Health Care in Daily Life

[johncina]

Hello,

You gave very good information this information will really help me and also many persons to keep them healthy and fit.

thanks!!

_________________

[annie]

Always perform the great bedtime brush so that your teeth don't have to spend a dreary night with the day's debris. End with a gentle gum massage.

I'm 51. My dentist tells me I have terrible teeth. He has just filled nine cavities. Two years ago, he did two root canals. I have two sensitive molars and bad breath. Please advise how I can improve my dental health.
Binod Kishore

The cheering news is that you're done with the medical treatment. Now, with a bit of care to minimise wear and tear, you'll be just fine. Some time-tested tips:
Angled brushing. Hold the bristles at a 45-degree angle and clean between the teeth. End with small circular motions. Take 2-4 minutes over the entire session. Brush your tongue too. Remember: hygiene is a great healer.
Small is beautiful. A small toothbrush with soft, rounded nylon bristles reaches every niche and nook, and nudges out all elusive food particles and germs. Use a fluoride toothpaste. Always keep a spare tube around.

Eat, drink and brush merry! Brush after every meal. Carry a brush-tube pack to office. When at a cinema hall, swish water around the mouth forcefully to expel popcorn flakes. Then, chew sugar-free gum for 20 minutes to induce the saliva to neutralise acids that corrode tooth enamel. Always perform the great bedtime brush so that your teeth don't have to spend a dreary night with the day's debris. End with a gentle two-minute gum massage with your index finger to stimulate blood circulation to the roots.
Good foods, bad foods. Avoid hard foods. Likewise, sugary, starchy carbs — dried fruits, confectionaries, fizzy drinks, liquor — carve out cavities. Stick to soft foods — paneer (the protein casein prevents demineralisation), cheddar cheese (neutralises acids), lightly steamed/ sautéed carrots, oranges, melons. Apples and salad veggies are your teeth's best crunch-pals.

Sense and sensitivity. Sensitive molars need sensible handling — no chilled, hot, hard, sour foods. Thrice a day, rub Thermoseal toothpaste all around the two molars and gums and keep it on for 15 minutes until it feels warm. This treatment takes care of the sensitivity and strengthens the teeth.
Breathe easier. Bad breath points to poor digestion and toxic accumulation in the intestines. Increase digestive power with the Ayurvedic Trikutu — a 450-mg mix of long pepper ( pipli), black pepper and ginger — to be had with meals. Include hing, jeera, saunf, methi in all preparations too. Eat simple, nourishing meals — whole grains, steamed veggies, curd (banishes bad bacteria) — thrice a day. After meals, chew elaichi or swallow a minty capsule.

I passed a kidney stone three months ago. My doctor has prescribed vitamin A, 5,000 IU daily. After he asks me to stop the tablet, I'd like to switch to natural foods rich in vitamin A. Please guide me.

Sumant Row

You're on the right track. Vitamin A maintains the lining of the urinary tract and helps prevent future stones. You could have half a cup of sweet potatoes (7,900-8,000 IU) or carrots (10,000 IU). You could also include pumpkins, broccoli and apricots for variation.
I run in the park at least three times a week. Should I wait for the soles to wear out before I buy new shoes? Please advise.

Alan Pinto

No, please don't wait for the soles of your shoes to wear out. Even if the soles look and feel “okay”, there's a good chance that if they aren't taking the shock efficiently, that shock is being subtly transmitted through your foot, up your shin to the knee… hip… back…
Sports medicine specialists recommend new shoes every three months for those who run 25 miles or more a week. If you run less than that, buy shoes every six months.
Just before my menstrual period, I get intense craving for sweets where I can finish a huge slab of chocolate or an entire packet of cream biscuits. It's frightening. Is there something wrong with me? Please tell me what I can do to stop the craving.


Maina C.

There's nothing to be frightened of and there's nothing wrong with you. Research shows that the high amounts of the hormone progesterone secreted by the ovaries during the menstrual cycle affects the region in the brain that brings on cravings for sweets. Doctors feel it's the body's survival mechanism — it's about to lose a good amount of fluids, and the carbs help retain fluids. Similarly, the brain's survival sense demands amino acids and sugars. So that explains the desperation for chocolate and cream biscuits.

Read up on the premenstrual syndrome. Knowledge helps strengthen willpower, common sense and a deeper self-healing instinct. For example, if you know that foods containing refined sugar cause anxiety, mood swings and further cravings, you'll be receptive to taking a firm stand and having fresh fruits like grapes as substitutes and having regular nourishing, balanced meals.

Check with your doctor about vitamin B6 and calcium-magnesium supplements. These help combat cravings.
Walk/ cycle/ dance regularly to further help control cravings.
Get involved in a research project. When the brain is deeply interested and completely absorbed in something, it doesn't need food… in fact, it needs nothing!