It's the month of Phagun again and time to prepare for the most colourful and vibrant festival of India - Holi. As the festive cheer spreads and people get ready to paint the town red with colours, dance to rocking beats at Holi bashes, and gorge on Gujiya and Thandaai, it s good to remember that you need to play it safely and naturally. The biggest reason for this is the synthetic agents, which are used to make the colours of Holi. What used to be a festival played with flowers, natural dyes and herbs have now transformed into a celebration of colours made from chemicals that are harmful for our body. 

Apart from the allergies to the skin, there is also the risk of increased blood pressure after the Holi festivities due to the high intake of bhaang, the official Holi drink. To avoid the harmful effects of such materials used during the festival, here are some must-follow health tips for you.

Tips to care for your skin

Use organic colours: Skin is the most sensitive body part and synthetic colours are a big no-no for it, as they can lead to rashes and other skin allergies. Therefore, it is advisable that you opt for organic colours, considering they are not only chemical free but are made from natural ingredients. Organic colours are safe for children too, as they are softer on the skin and easy to wash off. It is crucial that you protect kids from synthetic colours as they contain lead oxide, mercury sulphide and aluminium bromide, chemicals which not only damage the skin but can also cause various health issues.
Skin and sun protection: To avoid any kind of damage to the skin from colours, apply a good amount of Vaseline, any other petroleum jelly or mustard oil to your skin. You can also apply this to your child s skin as it is completely safe for their sensitive skin. When playing outdoors, opt for a waterproof sunscreen to protect your skin against sun damage.
Choose the right clothes: Wear long pants and full-sleeved shirts. This will help you stay safe from the harmful effects of colours. 
Tips to care for your hair

Oil your hair: You can apply a generous amount of oil to your hair, this will not only moisturize your hair but also safeguard the scalp and hair from the chemicals in the colours.
Cover your hair: Tie a ponytail and cover your hair with a shower cap to prevent your hair from dreadful damage. For a trendy look, you can also tie a bandana over your hair and safeguard them at the same time. 
Tips to care for your eyes

Wear sunglasses: Synthetic or organic, colours can be harsh on your eyes. You can protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses as they will help in preventing your eyes against any sort of damage. If your eyes come in contact with the colour, rinse them immediately to avoid infections. 
Moisturize around the eyes: Applying a good cream around your eyes will shield them from getting the colour into your eyes.
Avoid wearing contact lenses: You should refrain from wearing contact lenses while playing Holi. In case you cannot do without them, wear the eyeglasses. 
Use rose water: Rose water is known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties and can do a great job in removing colour from the eyes. It can also be used to reduce irritation cause by the chemicals present in the colours.
Other health tips

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during and after the festivities. Staying hydrated will not only keep you energetic but will also prevent your skin against the absorption of harmful chemicals. Drinking fluids will also ensure that all the toxins are flushed out of the body. 
Check your sweets for purity: Adulteration is at all-time high during the festive season. Therefore, make sure you buy your sweets from a reputed brand. In case, you are preparing your own sweets, buy your ingredients from a reputed shop, especially in case of products like khoya or if you can you even make that at home.
Keep your hands clean: Keeping your hands clean during the festivities can be a daunting task but since the colours used during Holi come as a fine powder and can easily get mixed with food, they can lead to different health problems. Make arrangements for snacks and drinks away from the festivity area. Make sure you wash your hands every time you touch the food.
Preventing asthma attacks: If you are an asthmatic patient, you must avoid playing with dry colours as they can aggravate breathing problems. The particles can enter your lungs and trigger an asthma attack. Asthmatic patients are also advised to carry inhalers, in order to avoid complications.
Apart from the above mentioned problems, these synthetic colors can also cause health problems like nausea, headache and vomiting in many people. Follow these tips and enjoy the festival to the fullest, while steering clear of all the harmful effects. So, forget all your worries and storm in the riot of colours. Be safe and be healthy! Have a great Holi!

This Holi Let's Paint The Town Red While Keeping Yourself Safe

Tip for eye care

This is the worst time of the year, for your eyes. Pollution from firecrackers, smog due to weather change and generally ever increasing vehicular pollution adds up to be the worst for your eye health. 

Protect your eyesight and take care of your eyes by following these simple daily eye care tips.

1. Eat Well: Protect your eyes from within. Eat for good vision. Eat foods that have various nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and lutein, vitamins A, C and E to keep eye problems at bay. Green leafy vegetables, salmon and other oily fishes, eggs and nuts, orange and citrus fruits are great for eyesight.

2. Quit Smoking: For better eye-care leave smoking. This simple activity can make you likelier to get optic nerve damage, macular degeneration and cataracts.

3. Have eye-care routine: Most of us don’t have an eye care routine, which is essential for keeping them fit. So, develop a good eye-care routine. In this routine, practice eye exercises, focusing eyes on a point far away to promote muscle development. Clean eyes everyday with fresh, clean water to reduce eye mites and other problems.

4. Wear Sunglasses: Wearing sunglasses on a regular basis will protect eyes from UV rays and ensure protection. This will help in reducing the chances of getting cataracts and developing macular degeneration.

5. Use Safety Wear: It is important that you regularly wear safety wear problems. For instance, for sports, wear eye protection products, sports goggles or protective face masks.

6. Look away from computer: A lot of us use computers too much for work and recreation. Now is the time to look away from it. Staring at the computer for long can cause eyestrain and blurry vision, trouble focusing at a distance and result in dry eyes as well as neck and shoulder pain with headaches. So, take regular breaks from that computer.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Doctor's Advice On How To Keep Your Eyes Safe This Diwali

The ability to see is one of our greatest powers and it needs to be valued and looked after. Sometimes this involves wearing glasses to improve our vision. Spectacles not only help us see better but also prevent straining and further deterioration of the eye muscles. Here are a few signs to watch out for that will indicate your need for spectacles. Keep in mind however that a comprehensive eye exam is the only way to determine the power required for your spectacles. 

-  Blurred vision
Blurred vision or the inability to focus on something in the distance is one of the first signs or eye deterioration. When it comes to children, watch out for complaints of inability to read the writing on class blackboards.

-  Frequent headaches
Unexplained headaches that come and go could be a sign that you need glasses. These headaches can usually be felt at the end of a long day or after watching television. 

-  Constant squinting
Squinting is a natural way to improve vision. This is because the act of squinting reduces extra light and light scattering thus allowing us to see something clearer. Thus, if you notice yourself squinting more than usual it is time to schedule an eye exam.

-  Difficulty working on a computer
Struggling to read figures and words on a computer screen is usually a sign of poor vision. Try adjusting your screen angle and the distance of the screen from your eyes to see if your vision improves or worsens. 


-  Difficulty adjusting to lights
Sudden increased sensitivity to lights can be a sign of many eye disorders with vision problems being the most common. 


-  Eye strain
Occasional pain in the eyes after a long day or as a result of an allergic reaction is nothing to worry about. However, if this pain persists for a few days, it could be an indication that you need spectacles. 
Deterioration of vision is usually a very gradual process and so you may not realize when it begins. However, the earlier you start wearing corrective glasses to improve your vision the easier it will be to control the deterioration of the eye muscles and you may even be able to rectify your condition completely. So, do not ignore any of these warning signs. Even if you do not have any of these symptoms, it is a good idea to get a thorough eye examination at least once a year.

Common Signs You Need Glasses

5 myths about eye health and the real facts behind them

Your eyes are an important part of your health. There are many things you can do to keep them healthy and make sure you are seeing your best. However, there are a number of myths regarding what you should do and what you shouldn't do when it comes to maintaining good eye health.

Here are 5 of those myths busted:

Myth #1: reading in dim light and sitting too close to the tv hurts your eyes

Fact: sitting too close to the tv, you may feel eye strain or get a headache from reading in the dark, but it will not weaken your eyes. It fatigues your eyes but does not harm your eye health in any way.

Myth #2: eating carrots will improve your vision

Fact: carrots are rich in vitamin a, a nutrient essential for good vision. But eating carrots will only provide a small amount of vitamin a. To get the optimum amount, you need to include other sources of vitamin a in your diet as well, some of which are milk, cheese, egg yolk and liver. Spinach is best for eye health. It has lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which can help prevent cataracts.

Myth #3: if you wear glasses or contacts for a continuous period, your eyes will weaken

Fact: your eyes will not grow weaker by using corrective lenses. The prescription may change over time due to aging or absence of disease but it has nothing to do with your current prescription. Some children have correctable eye problems that do require glasses to improve the condition.

Myth #4: when you get something in your eye, rub it out

Fact: this is not true for everything that gets in your eyes. If any particle falls in your eyes dust it off. But if it is sand and small debris that gets in your eye, don't touch it. Use an eye wash for flushing it out. If an object gets stuck in your eye, don't remove it or rub your eye constantly. Visit a doctor at the earliest because some serious injuries may seem minor at first.

Myth #5: dark sunglasses can protect your eyes from the sun

Fact: the color of sunglass does not ensure eye protection. Look for sunglasses that block both uva and UVB rays. Exposure to the UV-rays of sunlight can have cumulative effects on your eyes. It increases your risk for cataracts, solar retinitis, and age-related vision loss. Even if your contacts have UV protection, wear sunglasses that block 100% of uva and UVB rays for full protection.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Here's What CRYING Does to Your Body

Sitting Too Close To TV Will Weaken Your Eyes? FALSE.

During summer you try to take special care about the overall health of your body, particularly, your eyes. Eyes are one of the most important organs of the body, and the scorching summer heat can cause serious eye problems like conjunctivitis, infections, red eye, migraines etc., which is why it's important to take proper care of eyes during the summer season.

Here are some tips to keep your eyes cool and protected during the summer:

- Wearing sunglasses is very important when you are outdoors as it protects your eyes from the harmful UVA and UVB light. This will help in avoiding migraines and even serious conditions like cataract.
- Avoid midday sunshine. Stay indoors as much as possible during the middle of the day to avoid the sunshine then when the effect of the sun and ultraviolet radiation exposure are at their peak.
- When you plan to go for a swim, make sure you wear your swimming goggles. Otherwise you might catch conjunctivitis.
- You should not splash water into the eyes directly unless any foreign particles such as dust enter your eyes. This might damage the tear film of the eye, which protects your eyes.
- You need to maintain proper hygiene by washing your hands and face properly as soon as you reach home so that dust or grime does not enter the eyes as their entry can result in allergies and infections.
- You can keep a slice of cucumber on each of your eyes to relax and cool them down.
- 6 to 8 hours of sleep are a must as they help in revitalizing your eyes.
- Adding green vegetables, carrots, nuts, liver and fruits to your diet would be very beneficial for the health of your eyes.



8 Tips to Keep Your Eyes Cool in Summers

4 tips for a great eyesight

An important organ of the body, eyes must never be taken for granted and need to be protected at all times. In addition to protecting them, you also need to improve as well as maintain their overall health.

Here are some of the ways of keeping your vision in top form:

1. Eat for good eye vision

To have healthy eyes and consequently good vision, you need to have foods that keep them in good health. Nutrients like Zinc, vitamins C and E, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help to fend off age-related sight problems such as cataracts or macular degeneration (a condition characterized by the deterioration of the middle portion of the retina). Foods like eggs, nuts, green leafy vegetables, oranges and citrus fruits are what you need to have to get good eye health. 

2. Kick the Smoke habit

Smoking can adversely affect your eye health and can make you prone to eye conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration and damage of optic nerve (a nerve that transmits impulses from the eyes to the brain). By kicking this habit, you end up saving your eyes from irreversible damage.

3. Use sunglasses

Exposure to the Sun's ultraviolet rays for a long period of time can make you prone to common eye problems including cataracts. To protect them from the Sun's harmful rays, you need to use sunglasses that block 99-100% of Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

4. Go for a regular eye checkup

Going for regular eye examinations can help in protecting your vision and ensure you see clearly. Eye examinations are important to help you find eye problems like glaucoma (a condition wherein the optic nerve is damaged, resulting in vision loss). A comprehensive eye examination can help in identifying problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism (an eye defect that occurs to a deviated spherical curvature).




4 Tips for a Great Eyesight

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