Caffeine – A Stimulant in Our Body

Caffeine is the most commonly used stimulant drugs in the world. It is a naturally produced substance found in the leaves and seeds of the many plants. It is found in coffee, cocoa, tea, cola and various energy drinks. It is also found in chocolates and some medicines, such as cough syrup, slimming tablets and allergy & pain relievers. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, around 90% of the world’s population consume caffeine in various forms. Caffeine might help people to act or respond more rapidly. Moreover, caffeinated coffee can save your brain, heart, and other organs from various diseases.

However, the consumption of moderate doses of caffeine (up to 400 mg) is usually safe and can help people feel more active and energetic. However, consuming larger amounts of caffeine (over 600 mg) may link to many health problems, such as increase body temperature, conception problems, stomach acid discharge, production of urine, etc.

Caffeine is difficult to avoid. We always take a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, coffee shops are everywhere. It is used by large number of people on a regular basis to alleviate fatigue, increase wakefulness, and improve focus and concentration. This stimulant drug increases the level of sugar in the bloodstream, even if there is no sugar in your drink. That’s what gives you the extra energy.

Withdrawing caffeine from daily users causes symptoms, like tiredness, headaches, crankiness, muscle pain and sleepiness. It also makes people respond more slowly. Even, many sports people take caffeine to enhance their energy level. Taking caffeine away from a person’s regular dose may impact brain. The brain may flood with adenosine, and decrease in the dopamine levels drastically resulting in the brain's chemistry to be out of balance.

The easiest way to withdraw from caffeine dependence is to cut down slowly, giving your nervous system enough time to adjust to function without it. In the end a cup of tea, coffee or cola once in a while is fine, but don’t overdo it.

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Smart Snacking

Do you only get hungry at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time? Obviously not. Our body processes food gradually and gets hungry when it needs more energy. Our body needs fuel to be alert, energetic and functioning well. When we don’t eat enough, our body reminds us with hunger pains and demands food. Don’t ignore these hunger pains and have a snack.

Almost all parents feel that all snacks are not so good for children and can lead to weight increase, but that isn’t always the situation. The point is giving the right foods at the right time and knowing that snacks are an essential part of your child’s nutrition. Even if your child is eating three complete meals each day, the average child’s stomach can’t hold all the nutrients and calories required for body growth and building bones, tissues and muscles. Almost all children need three full meals and at least two or three snacks per day.

There are many advantages of smart snacking, such as it helps in managing between meals, provides extra energy between meals, and helps in preventing overweight. Moreover, snacking gives you the opportunity to add fruit, vegetables and other important nutrient to your child’s meal.

It’s important to remember that always give smart snacks instead of the unhealthy ones, such as cookies, chips, jellies and chocolates. They provide very little or no vitamins and minerals. There are some helpful snack strategies to follow: Keep snack portions in less quantity say not more than 250 calories. Give the snacks on a regular schedule of every 3 - 4 hours. Allowing enough time between meals will ensure that kids are not too full to have their regular meals.

Most importantly, keep healthy snacks at the ready so that kids will be able to make smart snack choices. Always use the nutrition based facts label when deciding on foods to be used for snacks to ensure they are low in fats, calories, and sugar. Instead, choose ones good in iron, calcium, and fiber.

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Obese Parents Could Lead to Daughters’ Breast Cancer Risk

You must have heard this term many times - lose your weight, slim down or get a toned body. The scientists have given another reason to maintain the body weight. According to a study, conducted by the Georgetown University in Washington, a daughter who are conceived when their fathers were obese could face a 30% higher risk of developing breast cancer at a later stage in life.

Till date, the researchers were studying the maternal role in child growth, but for the first time the researchers have extended their research in the field of paternal health and baby’s risk factors. The study further stated that, if parents are looking for a female child with healthy body weight, then it is must that dads should consider their weight.

As per Dr. Sonia de Assis, the study’s lead author “This study provides evidence that, in animals, a father’s body weight at the time of conception affects both their daughters’ body weight, both at birth and in childhood as well as their risk of breast cancer later in life”.

However, the research was done in obese male mice and female mice, though it applies in the case of human also that shows that men with overweight have substantial epigenetic alterations in their sperm as compared to men with appropriate body weight. The study also reveals that both breast cancer and obesity have genetic links. It has been already proved that women who are obese at the time of pregnancy usually give birth to the larger babies. These babies generally have a high risk of breast cancer.

The reason for this finding was stated as - being obese interferes with the microRNA signature in both the daughter’s breast tissue and the dad’s sperm. The microRNA could transmit vital genetic attributes from overweight dads to their daughters.

In conclusion, the researchers have suggested that to control the risk of breast cancer in daughters, both women and men should maintain their body weight and eat a balanced diet. This will not only benefit them but also give a healthy lifestyle to their kids. Thus, the scientist has advised men to consume more folic acid, found in leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, brussels’ sprouts and fortified cereals.

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How to Deal with a Lactose Intolerant Child

The importance of milk and dairy products in children’s diet has been recognised by nutritionists over the years. Milk products are an important source of protein, calcium and vitamin D, necessary for growing kids. However, not all kids are able to consume dairy products for a number of reasons, including being lactose intolerant.

Lactose intolerance usually occurs in kids who can't digest lactose, which is the main sugar found in milk and other dairy products, like ice-cream and cheese. Kids who are lactose intolerant don't make adequate lactase, which is a natural enzyme produced by intestinal tract that digests lactose. As a result, when there isn't enough lactase, lactose that is consumed doesn't get broken down and remains in the intestines causing diarrhoea, acidity, bloating, stomach cramps, and nausea for about 30 minutes to 2 hours.

There is no treatment for lactose intolerance. In case, if your child is lactose intolerant, a change in diet or meal can make a big difference. Doing so, you can decide what diet changes are best for your child. It is important to understand how to fill the nutritional gaps in their diet. Include non-dairy milk products, like rice milk and almond that are fortified with vitamin D and calcium. In addition, lactase enzyme supplements can help the stomach digest lactose appropriately when taken with dairy.

Dairy products are a great source of calcium; it is important to know that dark leafy green vegetables can act as a substitute. In addition, consider including broccoli, mushrooms, beans, spinach, and kale into your child’s meal plan to ensure proper intake. Always remember, lactose intolerance can be easily managed and the stomach problem can be relieved with some changes to the diet.

Lactose intolerance doesn't have to make your child's life down. There are many alternatives for children who are suffering from it. Consult with your doctor about what foods or diet changes would be best for your child. For kids, it's a temporary disorder that begins after they take some antibiotics for stomach infections which finally goes away.

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Filling Up on Fibre

According to a research presented by Joanne Slavin, a professor of food science at the University of Minnesota has stated that, the fibre, which is a constituent of the plant is good for our digestive system and heart. However, fiber-rich foods like peas, beans, barley and bran may not help in killing our hunger or make us feel full for a longer time. 

The study involved two groups of women. One group was given a meal full of dietary fibers and other group a meal with no fiber at all. They were then asked to rate their hunger and fullness after the meal. The group who ate the fiber-rich meal didn't feel full.

Fiber helps in healthy digestion and decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease, but to feel full, it is important how you eat fiber – says Joanne Slavin. The study also stated that when women ate the same amount of fiber in either a liquid form, like a shake or a solid form, like oatmeal or corn bran, the solid form of foods remains in the stomach for a longer time, and was more filling.

There are different types of fiber, but mainly separated into two classes, i.e. soluble and insoluble. Both play different, yet important roles. Soluble fiber helps the body control blood glucose levels, while insoluble fiber helps in dispensing waste away from the body by adding softness and bulk to stools. It also helps in preventing constipation, hemorrhoids, and other digestive problems.

The study suggested that to get the fiber fix, always consume solid bran-fiber foods like bran muffins, oatmeal, bran cereals, bran muffins, peas and fruits like apples, raspberries or pears. When deciding upon food, don’t worry about which class of fiber is better; just focus on eating enough of it.

The researchers also suggested that, you should increase intake of fiber in your diet slowly since your guts need time to adjust to the fiber load. If you add it too fast, you may experience diarrhoea, gas, bloating and cramps.

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The Importance of Antibiotics

Today, resistance to antibiotics has increased and reached to a phase that places patient’s life in danger. Medical practitioners worldwide are concerned that more and more bacteria and viruses are becoming resistant to today’s drug. They are scared that in future antibiotics may become unaffected and useless. The researchers have already found bacteria that remain unaffected when treated with antibiotics. This may result in expensive medical treatment as new formula have to be developed.

Health stakeholders criticise the fact that antibiotics are being used in a wrong manner. Antibiotics are often prescribed in medical condition in which they do not work. The disappointing fact is in some regions, especially Third World countries and highly populated areas, like Bangladesh, India, China or Pakistan, hospitals are already running out of antibiotics. The doctors are prescribing antibiotics for very common infections, such as the common flu, which do not kill off bacteria, also making it ineffective for future illnesses.

Another reason is that agriculturalists in Europe and the United States are adding antibiotics to feed cattle, in order to make them grow sooner and produce more meat.

Many surgeries cannot be done if we are unable to treat infections. Moreover, the transplantation of body organs will become difficult if patients do not get the proper medication to strengthen the immune system. Pregnancy may threaten a woman’s life and even disease like malaria and pneumonia, which can be treated successfully with antibiotics, might once again become a threat to life.

Today, antibiotics have made many infections like tuberculosis curable. Moreover, cancer treatment would not be possible without the proper use of antibiotics to cure it.

Doctors and health experts call for rapid action to fight off infections and diseases.  Most important is the need to improve hygiene at the medical places, where infectious diseases start. Bacteria spread through the dirty water and the sewage system. Even a small thing, such as making people aware of the importance of washing their hands more often can stop the spread of bacteria and infectious diseases. Antibiotics are the best drugs ever discovered, but we really can’t continue to use them without better management.

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