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Breast-feeding protects from arthritis

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Mothers who breast feed their babies for longer periods are likely to have a reduced risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic disorder that causes inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues, a new study suggests.

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While previous studies have suggested that hormonal factors play a part in the development of RA, the new study found that breast feeding for 13 or more months was associated with a reduced risk of developing RA compared to women who had never breast fed.

The longer the breast feeding period, the lower the mother’s risk of developing RA in later life, according to the new data presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain.

The latest study was conducted using the data from a community-based health study in Spain between 1991 and 1996, comparing health information from 136 women, reported health portal Medical News Today .

Comparable use of oral contraceptives (OCs) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) did not show a significant effect on the risk of developing RA, it said.

“This study specifically highlights the potential of naturally-induced hormones in protecting individuals from developing RA in the future,” said lead researcher Mitra Keshavarz, of Malmö Hospital University, Sweden.

“It further adds to the growing body of evidence in favour of breast feeding and its positive health implications this time demonstrating its protective benefits for the mother,” he added.

Studies in the past have shown that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants and protect them from illness. Breast-fed infants have lower rates of hospital admissions, ear infections, diarrhoea, rashes, allergies and other medical problems than bottle-fed babies.

Breast-feeding not only helps the child against various diseases but benefits the mother as well. Previous studies have shown that it can lower a mother’s risk of getting cancer.

Source:The Times Of India

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Pediatric

Nourishing Your Newborn

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Learn how to give your little one a healthy start with these tips on proper nutrition.

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The Basics
Proper early nutrition is important. The eating patterns established in infancy determine how well a baby grows and also influence lifelong food habits and attitudes.

New parents probably worry more about feeding their baby than any other aspect of early child care. What if I can’t breast-feed? How do I know if the baby is getting enough? Too much? Should I give the baby vitamins? When do I start solid food? Parents quickly learn that almost everyone is eager to answer such questions — grandparents, neighbors — even strangers in the supermarket. As might be expected, however, much of the advice is conflicting and adds to a parent’s feelings of confusion and uncertainty. So let’s begin with a few anxiety busters:

Get to know your baby. No two infants are alike. Some enter the world ravenously hungry and demand to be fed every hour or two. Others seem to prefer sleeping, and may even need to be awakened to eat.

Try to relax. It’s natural for new parents to feel nervous and apprehensive, but raising a baby should be a joyful experience.

Trust your own judgment and common sense. If a baby is growing and developing at a normal pace, he’s getting enough to eat.

Keep food in its proper perspective. It provides the essential energy and nourishment infants need to grow and develop. But food should not be a substitute for a reassuring hug or used as a bribe or reward for good behavior. Even an infant quickly learns how to use food as a manipulative tool, which can set the stage for later eating problems.

In the Beginning, They Are What You Eat
Good infant nutrition actually begins before birth, because what the mother eats during pregnancy goes a long way toward determining her baby’s initial nutritional health. A well-nourished mother provides plenty of nutrients her baby can use for proper growth and development in the uterus, as well as to store for later use. Skimping on food to avoid gaining excessive weight while pregnant can produce a low-birth-weight baby who has special nutritional needs or serious medical problems. An anemic woman is likely to have a baby with low iron reserves. A woman who does not consume adequate folate may have a baby with serious neurological problems. High doses of vitamin A before and during early pregnancy can cause birth defects. All pregnant women are strongly advised to have regular prenatal checkups and to eat a varied and balanced diet.

Breast MilkBabies‘ First Food
Physicians are in agreement that breast milk provides the best and most complete food to achieve optimal health, growth, and development for full-term infants. In fact, the recommendation of the World Health Organization is that a full-term, healthy infant should be exclusively breast-fed up to 6 months of age (premature and low-birth-weight babies may need specialized formula and breast milk). An adequate alternative to breast milk is commercial infant formula, which provides comparable nutrition but lacks some of the unique benefits of breast milk.

Although breast-feeding for 6 months may not be possible for every mother, a baby can benefit from any amount of breast milk — even a few feedings. Colostrum, the breast fluid that is secreted for the first few days after birth, is higher in protein and lower in sugar and fat than later breast milk. It has a laxative effect that activates the baby’s bowels. Colostrum is also rich in antibodies, which increase the baby’s resistance to infection. Hormones released in response to the baby’s suckling increase the flow of breast milk, and within a few days women produce enough mature milk for their infants. Mature breast milk is easy to digest and provides just about all the nutrients a baby normally needs for the first 4 to 6 months. This milk has two parts — the beginning of the feed is foremilk, which is high in sugar and water and a real thirst quencher for the baby. As the baby continues to feed, the breast decreases in size and the milk becomes a fat and calorie-rich milk, known as hindmilk.

A breast-fed baby can remain on breast milk exclusively until the introduction of age-appropriate foods at 4 to 6 months of life. In addition, a daily supplement of vitamin D (400 IU) is recommended in the United States and Canada for breast-fed babies and should be continued until an adequate amount of vitamin D is consumed through diet. Beginning at 4 to 6 months of age, these babies usually require additional iron, which is typically provided by an iron-fortified cereal. Fluoride supplementation may be required for some infants after 6 months. Babies of vegan mothers may require a B12 supplement.

How to Tell If Your Baby Is Getting Enough
Many new nursing mothers often worry that their babies are not getting enough to eat. Mothers should answer the following questions:

1. How many wet diapers and stools does my baby have each day?

2. Is my baby growing?

3. Does my baby appear hungry?

A baby who has regular stools and produces six or more wet diapers a day is most likely getting plenty of food. Although this varies, breast-fed babies generally nurse every 2 to 4 hours for the first month or so. Experts promote “on demand” feeding; in other words, babies should be fed whenever they are hungry for the first 4 or 5 months. Some babies may be sleepy or disinterested in food; a baby who is not feeding at least six to eight times a day may need to be stimulated to consume more.

Growth is an important indicator of whether or not a baby is getting enough to eat. Remember, however, that babies tend to grow in spurts. During a growth spurt, an infant will want to nurse more often and longer than usual, which may empty the reserve of breast milk. This will signal the mother’s body to increase milk production. But the mother should not be concerned if, a week or two later, her baby is less interested in eating.

Finally, hungry babies send out plenty of signals that they are hungry. Common cues are fussing, crying, and irritability as well as a variety of lip and tongue movements — such as lip smacking and fists in mouths.

Bottle-Feeding

Although more than half of all North American women breast-feed for at least the first few weeks, many mothers elect to bottle-feed. They should be assured that commercial formulas provide all the essential nutrients and, when used according to the manufacturers’ instructions, babies thrive on them. Choosing an iron-fortified formula is recommended. Babies under one year of age should not be given regular cow’s milk because it is difficult for them to digest and may provoke an allergic reaction. The cow’s milk in most infant formulas is modified to make it easier to digest. Despite this precaution, some babies may require a soy or rice formula.

Generally, bottle-fed babies consume more than breast-fed infants do; they may gain weight more rapidly, although the breast-fed babies will eventually catch up with them. On average, most babies double their birth weight in 4 to 5 months, and triple it by the time of their first birthday.

Bottle-feeding requires more work than nursing; bottles, nipples, and other equipment must be sterilized. Some formulas are premixed; others are concentrated or powdered, and must be mixed with sterile water. Formula mixed in advance should be refrigerated, but not longer than 24 hours; after that, it should be discarded. Any formula that is left in the baby’s bottle after a feeding should be discarded; if not, there is a possibility of its being contaminated by microorganisms entering through the nipple opening.

Introducing Foods
There is no specific age at which to start solid foods, but for most babies, 4 to 6 months is about right. Starting too early can be harmful because the digestive system may not be able to handle solid foods yet; also, the early introduction of solid foods may increase the risk of developing food allergies. An infant who is thriving solely on breast milk can generally wait until he is 5 or 6 months old; after that, nursing alone may not provide adequate calories and the nutrients that a baby needs for normal growth.

The first solid food must be easy to digest and unlikely to provoke an allergic reaction — infant rice cereal is a good choice. For the first few feedings, put a very small amount on the spoon, gently touch the baby’s lips to encourage him to open his mouth, and place the cereal at the back of the tongue. Don’t expect these feedings to go smoothly; a baby usually does a lot of spitting, sputtering, and protesting.

The baby should be hungry, but not ravenous. Some experts suggest starting the feeding with a few minutes of nursing or bottle-feeding, then offering a small amount of the moistened cereal — no more than a teaspoon or two — and finishing with the milk. After a few sessions, you can start with the cereal, then gradually increase the amount of solid foods as you reduce the amount of milk.

Beginning slowly, introducing only one or two new items a week. If you use home-cooked foods, make sure that they’re thoroughly pureed. In addition to rice cereal, try oatmeal and barley cereals; strained vegetables and fruits; and pureed chicken and beef. At about 5 months, fruit juice can be added to the diet, starting with apple juice. Hold off on orange juice and other citrus products for at least 6 months; these may provoke an allergic reaction. Other potentially allergenic foods should be delayed until the baby is 6 to 9 months old, or even later if there is a family history of allergies. Withdraw any food that provokes a rash, runny nose, unusual fussiness, diarrhea, or any other sign of a possible allergic reaction or food intolerance.

Self-Feeding
When they are about 7 or 8 months old, most babies have developed enough eye-hand coordination to pick up finger food and maneuver it into their mouths. The teeth are also beginning to come in at this age; giving a baby a teething biscuit, or cracker to chew on can ease gum soreness as well as provide practice in self-feeding. Other good starters are finger foods, which could include bite-size dry cereals, bananas, slices of apples and pears, peas, and cooked carrots, and small pieces of soft-cooked boiled or roasted chicken. The pieces should be large enough to hold but small enough so that they don’t lodge in the throat and cause choking.

As soon as the baby can sit in a high chair, he should be included at family meals and start eating many of the same foods, even though they may need mashing or cutting into small pieces. Give the child a spoon, but don’t be disappointed if he prefers using his hands. At this stage it’s more important for the baby to become integrated into family activities and master self-feeding than to learn proper table manners. These will come eventually, especially if the parents and older siblings set a good example.

Weaning
Giving up the breast or bottle is a major milestone in a baby’s development, but not one that should be rushed. When a woman stops nursing is largely a matter of personal preference. Some mothers wean their babies from the breast to a bottle after only a few weeks or months; others continue nursing for longer, even though the child is eating solid food. Similarly, some babies decide to give up their bottles themselves at 9 or 10 months; yet others will still want it — especially at nap or bedtime. If a baby under a year old drinks milk from a cup, it should still be a formula.

From : Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal

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News on Health & Science

How To Get A Great Night’s Sleep Without Taking Medicine

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Sleep    provides rest for the weary and refreshment of your body and soul. Depending on who you are, you can spend eight hours or more in bed at a time, trying to get the rest you need. But a good night’s sleep is more than time spent in bed. There is a quality component to your sleep that is a major factor in how you feel when you wake up.

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There are a number of ways you can improve the quality of your sleep. Some of these ways involve what you do before you go to bed. But the most important factor is what you actually sleep on once you crawl into bed. You spend eight hours with your head on your pillow and a mattress supporting your back. Your chances of getting a great night’s sleep are almost impossible if your pillow and mattress fail to support the different segments of your spine correctly.

Preparing for Slumber
What you do and what you eat before you go to bed can play a significant role in the quality of your sleep. Your state of mind and your body’s metabolism will impact your ability to fall asleep and sleep deeply. You can prepare yourself for a great night’s sleep. Here are some simple do’s and don’ts that will help facilitate a great night’s rest:

Dos

TURN OFF WORK:  You can’t sleep soundly with your mind still at work. If your body has left the job, your mind should, too. You need and deserve time to refresh yourself and enjoy life.

CALM YOURSELF: Frustration, anxiety and worry can intrude into everyones life. The question is, how do you handle it? Take time at the end of your day with meditation, prayer, reading, relaxation techniques, talking to a loved one or just sitting quietly; let go of anything that might be bothering you, at least for the time being.

EXERCISE AND/OR STRETCH:  Many people find that engaging in physical activity before going to bed helps relieve the tension that can build up by the end of the day. The more tension you feel, the more vigorously you may need to exercise. Just remember to give yourself an appropriate “cool-down” period before getting into bed, or you won’t be able to fall asleep.

EAT AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE BEDTIME: Give your body plenty of time to begin digesting your food before you try to sleep. This will reduce that bloated feeling you may have and will help your body feel more relaxed.

Do  nots:
AVOID MENTAL OVERSTIMULATION It’s important to relax after working all day. But replacing job worries with violent movies or mindless video games may actually cause your brain to concentrate more intensely than it would if you were still at work. Make sure your evening activities are relaxing and nurturing, rather than of a combative or problem-solving nature.

AVOID SWEETS Eating foods that give your body quick bursts of energy will thwart your ability to relax. Sugars and other simple carbohydrates boost your energy level, making it harder to fall asleep. (They  are also not healthy for you, nutritionally speaking.) Consider foods that are more complex and thus digest more slowly, such as light proteins, vegetables or small amounts of fruit.

AVOID CONFRONTING DIFFICULT ISSUES :  The end of the day is not always the best time to discuss or address difficult issues. Beginning a discussion that may lead to an argument will likely leave you frustrated and unable to sleep. Whenever possible, wait until the morning or weekend, when you can face the dilemma with a fresh perspective and plenty of energy. This will ensure that you have adequate time and energy to reach a solution, rather than just an exhausted rehashing of the issues.

Your mattress and pillow should be chosen carefully, considering that approximately one-third of your life will be spent on them. Otherwise, you’ll keep waking up sore, stiff and tired, even after hours of sleep.

The Right Stuff
Even given all of the above, many people still fail to get the sleep they need. If you  are one of these people, you know how hard it can be. Waking up sore, stiff and still feeling tired can be caused by what you’re sleeping on   the wrong pillow and/or the wrong mattress.

Do You Have the Right Pillow?
Your pillow is probably the most important component of restful sleep, as it cradles your head and neck for many hours. Your pillow is also the least expensive, most immediate solution to a poor night’s sleep and has the potential to address the most common ailments: headaches and neck pain.

Does your pillow do a good job of supporting your neck and head? If you find your head in an uncomfortable position or feel the need to fold your pillow, you need a new one.
Is there a better choice available? There is a seemingly endless selection of pillows on the market. Determining which type is best for you is the challenge. There are more conventional pillows, filled with down feathers or foam. There are also pillows specifically designed to support your neck and head in a more anatomically correct position. Again, your chiropractor will be the best source to determine what you need, particularly if you are suffering from neck pain or headaches.
Do You Have the Right Mattress?
Your mattress should be chosen carefully, considering that approximately one-third of your life will be spent on it. You will want to consider a specialized mattress that will give your spine the support you need. This is particularly true as you get older.

How long has it been since you bought a new mattress? Mattress makers will tell you that even the best mattresses will only last eight to 10 years. If it’s been more than eight years, or if your original mattress wasn’t that great to begin with, it’s probably time to buy a new mattress.
Will a conventional coil mattress give you the support you need for your spine? This is a very important question and can only be answered by a doctor of chiropractic or other health care provider who specializes in spinal health. Many people find the usual coil mattresses just don’t provide what they need. Ask your doctor if they think you need a mattress specifically designed to ease the pressure on your spine.
What will this special mattress cost? Coil mattresses have several available options, including latex and  memory foam  models. The cost varies, depending on the quality of the model. However, generally speaking, specialized mattresses are no more expensive than their conventional counterparts.
So, there you have it: the keys to getting the great night’s sleep you deserve   every night. Talk to your doctor when considering which mattress and pillow are best for you, and remember the do’s and don’ts of preparing for restful sleep. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Source:www.toyourhealth.com

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies Pediatric

Laryngomalacia: A noisy problem!

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Laryngomalacia is the most common cause of “noisy breathing” in babies after the newborn period. This disorder may become obvious as early as the first two weeks of life, with noisy, raspy breathing while taking a breath in . At first the noise simply sounds like nasal congestion, but it occurs without nasal secretions. This type of “noisy breathing” is known as stridor and has a high pitched, harsh quality. The stridor is usually absent with the child is at rest and becomes more prominent when the infant is lying on his/her back, crying, feeding,excited or has a cold. The stridor usually is at it’s worst around six months and then gradually improves. Most children are symptom free by 24 months.

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The cause of laryngomalacia is not clearly understood. What is known about the condition is that the epiglottits which protects the airway when the child feeds also partially obstructs the airway during breathing. The partial obstruction is the source of “noise” with breathing.

Children with laryngomalacia will do better at a 30 degree angle, or by positioning their heads to relieve or reduce the obstruction. The child should also be held in an upright position for 30 minutes after feeding and never fed lying down. Crying exacerbates the obstruction and work of breathing; a pacifier may be useful to calm an agitated infant.

Characteristics of laryngomalacia include:

Starts in the first two months of life (but not at birth)
Occurs when the child is breathing in
Becomes worse with crying, upper respiratory tract infections, laying in the supine (on back) position*
Usually gets worse before it gets better
Child may have retractions (sucking in of the skin above or below the ribs when breathing in)
There is no cyanosis (blue color of the skin)
The baby is otherwise happy and thriving
Treatment is simple but nerve-racking — waiting for the child to out grow the condition while explaining to family, friends, and passerbys that there is really nothing wrong with your noisy breathing baby. It is rare that this abnormality causes any serious problems. The stress is on the parent listening to this noisy breathing as the infant is experiencing little problems. In time, the cartilage that supports tissues around the throat and airway become stronger which helps resolve the problem. Most children grow out of laryngomalacia by one year of age and nearly all children eventually outgrow the condition.

Laryngomalacia a not a dangerous condition and will not interfere with the child’s growth and development. No treatment is necessary, although some parents have found that cool visit from a vaporizer helps eases the child’s noisy breathing. Only in very severe (are rare) cases, or when there is a simultaneous upper respiratory infection, does the condition require treatment. Holding the child in the prone position (stomach down) and comforting and soothing him/her to slow the breathing are almost always sufficient to handle an episode. The most important thing is to calm the child, in order to stop the crying, as crying makes the problem much worse. If a parent is in doubt about their child’s noisy breathing, they should have him/her looked at, but hospitalization for Laryngomalacia is very rare.

*In some instances, doctors may recommend that babies with laryngomalacia be placed on their stomachs to sleep instead of their backs, as long as the bedding is not soft. Parents of children with laryngomalacia should always talk to the baby’s doctor if they are unsure about the best sleep position for their baby.

Source:kidsgrowth.com

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Ailmemts & Remedies Pediatric

Infantile Colic

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What is infantile colic?……….CLICK & SEE
Infantile colic was first described as indigestion. While different diagnostic criteria have emerged since then, there has never been complete agreement on what colic is, what causes it, or how to treat it. The most widely accepted definition of colic today is “unexplainable and uncontrollable crying in babies from 0 to 3 months old, more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week for 3 weeks or more, usually in the afternoon and evening hours.”

Who suffers from colic?
It has been widely estimated that between 8% and 49% of newborns suffer from colic, or an estimated average of 22% of all newborns who suffer from colic at some time. The condition is regarded as self-limiting, disappearing spontaneously at three months of age; however, studies have shown that many cases of colic will persist until six and even 12 months of age, causing considerable distress and frustration for both children and parents.

What are some of the symptoms of colic?
The most common symptom of colic is “excessive crying” — more hours of crying and more stretches of crying per day than non-symptomatic children. The crying may also have a higher frequency/pitch than normal babies. Other possible symptoms include motor unrest (flexing of the knees against the abdomen, clenching of the fists, and extension or straightening of the trunk, legs and arms)

What can Chiropratic do?
For years, chiropractors have cared for children with colic symptoms, and with apparently good results. In fact, the benefit of chiropractic for managing infantile colic was clearly illustrated in a recent study that compared the short-term effects of spinal manipulation vs. drug intervention (a drug called “dimethicone“). Results not only showed that chiropractic adjustments were effective in reducing colic symptoms, most notably the average hours per day spent crying, but also that the use of drugs was not particularly effective, and certainly less effective than chiropractic care. Your doctor of chiropractic can evaluate your child’s condition and recommend the best approach for maximizing health and wellness.

Source:ChiriFind.com


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