Dr. Arunesh Dutt Upadhyay

Although this might come as bit of a shock for most of you, the habit of sitting, acquired or inherent can lead to a lot of physical complications. Even with adequate exercise, the practice or compulsion to sit for too long, more than six hours at a stretch to be scientifically precise, can prove to be fatal. Or in a sense, it can at least have a detrimental effect on your life span.

Studies have revealed that sitting in front of the television for an hour if you’re above 25, can lessen your life expectancy by 22 minutes. The process might take effect sooner than you think, with the development of myriad complications such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, various forms of cancer, digestive problems and other orthopedic disorders of the waist and backbone. This becomes precarious, especially for those affiliated to professions that facilitate no mobility or those leading a sedentary lifestyle by choice.

If you are engaged in a desk job which involves a lot of sitting around for long hours, you should be worried about the ills that come along with it. Besides ophthalmological disorders, obesity, painful and stiff joints, sitting can also induce further serious problems involving the heart. To avoid this, make sure you take regular breaks to get up and walk at regular intervals, a little bit of neck and stretching exercises that is affordable in the given space. Avoid sitting on your rear for more than half of the day at all costs.

Standing in a fully upright posture burns a lot of calories, so even simply standing after a period of prolonged sitting can prove beneficial. For instance, it is advisable to watch the last ten minutes of a show or match standing up. Evening walks and morning walks are a good practice to lessen the amount of time spent on the chair. Regular and habitual jogging or running regimens help in getting you out of the infamous couch potato syndrome. Make sure you sit in a correct and erect posture while working on the computer or watching the television. Avoid long hours of prolonged sitting in front of these devices at home, especially if you are already compelled to do so at office.

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Almost all of us have experienced bloating, gas or an upset stomach. Yet some people experience this problem at a chronic level. Gas occurs in the stomach and intestines due to breakdown of food into energy. All of us pass gas, however some people do more than others. An average person passes gas 5-20 times a day.

An upset stomach can often cause problems and can be a difficult battle for many people. Although the symptoms of gas problems often relate to an improper diet, yet other factors may be also responsible.

Causes and Symptoms of Gas Problems

1. Swallowing air: The swallowed air which is not burped out, passes through the digestive system and is released through the opening of the anus. Hiccups can also occur if you have swallowed excessive air.
2. Diet: The reaction of different foods varies from one person to another. Also foods that lead to odorous gas may also vary from person to person. Yet, spicy foods and dairy products are the most common causes of gas. Example - Beans, cabbage, onions, radishes, eggs, carbonated drinks, sugar, packaged foods etc.
3. Medications: Certain medicines and supplements, including prescription drugs, can lead to gas problems and bloating. Further, medications which change the hormonal balance in the body can also cause bloating.
4. Medical problems: Certain medical conditions such as Irritable bowel syndrome or bowel obstruction can also lead to an upset stomach.

Common symptoms of gas problems include gas pain, cramping, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. In the worst of cases, gas and bloating indicate colon cancer. Such people experience rapid weight loss, anaemia and blood in stools.

Treatment
Modifying your lifestyle, in particular your dietary practices, is essential to a healthy recovery.

• Avoiding foods such as spaghetti, oats, bran, barley, banana, bread etc. which contain high fibre content is important.
• You can opt for over the counter medications after consulting your physician. Homeopathy and Ayurveda can be also opted as alternative forms of treatment.

Upon reaching adolescence, children's bodies undergo several changes and so do their minds. It is then that their minds are most, as well as least impressionable. And the daunting question regarding the upbringing of an adolescent is how to treat their constantly changing behavior?

Here are some of the tantrums adolescents more commonly throw, and what should ideally be your approach to it:

1. Your child seems to hate you: It is very common for a phase of emotional exclusionism to prevail between 16-17 years of age approximately. And the worst thing you could do is heighten that emotion by returning the hatred. Make sure you're firm against any extremely unacceptable behavior, but at the same time, show them that you're there for them no matter what.
2. Electronic devices become the center of their attention: Whenever you want to have an earnest conversation with your children, their attention seems to be drawn solely to their phones and computers. They feel the need to be connected to their friends and all times. Ways to monitor that are by setting limit to the maximum hours spent on devices or making them pay their own bills, which will make them more responsible rather than splurging unnecessarily. Also, if your child is not entirely secluded from the family, it is probably best not to interfere all the time.
3. Ignoring the curfew: Your kids often stay out later than the set limit. But it is quite possible that your curfew is unreasonable when compared to other parents' curfew. Find out what the average time limit is; it may prevent your child from bearing a grudge against you. In case they still fail to respect your curfew, make sure you spill out to them what the consequences can be, like being grounded for a week. However, in certain cases, your child may be spending time doing nothing constructive, but away from home. There may be something else going on, find out what that is.
4. Being friends with the wrong people: Sometimes it might happen that you think some children do not have a good influence on your child, but you cannot say that directly because adolescents tend to get very defensive about their choice of friends. Unless the adolescent is doing something harmful with the friend, like using drugs, let him exercise his choice. Otherwise, don't hesitate from seeking professional help to counsel your child.
5. Being over-dramatic: Every emotion is heightened in your child and you cannot tell them that what they are whining or being overjoyed about are trivial, because that's their prime focus then. Let them realize on their own how irrational they sound or else you may risk spoiling your relation with them.

Boiling water is considered to be one of the best methods of removing impurities present and making it fit for consumption. We all believe in boiling water before consuming it in any form, whether it is for drinking or to make a cup of tea, soup or any other hot beverage. But have you ever thought about the leftover boiled water? What do you do with it? Do you just throw it away or can you re-boil it and use it for making tea or soups?

Experts are now warning about the dangers of re-boiling water. Here’s why you should try and avoid using re-boiled water. As with all liquids when you keep boiling it the liquid gets more concentrated. Therefore re-boiling the same amount of water can make it more concentrated or increase the amount of dissolved salts in it. The harmful effects of re-boiling water are listed below:

1. Nitrates: Nitrate salts dissolved in water are usually not harmful but over boiling or re-boiling the same amount of water can cause the nitrates to become a toxin, nitrosamine which is known to cause diseases such as cancer, leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
2. Arsenic: Re-boiling water can increase the amount of dissolved arsenic in the water. Arsenic in small amounts in water is not harmful and in increased amounts can cause conditions such as cancer, infertility, heart attacks and mental disorder. Prolonged consumption of water with the high amount of arsenic can cause damage to the circulatory system and skin damage.
3. Fluoride: The consumption of increased amounts of fluoride dissolved in water can increase your risk of bone disorders such as fractures, tenderness, and pain. In children below 8 years of age excess fluoride can cause damage to teeth and tooth enamel.
4. Calcium: Calcium is good for our teeth and bones but re-boiling water increases the dissolved amount of calcium which can cause kidney stones and gall stones.
5. Change in water chemistry: Boiling water will get rid or reduce the amount of dissolved gases and volatile compounds in it. This would not only affect the taste but could also increase the concentration of unwanted chemicals and impurities in the water.

Due to the above listed harmful effects of re-boiled water, it is recommended that re-boiled water should not be used to make formula for babies. Studies have also shown that using re-boiled water to make a cup of tea can affect its taste. This is because the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water reduces when you boil it. Filling your vessel or kettle with just the right amount of water as required will not only be beneficial for your health in the long run but would help in preventing and conserving this precious resource. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

One thing that a weather change brings about is lung infections - most commonly cough and cold. Most people dread the change of seasons from one temperature to another because of the fear of how their body will react to the weather change. Be it extreme hot or cold, most people end up with a cough and cold. The more affected age groups again are the children and the elderly. However, all it takes to prevent this is to plan a little so that the body can get used to the change and not react with a cough or cold.

Prevention: There are few things that can be done which can help avoid catching cold.

1. Avoid sudden exposure to cold, from a heated room to the cold outdoors, especially in the evening and morning. Those who are used to a morning and evening walk may have to change the routine.
2. Avoid cold food items such as cool drinks, milk shakes and ice-creams.
3. Having a warm bath, early morning and late evening is advisable.
4. Avoid foods such as sour stuffs, pickles and fried foods.
5. Eat small, frequent meals that are prepared fresh are nutritious and of moderate temperature.
6. If there are infected people in your neighborhood, avoid being in close contact with them as you might get infected as well.
7. Wash your hands enough to keep them free of germs
8. As much as cold weather does not make you thirsty, push enough fluids so that your body stays hydrated. If water is not appealing enough, drink warm water or tea or lime.
9. Ensure the house, especially kitchen and bathroom are clean and disinfected.
10. Avoid exposure to dust and pollen as they carry lot of germs.
11. Avoid staying in a poorly ventilated room, enough circulation ensures germs are not concentrated in one room
12. Timely vaccination against flu

Treatment: Despite these measures, once the cough and cold has set in, the following are some easy remedies:

1. Steam inhalation, preferably with eucalyptus oil added to it.
2. Having warm soup with ginger and garlic added to it to soothe the throat
3. Ginger and other spices like cardamom and cinnamon can also be added to tea.
4. Lemon and honey can be added to a glass of warm water. This will soothe the throat and help fight cold.
5. Chewing Tulsi leaves can be beneficial
6. Yoga exercises such as Pranayama and Jalneti can be done to cleanse the nasal cavity, prevent sinus congestion, and clear mucus. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

Water is the most critical component for all organisms, and since 2/3rd of the human body is made of water, a person can hardly survive for about 72 hours without it. For understanding the impact of water in the body, it is essential to comprehend what it does. Right from helping in digestion to controlling calorie intake to regulating and maintaining body temperature to lubricating the eyes and joints, the functions of water are endless.

Dehydration can cast a negative impact on the body function since it causes electrolyte dysfunction. And the bad news is that most people can go unaware of this condition. Therefore, it is crucial to know about all the warning signs of dehydration so that you can take quick action and prevent yourself from further complications.

1. Poor concentration along with confusion: Since the human brain is 90 percent water, water deficiency can have a negative impact on a person’s thinking abilities and decision-making skills. Lack of water in the body manifests itself through forgetfulness, amnesia, difficulty in thinking and communicating. It has been found that dehydration can also pave the way for mood swings.
2. Dizziness and headaches: These are some of the most common outcomes of dehydration since it leads to reduced amount of fluids around the brain. This fluid is essential since it functions as a buffer that shields the brain from mild shocks. It can cause migraines and irritation headaches since it reduces the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain.
3. Dry mouth and foul breath: When you are dehydrated, your body is not able to produce enough amount of saliva which has antibacterial properties. This causes foul breath since there is bacteria attack in the oral cavity. Dry mouth is another important symptom of dehydration since water functions as a lubricant that keeps the mucous membranes in the throat, hydrated which prevents dry mouth.
4. Sudden cravings for food: People tend to mistake thirst with hunger, and they end up overeating. When you are not taking enough water, your body will send false signals to the brain that you are hungry while a glass of water is all you need.
5. Constipation and other digestive problem: The work of water is to hydrate all the tissues in the body, and the digestive system is no exception to this. Water can keep the gastrointestinal tract clean and supple which helps in regulating the bowel movement and prevent constipation.
6. Reduced urge of urination: If you feel that you don’t need to urinate after every few hours, your body may be in need of more water. Dehydration also contributes to change in urine color and in case you have dark amber colored urine, it means you should drink up more water.

So, whenever you notice such signs, understand that you have to consume more water regularly. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

While it may not strike us immediately, the human body plays host to billions and billions of bacteria all the time. Even the ones who claim to be extra clean, have these. While some are considered normal flora, if not controlled, they could lead to problems like infection, odour, etc.

Read on to know 5 of the most infected areas of the human body.

1. Mouth: No amount of brushing or rinsing can help in keeping the mouth clean. Our mouth is a host to more than 600 types of bacteria and these are required for maintaining the pH in the mouth. It is only when there is an imbalance that infection occurs along with bad breath. The tongue is another part which can allow bacteria to breed both on it and under it. The color of the tongue is a good indication of bacterial growth. Tongue cleaning or brushing is definitely recommended.
2. Belly button: Again, no amount of time you spend in the shower can help you clean the belly button completely. It has about 2000 plus varieties of bacteria and given its hidden and warm nature (compared to the rest of the body temperature), they are ideal for bacterial growth. People with piercings and obesity definitely carry more bacteria than others. Immediately after the bath, try using a cotton ear bud in your navel and see how much dirt is accumulated.
3. Armpits: Those who shave their armpits are better off than those who flaunt their hair here. It has more than 80,000 bacteria and not many are even identified. It definitely requires more cleaning than the rest of the body. Shaving the armpits regularly improves the hygiene of the armpits to a large extent.
4. Nasal cavity: Air enters the body for respiration through the nose, and this air carries a lot of bacteria. The fine hairs in the nostrils which filter out the air of all these bacteria make the nasal cavity another dirty place. When fingering the nose or itching the nose, these get carried to the fingers and all other areas that get subsequently touched!
5. Nails: Both the finger and toe nails are built such that they are perfect homes for bacteria, especially the skin under the finger nails. Those who do not clean their nails regularly are highly prone to nail and/or skin infections. Added to this, there are people who walk barefoot and the chances are further increased. Hard to believe, but the feet are one of the most ignored body parts in terms of cleaning.

While most of us consider the genitals and the anus to be the dirtiest, which is not totally false, there are more visible parts which need more care and cleaning. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a general physician.