Dr. Jayshree Talele

Khichdi is a perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein. It contains all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein diet. Freshly-cooked khichdi if eaten with ghee gives the right amount of macro-nutrients, complex carbohydrate, protein and fat. Add vegetables to it and you have the complete meal ready for you.

1. Good for people who are allergic to gluten
It is a perfect food for people who suffer from gluten sensitivity and cannot have certain grains like wheat, rye and barley. People who aren’t suffering from this disease can also go for gluten-free food as a lifestyle change and can incorporate khichdi in their diet.

2. Helps in balancing the doshas
Khichdi is one indian food that can be served at any time of the day. It is known for its ability to detoxify the body and balance the three doshas — vatta, pitta and kapha. It is staple of an ayurvedic diet because of its calming effect on the body.

3. Easy to digest
Khichdi is good for people who suffer from digestive issues because it has a soothing effect on intestine when eaten with curd. It is a perfect food for kids and elderly people, it is a hearty meal full of nutrients and is easy to digest because both the age groups have slow metabolism and the digestive strength is weak too.
 

5 Alarming reasons you must visit your gynaecologist

In India, statistics reveal that more than 92% of women suffer from gynaecological problems. Some of these problems may turn out to be more serious than you expected. Here are 5 danger signs you should watch out for that signal an immediate visit to your gynaecologist.

1. Painful sex
Most women feel that it is normal to feel a little bit of pain in your vagina during sex. However, the truth is that pain during sex is not at all normal. If you feel pain while indulging in sexual activity, there are chances of you suffering from either vaginal dryness or a mild infection, which if left untreated can become worse. Some of these infections can even be STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) such as herpes, gonorrhoea etc.

2. Considerable bleeding during periods
If you bleed heavily during your periods, so much so that you have to change your sanitary napkin 2-3 times in just one to two hours, it’s a cause of concern. If this heavy menstrual flow is also accompanied with shortness of breath and rapid heart rate, you may be suffering from anaemia. In extreme cases (which is very rare), this can lead to extreme blood loss, which may require a blood transfusion.

3. Itchy vagina
Vaginal itching is very commonly ignored as most women consider it to be embarrassing, and as something that does not require any attention. However vaginal itching may be an indication of something more serious. Usually vaginal itching is a sign of fungal infection or a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease. In the worst-case scenario, it can even be a sign of vulvar cancer (a cancer of the vulva, which is the external part of your vagina).

4. Abnormal vaginal odour
Abnormal vaginal odour, just like an itchy vagina, may be a sign of a bacterial infection. Sometimes vaginal odour may even be accompanied with a thick and heavy vaginal discharge. This usually indicates vaginal yeast infection (an infection caused by an increase in the number of yeast cells present in your vagina), and if ignored these infections can recur, making sex and urination very painful activities.

5. Lump in your breast
A lump in the breast, whether or not accompanied by a bloody discharge from your nipples, is most likely a warning sign of cancer. You should also watch out for any type of pain in your breasts or even an abnormal growth as all of these indicate the development of cancerous cells in the breasts.
Schedule an appointment with your gynaecologist if you experience any one of these symptoms. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Top 5 signs you're ready to have a baby

Most couples dream of holding their first-born in their arms. But there are others who also dread the prospect of taking such a responsibility. Some are not sure and some cannot wait. It's important to know the fact that life certainly changes forever the moment a small bundle of joy enters your life. And there are many factors involved.

If you wish to know if you and your partner are ready to have a baby, check for these points:

1. You're excited

The first sign that you need to look out for, and which points out that you're ready to start a family of your own is you're eager and excited to welcome the newest addition. Reading baby books and blogs, thinking of ideas on how to decorate the room for your baby, or keeping yourself up-to-date on the latest parenting news may be certain signs that indicate your eagerness to have a baby of your own.

2. You're financially ready

Another indication that you may be ready to welcome a baby in your family is when you have every financial aspect sorted out, including investments and savings. The ideal financial plan should be such that you're able to add to your savings as well as build up a retirement corpus while still being able to sustain the lifestyle that you and your partner would like. Most importantly, sticking to the financial plan is as important as coming up with one.

3. You can empathise

A quality that every would-be parent needs to have is empathy. The ability to put yourself in another person's shoes is vital before you can bring another human being into the world. You and your partner may have different empathy levels, which you need to know beforehand as parenting also involves empathising with your child's pain fears, needs, and worries and so on.

4. You're ready to make a professional sacrifice

Having a baby also calls for making a professional sacrifice as looking after a baby is not an easy task. You or your partner may have to take a long break from work. It's, therefore, vital to see where you and your partner stand in your careers.

5. You have support

Having experienced people around you or people you can trust can help ease the days that usually follow on the arrival of this newest visitor. Your support could be in the form of your parents or in-laws who can look after your child while you go for work or take rest. Other support systems that you can consider are day care.

Above all, you need to be the best version of yourself before taking on this additional responsibility.

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Related Tip: Title: 4 Worst Foods Ever To Feed Your Baby! #ParentingBlunders