STAY SAFE... STAY HOME

To prevent the spread of COVID-19:

Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub.

Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Stay home if you feel unwell.

If you have a fever, a cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. Call in advance.

Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Blood Transfusion

A blood transfusion is the transfer of blood or blood products from one person (donor) into another person's bloodstream (recipient). This is usually done as a lifesaving maneuver to replace blood cells or blood products lost through severe bleeding, during surgery when blood loss occurs or to increase the blood count in an anemic patient.

Blood transfusions can be a life saving measure. Volunteer donor blood usually is readily available, and when properly tested has a low incidence of adverse events. The likelihood of contracting infections from a blood transfusion is very low. Blood conserving techniques are an important aspect of limiting transfusion requirements. Blood banks are responsible for collecting, testing and storing blood. People with Type O, negative blood are considered universal donors as it is safe to transfuse to nearly everyone.

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Effects of Air Pollution

• The effects of Air pollution are very alarming, they create several respiratory and heart
  
  conditions along with Cancer, among other threats to the body. Several millions are known to have died due to direct or indirect effects of Air pollution. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly suffer from pneumonia and asthma.
• Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is witnessing due to Global warming. With increased temperatures world wide, increase in sea levels and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat have already signaled an impending disaster.
• Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets combines with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the form of acid rain. Acid rain can cause great damage to human, animals and crops.
• Just like humans, animals also face some devastating affects of air pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to new place and change their habitat. The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water and can also affect sea animals.
• Ozone exists in earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to Air pollution. As ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.

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Blue Fingertips

Our fingers, toes and ears are the most vulnerable to temperatures. When we are exposed to the cold,

Symptoms of Raynaud’s can include tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes, whitening of the fingers and the blue discolouration.

our bodies conserve heat by decreasing blood flow to our hands and feet. In general, this is short-lived and will reverse quickly – unless you have Raynaud’s.

DRAGON FRUIT

Dragon fruit is rich in phytoalbumins which are highly valued for their antioxidant properties. Dragon fruit is also rich in fibers, vitamin C, and minerals. The dragon fruit helps the digestive process which can help to prevent colon cancer, and diabetes. When consumed regularly natural medicine practitioners believe the dragon fruit can help against asthma, and cough. Eating dragon fruits helps strengthen your immune system, and promotes faster healing of bruises, and wounds. It's also rich with potassium, protein, fiber, sodium and calcium. If you are looking for fruits that are filling, and delicious but will help keep your weight in check, dragon fruits are a perfect choice. A 100g serving of dragon fruit has only 60 calories. Dragon fruits do not have complex carbohydrates, so they can be easily broken down by the body. Dragon fruits are also packed with minerals such as calcium for stronger bones, and teeth, phosphorus for tissue formation and iron for healthy blood. Lycopene is also present in dragon fruits, and this is the pigment responsible for their red color, like tomatoes. Lycopene guards against prostate cancer among other things.

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Celebrity Victims of Breast Cancer

Barbara Mori

 Christina Applegate

Cynthia Nixon

Ingrid Bergman

 Jane Fonda

Lisa Ray

Mumtaz

Namrata Singh Gujral

NIkhat Kazmi

Nutan

Rita Wilson

Sheryl Crow

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Anemia occurs when you have a level of red blood cells (RBCs) in your blood that is lower than normal. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia, and it occurs when your body doesn’t have enough of the mineral iron. Your body needs iron to make a protein called hemoglobin. This protein is responsible for carrying oxygen to your body’s tissues, which is essential for your tissues and muscles to function effectively. When there isn’t enough iron in your blood stream, the rest of your body can’t get the amount of oxygen it needs. In women of childbearing age, the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia is a loss of iron in the blood due to heavy menstruation or pregnancy. A poor diet or certain intestinal diseases that affect how the body absorbs iron can also cause iron deficiency anemia. Doctors normally treat the condition with iron supplements or changes to diet.

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Vitamin C

Vitamin C is probably best known as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are forms of molecules that help keep chemical reactions in our body in check. Damage to the lens of the eye, damage to molecules circulating around in our bloodstream, and damage to genetic material (DNA) in our cells are all examples of damage that have been shown to be prevented under certain circumstances by vitamin C. One interesting application of vitamin C as an antioxidant is its ability to transform iron into a state that is better absorbed in the intestine.

Vitamin C is required to produce collagen, a protein that plays a critical role in the structure of our bodies. Collagen is the framework for our skin and our bones, and without it, we would quite literally fall apart. People who have this condition lose teeth, bleed easily, and lose the strength of their bones. Luckily, it doesn't take much vitamin C to prevent this problem. A single lime per day would usually be enough.

Vitamin C is necessary to make certain neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are the signals that carry thoughts, feelings, and commands around our brains and throughout our nervous system.

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Calcium & Bones

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, one that plays many vital roles. Our body uses it to build healthy bones and teeth. Keep them strong as we age, help our blood clot, our muscles contract, and regulate the heart’s rhythm. If we are not getting enough calcium in our diet, our body will take calcium from our bones, which can lead to weakened bones. Calcium deficiency can also lead to mood problems such as irritability, anxiety, depression, and difficulty in sleeping.

Approximately one in two women and about one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis (weakened bones). But osteoporosis is not an inevitable part of getting older.
Your body gets the calcium it needs in one of two ways. The first and best way is through the foods you eat or the supplements you take. However, if you’re not consuming enough calcium, your body will get it by pulling it from your bones where it’s stored. That’s why proper diet is very important.

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Healthy Food Definations

• Any food believed to be ‘good for you’, especially if high in fiber, natural vitamins, fructose, etc. Healthy foods may reduce cholesterol, reduce atherosclerosis and risk of stroke, help control glucose, halt progression of osteoporosis, and reduce the risk of infections, cancer. Examples Apples, beans, carrots, cranberry juice, fish, garlic, ginger, nuts, oats, olive oil, soy foods, tea, yogurt.

• Any natural food popularly believed to promote or sustain good health, as by containing vital nutrients, being grown without the use of pesticides, or having a low sodium or fat content.

• A food that is low in fat and saturated fat and that contains limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium. If it is a single-item food, it must also provide at least 10 percent of one or more of vitamins A or C, iron, calcium, protein, or fiber.

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Diet for Healthy Eyes

Believe it or not protecting your eyes starts with the food you eat. Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E might help ward off age-related vision problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Regularly eating following foods can help lead to good eye health:

• Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collards.
• Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
• Eggs, nuts, beans, and other non-meat protein sources
• Oranges and other citrus fruits or juices

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Matcha Green Tea

Matcha literally means “powdered tea.” When you order traditional green tea, components from the leaves get infused into the hot water, then the leaves are discarded. With matcha, you’re drinking the actual leaves, which have been finely powdered and made into a solution, traditionally by mixing about a teaspoon of matcha powder with a third cup of hot water, which is then whisked with a bamboo brush until it froths.
Matcha preparation involves covering the tea plants with shade cloths before they’re harvested. This triggers the growth of leaves with better flavor and texture, which are hand selected, steamed briefly to stop fermentation, then dried and aged in cold storage, which deepens the flavor. The dried leaves are then stone-ground into a fine powder.

 Matcha is more potent source of nutrients than steeped green tea. In addition to providing small amounts of vitamins and minerals, matcha is rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been tied to protection against heart disease and cancer, as well as better blood sugar regulation, blood pressure reduction, and anti-aging. Another polyphenol in matcha called EGCG has been shown in research to boost metabolism, and slow or halt the growth of cancer cells.

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Depression

Depression is feeling sad for weeks or months on end, feelings of hopelessness, feelings of worthlessness and emptiness a lack of energy do anything, and taking little or no pleasure in things that gave you joy in the past. A person who experiences depression cannot often see a future for themselves, and feel like the world is closing in around them. The warning signs and symptoms of depression are usually pretty clear to those around the person suffering — the person doesn’t seem at all like their normal self. The changes in the person’s mood are evident to friends and family.

Symptoms of Depression:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
• Decreased energy, fatigue, being “slowed”
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
• Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
• Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
• Restlessness, irritability
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

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ACNE

Acne or pimples as they are popularly known is a common skin infection which mostly occurs in adolescence on the skin due to increase in the production of the hormone testosterone in both males and females. When there is an excess secretion of sebum - an oily liquid that keeps the skin from drying, it can result in the formation of acne or pimples. The most common areas of acne appearance are the face, near the chest and the back. The dirt, oil and dead skin cells clog the skin pores which give rise to acne. Apart from these reasons, acne can also be due to the wrong diet, hormonal changes, and certain medications which contain corticosteroids, androgens or lithium, or can even be genetic.

Cinnamon is a common spice and flavoring agent but the essential oil it contains also has strong anti-microbial properties. The water activity of honey is very low and this means that it does not contain a lot of moisture which can promote the growth of microorganisms. Considering that pimples often arise from an infection within the pores of the skin, combining cinnamon with honey is an effective remedy.

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Stress

Stress can be mainly of two types – physical and psychological. Psychological symptoms include anxiety, depression, aggressiveness, restlessness, panic attack, mood swings, etc. Sometimes due to extreme stress people tend to become increasingly silent, or can react in a manner opposite to their normal behavior.
Physically the symptoms seen affect various parts of our body. For instance when stress affects the nervous system, a person would experience constant headaches or would experience reduced appetite, stomach upset or pain, and in case of the respiratory system one may experience difficulty breathing.
Stress also affects the heart and can lead to a rise or a sudden fall in BP and possibly a heart attacks. It can affects one’s sexual life as wel.

Ignoring stress and living without dealing with it, can leave you with many physical and psychological conditions such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, menstrual disturbance, headache, eating disorder, weight loss and others. It can also lead to the development of heart disease and hypertension.

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Health Benefits of TULSI

• Tulsi leaves boiled in water act as a preventive against malaria and dengue fever.
• Tulsi is also a good germicidal agent and a disinfectant that protects the human body from all types of viral infections.
• Chewing Tulsi leaves also cures cough and flu.
• It helps to mobilize mucous in bronchitis and asthma attacks.

•  A decoction of leaves, cloves and common salt also relieves influenza.
• Water boiled with basil leaves can be taken as a drink in case of sore throat.
•  In case of renal stones, the consumption of juice of basil leaves mixed with honey helps remove these stones through the urinary tract.
• Tulsi also contains Vitamin C and other anti-oxidants such as Eugenol which protects the heart from harmful effects of free radicals.
• Tulsi can also reduce blood pressure and thus is useful for heart patients.
• If a baby is given tulsi juice regularly before teething, it helps grow teeth easily without any of the usual teething troubles.
• Warm tulsi juice gets rid of the worms in the stomach. for children. 
• Tulsi is an excellent mouth freshener and oral disinfectant and destroys 99% of germs and bacteria found in the mouth.
• Pounded leaves mixed with sandalwood paste can be applied on the forehead for relief from headache.
• Several stomach problems like acidity, constipation and flatulence can also be cured with tulsi leaves
• Tulsi is also used in the treatment of ulcers, cuts and wounds because of its beneficial antiseptic and healing properties.
• The anti-oxidants present in Tulsi help in balancing different processes of the body.
•  It helps in maintaining a healthy skin and shiny hair. Tulsi extracts make the most organic solution for your skin and hair problems.
• Tulsi works very well on eczema, acne and pimples and many cosmetic companies use Tulsi as an ingredient in skin ointments due to its anti-bacterial properties
• Using tulsi paste and lemon helps to cure ring worms.
• Regular massage of tulsi oil in your scalp energizes you and your hair.

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Health Insurance

Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses. By estimating the overall risk of health care and health system expenses, among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure. And this can ensure that money is available to pay for the health care benefits specified in the insurance agreement. 
Health insurance is defined as "coverage that provides for the payments of benefits as a result of sickness or injury. Includes insurance for losses from accident, medical expense, disability, or accidental death and dismemberment"
Health insurance in India is a growing segment of India's economy.  Policies are available that offer both individual and family cover. Health insurance in India typically pays for only inpatient hospitalization and for treatment at hospitals in India. Outpatient services were not payable under health policies in India. The first health policies in India were Mediclaim Policies

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Benefits of GREEN TEA

• Green tea increases the metabolism.
• It intensifies levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.
• Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating.
• Green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed.
• It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.
• It can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer
• Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood
• Tea catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer.
• Green tea can apparently also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging.

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Tips for Brushing Teeth

• Brush at least twice a day. 
• If you can, brush after every meal.
• Use a soft toothbrush.
• Place the toothbrush against the teeth at a 45-degree angle to the gum line.
• Move the brush across the teeth using a small circular motion.
• Continue with this motion cleaning one tooth at a time.
• Keep the tips of the bristles against the gum line.
• Let the bristles reach into spaces between teeth.
• Brush across the top of the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
• Make sure the bristles get into the grooves and crevices.
• Use the same small circular motion to clean the back of the upper and lower teeth, the side that faces the tongue.
• To clean the inside of the bottom front teeth, angle the head in an up-and-down position toward the bottom inside of the mouth and move the toothbrush in a small circle.
• For the inside of the top front teeth, angle the brush in an up-and-down position with the tip of the head pointing towards the roof of the mouth. Move the toothbrush in a small circle.
• After brushing your teeth for two to three minutes, rinse your mouth with water.
• Replace your toothbrush with a new one every three to four months.

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How Much Sleep We Need?

Sleep Requirements by Age

0-3 months old	14-17 hours
4-11 months old	12-15 Hours
1-2 years old	11-14 Hours
3-5 years old	10-13 Hours
6-13 years old	9-11 Hours
14-17 years old	8-10 Hours
18-25 years old	7-9 Hours
26-64 years old	7-9 Hours
65+years	7-8 Hours

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