Basic Needs

Healthy Guide

Epilepsy 

Epilepsy is currently defined as a tendency to have recurrent seizures (sometimes called fits). A seizure is caused by a sudden burst of excess electrical activity in the brain, causing a temporary disruption in the normal message passing between brain cells. This disruption results in the brain’s messages becoming halted or mixed up.

The brain is responsible for all the functions of your body, so what you experience during a seizure will depend on where in your brain the epileptic activity begins and how widely and rapidly it spreads. For this reason, there are many different types of seizure and each person will experience epilepsy in a way that is unique to them.

There is no conclusive test for epilepsy, although tests such as the electroencephalogram (EEG) – which records brainwave patterns - can give doctors useful information. Epilepsy should be diagnosed by a doctor with specialist training in epilepsy. An epilepsy specialist will use their own expert knowledge, along with test results and the patient’s or witness’s accounts of the seizures, to make the diagnosis.

Because epilepsy is currently defined as the tendency to have recurrent seizures, it is unusual to be diagnosed with epilepsy after only one seizure. In the UK around one in 20 people will have a single seizure at some point in their life, whereas one in 103 people have epilepsy.

 

First Aids

• Protect the person from injury - (remove harmful objects from nearby)
• Cushion their head
• Look for an epilepsy identity card or identity jewellery
• Aid breathing by gently placing them in the recovery position once the seizure has finished (see pictures)
• Stay with the person until recovery is complete
• Be calmly reassuring

Heart Attack

The symptoms of a heart attack vary from one person to another. You may feel tightness or pain in your chest. This may spread to your arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach. For some people, the pain or tightness is severe, while others may feel nothing more than a mild discomfort.

As well as having chest pain or discomfort you may feel light-headed or dizzy and short of breath. You may also feel nauseous or vomit.

First Aids

Look at the patient's chest to see if it is rising and falling. If they are breathing, place them in the recovery position, and then call for help from the emergency services.

If the person is unconscious and not breathing:

• If they're not breathing, they are in respiratory arrest and the current advice states that in this situation, they are also likely to be in cardiac arrest (cardiac arrest is a condition where the heart has stopped beating effectively).
• It's best to treat them as if they are in cardiac arrest, rather than waste valuable time looking for a pulse. The latest guidelines suggest that lay persons should not try to find a pulse. Instead, CPR should begin immediately on anyone who is unresponsive and not breathing normally since even a delay of just a minute or two spend looking for a pulse can have a very substantial detrimental effect on the outcome.
• If the patient is not breathing, call for help immediately, stating that the casualty is not breathing. You should also provide resuscitation (see below) until the patient begins to breathe or the paramedics arrive.

Hypertension

Untreated high blood pressure can lead to serious diseases, including stroke and heart disease. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure (medically known as hypertension) is to have your blood pressure measured. All adults should get their blood pressure checked at least once every five years.

In some rare cases, where a person has very high blood pressure, they can experience symptoms including:

• a persistent headache
• blurred or double vision
• nosebleeds
• shortness of breath 
• Obesity
•  Lifestyle
  
  

First Aids

Powder 100 gm melon seeds and 100 gm poppy seeds (khus-khus). Mix and store in a clean container. Consume 1 tsp with water morning and evening.

A clove of garlic is highly recommended for high blood pressure. Chew one clove of garlic first thing every morning and wash it down with water. The garlic can also be coarsely pound and swallowed with water.

Make a juice of 25-30 curry leaves with 1 cup of water. Strain and drink first thing in the morning. Limejuice can be added for taste.

Mix 1 tsp honey with 1 tsp ginger juice and 1 tsp cumin powder. Have twice a day.


 
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• increasing breathlessness when exercising or moving around
• a persistent cough with phlegm that never seems to go away 
• frequent chest infections, particularly in winter
• wheezing

If you have these symptoms, you should see your GP to ensure you are diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
If you have COPD, the airways of the lungs become inflamed and narrowed. As the air sacs get permanently damaged, it will become increasingly difficult to breathe out.
Symptoms of COPD are often worse in winter, and it is common to have two or more flare-ups a year. A flare-up (also known as an exacerbation) is when your symptoms are particularly bad. This is one of the most common reasons for people being admitted to hospital in the UK.
Other signs of COPD can include:

• weight loss
• tiredness and fatigue
• swollen ankles 

First Aids

• Control your breathing. Talk to your doctor or respiratory therapist about techniques for breathing more efficiently throughout the day. Also be sure to discuss breathing positions and relaxation techniques that you can use when you're short of breath.
• Clear your airways. With COPD, mucus tends to collect in your air passages and can be difficult to clear. Controlled coughing, drinking plenty of water and using a humidifier may help.
• Exercise regularly. It may seem difficult to exercise when you have trouble breathing, but regular exercise can improve your overall strength and endurance and strengthen your respiratory muscles.
• Eat healthy foods. A healthy diet can help you maintain your strength. If you're underweight, your doctor may recommend nutritional supplements. If you're overweight, losing weight can significantly help your breathing, especially during times of exertion.
• Avoid smoke and air pollution. In addition to quitting smoking, it's important to avoid places where others smoke. Secondhand smoke may contribute to further lung damage. Other types of air pollution also can irritate your lungs.
• See your doctor regularly. Stick to your appointment schedule, even if you're feeling fine. It's important to steadily monitor your lung function. And, be sure to get your annual flu vaccine in October or November to help prevent infections that can worsen your COPD. Ask your doctor when you need the pneumococcal vaccine. 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common gut condition and affects about one in ten people at some time. It is most common among people aged between 25 and 45 but can cause problems at any age. Women are more often affected than men.

The symptoms of IBS include:

• Abdominal pain, bloating and wind
• Diarrhoea or constipation, or episodes of both
• Passing mucus when you open your bowels
• A feeling of incomplete emptying of the rectum
• Nausea and vomiting
• Depression, anxiety and stress

First Aids

• Certain foods, such as cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts) and legumes (beans) may worsen bloating and gassiness.
• Dietary fiber may lessen symptoms.
• Individuals with IBS should drink plenty of water, and avoid soda, which may cause gas and abdominal discomfort.
• Eating smaller meals may lessen the incidence of cramping and diarrhea.
• Low fat and high carbohydrate meals such as pasta, rice, and whole grain breads may help IBS symptoms (unless the affected individual has celiac disease)