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- Nausea.
- Nosebleed.
- Nutririon - Fat is Fat.
- Nutririon - Eat healthy Guide.
- Nutrition for Children.
Nausea
Nausea is the sensation leading to the urge to vomit. It is a queasy feeling in the
stomach, and may be associated with vomiting. Nausea can be a symptom of many disorders or illnesses.
Causes of Nausea:
An area in the brain called the vomiting centre is triggered by the conditions listed below:
- Travelling in a car, boat, train, plane, or sitting in an amusement ride (Motion sickness).
- Viral gastrointestinal illness.
- Bacterial toxins (poisons) in food that has not been properly stored, cleaned, or prepared (Food Poisoning).
- Food allergies.
- Hormonal changes during the first few months of pregnancy (Morning sickness).
- Diseases affecting the central nervous system, such as meningitis (an inflammation/infection of the
membranes covering the brain and spinal cord), migraines and brain tumours.
- Unpleasant sights or odours.
- Certain medications such as chemotherapy drugs and anti depressants.
Treatment/Prevention:
Drink clear liquids to replenish fluids lost through vomiting. Eat small but frequent meals. Eat foods that absorb
stomach acid such as crackers or unbuttered bread, and also easy to digest foods such as rice, chicken soup or bananas.
Avoid spicy foods and fried foods. Drink beverages that settle the stomach, such as ginger ale or chamomile tea. Avoid
caffeinated drinks (colas, coffee, caffeinated tea) that promote production of stomach acid.
Antacids such as bismuth sub-salicylate (Pepto-Bismol) or a solution of glucose, fructose, and phosphoric acid (Emetrol)
can relieve nausea caused by a viral illness or food poisoning, by coating the stomach lining and neutralizing stomach acid.
If the nausea is due to motion sickness, there are anti-motion sickness drugs such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or meclizine
hydrochloride (Bonine, Dramamine II) that block the receptors in the brain that trigger vomiting.
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Nosebleed
A layer of moist, delicate skin that has a rich supply of blood vessels covers the interior of the nose. These blood
vessels tend to bleed rather heavily and can be easily damaged as they are rather superficial.
Nosebleeds are very common, especially anterior nosebleeds involving the lower front portion of the nasal septum.
In most cases, this type of nosebleed is not serious; all that is required to stem it are some local pressure and a
little patience.
A nosebleed may also be caused by irritation or dryness of the lining of the nose, which may occur with low humidity
and dry environment, allergic rhinitis, colds, or sinusitis. Deviated septum, foreign objects in the nose, or other nasal
obstruction may cause also cause nosebleeds.
There are rare occasions whereby a nosebleed is life threatening or fatal. In these rare cases, the bleeding is usually
from a posterior nosebleed, in which the site of bleeding is higher and deeper within the nose and the blood flows primarily
down the back of the throat.
Other factors that may make nosebleeds dangerous are underlying health conditions such as hypertension, a bleeding disorder,
or the use of anticoagulant medication that is often working against the clotting process.
The common risk factors include:
A hot, dry indoor climate: The hot, dry indoor air causes the delicate nasal skin to crack and bleed.
Colds and allergies: Upper respiratory tract infections and allergies both trigger nasal inflammation,
which can increase the risk of bleeding.
Exposure to irritating chemicals: Cigarette smoke, passive secondhand cigarette smoke, on-the-job exposure
to sulfuric acid, ammonia, gasoline or other chemical irritants.
Medical conditions: Examples include chronic renal disease (kidney failure), thrombocytopenia (low levels of
the blood platelets) and hereditary bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia.
A deviated septum: A nasal septum that is deviated (shifted away from the midline) produces an uneven airflow
pattern within the nostrils. The altered airflow pattern causes the skin on the nasal septum to become dry and cracked,
increasing the risk of bleeding.
Heavy alcohol use: Alcohol seems to interfere with the normal activity of platelets in the blood, and this increases the time needed for blood clots to form.
Medications that delays blood clotting: Prescription anticoagulants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
Nosebleeds are also commonly caused by trauma, such as nose picking, forceful blowing of the nose or severe facial trauma from an
automobile accident or contact sports.
Symptoms:
Symptoms include:
- bleeding from one or both nostrils.
- frequent swallowing.
- sensation of fluid in the back of the nose and throat.
Treatment:
If you are bleeding from the front of your nose, begin by trying the following first-aid measures:
- Sit up, lean forward and breathe through your mouth.
- Pinch the entire front of your nose, just above your nostrils, and hold it for five minutes.
- Apply an ice pack or a plastic bag of crushed ice to your nose to slow the blood flow.
- After you have pinched your nose for five minutes, release it to see if the nosebleed continues.
- If your nose is still bleeding, pinch it for an additional 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, release your nose again. If you are still bleeding, seek emergency medical help.
- After the blood flow has stopped, try not to breathe through your nose.
If simple first aid fails, your doctor may treat the problem by
- Packing your nose with gauze.
- Cauterizing (sealing off) the injured blood vessel with a chemical, such as
silver nitrate, or with an electric probe.
- Applying medication directly to the inside of your nose to stop the bleeding.
- Using other methods such as cryotherapy (using cold temperature to freeze the site of bleeding),
laser therapy (using a laser beam to seal the bleeding blood vessel) or, in rare cases, embolization
(intentionally blocking the bleeding blood vessel) or surgery.
Prevention:
Here are some things you could do to prevent nosebleeding:
- Not picking your nose.
- Being gentle when you blow your nose.
- Not smoking.
- Using a nonprescription saline nasal spray to moisturize the inside of your nose.
- Applying a tiny dab of petroleum jelly to the inside of your nostrils before bedtime.
- Avoiding facial trauma - by wearing a seatbelt in the car and by using well-fitting headgear
to protect your face during contact sports.
- Using protective equipment to avoid breathing chemicals at work.
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Nutririon - Fat is Fat
Fat is a very concentrated source of energy. It contributes more than twice as many calories as equal
amounts of either protein or carbohydrate. Diets high in total fat are associated with higher obesity
rates and increased risk for heart disease.
There are two main types of fat: - Saturated and Unsaturated.
Saturated fat: tends to increase our blood cholesterol level. It is found in animal products
(scanty amounts in fish oil), coconut milk and blended vegetable oil.
Unsaturated fat: is found in plant products. It does not increase your blood cholesterol level
unless it is consumed in large amounts.
All types of fat are high in total fat and therefore calories. For example, margarine has less of saturated fat
than butter, one teaspoon of margarine and one teaspoon of butter have equal amount of total fat and calories.
This, we should watch our total fat intake.
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Nutririon - Eat healthy Guide
Information on food labels can help you choose food for healthy living.
Why read food labels?
Food labels are useful in deciding whether a food fits into your daily meal plan. A lot of information
can be found on a food label. Food labels tell us what sort of food is inside the package, the amount of
food in it, the country of origin and details of the manufacturer and local distributor. They also let us
know what ingredients make up the food and sometimes give us an idea of the nutritional value of the food.
The ingredient list is like a recipe - it tells you what is in the food. You can tell a lot about a food just
by looking at the ingredients. Ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight. So, the first ingredient
in the list is present in the highest amount, followed by the second, then the third and so on.
Let's look at the ingredient list on a loaf of bread as as example. Ingredients : High protein flour, water,
granulated cane sugar, vegetable shortening, baker's yeast, salt, soy flour, dough conditioners, vitamin C,
calcium, iron, calcium propionate.
High protein flour" is the first ingredient listed so it is present in the greatest amount, followed by water,
sugar, and vegetable shortening. Vitamin C, calcium and iron have also been added. Quite often, sugar, fat and
sodium can appear in different forms e.g. sugar may appear as dextrose, maltose, and sucrose; fat may appear as
ghee, lard, vegetable oil, and shortening; while salt may appear as sodium bicarbonate, baking powder and MSG.
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Nutrition for Children
As your baby makes the transition from baby food to table food, he is going to want to learn as much as possible
about the textures and tastes of the various surprises you offer. It is important to be patient with your little
one at this point. Your baby is learning different tastes, textures and consistencies and how to use his fingers.
Age of the Baby and Relevant Tips:
The following are tips related to foods that will allow them to achieve optimal nutrition, health,
growth and development.
The First Six Months:
- Start breast-feeding as soon as possible after birth and continue as long as you wish. Breast-feeding has proven
to be beneficial for babies even if it is only for a short time.
- Use a commercially prepared, iron-fortified infant formula until 4-6 months of age as a second choice if
breast-feeding is not chosen, or is discontinued. You can continue to give follow-on milk formula from
4-6 months till 12-18 months.
- Semi-solids should not be introduced earlier than 4 months of age. Take these 2 months as a learning time
for your baby. Eating semi-solids should be established by 6 months.
- To detect for any food allergies, introduce solid foods one at a time. If the type of food is tolerated well,
then you can begin to mix the food.
- Iron may need to be supplemented by about the fourth to the sixth month. Iron-fortified infant formula/cereal
(rice) along with age-appropriate solid foods and juices should be given for more balanced nutrition.
The Second Six Months:
- Do continue to breastfeed or formula feed. Full cream cow's milk may be given from the second year of life.
- Try to introduce scraped, strained, pureed or mashed foods, either homemade or commercially prepared.
- Textured and chunkier foods that are soft and which will not choke the baby are preferred. Textured foods are
good for babies as they get a little older and begin to develop teeth. Teething is an important stage in your
child's development. Chewing is an acquired skill - if children do not have the opportunity to learn how to
chew, they may have trouble later in accepting all but pureed foods.
- To increase the source of protein in addition to that of breast milk or formula, add strained meats, fish, poultry,
beancurd, legumes, egg white, cheese and yoghurt to baby's diet. This will support the fast rate of growth.
- A wide variety of foods should be gently introduced, such as milk products; grain products; meat and alternatives;
and fruit and vegetables.
- Feed your baby more textured foods when teething begins. It is a good idea to bring your baby to see the dentist
who will talk to you about caring for your baby's teeth.
- Do not force your baby to eat more than he wants. Give the semi-solid foods/meal before the milk. As he grows
older, let him feed himself and never mind the mess. In fact, you should allow him to handle his own foods.
- Do not add salt, soya sauce and sugar to any baby food.
- Do not give a bottle containing milk, formula, juice or sugary fluid at naptime or near bedtime. Give fruit juices
only during mealtimes. Do not dip pacifiers or nipples in sugar, honey or syrup.
Always supervise your baby when he is eating to make sure he does not choke on the food. Be mindful that an allergic
reaction can occur when introducing a new food to baby. Giving moderate amounts of a variety of foods is a good principle
for feeding infants. Remember to visit your paediatrician, or family doctor regularly to make sure your baby is growing
properly. All babies must be immunised.
After one year:
- Keep healthy snacks at home such as whole meal crackers, fruits, vegetable sticks, plain biscuits,
cheese or yoghurt as your child may need to eat frequently to keep up with the energy levels.
- Do encourage your child to feed himself. However, do supervise and ensure that the foods chosen are not hard,
small and round or sticky enough to cause choking.
- Avoid introducing foods that are high in salt and sugar to your child.
- Do not overly restrict fat in the diet of your infant or child, as fat is required for the high metabolism
of your child. Low fat or skimmed milk should be introduced only from 6 years of age.
- Be patient if your child is a picky eater. Do not take it personally. There are some techniques for encouraging
poor eaters to change their ways. Try to avoid showing your distress if your child does not seem to be hungry.
If your child is not a big eater, make sure that the quality of the food you are serving meets all
nutritional needs.
- Keep meal times friendly by letting your child be a part of the family meals. Let your child be involved in food
preparation to foster greater interest in the foods he eats.
- Set good examples by choosing healthier foods for yourself and the rest of the family.
- Remember not to use food as a reward or punishment. This can cause conflict between you and the child.
It may also create bad eating habits.
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