Hair Care - How to Prevent Dryness?

Conditioning the Hair with mehndi twice a month would help prevent dryness and cover the grey hair. Along with henna one should use other ingredients which prevent the dryness. The below mentioned preparation will help retain moisture and lusture.

Soak a handful of dry Amla in two to three cups of water overnight. Strain the water the following morning and keep aside. Grind the amla into a paste and add seived henna powder, juice of a lemon, some tea dicoction, two table spoons of coconut oil, and two egg whites mix well into a thick smooth paste by adding the amla water little by little. Keep the mixture away for 2-3 hours or overnight. For better colour keep the mixture in a iron container. Apply the mixture on the hair and leave it for 2-3 hours. Wash off with plenty of water and apply few drops of coconut oil on the wet hair. Shampoo the hair and let dry. This treatment can be done twice a month.

Give hot oil massage to the hair twice a week. Use a good conditioner after shampooing the hair. Apply curd or egg white half an hour before shampoo. While travelling on bikes keep the hair covered so that dust does not settle down.

Lastly have a well balanced diet with greens and fruits to own a lusturous mane.

Pregnancy and Back Pain

Back Pain is very common in pregnant women. Back Pain can set in as early as the first trimester and last till the delivery. Back pain during pregnancy also has remedies and it is not unavoidable. Following certain routines can keep one free from back pain.

Back pain during pregnancy is of three types: pain in the lower back, pain that occurs deep in the buttocks area and the pain that occurs while sitting for longer hours. The treatment involves in maintaining proper posture and regular simple exercise routine. Pregnant women should make daily walking a must. Women who are in reasonable physic should make it a practice to walk at least for 20 minutes everyday.

Pregnant women should avoid using high-heeled footwear. They should try to maintain proper posture while sitting. Always try to use a foot rest if it requires to be sitting for longer periods. Using foot rest will reduce the back pain and relaxes the back. Walking for a few minutes and doing very light exercises will help strengthen the back muscles.

Pelvic tilts can be done during the first trimester by lying on your back with knees flexed and by pushing your back and pelvis into the floor for about 2 seconds. However, its advised to take medical advice before performing this exercise.

Lie on your sides tighten your thighs and lift your legs off the floor and hold it up for a few seconds and release the legs slowly. Repeat for a few times. However any kind of exercise should be performed without much of strain and with proper guidance and medical advice during pregnancy.

Tips to handle labour pains

All first-time moms may be anxious about the birth of the new-born. Each women experiences labour differently. The intensity of pain depends on various factors like size and position of baby. One can never predict how the labour and deliver will go, but planning for the same can help ease labour.

Yogic breathing energises the mother and the child and helps control stress. Expectant mother feels relaxed. She also develops a positive approach to labour. It increases the stamina and vitality promoting and easy delivery with minimal stress and fatigue. Alternating between physical and respiratory exercises is essential to avoid tiredness.

During delivery it is essential for the mother not to lose her breath control during delivery. Lamaze breathing techniques are essential to be followed.

Meditation helps the mother remain in tranquil state abd makes her bonding with the baby easier. The chanting of vedic mantras helps the development of the brain in a positive way. Cross legged, half lotus and symetrical meditative postures have to be followed. Yoganidra is a systematic method of ensuring complete physical,mental and emotional relaxation.

Yoga relaxes the muscles and eventually our mind. The relaxation rejuvenates. This technique requires an few minutes and is very effective. However it is always recommended to consult the doctor before performing any of the yogic exercises during pregnancy.

How to Prevent Dry skin?

A woman’s body undergoes changes in every stage of her life. Her hormones undergo changes in a phased manner. The color and the texture of the skin depends upon the diet and the environmental conditions. Diet plays a vital role as far as the skin is concerned. Avoid consumption of salty and sour food. Always add ghee to your food. It is recommended to take purgatives periodically.

If your skin is dry do not use much of soap as this drains the skin of all the essential oils. Instead of soap one can use a paste of green gram flour and milk. Honey is a natural moisturiser. Apply honey on the face and leave it for 10 minutes and wash of with plenty of cold water. This helps retain the moisture in the skin and leaves the skin soft and supple. Application of fresh Aloe Vera gel before a bath is also very helpful to prevent dryness.

One can practice the below given home facial method to keep dryness at bay
Use a mixture of glycerin, rose and sandal wood to open up the seat pores and bring the dirt to the skin surface and follow up with steaming, this also helps to increase blood circulation. After exfoliate the skin using a gentle scrub made of lentil powder, almond powder, tulsi mixed with fresh aloe Vera juice. Gently scrub the same in circular motion and wash off with plenty of cold water. Follow up with a pack made with mutant mitt with fresh aloe Vera juice. Keep the pack for about 15-20 mins and wash off with cold water. For toning up of the skin use a pulp of banana or apple. This toner makes the skin softer and supple.

Consume plenty of water to avoid dryness. Consumption of seasonal fruits and high fiber diet is also recommended. One can use rosewater to refresh the skin from tiredness.

Hazards of Breast Cancer

The Awareness of Breast Cancer is very essentail among the women as the incidents of Breast cancer are steadily increasing. This is no longer a western disease but, can occur to any women. One in seven women is prone to Breast cancer although it is said that it is common only among older women.

Breast Cancer is a disease in which the cancer cells form in the breast tissues. Our body is made up of cells and the cell division occurs as required by the body. Sometimes the cell division goes out of control in a particular part resulting in formation of a mass of tissue called tumour. Breast Cancer orginates in the breast and is capable of ivading to the other parts of the body if left unattended. It is advicable for every women to conduct regular self examination after proper consultaion with the doctor. If there is any noticeable change the same should be notified to the doctor who in turn would conduct a detailed examination which may include a biopsy of the suspected tissue.

Some of the sysmptoms are listed below

• Change in size and shape of the breast.
• Unusual formation of a lump accompanied with or without pain
• Bleeding from the nipple.
• lump in the breast
• pain in the breast bone.
• swelling of arm
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Skin ulceration- at advanced stages.
• Change in the skin texture on the breast surface.
• Itching sensation on the nipple and breast.
• shrinking or pulling in of the breast.

The breast examination should be done on the same day of every month. The treatment of Breast Cancer depends on the stage of detection of cancer.

Listed are some of the risk factors that could influence breast cancer

• If a close relation in the same bloodline has cancer then the risk of developing cancer increases. Hereditary breast cancer instances contribute to 5-10 percent of te total breast cancer incidents.
• Older women are prone to breast cancer. Women who had started mensurating before the age of 12 are more prone to breast cancer sue to the longer span of exposure to estrogen.
• Women who do not have issues are more prone to breast cancer.

Although the risks can never be eliminated one can take to healthier life styles to prevent the risks of breast cancer. Studies have proved consumption of low fat diet and regular exercising can decrease the chances of Breast Cancer.

Hair Care! How to manage SPLIT ENDS?

Split Ends, (or trichoptlosis), could be a curse. This happens when the protective cuticle has been stripped away from the ends of hair fibres. Dry brittle hair could result in split ends. Causes of damage include excessive drying or vigorous brushing. It is impossible to replace once the hair cuticle is removed. The hair splits into two or three strands, and this could be as long or two to three centimeters in length. What one can do is cutt off the split end of the damage fibre.

One can take small sections of hair and twist them in a downward motion. All split ends will stick out. Then you can snip into the twist with scissors. Cut into the thickness to remove the damaged cuticles and this gives a natural layered effect. Split ends will stick out, then you can remove the damaged cuticles and this gives a natural layered effect. Split ends usually travel up the roots of the hair and keep on damaging it until they are cut off. Shower conditioners can temporarily glue them back together. Same could be said of conditioners and hair oils.

Split ends are formed on growing hair because the inside of the hair, also know as the cortex, splits at the ends, thereby getting the name ‘split ends’. Curling irons can cause split ends because the hair is overstretched or damaged. Split ends can be avoided by keeping off intense heat on hair. One should use a conditioner that protects hair during heat if you can’t naturally dry your hair, and throw away bobby pins.

Make a regular appointment with yourself or someone else to do trim your split ends as much as often as necessary. If you have very healthy hair and rarely get split ends, then you can do this less than every five to eight weeks.

Courtesy: Indian Express

How to treat Open Pores and Reduce Pimples

Though you have been taking much care of your skin, one day, you get out of bed early morning and you see a pimple staring at you from your reflection. Hush!... What did I not do?, you wonder. You ate the right food, drank water, cleaned your face regularly, and despite everything this PIMPLE.

The reason is, its just that many of us have a problem of open pores. Open pores are a result of excess sebum production or sun damage, where the skin loses its elasticity around the pore.

What's the best solution to deal with open pores?

Unfortunately, there's no magic cure for open pores. Anything that exfoliates the skin can help to quite an extent. This includes creams containing alpha or beta-hydroxy acids or vitamin A, as well as treatments such as microdermabrasion (skin polishing), peels or intense pulsed light.

Any vegetable or fruit with astringent properties will help smoothen uneven skin texture and reduce open pores. Tomato juice to which a few drops of lime juice has been added can be applied on open pores for 20 minutes. Then wash with cold water.

The juice or pulp of pineapple, peaches and papaya are very good. Always wash your face with cold water after steaming. In humid weather, wash your face at least two to three times with cold water. If you have powdered orange peel, use this in place of soap.

Sometimes, the pore structure is also genetically determined. Simple measures like using an astringent or toner at night or splashing the face with cold water after washing your face or before going out in the sun will go a long way in keeping eruptions our of sight.

Courtesy: Indian Express

Foot Care for Women - Pamper your feet

One should not forget caring for the feet because they are hidden, they need regular care not only to make them look good but also avoid crippling conditions like corus and calluses which can lead to painful feet. Besides, the strain of tired and aching feet will adversely affect even the most beautiful face. Foot care is the in the TO-DO list of people who have time. The negligence we show gets reflected as the years go by and when age catches up. Foot problems mainly arise due to wrong foot ware, obesity, lack of foot care, calcium deficiency and prolongled usage of high heeled foot wear. One can prevent foot related problems by following certain simple routine pedicures.

It will also cause a loss of balance while walking and promote tension and irritability. Like the hands, the feet also should be kept in good shape with a few exercises. Useful exercise for the feet is to arch the ankles, bend the toes and flex the whole foot first thing in the morning. Feet that are sore and swollen after a long day, should be relaxed by placing them higher than the head and gently massaging them with some olive oil. An ancient remedy for the tired feet is to soak the feet alternatively in hot and cold water. Soaking the feet in warm water to which Epsom salt or special footsalts (available in the market) have been added can be very soothing. To avoid fungal or bacterial infections, wash your feet in warm water and be sure to dry between the toes using talcum powder. To keep the feet smelling fresh a deodorizing talcum powder should be applied each morning after washing, avoid wearing plastic or vinyl shoes as they do not allow the feet to breathe freely.

The toe nails should be given as much as attention as the nails of the hands, an orange stick tipped with cotton wool should be used to clean around the nails. Particular attention should be paid to the sides of the nails where dirt tends to collect. Next comes the shoes, when buying shoes look for fit and comfort just as much as fancy design. Ill fitting footwear can cause corns caused by friction when the bony parts of your feet rub against your shoes. Shoes should always be comfortable to your wider and longer feet. Make sure that your heel fits snugly in each shoes and does not slip out of the back while walking. Walking, dancing, swimming and cycling are good exercise to develop leg muscles. Dry skin can cause itching and burning of the feet so rub a thin coat of skin lotion cream or petroleum jelly on the affected areas. The heels should be made wet thoroughly and then it should be rubbed with two tablespoon of ground nut mixed with a tablespoon of salt, after a few minutes they should be rinsed and sesame oil mixed with a few drops of vinegar should be applied.

Soak the feet in warm water for about ten to fifteen minutes. you can either add shampoo or liquid soap to the water. Use a soft bristle bursh to rub the edges and the between the toes and ankles.Rub a pumice stome on the sides of the feet to remove the dead skin. Apply a scrub which contains the peel of babana or papaya with sugar crystals sprinkled on it. Once done, Remove the feet and dry it with a towel. Nails have to be trimmed before pedicure and cuticle creams can be applied to remove the cuticles.

Avoid wearing tight foot wear, socks etc., If prolonged usage of shoes is done then do not forget to dust some talcum powder on the feet before wearing your socks. This will help to absorb sweat and prevent odour. Never wear bear foot on the floor. Nail trimming should be made a regular practice to avoid dirt and germs accumulating in the gaps.

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Courtesy: Indian Express, Feb 7, 2006

Menopause or Metamorphosis? - Irregular Menstruation, absense of menses

Among the various health problems menopause is the one every women has to face in her life. Though it is a natural event its accompanying symptoms cause a setback in her health and mind. More than 75 percent of women complain of menopause blues. The average age of a women to attain menopause is 51 years. The medical definition of menopause is absence of menses at a stretch for 12 months. In some menstruation ceases abruptly and in some it slowly tapers off.

Some of the symptoms for this syndrome include hot flashes, vaginal thinning, loss of control over urination, insomnia, pain during intercourse, irritability and irregular menstruation. These symptoms vary from individuals to individual. Some times these symptoms surface quite earlier to menopause even at the age of 40 signalling it’s setting on at a later date. This is termed as “perimenopause”. Menopause also occurs soon on removal of ovaries and uterus of the reproductive system. This is known as “surgical menopause”.

Principle female hormones “Oestrogen” and “Progestorne” are produced by a pair of “ovaries” located on either side of the uterus. These hormones are crucial to maintain menstrual cycle and reproduction. Besides, they also help in a way to keep the level of cholesterol lower in blood thus serving as a barrier from cardic problems among the premenopause women.

This explanation why cardiac problems occur among women mostly only after 50 years of age. These hormones are also very essential for the growth of bones. Hence, among some menopause may result in “Oesteoporosis” an ailment caused by the low density of bone. This can be averted to some extent by taking food rich in calcium.

Female body system carries male horomones also. It is essential that there should be a balance between female and male hormones. Since menopause involves withdrawal of female hormones and consequent increase of male hormone among a few women this may cause excessive growth of facial hair resulting in an embarrassing and unfeminine condition.

Though it is beyond our reach to dispense altogether the onset of menopause still by rudent management its evil effects can be controlled. Avoidance of smoking, alcohol, spicy food, doing yoga, frequent intercourse to maintain the elasticity of vagina are some of the means by which we can minimize these effects. In some cases Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is adopted in which related female hormones are administered to the patient to offset their loss. Since it has hazardous side effects HRT has to be taken strictly under medical supervision.

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Courtesy: Indian Express, Health Supplement, February 7 2006

Child Growth - Information on Developmental Stages of Infants

We often come across mother discussing their experiences about their pregnancies, childbirth and how the child has grown with those who are expecting their first child. Also, they share their experiences with those who already have babies.

These experiences may be pleasant or unpleasant and the poor listeners may get influenced with what is told to them and start comparisons amongst themselves and their babies.

These comparisons include the differences starting from conception till childbirth and the growth pattern therafter. Some of these experiences may be pleasant and some maybe of a worrying or enviable nature.

It is therefore important for all mothers to remember that what holds good in one infant need not be the same in the other. This is true with regards to the growth pattern of each child in different mothers and different siblings in the same family.

Each child is unique in the growth patterns and one cannot and should not compare. What follows is an attempt to make mothers aware of what we mean by developmental milestones in a baby from birth till one year.

Every mother should remember that these milestones give important clues about how the baby is developing. Children begin to reach developmental milestones as soon as they come out of the mother’s womb according to an expert in the field.

By paying attention to these signs during the first month of a baby’s life and the intervening period each parent can make a big difference.

The first and most important point which every mother should keep in mind with developmental milestones is that there is a wide range of time during which children will achieve them and this achievement differs in different babies.

Experts believe that there are no set patterns that have to be followed by every child or for that fact in children born to the same mother. To substantiate this truth, there cannot be a better example than walking.

In one case a child may start his first step in 13 months. Most children will usually walk between nine and 18 months. A mother therefore need not start worrying if her 15 month old child has not yet started walking.

What is important is to observe your child with great vigilance but not start comparing with other children of the same age. One fact of utmost importance is to keep in mind that children born prematurely often achieve milestones later than those who are born full term.

It is not correct to judge a premature baby by their corrected age. One normally starts counting the age from the due date instead of their birth date. This would mean that a two –month old premature baby will achieve at five months what other babies born full term achieve at three months. This clearly explains the difference.

Any mother who believes that her child is not developing the milestones like every other child of the same age should necessarily consult a pediatrician instead of comparing with other children.

Who knows the pediatrician may diagnose a speech defect and can give timely advice for speech therapy. What follows is a brief account of these developmental milestones which every average child passes through and every mother should look for the following while assessing their presence in her child. These milestones are noticed in almost every normal child and one can differentiate the normal from what is considered unusual if only the mother is aware of what these normal milestones are.

Skin Care - How to have Beautiful Hands

Beautiful hands are an essential part of one’s body. Hands cannot be kept hidden and they are exposed to all kinds of weather conditions. However much one may try to do so, they constantly come in contact with water which contains such powerful chemical solutions as washing powder, bleach and washing liquids. Therefore hands can easily show signs of neglect and ageing.

Protect your Hands

Proper care of the hands should be taken by drying it with a towel everytime you come in contact with water. A pair of gloves should be worn during all household chores like washing, cleaning and cutting vegetables. One will feel uncomfortable but will get used to it.

Cleansing

Every night, hands should be washed with a mild soap and scrubbed thoroughly with a face brush. In case of hard skin, it should be whizzed over with a pumice stone. If the fingers are stained due to vegetables, they should be rubbed with a piece of lime, this will help bleach the stain.

They should then be rinsed well and dried thoroughly, the hands should be treated over or twice a week to a massage with a real rich cream. This should be preceded by soaking them in warm oil preferably olive oil or almond for 15 to 20 minutes. A useful remedy for keeping the hands young and beautiful is to dip them up to the wrist in a bowl of milk. If the hands are too tired, soak them for a few minutes in warm water to which two or three tablespoons of salt is added, this will soothe the hands. As for the nails, soak them in a little vegetable oil and rub them with a herbal shampoo.

TO KEEP THE HANDS BEAUTIFUL DIP THEM IN A BOWL OF MILK. IF THE HANDS ARE TOO TIRED, SOAK THEM FOR A FEW MINUTES IN WARM WATER TO WHICH TWO TO THREE TABLESPOON OF SALT IS ADDED.

Courtesy: Indian Express, Health Supplement, December 13 2005