First Eat Right - Dietitian Nutritionist Dr. Nafeesa's Diet & Nutrition Clinic

Raising a single kid is a hectic affair these days with exuberant school fee structures, overcharged delivery expenses and the increasing financial costs. Parents either don’t want to plan for a baby forever or most of them wish to just stop with one owing to personal choices or health conditions of the mother. Experiencing the pain of childbirth too plays a vital role in this. This decision might suddenly seem unfair to you once your child grows up a little and feels lonely looking at his/her friends and their siblings, family might pressurize you to go for a second one or you might be the sole reason for the change in your own decision. Once things settle down and you decide to plan for a second baby the first question that comes to your mind is the ideal time gap between two pregnancies.
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Ball is in your Court
I am sure that most of you reading this article are blessed with siblings and your age difference is anywhere between 2-5 years. Defining age gap between pregnancies is purely your choice and you need to decide after considering various factors foremost of which is the mother’s health before choosing the right time for your next bundle of joy. Two things: to decide to have a second baby and timing the second pregnancy, both are in your hands but none of it must be at the cost of the mom’s health.

Couples plan their first child with utmost caution leaving a gap of even five years after marriage before settling the family way. Some couples plan the number of children, time gap between every two kids and carry it out perfectly (if nature obliges so!) settling into marital bliss. Whatever your plan is, it is top-most priority to never compromise on the mother’s health. Every plan has its pros and cons. Pregnancies that are too closely or too distantly spaced carry their own set of resulting consequences.

All is Well that Ends Well
If your babies just have a gap of 12 months or 18 months there is no chance of sibling rivalry that exists as the prime cause of fight and jealousy among siblings. Rather, they might be best friends sharing a strong bond and having similar wavelengths due to minimal age difference. All these advantages are countered by the disadvantages it imposes on the mother’s health. The mom’s sleepless nights double, responsibility increases two-folds as both the kids are small unable to attend to their needs by themselves and such a less gap might even result in preterm deliveries and low-birth-weight infants.

Couples who space their pregnancies two years from each other are doing a good job with their planning as the first child is old enough to express his/her needs and the mom would have almost recovered from her previous pregnancy. Pregnancies planned with three years gap are even better as the first kid becomes old enough to be quite independent, mom’s health is 100% fine and she can attend to both the kids needs as their requirements are completely different from each other. Waiting for more than five years is again a pain as research shows that it increases the mother’s chances of developing health problems, especially in those women who are of an older age. Paternal age too decides a healthy pregnancy and if you are surprised by this statement, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com for more details.

Not Too Less, Not Too More
WHO guidelines recommend not less than 24 months before getting pregnant with the second child. In worse cases, there must be at least 18 months difference maintained. But a new research suggests changes that one need not wait as long as 18 months before getting pregnant and its enough to just wait for a year between giving birth and getting pregnant again. This comes as a welcome relief to many women over the age of 35 planning to go the family way. This study shows that time gap between 12-18 months is more than enough time to giving birth and getting pregnant again. Risk of premature labor and maternal mortality dropped significantly once the woman spaced her pregnancies 12-18 months apart, according to the study. Pregnancies that have a very short spacing either are unplanned or are planned purposefully by older women. Within the stipulated time gap it is up to the mother to use contraceptives wisely and abstain from pregnancy.

Shortness of breath after running, exercising on the treadmill, going for a walk in high altitude regions or rock climbing is common. There are some who feel short of breath every single day in life making their journey a challenging one! Almost one in 7 people suffer from this issue but often don’t realize its existence which makes it even more complicated. This World COPD Day take a pledge to screen your lungs for COPD if you suffer from such symptoms and safeguard yourself from its consequences.
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Shortness of Breath Cannot Shorten Life
Its not fair to allow shortness of breath to stop you from living your life or fulfilling your dreams. Before knowing how to handle the disease lets know about it.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) is a group of lung conditions including bronchitis and emphysema that cause difficulty in expelling air out of the lungs due to narrowed airways. These conditions can either occur individually or exist together too. In bronchitis, the airways are inflamed and narrowed where the individual often produces sputum or phlegm whereas in emphysema the air sacs at the end of the airways are affected due to which the lungs are filled with holes that trap air. All these make breathing difficult as lungs inhale less of oxygen and exhale less of carbon dioxide. While there are options to make breathing easier in no case can the damage be reversed.

While smoking and exposure to dust/chemicals are the most common causes of COPD, anyone above the age of 35 who has been/was a smoker is likelier to develop the condition. Also, it seems to be a genetic problem and if either of your parents suffered from the condition you are susceptible to developing it. Symptoms include:

1. Shortness of breath doing everyday activities such as walking or cooking
2. Wheezing during cold weather
3. Experiencing a cough that lasts long
4. Excess sputum or phlegm
   
   

While all these seem to be similar to asthma, in asthma the narrowing of the airways is temporary and the individual experiences it every now and then when he/she is exposed to some trigger such as pollen or dust. But in the case of COPD, the airways become narrow permanently and medications can only help relaxing them to some extent. A physician can help in diagnosing the condition and start with treatment right away to ease your pain. Treatment options include quitting smoking, dispensing medications, non-invasive ventilation, surgery where the worst-affected portion of the lung is removed or in extreme cases, lung transplant.

Living Healthy with COPD
Though there is no cure for the disease, the affected patient can do as much as he/she can to live a healthy life:

Quit smoking: Take a pledge to quit smoking today. Try to avoid second hand smoking as much as possible. These have immediate positive effects on the body.

Vaccination: Get yourself vaccinated against pneumonia and influenza

Follow a healthy diet: A healthy diet is a sure-shot way to keep yourself energized and prevent any further deterioration in health. Make it a habit to include foods from all five food groups. Get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com to help you eat a well-balanced meal and also help you avoid weight imbalances.

Stay active: Research on COPD shows that doing physical activity regularly can help you stay fit, improve quality of life and keep you energized.

World COPD Day
While life with COPD can be difficult as it is a progressive disease (meaning it has no cure) one can always take steps to reduce its impact as much as possible and make life easier and more comfortable to live. The World COPD day celebrated on November 21st this year aims to spread awareness about the disease and improve care of those patients suffering from the disease. More than 50 countries participate actively on this day holding different events, campaigns and activities to improve the condition of those people suffering from COPD and also to make people come forward and get themselves tested if they fear symptoms of the same. The theme for 2018 is ‘Never too early, never too late’ which seems apt as there is no upper limit or lower limit for taking care of yourself.

Generally, physicians, dietitians and nutritionists commit towards controlling various health issues through a well-planned meal routine and physical activity. Exclusions always exist and one such is hypercholesterolemia that is characterized by extremely high cholesterol numbers despite regular exercise and a proper diet. Strange, isn’t it?

Not a Clean Gene
Genes define our lives and when some of them are faulty we might become victims of certain diseases and illnesses. One such is hypercholesterolemia-presence of high cholesterol levels throughout the life of an individual and this is inherited.

Cholesterol is not bad but an essential substance that becomes good or bad depending on the levels you maintain in the body. Our body is almost self-sufficient in producing cholesterol and we need to include a limited quantity of fat in the diet to produce the remaining cholesterol levels needed to stay healthy. The fat and cholesterol are absorbed in the intestine and transported to the liver. Here, the fat is also converted into cholesterol by the liver and this cholesterol enters the bloodstream. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (good) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (bad) are the two types of cholesterol which impact the body in various ways. High levels of LDL can cause a heart disease while greater quantities of HDL can protect against heart disease.

Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a condition characterized by increased levels of cholesterol in the blood due to genetic abnormality. In general, increased cholesterol levels are the result of unhealthy food habits and lifestyle issues but hypercholesterolemia is unrelated to diet and lifestyle. There are cases where the person suffering from FH follows an unhealthy lifestyle and there are also cases where some individuals stick to a healthy diet and lifestyle like glue but still suffer from the consequences of high cholesterol levels as it is an inherited disorder. This is fate!

The commonest cause of FH is a mutation in the LDLR gene. This gene helps the body produce a protein known as the low-density lipoprotein receptor which binds to low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). These LDLs carry cholesterol and the LDL receptor aids in cholesterol removal by removing LDLs from the blood. While this process happens smoothly in a normal individual, people with FH face difficulty due to decreased production of LDL receptors or improper removal of LDLs by the receptors due to gene mutations. There are several other gene mutations that can result in FH and when any of these occur, receptors function improperly and pave way for high cholesterol levels irrespective of diet and exercise routines. All these impact cholesterol levels and cause increased cholesterol levels in the bloodstream.
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The gene mutation can be inherited from either parent or both parents which determines the severity of the disease. Though rare, a gene mutation inherited from both parents can cause hazardous effects. It is usually passed down from one parent and when this is the case, the risk of acquiring the disease is only 50%. Whatever be it, there is every chance of the disease as the mutation is present in the egg or sperm cell.

Risk Factors
When one or both parents suffer from hypercholesterolemia there is every chance of the kid suffering from the disease and the first step includes testing cholesterol levels of the child. This test must be performed when the kid is between 2 and 10 years of age.

Symptoms
A normal person is at an elevated risk of high cholesterol levels later in life due to accumulated years of inactive lifestyle or unhealthy diet routines. FH occurs right from birth and does not boast of its presence by giving out clear symptoms or indications. Rarely, people with hypercholesterolemia might experience:

• Chest pain
• Cholesterol deposits that are yellowish and present under the eyes or around the eyelids (xanthelasmas)
• Bumps on the skin that occur in the hands, elbows, knees or around the eyes
• Nodules filled with cholesterol (xanthomas) over tendons, specifically the Achilles tendons of the lower leg
  
  

Diagnosis
Any cholesterol buildup around the eyes is an instant indication of FH. A physician asks for the patient’s family history and checks out on the person’s symptoms to diagnose the disease. Even a blood test for total cholesterol levels might be recommended to confirm the condition. When total cholesterol values are higher than 300 mg/dL or 250 mg/dL in children, it becomes a case of dire attention immediately. The bigger step would be for a genetic testing that is sure to notify the physician of the presence of any genetic mutation.

Treatment
Treatment always starts with a lifestyle change and modification of food habits which brings about an immediate positive impact on some people. While none agree upon the best diet for cholesterol, most people suggest a vegetarian diet to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. Even a Mediterranean diet is preferred which insists upon abundant produce and limited processed foods. You must consume only as much of calories as you burn out to maintain weight and if you would like to lose some extra kilograms, you must consume fewer calories than you burn. If you aren’t sure about following the right kind of diet to lose weight, get in touch with a nutritionist/dietitian at www.firsteatright.com.

The need for medications depends on your response to diet changes and your risk of heart attack and stroke. Statins are the commonly prescribed drugs for high cholesterol levels. Along with these, individuals must avoid smoking, keep their blood pressure levels controlled, maintain normal glucose levels and maintain a healthy weight to reduce their risk of coronary artery disease. Medications and lifestyle changes produce different results on different people. While diet and exercise changes lower cholesterol levels by 10%, medications can lower LDL levels by another 20-50%.

Every adult above the age of 20 is recommended to get a lipid profile test done every five years. When numbers don’t fall within the ranges, its time to alter your lifestyle and keep your cholesterol levels monitored more frequently. 

The umbilical cord might be chopped off once the baby is born but the underlying bond between a mom and her child is irreplaceable and undetachable lifelong. Nutrition habits, exercise routines and stress levels of a pregnant mom affects the womb inside her as the fetus experiences her joys and sorrows, eats what the mum-to-be eats and grows accordingly. Even after childbirth, the nutrient quality of the food consumed by the new mum impacts the child strongly.
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Alcohol & Breastfeeding
Anything that you drink or eat makes its way into your breastmilk and alcohol is no exception. One glass or two glasses, there is no recommended levels of alcohol that’s considered safe for a baby to drink. When you consume alcohol, it enters your breast milk at the same concentration as that found in your bloodstream. The infant could be exposed to only a small fraction of the alcohol his/her mom drinks, but one must also remember that a newborn eliminates alcohol from the body at only half the rate of an adult.

One might even hear of amazing folklore tales that insist that drinking alcohol improves breastmilk production, but research shows that drinking alcohol decreases breast milk production and further, presence of alcohol traces in breastmilk reduces milk consumption by as much as 20%.

Latest Study
A new study shows that children whose mothers consumed alcohol during lactation are likelier to experience dose-dependent reduction in cognitive skills at age 6 to 7 years, but the effect diminishes by 8 to 11 years. The study included 5107 infants who were assessed every two years. These infants were scored on three different streams and results showed that breast-fed infants whose moms consumed alcohol were likelier to have reduced scores at age 6 to 7 years. But there was no effect on babies who did not breast feed. Also, this association between alcohol consumption and cognitive decline was not present at ages 8 to 11 years owing to increased education in older children.

Alcohol concentrations in breast milk resemble those in the new mom’s blood immediately within 30 to 60 minutes of ingestion. The quantity of alcohol in breast milk is almost 5-6% of the maternal dose and newborns eliminate this at only about half the rate of adults.

One important element missing in the study is that, this study neither recorded the amount and frequency of milk consumed by the infant nor the timing of alcohol consumption. Also, smoking during breastfeeding affected the results in no way.

Balancing Feeding & Drinking
There is no need to drink during breastfeeding period but if you intend to have a social drink, try avoiding breastfeeding at least 2-3 hours after drinking. This gives enough time for the alcohol to leave your breast milk. Either feed before getting your drink or express some milk ahead of the function and feed the baby with this milk. Whatever it is, ensure to empty your breasts some way or the other, otherwise they may become overfull and start paining. Don’t be misled by false assumptions that pumping and dumping milk quickens the alcohol elimination process from your body. The only use of this process is that, it helps you to maintain your milk supply as well as prevent overfull breasts that can lead to extreme pain later on due to clogged milk.

Also, if you succumb to binge drinking, that is drinking more than five units of alcohol in one session, it makes you enter a different frame of mind and makes you less aware of your baby’s needs. If you drink alcohol, never share your bed or sofa with your little one as it can lead to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Prioritize your newborn’s health above everything else and you would be able to work out wonders. If you are looking for post-pregnancy weight loss programs that can take care of your nutrients as well as help you lose weight, get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. 

Malnutrition-related deaths make us cringe with fear and sympathy dwelling on our state of life. Human lives are lost owing to inadequate food resources but almost 60% of biodiversity loss worldwide is due to our food system. One side we keep complaining of hunger and on another side we keep depleting available resources in the name of agriculture. None can be ignorant of the fact that almost 71% of our Earth is covered by water. Almost 70% of freshwater from lakes and rivers is utilized for agriculture for which most of the forest lands are cleared after all. Complains are constantly raised for converting green spaces into buildings that prove the mettle of fine engineering to accommodate the growing population providing them with houses. But none care about the rise in food needs that require more and more of agricultural land, use of water and release of much carbon dioxide into atmosphere to meet increasing meat and dairy needs. Food is responsible for nearly 20-30% of greenhouse gas emission globally and with growing food requirements these numbers are sure to grow affecting the entire environment and climate globally.
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Sustainable Eating
Well-aware of the basic needs for survival-food, shelter and clothing-there is no scope for decreased food production nor is there any chances of surviving without eating. The only smart way is to design a sustainable diet for people across age groups which helps us meet our nutritional requirements as well as save our planet from further damage. Follow these tips given below to eat more sustainably:

Be More Plant-friendly: Earlier, many individuals used to vegetarian style of eating started following a non-vegetarian-based diet for its taste and nutrients. One has always been doubtful of satisfying various nutrition needs from a vegetarian-based diet plan. Now, the reverse is becoming true. People are frantically hopping over to a vegan/vegetarian diet plan. Yes, a vegetarian diet mainly focused on vegetables, beans and nuts is the need of the hour. We can always refer to Asian cuisines and the Mediterranean diet too for tips on preparing different veggie-based salads, pasta, stews and rice varieties too.

Choose differently: Rather than sticking to your chicken and rice every day of the week for lunch start exploring new dishes and expanding your taste buds. It is always recommended to add colors to your plate to add various nutrients to your body. Choosing rainbow-colored fruits and veggies make your meal more tasty, flavorful and healthy.

Empty the bin: Shopping is relaxing and pleasurable. But it shouldn’t be that we directly shop for something and drop the things we bought right into the bin after a while. Sadly, that’s what we all do. We overstock our cabinets, refrigerators and finally our tummies too throwing away a quarter of what we purchased owing to various reasons. Its like simply dumping natural resources and our hard-earned money into the gutter. Waste less food.

Beat the Meat Mania: It all started sometime back when people became over-ambitious wanting to grow muscles in a week or so. These guys started eating chicken regularly to fulfill their protein needs and the world followed suit. Eating less chicken in no way asks you to compromise on your proteins. There are other healthy and sustainable alternatives to chicken available in different plant sources. Change the mindset and explore plant-based protein food options available at www.firsteatright.com to contribute towards a sustainable community.

Decrease your Salt & Sugar intake: There are no surprise elements here and as all of us know, the less of salt, fat and sugar we consume, better it is for our health and well-being.

“Hurray!!! I have lost 15 kilos and I am going to refurbish my wardrobe!” Such statements are often heard, and the individual actually spends thousands of rupees on new clothes. But wait, don’t be hasty and take decisions on the spur of the moment as new research suggests that you start putting back your lost weight almost immediately after you stop dieting.
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Not One or Two, But Many More to Come
There are not few but many reasons for this weight regain after a diet program and one cannot single out a core reason.

1. The main concern here could be that, people need a maintenance instruction that helps them shift focus from weight loss to weight maintenance.
2. Secondly, the environment plays a critical role in deciding our choices. Beyond being challenging, the present environment offers us with endless opportunities and easy access to calorie-dense foods.
3. Thirdly, encouragement and support are available constantly for people taking up a weight loss program. Friends and relatives can visually see the weight loss happening during the program and they might even pat you on your back and say, “Good job man, keep the spirit going.” But no one is going to appreciate you for maintaining the lost weight and we lack persistent support here.
4. There are also issues with physiologic and metabolic changes that set off weight gain if you don’t continue restricting portions and greasy foods.
   
   

Neither weight loss nor weight maintenance is easy. Our bodies love us when we are all chubby and like a cushion. Hence, even when dieting if sometimes we are too hungry, our body assumes that we have no food to eat and prompts us to eat more.

The best solution to this problem is to adhere to a sustainable weight loss and maintenance principle. Try to make slow and small healthy changes that can be adhered to, even during your vacations or special occasions. In a nutshell, you need to invoke smart changes that allows you to try new foods but adhering to portion sizes.

What Does the Study Convey?
The study gathered information of 70 overweight/obese adults who completed a 12-week weight loss program. The participants lost around half a kilogram every week on an average, but once the program ended, weight regain started almost immediately. Every participant gained almost 0.07 kilograms every week for the first 11 weeks and around the 32nd week of study, the regain rate decreased slightly.

What surprised the researchers here is that, while they assumed weight maintenance to stay for a little more longer before the weight gain occurred, it did not match their expectations. Don’t be hasty and decide that it is impossible to keep off the weight loss forever. Many individuals are successful in maintaining the lost weight-they stay disciplined and follow the behavior changes they made during the weight loss program. Most of them also weighed themselves daily and this makes it easier for individuals to realize a weight regain more quickly and easily.

Also, the researchers recommend individuals on a weight maintenance program to workout at least for 5 hours every week. We might say that doing 30 minutes of exercise on at least 5 days a week helps us remain fit. But, in reality you need to workout much more than this if you are genuinely interested in maintaining your lost weight.

Also, environment is the biggest threat to people. For instance, if you pass by a bakery daily while commuting to office, you are sure to be aroused by the aroma of those bread loaves or the cookies getting baked. In such scenarios, it is better to take a different route that trying to control your desire because one fine day you will surely succumb to your desires giving a lame excuse for it. Have your motive, be smart and work hard towards achieving your goal. If you are interested in taking a weight loss program or if you need any guidance in maintaining your weight loss, you can get in touch with reputed registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who are always there to help you lose/maintain weight in the right way.

Supersonic jets, countries battling against each other for the No.1 spot on the world’s fastest supercomputers and companies trying to maximize efficiency in minimal time prove time’s priceless worth. Every second counts in this fast-paced world. Technology has advanced, science has improved and mankind is coming up with new treatments and medications to speed up treatment procedures yet none can change the gestation period of a fetus inside the mother’s womb! That’s the beauty of nature.
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Gestation Age
Its great news for the family when a woman conceives and the immediate question that arises is regarding the due date. The time between conception and birth is the gestation period during which the baby grows inside the mother’s womb. Gynecologists use the term ‘gestation age’ to refer to the progress of the pregnancy period from the first day of the last menstrual cycle to the current stage of pregnancy. A normal pregnancy length is anywhere between 38 and 42 weeks. A complete 280 days is what it taken from the first day of the menstrual cycle of the conceived woman to calculated due date. This due date is called as ‘expected’ due date as this is the expected time around which delivery might happen and is not the final date beyond which one cannot wait. Only 3% of babies are born on the ‘expected’ due date and most babies are born a week ahead or after it.

The baby is classified under any of these categories soon after he/she is born:

• Premature (lesser than 37 weeks of gestation)
• Full-term (37 to 42 weeks of gestation)
• Post term (born after 42 weeks gestation)
  
  

Any woman who experiences labor before 37 weeks is classified as having preterm labor. Although babies born between 35th and 37th week of gestation might not look preterm and not need admission into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) these babies are still at an increased risk. This happens mostly when the woman suffers from health complications such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or likewise. In today’s world, preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal deaths and the cause for antenatal hospitalization.

Premature Birth
Premature birth is a serious health complication which exists as the primary reason for death in children under the age of five globally. These babies are at an increased risk of health problems pertaining to the lungs, brain, hearing or vision compared to full-term babies. According to WHO estimates, almost 1 in 10 babies born around the world are born preterm and almost 1 million babies died in the year 2015 alone due to preterm birth. Almost 15 million infants are born preterm (3 weeks earlier than due date) every year. Even when these babies survive, most of them face a lifetime of disabilities pertaining to learning, visual problems and hearing complications. Preterm birth and a small physique that contribute towards low-birth-weight (LBW) are main causes of neonatal deaths. LBW causes around 60-80% of neonatal deaths and is extremely prevalent in developing countries.

Main causes for a premature birth include:

• History of preterm delivery
• Poor nutrition intake before and during pregnancy
• Any defect with the uterus
• A cervix that starts to open earlier than the expected due date
• Preeclampsia that develops after the 20th week of pregnancy
• Any infection such as a urinary tract infection
• Lack of proper prenatal care
• Age of the pregnant woman (women younger than 16 years and older than 35 are at an increased risk)
• Poor socioeconomic status
  
  

Dealing with the Problem
The best way to prevent health issues and problems of death due to preterm delivery is by ensuring a healthy pregnancy. Taking proper care before, during and between the pregnancy promises a woman of a healthy delivery. Leading a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious meals and staying active can help a woman stay away from the risks of a preterm delivery. If you are planning for pregnancy or have just conceived get in touch with nutritionists/dietitians at www.firsteatright.com who can help you with your nutrition part and take you smoothly through your pregnancy term without any nutrient deficiencies.

More than three quarters of premature babies can be helped to lead as normal a life as possible by taking proper care during child birth. Administering antenatal steroid injections to the pregnant woman who is at an increased risk of preterm labor, helping the mother with kangaroo mother care where she carries the baby with skin-to-skin contact most times and breast feeds often and giving antibiotics to treat newborn infections can reduce the risk of infant death.

World Prematurity Day
World Prematurity Day celebrated on November 17th every year is a worldwide campaign held to raise awareness on premature births, the challenges faced by children born prematurely and their parents who face various hurdles meanwhile. The day is becoming increasingly important as more and more babies are born preterm.

Having a baby is a joyful experience but having to spend time at the neonatal care is the most unexpected of situations that traumatizes every parent who experiences it. Anger, fear, anxiety, irritation, frustration, confusion, guilt and shock are some of the common feelings experienced by all parents who have a preterm baby in the NICU. Avoiding a preterm situation is the best but if unexpected turn of events lead to a preterm birth, the physicians and family members are always there to care for you and your baby any time of the day. Families, hospitals and health professionals involved in preterm birth make World Prematurity Day a special one by organizing campaigns, events and activities to create awareness among people across the world.

A couple of months ago, the Incredibles 2 movie that had the biggest box office collection in the ‘animated’ movie category also became popular for its flashing light scenes and patterns that could trigger seizures in people susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy. Long time back in 1997, hundreds of children suffered from an epileptic attack while viewing some famous television cartoon in Japan. Later in 2007, the video footage of the 2012 London Olympics garnered similar complaints from many viewers. These are all classic cases of photosensitive epilepsy.
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Photosensitive Epilepsy
To each of us, a sudden flash of bright light unexpectedly, repeated flickering lights or certain patterns cause uneasiness to our eyes and are difficult to look at. The same kind of lights and patterns go as far as triggering seizures in these people. Individuals with such seizures are diagnosed with photosensitive epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes recurrent seizures due to some neurotransmitter imbalance or irregularity in the wiring of the brain. Read more about epilepsy and surprising treatment methods that includes a diet prescription for kids whose other treatment options have failed by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com.

Categorized as reflex epilepsy, photosensitive epilepsy occurs in less than 5% of population with epilepsy triggered by flashing lights, flashing white light followed by darkness, standing very close to the television, bold visual patterns (such as stripes, triangles, checks or any geometric pattern) and continuous exposure to video games.  It is mostly children aged between 7 and 19 years who are likelier to suffer from photosensitive epilepsy. While girls are more commonly affected than boys, the seizure intensity is profound in the male sex comparatively owing to their passion for video games, one of the most common triggers for a seizure. Certain colors too act as triggers for seizures comparatively and one study researched on color-specific photosensitive epilepsy.

Color-Specific Triggers
Television and video games have become kids’ No.1 priority beyond anything else in life. These are visual treats to eyes and also exist as prime causes for triggering an epileptic attack. We are well aware that certain shapes, patterns and lights cause seizures but not much is known about the different color combinations that exist as predominant factors causing photosensitivity. Also unknown is the response given by an epileptic patient’s brain in comparison to a healthy brain against these stimuli. On researching a group of people suffering/not suffering from epilepsy, results showed that red-blue combination caused more excitation than red-green or blue-green stimulus. The research was done on a small group of patients and needs to be repeated on a larger group for any confirmation.

Certain factors that act as triggers for photosensitive epilepsy include:

• Visuals and effects in movies, television shows or video games
• Sun shine that falls on tree leaves or reflecting off water, sunlight seen through slanted curtain blinds or stair railings
• Parties, nightclubs or functions that have a prolific display of strobe lights, sounds and patterns
• Fireworks
• Cameras that repeatedly flash while capturing photos or when many cameras flash simultaneously causing an array of flash lights
• Playing video games for a prolonged time might even evoke a seizure
  
  

Find Out if You are Susceptible to Photosensitivity
Today’s lifestyle includes hours of sitting in front of computer screens, staring at images and increased use of visuals and technology. All these are triggers for a photosensitive seizure, but one cannot conclude its presence with the occurrence of one or two episodes that happen while involved in any of these. It might have happened by chance and you need to confirm it in the rightful way before coming to any conclusions.

While some people might only suffer from photosensitive seizures others might suffer from any other seizure types as well. It is necessary that the individual tracks down all of his/her seizure occurrences and finds out those factors that stimulate these seizures.  While the triggers mentioned above might exist, the occurrence of a seizure is also based on other factors such as eye position (open/close at the time of flashing), brightness/speed/color of flashing or flickering lights, how near a person is to the screen and how large the screen is and the length of stimulation (longer the stimulation likelier is a seizure).

Stay Smart, Avoid Photosensitive Epilepsy
As for epilepsy, there is no cure for photosensitive epilepsy as well and medications can only control seizures. It mostly depends on the individual to reduce seizure triggers as much as possible. You can do it by:

1. Following a healthy lifestyle that includes healthy food, enough rest, minimum stress and reduced alcohol consumption
2. Avoid places such as nightclubs or concerts that emit seizure-provoking flashlights or firework display
3. Reduce screen time as much as possible. When using monitor screens, keep the brightness as low as possible and adjust settings to control moving images. While watching television, sit away from it and look away when you feel that some lights might cause uneasiness to your eyes. Never watch tv while forwarding or rewinding and use a remote to change channels/volume avoiding going near the television each time for doing it.
4. Play video games sitting inside a well-lit room. A seizure while playing games is likelier to occur during the first 30 minutes of play. Check games for epilepsy seizure warnings before playing one.
5. Sunlight can cause seizure in various ways and the best way is to protect your eyes using sunglasses while going out. If you have forgotten one, cover either eye with your hands to minimize triggers as binocular vision is generally needed to trigger a seizure.
   
   

Living with photosensitivity is irritating and frustrating as you are unaware of the factors that can trigger a seizure any time. You always live with a fear of receiving the unexpected as certain things are beyond your control. Many people with photosensitive epilepsy suffer from reduced number of seizures as time goes and learn to use their lives productively overcoming all these barriers.

Purple, the color signifying royalty, luxury and power is the one associated with epilepsy as well. Any organism with a brain can be affected by epilepsy which is chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. Since the point of origin of these seizures is the human brain which sends out excessive electric discharges in the neurons (brain cells), the seahorse was the symbol of the Epilepsy society, London. A surprising symbol after all but not without a solid reason.
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The hippocampus of the brain has been the associated with the disease for quite many years. This area is situated in the temporal lobes of the brain and plays a vital role in dealing with emotions. It is called hippocampus because it is shaped like a seahorse and in Greek hippocampus means a ‘seahorse’.

Epilepsy
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) almost 50 million people suffer from epilepsy worldwide of which 80% reside in developing countries. In India alone more than 10 million people suffer from epilepsy seizures-one of the main reasons for hosting a day of our own for popularizing the disease and making more and more people aware of its existence. November 17th is celebrated every year as the National Epilepsy Day but the concept of an exclusive day for epilepsy was initiated by a nine-year-old girl named Cassidy Megan in 2008 who struggled from the disease.

Seizure Triggers
Some define it as epilepsy even when a single seizure occurs, but some other societies don’t support this cause as at least one in ten people suffer from at least one seizure in their lifetime. They call it epilepsy when there are multiple seizures that are recurrent. Hence, its even termed as a seizure disorder. While the condition is very disturbing to witness due to the occurrence of seizure, it is neither contagious nor a psychological disturbance of the mind. A seizure alters functioning and behavior of an individual and is commonly manifested as muscle spasms, twitching movements, convulsions or odd sensations. The nerve cell’s location that causes the seizure determines the manifestation form.

A Sense of Foreboding
Some people have a kind of a sensation or early warning signs also called as an ‘aura’ that is indicative of a seizure. It might be a feeling of dizziness, an unusual feeling in the stomach, buzzing in the ear or any sensation generally. But most people don’t realize this until they sit with a physician and discuss over their symptoms. Realizing the forthcoming of a seizure with the help of an aura helps to minimize seizure risk.

Is there are a Determined Cause
In 50% cases the cause of epilepsy is unknown, but the general ones commonly listed out by physicians include:

• Brain infections
• Head Injury
• Stroke/Tumor
• Constant high fever for a prolonged duration during childhood
• Congenital abnormalities
• Brain damage from prenatal and perinatal injury
  
  

Although some people term this disease as a curse of inheritance scientifically there’s a minimum probability that epilepsy is inherited when it occurs as a sole disease. Its commonly one of the symptoms of some other inherited disease. Common symptoms/signs include twitching of arms and legs, loss of consciousness, tingling sensation (such as pricking of pins or needles) in arms and legs and muscle stiffness.

Treatment
There is no cure, but the seizures can be controlled such that they have no impact on everyday life. Epilepsy is often a long-term condition that people live with for years together. Hence, treatment always incudes those options that can stop seizures and help the patient lead as normal a life as possible.

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the primary treatment option prescribed for people with epilepsy which doesn’t cure the ailment but helps to control it as much as possible. Almost 70% children suffering from epileptic seizures are able to control it using AEDs. The rest of the population rely on other treatment options such as surgery (the region of the brain that triggers seizures is removed) or surgical therapy such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) that help to control forthcoming seizures or at least reduce their intensity.

Some advocate the use of complementary therapies such as yoga, meditation, massage, hypnosis, aromatherapy, art, music or acupuncture. Even foot reflexology is advised for a few patients. Maybe that’s why lavender is the international flower for epilepsy. A symbol of isolation and loneliness the flowers live up to their name blooming in medium shades of purple. The pure oil from these flowers are sold as essential oils for aroma therapy as they are said to have a relaxing and refreshing effect on the brain and body thereby helping to reduce the occurrence of seizures. Now I guess most of you would have guessed the relevance of using the color purple to acknowledge epilepsy.

Unconventional Therapy: The Ketogenic Diet
When none of the treatments methods for seizures show a positive result the ketogenic diet is prescribed as the last option for children. Though it has minimal side effects and is inexpensive, it is an unconventional form of therapy as this diet prescribes high fat, low carb and controlled protein intake for treating epilepsy. The prescription of the ketogenic diet does not have the same impact on all epileptic patients. In one third of kids suffering from epilepsy, the diet completely controls seizures and in another one third of kids the diet helps to reduce the frequency of seizures or helps to reduce medication dosages for controlling the seizures. There are different forms of the diet having different effects on different individuals:
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Classical Diet: Living to its description, the diet primarily includes high fat foods in the form of cream, butter, oil and other natural oily foods. Carbohydrates and proteins are included in minimal quantities.

Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) diet: There is much more scope for including carbohydrates and proteins in this form alongside fat from naturally fatty foods or fat from a supplement of MCT oil or emulsion. These oils are not sold as retail and are available only on submitting a prescription form. While the classical diet relies on ratio of each of the macronutrients for calculation purpose, the MCT diet is based on the quantity of energy provided by the different food groups.

In order to ensure that the diet is nutritionally balanced a qualified dietitian works out the amount of food that the child can consume daily and the parents are taught to plan meals accordingly and are given a list of foods that must be avoided. Get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com to help you child with the perfect ketogenic diet as an effective treatment option for epilepsy.

If a child sees a positive change by adhering to the diet prescribed, he/she feels it easier to comply with the diet than deal with devastating seizures. Usually, the diet is prescribed for not more than 2-3 years (during which the seizures are controlled or medication dosages reduced) after which the dietitian gives yet another well-balanced diet after looking into the patient’s conditions.

There are all kinds of people existing in this universe-happy, sad, angry, mad, healthy, unhealthy, ill, terminally ill, mentally disturbed, individuals with mental disorders, brave, courageous, cowards, fools, smart ones, cunning-each leading life in their own terms. Apart from such individuals, there are a rare group of people who believe that an individual can take up various physical forms but all of them are psychologically one and the same person. Confusing, isn’t it? To read and understand is quite confusing, then how about stepping into the lives of such people and experiencing their life for some time? No way! We are happy with the way we live now right?
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Fregoli Syndrome
Fregoli syndrome is a rare kind of disease in which a person believes that different people are in fact the same person who changes his/her appearance or is in disguise. It is named so after a renowned Italian actor called Leopold Fregoli who could quickly change his appearance during his performances. This syndrome is considered as a rare psychopathic condition that has common connections with schizophrenia and other organic disorders.

The first case was reported in the year 1927 by psychiatrists who reported the case of a 27-year-old female who believed that two theater actors whom she often went to see in plays were pursuing her closely taking the form of people she was associated with or knew including acquaintances, doctors, friends and other such people.

In general, people suffering from Fregoli syndrome can also recall vivid experiences related to people, objects and places. If one must explain it using the concept of ‘associate nodes’, these nodes serve as a biological link of information about other people who have a familiar face (to the patient concerned). This means that any human face that is similar to a recognizable face of a patient, the patient recalls the face as the person they know.

Symptoms & Causes
There are no many details known about this syndrome due to its rare occurrence and multiple complications attached. But, there are high probabilities that this condition is due to a brain lesion and is paranoid in nature. It is very common to find people suffering from Schizophrenia also suffering from this disorder and this is not surprising as many people affected by this schizophrenia are paranoidal in nature. So, along with hallucinations a person can also experience delusions that someone they know is disguising himself/herself and trying to persecute them.

Fregoli syndrome falls under the delusional misidentification syndromes (DMSs) that include other syndromes such as Capgras delusion and syndrome of subjective doubles. Individuals with DMS often have problems recognizing or identifying people. Capgras syndrome, also known as imposter syndrome, is a condition wherein the affected individual believes that the person they know has been replaced by an imposter. Often, Fregoli and Capgras syndrome are misunderstood and swapped. Neurobiological research on DMS show the existence of lesions on both frontal lobes and/or right hemisphere. Lesions on the right hemisphere are specifically related to Fregoli syndrome and overactivity of the peripheral cortex stays as the underlying reason for hyperfamiliarity visible in Fregoli syndrome.

Symptoms of Fregoli symptom include:

• Hallucinations
• Seizure history
• Deficiency in cognitive flexibility
• Delusions
• Visual and memory deficits
• Paranoia of the “persecutor” they visualize. Virtual reality is used in recent times to treat people with paranoia and this has become a serious business worldwide! For more information on the underlying connection between VR and paranoia treatment please visit the website www.firsteatright.com.
• Inaccurate recall of events, places and objects
• Unable to self-monitor
• Distance from reality
  
  

An individual experiencing any symptom of this syndrome is extremely distressed, anxious and has innumerable beliefs that the person trying to stalk him/her will go to any extent and cause harm. Their fears have no boundaries and this makes them act violently to people they come across.

Diagnosis
A psychologist or psychiatrist, basically any mental health professional, will look into the detailed history of the patient and conclude his/her diagnosis as Fregoli syndrome if the patient meets the signs and diagnostic criteria for this mental illness. The physician analyzes the intensity and duration of the symptoms before coming to any conclusions. During this analysis, the doctor might also be able to find out any other mental conditions such as schizophrenia.

Treatment usually includes prescribing anti-psychotics, anti-depressants and anti-convulsant. The sooner the condition is diagnosed and treated, the better it is for the individual and the rest of the people as it decreases violence rates. Fregoli syndrome remains as an underdiagnosed problem that needs further probing and research to come up with effective solutions.

The other day, one of my friend’s 7-year-old son took a syringe and injected himself which shocked me quite literally. On enquiring, she told me that her son has Type 1 diabetes and had been using these injections to administer insulin. A rare occurrence in earlier times, the cases of Type 1 diabetes is increasingly seen among small children and teens alike due to various factors.
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Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) during childhood is one of the most common pediatric endocrine long-term conditions prevalent. Worldwide, incidence rate of T1DM seems to only steadily raise on the graph with serious long-term and short-term consequences. Among the total incidence rate, almost half of it are prevalent in developing countries. India homes more than one lakh children with this disorder who constitute only 1%-4% of the total diabetic population.

T1DM is a grave disease in which the body destroys the cells that make insulin and hence, people with T1DM must take insulin every single day of their lives to stay alive. Insulin is the hormone that instructs cells to procure glucose (sugar) from your blood. Managing type 1 diabetes in young children is a momentous task as kids are more sensitive than adults to insulin and also experience a minimal diabetes honeymoon period before the disease hits them hard. Why do we call it the ‘honeymoon’ period in diabetes is a must-know answer which can be fetched from the website www.firsteatright.com. Adding up to all this is a young child’s emotional, cognitive, social and behavioral development that further snarls up the disease’s intensity.

Infant Formula to Pose a Risk?
A newborn baby is only fed with breastmilk until its sixth month ideally although people mostly don’t stick to this rule. Beyond this point, a child is started on infant formula along with breastmilk and in some cases where the child is allergic to lactose, the pediatrician starts the baby on infant formula right from birth.

Since a few decades, researchers have wondered whether infant formula made from cow’s milk might cause children to develop type 1 diabetes. That’s mainly because a couple of studies previously denoted that early exposure to complex foreign proteins, for instance cow’s milk proteins, has the potential to increase the risk of type 1 diabetes in young children who are at a greater risk of this disease due to family history.

In 2002, a group of researchers set out on their mission with a large-scale study of 2,159 infants who had some family member affected by type 1 diabetes and who were at a genetic risk of type 1 diabetes to check out whether infant formula did have any effect on T1DM. These infants were subjected to a study-specific formula which had the cow’s milk proteins split into small peptides or a normal cow’s milk-based formula which had the milk proteins intact. Infants were fed this formula for two months from their 6th to 8th month and during this period, were given no other formula from outside food sources. The mothers were encouraged to use the study-specific formula whenever they did not breastfeed. These kids were monitored and followed-up for a period of more than 10 years to get a clear picture on the set of children who developed diabetes.

Results showed that at 11.5 years of follow-up, the chances of developing type 1 diabetes were same in both groups and the complex protein present in cow’s milk did not raise the risk of developing type 1 diabetes in any way. The results are extremely important as it brings the controversy surrounding cow’s milk formula in type 1 diabetes development to a conclusion after more than 15 years of hard effort. This also puts us in further dilemma and clearly establishes the fact that there is no easy way to prevent type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 & Type 1
Nowadays, youngsters are also becoming victims to type 2 diabetes which is appalling as this type of diabetes is called as adult-onset diabetes. This is mainly because of increase in obesity/overweight issues due to an inactive lifestyle and haphazard eating habits. While type 1 diabetes has no solution except for taking insulin, controlling type 2 diabetes is in our hands with regular exercise and a healthy diet.

The World Lung Cancer Day happened just two months back (August 1st) and now it is the World Lung Cancer Month. Isn’t it strange that apart from a day dedicated to this cancer form, we have an entire month devoted to it which undoubtedly proves its impact on human life? The facts and figures mentioned here are sure to take anyone by surprise:
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1. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally occupying top position for more than a decade.
2. If observed, every one in five cancer deaths is due to lung cancer which claims more lives than the death claims of breast, prostate and colon cancers put together. Lung cancer makes up almost 25% of all cancer deaths.
3. Lung cancer is the most common cancer type prevalent in men and the third most common cancer prevailing in women.
4. While the top-most cause of cancer-related death, the funding received is only 7% of what breast cancer receives.
5. Hungary has the highest rate of lung cancer in both men and women
6. Apart from smoking there are lesser-known important risk factors such as radon gas, workplace exposure, second-hand smoking, radiation, diseases such as COPD and emphysema, medical history of another cancer and genetics that play a vital role in enhancing lung cancer risk.
7. More than 51% of the world’s lung cancer cases are in Asia and almost 21% of deaths in Asia are due to lung cancer.
8. Smoking, the top-most cause of lung cancer is maximum prevalent in China where almost two-thirds of Chinese men smoke. Still, China ranks only 16th alongside USA in lung cancer rates. This supports the fact that 17.9% of men and women with lung cancer have never smoked in their lifetime.
9. While funding for lung cancer is highly critical due to its diagnosis mostly during the later stages of detection, sadly it remains as the least-funded cancer form comparatively.
10. Lung cancer risk increases with age and only 10% of lung cancer cases attack people lesser than 50 years old.

Learn about lung cancer in detail, its causes, effects, symptoms, diagnosis and treatments by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. 

Woman, and nowadays men too, get their feet pedicured every now and then to avoid dead cells, dry skin and most of all, look fabulous and pretty in their open-feet sandals. Conventional pedicures use pumice stones, metal foot files or similar other instruments to scrape off dead skin. Sometimes, the dead cells stick onto the skin just like a leech and it takes more than a pumice stone to get the work done! Maybe use fish instead to clean your feet? Yes, fish spas are booming with customers and every mall has a dedicated space for this! But ironically we see hundreds of people dipping off their feet into the fish tank continuously without any cleaning up done.
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History of the Fish Spa
Fish pedicure is a foot treatment that involves soaking your feet in a tub of water at a temperature of around 25°C to 30°C filled with small Garra rufa fish. Famously known as the ‘doctor fish’, these are freshwater species that are native to the oceans of the Persian Gulf. In their natural habitat these fish ingest planktons and, in their absence, ingest dead skin of humans as they are potentially omnivores. But one need not worry about being bitten as these fish don’t have teeth but only nibble on the dead skin tissue. Sadly though, they are mostly starved so that they pounce on human dead skin cells once we dip our feet in the tub. Isn’t this quite cruel?

A town called Kangal in Turkey overflowed with people affected by psoriasis because it was observed that the native Garra fish fed on psoriasis-affected skin and left the normal skin intact. This was also confirmed via a research done on 67 psoriasis-affected patients who underwent fish therapy for a couple of weeks. One must bear in mind that this research was done in a controlled setting and not at some salon.

Does the Fish Spa Spare the Toes?
Popular since the last decade or so, there have been no harmful issues reported related to these fish eating our dead skin even though there do exist quite a few hygiene-related problems due to which some American and European states have banned fish spas. Good times don’t last forever and recently there was a case presented by a woman in her 20s who reported a 6-month history of abnormal toenails.  She reported no family history of nail disorder, no medical problems, no major illness or fever, no medications or vaccinations used in the last year or so but only got herself done a fish pedicure just before her nail abnormalities started showing up. The physician who examined the subject reported that the proximal nail plate was discontinuous with the distal nail plate on the first, second and third toe on each foot. The first toenail also showed that the nail bed was slowly disappearing. These conditions made the doctor diagnose it as onychomadesis. Finger and toe nails can be affected due to various other infections and conditions. Get to know these conditions and learn the complete nail anatomy to understand these conditions better with inputs from the website www.firsteatright.com.

Onychomadesis is the proximal separation of the nail plate from the nail matrix due to temporary stoppage of nail growth. This mostly happens due to improper functioning of the nail matrix, the tissue that the nail protects. A fungal skin infection, the nails get slowly separated from the nail bed totally. Onychomadesis is characterized by complete cessation of nail plate production and is often related to major medical illnesses, infections, diseases, autoimmune disease, medications and hereditary conditions. But, this is the first case of onychomadesis associated with a fish pedicure.

This patient’s report was published in the journal JAMA Dermatology and the news has spread like wildfire worldwide. Although this might be the first case reported pertaining to fish spas, there might be many others simply not reported because people and physicians fail to make the connection due to a long-time gap between the pedicure and the nail-shedding period.

From Boom to Gloom
Fish pedicure grew popular some years back due to many unproved advantages boasted of-smooth and silky feet that smell great, increased circulation, decreased bacteria and fungal attack, treatment of psoriasis and eczema and much more! With time, there have been several problems, both hygiene and health related ones, reported since then. The core problems include:

• The pedicure tubs cannot be cleaned between every two sessions due to the presence of fish
• Even if such tubs are cleaned, the fish cannot be disinfected or sanitized before using it for every customer. Also, the expenses involved in procuring the fish force salons to use the same fish for multiple customers and this increases the risk of spreading infection. For instance, several bacteria capable of transmitting infections between people taking up these pedicure procedures were found in various fish spas that were involved in the research.
• The Chinese Chinchin fish are rarely mistaken and sold instead of the Garra rafa. The Chinchin fish has the ability to grow teeth which makes it dangerous as it can suck blood and cause infections.
• The fish are starved to make them eat human skin and this is considered as animal cruelty. The Garra rafa eats the human skin just to stay off starvation
• Fish are animals that excrete waste and this waste gets collected in the pedicure tub
• Salons and spas check for wounds, cuts or sores before letting customers soak their feet into the tubful of water. But sometimes, small wounds may be missed out and can be infected with bacteria. The fish tubs provide a fertile breeding ground for these bacteria.
  
  

While the outcomes of a fish pedicure are not lethal or deadly, they can pave way for other health problems. Nails grow back (even if they grow at a pace of 1 millimeter/month which can take more than a year for the nail to fully grow back) but reviving lost health is difficult! Other than for beauty, it is mostly people with fungal infections who visit fish spas regularly. So, rather than paying a visit to the fish doctor, meet your dermatologist and get an opinion on your skin treatment. Otherwise, stick to your conventional pedicure procedures which would be even more better if done in your home using your personal pumice stones and metal scrappers.

Weight fluctuations (rise and fall of weight measurements) over a person’s lifetime are common due to diet changes, exercise routines, metabolism changes as we age and lifestyle practices. Weight loss for no valid reason, especially when the loss is too high, can be attributed to different physical or psychological causes. Such dramatic weight loss is a warning sign to the individual to meet his/her physician immediately.
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Obesity is a well-known risk factor for cancer and intentionally losing weight reduces levels of certain hormones such as insulin, estrogen and androgens that are related to cancer risk. Right from breast, kidney, pancreas and esophagus to liver, cervix, ovary and gallbladder cancer, overweight/obesity increases the chances of these cancers by multifold. At the same time, unintentional weight loss too is a great risk factor of this deadly disease.

Individuals affected by cancer lose weight at some point. When an individual loses weight for no reason it is termed as ‘unintentional weight loss’. By ‘no reason’ it means that the individual is not under any diet program for weight loss, does not do daily physical activity or stay active but still keeps losing weight steadily. Such individuals keep losing around 4-5 kilograms of body weight which is the first sign of cancer. By the books, unintentional weight loss is defined as weight loss of at least 5% of the patient’s body weight that occurs within a period of 6 to 12 months and is not the consequences of treatment of a known illness. A new study has proved that when a patient experiences unintentional weight loss, it is the second highest predictor for some forms of cancer, such as the cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, stomach or lung.

For many patients, almost 40%, such unplanned weight loss is the first sign of cancer. Depending on the cancer type and the organs affected, patients experience nausea, lack of appetite, chewing difficulties and swallowing problems that decrease food intake levels drastically. Sometimes, cancer cells use body’s energy supply and alter the way food energy is processed by the body which can also result in weight loss. Cachexia and sarcopenia are two syndromes of such unintentional weight loss. Cachexia is characterized by decreased muscle mass due to some underlying disease such as cancer or advanced heart failure. All patients with cachexia witness unintentional weight loss but not all patients with unintentional weight loss have cachexia.

Studies on Cancer Risk Due to Unintentional Weight Loss
Researchers analyzed the findings of 25 studies collected from more than 11 million patients between 1994 and 2015. Results showed that:

1. Weight loss was linked with 10 types of cancer-prostate, esophagus, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, ovarian, myeloma, renal tract and biliary tree. Get an insight into each of these cancer types at www.firsteatright.com. 
2. Unintentional weight loss in people aged 60 and above exceeded the 3% risk threshold for immediate intervention. In females, the average risk for all cancer types increased by 6.7% and in males the risk was up by 14.2%.
   
   

From the data collected, the research team felt that non-specialized doctors did not consider weight loss as an important risk factor for cancer and neglected considering cancer as a threat to the patient until further symptoms erupted. Also, people with pancreatic cancer who showed weight loss as their first symptom of cancer had the longest time for diagnosis and poorest survival rates. Physicians and researchers always knew that unintentional weight loss was a potential risk factor for cancer and the above study has proved this beyond doubts but has not shown how many kilograms can be considered as unexplained weight loss.

Johny Johny, Yes Papa
Eating Sugar? No Papa
Telling Lies? No Papa
Open Your Mouth, Ha Ha Ha
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This rhyme resonates well with the global population, but the sad fact is that we don’t even allow kids today to eat sugar and sweets as during earlier times fearing the attack of juvenile diabetes or diabetes in later stages of life. These days, there are more people who drink their coffee and tea without sugar, a wide array of diabetic-friendly dishes and sweets, rallies against diabetes and even some people who reduce intake of fruits fearing an increase in sugar levels! This just shows the stark state of our world regarding diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease that manifests itself when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin or when the body is unable to make good use of the insulin. Either of these increase glucose levels in blood and over time increased glucose levels prove hazardous to our body’s health leading to organ failure as well.

World Diabetes Day (WDD)
Established in 1991 as a joint venture of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) this day was celebrated with the sole intention of reducing the growing diabetes threat. In due course it became an official United Nations Day in 2006. November 14th is chosen as the special day to embrace this disease as it marks the birthday of Sir Fredrick Banting who discovered insulin along with Charles Best. Despite celebrating such a day, the diabetes epidemic has been ignored for more than long.

The WDD is the world’s largest diabetes campaign having a global reach of more than 1 billion people in over 160 countries. It helps to throw light on diabetes and make people aware of the issues of utmost importance. There are more than 425 million individuals living with diabetes although most of the cases are greatly preventable by following a healthy lifestyle, doing physical activity regularly, eating a well-balanced diet and staying on a healthy weight. This is only a part of the diabetes population and almost 1 in 2 people living with diabetes are leading lives undiagnosed of the disease. Early detection and treatment play a vital role in keeping diabetes at bay. Campaigns such as the WDD help in spreading awareness about the symptoms of the chronic disease and help people doubt the existence of it. If you are a diabetic patient seeking for effective lifestyle changes, get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who specialize in diabetes management.

WHO estimates show diabetes to be the seventh leading cause of death in the year 2016. Uncontrolled diabetes can even lead to kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, blindness and lower limb amputation.

Each year the WDD has a theme based on which actions are implemented and this theme extends for a year or continues for many years. The theme for 2018 is Family and Diabetes. This year’s theme has been planned for a two-year stint during which it hopes to increase the participation of family members in helping the patient with diabetes and also raise awareness among families regarding the impact that diabetes has on their lives.

Impact of Diabetes on Family
While many families are unable to make both ends meet, how on Earth are they going to withstand the expenditure for insulin injections and medications? Many countries around the world have families whose 50% income is spent on insulin injections and getting medications seem out of question for many of them. This year’s theme focuses on improving family awareness about diabetes management and providing affordable diabetes medications to avoid increase in costs.

There have been substantial evidences showing that family support helps to improve the health of people suffering from diabetes. Sadly, less than 1 in 4 members have access to diabetes education programs. When access is provided to all members we can look forward to reducing the negative impact of diabetes on the life of the family members and even help maintain their quality of life.

Eating right, doing exercise, staying on a healthy diet and leading an active lifestyle are sure-shot factors for weight loss but there are certain other elements too that play a significant role in weight gain or loss-hunger hormones. Controlling and regulating them is the secret key to shed away those extra flabs quite easily.
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It is possible to lose weight and what is difficult is to maintain the lost weight. This is because, all these years you stay on a particular weight and when you work against it, your body assumes it to be a potentially life-threatening condition and starts reacting against the weight loss. It goes into starvation mode, releases hormones that boost your appetite and tries to preserve your fat.

Ghrelin & Leptin
Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones that control appetite and influence energy balance. Ghrelin is responsible for meal initiation while leptin sees to energy balance, suppresses food intake and induces weight loss. Both these hormones are exactly the opposite of each other. Produced in the stomach lining, ghrelin induces appetite. Secreted by fat cells, leptin initiates fullness.

Hunger Hormone
Is your stomach rumbling with funny sounds? If yes, it is the ghrelin hormone stimulating appetite and urging you to eat your meal. Pivotal to appetite and release of growth hormone, ghrelin is predominantly produced in the stomach and the small intestine with a small portion of the hormone released in the brain and pancreas.
Although ghrelin is coined as the ‘hunger hormone’, it serves multiple other functionalities as well. Ghrelin is used to:

• Digest more food and store increased quantities of fat. It can increase food intake by more than 30% when dispersed artificially to humans.
• Hypothalamus is the brain portion controlling appetite and ghrelin is involved in this control process.
• Ghrelin can enhance cardiovascular health, control insulin release and affect pituitary gland functioning.
  
  

Being the appetite hormone, researchers believe that blocking ghrelin levels may be the key to weight loss. A person dieting loses weight but more often, regains the lost kilograms in a couple of weeks or right after the diet due to the ghrelin hormone. That’s because, when a person is extremely cautious about calorie intake, ghrelin levels increase. Others who have increased ghrelin levels include those with anorexia nervosa or Prader-Willi syndrome. Gastric-bypass surgery promotes weight loss and following a healthy diet diligently can have long-term effectiveness on the patient.

Satiety Hormone
Hormones affect the overall health of a person. Leptin is designed such that proper use and regulation of the hormone helps a person maintain his/her body weight. It is like a personal trainer sending signals to the brain to stop eating once you are full and also helps the brain regulate the amount of energy used by the body in a day.
Leptin is released by fat cells located in the adipose tissue and an individual’s store of leptin is related to an individual’s amount of body fat. Increase in body fat increases leptin levels while decrease in body fat decreases leptin levels.

Known as the satiety hormone, leptin prevents hunger and regulates energy balance so that we don’t feel hungry unless we are deficit of energy. Losing weight decreases leptin levels and low levels of this hormone increases appetite and food cravings. That’s why people who repeat weight loss programs face increased difficulty levels in losing weight.

An obese/overweight person has increased leptin levels in the blood and this makes the person quite indifferent to satiety levels creating a condition known as leptin resistance. The individual keeps eating, fat cells produce more leptin to indicate fullness and this leads to more leptin hormone generation. In rare cases, leptin levels are very low resulting in a condition known as congenital leptin deficiency. There is minimum leptin, the body assumes that it is devoid of fat and hence, leads to tremendous hunger and extreme food intake. Common in childhood, it causes childhood obesity and delayed puberty. Physicians often prescribe leptin injections to compensate for low leptin levels.

Science of Hunger
Losing weight makes the hunger hormone go in the opposite direction. All the hormones that make you feel full go down and ghrelin levels go up. Usually, leptin levels ebb and flow like tides while ghrelin levels shot up before a meal and immediately come down after eating. But, when a person is overweight/obese, ghrelin levels don’t drop as fast and far as it should, and your brain still gets signals of hunger. Compensate incessant hunger by eating filling things that are healthy too. Choose foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and anything that is high in fiber but low in calories. Eating fiber-rich foods makes you chew the food for a longer period, help you eat slowly and keep you fuller for a longer time. Along with proper food habits, you need to exercise and sleep properly to accelerate weight loss. A sleep-deprived person is never going to sustain through the weight loss plan and come out successfully. Without a good night’s sleep, weight loss is almost impossible.

Exercise without reducing calorie intake is also not going to help you lose weight. Only exercising can help in weight maintenance but never help you succeed in weight loss goals. There are a set of people who lose weight successfully but get back all their lost weight in a short period. They blame themselves, feel that they have not done justice to their weight loss goal and strive harder. It’s actually the hormones that trigger their cravings and its purely biological. Give your best and do whatever is possible to lose weight. In due course, you are bound to succeed and stay tuned with your goals-weight loss or management. If you wish to lose weight in a healthy way get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. An RDN can help you identify any hormonal imbalance, correct health deficiencies, plan a diet chart suiting your body needs and health conditions and monitor your weight loss/weight maintenance process.

Accidental Discovery of Antibiotics
We are only a decade away from celebrating the 100th year of the discovery of penicillin-the world’s first antibiotic. It calls for celebration, a sense of satisfaction and the pleasures of a worthy discovery but we have ruined it all with the misuse of antibiotics that have now led to widespread antibiotic resistance.
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Mankind came across a great discovery due to the carelessness of a bacteriology professor, Stephen Fleming. After a great 2-week break when Fleming returned to his lab on Sept 3rd 1929 he was shocked to find something unusual. Among his petri dishes containing Staphylococcus (bacteria that causes sore throat and boils) one dish contained a small blob of mold that secreted some kind of juice preventing bacteria growth. Later, this mold was identified as Penicillium notatum. Fleming published his findings and mentioned only about the possible use of penicillin as medicine. It was not until 1939 that penicillin established its power in medicinal use baptized as a life-saving drug owing to the work of two researchers.

With penicillin’s discovery, deadly infections such as pneumococcal pneumonia, bacterial meningitis and bacterial endocarditis could be treated which saved the lives of millions of people affected by it.

Negating the Advantages of Antibiotics
Although discovered in 1939, the term ‘antibiotics’ was first used as a noun by another researcher Selman Waksman in the year 1941 to describe any microbe that negates the growth of another microbe. Penicillin developed from fungus and other antibiotics produced by soil bacteria rewrote medicine’s history and ushered mankind into the era of antibiotics. But we have yet again failed in safeguarding this treasure as pathogen-induced antibiotic resistance has made the authentic antibiotics ineffective. If we don’t take cautionary steps immediately to wipe away antibiotic resistance as early as possible, we are near to losing yet another amazing discovery that is invaluable to health.

Resisting the Change of Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat certain types of bacterial infection. They either kill the bacteria or prevent them from reproducing and spreading elsewhere in the body. But mind you, these antibiotics are not the remedy for every type of infection, mild infections don’t need antibiotics for getting cured and viral infections such as cold, flu, coughs and sore throats don’t get cured by taking antibiotics. Despite this knowledge when you still consume them due to adamance it puts you at a further risk of a severe illness and the threats of antibiotic resistance.

Overuse of antibiotics in humans as well as animals means that certain infections become untreatable in the long run. That’s because overuse of antibiotics causes antibiotic resistance in which the bacteria don’t respond to antibiotics any longer. This can affect any person of any age in any country. It also lies in each of our hands to prevent antibiotic resistance. Read more about antibiotic resistance from the visit website www.firsteatright.com.

World Antibiotics Awareness Week
Every year in November we celebrate the World Antibiotics Awareness Week to increase the global awareness of antibiotic resistance (AMR) and also to ensure that the citizens worldwide, health workers and policy makers take protective steps against the spread of antibiotics resistance. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) exists as a major global threat to both humans and animals. It is not only bacteria but other microorganisms such as virus, fungi and parasites that become resistant to antimicrobial substances like antibiotics. While there exists a unique theme every year promoting the World Antibiotics Awareness Week, this year’s a little different. The WHO has come up with five themes each of which have different focus messages.

To minimize the impact of antibiotic resistance:

1. Never pop in antibiotics without consulting a health care professional
2. Practice good hygiene by washing your hands cleanly, eating hygienically prepared food, drinking clean water and getting your children vaccinated on time
3. Don’t request for antibiotics when the physician doesn’t give one
4. Please don’t share antibiotics with others. Your friend might have similar symptoms but each of us react differently to antibiotics and a physician is the right person to judge our needs
5. Find ways for promoting effective waste treatment as it can protect our environment and also reduce antibiotic resistance
   
   

Antibiotics are life-saving drugs that act advantageous to mankind only when they act against organisms causing infection. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance might even affect treatment of cancer, organ transplants and other important diseases as antibiotic use might prove to be futile against them. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has listed antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest threats to human health, animal health and even to food and agriculture. There is no change in the perception that antibiotic use does lead to resistance sometime. But overuse of antibiotics has made the process much quicker than expected making some antibiotics unworthy of use to treat infections. It is not impossible to develop stronger doses of antibiotics, but this process is expensive, time-consuming and challenging.

Antibiotics are a great treasure to mankind and when they must be used, please use them with utmost care. 

‘Actions speak better than words’ when it comes to certain important aspects of life such as helping someone in terms of need, supporting them during distress or being by their side when they need a shoulder to lean upon. It is equally important to speak out comforting words that encourage the person, motivate him/her to strive hard in life, express your concern/love/affection (whatever you wish to call it) to the individual involved and provide support. Of all the words spoken, ‘I love you’ stands as one of the most widely-spoken phrases worldwide helping people to express their deep-felt feelings. A phrase of utmost importance, it is slowly losing its virility as it is often used repeatedly nowadays.
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Every human needs the three basic things in life-food, shelter and clothing-to survive and love ranks right after these for the individual to thrive and shine in this love-deplete world. Individuals sideline love as a term to express the relationship between two individuals whereas it is a universal term to convey warmth, comfort, the feeling of belonging, the message of ‘I am there for you’ and finally, the underlying passion between two people.

Money can buy anything in life but love! No amount of money you pay can surpass a mother’s love towards her child, a child’s love towards his/her parents and so on. When we realize this, the world will be a better place to reside with reduced number of child abuse cases, senior citizens homes and abusive treatment of elderly people. Until then, our mouths might utter the phrase, but our hearts don’t mean it whole-heartedly. Expressing or accepting love isn’t dispatching or procuring the phrase ‘I love you’ but also something that is genuinely conveyed through small acts that are feasible in real-time daily scenarios.

Affection Through Action
Some of the everyday ways in which you can make someone feel special and loved is:

Serve food: Why do we serve dinner/lunch at our big-fat weddings or parties? It is not an act that simply denotes our economic status but sincerely because the best way to make a person’s heart content is via making his/her stomach content! There are even studies confirming that sharing food or making food for your near and dear ones is an act of affection and a way of expressing love. That’s one of the core reasons why people use food as a means of bringing together loved ones during celebrations. This is the foremost act of selflessness that brings about mutual well-being and love amongst two people or groups of people.

Send a surprise lunch to your busy friend which might be a freezable one or ready-to-eat too. Quickly stir up a yummy dessert that’s loved by your mom/dad as a means of expressing your gratitude for all their compromises, sacrifices and what not!

Hugs & Kisses: Physical touch is one of the best ways to express love to anyone on this earth. Even those who don’t understand your indirect ways of expressing love via words instantly catch up on your hug or cuddle. Aren’t our little ones delighted to get a tight squeeze as soon as they wake up the first thing in the morning or just before dropping them at the school gate? A warm hug to a depressed friend raises burden off his/her shoulders to a great extent or the least, calms him/her down for the moment. Even couples love simply cuddling up against each other when they feel an underlying tension current between them. There are studies too supporting the fact that cuddling lowers stress, boosts immunity and increases love amongst individuals.

Gift Them: Nowadays, people exchange gifts so commonly that they have started losing their charm! Hence the trend of sending customized and personalized gifts to add a touch of belonging. A gift can be custom- or tailor-made only when we know about the opposite person receiving it. This is a great move by itself as the receiver becomes aware of the sender’s notions and his/her level of understanding. Avoid those flowers and cadies, jump onto something new and innovative to capture your loved one’s heart and soul. Maybe you can gift a personalized doodle, a keychain shaped as a football for your football-loving brother or some pens for your daughter who has her MBA exams in due time. There are various gifting options as well as health gifts available to please your buddy for which one needs to take a look at the website www.firsteatright.com.

Lift some burden off their shoulders
Every person has a daily ‘to-do’ list that seems to go on forever. Ticking off an item or two from the list with your little contributions might seem of mountainous help for the individual as it is a timely help! Maybe you can keep things in proper place in the house, do the laundry, put away used dishes or buy the required groceries for the next day. Enjoy the little help from your family that warms your heart and appreciate their efforts. Once you realize these small gestures, you are sure to acknowledge them as a form of love!

Ring them Up Unexpectedly
Texting or calling each other regularly is one means of expressing your care. At the same time, calling or texting someone randomly after a long, long time makes the receiver feel loved and this is in fact, more appreciated and desired! All of us love getting surprises and a rare call from our long-distance friend/relation has the potential to make our day feel fulfilled and complete.

Whatever it takes to love and being loved, do it! It is not a matter of expense or time spent but an investment on true affection, long-term relationship and a lifelong feeling of belonging with your friends/family members.

The deadliest of diseases that affects kids, pneumonia takes the life of young children than any other disease. Every 60 minutes at least 100 children die of pneumonia every day. One in every six deaths in kids under the age of five is due to pneumonia. These facts make us wonder whether this disease doesn’t come with an effective treatment option. Sadly, the single primary cause of pneumonia in children is preventable with a vaccine. The World Immunization Day was just over a couple of days back (November 10th) during which governments, health sector industry and social media were repeatedly insisting on the importance of vaccination. Still, we never pay heed to these voices and end up losing lives of our beloved kids. More than the candies and wafers, preserving our future generation’s health is the dire need of the hour.

Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be due to a bacteria, virus, fungi, mycoplasmas or chemical/environmental agents. While anyone can be affected by it, older adults, young kids and individuals with asthma/COPD are at an increased risk. The disease symptoms can be anywhere from mild to severe depending on the individual’s age, health condition and the type of pneumonia acquired. Fluid build-up, lung damage and breathing trouble are common side effects of pneumonia. Common symptoms of the disease include:

• Chills
• Excess sweat
• Loss of appetite, fatigue and lack of energy
• Headache
• Chest pain each time the person breathes deeply
• Cough
  
  

Major risk factors for the disease include:

• Cigarette smoking
• Effect of a recent trauma incident or surgery
• Presence of a weakened immune system due to illness, medications and autoimmune disorder
• Cerebral palsy
• Age is a main risk factor-anyone younger than 5 years or older than 65 years are at a greater risk
• Presence of other illnesses such as heart disease, liver cirrhosis, diabetes or chronic lung disease
  
  

There are several ways to safeguard yourself from the disease:
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Getting vaccinated is the fist step towards prevention of pneumonia. Get yourself a flu shot every year against influenza virus as flu is the most common cause of pneumonia. Ensure than children younger than 5 years and adults over the age of 65 are vaccinated every year against pneumococcal pneumonia.

Other precautionary measures include washing your hands after using the bathroom, blowing your nose during cold, before cooking and changing the diaper for the baby. Apart from young children and older adults smokers are the next group of people who are at a higher risk of pneumonia. This is mainly because smoking inhibits the lung’s ability to fight off infection and they are also said to be at an increased risk of catching pneumonia. Apart from this, it is always good to eat nutritious foods, lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly to improve your immune system and prevent every chance of acquiring cold or any other respiratory illness.

Homo sapiens are born with a certain degree of immunity which fights against foreign particles right from the first day of birth. Termed as innate immunity, this includes our skin, gut and mucous membrane of the throat that act as the primary sources of defense that start working soon after a baby is born. Physicians too administer the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis within the first 24 hours (mostly) which openly indicates the need for a solid immune system right from birth. All these aside, it generally stands that our immune system grows stronger as we grow up and reach adulthood yet another reason for the decreased cases of sickness among adults compared to babies. Isn’t it common that we see a baby susceptible to cold, fever or diarrhea every now and then and parents rushing to their pediatrician/physician concerned about the infant’s health?
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Immunity: The Protective Wall
Born into this world and experiencing the love and affection overpoured on us as newborns is heavenly. Amidst all this, what makes it necessary for the physicians to break these pleasures and present our parents with a long list detailing the immunization schedules? Can’t they be any kinder than poking our sensitive skin and making us throw tantrums on each of our doctor’s visits? Our parents and physicians are handing over the greatest gift in life-uncompromised health in the form of immunization which we don’t understand as babies.

Immunity is the ability to single out the presence of foreign objects in the body that can cause harm and flush them out of the body as soon as possible. Our body’s immune system is comprised of different types of cells, organs, proteins and tissues. When this immune system comes across unwanted foreign objects such as a bacterium, virus or parasite it triggers out an immune response. Immunization is the process of making a person immune/resistant to diseases by vaccinating the person. Vaccines trigger this immune system to protect the person against infection or disease. A new-born baby has a certain degree of immunity acquired from his/her mom through breastfeeding. But as the kid grows up developing an immune system of his/her own this immunity diminishes as breastfeeding stops and immunization is the best cost-effective health investment that requires no major lifestyle modification to compensate for lost immunity.

Immunization
Immunization currently prevents 2-3 million lives every year in people across age groups from deadly diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and measles and is recognized as the world’s most successful and economic health intervention. On a positive note, more children than ever before are getting vaccinated. Still, around 19.5 million kids under the age of one did not receive DTP 3 vaccine.  Increased awareness among people regarding the need for immunization, easy availability of vaccines and affordable rates at government centers have made it possible to almost eradicate polio and decrease measles occurrence rate as much as possible. All these improvements, advancements and eradications have been possible mainly due to days such as the World Immunization Day that promotes the need for vaccination for all citizens worldwide.

These vaccines are quite useful in minimizing antibiotic resistance. That’s because, vaccination minimizes infection attack and in turn intake of antibiotics also decreases. Hence, advancements in immunization in terms of developing new vaccines and using existing vaccines more effectively are great ways to tackle antibiotic resistance. When antibiotic resistance is not curbed it can result in devastating effects details of which are clearly mentioned at www.firsteatright.com.

World Immunization Day
World Immunization Day is celebrated on November 10th every year as a means of making people aware about the need for timely vaccination against vaccine-preventable diseases. Even WHO upholds the vitality of immunization declaring it to be a proven cost-effective tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening diseases.

India is the proud owner of one of the largest Universal Immunization Programs (UIP) in terms of the number of people benefitted from vaccination, number of vaccinations used, localities covered and the human resources involved. Although UIP has been functional for more than 3 decades, only 65% of children are immunized within their first year of birth. To tackle this issue, our Indian Government came up with the Mission Indradhunush program in December 2014 which aims to help kids within two years of age and pregnant women to be fully immunized according to the vaccination schedule.

Immunization rates are increasing but not meeting the targets set by governments worldwide. Campaigns, banners, meetings and camps arranged on this Immunization Day improve awareness and give us hopes on witnessing a brighter future. Routine immunization is required for building a strong health base and also provides our children with the chance of a healthy life from the beginning. 

The craze and fascination attached to high-protein, low-carb diets aren’t something new and exist since a couple of decades. No slimming freak or dieting guru will be oblivious of Paleo, Ketogenic, Atkins and Zone diets that are still sailing high on popularity but low on heart health. One of the three macronutrients, protein is found all over the body including bones, muscles, skin, hair and every part of the body or tissue. There are more than 10,000 different proteins that make you what you are and keep you that way.
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Millions of people worldwide lack sufficient protein quantities and such inadequate levels can result in growth failure, loss of muscle mass, decreased immunity, weakening of the heart and respiratory system and death. Reputed food experts worldwide feel that the exact amount of protein that a person should consume still remains a mystery and varies according to the age of the person.

Source Rather than Numbers Matter!
Protein is found in multiple foods but what matters more is the source of this nutrient rather than the amount of protein you’re eating. For instance, red meat too contains protein, but high intake of processed red meat is not good for overall health and individuals who tend to relish more of this food product should try limiting its intake.

Proteins are both plant-based and animal-based. Plant-based protein sources such as beans and nuts contain unsaturated fats and fiber which help lowering LDL cholesterol levels. A study by the American Heart Association suggests that eating a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of developing heart failure for people with no prior history of heart diseases by as much as 42%. Whereas, most animal-based diets contain saturated fat which is less healthy than unsaturated fat. Red meat and eggs contain a compound called carnitine which on breaking down by gut bacteria forms a substance that can lead to hardening of the arteries. At the same time, certain other animal-based proteins such as particular varieties of fish are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids that help protecting against blood clot, lower blood pressure and calm dangerous heart rhythm.

Excellent sources of protein that can be consumed with a peaceful mind and an open heart include beans and legumes, nuts, shellfish and low-fat dairy products. Meanwhile, poultry, red meats and processed meats should be restrictedly used. Compared to red meat, poultry is healthier and nutritionists/dietitians recommend eating only red meat occasionally, maybe once a week or so. High-level guidelines suggest eating a diet consisting more of plant-based foods. If you are an environmentalist or someone who cares about the climate change, it is better that you limit intake of red meat.

On a comparative basis, processed meats such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs and deli meat, have high levels of fats, calories and four times the salt. Some people who eat processed meat at least once daily are at an increased risk of heart diseases and diabetes than those who don’t eat them.

It is advisable to take 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight or about 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For example, a 60-kilogram adult should consume 48 grams of protein.

More the Protein Numbers, More Prolific is the Danger of Heart Failure

A study by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that middle-aged and older men who consumed increased amounts of protein are likelier to develop heart failure than men who consumed lower amounts. The study looked at the data of 2,441 Finnish men over a span of 20 years and discovered 334 cases of heart failure. Another main discovery was that, men who consumed higher levels of protein were at a 33% increased risk of heart failure than men who consumed the lowest amounts.

Research conducted at Harvard School of Public Health has shown that eating small amounts of red meat (specifically processed red meat) regularly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke and also, the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. At the same time, substituting red or processed meats with healthier protein sources such as poultry, fish or beans reduces the risk by multi-folds.

This clearly shows the ill-effects of high quantities of proteins, especially when it comes from animal sources. This brings us to the most important point of discussion-which kind of protein is best for cardiovascular health?

Best Proteins Listed Just for You
Not all foods are created equally and certain foods are definitely one step above the rest in terms of nutrition and health. Certain lifestyle recommendations for reducing cardiovascular risk must include the following foods as part of a healthy diet:

• Include a variety of colorful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat/non-fat dairy products, skinless poultry, fish, nuts, beans and non-tropical vegetable oils
• Restrict intake of red and processed meat, sweets and sugary drinks
  
  

Amino acids serve as the building blocks of proteins and our body produces amino acids in two ways-either by building from scratch or by modifying others. Apart from this, certain amino acids can be acquired only through foods and are called as essential amino acids. The beauty here is that, all animal sources of protein are fully equipped in all amino acids needed by the body and some of the plant sources such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds may lack one or more amino acids. Hence, people who don’t eat any of the animal sources of proteins including eggs must eat a variety of other protein-containing foods everyday to be fully equipped with all kinds of amino acids required to make proteins.

Instead, if you choose to seek the shortcut route and stick with high-protein diets such as the Paleo or Ketogenic diet to lose weight, the only way to maintain the lost weight is by continuing the diet and this can end up in severe health problems. The reason for this is that, the huge quantities of protein in these diets don’t leave much room for antioxidant-rich and fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

It is always best to consume animal sources of protein such as fish or if one sticks with plant-based sources, quinoa, soy and low-fat dairy are great choices. Protein requirements increase as people age and the irony is that, people are confused over the protein intake recommendations at any age. The best way is to get in touch with a registered dietitian nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com who can help you with protein choices and numbers, especially if you have a family history of heart attack. An RDN can assure you of a healthy diet, give a green signal to the protein sources you currently consume and regulate your protein numbers to stay in line with the protein intake suggested for the age.

Though a cliché, we are well-aware of and totally second the fact that water is the elixir of life. More than 70% of our universe is covered by water and almost 50-60% of human body is filled with water and these are exemplary examples of Nature for reinstating the vitality of water for human existence.
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Hitting the Levels Right
We can survive without food for a couple of days or even weeks (rarely) but living without water is an impossible task. Our bodies crave water all through the year, especially during the months of peak summer. All these aside, what exactly is the requirement of the human body when it comes to this priceless liquid?

Studies provide us with various recommendations regarding water intake and it is an often-heard suggestion to drink 8 glasses of water daily or consume up to 3 liters/day. In reality, your health, sex, activity level and where you live (hot, humid, cold, dry, etc.,) greatly influence your body’s water needs which in turn helps to decide upon how much water to drink each day. Our body’s every cell, tissue and organ need water to function properly and keep us in good health. For instance, water keeps our body temperature in control, helps to expel waste in the form of urination, sweating and bowel movements, lubricates joints, keeps muscles flexible, protects tissues, transports nutrients and above all, keeps the mind and body healthy. Imbalance of water levels in the body can disturb any/all of these functions, cause dehydration and make any individual feel drained out and tired.

Although the U.S. Food & Nutrition Board recommended consuming 2.5 liters/day of water which includes fluids from prepared foods, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today feels that there is no hard and fast rule regarding water consumption as it is entirely based on every individual’s body, but it does talk about fluid intake from all sources. Again in 2004, the Food & Nutrition Board recommended men to drink at least 3.7 liters of water/day while the levels stand at 2.7 liters/day (or 11 glasses approximately) for women. This not only includes strict consumption of water but indicates the total fluid consumption in the form of foods, plain drinking water and other beverages. Again, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines of the U.S. don’t impose strict restrictions/limits on the total daily fluid consumption levels but rather recommend choosing plain water instead of flavored water or juices with added sugars.

The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom recommend individuals to consume 6-8 glasses of water per day or close to 2 liters (1.9 liters precisely) daily which also includes water present in food. The NHS clearly states that this quantity is only for places situated in a temperate climate and those countries/cities in a hotter climate need a much-greater water intake.

In the case of older adults, too much or too little of water consumption bear their own risks. Dehydration or overhydration might be the result of health conditions, medications, loss of muscle mass, kidney functionality inefficiency or other such factors. Older adults need just the right amount of water, neither too less nor too much. Dehydration can even cause confusion, UTIs, kidney failure or slower wound healing.

Important Factors that Affect Water Intake
Your water consumption might vary here and there depending on a few factors.
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Exercise: Engaging in physical activity can cause loss of water in terms of sweat and often cause dehydration. To avoid this, it is essential to drink water before, during and after workout to cover the fluid losses.

Climate/Environment: Humid/hot weather can make us sweat in excess and cause increased fluid intake.

Health conditions: There might be increased loss of fluids due to fever, vomiting, diarrhea, bladder infections or urinary tract stones. It is crucial to drink more water during these times and pay attention to what advise the physician has to offer. Even breastfeeding women need to consume additional fluids along with their regular intake during these times.

Rarely feeling thirst or colorless/yellow colored urine indicate that you are consuming the right quantity of water required by your body. If you are doubtful on the required fluid quantity, it is better to get in touch with a registered dietitian nutritionist/physician at www.firsteatright.com who can help you determine the amount of water that’s required by your body daily. One must be cautious to never overdrink water as overconsumption of the liquid can also result in some health problem. This happens when you drink too much of water, but your kidneys can’t flush out the excess water resulting in a condition called as hyponatremia that causes your sodium levels to fall, body water levels to rise and cells to swell which might cause even life-threatening problems. This is profoundly seen in the case of endurance athletes.

Eat & Sip Healthy Fluids
Your fluid requirements don’t depend solely on water but can also be fulfilled by other beverages and food. These other beverages such as sodas, smoothies and juices can contain increased sugar content and be high in calories too. Even sports drinks recommended by many health-conscious individuals can be high in calories and sugar making the drink lose its purpose. Other best sources of fluids include produce like cucumbers, watermelons, white pumpkin, iceberg lettuce and celery that contain over 90% water. These are refreshing, healthy and satisfy your fluid requirements too. Doesn’t it sound good to fulfil multiple requirements in one go?

The smoking bet between you and your friends might seem enjoyable and fun-filled in the spur of the moment, but the smoke-free bet might help you reap greater benefits for a lifetime. While it is agreeable that some decades back people weren’t much aware about the exact harm that smoking brings onto them, in our society today there is no place for such remarks with the social media, newspapers and government doing as much as possible to minimize this unhealthy behavior. Still, there are new brands introduced constantly and in the name of gender equality, there is a sharp rise in the number of female smokers that in the near future there are mighty chances of women smokers outnumbering male smokers.
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A Hole in your Lungs
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide and smoking is the leading cause (more than 85%) of this dangerous cancer type. Getting out of a habit is as difficult as getting into a habit and quitting smoking is no different. But with so much at stake one does need to quit smoking to stop fearing lung cancer. Don’t get the wrong notion that every smoker is bound to become a cancer victim or every non-smoker is 100% safe against this cancer form. The only surety is that smoking increases lung cancer risk.

From Smoke to Ashes
Risk of lung cancer due to smoking is directly dependent on the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years he/she smokes. Smoking a cigarette increases lung cancer risk by 15-30 times and stopping to smoke decreases the risk compared to those who continue the habit but never does the risk cease to stop compared to those who have never smoked in their lifetime. Every time you take a puff, there is a chance of paving way for the entry of any of the 7000 toxic chemicals into the body of which at least 70 of them are carcinogenic.

The Cancer Risk Associated with Smoking
Lungs are responsible for breathing in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide. Smoking causes damage to the airways and small air sacs in the lungs which starts right from the time a person starts to smoke. Many chemicals such as benzene and nitrosamines present in cigarettes damage our DNA and disrupts the key genes that protect us against cancer. Chemicals like arsenic and nickel block the DNA repair pathways which makes it likelier for the damaged cells to become carcinogenic. Another prominent reasons for these chemicals to affect the lungs is due to the fact that smokers are less adept at handling toxic chemicals due to chemicals in cigars that make it hard for them to flush it out of the body.

There might be no symptoms seen initially but the lung keeps deteriorating inside as long as the person continues to smoke. It might take a few years or quite many years for any problem with the lungs to become noticeable and be diagnosed as a disease. All the damage doesn’t happen instantly and it takes a number of years or decades for the cells to become cancerous. There is no hard and fast rule that smoking entirely affects one lung before another. Every cigarette can damage DNA in different lung cells, but it is repeated damage to the same cell that leads to cancer. Count your cigars as DNA changes occur for every 15 cigarettes smoked. The person might start coughing blood, be short of breath or cough persistently due to the impact of smoking on the lungs. Apart from lung cancer smoking causes other lung diseases as well.

Never Too Late
Just because you have been a smoker all these years doesn’t mean that you are sure to suffer from lung cancer anytime sooner. It is never too late to quit smoking and the advantages of quitting start within minutes of smoking the last cigarette. 10 years after quitting, your risk of lung cancer diminishes by more than 50% compared to a person who smokes still. Not only this, there are numerous other advantages associated with this. Food tastes better, nails and teeth don’t turn yellow, breath smells better and normalcy returns in your sense of smell. Above all, quitting smoking helps you stay healthy without any gum diseases, tooth decay, risk of heart disease and other ailments. Get the in and out details of lung cancer during this Lung Cancer Awareness Month from the website www.firsteatright.com. 

Welcoming newborns into our house with sweets and pooja is old style. The latest trend is to welcome born babies into our beloved nests with polluted air surrounding them that they ought to breathe! Instead of leaving our children with a legacy of good values, health and compassion we are pushing them into serious health consequences with every passing day. Every single day makes me wonder whether kids of the future are blessed or rather cursed to be born in this world. Worldwide statistics are getting bleaker day by day with more than 93% children under the age of 15 breathing air that is too polluted having dire consequences on their health and development. In 2016 alone, there were around 6,00,000 children who died from respiratory infections due to air pollution. Mankind’s unscrupulous acts have made our kids answerable to our follies. This is highly unpardonable and inhuman.
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Polluted Minds, Polluted Environments, Polluted Life
WHO reports suggest that air pollution is one of the leading causes of death in kids under the age of 5. Every 1 of 10 deaths happening are due to polluted air. It starts slowly showing hints in the form of affected neurological development and cognitive ability, expresses itself as asthma or even childhood cancer and progresses to even cardiovascular diseases rarely in places where there are extremely high levels of air pollution. Read more about the effects of air pollution and its disastrous effects on children from the website www.firsteatright.com.

Kids: More Susceptible to Pollution
A child’s lungs grow fully only after he/she is born which includes more than 80% of air sacs development that happens after birth. Air sacs are primarily responsible for breathing in oxygen into the blood. Surprisingly, a kid’s lungs and alveoli attain full growth only when he/she becomes an adult which might also be one of the reasons for increased presence of respiratory illnesses among younger population compared to adults. Above all, a child’s immune system does not attain full growth until adulthood making him/her vulnerable to diseases and infections.
Kids are more vulnerable to air pollution due to various important reasons:
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1. They breathe more often compared to adults
2. They are out in the open for longer periods and are most active during this time
3. They play closer to the ground, sometimes directly with the sand on the ground which is where some pollutants are present in huge amounts
   
   

Surrounded by a Blanket of Smog
Delhi holds second place in the list of most-polluted cities worldwide only next to Lahore (Pakistan) and our meteorological department has given precautionary signals of adverse air conditions nearing Diwali. Our country is the sad owner of the world’s 10 most polluted cities according to WHO reports.
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This is the right time to discuss about air pollution as it is Diwali time and this is also the time of the year during which farmers gear up for the peak crop-burning season both of which are sure to surround our cities, especially our country’s capital with abundant smog. Called as stubble burning, farmers burn tons and tons of crop and light their fields preparing for the next crop season. This practice is carried on despite several warnings from the government as most of them cannot afford alternative methods for the same.

Diwali is the most sought-after festival in India especially by children owing to its overpour of colors, crackers and sweets. Though there is a sharp dip in firecrackers production and usage, cities across the country do burst some on the occasion of the festival. Air quality index witnessed a sharp dip last Diwali owing to firecrackers.

One research by the WHO tracked more than 1000 pregnant women in India and results showed a direct correlation between increased pollution rates and premature babies born. This shows the nasty effects of polluted air on kids while they are still in the womb. Our future generation doesn’t deserve this! They deserve to be brought up in an environment where they can breathe clean air, eat nutrient-rich produce and utilize their full potential to bring glory to this world and make it a better place for the successive generations. Simple initiatives from our end and bigger initiatives from the Government’s end are needed to make the world better. We can try carpooling to minimize fuel consumption, reduce consumption of foods that contain greater carbon footprints and even spread awareness on air pollution and its hazardous effects on public from our end. 

There are a set of people who often run away from relatives fearing conspiracy, difference of opinion and betrayal. Some of them don’t even have a close friend or two to lean upon during distress nor are they active on social media. These guys solely rely on themselves and their souls are their best friend. While this might sound interesting presently, this will surely fail to do good in the long term as none of us can live in recluse forever.
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Many of us must be aware by now that eating healthy food and exercising regularly are straightforward ways to live a longer life and improve well-being but not all of you would be conscious of the fact that healthy relationships too play a critical role in designing your health, lifespan and happiness. Absence of such realizations has brought us to a state where we pay people to act as our ‘comfort’ sources.

Look Past Bones & Muscles
Healthy relationships last a lifetime and help you throughout your life. Your bonding with people in the family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and others strongly impact your emotional and physical well-being. We are at the pinnacle of broken relationships and its high time that we as a society focus on improving our relationships and discard any hindrances that come in the way of good relationships. Failing to do this is as hazardous as ignoring the impact of smoking and obesity on health and wellbeing. During our childhood we are taught to form and maintain relationships with people around us. This process of learning does not stop there but only pauses. Switch on the play button once again and revive your interest in your done and dusted relationships to bring back peace, happiness and satisfaction in life.

Healthy Relationship
Relationships can be healthy, unhealthy or even abusive. A relationship is declared to be healthy when both people involved in it feel free to discuss any topic of interest, are ready to listen to each other, trust completely and feel safe expressing their feelings or thoughts. At no point do people in such a relationship feel less valued or remain tight-mouthed about their difference of opinion. These guys put forth their views without hurting the opponent/attacking them personally and make decisions together.

Any relationship that revolves around the concept of domination (maybe one partner enforces power or dominates the other partner) can never be termed as a healthy relationship. Even worse is the fact that, those who grew up in a family of abuse might not even be aware of what a healthy relationship is. For them, physical (beating), mental (putting you down by complaining that you are over-sensitive, push the blame upon you for something that went wrong or trying to constantly keep you under control), sexual (intercourse without partner’s permission also come under rape) or verbal (disheartening someone with words, neglecting them or withholding affection) abuse is a part and parcel of life. When one of the partners in an intimate relationship abuses the other by trying to hold control or overpower the other one while being married, living together or dating, it is termed as domestic violence.

A critical sign of an abusive relationship is abstinence from spending time with loved ones, be it your family, friends or people in your social media. The abusive partner tries to isolate the other one from such social ties as they serve as protective factors.

What You Sow at Birth Reaps As You Age
No one is born with definite traits. It is true that genes determine our character and personality, but these can be molded and changed by nurture and environment which dominate every person’s life. Studies determine a set of factors that protect people from getting into unhealthy relationships as they age. How well an infant emotionally bonds with his/her parent can have positive or negative effects on the ability of the infant to nurture healthy relationships.

A healthy relationship between family members is vital for a child’s development. Parents are a child’s first role model and can educate children to learn to listen, understand other people’s feelings and act in ways that boost bonding between people and resolve conflicts. When a child picks on these, he/she develops a positive self-esteem and the courage to step out of the cozy family relationship and venture out to seek friends. A healthy friendship in turn prevents the child from becoming emotionally distressed. When a child is deprived of a healthy relationship at home, all other things tumble down and increases the risk of a future unhealthy relationship in a child.

Children yearn for love and when they become aware that there is even one member in the unhealthy family who cares for him/her, it can make a tremendous difference on their entire mental outlook. The caring adult might be a parent, sibling, teacher or another family member who constantly reminds or sends signs to the child in some way or the other that they care for the kid and also assures the kid of a constant support pillar available in times of need anytime. A good friendship that blossoms can also go a long way in life providing support and encouragement to the child.

Evidence-based Reviews
A Harvard University study that started in the year 1938 and continuing until now is the longest running study on human development. It followed more than 700 participants and almost 60 of them are in their 90s now and still providing data for the study. Results showed that happiness and health was not a result of constant hard work, wealth or publicity but comes from our relationships.

Stable Relationships
Adults in a stable relationship are healthier, happier and more satisfied with life. On the other hand, unhealthy relationships affect physical and mental health of people than not in any relationship at all. Prolonged work timings, money problems and decreased time spent with family members add on to stress and mental agony. Curb stress and avoid mental agony with the practical tips available at www.firsteatright.com that can be followed by any of us.

Its never too late to start building relationships. You can join a club, visit a park or volunteer yourself for some good cause-all of which act as great platforms for meeting people and interacting with them. At the same time, one must also work towards improving existing relationships with family, friends or life partners. It is not mandatory that the relationship must be as smooth as butter and practically, all relationships have their ups and downs. Most important is the fact that you work on your relationship and stay true to it. Being in a relationship with anyone is not a duty but a way to take care of yourself too. Just like exercise or food, relationships are also an important ingredient for good health. Speak a few loving words to your parents, hug your spouse, kiss your child, meet your friends and greet your neighbors with a warm smile to rekindle the lost spark in your relationship.

Remember the one important thing that relationships matter at any age and you deserve to live happy and be treated justly by others.