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Are you turning your children into
stroller potatoes?
Nowadays, it’s a
familiar sight to see children old enough to walk, being
pushed around in strollers. Strollers are meant for
infants who need to be carried. As soon as children begin
to walk, parents must discard the strollers and encourage
the children to walk.
Dr. Martin I. Lorin, a pediatrician in his famous book ‘The
Parents’ Book of Physical Fitness for Children’ says
confining children to strollers, means that “young
muscles languish away for want of exercise”.
Parents who confine their children to strollers because
children don’t keep pace with them or they run around or
they get tired and insist on being carried, are not doing
them a favour; they are doing a great injustice to them.
Once children get addicted to being pushed in strollers,
they lose the desire to walk and become stroller potatoes.
It is no wonder they become couch potatoes, when they grow
into adults.
If we carefully observe those children who are encouraged
to walk and those children who are wheeled around in
strollers, we can notice that most of the children who
walk are of right weight whereas most of the children who
are wheeled around are overweight.
It’s a proven fact that more than the diet, it’s the lack of physical
activity that leads to obesity. Parents who confine their
children to strollers, high chairs, infant seats and
playpens, unintentionally become the cause of their
obesity.
Carry your infant children who can’t walk. It promotes bonding and is
a good exercise for the parents. When your children can
walk, encourage your children to walk. It’s a good
exercise for the children.
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Is chlorinated water safe for
pregnant women?
Water chlorination is a widely used, cost-effective
purification method to disinfect water and reduce the risk
of waterborne diseases. Public authorities all over the
world resort to chlorination of tap water as a means to
purify drinking water, not because it is the safest
procedure, but because it is the cheapest procedure.
Studies in the past have highlighted the harmful
by-products in the chlorinated water. The latest research
suggests that prenatal exposure to these by-products may
increase the risk of birth defects.
Drinking chlorinated water during pregnancy may increase
the risk of having children with heart problems, cleft
palate or major brain defects, according to a study
published in the ‘Environmental Health’ journal.
The research team, led by Jouni Jaakkola
from the Institute of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine, University of Birmingham, UK, analysed data
pertaining to almost 400,000 infants. They found that
exposure to high levels of by-products in the chlorinated
water, substantially increased the risk of three common
birth defects: holes in the heart (ventricular septal
defects), cleft palate and brain defects (anencephalus).
“The biological mechanism for how those disinfection by-products may
cause defects are still unknown. However, our findings
don’t just add to the evidence that water chlorination may
cause birth defects, but suggest that exposure to
chlorination by-products may be responsible for some
specific and common defects,” says Jaakkola.
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Vegetables that help
prevent bladder cancer
Scientists
at Rosewell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York
have found that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli,
cauliflower and cabbage provides protection against
bladder cancer.
“People who consume at least 3 or more servings of cruciferous
vegetables a month had about a 40% reduction in risk of
bladder cancer,” says Dr. Susan McCann, PhD at Rosewell
Park Cancer Institute.
Researches say the amount of protection you get is
remarkable, considering how little you have to eat. Just
three servings a month, can help keep your bladder
healthy. But, there is catch. When these vegetables are
cooked, they become less effective. “When they are eaten
raw, they induce a kind of enzyme that may detoxify
carcinogens,” says James Marshall, PhD at Rosewell Park
Cancer Institute.
The cruciferous vegetables that are
tastier to eat raw, are cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.
Turnip, Kohlrabi, Brussels sprout and Bokchoy can also be
tried.
Researchers at the
University of
California,
Berkeley have earlier discovered that cruciferous
vegetables have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer
properties. These vegetables are also rich in vitamin C
and soluble fibre.
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Artificial food dyes
linked to behaviour problems in children
Artificial colourings are linked to hyperactivity and
behaviour problems in children and must be banned from use
in foods, according to the Centre for Science in the
Public Interest. The non-profit, public-interest group
urged the FDA(Food and Drug Administration) to ban the
eight artificial colourings Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue
2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 and Yellow 6.
Synthetic food dyes have been suspected of disrupting children’s
behaviour since the 1970s, when Dr. Ben Feinglod reported
that his patients improved when their diets were changed.
“The science shows that kids’ behaviour improves when these artificial
colourings are removed from their diets and worsens when
they are added to their diets,” says Dr. David Schab, a
psychiatrist at Columbia University Medical Centre.
Artificial dyes are particularly prevalent in the sugary cereals,
candies, sodas and snack foods pitched to kids. Dyes are
used in countless foods and are sometimes used to simulate
the colour of fruits or vegetables. Kraft’s Guacamole Dip
gets its greenish colour not from avocados but from Yellow
5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1. Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles are
blue not from real blueberries but from Blue 2 and Red 40.
Even foods that aren’t brightly coloured, can contain
dyes, including several varieties of macaroni, cheese and
mashed potatoes.
Unlike the
United States,
the British Government is compelling the food
manufacturers to use safer, natural colourings. In
Britain, the colour in McDonald’s strawberry sauce for
sundaes actually comes from strawberries, whereas in the
US, it comes from Red 40.
“The continued use of these unnecessary artificial
dyes is the secret shame of the food industry and the
regulators who watch over it,” said F. Jacobson, Executive
director of the Centre for Science in the Public
Interest.
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Is milk the best source
of calcium?
Calcium
is a mineral that the body needs for numerous functions,
including building and maintaining bones and teeth, blood
clotting, the transmission of nerve impulses and the
regulation of the hearts rhythm. Calcium deficiency
weakens the bones and leads to a crippling disease known
as osteoporosis. This happens because the body ‘steals’
calcium from the bones, if the diet does not contain
enough calcium.
When calcium is mentioned most people immediately think
of milk. Milk is actually only one of many sources of
calcium and there are some important reasons why milk may
not be the best source of calcium.
Harvard School of Public Health mentions four important reasons
why milk may not be the best source of calcium.
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Lactose Intolerance : Many people have some degree of
lactose (milk protein) intolerance. For example, 90% of
Asians, 70% of Blacks and 50% of Hispanics are lactose
intolerant. For them eating or drinking dairy products
causes bloating, gas formation and loose motion.
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High
Saturated Fat Content: Many dairy products are high in
saturated fats. High saturated fat intake is a risk
factor for heart disease.
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Possible increased risk of Ovarian Cancer: High levels
of galactose, a sugar released by the digestion of
lactose in milk, have been studied as possibly damaging
to the ovaries and leading to ovarian cancer.
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Probable increased risk of prostate cancer: A Harvard
study found that men who drank two or more glasses of
milk per day were almost twice as likely to develop
advanced prostate cancer as those who didn’t drink milk
at all.
What
are the other best sources of calcium? Sesame seeds,
Almonds, Broccoli and Sardines are some of the best
sources of calcium. |
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Body Piercing is
risky
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
conducted a study on the popularity and risks of body
piercing. The study found that 10% of people aged 16 and
above have had a body piercing somewhere other than the
ear lobe.
The study revealed that women are more likely than man to have a body
piercing and men and women preferred different types of
piercing. 33% of the respondents have had a navel
piercing; 19% of the respondents have had a nose piercing;
9% of the respondents have had a tongue piercing; 9% of
the respondents have had a nipple piercing; 8% of the
respondents have had a eyebrow piercing and 4% of the
respondents have had a lip piercing.
Common medical problems included swelling, infection and
bleeding. Half of the tongue piercing led to
complications. One third of the respondents in the age
group of 16 to 24, reported having problems and had to
seek help from a professional.
The study found that most piercing, including tongue
piercing were done in shops. The study also found that
people who receive piercing from non-specialists are
likely to have serious complications.
Youngsters, especially in the
age group of 16 to 24, need to become aware of the
potential complications of body piercing. Shops and
individuals who offer body piercing must warn the
youngsters of the risks involved in body piercing.
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Active
social life may delay memory loss
One of the features of aging is memory loss, which can
adversely affect the quality of life. In a new study,
researchers from the School
of Public Health found evidence that elderly people who
have an active social life may have a slower rate of
memory decline.
Previous studies have suggested that an active social
life may reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline
among the elderly.
Karen Ertel, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard and her
colleagues analyzed data gathered from 1998 to 2004.
Memory was assessed in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Social
integration was assessed by marital status, volunteer
activities and contact with parents, children and
neighbours.
The results showed that individuals with the highest
social integration had the slowest rate of memory
decline. In fact, memory decline among the most integrated
was less than half the rate among the least integrated.
“Social participation and integration have profound effects
on health and well being of people during their
lifetimes,” said senior author Lisa Berkman.
We know from previous studies that people
with many social ties have lower mortality rates. We now
have mounting evidence that strong social networks can
help prevent declines in memory.
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In This Issue |
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1.Are
you turning your children into stroller
potatoes?
2.Is
chlorinated water safe for pregnant women?
3.Vegetables
that help prevent bladder cancer
4.Artificial
food dyes linked to behaviour problems in
children
5.Is
milk the best source of calcium?
6.Body
Piercing is risky
7. Active
social life may delay memory loss |
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“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will
interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet
and in the cause and prevention of disease”-
Thomas Alva Edison
Inner Universe presents a 2-day workshop on
Mind your Body
“Healthy people are happy people; Happy people are healthy
people”-Dr Pon
Workshop Benefits
You
will enjoy better health and longer life.
Your
life will become happier and more meaningful.
You will be able to lead a stress- free life.
You will be able to maintain the right weight.
You will be able to save substantially on your medical bills.
You will experience a higher physical energy level.
You will experience a higher mental energy level.
You will notice an increase in your productivity.
You will become more positive in your attitude.
You will lead a happy and satisfied married life.
Happy people are healthy people; Healthy people are happy
people. This workshop helps people enjoy a healthy body and
happy mind.
Workshop Modules
Perfect Digestion
Healthy and unhealthy Eating Habits
The four white poisons
Good Fat, Bad Fat and Ugly Fat
Compatible Food Combinations
Peristalsis Activation Breathing
Emesis Therapy for Stomach Washing
Purgation Therapy for Colon Cleansing
Living Water and Dead Water
Active Air and Depleted Air
Sound Sleep
Sleep Position and Optimum Duration
Sleep Thieves
Sleep Diet
Alpha Sleep and Delta Sleep
Larks and Owls
Waking up without an Alarm Clock
Reproductive Energy
Reproductive Minerals and Diet
Plant Oestrogen and Plant Testosterone
Pelvic Strengthening Exercises
Perineum Strengthening Exercises
Urinary Sphincters Breathing
Helio Therapy
Bathing and Reproductive Energy
Innerwear and Reproductive Energy
Gold Jewellery and Reproductive Energy
Sensory Stimulation
Vision Improvement Exercises
Hearing Improvement Exercises
Smell Improvement Exercises
Taste Improvement Exercises
Touch Improvement Exercises
Healing Breathing
Internal Organs and related Emotions
Internal Organs and nourishing foods
Lungs Breathing Exercise
Liver Breathing Exercise
Heart Breathing Exercise
Pancreas Breathing Exercise
Kidneys Breathing Exercise
Anger Management
Hemisphere Shift Technique
Symbolic Release Technique
Melatonin Secretion Technique
Deleting Unpleasant Experiences
Repairing Relationships
Identifying Inborn Characteristics
Stress Management
Stress Release Techniques
Positive Mental Attitude
Handling Matrimonial Worries
Handling Employment Worries
Handling Financial Worries
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