What is Cerebral Palsy ?

There is a compelling need to understand Cerebral Palsy. The disease is a disabler known least to people. It is rapidly becoming the commonest cause of disability in India. However, not all is lost if the problem is detected in the early stages. With proper care, medical treatment and society's empathy and warmth, patients can lead a near-independent life.

‘Cerebral' refers to brain and ‘Palsy' means lack of muscle control. The disease is a group of disabling conditions, which arises due to damage to the central nervous system (CNS) during pregnancy or childbirth or in early childhood. It is a disorder of movement and posture usually appearing early in life. Sometimes the damage also occurs in nearby areas of the brain as well, resulting in hearing and speech defects along with problems of perception.

A difficult prolonged labour, suffocation of the child during birth, premature birth, infections in early days, congenital heart disease, a rare genetic defect (Lesch-Nyhan syndrome), infantile jaundice, accidental head injuries and child abuse like repeated shaking or beatings on the head are some common causes.

Contrary to popular belief, most children with CP have average or above average intelligence but remain backward because of their handicap. Their physical disability impedes their chances of normal education. What one forgets is that, given a chance and proper treatment, CP patients can also contribute to the society in their own way!

Symptoms

Poor co-ordination, delay in holding up the neck and sitting, muscle spasms and seizures are typical symptoms. Modern-day therapy can help alleviate these. Traditionally, the treatment for CP has involved physiotherapy, occupational therapy, castings, gaiters, ankle foot orthosis and surgery.

However, in recent years, Botox has emerged as a very promising treatment for CP. The treatment involves giving Botulinum Toxin injections in the spastic muscles. The dose has to be ascertained by an experienced medical practitioner after carefully examining the extent of the condition. This is crucial as only a specialist can identify the muscles to be injected. The toxin works by relaxing the spastic muscles and helps reduce disability. Over a period of time, and in combination with appropriate physio and occupational therapy, the child can start walking or walk better than before and gain self-independence.

The effect of the treatment lasts for about six to nine months and can be prolonged by braces and good physiotherapy. Doctors have observed remarkable improvement in children who start with this treatment at an early stage. It is safe and side effects such as muscle weakness occur only when the wrong muscles are injected. The localised pain at the injection sites too doesn't last long.

Lastly, along with treatment, what is required is a shift in mindset. In the case of CP, early detection can go a long way in helping sufferers and their care givers. As a society, we need to curb discrimination against disability and not the disabled themselves!

Mobile phone users suffering from ‘text neck’

Mobile phone users are increasingly suffering from a new condition, dubbed “text neck”, due to the amount of time they spend hunched over their gadgets, experts have claimed.

According to them, the affliction, caused by flexing the neck for extended periods of time, can be a forerunner of arthritic damage if it goes without treatment. In severe cases the muscles could eventually adapt to fit the flexed position, making it painful to straighten the neck out properly.

Rachael Lancaster of Freedom Back Clinics in Leeds said, “Text neck is caused by the neck being flexed for a prolonged period of time. Sufferers are increasing as the use of smart phones and tablet computers become more popular.”

The condition occurs because the joints and tissue in the neck are not built to withstand being flexed for long periods, and spending hours peering down at a screen puts them under too much stress, she added.

“Keeping the neck and head stretched forwards for long periods could eventually cause the natural curvature of the neck to reverse, potentially leading to serious health problems,” ‘The Daily Telegraph’ quoted her as saying.

Tim Hutchful, of the British Chiropractic Association, another expert, said doctors were seeing a rising number of patients with similar neck problems but that getting regular exercise could help ward of symptoms.

Children are most at risk because their heads are larger in relation to their body size than adults, and women with slender necks should also take extra care to maintain a good posture, he added.

However, the experts say that text neck can be avoided by taking regular screen breaks, and looking straight ahead while tucking the chin back towards the neck every few minutes.

Fight the artery clogging fat :)

Cholesterol is a substance that our body produces naturally--a waxy fat like material that is found in all cells (right from the skin to the brain) and is critical for their proper functioning.

This fat regulates our hormones, regenerates new cells, aids digestion, builds a healthy nervous system. For this reason, our bodies produce cholesterol in the just right amounts that we need.

However, the problem arises when we consume too much fat from our diet. A combination of this and genetic factors, can result in other more serious health problems. “Having high cholesterol levels indicate that there is a risk for stroke and heart disease,” says Dr Abha Shroff, MD, Chief pathologist at Disha Diagnostic Services, Mumbai.

Today, many experts believe that cholesterol levels are rising rapidly amidst the urban Indian population.

“I would blame a Western diet, the concept of fast foods, processed and packaged meals that tend to use excessive preservatives.

All this, in time, can cause cholesterol levels to rise. Indians also seem to be genetically predisposed to developing high cholesterol. For this reason, it is highly advisable for everyone above the age of 40 to take a cholesterol test that clearly indicates LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels in the blood,” explains Dr Abha.

Your health in numbers …

Just as oil doesn't mix in water, cholesterol cannot dissolve in your blood. It travels through the bloodstream by binding with protein molecules called lipoproteins. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is a dense compact particle that transports cholesterol to the liver, where the body disposes of it. That's why it's good to have higher HDL levels. Low density lipoprotein is a larger, less dense particle that tends to remain in the bloodstream.

This LDL, researchers have found is the culprit behind heart attacks and strokes because it combines with other substances in the blood and clogs the arteries.

Ideally, a normal healthy cholesterol reading would be anything below 200 mg/dl. Your HDL or “good” cholesterol should be above 60 mg/dl. LDL or “bad” cholesterol should be below 130 mg/dl. Fats in the body are also stored as triglycerides and transported through the bloodstream by VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoproteins). Your triglyceride or VLDL levels should be below 150 mg/dl.

“Exercise is the only way to increase your HDL levels,” says Dr Abha. “Even half an hour of walking a day can ensure that your cholesterol is under control.

A good diet, rich in fresh foods, fruits, whole grains and vegetables and low in fat and dairy products can help regulate your LDL and triglyceride levels.”

Make smart diet choices

Researches at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, U.S.A, have established that making smart choices in your daily diet can help reduce LDL and increase HDL levels, lowering your total cholesterol by as much as 20 per cent!

The focus, the study says, should be on plant based foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. Many dieticians recommend a return to traditional Indian foods since these have a perfect combination of proteins, carbohydrates and micronutrients. Avoid red meat, packaged and processed food, including instant and readymade mixes.

There is good news for the fairer sex. Researchers from the Florida State University have found that women who consume apples everyday were found to have an average of 23 per cent reduced LDL levels within six months. These women also saw a remarkable 4 per cent increase in HDL (good) cholesterol as well.

Control stress

The medical journal Health Psychology recently published a study that asserted that people who have very stressful jobs or face severe stress in their personal lives were three times more likely to have higher LDL than others.

Since stress is an unavoidable part of our lives, managing it efficiently, through meditation or yoga is critical.

Sleeping 6-8 hours can help you reduce weight

Struggling to shed those extra kilos? If yes, try to have a good night’s sleep besides sticking to your diet and daily exercise, scientists suggest.

Researchers have found that those who get between six and eight hours of sleep a night are twice as likely to reduce their desired weight when put on a diet for six months.

The study also found that people trying to lose at least 10 pounds (about 4.5kg) were more likely to reach their goal if they had lower stress levels and slept moderately, the Telegraph reported.

For the study, the researchers from Kaiser Permanente Centre for Health Research — a health care consortium based in Portland, Oregon — recruited nearly 500 obese adults with an average age of 55 years.

The participants were asked to attend 22 counselling sessions, reduce their diet by 500 calories a day and increase the amount of exercise they took to at least three hours a week.

They also had to keep a diary of their habits, including their sleep patterns and stress levels.

After six months, 60 per cent of the participants had lost at least 10 pounds.

Researchers found that the successful dieters were more likely to report that they had slept between six and eight hours each night.

Almost three quarters of dieters who had both low stress levels and six to eight hours sleep a night were likely to achieve the 10-pounds weight loss target.

They were also twice as likely to be successful as participants who reported the highest stress levels and got six or less hours sleep a night.

“This study suggests that when people are trying to lose weight, they should try to get the right amount of sleep and reduce their stress,” said lead author Dr Charles Elder of the Kaiser Permanente Centre for Health Research, in Portland, Oregon.

“Some people may just need to cut back on their schedules and get to bed earlier. Others may find that exercise can reduce stress and help them sleep.

“For some people, mind-body techniques such as meditation also might be helpful.”

The study has been published in the International Journal of Obesity.

Handling emergencies

First-aid measures are simple, but crucial and potentially life-saving. So, arm yourself with the knowledge of such measures. In general, when under trauma, the immediate reflex is to panic. It is understandably, but try to stay calm — it will help you think well and save yourself or the next person better.

Poisoning

Pesticides, kerosene, rat poisons, ant poisons, toilet cleaning fluids, and plant poisons are the commonly ingested poisons. So, store them away from regular things. The common cause of accidental poisoning is because such fluids are stored in cola or juice bottles. “If you notice someone vomiting, having stomach ache, panting and fainting, suspect poisoning and rush to get medical help. Home remedies do not work. And, the poison in the vomit may get absorbed by the skin. So, wipe it off, change the clothing and rush to the hospital,” says C. Rajendiran, director and professor of medicine, Madras Medical College.

“If the person you are taking to hospital is unresponsive, make him lie down with his head turned to the left, so that the vomit doesn't enter his airway,” says Dhavapalani Alagappan, consultant and head, emergency department, Apollo Hospitals. “Excess vomiting can cause low blood pressure and giddiness. So while transporting, don't make the person sit or walk, or transport him in a bike where he may not be able to hold himself,” cautions Dr. Rajendiran.

Burns and scalds

If you see anyone on fire, don't let them run around — it will only fan the flames and make them burn stronger. “Instead, remove the burning clothing, and wrap the person with a (preferably wet) non-inflammable blanket and roll him on the floor, or douse with water to put out the flame. Once the flame is out, cover the area with a clean wet towel or cling film and rush the person to the hospital. In the meantime, for pain relief, over-the-counter drugs such as paracetamol can be given,” says Dr. Alagappan.

In the case of a scald (hot water or wet burn), wash the area with cold water, cover the area with a clean wet cloth or a cling film to protect the exposed nerve endings and rush to the hospital. However, this is not the thing to do in case of an injury on the face area, as the person might suffocate.

Falls and Injuries

Any neck pain following a fall or injury has to be taken seriously and given immediate medical attention, as it could indicate spinal cord injury.

In case of an inflammation or swelling on a body part, place or wrap an ice pack on the area. “It is a good idea to always keep in your freezer a water sachet; if unavailable, use anything from the freezer, such as a packet of flour,” suggests Ram Kumar, general physician. “Also, keep the inflamed or swollen part elevated to bring down the swelling. Keep the injured area immobile so that, in case of fracture, the broken bone does not move, or poke into the flesh and injure the tissue,” says Dr. Alagappan.

If the injury is on the arm, use a sling to hold the arm close to the body and keep it immobile. A simple sling can be put together by knotting a towel or a cotton dupatta with the knot resting on the shoulder. For a leg injury, render the leg immobile by tying two strips of a stiff material such as cardboard along the leg and the thigh, so that the knee can't be bent. Then, rush to the doctor.

Bleeding wounds

“For this, you need to apply direct pressure with a wet towel and take the person to a hospital. Hold up the injured part at an elevation to prevent further blood loss. And, don't keep unwrapping to investigate if the blood flow has stopped or not. This will interfere with closure of the wound,” informs Dr. Alagappan.

He adds: “For a nose bleed, pinch the soft tip of the nose, breath though the mouth and wait for about 10 minutes. If the bleeding continues, or if it trickles down the back of the throat, whereby it could block the airway, call for an ambulance. Don't lie down, as this could also make blood trickle into the airway. Sit straight on a chair, with the head turned down.

Other than this, always keep handy ambulance telephone numbers and the hospital/family physician's telephone numbers. And finally, it pays to maintain friendly ties with your neighbours — you may need their help in a crunch. In an emergency, immediate help can make a world of difference.

Obesity kills more people than AIDS

Obesity kills more people than AIDS and is emerging as a serious threat, said health experts here Friday.

Dr. Shashank Joshi, president of the governing council of the All India Association of Advanced Research in Obesity (AIAARO), said obesity was not a new problem in India.

Speaking on Obesity in 2011, on the first day of the two-day national conference, the expert said that obesity was described in the ancient Indian texts such as the ‘Charak Samhita’. The health condition was emerging as a serious threat with 24 million people in India being obese.

“The Indian population is at a special risk because of the tendency to develop central obesity. The ‘thin fat Asian Indian phenotype’ is now well established,” said Dr. Joshi adding that Indians had a higher proportion of fat in their body composition and more so in the abdominal area.

“Obesity kills more people than AIDS and often underlines problems such as diabetes and heart diseases. It is also associated with accelerated ageing,” he added.

Listing sedentary lifestyle, watching of too much TV, use of internet and other gadgets of comfort as contributing factors in the rise of obesity among Indian children, Dr. Joshi underlined the need for taking proper nutrition, brisk walks, proper yogic practices and de-stressing as ways in managing obesity.

Focusing on obesity as “the emerging Indian epidemic”, the inaugural session was opened by Parimal Trivedi, Vice Chancellor of Gujarat University, and Mrunalini Devi Puar, of the Maharaja Sayajirao University.

Speaking on the occasion, Parimal Trivedi said that case studies in obesity needed to focus on age, food habits, lifestyle and human behaviour too. Mrunalini Puar emphasized on the need to interlink nutrition and obesity and said that nutrition along with yogic practices should be made the mainstay in controlling obesity.

Don’t go jogging on an empty stomach

Jogging before breakfast will not necessarily increase performance, according to Professor Ingo Froboese from the Centre for Health at the German Sport High School.

The reason is because, just like at night, our bodies are still breaking down fats in the morning hours. “When training on an empty stomach, fat metabolism only remains active until the body’s sugar reserves are used up.” When that point is reached, the body’s performance rate falls and you will be forced to end training. If you must go jogging early in the morning, then you should at least eat a food high in carbohydrate such as a banana.

However, Froboese recommends eating breakfast first and then engaging in some weightlifting to build muscles. “That activates the body and will make it fit for the rest of the day,” he says. Weight training raises pressure in the peripheral blood vessels and increases the overall blood pressure in the body, thus making you more alert.

An endurance exercise such as jogging makes more sense in the evening, according to Froboese. Moderate jogging relaxes the body and can have a meditative effect. Stop exercising at least two hours before going to bed in order to guarantee a restful night’s sleep.

Chronic kidney disorders threaten India's diabetics

For the diabetes capital of the world, this might sound alarming. Experts in India say nearly 40 per cent of diabetics can be affected by chronic kidney disorders (CKDs).

What’s more, around 1.5 lakh (150,000) new cases of kidney failure are diagnosed annually in India, they say.

“Chronic kidney disorder, where the kidney suffers irreversible damage, has become closely linked with lifestyle related disorders. Some of the common causes behind CKDs are diabetes, blood pressure and high cholesterol level,” Sandeep Mahajan, associate professor, department of nephrology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), told IANS.

“Nearly 40 per cent of diabetics can be affected by CKDs,” he said.

Kidneys, essentially the filters for toxic material produced in the body, are also affected by urinary tract infections, stone diseases and medicine-related disorders, according to nephrology experts.

What bothers experts is the high prevalence of diabetes among the young Indian population.

“Diabetes has several lifestyle related causes to it, including a sedentary lifestyle, blood pressure, junk food, and erratic work schedules among others. And when the disease strikes the young population, they are at an eventual risk of suffering from CKD,” cautions Mahajan.

The International Diabetes Foundation has reported approximately 54 million diabetic patients in India in 2010, and the number is likely to touch 70 million by the year 2025.

“Uncontrolled blood sugar levels triggered by diabetes affect the kidney’s membrane that is pivotal as a filter of protein in the body. There is excess protein loss leading to CKD,” Vijay Kher, chairman of the department of nephrology and transplant medicine at the Medanta Kidney and Urology Institute, told IANS.

“Once the CKD patient reaches stage 5, also the last stage of the disease, the disorder progresses to fatal end-stage-renal disease (ESRD) where the kidney fails because of less than 15 per cent functioning,” said Kher.

Nearly 150,000 new cases of ESRD or kidney failure come up annually in the country, the majority of whom die due to shortage of dialysis units, according to doctors.

“The average age for CKD affecting a diabetic is 40 years, almost 10 to 15 years after diabetes,” explained Mahajan.

He believes the disease is no more an urban phenomena, as there are patients from rural areas reporting CKD. “Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure are not present just among urban population. We have been seeing patients from rural areas at AIIMS,” he said.

Warning signs for CKDs range from a simple urine test to ultrasound, said experts.

Kher says simple awareness tips can help diabetics or even the general population keep the disease at bay: “Keep a tap on the blood sugar level, cholesterol, eating habits, and water intake.”

Echoed Mahajan, “Early symptoms like lethargy, swelling over the feet or face, or frequent urination can be attributed to something else and they are very difficult to pinpoint. So the best is to get a regular kidney function test done once in six months for the high risk group.”

After ESRD, the patient is left with two options - dialysis or kidney transplantation.

“Transplantation can be ideal only when you are a donor who is a blood relative, a spouse or their child who is willing to donate a kidney, or it has to be an authorised donor, and they need to be tested for blood type and other matching factors that determine whether your body will accept the available kidney,” Mahajan added.

The other method doctors vouch for is dialysis.

“One can either go for peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis. While the former offers dialysis treatment at home, the latter takes place at the hospital. It is better to consult a doctor before going for one particular method,” advises Mahajan.

Breakfast cereal packets linked to cancer: Study

A new study in Europe has warned of a possible link between recycled breakfast cereal packets and cancer.

Researchers in Switzerland claim to have found that mineral oils in printing ink from recycled newspapers used in cardboard can get into foods such as breakfast cereals, even passing through protective inner plastic bags.

Even brands of pasta and rice which are packaged in recycled cardboard could also pose a risk.

Dr. Koni Grob from the Food Safety Laboratory in Zurich said toxicologists had linked the oils to inflammation of internal organs and even cancer, though he stressed that individual meals would contain a tiny dose of the chemicals.

The researchers analysed 119 products bought from German supermarkets last year and found that a large majority contained traces of mineral oils higher than the agreed level, the British media reported.

Only those with thicker and more expensive inner lining bags appeared to escape contamination, which increased the longer products were on the shelves.

“Roughly 30 products from 119 were free of mineral oils, nearly all because of an inner barrier. For the others, they all exceeded the limits and most exceeded it by 10 times.

“We calculated that before the end of their shelf life, they would probably exceed the limit 50 times on average and many would exceed it by several hundred times,” Dr Grob said.

Home Treatment For Gall Bladder Stone

Gall bladder stones today can be easily removed by operation and the so called laparoscopy, a process using laser to remove the gall bladder stone. But there are still ways you can take than undergo these expensive treatments and medicines to help you cure of gall stones.
If you have gall bladder stone, there is a pain under your right shoulder blade and a tender spot between the navel and rib is a sign that you have gall bladder stone. Oftentimes the pain is very intense around the navel and right rib. The gall bladder will discharge stones at times, causing much distress.
Follow these simple steps to treat your gall bladder stone:
You need to take one-half cup of pure olive oil, and with a very hot cloth absorb some and place over the gall bladder and the stomach. The heat coming from the cloth will soften and expand the tissues. The oil will permeate them and will penetrate the walls of the gall bladder and dissolve the stones; not at instance of course or not even once. You will have to continue your treatment until there are no gall stones, or until they are so small that they will discharge themselves easily. Live on natural foods and avoid saturated fats and cholesterol and you will get into a condition where gall stones will naturally disappear.
Olive oil dissolves gall stones and lubricates the tube that leads from the gall bladder to the duodenum, and once the larger stones have been eliminated to the duodenum, it will now become easy to pass on and out through the rectum.
I recommend eating cherries, radishes especially horseradish to help you cope faster from your gall bladder stone treatment. Plus drinking of apple juice can also make your treatment complete.
If you have an infected gall bladder, it is best to do the following:
Put as hot applications as you can endure over the organ.
Then apply a half cup of pure olive oil with very hot cloth.
Heat will attract the blood, as well as the oil to that region.
After half an hour, do some gentle exercises; swing hands up and down, over head, sideway-anything that will stimulate the liver. The exercise will work the oil and blood through the tissues, and the infection will come out. Do this every night.

Should you exercise if you're diabetic? Of course. Just follow these precautions............

Exercise is important because it improves glucose regulation, reduces the risk of heart disease, hypertension, cholesterol and excess weight. The timing of exercise, the amount of insulin injected and the injection site are important factors to consider before exercise.

 A duration of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-paced intensity exercises five to seven days of the week is recommended. If you are not accustomed to physical activity, you may start with a shorter duration and work your way up. As you become fitter, you can add a few extra minutes to your physical activity.

The two primary classes of diabetes are Type 1 (insulin dependant diabetes mellitus) and Type 2 (non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus). Both types have distinct causes and different strategies for disease management.

Take care of your diabetes by

Exercising regularly and leading and active lifestyle

Following regular meal timings and planning healthy meals

Taking medicines, if prescribed by your doctor

Essential Dos Before Starting An Exercise Plan

Check with your doctor.

Always talk with your doctor before you start a new physical activity programme. Ask about your medicines — prescription and over-the-counter — and whether you should change the amount you take before you exercise. If you have heart disease, kidney disease, eye problems or foot problems, ask which types of physical activity are safe for you.

Plan for an exercise session.

The type of physical activity

The length of each session

The duration of warm-up, workout, stretching and cool-down

The measure of progress

Keep track of your physical activity.

Write down when you exercise and for how long in your blood glucose record book. You'll be able to track your progress and see how physical activity affects your blood glucose.

Modify calorie intake

Calorie intake should be carefully planned prior to and post-exercise. Also, in consultation with a physician a decrease in insulin dosage may be necessary.

Safety Precautions

Exercise involving heavy weights is not recommended for people with blood pressure, blood vessel or eye problems.

Hypoglycemia (low-blood sugar levels) can happen at the time you're exercising, just afterward, or even up to a day later. You can get shaky, weak, confused, irritable, anxious, hungry, tired, or sweaty. Always keep some form of glucose handy with you in case your sugar levels drop. To help prevent hypoglycemia during physical activity, check your blood glucose before you exercise.

Do not exercise if your blood glucose is above 300, or your fasting blood glucose is above 250 and you have ketones in your urine.

When you exercise, wear cotton socks and athletic shoes that fit well and are comfortable. After you exercise, check your feet for sores, blisters, irritation, cuts, or other injuries.

Drink plenty of fluids during physical activity, since your blood glucose can be affected by dehydration.

What Exercise?

Cardiovascular exercises

Moderate-intensity physical activities such as walking briskly, swimming or bicycling are important. These exercises work your large muscles and increase your heart rate. A minimum of 30 minutes, five to seven days of the week is necessary to improve functioning of the heart, lungs and circulatory system.

Yoga

Yoga asanas enhance the body's flexibility and improve blood circulation.

Relaxation techniques

Diabetes management can be emotionally stressful and the stress can adversely influence glucose levels. Find ways to reduce stress and enhance psychological well-being. Make a list of simple activities that help you de-stress; for example you could do deep breathing exercises, meditation, reading a book, listening to music, meeting a friend or walking in the park.

Nature's Foods

It is important is that you keep your health care provider up-to-date on any supplements that you utilise.

Cinnamon

Researchers have evaluated commonly used spices and found some that help lower blood sugar readings. Cinnamon is one of the highest rated for lowering blood levels. One teaspoon of cinnamon a day may lower blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Walnuts

Six to eight a day can help lower insulin resistance and increase HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels and reduce LDL (low density lipoprotein) levels. They contain an Omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid or ALA which reduce risk of heart disease.

Garlic

Garlic (eating as little as one clove a day) has long been known to raise insulin sensitivity and provide strong anti-oxidant protection.

Losing weight, the smart way!

Healthy weight loss

The key words involved in weight loss are “smart eating” and “physical exercise”. Can you lose weight by just starving yourself? You surely can, but a rigorous, fad diet will leave you feeling sick and the weight will come back soon.  Could you lose weight just by rigorous exercise? The answer is yes, but it will take much longer.

The best way of reaching your ideal weight is to give up the obsession with losing weight and to get passionate about healthy living.

Setting weight loss goals

The reason people flounder when they set out to lose weight is that they do not set specific goals. They are vague about what is healthy weight loss or not realistic enough.

Set yourself achievable goals. If you have to lose 10 kg, give yourself three to six months to lose the first five kilos. This will help you ease yourself into a healthy eating and exercising routine. A gradual loss of weight is more sustainable. If you want to lose half a kg per week, you need to cut 500 calories per day through both diet and exercise.

Healthy eating

Do not regard healthy eating as a terrible chore which will leave you starving. Healthy eating involves avoiding food that is harmful to you, and switching to food that is good for you.  Most importantly, eat small quantities frequently. This way you can eat most of your favourite foods.

Work out three days a week

This is non-negotiable. If you do not exercise vigorously at least three days a week, you will find it hard to keep the weight off.

The rule of twos

Eat small quantities at short intervals. This will leave you feeling comfortable without feeling deprived.

Eat something soon after you wake up. In the morning, your blood sugar levels are very low. A fruit or a glass of milk will bring your sugar levels up. This way you will not be ravenously hungry when you eat breakfast

Breakfast can be your usual idlis or dosas or whole wheat toast- but stop at two. If you are having upma, have two small katoris.

Eat small quantities after that every two hours. It can be a handful of nuts, a cup of curds, a bowl of sprouts, bhelpuri made with just puffed rice, dry khakra, a chapathi with vegetables or egg, a cup of sundal, a slice of cheese, a handful of peanuts. The choices are there- you just have to make an effort to look for them.

Lunch can be two small katoris of rice with vegetables or dhal or sambhar.

Dinner can be one or two chapathis with a small cup of curds or vegetables or dhal.

Non-vegetarians can have chicken (no skin), fish or egg with lunch or dinner but it should be made with as little oil as possible.

Drink two glasses of water just before your main meals or along with them.

Confine yourself to two spoons of sugar per day. Do not indulge in soft drinks, sweets, chocolates and cakes.

Have your last meal two hours before you go to bed. Brushing your teeth soon after you have had the last meal for the day will prevent you from being tempted to have a bedtime snack.

Cell phone use does affect brain but health consequences unknown .....

A new study has found that increasing use of cell phones is linked to rise in brain glucose metabolism, a marker of brain activity, in the area closest to the phone antenna -- however, the clinical significance of this find is not known yet.

“The dramatic worldwide increase in use of cellular telephones has prompted concerns regarding potential harmful effects of exposure to radiofrequency-modulated electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Of particular concern has been the potential carcinogenic effects from the RF-EMF emissions of cell phones,” said the article. "However, epidemiologic studies of the association between cell phone use and prevalence of brain tumors have been inconsistent (some, but not all, studies showed increased risk), and the issue remains unresolved,” it said.

Nora D. Volkow of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., and colleagues conducted a study amongst 47 participants. Cell phones were placed on the left and right ears and brain imaging was performed with positron emission tomography (PET) with (18F) fluorodeoxyglucose injection, used to measure brain glucose metabolism twice, once with the right cell phone activated (sound muted) for 50 minutes (“on” condition) and once with both cell phones deactivated (“off” condition).

Results showed that the on/off conditions didn’t affect the whole-brain metabolism.

However, there were significant regional effects. Metabolism in the brain region closest to the antenna (orbitofrontal cortex and temporal pole) was significantly higher (approximately 7 percent) for cell phone on than for cell phone off conditions.

“These results provide evidence that the human brain is sensitive to the effects of RF-EMFs from acute cell phone exposures,” the researchers write.

They concluded, “Results of this study provide evidence that acute cell phone exposure affects brain metabolic activity. However, these results provide no information as to their relevance regarding potential carcinogenic effects (or lack of such effects) from chronic cell phone use.” “Further studies are needed to assess if these effects could have potential long-term harmful consequences.” The study appears in the February 23 issue of JAMA.