DO YOU HAVE A SMOKING PERSONALITY?

DO YOU HAVE A SMOKING PERSONALITY?

GROUND REALITY

·         Most persons start smoking in their teens, and a third of them die prematurely because of this.

·         A single cigarette shortens a smoker’s life by around 11 minutes.

·         A cigarette contains around 4800 harmful chemicals, 69 being cancerous.

·         Smokeless tobacco forms are quid and snuff.

·         The top six cancers in men are all tobacco-related: lung, mouth, larynx, gullet, pharynx and bone.

·         In women, tobacco use causes cancers of the cervix, mouth, gullet, lung and bone.

·         It also causes heart disease, bronchitis, asthma, impotence, depressed immunity, poor healing, fatigue, osteoporosis, fractures, tendon and rotor cuff tear, muscle cramps and low backache.

·         Smoking prematurely ages your skin and hair, and doubles age-related eye degeneration.

·         Women smokers risk conceiving, birth defects and growth retardation of babies.

·         Inhaling ‘second-hand’ smoke also affects innocent persons.

·         Smoking generates free radicals that result in a damaging chain reaction in all body cells.

·         The main symptoms are unexplained weight loss, fatigue, cough for more than 3 weeks, blood-stained sputum, breathing difficulty, chest discomfort, wheezing, and hoarseness in voice.

·         Tobacco users may also develop patches in the mouth, limited mouth opening and burning sensation.

·         A 30-year old smoker pays 40-60% higher premium for his life insurance, besides medical expenses.

·         Insurance companies may also refuse to cover tobacco users with poor health.

·         Your career prospects may also get affected if you fall sick frequently due to smoking.

·         It can be even more disastrous if you are self-employed and your family’s sole breadwinner.

1. The Stress Smoker

·         For you, smoking is a way to ease tension when you have a problem at work or at home.

·         Exercise can help you banish your cravings and stress.

·         Exercising also releases adrenaline in a positive way to help boost energy and mood levels.

2. The Nicotine Junkie

·         Upon waking, your first thought is ‘cigarette’ and you smoke regularly throughout the day, feeling jittery if you miss one.

·         Nicotine replacement therapy may help you, for breaking your addiction as painlessly as possible.

·         One painless way is nicotine patches, gums or sprays that are available on medical prescription.

·         Battery-operated electronic cigarettes imitate smoking and convert purified doses of nicotine into vapour, but without cancer-causing chemicals.

·         However, they could be harmful if taken without a medical prescription, as nicotine is itself highly poisonous.

3. The Social Smoker

·         You forget about cigarettes when alone, but as soon as you’re with other smokers, you succumb.

·         You need to make quitting a social activity with external support, like quitting at the same time as a friend or relative.

·         You can also try to remain with a circle of friends who do not smoke or have quit smoking.

4. The Habitual Smoker

·         For you, smoking has been part of your day for years, from your morning tea to watching night TV.

·         You need to break the cigarette-associated habits by forming new, healthier habits in their place.

·         Hypnotherapy can also be helpful in your case.

5. The Serial Quitter

·         You’ve tried giving up many times, using a variety of methods, but without any luck.

·         Don’t feel discouraged by your track record, be prepared for a relapse, but keep trying.

·         You just need a way to boost your sheer will power and resolve, with support of family and friends.

·         The two main enemies of will power are low glucose levels from lack of food, and being tired.

·         So never go for more than 2 hours without a healthy snack, and get 8 hours of sleep per night.

·         Decide on a date and quit completely; reducing doesn’t help.

·         Keep yourself busy from the day you quit.

·         Avoid any temptation when your cravings start getting weaker.

·         Reward your non-tobacco success with a healthy treat after a month.

PROS AND CONS OF ORGANIC FOODS

PROS AND CONS OF ORGANIC FOODS

·         People who choose to 'go organic' may do it because they think organic produce tastes better.

·         They may also believe that it’s safer, more nutritious, better for animal welfare or better for the environment.

1. Reasons for buying organic food

·         Organic farming is friendlier to the environment.

·         Organic processed food contains no hydrogenated fat, while non-organic processed food does.

·         Hydrogenated fat causes heart disease, so organic food options can help to protect your heart.

·         If you are concerned about how animals are treated, then choosing organic food is a good idea.

·         Organic farming ensures that animals are fed a natural diet and kept in free-range conditions.

·         Genetically modified (GM) crops are not allowed under organic standards.

·         Pesticide residue levels in organic food are lower as only a few chemicals are allowed in organic food production.

·         However, it is possible to produce conventionally-grown fruit and vegetables with minimal residues too.

2. Reasons against buying organic food

·         Organic food may spoil more quickly than non-organic produce as they do not contain artificial preservatives and are not irradiated.

·         Organic food is more expensive to buy than non-organic food.

·         Contrary to popular opinion, organic food production does allow a limited number of chemicals to be used, and may not be safer or more nutritious than food produced by conventional means.

·         Eating organic food is often thought to be healthier than eating the equivalent non-organic produce, but there is no linkage between organic foods and health benefits.

3. Buying organic food

·         The balance of your diet should be examined before considering which organic foods to buy.

·         After making sure your diet is balanced, go for organic spinach, lettuce, cabbage and potatoes, as they have higher levels of vitamin C, magnesium, iron and phosphorus than their non-organic equivalents.

·         Choose organic vegetable soup as it contains almost six times as much salicylic acid as non-organic, which helps to combat bowel cancer and the hardening of the arteries.

·         Go for organic apples, as some non-organic apples are sprayed up to 16 times with 36 different pesticides, which are hard to remove even if the food is washed thoroughly.

·         Choose organic meat, as organic standards have the highest levels of animal welfare safeguard.

4. Balancing organic and non-organic food

·         It is likely that sales of organic food will continue to rise for the foreseeable future.

·         However, a totally organic diet may not necessarily provide the optimal balance of nutrients.

·         It is important to maintain a balance in the overall diet content.

HANDS AND FEET CARE

 HANDS AND FEET CARE

1. GLOVE PROTECTION

·         Wear gloves while washing clothes, dishes, and other household work like gardening, etc.

·         Always use a sunscreen lotion before going outdoors.

2. MOISTURISER

·         Your hands and feet are the most exposed part of your body.

·         After washing your hands, remember to seal them with a towel immediately and gently pat dry and apply a moisturizer.

·         Always moisturize, especially after you’ve done things like washing dishes.

·         Loss of moisture from your hands will make the skin dry and flaky, in turn leading to wrinkles.

·         Use a hand cream and wear socks to protect swelling of feet.

3. NAIL CARE

·         Regularly visit a parlour for a manicure.

·         Get your nails filed, cuticle massaged and your nails polished.

·         If you feel there is a discolouration in your nails, use lemon oil.

4. NIGHT TREATMENT

·         Use your night face cream on your hands at least twice a week, to avoid their ageing.

·         Try wearing cotton gloves to seal in the moisture before sleeping.

·         Apply a body lotion to your elbows and soles every night to keep them soft and supple.

5. HOME TREATMENT

·         Soak your hands for about 10 minutes in warm water, with a teaspoon of almond oil.

·         To remove dead skin, mix some salt with lemon juice and rub gently for 5 minutes.

·         You can also dip your hands in warm milk to make them supple.

·         The calcium in the milk works to strengthen nails as well.

FOODS FOR TEN DIFFERENT MOODS

FOODS FOR TEN DIFFERENT MOODS

 

1. Fear

·         Folate (i.e. vitamin B) deficiency causes irrational fears and anxiety.

·         Snacking on avocado helps overcome this deficiency.

2. Anger

·         Omega-3 deficiency causes aggressive behaviour of adults and children.

·         Zinc deficiency also increases anger in women.

·         Take walnuts and flaxseeds for zinc and Omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Love

·         Foods rich in zinc stimulate the libido and enhance desire.

·         Oysters are a famous aphrodisiac for their high zinc content.

·         Otherwise opt for shellfish, pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.

4. Shyness

·         Foods containing tryptophan (an essential amino acid) make people feel more confident.

·         Good sources of tryptophan include meat (particularly chicken), fish such as salmon and tuna, and legumes.

5. Heartbreak

·         Dark chocolate contains relaxing magnesium, calming anandamide and mood-boosting phenylethylamine.

6. Anxiety

·         The calming effects of chamomile in herbal tea help calm your nerves, if you are feeling anxious and jittery.

7. Stress

·         Eating blueberries helps when you are tired and stressed out, as they are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which lower the high levels of stress and their harmful effects.

8. “Brain fog”

·         Green tea helps maintain alertness by regulating blood sugar levels, and cut risk of dementia.

·         As 80% of the brain is made up of water, drinking any fluids will also help keep it hydrated.

9. Sadness

·         Oily fish, like wild salmon and tuna, are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12, which remove depression, negativity and mood swings.

10. Lethargy

·         Drinking beetroot juice can revive your energy levels during lethargy or lack of sleep.

·         Beetroot has high sugar content and energizing nutrients like magnesium and vitamin C.

·         Drinking beetroot juice also enables people to exercise longer.

ACTUAL BENEFITS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

ACTUAL BENEFITS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

• They give you high nutrition and low calories, with their rich nutritional composition, high fibre and water content.
• They boost immunity, improve stamina and protect from several health problems such as poor skin and hair, obesity and chronic degenerative problems like hear disease, diabetes, cataract or cancer.

1. Weight Management

• They are low in calories and fat content.
• They are high in fibre, micro-nutrients and anti-oxidants and have high satiety value.
• Work as fillers and free foods, except potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam (jimikand), and colocasia (arbi), which should be moderated.

2. Blood Pressure Control and Heart Management

• Their low sodium content and high potassium content prevent accumulation of cholesterol in arteries.
• Green leafy vegetables are a rich source of Omega-3 fats, the kind present in fish, which prevents heart disease.

3. Blood Glucose Management

• Fibre in fruits and vegetables maintain glucose levels.
• Anti-oxidants prevent cell damage in diabetic patients.
• However, excessive consumption of sweet fruits and juices can impair glucose control.
• Diabetics need to restrict their intake of mangoes, bananas and potatoes.

4. Digestive Management

• Their high fibre content helps in good bowel movement.
• Helps in maintaining gut health and prevents constipation.

5. Immunity Management

• Their anti-oxidants boost immunity and prevent nutritional deficiencies like anemia.
• They help in maintaining good hair and skin health.

Healthy Tips

• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly in saline water.
• Include at least 5 servings of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables daily.
• Have them in soups, salads, juices and desserts.
• Mix in chapattis and pulses (dals).
• Choose cooking methods with minimum cooking time.
• Avoid eating cut fruits and salads outside to prevent infection.

CONSTIPATION - A LIFESTYLE ILLNESS

CONSTIPATION AND PILES

SYMPTOMS

Piles occur at 4 levels:

·         Constipation – gas formation

·         Straining on defecation – burning while passing stools

·         Inadequate defecation – anal swelling

·         Increased internal mucosal prolapse – anal bleeding

TREATMENT

·         Grade 1 constipation can be cured with diet and medication.

·         For chronic constipation, patients with symptoms like prolonged straining, multiple trips to the bathroom, incomplete elimination, and routine use of laxatives can now be diagnosed with a new test, Defecography.

·         If not cured through diet and medication, you could be suffering from a type of chronic constipation known as Obstructed Defecation Syndrome (ODS).

·         For the higher levels, minimally invasive Stapler Surgery is now the choice.

·         The patient is discharged within 24 hours and can rejoin duty from the 3^rd day as there are no cuts and no dressings.

PRECAUTIONS

·         Avoid sitting at one place for long hours.

·         Water intake should be at least 4 litres per day.

·         Eat a well-balanced fibre diet with unprocessed bran, whole-wheat grain, fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables and fluids.

·         Exercise at least 20 minutes per day.

·         Do not skip breakfast.

·         Avoid laxatives as far as possible.

DO’S AND DON’TS OF WEIGHT LOSS

A. Do’s

1. Eat regularly

·         Eat small portions at regular intervals throughout the day.

·         The meal should contain food which is high in proteins and fibre such as egg white, whole grains and oats, pulses and beans, low fat milk and milk products,vegetables and fruits like broccoli, papaya, orange and guava.

·         For non vegetarians, fish and low fat chicken without skin are good options.

·         Stick to low-fat cooking, like grilled or roasted dishes.

·         Choose cooking oils that are high in MUFA (monounsaturated fat) as these fatty acids control bad cholesterol.

·         Oil such as canola or olive oil is the right option as it is healthy for the heart and free from bad cholesterol.

2. Take a walk at lunchtime

·         Or you could even exercise at your desk.

3. Go shopping with a list

·         Make sure you do your food shopping with a written list.

·         Avoid shopping when you are hungry to avoid any temptation.

4. Don’t be fooled by marketing

·         Low fat does not necessarily mean low calories.

·         Many manufacturers lower the fat in dessert foods but increase the sugar to compensate.

·         Make sure you read the labels on food stuffs so you know exactly what you are eating.

5. Get support

·         Being with people who will eat the same foods and encourage you along the way is a good idea.

·         Find a friend or someone in your family to boost your morale to avoid backing out.

6. Watch your portion sizes

·         Compare your own food consumption with those of your friends to rectify your meal portions.

·         Eat more fruits and vegetables, and less fatty and sugary foods.

7. Set yourself achievable goals

·         Make achievable goals for feeling good upon reaching them.

·         Reward yourself with small things after achieving them.

8. Don’t rely on food to tackle stress

·         Don’t use food as a way of relieving stress.

·         Also, don’t use it as a way to unwind when you are not even hungry.

9. There are only ‘good’ or ‘bad’ diets, not foods

·         This means that you can have treats by developing a ‘flexible restraint’.

·         Pick and choose when you have foods such as chocolate and chips.  

10. Monitor your food intake and physical activity

·         Use a diary or blog to record what you eat and how much you exercise.

·         This helps you to understand where are your ‘danger periods’ on a daily basis.

·         It is then easier to find ways to help yourself, like going for a walk instead of watching TV, etc.

·         After regulating your food intake, break down the fats that are already in your body.

·         The quickest way to do that is by following a regular workout regime.

·         You can do that by doing aerobic exercises like running, swimming, cycling or anything that increases your heart rate and keeps it up.

·         Abdominal crunches alone will not help you and will only tone the muscles.

·         Staying active through the day is a great way to get some additional exercise.

·         Simple things like walking a few extra steps everyday, or climbing the stairs, can keep you fitter than you think.

 

B. Don'ts

1. Don’t diet to reduce your weight

·         Many fad diets promise great weight loss but are unbalanced.

·         They only make you crave the foods that it advises against.

·         Don’t eliminate fats completely from your diet as there are good fats such as omega 3 and mono- unsaturated fats which our bodies need.

·         Avoid red meats like pork, mutton, ham and other meats with rich gravies.

3. Don't miss breakfast!

·         Don’t think of missing your breakfast as it is the most important meal of the day.

·         You are then more likely to go for unhealthy mid-morning snacks.

4. Don’t become obsessive about your diet

·         Avoid fasting or skipping meals as it forces the body to go into a conservation mode.

·         The basal metabolic rate (BMR) falls, which results in preservation of energy leading to no weight loss.

·         On the other hand, small frequent meals keep the BMR boosted and exercise further raises it, thus leading to weight loss in the right way.