Notebook Archives

A sneeze. A scratch. A tear. Typically, these reflexes barely register on your consciousness or, if they do, its as an annoyance. In reality, however, each is an unconscious action that, in its own way provides essential protection against disease causing microbes or toxins before they can do harm.

Scratching is a natural reaction to itching, which is triggered by tiny receptors in the skin’s nerve endings.

Coughing helps to clear mouth, throat and lung tissues of foreign invaders, such as moulds, pollen, dust mites and pet dander, as well as mucus laden with microbes. The irony of this is that many respiratory infections may be spread by droplets of pathogens put into the air by the cough.

Sneezing is like coughing but directed through the nose. We also sneeze to get ride of microbes that multiply in the nasal passageways, as the result of having cold.

Vomiting occurs when harmful substances in the stomach are identified by the receptors in the walls of the digestive tract.

Tearing keeps the surface of the eyes moist and sterile. Tears also protect the eye when dust or debris irritate it. Crying, a natural response to stress, flushes away certain harmful chemicals produced by anxiety.

Despite this impressive range of barriers, reflexes and chemicals, dangerous invaders do occasionally manage to penetrate the body.

• When it is one toast too many: If you are a modest drinker, even a little excess can make you sorry, so it is best not to get too carried away.
• Is there a right amount? Take no more than 30 ml of hard liquor, 100 ml of wine or 350 ml of beer (the amount that a typical shot glass, wineglass or beer bottle respectively hold) per hour. It is all an average person can metabolize in that time. Also, alcohol is dehydrating, so follow each drink with water or juice.
• What to do if you overdid it: If you wake up with a pounding headache, rehydrate with water and drinks that contain frutose (found in honey and fruit juice)

The world is full of opportunities now, the only thing you need to do is look for it in the right place. Looking for jobs in job search sites makes one go insane as there are ample job opportunities but its hard to find one near your locale.

Same way, how would we feel when companies come offering jobs to you saying that you are perfectly qualified for the job they have? That sensation would be called super cool I guess. It would be great if you get such customized services in a busy world like this.

That’s where sites like Craigslist come in to place. With Craiglist you can look for jobs of your desire and in the place you desire and not just that you can even submit your resumes for companies to choose you; which make your job much simpler and remember super cool.

Herbs and some spices may help a troubled gut by easing flatulence and colic. Most of the herbs and spices that are traditionally used in cooking aid digestion, so used plenty of mint, dill, caraway, horseradish, bay, chervil, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. Chamomile tea may also help.

•    Carbohydrates :-  About 350-400g. A lot of energy is supplied by carbohydrate foods. Some examples: cereal grains, their products and root tubers. The intake of jaggery or sugar can be two tbsp per day.
•    Proteins:- About 50-70g. Vegetarians can eat pulses, legumes and nuts. Non-vegetarians may eat them in smaller quantities, because ‘flesh foods’ are high in proteins.
•    Fats:- Between 30-40ml of visible fats.
•    Avoid high-fat foods and highly salted fried foods. They cause drowsiness and can affect learning as well as memory retention during exams. They are also deficient in several important nutrients.
•    Rely more on steamed or baked non-vegetarian food. Avoid fried, grilled and smoked meats with dripping fats.
•    Stock upon your vitamins and minerals by increasing the intake of fresh fruits, vegetables and juices.
•    Eat foods rich in Vitamin A, like fish liver oils, fatty fish, liver, butter, ghee, egg, milk, milk powder and buttermilk. Plant foods lack vitamin A. they contain B-carotene called pro-vitamin A, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. The main sources of B-carotene are green leafy vegetables, carrots, ripe mango, ripe papaya and red palm oil.
•    Foods rich in Vitamin C, citrus fruits like lime, orange, amla, guava and sweet lime should be eaten.
•    Consume more iron rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, dred fruits, eggs and meat.
•    Avoid highly chilled and frozen desserts that could give you a sore throat.
•    Drink coconut water as it has a cooling effect on the body.
•    Milk being the main source of calcium, you may drink about 3-4 glasses a day. Alternatively , curds and buttermilk can also be had.
•    Increase the intake of water and other fluids.

Coffee, tea and aerated drinks can be completely avoided. The caffeine content in these beverages creates more anxiety.

Put a spring in your step before you leave the house and you’ll stay bright and alert all day long.

1.  Wake up naturally:-

Exposing yourself to bright light for 30 minutes as you wake up can help reset your body clock, making you alert first thing. Keep your curtains open or buy a natural alarm clock with an attached lamp that slowly brightens. Your body clock responds to gradual light exposure by accelerating the waking-up process, so you’ve more or less woken before your eyes even open.

2.    Start with a stretch:-

Stretch for 2-3 minutes to loosen muscles and get blood flowing. Begin with a cat stretch- on all fours, arch your back, then relax. Repeat 12-15 minutes. Next, stand up, stretch your arms in the air and rotate in opposite directions eight to ten times.

3.    Drink a glass of warm water:-

Fluids are vital for energy, and warm water will help trigger peristalsis-contractions that move food along your digestive tract-telling your body it’s time to start the day.

4.    Take time out:-

Set aside five to ten minutes to do something you like, such as chatting with your partner, reading the newspaper or listening to a track from your favourite album. It ensures you start your day in a positive frame of mind.

5.    Have a power breakfast:-

A good breakfast gives you energy to face the day. Low-sugar cereals are ideal as they contain carbohydrates to fuel your muscles and brain. They’re also fortified with B vitamins, which aid the energy-producing process, and iron, which carries oxygen from your lungs to your muscles.

6.    Do a ten-minute workout:-

Morning activity tells your brain it’s time to kick into gear, helping to rest your  internal clock. It also gets your blood flowing and carries oxygen to your tissues. Doctors suggest running up and down the stairs five times, followed by a few star jumps or try jogging on the spot or dancing.

7.    Go hot and cold:-

Spend two minutes under a warm shower to invigorate yourself. Then switch.between warm and cool water – but avoid wetting your head during these changes as it could make you feel dizzy. This stimulates your circulation and encourages blood to penetrate deeper into your tissues, carrying oxygen and glucose with it.

8.    Breathe deeply:-

A burst of oxygen gives your brain and muscles a boost. Breathing through alternate nostrils to energize and strengthen your body is suggested. { generally called as ‘Pranayam’}:-

•    Close your right nostril with one finger and breathe in through the left until your chest is fully expanded.
•    Close both nostrils, hold your breath and count to 10.
•    Release the right nostril and breathe out slowly.
•    Start again, but breathe in with the right nostril. Repeat 10 times, alternating nostrils.

9.    Enjoy your morning cuppa:-

Don’t feel guilty about your morning caffeine fix. People who gave it up were less alert than those who drank their cup. A study found that just a 60mg dose of caffeine – the same as a cup of tea revived them again. Dunking biscuits won’t help though.

It’s a good idea to have your child sleep separately. But for the many moms who’d rather keep their baby close till they are a little older here are some safety tips:

1. Sleep on a firm mattress, never on a waterbed, or an egg-crate type or feather mattress – these may suffocate a child.
2. To prevent falls off the bed, put mattress on the floor or use guardrails on your bed with mesh sides, and stuff tightly rolled-up towels between the mattress and the rails to eliminate crevices.
3. Don’t put a baby next to a “deep sleeper”, a parent who drinks alcohol before sleeping or takes medication that can induce deep sleep – he or she may roll over and smother  the child.
4. If you’re trying to get him to sleep separately, do so in small steps. First have a bed of his own next to yours; after a few days, push the bed to the wal; then to another room… but make sure he can join you in the night if he wakes up scared. And leave the light on it it comforts him.

Most of us know enough about doctors to know that “beside manners” is generally limited to fictional doctor-nurse romances. That is why, perhaps, we usually tend to get so intimidated by these men of science. So much so, often we don’t question them or their judgement at all! But the next time you visit your doctor, here’s what you need to ask yourself:

Does he listen to you and respond to your queries, or does he make you feel like you have no right to know what’s happening in your body or your child’s?

Is the prescription he has written for you legible?

Is he willing to discuss the medicines and dosage with you – without making you feel you ought to know it all?

Does he list alternative lines of treatment, or tell you there are none and get irritated that you asked?

Is he willing to take an emergency call from you?

At the end of his checklist, if you are still comfortable, he is the doctor for you. Otherwise, simple go to the next best.

Here is something that has grabbed the undivided attention of the health conscious. Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial yeast. In simpler words, there is good bacteria, and there is bad bacteria. Probiotics has got the good stuff.
Whether it is a tall glass of pomegranate juice or strawberries dipped champagne, both fruits are packed with antioxidants. And if you haven’t been living under a rock, you will know antioxidants are the key to good health. Finally, some things that taste good are actually good for you.

Concern occurs when cells multiply uncontrollably and form masses called tumours. Breast tumours grow slowly and may have been developing for some time before they are large enough to be felt. A yearly mammogram (an X-ray of the breast) can detect tiny tumours in their early stages before they can be felt. Detected early, cancer is often curable.

Many women fear losing their feminity if a breast is removed. Though not in itself life-threatening, a breast tumour, left untreated, implies a high risk of cancer spreading to other organs via the lymph nodes or bloodstream. This makes early detection of malignant tumours imperative. A mastectomy (removal of the entire breast) isn’t always necessary. If the disease hasn’t spread, a small tumour and the surrounding tissue may be removed by a lumpectomy, leaving the breast largely intact. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are other options.

All women are at risk for breast cancer, and approximately 80 percent sufferers have no family history of it. With early diagnosis and treatment, most can return to a normal life.

Myths on the cause of cancer:

• High doses of X-rays cause cancer, so mammograms cause cancer.
• Women with small (or large) breasts aren’t at risk for cancer.
• A blow to the breast causes cancer.
• Excess caffeine causes cancer.

For women who cannot afford an annual mammogram, many organisations sponsor free or low-cost mammograms. Ask for more information at local hospitals or from relevant NGOs in your city.

• A lump or swelling, usually painless, anywhere in the breast or underarm area (but most commonly in the upper and outer region of the breast).
• Changes in the appearance of the skin of the breasts, including flattening, indentation, dimpling, creasing, redness or scaliness.
• Changes in the nipple, including indentation, an itching or burning sensation, and dark or bloody discharge.
• Changes in the size or symmetry of the breasts.
• Discomfort or pain in the breast in advanced cases.

Given the importance of early detection, it is vital that women make a serious note of what they need to do on a regular basis.

When to call your doctor?

• If you find a lump anywhere in the breast or under arm. Most lumps are not cancerous, but a biopsy is necessary to diagnose – or rule out – breast cancer with any certainty.
• If you notice any change in the size, shape or appearance of the breast.
• If you experience any discharge from the nipple.

People are happiest and most prosperous in their work when it is aligned with what is meaningful to them and what they are passionate about. We happen to live in a rapidly changing work environment. What was joyful work one day can become dreaded work the next.

When things change, you want to make sure the changes are in alignment with what is more important to you – like your values and your talents. If they are not, see if there are ways to bring them back to alignment. If it becomes clear that there are no ways to do that, then it is time to move on.

If you are in tune with yourself, your gut instincts or intuition will tell you if the changes are in or out of alignment for you. Watch for clues: frustration, anger, fatigue, stress, boredom, taking things out on those close to you, being told you are no longer fun to be with.

The mistakes many people make – when things stay out of alignment with what is most important to them – is to hang on too long to a job that no longer works for them. They end up settling for less because it is easier and safer. They do not want to take the risk or make the time to look for work that would be more joyful. Hanging on too long will result in loss of self-respect, loss of self-confidence, and unhappiness. Don’t let this happen to you.