Category: Wellness

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Wellness

Foot care made easy

They take a lot of pressure, but they are relatively easy to take care of, too. Follow these simple steps.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

taking care of your feetIf you think you are overworked, and if the stress in your body is focussed only in your shoulders and back, think again. While these parts of your body definitely bear the brunt of a stressful life, we actually forget that the most stresses are concentrated in our legs, and mostly in our feet.

Our feet don’t just take us places, they take the strain of sudden movement when we run for the bus or the train, spend long periods resting as we sit at our desks and the blood pools in them, get very little attention as regards a tone-up and massage, and are hardly ever exercised like they should be. What’s more, we don’t notice their poor health till the skin on our sole starts callusing, or we develop painful corns or bunions due to wrong footwear, or even such potentially serious conditions such as DVT in the vessels in the feet, and which may cause painful cramps and spasms.

Yet, it’s not too late to start caring for your feet. Just follow these steps and you’re good:
– Invest in a rubber cricket ball and place it near your feet. Whether at home watching TV or working at your desk in office, move your feet backwards and forwards over the ball in a regular motion. This stimulates blood circulation and massages aching muscles.

– If you suffer from poor circulation in your feet, try this: Slather a soothing lotion or a deep tissue oil on your feet, and massage firmly for two minutes. Next, warm a pair of socks and put these on for half an hour. Do not walk while the socks are on.

– If you’ve suffered a cut or injury on your feet due to new footwear, disinfect it immediately.

– A good indication of whether you are over-exercising or walking too many kilometres is when your feet develop aches or swell up. Walk briskly but only as much as your feet can take, and drink a lot of water before you exercise.

– In this weather, your feet are likely to get sweaty and give rise to bacterial infections. Give your feet a thorough disinfecting treatment – in a tub of warm water, squeeze the juice of foot bathtwo lemons and soak for 20 minutes. Next, rub a pumice stone or foot scraper gently over dead skin, then soak your feet in a fresh tub of lemon water for 10 minutes. Clean out your nails, file them and complete the treatment with a generous slathering of neem oil on your feet. Wear old socks over your feet and avoid walking for a while.

– If your feet have been bearing the brunt of too much running around at work, follow a regimen of massage before washing feet with warm water. You can use coconut oil or olive oil for a good massage.

– Do these simple exercises every day:

1) Rotate your ankles clockwise and anticlockwise for a fixed number of times. Your legs and body should be stationery.
2) Hold your ankles and bend your feet upwards and downwards slowly, for a fixed number of times.
3) If you are prone to cramps in your legs, flex your toes and point them as low as you can towards the ground. Then flex again and point them as high as you can. Do this slowly without pressurising your calf muscles.

– It is a good idea to have a pedicure and foot spa every two weeks, but ensure that the equipment used is clean.

(Pictures courtesy healthmeup.com, zongyi.blogspot.com)

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Wellness

Vaginal discharge: good or not?

Not all vaginal discharge is bad. You only have to start worrying when it changes colour or develops an odour.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It’s annoying and sometimes uncomfortable, but there’s no getting away from it – vaginal discharge is a necessary evil in every woman’s life.

Vaginal discharge serves a primary function: it is secreted as a ‘clean up’ mechanism for a woman’s reproductive system, especially in the days immediately after the end of the monthly menstrual cycle. Its function is to rid the uterine and vaginal tract clear of old cells and fluid, and it is nature’s way of keeping the uterus, cervix and vagina clean.

How much discharge is normal?
vaginal discharge symptomsSays gynaecologist Dr Prachi Kakkar, “The amount of discharge varies from woman to woman, so what’s normal for one may be abnormal for another. Besides, the amount and intensity varies on other factors such as stress, an infection, an illness, use of antibiotics, ageing and pregnancy.”

While some women can experience a discharge daily, not counting the days they have a period, others can have occasional discharge. “As long as the discharge is transparent or slightly whitish, without an odour and it is not thick, the discharge is considered normal,” says Dr Kakkar.

When you should worry
The first sign of some distress in the uterine tract is normally exhibited through the vaginal discharge, says Dr Kirti Soman, Nagpur-based gynaecologist. “Whether a localised infection or a larger issue like a fibroid, the vaginal discharge will give the first indication of the condition,” Dr Soman says. “You might experience a sudden, heavy discharge. On the other hand, you might experience extreme dryness in the vaginal area with no discharge at all. Either way, it should sound an alarm bell.”

Additionally, the discharge may change appearance, which is when you should be concerned. “If it changes colour – becomes yellow or greenish or clotted white, like curd – and if it develops a strong fishy or unpleasant smell, then it means you have developed an infection. It may be a yeast infection or vaginosis or even a sexually-transmitted disease like gonorrhoea. The good news is that these infections can be treated with oral medication and if doctor’s orders are strictly followed, they can clear up in a few weeks,” Dr Soman explains.

How will you know if you’ve got a problem?
– If you experience sudden heavy discharge, try and chart for how long you’ve been suffering it. Ditto for sudden dryness and lack of discharge for days, if you’ve previously had doucheregular discharge. Ideally, you should not wait for longer than a week to see a doctor.
– A change of colour and smell of the discharge is an indication of an infection. An infection exists if the discharge is yellow, greenish, grey or curdy in appearance, and if it smells bad.
– You may get an infection if you have sexual intercourse with a person infected with chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
– If you’re experiencing pain during intercourse or if the vagina is swollen/dry, you may have an infection in the cervix.
– Do not try to treat yourself at home using douches (in pic on right) or vaginal washes purchased off the market without a doctor’s advice. There is a high chance of you killing the healthy cells in your system if you use a douche, or certain cleansing solutions in your vaginal area.
– Some infections recur, so if you’ve been treated once, don’t assume you won’t ever need treatment again. Consult your doctor when making lifestyle, food and medication choices.

(Pictures courtesy www.didibahini.com, www.ladycarehealth.com, www.women-health-info.com)

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Wellness

Pepper season

Apart from enhancing the flavour of our food, black pepper can cure vitiligo, aid digestion and even lessen joint pain.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It’s dark and so beautiful, you’ll wonder why it only plays a supporting role in your life, that too, only in your food preparations. We’re talking about black pepper – the fruit of the black pepper plant from the piperaceae family. In our country, it is native to the state of Kerala. Piperine, a chemical present in it, gives it a nutritional punch and its spicy bite.

Why use black pepper in cooking?
It is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, and its nutritive value is preserved even after the cooking process is complete. It not only enhances the flavour of our food, it also aids in the absorption of nutrients in the blood. It is best used whole, instead of in a powder form. However, it should not be used in high amounts, because it may cause irritation of the gut. Excess pepper may also cause sneezing.

What does it contain?
Black_pepper fruitBlack pepper is a good source of Vitamins C and K, potassium, dietary fibre, iron and manganese. The good news is that all of it is useful, even the outer skin of the peppercorn. It is known to have a ‘scavenging’ quality once ingested, which accounts for its purifying and healing properties; this has implications for several medical disorders, especially those that see a rise in free radicals (such as injuries and diseases like cancer).

Digestion woes? Zap them with black pepper. Piperine increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which in turn, contributes to a smoother digestive process. Black pepper also reduces intestinal bloat and gas, and flatulence after meals. Since it causes sweating, it aids in the removal of toxins through sweat.

Vitiligo cure: Do you suffer from vitiligo or leukoderma? Does your skin have the tendency to develop light patches, owing to a loss or deficiency of pigment? Black pepper has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for years to treat these specific conditions. Black pepper is used in Ayurvedic oils and ointments as an external applicator to induce the increased production of melanin. This cure finds its place in Allopathy, too, where an ointment or paste containing black pepper is first applied over the affected area of the skin before it is given a UV light treatment.

Vitamin C power: Its Vitamin C content makes black pepper a potent force in treating cough, cold, sinusitis and congestion. It is also a good anti-black pepper powderbacterial, thus helping treat constipation and diarrhoea. When boiled with a neutral oil as a base, or simply crushed and used over a painful tooth, it is known to alleviate the pain associated with dental problems. Additionally, it provides localised relief from insect bites. When used in oil massage, it is known to lessen joint pains.

Excellent antioxidant: Black pepper shows tremendous promise in fighting free radicals in the body. It seeks out free radicals and minimises the damage caused by them. This has huge implications in the treatment of such diseases as cancer, especially skin cancer.

Fat loss: Black pepper assists in the faster breakdown of fat cells. This helps the body respond faster to exercise and a controlled diet, thus resulting in weight loss. Additionally, it boosts metabolism and attacks belly fat. Naturopaths insist on black pepper being added to the diet of obese patients. Apart from providing these benefits, black pepper also causes sweating and urination, for the removal of toxins. It is also good for the heart, since it helps in the clean-up of arteries and in purifying blood.

Alleviates depression: Piperine is known to act on the central nervous system. The stimulation it provides acts like an anti-depressant. In turn, this improves cognitive capacity and function.

 (Pictures courtesy R Boroujerdi, commons.wikimedia.org, www.indian-spices-exporters.com, hawaiiplantdisease.net)

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Wellness

Stay fighting fit this season

Keep yourself and your family fit this rainy season with some expert tips for eating healthy food and staying disease-free.
by Deepa Mistry

The monsoon season is always greeted with a hearty welcome by soaking in the rains after the scorching summer heat, sipping your favourite cuppa from the road side chai tapri. Like many others, I love this romantic season, especially with some hot road-side vada pavs and kanda bhajjis to gorge. But the street food that we crave in this season is actually a gateway for viruses and illnesses; therefore we must avoid eating out at all costs.

The monsoons come with both pros and cons; they reduce our overall immunity and make us susceptible to many diseases. We have to help our body resist these diseases, by boosting our immunity and taking precautions. Some of the diseases associated with the monsoon are malaria, jaundice, and gastro-intestinal infections like typhoid and cholera. Apart from these, viral infections like cold and cough are common and spread fast.

Dr Vidya Yevale, nutritionist says, “During monsoons, it’s highly recommended that you avoid outside food, as high humidity makes your digestive system weak. It is important to get the right nutrition and keep your body resistant against diseases by boosting immunity through a healthy diet.”

Confused about what to eat and what to avoid? Wondering how to guard against diseases? Try these tips:
– Have a glass of warm water, one teaspoon honey and a drop of ginger oil every morning. It will cure your sore throat and keep your skin hydrated.

cinnamon tea– Skip your usual black and opt for tulsi or cinnamon green tea. These will also help you lose weight.

– Only drink boiled and purified water from home. If you are travelling, carry your own bottle of purified water.

– Eat raw vegetables and fruit only if you have washed them properly. While washing fruit, add a teaspoon of vinegar to a bowl of water and soak all your fruits for 5 minutes. Wash with plain water before you eat. This method helps wash away all dirt and chemicals.

– Avoid buying pre-cut vegetables and eating salads or cut fruits at restaurants and roadside stalls.

– Try to avoid direct intake of dairy products like raita and cottage cheese (paneer) while eating outside. Curd or buttermilk is a preferable option over milk.

– Eat fresh home-cooked food and add a little ginger-garlic to all your meals. Ginger is known to have properties that increase immunity.

– Hot soups are the best to fight cold and cough during this season. Add some pepper as it is loaded with vitamins and disease-fighting properties.

– Try and avoid too much of fish or meat. Stock your fridge with green vegetables, cereals and fruit. Also avoid fried or overcooked food since it decreases your body’s digestive efficiency.

Homemaker Prerana Singh shares her healthy cooking tips. “During monsoons, my kids love to munch on street food like samosas, corn-on-the-cob, chaats but avoid home cooked chana chaatfood so I have started making all these dishes at home. I secretly add vegetables they don’t like in my home-made burger patties and samosas and they love it.”

Children can nag you for street food during the monsoons, so make sure you eat from a good restaurant and the food served is piping hot. Also, drink plenty of water as it helps wash out all the toxins and helps you detox. As you eat healthy this monsoon, stay fit by trying some easy exercises at home – try yoga, pranayama and Surya Namaskar – which will boost your immunity against cold and flu.

(Pictures courtesy healthmeup.com, foodsapor.com, easiestrecipes.blogspot.com)

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Wellness

Plum stories

Plums provide a host of health benefits to both fortify and beautify. Good news is, it’s plum season in Mumbai!
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Nature has the most wonderful way of making certain fruit and vegetables available to us as the seasons change. With the rains lashing the country presently, we’re suffering from monsoon-related illnesses, and certain fruit available this season can help you fight back.

Of these, plums should be your first choice. This beautiful fruit, whose dark red variety is available in our country, packs a punch when it comes to providing nutrients to not just beautify the human body, but also fortify it. Good news is, the freshest plums are currently being sold in Mumbai (about Rs 50 per half kilo), so you can go ahead and indulge.

What plums contain: Plums contain liberal doses of potassium, Vitamin A, iron, riboflavin, thiamine and magnesium. This fruit is a good source of fibre, which in turn helps digestion. A standard cup of pitted plums comprises 26 per cent Vitamin C, 13 per cent Vitamin K and 11 per cent Vitamin A, as per the US Department of Agriculture.

plums Purifying blood: Research shows that the fibre-providing nature of plums helps to prevent platelet clotting, which may in turn lead to blood disorders like arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. Plums help purify the blood by liberally oxygenating it, and are recommended for those prone to strokes and coronary heart disease. It improves gastrointestinal and liver function and thus prevents constipation.

On the workout menu: Confused about what to eat before you work out at the gym or go for a run? Grab a couple of plums before you start exercise. Plums contain citric acid that can prevent tiredness and muscle cramp. Besides, its high water content helps in hydration. Their sugar content will keep you in good stead during a rigorous workout, and you won’t pile on the pounds because plums are fat-free!

Healthy hearts: We’ve already said that plums are a great source of gut-cleaning fibre, but did you know that the fibre from plums also helps bring down cholesterol? The fibre in plums is ‘soluble’, which means that it binds to cholesterol and promotes its excretion from the body. It has the same effect with blood glucose and helps normalise blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of glucose. A good way to ensure your heart gets the maximum benefit is to chop a couple of plums and add them to your bowl of oats for breakfast.

The eyes have it: Plums put the shine in your eyes – their Vitamin A content helps prevent macular degeneration and fights local infections. Regular consumption of plums has been known to improve eye health.

Antioxidant punch: Recent studies in the West show that plums may help in the battle against such life-threatening diseases as cancer. Plums are loaded with antioxidants, and are plums and prunesparticularly effective for patients suffering from cancer and heart disease, because the content of free radicals is high in these patients and antioxidants are required to fight them.

Healthy skin and hair: This season is all about taking care of your dull skin and limp hair, and with all their goodness, plums can help spruce up both. Eat two soft, ripe plums a day for optimum effect.

 (Pictures courtesy www.klesickfamilyfarm.com, www.grantustheluxury.com, www.happyhealthylonglife.com)

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Wellness

A city of overweight children?

Leading surgeon finds young children in Mumbai and other cities are more prone to obesity; calls it a ‘generational curse’.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

We see them everywhere. On their way back from school, or rooted firmly to their seats in front of their computers, or lounging for hours in front of the television – fat children, with ever-expanding waistlines and astounding weights for people so young.

When children are infants, a bit of extra weight seemingly adds to their chubby charm. What is alarming is, however, that some children are not just unable to shed the baby fat, they are unable to stop expanding at all.

Dr Shashank ShahSays Dr Shashank Shah (in pic on left), noted laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon with a huge practice in Mumbai and Pune, “In my practice, and overall, the trend we are observing is that this current generation of adolescent and pre-adolescent children is afflicted not just by an unhealthy lifestyle, but a ‘generational curse’. It seems to be a shift in evolution that is prompting their metabolism to not function at peak optimum levels.”

What does this mean?
This simply means that the metabolic set point for this generation has moved; doctors are increasingly seeing children with BMIs (Body to Mass Index) of 28 and above; 28 is considered the ideal BMI for adults. “There is a shift of the BMI to a higher level. This does not happen suddenly – it is both genetic and evolutionary in nature,” Dr Shah explains.

Not eating the right foods, not exercising enough or at all, and not being encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle, are all combining to create obese childfatter, diseased kids. “Recently, at my clinic in Mumbai, there was a 12-year-old boy who came to see me,” Dr Shah says. “It seems difficult to believe, but 100 kgs is fast becoming an average weight for children.”

Diseases galore
A worrying trend, apart from the excess weight obese children are lugging around, is that they have several diseases right from a tender age. “Hypertension, diabetes, cardiac disorders…all of these are very common among obese children,” Dr Shah says. “Other problems that come at a later stage are fertility issues. Besides this, the fact that they are overweight and unable to do most activities that their peers can, also plays on them psychologically. However, many parents are slow to react to the problem. I have had several parents tell me that they enrolled their child in the gym because the weight was embarrassing,” Dr Shah explains.

He adds that most parents hardly ever realise that obesity is not an isolated disease – it brings with it other life-threatening conditions. “Their priority is weight loss. But why do they wait till the child becomes obese? They should see a doctor the moment they notice excessive weight loss,” Dr Shah says.

eating junkWhy is Mumbai at risk?
Simply because there are so many food choices and not enough spaces for recreation and outdoor play. “Working parents also have no time to see what their children are eating every day. Children also have liberal amounts of money to spend, so they tend to buy unhealthy junk food with friends,” says Dr Shah, adding that the cities in India and also Tier II cities like Pune are showing an upwards obesity trend in children due to poor eating choices.

(Pictures courtesy www.ibcclub.org, www.hindustantimes.com, infozone.wordpress.com, navimumbaicity.com. Pictures are used for representational purpose only)

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