Archive for June, 2016

Stay Healthy this Monsoon!

Thursday, June 30th, 2016

We are happy to welcome the monsoon showers after experiencing the scorching summer heat. But monsoons do bring certain health risks. Our body is more susceptible to health issues in the rainy season as monsoon reduces the immunity power of our body. Our body is more prone to allergies, infections, indigestion problems, so we must keep our body resistant against such diseases.

Some tips to be healthy this rainy season:

  • Say no to street food, it is one of the worst temptations to fall for.
  • Consume lots of fruits as they help you restore energy. Apples, mangoes, pomegranates, and pears are best suggestible.
  • Have medium to low salt food and avoid heavy salty food as they are responsible for high blood pressure and water retention.
  • Increase your immunity by adding a dash of garlic to your soups and curries.
  • Consuming bitter vegetables like bitter gourd, and bitter herbs like neem, turmeric powder and methi seeds help in preventing infections.
  • If your face skin allergies during rainy seasons, then avoid spicy foods. Spicy foods raise body temperature and stimulate blood circulation and it leads to allergies and skin irritation.
  • Always take a shower once home if your happen to get wet in the rains.
  • Drink lots of herbal teas, especially those with antibacterial properties. These include ginger, pepper, honey, mint and basil leaves.
  • Maintain a high level of hygiene in your home. Dirty and unhygienic environment serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes which can cause many ailments.
  • If you happen to have a flu or fever, do notventure outside as you may spread it to others. The same goes for conjunctivitis.
  • Keep your home and kitchen areas free of flies which multiply this season.
  • Monsoon brings with it excess humidity & dampness and many feet issues too, always keep them dry and clean.

So stay healthy this monsoon and enjoy the happy season!

International Yoga Day!

Tuesday, June 21st, 2016

Yoga is a 5,000-year-old physical, mental and spiritual practice having its origin in India. Yoga aims to transform both the body and the mind. Since the last 2 years it has gained importance worldwide thanks to efforts by many leaders.

On December 11 in 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga. This was after Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi suggested making June 21, which is the Summer Solstice as the International Day of Yoga. Yoga will be practised across the world today by people from various religions and ethnic origin.

The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. As per Yogic scriptures the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with that of the universal consciousness, indicating a perfect harmony between the mind and body.

Pre-Classical Yoga: The beginnings of Yoga were developed by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in North India over 5,000 years ago. The word yoga was first mentioned in the oldest sacred texts, the Rig Veda.

Classical Yoga: In the pre-classical stage, yoga was a mishmash of various ideas, beliefs and techniques that often conflicted each other. The Classical period is defined by Patanjali’s Yoga-Sûtras, the first systematic presentation of yoga. Patanjali is often considered the father of yoga and his Yoga-Sûtras still strongly influence most styles of modern yoga.

In today’s times Yoga has spread all over the world by the teachings of great personalities like Swami Shivananda, Shri T.Krishnamacharya, Swami Kuvalayananda, Shri Yogendara, Swami Rama, Sri Aurobindo, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, Acharya Rajanish, Pattabhijois, BKS. Iyengar, Swami Satyananda Sarasvati and the like.

  • Better Flexibility : The various poses of yoga condition your body to improve its flexibility day by day.
  • Better posture: A poor posture leads to backaches, neck pain, joint problems, and muscle fatigue. Yoga is one of the best ways to fix poor posture since each pose aims to get your body back into proper alignment without forcing you into unnatural positions.
  • Tones the body: One really great aspect of yoga is that it works to tone your body without using weights or exercise equipment. Like a push-up or a pull-up, yoga only uses your own body weight as resistance.
  • Better sleep: If you are someone who has trouble sleeping, scientists recommend trying yoga as it gives significant improvement in the participants sleep quality and quantity.
  • Lower blood pressure: Yoga is a great workout for your heart and over time will improve your cardiovascular function. The key is sticking with it long enough to get these benefits.
  • Lower cholesterol: Research has shown yoga to lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and boost HDL “good” cholesterol.
  • Weight Loss: Yoga can help boost your metabolism and build stronger muscles, two things which are essential for weight loss.
  • Less stress and anxiety: Research says when you perform yoga feel good brains chemicals like serotonin are released, putting you in a better mood. Additionally, yoga helps quiet the mind, gives your body an outlet to release energy blocks that may have you stressing out even more.
  • Lower Blood sugar levels: Yoga has the ability to lower blood sugar levels when done on a regular basis. Paired with a well-balanced diet, this can go a long way towards keeping these levels within healthy parameters.
  • Improves digestion: In yoga, you perform a combination of deep breathing exercises and twisting poses that really massage the organs, works your intestinal muscles, and helps release any trapped toxic stool.

Am sure most of you must be regular yoga practitioners. If not, then start today and make sure to include Yoga as a part of fitness regime.

Monsoon Mania and Kids!

Tuesday, June 14th, 2016

So the rain gods have given us a glimpse a few days back….but we are all wait patiently for them to return in full form. Aren’t we? We have had enough of the sweltering summer months. And all we look forward to now are the cool breezy monsoon evenings, walks in drizzles and yes the occasional heavy downpours. Sounds wonderful right?

We have all have some great monsoon memories as kids which we still reminisce. And yes, we have many stories also to share. But what about today’s kids? Somehow kids have a lot of restrictions and a different set of rules to follow then elders. Let’s not be over protective and just follow some basic monsoon care for kids. Let them enjoy the rains, splash the puddles and float paper boats, a great way to reclaim their childhood in this tech savvy times.

We agree that along with the monsoon fun comes contaminated water , cold and fever, infections and the occasional flooding . As children have low immunity levels they are more susceptible to these ailments. But a little care can balance the monsoon fun and the health risks.

Here are a few monsoon friendly tips for kids:

  • The first rains come with air borne viral infections. Increase your child’s immunity with more doses of fruits rich in Vitamin C. Include herbs and spices like garlic, ginger, tulsi, oregano in your daily cooking to enhance the immunity.
  • Home food is the best food in the rains. Outside food is avoidable as it increases chances of stomach pain, diarrhea and even food poisoning. Make your child’s favourite dishes at home.
  • To avoid infections use only boiled drinking water for children. Also, water needs to be boiled the right way, once bubbles appear continue boiling for four minutes at least before switching off the gas.
  • Has your child got drenched in the rains? That’s okay, but make sure it is followed by a hot water bath. A warm cup of turmeric milk or a soup is also very comforting and acts against catching cold.
  • Always ensure that your child’s feet are dry and the socks if soaked must be removed immediately.
  • Prepare for an insect proof home to enjoy the monsoon. Citronella oil, camphor and clove are effective natural remedies for mosquitoes.
  • The rains outside does not mean less fluids inside the body. Children should drink sufficient liquids to stay hydrated even in the monsoons.

So let the rain not dampen your spirits, just a little bit of care and you are rain ready!

All about Brain Tumour

Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

As the world observes World Brain Tumour Day on June 08, 2016 let us take a look at this life threatening condition. This day was formed as a tribute to all brain tumour patients and their families. Many NGOs around the world work towards the much needed support required for brain tumour patients. The key goal is to seek a cure for brain tumour. Many health professionals and scientists are also involved in this.

We all know why the brain is so important for us. We are just nothing without our brain. The brain directs the basic things we choose to do (like walking and talking) and the things our body does without thinking (like breathing). The brain is also in charge of our senses -sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, memory, emotions, and personality.

A network of nerves carries messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. Some nerves go directly from the brain to the eyes, ears, and other parts of the head. Other nerves run through the spinal cord to connect the brain with the other parts of the body. Hence any kind of brain damage can cause a havoc in your daily life.

Some facts about brain tumours:

  • They can occur at any age.
  • The exact cause of brain tumours is not clear.
  • Primary brain tumours can be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (non cancerous). A primary brain tumour is a tumour which begins in the brain.
  • If a cancerous tumour which starts elsewhere in the body sends cells which end up growing in the brain, such tumours are then called secondary or metastatic brain tumours.
  • The symptoms of brain tumours depend on their size, type, and location.

Some symptoms of Brain tumours:

  • Headache , numbness or tingling in the arms or legs are some common symptoms
  • Seizures, memory problems; mood and personality changes; balance and walking problems nauseaand vomiting;changes in speech, vision, or hearing are also some symptoms.
  • Brain tumours are generally grouped by grades. The higher the grade number, the more abnormal the cells appear and the more aggressively the tumour usually behaves.

Some risk factors for tumours:

  • It is believed that ionizing radiation from high dose x-rays (such as radiation therapy from a large machine aimed at the head) and other sources can cause cell damage that leads to a tumour.
  • It is rare for brain tumours to run in a family. Only a very small number of families have several members with brain tumours.
  • Researchers are studying whether using cell phones, having had a head injury, or having been exposed to certain chemicals at work or to magnetic fields are important risk factors.

There are various treatment options available. The earlier the detection the better are the chances of survival. Many patients opt for surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of treatments. It is best to consult a specialist who can give correct guidance depending on the type of tumour, size and the age of the patient.