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Hypertension: Hypertensive Heart Disease

Hypertensive heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death associated with hypertension and is actually a group of disorders that include heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and left ventricular hypertrophy (excessive thickening of the heart muscle).


What Is Heart Failure?
Heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped working. Rather, it means that the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal or the heart has become less elastic. With heart failure, blood moves through the heart and body less effectively and pressure in the heart increases. As a result, the heart cannot pump enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body's needs. The chambers of the heart respond by stretching to hold more blood to pump through the body. This helps to keep the blood moving, but in time, the heart muscle walls weaken and are unable to pump as strongly. As a result, the kidneys often respond by causing the body to retain fluid (water) and sodium. If fluid builds up in the arms, legs, ankles, feet, lungs, or other organs, the body becomes congested, and congestive heart failure is the term used to describe the condition.
Hypertension brings on heart failure by causing coronary artery disease and left ventricular hypertophy. Symptoms of heart failure include:



**Shortness of breath
**Swelling in the feet, ankles, or abdomen
**Difficulty sleeping flat in bed
**Bloating
**Irregular pulse
**Nausea
**Fatigue
**Greater need to urinate at night



What Is Ischemic Heart Disease?
Hypertension can also cause ischemic heart disease. This means that the heart muscle isn't getting enough blood. Ischemic heart disease is usually the result of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries (coronary artery disease), which impedes the blood flow. This can progress to a heart attack. Symptoms of ischemic heart disease may include:



**Chest pain which may radiate (travel) to the arms, back, neck, or jaw
**Chest pain with nausea, sweating, shortness of breath, and dizziness; these associated **symptoms may also occur without chest pain
**Irregular pulse
**Fatigue and weakness



Any of these symptoms warrant immediate medical evaluation



What Is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the muscular walls of the heart are thickened. This can prevent the heart valves from functioning normally or may keep blood from flowing out of the heart. It usually occurs independently of high blood pressure.



Symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may include:
>Chest pain
>Irregular pulse
>Rapid heartbeat
>Shortness of breath
>Fatigue, weakness
>Fainting



How Is Hypertensive Heart Disease Diagnosed?


Your doctor will look for certain signs, including:
High blood pressure
Enlarged heart and irregular heartbeat
Fluid in the lungs or lower extremities
Unusual heart sounds



Your doctor may perform tests to determine if you have hypertensive heart disease, including a electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, cardiac stress test, chest X-ray, and coronary angiogram



In addition, your doctor may advise you to make changes to your lifestyle, including



Diet: If heart failure is present, lowering the total amount of sodium to 2,000 mg or 2 g or less per day; eating foods high in fiber and potassium; limiting total daily calories to lose weight if necessary; and limiting foods that contain refined sugar, saturated fats, and cholesterol



Monitoring your weight: This involves daily recording of weight; increasing your activity level (as recommended by your doctor); resting between activities more often; planning your activities



Avoiding tobacco products and alcohol


Regular medical checkups: During follow-up visits, your doctor will make sure you are staying healthy and that your heart disease is not getting worse.


In some cases, you may need surgery to correct the heart disease. Surgeries include coronary bypass grafting (to bypass clogged heart arteries), mitral valve repair (to repair a leaky valve caused by cardiomyopathy or ischemia), vascular surgeries (to repair defects of the blood vessels), and implantation of a left ventricular assist device (to improve pumping if you have heart failure as a bridge to heart transplantation).

Hypertension: High Blood Pressure and Stroke

A stroke, sometimes called a "brain attack," occurs when blood flow to an area in the brain is cut off. As a result, the brain cells, deprived of the oxygen and glucose needed to survive, die. If not caught early, permanent brain damage can result.
People who have hypertension are 4 to 6 times more likely to have a stroke. Over time, hypertension leads to atherosclerosis and hardening of the large arteries. This, in turn, leads to blockage and weakening of the walls of small blood vessels in the brain, causing them to balloon and burst. The risk of stroke is directly related to how high the blood pressure is.



How Does a Stroke Occur?


There are two types of stroke.
Ischemic stroke is similar to a heart attack, except it occurs in the blood vessels of the brain. Clots can form either in the brain's blood vessels, in blood vessels leading to the brain or even blood vessels elsewhere in the body which then travel to the brain. These clots block blood flow to the brain's cells. Ischemic stroke can also occur when too much plaque (fatty deposits and

cholesterol) clogs the brain's blood vessels. About 80% of all strokes are of this nature.


Hemorrhagic (heh-more-raj-ik) strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain breaks or ruptures. The result is blood seeping into the brain tissue, causing damage to brain cells. The most common causes of hemorrhagic stroke are high blood pressure and brain aneurysms. An aneurysm is a weakness or thinness in the blood vessel wall that causes it to balloon outward.



Warning Signs of Stroke


If you experience any of the following symptoms, call 911 immediately.

>>Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body)
>>Sudden blurred vision or decreased vision in one or both eyes
>>Sudden inability to move part of the body (paralysis)
>>Sudden dizziness or headache with nausea and vomiting
>>Difficulty speaking or understanding words or simple sentences
>>Difficulty swallowing
>>Dizziness, loss of balance, or poor coordination
>>Brief loss of consciousness
>>Sudden confusion



A transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a “mini-stroke,” is a warning of an impending stroke. It typically consists of the same signs and symptoms of stroke, but the symptoms are temporary. It occurs when blood flow to a certain part of the brain is cut off for a short period of time, usually 15 minutes or less. A TIA can occur anywhere from a few minutes to several months before a stroke. A TIA is a painless episode, but it is a warning that something is wrong. It should be treated as seriously as a stroke.


What Should I Do If I Experience Stroke Symptoms?
Immediately call 911. Stroke is a medical emergency. Immediate treatment can save your life or increase your chances of a full recovery

Hypertension: Blood Pressure Basics

What is hypertension? What causes hypertension and what are the symptoms?

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and it contributes to hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis and the development of heart failure.

What Is "Normal" Blood Pressure?

There are several categories of blood pressure, including:
** Normal: Less than 120/80
** Prehypertension: 120-139/80-89
** Stage 1 hypertension: 140-159/90-99
** Stage 2 hypertension: 160 and above/100 and above

People whose blood pressure is above the normal range should consult their doctor about methods for lowering it.

What Causes Hypertension?
The exact causes of hypertension are not known. Several factors and conditions may play a role in its development, including:
** Smoking
** Being overweight
** Lack of physical activity
** Too much salt in the diet
** Too much alcohol consumption (no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
** Stress
** Older age
** Genetics
** Family history of high blood pressure
** Chronic kidney disease

** Adrenal and thyroid disorders

What Are the Symptoms of Hypertension?
There are usually no symptoms or signs of hypertension. In fact, nearly one-third of those who have it don't know it. The only way to know if you have hypertension definitely is to have your blood pressure checked.

If your blood pressure is extremely high, there may be certain symptoms to look out for, including:

** Severe headache
** Fatigue or confusion
** Vision problems
** Chest pain
** Difficulty breathing
** Irregular heartbeat
** Blood in the urine

Who Is More Likely to Develop Hypertension?

** People with family members who have high blood pressure.
** People who smoke.
** African-Americans.
** Women who are pregnant.
** Women who take birth control pills.
** People over the age of 35.
** People who are overweight or obese.
** People who are not active.
** People who drink alcohol excessively.
** People who eat too many fatty foods or foods with too much salt

How Is Hypertension Diagnosed?
Your health care provider can tell if you have hypertension by checking your blood pressure with a special meter called a sphygmomanometer, which consists of a stethoscope, arm cuff, dial, pump, and valve. You can also measure your own blood pressure at home. You should have your blood pressure checked at least once a year to make sure you don't have hypertension.

What Health Problems Are Associated With Hypertension?

Hypertension is a serious condition that can damage the heart and blood vessels, and can eventually lead to several other conditions, including:

** Stroke
** Heart Failure
** Heart Attack

** Kidney Failure

** Vision Problems

Accept the things you can’t change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.

Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.

Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude

Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.

Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem is avoided in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.

Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.

Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.

Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead, you can avoid these stress-inducing pitfalls.

Time management tips to reduce stress

Create a balanced schedule
All work and no play is a recipe for burnout. Try to find a balance between work and family life, social activities and solitary pursuits, daily responsibilities and downtime.

Don’t over-commit yourself
Avoid scheduling things back-to-back or trying to fit too much into one day. All too often, we underestimate how long things will take.

Prioritize tasks
Make a list of tasks you have to do, and tackle them in order of importance. Do the high-priority items first. If you have something particularly unpleasant to do, get it over with early. The rest of your day will be more pleasant as a result.

Break projects into small steps
If a large project seems overwhelming, make a step-by-step plan. Focus on one manageable step at a time, rather than taking on everything at once.

Delegate responsibility
You don’t have to do it all yourself, whether at home, school, or on the job. If other people can take care of the task, why not let them? Let go of the desire to control or oversee every little step. You’ll be letting go of unnecessary stress in the process

Avoid unnecessary stress

How Resilient Are You?


Your ability to handle and bounce back from stress depends on many factors, including a:
*Sense of control
*Optimistic attitude
*Strong support system
*Healthy body
*Ability to adapt to change
*Ability to handle unpleasant emotions
*Belief in a higher power or purpose
*Confidence in yourself
*Sense of humor



Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress


Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate



Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress



Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.



Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.



Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.



Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely

Stress Management

How to Reduce, prevent, and Cope with Stress



If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life.
The goal of stress management is to bring your mind and body back into balance. By adopting a positive attitude, learning healthier ways to cope, and changing the way you deal with stress, you can reduce its hold on your life.



In our frenetic, fast-paced world, many people deal with frequent or even constant stress. The overextended working mother, the hard-charging “Type A” personality, the self-critical perfectionist, the chronic worrier: they’re always wound up, always stretched to the breaking point, always rushing around in a frenzy or juggling too many demands.
Operating on daily red alert comes at the high price of your health, vitality, and peace of mind. But while it may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level—the bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, your career will always be demanding—you have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management.
Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun—and the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.

What a Selfconfidence

Miracle man walks again He survived against all the odds; now Peng Shulin has astounded doctors by learning to walk again. When his body was cut in two by a lorry in 1995, it was little short of a medical miracle that he lived.

It took a team of more than 20 doctors to save his life. Skin was grafted from his head to seal his torso – but the legless Mr Peng was left only 78cm (2ft 6in) tall. Bedridden for years, doctors in China had little hope that he would ever be able to live anything like a normal life agan.

But recently, he began exercising his arms, building up the strength to carry out everyday chores such as washing his face and brushing his teeth. Doctors at the China Rehabilitation Research Centre in Beijing found out about Mr Peng's plight late last year and devised a plan to get him up walking again. They came up with an ingenious way to allow him to walk on his own, creating a sophisticated egg cup-like casing to hold his body with two bionic legs attached to it. He has been taking his first steps around the centre with the aid of his specially adapted legs and a resized walking frame. Mr Peng, who has to learn how to walk again, is said to be delighted with the device.

Deep breathing for stress relief

If you’d like to explore relaxation techniques, deep breathing is a good place to start, since it is used in many relaxation practices including yoga, meditation, and visualization. Deep breathing involves not only the lungs but also the abdomen, or diaphragm.
Most of us don’t breathe from the diaphragm. Instead, we take shallow breaths from our upper chests. When we’re stressed, our breath becomes even shallower. The problem is that shallow breathing limits the amount of oxygen we take in—which makes us feel even more tense, short of breath, and anxious. Deep breathing, on the other hand, encourages full oxygen exchange throughout the chest and lungs.

Chest Breathing vs. Abdominal Breathing

When you breathe from your chest, you inhale about a teacup of oxygen. Instead, you should breathe from your abdomen. When you breathe from your abdomen, you inhale about a quart of oxygen. The more oxygen you inhale, the better.
How you breathe also affects your nervous system. Chest breathing makes your brain create shorter, more restless brain waves. Abdominal breathing makes your brain create longer, slower brain waves. These longer and slower brain waves are similar to the ones your brain makes when you are relaxed and calm. So, breathing from the abdomen helps you relax quickly.

With its focus on full, cleansing breaths powered by the diaphragm, deep breathing can help you get your stress levels in check. The next time you feel uptight, try taking a minute to slow down and breathe deeply:
Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen sitting up, lie on the floor, put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale. Breathing techniques can be practiced almost anywhere and can be combined with other relaxation exercises, such as aromatherapy and music. All you really need is a few minutes and a place to stretch out.

Relaxation techniques for stress relief

Many relaxation techniques can help you achieve the relaxation response. Those whose stress-busting benefits have been widely studied include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, visualization, yoga, and tai chi.
Learning the basics of these relaxation techniques isn’t difficult. But it takes practice to truly harness their stress-relieving power: daily practice, in fact. Most stress experts recommend setting aside at least 10 to 20 minutes a day for your relaxation practice. If you’d like to get even more stress relief, aim for 30 minutes to an hour.
Keep in mind that there is no single relaxation technique that is best. Many techniques are effective, but only when practiced regularly: so choose a relaxation technique or combination of techniques that resonates with you and fits your body

The best way to start and maintain a daily stress relief practice is by incorporating it into your daily routine. Schedule a set time either once or twice a day for your relaxation practice. You may find that it’s easier to stick with your practice if you do it first thing in the morning, before other tasks and responsibilities get in the way.
All you need to start a relaxation practice are:
A quiet environment – Choose a secluded place in your home, office, garden, place of worship, or in the great outdoors where you can relax without distractions or interruptions.
A comfortable position – Get comfortable, but avoid lying down as this may lead to you falling asleep. Sit up with your spine straight, either in a chair or on the floor. You can also try a cross-legged or lotus position.
A point of focus – Pick a meaningful word or phrase and repeat it throughout your session. You may also to focus on an object in your surroundings to enhance your concentration, or alternately, you can close your eyes.
A passive attitude – Don’t worry about distracting thoughts that go through your mind or about how well you’re doing. If thoughts intrude during your relaxation session, don’t fight them. Instead, gently turn your attention back to your point of focus.
You can either stick to this straightforward relaxation exercise, or branch out into other relaxation techniques. Keep in mind that traditional relaxation techniques aren’t the only effective stress reducers. Spending time in nature, talking to a friend, listening to music, curling up with a good book, writing in a journal—anything that you find calming can relieve stress

Stress Relief

Yoga, Meditation, and Other Relaxation Techniques

The body’s natural relaxation response is a powerful antidote to stress. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga can help you activate this relaxation response. When practiced regularly, these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels. What’s more, they also serve a protective quality by teaching you how to stay calm and collected in the face of life’s कर्वेबल

The relaxation response
Whenever we encounter a stressful event, our bodies undergo a series of involuntary hormonal and biochemical changes. This automatic stress response, also called the fight-or-flight reaction, puts our bodies in alarm mode: heart rate speeds up, breath becomes shallow, muscles tense, and our digestive and immune systems temporarily shut down. The stress response is helpful in true emergency situations, but when it’s activated on a frequent basis it puts strain on both mind and body.
No one can avoid all stress, but you can counteract it by learning how to evoke the relaxation response, a state of deep rest that is the polar opposite of the stress response. The relaxation response brings your system back into balance, reducing stress hormones, slowing down your muscles and organs, and increasing blood flow to the brain

Ayurveda

Ayurveda” is not only a form of medication – it is a total way of life know to generations of Sri Lankan for over 3000 years. It is a gentle method of treating the root causes of illness in both mind and body.The health conscious today are searching for effective alternatives to the spiraling costs and side effects that at times result from the use of modern medicine.
In Sri Lanka, we have had for the last couple of millennia a “user-friendly “ traditional medicine – Ayurveda” which over 75% of the island’s population depend on because of its reliance on natural plants, herbs and oils. Nature’s way to good health, the efficacy of “Ayurveda” has been proved by 3,000 years of successful caring and curing…
What is Ayurveda? It is an ancient system of medicine developed in our part of the world, long before the “father of medicine”, Hippocrates, was even born. The name comes from two conjoined Sanskrit words “Ayuh” (life) and “Veda” (science or knowledge). Basically a science of healthy living, Ayurveda has two aims – to preserve health and to cure a body afflicted by disease.
One of the fundamentals beliefs of Ayurveda is the doctrine of “Tri Dosha” or the Three Vital Forces – Vayu, Pita and Kapha. Generally translated into Wind, Bile and Phlegm, a more accurate interpretation of Vayu is the transmission of energy within the body; in modern medical terms, nerve impulses, muscle contraction and hormonal activity. Pita may not be confined to bile but signifies the whole scope of metabolism and internal heat production while Kapha means mucus, often described as “The Protective Fluid”. The modern concept of mucus as an antibody containing liquid which coats and protects internal linings of the body, seems to fit in with Ayurvedic thinking.
When the three, “Doshas” are balanced, the body is in good health. When this equilibrium is disturbed and the balance of these complementary forces become unbalanced and upset, then illness results.
Ayurvedic practitioners study the patient as a whole with the object of restoring balance, getting to the root of the problem and treating it. Local folk have been known to say that while western medicine classifieds germs and attempts to destroy them, Ayurveda classifies human beings and attempts to save them.
The dive-pronged evacuative therapy – “Pancha Karma” is designed to rid the body of toxins and is achieved by special diets and herbal decoctions. The five elements of medical herbs: leaves, flowers, barks, roots and berries are used to cleanse the blood and the body of impurities.
The preparation of Ayurvedic medications is usually a long process with ingredients being ground in a pestle for a prescribed period of time. Juices and extracts of plants are simmered until they are reduced to a fraction of their original volume. Besides decoctions, wines, pills and powders for internal use, Ayurveda also uses poultices, pastes, ointments and oils for external application.
Massage with herbal oils, steam baths and bathing in herbal waters are said to be particularly beneficial to patients with migraine, insomnia and arthritis.
Methods of treatment vary – while one might have herbal oil dripping from a suspended clay pot onto a patient’s head, another would place the patient in a steam bath like an ancient wooden chest with perforations, in which he or she lies relaxed, benefiting from the vapours of various steamed herbs wafting up from underneath.
Herbal teas are now available and gaining in popularity worldwide. Their ingredients vary. While some might invigorate and energize, others would relax and calm both mind and body.
The preventative aspects of Ayurveda recommend codes for healthy living which include dietary and social-cultural norms. Certain foods are considered good while partaking of others such as red meat is discouraged. Vegetarianism and the consumption of dairy products such as milk and curd are smiled upon while drinking alcohol and smoking are frowned on.
“Ayurveda” is a cure for a lifetime and a way of life; after all, generations of Sri Lankan have been using these age-old remedies, and obtaining relief from their illness, living to a ripe old age in excellent physical condition.
It is a gentle and relaxed treatment for both mind and body, one that leaves you feeling light, tranquil, yet filled with the zest and energy that our ancestors experienced and benefited from.
“Ayurveda” is nature’s way of caring and curing for a lifetime

Health Resorts of Sri Lanka

Ayurveda derived from two sanskrit words - Ayur (life) and Veda (knowledge) is a form of indigenous medical treatment known to Sri Lanka and India for over 3000 years. Modern day C21st. ayurvedic treatment or alternative medicine based on natural healing has 2 aims: to preserve health - wellbeing and cure a body afflicted by disease or stress.
Ayurvedic practice is different to western medicine using pharmaceutical medicines with side effects. Westerners visiting Sri Lanka use gentle alternative medicine nature treatments at ayurveda health resorts designed for foreign tourists to restore their general well being.
The basic concept of ayurveda and ayurvedic medical treatment is just as animal and plant life has to live in harmony with the Laws of Nature to remain healthy and balanced so too do human beings despite industrialization.
Ayurveda is a gentle method of maintaining health in a person by treating the root causes of illness in both mind and body. Ayurveda and ayurvedic treatments return patients to health by using the inherent principles of nature.



Regain your well being in the tranquil relaxing environment of a choice of luxurious ayurveda resorts in the paradise tropical island of Sri Lanka with its all year round summer weather. Ayurveda brings the stressed individual back into health equilibrium with their true self. "ayu" or "self" is comprised of four essential parts - the combination of mind, body, senses and the soul. Health is improved by harmonising the relationship between mind and body. In ayurveda the energetic forces that influence nature and human beings are called the Tridoshas.
Although India is more closely associated in Western minds with Ayurvedic Treatment, 40% of medical practice in Sri Lanka is ayurvedic in origin. Sri Lanka enjoys amongst the highest life expectancy in developing countries. Numerous resorts have been started in recent years to offer Ayurvedic treatment to foreign visitors to Sri Lanka. This Ayurveda-Health-Resorts website has been designed for them and opens the world of Sri Lankan ayurvedic treatment and alternative medicine to westerners.

Woman gives birth to own grandchildren

SAO PAULO, Brazil - A 51-year-old surrogate mother for her daughter has given birth to her own twin grandchildren in northeastern Brazil, the delivery hospital said

Rosinete Palmeira Serrao, a government health worker, gave birth to twin boys by Caesarean section on Thursday at the Santa Joana Hospital in the city of Recife, the hospital said in a statement on its Web site.
Hospital officials were not available for comment on Sunday, but press reports said the grandmother and twins were discharged on Saturday in excellent health. The Caesarean section was performed about two weeks ahead of time because Serrao was having trouble sleeping, the statement said.
Serrao decided to serve as a surrogate mother after four years of failed attempts at pregnancy by her 27-year-old daughter, Claudia Michelle de Brito.
Brazilian law stipulates that only close relatives can serve as surrogate mothers. De Brito is an only child and none of her cousins volunteered, so Serrao agreed to receive four embryos from her daughter.

World Tallest Man Vs Shortest Man

Tallest man in the world, Bao Xishun met up with He Pingping who claims to be the world’s shortest man and they both hail from the same region of Inner Mongolia. They shook their hands in the photoshoot and He Pingping looked drastically tiny when in comparison with Bao Xishun. Bao Xishun was recently married to a 28 year old saleswoman from his hometown and was confirmed last year as the world’s tallest man while He Pingping seeks to be registered as the world’s shortest man although he could be disappointed by the current holder of the title Lin yih Chin who was measured at 67.5cm opposed to He Pingping’s 73cm. 2 more pics after the jump

Miss Arab World

Miss Arab World 2007

Congratulations to Miss Bahrain who has just won the Miss Arab World beauty contest in Cairo.
It's wonderful to see how a modest glimpse of flesh can instantly bridge the East-West divide, as evidenced by the comment from Daily Mail reader Ken from Suffolk

Cairo, July 28 (Xinhua) The title of Miss Arab World 2007 went to Miss Bahrain here Saturday after nearly six hours of contest.Wafaa Yaakoub, a 23-year-old teacher from the Law Faculty of Bahrain University, won the title, while the first runner-up was 25-year-old Miss Egypt Shaimma Mansour and Miss Lebanon Abeer Layous, 23, became the second runner-up.After being crowned by Miss Arab World 2006 Claudia Hanna from Iraq, Yaakoub said she was very happy to win the title.

Asked whether she would continue her teaching career after winning, Yaakoub hesitantly nodded in affirmation.Earlier, Miss Egypt, Mansour, who is a football referee, said she was attending the contest to promote Egypt's tourism and sports.Seventeen women from 15 countries attended the final competition at the closing ceremony of the second Miss Arab World Contest.The competition is one of the major attractions of the second Arab Tourism Festival, which opened here Wednesday.The jury consisted of fashion, beauty and tourism experts as well as academies, and the finalists were chosen from more than 10,000 participants who registered through the Internet, according to the contest's organising committee.The first Miss Arab World Contest was held in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from July 26 to 29 last year.

World's tallest man marries

World's tallest man marries

Bo Xishun, the tallest person in the world, and his girlfriend, Xia Shujuan, were married in Chifeng city, Inner Mongolia on March 26. Bao Xishun, a Mongolian nationality herdsman, was born in 1951. He is 2.36 meters tall. In 2005, he was recognized as the tallest living man by the Guinness Book of Records. His wife, Xia Shujuan, is 28 years old and 1.68 meters high.

LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES

Chen Ning Yang, 82, to marry a 28-year-old woman

Chinese American Nobel laureate of physics Chen Ning Yang, 82, is reportedly engaged to a 28-year-old Chinese woman, whom Yang called the "final blessing from God." Yang and his fiancee Weng Fan indorsed their engagement through a telephone call and set a date in next January for their marriage. There is no public engaging ceremony as the two are now parted, with Yang in Beijing and Wen in Guangzhou working on her master degree.
They first met at Shantou University, South China's Guangdong Province in 1995 when Yang, then accompanied by his late wife Chih Li Tu, elder daughter of late KMT general Du Yuming, attended an international physics seminar.
Weng then worked as an interpreter at the seminar and happened to receive and serve the Yangs during the meeting.
Yang was deeply impressed by Weng's considerate character, savvy and excellent command of English. Wen was then a freshman of Guangdong Univeristy of Foreign Studies. The two reestablished contact in this February and then fell in love with each other.
It will be the second marriage for both of the two. Yang survived his first wife Chih Li Tu last year. Weng got married shortly after graduation and soon got divorced.
Since late 2003, the famed leading scientist has been giving regular lectures exclusive for freshman in China's elite Tsinghua University.
In 1957, Yang won and shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Lee Tsung-dao "for their penetrating investigation of the so-called parity laws, which has led to important discoveries regarding the elementary particles."