:Virgin coconut oil:

The Coconut oil ; virgin coconut is rich in lauric acid, which is known for being antiviral and antibacterial, its effectiveness in lowering the viral load of HIV/AIDS patients. Coconut oil is also being used by thyroid sufferers to increase body metabolism, and to lose weight. Virgin coconut oil is also used for making natural soaps and other health products, as it is one of the healthiest things we can put on our skin.Virgin Coconut Oil can only be achieved by using fresh coconut meat or what is called non-copra ..
Benefit Coconut Oil :
Reduces risk of atherosclerosis and related illnesses.
Reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions.
Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections.
Supports immune system function.
Helps control diabetes.
Provides an immediate source of energy.
Supports healthy metabolic function.
Improves digestion and nutrient absorption.
Supplies important nutrients necessary for good health.
Supplies fewer calories than other fats.
Promotes weight loss.
Helps prevent osteoporosis.
Has a mild delicate flavor.
Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life).
Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking).
Helps keep skin soft and smooth.
Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
Helps protect against skin cancer and other blemishes.
Functions as a protective antioxidant."
links : Virgin Coconut Oil Coconut Oil

Child's Diet

Serve more fruits and vegetables. Foods that come from plants, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, are the only sources of dietary fiber. Experts recommend aiming for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. All produce isn't equally rich in fiber, though. Some of the standouts are artichokes, avocados, dried fruits, okra (not exactly a favorite of most kids), baked potatoes with the skin, pears, and carrots. Concentrate on the ones your child likes.
Serve vegetables raw. If you want to boost his enthusiasm about vegetables in general, make it a family project to cultivate a veggie garden. He'll be excited to see the snow peas he grew arrayed on his dinner plate.
Choose whole grain cereals and breads.
Whole grains contain significantly more fiber than do processed grains. They're also good sources of vitamin E, B vitamins including folic acid, and other important nutrients. One of the most quick and healthful breakfasts you can fix for your child is whole grain cereal with reduced-fat milk; read labels to find a brand that delivers at least 5 grams of fiber per serving and isn't loaded with sugar. For even more fiber, vitamins, and minerals, top it off with raisins or sliced strawberries. When shopping for bread, don't rely on appearance: You may think that the more brown the bread looks, the more whole grain it contains. But some brown loaves simply have added food coloring. Furthermore, a stamp reading "wheat bread" doesn't mean whole wheat and even a loaf labeled "whole wheat" may mix in more refined flour than you want.
Pull a pasta switcheroo. Whole grain pastas, available at most natural foods stores, have a lot more fiber than the standard supermarket versions, so it's worth seeing if your child will eat them. When the spaghetti is swimming in his favorite tomato sauce, he may not even notice that you've substituted whole wheat for white. Whole wheat or spelt lasagna noodles are even harder to detect amidst the cheese, veggies, meat, and sauce.
Add beans to the menu. Beans and lentils are terrific sources of fiber (not to mention protein, B vitamins, iron, and other crucial nutrients). Even a quarter cup of kidney beans, for instance, provides a hefty dose of fiber. Dried lentils cook up quickly, but dried beans usually require soaking followed by an hour or so of simmering. If you're too busy for that, just buy canned beans, opting for low-sodium versions when available or else emptying the can into a strainer and rinsing the beans off. Try black bean chili or three-bean salad.
Choose high-fiber snacks. Keep carrot sticks, celery sticks, fresh fruit, dried fruit, and popcorn handy for when your child gets hungry between meals. When he has to have a cookie, offer a fig bar, a raisin biscuit, or an oatmeal cookie.

Widespread Itching

Widespread Itching baby or kids
Widespread Itching: Unknown Cause
Cause :
The possible causes are many, such as: Chickenpox ,Dry Skin ,Eczema, Heat Rash , Hives ,Insect and Spider Bites,
Home Care
The following measures may help to relieve itching regardless of the cause:
+ Wash the skin once with soap to remove irritants.
+ Give your child cool baths every 3 to 4 hours unless your child has dry skin.
+ Follow with calamine lotion (nonprescription) or a baking soda solution (1 teaspoon in 4 ounces of water).
+ For very itchy spots, apply 1-percent hydrocortisone cream (no prescription needed) unless your child has chickenpox.
+ Encourage your child not to scratch; cut your child's fingernails short.
+ Your child should not wear itchy or tight clothes and should temporarily avoid excessive heat, sweating, soaps, and swimming pools.

gift mothers day

Toddler Diaper Rash

What is diaper rash?
By the time your child reaches the toddler years, you've probably already seen your share of diaper rashes: red, inflamed skin hiding under the diaper or training pants. The rash -- usually found in the genital area, the inner thighs, or the buttocks -- can be either dry or moist. Sometimes the rash looks pimply, making the expression "smooth as a baby's bottom" seem like a misnomer.
Even if the diaper rash doesn't leave your toddler uncomfortable, you should take it seriously. If the rash isn't treated, it can grow with the help of bacteria or a fungus into something worse, such as a bacterial or yeast infection. Bacterial infections can be accompanied by fever and may develop into oozing yellow patches or pus-filled pimples. Yeast infections, which often occur when your child is on antibiotics, typically begin as tiny red spots that multiply and form a solid red blotch. A diaper rash caused by yeast is often located in the skin folds -- moist areas where yeast likes to grow.
What causes it?
The main culprit is wetness. Even the most absorbent diaper or training pants are apt to leave some moisture on a toddler's skin. If your child stays in a dirty diaper too long, he's more likely to develop diaper rash. However, it can strike even kids whose parents are diligent diaper changers, often because the children are having an allergic reaction to diaper wipes, a disposable diaper, a laundry detergent that was used to wash cloth diapers, or a new food in their diet. Toddlers who are sick or taking antibiotics may get diarrhea (a side effect of the medication), which can also lead to diaper rash.
What's the best way to treat it?
The best remedy is to keep your child clean and dry by changing his diaper frequently. If he can play in a room with an easy-to-clean floor, leave his diaper or training pants off for as long as possible to let the air keep him dry and speed healing. If fresh air isn't enough, try an over-the-counter lotion containing zinc oxide. You might also want to switch your brands diapers and detergents to ones that are free of fragrance and additives -- that should clear up the problem if the diaper rash stems from allergies.
A normal diaper rash clears up after three or four days of treatment at home. If your child's rash persists, spreads, or worsens, call your pediatrician. He or she can prescribe topical medication to treat the rash and help you determine what's causing the inflammation -- bacteria, food allergies, or a yeast infection.
How can I help prevent diaper rash?
The best defense against diaper rash is a dry bottom. For maximum dryness, follow these four easy steps:
+ Change your child's diaper as soon as possible after it becomes wet or soiled.
+ Clean your child's genital area thoroughly after each bowel movement and allow it to dry.
+ Coat his bottom with a thin layer of protective ointment, but skip the powder or corn starch (both can get into your child's lungs).
+ Don't secure diapers so tight that there's no room for air to circulate. Plastic pants, diapers, and clothing must fit somewhat loosely to let your child's bottom breathe.

Deafness and hearing impairment

WHAT ARE DEAFNESS AND HEARING IMPAIRMENT?
Hearing impairment is a broad term used to describe the loss of hearing in one or both ears.

There are different levels of hearing impairment:
+ Hearing impairment refers to complete or partial loss of the ability to hear from one or both ears. The level of impairment can be mild, moderate, severe or profound;
+ Deafness refers to the complete loss of ability to hear from one or both ears.

There are two types of hearing impairment, defined according to where the problem occurs:
+ Conductive hearing impairment, which is a problem in the outer or middle ear. This type of hearing problem is often medically or surgically treatable, if there is access to the necessary services; childhood middle ear infection is the most common example;
+ Sensorineural hearing impairment, which is usually due to a problem with the inner ear, and occasionally with the hearing nerve going from there to the brain. This type of hearing problem is usually permanent and requires rehabilitation, such as with a hearing aid. Common causes are excessive noise and ageing.

CAUSES OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT AND DEAFNESS
Deafness can be inherited: if one or both parents or a relative is born deaf, there is a higher risk that a child will be born deaf.
+ Hearing impairment may also be caused before or during birth for several reasons.

These include:
+ Premature birth;
+ Conditions during birth in which a baby lacks enough oxygen to breathe;
+ Rubella, syphilis or certain other infections in a woman during pregnancy;
+ The use of ototoxic drugs - a group of more than 130 drugs (such as the antibiotic gentamicin) that can cause damage to the inner ear if incorrectly given - during pregnancy;
+ Jaundice, which can damage the hearing nerve in a newborn baby.

+ Infectious diseases such as meningitis, measles, mumps and chronic ear infections can lead to hearing impairment, mostly in childhood, but also later in life.
+ The use of ototoxic drugs at any age, including some antibiotic and anti-malarial drugs, can cause damage to the cochlea (the hearing organ in the inner ear).
+ Head injury or injury to the ear can cause hearing impairment.
+ Wax or foreign bodies blocking the ear canal can cause hearing loss at any age.
+ Excessive noise, including working with noisy machinery, exposure to loud music or other loud noises, such as gunfire or explosions, can damage the inner ear and weaken hearing ability.
+ As people age, accumulated exposure to noise and other factors may lead to hearing impairment or deafness.

sleep Without drug

A Good Night’s Sleep: Without Drugs

If you awoke this morning feeling drained and exhausted after a poor night's sleep, read on!
What we're about to explore just might make a major difference in the quality of your life if you’re having difficulty sleeping on a regular basis.
While issues of sleep apnea (breathing cessation) due to a host of respiratory and central nervous system causes has been discussed in a prior column, we’re about to focus on insomnia from a rather different perspective.
Rather than dwelling on well-established causes such as medication side effects, exercise, eating/drinking/smoking prior to sleep, noise, jet lag, or extreme temperatures, let's take a closer look at an issue that is far more commonplace.
It's a fact many people in our society simply suffer from insomnia for no apparent cause. This is especially apparent for seniors, yet individuals of all ages experience this as well. While the issue of daytime fatigue associated with disordered sleep is well recognized, many other symptoms remain relatively obscure. Some of these include headaches, muscle tension, irritability, frustration and diminished mental/physical performance. The list is rather extensive when one considers the fact that adequate sleep is necessary for appropriate neurological, endocrine and immune function.
It is not surprising that the most common treatment for insomnia unassociated with sleep apnea (even in the absence of a bona fide cause) is a prescription for sleeping pills. Unfortunately, side effects vary considerably and effectiveness tends to diminish over time. Most people do not even consider another approach.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, April 11, 2001) is shedding new light on insomnia from a rather unique treatment perspective. It has nothing to do with the latest pharmaceutical breakthrough, the most commonly touted supplement, or counting sheep.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center studied 75 men and women (average age 55.3 years) with sleep maintenance insomnia, a condition characterized by more than 30 minutes of awake time in the middle of the night. These people did not experience transient sleep problemsæ subjects on average noted 13.6 years of insomnia. Participants were randomly divided into 3 6-week interventions which included cognitive behavioral therapy including sleep education, stimulus control, and time-in-bed restrictions, relaxation training or placebo therapy.
The investigators used polysomnography (sleep studies) to determine outcomes. The most favorable effects were found in cognitive behavioral group participants who manifested a 54% reduction in wake time after sleep onset even through 6 months of follow-up. Those in the relaxation group and the placebo group averaged 16% and 12% reductions respectively. Sleep efficiency (the amount of time asleep compared to the total time in bed) was 85% for the cognitive behavioral group compared with 78.8% in the relaxation group.
The Duke researchers also identified 2 common misconceptions about sleep. The first belief is that everyone needs 8 hours of sleep a night in order to remain healthy. The second is that the elderly can and should sleep as much as much as they want even if it means remaining in bed in the morning to catch up on a poor night's sleep. Both of these assumptions are clearly erroneous. The bottom line - reestablishing a healthy sleep-wake cycle requires a 3-fold strategy:
+ Eliminate excessive naps during the day as well as the triggering causes noted previously.
+ Follow a consistent schedule for going to bed and getting out of bed in the morning.
+ Develop appropriate expectations for the amount of sleep time your body needs. Healthy sleep time varies considerably - learn to listen to your body.
While these suggestions seem elementary on the surface, they have been scientifically shown to substantially improve sleep. As a physician, I believe it is much more sensible to offer these insights to anyone in need rather than simply prescribing sleeping pills.
On a final note (this is no time for yawning), here’s a personal suggestion I'd like to add. Consider avoiding our planet's greatest recount of violence (the World News) prior to sleep. A healthy dose of laughter instead just might create the stuff pleasant dreams are made of - Mind Over Matter!

Barry Bittman, MD

Asthma

Definition :
Asthma attacks all age groups but often starts in childhood. It is a disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in severity and frequency from person to person. In an individual, they may occur from hour to hour and day to day.
This condition is due to inflammation of the air passages in the lungs and affects the sensitivity of the nerve endings in the airways so they become easily irritated. In an attack, the lining of the passages swell causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air in and out of the lungs.

Asthma cannot be cured, but could be controlled. The strongest risk factors for developing asthma are exposure, especially in infancy, to indoor allergens (such as domestic mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, cats and cockroaches) and a family history of asthma or allergy. A study in the South Atlantic Island of Tristan da Cunha, where one in three of the 300 inhabitants has asthma, found children with asthmatic parents were much more likely to develop the condition.
Exposure to tobacco smoke and exposure to chemical irritants in the workplace are additional risk factors. Other risk factors include certain drugs (aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs), low birth weight and respiratory infection. The weather (cold air), extreme emotional expression and physical exercise can exacerbate asthma.
Urbanization appears to be correlated with an increase in asthma. The nature of the risk is unclear because studies have not taken into account indoor allergens although these have been identified as significant risk factors.
Experts are struggling to understand why rates world-wide are, on average, rising by 50% every decade. And they are baffled by isolated incidents involving hundreds of people in a city, who suffer from allergies such as hay fever but who had never had asthma, suddenly being struck down by asthma attacks so severe they needed emergency hospital treatment.