Dr. Rashmi Chudhary

Increase the intake of milk and milk products which contain high levels of calcium during the third month of your pregnancy as the baby's tooth buds are developing at this point.

Today we going to talk about the other food items that we should be avoiding during monsoon.

-Chaat is a roadside snack we all love to eat. Chaat includes gol gappas, bhel puri, dahi puri,sev puri,papri chaat and many more.But having them from the roadside can be dangerous as chances of usage of contaminated water while making these snacks are high leading to infections and diseases like diarrhea or jaundice.The chutney and vegetables like onion,potato and corriander used in these chaats also need not be hygienic.So its best to have homemade chaats where we use proper hygiene to make it and hence chances of infection is much less.

-Fizzy drinks reduce minerals in our body, which in turn leads to reduction of enzyme activity. Hence it is better to avoid them, especially in monsoons, where digestive system is already weak.Rather keep a bottle of water or nimbu paani handy or stick to warm beverages like ginger tea.And trust me our digestive system will thank us for it.

-Mushrooms grow in damp soil and have to be cleaned properly before they are eaten. But the risk of infection and bacterial growth on them is much higher in the monsoons which makes them to this list. It is best to avoid eating mushrooms in the monsoons specially in salads as they are not the cleanest of all.

The disruption of the normal female cycles of menstruation and ovulation after the age of 45 and the loss of her ability to conceive naturally is known as menopause. The associated symptoms of menopause are heat flushes, insomnia, weight gain, depression, nausea and fatigue. While hormone replacement therapy is the most common procedure to provide relief from menopausal symptoms, natural homeopathic remedies can also be used for the same. These remedies are completely safe as opposed to hormone replacement therapy which has a number of side effects. The following homeopathic medicines and remedies can be used to treat menopause:

1.        A balanced diet which provides you with optimal nutrition can be helpful in treating menopausal symptoms. When you get enough vitamins and minerals, the physical discomfort caused by the symptoms can be reduced greatly.

2.        Phosphorus can help with migraines, extreme sweating, numb hands, fast pulse, memory problems and dry and itchy skin. Foods high in phosphorus content are meat, fish, cheese, nuts and seeds of pumpkins, sunflowers etc.

3.        Excessive deposition of fat can interfere with the hormonal cycles and cause imbalances in the level of estrogen and progesterone. So, regular yoga and exercise can be helpful.

4.        Amylenum nitrosum can provide relief from profuse sweating, shortness of breath and palpitations.

5.        Phytoestrogen or dietary estrogen is a compound found in foods such as soybeans, oats, barley, carrots, fenugreek, rice etc. Phytoestrogen can provide natural relief from menopausal symptoms.

6.        Aurum metallicum is used to get the tissues and organs to function normally again and control feelings of anxiety and claustrophobia.

7.        Aconitum napellus (wolf's bane) is a flowering plant and its extracts can reduce panic attacks, heat flushes, over excitability and depressive symptoms.

8.        Argentum nitricum is a nitrate compound of silver which is used to control excessive bleeding in the pre-menstrual stages.

9.        Belladonna (deadly nightshade) is beneficial for a large number of symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, insomnia, frequent urination, osteoporosis, abnormal weight gain and other nervous disorders.

10.        Bryonia alba, a flowering plant, is used as a remedy for vaginal infections, rashes and vaginal dryness that are common during menopause.

11.        Natrum muriaticum, in small amounts, helps to reduce stress. Stress can cause problems in thyroid function, cognitive functioning, digestive system functioning and it can elevate blood pressure levels rapidly.

12.        Nux vomica (strychnine) is a common homeopathic medicine for nausea, vomiting and indigestion. These problems are seen frequently in menopausal women, especially after meals at night.