*These remedies are to be tried at your own risk. Try a smallest dosage for trial & error first. It is advisable to consult a medical professional before trying any new remedies.

Home Remedies

Cancer – Drink coffee (exercise and caffeine could help you).
Toothache – Drink a mixture of black tea, mint juice and salt.
Stomach ache – Mix and eat 10 grams of anis seeds with 50 gm of Jaggery (gurh).
High blood pressure – Do yoga position of dead body (shavasan) and breathing exercises (pranayaam).
Hick-ups – Drink vinegar.
Headache – Mix and eat 4-5 leaves of tulsi or basil, ½ tsp of friendly ground black pepper and a spoon of honey.
Toothache – Apply clove oil to the affected area.
Lack of blood in the body - Mix and eat honey and coriander powder. Blood will increase.
Piles – Mix and drink a mixture of ½ spoon of ginger powder and a spoon of honey two or three times a day.
Water in joints – Apply a paste of honey and lemon juice on affected area.
Common cold – Drink a glass of milk with deseeded munnakas.
Insomnia – Apply hot mustard oil on area under the feet.
Cracks under the feet – Apply a paste of trifala powder. Mix with mustard oil.
Insomnia – Take a shower with lukewarm water and drink a glass of milk.
Swelling in the throat – Mix and gargle with daikon juice mixed with black salt.
Feel Tired – Mix and drink a glass of water and ½ spoon honey.
Asthma (dama) – Drink a mixture of turmeric with milk in morning and evenings.
Vomiting – Mix and drink onion and lemon juice.
Gas formation – Mix and eat 2 garlic cloves with 2 spoons ghee.
Asthma – Drink a glass of carrot juice every day.
Nausea – Suck on a piece of ginger.
Cholesterol – Eat 2 cloves of garlic.
Picked by a thorn – Mix asafoetida with water and apply on affected area.
Common cold – Eat and chew daily 3-4 leaves of tulsi or basil.
Fever – Mix and drink a glass of milk with munakka and figs.
Gas formation – Drink a mixture of ajwaeen with black salt and water.
Cut or Peeling of skin – Apply mint juice on the affected area. Works as antiseptic.
Hick-ups – Drink buttermilk mixed with a spoon of dry ginger.
Gout – Massage with clove oil.
Gas formation – Mix and eat ½ tsp of ground black pepper with a little jaggery.
                                Compiled by Dr. Uma Shanker Srivastava, Now Retired, Professor for 27 years , Department of Nutrition, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, CANADA

The colors tell the condition of your health: The color of fruit also take care of your health

          The spectrum of sunlight represents 7 colors. Red – Orange – Yellow – Green – Navy blue – Sky blue – Violet. All these 7 colors also represent your state of mind, thus your health. For example, Red color creates excitement, orange color brings in youth, green color brings in calm, sky-blue brings in inner peace and violet brings in creativity.
          So, let’s talk about fruit which are full of health benefits and their colors which are also not less beneficial then the fruit itself. Just remember that each color present in the fruit also knows very well how to build your health well. For example, violet color denotes creativity whereas red color improves your eye sight. Beside this green, orange and yellow colors increase stamina and take care of the skin. That’s why it is important that one should include in the daily diet the fruit and vegetables of all colors, i.e. present recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for fruit and vegetables is 8-10 portions a day. For health professionals the vegetables and fruit represent vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are the protector of health. So, let’s have a look on the hidden beneficial effects of vegetable and fruit.
Red Color will bring back the brightness in Eyes – Think about a person in front of you dressed in a bright red dress. What happens? Does one feel stimulation in blood circulation, brightness in the eye, i.e. all symbols of excitement. It is the same thing with the red color vegetables and fruit like tomatoes, red carrots and strawberries because they possess the nature of the color. This is the best way to increase circulation in the blood vessels. All this magical effect of red fruit and vegetables is due to the presence of a red pigment called ‘Sal bolides’. It creases new capillaries which become a reason for smooth skin. Along with the skin this color also shows its effect on the eye, as they contain vitamin A which keeps the eye humid and helps in increasing or maintaining the eye sight. This red color is found in apples, tomatoes, carrots, strawberries, red cherries, watermelon, earth-berries, raspberries, red kidney beans, red masoor daal, raddeor (red),
          Their beneficial effects are:
1. The treatment of cancer is hidden in lycopene the pigment found in tomatoes.
2. The utilization of the color products is beneficial during pregnancy as they help the mother while delivering the baby.
3. Watermelon is beneficial but its seeds are also rich in iron and calcium.
Eat with care – Utilization in excess of this red color could cause problems because its effects are hot in nature. Also excessive utilization of red color fruit could cause problems related to the bones.

Orange Color makes you feel young – The fruits and vegetables of this color are very beneficial for the body. Its orange pigment b-carotene is the natural treatment for the skin. Enjoy the taste of the fruit as well as the look of the skin. This color stops the sunrays even before they damage the skin, that’s why the skin always remains bright and fresh. Besides this color also maintains a better health for the heart and its proper functioning and protects from cancer. This orange color is found in oranges, Clementine, mangoes, papaya, apricots, plums, ananas, pumpkin and yellow squash.
          The beneficial effects are:
1. The orange pigment stores in the liver and looks after the dental care for the health of the teeth.
2. This color increases the stamina to fight diseases and is beneficial in the treatment of kidney stones and bronchitis. This pigment is also beneficial in diseases associated with breathing.

Green color that cleanses the inside:
          One always cleans oneself by taking a shower or bath, i.e. cleaning outside but how about cleaning inside, i.e. cleaning the arteries and veins which carry the blood throughout the body that’s why one should start eating green and leafy vegetables. Green does not mean only green but it also contains other colors and pigments. This green color comes from chlorophyll which cleans the blood so that no bacteria can hide in the blood and lots of diseases keep away. In fact, chlorophyll possesses the strength to fight invading bacteria and in this way removes the toxins and other nasty materials. Beside this the chlorophyll also contains an increased amount of minerals such as magnesium which is very important in normal functioning of the heart. Magnesium is the mineral which plays an important role in normal maintenance of chlorophyll as iron plays an important role in normal maintenance of haemoglobin in blood.
          The green color pigment is found in okra, green resins, green bell pepper, green daal, cabbage, peas, cucumber, spinach, lettuce (boston, roman, iceberg) and leafy vegetables.
The beneficial effects are:
1. In order to keep away from aging, utilize vegetables and fruit of green color.
2. This pigment also takes special care of the eyes. A pigment called luteue accumulates in the eyes and that’s why utilization of green fruit and vegetables keeps away the eye problems.

Violet Color Makes One Creative
           As one is aware that creativity is very important in present day life whether one works in a creative and artistic world or not. So, it’s important to utilize violet color fruit and vegetables in the diet. In violet color fruit and vegetables one finds a mixture of red color which causes excitement and blue color with its peaceful effect which causes the flow of passion for creativity. These violet color fruit and vegetable also contain a good amount of vitamin A and C. The presence of these two vitamins makes the violet color very useful for the body and strengthens the creative apparatus. Beside this the violet pigment anthocyanines also decreases the cholesterol. The violet color is found in resins, red carrots, aalubhukhara etc.
The beneficial effects are:
1. The violet pigment is beneficial for the eyes. It will not let the retinal tissues be destroyed and maintain the eye-sight well.
2. The violet color because of its cold effect is a good food for the summer.
3. This color shows tremendous effect on treatment of diseases such as insomnia.

Compiled by Dr. Uma S. Srivastava
Bharat Times March 2009 issue

Note: Dr. Uma Srivastava has also compiled and published articles in previous issues of Bharat Times on ‘Eat Colored Food to see in Technicolor’ and ‘Fruit Selection in the Diet and Personality Trends’.

Some Tips on Avoiding Drug Interactions

          As promised in the last month’s article, we will now go over some of recommendations that health experts make to avoid any drug interactions and their side effects.
          One of the major issues that happens the most is seeking help from different physicians. While it is good to seek help from different specialists for better diagnoses, it is also important to make your doctor aware of the medications you are taking concurrently so that he does not make the mistake of prescribing a medication from the same group, and rather look for an alternative. Similarly, inform your physician of any over-the counter medicines, herbs, and other supplements you might be taking.
          As discussed in the last paper, it is imperative that you take all your medications from one pharmacy. It is important to let the pharmacist know if you bring a change in your medication routine. Never be shy or intimidated to discuss any side-effects that you may experience. In addition, ask your pharmacist to do a routine file check to ensure that it is always updated and that you are not taking any medication that you don’t need.
          When getting your medications from pharmacy, be sure to get a consumer information sheet and read it carefully. This sheet outlines most of the necessary information about the drug you are prescribed with. In addition, it outlines most of the common side-effects observed when the drug was under study.
          If you have access to internet then access the tools available online that allows you to know all the in-depth information about the medication. One of the good sites to keep in your favourites is “Health-e Connections”, which provides you with some useful information.
          As a last point, if you experience that there is a language/’cultural’ barrier between you and your pharmacist that prevents you from bringing your point across, then you may consult a pharmacist from your own community. From my personal experience and information from others I have been told that Pharmacy Sumbly (on metro Plamodon) provides an excellent service to the South-Asians in Montreal and would, therefore, take this opportunity to refer you all to him as you future pharmacist. He shows great dedication and takes a great pride in serving the South-Asians in Montreal!

Ashutosh Sharma / Bharat Times July 2009 issue

Importance of knowing your Medication

           Humans have made enormous progress in the last couple of decades. The field of health has expanded as a result as well. The evidence of this progress is observed when one visits a physician and gets prescribed a list of medications which are specific to the condition one is diagnosed with. Many people wonder if specificity of limited to the condition in question or if one medication can have more than one effect. In medical terms, a medication that affects the effectiveness of other medications is called a “medicine interaction(s). The other effects that a medication causes besides the one it is designed for is called “side effects”.
          It is believed that almost everyone has taken at least one kind of medication in their lifetime. Some take only one and others take more than one. Therefore it is imperative to know the medication(s) one takes. Even if one takes only one type of medication one needs to take precautions with regards to any interactions it may have with the food or drinks one takes. Does it mean that we all need to read those thick pharmacological books on the conditions and the medications one takes! NOT OF COURSE! However, it is your responsibility to inform the pharmacist about the medications you take (even a regular Tylenol or Aspirin). It is also important to be fully aware of the regular side effects of the medications you take along with the long-term effects of such a medication. For example, a medication that you wish to use for cold may relive you from cold but may also worsen your blood pressure!
          Briefly, interactions can happen among any of the following:

• Prescription medicines
  
• Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines
• Vitamin and mineral supplements
• Herbal remedies
• Food and drink

          At times, it can be challenging to correctly diagnose if the symptoms one is experiencing are due to some kind of medicinal interactions or not. Nevertheless, there come some precautions that one can take to avoid them at the first place. In the next month’s article we will go over some of recommendations that the health experts give to avoid any medicine interections and their side effects.

Ashutosh Sharma / Bharat Times June 2009 issue

Depression

          Depression is a disease that affects the brain just like heart disease or lung disease. It is not a weakness and needs to be treated. Although people do not seek treatment because they think it is going to go away on its own; however, it may not be the case and they may end up with much serious problems and even a clinical major depression. So it is very important to address this issue and not suffer in silence. Depression can affect people of all ages, including children, and early diagnosis can help the individual live a healthy and more productive life. Some people may not know they are depressed and seem to fight this illness by drinking alcohol.

          In this article some of the important aspects of depression will be discussed.

What is depression:

          Depression is a disease of the brain that falls under the category of mood disorders. The prevalence of depression in Canada is about 8.2%. This means that at any given time this proportion of the population would be diagnosed as having depression.

How to diagnose depression:

          Several guidelines are used to make a proper diagnosis of depression. The most comprehensive and mutually accepted guidelines are found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Although several symptoms are associated with depression but the presence of every symptom is not necessary for the occurrence of the disorder. A method of elimination is used for accurate diagnosis and to rule out other possibilities. These possibilities could vary from side effect of a medication to short term sadness due to a debilitating life event. Individuals suffering from depression may experience a variety of symptoms. The common ones include:

• Feelings of sadness, emptiness, and guilt
• Lack of energy, appetite, and sleep
• Slow movements and speech enough to affect the daily routine
• Crying easily or crying for no reason at all
• Thoughts of death or suicide attempts
• Feeling numb emotionally, perhaps even to the point of not being able to cry

Types of Depression:

          The most common types include major depression, atypical depression, psychotic depression, dysthymia, manic depression and seasonal depression.

• Major depression is a kind of the extreme end of the spectrum of depression where one feels hopeless all the time and consistently shows a lack of interest in activities that a normal individual would enjoy.

• Atypical depression is slightly less severe than the major depression. The sufferer is sometimes able to appreciate the positive side and show to experience happiness.

• Psychotic depression involves an individual experiencing negative hallucinations. They tend to hear and see imaginary things that may be threatening or referring that something bad is going to happen.

• Dysthemia involves feelings of being unimportant, dissatisfied and don’t enjoy their life. This could involve a life long journey and may go unnoticed.

• Manic depression is part of the mood disorder called bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder in individual goes back and forth between two phases: depression and mania.

• Seasonal depression seems to occur in a particular season of the year. This commonly occurs in the winter and is associated with feelings of blue.

          It is apparent that depression is different from a mere form of weakness. Fortunately, depression is a treatable disease.

          In the next edition of Bharat Times, I will elaborate on causes and the possible treatments of depression.

Ashutosh Sharma / Bharat Times June 2007 issue

Bharat Times 2010 Annual Banquet

Bharat Times 2009 Annual Banquet

SPVM
Service de police
de la Ville de Montréal

- Missing Persons
- Know Your Rights
- Join the Police Force & Serve Your Communit

Visa & Passport
- High Commission of India in Ottawa
- Consulate General of India in Toronto
- High Commission & Consulate General of Pakistan in Canada
- High Commission of Bangladesh in Canada
- High Commission of Sri Lanka in Canada