It’s That Old Bacteria Magic
When people with seasonal allergies drank a daily probiotic beverage as part of a research study, good things happened. Their immune systems produced less of the substances that set off allergy symptoms and more of the ones that control them. And that, of course, could translate into much-hopedfor allergy relief.

More Allergy Stuffers
Along with getting more healthy bacteria into your diet (from yogurt and other fermented milk products, for example), here are a couple of other off-thebeaten-path options for sneezing less:

• Ask about herbs. The science isn’t conclusive yet, but butterbur shows promise.
• For really reliable relief, go with triedand-true symptom soothers like allergy meds and avoiding your triggers.

Using Milk: Milk has been found valuable in tonsillitis. A glass of pure boiled milk, mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder and pepper powder, should be taken every night for three nights in the treatment of this condition. It will bring beneficial results.

Using Vegetable Juices: Juices of carrot, beet, and cucumber, taken individually or in combination, are especially beneficial. The formula proportion recommended, when used in combination is 300 ml of carrot juice, 100 ml of beet juice, and 100 ml of cucumber juice.

More Blood, Please

Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s. It’s the nosedive that memory and other cognitive functions can take when ailing blood vessels restrict — and sometimes block — the flow of blood to the brain. But because exercise — even mild exercise like walking — increases cerebral blood flow, it may shrink the risk.

Other Brain Savers

People with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol up their odds of vascular dementia, so controlling those conditions is a start toward staying sharp. Here are a few other brain boosters to try: Drink up! (Juice, that is.). Slim down. Get your BMI under 25. Pop the right pills. Vitamin E and a daily aspirin are a good start.

The 3 Cs

What, exactly, do these snacks have that others might not? The three Cs: carbs, curcumin, and caffeine. A carb-rich snack like cereal can help you overcome fatigue by restoring glycogen — that stuff your muscles use for energy. Curcumin, a substance found in the spice turmeric, may help quell muscle inflammation. And caffeine from coffee may help block muscle-painproducing substances. Coffee has other health benefits, too.

More Pain-Free-Exercise Tips

Warm up first. Learn the step-by-step way to do it. Stretch, stretch, and stretch some more.
Take an aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug two hours before heavy physical activity (if your doctor says it’s okay). Also try to find out from your doctor which pain relievers are best for any postworkout pain.

Don’t diet. Dieting means depriving yourself of nourishment and pleasure. Dieting and deprivation are powerful triggers of binge eating.

Make sure that every day you spend time with friends and loved ones — in person is best; phone and e-mail can substitute, but only once in a while.

Take the classic, curling up with a pint of ice cream. It’s a total backfire. Why? Sweets are insidious: After the initial rush, the body’s insulin response kicks in, causing a sudden blood-sugar drop that triggers the release of stress hormones. Soon you’re feeling more jangled than you were before you ate that whole container of ice-cream. And alcohol, of course, is a wolfish stimulant in calm sheep’s clothing. But true comfort foods do exist. Check them out:

Berries, any berries. Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure’s on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won’t have a blood-sugar crash. The bonus: They’re a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in cortisol, a stress hormone.

Avocados. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which deplete stress quickly, which is of course needed by your body in order to maintain nerves and brain cells. Scoop up the stuff with wholegrain baked chips —crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.

Mixed nuts. Just a few grams will do. Walnuts help replace those stress-depleted B vitamins, and almonds boost your E, which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multitasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you’re releasing a little tension.

Oranges. People who take 1,000 milligrams of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressures than those who don’t. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind, and you’ll get a bunch of C as well.

Asparagus. Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood lightener. Dip the spears in fatfree yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.

Tea. A warm drink is a supersoother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic tea can make the whole evil day go away. Dark chocolate. Okay, there’s nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that’s at least 70 per cent cocoa. You must realise that if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, then they’ve got to be able enough to temper tension’s effects.

Here’s how you can:

Keep a check on your diet to ensure that you’re not ingesting large amounts of caffeine within a few hours of retiring.

Try to cut back on the pace of your physical activity at least one hour before retiring.

It is better to refuse to participate in any disturbing or stimulating discussions in the last hour before retiring for the night. Don’t watch the news just before going to bed.

Take a calming, satisfying book to bed. Get under the covers and read lying on your back.

Try to play a relaxation tape at bedside. Some are recorded just for this purpose or choose your own from the easy-listening section of your music-store.

Select a pleasant, satisfying fantasy to run through in your mind once the lights go out. Keep searching for one that works consistently for you.

Don’t think about going to sleep; focus on getting as cozy and as comfortable as you can in bed.

After lying in bed for thirty minutes without falling asleep, get up and do something relaxing. Then return to bed for a fresh start.

But if your problem is serious, and all the above tips do not work, take an appointment at the sleep disorder clinic at the nearest medical centre as soon as possible.

Grated cucumber applied over the affected areas for 15-20 minutes has been found to be effective especially for the skin on the face. Regular application prevents dryness of the skin.

Applying the juice of fresh mint every night on affected areas of the skin can help prevent dryness. It is also a suggested remedy for eczema and dermatitis.

Honey, olive oil and a mixture of turmeric and sandalwood paste are very effective in rejuvenating dry, parched skin

 If you’re not sure of your toothbrushing technique, ask your dentist or dental hygienist for pointers at your next visit. The classic approach is to divide your mouth into four sections — upper left and right, lower left and right — and spend about 30 seconds on the teeth in each area, then lightly brush along the gum line and over the tongue.

No sense of time? Suspect you’re overdoing it? Try an electric toothbrush. Many now have built-in timers, and some also come with sensors that automatically turn the brush off when too much pressure is applied.

Your body needs all three food energy sources to function properly: carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Diets that restrict certain food groups to less than recommended amounts may deprive you of important vitamins and nutrients. For example, diets that strictly limit carbohydrate intake may rob you of the important B vitamins, selenium, magnesium, and fibre found in whole-grain foods or the disease-fighting carotenoids and flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables. For optimum health, stick to carbohydrates that raise blood sugar levels slowly, such as oatmeal, brown rice, barley, and whole-grain breads and cereals. Steer clear of highglycemic index carbs, such as white rice, and cookies, cakes, bread, and pasta made from white flour, which tend to cause unsteady spikes in blood sugar levels.