Medicrit – Medicare

Archive for July, 2011

Breast milk is still best for under two years,” the pediatrician says. And a mother must believe it because not only is it advisable for her child’s health, it also lessens the chance of her getting diabetes.

female who have less chances of suffering from diabetes. A study conducted by the World Health Organization shows that more than 1.5 million babies die because they are not breast-fed. These are babies from third world countries. Their mothers’ health are also in jeopardy that they don’t have enough nutrition or milk in their bodies to save neither themselves nor their babies.

These social workers who educate mothers often go to the developing countries such as Nigeria and teach them the proper way to care for themselves and their infants. Good parenting at a young age would also result to the proper mental development of their infant.

That’s why people must be educated when it comes to how important breastfeeding is for the infant and the mother. Not only is this beneficial for the baby’s health, it will also have a better effect on the emotional aspect of the mother-child relationship. Breastfeeding is an early form of mother-child bonding that could occur at this young stage of the baby’s life.

Some mothers prefer pumping their milk to a equipment as it hurts them when the child bites into their nipples. That must not be the case. It takes some getting use to. Breastfeeding will give the child the nurture, the love and the care that she deserves to have. Activists on the situation are recommending a movement to a decree that announces neglect on mothers who stop breastfeeding their children who are less than two years old.

There are some mothers who rush on to their daily activities that they prefer the bottle-feeding than breast-feeding. This often applies to a high-powered career woman. As much as possible, she should also fit into her schedule the time for her boy.

Some mothers consider that the good thing about bottled milk is that it has water and breast milk has less. However, breast milk also has water. The water contained in breast milk is in fact healthier for the infant than water that us adults drink. Notice also that babies accommodate better after they are breast-fed than after they are bottle-fed.

Breast milk prevents diarrhea. Diarrhea is a illness that often attacks babies. Developing countries lose a lot of their newly-borns to this sickness.

Breast milk also helps the child grow properly making him less prone to diseases. The child will also be more exceptional because his being breast-fed allowed his brain to develop better.

As for the women, there is a link to diabetes and breast-feedings. Women who engage in breast-feeding their infant will not have diabetes. While they’re feeding their babies, they are lactating. Therefore, the hormones they release in this process protects her against aneamia and cancer.

In short, breast-feed your infant. Not only will you and your child be good in health, you will also have bonding time together. It helps to start training your child now at a young age because there’s a lot of room for improvement and growth. Also, the mother has something to benefit from this evolution. She wouldn’t have diabetes.

If scheduling is the problem, it’s all about time management. When your child is about to go to school and off to an Ivy League school, you know your hard work paid off.

Are you a diet hopper? Have you approached each diet with gusto at the beginning and the willpower to get down to that slim bikini shape you’ve always dreamed of? Do you run out of steam before you have reached phase two of your diet plan? Let’s face it, this is what thousands of men and women encounter when they embark on any kind of diet. You are not alone.

It is the thought of eating foods we might like but not love. Worse still, we munch mournfully on foods we hate, willing ourselves to eat that oily piece of mackerel even though it might stink to high heaven and we hate the smell. But deep down we know that piece of mackerel is nutritious and because it tastes awful we won’t be tempted to eat any junk to compensate.

However you mind works, being on a diet for a day, a week or for many of us a lifetime is not a life we dearly relish. We want to eat what we love and love what we eat. Life is too short right?

The good news is you can enjoy being on a diet. Did I say enjoy? Yes you can, if you follow a few certain guidelines.

Variety is the spice of life
We’ve heard this expression countless times but this really is the key to a good healthy diet and a healthy eating pattern for the long-term. Learn how to combine the various food groups: healthy fats, protein, carbs to make sure your body has all the necessary nutrients. Your metabolism will re-boot itself and begin to function much more effectively. Watch your portion control by serving your meal on a smaller plate. Remember each portion of protein and carbs should be the size of your palm. Imagine your plate being divided into three parts and make sure your portions don’t exceed that.

Cut out the Caffeine
Some studies say caffeine benefits your metabolism. But the real truth is caffeine increases your adrenaline and insulin levels, so you may get that caffeine kick but in the long term it’s not doing wonders for your metabolism because your body has to go through so many highs and lows. Opt for healthy herbal teas; green or white tea or rooibos tea without meal is very high in antioxidants and perfect for gradual weight loss. If you really crave a treat, savour and eat it slowly which will allow you to feel fuller than cramming a chocolate bar quickly. By eating slowly you avoid overeating.

Sleep Attack
Do you get enough sleep? Quality sleep is crucial to regulating the metabolism and losing weight. Numerous studies have found that those who don’t sleep well have a much slower metabolism. Eight hours a day is ideal although the amount of sleep an individual needs will vary from person to person.

Supercharge your body
Potassium and magnesium are minerals crucial to regulate your metabolism and burn fat. Stock up on a good quality mineral supplement or better still vary your diet with a good mix of whole grains, nuts, bananas, legumes, peppers, potatoes and carrots. Add these healthy foods into your daily menu and make sure you pay special attention to variety.

Tulsi tea is one of the most favorite teas used in my office. Every week I have to replace my supply of it in my complimentary tea bar. One reason is because it just tastes good. Another reason is that I have been teaching my patients about its benefits. You get a great “pick me up feeling” from it and it does not have caffeine in it.

Ocimum sanctum, called Tulsi in India, is common in Hindu tradition. Also known as Holy Basil, it is the most revered of all household plants in India. Holy Basil is used as a healing herb and is considered the reincarnation of Visnu. Therefore, it is considered “sacred”.

The latest research has shown that the most relevant benefit of Tulsi tea is that it protects from the effects of radiation. The recent events in Japan following the great earthquakes are still playing out. The radiation leakage has not been stopped, even now as I write this article on May 28, 2011.

Research on the effects of Tulsi tea also show that it improves a weak immune system, lowers cholesterol, decreases high blood pressure, increases lung health, aids in indigestion, and helps to balance blood sugar.

It is very important to note that folks with HIV can benefit greatly from having a daily cup of the tea. Also, although I do not endorse smoking anything, it is critical for smokers to have Tulsi tea as the research tells us that it helps regenerate tissue of lungs.

As previously mentioned, Tulsi tea is also known as Holy Basil. It is an easy plant to grow and very common in many households in India. Holy Basil comes in two forms – a green plant and a purple one. With purple stems is called Krishna Tulsi and the green form is called Rama Tulsi. It is said that in Indian folklore if you eat three leaves of fresh Holy Basil that you will prevent any diseases.

Tulsi is one of the most researched plants in ayurvedic pharmacology. It has been shown to have the highestamount of anti-oxidant value of all other researched ayurveda herbs. It is an erect sweet-scented pubescent herb, 30-100cm in height, growing in abundance near cultivated field gardens and wastelands. Its leaves, seeds, and whole plant are useful.

Tulsi offers a wide spectrum of health benefits even from just one cup of tea. The nutrients identified in it a e calcium, vitamins A and C, zinc, iron and chlorophyll. It is ill advised to drink more than two cups of it per day. One is probably a better idea, as it is strong; definitely more is not better. It also has a heating effect so if you are hot or having hot flashes then Tulsi tea will not be good for you that day.

Tulsi is considered a rasayana in ayurvedic medicine. This means it is a herb that helps increase perfusion at the tissue level which helps nutrients to be absorbed into cells. Just as with hot peppers that have a hot taste, Tulsi has a taste that is sweet, pungent, and astringent and has a post digestive heating effect. It increases pitta, which is why if you are hot or tend to run hot then this is not the tea for you. This, however, does not apply in the case of a true fever as Tulsi is very helpful to reduce a fever. The procedure in reducing fevers is to take Tulsi with pepper. This induces sweating to help clear clogged channels and bring down the fever.

Tulsi is wonderful if you are breathless on simple exertion. Of course, it is always important to consult a doctor if you are breathless on exertion or are experiencing any serious or continuing breathing problems.

The following is a recipe used for the common cold, cough or sinus congestion.

Take 1/4 tsp. of ginger, 1/2 tsp. of Turmeric, and 1/2 tsp. of Tulsi. Boil these ingredients in one and half cups of water. Boil down to one cup. Do this two to three times a day.