Is gluten free food good for health?

Is gluten free food good for health ?

What is Gluten? : Gluten is a group of proteins found in cereal grains like -wheat, barley and rye. It is found in the endosperm (a kind of tissue produced in seeds that make flour) and nourishes plant embryos during germination. It is the gluten which affects the elasticity of dough, working as a glue to hold the food together, which in turn affects the chewiness of baked products. In other words, gluten is a mixture of several proteins within the same family, though it is primarily made up of two different classes of proteins called gliadin and glutenin. Gliadin gives bread the ability to rise during baking whereas glutenin causes dough's elasticity. However, certain grains like sorghum, millet, brown rice, buckwheat, wild rice, amaranth, quinoa, corn (polenta) and teff. Oats etc. do not contain gluten, hence called gluten-free. 

Is Gluten bad for all people?: Gluten is not bad for all people but it is certainly bad for those who are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant as their bodies produce an abnormal immune response when breaking down gluten during digestion. One kind of problem due to gluten is called celiac disease in which the patient's immune system is triggered by the consumed gluten and it starts damaging his intestine preventing it to absorb vital nutrients. Another problem due to gluten is called irritable bowel syndrome which is a kind of gastrointestinal disorder. This disorder causes bloating, cramping and sometimes diarrhea as the gluten grains consumed are high in starches and sugars that can be easily fermented by intestinal bacteria. The gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance is different from the wheat allergy, a rare kind of allergy which causes reactions on skin, respiratory or gastrointestinal system.  

      Researches have disclosed that there is another kind of intolerance called non-celiac gluten sensitivity(NCGS) in which patients with gluten sensitivity, after consuming gluten may experience several celiac disease symptoms like diarrhea, fatigue and joint pain but it does not damage intestines. These symptoms may be due to poor digestion problem or placebo effect. This problem appears mostly in females and young to middle aged adults. Such problems can be cured by the patients by themselves without consulting doctor, by consumption of gluten free diet.

What is a gluten free diet?  As discussed above, gluten refers to the proteins found in certain cereals like wheat, barley etc. which may cause adverse reaction in people who suffer from gluten related disorders. First of all, in the gluten free diet, these grains are excluded from the list of food we take. Such food items like- breads, pastas, sauces, salad dressings, soups, processed foods and other baked food items made from gluten containing flours and refined flours may be avoided. Now a days, if we go for Oats and other gluten free food items, then we should be very careful to buy these items from reliable sources as they may often mixed or contaminated with wheat while processing. To avoid such things we must buy Oats in the form of whole grain which is certainly a gluten free food. 

For buying Oats, click the following link.

https://www.amazon.in/True-Elements-Gluten-Free-Rolled/dp/B01LN5RJD6

Is gluten free diet helps to control body weight? There is general misconception that gluten free diet is helpful to lose weight as claimed by many promoters of gluten free food items. This may not be absolutely correct. However, gluten free diet is healthier not only for those with gluten related disorders but it can also help to certain extent in controlling body weight for other people also. But for achieving this target of losing weight, we have to adhere to the rules of balanced diet and regular physical exercise. 

Advice for general people ?  To control and maintain ideal body weight, the people who consume everyday large amount of breads, pastas, cookies specially made from refined flours, can include in their diet seasonal fruits and vegetables etc. For the people who want shifting totally to gluten free diet from gluten rich food may face problems like deficiency in fiber, vitamins and minerals which are found in gluten containing foods, if fruits and vegetables are not consumed regularly. In that way, taking only gluten free diet may contain higher level of fat and sugar to make such gluten free food delicious and attractive as removing gluten from such food makes it less tasty. Adding sugar and fat into these may cause weight gain and other health complications. Thus, be cautious to be happy in old age, away from maximum health complications as everyone has to face the old age health problems.

K.B.

Eating fish is good for health

Eating fish or fish products is good for health in many ways. It is one of the healthiest food on the earth as it is mostly loaded with nutrients like protein, vitamin D, iodine and minerals. It is a low fat food and also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which is very important substance for our body and brain. In brief, Omega-3 fatty acids help in maintaining cardiovascular health by regulating blood clotting and vessel and also helpful in reducing depression and halting mental decline in older people.

Fish have been one of the first food items that human being started eating since beginning of the civilisation. Many researchs have also proved the benefits of eating fish. Generally all types of fish are good excet a few varieties. In Asian Countries it is seen that many people don't like eating fish due to their religious belief and other reasons. However, the people who dont like eating fish then if they wish they can consume other eatables which are made of fish like- fish oil, fish pickles. fish flour, fish silage etc.

For buying fish oil please click the link below :

https://www.amazon.in/HealthKart-Fish-1000-Omega-Capsules/dp/B07N1NQNKL/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1553153505&sr=8-6&keywords=fish+for+health

Let us know that what are the health benefits we can get by consuming fish and fish products : 

1. Eating fish can lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, which are most common cause of premature death in wholeover world. Researcher have proved that people who eat fish regularly have a lower chance of heart attacks and other heart related problems. 

2. Omega-3 fatty acids are also benefitial for growth and development of body parts as the omega-3 fatty acids acumulates in the developing of brain and eyes therefore the pregnant women and nursing mothers should ensure that they eat sufficient omega-3 fatty acids provided the expecting mothers contsults their Doctors before eating fish as some fish contain mercury in good quantity which may affect adversy to the health of their babies.

3. It is also said that eating fish can bring down risk of old age complications, specially neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer. Eating fish may also slow down the cognitive decline as the researches have shown that people eating regular fish have more grey mater in the centre of their brains that regulate the emotions and memories. People who want to prevent and treat depression may also consume fish to make them happier and get rid of the serious depression, low mood, sadness, bipolar disorder, decreased engery and loss of interest in life and other activities. 

4. Fish is considered for good source of vitamin D which is an important substance for our health now a days because lack of vitamin D due to modern life style has made our lives miserable not only in old age but also in young age. We can suppliment vitamin D by consuming fish or fish products to prevent such health complications, if we are not able to suppliment it by taking through the Sun. However, the people suffering from type-2 diabetes and hypertension should eat fish without frying in oil. They can eat fish cooked without oil.

For buying fish pickle please click on the link below: 

https://www.amazon.in/Keya-Mangalore-Fish-Pickle-270g/dp/B01GCECS98/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1553158969&sr=1-4&keywords=fish+pickle
5. Eating fish can also reduce the risk of Asthma which is an increasing health problem in wholeover the world now a days, due to change in our food intake habits. Research was conducted among 600 people in Africa who worked in a fish processing unit and it has been established by the study that the people who eat N-3 oil which is found in fish have 62% lower chance of Asthma.  Whereas most people use edible oils mostly to cook food which is N-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Such edible oil is also found in fast foods. 

6. It is a common belief in people in India that eating fish increases the eye vision. It is true becasue it provide protection against a disease called macular degeneration affecting vision imairment and bindness in old age people.

7. Eating fish can also prevent the auto immune disease which occures when the immune system in our body mistakenly attacks and distroys healthy body tissues. Example of this disease is type 1 diabetes which attacks the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Therefore, it is necessary to include fish as our regular food item. Some people believe that eating fish can also reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. 

Thus, it is wise to go with the well proved notions to keep ourself happy and healthy throughout our life.

K.B.

Excess high protein diet may cause problems in kidney and liver etc.

      
 Yes, high intake of proteins may be dangerous for our health if not controlled regularly. This is a fact that protein is one of the most important nutrients. However, we normally have no awareness about the quantity that how much of proteins we should take on daily basis in our food. Many people have the opinion that having a lot of protein or high protein diet will help to lose weight, gain muscle mass and improve our health. Whereas, some people think that having it too much is not good.  Everybody knows that protein is essential for our health while deficiency of proteins in our body may affect our body negatively like loss in muscle mass, development of type 2 diabetes, can cause swelling, fatty lever and rise in the infections etc.

Why Proteins required :     

 Let us first understand the function of Proteins in our body. Protein is an important component of every cell in our body and hairs and nails etc. are made of protein. Also, our body uses protein to build and repair the tissues and muscles, cartilage, skin and blood etc. Proteins are also used by our body system to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals which are essentially required for functioning of all body parts. Our body needs relatively large amounts of it than vitamins and minerals. Also, unlike fat and carbohydrates, our body does not store protein, and therefore has no extra storage is there for using it when it needs a supply. Apart from above, the proteins keep our body structurally sound, controls urge of hunger. 

What is an ideal quantity for Proteins:  Let us discuss and understand that how much protein should we include in our diet per day. It is generally said that the protein should be taken every day as per our body weight. 

It means that 0.8 gm to 1 gm/kg body weight/day (1 gram per kg of body weight per day) must be considered as the ideal intake for a normal person without any medical complication. It is also said that the people who do physical exercise or trying to recover from some injury may need more quantity of protein in their daily diet.The fact is that every individual's body has different protein requirement based on his or her age, sex and daily physical activity levels. It means that almost everyone, even athletes and sports persons can easily meet daily protein requirements without dietary supplements. 

What if extra proteins is consumed: All of us might have heard that having daily extra protein builds more muscle. However, this may not be correct for all us as the only way to build muscle is to do systematic and regular physical exercise. Our bodies need a modest amount of protein to function well and extra protein doesn't give our body extra strength. Let us always remember that increasing the amount of protein that we eat by restricting carbohydrates and fats can cause health problems ranging from mild to serious, especially over an extended period of time. Say for example, we may experience gastrointestinal issues such as constipation or diverticulitis, stemming from nutrient deficiencies and reduced fiber in our diet. Also, over a period of time, eating more protein than we need can cause undue stress on our kidneys, resulting in kidney disease, kidney stones or osteoporosis. For instance- taking large quantity of processed meats like hot dogs, sausages and other processed meat may lead to risk of several health problems like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. Therefore while taking protein we should choose carefully which kind of protein will be suitably required for our body. 

            Actually, high-protein foods are also high in fat, such as red meat and full-fat cheese and consuming the same may raise Cholesterol in our body and subsequent risk of heart disease or even cancer. When we consume lots of proteins and take less quantity of carbohydrates the metabolism of our body changes to a state which is called ketosis which means that our body converts from burning carbohydrates for fuel to burn its own fat. When fat is broken down, small bits of carbon called ketones are released into the bloodstream as energy sources. It is also important to know that Ketosis, which also occurs in diabetes, tends to supress appetite, causing us to eat less and it also increases the body's elimination of fluids through urine resulting in loss of water weight.

         Another fact is that when we eat high protein food, then we excrete excess calcium through urine i.e. our body releases more calcium into blood stream to counter act an increase in acids caused by protein consumption and too much loss of calcium may lead to osteoporosis. Moreover, it is not advisable to take over dodge of protein through powder or other forms as supplement because taking too much of protein can cause the above mentioned health complications. 

Quality is important than quantity: We must also keep in mind that whatever proteins we take, should be a high quality protein instead of high quantity of proteins. We all know that animal products like meats, milk and eggs are rich in high quality protein with essential amino acids. Vegetarians may also opt for various sources of protein available in nuts, seeds, milk and other dairy products, pulses and soya products, food including grains and legumes etc. Still, there is a need to know that which kind of protein we need for some specific purpose. 

From where to get good quality of proteins:

·         

Nuts: One ounce of almonds or nuts gives us 6 grams of protein. 

Beans: Beans contain more protein than any other vegetables and the beans contain fibre that helps our body in many ways as you already know.

Whole grains: It is always recommended to have whole grains which give sufficient quality of proteins and fibre.

Fish: Consuming fish gives healthy omega-3 fatty acids for healthy heart and also fish have less in fat than meat. 

Poultry: If the skinless chicken is consumed then most of the saturated fat can be avoided and it can be rich in good quality of protein. 

            Thus, the above discussions may be useful to keep up our health level to certain extent which may increase the health of mind and spirit which may result in longer and happy life. 

Rheumatoid Arthritis-An Autoimmune Disease

Rheumatoid Arthritis-An Autoimmune Disease with Joint Pain

     Do you experience joint pain, joint swelling, joint stiffness and loss of joint movement? If yes, then it is an alarming health issue which may cause more complications. These are an autoimmune disease symptoms in which the body’s defence system attacks your own body cells. This is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis that affects the lining of the joints and tissues around the joints, as well as tissues at other places in your body.

     The joint damaged by this disease usually happens on both sides of your body. For example-if a joint is affected in one of your arms or legs, the same joint in the other arm or leg will probably be affected. This symptom may help distinguihing the problem with other kinds of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis etc. Actually, the cells of the immune system present in the blood move towards your joints and their linings causing inflammation within the joints resulting pain, swelling and stiffness. If these symptoms are ignored then it can affact almost all the organ-system in the body that may result in premature heart attack, lung disorders, osteoporosis causing bone fractures, anaemia, eye disease, and other complications.

     Please be careful as the treatments may be easy when symptoms are diagnosed early, therefore try to learn everything you want to know about this disease from types and symptoms, to home remedies, diets, and other treatments. Since it is a long-term or chronic disease indicating by symptoms of inflammation and pain in the joints which may occur throughout the body and can vary from mild to severe. Kindly note that the symptoms come and go so be careful as diagnosing this disease may take time and may require multiple lab tests to confirm the problem. There are several types of blood tests that help to determine the issue. The blood test checks for a protein called rheumatoid factor. High levels of rheumatoid factor are associated with autoimmune diseases. Anticitrullinated protein antibody test looks for an antibody that’s associated with this disease.  Another type of test is Antinuclear antibody test which tests immune system to see if it’s producing antibodies or not. There are other tests also that helps Doctors to determine this disease. 

       Different types of Arthritis :  The word 'Arthritis' derives from "arth" a Latin word for "joint" and "itis" a Latin word for "disease" or "inflammation". There are several different kinds of  Arthritis including RA, osteoarthritis, gout and lupus. We can see that like in rheumatoid arthritis, the people suffering from osteoarthritis can experience painful and stiff joints that can make moving around difficult. They may also have joint swelling after extended activity, but osteoarthritis doesn’t cause any significant inflammatory reaction that typically results in redness of the affected joints. osteoarthritis isn’t an autoimmune disease and it is related to the natural wear and tear of the joints as age increases or it can develop as a result of trauma. Osteoarthritis is most often seen in older adults. Similarly, Gout is an intensely painful type of arthritis that occurs mainly in the joints of the big toe. It can also attack the top of the foot and ankle. Occasionally, it’s been known to attack other joints in the body. Gout can result due to an overabundance of rich food and drink. Symptoms of Gout is seen as redness, swelling, and intense pain which is caused by rich food and drink but the real cause is purine rich foods that include meats (especially organ meats), fish and shellfish, and even some vegetables. Wholegrain breads and cereals contain purines too. The body converts purines into uric acid and Gout can occur whenever there is too much uric acid in the blood. 

    Types of rheumatoid arthritis : There are several different types of rheumatoid arthritis - Seropositive RA (some people with seropositive RA can experience inflammation in the eyes, salivary glands, nerves, kidneys, lungs, heart, skin, and blood vessels), Seronegative RA and Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (in people younger than 17 years of age). Arthritis in the hands may start as a low-level burning sensation that can be felt at the end of the day. This pain can get quite severe if not treated. Patient may also feel swelling, redness, warmth, and stiffness and if the cartilage in joints wears away, patients may notice some deformities in hands. Also a grinding feeling in the joints of  hands, fingers, and large joints can be felt if the cartilage deteriorates completely. Gradually, fluid-filled sacs or synovial cysts may develop in the wrists and around the joints of the hands and there may knobby growths, called bone spurs, in the affected joints. There may be severe deformities in  hands and feet and the hands and fingers may cause a curved and claw-like appearance may occur. Toes can also take on a claw-like appearance. somtimes bending upward, and sometimes curling under the ball of the foot and ulcers, bunions, and calluses on feet may also appear. Lumps, called rheumatoid nodules, can also appear anywhere on body where joints are inflamed. Excess weight stresses the joints of the hips, knees, ankles, and feet, and can make this disease worse. It’s always recommended to keep body weight under control by eating a balanced, healthy diet and limiting  alcohol consumption. 

      Women are more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, but in many cases it begins between the ages of 40 and 60. There is chance that if a member of your family has rheumatoid arthritis, you may have an increased risk of the disease. Smoking increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. People who are overweight or obese have risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. People who have rheumatoid arthritis are much more likely to experience Sjogren's syndrome, a disorder that decreases the amount of moisture in your eyes and mouth.

       Rheumatoid arthritis treatment : There’s no treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, but there are some treatments that can help you to manage it i.e. to manage the pain and control the inflammation. Such treatments may include medications, alternative or home remedies, dietary changes, specific types of exercise etc. that may help the patients live an active life and reduce the risk of long-term complications. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the problem. Such food include fatty fishes, including salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel, chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts etc. Also, antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and E, and selenium, may also help reduce inflammation. Foods high in antioxidants including berries, such as blueberries, cranberries, goji berries, and strawberries

dark chocolate, spinach, kidney beans, pecans, artichokes may also be consumed to reduce the risk. Eating lots of fiber is also important, because according to some researchers, fiber may help reduce inflammatory responses which can be seen as a decrease in C-reactive protein levels. It is also advisable to take whole grain foods, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruit. 

     So, be attentive and take care of your valuable health. Live long with happiness.

Are soft drinks and soda harmful for health?

       Many of us are worried while consuming soft drink or soda that drinking it can adversely affect our health. Consuming soft drink and soda can certainly cause health problems for certain people whereas some people are not affected by it at all. This depends on age, health condition, physical activities and other factors. Doctors often advice some people to stay away from the soft drinks during treatment of certain disease. Now, the question is whether soft drink or soda is always dangerous for health? Drinking occasionally soft drinks and soda does not harm but regular intake can cause health hazards. Let us discuss in details the issue. 

     We will discuss the contents of the soft drink and soda which can cause health problem

and then we will see the bad affects of the containers which are used in packaging and sale of soft drink and soda.  Unfortunately, sodas are often a substitute for water and other healthier fluids too. According to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, the Americans consume more than 13 billion gallons of soda a year.

     Soda and Carbonated Beverages have been the subject matter of the health debate for two decades as a major cancer causing food. Sodas typically contain carbonation, sugar or fructose, phosphoric acid, sodium and excess calories. These Soda and Carbonated Beverages, filled with High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), dyes, and a host of other chemicals, are very bad for every aspect of health. They provide zero nutritional value and rob the body of the nutrients received from other foods. The biggest cancer causing edible things are the High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and other refined sugars. The refined sugars (and foods made with them) are the source of major insulin spikes and feed the growth of cancer cells. Also, the HFCS may stress the pancreas and lead to fluctuating blood sugar levels and consuming sugary sodas day after day can contribute to the onset of non-insulin dependent diabetes, or type 2 diabetes. Since, Soda contains full of calories, sugar and artificial ingredients, it is also said that one Can of soda contains about ten packets of sugar and most popular diet and sugared sodas are nearly as corrosive to dental enamel as battery acid. Taking soda occasionally is not bad however, the Studies have shown that drinking two sodas per week nearly doubles the risk of pancreatic cancer. The Insulin allows the entry of glucose into cells, where it’s used as an energy source. Unfortunately, cancer cells need insulin too. In fact, many cancers have insulin receptors which transport glucose to cancerous cells, helping them to grow, divide, and multiply. Studies show that insulin encourages pancreatic cancer cells to grow in a dose-dependent manner. The Singapore scientists opined that this may be a reason why soft drinks are linked to pancreatic cancer. So if you’re concerned about cancer, it may be better to avoid soft drinks which can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and insulin levels. Also, if we drink soft drink, our blood sugar increases and our body produces insulin to balance that increase. Our blood sugar then crashes and we want more sugar-filled soda to compensate and over a period our body becomes resistant to insulin leaving us unable to metabolize sugar resulting in diabetes. According to Dr. Ochner, if we drink one to two soft drinks a day, we increase our risk of Type 2 diabetes by 26 percent. 

    Most Cans used as container of soft drinks and soda are lined with a product called bisphenol-A (BPA), which genetically altered the brain cells of rats during experiments. Many plastic container/goods, thermal paper also contain BPA. Thus, the Plastic Bottles and Food Containers containing soft drinks and food items have chemicals like Bisphenol A, which is used to harden plastic in products such as water bottles. Many studies have proved Bisphenol A to adverse health effects. 

      Saccharin, present in some of the soft drinks is proven to cause bladder cancer and is banned in some of foreign countries. It is said that the Soft Drinks can remove rust from a car bumper or other metal surfaces so imagine what it’s doing to our digestive tract as well as the rest of our body when we drink it. Also, soft drinks are extremely acidic, and they can eat through the liner of an Aluminum Can and leach Aluminum from the Can if it sits on the shelf too long. In many Alzheimer patients who have been autopsied, have high levels of Aluminum in their brains. 

     There are many other disadvantages of consuming soft drink or soda like dehydration, high-sugar intake, weight gain and calcium depletion. Sixty percent of our body weight is comprised of water. We lose water when we sweat, urinate and breathe. To continue functioning properly, our body must replace the lost water with ingested fluids. It is seen that Sodas are often consumed in place of water or other hydrating fluids to compensate water in our body. Often, sodas contain caffeine, which acts as a diuretic, increasing urination and leaving the body with less available fluid to carry out important functions. Also, some diet sodas contain significant amounts of sodium, which may draw water from the cells and promote dehydration.  

      Another, health affects due to consumption of soda and soft drinks is weight gain. If we consume more calories than our body burns then it can cause imbalance in our health system.  If these calories are not burned, our body may gain more than 12 pounds in one year. The Harvard University states that the increased consumption of sugary drinks, such as soda, is one of the major factors in the growing obesity epidemic. The excessive weight gain puts us at risk for diabetes, certain cancers, arthritis, heart disease and stroke. Dr. Mary Ann McLaughlin, medical director of the cardiac health program at Mount Sinai, told Fox News that the sodium and caffeine in soft drinks put our heart at risk. Sodium causes our body to retain fluid and caffeine elevates our heart rate and blood pressure. Also, an analysis published in 2012 in “Circulation” discovered that those who drank one sugary drink a day had an increased risk of heart attack compared to those who rarely or never drank sugary beverages. 

       The next disadvantage of soft drink and soda is bad dental health. The bacteria in our mouth thrive on sugar and they feed on it and produce an acid that wears away our teeth enamel causing cavities, dental decay and teeth loss. Similarly, the soft drinks and soda can cause Gout and this Gout is a condition in which our body has too much uric acid, causing our joints to become swollen and inflamed. An analysis of data from the Nurses' Health Study, published in 2010 in the “Journal of the American Medical Association,” reported that women who drank one sugary beverage a day had a significantly increased risk of gout compared to those who rarely drank sugary beverages.

      Our body needs Calcium as an essential mineral for strong bones and teeth and consuming high amounts of phosphoric acid, which is one of a common ingredients in sodas, can deplete the calcium from our bones and decrease calcium absorption. This can cause among women, poor bone development or osteoporosis, brittle and weak bones.

         Now let us discuss about some of the advantages of soft drinks and soda. In our daily lives, soft drink consumption has become an essential habit and we often serve soft drinks to our guests at home apart from serving other snacks and drinks. The children also like soft drinks very much. It is easy and handy to store the soft drinks in our Refrigerator and it can be consumed or served easily whenever needed. During Summer, one cannot resist to sip chilled soft drinks. In contrary to the above mentioned disadvantages, there are certain advantages of soft drinks and soda which are mentioned below: 

      The Caffeine is a stimulant that is found in soft drinks. Though, in large amounts of Caffeine can have detrimental effects on our health but it also has numerous benefits like the Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, helps breakdown fatty acids in our liver, boost our mood and eliminate headaches. Also, the people who regularly ingest caffeine are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease, colon cancer, gallstones, and cirrhosis of the liver. The next advantage is that Carbonated water is a primary ingredient of soft drinks and Carbonated water has proven to have many benefits for the gastrointestinal tract. Carbonated water eases stomachaches, quells nausea and has been proven to alleviate constipation. Similarly, the Sodium is another product found in soft drinks and this Sodium is an important mineral found in almost all natural foods. Sodium helps our body retain water, helps avoid and treat muscle cramps, keeps electrolyte balance, prevents the effects of aging of our skin and prevents the drop of our blood pressure.

      Thus, the above discussion may enlighten some of us and remind us to be careful in consuming soft drinks and soda. It is better if we use alternate drinks or juices in place of soda and commercially produced soft drinks. The big companies invest huge money in soft drinks and soda industries and maintaining quality has been always a challenge so often the product coming out of factories and supplied to market in different climate and atmosphere have different affects. However, let us not be discouraged and take care in choosing right soft drinks and sodas, keep balance in consuming and always be regular in physical exercise so that a healthy body can be maintained in adverse situation also. 

   

Is the use of heater or blower harmful ?

Is the use of electric heater or blower harmful ?

            This is a big question whether the use of electric heaters and blowers is safe or not? Many people say that there is harm in using them whereas some people negate this version. There are also some people who advise that using heaters and blowers with some precautions has no disadvantage. Let us discuss this issue because most of us would be displeased and feel uncomfortable during chilled winter season, if we are told that using heaters and blowers affects our health badly.  

          First of all, let us have some introduction to the electric heaters and blowers. Actually, the electric heaters and blowers are the electric devices that work by electrical resistance i.e. the electricity passes through a resistive element or register, making it glow and to produce heat. In other words, it can be said that heating through electric is a process in which electric energy or current is converted to heat energy. The production of heat through electrical resister is based on the principle of Joule heating. There are various use of electric heating like -room heating, cooking through heat, water heating and other industrial use of heating. Most of the electric heating devices use nichrome wire supported by ceramic insulators. 

             Now let us discuss the fact that why some people have in their mind that electric heaters and blowers have side effects and health hazards. According to some people the electric heaters and blowers cause dry air and also have potential to risk of fires. The electrics heaters tend to dry out the air inside the room and this may cause various problems to health like dry skin, itchy eyes etc. The glowing resistive element of a heater has also a fire hazard. At one hand, the room heaters and blowers warms the room inside the house on the other, they reduce the moisture contents of the air, making it dry.  Often during the sleeping in bedrooms with electric heaters and blowers on, the breathing of dry air causes respiratory disorders like asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis and sometime nose bleeding due to dried membranes to some people. The mucus membrane is dried up by the dry air caused by heaters and blowers and traps all dust and infection causing agents resulting to their inflammation which can make some people prone to infections as the mucus membrane is damaged. As said above, lack of moisture in the air is harmful to the skin causing itchiness because the skin is already dry during the winter. Due to heaters and blowers running continuously inside the room the dry air evaporates the moisture from the skin of the body and also evaporates tears from the eyes making the eyes difficult to maintain the delicate balance of required moist in the eyes. There is also possibility of electro-magnetic pollution as electric heaters and blowers burn oxygen inside the room and due to which the oxygen level goes down and it can lead to suffocation to some people. Open coil heaters circulate the room air with contaminants like used air, air freshner, dust, and tiny fibres which can burn and cause unhealthy condition inside the room. Also, according to U. S. Consumer Product Safety Division reports that room heaters cause more than 25,000 fires and more than 300 deaths annually.

             Let us now move to the opinions of other people who do not agree with the above contention. To some of the people, the above mentioned facts do not matter as they are not affected by such side effects or problems. However, these people also agree that the electric heaters and blowers are prone to fire incidents, burns, electrocutions in certain situations. However, they have the opinion that most of branded and standard heaters and blowers are safe having safety mechanism to avoid such accidents. Using local made low quality heaters and blowers may cause sparks and flames sometimes due to short circuits. However, with modern technology, the safety measures and better insulation are always there in branded electric devices. There is possibility of psychological reason because if a person after knowing that using heaters and blowers can cause health problem, uses the heaters and blowers but his mind keeps reminding this fact again and again and the person becomes uncomfortable even though nothing wrong had happened. This means that slowly the person becomes sensitive to the electric heaters and blowers and his mind starts accepting this facts and finally whenever some health problem occurs the person claims that cause of such problem was the use of heaters and blowers. Sometimes, claims of electro-magnetic pollution are also greatly exaggerated. The reason behind this, is that some health concerns existed in the past decades however there is no need to such health concerns as the technology has overcome such concerns.

           The next important thing as we all know that every human being is different from other human beings in terms of physical, mental and spiritual capacity. Some people would like a thing and others may hate the same thing. Also, there are many things which are harmless to some people whereas to some people, the same things cause some problems. Therefore, it is very difficult to please all the people who have not equal in their habits, liking and physical or mental capacity.

         Then, what should be kept in mind after knowing the above facts? All right, let us not worry, as taking precaution is just like maintaining safety standards, cleaning and maintenance, which not only increases the life of the electric devices we use but it ensures our good health, keeps our mind free from worries resulting our long life too. If you use branded and certified heaters with advance technology then not to worry but if low priced and local made heaters are used then also it can be alright if the following tips are kept in mind :-

 i) Using branded or certified electric heaters and blowers is always good but if not affordable then do not be careless in using cheap and local made heaters.
 ii) Sleeping just next to the electric heaters and blowers can cause fire in some situations to cloths and household articles therefore keep the heaters and blowers at safe distance while using them. Also, keep half open a window/ventilator so that no condition of suffocation may arise and oxygen level inside the room may be maintained.
iii)  Use a humidifier/vaporiser which increases the moisture inside the room.
iv)  Place bowls filled with water at 2-3 places inside the room while using electric heaters for long hours.
v)   Keep drinking warm/hot fluids to keep nasal passage, airways and throats moist.
vi)  Do not keep inflammable materials, papers, cloths, etc. near the electric heater.
vii) Inspect electric heaters and blowers before use and keep them clean and in good condition. 
viii) Do not use the heaters and blowers keeping on wet & inflammable surface, carpets, wood/plastic furniture. Some portable lightweight are designed for flat surface and if surface is not flat such heaters do not turn on. However, if lightweight heater fall down it may cause shock or fire if handled improperly.
ix)  Do not allow pet animals and children near the electric heaters & blowers to avoid any shock or burn.
x)  Do not insert many plugs in the same socket in which the electric heater or blower is plugged in. Make sure that the heater is not plugged into the same power socket/multiplug with other electrical appliance. Always use wall socket for electric heaters and blowers. 
xi)  Never leave the electric heater unattended and prevent carbon mono-oxide poisoning by turning off the heater and unplug it before leaving room or going to bed. If there is symptoms of carbon-monoxide exposure like headache, dizziness, abdominal pain or discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and weakness switch off the heater.

      Thus, the above mentioned facts can be kept in mind and from time to time the same can be revised as safety tips for keeping a good health. We should also share the above mentioned information to others so that we may make a safe surrounding and a safe world for all living things.


-Denie Darwin Bodra