Hair Worries in Women   Beautiful Tresses are very important for women...thick, luscious hair on a woman's scalp is a beauty symbol..but it is also an area of concern when there is an imbalance..hairfall, hair thinning, hair greying, overly dry and rough hair, these all create restless feelings in women, more than in men, across the world. These could be signs of nutritional deficiencies, serious health problems or minor correctible diet imbalance. Nutritional deficiency of vitamin D is said to have side effects such as hair thinning and hair fall issues. Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies such as lack of Copper, Zinc, Amino acids, Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D supply to the body create a biological imbalance that appears first on the scalp in the form of hair fall and thinning of the previosly thick hair strands. Some hormone imbalance matters also are related to hair problems, such as thickening of hair on the upper-lip area or on hands and legs and strangely, vice versa, thinning of scalp hair..example, imbalance of thyroid gland, like the thyroid production being low.   Yearly medical examinations, sometimes, twice a year health checkups are so necessary to keep a track of every important health aspect, proper functioning of hormones, vitamin and mineral deficiencies if any, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels etc. 30s are when Women are supposed to be very careful and actively checking on their health, regularly. Stress can also have adverse affects on hair health..high stress levels in anybody can damage the production of healthy hair on the scalp and have a negative impact, immediately, such as hair loss followed by thinning or early hair greying. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through good diet, fitness and stress management can help relieve hair problems and recover from hair loss or thinning.Keeping away from harmful chemicals in haircare products is very important besides following good diet and trying to correct hair problems through vitamin and mineral supplements. Almost every shampoo, hair dye is made of harmful chemicals and toxic ingredients that maynot have immediate reactions everytime, but will definitely showup as hair loss or early hair greying, on use over a period of time. High heat straightening and perming also have adverse affects on hair texture and softness, hair tends to become rough and overly dry on too much and regular usage on high-temperature irons and straighteners. Hence, not just hard work ( maintaining health) but also smart work ( doing research on health, harmless products and using them) is important for good hair health ! - Prathyusha

  చింతతో వడదెబ్బ చింత మాయం   ఎండలు ఎంతలా ఉన్నాయంటే బయటకెళ్ళి వస్తే చాలు కళ్ళు తిరిగిపోతున్నాయి అందరికి. వదదెబ్బ బారిన పడి ఎంతోమంది ప్రాణాలు కాపాడుకోలేకపోతున్నారు. అలాగని పూర్తిగా బయటకి వెళ్ళటం మానేసి ఇంట్లోనే కూర్చోవాలంటే అవ్వదు కదా. మరి ఈ సమస్యకి పరిష్కారం లేదా అంటే, ఎందుకు లేదు ఉంది. ఇంట్లో దొరికే కొన్ని వస్తువులతోనే వడదెబ్బ నుంచి మనని మనం రక్షించుకోవచ్చు.   వడదెబ్బ నుంచి తప్పించుకోవాలంటే ఉల్లిపాయ ఒక దివ్య ఔషదం. వడదెబ్బ తగలకుండా ఉండాలంటే బయటకి వెళ్ళేటప్పుడు ఒక నీరుల్లిపాయను మన జేబులో గాని మన చేతిలో గాని పెట్టుకుంటే మంచిది. ఒకవేళ కాస్త ఒళ్ళు వేడెక్కింది అని అనిపించగానే ఉల్లిపాయని ముద్దలా చేసి నుదుటి మీద రాస్తూ ఉండాలి. అలాగే గుండెలమీద కుడా రాయచ్చు. ఇంకా త్వరిత ఉపశమనం కోసం ఉల్లిపాయని ఉడికించి ఉప్పు, జీలకర్ర  వేసి ఆ రసాన్ని తాగించినా మంచి ఫలితం ఉంటుంది. తల్లి చేయని మేలు ఉల్లి చేస్తుందని ఊరికే అన్నారా పెద్దవాళ్ళు. ఒంట్లో వేడి తగ్గటానికి కొత్తిమీర పుదీనా రసం చక్కటి ఔషదం. ఈ రెండింటిలో ఉష్ణాన్ని తగ్గించే గుణం పుష్కలంగా ఉంది. వేసవి తాపం వల్ల జ్వరాలు రాకుండా ఉండాలంటే కొత్తిమీర పుదీనా రసంలో కొద్దిగా పంచదార వేసి తాగిస్తే ఎంతో మంచిది. ఇది చర్మాన్ని కూడా పొడిబారిపోకుండా చూసుకుంటుంది. అలాగే మెంతి కూర ఆకుల్ని ఎండబెట్టి పొడి చేసి కాసేపు నీటిలో నానబెట్టి ఆ రసంలో తేనె కలిపి ఒక చెంచాడు చొప్పున రెండు గంటలకోసారి తాగిస్తూ ఉంటే వడదెబ్బ దూరమవుతుంది. మెంతి కూరలో కూడా ఒంట్లో వేడిని తగ్గించే గుణం ఉండటం వల్ల ఇది వేసవికాలంలో ఎక్కువగా తీసుకోవటం మంచింది. పప్పులో లేదా రైస్ ఐటమ్స్ లో తగిన రీతిలో మెంతి కూరని చేర్చుకుంటూ ఉండాలి.   ఇక చింతకాయ గింజల విషయానికొస్తే వీటిలో విటమిన్లు, మినరల్స్ ఇంకా ఎలక్ట్రోలైట్స్ సమృద్దిగా ఉండటం వల్ల వేసవిలో వీటిని సేవించటం ఆరోగ్యానికి ఎంతో మంచిది. చింతగింజలని నానబెట్టి రాయి మీద అరగదీస్తే వస్తే గుజ్జులో కాస్త తేనె కలిపి తీసుకుంటూ ఉంటే ఒంట్లో ఉన్న అతివేడి కూడా తగ్గి ఆరోగ్యం కుదుట పడుతుంది.     వడదెబ్బని నివారించటంలో పచ్చి మామిడి రసం కూడా మంచిపని చేస్తుంది. వేడి చెయ్యకుండా ఉండాలంటే మామిడిరసంలో చిటికెడు జీలకర్ర పొడి, చిటికెడు మిరియాల పొడి వేసి రోజుకి రెండు మూడు సార్లు తాగితే శరీరం చల్లబడుతుంది. వీటన్నిటితో పాటు ఎండాకాలం బయటకి వెళ్ళేటప్పుడు మొహానికి దళసరి కాటన్ గుడ్డని కట్టుకుంటూ, ఎక్కువగా ద్రవ పదార్థాలు తాగుతూ ఉంటే వడదెబ్బ మీ జోలికి రాకుండా ఉంటుంది. ..కళ్యాణి

  Nail Health     Women like their nails...one generation ago, most women were not so bothered about their nails, how they look, if they should be polished or buffed, whether they are healthy or not...they ddnt care much. But this generation of young women take too much interest in their nails...they get the, manicured regularly, color them often, make sure they look healthy...i wonder if they ever care about the actual nail health keeping aside the looks part of them ! Nails talk alot about whats going on inside the physical body, they are indicators of general health and conditions that need attention. Dry, brittle, spotty, freckled, stripped, curved...yes there are quite some features of human nails. Ask people and they will tell you that their nails are different to yours and that is the reason why we should pay attention to how they look instead of hiding their textures under a thick coating of nail polishes most of the time. Reactions to nail polishes, polish removers, UV polish dryers etc create some much chaos in human nails but they are usually unnoticed. The harmful chemicals that are used in all these nail accesories play a major role in initiating quite a good number of health problems. Just because i say women like nails, doesnot mean men and children should not be careful...every human nail shouts of their health. Some other observations on nail appearance and textures give us insight into some major health problems and nutrient deficiencies.... thinning nails indicate iron deficiency, brittle nails along with thinning and dry hair are indications of hypothyroidism or even aneamia and due to aging and no proper moisturisation, whitened nails could mean something seriously wrong with liver, vertical ridges on nails means the cuticle is not getting enough hydration-keeping nails and hands moisturised mat help, horizontal ridges across the nails means the body is fighting some major stress or mental issues- the nail gets back to normal after this phase passes onto a better stage, blueish nails indicate a serious lungs or heart condition, clubbed nails indicate a cardiovascular or lung disease. Making sure we consume healthy vegetables and fruits and reduce the usage of lotions and polishes that are made of chemicals could help us keep our health in a good condition, which reflects as healthy nails !! - Prathyush

  పొట్లకాయని చూసి పారిపోయే వ్యాధులు     ఒకప్పుడు వారంలో రెండు సార్లైనా పొట్లకాయతో కూర చేసేవారు మన పెద్దవాళ్ళు. ఇప్పటిలా ఇంటర్నెట్లు, హెల్త్ వెబ్ సైట్స్ లేకపోయినా వాళ్ళకి అది తినటం వల్ల వచ్చే ప్రయోజనాలేంటో బాగా తెలుసు. రోజులు మారేసరికి కూరగాయల వాడకంలో కూడా మార్పులు వచ్చేసాయి. ఈ రోజుల్లో పిల్లలు పొట్లకాయ తినటానికి అంతగా ఆశక్తి చూపించటం లేదు. దానికి కారణం అందులో ఎన్ని పోషకవిలువలు దాగి ఉన్నాయో తెలియకపోవటమే అయ్యుంటుంది. పోట్లకాయలో నీటిశాతం ఎక్కువగా ఉంటుంది. అలాగే ఇందులో ఎక్కువగా పీచుపదార్ధాలు ఉంటాయి. కేలరీలు అతి తక్కువగా ఉండటం వల్ల సన్నగా, నాజుకుగాతయ్యరవ్వాలనుకునేవారు దీనిని తప్పకుండా తినాలి. ప్రోటీన్లు సమృద్దిగా ఉండే ఈ కాయలో విటమిన్ ఏ,బి, సిలు తగిన పాళ్ళల్లో ఉంటాయట. మెగ్నీషియం, ఐరన్, పొటాషియం కూడా ఉండటం వల్ల  మంచి మినరల్ ఫుడ్ అని చెప్పచ్చు. ఈ పోట్లకాయని ముఖ్యంగా ఎండా కాలంలో తినటం వల్ల శరీరం చల్లబడుతుంది. ఇది గుండెజబ్బులకి మంచి టానిక్ లాగా పనిచేస్తుంది. ఈ పొట్లపాదు ఆకుల్ని ప్రాకృతిక వైద్యంలో ఎక్కువగా వాడతారట. ఎన్నో వ్యాదుల్ని నయం చేయటమే కాకుండా, కొన్ని జబ్బులు మన దగ్గరికి కూడా చేరనీయకుండా చేసే సామర్ద్యం ఉందిట పోట్లకాయలో.     పిలల్లో పైత్యం వల్ల వచ్చే జ్వరాలకు పొట్లకాయ ఒక దివ్యౌషదంలా పనిచేస్తుందట. పొట్లకాయ,కొత్తిమీర రసాన్ని బాగా మరిగించి కషాయంలా చేసి మూడుపూటల ఒక స్పూన్ చొప్పున పడితే జ్వరం తగ్గుముఖం పడుతుందిట. దీని ఆకులకి వాంతుల్ని అరికట్టే శక్తి కుడా ఉందిట. పోట్లకాయ షుగర్ పేషంట్స్ కి కూడా చాలా ఉపయోగపడుతుంది. దీనిని ఆహారంలో తీసుకోవటం వల్ల ఎక్కువగా దాహం వెయ్యకుండా ఉంటుందిట. దీనిలో ఉండే నీటి శాతం మనిషికి దాహం వేయకుండా చూస్తుందిట. టైప్ 2 డయాబెటిస్ లో శరీర బరువు తగాతంలో కూడా కీలక పాత్ర పోషిస్తుంది. గుండె దడగా ఉన్నా, చాతిలో తరచూ నొప్పి వస్తున్నా పొట్లకాయ ఆకుల్ని రసంలా చేసి మూడుపూటలా 2 స్పూన్స్ చొప్పున ఇస్తే ఆ బాధ తగ్గుతుంది. పచ్చకామెర్లకు కూడా ఇదే చికిత్స మంచిదట. మంచి జీర్ణక్రియ కోసం ఎండబెట్టిన పోట్లకాయతో చేసిన కషాయం ఒక మంచి మందులా పనిచేస్తుంది. పరగడుపునే ఈ కషాయం తాగటం ఇంకా ఉత్తమం. ఇన్ని ఉపయోగాలు దాగి ఉన్న పొట్లకాయని వేసవి కాలంలో మన రోజువారి ఆహారంలో భాగంగా చేసుకుందాం. ..కళ్యాణి

  అల్లంతో తలనొప్పి దూరం     ఈ వేసవి ఎండలు  బైటకి వెళ్ళాలంటే భయమేసేలా ఉన్నాయి. కాని వెళ్ళక తప్పదు అనేవాళ్ళు వెళ్తూనే ఉన్నారు. బైట తిరిగినప్పుడు ఎలా ఉన్నా ఇంటికి రాగానే మొదలవుతుంది తలనొప్పి. ఇక ఆ తలనొప్పితో ఇంట్లో మిగిలిన పనులన్నీ పెండింగ్ లో పడిపోతాయి. ఇలాంటి తలనొప్పుల కోసం టాబ్లెట్ లు వేసుకోవటం అవసరమా అంటే అస్సలు అక్కర్లెద్దని చెప్తున్నారు ప్రకృతి వైధ్య నిపుణులు. వేసవిలో వచ్చే ఇలాంటి తలనోప్పులకి ఇంట్లో దొరికే వాటితోనే సులువుగా పరిష్కారం దొరుకుతుందట. అవేంటో చూసేద్దామా. మనం  ఎక్కడికైనా వెళ్లి రాగానే ముందుగా చెయ్యాల్సిన పని చల్ల నీళ్ళతో మొహం మీద ఫోర్సుగా కొట్టుకోవటం. ఇలా చన్నీళ్ళతో మొహం మీద చల్లడం వల్ల చాలా రిలీఫ్ గా ఉంటుంది. లేదా 1/2 స్పూన్ దాల్చిన  చెక్క పొడిని 1 1/2 కప్పు పాలల్లో వేసి రెండు నిమిషాలు మరిగించి తేనేతో  కలిపి తాగితే తలనొప్పి మాయం అవుతుందిట. అల్లం తలనోప్పులకి మంచి ఔషధంలా పనిచేస్తుందని చెప్తున్నారు వైధ్యులు. మనం ఇంట్లో టీ తయారుచేసుకునేటప్పుడు అందులో చిన్న అల్లం ముక్క దంచి వేసుకుని టీ తాగితే నొప్పి క్షణాల్లో మటుమాయం అవుతుందిట. మనకి సులువుగా లభ్యమయ్యే పండు ఆపిల్.  ఉదయాన్నే ఆపిల్ ముక్కాలా మీద ఉప్పు జల్లుకుని తినటం వల్ల ఎండలో తిరిగిన తలనొప్పి వచ్చే సూచనలు తక్కువగా ఉంటాయి. ఎక్కువగా ఎండల్లో తిరగాల్సి వచ్చే వాళ్ళు తలకి రోజ్ మేరి ఆయిల్ తో మర్ధనా చేసుకుంటే నొప్పి తొందరగా పోతుందిట. కళ్ళు కూడా చల్లబడి మంచి రిలీఫ్ గా ఉంటుంది.అలాగే లేవండర్ ఆయిల్ కూడా ఇలాంటి తలనోప్పులకి బాగా     తులసి తలనోప్పులకి ఇంట్లో దొరికే పరమౌషధం. అందరి ఇళ్ళల్లో తులసి ఉంటూనే ఉంటుంది. తలనొప్పిగా ఉన్నప్పుడు టీలో తులసి ఆకులు వేసుకున్నా పరవాలేదు,లేదా మార్కెట్ లో దొరికే తులసి నూనేని తలకి పట్టించినా ఉపశమనం లభిస్తుంది. ఎండాకాలంలో తలనొప్పితో బాధపడేవాళ్ళు నీళ్ళు ఎక్కువుగా తాగుతూ ఉండాలి. దీని వల్ల మంచి పరిణామాలు ఏర్పడతాయి. అలాగే కాఫీ టీ లు, చాక్లెట్ లు, వెన్నతో చేసిన పదార్థాలు కాస్త తగ్గిస్తే మంచిదట. అల్లం రసం తేనే రెండిటిని సమానంగా కలుపుకుని రోజులో రెండు సార్లు తాగితే ఎలాంటి మొండి తలనోప్పులయినా పోతాయట. లేదా అల్లం పొదిలో కాస్త నీళ్ళు కలిపి పేస్టు లా చేసి నుదిటికి రాసుకున్నా మంచి ఫలితం ఉంటుంది. కొన్ని గంటల వరకూ ఏమి తినకుండా అలాగే గడపటం, లేదా పనిచేయడం వల్ల తలనొప్పికి దారితీస్తుంది. అందువల్ల ఎక్కువసేపు కడుపు ఖాళీగా లేకుండా చూసుకుంటే చాలు ఎలాంటి తలనొప్పులు మీ దగ్గరకి రావు. వేసవిలో మనం తీసుకునే కొద్దిపాటి జాగ్రత్తలు చాలు ఎలాంటి రోగాలు మన దగ్గరకి చేరవు. - కళ్యాణి  

  Healthy Diet during Pregnancy     Studies indicate that nutritional during pregnancy has a greater influence on not only the normal development of the fetus and immediate health of the infant after birth, but also the child's health during growth stages and even adulthood. Current recommendations from Nutritionists and Gynecologists for nutrition during pregnancy stress the importance of a proper pattern of weight gain, adequate calorie intake, consumption of proteins, vitamins and minerals for optimal development of a healthy child and preservation of Mother's health. Mother's Weight gain during this process depends on whether she has started underweight or overweight. Being overweight during pregnancy is a problem as it increases the risk of complications, such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes.   Being underweight isn't healthy either. Women who are more than 15% less than their normal weight requirement may face complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Ideally, a women who is overweight shall not try to achieve her ideal weight with crash dieting long before she conceives. And that is the reason, Doctors stress the need to maintain a healthy weight and a balanced nutrition right from once childhood. When the foundation is right, the future is right ! A woman's daily energy requirements are estimated to gradually increase as she progresses in her pregnancy stages. They increase to an additional 450 calories per day in her third trimester. A pregnant woman is recommended to consume an additional 20 grams of protein a day to support the deposition of protein in the fetal tissues. For vegetarians, protein options are legumes, grains and dry nuts. Doctors recommend a daily intake of prenatal vitamins and folic acid along with Omega-3 for some. No one should take any more nutritional suppliments than these. Ideally, multi-vitamins and folic acid should be the suppliments consumed even during planning for pregnancy. A healthy diet including a variety of foods, vegetables and fruits not only enhances fertility but also provides the nourishment the tiny embryo needs during those early days of conception, even before your Doctor or you know you conceived.   During the first few weeks of pregnancy, the baby needs a sufficient supply of essential nutrients since this is the stage when the vital cells of the baby's body start to form to develop into organs in the next stages. After the first trimester, some of baby's nutritional needs change, like the importance and need of Calcium, as during the second trimester, bone and blood development escalates. Last trimester brings in huge growth spurts, nearly doubling the baby's size, and so at this stage, more protein is demanded.     Dealing with food cravings is definitely not atall easy, ask others and they will tell you their episodes for hours. Making sure to eat only healthy foods when one has food cravings during pregnancy is so tough to keep up with. Its usually easy to indulge and satisfy a food craving that is nutritional, but if it is an unhealthy food craving, the after effects are damaging. It prevents the Mother's body from getting the other essential nutients the baby needs, all that unhealthy food is consumed by her body only, whereas she needs to eat healthy firstly for her baby's needs.   If the cravings interfere with the ability to eat balanced meals and gain weight correctly, then it is certainly the time to ask ones Obstetrician for advice. Registered dieticians and nutrition experts are sometimes brought into the picture by Obstetritian Gynecologists to help the Mother maintain good nutrition throughout her pregnancy, or if she has issues with Gestational  diabetes and High blood pressure. A healthy diet is so important for anyone and everyone...and doubly more for a woman in pregnancy, as she holds the foundation for her child's health. ....Prathyusha

Mother's health and Autism in Offsprings     Autism has been on the rise these days...it is said to be more common among boys than girls. A Sweden based research team conducted a study on children born between 1984 and 2007, aged 4-17 and compared 24,000 autistic children with 200,000 children without the condition. The study shows that children born to Mothers who were obese and suffered with PCOS ( Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) during their pregnancy had a 58% more risk of autism developement. However, it has not been scientifically proved that Autism and Maternal PCOS are related....yet, Educating expectant mothers of this study might help early detection of ASD right at newborn stages. In the future, if more emphasis is put on this research, early prevention of Autism might be possible too. Specific hormones called Androgens are produced at higher rates in pregnant women who have PCOS. Autism's relation to Androgens is unclear, however, past studies state that a child's early exposure to Androgens might force such conditions and affect brain development. Androgens are known for their contribution in brain development. And probably that could be the reason around 46% of children detected with autism have above average intellectual ability. There has been so many questions and so much struggle among the parents of children who had been detected with autismbout their own genetic behaviour...the numbers are increasing. Just because the studies say something, doesnot mean the root cause is in the parents. PLEASE DONOT BLAME YOURSELF. We can only talk and try to console these parents, but they undergo alot of pain and stress...the child doesnot know anything, he/she is too innocent at any age and too ignorant of his/her own condition...it is the parents who suffer. I personally see couple of my friends go through so much agony, everyday....they are already suffering...will there be a cure, an way out of this situation, will there be a preventive measure to totally avoid suffering with autism?? I plead the researchers, the medical brains of the world . Sametime, we should all come forward to financially support an organisation that offers to do more research and find a preventive or cure. Are we ready ?   ... Prathyusha

  Healthcare for Women in 40s   For all those women who made it to 40, here's a loud Hurray !! Yes, you made it to a matured stage in life than your previous years. With this graduation comes a growing package of few health concerns...its time to be smarter, here too. With the decreasing body metabolism, and increasing stress levels, everyother function of the human body gets affected. Muscle tone, bone density and hormone balance are the most affected. If certain good health habits are inculcated at this age, it would be easier to reach 50s, 60s and higher!! 40s are the most critical days in ones life...it is when the children finish their studies and start their careers, and Parents worry more about them, their settlement in life, about ones own health and longevity, and they begin to worry if they are going to see the kids get married happily. Ones own middle age crisis begins at this age. With all these emotional and family-oriented worries trying to create an imbalance, it is difficult to bring back a harmony in the health yet, it is very crucial to stay healthy now..even the slightest stress and strain can be harmful as the body has worked for few years already and is tired and ready to give up if it is not well trained and strongly backed up. The average age of Menopause in Indian women is between 45-51. Hence, once you start your journey in the 40s, the countdown begins. A woman is considered to be in Menopausal stage if she does not have a menstrual cycle for a continuous period of 12 months as has crossed 45 years of age. Here are few tips for an easy health management:   Start the day with a healthy breakfast- A high-calorie breafast is not atall harmful for the start up. Those calories will be burnt down by the end of the day, anyways. Kickoff with a power punch exercise regime: Training the muscle and strengthening the bones is important. Exercise trains the heart too to gear up its functioning., and helps an active metabolism, working on the body to avoid lethargy. Take necessary vitamin/ mineral supplements, specially calcium and vitamin D: As muscle tone and bone density problems are ready to strike, one should fight back with supplementation. Joint pains and knee issues start to show up at this age for women..and hence, Calcium intake is necessary. Appetite may reduce due to lack of interest in food, because of changes in bosy metabolism or lack of motivation to eat due to changes in physical appearance ( some women suddenly gain weight, very few loose weight), and that is why it is necessary to support the nutrition with supplements. Pump up your protein intake Meet the Doctors for regular health checks, e.g., Pap Smears- every 1-3 years, Thyroid- every year, Mole check, Glucose- every 6 months, Blood Pressure- every 6 months, Eye exam, Pelvic test and Mammogram- every 1-2 years Meet happy people- Women sometimes face cosmetic depression due to changes in facial structure as wrinkles appear more, hair thins out, voice becomes meek...to cope with this depression due to menopausal stages also one needs to have good company. Happy friends and those who have good knowledge of health are better than few who discourage others to visit Doctors or ignore health signs themselves. Discuss family matters with the family, openly instead of keeping to yourself and worrying. Not only for the Women in 40s, it is important for anyone to stay happy and healthy. Happiness doesnot lie in things of this world, it is the internal happiness and righteous living that brings the difference and sense !! ---Prathyusha

  Fruits and Veggies during Pregnancy     Indian women are used to eating more during pregnancy..they are encouraged by parents and elderly in the family to eat more, eat whatever they want to, eat often but very rarely, it so happens that they are advised to eat healthier and more often. Most of the times, during pregnancy, women are offered sweets, sweets and more sweets...why is it that we hear about Gestational Diabetes, more often than our earlier generations ?! Every women thinks, 'it would not happen to me' and proceeds to surrender to her food cravings during pregnancy. However, these days, we hear more of ladies with more health conscious thoughts of their diet..it is possible to control food cravings during pregnancy. I realise, it is such a time when some ladies dont feel like eating anything, due to nausea-the culprit, and also due to being over-weight pre-pregnancy and Doctors suggest them to control their diet, right from the initial stages. It becomes so difficult to manage frequent hunger pangs and acidity for every Mom-to-be, even worse for those with Gestational diabetes or with over-weight issues. How to feed the child sufficiently during this time? The baby gets bigger every month and Mom is supposed to eat for two and sametime, manage her health for a safe delivery and a healthy baby. A research was conducted by The Center for Chemical Regulation and Food Safety in America finds that the eating more is not as important as it had been understood from ages, instead, it is the quality of food that is consumed during pregnancy which matters most. After systematic analysis of 11 relevant studies, it was found by the researchers that birth weights associated with brain development during the growing up years are directly related to the amount of fruits and veggies a Mom-to-be consumes during pregnancy. The more fruits and veggies she eats when pregnant, the higher the birth weight and better the brain development of the child when growing up. This research was conducted by observing the diet of pregnant women belonging to western countries where conventional western diet is followed such as breads, salads, soft drinks, fried foods etc. Several different studies were conducted to prove this point. It isnot just these two aspects of the child's health, Mom's nutrition matters alot to the child's overall health after birth. Few studies proved that low vegetable consumption during pregnancy resulted in more than three times the risk of giving birth to a low gestational weight child. Few other studies found that Moms who ate more fruits during pregnancy gave birth to babies with more birth weight. In India, fried foods and sweets are the most important comfort foods, which are not good at any stage of life for anyone...specially for the health of any offspring. --Pratyusha

  Motivate Yourself To Exercise Daily In the modern lifestyle that we have all adopted, we take physical exercise for granted. It is generally considered difficult to motivate oneself to work out. This article will do exactly that. Here you will find some of the most interesting reasons to do some hard work. Wouldn’t it be motivated enough if you found out that exercising can improve your mood? Yes, its true! You will be happier when you exercise your body. Besides it is also a very good when to destress when the situations in life are not very pleasant. Since it is so beneficial, experts say that contrary to popular belief, there is no best time for a work. The time when you feel like it, is perfect to burn the calories. Making it a habit to run long distances, will change how your body feels about running. When you run long distance, over a period your body starts using up less amount energy in doing this activity. If you think running on the treadmill or the road is boring, try dancing! You will not only be putting your body to work, but you will also be contributing to the improvement of your cardiovascular health. So, dancing to some music is not bad at all. Just remember not to exercise on empty stomach. Eat right if you want the best results. This is important because once you fall short of energy during a work out, your body will start using up muscle tissue instead of burning fat. Are you motivated for an enthusiastic workout now?   .....Kruti Beesam

Health care for Women in 30s Thirties is the time most people reach their career stability stages, they bought a house, gotten married, started a family, settled with a stable job and maintain a good supportive bank balance. This is the time, men and women are confident of their future..sametime, they shall have greater confidence on their health, which means they would have already been taking good care of their health. Yet, most of us get busy at this stage of life that we have no time for ourselves..and we start ignoring most things related to us and concentrate more on our kids and securing their future. Infact, it should have been this way that one would concentrate on self health at any stage of life, which is not what practically happens in reality. Among the so many health related mistakes and ignorant things women do, here are a few that top. Ignoring the changes in body metabolism When in 30s, body metabolism changes slowly. It digests foods differently than at the previous stages, food allergies occure too, which we never bother to notice. Gastric issues, bloating, inflammatin etc happen commonly at this age and we tend to feel that our body still behaves the same way it had been from childhood. This is the time we need to modify our eating habits, consume better foods, easily digestible foods, eat vitamin and mineral rich foods appropriate to our age. Body starts storing more fat now, and to stop this we need to avoid processed foods more than ever before and consume lean meats, omega 3 fatty foods and about 70% of our daily food should be fruits and vegetables only. Ignore the loss of muscle mass Body at the age of 30 and up starts loosing muscle mass. It is said that women in thier 30s who follow a fitness regime of cardio exercises can keep alzheimer's and different types of cancers at bay. Maintaining physical fitness becomes crucial from this age onwards. Keep the Doctor away At this age, we become busier than ever, managing jobs, households, kids and what not..that there is no time to even think of visiting a Doctor for regular health checkups. Keeping an eye on cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, thyroid functioning, bone health falls beneath the list of To-Do-Things we want to finish every day , every month, ...not even once a year. We tend to procrastinate medical visits more than ever. Treating skin like that of a teenager Acne at this age is also common, due to hormonal changes. Using acne treatment lotions, facewash products, creams made for teenage skin is not appropriate. Instead, use milk and gentle natural products for relief. Consulting a dermatologist if acne becomes too rampant is a better option. Detox therapies such a warm lemon water, honey, natural moisturisers such as coconut oil, almond oil for applying on the skin are smart options now. Naturally made sunscreen lotions are a must to safeguard skin from sun burns and harsh rays, also help from skin cancer. 30s or even 20s..whatever be the age, one should be very health conscious and also cautious of the health problems and keep away from anything harmful is the manthra during these times... --Pratyusha

  Healthy young women can keep Heart Disease at Bay forever In a 20-year research, it has been proved that women who have been health conscious from their young age are 92% less prone to heart diseases. The researchers analysed data from the study conducted on Women between the age groups 25-42 in 1991. Generally people talk about older beings when discussing about heart risk factors but it has been proved that someone is at risk right from the younger age, and more if not following the right and healthy path. U.S researchers also conducted a study on women in their 20s and 30s who led a healthy lifestyle and exercised regularly and found out that they had 66% less chances of facing heart health risks such as hyper-tension, diabetes by the time they reached 40s and 50s. Studies proved that women can avoid 70% of heart attack chances by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and making few good changes to eating habits. Over the past 40-45 years, death rates and heart disease rates have dropped among those in 50s and they increased among younger generations due to their poor eating, hygiene and nutrition habits. Based on these factors: smoking, sleeping hours, hours of watching TV, exercise routine, proper nutrition habits, alcohol consumption and body weight, a study was conducted on young women and at the end of a 20year study, it was noticed that they suffered with high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease, heart attacks, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. Compared to women who had atleast one of these bad health habits, women who had none of these habits were at 92% low risk of a heart disease. Too much stress due to jobs and multitasking, trying to attain a balance with different aspects of life, family etc forces anyone to give in. Women who say they are 'oh so busy' might be really busy but thet need to take care of their health to be alive and stay happily busy. 'Lets think of health later' is definitely not the line of the day...it should be our manthra everyday. Stay healthy and forever!! --Pratyusha

  Teenage Tangle Adolescence is a stage of life when teenagers go through a period of uncertainty and confusion. Everything seems in a state of flux-their moods, their bodies, and their relationships with family and friends.Most teenagers emerge unscathed but there are others who just cannot cope and they fall into a depression. Any disturbance small or big,will have so much of impact on them. They neither like to talk about it nor bear or face it silently. They start showing their depression in various forms and feeling. And parents get confused as to,what the hell is happening with their child.Parents should be vigilant and find out if their child's behaviour is just a teenage tantrum or is he/she reeling under depression. Now how wil they know it? Here are some of the symptoms  which can tell you if your child is in Depression 1)Defeatist attitude: Depressed teenagers feel that they are destined to fail at anything that they attempt. They take failure personally seeing it as being directly related to their personalities rather than to anything they might have done. For instance, if they are snubbed at a party by an acquaintance, they will assume that it is because they are boring and not worth knowing. A normal teenager would just shrug it off and move on to the next person. As a result of this defeatist attitude, depressed teenagers rarely make the effort to do anything because they believe that they will fail anyway. 2) Uncomfortable sharing personal information: Teenagers afflicted with depression are uncomfortable talking about themselves because they think that the listener will judge them and find them wanting in every way. They do not want to open themselves up to any possible disapproval or criticism, which they take for granted as being forthcoming. 3)Impulsive behaviour: Teenagers affected by depression also tend to act on impulse. They feel that since they have no control over their circumstances and cannot seem to find a solution to any of their problems, they should do something and then forget about it. 4) Socially withdrawn: A depressed teenager is often withdrawn and antisocial because he feels a sense of low self esteem and that nobody would want him/her around. They feel that they have nothing of interest to say and does not have the necessary social skills to make them well-liked. They will avoid volunteering for any group activities assuming that he will be a burden and that he has nothing of value to contribute. If parents are busy in their own lives and tend to over look these symptoms, those teenager’s life will go from bad to worst. And there will be an irreparable damage to their self worth, which in turn lead to horrific consequences. So Parents spare some time for your kids, be with them and help them over come depression --Pushpa

  Her Cancer and A Lesson Cancer was a rarely heard word earlier, but these days, it is one of the most frequently heard health issue, across the world. In some lives, it occurs just once and disappears when proper care is taken, however, for some, it turns dreadful and recurrance is repetitive too. After a relative of mine had an encounter with Breast cancer four years ago, the whole family was disturbed. For a person who is afraid of Doctors and Hospitals, it was a nightmare. She went through surgery, then chemo therapy and radiation. She was also attending followup checks every six months post treatment...we all thought it disappeared and the Doctor assured that he found no cancer cells during the followups. A storm struck when the Doctors discovered it had spread to the lungs and she had just an year left. Who could we question? It was utterly difficult for the family to convince her for another round of chemo.,she discontinued the sittings due to no proper awareness. Her family was forced to seek alternative treatments which cudn't take control of a fast creeping disease like cancer..superficially she started looking better,her appetite improved, hair growing again. Everyone thought those alternative treatments worked wonders on her. Suddenly her speech weakened, her hands and feet lost control. When the family ran for scans, this time it was the brain...she was given only 15days...her close family members saw her body organs giveup week after week and she lost the battle. Not that she gaveup the treatment to live her remaining days peacefully, but she had no awareness about what cancer can do to her. When her body started showing off the changes, she was disturbed, demotivated and then started the speedy deterioration. She rejected to breastfeed her children after their birth to stay slim, had she some awareness about breastcancer, she would have nursed for self-help. She had been using heavy makeup for over 35years daily, including cheap brand lipsticks which are notorious for causing cancer. Her Hyderabad based family was buying breakfast and dinner everyday for more than 15years from a local road-side tiffin center, prepared in not-so hygienic environment. Cancer is such a disease which is not stationary...it aims to spread and capture. Her family ddnt expect it, probably they ddnt notice when the Doctors warned them of the same. Her story is a serious lesson for every women. Stay away from every wrong step with health..stay away from Cancer ! --pratyusha

  Women! Keep a Check on Your Health at Work   With so many changes in the modern world, it has become extremely important for a woman to take some extra care of herself.  Since the new lifestyle is demanding a lot of her attention, she is neglecting her own health. As a woman, you need to understand that you can maintain life with the correct balance only if you are healthy yourself. The first step towards good health is to start eating right. Ensure that you eat breakfast in a way that will help you kick start the day with great energy. You can go light on lunch or dinner but breakfast is something you should not compromise on. In case your work compels you to eat your meals at greater intervals, keep some healthy snacks around to keep up the energy.   Earlier women never had to make time separately for a workout. Now, time has changed and so has the lifestyle of a women. Today, a working woman spends not less than 8 hours in the same position. Therefore, it becomes important for her to get up for an occasional stretch of her body, to avoid cramps, improve blood circulation and add to over health. Constant typing on the laptop or the desk and using the mouse can give you a condition known as carpel tunnel syndrome. To avoid this, make sure you don’t over work yourself. Take the much needed break and give yourself some rest during the day. Another equally important thing, most of us ignore is to take the post lunch walk. If you have a canteen that you can go to, do that instead of eating at your desk. This will ensure you walk before and after your lunch and help you digest your food better. Keeping these things in mind, will not only make you good at your work, but will also make you a healthy working woman. .....Kruti Beesam

  Potato the Dreaded Vegetable,is it really so?? The first vegetable people will always love to hate is “POTATO.” They can neither avoid it totally nor can eat it with peace of mind and enjoy. Potatoes sometimes get a bad rap for being a white starch, thrown into the same category as white rice or white bread. Keeping this in mind many people try to avoid eating it and cooking it for kids too. But the point is, unlike those other starches, which have indeed been stripped of healthful nutrients, potatoes are a whole  food that contain several beneficial nutrients. They are an excellent source of two immunity boosters—vitamins C and B6, delivering 25% and 29% of your daily needs per medium potato, respectively. They are also a good source of foliate, which is especially important for women of childbearing age, and they deliver fiber (4 grams in a medium potato; women need 25 grams daily and men need 38 grams). To be precise One medium-size potato has just 110 calories and is absolutely fat-, sodium and cholesterol free, making them downright undeniable for any diet.  (run to get some now..wait wait read the remaining and go J)The power of the potato doesn’t stop there. Whether yellow, purple or red, potato nutrition is good for you! One medium potato with skin provides 620 milligrams or 18% of the recommended daily value (DV) per serving. Potatoes rank highest for potassium content among the top 20 most frequently consumed raw vegetables and fruits. Potassium is a mineral that is part of every body cell. It helps regulate fluids and mineral balance in and out of cells and in doing so, helps maintain normal blood pressure. Potassium is also vital for transmitting nerve impulses or signals, and in helping muscles contract. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C (45% of the DV), which is more vitamin C than one medium tomato (40% DV) or sweet potato (30% DV). Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant stabilizing free radicals, thus helping prevent cellular damage. It aids in collagen production; assists with iron absorption; and helps heal wounds and keep your gums healthy. Vitamin C may help support the body’s immune system. One medium potato provides 6% of the recommended daily value of iron. Iron is a major component of hemoglobin that carries oxygen to all parts of the body. Iron also has a critical role within cells assisting in oxygen utilization, enzymatic systems, especially for neural development, and overall cell function everywhere in the body. Thus, iron deficiency affects all body functions, not only through anemia, which appears late in the process of tissue iron deficits. So now that you know it’s too good eat potato .let me tell you a point of caution. Its not the potato that is fattening or unhealthy, it’s the way its cooked. So what ever way u want eat potato, make it in a really healthy way..then, in such scenario for  many people Potato will never be a “forbidden fruit” J Happy potatoing !! --Pushpa

    Sciatic Pain   Sciatic pain is a common type of pain affecting the sciatic nerve, a large nerve extending from the lower back down the back of each leg.   Common symptoms of sciatica include: ·         Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting ·         Burning or tingling down the leg ·         Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot ·         A constant pain on one side of the rear ·         A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body. Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes. For some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and debilitating. For others, the sciatica pain might be infrequent and irritating, but has the potential to get worse. But you should seek immediate medical attention if you have progressive lower extremity weakness, numbness in the upper thighs, and/or loss of bladder or bowel control.  What Causes Sciatica? Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Additional common causes of sciatica include: ·          Narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back ·         Breakdown of discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae) ·         Spondylolisthesis ,a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one ·         Pregnancy There are few more  things that may make your back pain worse, which includes, being overweight, not having an active life and not  exercising regularly, wearing high heels, or sleeping on a mattress that is too soft. So before you jump on to conclusions check on which of these is causing the pain.   How can one handle sciatic pain?? There are few things we should do when we are suffering from sciatic pain. First and foremost is being active in life.  Take up any form of exercise you like, be it yoga, gym or any other format, but you should be able to do it regularly at least 4 times a week. Because  without exercise and movement, the back muscles and spinal structures become deconditioned and less able to support the back. The de-conditioning and weakening can lead to back injury and strain, which causes additional pain. In addition, active exercise is also important for the health of the spinal discs. Movement helps exchange nutrients and fluids within the discs to keep them healthy and prevent pressure on the sciatic nerve.   Secondly you can plan for Massage. Don't expect a chilled-out spa massage if you have sciatica. In this instance,. The sciatic nerve sits underneath a muscle called the piriformis, which is located beneath the glutes.It is discovered that "When the piriformis muscle gets tight, it pinches the sciatic nerve, causing tingling and numbness down into the leg,". When we  apply pressure to irritated and inflamed areas, or trigger points, in the piriformis muscle, as well as in muscles in the lower back and glutes. It might give some relief. Typically, schedule your treatments 7 to 10 days apart. If there is relief go ahead or else stop it, coz it may not be the right treatment for you. Third and most important is see a Medical specialist if the pain persists. We should remember that all health tips are for simple pains, anything beyond it should be treated Medically. ----Pushpa Bhaskar

  మీకున్న ఆరోగ్యం మాకెక్కడిది?  " మీరు తిన్న  తిండి వేరు, మీరు ఉన్న తీరు వేరు , మీకున్న ఆరోగ్యం మాకెక్కడిది? అంటూనే  ముక్కుతూ మూలుగు తూనే  వాషింగ్ మెషిన్, లు మిక్సీలు, ఓవెన్ లు, తెగ వాడేస్తుంటారు ఇప్పటితరం ఇళ్లాళ్ళు. అయితే కొత్త తరం, కొత్త ఆలోచనలు, కొత్త జీవిత విధానంలో, తీరిక లేక ఇలాంటి పరికరాలు వాడడంలో ఎలాంటి తప్పు లేనే లేదు. కొత్త పరికరాలు పుట్టెదే మన హడావిడి జీవితానికి కాస్త ఊరట ఇవ్వడానికి. కానీ వచ్చిన చిక్కు ఏంటంటే అవి మన శరీరాన్ని అలసత్వానికి గురిచేస్తున్నాయి. ఎప్పుడైనా అవి లేని పక్షం లో ఊపిరి ఆడనట్టు అయిపోతున్నారు ఆడవాళ్ళు (ఇంట్లో పని మగవాళ్ళు చూస్తుంటే వారు కూడా అనుకోండి)  శరీరానికన్న మేధడుకి ఎక్కువ పని చెప్పడం వల్ల శరీరం బరువెక్కి అనేక రకాలైన రోగాలపాలవుతోంది. అలా అని వాటిని వాడడమా ఆపలేము. మరి అంచి ఆరోగ్యానికి దారెది అంటే...మీ చేతిలోనే ఉంధి. 1) ఆహారం లో జాగ్రతలు తీసుకోండి ,అందరికీ వడ్డించాక మిగిలినవి కాకుండా మీకు కూడా ఉండేలా వండుకోండి. ఆకుకూరలు, పళ్ళు పిల్లలకే కాదు అమ్మలుగా మీకు కూడా చాలా అవసరం అని తెలుసుకోండి. 2) ఎక్కడ కూర్చుంటే అక్కడికి "ఇది తీసుకురా, అది అందించు" అంటూ పిల్లలనో పనివాళ్లనో పురమాయించకండి. ప్రతి పని మీకు మీరే చేసుకోండీ. శరీరం కాస్త మాట వింటుంది.   3) రోజు వాకింగ్, యోగా లాంటి పనులు ఏవో ఒకటి చేయండి. అయితే మీ ఒక్కరే చేస్తే మానేసెంత బద్ధకం రావడం తధ్యం. అందుకే ఎవరినైనా జత కలుపుకోండి. అప్పుడు మీ బద్దకాన్నివారు , వారి బద్దకాన్ని మీరు వదలకొట్టుకోవచ్చు. 4) ఆఫీసులో ఉన్నా ఇంట్లో ఉన్నా సెల్ లో కాల్  వచ్చినప్పుడు లేచి అటు ఇటు తిరుగుతూ మాట్లాడండి. అప్పుడు నడకకి నడకా మాటలకి మాటలు రెండు అయిపోతాయి . అలా అని సిగ్నల్ లేని వైపు వెళ్ళి కాల్ కట్ అయితే నన్ను తిట్టుకోకండి. 5) చివరిగా మీరు ఆరోగ్యంగా  లేనిదే మీ కుటుంబంలోని వారి ఆరోగ్యాలు సరిగ్గా ఉండేలా చూసుకోలేరు, కనీసం అందుకోసమైన "బంగారు తల్లుల్లా" మాట విని మీ ఆరోగ్యం భద్రం గా ఉంచుకోండి. --Pushpa