“And He it is Who made the night a covering for you, and the sleep a rest, and He made the day to rise up again” (Qur’an 25:47).

Certainly sleep is one of the blessings from Allah. At the end of a busy day a person looks forward to sleeping and regaining enough energy for the next day. Sleep is also important for good health and safety reasons. However, studies vary as to how much sleep is enough. Some studies claim 8-10 hours is a requirement for everyone. However, the Prophet Mohammad (saws) used to sleep very few hours in the night and used part of the night for prayer. Recent studies confirm that this may actually be healthier for some people.

Sleep is important for health and safety reasons. Lack of sleep can lead to mental illness, relationship problems, absence from work and even traffic accidents.

Researchers have found that people with chronic insomnia are more likely than others to develop several kinds of psychiatric problems, and are also likely to make greater use of healthcare services (Yang). Lost productivity due to sleepiness has been estimated to cost the national economy as much as $100 billion annually and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated more than 100,000 auto crashes annually may be fatigue related (Yang). Because of this, some studies claim that 8-10 hours should be required for everyone. However, recent studies have confirmed what the prophet Muhammad did may be healthy for some people.

“…the Prophet slept for a part of the night, (See Fateh-al-Bari page 249, Vol. 1), and late in the night, he got up and performed ablution from a hanging water skin, a light (perfect) ablution and stood up for the prayer (Bukhari).”

Modern studies show that this may actually be the best advice for many people. In fact, many studies are showing that less sleep or even lack of sleep can be healthier in some cases.

A six-year study of more than a million Americans shows that a good night’s sleep lasts seven hours. It also showed that people who sleep for eight hours or more tend to die a bit sooner. Study leader Daniel F. Kripke, MD, says,”You really don’t have to sleep for eight hours and you don’t have to worry about it. It is evidently very safe to sleep only seven, six, or even five hours a night (DeNoon).”

Kripke and co-workers analyzed data from an American Cancer Society study conducted between 1982 and 1988. The study gathered information on people’s sleep habits and health, and then followed them for six years. Study participants ranged in age from 30 to 102 years, with an average starting age of 57 years for women and 58 years for men. In the study the death risk for people with too much sleep was 34% as compared to only 12% for those who slept 8 hours and only 22% for those who had too little sleep.

These findings are similar to those in the dietary realm that show that eating too much food is much more harmful than not eating enough (of course massive extremes such as starvation and not sleeping at all are not included in this discussion). Kripke even noted that, “For 10-hour sleepers, the increased risk of death was about the same as that for moderate obesity.”

Some studies have even experimented with sleep deprivation to cure depression. Up to 60% of depressed people will show a 30% improvement after just one night awake, according to a review article published in the January 1990 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. People who feel the most depressed in the morning and improve later in the day seem to benefit the most from a night without sleep (Yang). However, keeping people up all night is not a long-term solution and researchers often found a relapse in people once they went back to “normal” sleeping hours.

Further research showed that one reason staying up all night worked was because sleep inhibits the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) that helps control our metabolism and, indirectly, our levels of energy. An estimated 25% to 35% of depressed patients have low TSH levels. Recent research has shown that while sleep inhibits the release of TSH, staying awake through the night and the early morning hours boosts it. This “new” scientific research is completely in accordance with the habit of the prophet (saws), which was to sleep shortly after Eisha prayer (earlier than most people sleep nowadays), and wake in the very early morning hours (sometimes as early as midnight) again to pray.

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Prophet slept till he snored and then prayed (or probably lay till his breath sounds were heard and then got up and prayed).” Ibn ‘Abbas added: “I stayed overnight in the house of my aunt, Maimuna, the Prophet slept for a part of the night, (See Fateh-al-Bari page 249, Vol. 1), and late in the night, he got up and performed ablution from a hanging water skin, a light (perfect) ablution and stood up for the prayer. I, too, performed a similar ablution, then I went and stood on his left. He drew me to his right and prayed as much as Allah wished, and again lay and slept till his breath sounds were heard. ”

This is similar to the therapy given to depressed patients in Europe who are told to sleep early for a week, awake at midnight and then ease back into a “normal” sleeping schedule by waking a bit later each morning, but no later than sunrise (Yang).

If you already feel you don’t have enough sleep you may wonder, though how less sleep can make you feel better. Oftentimes sleep problems are related to sleep quality rather than length of sleep. Things a person can do to improve their sleep quality is: eat at least two hours before bedtime, change to healthier dietary habits, check with a doctor about possible sleep apnea, snoring issues, or TMJ, sleep on your side, avoid alcohol and sedatives, lose weight and find a comfortable mattress.

So how do you know how much sleep you need? Many people instinctively feel what is right for them. If you feel great after 7 hours, but feel tired if you get five hours or nine hours then you know that seven is your “ideal sleep” time. However, sleep requirements may also vary with life events. During travel or personal trauma or illness sleep requirements may increase.

John McDougal, author of several dietary books, offers a further distinction between people who need more or less sleep. He says in his book The Quick McDougal Cookbook, that healthy people usually need only 5-7 hours of sleep a night. This, in fact may be the reason many people think they need more sleep. Bad dietary habits can cause sleepiness. One such example is the heavy feeling one gets after eating a large meal or the drug-induced state that bread causes in some people. Dr. McDougal says that as long as a person is healthy they should need less than 8-hours of sleep. Medical science seems to be saying that if you need more that 8 hours of sleep you need to work on some dietary issues and strive to need less sleep. Even the prophet (saws) spoke against extremes in sleep deprivation and told men who stayed up all night for days on end praying, that they needed to moderate their habits and also get some sleep.

Sources:

www.webmd.com

Yang, Sarah. “Staying Up to Beat the Blues.”

DeNoon, Daniel. “Are you Sleeping Enough – Or Too Much?”

Durgan, Amy. “Tips to Sleep More Soundly.”

Source: islamicmedicine.org

By the fig and olive
And the mount of Sinai
And the city of security
We have indeed created man in the best of moulds
Then do we abase him (to be) the lowest of low
Except such as believe and do righteous deeds for they shall have a reward unfailing
What then, can after this, make you deny the last judgement
Is not Allah the wisest of judges” (The Fig, Surah 95)
The plant of olive goes upto the height of 3 metres, leaves are bright green and very attractive and the fruits are of bright bluish or violet colour, possesses a metallic taste. It is known from old ages. During the excavation of ancient Egyptian graves, vessels full of olive oil were found with other articles. According to the scholars of Hadith, on subsidence of Toofan-E-Nooh, when water level came down, the first thing on the earth that was seen, was the olive plant.

The plant is extensively found in Asia minor, Palestine, Roman territory, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Italy, North Africa, Algeria, Tunisia, California in America, Mexico, Peru and South zone of Australia. Usually it is imported from Spain, Italy, France, Turkey and Greece. Though olive fruits are very nutritious it is not usually eaten due to its metallic taste. Rather pickles of its fruits are largely consumed in Europe. The fruits preserved in vinegar is imported from Greece and liked very much in Europe and in Arabian countries.

Olive oil is a good preservative for other eatables too. Sardine and other fishes are tinned and preserved in olive oil. The smoke-less burning of olive oil is a peculiar feature, which produces a bright light. Holy Qur’an stresses the importance of Zaitoon on several occasions: (141-M-AlInaam-6), (99-K-AlInaam-6), (11-K-AlNahl-16), (AlNoor-35), (Moominoon).

Hazrat Sayyed Al-Ansari narrates that the Prophet (Pbuh) said “Eat the olive oil and massage it over your bodies since it is a holy (mubarak) tree.” (Tirmizi, Ibn Maja)

Hazrat Alqama Bin Amir narrates that Prophet (Pbuh) said, “ There is olive oil for you, eat it, massage over your body, since it is effective in Heamorrhoids (Piles).” (Ibn Al-Jozi, Zanbi)

Hazrat Aqba Bin Amir narrates that the Prophet (Pbuh) stated, “You have the olive oil from this Holy (mubarak) tree, treat yourself with this, since it cures the Anal fissure (Basoor).” Khalid Bin Saad narrates “I came to Madinah with Ghalib Bin Al Jabr. Ghalib became ill during the journey. Ibn Abi Ateeq came to see him and told a narration from Hazrat Aisha that the Prophet (Pbuh) told about the cure in Kalonji. We crushed a few seeds of Kalonji and mixed it with olive oil and dropped in both nostrils, after which Ghalib became healthy.” (Ibn Maja, Bukhari)

Hazrath Abu Hurairah (t) narrates that the Prophet (Pbuh) stated, “ Eat the olive oil and apply it (locally), since there is cure for seventy diseases in it, one of them is Leprosy.” (Abu Naim)

Hazrat Zaid Bin Arqam narrates “ We have been directed by the Prophet (Pbuh) that we should treat the Pleurisy with Qust-e-Behri (Qust Sheerin) and olive oil.” (Tirmizi, sanadeAhmed, Ibn Maja)

Olive oil has a place in Govt Pharmacopoca of USA and Britain (British Pharmacopoca). Both of these countries have given prime importance to olive oil for the treatment of various ailments and have fixed standard parameters to evaluate its purity.

It contains Palmatic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Steanic Acid, Myristic Acid and Glycerides. It is not dissolved in water but in Alcohol, Ether, Chloroform and Liquid Paraffin.

The adulterant very often used in the olive are of the seeds of Tea Plant, Arachis oil in the market samples of olive oil. Sometimes Machine Gun oil and refined Mobile oil are also found.

Olive oil is extracted from the ripened fruits. The unripe and over ripe fruits contain less amount of the oil. The fruits are processed three times. Successively, the first round oil is the best in quality, golden in colour, with a light fragrance and known as virgin oil. Some varieties of olive oil remained unchanged in its effectiveness for years together. It contains therapeutic potential even if it is a thousand years old. Despite the prime importance and holiness given by Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) no work has been done to find out its efficacy for the ailments other than the Haemorrhoids, Anal fissure, Skin diseases, pleurisy and leprosy, which are already described by the Prophet (Pbuh) , whereas the Prophet (Pbuh) himself says us that it contains cure for seventy diseases.

According to Ibn Al-Qayyim the red coloured oil is better than blackish one. It is an exhilarant, glows up the facial complexion, provides prevention against poisons, regulates the digestive process, expels the intestinal parasites, makes the hair lustrous and minimises the ageing problems. The massage of olive oil with common salt over the gums is a remedy for several diseases of gums and teeth. The local application of olive oil or the water extracted from the crushed olive oil leaves is effective on boils, rashes and itching. The chronic ulcers and boils, which show difficult healing condition, are healed up with the use of olive oil locally.

According to Zahbi it strengthens the hairs and body, hence could be used as a good tonic in old age problems and to delay the ageing process. It is also useful in sexual weakness. Combination of normal saline with olive oil is highly effective in burns cases.

The decotion of olive leaves in water is effective against mouth and lips ulcers and allergic dermatitis also. The concentrated aquous extract of olive leaves and fruits is very effective against dental cavities and application of this solution shows very good effects on Leukoplaquea in mouth. This solution is applied with vinegar on Alopecia, grows the hair and removes the Alopecia. It is also stated that the local application of this extract removes the scars of small pox and boils. The powder of seeds mixed with butter is effective in brittle nails. The pickles prepared from olive fruits is a good appetizer and removes constipation. The smashed leaves are applied locally to check excessive perspiration. The water extracted from the leaves with honey is used as Ear drops and effective in various Ear ailments. The oil procured by burning of olive wood is effective against all fungal infection viz, Ringworm, T.versicolor etc. in addition to Eczema, Psoriasis, Dandruff and Alopecia. The local application of olive oil on scalp is highly effective against dandruff. It grows the hairs and checks, the loss of hair. The application of olive oil in eyes relieves the inflammation.

The massage of olive oil over the body tones up the muscles and organs, it relieves muscular pains. Some physicians also advocate the massage of olive oil for epilepsy. It relieves the Sciatic and arthritis. The ointment prepared from olive oil are very good healing agents. It heals the sinus and fistula very quickly. 25ml of olive oil mixed with 250ml of barley water, if taken internally, is highly effective against chronic constipation. It is good Diuretic, hence is used in Ascites. It also removes the kidney stones.

A conventional regimen is also available comprising of olive oil and other herbal drugs having potential against the Gall bladder stones. It is stated that this regimen dissolves and expels the Gall bladder stone.

In view of the researchs carried out in USA and England, it is concluded that it is a good nourishing diet during the ailments of kidney, where nitrogen containing food/proteins in take is contra indicated. Since, the Prophet (Pbuh) stated that it is a good remedy for Anal fissure, hence for the same complaint patients were advised to take two spoonful of olive oil at bedtime and an ointment was applied on fissure locally at retiring and in morning, prepared from 8 spoonfuls of olive oil and 2 spoonfuls of ground henna leaves. This showed very good effects against the problem. It is a good tonic for hair and maintains the lustre. Its combination with other prescribed drugs of Tibb-al-Nabwi is a good remedy for Psoriasis and Eczema. The impressions of several doctors practising in middle east and North Africa reveal that no case was detected of Gastro Intestinal Carcinoma, among those who were used to consuming olive oil. Japanese doctors also endorse this fact and have the opinion that olive oil prevents the incidence of Carcinoma in G.I.T.

The Prophet (Pbuh) stated that it is a good remedy for intestinal inflammations. Therefore it was used in the cases of G.I.T ulcers and found very much effective. It is also observed that no remedy equates the benefits of olive oil in hyper acidity and gas troubles.

The Prophet (Pbuh) recommended the use of olive oil in Pleurisy. Keeping this in view olive oil was administered in various diseases of Respiratory tract and it was observed that the regular users of olive oil were least affected with common cold and coryzha and pneumonia.

The clinical experiences of well qualified and highly established doctors in the profession who take a keen insight in Prophet’s medicine reveal that olive oil is a good supportive treatment in Tubercular infection of either sites. According to a narration of Kahlid Bin Saad in Ibn Maja, one spoonful of Kalonji was pulverised and mixed with 12 spoonful of olive oil. This suggestion was dropped into the nostrils morning and evening for the cases of chronic cold and epistaxis. The results were found highly positive.

Source: Islamicvoice.com

28/06/2001

Anorexia, which means “without appetite,” is an emotional illness in which a person refuses to eat. Ninety percent of anorexia cases are women and young girls (Balch, p.321). Although an anorexic female is hungry most of the time, she avoids food for psychological reasons. The exact cause of anorexia is not known, however, social factors such as the desire to be thin, appear to be the most important of the factors. Depression and low self-esteem are also powerful factors as they may cause a person to become anorexic out of a desire for more attention or as a cry for help (Merck, p.415). In Western society and through advertising, food is heavily linked to pleasure, self-image and fulfillment. However, the Islamic view on food and diet is quite different and may provide some guidance for those trapped in the ideals of Western self-image.

In Islam, food is linked with the blessings of Allah; with the expression of generosity; and with the health of the body. It is not linked to self-image, fulfillment or pleasure like it is in the West. In the Qur’an it says, “And He made in it mountains above its surface, and He blessed therein and made therein its foods, in four periods: alike for the seekers” (Qur’an, 41:10). However, a Muslim is expected to realize that this blessing is not made just for him, but for his guests and others as well. The Qur’an also advises, “And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive” (Qur’an, 76:8). Hadith(s) also provide an insight into how food is viewed in Islam. Abdullah ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet (saws) said, “He who does not accept an invitation which he receives has disobeyed Allah and His Apostle of, and he who enters without invitation enters as a thief and goes out as a raider” (Shahih Bukhari). Furthermore he advised, “Give food to the hungry, pay a visit to the sickand release (set free) the one in captivity (Muslim).”

The Prophet also listed a number of foods that would help restore health to the body, such as: dates and barley. Saad narrated that Allah’s Apostle said, “He who eats seven ‘Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them” (Bukhari). However, Western society and Islam agree on one perspective of food: Food is linked to life performance.

On television, long chains of commercials advertise foods that are supposed to help people perform better at work, at school and in sports. In Islam, the health of the body became linked to the ability of the Muslim to perform their prayers when the Prophet advised against praying on a hungry stomach. Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet said, “If supper is served and the Iqama for (Isha) prayer is proclaimed, start with you supper first.”

Despite the noble place that food holds in Islam, many Muslim women have succumbed to the disease of anorexia. However, the avoidance of food is not the only challenge for an anorexic. Some anorexics also go through a stage where they become bulimic. They start craving food and they end up eating large amounts of it. After consuming it they make themselves vomit. In Western society this vomiting is seen as a way to rid the body of undesirable calories or to “repent” for the social sin of overeating. In Islam, the Prophet (saws) advises that when one commences a meal they should remember from the beginning of the meal that, “A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food), and a kafir (unbeliever) or a hypocrite eats in seven intestines (eats too much).”

The most noticeable symptoms of this alternating starvation and binging are severe weight loss (up to 25% of body weight), slow heartbeat, growth of thin hair on the body, low blood pressure, delayed puberty and edema (Merck, p.415). In Western society, films portray thin women as beautiful and magazines speak of the great sacrifices women must make to be thin and the newspapers portray hunger strikers as heroines. From this perspective many anorexic women may feel that their health symptoms are merely a sacrifice for the greater good of themselves or mankind.

However, in Islam, the destruction on one’s health is viewed in a different light. Up to 20% of anorexic women die each year (Merck p. 415) and in Islam suicide is considered Haram (forbidden). In Sahih Bukhari, a number of punishments are related corresponding to the various methods in which people may kill themselves. It is stated that killing oneself in any way is unacceptable in Islam. The Prophet gives a number of examples: “He who killed himself with steel (weapon) would be the eternal denizen of the Fire of Hell and he would have that weapon in his hand and would be thrusting that in his stomach for ever and ever; he who drank poison and killed himself would sip that in the Fire of Hell where he is doomed for ever and ever; and he who killed himself by falling from (the top of) a mountain would constantly fall in the Fire of Hell and would live there for ever and ever.”

However, the results of anorexia can easily turn into “a living hell” for the family and friends involved. When anorexia cannot be halted at home, many anorexics end up in the hospital. They are put in special rooms where they can be watched. The doctors and nurses then go into the room at certain times and force the victims to eat, sometimes through an IV tube. The anorexic is only allowed to leave when their eating habits resume normally and a safe weight is restored (Merck, p.415). The ‘Merck Manual of Medical Information’ states that, “Treatment is aimed at establishing a calm, concerned, stable environment while encouraging the consumption of an adequate amount of food.”

The Qur’an and Hadith could provide important guidance in this area. The Western world views food as a pleasurable, fulfilling hobby and views a positive self-image as achieved through self-sacrificing beauty. However, Islam views food as a symbol of Allah’s blessings, a function of health and a method of worship. In Islam self-image is achieved, not by sacrificing one’s health, but by restoring one’s physical, mental and spiritual health. It is a known fact, that even Muslim women wants to look good and have a perfect body, however, she can have all this with her good health by following the guidelines of the Qur’an and Hadith. Although the Prophet Mohammed said, “The food for two persons is sufficient for three, and the food of three persons is sufficient for four persons.” He also said that, “the believer must fill his stomach with one third water, one third air and one third food (Sahih Bukhari).”

Sources:

Qur’an and Hadith Search.
http://www.muslimguide.com/

http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/Qur’an/simple.html

Berkow, Robert, MD. “The Merck Manual of Medical Information.” Whitehouse Station, New Jersey: Merck and Company Publishing. 1997.

Zand, Janet. Walton, Rachel; and Rountree, Bob, MD. “Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child.” Garden City, New York: Avery Publishing Group. 1994.

Source: Islamonline.net

By Karima Burns, MH, ND

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population. One or more of a number of varying factors, including genetic malformations or nutritional imbalances can cause it, and it is an often-misunderstood disease. Thought to be a disturbance in the brain’s chemistry, schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by disordered thinking, delusions (fixed beliefs that are odd or highly unusual), and hallucinations (hearing sounds and seeing things that don’t exist for others). The illness can be either progressive or episodic. It is sometimes a serious illness; however, the prognosis varies from individual to individual, and many patients experience a full or almost full recovery from schizophrenia, although this might take many years.

Schizophrenia has been a long misunderstood illness and to be labeled as a schizophrenic ironically brings with it all these misunderstandings. However, many people do not realize that anyone can experience a schizophrenic episode once in their lifetime and that schizophrenia is such a general label that it can apply to someone who becomes regularly and slightly paranoid during their menstrual period to someone who constantly hallucinates and must be institutionalized.

In the 1999 movie, The Sixth Sense, schizophrenics are represented as possible visionaries. This is not a new idea. In ancient times, schizophrenics were labeled as intuitive and visionaries and were believed to be able to see things that normal people could not see. They were revered and left to wander from home to home. It was thought that having one in your village was a blessing. In his book, The New Orthomolecular Nutrition, Abraham Hoffer, MD relates that schizophrenics have been imprisoned, and even in recent history, they have been locked away in institutions and given shock “therapy” (pp. 27-31). Some people have even accused entire groups of modern religious fanatics of being “schizophrenic” in their behavior and fervor for God.

Today, however, modern health care professionals have been able to use historical and alternative information to glean a more complete view of what schizophrenia is. In their book, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Phyllis Balch, RN, and James Balch, MD, list many possible causes of schizophrenia. These include: inherited traits, defects in brain chemistry, complications during birth, reaction to a virus in or out of the womb, mercury poisoning from silver amalgam dental fillings, head injury, reactions to vaccines, prescription and non-prescription drugs, undiagnosed pellagra (vitamin B deficiency), undiagnosed celiac disease (gluten intolerance), and pre-natal or post-natal zinc deficiency or vitamin C deficiency (pp. 465-467). In Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pritchard lists undiagnosed candida, allergies, and hypoglycemia as possible causes for schizophrenia. With all the possible causes of schizophrenia, it is prudent to explore all possibilities before settling on a general treatment, psychiatric treatment or treatment for just one cause (pp. 402-404).

Western medical opinion has found that the chemical balance in the brains of schizophrenics is different from that of people without schizophrenia. However, it is important to stress that this could easily be a symptom of schizophrenia rather than the cause. This is something that is over-looked by psychiatric medicine, which is frightening when you think that their treatments are often geared solely towards messing about with this “chemical imbalance.”

Neuroleptics that affect dopamine neurotransmitter systems are effective in managing and reducing psychotic symptoms. This group of drugs traditionally includes haloperidol (Haldol), fluphenazine (Prolixin), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), and thioridazine (Mellaril). However, these drugs can produce problematic side effects including low blood pressure, drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, lethargy, constipation, and weight gain. The high potency medications like Haldol and Prolixin may produce restlessness, muscle spasms, and tremors as well, but tend to cause fewer problems with blood pressure, blurred visions, dry mouth, and drowsiness. The most disturbing side-effect, tardive dyskinesia, an involuntary series of tics in the tongue, facial muscles, arms and legs, can occur after years of taking the drugs.

The general medical field largely blames schizophrenia on inherited brain dysfunction. They state that schizophrenia comes about by “defects in a single, complex brain circuit” (psychiatrist, Nancy C. Andreasen of the University of Iowa College of Medicine, in Iowa City). However, even the researchers themselves are not sure how much of this activity has come about because of the illness itself or the drugs taken for it. Dr. Daniel Weinberger, of the U.S. National Institutes of Mental Health, said there was a growing body of evidence that people who develop schizophrenia in adulthood had a brain abnormality from their earliest months of life. However, the same studies that support this statement also indicate that familial genetic transmission can account for only a portion of the cases of schizophrenia; for example, the concordance rate in monozygotic twins is approximately 40%, suggesting that non-genetic factors must also have a role (Yeager, pp. 7-8).

Dr. Andreasen, furthermore, found in her research that schizophrenia persists as an illness despite the fact that the majority of its victims never marries or procreates, so it seems likely that multiple different nonspecific, non-genetic factors that affect neurodevelopment are implicated. Such non-genetic factors could come into play at any time during brain development and may primarily affect the regulation of the statement of the many genes that influence brain development and function (Yeager, p. 8).

Neuroscientists believe that the seeds of the disorder are often sown during fetal development. That is when the brain is wired up; nerve cells grow, divide, and build connections with each other. The basic flaw in the brains of many schizophrenics seems to be that certain nerve cells migrate to the wrong areas when the brain is first taking shape, leaving small regions of the brain permanently out of place or mis-wired. If this is true, then anything that interferes with the wiring of the brain could also be a possible cause for schizophrenia as the child develops out of the womb. It is well known that in the first seven years neurotransmitters in the brain are connecting at a rapid pace. Watching television adversely effects these connections.

Natural health practitioners have long stated that schizophrenia was a result of nutritional deficiencies and now some doctors are beginning to accept this as well. A Hadith states, “If anyone refrains from eating meat for forty days, his character deteriorates,” highlighting the importance of eating a balanced diet and what may happen if one does not. In fact, the brain is an organ like any other and when nutritional deficiencies exhibit themselves, they can show up there just as easily as in the liver, kidney or heart. Where your nutritional deficiencies and illnesses show up is largely a symptom of your inherited weaknesses. This can be seen in the use of niacin treatment for heart patients and schizophrenia patients.

Abraham Hoffer found in 1960 that there was an excessive conversion of adrenaline into adrenalone in the schizophrenic body. Later research turned up this same imbalance in people with heart disease. Therefore, Dr. Hoffer looked for ways to reverse this. He discovered that administration of high doses of niacin (Vitamin B3 administered under medical supervision in doses of 1-3mg a day for up to five or ten years) would cure both problems (Hoffer and Walker, pp. 110-112).

Essential fatty acids have also been implicated in schizophrenia; infants deprived of breast milk may be at higher risk for developing schizophrenia later in life. Furthermore, in The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicines, authors Michael T. Murray, ND and Joseph Pizzorno, ND state, “Wheat Gluten components have demonstrated opioid (opium like) activity. This activity is believed to be the factor responsible for the association between wheat consumption and schizophrenia. The hypothesis that gluten is a causative factor in the development of schizophrenia is substantiated by epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies” (p. 223).

Sources:

Balch, Phyllis, RN and Balch, James, MD. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. New York: Avery Press, 1996.

Hoffer, Abraham, MD, Phd. and Walker, Morton, DPM. Putting it all Together: The New Orthomolecular Nutrition. New Canaan, Connecticut: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1996.

Murray, Michael, ND and Pizzorno, Joseph, ND. The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Roklin, California: Prima Publishing, 1991.

Pitchford, Paul. Healing With Whole Foods. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 1993.

Yeager, Selene. New Foods for Healing. Emaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale Press, Inc., 1998.

Source: islamonline.net

Sigmund Freud said, “Psychoanalysis is not suitable for such diseases as schizophrenia and successful treatment will be found to be biochemical.” Some scientists and physicians, however, seem to have misunderstood the word “biochemical.” In the 1950’s, painful and typically ineffective insulin injections, barbiturates, morphine, and electro-convulsive therapy were used for schizophrenic patients. Modern medications are also strong and can leave lasting side effects.

Not all modern “cures” for schizophrenia involve chemicals or medication. Alternative cures that have proven to be effective involve dietary changes and rotation diets, nutritional supplementation, herbal tea programs, humming, aromatherapy, sleep therapy, and addiction therapy.

Dietary changes that help the schizophrenic are usually focused on eliminating allergies and processed foods from the diet as well as adding foods rich in essential fatty acids, magnesium, Vitamin C, and the B vitamins. In Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford states that, in Chinese Medicine, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses are largely caused by an imbalance in the fire (or choleric) element in a person’s body.

Pitchford also states that due to the likelihood of celiac disease (allergy to gluten) in schizophrenics, it is best to avoid glutinous grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and sweet rice. He recommends using basmati or brown rice, millet, buckwheat, corn, oats, quinoa and amaranth instead, and further recommends eating foods such as greens, garlic, onions, carrot and celery juice, chives, corn, duck, eggplant, figs, leeks, olives, pears, peppermint, walnuts, basmati rice, brown rice, millet, and vegetables to balance the fire element (p. 402).

Dr. Carl Pfeiffer, in his book Nutrition and Mental Illness, describes the use of primarily manganese and zinc in his therapy for the mentally ill, and recommends increasing GLA fats in the body (p. 245). The best sources of GLA are mother’s milk, spirulina, blue-green algae, borage seeds, black currant seeds, and evening primrose seeds.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing lists foods rich in niacin such as broccoli, carrots, corn, eggs, fish, potatoes, and tomatoes, and other foods like tuna, sunflower seeds, peas, halibut, and chicken breast as beneficial in treating schizophrenia. The authors also recommend avoiding alcohol, since it depletes the body of zinc, and caffeine as it causes the release of unwanted norepinephrine, a stimulating neurotransmitter (Balch and Balch, p. 466).

Some modern therapies for schizophrenics bypass dietary modifications altogether and simply add missing nutrients through supplementation. Abraham Hoffer, MD, Ph.D., author of The New Orthomolecular Nutrition, found that there was an excessive conversion of adrenaline into adrenocrome in schizophrenics. He later discovered that Vitamin B3, a very important vitamin, is helpful in reversing this problem because it has cerebral vascular and anti-allergy effects, produces a mass action in cellular metabolism, inhibits NADase activity, is antagonistic to schizophrenic toxins, and restores acetycholine esterase activity.

Hoffer’s therapy involved giving patients from one to three grams of niacin a day. He later created a test called the Hoffer-Osmond Diagnosis Test (HOD) that determines if more Vitamin B3 or B6 is needed (p. 163).

Herbal teas are also useful in assisting the schizophrenic to have a more relaxed and realistic outlook on life. Prescription for Nutritional Healing lists Gingko as helpful (Balch, p. 466), and in Healing with Whole Foods, Pitchford gives the following herbal formula for schizophrenia: one part skullcap, one-half part lobelia, and one part calamus root. Calamus has been used historically in India for schizophrenia (p. 403).

The following herbs are also often used:

a) Rosemary is easily obtainable, and is a great general relaxant and restorative for the nervous system.
b) Oatstraw herb (or even oatmeal) is a gentle and effective restorative.
c) Ginseng improves stamina and the ability to withstand stress.
d) St. John’s Wort has a gentle calming effect combined with a restorative tonic effect on the nervous system and also promotes healing.
e) Vervain is a calming restorative, particularly for nervous exhaustion.
f) Lavender is a tonic with relaxing properties for the nerves.
g) Horehound is a helpful relaxant.
h) Rauwolfia (Rauwolfia serpentina) or snakeroot is a small woody perennial from India and the East Indies.
i) Betel nut has been found by a study in Palau, Micronesia to reduce symptoms. According to a report in the August issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, people who regularly chew betel nut fare better than those who do not.
j) Chinese medicine uses herbs to tone the liver, kidney, and spleen that are often found to be imbalanced. Ironically, medications given for schizophrenia further damage the liver, kidney, and spleen.

Aromatherapy can be used in conjunction with herbal teas or alone as a therapy for schizophrenia. Valerie Worwood recommends the following essential oil mix in her book The Fragrant Mind:

Daytime: 5 drops of geranium, lavender, and lemon.
Nighttime: 8 drops of lavender, 4 drops of lemon, and 3 drops of chamomile Roman.

Not all successful cures are ingested. In fact, music therapy (usually involving humming and creative vocal dialogue) has been found to be one of the most successful cures for mental illness and schizophrenia, discovered (or, more likely, rediscovered) forty years ago when Paul Moses, M.D., an ear and nose specialist, noticed a recurring pattern in his schizophrenic patients – their voices were more rhythmic than melodious.

As patients were introduced to new speaking and humming styles, Moses found that some of their neurotic and psychotic patterns disappeared. Following up on Moses’ insights, the U.S. Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration reported the results of a study in which schizophrenics proved less likely to hear hallucinatory voices if they hummed softly. Another study at UCLA’s research center found that humming the “Mmmmm” sound very quickly resulted in a 59% reduction in auditory hallucinations.

Sleep and addiction therapies are the last and two most obvious solutions in some cases of schizophrenia. A chronic lack of sleep can create symptoms of schizophrenia in almost anyone. Modern work-a-holics and insomniacs consistently get only a few hours of sleep a night. Many people are not aware that sleep-deprivation was commonly used as a torture technique during the Vietnam War (and probably since the beginning of time) that quickly resulted in schizophrenia in captives, causing them to become so paranoid and delusional that their fear made them give up information to their captors (Hoffer and Walker, p. 162).

Many harmful and addictive substances such as alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs (or any addiction that becomes obsessive) can cause or exacerbate schizophrenia. Addiction and obsession, however, can be symptoms of the disease as well.

Most schizophrenics did not seriously try alternative treatments before turning to medical intervention. While medication can be required in some of the more severe cases, natural solutions are worth researching in milder cases, as they are usually “cures” that uncover the root of the disease and actually heal the person. On the other hand, most medications for schizophrenia demand a life-long commitment as they do not heal but, rather, they control and mask symptoms. This can be very dangerous for a person who is forgetful or gets tired of taking medication. It would be prudent, for individuals and society at-large, if cures rather than temporary solutions were more often sought. It was reported by Abu Hurairah that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “Allah never inflicts a disease unless he makes a cure for it….”

Sources

Balch, Phyllis, R.N. and Balch, James, M.D. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. New York: Avery Press, 1996.

Campbell, Don. The Mozart Effect. New York: Avon Books, 1997.

Hoffer, Abraham, M.D., PhD. and Walker, Morton, DPM. Putting it all Together: The New Orthomolecular Nutrition. New Canaan, Connecticut: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1996.

Pitchford, Paul. Healing With Whole Foods. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 1993.

Pfeiffer, Carl, Dr. Nutrition and Mental Illness. Concord, New York: Healing Arts Press, 1987.

Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Fragrant Mind. Novato, California: New World Library, 1996.

Source: Islamonline.net