“I didn’t know what to do!” Explained Mrs Bradley. “She was coughing and holding her throat. I thought she was choking so I tried to make her bring up what she had swallowed.” Staff at the casualty unit of the hospital treats a four year-old child who chewed on a seedpod from a wisteria. This plant poisons many children.
”Parents often try to make the child vomit and this is very dangerous,” warns Sister Graham RN, RCHN. “If a child aspirates the poison, it could prove fatal. The largest numbers of poisonings we deal with here occur in children under five years of age.
Children are naturally curious but must be taught never to put any part of a plant in their mouths and never to eat berries, wild fruit, seeds or mushrooms. Flower arrangements for the dinner table or buffets should never include fruits, berries or seeds that might be toxic.”
Some varieties of cut flowers have toxic properties. Species of Orntihogalum are among the most poisonous plants and if allowed to contaminate fodder, leads to stock loss. Several of these are cultivated as garden plants and cut flowers. The most common are Ornithogalum thyrsoides and Ornithogalum conicum, commonly known as ‘chincherinchees’.
Often one part of a plant may be edible while the rest of it is poisonous (e.g. rhubarb). Many plants used for medicinal purposes are toxic only if ingested in large quantities.
Some plants, although not poisonous, cause allergic reactions in people suffering from hay fever or asthma, especially pollen bearing trees like Acacia or Plane trees.
Plants that are innocuous to some people, like strawberries, ivy or chrysanthemums can cause skin irritation in people who are
allergic.
If you suffer from allergies wear protective gloves when handling plants. Stems should always be cut rather than broken to prevent harmful sap from coming into contact with the skin. Fortunately, many poisonous plants have survival characteristics including thorns, hard outer shells or are bitter to the taste. Plants that cause irritations or illness in humans should never be fed to animals.
In case of suspected poisoning of a human or animal:
Act immediately – do not wait to see if the symptoms go away. Some toxins can stay in the body and only manifest themselves a day or two later.
• It is preferable to go straight to a hospital Casualty rather than to a doctor.
• Identify and collect samples of suspected poisonous plants in your garden to take to the casualty
• Do NOT induce vomiting or give milk – some poisons are contra-indicated for milk.
• Carers should be taught about poisonous plants in the garden.
Write down contact numbers for the Emergency Poison Unit closest to you.
Published: 2008-11-21
Author: Sylvia Nilsen - http://sites.google.com/site/sylvianilsen/
About the author or the publisher
I am a freelance writer who has been published in a number of consumer magazines - Children, pregnancy, Food and Enterntainment, Women, Travel etc.
www.amawalker.blogspot.com
Source: ArticlesGratuits.com - Free Articles
Monday, January 26, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Natural Remedies for Depression - Are You Feeling Depressed?
Find out more about natural remedies for depression. Discover herbs, diet and lifestyle changes and holistic remedies that can make a difference.
Depression is becoming a common problem in the modern world. Is this because of increasing stresses, strains and unhappiness with life? Certainly, modern life is harsh, hard and does get many people down. It is very normal to have periods of sadness after certain life events, such as divorce, death, illness, loss of a job etc – this is perfectly natural.
Sometimes though, these periods of sadness can become too intense to cope with, or can linger far too long. This can be called ‘Depression’. Sometimes Depression has little to do with an unhappy life event, but creeps up on us with no obvious reason.
You should always consult your doctor if you have severe on prolonged periods of unhappy or depressed feelings, particularly if you find yourself contemplating suicide. Antidepressants do not always have to be the answer though – most conventional doctors themselves will recognise that while antidepressants do have their place in the treatment of depression, they are not the only option at all.
Natural remedies for depression can be equally as effective as antidepressants, and have the benefit of a lack of unpleasant side effects. There are lots of different natural health remedies you can try for depression, from herbal treatments, to lifestyle and diet changes.
The best known herb for depression is St John’s Wort. This is often nick-named ‘The Sunshine Herb’ as it seems to restore a ‘sunny’ disposition and outlook on life. It is particularly useful where depression is caused by a lack of sunlight in the winter months – called S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). St John’s Wort can also help where depression occurs with insomnia.
St John’s Wort is actually recognised for official use to treat depression in Germany, and is claimed to be effective against 70% of cases of mild to moderate depression. This is as effective, if not more effective, than conventional antidepressant treatments. Always consult your doctor before taking this herb, as there are several conditions and medications it should not be mixed with, particularly prescribed antidepressants.
As well as herbal treatments, there are lifestyle and diet changes you can make. These should help you recover from periods of depression, and should help keep depression away in the future. The usual suspects for an unhealthy diet should be avoided, namely; alcohol, nicotine, sugar, fatty foods, salt, processed foods. Instead a general healthy diet should be followed, with lots of fresh fruits and veg, wholegrains and oily fish such as salmon or mackerel.
One very helpful foodstuff against depression is chocolate … but before you hit the candies, note that it must be dark chocolate, with over 70% cocoa content, to help raise serotonin levels in the brain.
A regular exercise programme may not sound very technical, but it has been proven to help against depression. Don’t worry, as your exercise programme needn’t be too onerous. You should start gently, at a level appropriate for your own fitness level, and gradually work up to around 30-40 minutes of moderate exercise, between 3-5 times per week. This can be something as simple as walking. Walking in the countryside, at the beach or in a park, amongst nature, can really help with the depression-busting benefits of exercise.
Herbs, diet and lifestyle are not your only options for beating depression. There are plenty of other holistic remedies that can give great benefit to sufferers of depression. For the most part, the one you choose will depend on your own personal preferences and personality. Choose from treatments such as acupuncture, meditation, hypnosis and visualization, flower remedies, color and light therapy, inversion therapy and more.
If you think you might be feeling depressed you should certainly consult your doctor, and continue taking any prescribed antidepressants, but do be aware that there is much you can do to help yourself with natural remedies for depression. Under the guidance of your doctor you can gradually switch from antidepressants to all natural health remedies, and feel better, and happier.
Learn more about these (and more) natural remedies for depression, and take the decision to change your life and make yourself happy. Check out my website: www.natural-health-remedies-guide.com, for more information.
Depression is becoming a common problem in the modern world. Is this because of increasing stresses, strains and unhappiness with life? Certainly, modern life is harsh, hard and does get many people down. It is very normal to have periods of sadness after certain life events, such as divorce, death, illness, loss of a job etc – this is perfectly natural.
Sometimes though, these periods of sadness can become too intense to cope with, or can linger far too long. This can be called ‘Depression’. Sometimes Depression has little to do with an unhappy life event, but creeps up on us with no obvious reason.
You should always consult your doctor if you have severe on prolonged periods of unhappy or depressed feelings, particularly if you find yourself contemplating suicide. Antidepressants do not always have to be the answer though – most conventional doctors themselves will recognise that while antidepressants do have their place in the treatment of depression, they are not the only option at all.
Natural remedies for depression can be equally as effective as antidepressants, and have the benefit of a lack of unpleasant side effects. There are lots of different natural health remedies you can try for depression, from herbal treatments, to lifestyle and diet changes.
The best known herb for depression is St John’s Wort. This is often nick-named ‘The Sunshine Herb’ as it seems to restore a ‘sunny’ disposition and outlook on life. It is particularly useful where depression is caused by a lack of sunlight in the winter months – called S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). St John’s Wort can also help where depression occurs with insomnia.
St John’s Wort is actually recognised for official use to treat depression in Germany, and is claimed to be effective against 70% of cases of mild to moderate depression. This is as effective, if not more effective, than conventional antidepressant treatments. Always consult your doctor before taking this herb, as there are several conditions and medications it should not be mixed with, particularly prescribed antidepressants.
As well as herbal treatments, there are lifestyle and diet changes you can make. These should help you recover from periods of depression, and should help keep depression away in the future. The usual suspects for an unhealthy diet should be avoided, namely; alcohol, nicotine, sugar, fatty foods, salt, processed foods. Instead a general healthy diet should be followed, with lots of fresh fruits and veg, wholegrains and oily fish such as salmon or mackerel.
One very helpful foodstuff against depression is chocolate … but before you hit the candies, note that it must be dark chocolate, with over 70% cocoa content, to help raise serotonin levels in the brain.
A regular exercise programme may not sound very technical, but it has been proven to help against depression. Don’t worry, as your exercise programme needn’t be too onerous. You should start gently, at a level appropriate for your own fitness level, and gradually work up to around 30-40 minutes of moderate exercise, between 3-5 times per week. This can be something as simple as walking. Walking in the countryside, at the beach or in a park, amongst nature, can really help with the depression-busting benefits of exercise.
Herbs, diet and lifestyle are not your only options for beating depression. There are plenty of other holistic remedies that can give great benefit to sufferers of depression. For the most part, the one you choose will depend on your own personal preferences and personality. Choose from treatments such as acupuncture, meditation, hypnosis and visualization, flower remedies, color and light therapy, inversion therapy and more.
If you think you might be feeling depressed you should certainly consult your doctor, and continue taking any prescribed antidepressants, but do be aware that there is much you can do to help yourself with natural remedies for depression. Under the guidance of your doctor you can gradually switch from antidepressants to all natural health remedies, and feel better, and happier.
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