All posts by HealthyLife

HealthyLife is a part of www.WeRIndia.com, an all India – centric website (https://healthylife.werindia.com) and is solely owned and operated by WeRIndia.com. It is a Indian nutritional portal providing educational articles.This nutritional port was launched on February 5th, 2015.
Best skin care products

Skin Care Essentials: Must Have 7 Skin Care Products

Taking care of your skin has no other exception. We live in a busy world where we constantly try to deal with our work-life balance. In such situations, we might not get enough time to care for our health.  Well, if you do not get enough time, you have to take other measures because once damaged, it becomes hard to recover your skin to its previous place. Your skin can experience various negative impacts due to the sun, rough weather, or lack of care. For instance, acne and dark circles are common skin issues that we see in many people.

So, what’s the solution?  The only potential solution is to go for all-out skin treatment in advance. It’s not about going to the doctor, but you can DIY. What you need to do is to follow an appropriate skincare routine. A proper and experienced skincare routine may help you to deal with any form of skin issues. This is not only about the acne that you face, but if you do not take care of your skin on time, it may experience other issues like wrinkles and even cancer. 

Skin Care Products We Should Not Avoid
Skincare issues may differ with age. The product that you are using might not suit your sister or friends.  Age is a big factor in change. However, following simple products is the most viable option for a senior. Well, we have found some common and safe skin care products that you must keep. 

1. Cleanser
Most of us are familiar with cleansers.
No?

Well, what about a face wash? Can you relate to it now?

You can use a face wash or cleanser twice daily to eliminate various skin-related issues. If you are worried about your face, it’s the first step to getting rid of dirt, sebum, bacteria, and makeup.

2. Toner
Most of us skip this step as we need to learn more about the usage and benefits of toner. Well, it is as important as a moisturizer and cleanser. The basic purpose of a toner is to tone your skin. However, this is not the end. It also helps to exfoliate our skin cells and remove dead cells. A toner may also work properly to stop dirt, bacteria, and dust.

You can also go for the best skin care products in UAE to find out your suitable toner.

3. Serum
Different forms of serum help us in different ways, and it can easily be on your list to deal with various skin care issues. For instance, some serum works as a moisturizer, some provide exfoliators, and some help improves dry skin conditions. Well, oily-skinned people not require a skin serum, but those who have dry skin are prone to serum.

4. Moisturiser
A moisturizer helps us to hydrate our skin and make it worth enough to deal with acne. People who think that moisturizer is not for oily skin are an illusion as it is not directly related. The more you dig into the factors, you will understand that a moisturizer helps us fight dust, dirt, and bacteria.

5. Sunscreen
Many people consider sunscreen because their doctors told them to use it but using sunscreen is no longer a luxury; it is necessary if you are going out every day. Well, the dangerous UV rays of the sun may damage our skin permanently and may even lead to cancer.

But if you use sunscreen, you might get rid of these issues. This is where people get rid of dangerous skin-related problems occurring from the sun.

6. Eye Cream
Dark eye circles are also on your list? Well, don’t worry! We are here with never-ending solutions for you. 

Using eye creams is a possible solution to get rid of dark eye circles. It also helps to keep our eye nerves cool and decent. So, you will be able to get good sleep and also avoid unnecessary wrinkles under the eyes. 

7. Exfoliant
It is necessary to exfoliate our skin to keep our skin healthy and remove dead cells. So, last but not least, try to use some exfoliant as a solution to dehydrated skin.

Image credit: Image by Andrew Poynton from Pixabay (cc by 0)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 13, 2023
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RSV in adults

More Adults Are Getting Infected by RSV Now Than Pre Covid Time

During onset of winter world is recording a greater number of people getting infected with RSV -Respiratory Syncytial Virus. This contagious viral infection can be seen in young children and adults above 60 years of age. RSV is not a new virus. But it may be more of a health concern now than before. As per the data from CDC, after Covid pandemic, there is an increase in number of hospitalizations of adults due to RSV infection. During pre-covid these numbers were 10 times lesser at this time of the year.

A person can get RSV infection multiple times in a lifetime.  It is generally a mild virus but when severe it can affect lungs and respiratory airways. Currently RSV cases are more in pediatric divisions. According to Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York “There’s a huge disease burden in the pediatric population right now and there will obviously be spillover, including in seniors interacting with grandchildren”.  As it is contagious, RSV is getting into seniors’ system whenever they are exposed to the virus.

Symptoms of RSV:

Initial symptoms of RSV are like that of flu. These symptoms are hard to separate RSV from other common illness. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can last up to 2 weeks.

RSV symptoms may include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Sore Throat
  • Runny Nose
  • Nasal congestion
  • Wheezing
  • Sneezing
  • Headache
  • Tiredness, fatigue

In older adults RSV symptoms can be severe. If the immunity is already compromised by already existing underlying conditions, then having RSV can impose and increase problem of recovery in older adults. Such patients may need hospitalization and proper care. Conditions that increase chances of hospitalization in older adults who are at age of ≥65 are;

  • Diabetes – age 65 more likely to be hospitalized
  • Coronary artery disease (CAD)
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Asthma
  • Congestive heart failure (CHF)

If a person with any of the above conditions develops RSV, it can lead to serious complications such as COPD, heart failure, pneumonia, more asthma attacks. Amongst these symptoms pneumonia infection is the main concerns as lungs fill up with pus or fluid leading to serious illness and hospitalization.

Generally, a person with RSV will remain contagious for about 10 days. Whereas, with preexisting and compromised immune systems a person can be contagious up to a month.  

Precautions and prevention measures:

  • Practicing hygiene and being careful is important
  • Wash hands after covering sneezing or cough
  • Do not touch your face
  • Avoid crowded indoor gathering
  • Minimize social interaction
  • Wear mask if you must be in gathering and while go on shopping
  • Wear mask when you interact with young children
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces with sanitizers
  • Drink lots of fluid
  • Take plenty of rest
  • Stay home when you are sick

Treatment:

Unlike influenza or Covid-19, there is no specific treatment for RSV. There is no vaccine.  There is no test kit or home test kit for RSV. Initially doctors may treat the person for multiple virus symptoms or painkillers and to reduce fever.

If a person needs hospitalization, then hospital give oxygen support for better breathing and IV fluids for energy.

When to see doctor?

  • If you are experiencing flu like symptoms, contact doctor.
  • If the symptoms start getting severe and if person is experiencing shortness of breath is a warning sign that the person need medical attention.

Remember – there are no medications or vaccines for RSV. Symptoms can be reduced by taking proper precautions. Afterall, we all are good at it as we are familiar with non-pharmaceutical interventions practices that we used during COVID pandemic time. Maintain social distancing, practice hygiene, wear mask, wash hands often with soap or use sanitizers!

References:

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: November 17, 2022
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Upward salute pose

Practice Urdhva Hastasana Upward Salute Pose For Stress Free Day

Urdhva hastasana, upward salute pose is beginners yoga pose that yields multiple benefits for the body. It is one of the initial pose that we get into during Suryanamaskar or Sun salutation. It can be performed anytime or in the beginning of yoga practice. This pose helps to stretch the entire body and all the organs if done properly. Stretching and opening shoulder, aligning spinal cord, stretching abdominal muscles are possible through this simple pose. Stressed body and mind both feel relieved after practicing this very simple pose -Healthy Life

LEVEL :Beginner

Anatomy: Feet, Legs, Ribs, Shoulders, Spine

Pose Type: Standing

Sanskrit: Urdhva Hastasana (erd-vah ahs-TAHS-anna) urdhva = raised, elevated, tending upward

hasta = hand

BENEFITS

  • Stretches the entire body
  • Prepares the body for yoga practice
  • Helps align the spinal column
  • Opens the shoulders
  • Improves digestion
  • Relieves mild anxiety and fatigue

CONTRAINDICATIONS

  • Shoulder or neck injuries (avoid lifting arms overhead)

HOW TO

  1. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain pose) with your feet together and arms at your sides. Ground down through your feet by pressing evenly into the big toe, little toe, and heel.
  2. As you inhale, sweep your arms out to the sides and then up toward the sky. Press your palms and fingers together, coming into prayer over your head.
  3. With an exhale, release your shoulders away from your ears to open the chest. Draw your front ribs in, toward your spine, and lengthen your tailbone toward the ground.
  4. Set your gaze up at your hands.
  5. Hold this pose for a few gentle breaths. To release, lower your hands (in prayer) to heart center. If performing a vinyasa flow, exhale and hinge forward at the hips, coming into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold).

MODIFY OR REPLACE

Alternatives:

  • Lay on your mat and extend your arms overhead. Flex your feet and reach through the length of your body.

Modifications:

  • If balance is a problem, separate the feet hip-distance apart.

SEQUENCING TIPS

Before:

After:

  • Ardha Uttanasana
  • Chaturanga (Four-Limbed Staff pose)

TEACHING CUES

  • Ground down through all four corners of the feet.
  • Keep your tailbone in a neutral position.
  • Lower the shoulders away from the ears.
  • Do not let the front ribs protrude forward—draw them down and in.

VARIATIONS

  • Instead of joining the hands together, keep the arms extended shoulder-width apart overhead.
  • Sweep the arms forward instead of out to the sides.
  • With hands together, draw the arms back to create a slight backbend.

WATCH OUT FOR

  • Shoulders up near the ears
  • Internal rotation of the arms
  • Hyperlordosis
  • Ribs jutting forward

Image and article published here with prior permission from beyogi.com For more poses and teaching clues please visit beyogi.com

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: November 10, 2022
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Common symptoms of Myositis

Common symptoms of Myositis

Many symptoms of myositis are similar to that of other conditions.  Only diagnosis helps to differentiate myositis and any other diseases.

  • Pain in muscles
  • Tenderness in muscle
  • Tiredness and feeling unwell
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Sweating during night
  • Constant muscle pain
  • Difficulty in doing day to day task
  • Risk of falling due to weakness

What causes myositis?

Some people with preexisting autoimmune diseases are more likely to develop myositis  such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, lupus.

Sometimes after a severe viral infection one can develop myositis: the common cold, flu, AIDS/HIV

Image credit: Elizabeth M. Dugan, Adam M. Huber, Frederick W. Miller, Lisa G. Rider, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: November 1, 2022
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Alkaline foods

92 Foods that can fight Cancer, Diabetes, And Heart Disease!!

The alkaline diet is based on evidence that suggests that acid-forming foods prevent the body from healing properly and the diet replaces those foods with alkaline options. Acid-forming foods leave an ash in your body as your system works to metabolize the food. This leaves your body acidic and potentially makes you more susceptible to diseases and illnesses. In contrast, alkaline foods keep your body basic and is believed to provide stronger protection for the body.

Alkaline foods have been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, both of which are huge contributing factors to cardiovascular diseases. The diet can also influence and help with weight loss, which in turn reduces the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis. Though it has not yet been proven to prevent cancer, an alkaline diet can make some chemotherapy treatments more effective and less toxic on the body.

Acidic foods include meat, poultry, fish, grains, eggs, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol and consist of protein, phosphate, and sulfur. Alkaline foods are typically fruits, nuts, vegetables, soybeans, tofu and seeds, consisting of calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

The diet focuses on eliminating acidic foods as often as possible and making alkaline items a main part of the food intake each day. View the great infographics below from Acid Alkaline Food to see a breakdown of which foods to stick with and which to avoid.

Here is an extension to the list of alkaline foods to get you jump-started on the diet, if you are interested:

Vegetables:

  1. Mustard Greens
  2. Alka
  3. Mushrooms
  4. Nightshade Veggies
  5. Parsnips (high glycemic)
  6. Sweet potatoes
  7. Pumpkin
  8. Peppers
  9. Wild Greens
  10. Sea Veggies
  11. Edible Flowers
  12. Eggplant
  13. Fermented Veggies
  14. Green Beans
  15. Chard Greens
  16. Chlorella
  17. Collard Greens
  18. Spirulina

Fruit

  1. Tropical Fruits
  2. Umeboshi Plums
  3. Dried figs
  4. Honeydew Melon
  5. Sour cherries
  6. Rhubarb

Protein

  1. Tempeh (fermented)
  2. Millet
  3. Chestnuts

Spices & Seasonings

  1. Sea Salt
  2. Miso
  3. Tamari
  4. All Herbs
  5. Ginger
  6. Cinnamon
  7. Curry
  8. Chili pepper

Others

  1. Mineral water
  2. Apple cider vinegar
  3. Green Juices
  4. Veggie Juices
  5. Fresh Fruit Juice
  6. Molasses
  7. Probiotic Cultures
  8. Bee pollen

Article by: By Brianna Acuesta @www.trueactivist.com & for more information visit www.trueactivist.com

Image credit: Image by Couleur from Pixabay (Free for commercial use)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: October 20, 2022
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Gut bacteria

Scientists Track Behavior of Intestinal Bacteria

Our gut hosts several microbes that are friendly and essential for our health. Health of our intestine depends on these microbes and to keep gastrointestinal tract in healthy condition, it is important to maintain the gut friendly microbes in good condition. There are many research studies are going on in medical field regarding the gut bacteria. Recently Indian scientists published their findings regarding how the intestinal bacteria behaves and moves in the gut -Healthy Life.

The mystery of how does the bacterial resident of the human intestine, the E-coli move towards or away from chemicals—a phenomenon called chemotaxis, has intrigued scientists for a long time. E.coli bacteria show chemotaxis in response to different chemicals present in human gastrointestinal tract. 

Scientists have now found the condition that is most suitable for getting the best chemotactic performance. The new finding will help track behavior of E-Coli bacteria in response to chemical signals. The response of E-Coli to chemicals in the intestine bacteria plays a crucial role in the functioning of the human intestine. 

Many organisms in nature respond to the chemical signal received from their environment by showing bodily motion or as chemotaxis. A sperm cell finds the ovum using chemotaxis. White blood cells that are needed for healing injuries find the site of injury or inflammation by chemotaxis. Butterflies also track flowers, and male insects reach their targets by using chemotaxis.  Understanding chemotaxis involves how it is affected by various conditions present inside the cell or in the environment. 

E.coli uses its run-and-tumble motion to migrate towards the region with more nutrients. The nutrient molecules bind to the chemo-receptors present on the cell membrane, and this input signal is processed by the sensing module of the signaling network, finally modulating the run-and-tumble motion of the cell. The adaptation module of the signaling network ensures that the intracellular variables do not deviate too far from their average values. 

One important aspect of signaling network of chemotaxis is the cooperativity or clustering tendency of the chemo-receptors, which helps amplifying the input signal, and as a result, E.coli can respond to even very weak concentration gradient. Thus receptor clustering was known to increase the sensitivity of the cell. However, some recent experiments have shown that receptor clustering also causes fluctuations in the signaling network triggering scientists to explore conditions that activate the best chemotactic performance. 

In a recent study, scientists from S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, an Autonomous Research Institute established under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, have theoretically shown that there is an optimum size of the receptor clusters at which the E.coli cell shows the best-directed motion guided by chemical signal received from its environment. 

The team led by Sakuntala Chatterjee took the first step in understanding how the response can be made most efficient by tuning the receptor cooperativity in the study published in Physical Review E (Letters). 

To quantify performance, they measured how fast the cell climbs up the concentration gradient or how strongly the cell is able to localize in the nutrient-rich region. According to the team, good performance also means a strong ability of the cell to distinguish between nutrient-rich and nutrient-depleted regions in space. The team found all these measures reach a peak at a specific size of the receptor clusters. 

They have shown this optimality is a result of a competition between sensing and adaptation modules of the network. According to the present work, as cluster size increases, sensing is enhanced, which improves chemotactic performance. But for large clusters, fluctuations also increase, and adaptation comes into play. The signaling network is now controlled by the adaptation module, and sensing plays a less significant role which brings down the performance. The study can improve understanding of chemotactic behavior, particularly of an organism forming the bulk of bacterial samples for experiments owing to its ability to replicate fast and adapt easily to change in its environment. 

Reference: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.103.L030401

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on:
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Fortified Milk for Covid-19

Fortified milk is critical for boosting health and immunity during Covid -FSSAI

India has a significant burden of malnutrition, including micronutrient malnutrition such as iron and vitamin deficiencies. According to the World Bank, more than 70% of India’s children under five are deficient in vitamin D, and 57% of all children in the country lack adequate levels of vitamin A.

Deficiency of vitamins A and D have adverse impact on morbidity, mortality, productivity, and economic growth. Vitamins A and D are vital to strengthen the immune system, which is critical in times of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

On the World Milk Day, a national webinar on Improving the Nutrition Quality of Milk through Fortification was organized to discuss the potential role of fortified milk in improving health and immunity.

It was jointly hosted by Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI). Several representatives from the government, development partners, academia and the milk industry participated in the webinar. 

Arun Singhal, CEO, FSSAI, said, “FSSAI in December 2020, issued a draft notification, for mandatory fortification of packaged toned, double toned, skimmed milk or standardized milk with Vitamin A and Vitamin D. This will ensure nationwide availability of fortified milk and a positive impact in mitigating micronutrient malnutrition among populations. It is crucial to make concerted efforts for scaling up and sustaining efforts towards quality fortification while making fortification mandatory in the country.”

Presently, India produces over 193 lakh liters per day of fortified milk reaching over 121 million people. With mandatory fortification in the anvil, these numbers would increase significantly across the country, contributing to improved nutrition and health status of the Indian population.

Dr Ambrish Mittal, head of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Max Healthcare, said, “There is enough evidence available on the potential role of vitamin A and D in boosting immunity and improving the overall health, which is more crucial in the current situation of Covid-19. Furthermore, limited sun exposure in current times increases risk of vitamin D deficiency.  Hence, it is vital that fortification of milk with vitamin A and D be promoted and supported.”

Dr Sumit Arora, principal scientist, Dairy Chemistry Division, NDRI, Karnal elaborated that fortification of milk with vitamins A and D does not have any impact on the final product in terms of colour, taste, storage quality of milk.  Fortification only enhances the nutritional value of the milk by compensating nutrients lost during processing and provides added micronutrients to large populations that have a significant deficiency of these vitamins.

Tarun Vij, country director, GAIN, said, “We need to adopt a strategic approach for scale up of milk fortification in the country and it should be complemented with building capacity of milk industry partners for producing quality assured milk fortified with vitamin A and vitamin D.”

The hour-long webinar deliberated on the crucial role of fortification in improving the nutritional quality of milk, the current scenario of milk fortification in India, opportunities and challenges in scaling-up milk fortification, and the critical role of milk cooperatives and private sector dairies in envisioning mandatory fortification.

Fortified milk is widely used around the world to help people get nutrients that may otherwise be lacking in their diets.  It offers several benefits compared with unfortified milk.

Press release from FSSAI:

https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/media/FSSAI_News_Milk_FNB_09_06_2021.pdf

https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/media/FSSAI_News_Milk_HealthLine_04_09_2019.pdf

Image credit: Image by pasita wanseng from Pixabay  (Free for commercial use)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on:
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