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Conjunctivitis refers to the inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin transparent membrane covering the front of the eye. It is also known as ” sore eyes” and is a very common form of eye trouble. It spreads from person to person through direct contract. Overcrowding, dirty surroundings and unhealthy living conditions can cause epidemics of this ailment.

Symptoms

The eyeball and under side of the eyelids become inflamed. At first, the eyes are red, dry and burning. Later, there may be a watery secretion. IN more serious cases, there is pus formation.During sleep, this material dries, making the eye-lashes stick together.

Causes

Medical science believes that conjunctivitis results from bacterial infection, viruses or eye-strain. Prolonged work under artificial light and excessive use of the eyes in one way or the other no doubt contributes towards the disease. But its real cause can be traced to a catarrh a condition of the system resulting from general toxaemia due to dietetic errors and faulty style of living. The patient generally suffers from colds or other ailments indicative of a general catarrhal condition.

The Cure

The treatment of conjunctivitis through salves and ointments does not cure the disease. To be effective, treatment must be constitutional. A thorough cleansing of the system and adoption of natural laws in diet and general living alone can help eliminate conjunctivitis. The best way to commence the treatment is to adopt an exclusive fresh fruit diet for about seven days. The diet may consist of fresh juicy fruits in season such as apple, orange, pears, grapes, pineapple and grapefruit. Banana should, however, not be taken. No other foodstuff should be added to this diet. Those who have a serious trouble should undertake a juice fast for three or four days. The procedure is to take the juice of an orange, in a glass of warm water, if desired, every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nothing else should be taken as otherwise the value of the fast will be lost. If orange juice disagrees, carrot juice may be taken. A warm water enema should be taken daily during the period of fasting. The short juice fast may be followed by an all-fruit diet for further seven days. Thereafter, the patient may adopt a general diet scheme on the following lines :-

Breakfast : Any fresh fruits in season, except bananas.

Lunch : Large mixed raw vegetable salad with whole meat bread or chapatis and butter.

Dinner : Two or three steamed vegetables, other than potatoes, with nuts and fresh fruit.

The patient should avoid an excessive intake of starchy and sugary foods in the form of white bread, refined cereals, potatoes, puddings, pies, pastry, sugar, jams and confectionery, which cause the general catarrhal condition as well as conjunctivitis. He should also avoid the intake of excessive quantities of meat and other protein and fatty foods, strong tea and coffee, too much salt, condiments and sauces. Raw juices of certain vegetables, especially carrots, and spinach, have been found valuable in the treatment of conjunctivitis. The combined juices of these two vegetables have proved very effective. 200 ml. of spinach juice should be mixed with 300 ml. of carrot juice in this combination. Vitamin A and B2 have also been found valuable in the treatment of conjunctivitis. The patient should take liberal quantities of natural foods rich in these two vitamins. Valuable sources of vitamin A are : whole milk, curds, butter, carrots, pumpkin, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, mangoes and papaya. Foods rich in vitamin B2 are green leafy vegetables, milk, almonds, citrus fruits, bananas and tomatoes.As regards local treatment to the eyes themselves, a cold foment renders almost immediate relief by chasing away an overactive local blood supply. The procedure is as follows : Fold a small hand towel. Saturate it with cold water. Squeeze out excess water and mould toweling gently over both eyes. Cover it with a piece of warm cloth to retain the temperature. Repeat the process as soon as the foment gets warmed. Carry out the procedure for one hour. After terminating the wet pack, treatment cover the eyes with a dry towel. Lie back and relax. The damaged eye tissues will quickly return to normal. The treatment should be repeated every night for a week, even though the problem may clear up with the first treatment itself.

Eye exercises

The eye muscle exercises outlined in chapter 33 on cataract and palming outlined in chapter 40 on defective vision are also beneficial in the treatment of conjunctivitis.

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The common cold, also known as “acute coryza,” is an inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and is caused by infection with virus. It occurs more often than all other diseases. A person suffers from this disease three times in a year on an average. A cold usually lasts from three to ten days. The patient feels miserable for the first three days or so.

Symptoms

The first signs of a cold are a feeling of soreness of the throat and congestion of the nasal passage. Although the disease normally begins in the nose and throat, it affects all parts of the body. Its usual symptoms are a running nose, sneezing, a rise in temperature, headache, sore throat, chill, aches and pains in the body and loss of appetite. The skin around the nostrils may become sore.CausesThe common cold results from exposure to a virus. Its inten- sity however, depends upon the state of health of the person and by environmental factors. Lowered vitality, allergic disorders of the nose and throat, chilling of the body, lack of sleep, depression, fatigue and factors such as sudden changes in temperature, dust and other irritating inhalations are important contributory causes for the development of a cold.The real cause of a cold, however, is the toxic condition of the body brought about by wrong feeding habits such as an excessive intake of starch, carbohydrates, proteins and other acid-forming foods. A cold is, therefore, nature’s simplest way of expelling toxic waste from the human system. The duration of the cold will depend on the amount of poisons accumulated in the body and the rapidity with which they are expelled.

Treatment

To treat a cold by means of customary suppressive drugs like aspirin and codeline only paves the way for future trouble of a more serious nature. For such a treatment puts a sudden stop to the eliminative process then taking place and forces the toxic matter back into the tissues again. Moreover, drugs have no effect on the duration of the cold. It has been aptly said that a cold can be cured in a week by taking medicines,otherwise it will subside in seven days. The only real treatment for colds is a proper diet. The best way to begin the treatment is to put the patient on a fast for two days. Nothing should be taken during this period except warm water mixed with lemon juice and honey or fruit juice and hot water. A liquid diet of fruit juice inlarge amounts is necessary to neutralise the acid condition of the blood and hot drinks are needed to help clear the kidneys. Pineapple juice in particular is highly beneficial. A warm water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels during this period. The short juice fast may be followed by an exclusive fresh fruit diet for three days. IN this regimen, the patient should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples,pears, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, peaches, melon or any other juicy fruit in season. Bananas, dried or stewed or tinned fruits, should not be taken. No other foodstuff should be added to the diet as otherwise the whole value of the treatment is lost. After the exclusive fruit diet, the patient should gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups, namely (i) seeds, nuts and grains (ii) vegetables and (iii) fruits. It is advisable to avoid meat, fish, eggs, cheese and starchy foods for a few days.The patient should strengthen the system as a whole by taking a diet which supplies all the vitamins and minerals the body needs. Vitamin C, however, heads the list of these nutrients. It protects one against infection and acts as a harmless antibiotics. It is found in citrus fruits,green leafy vegetables, sprouted

Water Treatment

A hot water bath, if it can be taken without undue exposure, is recommended as it helps relieve much of the congestion in the chest and nasal membranes. Hot packs or fomentations are excellent for treating chest and head colds. Steam bath, hot foot bath and hot hip bath are also beneficial as they stimulate perspiration. Steam inhalation will help relieve the congestion of the nasal tissues. Gargling with hot water mixed with salt is beneficial for a sore throat. Cold chest packs should be applied two or three times a day as they will relieve congestion of lungs and help in eliminating the accumulated mucus.Other useful measures in the treatment of common cold are mild sunbath, fresh air and deep breathing, brisk walks, sound sleep, adjustment of one’s clothes and habits to the requirements of the season, so as to nullify the effect of weather fluctuations. Yogasanas like bhujangasana, shalabhasana, dhanurasana, and yogamudra in vajrasana, yogic kriyas such as jalneti and vamandhouti and pranayamas such as kapalbhati, anuloma- viloma and suryabhedana are beneficial in the treatment of the common cold.

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Colitis is an inflammation of the colon or large intestine. There are two types of colitis : mucus and ulceratie. Mucus colitis is a common disorder of the large bowel, producing discomfort and irregular bowel habits. Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel in which ulcers form on the walls of the colon, resulting in the passing of blood stools with pus and mucus. Both forms of colitis are the results of prolonged irritation of the delicate membrane which lines the walls of the colon. Normally, it is the function of the colon to store waste material until most of the fluids have been removed to enable well-formed soft stools, consisting of non-absorbable food materials to be passed. Persons who suffer from an irritable colon have irregular and erratic contractions which are specially noticeable on the left side.

Symptoms

Chronic ulcerative colitis usually begins in the lower part of the bowels and spreads upwards. The first symptom of the trouble is an increased urgency to move the bowel, followed by cramping pains in the abdomen and bloody mucus in the stools. As the disease spreads upwards, the stools become watery and more frequent and are characterised by rectal straining. All this loss of blood and fluid from the bowels results in weakness, fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and anaemia. The patient may develop a bloated feeling because the gas is not absorbed or expelled normally. Some patients suffer from constipation alternating with period of loose bowel movements. Still others may suffer from a persistent diarrhoea for years together. The patient is usually malnourished and may be severely underweight. He may suffer from frequent insomnia. Ulcerative colitis in its severe form may also lead to nutritional problems. The improper assimilation of the ingested foods due to inflammatory conditions may cause deficiency diseases. This may gradually result in nervous irritability, exhaustion and depression. In very severe cases, the patient may even develop suicidal tendencies.

Causes

The main cause of colitis is chronic constipation and the use of purgatives. Constipation causes an accumulation of the hard faecal matter which is never properly evacuated. Purgatives used as a ‘cure’ only increase irritation. Often, colitis is caused by a poorly digested roughage, especially of cereals and carbohydrates, which causes bowel irritation. The disease may also result from an allergic sensitivity to certain foods especially milk, wheat and eggs. Often, the intake of antibiotics may upset the bacterial flora in the intestines and interfere with proper digestion.Severe stress may also produce ulcerative colitis. During any form of severe stress, outpouring of adrenal hormones causes such destruction of body protein that at times parts of the walls lining the intestines are literally eaten away. Such stress also depletes the body of pantothenic acid. Experiments on animals have shown that they can develop ulcerative colitis when they are kept on diets deficient in pantothenic acid.

Treatment

The usual treatment of colitis with suppressive drugs is based on the assumption that colitis is due to germ infection, which it is not. The suppressive drugs drive back into the system the toxic matter in the colon which nature is endeavouring to eliminate in the form of mucus. They suppress the symptoms temporarily, without removing the cause. In such cases, the symptoms recur and colitis becomes chronic. Plain warm water or warm water with a little olive oil used as a wash-out is the only method of softening and removing the accumulations of hardened matter sticking to the walls of the colon. Diet plays an important part in the treatment of colitis. It is advisable to observe a juice fast for five days or so in most cases of ulcerative colitis. The juices may be diluted with a little boiled water. Papaya juice, raw cabbage and carrot juices will be especially beneficial. Citrus juices should be avoided. The bowel should be cleansed daily with a warm water enema. After the juice fast, the patient should gradually adopt a diet of small, frequent meals of soft cooked or steamed vegetables, rice, dalia (coarsely broken wheat), well ripened fruits like banana and papaya, yogurt and home-made cottage cheese. Sprouted seeds and grains, whole meal bread and raw vegetables may be added gradually to this diet after about 10 days. All food must be eaten slowly and chewed thoroughly. Foods which should be excluded from the diet are white sugar, white bread and white flour products, highly seasoned foods, highly salted foods,strong tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages and foods cooked in aluminium pans.Ripe bananas are highly beneficial in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, being bland, smooth, easily digested and slightly laxative. They relieve acute symptoms and promote the healingprocess. An effective remedy for ulcerative colitis is the use of butter- milk. It is the residual milk left after the fat has been removed from yogurt by churning. Buttermilk enema twice a week is also soothing and helps in re-installing a healthy flora in the colon. Another valuable remedy for colitis is tender coconut water, it is soothing to the soft mucosa of the colon. Cooked apple also aids the healing of ulcerative conditions because of its ample concentration of iron and phosphorous. The patient should have a bowel movement at the same time each day and spend 10 to 15 minutes in the endeavour. Straining at stools should be avoided. Drinking two glasses of water the first thing in the morning will stimulate a normal bowel movement. An enema may be used if no bowel movement occurs. Complete bed rest and plenty of liquids are very important. The patient should eliminate all causes of tension, adjust to his disability and face his discomfort with patience.

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Cirrhosis of the liver refers to all forms of liver disease characterised by a significant loss of cells.It is one of the most serious hepatic diseases. The liver gradually contracts in size and becomes hard and leathery.The liver is one of the most important glandular organs in the body. It is located high up on the right side of the abdomen just under the diaphragm. It is a vast chemical laboratory which performs many important functions. It produces bile, cholesterol, lecithin, blood albumin vital to the removal of tissue wastes prothrombin essential to the clotting of blood and numerous enzymes. It inactivates hormones no longer needed, synthesises many amino acids used in building tissues and breaks proteins into sugar and fat when required for energy. It stores vitamins and minerals. It also destroys harmful substances and detoxifies drugs, poisons, chemicals and toxins from bacterial infections. Liver damage interferes with all of these functions.In cirrhosis of the liver, although regenerative activity continues, the progressive loss of liver cells exceeds cell replace- ment. There is also progressive distortion of the vascular system which interferes with the portal blood flow through the liver. The progressive degeneration of liver structure and function may ultimately lead to hepatic failure and death.

Symptoms

In the early stages of the diseases, there may be nothing more than frequent attacks of gas and indigestion, with occasional nausea and vomiting. There may be some abdominal pain and loss of weight. In the advanced stage, the patient develops a low grade fever. He has a foul breath, jaundiced skin and distended veins in the abdomen. Reddish hair like markings, resembling small spiders, may appear on the face, neck, arms and trunk. The abdomen becomes bloated and swollen, the mind gets clouded and there may be considerable bleeding from the stomach.CausesExcessive use of alcohol over a long period is the most potent cause of cirrhosis of the liver. It has been estimated that one out of 12 chronic alcoholics in the

Treatment

The patient should be kept in bed. He must abstain completely from alcohol in any form. He should undergo an initial liver cleaning programme with a juice fast for seven days. Freshly extracted juices from red beets, lemon, papaya and grapes may be taken during this period. This may be followed by the fruit and milk diet for two to three weeks.In this regimen, the patient should have three meals a day, each of fresh juicy fruits and milk. The fruits may include apples, pears, grapes, grape fruit, oranges, pineapples and peaches. One litre of milk may be taken on the first day. It should be increased by 250 ml. daily upto two to two and a half litres a day. The milk should be fresh and unboiled, but may be slightly warmed if desired. It should be sipped very slowly.After the fruit and milk diet, the patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups, namely (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetables and (iii) fruits, with emphasis on raw organically grown foods. An adequate high quality protein diet is necessary in cirrhosis. The best complete proteins for liver patients are obtained from raw goat ‘s milk, home-made raw cottage cheese, sprouted seeds and grains and raw nuts, especially almonds.Vegetables such as beets, squashes, bitter gourd, egg-plant, tomato, carrot, radishes and papaya are useful in this condition. All fats and oils should be excluded from the diet for several weeks.The patient should avoid all refined, processed and canned foods,sugar in any form, spices and condiments, strong tea and coffee, fried foods,all preparations cooked in ghee, oil or butter and all meats rich in fat. The use of salt should be restricted. The patient should also avoid all chemical additives in food and poisons in air, water and environment.Warm water enema should be used during the treatment to cleanse the bowels. If constipation is habitual, all steps should be taken for its eradication. Application of alternate compress to liver area followed by general wet sheet rub will be beneficial. The morning dry friction and breathing and other exercises should form a regular daily feature of the treatment.

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Cataract is among the most common eye diseases. The term actually means a waterfall, and refers to the opacity of the crystalline lens of the eye on the assumption that the condition is caused by the humour of the brain falling over the pupil. The crystalline lens, through which light travels into the interior of the eye, is situated just behind the iris, or coloured portion of the eye. In cataract, this lens becomes opaque, hence seriously hampering the entrance of light into the eye. Blindness ensues when no light rays can permeate the opacity of the lens. According to the modern medical system, a surgical operation to remove the lens or a major portion of it is the only way to get rid of the disease. The patient is provided with suitable glasses after the operation to enable him to see well enough to carry on his normal duties.

Symptoms

The first sign of cataract is blurred vision. The patient finds it difficult to see things in focus. As the cataract progresses, the patient may get double vision or spots or both. There is a gradual increase in blindness. At first, vision in twilight may be better than in full daylight since light is admitted round the more widely-dilated pupil in the dark. In the advance stage, objects and persons may appear merely blobs of light. In the final stage, there is a grayish –white discolouration in the pupil.

Causes

Cataract is often found in association with other defects of the eye. There are four factors which contribute to the loss of transparency of the lens. These are stagnation of the fluid current in the lens resulting from blood condition ; deterioration in the nutrition of the lens which diminishes the vitality and resistence of the delicate lens fibres ; deposits between the lens fibres of acids and salts which have an irritating effect on the lens tissues and exert an increasing pressure on its delicate fibres, clouding whole lens in the absence of appropriate measures. As in the case of most diseases, poisons in the blood stream due to dietetic errors and a faulty style of living is the real cause of cataract. The toxic matter in the blood stream spreads throughout the body to find shelter in any available weak spot. It strikes the lens if that part has become weak through strain, excessive use of the eyes and local irritation. The condition becomes worse with the passage of time and then a cataract starts developing. Other causes of cataract are stress and strain, excessive intake of alcoholic drinks,sugar,salt, smoking, certain physical ailments such as gastro-intestinal or gall- bladder disturbance, diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, especially of vitamin C , fatty acid intolerance, ageing, radiation and side- effects of drugs prescribed for other diseases.

Some specialists believe that the most important cause of many cataract is poor nutrition. This may be true even in case of the type of cataract commonly called senile or ageing cataract. The cause may be a lifetime of malnutrition. Dr. Morgan Raiford, an opthalmologist who has studied cataracts for many years, considers faulty nutrition to be a basic factor in cataract. He has found from experience that prevention of cataract is initiated by improving nutrition.

Treatment

Cataract is one of the most stubborn conditions to deal with, if it has become deep-seated, nothing short of a surgical operation will help in overcoming the trouble. If, however, the cataract is in the early stages, there are good chances of getting over the ailment by natural means. Even advanced cases can be prevented from becoming worse. A thorough course of cleansing the system of the toxic matter is essential. To start with, it will be beneficial to undergo a fast for three to four days on orange juice and water. A warm water enema may be taken during this period. After this initial fast, a diet of very restricted nature should be followed for two weeks. In this regimen, breakfast may consist of oranges or grapes or any other juicy fruit in season. Raw vegetable salads in season, with olive oil and lemon juice dressing, and soaked raisins, figs or dates should be taken during lunch. Evening meals may consist of vegetable such as spinach, fenugreek, drum sticks, cabbage, cauliflower , carrot, turnips, steamed in their own juices, and a few nuts or some fruits, such as apples, pears and grapes. Potatoes should not be taken. No bread or any other food should be added to this diet. After two weeks on this diet, the cataract patient may start on a fuller diet on the following lines:

Breakfast : Any fresh fruits in season, except bananas.

Lunch : A large mixed raw vegetable salad with wholemeal bread or chapatis and butter.

Dinner : Two or three steamed vegetables, other than potatoes, with nuts and fresh fruit.

The short fast followed by a restricted diet should be repeated after three months of the commencement of the treatment and again three months later, if necessary. The bowels should be cleansed daily with a warm water enema during the fast, and afterwards as necessary. The patient should avoid white bread, sugar, cream, refined cereals, rice, boiled potatoes, puddings and pies, strong tea or coffee, alcoholic beverages, condiments, pickles, sauces or other so-called aids to digestion. There is increasing evidence to show that in several cases cataracts have actually been reversed by proper nutritional treatment. However, the time needed for such treatment may extend from six months to three years. Adelle Davis, one of

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