Dealing with Head Lice

Head lice infestation or Pediculosis is a common contagious disease of childhood caused by a parasitic insect called Pediculus humanus capitis that feeds on human blood to survive. School children obliviously pass on the disease to their friends by head-to-head contact while playing. The parasite also travels from the scalp of one person to another by sharing combs, headphones, bed linen, towels, hats, brushes, etc. Itching is the most common symptom of pediculosis which is caused by an allergic reaction to the louse saliva. A person infested with head lice will have tiny lice eggs called nits at the base of the hair shaft nearest to the scalp which should not be misinterpreted as dandruff.

Treatment & Prevention

• The wet combing or bug-busting method is an effective home remedy to dispel the lice and the nits from the scalp. Wash your hair with shampoo and soak in hair conditioner. With the help of a fine toothed nit comb you can remove the lice and nits from your hair. But this must be repeated for a few days until the scalp is clear from lice.


• Lice medications like pediculicide can be applied on the hair to destroy the parasites. The chemicals and insecticides prescribed in the form of lotions might be toxic and so strictly adhere to the label instructions on the product while using them.


• Vinegar is considered as a natural home remedy for head louse. Just wash your hair with vinegar and comb off the dead particles. Coconut oil and tea tree oil are other useful oils to get rid of head lice.


• Apply mayonnaise on the scalp, gently massage your head to choke out the lice infestation and comb off the dead particles.


• Cropping your hair will not help alleviate pediculosis because the lice and the nits notoriously cling to the base of the hair.


• Proper hygiene and cleanliness will safeguard our children form lice infestation. Clothing, bed linens and towels must be disinfected by washing them in hot water. Soak the combs and brushes in hot water and wash them with soap to disinfect them.

Oral health

A beautiful smile can be the best interface you present to the world in order to initiate communication with anyone. Our mouth needs attention and care like all other parts in our body. Despite proper brushing, flossing and rinsing routines you might be oblivious to certain problems that can arise in your mouth. Cavities can occur in the back teeth due to faulty flossing techniques. You need to wrap the floss around each tooth, slide it under the gum and floss as if you were shining a shoe. Oral cancer can be due to accumulation of toxins on your tongue in the long run. Also take good care of the interior of your bottom lip to prevent the occurrence of canker sores. While brushing make sure that you don't hurt the gum by unidirectional brushing i.e. from the gum downwards. Plaque can form on your teeth owing to the salivary action and a good tip to hinder them is to munch raisins. By attending to these issues you can deliver that picture perfect smile everyday.

Herbal answer for GI disorders

Japanese herbal medicines have been declared as effective against gastrointestinal symptoms based on a new study about the herbal effect on diseases like dyspepsia, constipation and post-operative ileus. There has been a gradual positive shift in people's outlook towards herbal and natural medicines and therapies in recent times. It has become a cliche that a disease which was previously declared incurable by a particular medical system shall be easily treated by another system. Now the Japanese researchers have tasted success in treating GI problems. Rikkunshi-to is a combination of 8 crude herbs that is proved effective against functional dyspepsia. A mixture named Dai-Kenchu-to is advocated for constipation and post-operative ileus. Consumption of hangeshasin-to can rescue persons suffering from diarrhea. Plant extracts form the backbone of several traditional and highly successful Indian medicinal systems like Siddha, Ayurveda and Unani. Many of these medical practices are devoid of any side-effect for the patient unlike the conventional drugs used in English medicine. So it is high time the western world takes notice of the Asian herbal values and work together towards the well-being of mankind. Herbal medicine may still not be potent enough to replace the fast action drugs but they can certainly augment English medicines and also cure many chemically incurable diseases.

Dark circles under eyes

Eye is the most beautiful organ in our body. Unfortunately some of us have dark areas beneath our eyes that will spoil the splendor of our face. There are several medical reasons behind the appearance of these eye circles. There are certain simple solutions available to get rid of these dark circles. First of all we should realize the importance of consuming atleast 3 litres of water daily. It will help cleaning up the skin tissues. Applying Cucumber slices over the eyes will relax your eyes and give a refreshing experience to your eyes. Mixing almond oil with honey and applying the mixture on the affected areas will improve the surface effectively. Placing tea bags on top of your eyes will also help in curing dark circles. Another useful treatment is the application of the mixture of mint leaves and lemon juice on the dark areas.

Turmeric Action

The mystery behind the magical curative properties of turmeric has reached an important milestone. In a country like India people traditionally use turmeric for mundane health issues. People apply turmeric paste to cure wounds and women use it to enhance their beauty. Turmeric is also one of the vital ingredients in South Indian cooking because of its medicinal values. Turmeric has a multitude of antioxidant, antibiotic, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties which can be attributed to the presence of a compound called curcumin in it. Researchers are mainly interested in the interaction between curcumin and human cells. An Indian-American scientist has demystified curcumin activity with a technique called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. He inferred that curcumin doesn't interact directly with cell membrane but rather it indirectly influences the membrane proteins. Continued research in this area might aid in developing potential turmeric based cure for numerous infections and diseases.

Fish for healthy vision

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease of adulthood where the macula area of the retina undergoes disintegration. This results in vision degradation and it is one of the leading causes of blindness among the elderly. AMD is of two types namely wet and dry. Wet AMD is mainly responsible for vision loss. A recent study conducted in Europe has confirmed the myths of our ancestors and that is consuming fish prevents wet AMD and therefore vision loss also. The subjects were investigated based on their food habits and the type of fish they eat. The results were tabulated and analyzed in detail. It was revealed that persons who ate oily fish habitually are more likely not to have the wet AMD disease. But consuming non-oily white fishes had no impact on vision and AMD. Oily fish contains the prime Omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA which are good for heart and vision. Studies conducted in America and Australia earlier had also presented similar results. Some of the oily fishes are salmon, tuna and mackerel. So what are you waiting for. Go fishing or shopping and bring home the best Pisces.