Indian Summer Vegetable - Ash Gourd

Ash gourd also known as white gourd, white pumpkin, wax gourd or petha. It keeps your body cool and healthy. Contains almost 96% water it protects you from heat stroke.

Ash-gourd is loaded with nutrients. It's an excellent source of vitamin b1 (thiamine), a good source of vitamin b3 (niacin). Its high potassium content makes this a good vegetable for maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

Ash-gourd is also useful in treating respiratory disorders like asthma, blood-related diseases, and urinary diseases like kidney stones.

Watch out next in the series is bitter gourd (karela)

The first trimester of pregnancy (i. E. The first three months) is a very crucial time as this the time when your baby grows at a faster rate than at any other stage. Eating right is what you should be doing during such a time in your life as your body can make use of the energy and nutrients to build the body of your baby as well as to keep you strong. During the first trimester of your pregnancy, you should be including these 6 foods in your diet to provide you and your child with all the vital nutrients.

1. Spinach: high in folic acid, also known as folate (a form of vitamin b), consumption of spinach during these first few months (as well as before pregnancy) is extremely vital. It can help in preventing the occurrence of neural tube defects or birth defects pertaining to your baby's brain and spine.

2. Citrus fruits: your first-trimester diet should also consist of an adequate amount of citrus fruits. High in vitamin C, you should have at least 1 citrus fruit every day. If you prefer to take these fruits in juice form, you should restrict it to only 1 cup a day. This is because juices are high in calories and low in fibre, and, therefore, do not deliver on the fibre component.

3. Nuts: during this period your protein requirements also increase and it is advised that you have about 60 gm or more of protein every day. Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, cashews and pistachios are known to have healthy amounts of fibre, fats and protein. A study conducted by the Harvard medical school suggests that eating nuts can help in preventing allergies in children.

4. Eggs: in addition to helping you meet your protein requirements, eggs can also be an excellent source of vitamin d and calcium. The last two elements are extremely vital for your baby as they help in developing its bones.

5. Beans: providing you with necessary protein and fibre as well as helping you to deal with constipation, beans are must-haves during this period. Eating this fibre-rich food will ensure your bowel is functioning properly, thereby reducing your likelihood of developing constipation and even haemorrhoids (swollen veins of the anal and rectal region).

6. Yoghurt: a good source of calcium, having a cup of yoghurt every day will provide your baby with the calcium that it needs to grow and that you need to keep your bones strong. More importantly, by doing so, it'll prevent your baby from drawing calcium from your bones, leading to a deterioration of your bone health. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

Panchakarma is the ultimate mind-body healing experience for detoxifying the body, strengthening the immune system, and restoring balance and well-being. It is one the most effective healing modality in Ayurvedic Medicine. It promotes Detoxification and Rejuvenation. It is recommended on a seasonal basis, as well as when an individual feels out of balance or is experiencing illness.

PANCHAKARMA

Panchakarma is a Sanskrit word that means “five actions” or “five treatments”. This is a process used to clean the body of toxic materials left by disease and poor nutrition. Normally the body has the innate ability to efficiently process and remove these waste materials, including the vitiated doshas. However due to one’s repeated dietary indiscretions, poor exercise patterns, lifestyle, and genetic predisposition the digestive enzymes, metabolic co-factors, hormones, and agnis which regulate the body’s internal homeostasis become disorganized. This can lead to the accumulation and spread of toxins throughout the physiology resulting in disease. This waste matter is called ama in Ayurveda. Ama is a foul-smelling, sticky, harmful substance that needs to be completely evacuated from the body.

Panchakarma will remove the excess doshas and correct imbalances in them as well as eliminate the harmful ama out of your system through the body’s own organs and channels of elimination (colon, sweat glands, lungs, bladder, urinary tract, stomach, intestines, etc). Panchakarma purifies the tissues at a very deep level. It involves daily massages and oil baths, herbal enemas, nasal administrations. It is a very pleasurable experience. Ayurveda recommends Panchakarma as a seasonal treatment for maintaining mental and physical hygiene and balance.

Panchakarma is a five-fold therapy; it is highly individualized based on the needs of the individual depending on the Ayurvedic constitutional type, doshic imbalances, age, digestive strength, immune status, and many other factors. Depending on each individual’s needs all or only parts of the five therapies are utilized. Specially trained therapists must administer these procedures in a definite sequence for a specified period of time. In addition, although Panchakarma is for the most part a delightful and comfortable therapy, there can be periods of discomfort associated with the profound release of toxins, which does occur. It is therefore essential that a knowledgeable expert who can recognize the signs of properly and improperly administered Panchakarma supervise the therapy. Fortunately these signs were meticulously recorded by the ancient vaidyas.

The panchakarma means Pancha and Karma. Pancha means five and Karma means therapy(Treatment).

The five methods or panchakarma are the elimination of vitiated doshas from the body.

Panchakarma :

1. SNEHAN 
2. SWEDAN
3. VAMANA
4. VIRECHANA
5. BASTI
   • ANUVASANA VASTI
   • NIROOHA VASTI
6. NASYA 

Before doing this Panchakarma procedures a physician has to consider the strength, age, sex, disease condition, constitution etc., of the patient.

Panchakarma Benefits :

• The vitiated doshas will be eliminated from the body through the elementary tract.
• The power of digestion and metabolism is enhanced.
• Diseases are cured and health is restored.
• The sense faculties , mind, intelligence and complexion becomes clear.
• Gains strength.
• The individual will not be affected by old age and lives long healthily.
• Rejuvenates the body.
• Prevents diseases in the body. Increases power of Immunity.
• Nourishes the body.
• Revitalises the nervous system.

The usage of “9 months” with pregnancy is almost universal. However, it is not always that all women go through the entire 9 months with the baby. Most often, delivery happens during the 37th to 40th weeks. This allows for the complete growth of the baby within the mother’s womb. When delivery happens before the 37th week, it is known as preterm delivery or premature labour. These babies may not be completely formed and may have temporary or long-term difficulties after birth.

There are many reasons which can induce premature labour, and while some are preventable, some may be inevitable.

1. Smoking: One of the first things to do when planning a pregnancy or as soon as you realise you are pregnant is to quit smoking. It is way too damaging for the mother and the baby within.
2. Alcohol consumption or street drug usage: These again can cause not just premature labour but also developmental abnormalities.
3. Multiple pregnancy: Women pregnant with twins or multiples often have premature labour.
4. Health problems: Medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes, infections, etc.
5. Abnormalities: Developmental abnormalities in the newborn like Down’s syndrome, chromosomal abnormalities, etc.
6. Weight: Being either obese or underweight can cause premature labour.
7. Prenatal care: While preparing for pregnancy or as soon as you confirm it, ensure you put yourself in the hands of a good gynaecologist. This will ensure you (and your baby) get the required care.
8. Less gap: Reduced gap between subsequent pregnancies can also induce premature labour.

Warning signs of premature labour

In some women, the doctor might be able to predict the chances of a premature labour and give enough suggestions to look out for warning signs. This will help the woman to be mentally prepared when it is time.
A low backache, which is constant and does not go with usual relief measures.

1. Frequent pelvic contractions (about every 10 minutes)
2. Vaginal leaking (fluid or bleeding)
3. General ill-feeling with symptoms of nausea, cramps, and vomiting/diarrhoea.
4. Inability to hold down fluids for a full day
5. Abdominal cramps, similar to a period
6. Pelvic pressure, a feeling of the baby descending down

What to do? 

As mentioned earlier, if your doctor had warned you of the chances of a preterm labour, watch out for them after 35 weeks.

• With any of the above symptom, do not indulge in any activity and rest on the left side for a while.
• Drink about 2 to 3 glasses of juice or plain water.
• If the symptoms get better, continue to rest for the day.
• If they do not, call the doctor. Usually, the doctor will ask you to come to the clinic.
• In some cases, the baby might be delivered and require neonatal care for some days (to weeks) depending on development and symptoms. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

Here are some tips to manage PCOD

Tips and Treatments for PCOD
I’m Dr. K.D. Nayyar Infertility Specialist and the Senior Consultant and Head of Department at Akanksha IVF Centre.
One of the most common causes present in these days is Polycystic Ovarian Disease which is prevalent in almost 8 to 10 percent of the population.
Polycystic Ovarian Disease is affecting whole spectrum of women right from puberty till middle ages even post menstrual stage. And younger women, they are more worried about their menstrual disturbances, ovulation problem, the infertility problem, the sexual health and the older women are more worried about their metabolic problems, the pregnancy complications, and the chances of developing type-2 diabetes, the cardiovascular risk and the quality of life.

Whenever you have a woman with polycystic ovarian disease, you need a multi specialist input like, you need to have a gynaecologist, you do need to have a endocrinologist, a nutrition specialist, a psychologist, ultra-sonographer, all of them can combine and give their inputs in looking after these women.
The younger woman is too much worried about the acne, the excessive hair. They are advised to avoid certain types of food which can increase their sugar like, chocolates, which is a common thing among the younger age group, and they are advised to eat lot of green vegetables, tomatoes and meat products. The idea is they should not gain too much of weight. A reduction of 5 percent of the weight, help their menstrual cycle and ovulation.

Older age group who are looking for infertility treatment, they can start with simple oral medication, which has been there for a long time and if they don’t respond with this oral medication, they can either go for indictable colonography and if that doesn’t help they may go for laparoscopic ovarian drilling and there are lot of achievement available in your market these days. One has to choose the right type of achievement, it can be, by forming N- Acetyl Cysteine and it can be Dexamethasone it can be the only cases of hyperchlonaemia. And there are other lot of antioxidants available in the market but one has to choose the right combination.
The idea is that women should have an ovulation which should result in pregnancy and a healthy baby.

These women who have Polycystic Ovarian Disease even after the delivery they should be followed up for the blood sugar level and it will provide regularly they should be monitored because there is always a risk of type-2 diabetes developing in this group so one has to be careful that this need a monitoring for the rest of their life.

All such women who are suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Disease, they are advised to contact me on lybrate on their website or mobile app or they can come to me directly at my clinic.