Over Weight in Children...Reasons and how to control it...

Let's ask ourselves a small question:

"Are our children healthy? Do we really want our kids to sport the chubby cheeks and fatty look?"

What are the causes that lead to children becoming overweight?

Let's spend some time to think about this. A child may become overweight for various reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of all of above. In rare cases, a medical problem, such as some disorders, may cause a child to become overweight. Your physician can perform a careful physical examination and some blood tests, if necessary, to rule out this type of problem.

Genetic Factors
Many a times it is observed that parents or relatives are also overweight. It is not the norm that if the mother or father is fat, then the same obesity should be seen in the child but the genetic factors do play a role in increasing the likelihood that a child will be overweight.


Lifestyle
A child's total diet and his or her activity level, both play an important role in determining a child's weight. The increasing popularity of television and computer/video games contributes to children's inactive lifestyles. The average time spent by the child in watching television should be taken into account. Just take this as an exercise and calculate the hours. Watching television is not a bad thing. But selective viewing is advisable as the rest of the time can be spent in physical activity.

Is my child overweight?
Very few parents do accept that their child has become overweight and some treatment is required to make him/her healthy. From the child's birth till marriage every mother likes to pamper him/her. The mindset of every Indian mother is prepared in very different way.

If you think that your child is overweight, it is important to talk with your child's doctor. A doctor is the best person who can determine whether your child has a weight problem. Physicians will measure your child's weight and height to determine if your child's weight is within a healthy range. A physician will also consider your child's age and growth patterns to determine whether your child is overweight. Assessing overweight in children is difficult because children grow in unpredictable spurts.

How can I help my overweight child?

Dear Supportive Dad and Mom!!!One of the most important things you can do to help overweight children is to let them know that they are okay whatever their weight be. Children's feelings about themselves often are based on their parents' feelings about them. If you accept your children at any weight, they will be more likely to accept and feel good about themselves. It is also important that you talk to them about weight, allowing them to share their concerns with you. Your child probably knows better than anyone else does that he or she has a weight problem. For this reason, overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.

Focus on the family
Parents should try not to set children apart because of their weight, but focus on gradually changing the family's physical activity and eating habits. Family involvement helps to teach everyone healthful habits and does not single out the overweight child.

Increase your family's physical activity
Regular physical activity, combined with healthy eating habits, is the most efficient and healthful way to control your weight. It is also an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Some simple ways to increase your family's

physical activity include the following:
· Be a role model for your children. If your children see that you are physically active and have fun, they are more likely to be active and stay active for the rest of their lives.

· Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment like walking, dancing, biking, or swimming. For example, schedule a walk with your family after dinner instead of watching TV. Make sure that you plan activities that can be done in a safe environment.

· Be sensitive to your child's needs. Overweight children may feel uncomfortable about participating in certain activities. It is important to help your child find physical activities that they enjoy and that aren't embarrassing or too difficult.

· Reduce the amount of time you and your family spend in sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing video games.

· Become more active throughout your day and encourage your family to do so as well. For example, walk up the stairs instead of taking the lifts, or do some activity during a work or school break-get up and stretch or walk around.

The point is not to make physical activity an unwelcome chore, but to make the most of the opportunities you and your family have to be active.

Teach your family healthy eating habits
Teaching healthy eating practices early will help children approach eating with the right attitude-that food should be enjoyed and is necessary for growth, development, and for energy to keep the body running. The best way to begin is to learn more about children's nutritional needs by reading or talking with a health professional and then to offer them some healthy options, allowing your children to choose what and how much they eat.

Any diet tips to control an overweight child?
Certainly there are ways with which obesity can be controlled or managed. Never go for any restrictive diet for your child. Whatever you feed them should be nutritious. Slowly develop the habit of taking such type of food. Abruptly if you try to cut down food then it may hamper the child's growth. The best method is to consult the dietician once in the year and try to note down few points regarding the food that is needed for that particular age group. Also note the proportion of weight and height. It will give you the right direction to change your cooking activities and habits. Carefully cut down on the amount of fat in your family's diet. Don't overly restrict sweets or treats. Guide your family's choices rather than dictate foods. Encourage your child to eat slowly. Eat meals together as a family as often as possible. Involve children in food shopping and preparing meals. Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV. Try not to use food to punish or reward your child. Make sure your child's meals outside the home are balanced. Set a good example. Children are good learners, and they learn best by example. Setting a good example for your kids by eating a variety of foods and being physically active will teach your children healthy lifestyle habits that they can follow for the rest of their lives.......!!!

Health Tips...

When you think about weight gain, you probably think overeating to excess or failing to get any activity. The reality is a simple 100 calories a day can make the difference in weight gain or loss.

According to researches, the average men gains about a kilo a year. Since every kilogram of body weight equals 7000 calories, 1 kilogram translates into an extra 19 calories a day. Nineteen calories is easy to surpass so if you look at the overweight incidence it's feasible to think in terms of 100 extra calories on a daily basis. Making a change in your intake that equals 100 calories is very simple, try -

- A plate full of fresh fruits instead of fried snacks for evening snacks.
- Steamed or grilled fish or chicken instead of rich gravies or biryanis.
- Whole grain cereal instead of two slices white bread.
- Tomato slices, lettuces leaves and pepper strips on a sandwich instead of mayo or cheese.
- Two cups of skim milk per day instead of two cups of whole milk
- A cup of cow's milk curd, instead of a cup of whole milk curd.
- A cup of water/ plain soda flavored with a lemon instead of a soft drink.

In addition to making small changes in food choices, increase activity by walking fifteen minutes a day or climb stairs instead of taking the elevator to enhance the effectiveness of the effort.

Fitness at Work....

Blame it on the marathon computer sessions, endless telephone calls and the long meetings, you end up spending more time sitting than walking...

HERE ARE five ways you can fight back and shed a few extra “professional pounds.”

1.Stop going to the vending machines:
It’s 4 pm and your hunger pangs strike. What you really crave is a candy bar and a soda from the vending machine down the hall. Try packing healthy and tasty snacks to get you through the day.

2.Order healthy food:
Agreed your job requires you to travel a lot and go for business lunches, but the least you could do is order a healthy lunch. Luckily, these days most restaurants and even fast food jaunts have become more aware of the need for healthier options. Order a salad or soup. Eating a lighter lunch, will work wonders for your waistline.

3.Make exercise a top priority:
Many people think that they do not have the time during or before work to exercise. Postponing exercise often means that it gets dropped be cause you had to work late or because you were tired. Try working out before leaving for office in the morning or during your lunch break. Just go down to a park near your office and walk for 20 minutes and that will make a difference. This is also a good way to blow-off the steam after a tired day of work.

4.Don’t let any party make you forget your diet:
Do you work with colleagues who looking for any excuse to celebrate? Then you are surely in a tricky situation. You need the willpower to avoid these parties and maybe drop by late, when you know most of the goodies will be gone. Better carry a bottle of water to sip on while others consume calories.

5.Just get up and move:
Your work requires you to stay put on your seat for hours but you could still look for excuses to move. Just get up and take a walk. Moving more throughout the day will not only make you feel andlook better, it will make you more productive, too.

Best ways to help your partner lose Weight...

If your partner (or mother, or sister, or child, or friend …) really needs to lose weight, you probably feel like you'd do anything to get them to do it. Beg. Cajole. Threaten. You'd go to any lengths to motivate them to shed those pounds.Bad news, though: "You can't motivate someone else to lose weight," say all the surveys conducted worldwide. "People motivate themselves. They don't get motivation from someone else.""It's very difficult to get someone to do something they don't want to do," say most psychologists. So instead of pleading or nagging, you need a different strategy.

The Best Strategy: Just Be There
The most effective start to any change is when the person comes to their own conclusion that it needs to be done. And when that happens, even though you can't motivate your sister or husband or friend to lose weight, you can set up a motivational and supportive environment.

Read on for the list of dos and don'ts

DO try to understand what's stopping him
Your husband's weight may be a non issue to him (recent research suggests that around 60 percent of men who are clinically overweight just don't think they are). Or the reason could bepsychological. It takes both a while to get through the shame of trying to lose weight. If your loved one needs time, give it to him.

DO lead by example
Initiate the procedure yourself. Indulge yourself in healthy eating habits. Cut down the junk in your diet and make sure the changes are noticed by your partner. Everything changes when onestarts seeing the partner’s progress.

DON'T be cruel
If you don't have weight to lose, don't eat your partner's favorite cake in front of him/her a week after he/she starts trying to lose.

DO reward good behaviors
instead of criticizing bad ones. And facilitate healthier behavior by suggesting more of the things that are working.

DO be subtle, though
When you're so attentive he feels like he's in a fishbowl, that's not helpful. If he (or she) gains,he may feel like he can't talk to you about it. Try: "I see you've got more energy," or "Thoseclothes fit really well."

DON'T make affection or intimacy contingent on his weight loss
It's a common practice, consciously or otherwise, but it's likely also to have the opposite effect.

DON'T threaten
Lots of people end up trying this because they're so frustrated. But it'sactually likely to de-motivate the person on the receiving end.

DO listen
when your friend tells you about the problems she's having with weight loss.

DON'T compete
though. If you and your partner are losing weight together, and you loseweight faster than she does, she/he may feel pressured and insecure. Make sure to keep yourjourneys separate, even though you're doing it together.

DO let it bring you closer
This effort definitely brings you closer to you dear ones. It is indeed a struggle to see someone you love get into bad health and excess weight. But the relationship gets stronger because you stay the course through out.

Pregnant Myths

The truth behind popular old wives tales surrounding pregnancy

Having a baby and preparing for parent hood is by no means an easy task. When a woman gets pregnant there are several physiological and emotional changes that occur within her body and it is not always easy to cope. What makes matters worse is that everyone suddenly seems to be an expert on pregnancy. If you feel you are surrounded by people who are giving you old wives tales, read on to know some popular myths that surround pregnancy.

PREGNANCY IS ELATING

That pregnancy causes only elation and makes a woman completely happy is a myth. While being pregnant and starting a family is a beautiful experience and can cause tremendous amount of joy, it is also quite an exhausting experience for a woman. A host of factors — biological, psychological, and social can affect pregnant women and dealing with these changes could be difficult. The stress a woman undergoes can range from the stresses of work, to the changes happening to her body, to the worry over the changes in life after bringing a child into the world. If you think that by being pregnant you’ve found a key to joy, think again. It’s a great experience but can be difficult.

CRAVING FOR SOUR FOOD

While some women do crave sour food, the fact that all women would suddenly indulge in some kind of a sour food fest is utter nonsense. The truth is that cravings tend to vary with each pregnancy, and sometimes even week to week or day to day. Most cravings are harmless in terms of your health, although they’re not always good for weight gain. However, if you’re gaining weight in line with your doctor’s recommendation, and you’re getting enough calcium and fruits and vegetables, don’t worry about indulging — in moderation.

FEELING QUEASY

Another myth that surrounds pregnancy is that morning sickness lasts only for the first three months. This is untrue, and morning sickness doesn’t happen only in the morning; it can strike at any time of day or night. It’s known as morning sickness because an empty stomach can lead to queasiness, and your stomach is usually empty when you wake up. To ease queasiness until it runs its course, avoid odours or foods that trigger it.

GLOWING SKIN

Many people believe that pregnancy causes a woman’s skin to glow. The actual truth is that all the hormones produced by your body at this time augment growth. That’s why many expectant moms enjoy beauty benefits like thicker hair and faster-growing nails. But while some may bask in a rosy glow from the increased blood volume churning through their bodies, others endure broken blood vessels and spider veins.

SAME SYMPTOMS

All pregnant women do not experience the same side effects and symptoms. Conditions vary from one pregnancy to the next.

EIGHTH MONTH IS THE WORST

Another popular myth is that by the eight month of pregnancy women start feeling cranky and get irritable. However the truth is that due to the high levels of estrogen — which can rev up libido — some women actually feel good.
MEN CAN’T FEEL YOUR PAIN

This is untrue. The father of your baby is as concerned about the pregnancy as you are. In fact, you should involve him completely in the process. Encourage your partner to understand what you’re going through, and let him share in the pregnancy.

LACK OF PRIVACY

New mothers sometimes dread the thought of exposing their body to strangers in the delivery room. And they may worry about embarrassing situations, like moving their bowels during labour. The doctors and nurses helping you aren’t there to judge or criticise. Plus, there’s probably nothing you could do or say that they haven’t already seen or heard. When the time comes, you’ll be able to let your guard down and focus on what’s most important — delivering your baby.So make sure you get all your information in order and don’t rely on anything anyone has to say, without adequate research.

Walking benifints - Get walking

We are surrounded by modern inventions designed to keep us from physical activity- elevators, cars, electronic gadgets and remote controls. Such environment which even restricts us from putting in least of efforts for even switching a television set is actually taking a toll on our health. Infact walking is very good for health. It is an everyday activity that you can transform into regular exercise to help and maintain fitness.

Benefits of Walking

Walking is an aerobic exercise that conditions the heart and lungs if performed at the proper intensity for30 -40 minutes at a time at least 5 times a week. This increase oxygen available to the body and enables the heart to use oxygen more efficiently.

1.Walking gives you more energy and increases your resistance to fatigue.

2.Improves your self – image.

3. Relieves tension helping you relax and induce sound sleep.

4. Improves muscle tone.

5.Increases stamina and delays the onset of fatigue.

However if you are under 40 years and have no health problems, you may take it up right away. However if you are over 40 years or are overweight , smoke , have high blood pressure , diabetes , heart disease, experience breathlessness, you should consult a doctor.

Important points to remember

The most important attire you need is a pair of walking shoes. Choose shoes with thick flexible soles that cushions the soles of the foot and absorb the shock for the rest of the body.

Do not eat a heavy meal 1 hour before you walk and wait for 20 minutes after walking before you eat anything.

Do not drink coffee before you walk.

Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after you walk, especially when you sweat o lot.

Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes by walking at a slow pace , moderate pace and do some stretching exercises before you increase the speed.This helps to prevent injury.

Cool down by walking slowly for 5 minutes and stretch after you walk.

Set a pace for your program and do not push yourself too hard when you start. If it takes more than 10-12 minutes for your pulse to slow down after exercise or if you have difficulty in breathing , feel faint or have prolong fatigue and weakness, reduce your pace.

To ensure a successful walking program choose a time of day that suits you best and stick to it! If you exercise the first thing in the morning, you are more likely to be consistent. Over 90% of the people who exercise consistently do so in the morning.When you exercise in the morning you jump-start your metabolism and feel energized for the day. It also ensures improved blood circulation reflecting directly on your complexion too!

Dengue Fever - Symptoms -Treatment

Dengue Fever:

Dengue fever is a self-limiting flu-like illness, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected female mosquito. The mosquito transmits the disease by biting an infected person and then biting someone else. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue live among humans and breed in discarded tires, flower pots, old oil drums, and water storage containers close to human dwellings. Unlike the mosquitoes that cause malaria, dengue mosquitoes bite during the day. These mosquitoes gather around stagnant water. Hence, it is common for a surge in reports of dengue infections just after the monsoon.

Symptoms:

Dengue fever usually starts suddenly with a high fever, rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain. Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common. A rash usually appears 3 to 4 days after the start of the fever. Most dengue infections result in relatively mild illness, but some can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever. With dengue hemorrhagic fever, the blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gums. Bruising can be a sign of bleeding inside the body. Without prompt treatment, the blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is fatal in about 5 percent of cases, mostly among children and young adults. The time between the bite of a mosquito carrying dengue virus and the start of symptoms averages 4 to 6 days, with a range of 3 to 14 days. An infected person cannot spread the infection to other persons but can be a source of dengue virus for mosquitoes for about 6 days.

Treatment:

Please contact a physician in reputed hospital if you find these symptoms. The patients with dengue fever should be encouraged to rest and take abundant fluids.

First aid for those everyday injuries...

Paying a little bit of attention to common injuries could prevent them from worsening and becoming troublesome. However, you should also know when it’s time to go to a doctor. Too much pain or bleeding or a ‘bad feeling’ are reasons enough to consult a doctor.

Abrasions:
Scrapes, scuffs, and abrasions happen when the skin comes in contact with a rough material. Skinned knees or palms are the most common types of abrasions. Bleeding is usually minimal, and the pain often fades quickly. To treat an abrasion, clean the wounded area well with water and either soap or an alcohol pad. Apply antibacterial ointment, alcohol, or iodine and cover with clean gauze. Keep an eye on it until it is healed for any change in colour or puffiness.

Sprains:
A sprain is caused when a joint twists in a way that it shouldn’t and damages the connective tissue. Swelling and pain accompany the injury, and use of the affected joint is extremely limited.The best treatment for a sprain is to keep pressure off of the injured area and to alternate heat and ice pack on the injury. Use of anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen is also recommended. You may also consult a doctor.

Bruises:
Bruises are caused by hits or blunt objects breaking small blood vessels in the skin. It is also possible to have sub-dermal bruises, or bruises beneath the skin, which are a result of a blow-breaking blood vessels in bone or muscle tissue.
The best treatment for bruises is to simply apply heat and massage the area. There are also creams available to deaden any pain associated with the bruise and to speed the bruise in healing. Should the bruise be especially dark or continues to grow, don’t hesitate to consult a doctor.

Cuts:
Depending upon the weapon that causes the injury, cuts can be deep or shallow, smooth or jagged, thin or wide.
If the cut is a small one, or barely bleeding, clean the area and apply a bandage. If the cut is larger or bleeding heavily, apply pressure to the wounded area with a clean cloth and seek medical attention immediately. Cuts that bleed heavily or that are large or jagged may have damaged major veins or arteries of that particular area, and even if they haven’t may require stitches in order to heal correctly. So, in such cases it’s best to visit a doctor.