Exercise myths!

Don't fall prey to these fitness misconceptions, say experts...

Inspired by the numerous models flaunting their hot-bods in commercials on the small screen and by actors on the big screen, you finally decide to join your local gym. But before you step into the 'fitness world', there are a few workout misconceptions that you need to be aware of. Here's busting some myths...

Exercising on an empty stomach
According to fitness expert Nawaz Modi Singhania, one of the most common mistakes people make when they start to workout is by starting to exercise on an empty stomach. "Working out on an empty stomach could lead to fatigue, even before your body actually starts metabolising the fat," she says. "But don't exercise on a full stomach either." The healthy thing to do is to not eat a heavy meal for at least an hour before you begin your workout. Instead have a light health snack. " Fruits or health biscuits are a good option," she says.

Join a gym to get fit
This is another common misconception, point out health experts. Any form of activity that gives your body an overall workout including cycling, dancing, jogging or even swimming is just as good a way to get fit as joining a gym. As long as you get exercise in some form, being fit need not be synonymous with gymming.

Women bulk up like men if they do weights
"Regular workouts only make the muscles firm and taut. It's a myth that women bulk up like men do," clarifies clinical fitness specialist Namita Jain. "Unless a woman works towards achieving that look, it's highly unlikely, that she will bulk up by default," adds Namita.

Expecting miracles
The perfectly-sculpted bodies that you see on TV are not made over a day. It needs patience, dietary discipline and a lot of hardwork. Fitness instructors who promise you otherwise in just a few weeks are exactly the ones you'd want to avoid.

Excessive sweating means you're unfit
"Sweating is simply a means to release the heat from the body to keep your body temperature normal. It just efficiently cools down your body and it's perfectly normal," say experts.

The more you exercise, the better it is
Yes, there is a thing as over-exercising, and it can cause injury. Your muscles need at least 24 hours to repair themselves. It's important to rest your muscles too to avoid muscle fatigue.

How does addiction affect children

The various addictions people get into, such as alcohol, smoking, drugs including marijuana use, affects children the most. The whole family suffers due to one person's addiction, but the effects of this become quite pronounced in growing up children. These children have to deal with chaos and an unpredictable situation at home, which could lead to problems in their own life in future.

Many researchers are delving into the lives of addicts to study the effects of their addiction on their innocent children, and how it impacts them when they grow up.

How Addiction Affects Children in the Future

Children who have an addicted parent, usually are at an increased risk of the following:

·         Learning Difficulties

·         Physical Illness

·         Mental Illness

·         Abuse

·         Neglect

The Effects in the Behavior of Such Children

The possible ill effects the children of an addicted parent face are:

·         Disruption of a Normal Family Life: The family life of an addict is bound to be far from a normal life. The children of such households will be witness to domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, depression, mental illness, divorce, etc. There is every likelihood for these children to develop depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies. Most of the time, they carry these tendencies outside of their home and find it difficult to connect to their peers. They become withdrawn, secretive, shy away from making friends, so that they can avoid situations where their friends will know about the affairs at home or witness it.

·         Feeling of Neglect: Most of the time, with one addicted parent, both the parents will not be able to give any attention to their children as they are trying to solve their own problems. This results in the child feeling neglected and this may lead to depression or other psychological problems.

·         Risk of Turning Addicts Themselves: The children of addicted parents are always exposed to the object of their parent's addiction (alcohol or drugs whatever may be the case). Therefore, there is always a risk that the child too may try it out on the sly and get addicted to it in due course and may need rehabilitation.

·         Violent Streak: There is every chance of children developing a violent streak, as they may be constantly exposed to their parents' bickering or fights or being subjected to physical or mental abuse. This could lead to a situation where they land up in jail.

·         Misconstrued Value System: Children get their values from their parents. In the circumstance that they grow up, children are usually confused about what is right and what is wrong. When one of the parent is drinking (they say) to overcome stress or joblessness, children think that is the right behavior and behave exactly in the same fashion when they are faced with such a situation in future.

·         Lost Childhood: Sometimes, when the situation is so bad that the parents are least bothered about the basic necessities of the household, children are forced to go fetch for themselves. This way, they could become school dropouts and live without any structure. Sometimes, they become young adults by looking after their families. This way, they lose out on a regular childhood.

·         Low Self Esteem: In a household where one parent is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and very aggressive, children could become quite timid, scared, and lack self esteem. They will be scared of everyone and everything.

·         Lack of Trust: Since they grow up to be very secretive and shy away from friends, they neither trust anyone nor be trusted by others. This lack of trust will also reflect in their future relationships.

·         Guilt Feelings: Sometimes, when a small child is shouted at, he thinks the fault lies in him. This way, he will start blaming himself for whatever bad happens at home. This guilt feeling will come in the way of his future relationships.

·         People Pleasers: Since children of addicted parents are, most of the time, forced to please their parents, they could turn out to be people pleasers. They will try to please everyone around them, especially those in authority positions. Again, they lose their own identity in this way.

·         Their Future Relationships: Some children from such household may develop clingy behavior. For fear of losing their partner, they will go to any extent to keep the relationship going. On the other hand, some children, having seen so much of insecurity in their parent's lives, fear getting into any permanent relationships and sometimes show a tendency towards insecure relationships.

How to Tackle This Harsh Reality?

Children need a secure home to grow and flourish. Once you understand your addictions, try to take action in eradicating the habit. Once you have gotten rid of your habit, try to concentrate on your children's well being. The child may not exhibit very obvious signs of all the aggressive behaviors he has suffered, but take him to a psychologist see if anything needs to be done. May be put him in a rehab where he will slowly open up to the loving behaviors of the rehab authorities, and come back to the "mainstream" normal behaviors.

Effective Living Clinic

B-3/19, 0:1, Sector 3, Vashi

Navi Mumbai 400703

Tel: 9987223811 / 9969105310

www.effectivelivingclinic.com

Do's and don'ts to get fit by 31st December

With the New Year just round the corner, everyone wants to look their best for the multiple upcoming parties.

If you've spent much time staring wistfully at that hot outfit you wished you could wear come 31st December, then look no further. Nutritionist Rekha Sharma, President of the Indian Dietetics Association helps us understand diet do's and don'ts in order to get fit by 31st December.

To be clear: Weight loss can never function in a healthy manner within just a couple of weeks. What we are looking at today is a simple plan to avoid extra weight gain, bloating, and eating habits that help you be the fittest you can currently be. A healthy, balanced diet combined with adequate exercise is a must for a toned body that looks great all year round. As tempting as a crash diet might appear, it will only work to your advantage in the short term and the few pounds that you lose by denying your body proper nutrition will result in you feeling completely drained of energy- something you clearly don't want while celebrating the New Year!

Diet Do's
- Eat small portions at regular intervals through the day.
- Picking the right food is the key especially in such a short time frame.
- The meal should contain food which is high in proteins and fiber such as egg white, whole pulses and beans, low fat milk and milk products, whole grains, oats, beans, broccoli, papaya, orange, guava etc.
- Excessive consumption of foods high in fat should be avoided.
- Choose cooking oils that are high in MUFA (mono-unsaturated fat) as these fatty acids control bad cholesterol. Oil such as canola is the right option as it is healthy for the heart and free from bad cholesterol.

Diet Don'ts
- Food containing fat should not be completely eliminated from the diet as there are good fats such as omega 3 and mono-unsaturated fats which our body needs more.
- Fasting and skipping meals should be avoided, as when this happens the body goes into a conservation mode and the basal metabolic rate (BMR) falls, which results in preservation of energy leading to no weight loss. On the other hand small frequent meals keep the BMR boosted and exercise further raises it, thus leading to the weight loss.

Break a sweat!
Having regulated the intake of food, it is important to break down the fats that are already in our body. The quickest way to do that is by following a regular workout regime. In order to shed the fat, you need to break into a sweat! You can do that by doing aerobic exercises like running, swimming, cycling or pretty much anything that increases your heart rate and keeps it up. Stomach crunches alone will not help you lose weight and will only tone the muscles.

Staying active through the day is also a great way to get some additional exercise. Simple things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking a few extra steps everyday can keep you fitter than you think.

Effective Living Clinic

B-3/19, 0:1, Sector 3, Vashi

Navi Mumbai 400703

Tel: 9987223811 / 9969105310

www.effectivelivingclinic.com

Fibromyalgia: What You Need to Know

Jackie Yencha hit the wall at age 22. "I couldn't handle the pain any more," she says. "I was terribly fatigued, not feeling well, not sleeping well." But it took Yencha seven years to get an accurate diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Her first diagnosis -- reflex sympathetic dystrophy -- resulted in experimental surgery that did nothing to relieve her pain. In fact, numerous surgeries followed to correct the problems from that procedure. Years went by. Yencha was still in pain, still getting little sleep.

"I became desperate ... the pain never got better," Yencha tells WebMD. That's when she headed to the Cleveland Clinic, where comprehensive testing showed she had fibromyalgia.

"You need to find a doctor who will listen and who really knows fibromyalgia," says Yencha.

"A lot of doctors out there don't know much about it," she explains. "We hear from people all the time ... people in small towns who say no one here has ever heard of this."

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes disabling pain all over the body -- as well as stiffness and tenderness in muscles, tendons, and joints, experts say. It is most common among women ages 35 to 55.

Although it's one of the most common muscle problems, the cause is a mystery, fibromyalgia researchers say. There is no inflammation or joint damage, as occurs with arthritis. There is no damage to internal body organs, as with rheumatoid conditions like lupus. It is called fibromyalgia syndrome because it is identified by a collection of symptoms.

Indeed, the list of possible fibromyalgia symptoms is a long one:

·         Chronic muscle pain

·         Muscle spasms or leg cramps

·         Sleep problems

·         Severe fatigue

·         Anxiety

·         Depression

·         Morning stiffness

·         Headaches

·         Difficulty concentrating

·         Skin sensitivities

·         Irritability

·         Intestinal problems

But these are also common to liver disease, lupus, Lyme disease, thyroid dysfunction, heart disease, arthritis, degenerative joint disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and other disorders -- and therein lies the difficulty in diagnosing fibromyalgia.

How fibromyalgia develops is also a mystery. "The onset can be fairly abrupt, triggered by a motor vehicle accident or a mishap at work," says Steven Berney, MD, chief of rheumatology at Temple University Health System in Philadelphia. "Very quickly the condition sets in. You feel bruised for the next couple of days, but there's the expectation that whatever is disrupted will heal. When the pain doesn't wear off, it becomes clear something else is going on."

More typically, there is a gradual onset, Berney tells WebMD. "The pain becomes more severe over time. That's more difficult to diagnose. You're looking for something that set this off, and you can't find it."

Fibromyalgia research shows that the disorder seems to run in families. Recent studies show that genetic factors may predispose some people to fibromyalgia. An illness or injury that causes trauma to the body can make subtle fibromyalgia symptoms more apparent -- and more troublesome, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association.

"The pain is very real and markedly impedes their lives," Berney says. "People who were very active become disabled by pain and fatigue. 'I want my life back' becomes the charge."

The Tender Points of Pain With Fibromyalgia

While it's not clear what exactly triggers fibromyalgia, researchers are homing in on the basic mechanisms. Fibromyalgia  is considered a disorder of pain regulation. Patients have higher levels of two substances -- a nerve chemical called substance P, and nerve growth factor in the spinal fluid. They also have lower than normal levels of the brain chemical serotonin, as is also true with people suffering from depression and anxiety.

All this produces a dysfunction in the body's ability to process pain -- and creates supersensitive nerves throughout the body, explains Andrew J. Holman, MD, a rheumatology specialist at the University of Washington in Seattle. To make things worse, people with fibromyalgia have difficulty getting a good night's sleep -- so they constantly wake up feeling fatigued.

The result: Everyday sensations of discomfort and pain are amplified beyond the norm. Slight bumps and touches can cause disabling pain if you have fibromyalgia. This pain can be aggravated by outside factors -- noise, weather changes, and stress.

To figure out what's going on, doctors diagnose fibromyalgia by examining specific "tender points" on the body. "There are 18 specific tender points -- specific locations that are tender for everyone," says Holman. "But for people with fibromyalgia, these points are significantly more tender. People are more sensitive at those points. A dysfunction in the central pain processing amplifies their sensations."

Tenderness or pain in at least 11 of these 18 points is the hallmark of fibromyalgia, says Holman. Also, the pain is widespread on both sides of the body -- neck, buttocks, shoulders, arms, upper back, and chest. Tender points are around the elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, back of the head, and the breast bone.

Doctors test these tender points to make the fibromyalgia diagnosis. Yet it's not always so clear-cut what the widespread pain indicates. It takes a careful ear to discern what's really going on, explains Martin Grabois, MD, chairman of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

"Physicians are used to diagnoses like a herniated disc, where there's pain in a specific location," Grabois tells WebMD. "That's not so with fibromyalgia. Some pain is above the waist, some below the waist, at the shoulders, etc., and there are sleep disturbances, fatigue. These are symptoms of a number of diseases. They are not isolated to fibromyalgia."

The muscle pain can range from mild discomfort to severe enough that it limits a person's everyday life -- including work and social activities. The pain is often described as burning, gnawing, throbbing, stabbing, or aching. When the person relaxes, the pain may be more noticeable -- and less so when they're active.

Sleep Dysfunction Affects Pain Sensitivity

The sleep problems associated with fibromyalgia -- insomnia and fragmented sleep -- may be the root of the pain, says Holman. It deprives people of stage IV deep sleep, the non-rapid-eye-movement sleep that helps us feel refreshed in the morning.

Sleep Dysfunction Affects Pain Sensitivity continued...

Fibromyalgia research is showing that an automatic arousal is triggered in the brain during sleep, Holman tells WebMD. "The basic fight or flight response is activated at night while you're sleeping. The hormones epinephrine and adrenaline are released as the body becomes vigilant, aware. That causes the transition from deep restorative sleep into light sleep."

These disruptions rob the person of restorative processes that occur during deep sleep, he explains. "It's during deep sleep that most growth hormone is produced. Muscles regenerate and heal, and neurotransmitters are replenished in the brain. The body's ability to recuperate from the day's stresses -- including small pain sensations -- is believed to occur during deep sleep."

The brain has a "pain threshold," Holman adds. "During the day, low signals in the brain can be ignored and you continue doing what you're doing. But if the system is overwhelmed, at night the normally nonpainful stimuli become painful. Lack of deep sleep amplifies all sensations -- what we call central pain amplification."

"When people finally get deep restorative sleep, fibromyalgia improves substantially," Holman says. "But the best strategy to treat the sleep is not a sleeping pill. The strategy is to turn off the arousal in the brain stem that's interrupting the sleep. We want to allow people to sleep."

Difficulty Diagnosing Fibromyalgia

As with chronic pain, sleep problems are common -- and it's not always easy diagnosing fibromyalgia syndrome as the problem.

"The primary care doctor is at somewhat a disadvantage," Berney tells WebMD. "There are no specific tests for fibromyalgia diagnosis. To make a diagnosis, one has to make sure it's not something else -- lupus, thyroid dysfunction, rheumatoid arthritis. The list of possible diseases associated with these symptoms is fairly extensive. It's the vagueness of the symptoms that delays the diagnosis."

"You won't necessarily have all of the symptoms of these disorders, but you can have a component of each," says Grabois. "Patients often go to a lot of doctors trying to figure out what's wrong. The doctors are not familiar with fibromyalgia syndrome so they don't necessarily know the diagnostic criteria for it -- and they don't necessarily check for it."

Also, the level of misery is different for each patient, he points out. "Some have pain worse than others." For some, the pain is continuous. For others, it comes and goes. Some people wake up feeling like they have been exercising all night.

Getting a Correct Diagnosis

If you have seen several doctors -- yet still don't have relief -- see a specialist, Grabois advises. The National Fibromyalgia Association provides a list of specialists who understand the disease -- experts in pain management, rheumatology, and neurology.

The bitter sweet truth

All those sugar fixes have not been as nice to you as you think. If you have any of the following signs, you need to find another upper

It's five o'clock and you can't think of anything but shovelling a chocolate, a doughnut, an icecream, and if all else fails, a sachet of sugar into your face. It's all well to say you have a sweet tooth, but urgent sugar cravings could be symptomatic of many diseases. According to macrobiotic expert, Shonali Sabherwal, bad bacteria loves feeding on glucose. And the more it thrives, the more persuasive the sugar cravings get.

Experts say our bodies were not designed to take such a sugar overload. Not only is sugar addictive, it is also cunning. It creeps in through alcohol, breads, packaged juices, not to mention coffee and tea.

Gradually, it may comprise onethird of our meals and become an invisible crutch. Our body is not equipped to process so much sugar and this can lead to diabetes and cancer. It affects the functioning of the adrenalin and thyroid glands, energy levels and emotional well-being.

Recently, researchers from Yale University found that dramatic falls in blood sugar occur after eating 'bad' carbohydrates such as biscuits and affect the brain's ability to control impulses. This leaves you with more cravings for unhealthy food.

Symptoms

Sugar overload can show up in a host of seemingly unrelated symptoms:

Red pimples

Acne is closely related to fungi that feeds on sugar. You may owe those pimples to your love for sweets.

Candida infection

A reoccurring yeast infection in the vaginal area is an indicator of too much sugar in the diet. This may be accompanied by an irritable bowel syndrome (wind, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation). Bad bacteria thrive in sugar abundance.

Antibiotics

A long run of antibiotics or antacids can also trigger an overgrowth of bad bacteria. The former kills the good bacteria that keeps the bad one in check. As a result, the yeast goes off multiplies and feeds on sugar and expresses its craving through you. Bread and sugar are their dope of choice.

Mood swings, highs and lows

Are you often irritable when hungry? Does your mood change after you feed yourself? Do you reach out for a bar of chocolate when you are feeling low? Adrenal glands pump out the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol during times of stress. But if stress is a constant in your life, these glands may become burdened and sluggish. This makes us reach for our frenemy, sugar. Sugar sends our mood soaring, but only temporarily. It crashes to depression and anxiety as quickly.

Hair loss

High blood sugar levels can also cause hair fall, even in women. This is often seen in diabetics. If you've seen more than normal amount of strands in your hair brush or shower drain, get your blood sugar checked.

Tummy weight

If you tend to put on more weight around your stomach, blame your sugar addiction. Sugar substitutes, which are found in alcohol, low calorie, low carb foods and processed sweets such as pastries, cookies and candy, can't be absorbed by your GI tract completely. They cause a pot belly, bloating and gas.

Puffiness in the face

Too much sugar causes you to retain water, causing puffiness. Alcohol is sugar-fermented. When you mix your drink with aerated beverages or packaged juice, you add to the sugar content. It makes you feel dandy in the night, but come morning and your sins are written on your face.

Eat sugar away

Sabherwal looks at the yin and yang equation of sugar. Sugar is Yin (associated with expansion) and to control your sweet tooth, you need to balance it with Yang (associated with contraction) foods.

-Whole grains release naturally sustaining sugar through mastication.

-Cabbage, carrots, onions, red pumpkin and sweet potatoes are sources of natural sugar.

-Green vegetables also come under yang foods and help control sugar cravings. If you don't like the Indian garden variety of spinach, methi or shepu, eat broccoli or lettuce.

-Sugar also slips in through alcohol. Meat is the yang to this yin. If you are drinking, order a side of fish or lean chicken for balance.

-Quitting cold turkey will only lead to bingeing later. Shonali suggests the following measures as sugar rehab. Chop half a cabbage, half a red pumpkin, half a carrot, and an onion finely.

-Boil it in five cups of water on slow flame for two minutes. Strain and drink warm. Do this once a day, for a month. The ideal time would be in the afternoon, between 3 and 5 pm, when sugar cravings hit. It is supposedly a miracle drink that brings down sugar cravings.

-Jaggery and honey are simple sugars, but sugars nonetheless. You could use them to replace processed sugar, but it would be like replacing heroin with LSD.

-Switch to stevia, a natural sugar substitute. Stevia has a lower impact on blood sugar glucose and is 300 times more flavourful than normal sugar.

Is there a best time to exercise?

Not really, say experts. For most people the best time to do exercise is the best convenient time. If you are doing exercise at a particular time daily then you are more likely to see results.

It is often found that those who do exercise in the morning are more disciplined and are unlikely to skip exercise at any cost unlike those who do exercise in the late evening.

Though there are researches on exercise they are still limited. So it is difficult to fix the right time to exercise. "Some people can wake up early in the morning and can easily do exercise without fail. But others are lazy to get up early. So for them it is always better to do it according to their convenience," says Bindu S, a fitness expert.

But some research shows that you have more endurance in the late afternoon as the body temperature is at its highest and so strength and endurance are greater. "Not many can afford to workout when they feel like due to various family and work commitments. So even if you are doing your workouts at a time you despair, don't feel sorry for your body can easily adapt to any circumstance," says George Joseph, a personal trainer. George says more than the physical aspect missing the exercise routine can have psychological impacts. "The guilt feeling that you could not do the exercise can bring forth many negative emotions. This would affect your productivity the whole day.

So, the good news is, whether it is morning or late evening what matters is you do the exercise regularly.

So, happy exercising folks!

How to Avoid Osteoporosis with Vitamin D3

In today’s modern world, and more than ever before, there are demands on women to play multiple roles in their lives. These roles can include those of a daughter, sister, wife, daughter-in-law, mother, bread winner, house keeper and so many others. With each of these roles, and of course many can run in parallel, comes a separate set of responsibilities and demands. Motherhood is possibly the best ‘defining’ phase in a woman’s life but ironically it is this phase, when a woman almost stops caring for herself.  Motherhood changes her priorities in life - the conditional woman now becomes truly unconditional; but somewhere in this transition, the multifaceted woman neglects herself and is then vulnerable to a host of potential problems.

One of the most common diseases that women suffer from as they age is 'Osteoporosis.' This silent disease attacks the bones weakening them or sometimes making them brittle. This leads to joint pains, difficulty in walking and even fractures. Women, especially when raising children, also tend to have erratic eating habits which results in minimal intake of calcium and Vitamin D3. In fact, most women consume calcium but ignore an important fact that Vitamin D3 is essential for proper absorption of calcium in the gut and helps maintain adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations required to aid the process of bone mineralisation.

Vitamin D also plays other crucial roles in human physiology and its role cannot be ignored. It plays an important role in modulating cell growth, neuromuscular activity and immune function. Vitamin D has also been shown to reduce inflammation. Research has shown that Vitamin D also shields the body from hypertension (High BP), cancer and some autoimmune diseases.

Given the far-reaching effects Vitamin D deficiency can have, it is extremely important for both women and men to include sources of Vitamin D in their diet.  The RDA (recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 600 IU (15 mcg). However, there is an ongoing debate on whether the current RDA of 600 IU is good enough.

Sources of Vitamin D: Unfortunately, very few foods contain Vitamin D. Certain fishes like tuna, salmon and mackerel are good sources of Vitamin D. Eggs and fish liver oil also have small amounts of Vitamin D. The sun plays an important role in the production of Vitamin D in the skin; from which the vitamin derives its name as the ‘sunshine’ vitamin. Researchers say that most people may meet their Vitamin D needs from exposure to sunlight, but overexposure to sunlight also has its dangers.

Most health practitioners these days suggest consuming Vitamin-D fortified foods and moderate exposure to sunshine to maintain adequate Vitamin D levels.

The best way to find out if you have adequate Vitamin D is to talk to your physician and get a Vitamin D – 25 (OH) D test done. Start with a Vitamin-D fortified food supplement after discussing with your doctor.

Love it or hate it, but you cannot ignore the role of Vitamin D. So, don’t forget, no matter how hectic and demanding your lifestyle is to take care of yourself; eat well and  get out and take a walk in the sunshine to maintain good health.

Wishing you sunshine and good health!

Effective Living Clinic

B-3/19, 0:1, Sector 3, Vashi

Navi Mumbai 400703

Tel: 9987223811 / 9969105310

www.effectivelivingclinic.com

 

Are you a victim of body shaming?

How playing on someone's body image and constantly criticising them for the way they look, and carry themselves, can take a toll on your relationship in the long run Melissa D'costa

Recently an online dating service was in the news for using the photo of a scantily clad obese model (languishing suggestively) to promote its site. The site was in the news for helping to arrange online affairs for married people from USA, UK, Canada and Ireland. The promotional material encouraged men to cheat on their overweight wives and was slammed by the model for body shaming and promoting infidelity. However is there a connection between the two?

We look at how being picked on for the way you look, can weigh down your relationship.

The fat quotient

Sunita Tiwari, a housewife, shares her experiences on how being overweight made her feel inferior and affected her relationship with her husband. She says, "After marriage, I put on a few extra kilos and before I knew it I had all these extra pounds weighing me down. My husband who adored me before marriage, had been avoiding me. I felt like I was losing him and looking at myself in the mirror just made me more depressed. Looking back, I realise that it's important to work on yourself and not take things for granted. While it's okay to want someone to love you for what you are, it's also important to look and feel attractive for yourself."

Body shaming is not only limited to those who are overweight it also extends to include people who are underweight. Rachita Shah, who works in the glamour industry, adds, "I have been blessed with a good face but have had to work at maintaining the way I look. My job demands that I watch my weight. My boyfriend often remarks about me not having enough body mass and how it would make me more feminine. I feel stressed out and I am very conscious about my body image."

Why adultery is not the solution...

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and in an ideal world looks would not really matter. However, we cannot deny that it's one of the things that attracts and holds our interest. So, what do you do, when the person you fell in love changes drastically over the years. Should you use that as an excuse to cheat on them?

"Definitely not," says Dr Kurien S Thomas Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. He adds, "Adultery is not the solution but playing your cards wisely is. In a relationship looks matter but only to a certain extent. For any relationship to survive understanding, love and patience is vital. In a relationship when one person loses self-confidence due to body shaming it is the duty of the other partner to first instill confidence and make their partner comfortable. Empathise with your partner with your words and actions. Instead of comparing them to someone else, it would be wise to illustrate solutions that could make your partner feel desired. Also, encourage them to express how they feel. Criticising or comparing them to someone else is not going to solve anything and will only create more problems. It would be wise to seek professional help which could play a big role in getting desired results."

Dandruff a menace

Dandruff is a common chronic scalp condition marked by itching and flaking of the skin on your scalp. Although dandruff isn't contagious and is rarely serious, it can be embarrassing and sometimes difficult to treat.

The good news is that dandruff usually can be controlled. Mild cases of dandruff may need nothing more than daily shampooing with a gentle cleanser. More stubborn cases of dandruff often respond to medicated shampoos.

For most teens and adults, dandruff symptoms are easy to spot: white, oily looking flakes of dead skin that dot your hair and shoulders, and an itchy, scaling scalp. The condition may worsen during the fall and winter, when indoor heating can contribute to dry skin, and improve during the summer.

A type of dandruff called cradle cap can affect babies. This disorder, which causes a scaling, crusty scalp, is most common in newborns, but it can occur anytime during infancy. Although it can be alarming for parents, cradle cap isn't dangerous and usually clears up on its own by the time a baby is a year old.

When to see a doctor
Most cases of dandruff don't require a doctor's care. But if you're still scratching your head after several weeks of experimenting with over-the-counter (OTC) dandruff shampoos, or if your scalp becomes red or swollen, see your doctor or dermatologist. You may have seborrheic dermatitis or another condition that resembles dandruff. Often your doctor can diagnose the problem simply by looking at your hair and scalp.

Causes

Dandruff can have several causes, including:

·         Dry skin. Simple dry skin — the kind you get during winter when the air is cold and rooms are overheated — is the most common cause of itchy, flaking dandruff. Flakes from dry skin are generally smaller and less oily than those from other causes of dandruff, and you'll likely have symptoms and signs of dry skin on other parts of the body, such as your legs and arms.

·         Irritated, oily skin (seborrheic dermatitis). This condition, one of the most frequent causes of dandruff, is marked by red, greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales. Seborrheic dermatitis may affect not only your scalp, but also other areas rich in oil glands, such as your eyebrows, the sides of your nose and the backs of your ears, your breastbone, your groin area, and sometimes your armpits.

·         Not shampooing often enough. If you don't regularly wash your hair, oils and skin cells from your scalp can build up, causing dandruff.

·         Psoriasis. This skin disorder causes an accumulation of dead skin cells that form thick, silvery scales. Psoriasis commonly occurs on your knees, elbows and trunk, but it can also affect your scalp. It may be difficult to differentiate from seborrheic dermatitis if only the scalp is involved.

·         Eczema. If you have eczema anywhere on your body, it could also be on your scalp, possibly leading to the development of dandruff.

·         Sensitivity to hair care products (contact dermatitis). Sometimes sensitivities to certain ingredients in hair care products or hair dyes, especially paraphenylene diamine (PPD), can cause a red, itchy, scaling scalp. Shampooing too often or using too many styling products also may irritate your scalp, causing dandruff.

·         A yeast-like fungus (malassezia). Malassezia lives on the scalps of most healthy adults without causing problems. But sometimes it grows out of control, feeding on the oils secreted by your hair follicles. This can irritate the skin on your scalp and cause more skin cells to grow. The extra skin cells die and fall off, clumping with oil from your hair and scalp, making them appear white and flaky in your hair or on your clothes. Most often this eruption is identical to or closely resembles seborrheic dermatitis.

Exactly what causes an overgrowth of malassezia isn't known, although having too much oil on your scalp; changes in your hormones; stress; illness; neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease; a suppressed immune system; not shampooing often enough; and extra sensitivity to the malassezia fungus may contribute to the development of dandruff.

Almost anyone can have dandruff, but certain factors can make you more susceptible:

·         Age. Dandruff usually begins in young adulthood and continues through middle age. That doesn't mean older adults don't get dandruff, however. For some people, the problem can be lifelong.

·         Being male. Because more men have dandruff, some researchers think male hormones may play a role in dandruff. Men also have larger oil-producing glands on their scalps, which can contribute to dandruff.

·         Oily hair and scalp. Malassezia feeds on oils in your scalp. For that reason, having excessively oily skin and hair makes you more prone to dandruff.

·         Poor diet. If your diet lacks foods high in zinc, B vitamins or certain types of fats, you may be more likely to have dandruff.

·         Certain illnesses. For reasons that aren't clear, adults with neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, are more likely to develop seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. So are people recovering from stressful conditions, particularly heart attack and stroke, and those with compromised immune systems.

Remedies to keep dandruff away:

In addition to regular shampooing, you can take steps to reduce your risk of developing dandruff:

·         Learn to manage stress. Stress affects your overall health, making you susceptible to a number of conditions and diseases. It can even help trigger dandruff or worsen existing symptoms.

·         Shampoo often. If you tend to have an oily scalp, daily shampooing may help prevent dandruff.

·         Cut back on styling products. Hair sprays, styling gels, mousses and hair waxes can all build up on your hair and scalp, making them oilier.

·         Eat a healthy diet. A diet that provides enough zinc, B vitamins and certain types of fats may help prevent dandruff.

·         Get a little sun. Sunlight may be good for dandruff. But because exposure to ultraviolet light damages your skin and increases your risk of skin cancer, don't sunbathe. Instead, just spend a little time outdoors. And be sure to wear sunscreen on your face and body.

For more details contact www.effectivelivingclinic.com