Every woman knows the symptoms: the bloating, weight gain and mood swings that occur a few days before their period. This is Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS — the physical and emotional disturbances that occur in the second half of your menstrual cycle and end with the onset of your period. The symptoms vary from woman to woman and from month to month. Read more…
Every woman is born with a pair of ovaries each about the size and shape of an almond, located in the pelvis. During menstrual cycle, ovaries grow tiny cyst-like structures called ovarian follicles which produce Estrogen and Progesterone hormones that regulate menstration and pregnancy. Read more…
Resistance is growing against the strongest treatment for children with malaria in Kenya, reports the journal of Infectious Tropical Diseases.
The fixed dosed Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) syrup is regarded as the most effective paediatric drug.
Another study shows growing resistance of malaria parasites in western Cambodia to arteminisinin-based pesticides. Research in last month’s edition of New England Journal of Medicine confirms that it takes longer to clear the parasites in the blood of Cambodian patients.
In the new study, researchers studied 40 patients in western Cambodia and north-western Thailand. While it took 48 hours for the parasite to be cleared from Thai patients, clearance took 84 hours in the Cambodian patients the study showed. Infection recurrence rates were also higher in the Cambodian patients.
Its not 100 per cent resistance, but the parasites are much less sensitive or partly resistant,” lead author Arjen M Dondorp told scidev.net, an online publication on science and development. “That is very worrying because that is the big step to complete resistance.
The WHO essential medicines list is predominantly for adults. “Children cannot be treated as little adults when it comes to medicines, says Dr J L Amugada, a leading Nairobi paediatrician. Paediatric formulation are prepared according to the body weight of the child-patient and it guarantees better therapy fidelity.
Published on the Standard on 13/08/2009 By Dann Okoth
Visiting your dentist at least twice a year for check ups and cleaning can prevent many dental problems and maintain optimal oral health.Dentists deal with the prevention and treatment of diseases and malformations of the teeth, gums, and oral cavity, and the removal, correction and replacement of decayed, damaged or lost teeth.
During your visit you may encounter many terminologies but do not be intimidated. Paedodontics dentists are dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy to their teen years. Orthodontics deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities by a variety of appliances and methods, including braces, for straightening the teeth.
Periodontal (gum) disease is a serious disease that begins with bacterial growth in the mouth via plaque and calculus deposits. They destroy the attachment fibres and supporting bone that hold your teeth in place. Majority of adults have some form of disease resulting in bad breath, red swollen or bleeding gums and eventual tooth loss. They are treated by removal of plaque and calculus by scaling and other methods.
Prosthodontics is the replacement for missing teeth. Two types of dentures are available including complete — when all teeth are missing — and partial — when some natural teeth are present. Restorative dentistry involves fillings, root canals, crowns and bridges. A tooth with a cavity must be filled before the cavity gets any larger. The tooth needs to be with durable materials including silver or white fillings.
Published on the Standard on 20/08/2009 by Dr Sameer Yakub
The writer is a dentist at Aga Khan University Hospital
If you do not smoke or drink excessively, what you eat may influence your health more than other actions.
Eight of 10 leading causes of death including coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes are diet related. Read more…
The number of
calories in food is a measure of how much potential energy the food
possesses. Your body burns these calories to release their stored
energy for its use. If you weigh 68kg, your body uses only about 1,800
calories per day to do everything you need to stay alive. Your body is
also extremely efficient at storing excess calories in the form of fat.
It takes only 3,500 excess calories to create about half a kilo of new
fat in your body.
So if you
are taking in just 500 extra calories daily, then you will gain about
half a kilo of fat per week. This is the idea behind most diets — and
most fail because they are not sustainable. When the person returns to
normal eating, the weight returns as well. What you need is a
sustainable diet and exercise plan that lets you live a normal life,
eat normal foods in a normal way and still maintain a normal and
healthy weight.
Consider food
the way you would a drug; you have to take it correctly in small doses.
Take in a slow controlled supply of nutrients and not a large dose at
once. Unfortunately, our eating habits involve imbibing large amounts
at a sitting.
Daily calorie limit
Get
a qualified nutritionist to help you do this. Start by counting the
calories you consume in a day. Build a food calorie database so that
you know, just how many calories you are taking in whenever you eat
something. Then pick your ‘ideal weight’ and calculate how many
calories a day you can consume to maintain that weight using the ‘12
calories per 0.45kg’ rule. Compare these two figures and you will be
surprised by the difference between the number of calories you need and
number of calories you take in per day.
This
is where the extra kilos are coming from. You can bring these two
numbers in line by watching and counting everything you eat and drink
every day and sticking to your daily limit. You will soon realise that
1,600, 1,800 or 2,000 calories per day is not too much.
Recording your feeding
Be
conscious of every calorie you consume by keeping a daily record of
everything you eat and drink. Cut out all calories that enter your body
through drinking by taking only water. You take in 140 calories when
you drink 300mls of orange juice but it does nothing to curb your
appetite. Eat the orange instead, which contains fewer calories, the
flesh fills you up and chewing the orange has a psychological effect on
your appetite.
Cut out empty calories like white sugar (contained in foods like cookies and cakes) and fried foods in whatever form.
Eat low-density foods
Replace
high-density foods with low-density ones. A cookie is a high-density
food and contains a lot of calories due to high sugar and fat contents.
A banana, on the other hand, is low-density food, which fills you up
without giving you as many calories. It takes many bites to eat a
banana, yet you only take in only 100 calories.
Most people would not find it hard to eat a dozen cookies — about 600 calories.
But
imagine trying to eat six bananas at one sitting — you would explode!
Yet the two contain an equal quantity of calories. Finally, add
exercise to the mix to raise the number of calories you are burning.
Burning about 500 calories per day through exercise can make a big
difference to your weight.
Fitting in exercise
In
an attempt to be fit, you join a gym and go once or twice a week. For
two hours or so, you work up a sweat and believe that you have done
something good for your health because your muscles ache after pumping
weights and you get sore all over. But is this true? The answer is no.
You need regular physical exercise on an ongoing basis and cramming an
overdose that makes us sore into two or three days is not the answer.
Exercise
for at least 30 minutes and try to exercise every day because it is
easier to remember to do something if you do it every day. Aerobic
exercise helps control your weight by increasing the number of calories
you burn in a day. Fit micro-exercises into your daily life. Instead of
taking the elevator, take the stairs. Park farther away from the
supermarket when you go shopping.
These
little things add up. Exercise with a partner. A partner will also help
make exercise a routine. Wear form-fitting clothes instead of sweats.
The tight clothing acts as a reminder of what you are trying to
accomplish.
The standard - 04/09/2009
In our busy lives, time can often seem in short supply so it’s important that couples make the most of their time together
On rainy days
1. Clear out the garage, attic, cupboards or wardrobes* - it really doesn’t matter as long as you do it together.
2. Go charity shopping. While away the hours browsing for books, CDs, games, retro clothing, bric-a-brac. You could try a carboot sale or trawl round some antique shops.
3. Get some exercise. Go swimming or enjoy a walk in the rain.
4. Enjoy a movie marathon.* Visit the video shop, stack up on snacks and spend the day being film critics.
5. Visit an art gallery. Find an exhibition in your area.
6. Step back in time and visit a museum. Many of the buildings themselves deserve a look and you never know you might learn something at the same time!
8. Discover yourself. Bookshops and the internet offer a wealth of personal-profiling tools, which can help you find out your personality type, your IQ or your relationship style.
9. Make something,* such as a coffee table, some shelves, a bird table, pottery dishes, vases, face sculpture, candles or soap. Craft shops are full of ideas.
10. Go to the football or rugby.* Even if you’re not into the sport, you’ll find the atmosphere electric. Especially if your team is playing their arch rivals!
11. Have an evening of pick’n'mix. Take a look at the TV and create a night of entertainment.
On sunny days
12. Go for a stroll* - anywhere you like.
13. Take a hike. Find a nice big hill and see who can fall into an exhausted heap at the top first.
14. Go for a bike ride.* Like walking, cycling can be energetic or gentle - it’s up to you. But either way it’s sure to give your health a boost!
15. Hire a boat. Choose from an energetic canoe ride, a romantic row down the river or the wind in your hair in a sailing boat.
16. Visit the park.* Spend the day on the swings or play a game of tennis.
17. Take to horseback. Look in your local directory for places that offer riding lessons (you may need to book in advance). Or better still, along a beautiful beach!
18. Be risky. Try some exptreme sports - skydiving, rock climbing, potholing, ballooning, motor racing… the list is endless. (You’ll definitely need to book ahead, though.)
19. Visit a stately home.* You might even get some inspiration for your own love nest!
20. Obey your animal instincts by visiting a zoo or farm.* Relax as you wander round the park. And if you don’t like spiders you can always go and talk to the monkeys!
21. Remember the picnic.* To make all the above even more enjoyable, don’t forget to pack some gorgeous food and wine.
At the weekend
22. Walk this way - the Cotswold Way, the South Downs Way, the Milky Way…
23. Go youth hostelling.* There are many hostels around catering for individuals, couples and families - and they’re cheap. Can you guess where?
24. Take a city break. Look at Kenya options as well as those in in other countries.
25. Book a themed weekend break. There are plenty of options, from murder mystery tours to salsa dancing to yoga.
26. Go camping,* either in your own back garden or at one of the hundreds of specialised sites around the country. Staying put will give your children the chance to learn more about their surroundings…
27. Visit friends or relatives.* Take the chance to spend time with people in another part of the country. If they can’t put you up for the night, book into a B&B.
28. Indulge and pamper yourself at a health farm.
29. Pick any room in your house and give it a complete makeover.
30. Spring clean the house or give your garden a serious sort out. Make sure you take regular breaks and treat yourself to a delicious takeaway or meal out in the evening.
When the children are in bed
31. Play games, whether they’re board games, computer games, card games or naughty games…
32. Work your mind with brain-teasers, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords or quiz books. See how your IQ rates against the rest of the nation!
33. Pamper each other. Give your partner a massage, manicure and pedicure. We all need a little pampering sometimes!
34. Rent a film to suit your mood, be it a comedy, weepy, romance or horror movie.
35. Star gaze. Lie in the garden and see if you can name the constellations.
36. Have a blind food tasting.
37. Enjoy a romantic dinner for two: light those candles, put on some soft music and get out the posh crockery. As if you needed an excuse to indulge!
38. Have a picnic in the garden.
39. Put on a themed evening.
40. Drag out the duvet, make two cups of hot chocolate and snuggle up on the sofa or in front of the fire.
41. Read the same book and compare notes.
42. Dig out the photos and enjoy a night of nostalgia. Or if you want to get more involved, why not take some of your own portraits? You could be the next icon!
43. Try a new recipe together. Have a go at Thai, Indian, Greek - whatever tickles your taste buds.
44. Learn a language.
45. Go internet shopping.Why not treat each other to a surprise? Buy online and then wait for it to arrive!
46. Compose something: a poem, a story or - if you’re feeling musical - a song.
For an evening out
47. Go to the theatre. It could be the Palladium or, if the budget’s tight, your local am-dram group. Find out what’s near you or pack your overnight bag and make a weekend of it!
48. Get some exercise. Go swimming or to the gym, or play a game of badminton or squash.
49. Have an evening of ten-pin bowling.* Or join your local bowling club. Many are opening their doors to a wider range of participants!
50. Attend a concert. Try something different, such as jazz, classical or rock.
51. Go to the dogs* - but agree before you go how much you’re willing to lose in bets.
52. Enjoy a few drinks at your local pub, and keep a look out for quiz nights and local bands. They say music is the food of love!
53. Join an evening class. There’s a huge range available, from poetry and dancing, to local history, cooking and wine tasting.
54. Have a leisurely dinner. Whether it’s cheap and cheerful or top-class nosh, enjoy the chance for uninterrupted conversation.
55. Go to the cinema. Slip into the back row and enjoy the latest blockbuster.
When you’ve only got an hour to spare
56. Have a fight* - with balloons or pillows rather than words. Or if you’re worried to be more loving, why not indulge in some sensual touching…
57. Have a bath with oodles of bubbles.
58. Eat in bed, whether it’s breakfast time or not. Make it all the more special by preparing an aphrodisiac meal!
59. Use your limited time to plan what you’ll do when you have a whole evening to yourselves.
60. Start researching your family tree, then add to it every time you have an hour to spare.
61. Bake a cake* or anything you’ll enjoy eating together.
62. Do a fitness video together, whether it’s aerobics, Pilates or yoga.
63. Do an online quiz.
Romantic gestures
64. Say “I love you”
65. Give each other a hug
66. Leave a love note, in a briefcase or on the TV screen. Or request a love song on the radio.
67. Blow a kiss - or just start flirting outrageously!
68. Give flowers.
69. Keep in touch. When you’re apart, send a text or email, or pick up the phone.
70. Write “I love you” in lipstick on the mirror or in glow-in-the-dark chalk on the front wall.
* Child-compatible activities (depending on the age of the child)
The ‘eatwell plate’ helps people get the appropriate balance of foods and nutrients in their daily diet.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay active
The key to a healthy balanced diet is not to ban or omit any foods or food groups but to balance what you eat by consuming a variety of foods from each food group in the right proportions for good health.
The five food groups on the eatwell plate are:
Fruit and vegetables
These should make up about a third of your daily diet and can be eaten as part of every meal, as well as being the first choice for a snack.
You should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Research suggests this can help to protect against cancer, obesity and various chronic diseases such as heart disease. This is because of the unique package of nutrients and plant compounds they contain.
Bread, rice, potatoes and pasta
This food group should also make up about a third of your diet and contains the starchy carbohydrates that are the body’s main source of energy.
When selecting products from this food group, choose unrefined carbohydrates over those that have been refined, as they will contain the whole of the grain. Wholegrain foods are rich in fibre and other nutrients that have many health benefits, and people who consume wholegrains seem to have a reduced risk of certain cancers, diabetes and coronary heart disease.
The final third of the eatwell plate is made up of three groups containing foods that need to be consumed in smaller proportions than the other two principal categories. These food groups also contain nutrients essential to our diet, so it’s important not to leave them out altogether.
Milk and dairy foods
These should be eaten in moderation because of their high saturated fat content, but they’re an important source of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Choose low-fat or reduced-fat versions.
Meat, fish, eggs and beans
This food group includes both animal and plant sources of protein, which is a major functional and structural component of all cells. Protein provides the body with between 10 and 15 per cent of its dietary energy, and is needed for growth and repair.
Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar
This group makes up the smallest section on the eatwell plate and includes foods that should only be eaten sparingly because, although they’re an important energy source, they contain very few nutrients and are often known as ‘empty calories’.
Foods from this group are high in unhealthy components such as saturated fat, trans fatty acids, sugar and salt - all of which are associated with an increased risk of developing certain diseases.
They should only be eaten as occasional treats, or to increase the palatability of other important foods (such as olive oil on salads, a scraping of spread on bread, or a sprinkling of sugar on some tart fruits).
How to eat a balanced diet
Eat a variety of foods to obtain all of the essential nutrients
Too much as well as too little can be bad for you – balance is required
Everyone’s plate will look slightly different as we all have different requirements depending on our body’s shape and size, and our levels of activity.
Most people list being faithful as one of the top three essentials in a successful relationship. But the fact is, people cheat. This article looks at why people have affairs and whether it’s possible for a relationship to survive one.
Why affairs happen
There are as many reasons why people have affairs as there are people. But usually an affair is an external sign of an internal desire for change. Something in the person’s life or the relationship isn’t OK - and the affair creates the trigger for change.
Affairs aren’t only about sex. In fact, relationship experts maintain that any intimate activity between two people that breaches the trust of a partner constitutes an affair.
Is your relationship at risk?
Here are some common causes of affairs
Relationship problems - if you’re unhappy in your relationship you’ll be more tempted to look elsewhere.
Boredom - if you’re bored with your life, an affair may seem like an adventure.
Low self-esteem - you may need reassurance that you’re attractive and loveable.
Types of affairs
Although there are many reasons for affairs, most fall into one of four categories:
The boat-rocking affair - when one partner has an underlying dissatisfaction with the relationship. The affair is an unconscious way of drawing attention to the problem and bringing things into the open.
The exit affair - when an affair is used to get out of a relationship. Rather than confront the fact that a relationship isn’t working, an affair forces the issue.
The thrill affair - the illicit nature of an affair brings with it an adrenaline rush. Add to that the excitement of sex with someone new and the romantic trimmings of a fresh relationship, and it can seem irresistible.
The three’s company affair - can go on for years; it can also describe a string of successive affairs. Some people find it difficult to commit to one person; they feel stifled by monogamy and fear putting all their emotional eggs in one basket. Having a third person on the scene can provide an outlet for difficult emotions.
Tips to help avoid affairs
Be open - honesty is the key to avoiding affairs. Share any temptations with your partner and agree to support each other.
Be close - build and maintain emotional and sexual intimacy in your relationship. The closer you are, the stronger you are.
Be smart - don’t slip into complacency: everyone is vulnerable to temptation.
Be alert - if you find yourself feeling attracted to someone, take action to avoid getting any closer.
Behave - if you’d describe yourself as a natural flirt, remember: if you don’t want to get burned, don’t play with fire.
When affairs are discovered
Whether the discovery of an affair is gradual or sudden, shock is the first emotion you’re likely to experience.
When the shock wears off, you may be left with feelings of anger, sadness, confusion and perhaps embarrassment, especially if you were the one being unfaithful.
Most people find themselves wondering how this could have happened and questioning whether there can be any future for their relationship.
Surviving the affair
Trust is essential for a healthy relationship, and it’s something we often take for granted until it’s gone. If you’re the one that’s had the affair, you’ll need to work hard at reassuring your partner that it’s them you truly love and that you’ve learnt from your mistake.
If you’re the one who’s been cheated, you may find yourself asking questions for a long time. But as time passes, you’ll find yourself feeling more secure and confident about your relationship.
Trust only takes a moment to break, but much, much longer to rebuild. At first it may feel that your relationship will never recover, but with hard work and patience it can survive. An affair always signals a turning point in a relationship - but it doesn’t have to signal the end.
If you’re tired of life as a singleton then it can pay to be a bit more original when you meet a potential date. Initiating conversation can be difficult - we all want to avoid cheesy chat up lines. But done right, chatting someone up can be a lot of fun.
Approach scenarios
You have to create opportunities where you can subtly talk to someone without it feeling like you’re chatting them up!
This means thinking of ‘approach scenarios’ rather than just chat-up lines. Create a situation where you can start a conversation and be adventurous in the way you go about it. It doesn’t have to be in a bar, party or club, supermarkets are also ideal places to meet people.
Make sure you’re looking good; prepare yourself as if you are going out (dress accordingly, even if it’s only a supermarket you still want to look the business).
Choose a trolley rather than a basket as this offers you more mobility. Scrutinise the trolleys and baskets of fellow shoppers - when you notice the frozen meal for one or a lone bottle of chardonnay make your approach.
The wine section is always a good choice. Ice breakers you could use are: “Excuse me, sorry to interrupt but I’m cooking pasta tonight and only usually drink white wine - my guests are all into red, can you recommend something?” or “Excuse me (again ’sorry to interrupt’ shows good manners, another attractive quality) I wonder if you can help me, I know nothing about white wine could you recommend something to go with salmon steaks?”.
Now you have instigated the conversation, the wheels are in motion!
A note for men
Take care when chatting women up that you don’t come on too strong as a woman on her own could find this intimidating. Also, women are naturally more helpful and ready to assist and don’t mind providing assistance altruistically without a need for gain or reward. While seeking advice make sure you’re getting the ’she’s interested signals’ and not in ‘general help mode’. Tracey Cox’s feature on flirting and the five secret sexual signals should help you in this department - see Related Links.
A note for women
It’s important to remember that men function on a different level to women. If they’re attracted to you or interested they’ll not only talk about the wine, they’ll enquire about the dish you’re cooking and find any excuse to keep the conversation going.
Match your listener’s mood
One third of initial impressions come from how we say things. The tone, inflection and delivery are very important. (Tracey Cox’s feature on body language and the five secret sexual signals has more about this.)
One of the key things in initiating conversation is to match your listener’s mood, even if it’s just for a moment, because misreading this can kill the conversation from the outset.
When you approach someone who’s caught your eye you have to make a quick judgement. Gauge whether they’re buoyant, quiet or bored and then adjust your tone accordingly.
Also, your approach will have to be a little different, depending on where you are. In the park for instance, you need to have a light and easy banter - “Where’s the café or pavilion?” whereas in a pub or club you can be a bit more cheeky and flirty.
Five tips for success
1. Avoid cheesy chat up lines and focus more on ‘approach scenarios’.
2. Ask questions and show a genuine interest in what the other person is saying.
3. Match your listener’s mood.
4. Having engaged your potential date in conversation don’t over-stay your welcome. Remember less is more!
5. When you’ve secured the phone number of your potential date it’s a good idea to text message them (if they have a mobile). Texting means there is no pressure on either side.