events to eventually make one fall sick.

Overdoing or under-doing anything that may be essential for good health always has its set of complications lurking in the background. A joint that is overused tends to wear off earlier and undergo degenerative changes faster, whereas an unused joint undergoes fibrotic changes and turns stiff, losing its mobility partially or completely. Although modern day doctors believe that sexual excesses are harmless, all our ancient treatises emphatically declare that just as an increased appetite for food is not normal, that for sex is abnormal too and can adversely affect an individual, both physically and psychologically.     

All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy; however, the converse also holds true. A work-life balance is hard to achieve these days with most people just tolerating exploitation at their workplace for the sake of financial security for themselves and their family. It’s strange because organizations are made up of people – people who would like to strike a balance between their personal and professional lives too – but for reasons that they know better, force their employees or subordinates to live lopsided lives, spelling disaster for them, as the organization grows richer and richer. The spiritual books keep reminding us that “a man comes into this world empty-handed and will also leave this world empty-handed.” But still, money seems to be more precious than human life – that’s imbalance personified!

Anger is known to increase one’s blood pressure, cause palpitations, and trigger biochemical changes that can lead to a number of symptoms. The autonomous nervous system gets stimulated so as to cause flushing of the face, trembling of the body, and even sleeplessness. Some of the ancient treatises of medicine strongly suggest a correlation between the mind and the body. Thus, a restless mind leads to physical restlessness. Similarly, a violent or aggressive mentality tends to give rise to destructive pathologies. For example, a person with a type A personality is more prone to suffer from peptic ulcer.

People who suppress their anger all the time and choose to suffer silently actually land up with silent killers like diabetes mellitus, cancer, and a gamut of autoimmune disorders – all self-destructive! The moral of the story is therefore to change one’s attitude towards life and its vicissitudes. You need to realize that the angry man defeats himself. An angry person doesn’t think straight or logically.

The only thing that’s on an angry person’s mind is to hurt and humiliate, physically or mentally. In most cases, once a person has cooled down, he only repents for whatever he has said or done. Everyone knows that an erroneous word or act cannot be taken back and saying ‘sorry’ doesn’t make a dead man alive. So, it makes sense to think about the consequences of one’s actions before actually doing them. Whatever the case, staying in control has always been the best way out.

They are responsible for conveying a gamut of waterborne and foodborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, glanders, anthrax, hepatitis A, and gastroenteritis. It therefore makes more sense to keep them at bay rather than catch an infection and then take control measures. Taking steps to prevent their breeding is the most logical approach. For this reason, people need to stop defecating in the open. Animal excreta should immediately be disposed off and the area must be disinfected.

Garbage should not be allowed to accumulate and dustbins should have lids so as to not attract flies. Food and drinks must always be kept covered. Drainage and sewage lines should never lie open. Pouring kerosene over maggots or spraying an insecticide over an area infested with house flies can reduce their numbers and prevent them from multiplying. These days, you also have fly nets and traps to catch the flies.

However, if you don’t wish to increase your karmic load and want to avoid killing them, here’s what you can do.  Use wire-gauze screens over windows to prevent them from entering the house. See to it that your rooms are well-exposed to sunlight and properly ventilated. Have minimum furniture at home and keep all your things neatly arranged within shelves or drawers. Never clutter your rooms or gather scrap. Mop the floor of your house using water mixed with a disinfectant.

It is better to take care of our eyes well in advance before they get irrevocably damaged. Following are some useful tips to keep your eyes healthy. Wash your eyes gently every day with potable water and not tap water. Every morning, on waking up, do eye exercises to strengthen the muscles or your eyeballs as well as your pupillary muscles. Sleep adequately and preferably go to bed and wake up at a fixed time every day.

Avoid watching too much of television; and even when you do so, do not stare at the screen. Remember to blink your eyelids often. If your job profile involves working on a computer for hours together at a stretch, use an anti-glare, anti-radiation filter over your monitor screen to protect your eyes. Take regular breaks in between work. During these breaks, rub your palms against each other so as to warm them up and then place them over your eyes.

Always wear goggles when you step out of your house or office during the daytime. This will prevent your eyes from getting directly exposed to the ultraviolet radiations of the sun. If your eyes feel fatigued, place mashed cucumber over your closed eyelids. This will soothe your eyes and reduce the tiredness. If you have dark circles around your eyes, placing thin potato slices over them can help to a great extent.

Eating foods rich in zinc and vitamins A, C, and E can protect the eyes by virtue of their antioxidant properties, which prevent early degenerative changes from occurring. While carrots are a rich source of betacarotene, a precursor of vitamin A, vegetable oils and nuts are good sources of vitamin E, and citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C. Lutein (present in all dark green or orange red vegetables and fruits) and Zeaxanthin (present in oranges, spinach, and corn) are also antioxidants that are very good for the eyes.

While this may be true to some extent, it is not the whole truth. After all, one look at the health statistics of any country will reveal that the rich are equally diseased, only with different maladies perhaps. Knowing what to eat is most important. There are economical sources of nutrients, both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian, for the benefit of even those who are not financially well-off.

For example, a mango may be unaffordable for the underprivileged but not a banana. But believe or not, nutrition-wise, both the fruits are pretty close. Similarly, even someone who is just about hand-to-mouth can manage to eat one egg either every day or two to three times in a week to ensure that his or her body gets biologically complete proteins. Anemic patients who cannot spend on expensive foods like dates and apples can do well with green leafy vegetables too.

Avoiding eating at roadside stalls and drinking filtered and boiled water can drastically reduce the incidences of foodborne and waterborne diseases. Airborne diseases can be prevented by wearing masks when travelling in overcrowded areas and by covering the mouth and nose every time that one sneezes or coughs. Now, this doesn’t cost much at all. Similarly, staying away from vices such as smoking, alcoholism, and promiscuity can not only keep diseases at bay but also help one to save some money.

Hitting the gym is only a fad. A majority of people go there only to socialize or use other utilities offered there such as a steam bath, sauna, jacuzzi, or a massage. Just walking for about 45 min every day is enough to stay healthy; and if one can indulge in freehand exercises or yoga, so much the better. If a person doesn’t have the time to go for a walk, looking out for ways of exercising at home or at work can help. For example, using the stairs instead of the elevator can be great form of exercise.