This has the same benefits as the whole-body treatment but can be even more effective for painful joints and muscles.
J Put soap, a sponge and two towels (one an old towel) near the bath, on a chair.
2 Run a comfortably warm bath and mix in a 3-oz bottle of castor oil.
3 Get in the bath, making sure the water is up to your neck and that the oil is dispersed. Lie there for 30 minutes.
4 Using the fresh towel at the edge of the bath, wash your hands and feet free of oil before you attempt to stand. Take great care because the bath will be very slippery. Use a bath mat and do not attempt to stand up until you have drained the bath, washed and dried it. You can then add clean water to remove oil from your body or you can take a shower.
5 If you are going to bed you can just towel-dry leaving a slight film of oil on. This should not feel sticky. If you use soap or shower gel, the oil can be completely removed.
6 If it is not bedtime, have a rest for at least half an hour in a warm bed or by the fire.
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CLASSIFYING THE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: TRYING THE COMMON-SENSE APPROACH – CASTOR OIL BATH
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Marion’s first seizure occurred when she was 14. She was at school, and had just been enjoying a quiet smoke with a few friends in a secluded corner of the playground, which was unfortunately not quite secluded enough. A sharp-eyed maths mistress with a keen sense of smell spotted a curl of smoke. As she was marching them off to see the Headmaster, Marion saved the day (or so her friends described it later) by having a seizure right there in the middle of the playground.
Marion never smoked again, because she always had a feeling that the cigarette must have somehow triggered her seizure. But she did continue to have seizures, and unfortunately they proved difficult to control. Eventually, some years later, she was referred to me. I questioned her closely about what happened when she had a seizure. When Marion thought about this she discovered that there was a pattern, though she had never realized it. She had had a seizure that morning, just after her husband had drawn her attention to the fact that he had no clean shirts. She had had a seizure a few days ago at work, soon after she had mislaid an important document. She remembered a seizure she’d had some weeks back, when she had just bought a dress which cost approximately twice what she had intended to spend. And it was then that she remembered her first seizure of all. That fitted the pattern too; it wasn’t the cigarette that had triggered the seizure, it was simply a strong feeling of guilt.
‘So now what you have to do,’ I said to her, ‘is to find some way to stop feeling guilty. Whenever you feel the guilt creeping on, why not try asking yourself “How much is this going to matter in 20 years’ time?” And if the answer’s, “Not at all,” then why feel guilty about it?’
When Marion tried this technique she found that she did indeed have fewer seizures. In fact, she described her new guilt-free attitude to life as the best anticonvulsant she had ever been prescribed!
Treatment with drugs is the best way to control seizures for nearly everyone. But it is not the only way. A new and less conventional approach to seizure control is called behavioural treatment, and it is based on the observation that by altering your behaviour you can often alter the pattern of your seizures.
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Diarrhea may have several causes, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy to the abdomen, infection, food sensitivity and emotional upset.
Long-term or severe diarrhea may cause other problems. During diarrhea, food passes quickly through the bowel before the body absorbs enough vitamins, minerals and water. This may cause dehydration and increase the risk of infection. Contact the doctor if the diarrhea is severe or lasts for more than a couple of days. Some ideas for coping with diarrhea are given here. The patient should:
1. Drink plenty of liquids during the day. Drinking fluids is important because the body may not get enough water when having diarrhea.
2. Eat small amounts of food throughout the day instead of three large meals.
3. Eat plenty of foods and liquids that contain sodium (salt) and potassium. These minerals are often lost during diarrhea. Good liquid choices include fat-free soup. Foods high in potassium that do not cause diarrhea include bananas, stewed peach and apricot, and boiled or mashed potatoes.
4. Try these nutritious low-fibre foods:
- Curd
- Rice or noodles
- Grape juice
- Porridge
- Eggs (cooked until the whites are solid, not tried)
- Ripe bananas
- Coconut water
- White bread
- Skinned chicken or fish (boiled or baked, not fried)
- Cottage cheese, cream cheese.
5. Eliminate foods such as:
- Greasy, fatty or fried
- Raw vegetables and fruits
- High-fibre vegetables such as corn, beans, cabbage, peas and cauliflower
- Strong spices, such as hot pepper, curry and chillies.6. Drink liquids that are at room temperature.
7. Avoid very hot or very cold foods and beverages.
8. Limit foods and beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee, strong tea, some sodas and chocolate.
9. Be careful when using milk and milk products because diarrhea may be caused by lactose intolerance.
10. After sudden, short-term attacks of diarrhea (acute diarrhea), try a clear-liquid diet during the first 12 to 14 hours. This lets the bowel rest while replacing the important body fluids lost during diarrhea.
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