Simple ways to avoid allergies
An allergy refers to an exaggerated reaction by our immune system when our body comes in contact with certain foreign substances. Generally these foreign particles are treated by the body as harmless foreign objects and so no response is created by the body. But in case of allergic patients, the body recognizes them and tries to attack them, by starting the immune system on. Immune system is the organized defense mechanism against foreign particles.
The substances which start the immune system on are called as allergens. When an allergen comes in contact with the body of an allergic person it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction. When your body starts to react to those foreign particles (allergens) which are considered to be harmless to majority of the human body, you are considered to be allergic towards that particular allergen.
Different steps which are involved in Allergic reaction:
Almost anything and every thing may trigger an allergic reaction in your body. Whatever the reason is it is caused by a reaction in your immune system.
- It involves an exaggerated response of the immune system. The body’s immune system involves the white blood cells, which produce antibodies.
- The white blood cells produce an antibody specific to that antigen. This is called “sensitization.”
- The job of the antibodies is to detect and help destroy substances that cause disease and sickness. In allergic reactions, the antibody is called immunoglobulin E or IgE.
- This antibody promotes production and release of chemicals and hormones called “mediators.”
- Mediators have effects on local tissue and organs in addition to activating more white blood cell defenders. It is these effects that cause the symptoms of the reaction.
- If the release of the mediators is sudden or extensive, the allergic reaction may also be sudden and severe, and anaphylaxis may occur.
- Allergic reactions are unique for each person. Reaction time to allergens can vary widely. Some people will have an allergic reaction immediately, for others it will take time to develop.
- Allergy can develop at any stage
- Allergens are substances that are foreign to the body and can cause an allergic reaction.
- IgE is the allergy antibody, produced by the body.
Natural Ways to prevent Allergy:
1. Avoid oily food: Cleanse your body twice every year. I don’t mean external cleaning. Here I want you to cleanse your body internally. You can do this by avoiding foods which can not be easily digested, like heavy oil food, cold food, cold drinks,ice cream and tinned food
2. Eat with season: Consume what is available seasonally. In summer have fruits like mango and in winter fruits like apple. Similarly in spring have plenty of leafy vegetables and in winter root vegetables. It means have what is available in that season. Don’t go in for cold storage fruits and vegetables.
3 Add spices to your food: Spices in addition to making your food tastier, they help in reducing the allergic reaction to plants as they are in flavonoids and phenols. Some of the very effective among them are Turmeric, Sage, Cumin, ginger, black pepper. Saute these spices with olive oil or ghee to get the maximum benefit of these spices.
4. Take proper rest: Proper rest not only helps in getting energetic but also boosts up the depressed immune system.
5. Know your body: Avoid any thing that triggers your immune system. If your body is allergic, find out the allergen and try to avoid coming in contact with it.
How to develop good behavior in your child
Discipline means to instruct a person to follow a particular code of conduct or order. In the field of child development, discipline refers to methods of modeling character and of teaching self-control and acceptable behavior. All parents struggle with disciplining their child –establishing and enforcing limits and getting their kids to speak to them respectfully and do what they’re supposed to do. But discipline isn’t only about correction. It’s also about teaching kids to control themselves and care about others so they can grow up to be productive members of society.
Helping children develop good manners involves being thoughtful and considerate parents, Manners cannot be taught in the same way as history or geography. It is something that is built up over a period of time
Some tips which will help you to develop a good behavior in your child are discussed below:
1. Be Firm
Set reasonable limits, and explain and enforce them.
2. Be Consistent
Be consistent in what you say and do. Never allow your child to do one thing at a time and scold for the same thing when he does it the other time.
3. Try to find out the reason for the misbehavior
If your child behaves indifferently, try to find out the reason for his misbehavior and not take any action with out any thought. For example if he overturns his meals instead of spanking him or shouting at him try to find out why he has done this. May be he is not hungry or is not feeling well!
4. Give Choices
Kathryn Kvols, author of Redirecting Children’s Behavior (Parenting Press, 1997), suggests, for example, that if your child is yanking all the books off a shelf in the living room, you say, “Would you like to stop knocking the books off the shelf or would you like to go to your room?” If he ignores you, gently but firmly lead the child to his room and tell him he can come back into the living room when he’s ready to listen to you
5. Do not give warnings
Never take this habit of giving warning. If you give warnings for 4 times regularly and then take action, your child will develop a habit of listening to you only after 4 times you ask him to do or not to do some thing.
6. Link Consequences Directly to Problem Behavior
If you take some action against him for some of his action , it must be taken immediately. Not at the end of the day.
7. No Banking
If you’re imposing punishments or consequences, do it immediately. You can’t punish a child at the end of the day for something (or a bunch of things) he did earlier – he won’t associate the undesirable action and its consequence.
8. Keep It Short
Once the punishment is over (and whatever it is it shouldn’t last any more than a minute per year of age), get back to your life. There’s no need to review, summarize or make sure the child got the point.
9. Stay Calm
Screaming, ranting or raving can easily cross the line into verbal abuse that can do long-term damage to your child’s self-esteem.
10. Get Down to Your Child’s Level
When you’re talking to your child, especially to criticize, kneel or sit. You’ll still be big enough that he’ll know who the boss is.
11. Don’t Lecture
Instead, ask questions to engage the child in a discussion of the problematic behavior: “Is smoking cigars OK for kids or not?” “Do you like it when someone pushes you down in the park?”
12. Criticize the Behavior, Not the Child
Even such seemingly innocuous comments as “I’ve told you a thousand times,” or “Every single time you …” gives the child the message that he’s doomed to disappoint you no matter what he does.
13. Reinforce Positive Behavior
We spend so much time criticizing the negatives and not enough time complimenting the positives. Heartfelt comments like, “I’m so proud of you when I see you cleaning up your toys,” go a long way.
14. Play Games
“Let’s see who can put the most toys away,” and “I bet I can put my shoes on before you can” are big favorites. But be sure not to put away more toys or to put your shoes on first – kids under age 5 have a tough time losing.
15. Avoid Tantrums
Learn to recognize the things that trigger your child’s tantrums. The most common triggers include exhaustion, overstimulation, hunger and illness. Keeping those factors to a minimum will go a long way toward reducing tantrums.
16. No Spanking
It’s bad for the kids and bad for you. Children who get spanked are more likely to suffer from poor self-esteem and depression. They’re also more likely to believe that it’s OK to hit other people when they’re mad. After all, you do.
17. No Shaking
It may seem like a less violent way of expressing your frustrations than spanking, but it really isn’t. Shaking your baby can make his little brain rattle around inside his skull, resulting in brain damage.
18. No Bribes
It’s tempting to pay a child off to get him to do or not do something. But the risk – and it’s a big one – is that he will demand some kind of payment before complying with just about anything.
19. Be a Grown-up
Biting your child or pulling his hair to demonstrate that biting or hitting is wrong or doesn’t feel good will backfire – guaranteed.
20. Offer Cheese With That Whine
Tell your child that you simply don’t respond to whining and that you won’t give him what he wants until he asks in a nice way – and stick with it.
21. Set a Good Example
If your child sees you and your partner arguing without violence, he’ll learn to do the same. If he sees you flouting authority by running red lights, he’ll do the same.
Above all, make sure you understand your child. Trying to discipline him without understanding why he’s doing what he’s doing is a little like taking cough syrup for emphysema – the thing that’s bugging you goes away for a while, but the underlying problem remains and keeps getting worse with time. The most direct way to solve this is to simply ask your child what’s going on and why he’s acting the way he is. In many cases, he’ll tell you. If he won’t tell you or doesn’t have the vocabulary to do so, make an educated guess such as, “Are you writing on the walls because you want me to spend more time with you?”
Herbal treatment for Dandruff
Dandruff to a common man is the white flakes which shed from the scalp.The skin of our body regenerates itself on regular basis by shedding off it outer cells. Generally this shedding goes unnoticed. But sometimes when the shedding from the scalp is noticeable, we call it as dandruff.
Dandruff, also called as seborrhea is the most common form of skin eczema occurring in the parts of the body with high oil production. Scalp seborrhea is thick, flaky and is generally found in patches.
Age is not a factor for its occurrence. It can occur to anybody at any age. Dandruff weakens the root of the hair and finally becomes a cause for its fall. It also sticks to the scalp and blocks the air from reaching the roots.
Causes:
- Mild dandruff is the result of too much oily skin.
- If the flakes of dandruff are big in size and you have symptoms around the nose, naval, then it is due to seborrhea dermatitis. Human skin has a yeast-like organism (pityrosporum ovale) on its outer surface. If the number of it increases rapidly, it leads to seborrhea dermatitis
- Severe dandruff may be the result of psoriasis of the scalp.
- Too little oil or too much oil may result in the occurrence of dandruff on the scalp.
- Dandruff in some cases may be due to deficiency of minerals in the diet (especially zinc).
Herbal treatment for scalp dandruff:
- Take 1 part almond oil, 1 part pure sulphur powder, 2 parts ’surgical spirit’ and 4 parts distilled water or rose water and mix well. Rub on the scalp.
- Massage of warm olive or sesame oil and then wrap a warm cloth or a towel on head for few minutes is very helpful in getting rid of dandruff.
- Massage the scalp with almond and olive oil for five minutes, leave it for some time and then rinse off.
- Expose your scalp to sunshine. It will reduce the dandruff in the scalp
- Mix 100g each of amla (Indian goose berry), reetha, and shikakai, and boil in two liter of water until the liquid reduces to half. Use this mixture to wash your hair (whenever necessary) for a month. The dandruff will vanish.
- Gently rub warm coconut oil mixed with one hundredth of black pepper to get rid of dandruff.
- Massage the scalp with a mixture of curd, limejuice and amla. Leave it over night and rinse it next morning.
Brown Spots—causes and treatment
Brown spots, also known as age spots, dark spots, sun spots, liver spots or lentigines. Lentigos are concentrations of melanin trigged by unprotected exposure to the sun over a long period of time. These brown spots are also called “hyper pigmentation” – patches of the skin that become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. Hyper Pigmentation can be shortly defined as increase in the natural color of the skin. It occurs usually when an excess of melanin forms deposits in the skin.
Brown Spots are one of the five main signs of aging from the sun. Most of the aging skin is caused not by the passage of time and chronological aging, but from the sun. The brown spots are also because of sun exposure. The five signs of skin aging caused by the sun are brown spots, wrinkles, enlarged pores, sagging skin and spider veins.
What Are Brown Spots?
They are black, grey or brown spots and patches that appear on the skin especially on your hands, arms and face, and other places that have been exposed to the sun a lot. They are usually harmless growths and there is no need to get rid of them for other than aesthetic reasons.
If however, you start noticing that your spots become dark, multi-colored or start to bleed, you should contact your dermatologist or doctor.
What Causes Brown Spots?
- The biggest cause of age spots is sun exposure, as it increases the amount of melanin in the skin. When there is enough of this pigment in the skin it accumulates at the surface and forms spots of darker skin.
- Age also causes brown spots. As you get older often the amount of melanin is increased and more spots appear as they pass mid age.
- Genetics is also one of the causes of age spots. Heredity pretty much dictates your predisposition to getting these unsightly blemishes. Usually, those with fairer skin are more prone to age spots
- They can also be caused by things like oils and chemicals in skin care products and the UV lights in tanning booths.
- It may also be caused due to liver infection
- They are also caused by a combination of sun damage and a decline in the hormones that regulate the production of melanin. Prolonged sun exposure causes the skin cells to produce more melanin and cause surface pigment changes. Melanin is a pigment that gives color to the skin and hair. It helps protect the skin from the harmful sun’s rays but increased amount of melanin pigment often result in formation of dark, brown spots.
How to Get Rid of Brown Spots?
1. Laser Theraphy:It is the simplest and easiest way to remove these spots. A laser generates and intense beam of light. The emitted light is absorbed by oxyhemoglobin-bright red blood cells carrying oxygen and melanin causing decomposition or destruction by heat of unwanted cells while leaving healthy cells intact.Treatment with the laser is more comfortable and requires less recovery time.
2. Chemical Theraphy: A chemical peel is a safe and effective form of treatment for many pigmentation problems. Here an acid is used to remove the surface of damaged skin with light peeling. The chemical peel will lighten the brown spots and even out the irregularities to give skin its natural color.
Some natural treatment to Brown spots:
- Use sunscreen lotions whenever you go out in the sun to prevent brown spots.
- Prepare an infusion of chopped parsley. Add two tea spoon of lime juice which is a natural bleaching agent and will help to fade the brown spots.Apply the mixture on the spots regularly.
- Grate an onion and squeeze it through cheese cloth so that you have 1teaspoon of onion juice. Mix it with 2 teaspoons of vinegar and massage the brown spots with this liquid. Apply it regularly till the spot vanishes.
- Make a paste of honey and turmeric powder. Apply it on the spots. It will get lightened and finally vanish away.
- Rub fresh Aloe Vera juice on the spot for about 2 months. The spot will slowly fade away.
Do you know how to Walk
Of course, most people would say, everyone knows how to walk; it is as instinctive as breathing. The comparison is apt- just like many people breathe inefficiently, in today’s world many have forgotten how to walk. If you look around you, you will see that by the time people reach their fifties, they either waddle with their sideways swaying movement or have a forward shuffling gait. This unnatural way of walking pushes the spine, hip and knees out of alignment resulting in aches, pains and even degenerative arthritis. As we grow older we have to concentrate on maintaining a proper walking technique. Slouching, bad posture and an improper gait are avoidable pitfalls.
The average person takes between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day and has been walking since their first birthday but, frighteningly, most of us are still doing it incorrectly. If you are walking incorrectly your muscles are forced to do some extra work to compensate and support your body which will lead to muscle soreness and joint problems.
Walking properly has plenty of benefits, from improving general posture and muscle tone to preventing twisted ankles, calluses and long-term joint damage, but it takes time and concentration to achieve. It also helps in loosing weight. The body language expert Robert Phipps, the way we walk is central to making a good (or bad) first impression.
Right Posture for walking:
Whenever you walk, hold your head high and the neck straight. The eyes should be focused 15 -20 feet ahead, the chin held parallel to the ground, the stomach pulled in, the feet shoulder width apart and the arms should swing naturally at right angles( not across body)
Some do nots while walking:
- Don’t tilt your head to one side,
- Don’t slump your shoulders
- Don’t strike the ground with your toe first. use your heel first, then feel the pressure roll towards balls of your feet, then push off your toes
How are parents responsible for the bad behavior in the child?
Behavior refers to the actions of a system or organism, usually in relation to its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment.
If a child is not behaving properly who is to be held responsible? It is of course the parent. Some common mistakes that the parent do while looking into the behavior of the child are discussed below:
1. Thinking bad behavior to be just a phase which will go away in due time :
Bad behaviors don’t go away. They almost always need parental intervention. If the parents wait for a longer time, then the behavior will become a habit. So don’t call it a phase: Stop the bad behavior as soon as it starts.
2. Not being a role model:
Parents’ behavior has an enormous influence on kids’ behavior. After all, what the children see is what they copy. So before parents start planning to change their kid’s behavior, they need to take a serious look at their own.
3. Instead of targeting the wrong behavior, talking in general terms:
Generally we find parent saying “He’s not behaving properly”. This is not the way to say. Instead of being general, it is always better to point out the action which needs rectification like “he is shouting back” or “he is lying”. It’s best to work on improving one or two – behaviors at a time.
4. No proper plan to stop the bad behavior:
Once the bad behavior is identified, the parent should prepare a solid plan to stop it. The plan must (1) address the kid’s bad behavior, (2) state exactly how to correct it, (3) identify the new behavior to replace it and (4) have a set consequence if the bad behavior continues.
5. Not teaching a substitute behavior:
No behavior will change permanently unless the child is taught a new behavior to replace it. Think about it: If you tell a kid to stop doing one behavior, what will he do instead? Without a substitute behavior, chances are the child will revert to using the old misbehavior.
6. Not sticking to the plan long enough:
Learning new behavior habits is easier said than done. It generally takes a minimum of 21 days of repetition. Parents need to commit to changing the bad behavior and then continue using the plan for at least three weeks. Only then will they see change.
Look out for how to change the bad behavior in your child in our next article.
Drink plenty of Water to look younger
From very ancient times people are in search of a mythical fountain of youth. If there is something which can give you beautiful glowing skin, diminish those fine lines and wrinkles, increase your energy level, and help your overall health, it is nothing but water!Although water has no nutrients in itself, it plays a vital role in maintaining your body health.
Some facts about your body:
Your blood is 83% water, muscles are 75% water, your brain is 74% water, and your bone are 22% water. Also 2/3 of our body weight is water. All of this water is needed by our bodies, and a 1% loss of our body weight due to fluid loss can cause dehydration which can lead to serious medical complications. As we are constantly losing water from our body by sweating or urinating, we need to put the water back in your system. When you drink enough water to maintain good health, your are providing enough water to keep your internal organs and systems running smoothly. If you don’t drink enough water, you will begin to feel tired and weak.
Some of the role of water in your body:
- Body transports nutrients from one part to other through water
- Water helps in maintaining body temperature
- It lubricates your joints and eyes
- It flushes out toxins and wastes
- Keeps your skin healthy and beautiful
- It acts as the fuel for your body and organs
- It also helps in loosing weight and keeping it off!
- It helps in suppressing the appetite naturally
- It helps in suppressing the appetite naturally
- It helps the body in metabolizing the stored fat
- It helps in fluid retention
What happens when you drink less water?
- You will face the constipation problem which in turn is the cause of various diseases.
- You will feel tired very easily
- You will very often get the muscular cramps
- Your skin will lose moisture and look dry
- You may have headache or back ache
How much water Should you drink?
The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommend adult males should drink a minimum of 2.6 liters, and adult women 2.1 liters per day.How ever the amount of water to be taken should be in accordance to the climate and exercise. On an average one should drink 8 glasses of water every day.
Increase Metabolism to reduce weight
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the process by which our bodies combine nutrients with oxygen to produce the energy our body needs in order to maintain normal bodily functions. This energy is measured in calories, and calories are considered fuel to our bodies.
In other words, metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats stored in the body, to yield the energy your body needs to maintain itself.
What is Metabolic Rate?
In a common language metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns the calories stored by it. It is faster in lesser weight people when compared to over weighted people. The rate of your metabolism depends on the interaction between the number of calories you consume, the number of calories you burn while eating and exercising, and the calories you burn based on your individual genetic makeup.
Metabolism and Weight Loss
Metabolism has an upper hand in loosing the extra weight that you have put on. And once those pounds are gone they will stay off because an increased metabolic rate will keep burning any extra fat before your body can store it away.
What influences the metabolic rate of your body?
• Age. Metabolic rate decreases by 5% every 10 years after the age of 40.
• Sex. It is higher in men than women
• Genetics. It is a hereditary.
• Disease. Thyroid disorders will affect the rate of your metabolism.
Some dos which decrease your metabolism rate:
• Skipping meals
• Having a low calorie diet
• Snacking on foods high in sugar
Some dos which will help you to increase your metabolism
• The day with an early and healthy breakfast.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Do regular aerobic exercise
• Get a good amount of blissful sleep
• Exercise in the evening
• Have protein rich food as it helps in stabilizing the insulin level
• Do muscle building exercise through weight training exercise or resistance exercise
• Drink ice chilled water
Herbs that help in increasing the metabolism:
• Whey Protien is a high quality protein and at the same time helps in increasing the metabolism
• Green Tea helps in burning fat and increases the metabolic rate.
• Fresh fruits that are high in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B12, potassium, and phosphorus help in the efficient operation of your metabolism
• Ginger and garlic raises your body temperature and helps to stimulate your body’s fat burning mechanisms. Regular intake of garlic boosts your immune system and helps prevent cold and flu.
Dry mouth-Causes and Herbalcure
Dry Mouth in medical terms called as xerostomia, is a common thing found among people in any season. This condition can be as minimal as a complaint for some patients or can lead to serious oral diseases for others. Dental professionals are currently promoting ways to treat and understand dry mouth.
Causes:
The most common misconception regarding the dry mouth is that it is caused by age because it is most common in people over the age of 40.On the other hand it is caused due to lack of Saliva. The most common causes for it are
- Taking of medicine which reduces the Saliva excretion.
- Oral cancer radiation.
- Alcohol abuse
- Anxiety or stress.
- Chemotherapy radiation for oral cancer treatment
- Dehydration
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Genetic disorders
- Trauma to salivary glands
This dry mouth syndrome may lead to
- tooth decay
- infection
- gum disease
- Speech impediments
- germ buildup
- bad breath
Symptoms of Dry Mouth:
- A dry, red, raw tongue
- A dry feeling in the throat
- Difficulty in speaking, tasting, chewing, and swallowing
- Feeling Thirsty
- Impaired taste perception
Some of the simple ways through which you can avoid being affected by dry mouth are:
- Chewing sugar-free gum
- Using lip lubricants and alcohol-free mouth washes
- Drinking plenty of water
- Breathing through nose
- Stimulate the flow of Saliva
- Avoid taking spicy food.
Herbal and home remedies to Dry Mouth:
- Chew food thoroughly so as to stimulate saliva production and facilitate digestion of food.
- Applying Glycerin to the tongue
- Add tea spoon of honey to a glass of milk and drink it.
- Avoid being with out food for a long time
- Avoid being with out food for a long time because that is the time when saliva is reduced and mouth feels dry
- Applying Red Chilli Pepper on the tongue will stimulate the production of saliva as it is rich in capsaicin.
- Increasing the intake of vitamin “B” rich food like meat, brown rice, fish, wheat germ and whole grain cereals.
- Increasing the intake of iron rich food like red meats, liver, cashews and figs.
- Genatin extract is a good remedy to dry mouth, but it should be taken after consulting a specialists.
- Chinese green tea, chamomile and ginger are also considered to be effective treatment to dry mouth.
- Echinacea contains a compound echinacein which is a proven saliva producer. Echinacea stimulates salivation, and tends to numb the mouth, but this effect is temporary and harmless.
Cell Phones and Cancer Risks
Are our cell phones safe? This has been a subject matter of great discussion, in the scientific circles, for over a decade now. Experts all over the globe have voraciously argued in and against the notion of a cell phone as a potential hazard to our health.
The recent report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31st May 2011 has classified cell phone radiations as possibly carcinogenic to humans. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has also categorically categorized cell phones in the list of Group 2B (This class denotes the items, things or metals that are possibly carcinogenic). These research findings are sure to raise many eyebrows.
Cell phones have been found to emit low levels of radiofrequency, while been used. Cell phone radiations fall into the same bandwidth of radio frequencies as the radiations coming from a microwave. But some notable researchers have maintained that unlike a microwave, a cell phone do not release enough energy to damage or alter the structure of a Human DNA.
However, recent research findings suggest that although short term exposure is harmless, long term cell phone use can have serious repercussions. It is a proven fact that people who have been avidly using cell phones for the past 10 years or so are at a much higher risk of developing brain tumors. Use of an earpiece, while talking is highly advisable.
Various reasons have been given to support the fact that continuous mobile usage is the harbinger of a possible brain cancer. The most notable one is that cell phone usage excites the brain. Glucose is the main propelling fuel that keeps our brain running. The radiations coming out from the cell phone considerably affects the metabolism of glucose. This results in the production of unenviable radicals which severely affects the functioning of our brain. The exposure of children’s to cell phones, before and after birth has been cited as a reason behind the prevalence of psychological disorders nowadays.
The multifarious evidences posed so far are not conclusive. But they are surely indicative of a possible connection between cell phone and brain tumor. More better and advanced research is needed to bring forth the conclusive health hazards associated with cell phone usage, if there are any.
It is always better to be late than never. So here what we can do is to limit our cell phone using hours, as much as we can.
