Child Health
Rice cereal has been the first choice when parents start their babies on solid foods. The Consumer Products Safety Commission issued a report warning about high levels of inorganic rice and rice products. Rice plants are good at absorbing arsenic from the soil because they grow in a plenty of water. Moreover, inorganic arsenic is a common ingredient in pesticides and other stuff used in farming. It can linger the soil for a long time after being used and can be poisonous. It may lead to birth defects and cancer or may develop a learning disability.
Experts offer tips to allergy-proof your home. For starters, wash your bedsheets once in a week with hot water and dry them. This helps in reducing symptoms of allergy. Secondly, cover mattresses and pillowcases with a tightly woven fabric that is dust proof. A right air-conditioner helps to cut humidity in the house which ultimately helps in maintaining healthy air. Keeping your house clean of dust can hold off allergens. Moreover, make sure your house is well ventilated, with exhaust fans in bathroom and the kitchen.
Do you doze off at work? Have you been feeling sluggish and tired all the time? Lifestyle factors like consumption of alcohol and caffeine, poor sleep and nutrition are few main reasons for tiredness and fatigue. There are various foods which are known to fight fatigue and boost the energy. Pumpkin seeds and walnuts are rich in proteins, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and can fight symptoms of fatigue. Oatmeal and yoghurt are also good energy boosters. Watermelon is the best fruit in terms of water content and instant energy.
To scale up the existing Mmitra programme, currently having 3 lakh registrations of women for receiving advises on maternal and child care across 37 government maternity homes and hospitals in the city, the state government has initiated a plan under which the young mothers will receive voice messages to guide them on methods of breastfeeding, diarrhea, vaccination, family planning and nutrition for their children until they turn five. A call centre consisting of 3 experts on nutrition and 7 counsellors will also be made available for any difficulties.
A new study suggests that antibiotics can cause obesity in children. The risk of obesity increases with repeated doses of antibiotics. Research conducted in the UK says that there is a 25% increase risk of obesity which exposed to antibiotics under the age of 2. Researchers recommend that children should not be given antibiotics unless necessary as antibiotics alter the functioning of the gut microbiome which increases the chances of obesity.
Turmeric, also known as Haldi is a powerful and healthy spicy ingredient in Indian cooking and it's medicinal properties go back to Ayurveda. Adding turmeric milk to your regular diet has various health and lifestyle benefits. It improves memory and the quality of sleep. It helps in faster healing especially after illness, physical trauma or surgery. It has anti-allergic, antiseptic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory properties and also acts as an anti-ageing tonic. However, only a pinch of turmeric should be added in the milk for regular consumption.
The Indian Council of Medical Research recently submitted a report stating that more than fifty percent of women (particularly pregnant women) and children suffer from the deficiency of iron. Most of them are anemic and suffer the deficiency of Vitamin D because of poor diet and lack of nutrition. According to a nutritionist, during pregnancy and menopause and also during every monthly cycle, a women’s body goes through a lot of effort and hence, it is vital to maintaining a dietary balance by consuming nutrition-rich foods. Whole grains, diary products, fish, flax seeds, green leafy veggies, ginger, garlic, oranges, amla etc are good for regulare consumption.
According to science, our stomach tends to know when we will eat and starts releasing digestive juices at that time and if you drink water at the very same time, the digestive juices are diluted in the water and it hinders them from breaking down food. As a result, less juice is supplied to digest your food and undigested food gets leaked into the system which leads to heartburn and acid reflux. Drinking water during meals also increases insulin levels of your body. The healthy way is to have a glass of water thirty minutes before a meal.
A new study has found out that addiction to phone or gadgets is directly linked to depression and anxiety in college age. The study was conducted on 300 students at a university where they were asked questions regarding the mobile and internet usage and what are the reasons that encourage them to turn on their electronic gadgets, all of this to test whether it was related to their mental health. They found that students who admitted to being addicted to these gadgets scored much higher on scales of anxiety and depression. They concluded that breaking these habits strengthened the mental habit of these students.
Many parents today are unaware of the risks associated with snoring in children. Researchers found out that poor concentration level poor learning abilities are the ill-effects of frequent snoring and breathing problems in children. Persistent snoring ruins the quality of sleep and leads to daytime tiredness, difficulties in learning and concentration, wetting of bed and delay in growth. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids are the most common reason for snoring which can be cured or reduced with surgery. However, the researchers added that periodic snoring in children is not that harmful.