Your Children Are What You Feed Them

Aresearch report released by UNICEF, points out that proper nutrition at an early age has both short term and long term implications. In the short run, it facilitates brain development and muscle mass body composition, while in the long run it develops cognitive and educational performance, builds immunity and prevents diabetes, heart diseases and many other problems. It also states that 90% of a child’s brain is developed by the time he or she is 8 years old, which means it is crucial to get your child to inculcate healthy eating habits as early as possible.

A healthy baby not only grows up to become an impressive individual you feel proud of, he or she also functions as an asset to the nation. Therefore, it is important to understand early child development and the role nutrition plays in it.

How Is Healthy Food Beneficial For Kids?

Eating healthy ensures your child maintains a healthy weight, prevents immunity-based health problems, helps in stabilizing energy and sharpens the mind. Besides contributing to general physical growth and development, a healthy and balanced diet also affects a child’s mental and emotional wellbeing. This can prevent the occurrence of adverse conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, at a later stage in life. Even in cases where a child has been diagnosed with a preexisting mental health problem, nutritious food can aid in managing the symptoms and maintain as regular a lifestyle as possible.

Inculcating Healthy Eating Habit

Now that we know why healthy food is important for kids, let’s move on to how one can get their children in the habit of eating healthy.

It is worth noting, that your child is not born with a liking for junk food or an aversion to healthy foods. It is only when they are exposed to fries and burgers at a young impressionable age that they begin to develop a taste for these and eventually crave them. Children usually crave for junk food when they are hungry. If you ensure that your child has had a nutritious diet, chances are that he or she would not be asking for a burger soon. You can make each meal more nutritious, with just a little bit of effort. For instance, you could try a fortified milk powder likeEnfagrow A+ for your child, rather than offering regular milk. This is not only tastier, but also more wholesome than regular milk.

Similarly, you can look fortasty and healthy recipes for children from sites like BBC Worldwide’s Good Food website to ensure your child associates healthy food with good taste and does not crave junk food.

Besides making each meal healthy and tasty, it is also important you make mealtimes fun. A child’s brain is capable of perceiving the ambience and associating it with an emotion. If you make mealtimes more enjoyable, your child will develop a positive response towards food too.

5 cutting edge infertility treatments for couples

The first test-tube baby was born in 1978 and since then there has been a lot of progress in the field of genetics and infertility treatment. However, despite so much progress, the success rate of IVF treatments is quite low in infertility clinics across the globe. On an average only 30%-40%, IVF cycles result in successful live birth.

This is the main reason why scientists around the world are trying to find new ways to avoid any disorders that can cause infertility. There are simple methods like squeezing an embryo to complex methods like taking DNA from three parents in order to give birth to a healthier child. The following list of top 5 cutting edge infertility treatments for couples will give you an idea of how far medical science has come to find 100% assured cure for infertility.  

1. DNA Fragmentation Index

When a couple chooses to get their sperm and eggs mixed together in a lab then they can choose from two options. The first option is IVF in which the harvested egg is kept in a petri dish along with other sperms and waits for one of them to fertilize the egg. The second method is intracytoplasmic sperm injection in which a sperm which highest probability to fertilize the egg is directly injected into the egg. The latter method adds an additional cost of around 1.5 to 2 lakh in the cost of the procedure. Now a new specialized process is being used by the doctors known as DNA Fragmentation Index or DFI which gives a clear idea if the couple needs to go for ICSI or not.

2. Squeezing embryo

At present, the doctors wait for a few days to see which embryo(s) will be best viable for the transplant in the uterus. The new technique of squeezing the embryos seems to be proving useful to decide and select the most suitable sperm. Though more testing and research is required in this field, but if it is confirmed then it can take the success rate of IVF treatment to 90%.

3. INVOcell

The process is fairly new and it is used only in a few hospitals in US and Canada but it has shown promising results. In this process, the woman’s own body is used to regulate the temperature of the embryo. The woman carries the developing embryo in her vagina until the time comes for the transplant in the uterus. The sperm and egg are mixed in the lab and then placed in INVOcell which is a tiny capsule like device. This capsule is then inserted in the vagina and it stays there for five days after which it is removed and one or more embryos are then transplanted.

4. Augment with egg precursor cells

OvaScience which is Cambridge based company has found a way to treat the low quality of eggs. As the woman gets older the mitochondria in the woman’s eggs gets tired which results in low quality of the eggs. The company has found a way to mix mitochondria from egg precursor cells with sperm before mixing them with the eggs which eventually increases the chances of IVF success.

5. Mitochondrial replacement techniques

One of the major reasons for infertility is a mitochondrial disease. In the process, the embryo is created by taking the DNA from mother’s egg’s nucleus and another DNA from a donor. This process ensures that the disease does not have any effect on the growth of the embryo. But this treatment will still take some time to reach the infertility clinic near you.

In the last few decades, the infertility clinics in Bangalore are trying their level best to give the best possible treatments to their patients. This is the reason why the latest technology reaches much before in these clinics in comparison to other cities in the country. Infertility is an increasing problem but it is curable in most of the cases.

Common Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Procedures you should know

Health is wealth, so goes the saying. Many-a-times one falls ill. But sometimes unexpectedly you need to undergo minor surgeries so that your health will be restored back to normal.

The first thing you ought to know is that with the advent of science and technology, surgical procedures have been simplified and is less risky now. Furthermore, surgeons prefer surgical methods after various medications have failed. And surgery is recommended only if and when necessary. 

The Ear, Nose, and Throat form an important category of the surgical procedures. The common ailments included in this are sinusitis, tonsillitis, vertigo and sleep disorders. There are some common procedures performed to treat various problems of the ear, nose, and throat:   

1.    Common surgeries of the throat:

Removal of tonsils or adenoids – Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy are performed to remove tonsils and adenoids respectively. These surgeries are recommended when the patient has persistent and repeated infection and inflammation. Additionally, sometimes tonsils and adenoids enlarge thereby giving rise to breathing and swallowing problems. They disturb the sleeping patterns too. 

Problems in swallowing or speech- For people who have vocal cord issues due to tumors, surgery is advisable. Tracheotomy is performing a cut in the windpipe so that the air reaches the lungs. Tracheotomy is performed when you need to remove secretions from the air passage or when a person in under ventilation for a long time.  

Surgery of the head and neck region – This is usually performed to remove tumors in the larynx, head or bone.

2.    Common surgeries of the nose:

Sinusitis – Also termed as Rhinosinusitis, this is an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the sinuses.  The air passage gets congested, and its most common symptom is the recurring headaches. Sinus surgery is performed to treat sinus problem.

Nose surgeries for nasal obstruction – Septoplasty is undertaken for the correction of the septum to ease nasal congestion. This procedure is done when the septum consisting of thin bone and cartilage deviates and blocks the air flow passage. 

3.    Common surgeries of the ears:

Rectifying ruptured ear drum – Tympanoplasty is the method of reconstructing the ruptured ear drum.

Cochlear implants – Here implants are inserted into the inner portion of the ear to stimulate nerve endings. This ensures that hearing is restored. This procedure which is still in its nascent stages is carried out on sensorineural hearing loss patients who have severe hearing loss.

Removal of tiny bones in the middle ear – Stapedectomy is performed to remove part of the stapes bone which blocks sound from entering the middle ear.

Insertion of tubes to drain fluids from infected ear- Tympanostomy or Myringotomy is a common procedure for the ear tube insertion to drain pus and fluids out from the infected ear. This balances the pressure and thus reduces the ear pain.  

Never panic when your doctor suggests a procedure. Always get a second opinion from the local reputed ENT specialist in Bangalore and act accordingly. 

And when you are under the supervision of expert ENT surgeons, there is no cause for worry.

7 easy home remedies with honey

Honey is indeed a magic elixir for healthy life. Here’s presenting 7 important uses of honey at home.

It is golden and pure and seriously yummy! But the humble honey is more than just a tasty liquid; it is one of nature’s potent forces against disease, ill health and infection. Read on to know more about the 7 benefits of honey:

1. It has antifungal properties. As you know, honey is prepared by bees. The bees add a useful enzyme to the honey when they create it – this enzyme creates hydrogen peroxide inside the human body. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural cleansing agent, which helps remove harmful microbes, toxins and fungal growth in the body. Honey should be taken regularly in warm water by those who show a propensity for thrush, Athlete’s Foot and fungal nails.
2. It helps you lose weight. Honey breaks down fatty cells and destroys them. When taken in warm water with a little lemon juice first thing in the morning, it kick-starts the metabolism and gets the digestive juices going. Thus, the body is able to digest its food faster and better, and calorie burning also takes place alongside – this keeps weight in check.
3. It is a natural healing agent. You can apply honey on a burn or a cut – though it might sting! – because honey contains natural healing substances. The biggest benefit of honey in wound care is that it creates an effective barrier against the entry of bacteria and germs into the burn or wound, and it starts the healing process alongside.
4. It is a useful carrier for medication. A big benefit of honey is seen in the way that it is able to penetrate the tissues better than other substances. This explains why many Ayurvedic medicines are prepared with honey as a base. It acts like a carrier for the medication, making it doubly effective.
5. It helps regulate blood sugar. Diabetics and those with hyperglycaemia are advised against eating processed white sugar, because it causes sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. If you are a diabetic and have a sweet craving, or if you wish to eat or make a dessert, consider using honey instead. The natural sugars in honey are processed slowly by the body, thus regulating sugar levels. You can even have a spoonful of honey if your sugar levels are dipping.
6. It keeps the skin and hair healthy. Honey is packed with antioxidants and cleansing agents, so regular intake of honey with warm water or milk keeps the skin and hair healthy. You can even apply a honey pack on your skin or hair for a natural shine.
7. It strengthens the immune system. Research shows that honey stimulates the production of immune cells and improves the blood’s capacity to retain oxygen. Thus, it helps strengthen the immune system. Ayurveda stresses on this benefit of honey, prescribing a tablespoon when the weather changes, so as to boost the immunity against cold and flu.

Give your child everything they need to grow

What are Development Milestones?

Developmental Milestone is the ability that is achieved by children at a certain age. It is a set of functional skills that is honed gradually by children over the time. It includes physical, cognitive, and social development. At this stage, the children tend to develop communication skills such as talking, expressing feelings or emotions, and comprehending familiar sounds.

All this development is age-specific each child may have different way and speed of coping with it.

The 4 Developmental Milestones:

1. Large-motor Milestone: The first milestone for children and a much visible one are the physical development. This consist of the large and fine motor skills. The large-motor skills help the child to crawl, turn over, sit, walk and stand. The fine-motor skills, as the name suggests, assist them in getting the precision while carrying various tasks such as eating with utensils, writing, and picking and placing objects in their due place, etc. 
2. Cognitive Milestone: The cognitive milestone is the second in the series of the developmental milestones. In this stage the child hones its ability to feel and distinguish one emotion from the other, learn, and think. This developmental milestone is evident when the child points out at the pictures and is able to correctly tell the name of object in the picture and its colour. Children at this stage also, tend to remember poems and do basic counting. 
3. Social and Emotional Milestone: Then comes the third developmental milestone – the Social and Emotional Milestones. Here, the child can express his/her emotion and engage in social interaction. This stage in an infant would consist of the ability to recognize familiar faces, sounds, objects, and even places. However, older children may feel the need to have friends and a playgroup to play with. 
4. Communication and Language Milestone: The fourth and by far the most critical developmental milestone is the Communication and Language development. During this milestone, the child develops both forms of communication skills – verbal and non-verbal. This stage may range from uttering single words to framing a correct sentence and holding a conversation.

What is the role of a parent in the Developmental Milestones?

Space for trial and error:

You may help your child from falling once but, not always. Let your child make his own mistakes and come out of it. All you need to do is support their thinking process with adequate information.

Simplicity:

Have simple conversations. Have them often. Let your child come to you for answer and in turn you help them seek the answers by themselves.

Cheerful environment:

It is important that you have light, cheerful environment at home. Stressful or domestic violence will hinder the process of development.

Education:

By this we don’t just mean academic education but, basic manners and etiquettes that needs to be observed at home and in social surroundings.