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[N74]Natural Remedies For Nausea

by Dr John Anne, Dr

The bitter melon or bitter gourd is the bitterest of all vegetables known to humankind, but it is also the most medicinally effective. Though bitter, its fruit is eaten as a vegetable and is used to make several mouthwatering dishes especially in India. In India, the bitter gourd is known as the karela. Its biological name is Momordica charantia.

Morphologically, the bitter melon is an herbaceous vine which bears tendrils and it creeps along supports. Leaves are simple and alternate, and flowers are yellow. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The fruit of the plant, which is known as the bitter melon, has an oblong shape with a warty exterior and is dark green in color.

Bitter melon possesses various chemicals such as charantin, peptides resembling insulin and several alkaloids. Due to these constituents, bitter melon is quite widely used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Properties

Bitter melon is a valuable vegetable. It is useful in most metabolic and physiological processes of the human body. It has the following properties:-

(i) Bitter melon is composed of various chemicals that have a hypoglycemic activity, i.e. they reduce the amount of sugar in the blood.

(ii) Bitter melon stimulates appetite.

(iii) Bitter melon helps in the entire digestion process. Hence it is used in treatment of digestive problems.

(iv) Bitter melon has emetic, purgative and anthelmentic properties. It is also anti-flatulent.

(v) Bitter melon is used in the dissolution of fats from the body. It is known to have anti-lipolytic properties.

(vi) Bitter melon possesses all the essential vitamins in good amounts, such as vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin C and also minerals like iron.

(vii) Bitter melon is anti-inflammatory and astringent. It has specific action on the movement of bowels.

Uses

(i) Anorexia

Bitter melon is an appetite stimulant. Hence it is used in the treatment of anorexia, a disorder in which a person is unable to eat the required amount of food.

(ii) Blood Impurities

Bitter gourd is used as a blood purifier due to its bitter tonic properties. It can heal boils and other blood related problems that show up on the skin. For treatment, a cupful of the juice of the bitter melon must be taken each day in the morning, with a teaspoon of the juice of the citrus lemon in it.

(iii) Diabetes Mellitus

A lot has been written lately about the very beneficial aspects of bitter melon in the treatment of diabetes. As already discussed above, bitter melon has a host of bitter chemicals in which, which are hypoglycemic in action. It also has at least one substance that is like the insulin secreted by the human pancreatic glands. Hence, bitter melon is extremely effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Doctors all over the world prescribe having either bitter melon juice early in the morning or to include it in some other fashion in the daily diet. Regular use of bitter melon over a period of time helps to bring the blood sugar level down.

(iv) Diarrhea

For diarrhea, the juice of a bitter lemon is mixed with the juice of the spring onions, both two teaspoons in quantity. This is then added with the juice of a lemon. This juice is given to the patient twice a day. This remedy is also effective in curing the diarrhea that is caused due to cholera.

(v) Hangovers

The juice of the bitter melon is excellent remedy for hangovers. It is also very beneficial in preventing the liver damage that occurs due to excessive alcoholism.

(vi) Piles

In case of piles, the fresh juice of bitter melons is prescribed to the patient with positive results. Three teaspoons of juice of the bitter melon leaves is to be extracted each morning, added to a glassful of buttermilk and then consumed on an empty stomach. Carrying on this routine for thirty days will treat piles completely. Even externally, the paste of the leaves of the piles can be applied over the hemorrhoids.

(vii) Pyorrhea

Pyorrhea is bleeding from the gums. Including bitter melon in the daily diet or having some of its juice every morning on an empty stomach helps to reduce this problem.

(viii) Respiratory Problems

The paste of the leaves of the bitter melon is mixed with equal amounts of the paste of tulsi leaves. This is taken with honey each morning as a treatment and prevention for respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, common colds and pharyngitis.

(ix) Skin Infections

In case of scabies, ringworm and psoriasis, etc. one cup of bitter melon juice must be had each morning on an empty stomach. This juice can be made more potent by adding a teaspoonful quantity of the juice of the lime in it. It is also used in prevention of leprosy in vulnerable regions of the world.

Special Ayurvedic Preparations

Bitter melon is used mostly as a vegetable. It is incorporated in the daily diet. Its juice is also prescribed, generally mixed with other citrus juices like those of the lemon. There are no special preparations made out of the karela, as it is generally consumed in its basic form.

Precautions

There has been some indication that the juice of the karela may induce abortion of fetuses in pregnant women. More research on this is going on. At the same time, attempts are being made to extract the essential components of the bitter melon in a more acceptable and safe form for human consumption.

The dictionary tells us that the word "migraine" is a Middle French word, modified from the Latin word "hemicrania", meaning a pain in one half or "hemi" of the head. To the person who suffers migraine, the pain may seem bigger than that, however. In fact, the current definition of migraine includes not only recurring, excruciating headache, but also nausea and possible vomiting. The dictionary fails to include the many ways in which the aura of migraine affects the body. It fails to describe the visual disturbances, the sounds and smells that are not there.

Migraine prevention is important to migraineurs because the pain and other symptoms disrupt life almost completely.

Migraine Prevention Medicines

We discussed in a previous article entitled "Best Migraine Prevention Medicines" the fact that many medicines, prescription and non-prescription, are claimed to have migraine prevention properties. Some seem to work for some people, while others are more likely to provide migraine prevention for others.

There is some controversy, however, as to whether one should even try a migraine prevention medicine.

As of this article's writing (early 2007), the FDA has approved four drugs for migraine prevention: propranolol, timolol, topiramate, and divalproex sodium. Amitriptyline, an antidepressant, is also prescribed for migraine prevention. Botox has been used successfully, but is not highly recommended.

The down side of using migraine prevention medicines is the fact that all of them require the patient to take adequate doses of the medicine for a length of time to determine the effectiveness. This can cause a building adverse effect before the sufferer even knows if migraine prevention is being provided. Physicians often must experiment, finding the smallest dose that will work without unwanted side effects.

Side Effects of Migraine Prevention Medicines

Merely as an example, consider the side effects of Topamax. The makers of Topamax offer on their website "Important Safety Information about Topamax" under which heading they admit that serious risks are associated with the medicine. Risks such as these are given:

* Lowered bicarbonate levels in the blood: This increases blood acidity. In severe reactions, the patient might experience irregular heartbeat or changes in their ability to remain alert. This side effect, if not treated, could eventually increase the risk of developing kidney stones or bone disease.

* Hyperventilation, i.e. deep, rapid breathing with a feeling of not being able to catch your breath.

* Fatigue.

* Increased eye pressure. Such pressure can lead to glaucoma and blindness.

The warnings continue, ending with "more common side effects" such as tingling in your arms and legs, losing your appetite, nausea, diarrhea, and changes in your taste that may lead to weight loss or increase.

Natural Migraine Prevention

Many believe the option of migraine prevention medicines is too risky, the side effects too numerous. For those individuals, there are natural migraine prevention options.

1. Migraine Triggers

One very natural method of migraine prevention is a migraine trigger diary. Make it important by purchasing a small blank book specifically for the purpose. It will cost less than a prescription, and will help you remember to use it. Place the book in a location where you will see it when you are not busy. Then faithfully record your daily meals, activities, weather, etc. When a migraine episode hits, look back and note what you were doing or eating just prior to its onset. Were you stressed by something? Was the weather different? As you see a pattern develop, try to eliminate those things from your life and see if it aids in migraine prevention.

2. Biofeedback

A second natural migraine prevention method is biofeedback. In biofeedback, special equipment is used to monitor physical tension in the migraineur. The goal is to teach the patient to control stress-related physical processes which may cause migraine. As the patient learns to recognize the physical tension without equipment, he can stop a rising migraine episode, or at least reduce the effects. Children seem to have a better response to biofeedback migraine prevention than do adults, probably because they are open to new methods and learn them quickly.

3. Herbal Remedies

Herbal remedies are also being used effectively for migraine prevention. Butterbur and feverfew seem particularly helpful.

Butterbur is a shrub-like plant that grows in northern Asia, Europe, and parts of North America. Butterbur extracts are used to treat migraines. Several studies indicate that butterbur is good for migraine prevention. In the largest of these studies, 245 migraineurs took either butterbur extract or a placebo. After four months of treatment, butterbur was more effective than the placebo for migraine prevention. While 75 milligrams twice a day worked, 50 milligrams twice a day did not. Butterbur's side effects were mild, and included mild digestive complaints – mostly burping. Possible other side effects that were not experienced in the study include constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. Pregnant or nursing women, children, and people with kidney or liver disease should not take butterbur. Please ask your physician before using this herb.

Feverfew, the second herbal remedy, has been used in Europe for centuries for migraine. In England, it was especially popular in the 1980s as an alternative to conventional migraine prevention drugs. Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of feverfew for migraine prevention. One examined the use of a feverfew extract as opposed to a placebo in 170 migraineurs. Those who took feverfew showed a significant decrease in migraine frequency as compared to those who took the placebo. Frequency of migraines decreased by 1.9 migraines per month in the group that took feverfew. In the group taking a placebo, migraine frequency decreased only by 1.3 migraines per month.

The Choice Is Yours

The choice between migraine prevention through prescription medications and migraine prevention through natural remedies is yours to make. Migraine is a very personal experience, and the migraine prevention method that works for one will not necessarily work for all. Before you make the choice, get as much information as you can, and take your time.

Disclaimer: The author is not a trained professional, and provides the foregoing information for educational purposes only. It is recommended that you seek professional advice from your personal physician.

Article Source : Pg. 14

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Both Dr John Anne & Anna Hart are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Dr John Anne has sinced written about articles on various topics from amino acid, Fitness and Acne Treatment. Read more about the benefits of and also find. Dr John Anne's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.

Anna Hart has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Backpain and Acid Reflux. © 2007, Anna Hart. Member of a "migraine family" and sympathizer with all migraineurs, Anna invites you to read more of her articles about migraine prevention at