know your vitamin rda
January 28, 2008
10 Things Everyone Should Know About Vitamin RDA
The Recommended Dietary Allowance of the different vitamins are measurements of the vitamin requirements of each person on a daily basis. Essential nutrients should be taken in levels that adequately meet the demands of the body, hence the creation of RDA.
For awareness, everyone should know these things about vitamin RDA.
1. RDA differs with age and the size of the body which is dependent on the genetic materials found in the chromosomes of each individual.
2. RDA also depends on the different state of physiology of each body like if the person is lactating or pregnant, whether the person is male or female and the growth rate as well.
3. Special RDA requirements vary. For example, meeting the anti-aging RDA that attempts to reverse a diseased condition is much higher than in normal individuals. Strict compliance to RDA is recommended for the prevention of rickets or scurvy.
4. Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, when taken in excessive amounts, won’t lead to overdose and the excess is simply excreted in the urine. But with other vitamins, taking excessive amounts leads to over dosage that leads to disease.
5. There is a common misconception that multivitamins may actually be harmful to the body. In most cases, taking multivitamins containing 100% of all the necessary vitamins isn’t considered harmful to the body.
6. Not all vitamins are recommended to be taken regularly. Vitamin K, one that is responsible for blood clotting, is only given to a patient when necessary. It can only be bought with a prescription.
7. Pre-natal vitamins are specially designed for pregnant women because of some of the more concentrated vitamins needed by the growing fetus.
8. With vitamins in pill form, only 10-15% of the nutrients is absorbed by the body. The rest is simply excreted in the urine or feces. This is because the body can absorb the vitamins better from food than from pills.
9. You shouldn’t be dependent on vitamins to complete the nutrient needs of the body. The body also needs carbohydrates, fats and proteins for it to be healthy. These should come from whole food products.
10. There is a move to adjust the RDA in some vitamins. Studies have found that there are certain vitamins that require larger doses while there are those that should only be given in smaller portions. These things each one of us should be aware of so that we know what exactly is needed by our bodies.
pains during growth in children
January 27, 2008
Pains during Growth in Children
Growing pain is part and parcel of the growing phase in a child’s life. When the child stops growing so will the growing pain and when adolescence is reached, they disappear completely. Growing pain can occur between three to five years or eight to twelve years of age. Growing pains are usually experienced in the legs usually in the calves, in the area in front of thighs and behind the knees. The pain starts either in the afternoon or night, just before bedtime. The child can go to bed pain free, but can wake up in the middle of the night complaining of throbbing pain in the legs. But the good part is that these pains vanish by morning. About twenty five to forty percent of the children are known to experience growing pain.
Growing pains are experienced in the muscle region and not around the bones or joints. One of the major reasons of getting growing pains is because of the strenuous activities of the kids during the day. All the jumping around, running and climbing make the muscles tired. But no evidence has been collected which can prove that the growing pain is caused by bone growth. Growing pains are also known to be caused by spurt of growth. This happens because the tendons or the muscles are too tight and do not synchronize with the growing of the bones. As a results muscle spasms are caused which last for less than fifteen minutes. The child usually gets pain in both the legs and not just one. And usually, growing pains do not get accompanied with redness, swelling or fever. The pain should be over by morning and if it is still persisting after the awakening of the kid, the problem could be related to something else and more serious.
If the pain is unbearable, the parent or caretaker should administer pain relieving medications which are available over the counter such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Aspirin should not be given to children as they have a tendency to develop a very serious illness known as Reye Syndrome. Heating pads can be placed on the region that is hurting to ease the pain. Massage can also be given by the parent or the child can do stretching exercise to help the muscles relax. If the child develops fever, redness, swelling, tenderness, limitation in movement, or if the child limps while walking, the doctor should be approached. Before that the parent can do a little diagnosis of the intensity of the pain by feeling around the area and observing the pain experienced by the child. The pain shouldn’t be so intense that the child is abstained from normal routine such as walking, running or playing.
The doctor conducts the diagnosis of exclusion to understand the problem. According to this diagnosis, it is not made until all the conditions are checked before considering growing pains. The doctor studies the child’s medical history and conducts a physical examination. In some serious cases, the doctor advices to go for X-ray or blood test before the final decision is made.
Children can prevent the growing pains by doing stretching exercises on a daily basis. The exercise need not be complex. Even if the pain subsides, the exercise should be continued so as to keep the tendons and muscles relaxed and to adjust with the growth spurt. Fluids, when taken in good quantity, decrease the cramping. For this reason, the child should be given tonic water or quinine before going to bed.
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know what vitamins you need
January 24, 2008
What You Need to Know About Your Vitamins
Vitamins are important for all of us. You may think that taking vitamins daily is a good thing to do or maybe because your mother gave you vitamins when you were young. On the other hand, some people don’t take vitamins at all because of the belief that they don’t do anything for the body because they think that it is just passing through our system and will be flushed out. The truth is, vitamins are necessary to sustain our life. They are the daily nutrition that is required for all of us.
Many of us are exhausted by the end of the day caused by excessive work and a stressful atmosphere; these are the times when vitamins are truly helpful. The requirement for vitamins increases as we grow older. Our body needs vitamins to keep us healthy and help us perform well every day. Because some people tend to shy away from vitamins, they are the ones who have the high probability of having disorders and diseases. The Food and Drug Administration labeled the food products that vitamin intake is very important; this just means that taking vitamins is mandatory.
Not all vitamins are the same, always make sure that you know which vitamins are fat soluble and which of them are water soluble. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble vitamins. These vitamins are stored in fatty tissue and the liver. When the body needs them, it just take what it needs and the body doesn’t drive them out. If the body will take more than it needs, it will be stored in our body and it will then build up in our system causing serious health problems. You can ask your physician about your daily intake of these kinds of vitamins.
The other kind is the water soluble vitamins. Vitamins C, B1, B2, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid biotin are the water soluble vitamins. These vitamins are expelled out the from the body unlike the fat soluble vitamins. Thus, it has no chance of building up. So for the people who take a lot of vitamins every day need to know which are fat soluble and water soluble. The first thing to do is to consult your physician to make sure what vitamins you need.
We need to take care of our bodies, because this is the only one that we have. We must pay attention to all the needs of our body, sustain our life with vitamins to keep us going all day long.
motion sickness in children
January 21, 2008
Motion Sickness in Children
Children usually feel sick in the stomach when travelling in a car, airplane, boat or train. This sickness is known as motion sickness. This sickness is caused by reception of wrong signals by eyes, muscles, skin receptors, and inner ears.
While travelling, different body parts send different signals to the brain. Eyes see things around and it sends signals about the direction of movement while in motion. The joint sensory receptors and muscles send signals about the movement of the muscles and the position in which the body is. The skin receptors send signals about the parts of the body which are in contact with the ground. The inner ears have a fluid in the semicircular canals. This fluid senses motion and the direction of motion like forward, backward, up, down, circular, or to and fro. When the brain gets timely reports from the various body parts, it tries to find a relation between all the signals and then sketches a picture about the body’s movement and position at a particular instant. But when the brain isn’t able to find a link and isn’t able to draw a picture out of the received signals, the condition called motion sickness is experienced.
For example, if a child is riding in a car and reading something at the same time, the eyes will see stationary book. But the skin receptors and the inner ears will sense the body moving in a forward direction. The eyes and the muscle receptors will send signals that the body is not moving. This confuses the brain and everything is jumbled up in the head. This makes the child dizzy, sick in the stomach and even tired. There is a possibility of the child throwing up, so it is recommended that the parents carry a sick bag each time they are travelling with kids. And if the child is feeling anxious or scared, the condition can deteriorate further.
Although there are medicines available over the counter to deal with motion sickness, some measures should be taken to avoid medicine and also motion sickness. The child should always be made to sit facing in the forward direction. He/she should not face or sit backwards, nor should he be made to sit in a seat facing backwards. This helps the ears and the eyes to send similar kind of signal. It is good if the kid isn’t involved in some kind of activity like reading, playing video games or something which is stationary. He/she must be asked to look outside, especially at things which are located at a distance. The same applies when travelling in an airplane. When travelling in a boat, the child can go to the upper deck and look at the horizon. Basically, the child must be made to concentrate at things which are located at a distance and are in motion. When looking at something stationary, the eyes get confused and send wrong signals.
It also helps to sit in a place which is moving the least. Usually, it is the center point of the body, so the more close the child sits to the center, the better. Like when in an airplane, it is good to sit in seats in the middle aisle and not in those which are located near the wings. If the child is sitting in the center of the boat, instead of the front or the side, the lesser seasick the child will feel. In spite of all these measures if the child is still feeling sick a doctor should be consulted. The doctor checks the inner ears for any defect. He will also check other body parts which are responsible for sensing motion. Apart from medicine, pressure bracelets are also available at the local pharmacy. And along with carrying a sick bag or any other plastic bag, the car can be pulled over and the child should be walked out a bit to feel better.
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Natural Remedies For Hangovers
January 20, 2008
Hangovers happen when you drunk too much of alcoholic beverages which cause dehydration to the body. Dehydration in the sense that alcohol is diuretic so it urge you to urinate more frequently if you drunk too many alcohol.
The discomfort of hangovers causes you to stop doing your daily routine because of a headache and dizziness.
Here are some tips and remedies to avoid hangovers or at least some relief when you think you can’t avoid drinking alcohol:
Drink lots of liquids that could rehydrate you. Avoid alcohol that could be offensive to your stomach and small intestines. It can only irritate the mucous membranes. Avoid acidic fruit juices for the time being. Water is the cheapest. I also recommend drinking Gatorade and other milky carbonated sodas, these are also effective when it comes to natural rehydration.
Don’t drink when you are hungry. If you can’t avoid drinking liquor, then drink alcohol two hours after heavy meal. Have something to eat like snack foods while drinking alcohol, this will slow down alcohol absorption in your body.
Avoid solid foods until you think you are probably recovered. Frequent urination because of drinking alcohol may lose your potassium in the body. So eating bananas that your stomach can handle may help replaced the potassium loss.
Hangovers are ailments that’s why every time you drink alcohol at level your body can’t tolerate, you get hangover. So before having a hangover, the treatment should come first before the symptoms. It is recommended that before going to bed, drink plenty of liquids as given.
Cancel your daily schedule and if you are working, call in sick. Don’t get yourself disturb by anyone even by phone, mobile or landline, and stay in bed to relax. After an hour or so that you are able to get your body back on your feet, do anything you can. Stretch your body a little bit to waken your muscles as morning exercise and get energy you have lost from last night’s drinking.
In recuperation, it is best to eat soft foods that can be best for your stomach such as soups or tea.
We need to learn how to enjoy healthy living, more natural health at Natural Healthy Living.
how are vitamin supplements made
January 20, 2008
How Are Vitamin Supplements are Made and Choosing the Right Vitamin Supplement
Vitamin supplements are just another kind of dietary supplement but with its primary content made up of the specified vitamin it promotes. Like all other dietary supplements, vitamin supplements have labels with this particular disclaimer displayed: this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. So from there on, it should be clear to you that vitamin supplements can’t heal illnesses or diseases of any sort, but it can promote good health.
What are Vitamins?
Before we move on to tackling vitamin supplements, lets make sure you understand what vitamins are in the first place.
Vitamins are organic compounds found either within your body or in external sources like food. There are two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble. Vitamins play catalytic functions in your body; in other words, it helps make good things happen.
The Role of Vitamin Supplements
In many countries, vitamin supplements are placed under the food category instead of drugs. This is correct because once again, vitamin supplements aren’t intended to heal anyone of anything. If you see any vitamin supplement labeled otherwise, chances are that those products haven’t been properly evaluated by the US Department of Food and Drug Administration.
You should take vitamin supplements if your body is inherently deficient of a specific vitamin. Naturally, vitamin supplements will help with the created gap. It’s also good to take vitamin supplements if your diet isn’t balanced and healthy due to hectic schedules.
Vitamin supplements shouldn’t be considered as adequate replacements of actual vitamins found in foods. Vitamins found in foods are in its purest form which allows you to enjoy 100% benefit from it. Also, vitamins in foods can interact with other vitamins and substances in a way that vitamin supplement are unable to. Also, eating healthy foods let you increase intake of other essential minerals that aren’t offered by vitamin supplements.
How to Choose the Right Vitamin Supplements
Tip #1 Always look for the USP label on whatever vitamin supplement you wish to take. USP stands for US Pharmacopeia and it simply means that the FDA had successfully approved and licensed its distribution and use since it passed the departments safety and quality control tests.
Tip #2 Labels for vitamin supplements or any other dietary supplement for that matter which contain the following details. If any category is missing, you’re probably holding an unsafe product in your hands.
Statement of Identity What is it? If its a vitamin supplement, this must be clearly noted as well as which vitamin its supplementing the body with.
Net Quantity of Contents How many capsules or tablets does it contain? How many milligrams does each tablet contain? If it’s in liquid form, what is its quantity?
Disclaimer Besides the other disclaimer already provided above, the vitamin supplement should include these words: this statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Directions of Use It’s impossible for any vitamin supplement to be produced without any specific directions of use. When can you take it and should there be any other conditions to meet before you can take it?
Supplement Facts Panel This includes the chart you commonly see on labels, detailing the ingredients used for making the vitamin supplement. Research each ingredient. Don’t be lazy with this because its your health at stake!
Manufacturing Information Lastly, your vitamin supplement label should include details about who manufactured the product, where and when it was manufactured and its expiration date. Contact details should also be provided in the event that you have inquiries or concerns regarding the product. Research about the manufacturing company and inquire with the Better Business Bureau about them.
Tip #3 Natural isn’t always good. Even if you see that a vitamin supplement is labeled as natural in big bold letters, this doesn’t mean you’re completely safe. Think of wild poisonous mushrooms; they’re natural alright, but they’re toxic as well.
Vitamin supplements are essentially good as long as you take them for the right reasons. Again, remember not to use them as a replacement for healthy living. To avoid making the wrong decision, research extensively before purchasing any product, or better yet, consult your doctor for advice.
foods high in vitamin c
January 16, 2008
What Are the Foods High in Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is perhaps the most popular vitamin. How many times have you been given advice to take the vitamin whenever you have a cold or the flu. And it is indeed true that this nutrient is a very important one. It is necessary for several processes in the body such as the absorption of iron, maintaining healthy bones teeth and capillaries as well as the formation of collagen, an important protein that gives structure to bones, blood vessels, cartilage and muscle.
If you are wondering which foods are high in vitamin C, here they are:
Plant sources like kakadu plum, Camu Camu, rose hip, acerola, amla, jujube, baobab, blackcurrant, red pepper, parsley, seabuckthorn, guava, kiwi fruit, broccoli, loganberry, redcurrant, Brussels sprouts, lychee, cloudberry, persimmon, papaya, strawberry, orange, lemon, melon, cauliflower, cantaloupe, grapefruit, raspberry, tangerine, mandarin orange, passion fruit, spinach, raw green cabbage, lime, mango, potato, honeydew, tomato, blueberry, pineapple, pawpaw, grape, apricot, plum, watermelon, banana, carrot, avocado, crabapple, peach, apple, blackberry, beetroot, pear, lettuce, cucumber, eggplant, fig, bilberry, horned melon, and medlar.
Animal Sources like calf liver, beef liver, raw oysters, cod roe, pork liver, lamb brain, chicken liver, lamb heart, lamb liver, lamb tongue, human milk, goat milk, and cows milk.
Deficiency in vitamin C can cause several diseases and harmful conditions. The most renowned disease for people lacking in vitamin C is Scurvy, which causes liver spots on the skin, bleeding in all of the mucous membranes, and spongy gums. Advanced stages of scurvy may lead to suppurating wounds, the loss of teeth and even death. It is important to replenish the body’s supply of vitamin C because this nutrient is easily depleted.
The best way to get the right amount of vitamin C is by consuming a wide variety of foods that are high in the nutrient. Normal and healthy people don’t usually need to take supplements. In fact, some vitamin C supplements may even be detrimental to health as they bombard the body with unabsorbable forms of the vitamin, not to mention that they just waste money since they can be easily flushed before the body can even use them.
If you want to make sure that you have enough supply of vitamin C, you don’t need to stock up on supplements. What might be better is for you to shop for foods rich in vitamin C such as those listed above.
frequent headaches migraine in children
January 15, 2008
Frequent Headaches and Migraine in Children
Children who get frequent headaches and migraine attacks have chronic illness. Such children and their parents face problem to adjust with school and their rules. Extra preparations and steps should be taken to cope with such illness. Pediatric specialist in migraine and headaches exist should be consulted for treatment and other precautionary & preventive measures. Also the triggers vary from child to child, which should be recognized accurately.
Firstly, it is the strict attendance rule in most of the schools that children with chronic illness find it difficult to deal with. To add to it, majority of the schools have zero tolerance policy regarding medications, even including over the counter medicines. Reports of students getting expelled for merely carrying Advil in school with them are common. Prior to making appointment with the doctor, it is recommended that parents read the policy of the school the child is attending. It is good to ask questions before hand, than feeling sorry later. Some of the schools asks for letter or medical record as a proof, incase the student didn’t attend because of a health problem. Some schools consider sick leaves as regular leaves and in this case, the attendance gets affected greatly.
School nurses can be given the prescribed medicine so that they can give the medicine to the child at the required time. If this is the case, things such as medicine storage location and availability of substitute should be checked. Apart from not attending regularly, the child can sometimes be unable to take part in co-curricular activities especially physical education and outdoor recess. Other possible options should be discussed with the teacher. Usually a recommendation letter from the physician will do the needed. In all the cases, some kind of medical identification can be carried by the child at all times. If the child is attending an after school babysitter or program, directly after school, extra measures should be taken. The babysitter or program in charge should be told about the problem in advance. Their cooperation can be asked for timely administration of the medicine and for taking special care of the child. If the child himself is grown enough to understand the matter, the child should be educated about taking medications. They should also be made to understand that it is harmful to take medicines from any un-trustable source even if their fellow students do. Budge them to ask questions and clarify any of their fears of concerns.
Most of the children lack the ability to convey their problem properly. The situation is further aggravated because of different kinds of headaches. They can be related to chronic illness, tension, sinus or fever. Only diagnosis can bring out the correct problem. If the rate of headache becomes more frequent, like more than twice a month, doctor’s appointment should be taken instantly. Younger kids find it more difficult to explain the problem. If they become cranky, restless, irritating, tired, is having sleeping disorders and is not eating properly, a problem surely exists. Most of the children complain of headaches during exams because of increased stress. Seventy five percent of the children experience headaches because of tension. If so, stress management education, along with counseling, should be given to the kid.
Headaches can be an indication of other problems, too. So, thorough diagnosis is highly recommended. The child’s previous medical history provides important clue. Prior to the doctor’s appointment, notes can be made after referring the medical history. Maintaining a log about the child’s headache frequencies, pain location, time of occurrence, symptoms, etc. also helps. If not due to illness, headaches can also be a result of head injury. Sometimes, headache can be hereditary, like in the case of migraines.
Headaches can also be caused because of infections, vision problems, odd levels of blood pressure, neurological problems, muscle weakness, improper ear balance or serious problems such as tumor, blood clots, etc. If the doctor is not able to diagnose the problem, he/she can refer the child to a headache specialist or neurologist. Test such as CT scan or MRI are done if there is a serious problem. After the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes medication or will ask to take over the counter medicines. According to a study, children who face headaches and migraine take overdose of over the counter medicines for immediate pain reliving. In some of the cases, the parents are clueless about this situation. This practice is risky and mostly children above six years are involved in such cases.
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Rhinoplasty
January 14, 2008
Rhinoplasty is a type of cosmetic surgery carried out on the nose (nose job) first performed in India around 500BC. India is where such plastic surgery was in great demand as one of the terrible punishments involved the removal of a convicted criminal’s nose. Famous Indian plastic surgeons such as Sushruta have contributed greatly to the development of rhinoplasty Sushruta wrote in the 6th century BC and is often called the father of plastic surgery and some of the procedures which he developed, such as his techniques of forehead flap rhinoplasty remain much the same today.
So, strangely, all of us who benefit from a nose job do so because of the experimental work carried out upon criminals hundreds of years ago. Rather different to the drastic reconstruction work carried out by Sushruta today’s rhinoplasty mainly consists of minor cosmetic procedures to enhance the beauty of the nose such as the removal of small bumps. Such minor medical procedures can be carried out very quickly and the patient is usually able to return home the same day, and within a week things are beginning to get back to normal (except for a little bruising and a tiny bit of swelling).
If more aggressive rhinoplasty is required to be carried out, such as the decrease or increase in size of the nose, the patient may be required to stay in hospital overnight for observation. Following all rhinoplasty a protective split is placed on the outside of the nose to protect it, when the surgery has been greater it may be necessary to use nose plugs in the nostrils to keep the correct shape to the nose. The nasal packing can usually be removed after about a week when the swelling will have reduced greatly and the patient is often ready to return to work within a few days of it’s removal.
If you are planning to have some rhinoplasty work carried out on your nose you will need to plan well in advance as you will be required to attend a number of consultations with the surgeons who will be carrying out the procedure for you. They will assess what work should be carried out and they will also explain the likely results of the surgery. If you have any questions this is the time to ask!
Once, way back in the past, cosmetic surgery such as rhinoplasty, breast enhancement and face lifts carried a certain stigma. Many rich and famous people had a great deal of aesthetic surgery but went to great lengths to deny it. More recently famous stars such as Janet and La Toya Jackson and their brother Michael have all had nose jobs and so many others have benefitted from rhinoplasty that it is now considered rather old news. Costs have decreased making the treatment more accessible to those with a smaller budget but, for most of us, it remains something of a luxury that we may have done, one day.
Andrew Kelly has, over the last 10 years, been working with a number of very well known U.K. skin care companies, beauty salons and skin care web sites in the promotion of microdermabrasion and microdermabrasion products. This has led to a great interest in related health and beauty matters such as cosmetic surgery.
foods high in vitamin a
January 12, 2008
Taking Advantage of Foods High in Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a very important nutrient. It is actually a group of fat soluble substances that is important to help maintain and grow healthy hair, skin, as well as mucous membranes. Vitamin A is needed by people to see when the light is dim. It also plays an important function in the growth of bones, development of the teeth, and reproduction.
Eating foods high in Vitamin A are the best way of filling the requirement for this nutrient. Here are some foods high in Vitamin A:
Grain Products: Ready-to-eat cereals and oatmeal.
Fruits: Watermelon, plums, nectarine, melon, honeydew, cantaloupe, mango, mandarin orange, apricots, and pink grapefruit.
Vegetables: Turnip greens, turnips, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, spinach, plantain, kale, sweet red pepper, carrots, peas, mustard greens, escarole, romaine, chicory, endive, collards, chard, and broccoli.
Meats: Lean meat, turkey, chicken liver, pork, and beef.
Milk products: Cheese, yogurt, and milk.
The best means of obtaining the adequate amount of vitamin A is by eating a wide variety of these foods. Supplements aren’t really needed by healthy people who partake of these foods regularly. Supplements are sometimes not advisable because they can give people too much vitamin A and cause vitamin toxicity. Thus the best way of getting vitamin A is by eating foods high in Vitamin A. It is cheaper and it allows people to get other kinds of nutrients.
It is important to get an adequate amount of vitamin A to maintain normal body functions. Individuals who don’t get enough vitamin A may go blind. Others may contract infectious diseases like measles. Vitamin A deficiency may also make skin and hair very dry as well as the fingernails. The lack of Vitamin A may also make one susceptible to pneumonia.
Some people take too much vitamin A from supplements. This could result in a condition known as hypervitaminosis A, which is basically toxicity of the vitamin. This results in drying, itchiness, hair loss, fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, liver damage, and vomiting. Eventually this could result in the loss of muscle coordination, blurred vision and dizziness. Too much vitamin A may also cause birth defects.
This is why it is recommended to get vitamin A from foods that are rich in the nutrient. It is healthier and perhaps more enjoyable as this can helps one partake of the gifts of Mother Nature.