Cystic Fibrosis – Prevention at Home

Lifestyle and home remedies
You can manage your condition and minimalize complications in quite a few ways. Always having a conversation with your doctor before taking up home remedies is essential.

Pay Heed to Nutrition and Fluid Intake
Cystic fibrosis can cause malnourishment because the enzymes needed for digestion can’t reach your small intestine and thus preventing food from being absorbed. People with cystic fibrosis may need a significantly higher number of calories daily than do people without the condition. Maintain a healthy diet and drink lots of water. In addition to this make sure you take your prescribed supplements if any. Consultation with a nutritionist is the best option.

Regular Exercise
Daily exercise can help in strengthening your heart as well as loosening mucus in your airways. Participation in sports can help increase confidence levels and self-esteem. Anything that gets you moving like walking or biking can help.

Give up Smoke
Never be a victim of passive smoking. It is very harmful for everyone and especially for people with cystic fibrosis. Avoid smoking or smokers in your car, home or anywhere near you.

Hand-washing Habit
Hand washing is the best habit that ought to be followed to keep away from infection. Make it a practice that all the members of your family wash their hands thoroughly before and after eating, after using the bathroom, when returning from home, work or school, and after being around a sick person.

Never Miss your Medical Appointments
Make sure not to miss your regular follow-up appointments. Take your medications as recommended and follow therapies as taught. If you experience any signs or symptoms like severe constipation, more mucus than usual, blood in your mucus or reduced energy, contact your doctor.

Coping and Support
People with cystic fibrosis often experience strong emotions like fear or anger. This is usually common in teens. Getting support from groups who have the same issue and talking out your emotions can really help. Even psychological consultations prove to give better results. Educate your children if they are having this problem. Consult with a doctor on how to care about when your children grow older.

Prevention
If any of your family members exhibit cystic fibrosis, it is better to test whether you or your partner may want to undergo genetic testing before having children. The test is performed on a sample of blood which can help determine your risk of having a child with cystic fibrosis.

Quick and Handy First Aid Tips for Common Accidents

Stumbles are not only frequent with business men but also with toddlers from the moment they take their first step. It may not be possible to keep them away from falling but follow these below tips to make them feel better.

Cut or Scrape
Press firmly over the area where there is bleeding with a clean cloth until it stops.Show the wound under lukewarm running water and pat dry. Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment preferably Neosporin or Bacitracin if the wound has peeled off some skin, then cover with a bandage or gauze and adhesive tape. Repeat the same until the cut heals, so your child can’t pick at it.

Burn
Hold the burn affected area immediately under cool running water or place a cold, wet towel until the pain declines. Cover any small blisters with a loose bandage or gauze and tape; call a doctor as soon as possible if burns are on the face, hands, or genitals, or if they’re larger than 1/4 inch anywhere on the body. Don’t pop any blisters, apply an anti-biotic cream and cover the area if the skin is broken. Look out for any redness, swelling, tenderness, or discharge — all signs of infection.

Nosebleed
Make your child sit upright, but don’t tilt her head back. Loosen any tight clothing around her neck. Pinch the lower end of her nose close and hold for 10-12 minutes. If it is due to trauma, hold an ice pack to slow down the bleeding. If condition persists rush to the doctor.

Splinter or Glass
Use soap and water to wash around the splinter. Clean a pair of tweezers with rubbing alcohol and slowly pull the splinter out. Wash the skin again. If the kid has stepped on shards of glass, cover the area with clean cloth and seek medical attention.

Eye Trauma
If your child has been hit or poked in the eye and eventually faces severe pain, constant tearing, light sensitivity, or blurry, hold a cool, wet cloth over the area and head to the E.R. Minor scratch on the eye’s surface can be treated with prescription drops or ointment and usually heals within 48 hours. If a chemical has been splashed in his eye, hold the lid open and flush with lukewarm water and rush to the hospital.

Insect Bite or Sting
Gently scrape the skin with a credit card to remove the insect stinger without breaking it. (Using tweezers can squeeze out more venom.) Call emergency if your child has trouble breathing, is coughing, or develops a hoarse voice, swollen lips or tongue.For itching, hold a cold compress over the affected area for a minute, or apply calamine lotion or a 1% hydrocortisone cream or topical antihistamine. Connect to your doc if you suspect a tick bite.

Keep Prehypertension in Control

Prevent Prehypertension from Progressing into High Blood Pressure.

What Is Prehypertension?
When the blood pressure is between 120/80 mm Hg and 139/89 mm Hg, it’s called prehypertension. Prehypertension is a condition in which your blood pressure is not high enough to be considered high blood pressure, or hypertension, but it is high enough to put you at increased risk of developing high blood pressure in the future.

At this stage it is important to make the lifestyle changes that will decrease your prehypertension from turning into hypertension. And that, in turn, will also decrease your chances of having blood pressure-related health problems such as:
Stroke
Kidney failure
Heart disease
Heart attack

How to Deal With Prehypertension?
Keep up a Healthy Weight
Maintaining ideal weight reduces the risk of blood pressure which eventually keeps you away from tension. Make sure you fall within your Body Mass Index (BMI). A little extra pounds lost can also keep you within the safe barrier.

Exercise Regularly
Besides maintaining a healthy weight, regular physical activity is also essential to keep your blood pressure in check. 30 minutes spent everyday in brisk walking, running or cycling can help so much.

Eat a Balanced Diet
A balanced diet with necessary fiber, low fat, mineral and vitamin rich food can support you best at beating hypertension and keeping you happy. Consume low fat dairy and whole wheat.

Cut Down Your Sodium Intake
Limiting your sodium intake to 2,400 milligrams or less per daymay help you control your blood pressure. Avoid using table salt, reduce on junk, stay away canned foods, soups and processed foods for dinner.

Lesser Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol is a friend to hypertension and blood pressure. Making lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of developing hypertension and related health problems. But the changes you make should be permanent so that you can bask in good health without much worry.

Health Benefits of Orange Juice

The Healthiest Drink for Many Reasons

Vitamin C Hub
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that cannot be synthesized by the human body. It protects us from harmful free radicals and protects against tissue damage which leads to aging. Two glasses of orange increases 40%-60% of Vitamin C concentration in our body

Saves you from Inflammation
High fatty foods may shrink the space in your blood vessels especially the one that leads to your heat. This condition is called atherosclerosis. Also Type 2 Diabetes may also occur due to over secretion of insulin to react on the glucose. This over production leads to inflammation. The best method to reduce this risk is to consume a glass of orange juice after heavy meals. This prevents fat depositions in the walls of blood vessels.

Develops Diastolic Blood Pressure
Orange juice contains hesperidin, which improves the activity of small blood vessels, blood pressure and decrease the cardiovascular risk. Regular intake of orange juice may improve diastolic blood pressure.

Lowers Bad Cholesterol Levels
As mentioned above, this juice is rich in flavonoids which can reduce the risk of heart attack upto 19%. Also it is rich in citrates, which prevent the formation of kidney stones. Natural orange juice without added water or sugar reduces the levels of “bad” cholesterol, blood pressure and prevents cardiovascular problems.

Promotes Weight Loss
Orange juice when consumed on an empty stomach is said to purify the body by eliminating waste and improve intestinal movement. Drink orange juice everyday and the possibilities of suffering from obesity is lowered by at least 14%.It increases gastric juice in the stomach and aids in digestion.

Major Health Benefits
Orange juice can help prevent Deafness, Vision Loss, Cancer, etc. It is best when consumed along with food as it helps in better assimilation and absorption of food.

Keep Your Peepers Healthy

Don’t take your eyes for granted.

Eat Healthy
The food on your plate determines your eye health. Balanced food and lots of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids are most apt for good vision. Green leafy veggies, oily fish like salmon and tuna, eggs, nuts, etc are most suitable and should be added in everyday diet. Lower the chances of obesity lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes which causes blindness.

Leave Smoking
Smoking not only causes cancer and kills, but it also increases the chances of damaging your sensitive eye tissues and nerves. Seek medical attention if you’re already into it.

Practice Wearing Sunglasses
Shades have been proven to safeguard the eyes and reduce the risk of many eye damages. They prevent the harmful ultraviolet rays, UVA & UVB which increases your chances of cataracts and macular degeneration. Choose a pair of sunglasses that gives 99%-100% protection and. Polarized glasses reduce glare and wrap around glasses gives full eye coverage.

Don’t Continuously Look at the Computer Screen
Constant looking at your PC screen may cause eye staring which brings along blurriness, problems with depth perception, dryness, headaches, etc. So as to protect your eyes make you look away from your screen every now and then, focus on things near and far, try wearing computer glasses, sit comfortable, use anti-glare if required and most importantly blink more.

Regular Eye Check Up
Periodical eye test and check-up can help you a lot with your vision health. Detecting any problems at the early stage can reduce the risk of major problems. Eyes are the most valued possessions we have and it is indeed the gateway to the world. Take good care of them.

Feet Does Speak on Your Health

It’s time to note for problems hiding in your sock
Podiatrists say that since our feet are far away from our spine and heart, it is vulnerable for higher range of nerve issues. Any changes in the texture of our feet like colorations, dryness, etc., or with the nails, it could be a symptom of a disease which could be treated if found early.  Here, we have listed out a few major foot concerns which is best to be checked with your physician.

Bald feet and toes
This can mean some serious blood circulation problems. Hair requires blood flow and hence hairlessness can be a sign of insufficient or interrupted blow flow.

Recurrent foot cramping
This means lack of fluids and nutritional scarcities. These cramps occur randomly due to dehydration. So make sure you drink adequate water and also check on your potassium, magnesium and calcium intakes. Simple remedy is to soak your feet in warm water and keeping the toes pointed upwards. If cramps persist check the doctor for circulatory or nervous issues.

Wound that takes time to heal
This can mean Diabetes or skin cancer. Sometimes a cut or sore can occur even without you feeling it which is a danger sign of diabetes. Excess glucose levels are prone to attack your feet tissues initially. This cut may develop infection or even worse it could call for amputation. Also, melanoma can occur in legs too. So it’s best to keep an eye on skin checks.

Cold feet
This is a common symptom of Hypothyroidism. This condition also has other symptoms like hair loss, fatigue and abnormal gain in weight. This is common after 40 years of age. On proper medication, you’ll start warming up.

Swollen big toe
This might mean Gout or any other inflammatory problem. Sudden enlargement of big toe along with pain, redness and joint pains might require immediate medical attention.

Heel ache
This means a condition called Plantar fasciitis. It causes a sharp pricking pain in the heels when you stand or walk. This is due to a strain in the ligament and it is best to check on the type of shoes you wear. Proper stretching exercises are mandatory.

Itchy or peeling skin
This means Fungal infection.  Even if you’re not an athlete you can still be prone to athletes foot. Try to keep your foot from being moist. Treat with anti-fungal cream if itchiness persists.

Yellow toenails
This can either mean Fungus or pedicure overload. Don’t worry if your toenails are yellow. This could be over application of nail polish without breaks. Sometimes age also matters. If your nails are brittle, it could be due to fungal attack and its best to consult your doctor.

Pickle Juice & its Health Benefits

Pickle juice has many health benefits that enhance your overall health.

Delivers Antioxidants and nutrients: It contains vitamin C, E and antioxidants which helps to manage your weight due to the vinegar content in it and also boosts immune system.

Aids in digestion process: Fermented pickle juice is filled with probiotics. This nature encourages growth of good bacteria. This leads to a flatter belly.

Soothes Muscle Cramps: According to a Medicine in science sports & exercise, dehydrated man experiences fast relief from muscle cramps after drinking pickle juice. So the athletes have started to use it for years.

Controls Blood Sugar Levels: A study published in Journal of Diabetes Research states that pickle juice taken prior to meal regulates blood sugar level in people with type 2 diabetes

Heart burn relief: Many of them think that vinegar causes heart burn but it is actually y the opposite reaction, the vinegar will actually soothe the heart burn.
Even if you don’t like the taste, we can decide that drinking pickle juice is worth for health benefits. So let’s add this to our diet from today !

Balanced Diet Chart For Growing Children

These are the important points in tables
A Balanced diet food chart includes-Carbohydrates, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, Calcium, Iron, Omega-3 and 6 Fatty acids, Amino acids, and Daily calorie needs! From the above, 50% of your calorie needs should be derived from Carbohydrates, 20% from Protein, 30% from Fats.Calcium is important for strong bones. Diary products like cheese; yogurt; vegetables like cauliflower,spinach, broccoli, and celery have high in calcium content.

Iron is a mineral needed by our bodies. Iron also helps our muscles store and use oxygen.Omega 3 fatty acid is found in some vegetable oils, such as soybean, canola, fish oil, salmons, flaxseed and walnuts. It’s also found in some green veggies like spinach and salad greens.Omega 6 fatty acid is found in many nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.This chart below indicates what % from each food group you should provide the children (ages 0-7 years)

Foods Percentage on Daily Intake

Foods appropriate serving size and amount of serving per day.Parents can choose one or two food’s depending with the smaller portion from each food category for their children.

Benefits of Egg

Eggs are an excellent source of Protein. It is also one of the natural food containing Vitamin D, A, B2, B6, B12 and folic acid and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and phosphorous. Let us take a look at the amazing health benefits of egg.

Protect our Bones
Egg is a natural source of vitamin D. As we all know that vitamin D acts as a source for bone Health. Egg plays the vital role in preventing osteoporosis along with dairy products.

Prevents Cataracts & Eye Problems
Egg contains anti-oxidants which keeps the eye healthy. It gets accumulated in the eye where the nutrient protects us from the high energy wavelengths of light. A good dietary intake of egg along with spinach and broccoli leads to a significant decrease in cataracts (20%).

Promote Weight Loss
We all know that egg is a protein rich diet. Consuming an egg in the morning makes us feel fuller and keep away from eating more calories which automatically leads us to aid weight loss.

Promotes Brain Health
Choline is one of the best nutrients that promote brain development in foetus and new born as well as memory function. Eggs are an excellent dietary source of choline and consumption of one egg a day will provide 28% of pregnant women choline requirement.

Promotes Healthy Hair
Egg yolks are filled with nutrients which stimulates the growth of hair follicles. Egg consumption stimulates hair growth, shinier, stronger, hair fall, and conditions and moisturizes. The best result can be obtained by applying a egg mask weekly once.

Save Life

According to the research, scientists have found that Earth is building up temperature equivalent to the heat generated in Hiroshima by Nuclear bombs as human beings are emitting more carbon dioxide. It is the duty of all of us to save the natural resources. That way we should stop global warming. Global Warming is the increase of Earth’s average surface temperature due to effect of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth.

Natural environment plays a vital role in the existence of life on earth. The following steps should be taken to save environment.

Save Water:

Water is one of the important sources for human life and it is also a precious gift to the mankind.The mankind should be educated to manage the usage of water appropriately. Save Water and save life

Save Trees:

Trees play a vital role in our life. They provide food and shelter to us. Trees are direct source of oxygen and rain. They consume carbon dioxide and refresh air from the pollutants. They maintain an ecological balance and also medicines which save human life. Trees help us in three ways -to clean air, soil and water. It is considered as one of the precious gift in earth.

Save Wildlife:

Wildlife is also a natural resource which helps in maintaining the ecological balance. Deforestation is one of the most important reason for the loss of wild life. We must educate people about the importance of wildlife.

Three important things to be done in a human life to save the life of earth is not to waste water utilize it to your means, plant more trees and prevent cutting down of trees, educate people about wildlife, save animals and provide food and shelter to them. In summer, place a cup of water for the birds and animals to drink.

Save nature it is the responsibility of each one of us.

A Cure for Sterile Men

Sterile men can be treated effectively with homeopathic medication

In a growing and alarming trend, male problems are believed to be either solely or partly responsible in about 40% of all infertility cases. Over the past few years, there is a sharp rise in male infertility cases, which creates much stress and emotional trauma in many relationships. For a healthy and successful conception, it is important for both men and women to have optimum health.

Reproductive problems in men such as poor quality or quantity of sperm being produced, hormone disorders, obstruction, sexual dysfunction, etc can all prevent conception from taking place. The most common problems men face are low sperm count which maybe caused genetically, morphology abnormalities and the motility of the sperm.

Men with sperm defects are often treated successfully with homeopathy

Lifestyle changes, stress, obesity, pollution’s, lack of physical exercise and change in eating habits, smoking, alcohol consumption and accompanying ailments like diabetes and hypertension are found to be among the major contributory factors.

Homeopathy has a high successful rate in treating male infertility by improving sperm count, motility, quality and quantity of the semen. Homeopathy works especially well in those cases of erectile dysfunction (impotence) or ejaculation problems, where the case of sexual dysfunction is psychological such as depression, stress or anxiety of the performance. Homeopathy is ideally equipped to treat safely and gently without any side effects.

You, or someone whom you care about, may have already tried fertility treatment without success. If so consider Homeopathy and lifestyle changes and you could be very pleasantly surprised.

About the Doctor:

Dr. Anand is a reputed physician in the field of Homeopathy and has wide clinical experience in this field. He is specialized in treating various acute and chronic diseases without any side effects thus creating a ray of hope for the hopeless.
Have an insight : http://www.facebook.com/DrAMSHC/videos/1713929542224169/

For Further details contact
Dr. J. Anand, B.H.M.S
Dr. Anand’s Multi Specialty Homeo Clinic
Athithiya Medical Centre,
No. 310/311, !st Floor , Sathy Road, Ganapathy,
Coimbatore – 641006
Mobile : 9842299175, 9842299173
E-mail : dranand175@gmail.com

Benefits of Peach

Peach is a juicy fruit which is available all over the world. It contains rich source of vitamins, Minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti fungal properties.

Protects Eye Vision
Peach fruit provides a good source of Beta carotene that is converted into vitamin A in the body. As we all know Vitamin A is important for eye health. Consumption of peach regularly helps us to get rid of eye related problems and improves your eye health.

Supports Digestive System
Peaches do a very good job in our digestive system. It removes the unwanted toxins from our body and cures gastritis. Peach contains potassium and fibre content to reduce stomach related problems such as ulcer, inflammations and also kidney related problems.

Maintains Body weight
Peach fruit is very low in calorie and it contains natural sugar which will not raise the blood sugar or insulin levels. If we include this fruit in our routine food it will burn excess fat deposits in our body and keep us healthy.

Reduces Inflammation
Peach has natural anti-oxidantand anti-inflammatoryproperties which cures joint pains, and swellings.

Prevents Risk of Cancer
Peach is a cancer fighting fruit. It has good sources of anti-oxidant which protects the cell from damages and prevents the growth of cancerous cell. Regular consumption of peach fruit helps us to be away from cancer.

Promotes Skin Health
Peach contains Vitamin C which improves skin tone and texture. We can directly apply it on the skin to get rid of pimples, dark circles, scars and spots. Rubbing peach directly on your skin removes the unwanted dead cells.

Improves Cardio-Vascular problems
Peach fruit contains potassium. Potassium regulates heart rate and blood pressure. Potassium deficiency in a person will result in heart failure, heart attack, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Intake of peach fruit strengthens heart muscles and regulates blood flow.

Great Moisturizer & UV Protection
It contains vitamin A & C. It can be used for both dry skin and oily skin. Rubbing peach juice will give a natural glow. It is used as an ingredient in many cosmetic items. It also prevents the skin from harmful UV rays.

Prevents Hair Loss
Peach contains all vital nutrients for reducing your hair damage and scalp problems. A peach mask can make your hair soft and shiny.

Dental health
Peach contains minimal amount of calcium and minerals which is required for bones and teeth. Consuming peaches can cure dental problems and bone related issues.

To get all the health benefits from peach, consume it raw.

The Panchaboodha Treatment –A treatment Without Medicine

Panchaboodhaa
The Panchaboodhaa treatment can diagnose all sorts of diseases/ disorders which have affected the life force, energy, mind and body of any Human being. The Panchaboodhaa Pulse Diagnosis method can find out the acute and chronic condition of the disease and the same is cured without any medicine/Surgery.

What is the Panchaboodha treatment:
It is a newly invented, universal cosmic life force pulse diagnosis treatment method which is based on the physiology of the five elements’ ( six )energies in the human body.
This is done by sensing the five elements’ (six) pulse on the fore arm or on the wrist and diagnosing the root cause of the ailment. The patient is given a very small pressure on the relevant Panchaboodha  points based on the root cause of the disease. This Immediately relieves the Symptoms and cures the root cause in due course.

High Lights
1. Apart from the five elements the sixth element as mentioned in acupuncture is invented and the pulse along with the points of the sixth element are used in the treatment.
2. Apart from the stated six elements 4 more elements representing the internal life force of the human body and the cosmic energy in the human body.  Thus this treatment involves 10 elements’ energies. This is not organ pulse diagnosis method.

Beneficiary Curing
can diagnose the state

a) Acute
b) Chronic
c) The patients’ level of improvement immediately after treatment.
d) The rate at which the body is improving
e) What is the cause blocking the improvement
f) What is the required treatment?

All the above are diagnosed through the pulse of the patient

View in detail on the treatment https://youtu.be/bXtVOvaFncE

Drop a line to:
This revolutionary treatment is invented by Prof. Dr. Aathi Jothi Babu.
Dr Jothibabu
AG Cosmic Clinic, Head Office, 94/C 23,
5th Cross, Rajaram Nagar,
Near Rajaram nagar Water tank, Salem 7.
Email:agcosmicclinicgpt@gmail.com
http://www.panchaboodhaa.com/index.html

Hair Care Tips and Tricks

Hair Care Tips:

Olive Oil Treatment:

Olive oil contains anti-oxidants which prevents hair loss and is the best oil for dry hair; it keeps the hair moist and strong. Regular usage creates shiny and healthy hair. It strengthens your hair and provides flexibility and acts as a good conditioner too. Massage your hair with the oil so that it deeply penetrates into your scalp. For effective results do twice a week.

Amla:

Amla is filled with antioxidants and moreover is a rich source of vitamin C. It is one of the best ingredients that nature has given to enhance the beauty of hair. It nourishes hair from root to tip, stimulates growth, strengthens hair follicles and puts off dandruff and split ends. Additionally it is also supportive in preventing hair loss and premature greying of the hair. Use Amla oil and massage your scalp regularly. For better results leave it for 10 to 15 minutes and then take a shower.

Egg Treatment:

Egg contains vital proteins, vitamins and minerals. Deficiency of vitamin leads to hair fall. Egg contains essential vitamins like A, B, D, and E which play a key role in promoting hair growth and lessening hair loss. Research also states that the combination of the hair strand and that of egg white are similar.  An egg and yogurt mask left in the hair for 20-30 minutes is one of the best ways to improve hair health.

Good Diet:

Eating a balanced diet would supply the required vitamins and minerals to supply hair with all its needs to make the hair shiny and strong. Intake of protein and Iron rich foods helps to maintain the health of the hair. Fresh fruits, sprouts, protein rich foods.

Almond Oil for Strong Hair:

Almond oil has several nutrients and vitamins it allows you to grow strong and healthy hair. It is a good conditioner and keeps the hair shinier too. Massage the oil into your scalp for 15-20 minutes and leave it overnight and then rinse it away in the morning with regular shampoo.

Hair Care Tricks:

• Use a good moisturizing conditioner
• Prevent breakage and split ends by cutting off the edges monthly once
• Avoid using Hair dryers and other tools damaging the hair strength
• Don’t frequently colour your hair it will lead to severe damages to the chemicals present in it
• Night care is very important, loosen your hair at night massage your scalp with required oils and rinse it off morning for better results.

Hair adds more beauty to the human body and nowadays it has become more than that. Hairstyle serves as a form of an individual expression.  It is important that you don’t miss out on your beautiful possession.

Aplastic Anemia – Causes & Treatment

What is aplastic anemia?
Before knowing about aplastic anemia, we should know the normal function of blood cells and bone marrow. Bone marrow is the factory producing all the blood cells continuously. Our body needs continuous production of red cells, white cells and platelets which are constantly released into the blood stream from the bone marrow. In the blood, these cells live for few days and lose their function and so they have to be constantly replenished. Red cells carry oxygen throughout the body. White cells fight against infection. Platelets prevent against minor bleeding from the blood vessels.
When the bone marrow stops working for some reasons, it is called aplastic anemia.

What are the causes of aplastic anemia?
This can be due to varied causes such as viral infections, chemicals, drugs, toxin exposure or inherited genetic damage etc. In a particular individual, it may be difficult to find out the cause.

Can the bone marrow function be replaced by transfusing blood?
No, not completely.Red cells can be transfused as blood. But even the blood if it is transfused repeatedly, it can cause lot of problems such as iron overload.White cells cannot be transfused unless in exceptional circumstances.Platelets can be transfused but can be present in the blood for few days only. In some individuals, due to antibody formation, platelets are destroyed rapidly within few hours in the body.

What are the complications in these patients?
Normally white cells are the policemen of our body, providing protection from various infections entering our blood from within our body (such as intestine, lungs etc) or outside our body through contamination of water, hand shaking or airborne infections. Without white cells, the bacteria or viruses are not easily killed in the blood and they proliferate rapidly and hence these patients have high risk of succumbing to infections. Also, they can get unusual infections like fungus and other rare bacteria which sometimes may need expensive antibiotics and antifungal treatments.
The platelets seal the holes formed in our blood vessels. Normally since the blood flows rapidly, numerous holes can be formed in the blood vessels on a continuing basis. They have to be sealed constantly to prevent minor or major bleeding from the blood vessels. Even though platelets can be transfused separately, on the long run, many patients develop antibodies to the transfused platelets. This is a big problem in aplastic anemia patients, as after repeated platelet transfusions, they become refractory to therapy due to antibody formation. Even though the normal platelet count is around 150-400, any platelet count of more than 20-30 is quite safe in the sense, spontaneous bleeding is uncommon with that level.
Due to the absence of production of red cells, these patients develop anemia. Even though this can be easily corrected by packed cell transfusions, too many transfusions can cause lot of problems, in the sense it will lead to iron overload. Iron overload can affect heart and other organs in the body.

Then how is aplastic anemia treated?
Aplastic anemia has to be treated according to the cause and severity. Genetic causes of aplastic anemia can be treated differently from acquired aplastic anemias.
In young individuals with severe aplasia, allogenic stem cell transplantation has to be carried out as soon as possible.
In patients who do not have a HLA match, or in older patients, intense immunosuppressive therapy is another option. Immunosuppressive therapy can be with Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine or using cyclosporine alone.

How will I know whether I am progressing well or benefitted from treatment?
It will take usually 3-4 months for a response to occur. Till then you will need blood products and contact the doctor whenever you have fever or infections.

Can the disease come back even after treatment?
Unfortunately it can, in people who have immunosuppressive therapy. In those patients immunosuppressive therapy can be repeated again.
However there are certain indicators which will tell us the chances that you will benefit from immunosuppressive treatment. Your doctor will let it know.

Leukemia – Its Diagnosis and Cure

Is leukemia curable?
Certainly. Most leukemia are curable completely. Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and some types of adult acute myeloid leukemia are curable to the extent of 75-80%.They are treated by a therapy called chemotherapy, which help in eradicating the bad cells from the bone marrow.

How is leukemia diagnosed?
The bad white cells are sometimes seen in the blood but at other times may be seen only in the bone marrow. Just like taking blood sample, bone marrow sample is taken by piercing a needle into the bones, usually in the pelvic bone.  Since the bone marrow is the birth place of all the blood cells, we can easily find out whether the blood cells are produced and maturing normally or not. If bad cells are seen, they can be stained to know the type of leukemia and processed further to see the chromosomal changes in them.

How is leukemia treated?
The initial therapy given as soon as the leukemia is diagnosed is called induction chemotherapy which is usually a combination of 2-5 drugs. They are either given continuously for 7-10 days or in a weekly basis, depending on the type of leukemia.

After the induction chemotherapy, the bad cells are killed and it takes around 3-5 weeks for the good cells to appear in the bone marrow. A bone marrow is repeated at this stage to see whether the bad cells are gone. If there are no bad cells, it is called remission. Remember ‘remission’ is not equivalent to cure. Even though the bone marrow shows no bad cells, there are still innumerable bad cells, present in the marrow but not visible to our eyes or even through the microscope. That is why treatment has to be continued for many more months.

The exact duration, number of cycles of chemotherapy has to be given etc. will depend on the type of leukemia and will be explained to you by your doctor. In general in acute myeloid leukemia, the chemotherapy cycles have to be given for 3-5 months. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, repeated cycles are given for 4-6 months, after which the patient has to take tablets for 2 years.

What happens during chemotherapy?
The initial chemotherapy is called induction.Since the chemotherapy wipes off not only the bad cells but also the good ones, the patient will not have any good cells at all. This will be very severe during induction chemotherapy as even before starting therapy, the good cells are present only in a very small numbers. So till such time the good cells recover, the patient has high risk of infection (as there are no white cells) and also has high risk of bleeding (as there are very much reduced platelets).The red cells can be supplemented by transfusing blood.Platelets also can be transfused although they last in the body for few hours to few days only.White cells are difficult to transfuse routinely, but infections are treated with various antibiotics.

How do I know whether my leukemia has a high chance of cure or not?
This depends on various factors.As said earlier, the chromosomal damages in the white cells produce leukemia. Depending on the type of chromosomal damages, the leukemia are classified as good or bad types. Other leukemia is good or bad.In general good types have a high cure rate compared to the bad ones.

How do I know the progress of my disease?
The first stage is to find out the response to treatment. This can be done by assessing whether the “BAD LEUKEMIC CELLS” are cleared rapidly or not. This can be done by flow cytometric, cytogenetic or molecular assessment. Your doctor will explain in detail how it is being done.

What should the patient and the relatives have to do during treatment?

• Follow all measures to prevent infections (as deliberated by your doctor)
• Follow diet as advised
• Remember “FEVER” occurring anytime during treatment is an emergency. Even if you are discharged, get advice from doctor regarding whom to contact and what to do if you get fever.
• We advise most of the leukemic patients to resume normal work or studies after 5-6 months. If you have any MENTAL strains due to social stigmas or FINANCIAL strains, NEVER hesitate to discuss with your doctor as we have many “HELP” groups to tackle all your problems.

What will happen if I have a bad type?
It is important that your leukemia is recognized as good or bad within few weeks of diagnosis. Because, the bad types can still be cured, if very intensive chemotherapy is given. In some cases, bone marrow transplantation may be needed after the chemotherapy. Your doctor will tell you if you need one.

Department of Hemato oncology,
Coimbatore Kidney Centre

Acute Leukemia – What Is It?

What is Acute Leukemia?
Before getting to know about acute leukemia, one should know about the basics of blood cells in our body.
Our blood has three types of cells in it.

• The red cells are predominant and they help in carrying oxygen from the lungs to all the tissues of the body.
• The white cells fight against various bacteria and viruses entering our body and help to protect against infections.
• The platelets are the cells which constantly help in repairing any tears occurring in our blood vessels and so help to prevent any bleeding

The blood cells after circulating in the body are destroyed in our blood after some days. So they have to be replaced continuously. All these cells are constantly produced in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is a tiny space present inside most of our bones.

The blood cells have to be constantly produced in the marrow to keep the blood, function properly. If for some reasons, the bone marrow does not produce enough cells or produce bad quality cells, then various problems arise.

Leukemia is one condition in which the white blood cells in the bone marrow are produced in excess of what is needed. Not only they are produced in excess, but they cannot mature properly. These immature cells accumulate in the bone marrow and affect the production of other cells such as red cells and platelets.
This accumulation of immature or bad white cells in the bone marrow is called acute leukemia.

Why does leukemia occur?
Leukemia are produced due to abnormal production of white cells. Like a computer chip, each cell has a programme stored in the chromosome. This programme decides, how often a cell has to divide and how to mature and function. If this programme is damaged to due to some damage in the chromosome, leukemia occurs. Even though there are various causes, by which the chromosome can be damaged, in a particular individual it may be hard to say.

What are the symptoms of leukemia?
Since bad white cells are produced, they cannot function properly. Also they affect the production of other blood cells.
Defect in white cells make us prone for infections. So prolonged fevers can occur.
Reduced production of red cells cause anemia.
Reduced production of platelets cause spontaneous bleeding either from the gums or from other sites.
Since the bone marrow is rapidly expanded with these bad white cells, it can cause bone pains over the chest or in the back.

Does these symptoms always mean leukemia?
No, since various other causes can produce defect in blood cells, these symptoms never always indicate leukemia. That is why if these symptoms are there, a blood smear is examined and if necessary a bone marrow examination is done to diagnose leukemia.

How does infection occur?
Since the white cells are the policemen of our body, they fight against all the infectious organisms entering our body. Our body itself have lot of bacteria in the intestine and our nose may contain fungus. These normally do not cause infections, as even if these bacteria or fungus enter our blood, they are rapidly destroyed by the white cells. But when the white cells are very few or absent, these bacteria or fungus entering our blood can grow well, and can cause infections.

In addition bacteria can also enter from outside the body. So, patient has to follow the safety precautions, as supplied by the hospital, during the chemotherapy.

On our next article will give in depth detailing on the treatments and care. Stay tuned.

About the Author

The above article was written by Dr. Suthanthira Kannan R, MD, FRCPA, Consultant Hematologist and Transplant Physcician, in  Coimbatore Kidney Centre and Speciality Hospitals, Advanced Centre for Blood and Blood Cancers.

Line of Attack For Stopping Emotional Eating

Are you eating your feelings? Try these expert tips to help!

It sounds simple when someone tells you to eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. But imagine a plateful of delicacies, the one that tempts your taste buds, it becomes utterly undoable.

Be mindful on what you Eat
A common issue with emotional eating is that we tend to overeat when we don’t focus on what we put in our mouths. Research states that people who swipe at their cell phones or stare at the TV gobble down up to 50 percent more food than those who focus on their meals! Best trick is to set your table even if it’s just for one to create an ambience in order to enjoy your meal.

Eat balanced diet
When we are starving, it’s difficult to make rational choices. Three healthy meals a day tend to save you from being ravenous in between meals.  Cravings occur for mostly foods based on sweet or salt content as they are not getting enough protein fiber and healthy fat. Protein is very filling, little amounts of fat send pleasure signals to the brain, and fiber slows digestion and keeps your blood sugar levels stable.

Set a timer before you dig in.
Research states that when we take 20 minutes break after every mouthful of food we would know if we are really hungry. It takes 20 minutes for the signals to reach the brain stating that it is full. Take breaks in between meals to reduce eating habits. Divert yourself by doing small works in between, like folding clothes, checking your email, etc. This will help your from refilling your plate more and more.

Keep a food journal.
Keeping a food journal might sound old but it does work. Tracking your food can help you cut down calories. Research shows that women who maintained a food journal lost pounds. It’s not just a food journal but it also helps you track your emotions. Jot down every food that touches your lip and for better results keep away the foods that you tend to reach during your cravings.

Cast out trigger foods from your house.
Study states that we tend to eat more of the foods we crave at the very sight of them. So it is better to keep them away or altogether banish them from the shelf or refrigerator.  Also don’t go to the grocery store when you’re stressed because your food swings will tempt you to stock up on cookies and crunch.

Exercise portion control
To keep you from gorging, split the chips or cookies into small portions and serve yourself only one portion at a time. The key behind this is that whenever you get up from the couch for more it might help you stop yourself from having it.

Don’t eat to give company
Study shows that there are more chances to stuff you in when amidst people who have the munchies. Also, it’s difficult for the people who would love to maintain social harmony by accompanying them even when they aren’t hungry. Leave away the guilt and sip a tea instead.

Play with your pets
Spending some time with your pets considerably decreases depression. This will prevent you from reaching food as a shoulder to feel better. Pets especially dogs help create oxytocin, the feel good hormone which automatically boosts your mood. In case you don’t have a pet, do something else that makes you happy, like getting a massage, pedicure or stepping out into the sunshine.

Be aware: your plate may be too full
Sometimes, the everyday things that you’re handling may also cause you to feel stressed which may eventually lead you to emotional eating. Recognize when you eat whilst feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and self-analyse. Jot down the things that bother you. Get rid of troubles that mess with your mind. Certain things we may not be able to get rid of, set boundaries. Seek professional advice if required, remember food is always an easy crunch, but to shed those pounds is breathtakingly tedious.

Calcium Rich Foods to Include in Your Daily Diet

One of the essential minerals in human body for maintaining healthy bones and joints is calcium. Calcium helps prevent diabetes and regulates blood pressure. The amount of calcium requirement differs from person to person and also from country to country.

Calcium requirement can be fulfilled out of two main sources which are food and bones. When the food you intake does not have enough calcium then that is compensated by the calcium from the bones. So you must make sure that you take large intake of calcium to prevent bone loss. Some of the below mentioned foods are rich in calcium:

Oranges
We all know that oranges are a rich source of vitamin C, but apart from providing vitamin C they are also rich in calcium. One medium size orange contains 60 mg of calcium.

Soya
Soya is one of the rich sources of calcium. Though it does not contain as much calcium as normal milk, it still contains 300 mg of calcium per ounce.

Almonds
Almonds are not only known for their high amount of Vitamin E, they are also rich in calcium. A single almond nut gives you around 70 mg of calcium.

Broccoli
Broccoli is the best green vegetable having highest calcium content. 100 grams of its florets gives you around 47 mg of calcium.

Figs
Figs are also rich in calcium. Figs also contain iron, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2. Just two medium sized figs contain about 55 mg of calcium.

Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are not much known for calcium content. A single spoon of sesame seeds contain calcium which is equal to a cup of milk.

Milk
Milk is the most commonly known food for its calcium content. It is essential for the women to take at least one glass of milk a day to support calcium requirement of the body.

Are Morning Workouts tiring? Try this

Getting up before sunrise itself is like stepping into a lion’s lair for some and breaking some sweat can be badly disheartening. Find out trouble-free yet practical ways to keep yourself healthy.

Prep Your Bag
Excavating through your dresses early in the morning is absolutely not enjoyable. Pack your bag with fresh and crisp gym clothes every night. Keep aside the old/used ones every evening or before you got to bed.

Get Yourself Out Of Bed
Keep your alarm farther from reach. Make sure you have to stumble from your bed to turn it off so that you don’t snooze your morning sweat session. This way you are forcibly waken and might as well work out, right?

 Have A Light Snack
Never have a stomach filling meal before your workout as it can make you sick and sometimes throw up during your routine. At the same time don’t starve, instead have a light snack before and after your work out session.

Drop The Booze
The smallest intake of alcohol can leave you sluggish in the morning. In case you had to with friends or family or an occasional party, remember to drink more water to keep you hydrated during the routine.

 Early To Bed
Make it a habit to go to bed earlier so that you wake up early. Try having tea that contains valerian, which is used for insomnia (inability to sleep). Also, avoid caffeine and spending time with electronics to get better sleep.

Make Friends
Keep yourself motivated because after a couple of days many tend to lose interest. Once you slip and by the time you regain consciousness about your body, you might have missed on a week’s workout. Befriend people at the gym, set regular gym dates with a friend or get to know another gym-goer who you know will be looking for you in the mornings—works like a charm!

Plan Your Routine
Break the monotony of the routine and make it interesting. Try things like signing up for a spin class, having a sketch of your entire routine; bring any of your inspiring guides for workout. They guarantee a highly intense workout—and high speed results!

Sinus infections: Don’t let it get the better of you!

Those were the days, weren’t they? And I’m sure you’ll refrain from overly castigating me for breaking out in song in praise of those times in our recent past. You know, those times when sinus was a rare thing – and not quite the commonplace and all pervasive illness it is these days. Like me, I’m sure you know all too many people who are affected by the disease.

Now, if you didn’t quite grasp the true extent and impact of a sinus infection, and were too scared to ask, fear not, we’ve got your back -simply do read on.

First up, keep an eagle eye out for the following symptoms:

• Bad breath
• A persistent cough
• Fever
• A steadily worsening headache
• Thick yellow or green mucus
• Pressure behind the cheeks & eyes
• Tiredness

Once these symptoms have made themselves known, it’s time to spring into action! Please be aware that untreated sinus infections could result in a fair multitude of illnesses ranging from asthma or worsening of asthma (if indeed the condition does exist), bronchitis, ear and throat infections and even chronic cough. But hang on, we’re not yet done – an untreated infection could lead to swollen nasal membranes, nasal obstruction as well as nasal congestion.

Chronic sinus on the other hand could burden you with nasal polyps, I’m sure you will roundly agree that all of us could do without that! What’s more, these polyps also obstruct and hinder the treatment of the illness.

With all that we’ve chosen to include above, I’m sure you will act on sinus infections without delay. However, if you are more thick skinned than most, please also be informed that in severe cases, the infection could get straight into your blood stream! What’s more, the infection could even flow into the brain and eyes, resulting in blindness and even life threatening situations!

Woah! That sounded rather dire, and I’m sure we’ve definitely got your attention by this point. So do treat sinus infections without delay, and don’t let it get the better of you!

Own and Defeat Acne with the Home Remedies

Despite what they might tell you, the big corporations have made little headway in their treatment of that pesky, irksome thing which we’re all too familiar with. Yep, you guessed it, it’s acne. While some of us have felt this burden more keenly than most, we’re here to help you with some home remedies to treat acne effectively. So, without a moment to lose, let’s get right to it!

Baking Soda: It’s got all the trappings of the Cinderella story! What am I on about? Well, it’s the elevation of the humble baking soda to unprecedented heights, and its ability to magically combat and defeat acne and pimples, of course! Baking soda, if you were quite unaware, acts as an exfoliant, effectively removing dead skin and unblocking them troublesome pores. For this, mix two tablespoons of baking soda, five tablespoons of honey, one tablespoon of cinnamon powder and the juice of half a lime in a bowl. Apply the resulting mixture onto the troublesome area, and keep it on for five minutes before washing it all off, and you’re done!

Multani Mitti Mix: Another great remedy for those upsetting acne and pimples, multani mitti or Fuller’s Earth can bring your treatment full circle! Now listen carefully, simply mix together equal portions of multani mitti, sandalwood powder and rose water, and that’s it. Keep this mudpack on till it dries up, and repeat once a week, and effectively sound the acne death knell for all time to come!

Toothpaste: Yes, you can stop rubbing your eyes this very minute, for toothpaste more than holds its own as an acne remedy! Moreover, as it’s something you always have lying about the house, it can easily be deployed to dry up the affected area, and even reduce that, oh so painful, swelling. Hey, we wouldn’t lie to you!

Tomatoes: Packed with antioxidants, and overflowing with vitamins A & C, this everyday vegetable is a potent pimple and acne defeater! Here’s how you can employ it- slice a tomato, and rub the slice all over the pimple dominated area, spend some time massaging the juice into your skin and wash away with some warm water. You could even do this twice a day, and deliver acne that killer blow!

Max Out Your Magnesium Levels With These Foods

Magnesium? Well, well, well, the mere mention of the ‘thing’ must cast your mind back several years to the chemistry lab of yore. As such, it’s not something that enters your consciousness on an everyday level. But lest we cast it aside quite unscrupulously, let’s be quick to inform you that magnesium is an essential substance (in prescribed quantities of course) for our well-being. For one, magnesium helps maintain muscle and nerve function, besides also helping boost immunity levels, regulate blood sugar levels, and even playing a key role in helping you maintain a steady heartbeat! Wow, who would’ve thought it?

Before you reach out for some magnesium supplements, why not take it in its natural form instead? And to do the very thing, we’ve handily put together a list of magnesium rich foods to set you well on your way.

Please keep in mind that you need somewhere in the region of 300 mg of magnesium a day. Do consult your doctor to find out how much you need.

First up, leafy green veggies such as spinach are packed to the gills with magnesium! Raw spinach contains 24 mg of magnesium for every 30 gm consumed; now when you take it in cooked form, that figure goes up to 157mg for every 180 gm of spinach!

Mackerel’s another stupendous source of magnesium and adds about 97 mg of magnesium for every 100 gm consumed. Other fish to consider include Tuna and Pollock.

Now, it may delight you to discover that dark chocolate is another superb source of magnesium! About 100 gm of this treat can add as much as 327 mg of magnesium to your diet, accounting for about a whole day’s worth.

Squash and Pumpkin seeds round off this list and can provide you with a truly amazing 534 mg of magnesium for every 100 gm you take. Other seeds to consider in this regard include sesame seeds, cashews and almonds.

Easy Morning Habits for Weight Loss

The brightest part of mornings is that they’re so full of energy! No matter whether you laced up your sneaks yesterday or overindulged a bit on a co-worker’s birthday cake, there’s always a fresh chance to get closer to your health goals. To maintain that ‘get-fit’ drive going on all-day long, start your day off right with these morning habits that will motivate you even more.

Some Sunshine

Basking in the sun’s rays can not only give you the essential Vitamin D for your skin but also helps you drop those pounds! Research has proven that people, irrespective of their age, the activity they do, their eating habits, etc., had lower BMIs than those who were in the “dark”. Just 20-30 minutes of sunshine between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. helps regulate your internal bio clock. This is vital for weight loss, as it aids your sleep schedule.

A Little More Shut Eye

This one goes on like hand in glove with the previous tip. Spending more time on those dearest Zzzs can help you eat less and have fewer cravings than people who skimp on sleep. On an average people who have had an additional 1.6 hours of shut-eye experienced a considerable drop in appetite and cravings for junk! Try to organize your schedule so you can get a little more a.m. time in bed instead of whimpering every time the alarm goes off.

Mindful Mood

Mindfulness is a key approach for weight loss. It’s all about taking an attentive and intentional approach to your life by really tuning into your body and mind. Even better, it can stabilize your emotions and make you less prone to give into stress eating. Begin your morning with mindfulness, sit in silence and focus on the tempo of your breath.

Changing Your Commute

Driving to work is easy, but it may take a toll on your waistline. People who walk, bike, and take public transportation have lower BMIs and body-fat percentages than those who depended on their cars to get to work. This doesn’t mean you have to strain. Even walking to the closest bus stop or train station can be advantageous.

Go High-Protein

Despite the fact that the jury is still out there on whether breakfast is important for weight loss, protein intake in the morning can help you shed weight. Protein takes a long time to digest which helps increase feelings of fullness.

Let the Sweat Beads Roll

Working out at any point is a good thing! But besides giving your metabolism a boost that lasts well into the day, study also states that it reduces the temptation to hog on spotting pictures of unhealthy food. It keeps you more active throughout the day, no matter your weight.

Pack Your Snack

Avoid the afternoon race to the vending machine. Take just a few minutes every morning to make sure you’ve got enough snacks for the day. It’s easy to underestimate how much fuel you’ll need throughout the day when you’ve just stepped down from bed. So instead of throwing an apple in your bag, plan some extra time to prep some quick and healthy snacks that will keep you on the path to weight-loss success.

Benefits of Folic Acid During Pregnancy

Folic acid also called folate is Vitamin B. Folate plays an important role in increasing red blood cells and helps baby’s neural tube to develop into the brain and spinal cord.

The rich sources of folic acid are asparagus, baker’s yeast, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, egg yolk, jacket potato (large), lentils, lettuce, papaya, kiwi, milk, oranges, parsnips, peas, spinach, sunflower seeds etc.

On a daily basis recommended eating levels of folic acid are as follows: Men 13 years and above – 400 micrograms; women above 13 years – 400-600 micrograms; pregnancy – all ages – 400-600 micrograms; breastfeeding women of all ages – 500 micrograms. The highest daily intake level of folic acid for an individual 19 years and older, (including pregnant or breastfeeding women), is 1,000 micrograms.

There are many benefits of folic acid. Let’s take a look at them:

• Folic acid is given to women who are planning to conceive and also during pregnancy. It is widely used to prevent any birth defects, improve the foetus development and also increase the chances of conceiving.
• Folic acid is also useful to cure depression and improve the mood parameter. An adequate folate level is necessary for proper brain functioning. So it also improves memory.
• Folic acid plays an important role in hair growth. It renews the cells that aid growth of hair.
• Regular consumption of foods rich in folic acid gives a glow to the skin. It also helps decrease the signs of skin ageing.
• Folic acid can decrease the fat content in the blood. It may also help in handling obesity and diabetes.
• It also increases male fertility by improving sperm count.
• It helps fight gum infection.
• Consumption of folic acid rich foods help increase RBC in anaemic patients.
• It is also helps reduce blood clotting; blood clots lead to cardiovascular infection. Therefore, it helps decrease the probability of heart attacks.

Dress up Your Tresses With Some DIY Hair Masks

For a generation that seemingly eats only so that they can post about it on social media, appearances and how you appear are everything. Given all this, it only makes sense that you are always well-groomed and look your very best on every occasion.

To this end, we’ll start you off with some truly magical DIY hair masks that will ensure that your halo and indeed your crown is perfectly complemented by lustrous, healthy and glowing locks that are sure to turn heads. So, like any half decent gymnast would, let’s jump right to it!

1. With the pollution at such startlingly high levels, it’s bound to leave your hair in a ‘not so nice’ state. Fret no more however, for our Coconut Hair Restorer-er Mask is right at hand! All you need for this is to mix one tablespoon each of coconut oil and honey in a bowl, and heat it up till the ensuing mixture melts. Now, simply apply from root to tip, cover with a shower cap for about 20 mins and rinse it off. Now, wasn’t that simple enough?
2. For that extra lustre and gloss, we can’t go very far before recommending the Glowrious Hair Mask! For this, mash up an avocado until smooth, mix in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and half a cup of coconut milk, and heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds. With that done with, apply on your hair and keep on for half an hour before you rinse it off.
3. Now, you can fight back the frizz with our Frizz Frightener 2000 Mask! It’s so easy – mix half a cup each of yoghurt and honey with one tablespoon of almond oil and apply onto your truant hair. Keep it on for 20 minutes, and rinse off with some shampoo to reveal a more obedient and healthy head of hair.
4. The Brown Sugar Mask is so good it should be made illegal! Why? Well, simply because it helps get rid of dead cells in a jiffy unlike anything else, leaving your scalp free of any unsightly and itchy flakes. Now, for the mask itself – mix two tablespoons of brown sugar and one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a bowl, apply this mix from root to tip, let sit under a shower cap for 20 minutes and simply rinse off.

Palm Jaggery and its Incredible Health Benefits

An extract which is derived from palm tree is the palm jaggery. It is an abundant source of minerals. It has 60 times more minerals than white sugar. The preparation of palm jaggery is natural and is devoid of any harsh chemicals making sure that the mineral content is retained. As it does not contain any harsh chemicals it is extremely beneficial to the health.

Energy Booster
Palm Jaggery is rich in carbohydrates. It can be digested sooner than the white sugar. If you consume it regularly it makes you feel fresh and active for hours.

Digestive Agent
The jaggery helps to activate the digestive enzymes and cleanse the intestinal tracts. Hence is considered as an active digestive agent.

Relieves Constipation
It is good to have some jaggery after meals as it stimulates the digestive enzymes and helps in easy digestion. It helps in regulating bowel movement and in flushing out unwanted wastes down the intestines.

Anaemia
When haemoglobin production slows down in your body it leads to fatigue, weakness and disrupted metabolism and such a condition is called Anaemia. Palm jaggery helps in the production of haemoglobin because of its high iron content. So make sure you bite on that piece of jaggery every day.

Immunity
Jaggery helps boost the immune system as it is loaded with antioxidants and is also rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc and Iron. Increase your body resistance by consuming palm jaggery daily.

Over To You
Now that you know that palm jaggery has so many health benefits why not switch to it? Experience a health makeover by including this healthy sweetener in your diet!

The Magical Ash Gourd and Its Benefits

Ash gourd also popularly known as winter melon is a suitable edible item for obese and diabetic people. 100 gms of ash gourd has only 13 calories making it a favourite among those who are calorie conscious. Its prominent features are that it has a cooling effect of the body and works as a natural laxative. It is used to flush out the toxins from the body and as a herbal remedy for various problems. Its consumption increases urine output and is beneficial for reducing inflammation. Ash gourd is also rich in several vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron and vitamin C. It contains a lot of moisture and some amount of fat, fibre, carbohydrates and proteins. Let’s take a look at the benefits of this vegetable.

Peptic Ulcer(Stomach Ulcer): Ash gourd is an efficient remedy for the relief of peptic ulcer. Drink its juice in the morning on an empty stomach by mixing equal portion of water. Maintain a gap of about two to three hours between this and breakfast.

Mouth Ulcer:  Gargle ash gourd juice if you are suffering from mouth ulcers. It not only reduces the pain but also protects the life of your teeth and gums.

Bleeding: Ash gourd helps stop profuse bleeding from nose and lungs. The juice can also be mixed with a teaspoon of lime juice or amla juice for relief from piles problem.

Intestinal Worms: Shell out the seeds of ash gourd and mix it with fresh coconut milk. This is beneficial in growth of tissue and also expels tape worm from the stomach.

Thyroid: Regular consumption of ash gourd juice will help in reducing symptoms related to thyroid disorders.

Cold and Cough: Consuming ash gourd juice regularly helps people suffering from Asthma. Drinking the juice regularly helps reduce common cold, cough and bronchitis.

Dandruff: Take the seeds and peel of ash gourd and boil in coconut oil. Apply it on your hair and prevent dandruff growth and dry scalp by promoting hair growth.

General Weakness: Ash gourd pulp is boiled in water and sugar syrup is added to make it an edible mixture. This sweet pulp helps in gaining weight, improves efficiency of the heart, produces heat in the body and reduces anaemia.

Zero Calorie Foods: They do exist!

You know how it is, you go about your day without a care in the world, and then someone crosses your path (not unlike the fabled black cat) and utters those three words, yes you guessed it– “Zero Calorie Foods!” Now, all that’s left of you is an unsightly crumpled heap!

A while ago, even alluding to such a thing as ‘zero calorie foods’ would signal that you should be hurried off to the nuthouse on a one-way ticket. Not anymore however, for further research has revealed that those mythical zero calorie foods do exist. What’s more, it’s the philosopher’s stone for those of us looking to lose or control their weight. But what indeed are those zero calorie foods? Well, let’s list ‘em out for ya!

A quick aside before we journey on: These ‘zero calorie foods’ aren’t exactly zero calorie foods. They are simply termed that way because they contain a miniscule amount of calories (less than 50) per 100 gm serving, which is great!

Celery: Topping the class in this category, celery contains just a shocking 16 calories in a 100 gm serving! Woah! That should be enough to send you rushing over to the grocery shop and stuffing your shopping bag full of this green goodness!

Cucumber: With all their tangible water content, it’s hardly surprising that cucumbers come high up on this list. Coming up at pretty much the same calorie count per 100 gm as celery, you were always justified in including cucumbers in your meals. Now, don’t ever stop!

Asparagus: Clocking in at a mere 20 calories to a 100 gm serving, asparagus more than holds its own in this category. In addition, you’ll be getting a good dose of vitamins A, C, E & K when you load up on this veggie!

Cabbage: The humble cabbage rounds up this distinguished list, coming in at just 25 cals per 100 gm. Now, feel free to dig into more salads packed full of cabbage. Besides, it will keep you fuller for longer, and that’s what we want!

Cooking Oils: Which one should you choose?

By now it’s rife in the media, and they’re all saying the same thing – oil’s not good for you! While that’s partly true, that definitely doesn’t mean you should shun it all together. Context, as in most cases is key here, for, in truth, we all do need some oil in our systems, while too much of it will hasten your descent to the grave. Think of your body like a car, and you can hardly get very far if there’s no oil in your engine.

Now, while all that’s well and good, here are four cooking oils that are better for you and can positively affect your health.

Coconut Oil: That mainstay of God’s own country has now wowed the world, leading many folks to claim it as a Godsend, and while that may sound like exaggeration, it’s not a million miles away. For one, coconut oil could help you shed some of that troublesome weight as it contains short and medium-chain fatty acids. Besides this, coconut oil also provides antimicrobial lipids, as well as lauric, capric and caprylic acid which helps boost immunity levels. What’s more, contrary to popular belief, it also promotes heart health!

Olive Oil: After it has proved to be a good cooking mate for our friends in other lands. Olive oil has been the ‘flavour of the month’ for quite a while now at our shores. Now, while it helps improve bone health by helping you absorb more calcium, olive oil also helps neutralize the free radicals in your body thereby limiting your cancer risk considerably, and also reduces your risk of contracting heart disease, owing to the fact that lowers your blood cholesterol levels.

Canola Oil: A relatively new entrant in the cooking oil market in India, Canola oil is now a popular choice. Canola oil is high in Omega 3s, that aside it is known to have one of the lowest saturated fat contents of any oil known to man. But that’s not all, it also contains plant sterols which prevent the onset of heart disease, as well the absorption of cholesterol!

Rice Bran Oil: Again, a rather unheard of option, but it isn’t without its health benefits! Chief among which are the prospect of lower cholesterol levels, owed in large part to the fact that the oil contains Oryzanol. That notwithstanding, it’s also high in good fats namely, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats too!

Team Outing Boosts Productivity, Improves Morale

Man is a known sociable animal. Be it the bond you share with your family or your friends who you meet during different walks of your journey, you are born to be around people. And when this rule of being sociable applies to almost all, the same is true when it comes to work.

We spend most of our day with colleagues at work than at home and it becomes all the more necessary that we focus on building a comfortable atmosphere for our employees.

Many companies over the years have realized that the company’s success solely depends on the employee happiness quotient and their work quality. Hence were born ideas like, outdoor induction programmes, team outings, year-end parties, team luncheons, team dinners, cocktail nights and more at regular intervals.Ice-breakers

When new employees are hired in an organization, there is not enough time for them to know each other during work hours. Expecting them to work as a team becomes impossible as they cannot relate to being a part of the team. Hence the off-beat way of knowing thy “neighbour” helps the team to work better after an ice-breaker session. Some organisations even hire professional event management companies to organize team bonding events for such occasions.

Team Luncheons

Quite often, employees are caught in the rigmarole of meeting deadlines, SLAs, TATs or trying to sustain good quality work. Team luncheons to help sit in the company of teammates and discuss the kind of food they love or about their favourite football or cricket player, help them de-stress and boost their energy to work harder. These luncheons can be organized on a quarterly basis.

Dinner & Cocktail Parties

If you are a party person, the best way to re-energize is to let your hair down and get on the dance floor after a few cocktails. This helps get over all your inhibitions and see the happier, funnier and energized side of your peer and help bond with like-minded people. You could go sober and still have fun too!

Adventure Trips

For nature lovers, adventure trips and treks are helpful in letting employees enjoy the serenity and give them peace of mind. This helps them come back relaxed and rejuvenated and ready to take on more challenges at work.

Family Outings

Some companies even go out of their way and budget to make the employees feel special and invaluable, by organizing events that involve their families too. This helps the families of the employees appreciate the organization and boosts the employee morale.

In-house Fun Events

For those who want to consistently boost team morale, have smaller fun activities organized regularly to energize the employees on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. It could be conducting short fun games in the isle or cutting birthday cakes to celebrate members’ birthdays.

Once you’ve put in the effort to consider the need to have these events and more, it will not take too long for you to notice the positive impact on the work floor. There will be more communication, a boost in employee morale and everyone will be working as part of a team to achieve the bigger goal that the company is set out to achieve. This boosts productivity, helping you to become less stressed. It will also help make your company a fun yet productive place to work in.

Work it all off, beginning this Women’s Day!

First up, let us take the opportunity to wish all the females of the species a very happy Women’s Day, 2017! It pleases us no end, to acknowledge that women the world over have begun to fight (and dare I say win!) the inherent gender bias that plagues society, nay the world!

That said, many women feel nature has played a cruel trick on them by providing them with more fat cells than men. Before you despair, however, it all has to do with the ever so wonderful life nurturing properties that women bestow on the species.

Now ladies, we know just where that ‘extra baggage’ is stored, and that’s in the thighs, hips, abdomen and buttocks. Before we proceed, we’d just like to say that while this piece does not intend on disparaging women who are comfortable in their own skin, we do want to help those who want to shed those stubborn few kilos that are slowing them down. So, sisters, if you think you’re one of them, do read on.

Mountain Climbers: This exercise could magically make all that weight around the abdomen disappear for good! Now doesn’t that sound good? Sure it does! To do this, assume push-up position and hold your core tight. Then, slowly bring one leg closer to your chest at a time, holding the position. Remember, only go as fast as you think you can, but do quicken the pace to whatever you think is comfortable. In time, you could always go faster!

Dead lifts: This exercise is simply awesome because it helps target all those troublesome areas, including the hips and glutes. What’s more, it also boosts your overall metabolism and strength. But before you buy your Wonder Woman costume, we strongly suggest that you ask your gym trainer to help you out with the exercise, because getting your form right for this one will prevent injury and help you get the most out of the move.

Squats: Squats are an often overlooked and underappreciated exercise, but like your PT master in school told you, no real workout is complete without the humble squat! This compound move isn’t simply a leg exercise, and also supremely works your thighs and core. We won’t go into the specifics of to how to do it, because we all know this, don’t we? If in doubt, please get in touch with someone who does.

Hip Raises: As the name suggests, this exercise involves you raising your hips, and after a while, we’re sure your hips won’t lie! This move helps shift that weight that clings to your buttocks, making you feel good, and look even lighter! Now to the actual move, lie down (with your back on the ground) with your knees bent and feet flat on a gym or yoga mat. Now for the actual move, tighten your core and glutes, and raise your hips off the ground, making a straight line from knees to shoulders. Pause for a while, and come back down. Now, repeat for best results!

We do hope you enjoyed this feature, and hope you include all the moves listed above in your workout regime – for a newer, lighter, more energised and enlivened you awaits you on the other side!

Note: Do contact your physician and gym trainer before proceeding headlong with any of these exercises, and don’t forget to warm up first.

Your Stress Busted!

Our day is usually spent with trying to complete our chores, meeting those deadlines, achieving our goals, getting things sorted and if there is any time left, we add a list of other things we can do. With umpteen number of activities on our mind, we tend to get stressed out eventually. We have for you 10 ways that can help ease out your stress if not for erasing them completely.

Listen to music

Listening to music that uplifts your mood can have a positive effect on your brain and body. It can lower your blood pressure and reduce stress. Sounds of nature like the wind rustling the trees and birds singing are a few of them.

Call a friend

Take a break and call up a friend and discuss the issues that may be causing the stress. Good relationships with friends and loved ones are important for a healthy lifestyle especially when you’re under stress.

Talk yourself through it

The next best thing to discussing with a friend is engaging in talking to yourself. Seems crazy, we know, but works wonders. Just tell yourself why you’re stressed out, what you have to do to complete the task at hand and most importantly, that all will be okay!

Eat right

Stress levels and a proper diet are closely related. Fruits and vegetables are always good, and fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress.

Laugh it off

Laughter releases endorphins that improve your mood and decrease levels of the stress-causing hormones. So keep cracking those jokes and keeping laughing!

Drink Green Tea

It has less caffeine than coffee and contains healthy antioxidants and amino acid L-thearine which improves the brain function and has a soothing effect on the nervous system.

Be mindful

The concept of “being mindful” is a large part of meditative and somatic approaches to mental health. It not only soothes your senses but also keeps you focussed. So practice that!

Exercise

A quick stroll around the office or simply standing up to stretch during a break at work can bring immediate relief during a stressful situation. It is believed that exercise affects a neurotransmitter that has an anti-depressant effect in your brain while helping to decrease muscle tension.

Sleep well

Do not watch the TV before going to bed. Dim the lights and give yourself some time to relax before going to bed. It may be the most effective stress-buster.

Breathe easy

The advice “take a deep breath” holds true when it comes to being stressed. Sit up on your chair with feet placed flat on the ground and hands resting on your knees, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Continue this process for 3 to 5 minutes and experience the relaxation it brings to you. Breathing mindfully can modify and accelerate the body’s self-regulating physiological and bio-energetic mechanisms.

So, go on and try these out and tell us about how well they worked for you!

Top 5 Cancer Causing Foods You Must Avoid

The food items we consume are processed and prepared by using various methods. Some foods that we eat increase the risk of many diseases, cancer being one among them. Our overall health depends on healthy food we consume. A healthy diet can actually help maintain a healthy living and reduce the risk of cancer. A healthy diet that you follow can actually make a huge difference in fighting against cancer. Most of the foods that are available in market are prone to carcinogenic and we must ensure to make a careful selection of foods to prevent ourselves from the risk of getting cancer.
Below discussed are some of the foods that cause the risk of developing cancer:

1) Processed Meat

Normally there are different methods involved in preserving and processing meat. Most processed meat products include chemical preservatives especially sodium nitrate used as a preservative which is much carcinogenic and increases the risk of colon and pancreatic cancer.
Common methods to preserve meat: Salting, pickling, curing and adding chemical preservatives
Some of processed meat items:
• Hot dogs
• Bacon
• Packaged meat
• Kebab, chicken nuggets
• Fried Sausage
• Hamburgers etc.,

2) GMO foods

The rapid growth of biotechnology has paved way to increased production of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) foods. These include genetically modified vegetables, fruits, fish etc., which are prone to cause the growth of tumors in humans.
Some of GMO foods
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Soybeans
• Sugar
• Salmons etc.,

3) Fried Food Items

Fried food items also fall under the category of unhealthy foods which are likely to be avoided to lead a cancer-free life
• Acrylamide is supposed to be the chemical found in fried food items and that could lead to increase the risk of cancer in humans
• Try to avoid food items that are cooked using re-heated oil as re-heated oil releases aldehyde which is very toxic and causes cancer and other diseases related to nerve cells

4) Microwave Popcorn

Microwave popcorn is one among those foods to be avoided to prevent from being affected by cancer. The bags of microwave popcorn are lined with perfluorooctanoic acid which causes pancreatic cancer.

5) Hydrogenated Oils

Hydrogenated oils are the oils which are commonly used to preserve foods which need a longer shelf life. These oils alter the structure of cell membranes in humans. These oils are used by commercial food manufacturing companies in order to give a long life to the products. You must make sure to check the label if they are free from hydrogenated oils.
If you like to enjoy a cancer risk-free life then try to avoid the above mentioned foods. Make smart food choices and boost your ability to battle against cancer and other diseases. Eat healthy foods and lead a long and relaxed life with your family members.