 |
|
| HEALTH & FITNESS |
|
|
|
Correct posture a must to avoid back problems
Breastfeed is best for babies’ health
NGOs provide better healthcare
Obesity linked to concrete jungles
|
|
How to handle hairy problems Oily hair
Oily hair are usually fine because the finer your hair, the more hair you have per square inch of the scalp.Those with fine hair have as many as 140,000 oil glands on their scalp. Intense heat and humidity accelerates oil production. The following tips can be useful to decrease the production of oil in your scalp. Shampoo frequently: The most important thing to combat an excessively oily scalp is to shampoo once a day. In hot and humid, days, twice a day shampooing is advisable, but only the oil problem is there. A see through shampoo is better because it cleans away oil better, without leaving any residue. In the case of dandruff anti-dandruff shampoo should be left on the scalp for at least five minutes. This only will ensure clean and oil-free scalp. Condition the ends: A conditioner that contains the least amount of oil or one that is largely oil-free should be applied at the ends instead of the roots of the hair. Don’t over-brush: Brushing or combing vigorously carries oil from the roots to the ends of the hair, thus rendering hair more oily. Blow-drying technique: If blower (dryer) is to be used, the hair should be dried in the opposite direction.Thus the hair will not be limp and lank but show fullness. Relax: When a person is under stress, the body produces more androgens, which boost oil production. So relaxation techniques can help. Lamon and vinegar: Squeeze the juice of two lemons into one quarter of a bucket and rinse the hair. This reduces the oilness. A teaspoon of vinegar in the same quantity of water acts as a tonic for the scalp. It also removes soap residue since it is an excellent rinse.
Dry hair
Dry hair management is quite different from oily hair. The two common causes of dried out hair are swimming and over-shampooing. Other culprits include colouring, electric curlers, excessive blow-drying and too much exposure to wind and sun. Here is a quick course on how to rescue parched hair. Careful shampooing: Shampoo washes away not only dirt but also the hair’s protective oils. Always use only a shampoo if the hair is rough and also wash less often, not more than twice a week. Conditioner: When hair becomes dry, the outer layers of the hair peel off. Conditioner glue these layers back to the central shaft and also lubricate the hair. Dry hair should always be conditioned after every shampoo. Oil: Oil your hair if they are dry, at least an hour before you wash. Frayed ends: Split ends should be snipped off, since dry hair tend to suffer most at the ends. The frayed ends should be kept under control by trimming once every six weeks. Cool designing: Heat is what contributes to dried-out hair. Two most intense sources of heat-curling irons and electric curlers must always be avoided . Instead for curling or adding wave, sponge rollers should be used overnight, or one should sleep with moist braids. Protection: Whipping wind frays the hair and so does the sun. Also don’t swim bareheaded, because chlorine is one of the most destructive things for hair. A rubber cap should always be worn while swimming, preferably after applying a little olive oil into the hair for extra-protection. Mixed hair: For the hair which is neither oily nor dry, a middle course should be followed. On alternate days, mild, shampooing, weekly conditioning and fortnightly oiling are advised for this type of hair. In addition to the routine care of the hair, if some disease strikes, a dermatologist’s opinion must be sought. The reason for hair loss can be stress, heredity, hormonal imbalance alopecia areata, fungal infection, weakness after fever or sickness or drug induced. Similarly, greying of hair can be due to multiple reasons — vitamin deficiency, hereditary factor, vitiligo or leucoderma patch in the scalp, etc. The writer is Chief Dermatologist, Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, Ludhiana.
|
|
Correct posture a must to avoid back problems A good posture implies bones, muscles and ligaments working together in harmony, thereby protecting the body from injury or deformity. In day-to-day life, maintaining a good posture under all circumstances is as important as eating right and exercising right. A good posture causes less stress and fatigue while sitting and helps a person to live healthy and work to his/her potential. A good posture indicates two imaginary lines passing through the ear, shoulder and hip and ending at the anterior side of ankle joints on each half of the body. The most commonly observed postural defect is the forward head posture. This happens when the centre of the ear moves forward from the centre of the shoulder. This invariably occurs during long sittings in front of computers, while working in the office or viewing television. A prolonged static posture is our enemy. The body can tolerate 20 minutes sitting in one position. After that elasticity in the tissue starts decreasing. The muscles and the ligaments become tense, leading to an increase in stress and discomfort. In office jobs one tends to sit in a slumped forward “C” position. Sitting in the “C” position puts stress on the spine. The correct sitting position is with the spine in its normal curve —The “S” position — which can be achieved by following methods: 1. Low back support — Sitting slouched or slumped in a chair puts stress on the spine. Sit with buttocks pressed against the back of the chair. Place a cushion at the back to decrease the load on lower back. 2. The computer screen should be at the level of the eyes. To confirm, close your eyes and then open slowly. If the gaze is at the centre of the computer screen then the level is perfect, otherwise this needs to be raised or lowered accordingly. 3. The arm-rest of the chair helps in taking off the load from the shoulder and the neck. Therefore, the arm-rest should slightly lift the arms at the level of the shoulders. 4. Sit comfortably with the arms parallel to the body. The hands should rest on the desktop or the computer keyboard. The elbows should be at a 90 degree angle, or else the chair should be adjusted either up or down. 5. Try sliding fingers under the thighs at the edge of the chair. If they do not slide, place a footrest. If there is more than a finger-width space between the thigh and the chair, raise the desk and the chair. 6. While sitting, a fist should pass between the calf and the chair. If this cannot be done easily then the chair is too deep. It is advisable to adjust the backrest forward or insert a lumbar support or get a new office chair. 7. The following exercises help in reducing the forward head posture. These should be done two or three times a day. 1. Chin glide: While sitting or standing, push your head backwards as far as possible. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 10 times. 2. Shoulder roll: Starting in a standing or sitting position with the arms at the sides moving the shoulders up and down 10 times. 3. Upper backstretch: This exercise stretches the chest muscles and strengthens the upper back muscles. Stand with the feet apart, the arms on the sides and the thumb pointing forward. Take a long breath. Slowly breathe out and rotate your arms outwards with the palms turned out. Spread your fingers as far as possible. Return to the original position. Repeat two or three times every hour. Moving and stretching throughout the day to relax your joints, muscles and ligaments is very important to maintain a correct posture. Therefore, to avoid the implications of a wrong posture, the solution is simple: Change your posture frequently.
|
|
Breastfeed is best for babies’ health The theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Awareness Week, which ended recently, was devoted to promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months followed by the introduction of appropriate and adequate complimentary foods. This is possible when everyone, including health professionals, family and community members, are properly informed and exclusive breastfeeding is the social norm. What is good complimentary food? A good complimentary food, according to nutrition experts, should be like this:
The number of times food is offered should be two or three times a day when babies are six to eight months old, and three or four times a day when they are aged between nine months and two years. In addition to breastfeeding, give them nutritious snacks once or twice a day. Inadequate breastfeeding and delayed or early introduction of complimentary foods contributes significantly to the high prevalence of malnutrition in India. In this country, 47 per cent (about 36 million) children under the age of three are underweight, which has profound negative consequences on such children’s physical development and mental health. The contribution of breast milk is often overlooked in the enthusiasm to get complimentary feeding started. The challenge is how to give other foods so that they add to the nutritional value of breast milk, rather than replace it. Why does breast milk continues to be an ideal food even after six months of age? This is because of the following:
The writer specialises on health affairs.
|
|
NGOs provide better healthcare Washington: According to a study published in the Lancet, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) deliver better health services in developing countries rather than the government. To achieve the health-related Millennium Development Goals, the delivery of heath services will need to improve. Contracting with non-state entities, including NGOs, has been proposed as means for improving health care delivery. Benjamin Loevinsohn and April Harding (The World Bank, Washington, D.C., USA) reviewed the global experience of contracting with NGOs to deliver primary health or nutrition services. They looked at 10 studies and found that contracting, which cost between $ 3 and $ 6 per head per year, led to substantial and rapid improvements in these services. Six of the 10 studies compared contractor performance with the government provision of the same services. All six showed that the contractors were more effective than the government, on the basis of several measures related to both the quality of care and coverage of services. One study revealed that in India an NGO achieved a treatment completion rate for tuberculosis that was 14 percentage points higher than public services in a nearby area, and at a lower cost. Dr Loevinsohn concludes: “. . . the current weight of evidence suggests that contracting with non-governmental entities will provide better results than the government provision for the same services. Contracting should no longer be considered an untested intervention or so-called leap of faith.”
— ANI |
|
Obesity linked to concrete jungles
London: People living in clustered cities with little greenery and high levels of graffiti and litter are more likely to be obese than those living in pleasant areas with lots of greenery, according to a report published in BMJ. Obesity levels are high and increasing worldwide, and studies have suggested that the place of residence may be associated with levels of obesity and physical activity. Evidence also suggests that levels of incivilities, such as litter and graffiti, are linked to poorer health. Based on this work, the team set out to test the theory that areas which are pleasant with lots of greenery and few incivilities might encourage people to take exercise and thereby influence the levels of obesity. Surveyors assessed the immediate residential environment, including the amount of graffiti, litter and dog mess, as well as the level of vegetation and greenery visible on the dwelling and streets immediately surrounding it. Factors such as age, sex, and social status were also taken into account. For respondents whose residential environment contained high levels of greenery, the likelihood of being more physically active was over three times as high, and the likelihood of being overweight and obese was about 40 per cent less.
— ANI
|
From time immemorial hair has been adored and admired as an expression of one’s personality. Similar to the eyes and skin, one inherits the characteristics on one’s hair — colour, testure, thickness type, etc, from parents. It is important to take basic care of ones hair even if it has never been processed or coloured. The basic goal of hair care is to keep it clean and undamaged. Hair management depends upon its type — oily or dry.
Posture is defined as the “attitude of the body”. It is also suggestive of body language that, in fact, reveals a lot about the personality of an individual. Personality gives away a lot regarding the physical, mental and social well-being of any individual.