Health News.

Diabetics need to pay special attention to their diet. In contrast with most other diseases, diabetes makes the patient want to eat more. To solve the question of diet, we must therefore see to it that he eats an adequate amount of food but with the proviso that it does not consist of too many carbohydrates. This can be achieved by giving the diabetic primarily vegetables, which are rich in vitamins but low in carbohydrates.

Lacto-vegetarians obtain their protein requirements from milk products, especially sour milk, buttermilk and soft white cheese (cottage cheese or quark). If the patient is used to eating meat, he must restrict himself to only small quantities of lean, muscular cuts of meat. The following menu for one day can be taken as a model.

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There are various kinds of tapeworm. When eating meat that has not been properly cooked it is possible to become infected with the so-called bladderworms (cysticerci) of the cattle, pig or fish variety. The bladderworms or larvae then develop into tapeworms in the human host.

Since field mice can be infected from the faeces of dogs, the eggs can be transmitted to people from the cats that catch the mice. The larvae of the dog tapeworm can cause small blisters in the human liver. This is quite dangerous since worm remedies are only effective in the intestine and not in the liver.

There is another danger. The eggs can develop into minute larvae in the intestines, bore through the intestinal wall and then migrate via the bloodstream to various organs of the body, where they form blisters or cysts varying in size from that of a pinhead to a little child’s head. This condition can be fatal. Do not, therefore, ignore the warning to exercise due care when handling your pets. There are no doubt many ways of playing with them and enjoying their companionship, without endangering your health.

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Pituitary obesity, however, is not so easy to deal with, because the pituitary is less amenable to corrective treatment than the ovaries. There are, of course, glandular preparations on the market which do act on the pituitary, but their administration is still a delicate matter. Nor do these preparations always produce positive results with the pituitary, though they often do with the ovaries.

A more effective way to reduce obesity is to take the seaweed ocean kelp. Two Kelpasan tablets taken twice a day are usually enough to reduce excess weight slowly but surely. Additionally, take Helianthus tub., a fresh plant extract made from Topinambur, over a long period of time. Where the ovaries need stimulating, Ovarium 3x, in combination with a good diet, has given good results.

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Also take care that the child does not get cold feet or feel chilled or cold. For this reason see to it that he has adequate footwear, warm socks and warm clothing to protect his body in cold weather. Moreover, make sure that he gets plenty of exercise out-of-doors, as this will stimulate the circulation and make him feel comfortable and warm. Take him on hikes or walks, possibly through a forest or wood, and encourage him to breathe deeply in the aromatic air. This will do much to build him up.

At all times the child should grow up in an atmosphere of soothing tranquillity since it will help him to relax. A happy home is the main factor that contributes to his speedy recovery; it induces a sense of balance by helping to overcome the emotions that have been a basic cause of the problem. Where there is happiness there is no room for tantrums, a defiant spirit, sullenness or depression. Engrossed as we often are in our daily routine, we tend to forget how much health, in particular the health of a child who is weak for some reason, depends on the feeling of being wanted and loved in an environment of calmness and harmony.

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No wonder the result is a state of complete exhaustion instead of recuperation from the week’s work. Driving at high speed creates anxiety and inner tension and affects the heart like a poison. Not only is the speed of the drive harmful, but the exhaust fumes are equally dangerous to the heart and blood vessels, particularly the fumes caused by leaded petrol. How much more sensible it would be to take a short leisurely ride to a nearby forest or the hills, get out of the car and go for a relaxing walk or hike. This kind of exercise would be invigorating for the blood vessels and, of course, the heart. The time spent in a clean environment would then permit us to return to work and our duties on Monday morning refreshed and relaxed, instead of tense and irritable as is so often the case today, when we misuse our leisure.

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Basil is easy to grow in frost-free places, needing only open sun and protection from wind for its brittle stems. Sow the round blue-black seeds in early to late spring, and the strong bright leaves should be through in 4 to 10 days. A light blue gelatinous film forms over the seed when it is touched by moisture before germinating, but the seeds, if kept dry, will keep their viability for many years. The young seedlings are easy to transplant, but keep a watch for snails and slugs. Basil grows quickly, and soon you will have enough leaves to use whenever required. Pinch out the centre stem as the plant grows, and let the side stems grow to keep it bushy. Water in the heat of the day: basil thrives only if its leaves as well as its roots have moisture.

Strictly speaking, both varieties are annuals; but if you live in a warm, frost-free area, you may be able to cut the bushes back hard in late autumn and have them come again the next spring. Try growing basil in a courtyard, it loves the reflected heat from stone or brick: and its perfume will be at its best. In India, it is grown as a true perennial; the frost-free, warm climate of the plains and the abundant water keep it in ideal condition. However, it is so easy to raise from seed and so quick to grow that it is advisable usually to sow fresh seed or buy new plants each spring.

Sweet Basil has large (2 to 2|-inch) leaves, and is most suitable for outdoors. Bush Basil will also grow just as well outside, but its small (i inch) leaves and more compact growth make it an ideal herb to grow in a pot. The Sweet Basil has a slightly stronger flavour, but both are delicious.

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Nearly all the commonly-grown herbs need an alkaline soil. For soils that tend to be acid and are somewhat deficient in magnesium, dolomite, a natural mixture of magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate, is preferable to lime (calcium carbonate only), to give the necessary alkalinity. A sure-fire test for soil acidity is this: If your garden grows camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons to perfection, or if it grows in its natural state a fine array of bush plants, it will need lime or dolomite added to the section where you wish to plant herbs.

A light scattering of dolomite can be put through the loose topsoil before planting, together with any manures or blood and bone. This is contrary to accepted gardening practice, but was recommended to me by the Department of Agriculture in New South Wales. Their booklet, Building up Fertility in the Garden, is invaluable. No doubt the Agriculture Departments in other states and countries will have similar material available.

WATERING. Herbs must have regular water for their best growth (in conjunction with the good drainage mentioned previously), even though many of them can still thrive in dry conditions. Water seems to be necessary for the production of a high oil content.

The herbs can all be watered even in the heat of a bright summer’s day, particularly basil, whose brittle leaves and stems need moisture when the sun is at its hottest. In cooler weather it is advisable to water them in mid-morning so the soil will not be too damp and cold overnight.

So now your herbs are ready to set out in their permanent positions. Keep a section for annuals, another separate one for perennials, or if planting them amongst the flower beds and shrubs remember their individual likes and dislikes and they will give you beauty and usefulness from season to season.

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Wormwood and southernwood will also grow well in the sooty grimy atmosphere of the cities, especially in industrial towns where the chemically-saturated air seems almost beneficial to these plants. Our ecologists might soon be handing out free plants of southernwood to provide a green barrier for the people who have to live in such areas. Seriously though, these Artemisias may hold the key to establishing a more breathable air in such conditions, as they absorb, recycle and purify the chemical-laden atmosphere.

Poor, crusted soil, and even rocky conditions, will not deter southernwood. It will withstand dryness, but naturally grows more green and thick with sufficient water. In very cold or frosty areas it may drop some of its leaves in the winter, but will shoot again with fresh young green when the warm weather returns.

Germination from seed can be difficult. I have never yet found just which sowing conditions it does like, trying many different approaches and seed from various sources: but the germination rate was always so low as to be quite disheartening. Woody stem cuttings are a far easier way to gain new plants. Take them in late spring or early summer, with a “heel” of the old stem attached.

Wormwood and southernwood are recommended to be grown in poultry runs for shade. The birds will not scratch at them and their insect-repelling oils will keep lice and other vermin away from the enclosure.

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Lovage is a close relative of the ginseng family, and has a long history of use in Asian cultures. In India it is used extensively as an antiseptic in times of cholera outbreaks, the blanched stems being chewed raw. In cold climates the tops may die down during the worst winter months, but in warmer areas it should continue green and useful all the year.

It needs careful watching in the early seedling stage: caterpillars, slugs and snails, and aphis too, love the new leaves as they uncurl. Use one of the “safe” sprays to keep them away. Give the young plant a rich, deep soil with plenty of compost and blood and bone well under where the young roots are to lie, and then give moisture continuously; they need this to keep their slow spreading roots growing strongly. Good drainage is particularly necessary for this herb.

A tea made from lovage leaves and stems is very helpful in rheumatic conditions, to free the body of waste materials and stimulate the kidneys. A small handful of the herb to a half-pint of boiling water makes a pleasant drink, needing a pinch of salt rather than a teaspoon of honey, since it has the taste of a broth or stock.

See if a lovage bath will do for you what it did for the village maidens of the Middle Ages. The herb was freely used for its deodorizing properties, a handful or two of leaves being added (bruised, of course) to hot bath water. It was also worn in a cloth bag around the neck when going on a medieval “date” with the boyfriend, not as a superstitious love-charm or in order to weave a magic spell, but in the very prosaic role of a body-deodorant.

Compost in the soil is a must for lovage. Its roots spread and forage deeply, and its slow growth means that initial feeding and working of the ground is necessary to provide its needs for at least four years or more. So take time and care in preparation to get better results.

Persevere with those difficult seeds. The fresher they are the better they will germinate. The end result will be a magnificent plant for the back row in your herb garden. Use its leaves in many savoury dishes, in soups and stews, and fresh in salads.

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Comfrey was placed by the astrologers under the dominion of Saturn, the sign of service in helping others—a very apt placing in the light of all the bounty it has to give. The large clumps will grow 3 to 4 feet high, and with a breadth of about 3 feet. The bright green leaves, growing to about 18 inches long, curve back towards the earth, and in spring several flowering stems will appear, bearing downward-drooping clusters of small, bell-shaped trumpets. The flowers on individual plants may be mauve, bluish, or even yellow, but most are a soft plum colour. Like all herbs, the plant grows better and stronger if not allowed to flower: so nip off the flowering stems unless you want them for seed. Sow the seeds in the early spring.

Once you have even one plant, you will never be without comfrey. A perennial, it can also be increased by lifting the clump (and a mature plant can be quite a lift) and dividing it into root pieces. This is best done in late summer. Set each piece of about 3 inches in length at a slight angle into the ground (or small pot, so you can plant out in the following spring), and cover to within about 1 inch from the top of the root. In the warmer weather, within a week or so new small leaves will be showing through. You can also chop off some of the outside offsets from the clump and transplant these, to avoid lifting the whole plant.

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