Dr. Sheela Rani

Involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle, located at the base of the lungs, causes hiccups. Such spasms cause the sudden, quick closure of the vocal cords, during air inhalation, causing you to gasp with the characteristic ‘hic’ sound. Hiccupping is an uncontrolled reflex action, often triggered for no apparent reason. 

They occur frequently and are more common in newborns and infants.  A hiccupping bout generally continues for a few minutes and subsides on its own.  These spasms generally occur in a constant rhythmic pattern. They are often set off by anything that creates a pressure on or around the diaphragm. These include:

1. Eating too fast or because of the speedy swallowing of food 
2. Consumption of exceptionally hot and spicy foods
3. Indigestion
4. Consumption of aerated fizzy beverages
5. Lack of sleep, stress and exhaustion
6. Pregnancy
7. Smoking
8. Excess consumption of Alcohol
9. Intake of certain medications

How problematic can they be?
In most cases, hiccups stop within a short period of time. Persistent hiccups however, keep occurring for over 48 hours and some continue for over a month, which are also medically termed as Intractable Hiccups. Medical attention is required when hiccups start interfering with sleeping or eating patterns, cause intense breathing difficulty and vomiting. Relentless hiccupping can be painful and extremely tiring. It creates discomfort in the upper abdominal region, and hinders normal routine.

Home remedies for it
Hiccups are generally not serious and most often resolved by simple home remedies. Some of these home remedies include quickly drinking a glass of water, holding your breath for a while or evenly breathing into a paper bag.

Persistent hiccups, that occur at frequent intervals and continue for weeks and months could, however, be indicative of an underlying serious health condition. Therefore, you must visit a doctor if your hiccups do not subside easily.

Incessant hiccups could be symptoms of any type of liver or abdominal disease or lung disease such as pneumonia. Strokes, brain tumours and certain nervous disorders may also cause hiccups; as such disorders create a disturbance in the functioning of the diaphragm. 

Medications
In case of painful, frequent hiccups, the physician may prescribe you some medications. These may include certain types of muscle relaxants, sedatives, analgesics or any other kind of stimulant that can help in providing a remedy.

How can you ‘prevent’ it?
The onset of a bout of hiccups, is mostly self induced, involuntary spasms, thus cannot often be predicted or prevented. However, certain precautions may be taken to avoid recurrence. Abstinence from smoking, controlled drinking, not gulping down food too fast are only a few ways that control the frequency of hiccups. However, it is always advisable to get yourself examined by a medical practitioner in case of a prolonged spell of hiccups.

Have you heard of a controversy over, whether to drink milk standing or sitting? There are some scientific reasons, according to which, drinking milk in a sitting position is better and healthier than having it while standing. According to Ayurveda, milk is considered to be a vital and precious food item, and hence, you must ensure that you are drinking milk in the right posture.

You should sit while drinking milk
Scientifically, drinking milk while standing causes the fluid hit the lower part of your esophagus. Over time, this may result in the dilation or relaxation of the sphincter which connects the stomach to the esophagus. This may lead to a health condition known as GERD or Gastroesphegal reflux disease.

From Ayurvedic point of view, drinking milk or any fluid in a standing position is forbidden and advised against. Many scholars suggest that this norm exists because of health reasons. Moreover, drinking milk in a standing position may cause another issue. If you gulp down half a liter of milk, it goes into your stomach. The stomach’s capacity is between 900 to 1500 millimeters and on the consumption of the milk, it gets half full all of a sudden. This may cause the stomach to pulsate because of the volume of milk and it will also distend the stomach capacity because of weight. This may cause  colic shock resulting in intense abdominal pain.
If you sit down and drink milk, sip by sip, the stomach will not distend because of the support it gets from the stomach cavity, which is in turn is supported by your thighs.

Benefits of drinking milk
In Ayurveda, milk is a highly beneficial food, having several benefits. They are as follows:

1. Milk is calming and cooling, which helps in balancing Vata and Pitta.
2. According to Ayurveda, milk is considered to be the most calming and nourishing food. 
3. It is a natural food for human beings, which they are accustomed to right from birth. 
4. Milk is an aphrodisiac and helps in vitalizing the reproductive system, improving your sex drive and quality of sperms in men.
5. When you want to correct obesity, it is a perfect food for satisfying hunger and thirst.
6. Milk causes a sense of soothing and satisfaction in many different types of illnesses and diseases. 
7. Milk is essential for your mind, for children and is also used for treating depression.

Although many people argue that there is no scientific reason associated with sitting and drinking milk to be safe, it has been scientifically proven that it is better to eat or drink anything while sitting, instead of standing. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a ayurveda and ask a free question.

Breast cancer is one of the most feared diagnoses in women. When cancerous cells develop in a woman's breast, irregular lumps, changes in the shape or size of the breast and discharge of blood from the nipples may be experienced. There are lots of preventive measures that you can take to avoid breast cancer. It is important to live a healthy life with as less exposure to toxins as possible. Here are some tips and strategies that can lower your risk of breast cancer

Preventive measures:

• Plant based diet - Studies have shown that a high plant based diet, full of vegetables and fruits, is packed with antioxidants, minerals, and nutrients that lower the risk of breast cancer. Eat light, and avoid refined sugar and processed meat. Try to construct a healthy Mediterranean diet plan rich in olive oil and nuts.
• Maintain an appropriate weight - Do not gain extra weight as obesity and excessive weight gain are related to breast cancer. Cut down on fat and exercise regularly to lead an active life.
• Breastfeeding - If you are a new mom, breastfeed your baby as it has numerous health benefits for both you and your child, including lowering the chances of breast cancer in the mother.
• Sleep - It is important to get 8 hours of sleep every night to live a healthy life. Many studies have shown that a short duration of sleep and exposure to light at night that disrupts the circadian rhythm increases the risk of breast cancer.
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol - Do not smoke as it increases the chances of cancer in other organs and also leads to toxin inclusion in the body. Also, be sure to drink in moderation as excess alcohol consumption is cancer causing offender.
• Artificial hormones - Women during menopause often resort to hormone replacement therapy, and the extended use of this therapy can heighten the risk of breast cancer. Therefore, it is recommended to look for other options to smoothen your transition to the menopausal phase. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.