Dr. Mohamed Liaqath Hussain

With a number of virus and other mosquito borne disease threats looming in, such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria and other deadly diseases. The number of cases are on the rise throughout the country, there has been an alarming rise is the use of market bought mosquito repellents. While they are no doubt, very effective, but they also emit gases which can be harmful to us. There exist in our homes, commodities with which we can achieve the same results - to have a mosquito-free home. Few such ways are as follows:

1. Though it might smell bad initially, it is also the reason why mosquitoes will stay away. Crush a few pods of garlic, boil it in water and spray the liquid in the room, especially in the corners.

2. Camphor is easily available and good way to get rid of mosquitoes. Light a little bit of camphor in a room after closing all doors and windows. Leave the room for about twenty minutes and when you go back, your room will be mosquito free.

3. Infuse citronella oil in a candle and burn the candle to have a mosquito free room. Alternatively, you can use the oil in a vaporizer.

4. If you have a garden, plant mosquito repellent plants like lavender, catnip and citronella in the areas near the windows of your house to drive the mosquitoes away.

5. Get rid of all stored water within and around your house. These waters are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. If you need to store water for the unexpected shortage of water, make sure that you keep changing it. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

After eating a meal to your heart’s content, it is very normal to burp or belch. However, it is normal only when it happens occasionally, or after a meal, for someone used to a contented meal every single time. On the other hand, excessive burping or belching can happen due to two reasons.

1. Excessive air intake: There are multiple ways that excessive air can reach the food pipe. Sucking on straws, chewing gum constantly and ill-fitting dentures are some common reasons for burping.
2. Digestive problems: Ulcers in the stomach, prolonged gastric, gallstones and rarely, esophageal or stomach cancers can also cause burping.

When to see a doctor
Check with a doctor if you have persistent burping, followed by a meal or otherwise, and accompanied by the following symptoms.

1. Nausea
2. Bloody stools
3. Abdominal pain
4. Vomiting
5. Weight loss
6. Fever

Preventing belching

1. Go slow when eating and/or drinking: Most of us are pressed for time and eating and/or drinking has now become a task that needs to be finished quickly. Eating fast causes air to be swallowed, and therefore one of the best ways to stop burping is to eat slowly. Sitting in a calm, relaxing environment when eating also allows one to enjoy the food and avoid or stop burping.
2. Avoid talking while eating: There is always so much to catch up, whether at home or outside. So, talking while eating is a common practice. This is not just bad manners, but there is also a lot of air that is swallowed, which leads to burping. A solution is to chew the food properly, which not just helps stop burping, but also aids in better food digestion by mixing it adequately with saliva.
3. Substitute coke with water: Carbonated drinks are another reason for belching. Replacing them with water, tea, or anything noncarbonated is advisable, not just from burping perspective, but also from the excessive sugar consumption. Carbonated drinks are just sugar solutions, and are absolutely of no nutritive value.
4. Avoid straw: When possible, drink from a glass and avoid straws. This reduces the amount of gas taken in and helps stop burping
5. Quit smoking: Quitting it has multiple health benefits, and getting rid of smoking is just one of them.
6. Dentures: Ill-fitting dentures can be a reason for belching, and so they should be checked and corrected, if required, in a person who has persistent burping.
7. Chewing gum: Constantly chewing gum contributes to burping, and so avoiding chewing gum or sucking on hard candy is another way to control burping.
8. Avoid certain foods: Foodstuffs like broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, sprouts, and lentils can produce excessive gas and should be avoided in people who have persistent burping.

Follow the above steps in your daily routine; still if your burping problem persists, it is time to consult a physician.

With a number of virus and other mosquito borne disease threats looming in, such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria and other deadly diseases. The number of cases are on the rise throughout the country, there has been an alarming rise is the use of market bought mosquito repellents. While they are no doubt, very effective, but they also emit gases which can be harmful to us. There exist in our homes, commodities with which we can achieve the same results - to have a mosquito-free home. Few such ways are as follows:

1. Though it might smell bad initially, it is also the reason why mosquitoes will stay away. Crush a few pods of garlic, boil it in water and spray the liquid in the room, especially in the corners.

2. Camphor is easily available and good way to get rid of mosquitoes. Light a little bit of camphor in a room after closing all doors and windows. Leave the room for about twenty minutes and when you go back, your room will be mosquito free.

3. Infuse citronella oil in a candle and burn the candle to have a mosquito free room. Alternatively, you can use the oil in a vaporizer.

4. If you have a garden, plant mosquito repellent plants like lavender, catnip and citronella in the areas near the windows of your house to drive the mosquitoes away.

5. Get rid of all stored water within and around your house. These waters are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. If you need to store water for the unexpected shortage of water, make sure that you keep changing it. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a general physician.

We've probably heard about it, read it and even watched it a few times - devices like TV and laptop take a toll on our health. But are the studies backed with statistics applicable to us? What duration crosses the limit between acceptable and dangerous. Given that both these devices are entwined in our lives not only to entertain, but also make our lives easy, how much can you really avoid them? The reality is that you can't. So here is a quick look at what impacts you the most and how you can manage it best.

1. Increased eye irritability: We are quite used to multi-screen viewing these days. We work on our laptops or iPads while we watch TV at home. While this may seem like a skilled process in multi-brain functionality, but it is subjecting our eyes continuously to artificial light, making us blink less often. Often extending to over 12 hours a day, a mix or laptop and TV viewing can cause dry eyes, irritability, and reduced vision problems.

2. Increased obesity: Having access to everything from groceries to jewelry online makes it unnecessary to move out of the house on a Sunday. This is a boon and a bane in its own right. Easy access means spending lesser time standing in supermarket queues but more time in front of the TV. This can lead to lethargy and obesity. This risk is very real in children and we are battling with an entire generation on the brink of obesity and related problems. Did you know that childhood obesity risk increases by 60% when kids watch one hour of TV! Don't even try the math for a year's worth of television!

3. Increased affinity for junk food: TV has more side effects than you think. It automatically makes us reach out for the most harmful foods that taste great but hardly have any nutritional value. From chips to pizzas to burgers to quick fix noodles some with extra cheese others with a copious quantity of salts slowly add harmful toxins to the body. The worst part is that we are so lost in our work or TV that we don't realize the quantity we are chewing down.

4. It affects your sleep cycle: Having these handy late in the night also confuses our body with artificial light, throwing our sleep cycle off balance.

5. The one-off cases are real for some people: We often hear horror stories about some 12 years old whose thighs burned up because of excessive laptop use. There are other stories about a man who came home after a workout and accidently touched his laptop's power cord to be electrocuted. There are other stories linking these gadgets to cancer risks. These stories may be played up by the media for viral effect but the fact remains that you never know when you can be that 'somebody'. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ophthalmologist and ask a free question.