The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Avoid liquor, fried food to keep jaundice at bay

Jaundice is a symptom and not a disease. When a person has mild indigestion and looks pale, it is an indication of jaundice. In India, jaundice is most common in newborn babies. It sometimes affects adults also. By adult standards, virtually every new born is jaundiced, with high levels of bilirubin.

The yellow colour first appears in the whites of eyes and then spreads to the whole of the skin. Excess of bile pigments circulating in the blood give the skin a yellow colour. Since the bile does not go into the intestines as it normally does, the stools of the jaundice patient lose their typical brownish colour and in severe cases, these are almost whitish. There is loss of appetite and impairment of digestion. The liver is unable to digest fat. Nausea may also be present in certain cases because of defective digestion.

If the liver is inflamed, it is painful and tender to touch. Jaundice patients may also feel fever (100-102°C), headache, giddiness and tiredness.

Jaundice is called kamala in ayurveda. According to ayurveda, jaundice is a disorder of pitta. Pitta is of five kinds — paachak, ranjak, sadhak, alochak and bhrajak. Jaundice is a disorder of ranjak pitta. Ranjak pitta is located in the liver and spleen. When bile pigment reaches the blood, the result is jaundice. In modern parlance, jaundice is of three types — haemolytic, hepatic and obstructive.

Deficiency of iron in the blood is usually the main cause of jaundice. In a majority of the cases, it happens due to alcoholism. Hepatic jaundice due to liver problem and obstructive condition may be possible due to bile stone and roundworm. Epidemic of jaundice may be possible due to bacteria like spirochaetosis ictero-haemonrhagica, pneumonia, typhoid and syphilis.

It usually affects children and young adults more than other groups. The disease normally spreads due to dirty water and infected needles of syringes. Jaundice bacteria is located in the patients stool. Jaundice lasts for one to six weeks.

Precautions and remedies

*Strictly avoid alcohol, which is toxic to the liver.

*Avoid fried food and large meals

*Avoid eating out during rainy days.

*Do not drink water without boiling it.

*Do not use infected syringes.

*You should be careful about personal hygiene and your surroundings must be neat and clean. Living rooms should be properly ventilated.

*Avoid processed food products that contain preservatives, artificial flavours and other additives.

*Bilirubin test is must.

*The patient should take complete rest.

*According to the patient’s condition, protein diet like soyabin, eggs, dal and milk can be given. The patient can take carbohydrate diet like chappatis, bread, boiled potatoes, etc.

*Take fresh fruit or lemon juice and coconut water. Fresh vegetables having a bitter taste are useful in this condition.

*Take Vitamin C (500 mg) twice a day. This can reduce the duration of jaundice.

*Drugs to induce more urination are helpful in expelling excess bile from the blood.

*The patient can take ayurvedic medicines like arogyavardhini vati, kutki powder, sugarcane juice, honey and triphala powder.

*If jaundice continues, consult your physician.

— Dr Anil Dheer

Jagraon club wins cricket tourney
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, June 26
Useful knocks by Kamal (90) and Dimple (52) enabled Friends Club, Jagraon, to win the day-night cricket tournament organised by Ahmed Cricket Club at the local MGMN Senior Secondary School recently. In the final, Dashmesh Club, Ahmedgarh, lost to Friends Club by 33 runs.

Batting first after winning the toss, Friends Club scored 172 runs in 20 overs and restricted Dashmesh Club to 135. Earlier, Friends Club had defeated Double Deckers Club, Ludhiana, by 44 runs.

The prize distribution function was presided over by Mr Pardeep Sabharwal, SDM, Malerkotla, and Mr Rajneesh Sharma Guddoo, President, Municipal Council, was the chief guest. Kamal of Friends Club was declared the best bowler and the man of the series. He took 15 wickets in four matches. Sunder Pal of Dashmesh Club, Ahmedgarh, was honoured for outstanding batting and wicket-keeping.

Need to channelise energies of youth: MP
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 26
The Punjab Government is committed to improving the lot of Dalits in the state, besides realising the goals envisaged by B. R. Ambedkar. This was stated by Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, MP, while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the fourth Ambedkar cricket cup tournament at the Daresi ground late last evening.

Coming down heavily on the incidence of drug abuse among the youth, he said the need of the hour was to organise more sports events so that the energies of the youth could be channelised in a constructive way.

He said the state government would not only honour sportspersons at the national level but would also offer jobs for deserving ones at the state level.

Mr Galib also announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh for the sports club.

Admn gears up to tackle floods
Our Correspondent

Khanna, June 26
The Sub Divisional Magistrate Khanna, Mr Jaspal Mittal has directed all officials and employees of the Khanna block not to leave the headquarter till September 30 in view of the coming monsoon season the SDM said all arrangements had been made to tackle floods. He said a control room had been set up where employees would be available for 24 hours, anyone could contact the control room at telephone No. 238850 and 101.

Mr Parmjit Singh, Tehsildar Khanna, said the administration had arranged two boats, 10 tents, 75 polls and four oars. The Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Khanna, said the council had arranged two tankers and six pumps for the disposal of the rainy water.

Mr Surjit Singh, XEN Punjab State Electricity Board, Mr Munish Arora, D.F.S.O., Dr V.K. Aggarwal, Nahar Singh SDO, O.D. Parashar SDO, Kulwant Singh BDPO, and H.S. Riar SHO city were among these who attended the meeting.