All posts by Sumana Rao

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Home Remedies For Pneumonia

Simple Home Remedies For Pneumonia

Pneumonia season is going on due to cold and changing weather. If you are suffering from mild pneumonia with cough, often accompanied by phlegm then, try some of these home remedies.

Garlic:

1. Garlic has numerous health benefits. When you are suffering from pneumonia crush a garlic clove, add a teaspoon of lemon juice and honey. Take this and get relief from sinus and throat congestion.

2. Mince 5 garlic cloves and ½ onions and consume this 2 times a day.

Garlic and onion:

In a bowl, mix one clove of garlic and one teaspoon of cut onion with 2 teaspoons of honey and add 1 cup water. Mix well and have before breakfast or lunch.

Drinking fluids:

1. Drinking hot/warm water helps to relieve any congestion related to pneumonia. Drink a cup of hot water every 2 hours when you have pneumonia.

2. Drink freshly prepared soups -tomato soup that contains vitamin C is good. Other soups are spinach, pumpkin, cilantro-lemon soup – all are good.

Cayenne pepper:

Cayenne pepper gives a great relief for cold. Take  a pinch of cayenne pepper mix with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and into a glass of water. Drink 3 times slowly in a day to cure pneumonia.

Pepper and honey:

Mix a tsp of crushed pepper with 2 tsp of honey. Mix well and eat 2 or 3 times a day to get relief from the congestion.

Tulsi leaves and honey:

1. Take few leaves of tulsi and cut into small pieces. Add two tsp of honey and mix well. Have this 3 times a day.

2. Chew tulsi leaves few times a day.

Ginger and honey:

1. Mix freshly grated 1 tsp of ginger with 2 tsp of honey and consume

2. Take 2 tsp of ginger powder and mix with 2 tsp of honey and consume.

3. Mix 1 tsp of grated ginger with 2 tsp of honey and 1/4 tsp of crushed black pepper and have 2 times a day.

 Black tea and fenugreek:

To  1 cup of black tea add 3 tsp of fenugreek powder. Mix well and drink once a day.

Rock sugar:

1. Take a Tbs of rock sugar and add 1/2 crushed pepper. Eat this twice a day to get rid of cough.

2. Consume just rock sugar 3 times a day to get relief from sore throat that often happens with pneumonia related cough.

3. Mix rock sugar with few tulsi leaves and eat twice a day.

Salt:

1. Apply little salt using a cotton swab in your throat to get relief from sore throat.

2. Every morning gargle using hot salt water. This takes away any viruses that are hurting your system.

Turmeric:

1. Boil a cup of water, add one tsp of turmeric powder, add a tsp of sugar and drink.

2. Boil a cup of milk add one tsp of turmeric powder, continue boiling and reduce the content to half and drink with little sugar before going to bed.

Steam inhalation and heating pad:

1. To reduce lung secretion do steam inhalation. You can add Vapo rubs that relieves the congestion.

2. Use a heating pad on your chest for 10 minutes at a time, as needed; make sure it’s on a low setting

*If you are taking any allopathic medicines then, don’t take this with any other tablets or mix with other medications.

**If you are suffering from fever, ask your doctor and also take plenty of rest in bed until your fever disappears.

Image credit: Photo by James Gathany, Brian Judd, USCDCP on Pixnio (Free for commercial use)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: November 24, 2016
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Understanding pneumonia

Understanding pneumonia

November is pneumonia awareness month too. During cold season many people suffer from pneumonia. Pneumonia is a common lung infection caused by bacteria, a virus or fungi. Symptoms of pneumonia can vary from mild to severe. Many treatments for pneumonia are available. Treatment depends on the cause of your pneumonia, how severe your symptoms are, and your age and overall health.

What Are the common symptoms of Pneumonia?

Pneumonia symptoms can vary from mild to severe, depending on the type of pneumonia you have, your age and health. Depending on type of microorganisms that can cause pneumonia there are two types of pneumonia.

In bacterial pneumonia, your temperature may rise as high as 105 degrees F. This pneumonia can cause profuse sweating, and rapidly increased breathing and pulse rate. Lips and nail beds may have a bluish color due to lack of oxygen in the blood. A patient’s mental state may be confused or delirious.

Initial symptoms of viral pneumonia are the same as influenza symptoms: fever, a dry cough, headache, muscle pain, and weakness. Within 12 to 36 hours, there is increasing breathlessness; the cough becomes worse and produces a small amount of mucus. There may be a high fever and there may be blueness of the lips.

The most common symptoms of pneumonia are:

  • Cough (with some pneumonia you may cough up greenish or yellow mucus, or even bloody mucus)
  • Fever, which may be mild or high
  • Shaking chills
  • Shortness of breath, which may only occur when you climb stairs

Additional symptoms include:

  • Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
  • Headache
  • Excessive sweating and clammy skin
  • Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue
  • Confusion, especially in older people

Causes of pneumonia: Many different germs can cause pneumonia. There are five main causes of pneumonia:

  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Mycoplasmas
  • Other infectious agents, such as fungi
  • Various chemicals

What Are Risk Factors? Anyone can get pneumonia, but some people are at a higher risk than others.

1. Cigarette smoking

2. Recent viral respiratory infection—a cold, laryngitis, influenza, etc.

3. Difficulty swallowing (due to stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or other neurological conditions)

4. Chronic lung disease such as COPD, bronchiectasis, or cystic fibrosis

5. Cerebral palsy

6. Other serious illnesses, such as heart disease, liver cirrhosis, or diabetes

7. Living in a nursing facility

8. Impaired consciousness (loss of brain function due to dementia, stroke, or other neurologic conditions)

9. Recent surgery or trauma

10. Having a weakened immune system due to illness, certain medications, and autoimmune disorders.

 Preventing Pneumonia:

Some of the steps one can take to prevent pneumonia.

 Get Vaccinated :

  • Get a flu shot every year to prevent seasonal influenza. The flu is a common cause of pneumonia, so preventing the flu is a good way to prevent pneumonia.
  • Children younger than 5 and adults 65 and older should get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia, a common form of bacterial pneumonia. The pneumococcal vaccine is also recommended for all children and adults who are at increased risk of pneumococcal disease due to other health conditions.
  • There are several other vaccines that can prevent infections by bacteria and viruses that may lead to pneumonia, including pertussis, chicken pox and measles.

Wash Your Hands: Wash your hands frequently, especially after blowing your nose, going to the bathroom, diapering, and before eating or preparing foods.

Don’t Smoke: Tobacco damages your lung’s ability to fight off infection, and smokers have been found to be at higher risk of getting pneumonia.

Be Aware of Your General Health : Since pneumonia often follows respiratory infections, be aware of any symptoms that linger more than a few days. Good health habits—a healthy diet, rest, regular exercise, etc.—help you from getting sick from viruses and respiratory illnesses.

For more information please visit: http://www.lung.org/

Image credit: Image by Виктория Бородинова from Pixabay

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: November 23, 2016
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Ways to bully-proof your child

Ways to bully – proof your child

Many times kids will not express themselves. Even if you probe them with hundreds of questions they hide their feelings and will not show that they are hurt. Please do not give up on kids! It is our duty as parents and teachers to understand what is happening in kid’s life – Why they are acting strangely? What is going on in their school and social life? Is something troubling the kid? The answer for these questions is ‘bullying’.

Bullying is one of the worst habit or practice many schools and colleges have. Kids who are seniors or who have better physique will take on juniors or poor physique kids. Picking on weak student is common. Similarly, bullying for the appearance, especially amongst girls is also common. A sibling or a friend at some point has teased most kids. Moreover, it is not usually harmful when done in a playful, friendly, and mutual way, and both kids find it funny. However, when teasing becomes hurtful, unkind, and constant, it crosses the line into bullying and needs to stop.

Bullying is being mean to another kid repeatedly. Bullying often includes:

  • Teasing
  • Talking about hurting someone
  • Spreading rumors
  • Leaving kids out on purpose
  • Attacking someone by hitting them or yelling at them

Identifying the effects of bullying: As a parent, you may suspect your child is being bullied. If you are not quite sure, review these common signs to help you recognize if bullying is occurring. Your child may:

  • come home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or other belongings
  • have unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches from fighting
  • have few, if any, friends with whom he or she spends time
  • seem afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the school bus, or taking part in organized activities with
  • peers (such as clubs or sports)
  • take a long, “illogical” route when walking to or from school
  • lose interest in school work or suddenly begin to do poorly in school
  • appear sad, moody, teary, or depressed when he or she comes home
  • complain frequently of headaches, stomach aches, or other physical problems
  • have trouble sleeping or frequent bad dreams
  • experience a loss of appetite
  • appear anxious and suffer from low self-esteem

Recognize the warning signs that your child is involved in bullying. They could be being bullied, bullying others, or witnessing bullying.  Although these signs could signal other issues, you should talk to your child if they display any sort of behavioral or emotional changes.  Many times kids won’t ask for help, so it is important to know what to look for. If your child is at immediate risk of harming himself or others, get help right away.

Learn what bullying is and what it is not. Understanding what bullying is is the first step in forming a plan to prevent or respond to bullying with your child. Many behaviors that look like bullying may be just as serious, but may require different response strategies.  You can also learn about:

  • The frequency of bullying;
  • Who is at risk for being bullied and bullying others; and
  • The effects of bullying

Cyber bullying often requires different strategies than in-person bullying.  Learn how to work with your kids to prevent cyber bullying and how to respond when it occurs.

Utilize tips and tools to talk to your child about bullying. Opening lines of communication before your child is involved in bullying makes it easier for them to tell you when something happen. It is also important to work with a school to help prevent bullying before it starts.

  • If you know or suspect bullying has occurred, learn how to find out what has happened with your child. Understanding what has happened can also help in communicating with school or community officials about the situation.
  • If you have determined bullying has occurred, learn how you and school or community officials can work together to support your child, whether they were bullied, bullied others, or witnessed bullying. Learn also about considerations for specific groups.
  • If bullying is occurring at school, learn about what your state requires schools to do in your state’s anti-bullying law. Learn also about federal laws that require schools to address harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, and disabilities and ways to report situations that have not been adequately addressed to the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice.
  • If you have worked with your child and your school and need additional assistance, find resources to help address the situation.

The steps parents should take are:

Talk about it: Don’t give up on your kids. Talk to them about  bullying with your kids and share your experiences. If kids opens up encourage them and offer unconditional support to stop bullying.  Consult with the school to learn its policies and find out how staff and teachers can address the situation.

Remove the bait: Many times bullying involves lunch money and stuffs like gadgets – video games, watches, smart phones etc. If this is the problem then pack lunch for kids and tell them not to carry gadgets . Give them a simple phone.

Friends for safety: Encourage your kids to be have friends. If kid is with group of friends then it is more likely to be picked up by a bully. Tell your children to go with friends to lunch room, bathroom, school bus, fields etc. These are the places where bullies may lurk your kid.

Teach kid to be calm:  The best defense more is probably ignorance and staying calm. Tell your kids to remain calm and ignore all remarks from a bully. Bullies enjoy hurting others. A child who is not easily ruffled has a better chance of staying off a bully’s radar.

Talk to bully’s parents if needed: Don’t face the battle alone. Take other parents and talk to bully’s parents in a constructive manner. Best is to inform school officials and see what actions they can take to solve the issue.

Bullying is a serious wide-spread problem throughout the world. Do not down play or underestimate the amount and seriousness of bullying that occurs in our children’s schools. Talk to your child about bullying and its adverse effect. Help your kid before it becomes too late. Teach them how to handle bullying and support anti-bullying.

References:

  • http://kidshealth.org/
  • http://www.stopbullying.gov/
  • http://www.violencepreventionworks.org/

Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay (Free for commercial use)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: November 15, 2016
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Laughter- A Best Medicine

Laughter is the best medicine

If you are not using your smile, you are a man with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook! -Les Gibbin

Laughter is part of the universal human vocabulary. Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life. The first laughter appears at about 3.5 to 4 months of age, long before we’re able to speak. Laughter, like crying, is a way for a preverbal infant to interact with the mother and other caregivers. One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it took ten minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter.

Physical Health Benefits:

  • Boosts immunity
  • Lowers stress hormones
  • Decreases pain
  • Relaxes your muscles
  • Prevents heart disease

Social Benefits:

  • Strengthens relationships
  • Attracts others to us
  • Enhances teamwork
  • Helps defuse conflict
  • Promotes group bonding

Mental Health Benefits:

  • Adds joy and zest to life
  • Eases anxiety and fear
  • Relieves stress
  • Improves mood
  • Enhances resilience

More than just a respite from sadness and pain, laughter gives you the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope. Even in the most difficult of times, a laugh–or even simply a smile–can go a long way toward making you feel better. And laughter really is contagious—just hearing laughter primes your brain and readies you to smile and join in the fun.

Creating opportunities to laugh

  • Watch a funny movie or TV show.
  • Go to a comedy club.
  • Read the funny pages.
  • Seek out funny people.
  • Share a good joke or a funny story.
  • Check out your bookstore’s humor section.
  • Host game night with friends.
  • Play with a pet.
  • Go to a “laughter yoga” class.
  • Goof around with children.
  • Do something silly.
  • Make time for fun activities (e.g. bowling, miniature golfing, karaoke).

Incorporating more humor and play into your daily interactions can improve the quality of your love relationships— as well as your connections with co-workers, family members, and friends. Using humor and laughter in relationships allows you to:

  • Be more spontaneous. Humor gets you out of your head and away from your troubles.
  • Let go of defensiveness. Laughter helps you forget judgments, criticisms, and doubts.
  • Release inhibitions. Your fear of holding back and holding on are set aside.
  • Express your true feelings. Deeply felt emotions are allowed to rise to the surface.

The ability to laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more enjoyable but also helps you solve problems, connect with others, and be more creative. People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives find that it renews them and all of their relationships.

Here are some ways to start smiling:

Smile. Smiling is the beginning of laughter. Like laughter, it’s contagious. Pioneers in “laugh therapy,” find it’s possible to laugh without even experiencing a funny event. The same holds for smiling. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling. Count your blessings. Literally make a list. The simple act of considering the good things in your life will distance you from negative thoughts that are a barrier to humor and laughter. When you’re in a state of sadness, you have further to travel to get to humor and laughter. When you hear laughter, move toward it. Sometimes humor and laughter are private, a shared joke among a small group, but usually not. More often, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”

Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious. Bring humor into conversations. Ask people, what’s the funniest thing that happened to you today? This week? In your life?.  Humor takes you to a higher place where you can view the world from a more relaxed, positive, creative, joyful, and balanced perspective. Laughter may also improve the memory and quality of life during old age.

Sources:

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Benefits of Rice Water

Rice water and its benefit

Rice is a staple food for almost half of the world’s population, supplying as much as half of the daily calories. Rice is also an important beautifying ingredient. For centuries, Asian women have used rice water to beautify their face, body and hair. Traditionally, female rice farmers in China, Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries used to bathe and wash in the water used for cleaning rice.

Rice water is useful when somebody is having stomach issues like vomiting or diarrhea. It is calming to the upset stomach, amazingly bland, starchy, and gets some nutrients in your patient. Rice water contains vitamins such as B1, C, E, as well as minerals.

How do you prepare rice water?

This is a very simple procedure.  Rice water is the suspension of starch obtained by draining boiled rice or by boiling rice until it completely dissolves into the water or washed rice water.

2 cup uncooked rice (brown, white long grain, white short grain, jasmine, or whatever you have)

2 cups water

1) Wash two cups of raw rice in water and collect the water. OR

2) Boil the rice or cook the raw rice in water in a container. After rice cooked, collect the water. Cool and store the water.

Health benefits:

  • Provides energy
  • Successfully prevents gastroenteritis
  • Excellent in preventing cancer
  • Regulates body temperature
  • Prevents and cures constipation
  • Raw rice water can be a good summer drink: Add sugar or jaggery, powdered cardamom to rice water and drink to cool the system
  • After cooling down the boiled rice water – add buttermilk, salt and little asafetida and drink. This helps to cure upset stomach. 

Cosmetic benefits:

  • If you wash your face with rice-water, your skin will be softer
  • It is an excellent tonic replacement
  • Assists in the closed pores on face
  • If you wash your hair with rice-water, hair will become more shinier and healthier.
  • The rice water and salt solution makes an effective ointment for itchy skin as it mildly cleanses and suppresses germs on the surface.

Image courtesy: http://womenguides.com/

See more at:

http://www.healthandhealthyliving.com

http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/how-to-make-rice-water/

http://www.hairbuddha.net

Image credit: https://www.needpix.com/photo/928026/rice-jasmine-rice-rice-grains-box-porcelain-white-blue-natural-product-food-supplement (Free for commercial use)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Lip care

Many tips to take care your lips

Many habits can lead to lip dryness, irritation, soreness and bleeding. Licking lips feels great and it calms down the burning lips. However, did you know that it could worsen the problem? When the saliva evaporates, it leaves lips drier than before with those enzymes that helps to digest the food. This can cause more damage to your lips.

What causes damage to lips?

Many habits such as smoking, chewing tobacco, biting lips unnecessarily and using products that contain harmful chemicals will damage the lips. People who smoke often develop darker lips due to the nicotine content in the tobacco. It also can cause mouth cancer.  Many ladies forget to remove the lipsticks before going to bed or after coming back home. This habit of forgetting to remove the lipsticks can result in damage to lips by causing dryness and irritation.

Mouth to mouth kiss can cause damage too! It causes sore or infection on the mouth and side of lips. Do not expect people to be very hygienic when it comes to mouth. Microorganisms can easily enter the cracks of the lips. This can cause severe sore due to the virus namely Herpes simplex type1 or 2.

Lipsticks and lip balms are also can be culprit. Some lip balms can cause more dryness because of the ingredients which is present. The salicylic acid that helps in acne can dry the lips. Similarly, the preservative methylparaben and tocopheryl acetate are not good for lips. Mehtylparaben is linked to cancer and tocopheryl causes irritation of the skin

Tips to take care of lips:

1. Use beeswax, petroleum jelly or paraffin products. Because these seal in moisture of the lips and won’t evaporate like other thin balms or glosses.

2. Use Aloe vera based lip balms which is a lip friendly herbal product. Applying Aloe vera gel helps too, as it contains good antioxidants that protect the skin.

3. Use sunscreen during winter and summer. This is because lips are susceptible to sunburn due to lack of melanin pigment. Apply a layer of a sun-protective product daily like neutrogena lip moisturizer SPF 15.

4. Use lipsticks that contain vitamin A, C and E.

5. Add rose petals to milk cream and make a paste – apply to lips for keeping your lip fresh and nourished.

6. Do not try removing any acne or pimple that is growing on and around the lips. It can result in severe infection. Because of its high amounts of nerve endings, the lips make an erogenous zone.

7. Do not kiss or allow your pets to lick your face and lips. Bacteria and virus from the pets can transfer onto your lips causing infection.

8. Exfoliate with a lip scrub: Sugar scrub is best exfoliate agent. Rub little sugar on the lips to remove dead skin and it also helps to generate the new cells.

9. During winter and dry summer use humidifier to infuse more moisture into the air as it helps the entire body against drying.

10. Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration of lips and it keeps lips soft and texture of lip will be in good condition.

11. Eat lip-friendly foods like fruits, vegetables that provide good amount of vitamins and necessary nutrients to keep lip nourished. Reduce spicy and salty food intake that can cause inflammation. Avoid hot drinks too.

12. Apply olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, clarified butter or butter to lips for natural healing of cracks. Apply honey to lips once a while. Honey contains the properties of those enzymes that help our lip skin to absorb moisture and lip becomes soft and smooth.

Take care of your lips not just for beauty reason, also for health reasons.  It is one of the important sensory organs of our body and helps us for safe food intake and in articulation of our speech, sound and facial expression.

Source: www.werindia.com

Image credit: Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Dementia, Alzheimer‎'s And Coconut oil

Dementia, Alzheimer‎’s & Coconut Oil

In past five – six years, coconut oil has gained lot of importance especially in the life elders who crossed 70 years. Reason for this is the many benefits of coconut oil including the “reversing action on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease”. Even though there is limited research and experiments to prove that coconut oil has a magical medicinal effect the theory that supports this view, is based on a chemical compound present in coconut. The neurons in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease are unable to use glucose to produce energy properly and therefore cells ‘starve’. The theory is that coconut oil may act as an alternative energy source and the ketones found in coconut oil provide fuel to the brain cells.

Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., medical director for the Nutritional Magnesium Association feels that many people are hesitant to give coconut oil a serious consideration because it has been given the black mark of a saturated fat. Coconut oil is often included in the same list with well-known artery-clogging culprits, such as butter, beef, lard, and full fat dairy products.

The diabetes-dementia link:

Sugar in the form of glucose is brain cells main and preferred energy source. Brain scans of elderly people who are suffering form dementia and Alzheimer’s indicated that with progress in the condition certain section of the brain start to have trouble using sugar as energy. The outcome of an increasing number of scientific studies in recent years has begun to highlight the connection between diabetes and Alzheimer’s condition. Research conducted in 2011 has also looked at the role of diet in developing Alzheimer’s, and the role of cholesterol uptake to the brain- the brain represents only 2% of the body’s total mass, but contains 25% of the total cholesterol .

Some researches and medical professionals believe that Alzheimer’s disease is nothing but “Type III Diabetes”. According to National Institures of Health (NIH) diabetic patients who do not keep their blood sugar levels under check can experience a certain amount of cognitive impairment. Japanese researchers recently discovered that people with diabetes have an overall increased risk of developing dementia, regardless of whether their disease is well managed, or not. On the flip side, scientists from School of Medicine, University of Washington found that people with mild Alzheimer’s derive a minor memory boost, after receiving insulin.

Is Coconut oil a saver?

Everyone needs some source of fat (or oil) supply to brain cells. Coconut oil has been in use from centuries in Tropical countries like India, South Africa, South American countries. Infact, many coastal regions grow coconut and consume coconut without any hesitation or hindrance. People who has been using this for centuries know that coconut and it’s products are good for the body. The biological byproducts of coconut oil is called ‘ketones” . The idea that coconut oil could provide an alternative energy source for brain cells comes from the successful treatment of children with epilepsy with a ketogenic diet. In this diet, carbohydrates are strictly limited and replaced by high fat intakes, forcing the body to use fat as a primary energy source Researchers believe that ketones are one of the few things that can serve as an alternate fuel source for the brain cells in the absence or low level of glucose in the brain as in case of Alzheime’s patients. The challenge is the human body generally does not produce enough ketones on its own, unless the person is following a diet that is extremely low in carbohydrates. Coconut oil consumption creates a state called hyperketonemia which is a temporary state where the number of ketones in a person’s body gets elevated.

How to use coconut oil?

Being a food, coconut oil is very safe and it can be very beneficial. However, if one has never tried coconut oil in their entire life then start coconut oil consumption slowly and with low dosage. Some people experience extreme fullness and diarrhea when they first take coconut oil.

  • Typical recommendation: Anywhere from 3-5 tablespoons of coconut oil per day for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Coconut oil comes in either liquid or pill form.
  • Add to food: Liquid coconut oil can be used in a variety of different ways. Add couple of tablespoons of coconut oil into oatmeal, yogurt or smoothie. Use it for seasoning purpose. Use coconut oil for in place of vegetable oil or butter when sautéing vegetables and stir -fry.
  • Try to use only non-hydrogenated and trans-fat free versions, often referred to as “virgin” coconut oil. Just make sure coconut oil that you use is non-hydrogenated. Avoid any hydrogenated oils as they are similar to dangerous trans fats. Check the list of ingredients for the word, “hydrogenated.”

What Ayurveda says? Coconut oil also can help to regain Intellectual, emotional and physical conditions. Coconut oil is known to promote health as part of India’s ancient Ayurvedic healing tradition. It’s been used for beautiful and healthy skin and hair as well. Human brain specifically needs cholesterol. The brain has higher cholesterol content than any other organ with about 25% of the body’s cholesterol found in the brain. Low cholesterol increases the risk of suicide, depression, and dementia. The risk of dementia is reduced by 70% in those with high cholesterol.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational and information purpose. If you or your loved ones are suffering from any of these conditions please contact your family physician before taking coconut oil. Medical warnings states that coconut oil is very rich in fat and so adding it to a person’s diet could increase blood levels of cholesterol and may show other side effects.

References:

Image credit: “Father Aloizy, Jesuit – tenacious monk from Częstochowa” by Irda in Action is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: November 10, 2016
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Safe toys for kids

Select safe toys for Infants & Toddlers

Safe toys for young children are well-made (with no sharp parts or splinters and do not pinch); painted with nontoxic, lead-free paint; shatter-proof; and easily cleaned. It is important to remember that typical wear and tear can result in a once safe toy becoming hazardous. Adults should check toys frequently to make sure they are in good repair.

Toys for young infants—birth through 6 months

Babies like to look at people—following them with their eyes. Typically, they prefer faces and bright colors. Babies can reach, be fascinated with what their hands and feet can do, lift their heads, turn their heads toward sounds, put things in their mouths, and much more!

Good toys for young infants:

  1. Things they can reach for, hold, suck on, shake, make noise with—rattles, large rings, squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, and vinyl and board books
  2. Things to listen to—books with nursery rhymes and poems, and recordings of lullabies and simple songs
  3. Things to look at—pictures of faces hung so baby can see them and unbreakable mirrors

Toys for older infants—7 to 12 months

Older babies are movers—typically they go from rolling over and sitting, to scooting, bouncing, creeping, pulling themselves up, and standing.

Good toys for older infants:

  1. Things to play pretend with—baby dolls, puppets, plastic and wood vehicles with wheels, and water toys
  2. Things to drop and take out—plastic bowls, large beads, balls, and nesting toys
  3. Things to build with—large soft blocks and wooden cubes
  4. Things to use their large muscles with—large balls, push and pull toys, and low, soft things to crawl over

 Toys for 1-year-olds

One-year-olds are on the go! Typically they can walk steadily and even climb stairs. They enjoy stories, say their first words, and can play next to other children (but not yet with!). They like to experiment—but need adults to keep them safe.

Good toys for 1-year-olds:

  1. Board books with simple illustrations or photographs of real objects
  2. Recordings with songs, rhymes, simple stories, and pictures
  3. Things to create with—wide non-toxic, washable markers, crayons, and large paper
  4. Things to pretend with—toy phones, dolls and doll beds, baby carriages and strollers, dress-up accessories (scarves, purses), puppets, stuffed toys, plastic animals, and plastic and wood “realistic” vehicles
  5. Things to build with—cardboard and wood blocks (can be smaller than those used by infants—2 to 4 inches)
  6. Things for using their large and small muscles—puzzles, large pegboards, toys with parts that do things (dials, switches, knobs, lids), and large and small balls

 Toys for 2-year-olds (toddlers)

Toddlers are rapidly learning language and have some sense of danger. Nevertheless they do a lot of physical “testing”: jumping from heights, climbing, hanging by their arms, rolling, and rough-and-tumble play.

Good toys for 2-year-olds:

  1. Things for solving problems—wood puzzles (with 4 to 12 pieces), blocks that snap together, objects to sort (by size, shape, color, smell), and things with hooks, buttons, buckles, and snaps
  2. Things for pretending and building—blocks, smaller (and sturdy) transportation toys, construction sets, child-sized furniture (kitchen sets, chairs, play food), dress-up clothes, dolls with accessories, puppets, and sand and water play toys
  3. Things to create with—large non-toxic, washable crayons and markers, large paintbrushes and finger-paint, large paper for drawing and painting, colored construction paper, toddler-sized scissors with blunt tips, chalkboard and large chalk, and rhythm instruments
  4. Picture books with more details than books for younger children
  5. CD and DVD players with a variety of music.
  6. Things for using their large and small muscles—large and small balls for kicking and throwing, ride-on equipment (but probably not tricycles until children are 3), tunnels, low climbers with soft material underneath, and pounding and hammering toys.

For more information on toys and safety please visit: https://www.naeyc.org/toys

 

Image credit: webdesignprof0 from Pixabay (Free for commercial use)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: November 4, 2016
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