Jaundice is characterized by yellowing of the skin and the sclera or whites of the eyes. It is not a disease but only a sign to many other different diseases. Jaundice is caused by the high level of chemical bilirubin in the blood. Depending on the level of the chemical, the yellow pigmentation of the skin and the sclera may vary. When it is too high, it could appear as brown and not yellow.

Those suffering with jaundice get a yellowish tint to their skin and even the eyes turn yellow and the urine is either bright yellow or in sever cases can become "tea" colored. This is yellow tinge is because of the elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood which is what happens when there is a problem with the liver and the bile duct. After the iron is removed from the blood, the chemical remaining in the blood is bilirubin. This is a waste product which has to be removed from the body by the liver and this is what is excreted in the feces and gives it the yellow color.

Jaundice is a disease caused due to vitiation of the pitta dosha. It is called as kamala. When there is an excessive circulation of the bile pigments in the blood, then this disease is caused. Pitta dosha controls the bile pigments.Hence, jaundice is a disease of the liver. It can occur when there is an obstruction in the bile duct, or if there is destruction of the red blood corpuscles. When a person has jaundice, their skin becomes yellow in color. This characteristic yellowness is seen even in the eyes and the fingernails. Stools and urine also get colored. The yellow color is an indication that the circulation of bile is in excess.

The high level of bilirubin is the main cause of jaundice. However, it is better that we are able to understand how this chemical component of the blood is being released. The red blood cells are the ones responsible with the bilirubin. When these cells get old, they are naturally destroyed. Since the blood cells are the carriers of iron-content called hemoglobin that carries oxygen in the blood, this chemical is released from the destroyed cells. When the iron is removed, the remaining chemical content is called bilirubin.The two other types of infant jaundice, physiologic jaundice and breast milk jaundice require little to no treatment and will disappear within a few weeks on their own. There are some simple infant jaundice treatments you can use to support your baby through this time.

The first is simply nursing. Even in the case of breast milk jaundice, your milk helps with the build up of intestinal bacteria that assist with the binding and excreting of the broken down red blood cells. Also the extra protein in the milk protects the brain from damage while the bilirubin level is high.Sunlight will also help break down the bilirubin. So another effective infant jaundice treatment is to undress your baby and, while shading her eyes, give her a sun bath in the early morning or late afternoon sun for five minutes.

Treatments

If breastfeeding, the mother can also drink infusions of one of several herbs as an infant jaundice treatment. The baby will then receive the benefits of the herbs through the breast milk. Recommended herbs to try are catnip, comfrey leaf, agrimony or dandelion root.The liver is the master organ of the body, and most people consider the liver to be more important in the normal functioning of the body than even the brain and the heart. If there is any damage to the liver, then there could be serious complications, such as constipation, chronic gastritis, morning sickness, etc. Problems with the liver could be jaundice, hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver), all of which are life-threatening conditions. Hence it is very important to take proper care of the liver.

Some symptoms which indicate something is wrong with the liver are:-

1 Loss of appetite

2 Diarrhea

3 Flatulence

4 Pain in the abdomen

5 Difficulty in breathing and coughing