Categories
Health Problems & Solutions

Few Health Questions and Answers

 

Q: Regarding weaning food. Many varieties are available in the market. What do you recommend I start with?

Weaning can begin with simple preparations like powdered rice cooked in water and milk with a little sugar .

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A: Weaning should not be started till at least the 120th day. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding exclusively for six months. Homemade preparations are superior to the packaged, ready-to-eat premixes available in the market. You could begin with powdered rice cooked in water and milk with a little sugar and no salt. The consistency should be like that of breast milk. Start with one feed, gradually increasing the number after a week or so.

Careful dosage :
Q: How is the dosage of medicine for children calculated? My mother says I can give my daughter, aged seven, half a tablet of the usual adult medicines.

A: Dosage of medicine for children has to be carefully calculated based on the body weight; it is not a matter of giving one tablet to an older child and half to a smaller one!

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In case of Paracetamol, the dosage is 10-15 mg/kg/dose every 4-6 hours. For many antibiotics, it is 20 or 40 mg/kg/day while for others it is 8 mg/kg/dose. Consult a paediatrician who will weigh the child and assign the dosage appropriately. Do not self-medicate.

Unlatching baby
Q: My baby sucks so hard at my breast that I am unable to pull his mouth loose when needed. Please advise....click & see

A: Pulling yourself backwards or trying to pry the child loose will not work. Instead, insert your little finger into the corner of his mouth to reduce the suction effect. His mouth can then be pried loose.

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Master check-up
Q: I am a 50-year-old woman. I want to have a master health check-up. What tests should I ask for?

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A:
You need the following tests in addition to the regular ones offered as part of the check-up

Get your weight and height measured to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). This should be between 25 and 27. A high BMI indicates obesity and places you at risk for diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer

Blood tests to screen for diabetes, cholesterol and triglycerides

A bone densitometry if you are post menopausal

A pap smear for cervical cancer

Breast evaluation by mammogram and monthly self-examination

Dental check-up

Eye check-up

The normal values are usually noted on the side. If any of your results are not in the normal range, please follow it up with the concerned consultant. If the follow-up of check-up is not done adequately, your money is wasted.

Facial hair
Q: I am a 23-year-old woman. My problem is that I have a moustache. I think it was there earlier but of late it has become very noticeable. My mother says I should leave it alone. However, I feel self-conscious. What should I do?

A: Please check with an endocrinologist/dermatologist/gynaecologist if you have other associated symptoms like menstrual irregularities or more-than-normal hair on your arms and legs. In the meanwhile, you can always go to a beauty parlour and have the hair on your upper lip removed by threading or waxing. Hair-removing creams can cause allergies. Also, please avoid shaving.

Foul odor

Q: I have terrible body odor in summer. Please help.

A: Perspiration is odourless. The smell arises due to the action of skin bacteria on the sweat. To avoid this .

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Wear cotton clothes which will allow the sweat to evaporate and not trap it inside

Bathe twice a day with Neko soap. The bacterial cell wall is destroyed by this soap

Do not apply the soap directly. Use a loofa or wash rag

Avoid talcum powder

Use a deodorant stick or spray.

Nagging cough
Q: I have diabetes and hypertension. Both are well controlled with diet and medication. I have a terrible hacking cough though. I have seen several doctors but to no avail   all they have done is take X-rays and prescribe antibiotics. I do not have fever or sputum so I don’t think I need these antibiotics.

A: Some anti-hypertensive medications cause cough. You can try adding Vitamin C 500 mg at night to your current medication. Also, you can take a cough suppressant like codeine linctus. Avoid exposure to allergens such as incense sticks, cigarette smoke and mosquito repellents (mats, coils as well as liquids). Take steam inhalation twice a day.

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Tummy trouble

Q: My stomach sticks out, making me look very ugly. Will a tummy trimmer work?

A: Spot reduction of the stomach alone is not possible unless you opt for liposuction. You need to go on a diet, exercise and reduce weight overall. In the process, you can also tone up your stomach with crunches or a trimmer.

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Answered by :Dr Gita Mathai ,paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore.India

Published in the Telegraph (Kolkata,India)

Categories
Healthy Tips

Heart-Healthy Advice You Need

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Whether you’re at high risk for heart trouble or you’re trying to control early-stage heart disease, here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make.

CLICK  & SEE

Exersise and Eat Right.
Simple lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk of heart disease. If you’re at high risk or you’re trying to control early-stage heart disease, here are some important preventive steps — involving diet, exercise, medical options, supplements and lifestyle — you can take.
Diet
Think international. People who eat a traditional Mediterranean or Asian diet appear to have lower rates of heart disease than those who eat a typical American diet. Incorporate elements of these diets into your healthy eating plan.

Eat heart-smart foods. Choose foods that can reduce cholesterol and improve heart health, such as fruits (apples, avocados, dried fruits, grapefruit, oranges, strawberries), vegetables (broccoli, carrots, corn, lima beans, onions), seafood (clams, mussels, oysters), fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (salmon and bluefish), soy, nuts and whole-grain breads and cereals.

Cut the fat. To keep your cholesterol level down, limit the amount of fat you eat, especially saturated fat. Your total fat intake should be no more than 30% of your daily calories. Focus on low-fat alternatives to red meat, such as fish or skinless chicken or turkey. Eating fish several times a week can cut your risk of heart attack by as much as half. Lower your intake of dairy fats by switching to low-fat or skim varieties. Or try soy milk — soy protein can lower cholesterol.
Spice it up. If you have high blood pressure, cut your sodium intake. In fact, researchers now think that even people whose blood pressure is within normal range should cut back on sodium. Avoid processed foods, which contain a lot of sodium, and ease up on salt at mealtime. But don’t settle for bland fare. Add flavor with salsa, curry, peppers, or garlic. Eating one to three cloves of garlic a day has been shown to reduce blood pressure and possibly lower cholesterol.

Add rough stuff. Soluble fiber — plentiful in fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains — prevents arterial plaque buildup. Studies show that eating three or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke by 25% or more. In one study, eating cooked dried beans daily lowered LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, by 20% in just three weeks. Other research showed that a diet high in whole grains can cut a woman’s risk of dying from heart disease by up to 15%. And dozens of studies confirm that eating oats has a cholesterol-lowering effect.

Seeing red. Drinking alcohol in moderation raises HDL, or “good,” cholesterol and “thins” the blood, reducing the likelihood of clots that can cause heart attack and stroke. Red wine offers additional benefits. Its dark pigments are rich in bioflavonoids that prevent the oxidation of LDL, making it less likely to stick to artery walls. Research showed that people who drank two 8-ounce glasses of red wine a day were 40% less likely to have a heart attack than those who didn’t imbibe. But don’t overdo it — too much alcohol raises your triglyceride level (and high triglyceride levels are linked to coronary artery disease and untreated diabetes in some people). And if you have an alcohol problem, the harm far outweighs any potential benefit. Other good sources of bioflavonoids: black and green tea, onions, kale and apples.

Exercise
Work your heart. The best preventive medicine for your heart is aerobic exercise. It reduces high blood pressure and atherosclerosis by widening the blood vessels. Plus, it raises “good” cholesterol levels. Choose an activity that works the large muscles of your legs and buttocks (like brisk walking or bicycling), and strive to reach your target heart rate for at least 15 to 20 minutes, three or four times a week.

An (up)lifting idea. An American Heart Association (AHA) survey found that lifting weights a few times a week can improve heart health in some people. That’s because stronger muscles can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Having more muscle tissue also raises your metabolism, which helps control your weight. But don’t skip the brisk walk. The AHA recommends pumping iron in addition to aerobic exercise.

Be flexible. Flexibility exercises like yoga not only help keep your joints limber but also help cut the production of stress hormones that can contribute to heart disease.

Evaluate Your Heart Health
Medical Options
Schedule a checkup. Until age 65, you should have your blood pressure checked at least every other year. At age 65, you should have it checked at least annually. Most doctors also recommend a yearly cholesterol screening if you have high cholesterol or other heart-disease risk factors. Your doctor may also recommend electrocardiography (an ECG) to evaluate your heart health. While you’re there, ask about a simple blood test for a substance called C-reactive protein. According to Harvard researchers studying 28,000 healthy women, this test helped predict heart attack risk better than cholesterol tests.
An aspirin a day? People with existing heart disease may benefit from low-dose aspirin therapy, which may prevent heart attacks. The dosage ranges from part of an aspirin (80 mg) to one aspirin (325 mg) daily. Ask your doctor what’s right for you.

Depressurize. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease. If diet and exercise can’t control it, blood-pressure medication can help.

Deal with diabetes. People with diabetes, most of whom are adults with the type 2 form of the disease, are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or stroke. Controlling the disease is often just a matter of losing extra pounds, exercising regularly and following a heart-healthy diet.
Don’t ignore depression. One study found that depressed people were 1.7 times more likely to develop heart disease and that depressed men were nearly three times as likely to die from it. See your doctor for help.

Supplements
Consider folate and vitamin B6. These vitamins lower elevated levels of homocysteine, a substance in the blood that may raise your risk of heart disease. A daily intake of more than 400 mcg of folate and 3 mg of B6 appears to reduce the risk of heart disease in women.

Go fish. Fish oil capsules contain omega-3 fatty acids, which act as anticlotting agents. Check with your doctor before taking them to avoid interactions with other medications.
Get garlic. Garlic capsules offer the health benefits of garlic without odor. Choose pills that supply 4000 mcg of allicin and take 400 to 600 mg a day.

Lifestyle
Rein in your rage. Don’t get mad — it’s bad for your heart. A study of nearly 13,000 people found that those who were quick to anger were almost three times more likely to have heart attacks than their cooler-headed peers.

Stay trim. Being even slightly overweight can increase your blood pressure and put you at greater risk for heart disease. Follow a heart-smart diet and make exercise a priority.
No ifs, ands, or butts. According to the American Heart Association, you can cut your risk of death related to heart disease by 50% by kicking the smoking habit. After three smoke-free years, your risk of heart disease is the same as that of a lifelong nonsmoker.

Time out. Minimize stress, a risk factor for heart disease. Try meditation or visualization or yoga. Prayer may also help. Take brisk walks with a friend; your conversation may add extra stress relief.
Getting away is good for your heart. Researchers found that men between ages 35 and 57 who took a yearly vacation were one-third less likely to die from heart disease than their stay-at-work colleagues.

Source  :Readers Digest

Categories
Health Alert

Reduce Sodium Intake, Reduce Heart Disease

Almost everything we eat contains at least a little sodium, although many foods, especially  the processed variety, contain way too much. Our bodies only need about 500 milligrams (mg)of sodium a day; although current dietary recommendations allow for 2,000 to 4,000 mg (1-2 teaspoons of salt), statistics show that the average adult consumes almost double that amount on a daily basis.

Limiting your sodium intake can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, especially if you are overweight, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Researchers estimated dietary sodium intake in 2,688 overweight subjects and 6,797 nonoverweight subjects, then assessed the incidence of and/or death from cardiovascular disease over 19 years of follow-up.

Results: Among overweight participants, a relatively small increase in sodium intake was
associated with substantial increases in disease risk: a 32% higher risk of stroke; a 44%
higher risk of heart disease; a 61% higher risk of death from heart disease; and a 39%
higher risk of death from all causes. Dietary sodium intake was not significantly associated
with cardiovascular disease risk in nonoverweight participants.

If you already have high blood pressure or a developing heart condition, restricting your
sodium intake is even more imperative. Your doctor can give you more information on sodium and provide nutritional guidelines suitable to your specific needs.

Source:ChiroFind.com

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