FITNESS & NUTRITION CENTER DATABASE Abilities Know your abilities. Write your three strengths and three weakness at work and at home. Keep revising this list. Appreciate your strengths, work out a rational plan to reduce, not necessarily eliminate, weakness. If your are not sure, talk to a close friend. Do not be embarrassed about your weakness. It is only when you refuse to believe that you have any weakness that you should began worrying. Accidental Boils Prevent accidental boils. Always turn on cold water faucet first before adjusting water temperature in sinks, tubs and showers. Never let infants operate faucets. Achilles Tendon Achilles tendon is pulling of tendon in the back of the heel; many a minor damages to tendons heal by themselves but if swelling of pain persists longer, a surgery or cast may be necessary. Acidity in Mouth Higher acidity in mouth, even for 20-30 minutes begins to erode teeth enamel leading to tooth decay. Rinse mouth promptly after drinking fruit juices or eating desserts. All sweet foods (except those sweetened by artificial sweeteners) promote acidity of mouth by supporting growth of bacteria that produce acid. Rinsing with baking soda is an excellent method of reducing mouth acidity. Acne in Adults Acne in adults can be a sign of hormonal imbalance or drug toxicity, particularly from use of steroids; get a medical check up if it persists Acne Acne is not a sign of poor health or peculiar dietary habits; it is also not related to sexual promiscuity or constipation. It is the result of hormonal changes and caused by the oiliness of skin. Acupuncture Acupuncture, the ancient Chinese treatment using needles, is now a widely accepted medical technique; if you want to try it out, get a qualified healer because it is an extremely complicated art and science. Acute Hepatitis Acute hepatitis is the inflammation of liver caused by virus, toxin, obstruction, parasite, or drug. Addiction Gambling is an addiction that brings true pleasure and as a result obsessive gamblers become reckless; they do not play only to win. Eventually, it wrecks them mentally and socially. Treat obsessive gambling like a disease not a habit. Adolescence Acne Acne affects more than half the adolescents, specially girls. It is a normal response mediated by the hormone testosterone but exacerbated by stress, stages of menstrual cycle and make-up of the affected area. Proper cleansing of skin and use of anti-acne preparations is recommended. Aerobics Both men and women benefit equally not only from aerobic but also weight pushing exercises. Aerosols Do not use aerosols containing chlorofluorocarbons to protect the ozone layer. Afternoon Naps Afternoon naps give you just enough deep sleep to feel refreshed; in the morning or evening, naps leave you groggy. The urge to nap in the afternoon is not due to the effect of meals but to a drop in the body temperature. If you can manage a nap, go ahead. Age and Diet Your good health today is a result of yesterday's good eating living habits, which may no longer guarantee good health as you grow older; gradually reduce calories, increase physical activity and reduce unmanageable stress. Age and Immunity Immunity to disease declines in the elderly. Each bout of disease lowers it further. Much care must be exercised in disease prevention, specially respiratory infections. AIDS AIDS symptoms take about 15 years to appear after infection. The acute phase has similar symptoms as viral infection: fever, sore throat, rash, etc. Within eight weeks of infection, a positive response to HIV is detected. Initial signs of AIDS include persistent fever with night sweating, fatigue and malaise, diarrhoea of unknown cause and 10-15% weight loss. Death comes from loss of body's defence against infections, primarily respiratory. By the end of 1994, there were about four million cases of AIDS world-wide. Air Conditioning Air conditioning removes moisture and dust from air and can be very helpful in many diseases, particularly of respiratory tract. Keep windows closed and air conditioner running to reduce allergic symptoms; clean filters frequently. Airconditioning Diseases Air-conditioning can cause diseases. Outbreaks of Legionnaire's disease (a type of pneumonia), humidifier fever (a lung disease) and sick building syndrome (headaches, irritability and loss of energy) have all been linked to contaminated air-conditioning systems. Allow for some fresh air to dilute air-conditioned air. Keep air-conditioner filters clean. Alcohol Use of alcohol depletes the body of C and B vitamins. Take vitamin supplements. Alcohol is a depressant not an stimulant as erroneously believed; it makes people appear more alert by depressing inhibitions. Allergic Reactions Food allergies are quite common; symptoms range from vomiting, diarrhoea, skin reactions to difficulty in breathing. Just about any food can cause an allergic reaction but it is mostly high protein foods from vegetable and marine origin, cow's milk, soy, peanut, wheat and fish. Allergy Allergies are immune body reactions to foreign bodies; body also develops allergy to itself. Asthma, skin reactions, suffocation and even infertility are often the result of allergic reactions. Amniocentesis Amniocentesis, the removal and testing of amniotic fluid, is risky and should only be done to assess genetic abnormality in older women and never for determining sex of the foetus. Anaemia Anaemia is the deficiency in the size or number of red blood cells or the amount of haemoglobin in them; it results in reduced consumption of oxygen. Causes of anaemia include: lack of nutrients, principally, iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid; haemorrhage, genetic abnormalities, many chronic diseases and drug toxicity. Anger Let out anger. Do not store anger but make sure you solve the problems causing anger also. Be very careful in letting it out on the loved ones. You must make sure they understand that you are unhappy with what they did and not with themselves. Angina Angina is the pain that occurs when the muscular wall of the heart becomes temporarily short of oxygen, often when the demand for oxygen is high (exercising), being emotional or facing extremes of temperature. Triggered by blocked arteries, it is a common disease after age 30 in men. In women, it appears later in the life and is mostly caused by other diseases such as anaemia. Carry your "nitro" with you at all times, if you doctor has prescribed it for you. Angina Pain in the chest due to reduced supply of blood to heart muscles is relieved by using tablets of nitro-glycerine placed under tongue for quick action; if you doctor has recommended you this drug, never leave home without it. Angioplasty Angioplasty is a surgical technique to improve blood flow through an artery narrowed by disease. An inflatable balloon, powerful laser and often micro chopping blades are used to remove blockages. Done correctly, angioplasty replaces open heart surgery with much less risk. Animal Saliva Asthma caused by allergy to animal fur is due to animal saliva that dries on fur. Do not acquire furry animals, fish are fine. Animal Bites Do not ignore any animal bites; most stray dogs and cats in our part of the world are infected and can cause life-threatening diseases. Consult your doctor immediately. Ankle and Hand Weights Ankle and hand weights are not recommended in any type of exercise because of the marginal advantage and the real possibility of causing damage. Avoid them and instead increase the frequency and length of exercise. Antacids Antacids used routinely cause depletion of phosphate, iron and vitamins, folic acid and thiamine from the body. Consider changing diet plans to replenish these essential components and better yet, take supplements because it is often not possible to modify diet for longer term basis. Antianxiety Drugs New drugs have become available that specifically treat anxiety; ask your doctor if you need them. Antibiotics Antibiotics should never be self-prescribed, nor should you take drugs prescribed to others. Always finish all the antibiotic medicine given as per directions even though you may have begun feeling well. Anticoagulant If you are given drugs to keep blood thin (anticoagulant drugs), do not use aspirin, alcohol or other drugs since they can induce abnormal bleeding. Consult your doctor before taking any other medication. Anticoagulants Drugs use to "thin-out" blood are used for long-term basis in patients highly prone to strokes or other similar disorders. When taking these drugs, do not switch the brand without first consulting your doctor, you may have a reaction because different brands may "deliver" different quantity of drugs. Antihistamine drugs Antihistamine drugs block the action of histamine, a chemical produced in the body, that irritates and inflames tissue causing an allergic reaction such as hay fever. A side effect of antihistamines - drowsiness - is now overcome in the new generation of drugs with much reduced side affects. Ask your doctor for non-drowsiness type cough-cold preparations. Antiperspirants Antiperspirant sticks and roll-ons work better than sprays; use products containing aluminium chlorhydrate, the only approved antiperspirant chemical that works by sealing-off the sweat glands temporarily. Antiperspirants such as aluminium chlorhydrate work by reacting with sweat glands and sealing them. Antiseptic Ointments Use of antiseptic ointments kills bacteria but also irritates wounds; they do have some infection prevention value. Do not use any preparation that stings or burns since it may be causing more damage than benefit. Anxiety Anxiety attacks can strike suddenly; if you are prone to these, modify lifestyle to reduce stress and discuss your problems openly with friends and family. Appendix Healthy appendix should not be removed as a matter of course in abdominal surgeries. Appendix is not a useless organ; it supports body's defence system. However, if sever pain develops in appendix, it may be ready to rupture; surgery may be needed quickly. Appetisers Appetisers help you eat less of the main course; order them but not the fried types. Appetite Suppression Appetite suppressants are used in the treatment of obesity; they either act at the brain level or produce bulk feeling in stomach to cut down appetite. Those acting on the brain are often addictive and produce many side effects; bulking agents cause flatulence, abdominal pain and bloating feeling. Long-term use of any of these drugs is not recommended. Appetite Stimulation There are no known drugs that safely and effectively stimulate appetite. Lost appetite usually returns when an underlying illness subsides. Refuse drugs to promote appetite. Appetite stimulants are worthless. There is no medical rationale for using the drugs which claim to increase appetite. A medical evaluation should be made for the underlying cause and if none is found and the child appears normal, no effort should be made to increase appetite. Appreciate Humour Appreciate humour. Nothing works more magically than a good laugh to relieve tension. Read more humour than any other literature. Practice telling funny stories even if you are not good at it. Find subtleties in life to laugh about. Above all, learn to laugh at yourself. It releases stress. Arrhythmia Irregular heartbeat or palpitation beats are mostly harmless; caffeine, cigarette smoke and alcohol are common causes; reduce stress. If you experience frequent or worsening irregular beats consult your doctor. Arthritis Arthritis is inflammation of joints causing pain, disability and deformity; trauma, infections and immune disease (in young people especially women) and old-age hollowing of bones are responsible. Keep joints moving and treat disease promptly to avoid becoming invalid. Artificial Nails Artificial nails of all types eventually damage your natural nails; stay away from them. Artificial Sweeteners Use of artificial sweeteners in slimming diets is questionable because the appetite compensates the lack of calories from sugar, and other foods are eaten to maintain the calorie intake. Asbestos Asbestos is a mineral that is associated with lung cancer and many other lung diseases. Its use has been banned in public places world-wide. It is still widely used in our country; choose an alternate such as tin, wood or other composite materials. Aspirin Take aspirin. Taking 30-80 mg aspirin (the children's aspirin dose) offers significant protection against strokes in patients with history of heart and circulation problems. It may also boost your immune system, reduce incidence of cataracts and gallstones and migraine headaches. Make sure you are not allergic to aspirin. Aspirin used for longer term in arthritic patients and as a preventive measure in patients with history of heart diseases causes depletion of vitamin C, folacin and B12 in the body. Ask your doctor if you should begin taking vitamin supplements. Assess your Job Assess your job. Write down why your job is important and read it frequently. If you become convinced that you're just a cog in the wheel, work to change situation or the job. Every one must feel important to keep their sanity. You can not afford to short-change yourself for too long. Asthma Causes of asthma include respiratory infections, allergy to house dust mite, animal fur, feathers, pollens, food exposure to fumes and chemicals; exercise, anxiety or emotions; drugs, aspirin or beta blockers. Prevent asthma by reducing exposure to smoke, dust, and taking preventive medicines such as chromoglycate. Keep a diary of what may be causing the reaction; sleep regular hours and avoid physical or emotional stress; swim when possible; dust the bedroom regularly, avoid woollen blankets, feather pillows or eiderdowns, keep mattress covered; vacuum the room and mattress daily. Athlete's Foot Watch for foot-itching; it can be athlete's foot disease, a fungus infection; treat it promptly. Athletic Shoes Buy athletic shoes that support arch and hold feet from slipping forward Autism Autism is a condition in which a child is unable to relate to people and situations and may show an obsessive resistance to any change. Delay in speaking is very common along with reduced ability to understand and emulate. No particular treatment is given except behaviour therapy; most children end up requiring life-time care. Auto Accidents Drive safely. Most accidents happen closer to home because we begin to relax as we approach closer to home. Stay alert to live. Lock windows and doors. Auto Exhaust While driving, keep your car air conditioner running with recirculation to cut down on inhaling carcinogens from street coal tar and exhaust fumes of autos. Autoimmune Disorders Autoimmune disorders are a group of conditions in which the immune system (the body's defence mechanism) attacks the body's own tissues as if they were foreign substances for unknown causes except for some genetic connection. Women are more often affected than man. An individual who has one autoimmune disorder may develop others. These include: Addison's disease (adrenals), anaemia, hepatitis, infertility, diabetes, Goodpasture's syndrome (lung and kidney), Grave's and Hashimoto's disease (thyroid), blood platelet disorders, Myasthenia gravis (muscles), Vitiligo (white skin patches), arthritis, lupus etc. You can substantially reduce the risk of death from these diseases by dietary modification and by adopting a lifestyle that is soothing to mind. Avoid Indigestion Avoid indigestion. Faulty absorption of carbohydrates and proteins causes their breakdown in the large intestine by bacteria to give excess gas and toxins, some of which are now believed to be carcinogenic. Baby Powder Baby powder is unnecessary because of its low absorptive, lubricating and odour covering properties; if you must use it, then first shake it in your hand instead of sprinkling over the body to prevent the baby from inhaling powder that can irritate lungs. Baby's Bottoms Use of creams and lotions are much safer way to soothe baby's bottom than applying baby powder. Back Surgery Back surgery for slipped disc can not guarantee relief of chronic back pain. Most cases respond better to non-surgical treatments including exercise, rest, hypnosis, and stress reduction. Back surgeries are also extremely complicated with risk of damage to spinal cord. Avoid it if you can. Seek several opinions before you go ahead with it. Backache Back pain arises due to excess body weight, poor posture, standing or sitting for long time, sleeping on your stomach, lifting or carrying heavy objects, high heels and psychological stress. Bad Breath Persistent bad breath that a dentist cannot resolve may be due to diseases of throat, sinus, lung, kidney or liver. Diabetes also makes your breath bad . Do not ignore it or mask it with rinses. See your doctor. Baggy Eyes Baggy eyes in the morning are normally due to sleeping on stomach or without a pillow; fatigue and alcohol make it worse. Frequent swelling is often a sign of allergies. Bags under the eyes, mainly hereditary, occur because fluids tends to accumulate where the skin is thinner. Thyroid, kidney and heart disease and use of some medications make baggy eyes appear worse; in most cases resting and sleeping on an elevated pillow is the best you can do. Baked Potatoes Make potato your friend. A large baked potato has only 200 calories, is full of vitamins, iron and potassium. Add salsa or low-fat yoghurt for topping. Eat with skin. Avoid other forms of potato such as chips, fries, and hash browns. Baking Soda Baking soda is an excellent home remedy. Use it for indigestion, deodorising refrigerators (place a box of baking soda, top opened in the refrigerator; after two months, drain it to clean pipes). Learn CPR and Heimlich Manoeuvre. Knowledge of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and the technique to over come food choking is essential to your family 's survival should the need arise. Baking soda and meat tenderisers work wonders on stings from sea creatures. Carry them with you to beaches. Baking Soda Recently, athletes have begun taking baking soda before events to boost energy (by neutralising muscle acids) but this use is not yet endorsed by scientists. Balance Sense Ear is not only for listening but also to give you a balancing sense. If you have difficulty balancing your walk, see a doctor, you may have an ear infection or disorder. Baldness It is normal to lose 50 and 150 hairs each day. A new hair begins growth in place within 3 months unless the loss of hair follicle was permanent due to balding. Nothing you can do to slow down hair loss. Balms and Liniments Do not apply balms or liniments to broken wounds; also, never apply heat when using balms, etc. Bananas Bananas make ideal food for all ages and are a good source of potassium; choose bananas that are yellow with green tips; they are sweetest when flecked with brown spots. Refrigerate them to prevent further ripening though skin may darken. Bandage Use an occlusive type non-sticking bandage to protect wounds from getting dirty until healing begins; then remove them. White wrinkled skin means too much moisture and time to leave it open to dry out. Barbecuing Do not mix utensils used for raw and cooked food. Raw food is often highly contaminated with bacteria. Pay special attention when barbecuing. Barefoot Don't go barefoot on soil, specially in areas without a good sanitary system. You can easily get infected with hookworms, which penetrate the skin and migrate to the intestine, where they live off blood. Bath Oils keep skin from drying from lost skin oils when taking a bath; add a little bath oil, limit the bath to 10-15 minutes, do not use very hot water and apply moisturiser as you come out of bath. Baths Long baths and showers, especially in hot water, age the skin faster and make it dry and sag. Beans Beans provide as much protein as meat, and are much lower in fat and calories. Bedbugs Bedbugs live in furniture, especially beds, and floors during the day and emerge at night to feed on humans by sucking blood. They are not known to transmit or cause any disease but their bites cause itching sores that may become infected. Bedwetting Common in children to 3 yrs ago during the night, the conditions must be checked by a doctor if it persists beyond this age. Bees Bees are the only insects that leave the stinger behind; don't pull it directly with fingers or tweezers since it squeezes more venom in. Scrape away with a sharp blade held against the skin, then remove the stinger. Being Healthy Being not sick does not mean being healthy. It means you have a better chance of maintaining good health, if you take care of yourself continually. Unfortunately, you cannot take health for granted. You are only as healthy as your today's habits. Belching Belching is the noisy return of air swallowed usually as a nervous habit or as a result of eating or drinking too quickly. Belching itself causes more air swallowing making belching more likely. Sometimes, belching helps alleviate discomfort caused by indigestion. During pregnancy, belching briefly helps relieve nausea and heartburn, which disappear after delivery of the baby. Belly Laughs Good belly laughs and coughing worsens an aching back more than running and twisting. Stop being funny. Best Diet There is no best diet; requirements and needs change with age. Never believe if someone discovers the best diet for you. Humans are omnivores, eating all types of foods and that's the best advise. Beta Carotene Most red and orange-coloured juices are rich in beta carotene. A glass of carrot juice has twelve times the required daily amount of beta carotene. Identify beta carotene sources. Deep coloured fruits and vegetables are full of beta carotene: orange, mango, sweet potato, yellow and dark green vegetable, carrot, cantaloupe, etc. Mango has the highest content of beta carotene. However, watch out for fruits which have sugar and high calories.Beta carotene is a safe precursor to vitamin A but it also has many of its own beneficial effects. It protects against the ageing effects of sun, the carcinogenic effects of environmental chemicals and the damaging effects of tobacco smoking. You need 5-15 mg of beta carotene per day. As a source of vitamin A, beta carotene is much safer and can be taken in much larger quantities. Betel Chewing Betel chewing causes cancer of mouth and throat; the trend is halted and even reversed if you quit betel chewing and consume large quantities of bright coloured fruits that contain a precursor to vitamin A, beta carotene. Betel chewing damages teeth and gums irreversibly, makes you look ugly and pollutes the environment. Spitting spreads more than colour; many respiratory diseases are transmitted through sputum including tuberculosis, which is on the rise now. Bile Bile is a greenish fluid that contains bile acids and cholesterol, to assist in the absorption of fat in diet. Bile also contains by-products of liver metabolism. Fibre in diet helps remove all components of bile from body by binding to these and thus not allowing their recirculation. Body must now breakdown cholesterol to produce more bile acids that results in lowered cholesterol levels and reduced chances of forming gall stones. Birth Control Birth control measures should be taught to children as early as possible; contrary to popular belief, this does not promote promiscuity. Instead, it helps them understand the need for organised planning. Birth Defects Mostly of genetic origin but recently known to be caused by environmental factors, most foetuses are aborted spontaneously. Avoid risk of defects by getting genetic counselling, avoiding use of drugs during pregnancy without your doctor's permission. Blackout Aspirin at 300 mg dose acts as anticoagulant, preventing blood from clotting and is useful in preventing temporary loss of consciousness due to reduced circulation to brain. Blinking Blinking reduces when you watch television causing dryness of eyes specially if you wear contact lenses. Blink often and intentionally when watching TV. Blood Transfusion Do not get exposed to blood products. Any contact with blood or its products can be dangerous including risk of catching AIDS. Make sure your dentist uses properly sterilised equipment to avoid risk of hepatitis. Blood Grouping Establish own blood donation group. Make a network of relatives and friends to donate blood in emergencies. It can save many lives. Blood Cleansing Kidneys do more than just cleanse blood. They activate vitamin D to maintain strong healthy bones, secrete hormones to control blood pressure and stimulate bone marrow to produce red blood cells. If you lose a kidney, extra care and medication may be needed to support its other functions. Kidney failure can lead to a deficiency of potassium, magnesium calcium and vitaminD. Blow Drying Blow drying hair may cause over-dry and hair susceptible to splitting, it does not cause hair to fall out. Combing or brushing too hard can lead to hair loss. While blow drying, use fingers instead of a comb to move hair around. BMR Basal metabolism (BMR) is the energy our body expends to conduct its daily business. It is proportional to body surface area and thus to height. Presence of excess body fat does not increase the BMR. BMR is lowest before the menstrual cycle begins and peaks out on the fourteenth day. It is also increased during pregnancy. Exercise increases BMR and it continues high for sometime after ending exercise. People who put on weight are those who consume more calories than the BMR burns out. So, know the factors that keep your BMR high, if you want to lose weight. Body fat Fats are essential to protect body from many environmental effects, diseases and starvation. Men should have about 18% and women around 25% of their body weight as fats; too low or too high a fat content is damaging to health. Body Odours Find out if you smell bad from friends or spouse because you are the worst judge of it. Ask the embarrassing question rather than embarrassing strangers. Body Fat Body fat comes from proteins, carbohydrates and fats in the food, just from the fat in foods. All excess calories end up as fat deposits in body. So, if you want to loose fat deposits, cut down on all types of calories and exercise to burn fat. Body Mass Index (BMI) Body mass index (BMI) is body weight in KGs divided twice by the height in metres. BMI values between 20 and 25 are OK, but watch for the direction they are moving; 25-27: you need to increase exercise; 27-32: you're eating too much and face risk of serious disease; over 32: consider adopting the 1,200 calorie per day plan in consultation with your doctor. Body Sculpturing Do not try to design your body. No exercise reduces fat from specific body areas. Muscles build upon exercising; burning calories takes away fat indiscriminately from throughout the body. Apple and pear-shaped bodies are of genetic orientation. Body Shapes "Apple" shaped bodies (fattest in the abdomen) have a greater risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension and diabetes than those with "pear" shape (fattest in the hips, buttocks and thighs). Apple-shaped women are at higher risk than apple-shaped men. Boiled Water Improve taste of boiled water by adding a few drops or rose water or kewra to each bottle. (The taste of water comes from dissolved salts and gases; small quantity of aromatic substances enhance flavour of water remarkably.) Boiled water is totally safe for kidneys despite increase in electrolyte concentration. Municipal water has very low electrolytes to begin with and the small increase upon boiling is insignificant. Bone Renewal Weight-bearing exercises that involve the pull of muscles against bone and against gravity stimulate bone renewal and reduce the risk of developing arthritis and hollow bones that fracture easily. Bones Bones support more than our body structure; they produce blood cells and provide the needed calcium. Loss of bone with age can affect many bodily functions besides weakening the body. Take measures to strengthen bones through calcium supplements. Boost Memory Boost your memory. Though unavoidable with ageing, nothing helps your perform better at your job and in social life than by having an active memory. Do crosswords, puzzles, card games and other exercises to enhance memory. Seek new stimuli as training programs, social group activities to keep your brain juices running. Even try your grandmother's recipe of almonds to boost memory. Bowel Movement Abnormal looking bowel movements such as unusually coloured ones can be a sign of dysentery, haemorrhoids, stomach or intestine ulcer or jaundice. Do not ignore them. Boxed Cereals Boxed breakfast cereals are fast becoming popular; watch-out, most of them are full of sugar. Instead use the cereals prepared freshly. Brain Food The common expression "Fish is brain food" comes to us from ancient China and the early Christian era; it re-emerged in the 19th century, though erroneously, when it was discovered that we need phosphorus in brain and fish had a lot of it. Fish is good for the brain because it contains a fatty acid called DHA (also found in breast milk), essential for brain development. And you need it not only in infancy but throughout life. Breakfast Skipping breakfast does not help you lose weight; it merely promotes "starve and stuff" syndrome to make you eat high calorie, less nutritious snacks that make you fat. Make breakfast the most nutritious meal of the day. It should contain proteins and carbohydrates (complex) in abundance. Give your body a healthy start. There is no reason to stick to classical breakfast items such as toast, eggs and milk. Eat whatever you like but keep it low in fat. Japanese eat salad and soup for breakfast, Germans prefer cold sausage and Norwegian like smoked fish and break. You can't fault them. Breast Feeding Old wives' tale of nursing mother's diet causing colic, sleeplessness and irritability in infants is just a tale. It is lack of experience of young mothers to handle crying that irritates infants more. Breast Cancer Daughters of the Asian women settled in the West have similar incidence of breast cancer as the Western women, about six times higher than their mothers from the East. The changes in the dietary pattern particularly the increased fat in diet are chiefly responsible for this increased risk of breast cancer. Breast Exam Examine breasts. Give yourself a breast exam every month after periods. Nothing prevents cancer better than its early detection. Get a mammogram (X-ray of breast) every other year if you are 40-49, every year after that. Breast Feeding Breast-feeding also cures infections in infants as mother's body produces antibodies specific to infection in infants. Breastectomy Removal of entire breast with surrounding tissue is an obsolete practice to treat breast cancer. Removal of lump followed by chemotherapy is just as effective in most cases. Breathing Difficulty Breathing difficulties caused by narrowing of the airways. In attacks wheeze, visible struggle for beath to onlookers. In older people, do not confuse with heart disease or bronchitis. Wheezy breathing is often normal in babies and young children; it is not a sign of asthma. Brown Sugar Raw sugar, brown sugar, honey molasses or maple syrup are all sugar except they contain trace minerals as impurities giving them their flavour; they are all equally bad. Brown Bagging Brown bagging or taking your lunch to work makes you eat less, but more nutritiously. Brushing Teeth Few people know the correct techniques of brushing teeth. Begin with back teeth and clean them with a circular motion, one tooth at a time, on both sides. Cleaning is needed between teeth and at the base of teeth. Brush first thing in the morning, after each meal and before going to bed. Change brush at least once a month, more frequently if you use a soft brush. Buffet Eating Eating at buffets can be tormenting to weaker souls; try the following assertions: never to go for seconds, begin with fresh fruits and yoghurt, drink two glasses of water and never visit the desert bar. Salads through tempting can be very hazardous from safety and calorie point of view. Burns Burns can easily get infected if not properly covered; however, not all burns should be covered requiring special care. Always consult your doctor if you are not sure about the seriousness of a burn. Butter Butter, cream and cream cheese contain no calcium and are a concentrated sources o fat. Avoid them. Cabbage Cabbage family of vegetables - broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower contain indoles which act as antioxidants to protect against several cancers. Caffeine Caffeine in tea, coffee and some soft drinks increases urine output; they make a poor choice to hydrate after exercise workout. Calcium & Dairy Products Yoghurt and cheeses do not contain high levels of calcium compared with milk, as believed erroneously. Vitamin D, lactose and proteins in diet help the body absorb calcium better. Non-fat or low-fat milk has higher levels of calcium than the full-fat milk, which should always be avoided by adults. Butter, cream and cream cheese contain no calcium and are a concentrated sources of fat. Avoid them. Calcium Sources Know your calcium sources. Childhood supplementation with calcium prevents later-age bone decay (osteoporosis). You need about one gram of calcium per day. Get it from low-fat milk, cheeses, spinach, figs, almonds, etc. Calcium Supplements Calcium supplements may not provide good absorption of calcium unless they also contain vitamin D. Increase calcium content of foods by simply adding non-fat milk powder; try it in soups, sauces, gravies, rice and cereals. Calcium Loss Some medicines taken over long period increase calcium loss. Those drinking too much coffee or tea, consuming alcohol, having sedentary lifestyles, smoking cigarettes, taking too much fibre in diet and being under weight are the high risk groups. Calcium Supplement Getting your daily requirements of calcium can be difficult; consider taking supplements that provide about 300-400 mg of calcium per dose, preferably also containing magnesium, a mineral which is ordinarily deficient in people who need more calcium. Do not take much larger doses of calcium since they do not absorbed and go to waste. Calcium Absorption Our ability to absorb calcium decreases with age; growing children can absorb as much as 75% of dietary calcium while adults absorb around 15%, that's why they need to increase calcium intake through diet or supplements. Calcium and Women Throughout a lifetime, women lose up to 45-50% and men, 20-30% of bone mass (around 300 mg calcium per day). Body increases absorption of calcium when needed, so take diet high in calcium, particularly as you get closer to menopause. Calcium and Magnesium Calcium and magnesium deficiencies are linked to high blood pressure; both can be supplemented using low fat dairy products. Calcium Calcium is required not only for healthy bones but also in nerve function, regulating heart beats and keeping the blood clotting system functioning properly. Caloric Value Develop awareness about caloric value of goods. Instead of agonising over exact caloric value of foods, learn to classify them as high, medium and low calorie foods. Avoid high calorie foods altogether and look for opportunities to eat more of low calorie foods. Calorie Counting Target your calories and count them efficiently. A healthy target is about 2,000 calories for adult males and 1,800 calories for adult females. Remember, calorie requirements change drastically in growing children, and during pregnancy and lactation. Reduce weight by two pounds every month (an easily achievable target), by cutting out 250 calories per day. And that is not difficult. Each slice of bread or each fruit is 100 calories. But a serving of candy, pulao or qorma is about 500 calories. About 3,500 calories make up one pound of body weight. Calorie Game Know the calorie game. Multiply your weight in pounds by 13 to 15 depending on your physical activity; that's how many calories you are consuming if your weight is constant, more if you are putting on weight. Calorie Leaks Identify calorie leaks. Each kilogram of fat is 9,000 calories, each kilogram of protein and carbohydrate gives 4,000 calories. Calories leaking into your body come from improper combination of fat versus carbohydrates and proteins. Cancer Two-thirds of all cancers are caused by diet and use of tobacco. Mouth cancers are highly prevalent in people chewing betel and tobacco. Occupational hazards though highly touted, only contribute 4% of all cases. Your chances of dying of cancer are directly proportional to the amount of fat and indirectly proportional to the amount of fibre in your diet. Candies Never use deserts or candies as bribes to children. Canker Sores Canker sores on or under the tongue, painful and irritating, usually disappear within a week; if they do not, see your doctor. If you are prone to cold blisters (herpes), protect your lips with a sunscreen lip care product. Eating and licking lips removes protection, so you must continually replenish the protection. Carbohydrate Loading Carbohydrate loading practised by athletes is of little value; a balanced high complex carbohydrate diet eaten on a daily basis is the answer to peak athletic performance. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates do not stick to your ribs, as erroneously assumed. Your 60% diet should be carbohydrates. They are easy to burn and keep metabolism rate high to help you maintain weight. Carbon-monoxide Carbon monoxide is a heavier gas that accumulates around a running car engine in an enclosed area. Inhaling carbon monoxide can cause quick death; avoid running cars in garages or unventilated spaces. Carelessness Men are less cognisant of their well being, half as likely to visit the doctor. Male doctors are particularly negligent of their own health. Special attention is needed by spouses to care for men over 40. Cataracts Cataracts in the elderly is caused by environmental oxidation of the lens proteins, which do not get repaired easily as with age the antioxidant enzymes decrease in the lens. Antioxidantnutritional such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and E may delay the onset of cataracts. Surgery is often unavoidable; get it done at the right time. Cellulite Women have greater tendency to show cellulite (crosshatched appearance due to fat) than men because of differences in the strength of skin. Creams, brushes, lotions, rubdowns and rubber pants won't get rid of cellulite - only proper diet and regular aerobic exercise will. All cellulite clinics are fraudulent. Check Blood Pressure Get your blood pressure checked once a month. Women taking oral contraceptives or those who are pregnant should check more frequently. Know what your limits should be. Allow for some variation but if you record higher pressure consistently, see your doctor immediately. Know how to take your blood pressure. Avoid using electronic gadgets to measure blood pressure. Do not smoke for 30 minutes, sit down and relax for 10 minutes in a quiet room before taking pressure. Do not repeat the test immediately. Chelated Minerals Chelated minerals (minerals chemically combined with other things) are sold at higher price with claim that they are better utilised by the body. Fact is they are just as good or bad as plain minerals since the chelated form breaks down in the intestine before being absorbed. Don't waste your money. Chemical Poisoning Chemical poisoning from household cleaners, insecticides, poison baits, laundry, and home maintenance supplies are common. Keep them out of the reach of children. Use child-proof latches to closets. Chew Gum Chew sugarless gum within 15 minutes of finishing meals and continue chewing for 15-20 minutes to stimulate secretion of saliva that neutralises tooth-decaying acids in dental plaque. Chewing gums longer can cause jaw pain, erode biting surfaces, crack filings and loosen dental inlays. Dispose-off chewed gum properly. If it sticks to clothing, put it in the freezer and then brush it off. Chewable Vitamins If you take chewable vitamin C tablets, make sure you brush afterwards at least rinse your mouth out. A 500 mg dose of vitamin C can make your mouth acidic enough to start dissolving tooth enamel. Chewing Gum Beat betel chewing by adopting chewing gums (sugar-free or sorbitol base type), cardamoms, fennel, or cloves to beat the habit. Rinsing mouth with dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide twice a day also works. Chewing Digestion begins in mouth. Chew long enough to allow mixing of enzymes with food for proper digestion. Chewing with open mouth causes air entrapment resulting in belching and bloating it. Chicken Skin Chicken skin is high in fat and absorbs more upon frying it. Remove it before cooking. If you must fry chicken, use high temperature quick cycles to reduce uptake of oil in meat. Children's Diet If you can not provide a good role model of healthy eating, you children will never grow to healthy adults and will not be able to pass on to their children. Somehow you must break this chain of unhealthy eating habits. children need more calories than do adults; just because a child is small do not short them on portions compared to adults or bigger children. Chilli Peppers Chilli peppers lower cholesterol by reducing cholesterol production by the body; the hot stuff, capsaicin, in peppers is also good for heart and vessels. Chinese Pitfalls Ask for low-salt and MSG-free (Monosodium glutamate or Chinese salt) version of foods in Chinese restaurants to prevent retaining body water and loading kidneys. Avoid fried ricerecipes, egg rolls and fortune cookies. Choose steamed or stir-fry versions of all foods. Chlorine Always wash your hair after swimming to remove salt and chlorine from skin, both of which dry it out and can change the colour if your hair is tinted. Chocolate Though highly touted, chocolate and strawberry allergies are not proven. Cholesterol Source Cholesterol comes only from animal sources which are generally rich in saturated fat also; some sources are high in cholesterol but low in saturated fat such as organ meats and eggs; butter, sour cream and nuts are high in saturated fat but have low or no cholesterol. Select food not only on its cholesterol content but also how much saturated fat it has. Cholesterol Level Know your cholesterol level. Keep it between 150 and 200; lower or higher levels both have side effects. Other blood chemistries follow the suit so you need not worry about too many other things. Cholesterol Testing Cholesterol level test can give different values. Do not eat anything for 12 hours, do not exercise and rest sitting down for 5 minutes before the blood sample is drawn. Get two readings a month apart and average them. Cholesterol-free Cholesterol-free claims of oils are superfluous since besides butter and ghee, no oil has any cholesterol. Among the oils, stay away from palm, coconut, olive, peanut and soybean oils; they have too much saturated or monounsaturated components. Cholesterol-related Diseases Cholesterol related diseases are reduced when your diet contains soluble fibre, polyunsaturated fat, deep sea fish and you routinely engage in aerobic exercises. Instead of counting calories and cholesterol content, cultivate healthy eating habits. add 15 years of leisure time to life. A 35 year old heart-disease prone person can add: 4.2 years by reducing cholesterol from 300 to 200; 1.7 years by reducing cholesterol to 200 from 250-300; 2.3 years by quitting smoking; 5.3 years by bringing diastolic pressure down to 88 from 105; 1.7 years by slimming to ideal weight Cigar or Pipe Switching to cigar or pipe does not reduce the risk of lung cancer; it only increases the risk of mouth cancer. People who start with pipe or cigar have higher incidence of mouth cancer and a slightly lower risk of lung cancer if they do not inhale. Cigarette Craving Chocolate, red meat, tea, coffee and alcohol increase craving for cigarettes. Consider it if you are planning to quit smoking. Cleaning Teeth Get teeth professionally cleaned. Once a year your dentist should clean your teeth to remove deep plaque, examine receding gums and treat problems. Cod Liver Oil Cod liver oil may contain pesticides or other contaminants coming from fish livers, where these compounds tend to concentrate. Fish liver oils are also very rich in vitamins A and D, which can be toxic in high doses (no more than a tablespoon or two a day should be taken).. Do not use these indiscriminately. Since the deficiency of vitamin A and D is not a particular concern, shun the cod liver oil. Coffee If you are a healthy adult and like drinking coffee or tea, there is no reason to give it up. If you feel jittery, sleepless or falling to an addiction, you may want to cut down on the number of cups per day. Cold and Flu Colds are not precipitated by exposure to drafts or by keeping feet wet. There is no connection. No antibiotic treatment is necessary for a common cold; do not insists on treatment. Cold Virus does not spread as easily as many think; being in the same room does not make you catch cold from a sufferer; direct contact to secretions does. Colic Infants have immature never control system that causes cramps; milk fermentation in stomach produces gases that also cause discomfort. There is no good treatment except avoiding foods that cause flatulence. If any home remedy works, use it but don't go overboard with it. Collagen Collagen, a skin protein, is added to cosmetics only make them expensive; it does little good. It is worthless in improving appearance of skin. Colon Cancer Colon cancer incidence is reduced in people consuming high fibre vegetables. Fibrous foods also delay absorption of sugar and may be useful in the management of diabetes. Grains and cereals are the highest source of fibres. Highest fibre source in fruits is apple, in vegetables, pea and among lentils, legumes and beans. Rice is a low source of fibre. Colour of Meat Use light-coloured meats. Simplest way to select meat is by its colour. Leaner the meat, lighter is its colour. Use white poultry meat (breast) which has one-third the calories in thighs and leg. Select the whitest fish. Colour Blindness Colour blindness is the popular but incorrect term for the condition of being unable to distinguish between certain colours such as reds and greens; it is hereditary in nature and nothing can be done about it. Coloured contact lenses can be used, though not at night, to only partially correct the situation. But it is best left unattended. Coloured Foods Avoid coloured foods; most colours have side effects causing allergic reactions to cancer. Do not buy pre-packaged spices; they are almost always coloured to disguise their poor quality. Coloured Urine Urine that is cloudy or blood-tinged can be due to jaundice, loss of body fluids or bladder or kidney infections; however, many drugs and foods also change urine colour. Commercial Yoghurt Commercial yoghurt is very high in saturated fat that can be hazardous to health; make your own yoghurt by using low-fat milk and culture it with left over yoghurt. Yoghurt makers are simply low temperature incubators; they are helpful but not necessary. Commuting Don't go crazy commuting. Listen to good relaxing music; adjust timings to avoid peak traffic delays. If a motorist cuts you in or misbehaves, check first what you may have done wrong. If so, correct it, if not, forgive; Never fret. If you're getting delayed, do not get anxious. Ask yourself: What would I do when I get there? Chances are things can wait. Complex Carbohydrates Complex carbohydrates (such as starches) are preferred to simple carbohydrates (such as refined sugar) because they are absorbed slowly and often incompletely. Fast absorption ofcarbohydrates triggers a strong insulin response which not only disturbs the sugar balance in the body but also promotes blockage of arteries. There is no caloric difference in the absorbed portion of carbohydrates of different types. Computer Strain Take a break from your computer. Reduce eyestrain and strain to neck and back by getting up from chair every 40 minutes, stretching, walking or doing simple relaxation exercise. Concussion Head pain in an injury and trauma that leaves you unconscious even momentarily should be quickly checked out to rule out concussions and skull fracture. Consciousness Momentary loss of consciousness if the sufferer regains consciousness within a minute or two is not of major concern. If it persists longer, it can be a sign of diabetes, heart disease or stroke. Constipation High fibre diets are particularly useful for people suffering from constipation, intestinal disorders, gall stones, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. The preventive role of fibre is now well established in many diseases including cancer. Normal bowel movement is not necessarily an event first thing in the morning or even every day. It varies with individuals and all such schedules are normal. So do not try to fit your normal activity to a stereotype schedule. More people think they are constipated than there are people who are constipated. Avoid constipation if you are a heart patient. Straining with bowel movements worsens heart rhythm. You should increase fibre in your diet and may begin using stool softeners to reduce strain. Contact Lens Hard contact lenses fix the problem of abnormal curvature of retina soft contact lenses have no effect. Contact lenses of all types easily get contaminated with bacteria unless sanitised every day; do not ignore to clean them regularly Cook Gently Cook gently. Cooking makes food easy to digest, more tasteful, and more hygienic to eat and store. Done improperly, it can also destroy the nutritive value of food, especially the vitamins. Never over-cook food. Try low-heat recipes and use microwave cooking wherever possible. Cooking directly on fire chars the food and makes it carcinogenic. Cookies Biscuits (cookies) are extremely high in saturated fat and calories. Problem is that once you take one, it is hard to stop only solution is to stay clear of them. Cooking Cleanliness Cleanliness in cooking and cooking places is essential to avoid contamination with bacteria. Do not mix utensils and cookware used for raw food and cooked food. Never eat greens (salads, etc.) or cold foods unless you are sure that they have been properly washed. Always use fresh kitchen towels. Cooking Cooking does not always destroy allergens in foods. Copper Deficiency Anaemias are also caused by copper deficiency commonly seen in infants fed cow's milk or copper deficient formulas. Corns Never use a sharp object such as a razor blade or knife to remove corns and calluses. Soak them in salt water, moisten with oil and then file with pumice stone or a special callous file. Protect with petroleum jelly. corns, bunions, warts, rashes should be treated promptly even though may not be discomforting. Corrective Lenses About half the world population uses corrective lenses to improve sight; so, if you are advised to wear glasses, it is not an indication of an abnormality. Cousin Marriages Marriages among the first cousins, both maternal and paternal, promote genetic disorders in the off-spring. Such communions are also illegal in many parts of the world. If you suffer from easily heritable disorders like thalassaemia (a blood disease), you should not marry another thalassaemia carrier. Cow's Milk Do not give cow's milk to infants during the first year, recommends the American Paediatrics Association. Breast-feed them or give formula milk. Craving for Salty Foods Craving for salt increases as you increase salt use; it also works vice-versa. Taste for salt can be easily changed by cutting down on salt slowly. salty foods appears when you become sodium deficient such as after severe vomiting, diarrhoea or profuse sweating. Cream Soups Avoid cream soups such as New England clam chowder, cream of chicken or tomato, etc. Clear soups are low in calories but may be high in sodium, specially in the Chinese restaurants. Creams and Lotions Creams and lotions put a protective coating to preserve moisture loss. In dry climate, put some oil all over after taking shower. Dry skin ages fast. Cruciferous Vegetables Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, mustard, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, horseradish, turnip, water cress, radishes, take their name from the cross shape of their flowers. These vegetables contain sulphur that gives them their pungent odour and taste; the enzymes in these vegetables act as antioxidants and protect us from cancer, skin ageing and heart disease. Fall in love with a cruciferous creature. Cultural Taboos Not talking about sex at early age breeds many cultural taboos that turn into serious psychological problems in the adulthood; causes of frigidity in women and impotence in men are mostly the result of poor sex education. Dairy Products Turn to dairy products to supply calcium, especially in children and during pregnancy and lactation. Fermented dairy products such as yoghurt and cheeses are preferred. Adults do not absorb calcium efficiently from dairy products; given the harmful effects of dairy products, it is best not to depend on them for calcium supply. Dairy products, milk, yoghurt, cheeses make excellent food but they are also high in fats; insist on using low-fat dairy products and get the best benefits of dairy products without the risk of heart disease. Dandruff Dandruff flakes are dead skin cells which are normally shed; it is when they clump together and start to flake off in much greater numbers that they become visible. Antidandruff shampoo quickly retards flaking; even where fungus infection is involved, it is easily treatable with shampoo treatments. Dandruff is totally avoidable. Dangers at Home Make your home a safe place. Many dangers linger in your home to cause injury and death: slippery floors, open electrical wiring, sharp metal objects, hazardous chemicals (cleaning, paint, etc.), loosely hanging fixture, etc. Do frequent audits of your home safety. Dark Eye Circles Dark circles around the eyes are simply blood passing through veins just below the surface of the skin. They are family traits that worsen with age, when tired, during menstruation or pregnancy; they seldom are a symptom of an underlying medical problem. If they bother you cover 'em up with make-up. In some cultures, dark circles around eyes are considered beautiful. Death The prime reasons of death vary with cultures and geography. The infectious diseases are replaced by degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer and stroke as the prime cause of death in the West. However, in our part of the world, infectious diseases continue to be the prime killers. In Eskimos, the main reason for death is falling of ladders while fixing igloos. As you travel or change your domicile, you risk exposure to diseases for which you may not have immunity or resistance. Decaffeinated Coffee Decaffeinated coffee produces as much stomach acid as does regular coffee; caffeine is a minor component upsetting stomach. Decaffeinated coffee has all elements of coffee minus the "kick." No other special effects or advantages are to be claimed for the decaffeinated drinks. Dental Bridges Keeping dental bridges and crowns clean is just as important as keeping your natural teeth cleaned. Dental Surgery AIDS can spread through dental surgeries check-ups, barber razors and other instances where virus can directly enter the body. Dental Cavities Dental cavities are caused not only by sugar but by other carbohydrates and fermentable components of foods also; it also depends on how frequently the food is taken and how well teeth are kept cleaned. Depression Depression is best treated by adopting some form of regular physical activity, eating healthier food and sharing thoughts with friends or family. Desserts Give up desserts. A singular act turning into habit can do more than any diet or exercise plan. You would definitely live longer on short cakes. DHA Not all fishes are good sources of DHA, the unique chemical that's good for brain. Try the fishes that come from the coldest waters and have blue skin: tuna, mackerel, pink salmon, fresh water trout (not the river trout); cod and sole are very low in DHA. Diabetes Diabetes which is not insulin dependent is treatable by diet, exercise and drugs given orally. Left untreated, it leads to insulin dependence. So, if you are a border-line diabetic do not ignore your condition. Get it treated quickly. Symptoms of diabetes include weight loss, nausea, blurred vision, frequent urination, fatigue, weakness, numbness and tingling in the feet and hands, abnormal thirst and hunger. Diabetes Eating too much sugar does not cause diabetes. However, high sugar consumption is dangerous for diabetics. Obesity is the leading cause of diabetes and sugar is the major cause behind most cases of obesity. Diarrhoea Frequent diarrhoea may signal serious disease of gastrointestinal tract. Do not ignore it. Diet Pills Diet pills do reduce appetite and help you lose weight but they are not useful for long-term weight loss. They cause many side effects such as anxiety, sleeplessness, headaches, irregular heart rhythm, and even lead to strokes or seizure. They should not be used for long-term therapy. Diet and Disease Diet alone is rarely responsible for disease (except in severe cases) neither can diet cure disease. Combined with other factors, diet plays its role. Diet Allergy Identify diet allergies. Many people are allergic to foods, specially to processed foods with synthetic additives. High protein diets and often wheat causes allergy. Dietary Antioxidants Dietary antioxidants, carotenoids and Vitamin C, reduce the risk of cataracts by reducing the accumulation of oxidised and denatured proteins in the lens. Dietary Restrictions Dietary restrictions of specific protein and carbohydrate diets are required for people who are lacking some enzymes in the body to assimilate them; this is a genetic disorder. Dieting Drop pounds not calories. The bulge in the middle is best handled by increasing exercise and cutting on calories coming from fats and not from cutting down on all calories. Difficulty in Swallowing Difficulty in swallowing may be the reason why some children do not eat adequately. Improve it by giving them highly seasoned, flavourful, aromatic foods. If the condition persists, a surgical correction or treatment may be needed. Dirty Eggs Unwashed dirty eggs are likely to be laced with salmonella (typhoid bug); wash them thoroughly before storing them. Discoloured Nails Discoloured or crumbling nails are likely due to serious fungal infection. See your doctor immediately. Diversified Eating Diversify your choice of foods as much as possible. If nature had not wanted us to eat them, it would not have created so many `edibles' around us. A classical example is the use of fruits with meals; vitamin C in citrus fruits helps absorb iron in the food. Diversify Activities Diversify activities. Like eating diversified foods, exercise should also be diversified. Include in your plan, some aerobics (walking, biking, swimming, stretching, callisthenics) and some weight pushing (anaerobic) to build muscle mass. Dog bites All dog bites carry risk of rabies; if the animal can not be confirmed for rabies, do not risk, get the rabies shots. Doing Dishes Too much exposure to water, soap and detergents can make nails brittle; use gloves when doing dishes. White nail spots are mostly due to injuries and seldom a sign of vitamin or mineral deficiency. Dried Fruits Dried fruits have as much calories as fresh fruits; it is just because they are shrunk, you end up eating more. Treat each dried fruit as the full fruit, with all of its benefits and hazards. Drink Fluids Drink fluids based on your weight. 20 x (Ideal wt in KGs - 20). An adult with 65 kg ideal weight should take at least 2300 ml per day (8-10 glasses of water per day). If you work outdoors or are exposed to hot and humid climate, the requirements can easily increase to 5-8 litres per day. Drinks with Meals Drinking fluids during meal dilutes digestive juices but it has no effect on digestion. Hot fluids increase movement of food and can cause indigestion. Soft drinks do nothing for the digestion of food but do produce a feeling of fullness. They also load you with calories. Driving Safety Roads are slipperier as the rain begins to fall since dirt and oil form a slick film that gets washed away with rain afterwards. So drive with extreme caution as the rain begins to fall. Dry Eyes Dry eyes are due to deficiency of tear production in the eyes. We do not know why it happens except it is more common in arthritis patients and women are more predisposed to it. The only solution is to use artificial tears or other eye drops for the rest of your life. Left unattended, the condition can not only be discomforting but it can also cause physical damage to eye also. Dry eyes are caused by cold medicines and birth control pills, diuretics, and in pregnancy and menstruation; some people have inadequate tear ducts making eyes dry that can end up getting scratched and irritated. Keep eyes moist. Dynamic Exercises Dynamic exercises give you many psychological benefits also; you sleep better, wake up more refreshed, and are more alert and better able to concentrate. So run not only to have a strong heart but to have a good heart. Ear Cleaning Never put any sharp object in your ear to clean. Cotton buds should never be put in ear canal; they push wax back into ear. Ear Wax Soften earwax with oil or boric acid solution and then rinse using a rubber bulb, gently. Ear Infections Ear infections can be serious if left untreated; once infection enters deeper part of ear, only surgery can relieve the infection. Ear Piercing Ear piercing should only be done with stainless needles; if done with nickle-plated needles (as it is often done) you can become allergic to costume jewellery for life because of the sensitivity developed to nickel, which is universally found in all costume jewellery. Earache Listen to your ear. If you have ear ache and draining it helps you, that may not be the end of treatment. Ear or throat infections or tumours may be involved. Early Marriage Marry early while you will still have sufficient energy to raise children. Having just two children, whether both boys or girls should be sufficient for today's high cost of raising themproperly. Early to Bed Early to bed, early to rise does not make you healthy or wise; it can possibly make you wealthy by not missing out on work. Eat to Win Eat to win. High carbohydrate, low fat diet is needed to build muscles; proteins do not turn into muscles the myth of many body-builders. If you participate in a competitive sport, carbohydrates are your best friends. Eating All Do not finish food left in your children's plate. Take your time eating. At least about one-half hour. Never rush; you end up consuming more calories and often wrong type of calories when you have to eat and run. Make eating a relaxed event. Eating and Exercising Eat at least 3 hours before you exercise. During exercise, blood flow is diverted to muscles and away from the stomach and intestine, that can cause indigestion, nausea and vomiting. Eating If you eat out often, adopt the following habits: avoid white bread, butter, cream based soups, creamy salad dressings, order simple entrees such as chicken or fish always broiled or baked, ask for sauces to be served on the side, skip deserts and finally signal the waiter to remove the plate with some food left on it. Eating Rituals Fool your appetite system. Begin a ritual one-half hour before meal-time. Binge on low-calorie snacks like cucumbers or pasta. Then take a tall glass of cold water and brush your teeth before sitting down at the dinner table. Hunger response subsides with feeling of fullness and sugar levels in blood. Leave the dinner table with a feeling of fullness by drinking water or stuffing with low calorie foods. Eating Mood Eat with full attention and with gusto. Your digestive system mirrors your state of mind, which is why so many digestive disorders are stress-related. Do not eat while angry, anxious or distracted. When eating, make it the only activity and shun even music, newspaper or even chuckle. Eating Resolutions Your healthy eating resolutions are most likely to go down the tube when you are depressed, angry or frustrated. Plan on avoiding these situations; it will improve both your physical and mental health. Egg White Egg white is almost pure proteins without cholesterol and fat and makes an excellent food. Get rid of the yolk. Egg Yolk Egg yolk is one of the richest sources of cholesterol and fat but for people generally consuming fatty and meaty diets, eggs contribute only a small portion of the total cholesterol intake. Electrical Stimulation Electrical stimulation of muscles or body wraps to spot-lose weight are totally worthless. None of such "passive exercises" do anything except lighten your wallet. Some of these gimmicks can cause serious injuries also. Stay away from them. Electrolyte Deficiency Sweating does not produce serious deficiency of salt. There is no need for salt supplementation if you work out normally. Sweating is a mechanism to remove heat from the body; sweating itself consumes some calories to produce. So, if you exercise, allowing body to sweat will increase total calorie burnout. Energy Requirements Energy requirements decrease with age because of reduced consumption of calories and reduced physical activity. Consistently eat less as you age to prevent obesity. However, this requires eating more nutritious (not high caloric) foods since the quantity consumed is decreased. Enhanced Calorie Burning Learn quick calorie burn out tricks. Standing instead of sitting increases calorie burn out by 100%. Polish your own shoes, carry your own briefcase and make your own bed. Look active. Environmental Pollutants Environmental pollutants, polluted air, automobile and industrial exhausts are avoidable. Exposure to them enhances the bad effects of poor diet and reduce our resistance to disease. Fresh unpolluted air, clean water and minimum exposure to chemicals are essential to maintaining good health. Epilepsy Treatment Never stop suddenly taking an anti-convulsant (epilepsy treatment) drug after long-term treatment; the dose should be reduced gradually or else symptoms may return. Essential Proteins There are 20 different amino acids that make up all the proteins in human body. Of these, 12 can be synthesised by the body, the other eight, known as essential amino acids, must be supplied in the diet. Meat, grains and lentils are good source of these essential amino acids. Ethics Live ethically. In the end, ethics prevails; Nature has programmed man to be honest. There are no happy thieves. Give all you got to your profession; hold nothing back. Honest actions are those when no one is watching you. Ethnic Foods Ethnic foods differ because of the cultural, social and economic environment, relying on whatever was available to survive. If you are not used to an ethnic food, it may suddenly change your caloric balance and even expose you to spices to which you may be allergic to. Scarcity of good quality meat made French use meat only as a condiment and emphasise on heavy sauces. Scarcity of fuel and proteins allowed the Chinese to invent wok. Exercise Gimmicks Use gimmicks to keep you motivated in continuing exercise programs like carrying a Walkman®, a pedometer or trying a new walking shoe are often needed to help you going. Exercise Exercise Schedule No particular time is ideal for exercising including the mythical morning exercise routine. Exercising immediately after meals can cause indigestion. Excessive Sweating Excessive sweating may require surgical intervention to remove sweat glands. Exercise Habit Develop habits that keep your body exercising throughout the day: park your car at far distances; take stairs instead of elevators, stand instead of sitting; double-step stairs safely; stretch several time during the day; walk faster, take longer strides. Exercise in Water Exercise in water. Swimming tones all muscles but other water exercises now popular include stretching and running in water are also very good. Exercise Program Benefits of an exercise program on weight loss appear after at least two months of modified activity. Exercise alone may not be sufficient to lose weight. However, combined programs of exercise and diet modification help you keep essential proteins as you lose weight. Exercise and Food Myths Athletic performance is not enhanced by such popular items as honey, gelatine, lecithin, wheat germ oil, mega doses of vitamins, carnitine, etc. Some of these supplements can be harmful such as bee pollen which can trigger allergic response. Stick to traditional methods. Expressing Blocking, the inability to express true feelings or thoughts, is a result of emotional or mental conflict originating from repression of painful emotions in early life. Successful treatment depends on putting patients in touch with these unconscious feelings (Freudian therapy). Eye Pain If your eyes hurt for more than half an hour or there is blurred or impaired vision or extremely sensitivity to light, it may be due to infection, glaucoma or even corneal scratch; have it checked out immediately. Eye Mascara Eye mascara is most easily contaminated with bacteria when stored for long time; buy it in small quantity, keep refrigerated and discard any unused portion after a few months. Eye Drops Eye drop bottles should be carefully handled; do not touch tip and keep bottle closed properly. Eye Spots Spots in eyes that float are nothing to worry about unless you experience flashing lights with them signifying detachment of retina; otherwise they are just sloughed-off cells floating. Eye Exam Regular eye exam is essential in preventing and correcting many eye problems; 40+ should include glaucoma testing also. Protect your eyes. Avoid exposure to dirt , heat and light. Rest them and cleanse them with water frequently. Do not touch tip of eye drop bottle. Do not use mascara left open for a while. Never rub eyes when irritated. Wear sunglasses. Get yearly refraction test; errors in refraction may cause headaches. Use safety glasses when working with objects or sharpnels that can fly. Fad Diets Avoid fad diets. No diet or regimen makes you lose weight permanently. Only life-time changes in eating habits and exercising work. Fading of Skin Fading of skin that spreads throughout the body is not treatable through its pace can be slowed. Caused by a loss of pigment, melanin, it begins as patches which grow and merge. Ultraviolet light treatment has been suggested but it is risky. It is neither contagious nor harmful. Learn to live with it. Failure to Thrive Failure to thrive in the breast-feeding infant is rarely due to insufficient supply of milk. If the baby continues to gain weight and height and has at least six wet diapers and normal stool, the milk supply is adequate. Most mothers worry unnecessarily. Faith Renew your faith. Strong belief in religion helps you live longer. Renew your faith. Man alone can not survive the rigors of life; share them with God. Family Planning How many children should you have and when you should have them are serious questions to consider early in life. Fast Weight Loss Loss of four kilograms or more over a period of 10 weeks or less, without a deliberate change in eating habits or exercise pattern can be a sign of danger including thyroid disease,hormonal disorder, faulty digestion, cancer of intestine or stomach or tuberculosis. See your doctor. Fasting Fasting does not lead to permanent weigh loss. It is the most ineffective and dangerous method to lose weight. Fat Substitute Use fat substitutes. New discoveries of two fat substitutes, Simplesse and Olestra promise to give you all the fat you want without the calories. Simplesse gives only one-eight the calories in fats but cannot be used in cooking. It is made from egg-white. Olestra is totally calorie-free because it is not absorbed can be used for cooking. It is made fro sucrose and soybean oil to give large molecules that cannot be absorbed. Olestra was approved for use by the US FDA in 1995. Soon these products will be available in Pakistan. Fat Garnishing Avoid garnishing with fat. An ideal garnish is salsa (such as kachumber) made from fresh chopped tomatoes, onion, chillies, lime, lemon juice. It is customary to drench otherwise lean meals with sautéed onion or garlic (baghar); stay clear of that. Instead, use lemon juice with mint leaves, baked onions and raw crushed garlic. Fat Claims Ignore fat claims. The most important cause of heart disease and cancer is the fat in your diet. Remember, all fats ranging from butter to light vegetable oils cause irreparable damage to your body. Never pay any attention to any claims of beneficial uses of fats (oils); cholesterol-free claims mean nothing since the main culprit is the rest of the fat. Fat in Cooking Minimise fat in cooking. Use non-stick pans (such as Teflon® coating); they require less oil to cook. Learn the virtues of steaming, boiling, stir-frying, microwave cooking over frying. Favourite Foods Healthy eating does not mean giving up all your favourite meals, or spending hours studying the nutrient and calorie content of foods. The key to a healthy diet is simply variation and balance, extending the range of foods you normally eat and not taking too much of any one kind of food. Fear Fear intensified apparently without cause results in anxiety attacks with such symptoms as difficulty in breathing, sweating, trembling, diarrhoea. In most cases a change in life style and exercise can help along side use of specific medicines now available to reduce anxiety. Left untreated, chronic anxiety can lead to serious mental disorders. Feeling Tired Half of all men and women feel tired because their diets do not provide adequate nutrition needed for the stressed life style of today. Match your diet to meet challenges of your lifestyle. Aim not for high calories but for a right combination of proteins, carbohydrates and fats plus vitamins, minerals and other macro and micro nutrients. Female Baldness Women also lose hair as they age, during pregnancy but mostly in the form of thinning over the head, quite different from the typical male pattern baldness. Fertility and Vitamin C Testicles contain at least 50 times more vitamin C than the blood that nourishes them. Some causes of male infertility, such as clumping of sperms, can be treated with vitamin C therapy. For optimal fertility, men should consume citrus fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C at least two or three times a day. Fibre Deficiency Deficiency of fibre in diet causes most of the diseases of the digestive tract including haemorrhoids, appendicitis, inflammation and formation of pouches in intestine, and colon cancer. Fibre Bingeing Binge on fibre. Soluble fibre found mostly in oats, legumes, fruits and vegetables helps lower blood cholesterol and moderates blood sugar levels. Insoluble fibre is good for digestive system (constipation) and prevents colon cancer. Try getting about 40 grams of fibre per day from about five to six servings of fruits, breads, legumes, etc. This requirement is about twice what we normally eat. Fibre Supplements Fibre supplements should not be used to lose weight; first you will need a lot of these pills and secondly you would lose on other nutritional benefits of foods high in fibre such as vitamins and minerals in fruits rich in fibre. Finicky Eaters Finicky children can be coaxed into eating by first giving them their choice foods as long as these are healthy foods and then firmly explaining to them they must eat whatever is served or they may go to bed hungry. They will soon yield. Fish Oils Fish oils (not the fish liver oils such as the classic cod liver oil) from cold water sea fish contain a fatty acid, omega-3, not found in terrestrial sources. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to prevent heart disease. Fish Cooking For maximum flavour cook fish for ten minutes only for each one inch thickness; it should turn opaque and barely begin to flake. Fish Eat fish at least 2-3 times a week; however, watch out for the source of fish since many waterways have high chemical contamination. Fish also spoils easily. A fish that smells like a fish is a rotten fish. Fitness on the Run Fitness on the run. Not having enough time is the worst excuse given for not exercising. Just like you add tasks, add exercise to your routine appointments. Exercising in bits and pieces rather than waiting for enough to do it all at once is preferred. Fitness Monitor Monitor the fitness of your heart by testing how quickly your heart beats return to normal after exercise. Within 30 seconds of moderate exercise the heart beats should be less than 80. Fitness Test Test your fitness by running for 12 minutes; if you make to about a mile and a half for men and a mile and a quarter for women, you're doing fine. For ages over 50, the limits are lower. Floss Brush and floss regularly. The best time to brush teeth is before and after each meal. Floss regularly to prevent plaque formation and gum recession. Learn the correct method of brushing and flossing teeth. Fluoride Fluoride is needed to protect teeth. It strengthens enamel and thus makes it less susceptible to damage. Use only fluoridate tooth-paste since adequate fluoridation of water supply is questionable. Flour Keep flour refrigerated, preferably frozen, to keep it fresh and free of insect and bacterial growth. Flu Immunity Immunity to flu is difficult to establish because the virus keeps changing every year; flu vaccines are commended for the elderly at health risk; generally, the vaccines do not prove very useful. Fluid Drinking Drink water. No other fluid gives you greater vitality than pure water. Essential to keep body metabolism normal, water also protects your kidneys. Taken in any other form, as soft drinks or syrupy or fruity liquids, it only gives you unnecessary calories and electrolytes to load kidneys. Folic Acid Yeast, beef liver, spinach, beans, and broccoli are good sources of folic acid, essential in promoting growth, preventing anaemia, other blood disorders and gastrointestinal disturbances. Folic acid deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency, specially in our part of the world. Folic Acid The dose of folic acid, a vitamin of the B-complex family, should be increased if you are taking any medication regularly, planning to become pregnant, have difficulty in gaining weight or have frequent bouts of diarrhoea. Get folic acid through foliage, from where the word is derived; liver, milk and yeast are also good sources. Provide at least 100 microgram of folic acid per day. Chances are you would need a supplement product to get sufficient folic acid. Folklore of Garlic Garlic is proposed as panacea for ailments ranging from infections, pimples, boils, whooping cough, measles, worms, to heart disease. Though all other claims have fallen by the way side, the effect of garlic is established in reducing blood pressure, inhibiting coagulation of blood, reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. Food Therapy Foods are merely a source of calories and nutrition; unless you are allergic to it, they do not produce any specific therapeutic effect. Food Absorption Foods are absorbed after digestion as amino acids, monosaccharides and fatty acids regardless of their source. Combining foods may affect absorption of calories but it can not produce any harmful effects. Food Cravings Food cravings are common not only during pregnancy or lactation but also when using some drugs; for example, diuretics increase craving for salty foods. When taking any drug, consult your physician about any new food craving. Food Groups Identify and use all food groups. Take 7-8 servings of complex carbohydrates breads, pasta, rice), 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 1-2 servings of white meats and 0-1 servings of simple carbohydrates. Rich complex carbohydrates are in; fats totally out. (One serving is a common single portion, generally one piece of fruit, one slice of bread, a one tablespoon serving size or about 100g weight.) Food Variety Eat a widely varied diet. We are discovering every day newer components of diet that appear to be essential to health; don't be left out in tomorrow's discoveries. Also, eating one kind of food may expose to its ill effects such as small amount of toxins, chemical contaminants etc. Food Appearance Improve appearance of food. The appearance, smell and taste of food and the emotional climate in which it is served are crucial in preparing the body to digest and absorb food. Emotions of fear, anger, and worry depress these functions. Eating on the run and under stress guarantees indigestion. Food Allergies Eczema, arthritis and asthma symptoms may be caused by allergies to foods; try an elimination diet plan to ascertain your sensitivities to milk, wheat, tomato, preserves, sauerkraut, spinach, sausages, tuna, chocolate, strawberries, shellfish and citrus fruits. Food Myths Foods do not give any special effect depending on the climate of use; cold foods do not produce colds and hot foods do not make you sweat. It is all right to eat ice creams in winter and nihari and paya in summer. (Whether any of these foods is healthier, is a different question.) Food Intolerance Food intolerance with symptoms similar to food allergy can be caused by food additives, colouring agents, preservatives, flavour enhancers, sulphites to stabilise food colours, etc. There are no laws in Pakistan to list these additives on packaged foods. Watch out! Food-Drug Interactions Avoid food-drug interactions. Food interacts with absorption and action of many potent drugs; follow instructions carefully. Foot Bath Give your feet a salt bath when tired. Gravity can cause feet to swell when sitting or standing for long time, particularly during long flights. Raising feet even a few inches above ground when sitting makes a lot of difference. Foreign Breads Italian and French breads are made without any fat; when made with whole wheat, they make an excellent choice. They are now freely available in Pakistan. French Eating In French restaurants, order fish or poultry that have lighter sauces. For desserts used poached fruits and fruit tarts and do not cover them with sauce or custard. In Chinese restaurants select vegetables and foods using fish, ginger, plum and garlic sauces. Avoid fried rice and beware of the Chinese salt to which many people are allergic. Mexican foods offer excellent choice of vegetables; avoid avocado. Italian pastas with tomato sauce and vegetable are the best; ricotta and mozzarella cheeses are also low in calorie. Avoid Greek meat dishes, instead try the low calorie feta cheese especially the dishes using aubergines that give the distinct Greek flavour. Fresh Water Do not play or swim in fresh water. You can easily catch schistosomiasis, an infestation of a small worm that causes liver, kidney and bladder disease. On the ocean beaches watch out for jelly fish. Fresh Foods Eat fresh foods. Dried, canned, frozen, and prepared foods contain too much fat, salt, sugar, and unhealthy additives, and rarely do they taste as good as fresh foods. Fretting While in bed, do not fret if you can not fall asleep; it will make it even more difficult; instead count sheep, think about your loved ones or some other pleasant thoughts. If you can not sleep, get out of the bed and do not go back to bed until sleepy. Friends Honest friends lower your blood pressure. Find out who is honest with you. Lying smiles tighten muscles around the mouth and produce narrowing of lips; true smiles produces wrinkling of the skin around the eyes. Fructose Fructose, the fruit sugar is actually sweeter than the table sugar and is healthier compared to refined sugar. It is best to get it from fruits. Gall Bladder Deny gall bladder removal by open abdominal surgery. A new technique, laparascopy, is safer and less painful. Since many doctors are not trained to use this new technique, they continue to insist and justify the old method. Many gall bladder surgeries are also totally avoidable and in most cases the disease can be managed by dietary changes, reducing fat in diet. Gallstones All stones are almost pure cholesterol. They form in the gall bladder or bile ducts because there is more cholesterol than can be dissolved in the bile. This cholesterol is produced by the body and transferred to intestine to help in the absorption of fat. As you eat less fat, there is a lesser need to produce cholesterol and as a result, fewer chances of getting gall stones. Game Meat Game bird meat is generally lower in fat; try them out for variety. Remove skin; you may have to cook them differently to make meat tender. Garbage Disposal Dispose garbage properly. Remember, garbage can not go anywhere except circulate unless properly disposed off.. Garlic Oil Most commercial garlic oils, pills and extracts sold are worthless because their preparation destroys the beneficial components of garlic. Unfortunately, the amount of garlic, at least 10 cloves a day, needed to have any beneficial effects may produce many undesirable side effects. (Hint: baked garlic is just as effective but not near as pungent as fresh garlic and garlic salt is salt not garlic). Garlic Garlic and onions, once digested, release sulphur-containing chemicals which get carried in the blood stream to the lungs; the sulphur then gets breathed for several hours over anyone who gets close. Gas Stoves Gas stoves do not always burn clean; nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide from gas makes children more prone to colds and lung diseases; ventilate cooking areas. Gas Forming Foods Gas-forming foods have carbohydrates that are not digested and undergo bacterial fermentation in colon to produce offending gases. Dried beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lentils, cucumber, turnips, green pepper are examples of vegetables; among the fruits, apple, cantaloupe and melons have higher potential. Glaucoma Glaucoma testing should be done every 4-5 years, for fluid build up behind the eyes, specially if you're over 40. Good Sleep Get a good night sleep. It prepares you to handle the rigors of the day. Relax before going to bed by reading, listening to music or even by taking a warm shower. Good Cholesterol Storage of cholesterol as good cholesterol decreases when you are over weight, eat foods rich in cholesterol and saturated fats, smoke and do little exercise. Foods do not contain good or bad cholesterol, just one type of cholesterol . Body stores it either as good cholesterol or bad cholesterol depending on how much other fats are taken in the food and how much aerobic exercise you get. So, if you take a low cholesterol food which is high in fats, the purpose is totally defeated. Good Cholesterol Moderate use of alcohol elevates the good cholesterol and can be protective to heart; however, its use is still not recommended for a variety of reasons. Gout Gout, one of the oldest diseases in recorded medical history, is an inherited disorder of protein (purine) metabolism in which abnormal levels of uric acid accumulate in the blood and joints. It is characterised by arthritic pain which is usually localised in a sudden attack that begins in the big toe and that continues up the leg. Obesity is commonly associated with a gouty condition. High purine diets to avoid: anchovies, organ meats, fatty fish, sardines, yeast, partridge, grapefruit, cakes, eggs, chicken, asparagus. Greek Salads Order green salad instead of Cole-slaw; baked potato in place of French fries. Green Traffic Light Yield at green stop light. People are known to break red lights. Do not force your right of way; you do not want to be dead right. Green Tea Tea has half as much caffeine as coffee; green tea has even less caffeine. Greens and Fruits Disinfect greens and fruits. Vegetables, lettuce and fruits are often laced with disease-causing bacteria. Soak them in boiled water with a little potassium permanganate added for about 10 minutes; rinse them with boiled water and keep refrigerated. Greying of Hair Greying of hair does not come from shock or stress; it comes with older age (between 34-42) and earlier if genetically determined. It is a gradual process and "overnight greying" is often the rare disease that sheds hair rapidly leaving behind white hair. Your children, your in-laws, your job, your boss or frequent bouts of cold also do not give you grey hair. Gum Disease Gum disease and loss of teeth are preventable if teeth are kept clean and free of plaques that form due to lodged food promoting growth of bacteria. Foods that stimulate flow of saliva improve health of gums and teeth. Hair Plucking Do not pluck hair out of your nose; painful, ill-mannered, it also causes infection. Use special trimmers or blunted scissors. Hair Analysis Hair analysis does not reveal the general state of health unless you have been poisoned by heavy metals. Of course, in an illness the quality of hair changes but only temporarily. Shun all claims to evaluate health through hair analysis. Hair Dye Dye hair as infrequently as possible, don't leave dye on longer than instructed and wash thoroughly after application. Do not dye hair during pregnancy. Frosting and streaking is much safer than full hair scalp dyeing. Hay Fever Beat hay fever. Sleep late to beat early morning high levels of pollen in the air. Keep windows closed to keep pollens out. Headache Most headaches require little attention. If headache is accompanied by a stiff neck, lethargy, sensitivity to light or sound, nausea or vomiting or when pain persists for more than a day, it may be a sign of encephalitis, meningitis or brain tumour. Get it checked it out. Health Foods "Health" foods, touted to give specific health benefits only drain your pocket book. Foods only provide calories and nutrition and no other benefits. Health Concerns Being concerned about health is normal but being overly concerned about being ill is a mental disorder. Unfortunately, you can think yourself into becoming really ill. Health awareness should not be allowed to turn into a mania. Health Information Keep health information handy. Information about your blood group, allergies to medicines, special conditions like diabetes, heart disease, etc., should be carried with you at all times, in the event it is needed in an accident. Health On-board Dehydration during flights tires you. Avoid it by giving up all drinks except water; even tea and coffee dehydrate you. Unsalted nuts and dried fruits make good snacks but watch for calories. BananaG1 provides steady calories and helps reduce jet lag. It makes an excellent snack during flights. Since airlines rarely serve bananas, take it with you on board. Stay fit on-board. Air in the planes is dry, apply moisturiser before boarding; do not eat fatty or rich food before or during flight; consume copious quantities of non-alcoholic fluids; wear loose-fitting natural fibres. Get up and stretch periodically by pushing hands together and rotating your neck to relieve tension to back muscles. Healthy Nails Healthy nails are signs of good health but changes in colour and appearance may not always be a sign of disease. Nails of well nourished people grow faster than those of the undernourished; no specific food, mineral, or vitamin accelerates nail growth. Healthy Recipes Make your recipes healthier by reducing the amount of fat, sugar and salt by exactly one-half. You would barely notice the change if you do it gradually. Healthy Cooking Utensils Use healthy cooking utensils. Avoid copper, aluminium and stainless steel cooking vessels; never use a nickel plated vessel; earthenware and polymer-coated utensils are ideal. Diseases like Alzheimer's may be caused by cooking at high heat in aluminium or stainless steel pans. Hearing Losses Hearing losses are commonly ignored until they become serious. Seek immediate help to test if your hearing is going down. A lot can be done to alter the course if attended earlier. Heart Rate Rapid heart beat, chest pains and severe headache may appear when consuming foods like cheeses, yoghurt and other dairy products, chocolate, soy sauce, peanuts, yeast, preserved or smoked meats, particularly when using some drugs. This due to excess of some amino acids in these foods whose activity is increased when using these drugs. Heart Disease in Children Children from families with history of heart disease should have their cholesterol tested frequently. Heart Disease in Women Heart disease incidence is directly related to the use of dairy products. Punjabi women have the highest risk of developing heart disease. Adults should reduce their consumption of milk products. Fermented products like yoghurt and cheeses are much better; however, watch out for calories. Those requiring extra calcium should try supplements and not rely on dairy products only. Heart Attack Watch for heart attack signs. Crushing, searing pain in the middle of the chest moving quickly into shoulders, arms and beck; sharp pains in the pit of the stomach; fainting spells, dizziness, sweating, nausea, troubled breathing. Indigestion symptoms in the chest need prompt attention. Heart Inefficiency The upper reading of blood pressure tells you how inefficient your heart is; it should be below 140 mm; the lower value tells you if your arteries have hardened; it should be below 90. Heartburn Prevent heartburn. Don't overeat. Avoid tight clothing, especially waist pinching type. Stay upright for several hours after eating just eat and go to bed. Chocolate, tea, coffee, alcohol, tomatoes and citrus fruits exacerbate heartburn. Drinking juices with food also causes reflux and heartburn. Elevate head of bed (put telephone directory under pillow) as an effective measure. Heat Stroke Balding men should protects their scalp from sunburn and heat stroke by wearing a head cover in the sun. In cold climates, you can lose a lot of heat through scalp, so keep it covered also. Heat Stroke Caused by loss of body water , heat strokes are best treated by slow re-hydration. Heavy Sweating Some people sweat heavily by nature; others sweat heavily in fever or in other illness; menopause in women brings more sweating also. To prevent dehydration from excessive sweating, consume copious quantity of water and use antiperspirants; some extreme cases may even require surgical removal of sweat glands. Helmet Wear helmet while driving a motorcycle. Always wear car seat-belts. Use harness for children and infants and never let infants in the front seat. Hepatitis Vaccines Get vaccinated against hepatitis. The hepatitis B virus is deadly, spreads easily, even through water and its attack can be fatal. Avoid exposure through open wounds and through water and food. Vaccines are now freely available. Prevent the risk vaccinated. High Fibre Diets High fibre diets also happen to be low-sugar and low-fat diets indirect benefit in controlling heart disease and diabetes. High-Class Restaurant Never assume that a high-class restaurant is any cleaner than a street vendor. Never eat in a place that displays foods, cooked or uncooked, in open air. Hoarseness When hoarseness strikes, take it easy; don't strain your vocal cords and keep them moist by taking large quantities of fluids. It alleviates by itself. Hobbies Cultivate a hobby. A hobby is something you do alone; playing cricket or cards is not a hobby. Playing violin , writing or reading are hobbies. Realise how much time you are going to have later in life to spent with yourself; work on developing exciting and meaningful hobbies; they are also excellent outlets for the many frustrations of life. Home Plants Home plants do more than just improve appearance of indoors; they purify room air. If you are not allergic to plants, keep them close to you. Home Safety Never leave younger children unattended in bathrooms and kitchens; there are just too many things that can hurt them. Honey Unprocessed honey may contain food poisoning bacteria but they rarely grow because of high sugar concentration of sugar in honey. Infants given honey on pacifiers may cause food poisoning because these bacteria may start dividing in the intestine. Avoid unprocessed honey for infants less than one year old. Honey has 50% more calories compared with table sugar. Avoid it if you must reduce calories. Hormone Replacement Therapy Oestrogen hormone replacement is the best method for reducing bone loss in post-menopausal women who have not already lost much of bone mass. Consult your doctor if you qualify. Hot Pepper Hot peppers are quite harmless, except for heart burn they may cause in some. They do not promote ulcers or haemorrhoids since the active component, capsaicin, quickly breaks down in stomach. So, eat them if you like sweating out. Humidity Humidify air in winter. Dry air precipitates skin and throat diseases and exacerbate bronchitis and asthma; put a wet towel in the room when nothing else is available. Hydrocele Fluid accumulates in scrotum particularly in older men (hydrocele), often without reason but sometimes due to infection or injury. No treatment is needed unless it becomes uncomfortable. Get it removed then. Hydrolysed Protein Hydrolysed proteins touted useful for body builders are worthless; they are of use only in people with absorption disorders that do not allow breaking down of proteins. Hyperactivity Sugar or aspartame, an artificial sweetener, used even in large quantities do not produce hyperactivity in children, as generally believed. High use of sugar, however, has many side effects. Hypertension in Pregnancy Hypertension is common during pregnancy due to imbalance in nutritional status. None of the purported treatments and techniques either work or are recommended except using balanced diet enriched with calcium and vitamin B6 and proper exercise. Hypochondriasis Hypochondriacs are people so concerned about their health that they lose interest other things. They are continually seeking treatment for their imagined illness. Treatment begins by first acknowledging it; treatment can be difficult but psychiatric help should be tried. Ideal Body Shape Ideal body shapes as you see in fashion magazines are rarity; that's why they are displayed. Always remember it is their profession to look good. Don't you excel in your profession. Do not mix professions. Ideal Weight Ideal weight is quickly calculated as: 100 plus five pounds for each inch over five feet for women; 106 plus six pounds for each inch over five feet for men. Illness Course Many illnesses run their course and you must know the value of self-help measures like resting in bed, drinking plenty of fluids, or taking over-the-counter medications. Rushing to a doctor for minor illnesses borders on hypochondriasis, a personality disorder. Immune System Most worrisome aspect of anaemia is a reduction in your body's defence system, making your more susceptible to a host of diseases. You may be in need of iron therapy; find out. Chronic anaemia can be fatal; don't ignore it Immunisations Immunisations against some diseases have only temporary effect and must be repeated; rabies 2-3 yrs; typhoid 3 yrs; yellow fever 10 yrs; cholera and Hepatitis A 6 months. TB vaccination lasts for more than 15 years.Children as well as adults need immunisation. Get tetanus booster every ten years. Over 65, take flu and pneumonia vaccine. Women of child-bearing age who have not been infected should take German measles shot also and wait for at least three months before getting pregnant. Immunity With each bout of illness and injury, your body becomes less capable of defending itself against future bouts of disease. So, prevent illness to prevent illness. Incontinence Inability to keep urine is common in the elderly with brain diseases. Women are more prone to it. There are many other causes also that must be evaluated by your doctor. Infant Feeding Infants feeding on bottles should never be given bottles to take to bed. Prolonged exposure to milk or other liquids, particularly if sugar has been added, can cause severe tooth decay problems. Inferiority Adlerian theory suggests that we are born with natural feelings of inferiority; life is seen as a constant struggle to overcome these feelings; failure to accomplish it leads to symptoms of mental disorders. Infertility Infertility causes are diagnosed only in 40% of cases; male and female disorders contribute equally and delay in seeking treatment worsens the chance of conception. Insect Bites People allergic to stings can quickly develop life threatening anaphylaxis: anxiety, red blotchy skin, puffy eyes and difficulty in breathing. Rush for medical help if these conditions appear. Insoluble Fibre insoluble fibre, the kind that does not get absorbed, such as cellulose, prevents many diseases, particularly colon cancer; it is not known how it works but one theory is that by speeding up the movement of food (because of bulk), it reduces contact of carcinogens in food with intestine. Insoluble fibre also helps if you have an irritable bowel (the disease that makes you run to bathroom when excited). Invisible Fat Sources Beware of the invisible fat sources. Fat calories should be less than one-third of your total calories and that easily come such hidden sources as meat, fruits, grains. Trim all visible fat, use vinegar for dressing, give up potato chips, cookies, cakes, pastries, patties and all such temptables laden with fat. Iodine Iodine is essential in preventing goitre and physical and mental retardation. Insist on using iodised salt only; it is now widely available in Pakistan. Iron Pot Cooking Cooking in cast iron pots increases the iron content of food; acidic foods such as tomato sauces extract more iron from iron pots. Iron in Women Over a lifetime, the average woman will need almost twice as much iron as a man. With each childbirth, a woman loses one-fifth of body reserves of iron. Iron Supplements Use iron supplements. Iron deficiency is quite common among women in Pakistan; most others would benefit also by increasing iron intake. Take iron pills if you are like most who are not sure about your dietary sources of iron. Unfortunately, iron is not equally well absorbed from all vegetable sources. Vitamin C in foods enhances iron absorption. Iron Deficiency Anaemia Changes in skin colour and appearance, loss of muscular tone and appetite, fatigue, craving to eat clay are some of the symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia. Iron-Sources Beef steak, liver prunes and cashews are the highest sources of iron. However, watch out; cashews also have very high calories and meats may be laden with cholesterol. Irregular Periods Irregular menstruation is quite common particularly in women with malnutrition. Missed periods beyond two weeks should be evaluated for pregnancy Itching Itching is a Nature's response to physically remove the irritant. Sensitive skin and nerves get irritated easily and force you to scratch often unnecessarily. To prevent infection, do not scratch excessively. Apply calamine lotion, talc or hydrocortisone cream to alleviate itching. If it is caused by an infection such as athlete's foot, Jock's itch or like, seek prompt medical treatment. Japanese Tea Japanese tea not only lowers cholesterol, it also protects against cancer. Jaw Grind Grind or click of the jaw, often painful, is usually caused by stress and disappears with it. Jealousy Enjoy successes of others. You can be really happy if you begin to cherish happiness of other people. It is indeed the toughest thing to do. But it has immense rewards. Jealousy reduces body immunity. Jelly Fish Jelly fish stings on beaches can be treated by applying alcohol or vinegar; a baking soda paste works wonders. Kidney Disease Drink water to prevent kidney disease, muscular deterioration and fatigue. Kidney Stones Kidney stones are crystals of calcium oxalate; reducing calcium in diet and vitamin C provides little relief. The critical advice is to drink lots of water. Patients with tendency to form kidney stones must take about 1.5-2 litres of fluids per day to produce at least 2 litres per day of urine as a prophylactic treatment. The goal of rigorous hydration is to keep the urine dilute, preventing crystallisation of stone-forming minerals. Kitchen Disease Keep kitchen area spotless clean. Dirty surfaces attracts and grows bacteria that can be harmful. Keeping all utensils and surfaces clean reduces risk of disease substantially. Knees Watch for buckling knees. Knees are the first one to go when you over do it. Pay attention. Knuckle Cracking Bad habit of cracking knuckles damages tissues and can cause inflammation; claims are made that it can even cause arthritis. Don't do it. Laxatives Laxatives also deplete body of many vitamins, calcium and potassium and reduce absorption of fat from diet Diet modification to low fat diet and high calcium foods is recommended. Begin using calcium and vitamin supplements if you plan to use laxatives for long time. LDL/HDL Ratio Keep an eye on the LDL/HDL ratio if you have high cholesterol; this ratio is often more important than the total cholesterol. This ratio can be decreased by aerobic exercises. LDL Cholesterol as LDL is bad. When checking blood chemistry, also ask for HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol. When combined with high triglycerides, high LDL cholesterol unleashes its worst virtues arteries. There is a lot of genetic variation in susceptibility also. Lead Remove sources of lead in your home (pipes, paint, dirt). Seal-paint Asbestos sheets (do not use them, if you can avoid.) Left-Overs Refrigerate left-overs quickly after wrapping them; large quantities should be broken into smaller packages to help cool them down faster. Leg Exercise Fewer calories are burned in arm exercises than in leg exercises because of the larger mass of the latter. Leg Cramps Prevent night-time calf cramps. Pointing toes while stretching may cause cramps. Sleep on the side to prevent toe pointing. Stretch and massage to relieve cramps. Legumes Eat Legumes. Unlike cereals, they are high in proteins and low in starch. When combined with cereals or small quantity of animal proteins, they supply all essential proteins to support life and growth in humans. Low fat legumes make an ideal staple for man. Lentils Lentils of all kind are remarkably low in fats, high in complex carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. They make an excellent staple for man. To supplement with all essential amino acids, diversify selection of lentils and cook them without using any shortening or fats. Garnish them with lemon juice, crushed garlic, green coriander leaves and onion to enhance their taste. Lifting Weights Lifting weights not only tones muscles and burns fat but also strengthens joints and protects from pain and degeneration caused by arthritis, a major cause of limiting activity in both men and women. All men and women must train at least twice a week for fifteen minutes. Lifting Weights Lift correctly. Lift objects keeping them as close to your body as possible. Lift with knees not back. If you experience frequent bouts, consult a physicians and draw up an exercise plan.Warm up for 5-6 minutes. At each session, do six exercises for the upper body muscles and six for the lower body. Exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower it. Give each muscle group a full day of rest before exercising again; exercising the same muscle group two days in a row may make it weaker, not stronger. Light Clothing Use light clothing. Exercise raises body temperature and sufficient ventilation should be provided; heavy and impervious clothing reduces, not increases, perspiration as commonly believed and it can be hazardous. Light Salts "Light salts" contain about half as much sodium; you will be surprised how easy it is to adjust your taste to these substitutes; better yet, how easy it is to reduce or even give up the use of salt. Lithotripsy Lithotripsy is breaking down of kidney stones using ultrasound waves; this technique is fast replacing surgery of kidneys to remove stones. Find out if this much safer and cheaper technique is suitable for your ailment. Little Things Pay attention to little things. Kind gestures, smiles, kindness, wishing people well, noticing how they appear, how they perform are all important. Often the smallest things make the biggest difference. Liver Spots Old age spots or "liver spots" come from exposure to sunlight and not from any liver disease. Fade creams do not remove them. They are harmless; see your doctor if their colour, size or shape changes suddenly. Long-term Medication Long-term medication may upset the absorption and utilisation of some nutrients; for example, some anti-epilepsy drugs increase the need for folic acid and vitamin D. Ask your doctor if you should alter your diet when taking medicines for longer time. Lose Weight Lose a few pounds. Hang around your neck two dumbbells tied with rope and begin walking to tell you what you are doing to your heart. Lift the burden, liver longer. Love Someone Love someone. Chemically, loving produces some very powerful traits in your personality. It also boosts your body's immune system. Love someone. Low Cholesterol Very low levels of cholesterol, below 150 mg/dL, can produce health risks including depression and suicide tendency but the connection to cancer is not proven. Cancer patients have lower cholesterol and not vice versa. Low Fat Eating Limit fat intake of children from age two onward to reduce the odds against eventually developing coronary heart disease. Low Blood Pressure Low blood pressure may give you dizzy spells or you may feel faint when you stand up abruptly. Unless there are underlying causes, chronic low blood pressure is not treated. Learn to stand up slowly form a sitting or lying position. Low-fat Milk Reduce fat in recipes by using skimmed or low-fat milk instead of whole milk; two egg-whites instead of a whole egg; spices, lemon and lime juices for seasoning and marinating instead of using butter or oils; steaming, roasting, baking and stir-frying instead of frying. Lowering Blood Pressure Dietary habits to keep your blood pressure low include not drinking tea or coffee if you already don't, eating a lot of garlic, fish, broccoli and foods enriched with C and calcium but low in salt. Lumps Cancer watch. Any new lump for which there is no obvious explanation may be a sign of cancer. Consult your physician without delay. Lunch Packaging your own lunch is the easiest way to retain control over what you eat can be as simple as a healthful sandwich and sliced raw vegetables or yoghurt and a few pieces of fruit. Lung Inflammation Chronic inflammation of lungs in smokers produces serious damage to lungs; it can be somewhat reduced by consuming diet high in vitamin C. Make Friends Make friends at work. Making friends at work makes you a better worker because of tolerance you can develop for your cohorts. People with whom you spend one-third of your life should make you happy; if they do not, change jobs. Malaise A vague generalised feeling of being ill is not normal. If it lasts for more than a few days, get it checked out. The diagnosis may range from obesity to anxiety, depression and heart disease. Male Fertility Male fertility is continually decreasing globally; one reason is the exposure to a variety of environmental chemicals. Rural farming males have almost twice the sperm count as that of city born and bred contemporaries. Avoid exposure to chemicals at early age to keep fertility potential high. Male Pattern Baldness Ordinary male pattern baldness is a sign of maturity; it runs in families, is affected by genes from both mother and father's side and is not induced by anxiety or zealous shampooing. The connection to excess male hormones is also weak. No cure should be sought because none is available. Let it be. Malnutrition Look for signs of malnutrition. Dull, dry, and easily plucked hair; swollen, pale face; pale, red and dry eyes; white or pink lesions at the corner of mouth; purple or red tongue; mottled teeth, caries; spongy, bleeding and receding gums; enlarged thyroid; confused mentally with loss of senses and memory. Proper nutrition counselling must be immediately sought. Manage Time Manage time. Do not let events control you; you should control events by controlling your time. Guard your time jealously to do only the most important things. Other things when they become important should receive attention. Avoid company of those who have too much time to spare. Massage Massage, the art of loving care, is grossly abused. is grossly abused. It is not recommended in fever or infection, or when the skin is inflamed. If it hurts even a little bit, do not do it; massage also worsens blocked or varicose veins. Maximum Heart Rate Maximum heart rate in a workout should not exceed 220 minus your age. The ideal range is halfway between the resting pulse and the allowed maximum. If you are 40, you should not exceed 180 beats per minute and maintain during exercise 130 beats per minute. Mayonnaise Remember that mayonnaise is all fat. Meat Meat is an ideal protein because it contains all essential amino acids that we do not synthesise, but neither can animals. These essential amino acids in animal meat come from the non-meat diet of animals; why not get to the same source for essential amino acids and cut the "middle man" and the fat out? Meditation Meditate regularly. It only takes about 5-10 minutes per day. Seclude yourself in a room with no bright lights. Close your eyes and take a sitting posture that you find relaxing (try the squat if you can). Tighten and then relax muscles from forehead to your toes. It may take some practice doing. After relaxing muscles, flush out all thoughts from your mind. Breath slowly and deeply. You are a new person now. Meditation reduces high blood pressure, reduces the need for treatment for conditions such as anxiety and depression, helps heal asthma, headaches, allergies and skin problems. It also helps patients with diabetes, in the management of obesity and in giving up cigarette smoking an drinking. It improves sleep, reduces incidence of accidents and helps maintain good physical and mental health. It is the most important healing technique. Megadose Vitamins Use of large doses of vitamin C does not promote formation of kidney stones, as erroneously believe until recently. Even though vitamin C metabolism leads to a chemical oxalic acid, a component of kidney stones, higher doses of vitamin C do not increase urine levels of oxalic acid. Melatonin A hormone, melatonin, is secreted by the pineal gland when we go to bed to soothe our nerves; exposure to light reduces levels of melatonin. So, to be well rested make sure your turn the lights off and get as little exposure to light as possible throughout the day. Mercurochrome Do not use mercurochrome or merthiolate , very common in Pakistan, since they contain mercury and are no longer considered safe by the US FDA. Metabolic Rate Know how to keep your body's metabolic rate high to burn more calories. High protein diets increase energy expenditure, followed by high carbohydrate diets. Your majority of calories should come from carbohydrates and proteins. Migraine Migraine headaches are often made worse by may foods notably cheese, chocolate or coffee. Avoid them. Migraine headaches, severe throbbing on one side of the head, can be caused by an allergic response. Chocolate, aged cheese, alcohol, nitrites (meat preservatives), MSG (Chinese salt) and aspartame (artificial sweetener) are some of the culprits. Mild Pain Know when to rest. Do not ignore mild or intermittent pains; severe pain or swelling is a sure sign of serious damage. Rest. Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen for sore muscles, take acetaminophen (paracetamol) instead. Mild Hypertension Mild hypertension (140-160/90-104), particularly where causes are not clear is best treated by diet modification, weight loss and healthier lifestyles. Milk Intolerance Intolerance to milk increases with age; so, if drinking milk or using milk products causes cramps, gas, diarrhoea, switch-over to fermented milk products like yoghurt, buttermilk, or cheeses. A large portion of the world population is intolerant to milk. Milk People who do not digest milk should become aware of the foods that contain hidden sources of dairy products such as candies, cakes, cookies. Mind Control Tame the powers of mind. Mind controls body in giving placebo relief and in converting feelings into real illness. Controlling powers of mind means controlling your body and your life. Mind Stimulation Stimulate your mind. Brain needs exercise also. Stimulated brain helps your live a disease-free life. Try using newer challenges such as puzzles and methods. Mineral Myths Many myths attached to use of minerals are just that. Zinc does not relieve angina and cirrhosis, calcium does not prevent insomnia and anxiety; copper does not promote hair growth. Minerals have a significant role in maintaining good health but specific disease oriented claims are questionable. Minor Cuts Minor cuts and scrapes are best treated by cleaning them with water and letting the body's own immune system heal them. Deeper wounds need professional attention. Miscarriages Miscarriages are often a Nature's way of discarding an abnormal foetus; well-formed, genetically strong foetus can withhold many rigours. Miscarriage does not make a women less able to conceive in the future. Missing Heart Beat Missing a heat beat here and there is quite common and harmless. Frequent missed beats are generally caused by excessive use of tobacco, alcohol or caffeine. Cut them down. (Hint: cola soft drinks are laden with caffeine.) Moisturisers The top layer of skin is dead and the layers below supply it with moisture. In dry climate and as you age, skin becomes drier. Use moisturisers but only the simpler types to avoid chemical sensitivities. Mole Signs for a possible cancer include: an abnormal mole; a sore throat that does not heal in three weeks; a persistent reddish patch; a smooth bump indented in the middle; a shiny waxy, scar-like spot. Mosquito Repellent When outdoors, apply mosquito repellent on exposed body parts. (Diethyltoluamide component of repellent is the safest.) Mosquito Bites Prevent mosquito bites. Malaria and encephalitis (inflammation of brain causing death) are still rampant. Screen open windows, spray rooms with pyrethrin chemicals only and ventilate before entering room. Do not use mosquito repellent coils in closed rooms (avoid them if you can). Muscle Strength Multiple repetitions using small weights improve muscle strength and tone. Lifting heavy weights with fewer repetitions builds up the muscle bulk. Muscle Twitching Sudden twitching of muscles such as eyelids is often a result of tiredness or tension; don't worry, it will pass. Muscle Strain Don't strain when you train. There is no truth to "no pain, no gain" philosophy. Exercising should not hurt. All sports can cause serious bodily damage. Know the injuries that can be caused; train to avoid them. Muscles and Proteins Eating more proteins does not build muscles; only anaerobic exercise (heavy weight pushing) builds muscles. Protein needs of sedentary and most active people are about the same. Protein supplements are unnecessary and expensive. Music Listen to music. When depressed, listen to sadder music and then gradually progress to light-hearted works. When hyperactive, tune in to energetic selections and then ease yourself into calmer pieces. Begin your day with perky pieces. Nail Diseases Nails tell a lot about your health condition. Bacterial infection turn them blackish-green, whitish in chronic liver disease, black splinters in infection of the heart valve; iron deficiency anaemia makes them spoon-shaped; lung cancer and heart disease cause clubbing or knobbly enlarged ends of the finger and toes and nails grow around these ends. Any change in the colour or shape of nails should be examined by a qualified physician. Nail Polish Do not use nail polish remover frequently; it dries out nails and cuticles; replenish enamel quickly after you use nail polish removers. Nail Growth Nails grow faster on the hand you use most, i.e., right-handedness or left-handedness and it takes about 6 months to grow from cuticle to tip. Nail Trimming Soften nails in warm water before cutting them; do not cut them too short; cut toe nails straight across to stop them in growing which can cause serious problems. Finger nails grow at least twice as fast as toe nails. Trim nails regularly with toe nails trimmed at every other fingernail trimming. Keep nails trimmed. Untrimmed nails harbour millions of disease-causing bacteria; keep them trimmed and clean. Pay greater attention if you grow long nails. Nerve Disease Loss of feeling and/or a prickling sensation ("pins and needles") in any part of the body is often an indicator of nerve disease if obvious physical causes can not be discounted. Do not ignore the signs. Nicotine Resistance Smokers develop some resistance to the effects of nicotine through in the end it all fails; non-smokers exposed to smoke only get the bad effects of nicotine since they do not develop any resistance. Nicotine Nicotine in cigarettes was recently classified as an addicting chemical just like heroin, cocaine or hashish. Now we know why it is difficult to kick the habit; you become junky when you smoke. Laws are being enacted to classify cigarettes in the same category as hashish. Think about it. Nightmares Nightmares are nothing to lose sleep over. Accentuated by tension, illness and often drugs, they disappear after a while.. Sensitive, open, vulnerable and creative people experience nightmares more often, just as do children 3-7 years old . No Treatment Many diseases are best cured by not treating them like common colds and flu, diarrhoea, pains, aches and bruises. Do not insist on getting medication if your doctors only suggests household remedies. Noise Use appropriate protection in noisy environment; cotton balls do not reduce noise. Loud music can damage your hearing irreparably. Reduce noise pollution. Noise creates damaging effects in the body; control whatever noises you can to the lowest level including the sound of your own voice. This will benefit you by making others trust and like you more. Non-milk Calcium Sources Some of the best non-fat, non-milk sources of calcium are vegetables such as spinach, turnip green and broccoli. Non-smokers Non-smokers living with smokers look about ten years older than their real age because of the effect of smoke in the room. Since non-smokers do not develop resistance to the effect of nicotine, the damage is more pronounced. Look younger, marry a non-smoker. Nose Blockage Nose blocked by mucus due to cold results in a marked loss of sense of taste because the nose has small receptors triggered by flavours. Nose Blowing Blow nose gently; doing it strongly increases risk of nosebleeds and spreading of infection to ears. Nosebleed Sudden nose bleed is common and inconsequential. Sit down and lean over with your head forward; press between thumb and finger and hold the bleeding nose for about 5 minutes. Do not blow nose for 12 hours. If bleeding does not stop within 20 minutes, see your doctor. Nursing Mothers Spicy diets of nursing mothers do not cause any discomfort to infants; it has more to do with lack of experience of new mothers in handling breast-feeding and infant care. Nutrition Education Nutrition education in children should begin as early as possible. Parent must also emulate their teachings to leave lasting impression upon children. Nutritional Advise Nutritional advise is generally culturally biased; do not try to emulate Western advise because you may not have taste developed for it and are likely to fail. Obesity More bad news for obese people. The risk of cancer, specially colon, prostrate and gallbladder cancer is much higher in people who are more than 40% over weight. Obsession Watch out for your obsessions making your behaviour compulsive. Obsession is an idea or thought that lodges in your mind and cannot be forgotten such as a music tune; serious obsessions begin as increased interest, for example in politics, religion or hygiene. Soon you are brooding about it. When it begins to affect your behaviour as noticed by other people, it is a mental disorder. Obsessions lead to compulsive behaviour such as washing hands frequently, checking the door if it is locked repeatedly and like. Treatments include desensitisation and use of medicines. Occasional Indigestion Occasional indigestion seldom requires treatment. Often paying too much attention to indigestion, makes it worse. Balanced diet taken in small portions and avoiding fatty meals (that take much longer to digest) is the best cure. Persistent indigestion may be a sign of gall bladder or liver disease; consult your doctor. Occupational Hazards Occupational hazard, particularly miscarriage of pregnancy, is higher where chemical or gas exposures are frequent; female anaesthetists, hair dressers, manicurists, chemical factory workers of child-bearing age should be more careful. Olive Oil Grades of olive oil, extra-virgin, virgin, fine and ungraded refer to how it is extracted; there is no nutritional differences among them. Buy the cheapest grade. One day at a Time Live one day at a time. You cross the bridge when you get to it. Do not worry about tomorrow; cherish today. Ordinary Fruits Buy ordinary foods. Good nutrition, vitamins, minerals, fibre are abundant in ordinary foods like potatoes, cereals, bananas, rice, legumes (pulses), whole-wheat flour, beans, etc. Special, expensive foods do not necessarily give you better nutrition. Organ Meats Organ meats such as brain, kidneys, heart, testis offer no nutritional advantages contrary to many social beliefs. The only organs that provides superior nutrition are liver and spleen. Organ meats such as brain, kidneys, heart, testis offer no nutritional advantages contrary to many social beliefs. The only organs that provides superior nutrition are liver and spleen. Over Exercising Burning more than 3,500 calories per week (equivalent of walking six miles daily or running three miles daily for a week) by exercising is not recommended because no additional health benefits are gained; it may also require special diet and fluid therapy besides possibly damaging legs and knees. Ideal benefit comes from moderate but regular exercise. Overcooked Food Do not overcook food. Cooking at high temperature and for longer time not only destroys the nutritional value and vitamins, it also adds toxic chemicals as by-product of fat burning. One such chemical acrolein also retards stomach emptying and delays digestion. Oxalate Foods High oxalate foods including tea, many vegetables, fruit juices and nuts increase stone formation in kidneys. Avoid them if you have tendency to kidney stones. Oxidation Oxidation, a chemical reaction involving atmospheric oxygen, is mostly responsible for ageing and decay of body tissues. Vegetables are a good source of antioxidants that prevent the body tissues from getting oxidised; they keep our skin supple, eyes protected from cataract, organs protected from cancer, arteries free of blockage and hardening, and keep us looking youthful and energetic. In God's design, vegetables are essential to our health and survival. Pain Relievers Take pain reliever as soon as you feel your migraine headache starting; waiting longer makes it more difficult to relieve pain. Generally, cheese, chocolates, oranges, peanut butter and alcohol make migraine worse. Palpitation Palpitation, the sensation of becoming aware of your own heartbeat is quite normal. Longer lasting and recurrent palpitation can be a symptom of anxiety, heart disorder or an over active thyroid gland. Pap Smear Get a pap smear. Cervical cancers are 100% treatable. If three yearly tests are negative, longer period between tests may be allowed. Those with high risk should have it done more frequently. Passive Smoking Avoid passive smoking. Non-smokers receive more damage from tobacco smoke than do smokers. Assert your rights as non-smokers. Paunch Where you accumulate fat in the body matters. Fat in the mid section is stored deeper, causes greater rise in bad cholesterol, increases risk of diabetes and through release of hormones, increases the risk of breast cancer. So get out there and punch the paunch. Peanuts Peanuts give you good vitamins and nutrition, but they also give you high fat calories; and now, they are also source of aflatoxin, a toxic fungus, found in dirty sources of peanut. The bottom line is: avoid them. Perfumes Do not use perfumes and colognes to mask body odours; they never do and even make them worse. When switching brands of perfumes, check for allergic reactions by applying behind ears; if the area reddens, do not use it. Pesticides Avoid artificial pesticides. Pesticide in gardens have a way of finding their way into your home. All pesticides are damaging to health. Pets Keeping a pet can be quite effective in controlling your blood pressure. Pets are an excellent outlet for affection and developing association. When humans do not work out rely on other species. However, watch out, pets also spread many diseases. Phobias Phobias, irrational fears, such as those of heights, crowds, spiders, can be treated by either gradually or sudden exposure; the latter should be done with professional counselling. Biofeedback and hypnotism also work well. There is no need to live with phobias. Get rid of them. Plastic Containers Buy cooking oil in plastic containers that can be properly sealed and stored. Exposure to air makes oils rancid and also makes them hazardous to health. Always keep cooking oil containers tightly closed. Plastic Bags Death comes quickly in children because of lack of oxygen if they put plastic bag over their head; never leave plastic bags around where children can find them. Better yet, never bring plastic bags home; they are one of the greatest environmental hazard. Do not use plastic bags. Besides creating an environmental hazard, they can immediately damage your health when they are burned in your neighbourhood. Pneumonia Pneumonia is a deadly disease. If you have fever above 100 F, coughing and have difficulty breathing, contact your physician immediately; you may be suffering from pneumonia. Poison Ivy "Leaves of three, let it be," is a good advise; stay clear of poison ivy plants. If contacted, wash thoroughly and apply baking soda, calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching; scratching excessively can cause infection. Polio Polio, a viral infection, spreads by personal contact or by eating or drinking contaminated foods or liquids. Early symptoms include headache, sore throat and fever leading to damage of muscle-controlling nerves. It is not possible to treat polio. There is no excuse for not immunising children against polio. Positive Approach Accentuate the positive. Hostile, cynical and mistrustful people live short, painful lives. Try to find some thing positive in everything. And there is something positive in everything. Posture Avoid hunch-over posture. Most posture problems are due to bad habits rather than age. Walk tall, keep your rear tucked in and pull in your chin. If it makes your back muscles fatigued, adopt exercises to strengthen your back. Also, make sure you are getting enough calcium to protect your spine in the long-run, specially for women. Weight training program also makes your bones stronger. Potassium Potassium is abundant in nearly all fruit and vegetable juices. Potato Chips Eating eight ounces of potato chips is like adding twelve to twenty teaspoons of vegetable oil to an eight ounce potato (which otherwise is a good source of complex carbohydrates). Potato Potatoes have no fat at all. They become fattening because of how they are cooked. They are a good source of complex carbohydrate but bring a faster rise in blood sugar that is undesirable, particularly in diabetes. Potbellies Potbellies are best reduced by aerobic exercises lasting for 30 minutes or more; running, cycling, climbing stairs are some good exercises. Sit-ups and crunches never raise your heart beat sufficient to burn-up substantial fat in the potbelly. These exercises may tone abdominal muscles to make the flab appear less but they do not remove fat efficiently. Prescription Lenses Too strong or too light a prescription lens can not damage your eyes; it just makes you feel uncomfortable. Prevent Colds Wash hands and avoid putting fingers to your nose and eyes. Do not share objects such as telephones, cups or pencils with cold sufferers. Raise your immunity against diseases by not exposing to harsh weather conditions, poor diet and stress. Prickly Heat Prickly heat is an irritating rash; the red, weepy spots are due to inflamed sweat glands. Wear loose, cotton clothes and put a cold compress on sore areas. Do not exercise until the irritation has completely gone down. Processed Foods Avoid processed foods. Food additives of all types are injurious to health. There are enough chemicals added in growing foods, let alone you accept this additional burden of chemicals. Animal sources of foods contain more chemicals. Meat and milk contain antibiotics, steroids, pesticides and a variety of cancer causing agents. Proper Eating Proper eating habits must be cultivated at early ages; children of parents who are always eating on the go, become like them. So, take time eating; besides nutritional advantage, it brings family closer. Prophylactics Prevent malaria by continually taking prophylactics if you live in or visiting an endemic area. Prostate One in three men will suffer from prostate disease before the age of 50. Few men know about complications from prostate gland. Four times more men die of prostrate cancer as women dying of cervical cancer, mainly because of failure to detect prostate diseases early. Protective Goggles Wear protective goggles when engaged in ball games, hunting, or working with moving objects; when swimming use goggles to prevent eye irritation from the pool chlorine. Protein Supplements Amino acid supplements are unnecessary; shun the claims made regarding any amino acids to cure illness. Protein Nutrition Protein malnutrition is still quite common in the Pakistani children. For optimal growth and survival, make sure they get at least 1g/kg body weight per day as proteins. For adults, it is 20% less. In pregnancy and lactation requirements increase substantially. Cut back on proteins. Take no more than 1 g of protein for each 3 pound of body weight. One protein meal a day is often more than sufficient. Psychiatric Disorders Any behaviour, whether it develops suddenly or gradually and is out of keeping with previous behaviour is likely related to psychological disorders that are caused by chemical imbalance in your body; a large number of very good drugs are now available to treat these symptoms. Consult your doctor. Psychosomatic Illnesses The term "psychosomatic" should not be used in a derogatory sense. Psychosomatic illness are not imaginary, they are real. Just like increase in heart rate in excitement, stomach-ache in emotional scenes, sweating in fear and ulceration in chronic anxiety. Mind has many complex connections with body, particularly in people who are genetically predisposed to it. Psychiatric help may be needed to overcome the tendency of mind to make you ill. Psyllium Psyllium (Ispaghol) is the best soluble fibre. It takes eight teaspoons of oat bran (the best fibre source in the West) to match the amount of soluble fibre in a single spoonful of psyllium. Psyllium taken regularly (about three teaspoons a day) reduces risk of heart disease, helps you lose weight and maintains your bowel function normal. But do not over do it; it may cause stomach upset, gas and diarrhoea. Ptosis Drooping of upper eyelid (ptosis) is due to weakness of eyelid muscles, wrought about either by a disease or through genetics. If it is unattractive to you and it hampers your visions, surgical procedures are now available to correct the problem. Puberty Early puberty in the Pakistani girls is a result of excessive exposure to female hormones found in the dairy products; they are used in the cattle to produce larger quantity of milk. Pumping Iron Get Pumping. A regular weight-training plan can make you feel look younger. When aerobic exercise is combined with weight training it helps prevent heart disease also. Purified Water Boil Water. One-half million children under five die in Pakistan, most of them due to poisoning through water. Never drink tap water; always boil it for not less than 20 minutes before drinking (only 10% of those boiling water do it right); carry with you water purification tablets when travelling in remote areas or where pure water supply is not available; always carry your own drinking water whenever and wherever you can. Push-ups One of the best exercises for the upper part of the body, push-ups, should be started with slow let-down instead of a full push up. Quick Energy Purported quick energy sources like candy bars actually let you down. Quick rises in blood sugar cause insulin release which pushes sugar out of the system reducing the energy kick. Quick Sugar Rise Fast rise in sugar occurs with some foods; this may be undesirable for diabetes patients. Contrary to the popular belief, foods like ice cream, sugar, honey, potato chips and juices give the slowest rise in blood sugar. The highest effect is obtained from bread, spaghetti and rice. A quicker rise of sugar in blood does not give you higher energy. Quit Smoking Quit smoking. Quit and live longer. One month of smoke-free living cures the ill-effects of one year of smoking. The most effective way to quit smoking is to find out the main reason for smoking: addiction to nicotine, socialisation, tension, fidgety boredom, keeping hands and mouth occupied or as a routine. Find appropriate activity to substitute the most important reason for smoking. Quitting Cold Quitting it cold is still the best advise to smokers; few people would have the will power to taper it down because if they had the will power, they wouldn't be smoking in the first place. Just bite the bullet one weekend and live longer. Racquet Sports Racquet sports are excellent calorie burners, even table tennis. Play whenever you can. Rashes Rashes and spots on skin can be due to reactions to drugs; stop taking any new drug you may have begun using and consult your doctor. Rationalise Rationalise. Life does not consist of holding good cards but playing a poor hand well. Thomas Fuller. There are things about which you can do little. Know them. Rationalise the life around you. Raw Garlic To get the benefit, you must use garlic in raw form, not as garlic oil or in any tablet of capsule form. And unless your breath smells of garlic, it is not effective. Raw Fish Raw fish is likely to be infected; cook it properly and resist the desire to go sushi. Reactions to Drugs Unusual reactions to drugs, serious enough to cause death, are often due to genetic abnormality of body enzymes. If you notice any unusual response after taking any medicine, discontinue its use and inform your doctor immediately. Read about Health Read this book often. Studies show that people who read about the health matters stay healthier. Continually reading about health matters changes your unhealthy attitudes without you knowing it. So, go on, keep reading. Reading Light Read in moderate light conditions to prevent eye strain; (it has no effect on eye refraction). Protect your night vision. You may have perfect day-time vision but the night-time vision inevitably deteriorates by the time you turn 40; drive carefully and avoid getting blinded by the headlight beams of oncoming cars. Reading Glasses People with reading glasses may need special lenses when working on computer terminals since the distance is farther than that covered by the reading glasses and often not far enough for regular glasses. Ask your optometrist for a mid-range prescription. Read Read. Nothing relieves tension better, nothing makes you stronger to face challenges of life than reading just about any thing. So, Read. Realistic Exercise Schedules Make realistic exercise schedules. 3-4 times a week for about an hour. Plan your other activities around your exercise schedule. Rednecks "Red necks" is a derogatory slang to describe people mentally inferior; its history lies in the deficiency of niacin, a member of the B vitamin family, causing mental deterioration and red skin, particularly in the exposed neck area. Though its deficiency is not common, niacin plays a protective role in lowering cholesterol and repairing the environmental damage to DNA, the genetic material. Sea food, beans, and nuts are good source of niacin. Refined Sugar Refined sugar is no more hazardous than sugar in fruits; use of refined sugar is just as acceptable as brown sugar. Refrigeration Food spreads disease because it is an excellent medium to grow and transmit bacteria. Keep both cooked and uncooked food cool or refrigerated. Regular Exercise Beneficial effects of exercise are transitory; as you stop, you lose them, faster if you were sedentary to begin with. You have to earn these laurels every day and can not bank them. Regular Exercise Exercise regularly, albeit a little bit. Commitments to exercise is difficult to meet. Secure motivation of family and friends; join a club, an exercise group or a friend who would go out with you for a walk. Relaxing Relax under pressure. A few minutes everyday, try relaxing by inhaling and slowly scanning through your body muscles as you exhale. Also, learn the art of imagery. Practice it by stopping your work, closing eyes and imagining a beautiful scene. See, hear and smell pleasant things. Releasing Stress Write it out. Writing about your problems keeps you from getting upset about them. Relieve Tension Breathe to relieve tension. Fill your lungs swiftly by breathing in to a count of two or three, with each count equal to a second. Now exhale slowly and deliberately taking 7-9 seconds. You will find a remarkable release of tension. Repetitive Exercise Counting backwards from your target number to zero in a repetitive exercise routine makes the exercise routine feel easier. Resting Energy Resting energy is provided by breakdown of carbohydrates; fat is burned only in prolonged and strenuous activity such as when exercising. That's why you must move muscles to move fat out of the body. Restricting Sugar There is no reason to severely restrict use of sugar unless you are diabetic. The key is to avoid "too much" sugar since it is easy to overdo. High calories and dental cavities are the things to observe when using sugary foods. Rice Dishes Rice dishes may load you with calories. Fried rice such as chines fried rice, pulaos and biryanis and extremely high in calories because rice absorbs fat which may not be visible to you. Avoid these dishes altogether. Rice RICE your injuries. Rest injured muscle, apply Ice repeatedly, put a Compression and Elevate above heart level. Right Shoe Get the right shoe. Most of foot problems arise due to ill-fitting shoes. Feet swell and become large in the evening so shop for shoes midday only. Never buy a shoe with the idea of breaking it in; it must fit well now or else it may break your feet. Ringing in the Ear Ringing in the ear is not necessarily a sign of old age; many diseases of ear and use of aspirin and alcohol produce the sensation also. Ringing that will not stop may be due to build up ear wax, low or high blood pressure, drug allergy or toxicity or even Meniere's disease, a severe damage to inner ear. Rolling Head Rolling head around in a 360 degree angle may injure the disk in your neck; instead try side neck stretch using the weight of your hand to pull head gently to the side and forward. Routine Exercise Routine exercise prevents the slow and steady weight gain that inevitably comes with age. It is particularly more important for women, who by the design of Nature, have greater tendency to accumulate fat. Running Running more than 20 miles per week does not give you any additional health benefits. It can also cause damage to your feet and legs.Running and jogging should be considered only after evaluating the condition of your knees and feet. It is better to walk. Walking briskly at 3.5 miles per hour can easily burn 6-7 calories per minute. To increase calorie burn out, walk faster. Spend at least 20 minutes each time. Rusted Metals Stay away from rusted metals; once scratched with them, you can easily catch tetanus infection. Take regular tetanus booster shot, specially if you get exposed to rusted metals. Salad Bars Salad bars are not necessarily low calorie meals; you can easily over do in selecting wrong kinds of salad items with fattening garnishes. Stick to classical lettuce type salads and avoid the creamy type salad dressings you well by using vinegar, mustard, garlic, black pepper and low fat yoghurt Avoid instead. Salads Salads in restaurants can be easily contaminated and spoiled if not properly protected from customers and the items are not kept cool. If you are in doubt, skip salad bars. In Pakistan, where salad bars are a recent vogue, avoiding them is a good idea. Salsa An ideal garnish is salsa (such as kachumber) made from fresh chopped tomatoes, onion, chillies, lime, lemon juice. Salt Substitutes Give up regular table salt if you have tendency to high blood pressure. Begin using salt substitutes now freely available in Pakistan. They taste just as good. The key is to give up sodium not all salts. Salt Sensitive Some people are genetically more sensitive or resistant to effects of salt on blood pressure; unfortunately, those who are resistant often lose this defence with excessive use of salt. Salt Limit total daily intake of salt (sodium chloride) to 6 g or less. Limit the use of salt in cooking and avoid adding it to food at the table. Salty, highly processed salty, salt-preserved, and salt-pickled foods should be consumed sparingly. Remove the salt shaker from the dining table. Sandwich Filling An excellent filling for sandwiches is made from low-fat yoghurt mixed with spices of your choice. It is low in fat, moist and retains flavour. Sandwich Use slices of vegetables or fruits to make a sandwich moister and tastier instead of using the high calorie cheeses or mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is particularly harmful and should be totally given up in all recipes. Soap All soaps are equally good in cleansing; perfumed and deodorant soaps can be irritating; health claims attached to soaps are worthless. Buy the cheapest soap because it is least likely to contain offending chemicals. Satiety Curb appetite and satiety. Never deprive yourself of tasting foods of your choice; it is eating them in quantity that is undesirable. Learn the art of sampling food. Never go for a second serving regardless of how good the food is. Fill yourself up with breads, pastas and plain rice garnished with curries for taste only. Sauna Sauna and steam baths have no therapeutic benefit; no claims of weight loss or other benefits are true. If it makes you feel good, use them but be sure to take sufficient fluids since they cause dehydration. Say No to Smoking Assert your health rights; when people ask if they can smoke, say no and give the reason that you are allergic to it. Second Wind You gain breath, the "second wind," after losing it as you begin exercise because of equilibration between muscular activity and breathing. The more conditioned you are, the earlier you reach your "second wind." Selenium Selenium, a mineral, when combined with vitamin E, protects against a variety of cancers. Pastas, seafood, meat and poultry are good sources of selenium. Daily requirements are 50-70 microgram but you would do well by increasing it to 90-100 microgram to obtain its optimal protective effects. Self Medication Do not use medications on your own. Self medication can be fatal. There are drugs that can damage your body's immune system. If that happens, you can easily catch many diseases including pneumonia that can kill you. Don't prescribe yourself. Today's drugs are potent; don't be a pseudo-expert and use them on your own. Never listen to relatives or friends suggesting treatments. Trust your doctor only. Self Prescribing Do not self prescribe minerals. Most people should get them from food sources. Seek medical opinion before using any supplements. Sensible Eating Eat with your senses, not with your intellect. Your senses of taste and smell are excellent guides to what is good for you. Eating is one of the life's great pleasures; enjoy what you eat (in moderation) rather than suffer eating unpleasant "healthy foods." Set Point Theory Being fat may be your genetic destiny as slow calorie burner and with a natural "set point" that will resist lowering of weight. If you've tried it all - honestly - accept your fate. Sex Education Educate your children about sex at home to prevent them from absorbing stereotype taboos from school friends. Excellent books are now available that clearly explain everything. Give these books to children after a brief session; fathers can do it better with boys. Never shun their questions and do not feel embarrassed if they are point blank. It indicates that they understand it better. Even adults can use good sex education. Married couples can improve their quality of life by better understanding this natural process. Sexual Activity Active sexual life decreases chances of prostate cancer. Enjoy sex longer. There are no age restriction to having marital sex. Only rare conditions may limit sexual activity. Age should not be a barrier. It will keep you and your prostate happy. Short Breath Breathing more than 15 times per minutes when resting can be a sign of shortage of breath likely due to heart, lung or vascular diseases. Do not ignore it. Shrimps Shrimps have cholesterol but almost no fat; cooked without use of fats, shrimps are better than any other meat dish. Simple Exercises Use simple exercises such as push ups and sit ups, or running up or down stairs a few times. Simple Foods Learn to appreciate simple foods. Ungarnished ear of sweet corn or crisp lettuce goes a long way in establishing your dietary goals; besides they are cheaper and purer. Simple Weights Simple weights, barbells and dumbbells, do just as good as the high-tech exercise machines. Sit-ups Do sit-ups safely. Lie on floor with knees always bent and feet on the floor, contract the abdominal muscles and press the lower back into the floor to make upper body to rise. It is not necessary to lift your body beyond a 30-45 degree angle. Sit-ups or other abdominal exercises do not reduce observable fat but they do tone-up muscles to give your back better control and strength. Sitting Sit right. While working, keep your shoulders relaxed and your head aligned with your spine. Leaning head forward puts extra stress on neck. Imagine pressing against wall when sitting or walking. Skim-off Fat Skim-off fat. When you can not control the fat going into cooking, control what goes inside your body. Fat floats to top when gravies are chilled; skim them off. Drain all visible oil from gravies. Fried vegetables and rice are full of fat; squeeze them on a paper towel, if you can, before eating them. Skip Meat Skip meat often. Reduce risk of heart disease and cancer by depending on steady diet of vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit and dairy products with only occasional use of mutton, beef, poultry, and fish. Meat taken once or twice a week is sufficient to supply essential proteins. Vegetables and grains are good sources of essential proteins. Skipping Rope Skipping rope should only be used in conjunction with other aerobic programs to supplement agility, muscular strength and endurance. Alone, it is not a good exercise. Skipping Meals Do not skip meals. Take regular meals, three or more per day. With each meal, your body switches into calorie burning mode; with skipped meals you go into conserve mode reducing calorie burn-out. Sleep Time The right sleep time is not fixed. Most people need eight hours; but if you can be freshened up in five hours, that is right for you. Sleep A warm drink, a walk in the fresh air just before going to bed help you sleep better and wake up fresher. Small Meals Eat more often. Small frequent meals are more easily digested than large meals. Smoker's Company Avoid the company of smokers, specially if you have recently quit smoking. Smoker's Cold Smokers catch cold easily. Being tired or under stress or when exposed to polluted or dry environment further increases susceptibility to colds.. Smoking Withdrawals Withdrawal symptoms upon quitting smoking last only for about two weeks; if you can survive it, you win. The only way to quit smoking is to quit it cold; they are no occasional smokers, just smokers. Smoking Habit Smoking habits are acquired in adolescent age because of peer pressure, to show a sign of maturity and to hide outward signs of shyness. Parents can make a significant impact in watching for these signs. Preaching hazards of smoking never works with teenagers. Talking to them why people begin smoking does work. Smoking and Vitamin C Smoking reduces levels of vitamin C in the body. Smokers need at least twice as much dietary allowance of vitamin C as non-smokers. If you can not quit smoking, supplement your diet with vitamin C-rich foods and to be safe, take vitamin C pills. Smoking and Ageing Smokers look about five year older than their real age because of the ageing effects of nicotine on skin. Look younger, kick the habit. Smoking and Cancer Cancer, heart and lung diseases are inevitably related to smoking. Loss of circulation to limbs as it commonly occurs in smokers may require amputation. It is never too late to quit smoking. Risk of lung and heart disease in smokers is reduced to one-half within 5 years of quitting tobacco. Smoking and Children Children from smoking families have much higher incidence of asthma, lung cancer, emphysema, pneumonia and other respiratory disorders. Early exposure to nicotine also retards mental and physical growth of children. If you want your children to grow into a normal healthy adult, do not expose them to smoke. Snacking Select healthful snacks. Snacking is desirable to reduce weight. Make wise choices of low fat, high fibre snacks like popcorn (air-popped) which has only 3% of calories of an equivalent serving of peanuts. Try high fibre, whole-meal cookies; freshly sliced cucumbers, chilled and sprinkled with pepper (no salt), and low sugar breakfast cereals taken raw. Low-sugar fruits make excellent snacks. Avoid (well, only tasted once in a while) include sweetmeats, candies, ice creams, cakes, French fries. Sneakers High-top sneakers help reduce sprains and other injuries to ankles in sports where you can roll-over such as in most racquet games. Snoring Snoring is caused by blocked air flow through nostrils due to colds, allergies, polyps, or enlarged adenoids. Stress, smoking and eating large meals before going to bed, sleeping on your back and dried room air all make it worse. You may need surgery to remove blockage in nose if all other measures fail. People snoring often stop breathing during the night hazardous condition. You may need a device to widen upper part of nostril to improve air flow. A neck collar helps by keeping the lower jaw forward to increases air flow. Social Pressures in Eating Social pressures are too strong in our culture to refuse eating what you really shouldn't. Take whatever is offered to you without fussing about it and eat only small portions. Nobody notices if you leave food on plate. Do not get noticed that you are dieting. Social Support Seek social support. Social interactions with family, friends, the community and co-workers improves your health. People who have friends and those who can express their feelings always live longer. Socialisation Socialisation keeps your mind alert for conversation. Read and share. Exercise of mind improves flow to brain and improves brain cell breathing to keep it younger. Socialisation Socialisation makes you fat. Eating elaborate meals routinely is hazardous to health. Avoid before dinner drinks; instead use plain soda (no soft drinks) with lemon or lime added or best, plain water or herbal tea (cold, if you prefer). Avoid munching on nuts (they are full of calories); you may end up getting more calories from nuts than the meals themselves. Sodium Sodium is found not only in table salt but also a variety of other hidden sources, particularly in packaged foods. Soft Drinks Give up soft drinks. Save yourself from useless calories, kidney-damaging electrolytes, chemical additives, colouring agents and like that can only harm your body. They also do nothing to alleviate indigestion. If you suffer from hyperacidity, soft drinks will make it worse. Carbonated soft-drinks worsen nausea; use of apple or grape juice at room temperature is best. Avoid citrus juices such as orange juice. Soluble Fibre Soluble fibres such as psyllium (Ispaghol), oat bran and pectin have excellent potential in lowering cholesterol. Wheat or wheat bran has no effect on cholesterol. Solvents Manicurists are exposed to serious hazard of inhaling solvents such as toluene found in a wide range of nail products that damage bone marrow and liver and irritate throat and lungs. Pregnant manicurists are doubly at risk. Sorbitol Sorbitol is a sugar substitute that occurs naturally in certain fruits. It has no effect on teeth and is used in "sugar-free" sweets and chewing gums. It is used by diabetics but it has same calories as sugar; its slow absorption often causes diarrhoea. Sources of Salt High sources of salt include mustard, potato chips, cheese, tuna, soy sauce, bread rolls, pizza, pickles, hamburgers, can soups, spaghetti, etc. Spaghetti While cooking pastas like spaghetti or noodles, do not rise them, it removes their essential nutrients. Spicy Foods Spicy foods do not cause any harm. The burning feeling is caused by a chemical capsaicin which tricks the nerves into signalling the brain that they are being burnt. One possible connection to spicy food is the heart burn; avoid them if it bothers you. Spinach Spinach isn't a particularly good source of iron because oxalic acid in this vegetable hinders the body's absorption of iron. Sports Anaemia Heavy physical training can cause a transient anaemia or "sports anaemia," due to dilution of blood and increased rate of destruction of red blood cells. The condition, however, returns to normal after cessation of work out. Starchy Foods Contrary to the popular belief, starchy foods potatoes, pastas less fattening than a comparable quantity of lean meat dishes. Given a choice, choose carbohydrates over meats. Static Exercises Static exercises such as weight lifting can build specific muscles to excessive degree, but it does less to improve your heart and lungs and may not raise your general level of fitness. Dynamic exercises like swimming and running strengthen your the heart, lungs and body muscles when it makes you breathless and sweaty. STDs Sexually transmitted diseases are no longer liveable after AIDS. Know how AIDS spreads. Never re-use needles; insist on using disposable syringes and needles; never accept any blood or blood-product unless it is free of HIV virus. Step Test Take the step test. Step on and down on a step of stair 24 times in three minutes; take your pulse after one minute. If it is above 25 in 15 seconds, your conditioning is poor; below 19 is excellent. For women the scale is three beats higher. Steroids Steroids magically relieve allergies, inflammation and pain. However, use of steroids for more than two or three weeks can cause depression, weight gain, ulcers, weakened bones, eye cataracts, and more. Quacks rely heavily on the magic of steroids. Shun them quacks and steroids. Stomach Size It is a myth that as you eat more your stomach becomes larger. Stomach is a very flexible organ that shrinks or expands to accommodate what you eat. There is no permanent change in its size. As you eat less, your appetite also decreases for reasons still not understood but it has nothing to do with changes in the physical size of the stomach. Stomach Disease Chronic diseases of stomach and intestine, common in Pakistan, induce severe nutritional deficiencies and many apparent unrelated diseases including cancer. Do not ignore them. Strength and Endurance Muscle strength, how much you can lift and muscled endurance, how often you can repeat lifting it, are inter-linked but develop through different types of exercises. Weights give you strength, aerobics, endurance. Get a bit of both. Strep Throat Throat infections with "strep" bacteria left untreated may cause damage to heart valve rheumatic fever effect. Do not ignore persistent infections. Stress Control Stress under control can be a positive force that improves performance, provides stimulation, keeps you on your toes and out of danger, adds spice to life and prevents boredom and apathy. However, stress overload that you find difficult to handle increases the risk of both mental and physical illness, as well as susceptibility to accidental injuries. Stress Stress is essential to health; it is only when it becomes unmanageable that it begins to cause damage. Things that bother you or make you feel uncomfortable are stressors unmanageable. Resolve them permanently. Stroke Even though it may not cause any damage, a sudden blackout, temporary loss of speech or vision, or transient loss of power or sensation in an arm or leg without any damage to brain is also a type of mini-stroke that may require drug or surgical treatment. Signs of stroke are loss of speech and vision, double vision, unexplained headache, dizziness. Don't ignore them. Sugar Sugar is not as bad as commonly believed. Calories in confectionery items come mainly from fat and not sugar. Sugar itself is less to blame for obesity and many lean people have "sweet tooth." It is the "fat tooth" that accompanies sugary foods that's the culprit. So, if you like sweet things, find recipes that use less fat in making. Sugar and Exercise Eating sugar products before exercise actually reduces your readily available energy reserves and tires you easily, contrary to the popular belief that a candy bar will give you a quick perk of energy. It does not. Sugar Addiction People do not get addicted to sugar nor do they get physically dependent on it, as erroneously believed. Craving for sweet foods is not an addiction. Sugar and Behaviour The connection between behaviour change and sugar use is not well established; carbohydrates including sugar relax mind; there is no proven relationship to aggressive or hyperactive behaviour. Sun Screen The best defence against skin ageing is to protect it from sun, either by staying out of sun or by using sun screen protectants. Sunglasses Dark sunglasses do not necessarily protect eyes from the damaging ultraviolet light. Unless specifically coated, all types of lenses, polarised, mirrored, photochromic, and gradient types are not efficient UV blocker. Good UV blocking glasses will have a code Z-80.3 to indicate it meets the official requirements. Sunglasses, unless they block UV light, have no beneficial effect except keeping you from discomfort. Sun Shun the sun. Exposure to sun damages skin, even causing cancer. Now studies show that it enhances gallstones risk. There is no deficiency of vitamins produced by exposure to sun. Superficial Burns Do not put butter or oils on superficial burns; rinsing with cold water does best; deeper burns should be attended professionally. Sweat Odour Body odours are caused by the gases resulting from bacterial decomposition of sweat. People have peculiar odours because of the peculiar chemical composition of sweat. Wash frequently and use deodorants to check bacterial growth. Sweating and Shivering Sweating and shivering are signs of body adjusting to temperature; when sweating uncover the body to allow heat loss; when shivering, cover the body to help conserve heat. Sweating Sweating also produces more oil on the skin. Wash thoroughly to remove oil from face to prevent pimples. Sweet Craving Craving for sweets and carbohydrates is likely a brain signal to supply a special chemical serotonin that brain releases when you eat sweets and carbohydrates. When dieting, do not deny yourself occasional sweet tooth, just control the portions. Sweets and Teeth Sweets consumed frequently are more damaging to teeth than when consumed all at one time; avoid sweets or candies that stick to teeth and always clean your mouth after eating anything sweet. Sweets Craving Craving for sweets and carbohydrates is likely a brain signal to supply a special chemical serotonin that brain releases when you eat sweets and carbohydrates. When dieting, do not deny yourself occasional sweet tooth, just control the portions. Sweets Sweets are high in fat and calories and low in essential nutrition. Sugar alone does not make the sweets undesirable. Swimmers Ear Swimmers ear is the infection of ear due to water trapped inside the ear; after swimming dry out ears with towel tip, put vinegar or rubbing alcohol drops to dry out faster. Do not use cotton buds. Swimming Swimming for overweight people does not allow sufficient calorie burn out because they can not move fast enough. You may not lose weight just swimming; combine it with calorie reduction program if you are planning to lose weight. Women burn less calories swimming because of their higher body fat that keeps them floating better and therefore they have to make lesser effort to swim. The only exercise that gets four stars on the three counts of heart and lung fitness, joint suppleness and muscle power is swimming; jogging gets four stars only in heart and lung fitness. Talcum Powder Do not use scented talcum powder. Not only do you risk skin allergies, you also worsen body odours. There is no way to mask body odours. Use only unscented talc on dry skin. Tannins Tea does not contain any tannins that can interfere in the absorption of nutrients. Instead tea contains polyphenols which were at one time called vitamin P with tall claims about their beneficial effects. TB Efficiency of respiration is decreased in malnutrition increasing the risk of serious respiratory tract infections including tuberculosis. Tea and Iron Do not take tea, coffee and milk with meals if you are anaemic since they reduce absorption of iron from foods. Tea Stimulants like tea and coffee keep your body's metabolism high. If you are a habitual user and reduce their use, you may put on weight. Same thing applies to nicotine (in cigarettes). That's why people who give up smoking begin to put on weight, at least initially. After some time, body readjusts to the new metabolic rate and the weight increase is brought to normal weight, if other caloric intakes are not increased. Coffee and tea do not stimulate appetite. They increase flow of stomach fluids which may be discomforting and you may want to eat something to alleviate it. Mostly, coffee and tea make good accompaniment to snacks and thus the purported connection between appetite and caffeine. Caffeine in tea, coffee and cola drinks, produces a transient rise in the blood pressure and is not likely to produce any long-term rise in blood pressure, if you tolerate these drinks well. Caffeine use has long been blamed for a variety of diseases and disorders; taken in moderation, most of these claims are proven wrong. Since most people drinking excessive coffee or tea also smoke, the adverse effects of caffeine are often misconstrued. Telling the Truth Keep your blood pressure low by telling the truth, not shouting, not bring office worries to home, watching funny movies (Annie Hall?), and not letting your job overwhelm you. Telltale Signs Develop disease awareness. Read about the telltale signs to diagnose heart trouble, diabetes, and other common ailments. However, never take your diagnosis to treatment; consult your health professional. Testicular Pain Testicular radiating pain can be an indication of kidney stones, testicular infection or an inversion of testis that cuts off supply to testis. Take such pains seriously even if they disappear. Testicular Exam Give yourself a testicular exam. Testicular cancer is also 100% treatable; check after shower for any abnormal shapes or growth. Thawing Meat Do not thaw meat at room temperature. Frozen meats are best thawed in refrigerator. As meat thaws, the surface may become warm enough to support bacterial growth. Think Young Think young. You are only as old as you think of yourself. Make friends with younger people. Talk to them and understand them. Thinking Learn to think clearly. It is an art acquired through much practice only. Assemble the facts, list all choices (some may not be so obvious); Keep your cool (not jump at a conclusion emotionally); Be an amiable sceptic; List all advantages and disadvantages of a decision, marking them on a scale of 1 to ten; Drop your "musts." Remain flexible. Make more logical choices. Instead of saying, I must, ask yourself, Must I? Chop up big decisions. Instead of jumping at one big decision, convert it into smaller decisions. Get a second opinion. Yes, you may be surprised how important this step is. Don't rush the verdict. Sleep on it. Prove yourself wrong. Challenge your assumptions to find where faults may lie. Thirst Only water quenches thirst, all other liquids only give you a feeling of quenching. Three Minerals Sodium, calcium and iron are three minerals of particular interest. We take too much of sodium and not enough of calcium and iron. Throat Infections Throat infections are mostly of viral origin and require no treatment. If sore throat lasts for a few days, see your doctor. You may have streptococcus infection that may require antibiotic therapy. Timing Doses Timing of drug administration during the day and their spacing with food (whether before, after or during meal) should be strictly followed. Many drugs can be rendered totally ineffective if taken at wrong time or without regard to meal as recommended. Toasting Bread Toasting bread does not reduce its calories - only moisture is reduced. Toe-touching Classical toe-touching exercises can damage your back muscles if your back muscles are not well-conditioned. Always bend knees slightly. Toilet Seat Toilet seat height is related to the incidence of haemorrhoids; the high crown -type toilets' seats for the English kings are responsible for the highest incidence of haemorrhoids in English throne masters. Higher seats require greater pushing that increases the chances of developing haemorrhoids. The eastern-type toilets are the best in reducing incidence of rectal diseases resulting from defecation disorders. Tomato Ketchup Tomato ketchup is low in fat but high in sodium; so are chutneys, sweet pickles (canned) and mustard. Tomato ketchup has little fat and has fewer calories, but it is loaded with sodium almost same as found in Worcestershire sauce. Use them only moderately and not at all if you have hypertension. Tooth Picks Do not use tooth picks. Like sharp swords, tooth picks damage gums, spread mouth infections and cause embarrassment. Carry with you a piece of dental floss instead. Toy with Foods Toy with food. Be a slow eater; you will find lesser desire to eat something on your plate sitting for a long time. Toy with a fork before eating to buy time. Tranquillisers Tranquillisers are the most commonly abused drugs. At small doses, used infrequently, they are quite safe but if you begin using them frequently you may be heading towards trouble. Ask your doctor if you need psychiatric assistance. Do not delay. Travel Sickness Avoid travel sickness by taking light meals before starting journey, sitting in front in a car and in middle of a ship or boat and sucking on crushed or powdered ginger. Trivia Unclutter your mind. Trivia like phone numbers, addresses, birthdays and anniversaries are best left to notebooks. Replace them with ideas, poems, quotations, anecdotes and memorable experiences. It will make you a more interesting person. Tropical Climates Drink more than eat. Tropical climates require large fluid intake; besides drinking more will make you eat less. Emphasis should be on drinking not eating. Typhoid Vaccine Get typhoid vaccine. One of the most prevalent of diseases spreads through food and water, the dreaded typhoid. Because the strain of infecting bacteria keeps changing, you can get repeated attacks of typhoid and each incidence a great toll on your body, making your defence weaker for life. Do not risk, get vaccinated, specially encourage it for younger children and elderly. Typhoid You can never get immune to exposure because the infecting strains keep changing and higher loads of infection will always make you sick. Typing Typing or using keyboard improperly can produce wrist pain; avoid it by placing the hands properly and do not let them hang when sleeping. Ulcer New discoveries show that bacteria may be the cause of ulcers. See you doctor, to possibly get a prescription of an antibiotic. Ultraviolet Light Avoid exposure to ultraviolet light whenever you can. (Being under shade does not prevent exposure to ultraviolet light.) Avoid tanning on the beaches to reduce risk of skin cancer. Under-nutrition Eat less rather than more. Slight under-nutrition is better than eating full appetite. Unhealthy Styles Men live shorter lives than women, mainly because of unhealthy lifestyles, sustained because of peer pressure and stress related to jobs. Men also respond better to changes in lifestyle routines. At age 40, all men must re-evaluate their lifestyles to improve the chances of living longer and healthier lives. Unpeeled Fruits Eat fruits un-peeled. Eating potato and apples with skin gives you additional vitamins and fibre. Urine Sugar Get tested for blood and urine sugar levels frequently. Early diabetic conditions are often easily cured by diet modifications. Left untreated, you may have to use insulin injection for life. Uterine Fibroids Fibroids in uterus are frequently treatable by laser or hormones. Get a second opinion if you are recommended hysterectomy (removal of uterus) because of fibroids. It is perhaps the most abused surgical technique. Varicose Veins Bulging (varicose) veins, mainly in legs, come from the malfunctioning of the tiny valves in vessels that prevent the blood from flowing through. It is mostly hereditary and hormonal; if you have tendency to varicose veins, do not sit or stand for long time, get moving; wear elastic support stockings and do not wear tight shoes or garters or other constricting clothing. Keeping feet above chest when lying also helps. For extreme cases, surgery may be required. Vegetarians Vegetarians are half as likely to die of cancer as meat eaters. You can easily fulfil all nutritional requirements using vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Give up meat as much as you can. Viral Hepatitis Viral hepatitis is of two types: Hepatitis A is transmitted through drinking water, food and sewage; Hepatitis B is transmitted by blood transfusion from a carrier or using dirty needs or surgical instruments. Hepatitis can be fatal. It is also untreatable; only support therapy is given to boost body's immune systems. Viral Infections-Exercise Do not exercise when you have symptoms of an infection, such as a sore throat, fever, swollen glands or a mucus-producing cough. Virus infections can produce serious complications like inflammation of the heart when exercising. That's why you're advised to rest in a flu. Vitamin C Vitamin C enhances absorption of iron from meats and vegetables; combining meats and vegetables rich in vitamin C optimises iron absorption. Vitamin Supplements Use vitamin supplements if are not careful about balancing your diet with all groups of foods. Taken in moderation with adequate water, most vitamins are harmless. Vitamin D Deficiency Uptake of calcium is decreased in vitamin D deficiency and when diets contain oxalic acid such as found in vegetables like rhubarb, spinach and beet green. Stress and medications also drain body's stores of calcium. Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs in the elderly because of loss of the system required for absorption. Vitamin supplementation may be recommended. Vitamin B12 , essential in preventing anaemia, is decreased in the body when using drugs like analgesics, antiepileptics, antibiotics, antitubercular, antihypertensives, oral contraceptives, antidiabetics. Switch over to high food sources of B12 including meats and dairy products. However, if obesity and heart conditions prevent you from using these then begin taking B12 supplements. Vitamin E Vitamin E is essential in slowing down all ageing processes and its related diseases of degeneration including heat disease, blockage of arteries, cataracts, cancer, decline in vision, etc. Since all sources of vitamin E are "fatty" and very high in calories, you may want to use vitamin E supplements instead as you grow older when you must also restrict calories. Try 100 to 200 mg of vitamin E per day. Vitamin C Sources Cantaloupe, green pepper, orange and broccoli are excellent sources of vitamin C. Choose foods rich in vitamin C. Fruits and vegetables such as asparagus, blackberries, broccoli, cantaloupe, cauliflower, cabbage, grapefruit, mango, mustard greens, oranges, peppers, raspberries, strawberries, tangerine and tomato make good choice. Vitamin in Disease Prevention New roles of vitamins in preventing diseases are continually discovered; vitamin A (as beta carotene), C and vitamin E to prevent cancer and heart disease; the B group of vitamins to enhance tissue breathing, folic acid to prevent birth defects, etc. Balance your diet to receive these benefits. Vitamin A Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a quiet killer of children in the developing world manifesting through increased rate of respiratory diseases and diarrhoea. Beef liver, sweet potato, carrots, spinach, squash, cantaloupe, apricots and milk are the high sources of vitamin A. Vitamin C in Cooking Much of vitamin C in foods cooked at high heat is lost easily. Vitamin C Safety The myths about the safety of vitamin C have all been removed in the current medical studies. Excess dose of vitamin C does not cause "rebound scurvy," kidney stones, or gout; there is also no effect on foetus nor is there are significant interactions with absorption of other nutrients. Large doses of vitamin C (5-10 grams per day) can, however, cause diarrhoea. Vitamin B Complex Antibiotics and some other drugs interfere with intestinal synthesis of B-complex vitamins. You may need a supplement in long term therapies. Vitamins in Stress Stress related damage to body can be minimised by increasing the intake of vitamin C; quantities of about 500 milligrams are needed to neutralise nitrates and other toxins in foods, prevent gum bleeding, counter heat and sun, prevent cataracts, reduce risk of cancer and slow down ageing. Papaya, guava, strawberries, lychees, orange and mango are good sources. Waist Size The simplest index to assess the risk of heart disease is your waist size. It should always be less than your hip size. Divide the waist size by the hip size. A value greater than 1 for men and 0.8 for women indicates increased risk of dying from heart diseases. The emphasis should be on reducing the waist size and not increasing the hip size. Waistline Reduce body fat not just body weight If you waistline is two inches less than one-half of your height, you have normal body fats. Different body shapes and other factors should also be considered. Women should have more body fat than men. Walking Walk to health. Slow walking is beneficial to older people; others need 3-3.5 miles per hour to have cardiovascular benefits. Walking fast is preferred over jogging to reduce damage to feet. Calories burned during walking depend on the distance travelled, not how fast it is travelled. Higher speeds are needed for conditioning heart. Warm-up Follow the four-step system to exercise. First warm up for 5-6 minutes by shaking your body loose until you begin to feel warm or perspire; this is necessary to avoid microscopic tears in muscles. Then stretch your arms and legs and bend your body around but do not bounce when stretching to avoid muscle tightening. Repeat the stretch routine after your main exercise. Warts Warts are caused by a virus and spread from one location to another but not easily from one person to another. Warts can appear anywhere in the body and most disappear as mysteriously as they appear except in genital areas. Toads do not cause warts in humans just a myth. So are the wart stories of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Wash Hands Wash hands frequently. If you only knew how many bacteria you can carry in your hands, you will not eat with them. Scrub with soap (not just wash) your hands before and after each meal, after working and upon returning from outdoors. Apply a little hand moisturiser to reduces damage to skin and to retain moisture. Watching TV Watching television for long time, three hours or more per day, makes you fat because of inactivity and the impulse to eat in response to tempting food advertisements. Water Storage Disinfect water storage tanks. Add one cup of liquid bleach to your underground tank every day. If your tap water smells of chlorine, reduce amount of bleach added to the underground tank. Clean tank once a month. Assure that if tanker is delivering water, it is not from a subsoil water source. Watering Down Calories Water down the calories. Sipping water reduces appetite; cold water drinking burns calories since body must heat it up. Drink cold water all day. Water When you drink water, you experience a surge of energy; it comes not from any calories but from the improvement in tissue breathing that is slowed down as you begin to dehydrate. So, drink all the water you can and enjoy the best potential of your body's health. A tall glass of cold water is a good idea any time of the day. First thing in the morning is best because it replenishes the fluids lost during sleep (Yes, you do lose fluids even when you are sleeping), recharges the peristaltic movement of intestine to help with bowel movement and reduces your morning appetite. Drink water deliberately not just casually or only when thirsty. Signs of dehydration include weakness, darkening of urine colour and quick weight loss (one pound loss during exercise or work-out means a loss of two cups of body water.) Drink frequently and copiously. Weak Back Bolster your back. Most back troubles are minor problems caused by weak muscles, particularly the abdominal. Do walking and curl-ups. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your hands on your thighs. Keeping your lower back pressed to the ground, lift your head, neck and shoulders. Hold for a count of two; return. Begin with five curl-ups a day working to 30. When muscles strengthen, try curl-ups with hands around your chest. Weight Gain Gain a few pounds. If you are more than 10% below your ideal weight, gain a few pounds to optimise your body's resistance to disease. In women, leaner bodies may mean loss of menstruation and infertility. Weight Gain: Smoking Weight gain upon quitting smoking is due to slowed metabolism which was kept high because of nicotine in tobacco. It soon adjusts and you return to normal weight provided you have not picked up a high-calorie habit to substitute smoking. The weight gain even if permanent is still worth the risk. Whole Grains Fibre has no nutritive qualities and that's why it was historically removed from our foods; we are now finding that we need the whole packaging as offered by Nature. Stick to unaltered foods; Nature knows best what is good for us. Adopt whole grains. Whole-grains provide more fibre, vitamins and minerals. Work Place Strain Adjust your desk. To reduce fatigue and pain, have the back of the chair 18-20 inches high; the desk should be 7-12 inches above the seat of the chair; the keyboard should be 27-35 inches above the floor, approximately at the elbow level when you're seated. Work Worries Thinking about work, exercising strenuously, taking caffeine drinks, smoking before going to bed are surely to make it difficult to fall asleep. Wrinkles Remove wrinkles with retinol, vitamin A. Applying a cream containing retinal can reduce wrinkles, specially around eyes. Wrist Pain Painful wrists can be due to swelling of nerves especially in women approaching middle age due to hormonal imbalance that causes accumulation of fluids in the wrists at the time of menopause. Treatment lies in reducing body fluids, local injection of steroids and surgical procedures. Wrist Exercises Wrist and finger exercises are recommended for people who work with computer keyboards. Make them a habit throughout the day. X-rays Avoid unnecessary X-rays. Ask if it is really necessary. Insist on wearing protection for special body areas. Rule-out pregnancy before exposing to X-rays.

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