Salt intake - Kids effects

       Salt is a very important ingredients of any cooking. Without salt the food doesnt taste as it is. Table Salt is the most important type of salt that we use in cooking. Table salt is 40% Sodium which is essential for few body functions. However, too much intake of Sodium or salt is very risky especially to the Kids.

       Kids around the globe consume a lot of salt on daily basis. Hamburgers, French Fries, Potato Chips, Popcorn & Pizza are few food which kids consume a lot. That puts them for heart risks at later stages of life. These foods are not only tasty but have added sodium to it which makes you crave for it. Even the Ketchup used has higher content of sodium in it.

      Researchers found that more than half of the salt consumed by kids comes from the store-bought packaged foods like Breads and Cold cuts which adds to the sodium overload. All this added salt can raise blood pressure in kids which slowly leads to the heart problems. Today every 1 out of 9 kids have elevated blood pressures whcih can be controlled by lesser intake of salts.

Quick tips to avoid salt intake:

• Try adding spices to the food instead of salt for taste.
• Eating fruits and veggies more than the packaged foods.
• Cutting back on packaged foods.

If the kids want to be active in schools or if kid is an athlete and wants to run faster then they have to keep the blood pressure under control. By changing the salt intake habits kids can lead a better life.

Hiccups - Is it Normal or Serious Concerns

            Imagine you are having a dinner with your friends or family and suddenly someone starts to Hiccup. Even though in most cases it is normal to have hiccups but its very irritating spoiling the good atmosphere.

What are Hiccups and How it is Caused?

• Two sudden and involuntary contractions within the diaphragm causes Hiccups.
• Hiccups are just the reflex action of the body by which it protects itself. 
• If you eat too much food we get Hiccups
• If you eat food faster you get Hiccups
• If you eat food that is disagreeable to your system you get Hiccups
• Hiccups should last within 30 minutes
• If Hiccups lasts more than 30 minutes then its a matter of concerns like Pneumonia, Pancreatitis, Bladder Irritation and Stomach Disorders.

Hiccups Functionality:

• There is a diaphragm located between the chest and stomach
• While inhaling air, the diaphragm presses down on the stomach and the lungs are filled with air.
• While exhaling the diaphragms press on to the lungs and we exhale air.
• The diaphragm functions like a Piston.
• Due to the increase in acidity or formation of gas in the stomach the diaphragm gets irritated and as a result contracts suddenly.
• In such situation the air passing into the lungs experiences obstruction and makes peculiar sounds called Hiccup

Quick Remedy to stop Hiccups:

• During Hiccups, Hold the breath for tolerably longer spells.
• Drink a glass of water while holding your breath.
• Swallowing three times a glass of water holding your breath.
• Hold a paper bag tightly over your nose and mouth and breath in and out for a minute or two. The relatively higher levels of carbon dioxide in blood inhibit hiccups.

     

Yawning - A Contagious Process

          We often see people yawning when they are bored or lazy. Students often yawn when the lectures are boring or sometimes when people are tired they yawn to sleep. Have you ever wondered what this yawning is about and how it is contagious? Read below the details:

           A Yawning is a form of expression indicating boredom or a break in thought. Sometimes it is a way of relaxing or may occur in response to a person who is yawning too. Yawning should be a process of decreasing arousal. If observed by other person and the observer arousal level becomes synchronized as a consequence the observer will also yawn.

         Watching somebody taking a nap might also induce a state of declining arousal and trigger yawns. One would expect the observed yawns to be a more powerful stimulus, however, because another's yawns might precipitate the observer attending to muscular tension in the facial muscles that can be dissipated by the yawns stretch. In addition one might expect observed stretches in general to be contagious and yawns might thus be particularly obvious example of the general behavioral synchrony of interactants. 

Solar Eclipse - Do not view with Naked Eyes

      The Solar Eclipse is one of the best natural phenomenon on this Universe and is very pleasing to watch it on TV or media. 

      The scientists say its not fair to view the solar eclipse with naked eyes. Below are few points on it

• The sudden change in intensity of the light, viewing the sun during Eclipse may damage your eyes. The Human Eyes have a a very prominent protective mechanism to adjust automatically under various light conditions. During the Day when there is full illumination, the eyes close partially while at night when there is no illumination eyes open fully. This entire process doesn't happen in seconds but in few minutes.
• During total solar eclipse, there is complete darkness everywhere and eyes will be fully open to let in more light.
• During total eclipse the intensity of the sun is so high that it catches the eyes unaware. The intensity will be so high that it can damage the Retina of the eyes in seconds.

Hence, it is always desirable to watch the eclipses in caution either through prescribed lenses or telescopes.

  

Why Urine becomes Yellow after taking medications?

         Urine is one of the most important component in the body through which all the wastes drain out of the body. The Urine has various colors based upon the body conditions and other factors.

Why do Urine turn Yellow? Below are few updates on it.

        Yellowing of Urine is mainly due to the predominant rise in the unconjugated Bilirubin in the blood. This happens due to two reasons:

• Hemolytic Jaundice - Increased destruction of RBCs (Red Blood Cells).
• Obstructive Jaundice - Bile stone blockage of the Bile duct or any damage to the liver cells.

        Administration of certain drugs in the patients can also result in the rise in conjugated Bilirubin thereby causing yellowish Urine. Certain drugs can interfere with the Bilirubin Conjugation which is essential for its excretion through the Bile. This increase the conjugated Bilirubin levels in the blood. Even some common medicines like Paracetamol can be Hepatotoxic, which causes mild damage to liver cells thereby increasing Bilirubin levels in the blood. Acute Overdose of Paracetamol can cause Hepatic Necrosis.

    In the case of Tonics or Syrups yellowish of Urine is mainly due to the excretion of Vitamin B Complex. These Vitamins are Water Soluble and their absorption rate is Rapid. Yellow colorization is mainly due the presence of Riboflavin, which is a yellow green fluorescent compound.

Hence, be very cautious while using certain medications that can change colors of the Urine.

Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs)

          The Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) is the latest technology prescribed by the doctor for the people with diabetes to help them track and control their sugar levels continuously. These monitors are slowly gaining popularity and is available in market so that the user has the chance to wear it.

CGMs Functions:

         CGMs measure blood sugar without the need of blood for it. The patches cover tiny sensor wires that are inserted (painlessly) just under the skin to check glucose levels in inter­stitial fluid—the liquid that contains glucose and other substances leaked from blood capillaries. The CGM constantly monitors glucose levels and sends reports to a user’s smartphone or other device. These monitors have traditionally been prescribed to people with either type 1 or 2 diabetes who are insulin dependent. The monitor helps people adjust their insulin doses to keep their blood sugar close to normal range. Some of the monitors are even connected to insulin pumps that do the work automatically.

CGMs Benefits:

• CGMs can give diabetics on new insights on what they are eating.
• They can plan their activities that can benefit the glucose levels.
• The Hemoglobin HbA1C levels will come down.
• They will become more confident.
• The quality of life will improve.

         Despite the pressing need, however, CGM price tags, at present, range anywhere between Rs 5,000 and Rs 40,000, or higher. The Dexcom Stelo’s price, for example, is $99 (around Rs 8,300) per month, or $89 (Rs 7,500) with a subscription plan and is, as of now, available through the company’s official website. Another example—Medtronic’s CGM, which comes with a sensor and transmitter linked to an insulin pump, is priced at `40,000 for just the transmitter.

Obesity in Children - A threat!

         Obesity in Childhood is a serious public health problem affecting 29% of children in the world. Child Obesity persists into the adulthood making rooms for a various other lifestyle issues like coronary heart disease, Type II Diabetes, hypertension, asthma and deadly Cancers. The longer the obesity persists the risk of comorbidities increases. Preventing obesity is more important than treating it and this prevention should start at the very early childhood.

      Genetics plays a vital role in obesity for few children while in most cases its the dietary intake, parents feeding behaviors, child eating behaviors and opportunities to physical activities plays a vital role. As the child develops into adult, there is a significant changes to their weight and height.. Once they reach adulthood their body mass index becomes stable. Hence, the development of child in his early days plays significant role preventing it from challenges in its adulthood.