Breathing correctly is important for your overall well-being. Inhaling, exhaling a few deep breaths every day could make a drastic improvement in your lifestyle. It is important to take out 5-10 mins for deep breathing everyday as its benefits are uncountable, here are some important ones that will motivate you to deep breathe.
Natural painkiller
When you deep breathe, the body releases endorphins, which are the feel good hormones and a natural pain killer created by the body itself.
Improves blood flow
When we take deep breaths, the upward and downward movement of the diaphragm helps remove the toxins from the body promoting better blood flow.
Improves immunity
Deep breathing brings fresh oxygen and exhales out toxins and carbon dioxide. When the blood is oxygenated, it ensures smoother functioning of your vital organs, including the immune system. A cleaner, toxin-free and healthier blood supply help ward off infection causing germs from the base and strengthens your immunity. Deep breathing also acts as a natural toxin reliever. It also benefits the absorption of vitamins and nutrients in the body, making sure you recover faster as well.
Improves posture
Believe it or not, bad posture is related to incorrect breathing. If you don??t believe, try it yourself. Try to breathe deeply and notice how your body starts to straighten up during the process. When you fill your lungs with air, this automatically encourages you to straighten up your spine.
Reduces inflammation
A lot is said that diseases like cancer only thrive in bodies that are acidic in nature. Deep breathing is said to reduce the acidity in your body, thereby making it alkaline. Stress also increases acidity level in the body. Breathing also reduces stress and thus the acidity.
It detoxifies the body
Carbon dioxide is a natural toxic waste that comes out from our body only through breathing. But when our lungs are compromised by shallow breathing the other detoxification system starts working harder to expel this waste. This can make our body weaker and lead to illness.
Breathing relaxes mind and body
When you are angry, tensed or scared, your muscles are tightened and your breathing becomes shallow. Your breathing constricts. At this time your body is not getting the amount of oxygen it requires. Long deep breathing reverses this process, allowing your body (and mind) to become calmer.
How to maintain good mental heath during the current crisis.
1. stay positive
2. remember 97% recover ( there are many who have put up their stories on the net)
3. listen and follow the instructions given from authentic sources. ( doctors, govt, health care workers)
4. if you have self quarentined follow a routine at home, do not spend time lying down on the bed watching tv. Try to be as active as possible at home.
5. stay in contact with the world digitally
6. look at what you can achieve by being at home. Enjoy it
7. Remember you are not the only one going through the crisis, the whole world is.
you are not alone
8. if you are feeling overwhelmed seek help from mental health care professionals. many are available online.
9. keep in touch with extended family members digitally
10. Humour is a good way to handle crisis.
watch movies which can make you laugh and read books if you are an avid reader.
11. Do not watch information which causes you anxiety. Avoid 24×7 watching and discussing about covid ( twice a day information from reliable sources should be enough)
12. Check the well being of near and dear ones digitally
13. Do not drink alcohol or smoke tobacco as a coping stratergy , it only worsens the situations
14. Do not sigmatise people whom have contacted the virus be supportive .
15. Bravado does not help , follow instructions given from authentic sources.
16. Do not focus on the number of cases focus on what you should do to keep safe.
Morning sickness is very common in early pregnancy and is often characterised by nausea and vomiting. Some women feel sick all day long and it can significantly affect their day-to-day life. Morning sickness doesn’t put your baby at any increased risk and usually clears up by 16 to 20 weeks of your pregnancy.
There’s no sure-shot treatment morning sickness. Things you can try yourself to deal with morning sickness and early pregnancy symptoms include:
Take plenty of rest
Avoid foods or smells that make you feel sick
Eat something like dry toast or a plain biscuit before you get out of bed
Eat small, frequent meals of plain foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in fat
Eat cold foods rather than hot ones
Drink plenty of fluids, such as water
Eat foods or drinks containing ginger as ginger may help reduce nausea and vomiting
Try acupressure to get relief from the symptoms
Try anti-sickness medication after a consultation with your doctor
If your nausea and vomiting are severe, immediately seek medical attention
Book an appointment at Motherhood Hospitals. It offers a complete birthing experience to couples by hand-holding them through their journey towards parenthood. With the highest standards of clinical competency, backed by state-of-art technologies and proven protocols, Motherhood is committed to offering the best outcomes for the mother and child.
Services we offer:
Comprehensive pregnancy care by a team of highly experienced obstetricians /gynecologists, high-risk pregnancy care, 3D/4D ultrasound, anomaly early pregnancy scan, NT scan, anomaly scan, growth scan, pregnancy tests and vaccinations, maternal-foetal medicine, antenatal care, diet and nutrition by clinical dietician, exercises for pregnancy by experienced physiotherapist, antenatal workshops, Lamaze, lactation counselling, postnatal nutrition, postnatal fitness, 24×7 emergency care
Menstruation is a unique phenomenon in a woman’s life. It is the mark where a girl enters the womanhood and is blessed with the gift of giving life. However, this gift is always encircled by taboos that isolate women from the social and cultural life.
Till date, menstruation is described with code words such as red alert, shark week, on the rag, and so on which proves that talking about it is a taboo in the society. Therefore, such taboos make the period cycle a topic of stigma and shame to be discussed out in the open which leads to a ton of misinformation related to it. To cater to the needs of this series of misinformation, given below are answers to a few unanswered questions related to menstruation, give it a read.
Can the change of diet ease my period pain?
Well, yes. Your diet can be your friend or foe when you’re on your period. Consumption of certain foods during your periods can worsen the symptoms than usual. Try to avoid salty and spicy food or any food that can cause bloating, pain and discomfort. Hence, stick to clean and healthy food for a happy period.
Is there a way to tackle irregular periods?
A typical cycle length is of 28 days, and any changes in it mean that your cycle is unpredictable or irregular. There are many reasons for it. To have a more unobstructed view of this, we suggest you consult with your healthcare specialist.
Other than that you can maintain healthy body weight, exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet and regulate your thyroid levels to avoid such instances.
How often should I change my pad?
Be it your heavier days or lighter flow days you should change your pad every 3 or 4 hours. It is to avoid any odor from the bacteria growing in the blood.
What is the idea behind using a menstruation cup?
A menstruation cup is a flexible cup made of silicone or rubber (used inside the vagina) used to collect menstrual blood. It collects the menstrual flow rather than just absorbing it as tampons or pads do. It is gaining popularity because it is easy to use, reduces the foul odor and maintains the vaginal pH.
How do I deal with my first period?
Menarche or your very first period may not be the happiest time of your life cause of the cramps and bloating, but don’t forget that it is a stepping stone to your fertility which officially makes you a woman!
Here are a few things that you can do to make yourself more comfortable:
1. Cut back on coffee 2. Cut down on deep-fried foods 3. Consume more antioxidant-rich foods 4. Consume food rich in Iron
Even though we have come so far in the today, few things still need progress and advancement. That is why menstruation needs attention and an open conversation in the society.
India has been making great headway in the eradication of diseases like Polio & Small Pox but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Certain conditions like Anaemia do not get the attention they deserve. Characterized by subtle symptoms, diseases of this nature can go untreated for a long period leading to serious complications or occasionally even death. Women may be totally unaware that they are suffering from such conditions.
Anaemia in varying degrees is widely prevalent amongst Indian women. Global Nutrition Report 2017 states that about 51% of women of reproductive age in India suffer from anaemia. It is predominantly due to nutritional deficiency. Women also have to cope with blood loss during their monthly periods which can further reduce their haemoglobin levels. It is prevalent across all socioeconomic strata and is a condition that can be easily diagnosed and treated.
Anaemia characterized by low blood hemoglobin levels increases the risk of infection, preterm delivery, and suboptimal fetal growth. In infancy and early childhood, Anaemia can cause recurrent illness, failure to thrive, poor performance at school and failure to participate in physical training and games at school. Analysis by a think tank, IndiaSpend, states that anaemia has remained the leading cause of disability across the ages in India for the past 10 years. Anaemia can be easily diagnosed by a simple blood test called Complete Blood Count.
Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death from cancer amongst Indian women. It runs parallel to breast cancer in incidence. A study on cervical cancer by ASSOCHAM-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) reveals India alone accounts for one-fourth of the total cervical cancer burden globally. Almost 17% of cancer-related fatalities in women between the age of 30-69 can be attributed to cervical cancer. Majority of cervical cancers in India even today are diagnosed at a late stage. There is, however, an opportunity to detect precancerous changes of the cervix at least 15 to 20 years ahead by a simple test known as the Pap Smear. This test, although widely available to the affluent classes, is not easily accessible to the lower social strata. Cervical Cancer, however, unfortunately, is more prevalent in this lesser privileged section of our society.
Simple tests such as Pap Smears & Complete Blood Count (CBC) can go a long way in not only saving the lives of many Indian women but also improving their quality of life. Due to the rapid changes in lifestyles as well as lack of awareness of such diseases, our mothers, sisters and daughters fall victim to these ‘unnoticed killers’. What is even more alarming is that due to the high cost associated with such tests many women from the underprivileged sections of our society may not have access to such lifesaving screening tests.
In an effort to create awareness amongst our women and in order to provide women from the underprivileged section of our society an opportunity to avail these tests Motherhood Women and Children hospital conducted a free medical camp for women in partnership with the Thuluva Vellala Association. Basic history, examination, blood counts, blood sugars, ECG and BP and Pap-smears test were performed and referrals to specialists were made if required. The camp was attended by more than 150 men and women. A significant number of women were benefited by the special services offered at this camp.
Uterine fibroids are a type of tumor. However, they are composed of smooth muscle fiber like the uterine wall. They are much denser than the normal uterine wall muscle fiber. In a normal situation, these fibroids do not cause any pain unless they are exceptionally large to create pressure in the bladder or any other organs.
Types of uterine fibroids:
Subserosal Fibroid
Submucosal Fibroid
Intramural Fibroid
Pedunculated Fibroid
Symptoms:
Heavy menstrual bleeding.
Menstrual periods lasting more than a week.
Pelvic pressure or pain.
Frequent urination.
Difficulty emptying the bladder.
Constipation.
A backache or a leg pain.
Surgical Options :
Myomectomy (Removal of fibroid)
Hysterectomy (Removal of Uterus and fibroid)
Salpingo-oophorectomy (Hysterectomy with removal of Fallopian tubes and ovaries)
Motherhood Hospital is a designated Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecological surgery. We??re led by the highly accomplished clinicians, supportive nursing care ably supported by the latest technologies and treatment protocols.With state-of-the-art NICU??s, Labor Suites, Adult ICU??s, Operative Rooms, Laboratory Services and 24/7 pharmacy, Motherhood delivers the best in women, new born and children??s healthcare.
Book your appointment today with our experts or send us an enquiry.
Fruits and veggies on your table Makes your health Stable
Nutritional tips for Toddlers:
Introduce only one food at a time, giving only small amounts at first
Increase variety slowly
Introduce all food groups.
Give an extra dash of fat in one or two items.
Do not use excessive fat, salt and sugar.
Prepare bland and non-flavoured items. Fried food, highly spiced, and highly flavoured foods are not liked.
Consistency should be gradually built from liquid to semi-solid and then solid.
Particle size of gruels should be built gradually from homogenized khichidi, to well mash to a thick khichidi.
Quality should be gradually increased.
If the child dislikes or disinterested, discontinue the food for some time and re-introduce later. Do not force feed. No food is indispensable or best.
Parents should avoid personal prejudices, likes and dislikes in front of children. Rather they should eat a variety of foods and encourage children to do same.
Identify intolerance and immediately discontinue. Cow??s milk, egg white, soybean etc. are known to cause allergies. Cereals which least allergy is rice and the pulse which causes best tolerance is moong dal.
Avoid fibre, whole legumes and raw vegetables with their high fibre content foods recommended for adults but not for infants.
Some complementary foods need special preparation such as ARF (amylase rich foods) or mashed potato or banana.
Prevent inclusion of junk foods, which provide only energy. Too many sweets biscuits, baked products like cakes and pastries, which have refined flour and sugar can cause dental caries.
Avoid nibbling. Have a 5-6 meal pattern. Keep gap of 3 hrs.??, and encourage the physical activity and play to prevent obesity.
Meals should be attractive and served with care and personal attention.
Too much attention at meal time only makes child to achieve their ends. Healthy meal time environment of the family helps in good eating habits.
Monsoon is the season where everyone starts enjoying their life. This season gets the child out in you. Many wants to play in the rain water, get drenched in the rain and the list goes on. Yes, enjoying is one part of monsoon. But getting ready to fall sick is another aspect which everyone needs to be careful during this season.
Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya, Swine flu are common in the monsoon season. In the last 2 -3 years, there is a sudden spurt in the dengue cases everywhere. Most of the time hospitals will be completely filled with dengue patients and they turn away the patients because of the unavailability of the beds. But fever like dengue, malaria and swine flu could be dangerous during pregnancy if the care is not taken properly.
Dengue infection in pregnancy carries the risk of haemorrhage for both the mother and the new-born. Also there is a serious risk of premature birth and fetal death. In the case of infection developing close to the delivery time, there is a risk of vertical transmission.
Similarly malaria and swine flu during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, congenital infections etc. Malaria can also cause anaemia in pregnant women and may result in convulsion, kidney failure. So it is important to monitor for dengue, malariaand swine flu during pregnancy.
Measures to be taken to avoid dengue, malaria and swine flu
Don’t travel to areas where dengue, malaria are prevalent
Keep your surroundings clean. Close the window in the morning and evening to avoid mosquitos entering the house
Wear protective cloths like long pants, long sleeve dresses
Use bed nets, preferably treated with an insecticide to prevent mosquito bite.
Simple treatments which a pregnant women can follow during dengue, malaria and
Drink plenty of fluids like water, fresh juice, coconut water. This will help to prevent dehydration.
Avoid taking medicines like aspirin for fever. This may lead to bleeding and other complication
Endometriosis-An invisible disease yet painful.The woman suffers and fights within herself.She fights the pain , she fights to explain the unbearable and the unpredictable.Such is the situation of a woman having endometriosis.She has to know as to why she is hurt.She has to know that she has the chance to be pain-free.The below write up will help you to clarify your thoughts regarding endometriosis and to help you to come out of the stigma as well.
What is endometriosis?
The endometrium is the tissue that lines the inside of the womb (uterus).
Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial tissue is found outside the uterus. It is ‘trapped’ commonly in the pelvic area that is the pelvic cavity (including the ovaries) , lower abdomen and, rarely, in other areas in the body.
Which age group of Women are affected ?
Endometriosis is found almost exclusively in women of reproductive age, with diagnosis done usually during her 30s. It is uncommon in the under-20s.
Endometriosis has a much higher prevalence in infertile women, estimated as between 25% and 40%.
Endometriosis is estimated to affect 10-15% of women of reproductive age.However, it is difficult to determine the prevalence because of the diversity of symptoms and their severity and because endometriosis may be sometimes asymptomatic.
What are the risk factors?
Risk factors include: an early menarche, late menopause, delayed childbearing, short menstrual cycles or long duration of menstrual flow.
Obstruction to vaginal outflow eg, hydrocolpos, female genital mutilation or defects in the uterus or Fallopian tubes.
Genetic factors: Sometimes it runs in families. Therefore, endometriosis is more common in close blood relatives of affected women. Risk for first-degree relatives of women with severe endometriosis is six times higher than that for relatives of unaffected women.
Endometriosis is rare in women past the menopause, as to develop endometriosis you need oestrogen, the female hormone. Oestrogen levels fall after the menopause.
The combined oral contraceptive pill reduces the risk of developing endometriosis. This protective effect may persist for up to a year after stopping ‘the pill’.
What are the causes of endometriosis?
There have been several theories over the years.One theory was that some cells from the endometrium gets outside the uterus into the pelvic area. They get there during the monthly periods by spilling backwards along the Fallopian tubes.This is called retrograde menstruation.Other theories are spreading through lymphatic or haematogenous spread, and metaplasia.
However, currently the consensus is that endometriosis has a multifactorial aetiology, involving possible genetic, immunological and endocrinological factors.
What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
The clinical presentation is variable, with some women experiencing several severe symptoms and others having no symptoms at all. The severity of symptoms tends to increase with age.
Women with endometriosis may have no symptoms and be diagnosed incidentally or during investigations for infertility.
The appearance or worsening of pain at the time of menstruation, or just prior to it, suggests endometriosis.
Painful periods The pain typically begins a few days before the period and usually lasts the whole of the period. The pain is different compared to normal period pain which is usually not as severe and doesn’t last as long.
Painfulintercourse The pain is typically felt deep inside and may last a few hours after intercourse.
Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic area. Sometimes the pain is constant but it is usually worse on the days just before and during a period.
Other menstrual symptoms may occur – for example, heavy bleeding during periods.
Difficulty becoming pregnant (reduced fertility). This may be due to patches of endometriosis in the ovary which forms cysts and does not allow eggs to grow.
Other symptoms include dysuria that is pain during urination, painful defecation, abdominal pain, backache, menstrual irregularity, and cyclical pain or bleeding (eg, epistaxis, haemoptysis) at extrapelvic sites.
What are the complications of endometriosis?
Infertility: moderate-to-severe endometriosis can cause tubal damage leading to infertility. Lesser degrees of endometriosis, even in the absence of any obvious tubal damage, are also associated with subfertility and increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Adhesion formation may occur due to the endometriosis or following surgery.
Women with endometriosis have an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
Endometriosis may also be associated with an increased risk of breast and other cancers, autoimmune and atopic disorders.Rarely it may be associated with invasive ovarian cancer.
What are the other conditions mimicking endometriosis?
Pelvic inflammatory disease.
Ectopic pregnancy.
Torsion of an ovarian cyst.
Appendicitis.
Primary dysmenorrhoea.
Irritable bowel syndrome.
Uterine fibroids.
Urinary tract infection.
It??s time to start the conversation It’s the conversation of positivity.You need to open up the other side of the conversation.You need to know that you can have better life which is pain free,just by knowing what you need and how to deal with it more better.
How is endometriosis diagnosed and confirmed?
Transvaginal ultrasound scanning appears to be a useful test, both to make and to exclude the diagnosis of an ovarian endometrioma.
MRI scan may be a useful non-invasive tool in diagnosis, especially for subperitoneal deposits.
CA 125 measurement has limited value as a screening test or diagnostic test.
For a definitive diagnosis of most forms of endometriosis, laparoscopy is the gold standard investigation but it is invasive with a small risk of major complications – eg, bowel perforation.On laparoscopic findings, endometriosis is divided into Grade 1 to grade 4.Grade 1 is minimum disease,grade 2 is mild, grade 3 is moderate and Grade 4 endometriosis is severe form.
How is endometriosis treated?
The treatment of endometriosis is usually individually based, depending on the nature and severity of symptoms and the need for future fertility.
Medical treatment may reduce symptoms in 80-90% of patients but none of the treatment options has been shown to reduce recurrence of symptoms once treatment has stopped.
Pain management
The major goal of treatment is to reduce pain.There are 2 options in the management of pain one is non invasive medical line of treatment and the other is invasive surgical line of treatment.
Medical line of treatment
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsmay be effective in reducing the pain associated with endometriosis, although the evidence to date is inconclusive.Paracetamol, with or without added codeine, is an alternative.
Hormonal drugs: are equally effective: the COCP, danazol, oral or depot medroxyprogesterone acetate are as effective as the GnRH analogues and can be used long-term.Approximately 80-85% of patients improve with treatment.
Ablation of endometrioid lesions reduces endometriosis-associated pain. The smallest effect is seen in patients with minimal disease.
The levonorgestrel intrauterine system has also been shown to be effective.
Surgical line of treatment
Surgical options include removing severe and deeply infiltrating lesions (which may reduce pain related to endometriosis), ovarian cystectomy (for endometriomas), adhesiolysis and bilateral oophorectomy (often with a hysterectomy).Laparoscopic excision or ablation at the time of diagnostic laparoscopy.
The main conservative surgical techniques performed by laparoscopy are thermal or laser ablation, excision, ovarian cystectomy and denervation procedures.
Management of infertility associated with endometriosis
Medical treatment for endometriosis should be avoided for women who are trying to conceive.
In minimal-mild endometriosis, ablation of endometrioid lesions plus adhesiolysis is effective compared to diagnostic laparoscopy alone.
The use of laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of subfertility related to minimal and mild endometriosis may improve future fertility.
In moderate-to-severe endometriosis ,In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is appropriate treatment, especially if there are coexisting causes of infertility and/or other treatments have failed.
Success of treatment and side-effects
Overall, the hormone treatment options, all have about the same success rate at reducing pain.
What is the recurrence rate of endometriosis?
The natural course of the disease is variable and may or may not be progressive
In the five years after surgery or medical treatment, 20-50% of women will have a recurrence. Long-term medical treatment (with or without surgery) has the potential to reduce recurrence but there is no clear evidence for this.
Relapse following surgical treatment is common. 20% recurrence rate at two years and 40-50% at five years is known.
Effect of diet and exercise in endometriosis:
As we know there are a variety of treatments for endometriosis??ranging from medications to surgery??lifestyle changes should not be neglected. We know that lifestyle changes, including what you eat and how much physical activity you get, affect estrogen-dependent conditions like endometriosis.
Unfortunately, there are very few studies on endometriosis and lifestyle focus on whether certain diets or levels of activity are connected to endometriosis.This doesn’t mean that they’re not worth a try.
Healthy diet and physical activity helps in improved immunity which inturn helps reduce inflammation in endometriosis to some extent.
The following are the lifestyle and dietary changes:
Following a balanced diet rich in iron, fibre and essential fatty acids (EFAs).
For the past 2 years Motherhood has been giving mothers in Bangalore a reason to smile. With its superlative technology and expertise in women and childcare, Motherhood is the best choice for women who desire the best for themselves and their precious bundles of joy. Now mothers in Chennai too can entrust the most important phase of their life into the hands of our expert clinical and support team.
Motherhood brings to Chennai its very first birthing boutique that promotes a family centred atmosphere. Personalised maternity counselling is offered to make every family member a part of the woman??s journey into the beautiful experience of giving birth. Our Lamaze and Antenatal programs also help the parents-to-be get accustomed to the process of giving birth naturally. Our innovative labour practices have helped many women achieve a comfortable pregnancy and childbirth experience. Deluxe rooms and suites that contain highly sophisticated birthing beds ensure that the mother-to-be is most comfortable during the birthing process.
Motherhood understands the role of women as building blocks in the development of the society. Women generally tend to neglect their own health while devoting their lives for the betterment of others. We offer a range of healthcare services dedicated to women of all age groups. We intend to provide every woman a nurturing and safe environment during her road to recovery. We achieve this by offering them a blissful and homely atmosphere which takes away all the apprehensions that a woman may have regarding medical procedures.
DisclaimerThe information contained in this issue is not a substitute for medical advice. All content including text, graphics and images are for general information purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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