All posts by Sumana Rao

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How to ease child's fear

Five ways to ease children fear

Children often fear about something and fear is an inescapable part of childhood. We all have gone through the fear and might remember those days of fear about something. Reasons for children fear could be many – rain, thunderstorm, darkness, masks, being alone, homework, a person, and many more. When fear overtake children, it is parent’s responsibility to understand help them to ease the fear, soothe and comfort child. In young children if not attended to the issues, fear can result in psychological problem and even might wet bed for many years. Help child to ease fear by addressing it.

  • Make kids talk about the fear: Many times, kids will know what they are afraid but not might able to explain. Ask specific question about it. Observe and ask direct question like ‘are you afraid of darkness’, why are you afraid of dog, what makes you scared of the doctor etc. Some of the common fears in childhood are: darkness, being alone, dogs and other animals, insects (bugs), injections or shots, loud noises, imagination of someone under bed, someone’s tone etc. Once the child response, understand the situation and you will get an idea how to proceed.
  • Give assurance: Once you understand what fear your child has, assure child that you will work with him to get over the fear. Talk about the fear and let child know that you are taking it seriously and will help. Don’t make fun of child’s fear. Instead, assure child that the fear can be overcome by acting on it. Assure child that you will work together to help child feel braver and child will be able to manage fear all by himself.
  • Work with child: Experts say that you can set a reasonable goal to start. If child really needs to you to be there while going to bed, then set a goal of how many days you will be sitting with her and when she should try turning light off all by herself before going to bed. Give a week time and talk to through the steps you both will take to reach her goal. Plan steps like first day reading a book and turning off light, 2nd day reading book, turning light off and leaving the door slightly opened, 3rd day, turning light off and you being just in the outside after she falls asleep, leave light night on 4th day, closing door behind and you being outside her room, assure her that you will check on her and do so. This bring courage to child.
  • Have patience: Changes takes time, if your child not ready, she or he might still show fear and the degree of fear may be less. Encourage and praise child’s progress. Say that you will be watching and go ahead. Encourage to stay few minutes in the room alone while you are outside. Lock all the windows in her presence. Your act gives the confidence in child ‘that nothing is going to happen, and my dad and mom is there for me’. Don’t give up on child. Younger children will take more time to show courage. If your child is still scared of neighbor dog, hold her finger while passing the dog. Encourage child to see the dog, talk to dog.
  • All fears are different: If your child does not want to watch scary movies be it. It has nothing to do with daily life. If some fears do not interfere in child’s life, then it is okay and let them take their time to overcome. Psychologically, there is a limit for every kid’s capacity on facing things or watching things. It might take several years to overcome certain fears. As they grow, they will realize their limitations clearly and may not want to see such things at all and it is okay. If the child’s fear is something that must be taken care – for example visiting doctor for a shot or fear of going somewhere that is related to daily activities– then address it.

Teaching child how to manage fear and helping them to overcome fear by parental intervention is critical. If not addressed fears could result in disruptive behavior, panic attack or withdrawing from social life. When parents talk to kids about fear, they get the message that parents are always there on their side. It gives them courage to face the fear and overcome anxiety.

Image credit: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: April 5, 2021
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Ways to use Neem for better health

Ways to use Neem for better health

Neem can be used for external application as well as for internal conditions.

If you are considering taking neem for internal conditions, be cautious and start with small dosage.

Neem is very bitter and at the same time it is a powerful medicinal herb.

Here are ways to use neem –

  1. For crack: Wash and grind 2 cups of neem leaves with ½ tsp turmeric powder by adding little water and prepare paste. Apply this paste under and around feet before going to bed. Leave for half an hour and wash using warm water. If you prefer use twice a day and get relief from cracks.
  2. For skin:
  • Boil few neem leaves in half liter water. Water should turn to light green. Strain, cool and store neem water in a bottle. Before washing face, dip a cotton in neem water and apply on face. Leave it for couple of minutes and wash face. This reduces skin blemishes.
  • Take few neem and tulsi leaves, wash and grind with sandalwood powder and few drops of rose water. Apply on face and allow it to dry before washing face using cold water. This lightens skin blemishes.
  • Neem also acts as a moisturizer and has coolant effect on body. Grind neem leaves with little water and prepare paste. To this add few drops grapeseed oil and mix well. Apply this paste to face a s moisturizer.
  1. For hair:
  • Neem is known for its antibacterial and other medical properties. To reduce dandruff, boil neem leaves and use it after shampooing. Another way to use neem leaves is prepare neem leaves paste with water and apply on scalp. Leave it for an hour and wash using good shampoo.
  • Boil neem leaves with shikakai powder. Wash hair using this mix. Do not allow shikakai to enter eyes. Hair becomes healthy and silky.
  1. For asthma: Add couple of drops of neem oil to boiling water and drink the water. One can also use fresh neem leaves, boil and drink half or one ounce. This controls phlegm, fever and cough.
  2. Eye cleaning: Boil few neem leaves and use the water to wash eyes – externally. This reduces tiredness, redness and any irritation.
  3. For oral health: Neem twigs are one of the best traditional medicine used to keep good oral health. Traditionally neem twigs were chewed morning hours before breakfast and used as toothbrushes. This practice is still one can see in India.
  4. To treat ulcers: Neem bark extract is good to ulcer. Wash and boil neem bark for few minutes. Strain and drink half or one ounce of this water to reduce ulcers. This is same medicine that helps to cure malaria and other skin diseases.
  5. Neem tea: Dried neem powder can be stored in bottle and use to make neem tea. Add few drops of lemon in it and it helps to get rid of toxins from body. This also boosts immunity.
  6. For stomach worms: Chop neem leaves and mix with jaggery. Have ¼ tsp of this mix once a day. This clears stomach and takes care of stomach worms.
  7. Neem flower: Dry neem flowers well and store in bottle. You can fry these dried flowers in little oil with salt, asafetida and pepper powder. Mix with white rice and ghee (clarified butter) and have it for lunch. This increases appetite and metabolism!

If you have neem trees around your home, spend some time near or under the tree. Wind that blows through neem tree is believed to be good for overall health of humans.

Grandma’s remedies – Online grandma- Healthylife.werindia.com

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 25, 2021
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Detoxifying Natural Drinks

Detoxifying Natural Drinks

Detoxification helps to eliminated toxins accumulated in our body. One way to detoxify our body is drinking healthy natural detox drinks made of various plants and fruits. These drinks not only cleanse the body also our system feels refreshed.

Various toxins can enter our body and cause harm through the foods we consume and the air we breathe.  To remove the toxins sitting in body one can practice drinking detoxifying drinks.

By detoxification:

  1. We can help our body to get rid of excess weight
  2. It improves liver function
  3. Improves digestion
  4. Reduces body inflammation and pain
  5. Improves skin health
  6. Boosts immune system and energy

Some of the good detoxifying drinks and recipes are shared in next few slides.

Image credit: Image by silviarita from Pixabay (free for commercial use)

1) Suff – Seed Drink: Click here to read more

Suff - Seed Drink

2) Walnut Shake: Click here to read more

Walnut Shake

3) Seasoned Buttermilk: Click here to read more

Seasoned Buttermilk

4) Papaya and Orange juice: Click here to read more

Papaya and Orange juice: Click here to read more

5) Ginger Juice: Click here to read more

Ginger Juice

6) Green detox drink: Click here to read more

Green Detox Juice

7) Rainbow Veggie Juice: Click here to read more

Rainbow Veggie Detox

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 23, 2021
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Precautions for vaccinated people

What can fully vaccinated people can do? Find out

Globally Covid-19 vaccination process is going on and after the first responders including healthcare and front-line workers, Covid-19 vaccination is given to most vulnerable people. In addition, in many countries people who have normal health also are getting the vaccine. Getting vaccine is voluntary decision.  However, to limit the spread of the pandemic disease it is advised that one should get full vaccine.

For those who are not vaccinated yet, WHO, CDC and other health organization strongly recommend taking vaccine and prevent spreading of disease.

After getting the vaccine what and how vaccinated people should do be doing? What precautions they must take. Is it okay not wear mask or is it okay to visit or invite those who are not vaccinated? Several questions arise for those who are vaccinated. One of the important questions is, am I safe to move around, will I infect others or can get infected? – Healthy Life

CDC -Center for Disease Control has answered several questions.

Fully vaccinated people can:

  • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic

For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

  • Take precautions in public like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing
  • Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
  • Wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households
  • Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings
  • Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
  • Follow guidance issued by individual employers
  • Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations

After vaccination what

Visits between fully vaccinated people and unvaccinated people

  • Indoor visits between fully vaccinated people and unvaccinated people who do not wear masks or physically distance from one another are likely low risk for the vaccinated people.
  • Therefore, the level of precautions taken should be determined by the characteristics of the unvaccinated people, who remain unprotected against COVID-19.

Vaccinated people visiting with unvaccinated people from a single household that does not have individuals at risk of severe COVID-19

  • If the unvaccinated people are from a single household that does not have individuals at risk of severe COVID-19, they can visit with fully vaccinated people indoors, without anyone wearing masks, with a low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. For example, fully vaccinated grandparents can visit indoors with their unvaccinated healthy daughter and her healthy children without wearing masks or physical distancing, provided none of the unvaccinated family members are at risk of severe COVID-19.

Vaccinated people visiting with unvaccinated people from a single household that has individuals at risk of severe COVID-19

  • If any of the unvaccinated people or their household members are at increased risk of severe COVID-19, all attendees should take precautions including wearing a well-fitted mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, and visiting outdoors or in a well-ventilated space.
  • For example, if a fully vaccinated individual visits with an unvaccinated friend who is seventy years old and therefore at risk of severe disease,  the visit should take place outdoors, wearing well-fitted masks, and maintaining physical distance (at least 6 feet).

Medium- or large-sized gatherings

  • All people, regardless of vaccination status, should adhere to current guidance to avoid medium- or large-sized in-person gatherings and to follow any applicable local guidance restricting the size of gatherings. If they choose to participate, fully vaccinated people should continue to  adhere to prevention measures that reduce spread, including wearing a well-fitted mask, maintaining physical distance from others, and washing hands frequently.

What safety procedures vaccinated people should follow?

  • Wash your hands as needed, don’t touch nose, mouth, and face without washing hands, wear masks and continue maintaining social distancing.

For more information on Covid-19 Vaccinations please visit:

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/covid_vaccination/vaccination/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/

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

Image credit: What vaccinated people can do? CDC.gov

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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India eliminating trans fats

India joins other nations to eliminate trans fats by 2022

We all should avoid consuming trans fats as much as possible. Trans fats are known to have bad impact on health and especially for heart. Eating trans fats rich food results in increase in bad or LDL cholesterol and we can end up in getting heart disease. For this reason, many countries does not permit use of trans fats in food preparation. Most of the trans fat in foods that we eat are formed through manufacturing process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil. This converts the liquid to solid fat and the process called hydrogenation.

Sometimes in the label we might see the word “partially hydrogenated oils”. This also refers to trans fats. Artificial trans fats usage in processed foods enhances texture, shelf life and flavor of the food that attracts consumers. When you look at the food label you might notice “o gram trans fat”. If the label says 0 gram tans fat, it does not necessarily mean the product does not have trans fats. It might contain up to half gram of trans fats per serving. Countries like USA, Brazil, Canada have taken step to remove trans fats from processed food long back.  Now, India has taken step towards eliminating PHO (partially hydrogenated oils) from processed food by 2022. Recently FSSAI has released statement regarding this (Healthy Life)

Another step towards – India@75: Freedom from trans fats by 2022

New Delhi, February 08, 2021: With gazette of recent regulation to limit the content of trans fats in all food items, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) joins the league of several other nations globally having best practice policies for trans fat elimination.

With enactment of recent regulations on trans fats, India joins the club of around 40 countries globally that have already enacted the best practice policies to eliminate trans fats and would be among the first countries in Asia after Thailand in achieving the best-practice policies in trans fat elimination.

Countries banned trans fats
Countries banned trans fats

Key pointers under the regulations:

Limiting industrial TFA to not more than 3% in all fats and oils by January 2021 and not more than 2% by January, 2022, gazette in December 2020.

All food products in which edible oils and fats are used as an ingredient shall not contain industrial trans fatty acids more than 2% by mass of the total oils/fats present in the product, on and from 01st January, 2022 as per the regulation, Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Second

Amendment Regulations, 2021 gazetted in February 2021:

Defines “Industrial trans fatty acids (iTFAs) as – all the geometrical isomers of monounsaturated and

polyunsaturated fatty acids having non-conjugated, interrupted by at least one methylene group, carboncarbon double bonds in the trans configuration. It excludes trans-fatty acids from dairy, meat, fish and their products.”

Industrial trans fats are produced by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them solid, which increases their stability at room temperature and extends shelf life. Trans fats are largely present in partially hydrogenated vegetable fats/oils, vanaspati, margarine and bakery shortenings, and can be found in baked and fried foods.

Research has shown that higher intakes of industrially produced trans fatty acids (>1% of total energy intake) are associated with increased risk of high cholesterol and heart diseases. According to 2017 estimates, every year more than 1.5 million deaths in India is attributed to coronary heart disease, of which nearly 5% (71,000) are due to trans fats intake Elimination of iTFA has been recognized as one the modifiable risk factors to prevent heart diseases. This is especially important in the present scenario, when COVID -19 is adding risk to people suffering from comorbidities like hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes etc. In 2018, WHO called for elimination of industrially-produced trans fat from the food supply by 2023 and released an action package ‘REPLACE’ for the same.

To facilitate the transition towards a Trans Fatty Acids free food supply, FSSAI is also building capacities of the industry and in this regard, recently concluded a series of webinars on trans fats. Each webinar was planned to target specific stakeholders focusing on challenges faced by them towards making a shift to trans fat free products and suggesting practical technological solutions through talks delivered by national and international experts. The webinars were attended by nearly 3,700 participants from the edible oil industry, food businesses, bakers, chefs, restaurateur and hoteliers, sweet and namkeen manufacturers, food analysts from food analytical laboratories and academic institutions.

Press release: https://fssai.gov.in/upload/press_release/2021/02/6023b317a99acPress_Release_Trans_Fat_10_02_2021.pdf

For further read: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/replace-transfats/replace-act-information-sheet.pdf

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

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 18, 2021
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Balancing pose benefits

Practicing Balancing Yoga Poses Help as We Age

As we age, we tend to lose balance, cannot walk without support and might not be able to do many day to day stuffs on our own. Practicing balancing yoga poses daily has longer benefits. There are many yoga poses that need our concentration to align our body’s center of gravity with earth’s gravitational field. These poses need lot of practice to get into. Once we start getting the hang of balancing, it not only brings balance to just muscles and bones also to our emotions, nerve impulses and consciousness. The equilibrium we achieve by practicing the balancing pose helps us to age gracefully and keeps us in good health.

  • Helps to build strength in muscle, joints, and all body parts
  • Helps to bring harmony between body and mind. Which means as we age, the coordination between the two will be well maintained.
  • Mind will be clear, and the physical obstacles of life can be handled much better and at ease. The coordination between mind and body improves.
  • The fear of falling, losing balance will be less as we age when we keep practicing these yoga poses. These poses also help us to be confident and same time will remind us our capability to physical work.

How to learn balancing? The three factors that are important to learn balancing are:

  1. By learning how to get into the pose, how to handle shifting, how and when to get support (of a wall or a chair) when we are unstable. Learning how to handle instability of the body muscle and nervous system will help us to understand our capability and thus we learn to get into balance by creating equilibrium within.
  2. Focal point: Also known as Drishti in Sanskrit. While practicing balancing, it is important to keep focusing the eyes on the pose. Eyes helps us to keep stability with surroundings. Moving eyes will bring instability or alters our focal point. During practicing poses, we always feel instability and will learn to manage bringing back focus on stability and balancing.
  3. Breathing: Holding breath means struggle in yoga. Calm breathing only helps to let go of any doubts that we might have. An easy breathing will bring equilibrium between mind and body. This helps us to achieve balancing act easily.

Balancing can be practiced through simple beginners poses to advanced yoga poses.

  1. A shift between sukhasana or easy pose to tadasana
  2. Rolling from happy baby pose to get into chair pose
  3. Transition from low lunge to high lunge pose
  4. Changing standing pose/ tadasana to malasana/garland pose and reverse
  5. Transition from high lunge to tree pose

Other poses that help to achieve balance are:

  1. Natarajasana/Dancer pose: This is also known as dancer pose. Shift your weight on left leg. Hold sole of right foot with right hand while bringing the left hand up. Repeat this pose on other side too, both times hold the pose for 5 breaths.
  2. Warrior 3 or Virabhadrasana: From warrior one slowly shift weight on left leg. Bring right leg up behind and extend back so that rorso and lifted leg will be parallel to ground. Extend both hands forward or keep on hips. Repeat this other side, both time hold for 3 to 5 breaths. Let your focus on be something that does not move. If you feel not stable, practice pose next to wall.
  3. Half moon pose/Ardha chandrasana: From warrior 3 transfer to half moon pose. Slightly bend the right knee and bring right hand to floor. Extend the left leg back and left hand up. Slowly turn the torso on extended hand side and gaze up. Repeat other side. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breath.
  4. High lunge revolved side angle pose: While in high lunge pose, bring palms of both hands together in namaste. Shift the torso slightly forward and place both elbows outside the bent knee and rotate torso towards the bent leg. Both your arms will be outside the knee. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breath.
  5. Tree pose/vrikshasana: From warrior 3 or high lunge transition to tree pose. Bring sole of your one feet on the thigh of opposite leg. Place the other leg firmly on the floor. Extend both hands up in the air, change into Anjali mudra, and lift hands in namaste pose up above the head. Try to gaze up or close the eyes in this pose for 3 to 5 breath.

These poses will help avoid falling and are good for keeping harmony and balance between mind and body as we age.

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

Image by Andrés Levy from Pixabay  (Free for commercial use)

Image by Wolfgang Eckert from Pixabay  (Free for commercial use)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: March 11, 2021
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