IODINE DEFICIENCY : A PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF INTELECTUAL DISABILITY IN CHILDREN

Iodine is included in those minerals which are essential for working of thyroid gland in the body without it thyroid is not able to make certain hormones which are essential for important bodily functions .It helps in the physical and neurological development of the children as well as the adults and helps in the better functioning of the iodine . It also helps maintain beauty of the skin , nails , teeth and hair .

38% people of the world live in the areas which are deficient in iodine . Pakistan is the 6^th country which still has the deficiency of iodine .

ROLE  IN  THE  FETAL  

DEVELOPMENT

Iodine is essential for the developing fetus . And its deficiency may lead to growth restriction and low IQ of the child . And it is one of the preventable causes of intellectual disability in the child .

EFFECTS  OF  IODINE  DEFICIENCY 

Goiter

Impaired physical and neurological development of children .

Dry skin

Hair loss

Fatigue

Slow reflexes

Body weakness .

Weight gain .

Swelling of hands and feet .

PREVENTION

Iodized salt should be used in making food .

The eatables which contain iodine should be made a part of diet like eggs , milk , yogurt , potato , spinach etc

ARE YOU OBESE

Yes you are obese if your body mass index is more than 25 .  Body mass index is also known as BMI . BMI is an indicator of obesity . It is independent of age and is same for both sexes . It is actually the ratio of weight in kg over height in meter square .

Obesity is defined as abnormal growth of adipose tissue due to enlargement of the fat cells . It is prevalent in both developed as well as developing countries . It affects children as well as adults . It is one of the most significant contributors to ill health .

CAUSES  OF  OBESITY

Obesity can be due to genetic causes .

Sedentary lifestyle and sedentary occupations predispose to obesity . Physical inactivity may cause obesity which inturn restricts activity . So this is a vicous circle .

It is closely related to the socio economic status .

Diet plays an important role . Eating sweets and refined foods are closely related to obesity .

Overeating may also be the cause . Overeating may be due to psychological reasons .

 

RISKS OF OBESITY

Hypertension

Hyperlipidemia

Glucose intolerance

Coronary heart disease

Diabetes

Renal failure

PREVENTION

Weight control can be achieved by taking simple steps

CONTROL YOUR DIET 

You should be only taking the amount of calories which are required  and should refrain from overeating . Try to avoid sweets and fats .

INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

It is as important as diet control . Those people who stay in home or have sedentary professions should take a regular walk .

BLINDNESS MAY CAUSE PREMATURE DEATH

About 180 million people in the world are disabled . Out of these 45 million are blind . This is an amazing fact that about 80% of blindness is preventable . Blindness not only reduces economic and social status but may also cause premature death .

                                               

MAJOR CAUSES OF BLINDNESS

These are cataract (19 million ) , glaucoma (6.4 million ) ,trachoma (5.6 million ) and childhood blindness ( 1.5 million ) .
Xerophthamia ( vitamin A deficiency ) is a common cause of blindness in children .
 

Refractive errors and diabetes are other major causes .

Accidents and injuries are common in all age groups but are most important in the young .

People working in factories , workshops and cottage industries are prone to eye injuries because of exposure to dust , airborne particles , flying objects , gases , fumes and radiations .

Doctors may develop premature cataracts due to exposure to  Xrays , UV rays and heat waves .

HOW TO PREVENT BLINDNESS

It is extremely important that eyesight of school going children should be assessed . They should be taught about the principles of good posture , proper lighting , avoidance of glare , proper distance and angle between books and eyes .  Use of readable type text in textbooks should be encouraged .
All the refractory errors should be corrected in time .
Cataract and glaucoma should be properly treated .
Eye injuries should be managed with care and caution .
Use of protective devices in occupations like welding to protect eyes .
Trachoma control programmes should be launched at the international level .
Vitamin A prophylaxis 200,00 IU are given orally at 6 monthly intervasl between the ages 1-6 years  , to control xerophthalmia .

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HAIR HEALTHY

Healthy hair are very important for one’s personality . Healthy hair would make you look healthy , feel healthy . Every women wants her hair to be thick , long and shiny . But you have to apply some effort to achieve all these goals . So there are certain things you have to take care of. Food and habits are the most important things which affect the health of hair .

FOODS  YOU  SHOULD  AVOID

Sweets

Chocolates

Cakes

Cookies

FOODS THAT HELP YOUR HAIR LOOK BETTER

Dark green vegetables

Beans

Chicken

Egg

Grains

Carrots

HAIR  DAMAGING   HABITS

These habits might also damage your hair health

Abrupt changes in diet

Stress

Any disease

IMPORTANT STEPS TO KEEP YOUR HAIR HEALTHY

Keep on trimming your hair . Because the hair damage always starts from the end of the hair and progresses upwards . So if you keep on trimming them you can get rid of these damaged hair at the right time before it is too late . this also helps in the active growth of the hair .

Don’t use heated appliance frequently on your hair . Hair dryers are very much in use these days .  But their use should be limited to often rather than frequent . you should let your hair dry naturally .

Whenever you use chemicals on your hair , you must be very careful  about the type of chemical used , its bad effects on the hair . You must consult somebody who knows about this chemical . Similarly these chemicals should not be frequently used .

Choose your hair style very carefully . It should not be a burden on your hair. It should rather make you look good and make your hair feel comfortable .

 You should be very careful about your diet . Overeating and excessive dieting both are bad for hair health .

 

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN

It is very essential to know about skin because it is a very important organ of the body. It is a symbol of beauty and healthy skin signifies your impact . A person with a healthy skin looks healthy . A healthy skin is an indicator of healthy individual .

The skin is the largest organ of the body and it has different characteristics in different parts of the body . It is thicker on the soles of the feet and thinner on the eyelids . it helps maintain our body temperature and protects us against

mico organisms .

Proper care of the skin will make you feel and look young .

Most of the people take their skin for granted . They don’t make an effort to take care of it  .They only take care of it when they face some skin problem.

  BASIC STEPS TO KEEP YOUR SKIN HEALTH

                                                 

                                               HEALTHY DIET

Simple food is good for skin . Fresh fruits and vegetables contain lots of for ingredients which are essential for health . Vitamin C , D and E  are good skin and both of these vitamins are found in fruits and vegetables . Whereas cod liver oil is a very good source of vitamin D. These vitamins help in maintaining skin moisture and elasticity .

ADEQUATE WATER INTAKE

Water  intake gives skin a healthy  and radient look . The main benefit is that it keeps your skin hydrated . You should drink eight to ten glasses of water daily . Lemon can be added to water , It also has good effect on the skin . Peolple living in hot climate require more water to keep their  skin fresh .

ADEQUATE SLEEP AND REST

Sleep is absoloutely essential for healthy skin . It keeps the skin glowing . Inadequate sleep makes the skin pale , colourless and dry . An eight hours sleep is must for good health and healthy skin . For teenagers and kids it should be nine to ten hours . Sleep pattern should also be taken into consideration . You should sleep In a comfortable posture in a place which is silent and adequately ventilated . Meal should be taken two hours before sleep and you should go the washroom before going to bed .

SMOKING : HARD TO BREAK , A KILLER

Smoking is a hard habit to break because tobacco contains nicotine , which is highly addictive . Like other addictive drugs body and mind gets used to it . Most of the adults who start smoking in their teens never expect that they would get addicted to it .

Smoking kills about 114,000 people in UK each year . The products that are most damaging are

Tar a carcinogen (substance that causes cancer )

Nicotine is addictive and increases cholesterol levels in your body 

Carbon mono oxide which reduces oxygen in the body .

EXTENT OF DAMAGE

The damage caused by smoking is influenced by

The number of cigarettes smoked .

Whether the cigarette has a filter (the king size filter cigerrates deliver more tar and nicotine than ordinary one so are more dangerous .

How the tobacco has been prepared .

SMOKING IN KIDS

Smoking is one of the worst things kids or adults can do to their bodies . yet every day about 3,900 teens start smoking .

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SMOKING

Smoking causes a lot harmful effects . some general ill effects are

Bad breadth

Yellow teeth

Frequent cold and cough

Empty wallet ( these are expensive products )

MEDICAL RISKS

Medical risks are

Fertilioty problems

Worsening of asthma

Increased risk of cataract

High blood pressure

Gum diseases                                                

ON THE TOP OF ALL IT IS CARCINOGENIC

It causes cancer of the lung and has role in the development of other cancers as well , which are

Bladder cancer

Cancer of esophagus

Cancer of kidneys

Cervical cancer

 

SMOKING A KILLER

CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT ?

You can only lose weight if you are motivated to do that .  Losing weight can be very easy , at the same time it can be very difficult as well . How easy ?  You just have to plan yourself .  And why difficult ?  You have to strictly stick to the your plan .

So if you want to lose weight first of all you have to take a firm decision that you want to do it . After that follow some simple rules .

 

HAVE  CONFIDENCE  IN  YOURSELF

Have confidence in yourself .  Most of the people think that they can not do it . But you can do it .

TWO  BASIC  STRATEGIES

There are two ways to lose  weight either decrease your caloric intake or burn more calories than what you eat .  A healthy strategy should include both , but even if you adopt one of them you will get the results .

Estimate your current weight and make a target of your desired goal .

CUT DOWN YOUR CALORIC INTAKE

Have a sincere look on what are you currently eating . It would be difficult for you to make exact calculation of the caloric requirement , because you have to achieve your goal step by step instead of jumping onto your required target . Just avoid the food which are rich in calories like candies , chocolates , cheese , butter french fries , macaroni  e.t.c .  Similarly avoid the food with the high fat content like oil and fried food items . By gradually decreasing the consumption of these kind of food will start help achieving your goal .

Rice and whole wheat also make you gain weight . So you have to omit or atleaset reduce their intake .

So what you should take is plenty of low fibre diet , vegetables and fruits .

Drink plenty of water . Water is very important for health . Taking one glass of water half an hour before meal is extremely helpful . It helps in digestion also gets the sensation of fullness in your stomach  which will keep you away from overeating .

BURN EXTRA CALORIES

Exercise is actually burning calories more than what you eat . Exercise can be done in a lot of forms  . Walking is the simplest form of exercise . You can have a brisk morning or evening walk just to metabolise your extra fat . Swimming can not only burn your calories but also keep your heart healthy . Cycling is also a very good exercise which can help you lose weight .

 

ARE YOU DEPRESSED ?

Yes you may be depressed if you have the following complaints .

   Agitation

   Restlessness

   Dramatic change in appetite ,   weight gain or loss

   Hopelessness and helplessness

   Lack of concentration

   Suicidal thoughts

   Difficulty to sleep or excessive   sleeping

AT LEAST FIVE OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD BE PRESENT FOR ATLEAST TWO WEEKS

                                                    
                                                          
 WHAT ARE RISK FACTORS FOR DEPRESSION

  

   Loneliness

   Lack of social support

   Stressful life experiences

   Marital disharmony

   Financial strain

   Early childhood trauma or abuse

                                                Family history of
                                                depression

                                                 Unemployment

                                                     

  

 HOW TO PREVENT YOURSELF

  Making supportive relation
  Practicing regular exercise
  Eating healthy diet
  Practicing relaxing techniques
  Keeping yourself busy
  Improving attitude
  Positive thinking

                                                   

                                                                                                         

ARE YOU HAVING DENGUE FEVER

Are you having dengue fever ?

Every body having fever has this question in mind . Do I have dengue fever ?

You can be a probable case of dengue fever if along with fever you have two of the following symptoms .                    

   Nausea/vomiting

   Rash

   Body aches and pains

   Any warning sign like bleeding .

If you are having these signs you must report to your doctor .

INVESTIGATIONS

You will have to undergo these investigations to prove whether you have dengue fever .

Complete blood count

Antibody test for dengue fever .

PROGNOSIS

In most of the cases the disease fully recovers itself but it can be dangerous in a few cases .

TREATMENT

There is no specific treatment of dengue fever . Oral fluids should be given in less severe  cases . In most severe cases IV fluids and blood transfusion is given . Antipyretics are given to treat fever .

PREVENTION

Try to stay indoor in early hours of the morning and evening .

Use clothing to cover the body completely .

Use mosquito repellants and nets .

Keep the water containers covered in your washrooms .

Avoid collection of water in the plant pots

PREGNANCY DIET

ARE  U  PREGNANT   ?

If you are pregnant than you must know what you should eat .

THE CALORIC REQUIREMENT

It is good to know that you only need about 300 extra calories a day during the second and third trimester .

Need not to worry about extra caloric intake in the first trimester , when actually it is very difficult to eat  due to nausea and vomiting .

                                        

                                                       VOMITING

If you are experiencing vomiting during first trimester , then instead of three meals take small five to six snacks in a day , that will help reduce vomiting . These snacks should be taken at an interval of two to three hours .Try to avoid tea and coffee in that situation .

BALANCED DIET

Carbohydrates , proteins , fats , vitamins and minerals are all essential things and should be taken .

 NEED OF SUPPLEMENTS

Folic acid is must in the first three months , reduces the risk of anomalies in the baby .

Iron is a good supplement to prevent and treat iron deficiency .

Calcium is important for the fetal bone formation and also prevents mothers bone strength , so it is good to take plenty of milk .

 

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE : A SILENT KILLER

Hypertension is a silent killer because most of the times it is not evident until and unless it is severe .

Are you at high risk of having hypertension

Yes if you

  Are African American

  Are obese

  Are often stressed or anxious

  Eat too much salt in your diet

  Have a family history of high blood   pressure

  Have diabetes

  Smoke

EFFECTS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

If your blood pressure is high you are at risk of all these conditions .

Heart attack

Failure of the kidneys

Failure of the heart      

Damage to eyes and loss of vision

Stroke

PREVENTION OF HYPERTENSION

You can reduce your risk of being hypertensive by taking these simple measures

Reduce salt intake to less than 5 g/day

Moderate fat and alcohol consumption

Weight reduction

Regular exercise

Avoid stress

Do not smoke