Health Tips

Ear problems in babies Your baby could be refusing feeds due to an impending ear problem causing irritability, fever and even vomiting.

Eat less, feel full Drink a glass of water before meals. Eating small bites and chewing food slowly and thoroughly make you feel full. Taking a longer time to eat will make you feel satisfied with less food.

Eat slowly to avoid weight gain A lot of studies have shown that the faster you eat, the more you eat. The human brain requires about 20 minutes to register satiety (feelings of satisfaction and fullness). So, the slower you eat, the less food you will need to feel full.

Eating whole grain foods may cut your risk of heart attack Eating whole grain foods may cut your risk of heart attack. Eating just one serving of whole-grain foods each day may cut your risk of dying from a heart attack by about 30 percent. Whole grain foods include brown breads, cereals, unpolished rice etc.

Effective breastfeeding Breastfeeding is not complicated, but ensuring some things can help your baby breastfeed more effectively. Your baby has to be hungry, comfortably positioned, securely attached to the breast and swallowing milk correctly. Try cradling your baby so his head rests against your elbow and his body is rolled toward yours. Expect your baby to suck for 10 to 30 minutes before letting go of the first breast, and then take a brief nap or attach to your second breast to suck for a shorter time.

Encourage your child to exercise Encourage your child to exercise everyday. Let him walk to a nearby store or to a friend's house. Sign him up for a sports team such as football, cricket or a recreational class like dance. Making the bed, cleaning the room and helping with the household chores can also help your child burn the extra calories.

Exercise can help you stay away from cigarettes Exercise can help you stay away from cigarettes. Women who included exercise as part of their 12 week smoking cessation programme were twice as likely to remain cigarette free as those who did not exercise as part of their quit-smoking programme.

Fat and cholesterol must for your baby Whereas you should be careful about cholesterol levels in your own diet, a shortage of these in baby's diet could prove hazardous. Fat and cholesterol in the first two years of your baby's life are essential for normal growth of the brain and nervous tissue.

First aid for a snake or scorpion bite Reassure the person and clean the area around the puncture marks. Apply a sterile dressing. If the bite is on the arm, immobilise it with a sling. If it is on the leg, tie both legs together. Call for medical help urgently.

First aid for chemical burns In case of a chemical burn, put the affected area under cold running water for at least 10 minutes so that contaminated water drains away freely. Remove all clothing soiled by the chemical and protect your hands from contact with it. First aid for choking If a person is choking and unable to breathe properly then make him lean forward slightly and stand behind him. Make a fist and put arms around him and hold your fist with the other hand near the top of the stomach, just below the centre of the rib cage. Give a quick, hard movement inward and upward and repeat it to help the patient throw out the object causing the choking. First aid for drowning The wet clothes should be removed immediately and the person should be kept warm by covering with a blanket. The patient's face should be turned down to one side and his arms stretched above his head. The water should be drained out of the lungs by raising the middle part of the body. Mouth to mouth artificial respiration should be given if the breathing is slow or absent. Once he starts breathing, he should be kept warm by a blanket and then shifted to a hospital. First aid for superficial heat burns In case of a superficial heat burn, put the affected area under cold running water for at least 10 minutes or immerse in cold water. Never apply cotton wool, dressings, ointments, fats or lotions or attempt to rupture blisters or remove anything from wound. If burns are not small or superficial, call a doctor. First aid in a convulsion (Fit) Keep calm and let the fit run its course. Place soft padding under the head. Gently loosen clothing around the neck and after jerking stops, turn over onto right side until recovery is complete. First aid when someone faints Help the person lie down, raise the feet above chest level and loosen clothes. Open windows to ensure good air circulation. If recovery is delayed, call a doctor. Fish is good for your baby Introduce your baby between the first and second year to a variety of fresh fish but check that they are easily chewable and low in fat and sodium. Check very very carefully for bones. Folic acid prevents against birth defects Take 400 mcg (0.4 mg) folic acid tablets daily before you are pregnant and continue through pregnancy. Dietary sources include orange juice, green vegetables, beans, peas and chappatis. Follow a colourful diet Eat a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables daily to get lots of vitamins, minerals and health protective phytonutrients that strengthen the immune system and reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, age-related blindness and even Alzheimer's disease. Follow these easy medication tips Write down a list of your medications, with their dose and frequency. Take your medications regularly - do not skip your medication even while travelling. Do not take another person's medication, or give them yours. Ask your doctor about side effects that might occur. Foods that trigger migraine Avoid chocolate, cheese, citrus fruits, fried foods, onions, tomatoes, spinach, beans, nuts, alcohol (particularly red wine), beverages with aspartame and foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Health Care Tips

Health Care Tips * For building iron in your body eat plenty of spinach juice. * If you exercise with music, you will exercise longer and enjoy it more. Choose something upbeat and energizing. * On a busy day, take 20 minutes to go for a brisk walk to help reduce stress. * Eat most of your fat and calories for the day, in the morning. Doing this will put your metabolism into high gear. Then eat lean the rest of the day. * While running, if you have stomach cramps, stop and bend forward from the waist. Breath in and out, slowly and deeply while contracting yourabdominal muscles. * While doing housework, increase the pace to get some extra exercise and calorie burning. * If you are having problems with migrain headaches, drink some hot tea with honey and this should help ease the pain. * Always take the steps instead of the elevator if you plan on cutting down those extra calories. * Eat a bowl of oatmeal each day to lower your cholesterol. * Drink plenty of water since it helps liver function well and your body will benefit and that will show from your glowing skin. So also drink plenty of water before, during and after exercising. * To lower blood pressure, improve your mood and relieve depression, exercise regularly. * If you experience pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeator increased fatigue while exercising, call a doctor immediately. * Begin your workout with warm-up exercises and end with cool-down exercises. * If you suffer from eczema, avoid heat and sweating. * Wear loose, lightweight clothing while exercising. Choose natural fabrics that will breathe. * When it is hot outside, drink more water and avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages. * Ear ache - place a piece of potato (raw) in the ear-remove later. * Breathe naturally while doing stretching exercises. Never hold your breath. * Make soups the day before and refrigerate. Skim the fat off the top before reheating. * To feel as though you are eating more, slow down and chew thoroughly. Take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal. Taking longer to eat will make you feel fuller and also helps in digesting food properly. * When going to see a doctor, write down the questions you want to ask. Also, write down the answers. If you don't understand the answer, ask again! Take along any medication bottles you are taking. * Keep your attitude positive and smile. * urning down the lights an hour or two before bedtime will help you get a better night's sleep. * Avoid smoke-filled rooms and breathing or exercising near busy roads. Exercise in clean environment.

Jaundice

What is jaundice? Jaundice is a condition of excessive build up of a substance called bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a product of break down of red blood cells and is normally processed by the liver and excreted from the body in bile. When the liver malfunctions, bilirubin is not excreted and it gets deposited near the skin surface giving a yellow tinge to the skin, mucous membranes, and eyes. Jaundice occurs when excess amounts of bilirubin circulating in the blood stream causes a yellowish appearance of the skin and the whites of the eyes. With the exception of physiologic jaundice in the newborn (normal newborn jaundice in the first week of life), all other jaundice indicates overload or damage to the liver, or inability to move bilirubin from the liver through the biliary tract to the gut. Newborn jaundice is common and unless associated with an abnormal condition will clear without treatment. Another condition called Gilbert's syndrome is a hereditary condition in which mild jaundice develops during times of stress. This condition, once recognised, requires no further treatment or evaluation. There are also other more rare hereditary causes of elevated bilirubin levels. All other jaundice is the result of an underlying disease, condition, or toxicity. A yellow-to-orange colour may be imparted to the skin by excessive intake of beta carotene, the orange pigment seen in carrots. People who consume large quantities of carrots or carrot juice or take beta carotene tablets may develop a distinctly yellow-orange cast to their skin.. This condition is called hypercarotenemia or just carotenemia. Hypercarotenemia is easily distinguished from jaundice in that the whites of the eye (sclera) remain white, while people with true jaundice have a yellow sclera..

What are the causes? In children: newborn jaundice (physiologic jaundice) breast feeding jaundice viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E) haemolytic anaemia congenital disorders of bilirubin metabolism (Gilbert's syndrome) autoimmune hepatitis malaria In adults: obstruction of the bile ducts (by infection, tumour or gallstones) viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E) drug-induced cholestasis (bile pools in the gallbladder because of the effects of drugs) drug-induced hepatitis (hepatitis triggered by medications, including erythromycin, sulpha drugs, antidepressants, anti-cancer drugs, rifampicin, steroids, chlorpropamide, tolbutamide, oral contraceptives, testosteronel) bile duct stricture alcoholic liver disease (alcoholic cirrhosis) pancreatic carcinoma (cancer of the pancreas) primary biliary cirrhosis ischaemic hepatocellular jaundice (jaundice caused by inadequate oxygen or inadequate blood flow to the liver) intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (bile pools in the gallbladder because of the pressure in the abdomen with pregnancy) haemolytic anaemia congenital disorders of bilirubin metabolism chronic active hepatitis autoimmune hepatitis malaria

What are the symptoms? yellow pigmentation of the skin inside of the mouth (mucous membranes) turn yellow eyes turn yellow dark urine pale stools abdominal pain, systemic symptoms (eg, anorexia, vomiting, fever)

How is it diagnosed? The medical history is obtained and a physical examination performed. The medical history questions may include: Is the skin colour yellow (jaundice)? Is the inside of the mouth (mucous membranes) yellow? Are the eyes yellow? When did the jaundice start? Has the jaundice occurred repeatedly (recurrent)? What other symptoms are also present? During a physical examination, the doctor studies one’s body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: inspection (looking at the body) palpation (feeling the body with hands) auscultation (listening to sounds) percussion (producing sounds) Diagnostic tests that may be performed include: serum bilirubin hepatic (liver) enzymes (see liver function tests) and cholesterol prothrombin time complete blood count ultrasound of the abdomen liver biopsy urine and faecal urobilinogen

What is the treatment? The cause of jaundice must be determined before treatment can be given. Prescribed therapy is to be followed to treat the underlying cause. Treatment of jaundice depends upon an individual case. In most cases, it is treated with antibiotics, a mild case usually resolves on its own. The disease leaves a lot of weakness in its wake and thus recuperation may take a long time. Generally, the best way to treat jaundice is to correct the underlying cause; the exact remedy depends on the nature and severity of the case. drink 6-8 glasses of water a day eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables) juice is good (make your own with a juice machine) do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc. use stress relief like going for walks in the park brown rice and millet are good avoid red meat and animal fats reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others fast a few days a month a colon intestinal cleansing is helpful get sleep exercise light to moderate amounts eg. yoga and stretching are good do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke