INFANTS PROTECTIVE COAT

BREAST MILK SUGARS GIVE INFANTS A PROTECTIVE COAT A large part of human milk cannot be digested by babies and seems to have a purpose quite different from infant nutrition - that of influencing the composition of the bacteria in the infants gut.              The details of this three - way relationship between mother; child and gut microbes are being worked out by three researchers at the University of California, Davis - Bruce German, Carlito Lebrilla and David mills. They and colleagues have found that a particular strain of bacterium, a subspecies of Bifidobacterium longum, possesses a special suite of genes that enable it to thrive on the indigestible component of milk.              This subspecies is commonly found in the feces of breast- fed infants. It coats the lining of the infant's intestine, protecting it from noxious bacteria. Infant's intestine, protecting it from noxious bacteria. Infants presumably acquire the special strain of bi-fido from their mothers, but strangely, it has not yet been detected in adults. "We're all wondering where it hides out"' Dr Mills said. The indigestible substance that favours the bifido bacterium is a slew of complex sugars derived from lactose, the principal component of milk. The complex sugars consists of a lactose molecule on to which chains of other sugar units have been added.  The human genome does not contain the necessary genes to break down the complex sugars, but the bifido subspecies does, the researchers say in a review Of their progress in today's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The complex sugars were long thought to have no biological significance, even  though they constitute up to 21% of milk. Besides up promoting growth of the bifido strain, they also serves as decoys for  noxious bacteria that might attack the infant's intestines.         The sugars are very similar to those found on the surface of human cells,but they will bind to the complex sugars in milk instead.

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BENEFITS OF THE SACRED HERB

TULSI FOR GOOD HEALTH Tulsi has several healing properties and is helpful in tackling several health problems. It's healing powers have been known to benefit humans for hundreds of years now. Besides improving memory, tulsi leaves are known to strengthen your stomach. Basil leaves are excelent for curing fever. with malaria and dengue in the air, boiling tulsi leaves with a cup of tea acts as a preventive. Have a bad cough?   Chew on some tulsi leaves to get relief. If you suffer from a sore throat, boil some tulsi leaves with water and drink twice a day you could also use the same to gargle. They are also helpful in removing kidney stones. The juice of basil leaves, mixed with honey, should be had for about six months to remove the stones from the urinary tract. Basil is also know to have a good effect on  people suffering from cardiac disease. When taken regularly, it reduces the level of blood cholesterol. A great stress - buster: studies show that basil leaves reduce stress levels, Chewing about 10-12 basil leaves twice a day will help prevent stress. Infections and ulcers of the mouth can be effectively treated by chewing on basil leaves. Have an insect bite? With its healing qualities, basil leaves are very effective in curing insect bites and stings. You can apply the juice on the wound or even have a teaspoonful of the juice every few hours.

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AROMATHERAPY

SKIN CARE Your skin can benefit immensely from aromatherapy. Always believed that aromatherapy was only about oil massages and perfumed candles? Here is how you can use aromatherapy to get soft and supple skin..... Aromatherapy is basically a form of alternative medicine that uses plant components that are volatile (essential oils ) and other aromatic compounds, to improve a person's mood, health or cognitive function. Commonly used in spas, aromatherapy has now found its way into our everyday lives as well.        If maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the first step towards having skin that looks good, aromatherapy would come a close second. When aromatherapy is used in skin care, what essentially happens is that the oils get absorbed into the skin and eventually into the bloodstream, therby giving it a long-lasting effect. Before  you begin aromatherapy, it is essential to recognise your skin type, especially if you have sensitive skin.  Every plant's essential oil has different  effects, so it is important to understand the effect of the oil has different effects, so it is important to understand the effect of the oil and what it is used for before you start using them. There are also chances that you might be allergic to certain essential oils, therefore, always, always choose them with care, Ideally, if you are first - time user, it is advisable to conduct a small patch test, on the inside portion of your wrist, using a small amount of the oil before you use it elsewhere. BENEFITS OF AROMATHERAPY Reduces the fine lines caused by ageing Cures bug bites and bee stings Helps soothe ageing, injured or dry skin Cures skin diseases   USING AROMATHERAPY FOR EVERYDAY SKIN CARE   Here is how you can use aromatherapy oils every day in your moisturising lotion, cleansing cream or even in milk. Depending on your skin type, these oils can be used individually or as a combination of two or three oils added to your everyday moisturiser. The ideal ratio would be two drops of oil to every 100 ml of cleanser.   For dry skin : Ylang ylang, geranium, rose or chamomile For chapped or cracked skin: Chamomile or benzoin For hyper-sensitive skin: Chamomile, rose, jasmine or neroli, For combination skin: Geranium or lavender For normal skin: Sandlewood, lavender, neroli or rose.  THE ESSENTIAL   Ylang Ylang - extracted from flowers. Aromatic qualities: floral, sweet, balsamic Germanium- Extracted from flowers and leaves. Aromatic qualities: floral, sweet, green Benzoin - Extracted from resin. Aromatic qualities vanilla, sweet Lavender- Extracted from flowers. aromatic qualities: sweet, floral, herbaceous. Neroli- Extracted from flowers, Aromatic qualities: sweet, floral, medicinal

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