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Saturday, February 23, 2008

Confessions of a Kid

Little Bobby came into the kitchen where his mother was making dinner. His birthday was coming up and he thought this was a good time to tell his mother what he wanted.

"Mom, I want a bike for my birthday."

Little Bobby was a bit of a troublemaker. He had gotten into trouble at school and at home. Bobby's mother asked him if he thought he deserved to get a bike for his birthday. Little Bobby, of course, thought he did. Bobby's mother wanted Bobby to reflect on his behavior over the last year.

"Go to your room, Bobby, and think about how you have behaved this year. Then write a letter to God and tell him why you deserve a bike for your birthday."

Little Bobby stomped up the steps to his room and sat down to write God a letter.

Letter 1
Dear God,

I have been a very good boy this year and I would like a bike for my birthday. I want a red one.

Your friend,
Bobby

Bobby knew that this wasn't true. He had not been a very good boy this year, so he tore up the letter and started over.


Letter 2
Dear God,

This is your friend Bobby. I have been a good boy this year and I would like a red bike for my birthday. Thank you.

Your friend,
Bobby

Bobby knew that this wasn't true either. So, he tore up the letter and started again.

Letter 3
Dear God,

I have been an OK boy this year. I still would really like a bike for my birthday.

Bobby

Bobby knew he could not send this letter to God either. So, Bobby wrote a fourth letter.

Letter 4
God,

I know I haven't been a good boy this year. I am very sorry. I will be a good boy if you just send me a bike for my birthday.

Please! Thank you,

Bobby

Bobby knew, even if it was true, this letter was not going to get him a bike. Now, Bobby was very upset. He went downstairs and told his mom that he wanted to go to church. Bobby's mother thought her plan had worked, as Bobby looked very sad.

"Just be home in time for dinner", Bobby's mother told him.

Bobby walked down the street to the church on the corner. Little Bobby went into the church and up to the altar. He looked around to see if anyone was there. Bobby bent down and picked up a statue of the Mary. He slipped the statue under his shirt and ran out of the church, down the street, into the house, and up to his room. He shut the door to his room and sat down with a piece of paper and a pen. Bobby began to write his letter to God.

Letter 5
God,

I'VE KIDNAPPED YOUR MAMA. IF YOU WANT TO SEE HER AGAIN, SEND THE
BIKE!!!!!!

Click Fraud Keeps Rising, Up 15 percent in 2007

click-fraud-chart-1.pngClick Forensics has some data out on click fraud (clicks on Internet ads that are not real) in the fourth quarter of 2007 and for the full year. The industry-wide average click fraud rate for the entire year went up 15 percent, ending the year with 16.6 percent of all clicks on Web ads being fraudulent. The click fraud rate for search engine ad networks alone, including Google AdSense and Yahoo Publisher Network, grew even more. That was up 47 percent in the fourth quarter, ending the year with a 28.3 percent click fraud rate. According to this data, nearly one out of every three clicks on a Google or Yahoo ad is fraudulent.

While the year-over-year growth is cause for concern, the click fraud rates remained pretty steady compared to the third quarter of 2007, when the overall click fraud rate was 16.2 percent and the search-engine click fraud rate was 28.1 percent (see charts above). One quarter does not make a trend, but could the click fraud rate be leveling off? One can hope. If Google can ever get that rate to actually go down, maybe its stock will shoot up again.

Click Forensics also published the handy heat map below showing the countries where the most click fraud is originating. (Red is bad, green is benign). The biggest sources of click fraud are India (4.3 percent), Germany (3.9 percent), and South Korea (3.7 percent). Mexico is also in the red.

Source

DTV study: Most broadcasters are ready, most consumers aren't

According to recent survey results, most consumers are still virtually clueless about the upcoming DTV transition. More importantly, perhaps, it appears a lot of broadcasters won't even be ready for it either.

Although an unspecified percentage of broadcasters think they'll be ready for the nationwide transition to digital TV a year from now, most consumers are still in the dark about what will -- or what won't -- be happening on their TV screens.

That's the general upshot of two recent surveys on the subject of DTV migration.

As every BetaNews reader should know by now, on February 19, 2008, all television broadcasters in the US are supposed to put an end to their analog TV broadcasts and transmitting digital TV signals on newly allocated frequencies.

In a written statement released today, Harris Corporation -- a major producer of TV equipment and other electronics -- said that, according to results of a recent survey, "U.S. broadcasters expect to meet this major milestone as part of their ongoing transition."

Also, although no timetables were provided, Harris' press release spells out the exact percentages of broadcasters planning to provide consumers with more HDTV content (66%), as well as programming over cell phones and other handheld devices (28%), for example.

Curiously, however, the news release fails to specify how many of the broadcasters surveyed believe they'll be able to meet next year's milestone, and press contacts listed on the release were initially unavailable to answer questions on this key point.

Meanwhile, at industry events such as the recent Sports Video Gameplan (SVG) Summit, some experts have called into question the ability of smaller TV broadcasters, in particular, to enable their facilities right now for HDTV and other manifestations of DTV.

It's abundantly clear from results of another study, produced by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, that most consumers aren't really prepared yet to make the switch to DTV anyway, regardless of what the broadcasters do.
On January 30, Consumer Reports made the startling observation that "seventy-four percent of respondents who said they were ready for the upcoming transition had serious misceptions of its impact."

Moreover, according to Consumer Reports' survey data (PDF available here) 28% of consumers who will have at least one TV affected by the upcoming transition are not aware of it at all.

A number of different misconceptions are running rampant among those who do know about the broadcasters' conversion from analog to digital, according to Consumer Reports' findings. For instance, only 55% of consumers with at least one analog TV think they will be impacted by the change. Nearly one-quarter of them, or 24%, believe that everyone will have to "throw away their analog sets."

More than half of this group (58%) believe that all TVs wil need a conversion box to function properly -- a misconception almost as prevalent, at 51%, among a smaller segment of consumers who have only digital TVs in their households.

Source

Bush grants funding to states for Real ID initiative

President Bush has apparently acquiesced to Congress' and governors' demands to assist in funding the Real ID initiative, with the appropriation of an additional $110 million in grants to assist in the upgrade of driver's licenses.

The Real ID project is aimed at developing a better system for identification when used as a method to gain entrance to federal facilities. This is seen as a counter-terrorism measure since it will ostensibly make it harder to fool the system with forged IDs.

Under the statute, states must begin the transition process by December 31, 2009, and have it completed within four years. The budget request also includes $50 million to continue development of information sharing systems to make the Real ID effort more effective.

However before this, the Bush Administration has failed to provide much in the way of funding to assist in the transition, leaving states to foot much of the bill. Governors claim in the first five years, the states could collectively spend as much as $11 billion to re-enroll all 245 million licensed drivers, plus approximately $1 billion in start up costs.

So far, calls for financial assistance have gone unheeded. $50 million in grants were set aside for Real ID in December though an appropriations bill, but that still pales in comparison to what will actually be needed. The grants requested as part of the annual federal budget mark the first time that President Bush himself has acknowledged that existing federal funding for the program may have been inadequate.

It is not yet clear how this latest request will affect the overall effort, as Congress pushes back against the whole program. As reported in our previous coverage, Sen. Daniel Akaka (D - Hawaii) has already introduced a bill to repeal it altogether, which has gained support from both sides of the aisle.

Said Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) last March: "The flaws of Real ID are fundamental, and are slowly being realized by observers across the country," and that a single driver's license pattern could have the reverse affect, actually making it easier for counterfeiters to make copies of licenses.

Source

Google's founder steps up the rhetoric against Microsoft + Yahoo

The possible creation of a large, controlling entity on the Internet capable of driving traffic through specific routes, is "unnerving" to the founder of the Web's principal destination.

A casual statement to reporters yesterday by Google founder Sergey Brin has many wondering whether his company is preparing itself for legal combat against a possible Microsoft + Yahoo combination, should Microsoft's plan to sway Yahoo shareholders' opinion against that of its board of directors gain traction.The Associated Press cites Brin as stating yesterday during a press event, "The Internet has evolved from open standards, having a diversity of companies. And when you start to have companies that control the operating system, control the browsers, they really tie up the top Web sites, and can be used to manipulate stuff in various ways. I think that's unnerving."

BetaNews confirmed the AP's citation of Brin's comment yesterday with Google's press office, which also stated the context in which the AP recited the comment -- the Microsoft bid for Yahoo -- was also accurate.

Two days after the Microsoft bid earlier this month, Google chief counsel David Drummond made his company's official views on the subject clear. "Could the acquisition of Yahoo allow Microsoft -- despite its legacy of serious legal and regulatory offenses -- to extend unfair practices from browsers and operating systems to the Internet?" Drummond asked rhetorically. "In addition, Microsoft plus Yahoo equals an overwhelming share of instant messaging and web e-mail accounts. And between them, the two companies operate the two most heavily trafficked portals on the Internet. Could a combination of the two take advantage of a PC software monopoly to unfairly limit the ability of consumers to freely access competitors' e-mail, IM, and Web-based services? Policymakers around the world need to ask these questions -- and consumers deserve satisfying answers."

Brin made his comment on the same day media analysis firm comScore reported that Google continues to supply about 58.5% of US-based Web searches, with over 6.1 billion queries.

Source

US Cellular joins the ranks of carriers with unlimited calling plans

US Cellular is the latest mobile phone service provider to introduce an unlimited national calling plan, as the company officially introduced a $99 plan that will soon be available to its six million users in 26 states.

In addition to the $99 unlimited national calling plan, US Cellular also announced a $14.95 unlimited text messaging plan as well as a $9.95 unlimited data package plan.

The phone provider already has a $69.94 per month plan that offers 900 anytime minutes, unlimited "easyedge" wireless data access, unlimited incoming calls, unlimited nights and weekend minutes that start at 7 pm, incoming text and picture messages for free, along with free activation.

But US Cellular may not offer unlimited data and phone minutes together, so just how many customers may be excited by this new offer is uncertain. The carrier says it will provide further details on the new plan soon.

Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile also introduced unlimited calling plans earlier in the week, igniting a new discount battle. AT&T's unlimited calling plan has officially taken effect, while similar plans from Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile will go into effect soon. Sprint offers an unlimited package that bundles voice, text, and data for $119 per month, but hasn't offered the promotion to many of its markets.

Now that users have similar unlimited domestic calling plans to choose from, they're paying more attention to the speed of the carriers' networks and their data coverage options, rather than just their voice minutes options alone.

Source

In Portland, Oregon, another city-wide Wi-Fi network bites the dust

In the latest of a lengthening string of failures in city-wide wireless projects across the US, MetroFi of Mountain View, CA has reportedly stopped work on a project in Portland, Oregon.

After installing 590 functional wireless access points (APs) in Portland, MetroFi has asked the city to provide $9 million in public funds to finish the job with an additional 2,000-or-so APs. Another MetroFi customer, the city of Toledo, Ohio, decided last June to sell its municipal wireless project to Cincinatti Bell, after the wireless provider asked municipal government to kick in $2.16 million on the project over the ensuing five years.

Yet MetroFi is hardly the only municipal Wi-Fi provider to be running into problems these days. For example, a city-wide network in San Jose, CA -- under implementation by Wireless Silicon Valley -- is likewise stalled.

Meanwhile, last fall, EarthLink decided to exit the municipal Wi-Fi business entirely, after trying to deploy its "Feather" wireless broadband service across at least thirteen cities.

"We will not devote any new capital to the old municipal wireless model that has us taking all the risks. In my judgment, it's simply unworkable," said EarthLink CEO Rolla P. Huff, in a written statement last November.

During a financial conference call earlier this month, Huff said that, by the end of December, 2007, EarthLink had decided to sell off its wireless assets. The failures seem to be happening regardless of the carrier's revenue model.

MetroFi and Wireless Silicon Valley have both been trying to create networks that provide free wireless access to city residents. But in the case of MetroFi, at least, the access is only free to residents who agree to view online ads in exchange. Other residents can also gain access, but only at a price.

Both these companies have found it tough or even impossible to get the funding needed to build out the networks from either private investors such as venture capitalists or municipal governments. For MetroFi, the hoped for ad revenues have proven elusive.

EarthLink, on the other hand, had been charging subscribers for their choice of either a monthly or hourly access plan.

The strategy behind "Feather" revolved around undercutting the pricing of traditional broadband networks, such as cable. But Feather ran into some technical troubles that raised costs. In Anaheim, for example, the Feather receivers reportedly wouldn't work at all in places where the walls were too thick.

Beyond that, extra receivers needed to be installed in buildings three stories high or taller -- or wherever Feather needed to compete against other wireless networks.

Source

In place of GPS, a new iPhone app tries Twitter

The Unofficial Apple Blog has posted a program for the iPhone which enlists the help of Twitter to alert the user -- or someone else -- of the global coordinates of a properly-enabled device.

The command-line program obtains the location of the cell tower nearest to the iPhone, in latitude and longitude through Google Maps.

To make this information accessible, the user must give the iPhone its own personal Twitter account. For those unfamiliar, "Twittering" is a moment-by-moment status update similar to the "What are you doing now?" status bar in Facebook.

By automatically connecting to the internet via EDGE or Wi-Fi, and running a Twitter shell script which the user can set to run at varying intervals, the phone's latitude and longitude are automatically posted on Twitter.

While the program is listed as a "LoJack" solution for the iPhone, which would alert the user of their lost or stolen device, the clandestine nature of the script is conducive to more devious uses. Certainly it is nice to track one's own property, but there are plenty out there who'd prefer to track others instead.

Source

Friday, February 22, 2008

Dont's after a meal

Dont's after a meal

  • Don't smoke- Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).

  • Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.

  • Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.

  • Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.

  • Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.

  • Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake

Home Remedies For Freckles

FRECKLES

Freckles may be described as flat, round, dark colored spots that range in size from about 2mm to 4mm. Freckles could be the result of pigment precipitation in one particular place, as generally the skin surrounding the spot is lighter in color. Freckles have a hereditary aspect to it and you are likely to inherit it if runs in your family.

Freckles are usually of no medical consequence and do not cause any problems. Freckles are sensitive to the UV rays of sunlight and hence appear more prominent during or after exposure to sunlight. Though freckles could be present all over the body, mostly they are found in areas exposed to sun.

There are two basic types of freckles -

Ephelides - These are flat red or light-brown spots that typically appear during the summer months and fade away in the winter. These types of freckles could be hereditary.

Lentigines - Lentigines may be small tan, brown or black spot that is darker than an ephelide. This does not fade in winter. This is also a genetic condition.


Freckles may be more apparent on the facial skin

Freckles may be seen as dark colored spots on the skin. These may be more apparent on the facial skin, especially on or around the nose. Generally, light or fair skinned people are more prone to freckled skin. Freckles get more emphasized on exposure to sunlight.


Exposure to sunlight

Freckles are passed on genetically, so you are likely to get it if one or both your parents have it.

Rare disorders such as Xeroderma Pigmentosum cause an increased sensitivity to ultraviolet rays leading to freckles.

Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause freckles to appear, more so in case of fair-skinned people. The melanin content is less in case of fair-skinned people; hence exposure to sunlight causes these spots to appear.

Hormonal imbalance could cause freckles too. In this case, the estrogen could over-stimulate pigment producing cells causing them to generate more color when exposed to sunlight.


Natural Remedies for Freckles

Freckles may be unsightly and a cause of cosmetic concern for many. Here are some natural remedies that will help you deal with freckles at home -
  • Apply sour cream on your face. Do not rinse this mask off completely; gently wipe off with a soft tissue and top it up with a moisturizer.
  • Lemon juice is a tried and tested remedy for treating freckles. Apply lemon juice with your fingers on the affected area; lemon juice bleaches the dark spots.
  • Regular use of fruit and vegetable masks such as those made with apricots, strawberries, cucumbers and red currant will help lighten freckles.
  • Wash your face with sour milk. Lactic acid promotes gentle peeling of skin minus the irritation or dryness.
  • Heat honey slightly and apply to face, tap face gently with your fingers. Wash honey off with warm water then rinse with cool water. Stir in a little quantity of wheat germ into the honey before applying.
  • Horseradish juice or horseradish vinegar, or oatmeal dabbed on the skin is also helpful in lightening freckles.
  • Apply parsley juice mixed with equal amounts of lemon juice, orange juice, and red currant juice under your favorite cream will help you keep your freckles invisible.
  • Apply odorless castor oil or vitamin E at night before going to bed.
  • Dissolve some sugar in the juice of one lemon. Apply mixture to each freckle with a brush.
  • Grind yellow mustard in milk and apply to the face during the night. Wash your face the next morning.
  • Onions also can be used for removing freckles and age spots. Slice a red onion in half and rub on the spots twice daily. Continue until the spots fade.
  • Applying buttermilk on freckles is thought to help in lightening them.
  • Mix an equal quantity of turmeric and sesame seeds. Grind in water and apply to the face.
  • Take a watermelon, make a hole in its rind and introduce some grains of rice in it. Take out the rice after a week. Grind into a paste and apply on the face.
  • To lighten freckles, mash 1/4 cup of unripe currants and mix with 1 tbsp. of unpasteurized honey. Put on freckles and leave on for half an hour. Rinse off with warm water and dab on diluted fresh lemon juice.

Increase intake of Vitamin C
Though there is no particular diet or food that will prevent the occurrence of freckles on the skin, here are some general diet guidelines that will promote a healthy and glowing skin. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and whole grains for the vitamins A, B complex and C, all needed for healthy skin. Vitamin B5 helps prevent dry skin. It is found in milk, eggs, cabbage, wheat germ and nutritional yeast. The essential fatty acids, found in unrefined, cold-pressed vegetable oils such as flax seed, are also important for supple, resistant skin. Increase your Vitamin C intake. It makes your skin less sensitive to the sun. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, apples, green onions, black and red currant, rosehip tea.

Other suggestions for Freckles
If your skin is prone to freckles, here are some suggestions that could help you keep them at bay
  • Use a good quality sunscreen that offers a high level of 'sun protection factor'. Use it whenever you have to go out in the sun.
  • Add a broad-rimmed hat to your wardrobe and use it when out in the sun. The broad rim will shield your face from direct sunlight.
  • Avoid going out from 10 am to 4 pm when the sunrays are maximum.
  • Use sun block lotion each time you go for a swim and reapply every two hours in case of heavy perspiration.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer. Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

BRAZIL NUT


BRAZIL NUT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_nut_effect

It is also known as paranut, butter-nut, cream­nut castanea and niygertoe. It is an edible fruit of a large South American tree Bertholetia excelsa (family Lecythidaceae). The globular fruit about 2 to 4 inches in diameter and hard-walled contains 8 to 24 nuts or seeds arranged like sections of an orange. The harvest period is from January to June. The tree is of great value for timber which is not hardy but very light.
Brazil nuts are high in fat and contain protein, Iron and thiamine.

Benefit and uses of Brazil-nut.

  • Consuming foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as found in nuts and most vegetable oils, is linked to a decreased risk.
  • Nuts—particularly almonds and peanuts—are among the foods that significantly increase urinary oxalate levels.
  • Many doctors advise people with cold sores to avoid foods high in arginine, such as nuts, particularly.
  • This diet eliminates foods and food additives considered to be common allergens, including nuts.
  • Oil extracted from the nuts is employed as cooking oil, in high-precision machinery lubrication, and livestock feed.
  • Brazil nut oil is used to make hair-conditioning products, soaps, and skin creams.

Home Remedies For GOUT

GOUT

Gout is a strange disease, which is not in any way related to other forms of the bone disease. It is a metabolic disorder. Gout occurs more frequently in males, usually in middle life.

Gout tends to run in families. In all cases there is too much uric acid in the blood. This excess uric acid is deposited in some of the soft tissues of the body and also around certain joints. This results in painful swellings, known as tophi, which are most likely to develop in cartilage, such as in the outer ear. They also occur in the synovial membranes of such joints as the knees and ankles and particularly the big toe and also in various tendons and bursae. Even the ends of some bones may be invaded by these tophi.

This may be the result of wearing ill-fitting shoes or tight gloves. It may also follow a heavy meal, or overindulgence in rich foods or alcohol. It sometimes comes on after a surgical operation, or after an acute infection of the nose or throat. Severe pain may develop at the base of the big toe, usually in the middle of the night. Several joints, such as the ankle or knee, may also be affected at the same time.

The pain becomes more severe as fluid collects in the joint space and in the surrounding soft tissues. The skin is tense, hot, and shining, and is of a red or purplish color. The patient is likely to have chills and fever, a rapid pulse, and feelings of general weakness. Severe attacks may continue for several weeks, milder attacks usually last only a few days. Repeated attacks may occur each year, gradually becoming more severe and prolonged.

Any person suffering from acute joint pain who is otherwise healthy should be tested for gout. There are times when gout may stimulate rheumatic fever, but this disease is more likely to attack larger joints, while gout tends to involve the smaller joints.

Gout Symptoms

Acute pain in the toe, swelling
The most common Gout symptom is acute pain in the big toe, which becomes tender, hot, and swollen in a few hours. It may also similarly affect other joints such as the knees and wrists, and sometimes more than one joint may be affected at a time. The attack, usually occurs at midnight or in the early hours of the morning when the patient is suddenly awakened. The acute attack generally lasts for a week or so. During this period, the patient may run a slight fever, and feel disinclined to eat. A serious complication of gout is the presence of kidney stones containing uric acid. In some cases the kidneys get damaged and do not function properly.


Causes of Gout

Gout caused due to Uric Acid Crystals
One of main causes of gout is the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints, skin, and kidneys. Uric acid is an end product of the body's chemical processes. Those affected by gout have a higher level of uric acid in the blood than the normal, due either to formation of increased amounts or reduced amounts of acid being passed out by the kidneys in the urine. This uric acid usually remains dissolved in the blood. But when the blood becomes too full of it, the uric acid forms needle-shaped crystals in the joints which bring about attacks of gout.
Excessive alcohol, heredity, rich foods, lack of exercise also causes gout
Other causes of gout are heredity, alcoholic drinks, regular eating of foods rich in protein and carbohydrate, lack of proper exercise, and stress.

HOME REMEDIES FOR GOUT

Treating gout using Cherry
The cherry, sweet or sour, is considered in effective treating gout. To start with, the patient should consume about fifteen to twenty five cherries a day. Thereafter, about ten cherries a day will keep the ailment under control. While fresh cherries are best, canned cherries can also be used occasionally.
Gout treatment using Vegetable Juices
Raw vegetable juices are used for gout treatment. Carrot juice, in combination with the juices of beet and cucumber, is especially valuable. Beet juice - 100 ml and cucumber juice - 100 ml should be mixed with 300 ml of carrot juice to make 500 ml of combined juice and taken daily
Treating Gout using French Beans
The juice of French or string beans has also proved effective in treating gout. About 150 ml of this juice should be taken daily by the patient suffering from this disease.
Cure for Gout using Apple
Apples are regarded as an excellent source for curing gout. The malic acid contained in them is believed to neutralise the uric acid and afford relief to gout sufferers. The patient is advised to take one apple after each meal.
Gout relief using Banana
Bananas have been found beneficial in the treatment of gout. A diet of bananas only for three or four days is advised for providing some relief from gout. A patient can take eight or nine bananas daily during this period and nothing else.
Treating gout using Lime

Lime is also used as a source in treating gout. Vitamin C is known to prevent and cure sore joints by strengthening the connective tissues of the body. The citric acid found in lime is a solvent of the uric acid which is the primary cause of this disease. The juice of half a lime, squeezed into a glass of water, should be taken twice daily.

* Avoid alcohol , protein , heavy foods , coffee and soft drinks in your diet. These foods cause uric acid levels to rise.
* Simple sugars, simple carbohydrates and saturated fats - they increase your body's production of uric acid and impair your kidneys' ability to get rid of it. Eliminate fructose (found in food and drinks, like sodas).
* For natural gout treatment, eat foods high in potassium
* Lemon juice prevents gout attacks by stimulating the formation of calcium carbonate in the body.
* Taking ½ teaspoon of baking soda with meals will prevent gout attacks. This will help alkalize the body.
* Press and massage between the ball of the foot and the bottom of the big toe on each foot; then on the left foot only, stimulate a point halfway between the base of the little toe and the heel pad.
* Alfalfa is a good source of minerals and other nutrients that help reduce serum uric acid.
* For natural gout treatment, add some rose hips to vinegar and boil; apply on affected area.
* Prepare a mixture by adding two teaspoons each of apple cider vinegar and raw honey in a glass of water and drink at mealtime.
* Soak the foot in a mixture of ½ cup of apple cider vinegar and three cups of hot water.
* Get some natural, concentrated black cherry juice and drink several tablespoons of the concentrate daily.
* Blueberries are high in anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins, which help to relieve the pain of gout.
* Buchu tea helps dissolve and flush out uric acid crystals.
* Soak a piece of white flannel in warm castor oil, wring it out and place over the affected area; cover with plastic wrap and apply a heating pad. Do this for one hour twice daily.
* Boil one tablespoon of pepper in 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water and apply on the painful joint.
* Cook a tablespoon of celery seeds in two cups of water until they are soft; strain and drink 1/2 cup four times a day.
* Take ½-1 teaspoon of activated charcoal daily. This is very effective home remedy for gout.
* Prepare a poultice using ½ cup of activated charcoal, 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and warm water to excrete toxins from the body.
* Eat several cloves of raw garlic daily.
* Put 1/3 cup of ground ginger in a bathtub of water and soak for 30 minutes. This will cause you to sweat, which will help eliminate the uric acid from your tissues.
* Grapes are high in alkalines, which lessen the acidity of uric acid and helps in its elimination from the body.
* Apply an ice pack for ten minutes, and then alternate with a moist hot-towel compress, to soothe and numb the pain.
* Soak mullein leaves in a hot vinegar/water mixture. Pack the leaves on the affected area.
* Prepare a poultice of spearmint leaves and wrap the affected area. This is also very effective home remedy for gout.
* Eating a cup of strawberries with each meal should bring quick relief. They neutralize uric acid.
* Prepare a tea by using equal parts of yarrow and stinging nettles; strain, cool and drink several cups a day.
* Eat an apple after every meal. This is very helpful in natural cure for gout.
* Take the juice of ½ a lime in 1 glass of water. Drink this morning, noon and night.
* Extract ½ a cup of juice of French beans (String beans). Drink this juice everyday for a month.
* Apply a frozen cabbage leaf to the area and cover with a dry towel. Leave in place until the leaf thaws out and repeat.
* Drinking lots of water will help kidneys flush out the excess uric acid.
* Meats having high protein content, such as fish (herrings, salmons and sardines), sweet bread, liver, kidney, milk extracts and meat soup should be avoided.

Gout Diet

Fast of Orange juice and water
For an acute attack, there is no better remedy than a fast of orange juice and water. In severe cases, it is advisable to undertake a series of short fasts for three days or so rather than one long fast.
All fruit diet
After the acute symptoms subside, the patient may adopt an all fruit diet for another three or four days.
Natural food diet
Thereafter, he may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet of natural foods, with emphasis on fresh fruits, raw vegetables, and sprouts.
Avoid purine and acid producing foods
The patient should avoid all purine and uric acid-producing foods such as all meats, eggs, and fish; tea, coffee, sugar, white flour and its products; and all canned, processed, and fried foods.


Other Gout Treatment

Warm water enema
  • A warm-water enema should be used daily during the period of fasting to cleanse the bowels.
Epsom salt bath
  • Epsom salts foot baths are advised twice daily. About 250 gm - 500gm of these salts may be added to tolerably hot water for this purpose. Full Epsom salt baths should also be taken three times a week. The baths may be reduced to two per week later.
Cold packs, fresh air, exercise, reduced stress
  • Cold packs, applied to the affected joints at night, will be beneficial. Fresh air and outdoor exercise are also essential. The patient should eliminate as much stress from his life as possible

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer. Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

Herbal Medicine :: TURMERIC / HALDI

TURMERIC / HALDI


A knife cut. Blood. Dripping incessantly. Unflustered, the Indian housewife reaches for the closest and safest remedy at hand–Haldi.

Bodies responding to seasonal changes with the flu, coughs, and running noses, are immediately administered with honey mixed with turmeric, or turmeric mixed in milk by the homemaker, to soothe and to cure.

The Friday oil bath routines with the application of Haldi is almost sacrosanct with the South Indian women, resulting in beautiful skin, and hairless bodies! In fact, in South India, it is considered very auspicious and therefore, is the first item on the grocery list. The turmeric plant is tied around the vessel used to make Sweet pongal on the harvest festival, which is celebrated on the Makarshankranti Day, universally celebrated on 14th of January, every year.

In many North Indian traditional wedding ceremonies, haldi is applied to both, the groom and the bride, not only to make them look good with fresh glowing skins, but to ward off the evil eye. It is considered by the Hindus as a symbol of prosperity and as a cleansing herb for the whole body. Pieces of crushed roots mixed with seawater are sprinkled to remove the negative influences from places, persons, and things during ceremonies.

Indians therefore, are no strangers to the multiple uses of Turmeric (Curcuma longa). It is well recognized as the best anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, colorant, antiseptic and wound healer. Used in cooking as a spice for over 2,500 years, turmeric has a bitter, musty flavor similar to mustard. It is this spice that gives Indian curries their characteristic bright yellow-orange color.

The healing properties of turmeric have made it a most sought after ingredient in cosmetics and drugs, as the leaf oil and extract can also be used as sunscreens and bio-pesticides.

In fact, Turmeric has been in the global limelight for the granting of the controversial patent on it!

Its modern approved applications in European medicine, stem from its traditional uses in Asia. Turmeric is used extensively in the Indian systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha). It is used as a carminative and stomachic in the treatment of digestive disorders such as flatulence, bloating, and appetite loss. Turmeric is used internally as boiled powder, fresh juice, and confection and externally as paste, oil, ointment, and lotion. It is also applied topically for ulcers, wounds, eczema, and inflammations. In both the Ayurvedic and Siddha systems of medicine, a turmeric paste is used topically to treat ulcers and scabies.

Turmeric, with its antibacterial action, prevents bacterial infections on wounds. Turmeric also has a long history of use for its anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic effects. As in India, it is used in China, Japan, and Korea for a range of indications including, Amenorrhea. Turmeric has been investigated for its cholagogous influence on the secretion of bile, pancreatic, and gastric juices. It is currently being evaluated for its anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic properties.

The roots are pounded and pressed to extract a juice that, when mixed with water, is helpful in earaches and to clear the sinuses through nasal application. The astringent qualities of turmeric are also useful in cases of consumption, tuberculosis, bronchitis, colds and asthma, the root being lightly cooked and eaten. At times, turmeric has been taken as a diuretic, and topically it can be helpful with pimples or to stop bleeding.

The active constituent of turmeric is curcumin, which has been shown to have a wide range of therapeutic effects. It protects against free radical damage, as it is a strong antioxidant and reduces inflammation by reducing histamine levels. Curcumin has a protective effect on liver tissue exposed to liver damaging drugs and is traditionally used for liver ailments. Liver damage resulting from excessive consumption of alcohol or prolonged use of painkillers like paracetemol may be minimized to some extent.

Turmeric also protects the liver from a number of toxic compounds. Studies have shown that turmeric may help reduce cholesterol and also prevent the internal blood clots that trigger heart attack and strokes. There are promising results on the use of turmeric to treat cancer, as it is believed to inhibit the growth of lymphoma tumor cells.


Turmeric is extremely safe. It has been used in large quantities as a food, with no adverse reactions. However, persons with symptoms from gallstones should avoid turmeric. Turmeric’s potential anti-clotting effect might cause problems for those with clotting disorders. Unusually large amounts of turmeric consumption, may result in an upset stomach. Turmeric is best avoided during pregnancy, obstructive jaundice, hepatitis and acute bilious colic and should not be administered to people who suffer from stomach ulcers or hyperacidity.

Growing Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a plant of the ginger family, native to India and Southeast Asia. It is a perennial plant with pulpy, orange, tuberous roots that grow to about 2 feet in length. The aerial parts include large, lily-like leaves, a thick, squat, central flower spike, and funnel-shaped yellow flowers. It is largely cultivated in all parts of India, mainly in Chennai, Bengal, and Mumbai. It is also cultivated in China, Taiwan, Japan, Burma, Indonesia, and throughout the African continent.

Turmeric is without a stem, yet the overlapping clustered leaves appear to be growing out of a stem above the ground. The leaves are blade-like, 8 inches long by 3 inches wide, and rise to about 20 inches high, directly from the underground root. This root/rhizome grows its leaves much as the banana does.

Soil rich in humus, which is sandy in nature, is ideal for growing turmeric. The mother rhizome is kept beneath river sand, till the hot summer is over and is planted in June. Each germinating rhizome is planted at the distance of one, to one and half feet and watered in such a way, that there is no stagnation leading to root destruction.

After the rhizomes are planted, turmeric hides in the garden for three or more months, before it sprouts from the ground. The rhizomes are collected, leaving some, at the end of six months, so that the plant is perennial. This plant is usually dormant from about September to March, but the roots do survive and will revive to come up with green leaves once again. This plant can also be grown at home, in wide mouth pots of 2-ft height as the underground part is of use.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer. Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

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