Myths about your vision

Myths about your vision

 Too Close to the TV Will Damage Your Vision

Certainly not, sitting closer than necessary to the television may give you a headache, but it will not damage your vision. Children, especially if they're nearsighted, may do this to see the TV more clearly. They may, in fact, need glasses.

Reading in the Dark Will Weaken Your Eyesight

No, you may feel eyestrain or get a headache from reading in the dark, but it will not weaken your eyes.

Using Glasses or Contacts Will Weaken My Eyesight, and My Eyes Will Eventually Become dependent On Them

Your eyes will not grow weaker as a result of using corrective lenses. Your prescription may change over time due to aging or the presence of disease, but it is not because of your current prescription.

There's Nothing You Can Do to Prevent Vision Loss

If at the very first sign of symptoms, such as blurred vision, eye pain, flashes of light, or sudden onset of floaters in your vision, you see your doctor, there are treatments that can correct, stop, or at least slow down the loss of vision.

Using a Nightlight in Your Child's Room Will Contribute to Nearsightedness

It has been thought that using a nightlight in your child's bedroom may contribute to nearsightedness; however, there is not enough evidence to support this claim. Keeping a nightlight on in your baby's room may actually help them learn to focus and develop important eye coordination skills when they are awake.

Working on the computer all day will ruin your eyes.

Not exactly, when you stare at anything for an extended period of time you tend to blink less causing dryness and eye strain but will not affect your vision. It is recommended that you take regular breaks and frequently glance away from the computer when working for an extended amount of time.

 Staring directly at the sun is okay if you squint or are wearing sunglasses.

No, it is never recommended to stare at the sun. The sun produces ultraviolet rays which can cause damage to your cornea, lens, and retina. Even the best sunglasses can’t block UV rays 100%. It should also be noted that staring directly at a solar eclipse can cause blindness.

Crossing your eyes will make them stay like that.

Ridiculous, when you cross your eyes for humor or amusement it may cause a few laughs but it will not cause permanent damage to your eyes and once you are done your eyes will return to standard placement. Our eyes naturally come together when we look at something closely so when you purposefully cross your eyes you are just exaggerating your eye's natural response.

Eyesight Gets Worse with Increasing Age

Not always, if you eat a healthy, balanced diet, get regular eye exams and avoid smoking, drinking, and high sugar intake, your eyes can remain healthy even in old age.

Doctors remove your eyeball during eye surgery and can transplant the whole organ when it’s damaged.

No, eyeballs are connected to the optic nerve (part of the brain), and can never be removed from their sockets. Only corneas can be transplanted/operated upon.

Wearing someone else’s glasses can weaken your eyes.

Wearing a prescription that is not the correct one for you can cause eye strain and fatigue, but will not cause any eye damage. You could wear the wrong glasses upside down and not suffer one bit from it!

World Mosquito Day

Today (sorry yesterday, as I am reporting one and half hour late) is world Mosquito day. World Mosquito Day, observed annually on 20 August, is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross's discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Ross is responsible for the annual observance, having declared shortly after his discovery that the day should be known as World Mosquito Day in the future. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine holds Mosquito Day celebrations every year, including events such as parties and exhibitions, a tradition dating back to as early as the 1930s.

Dr Ronald Ross

Here are some myths which are prevalent in the community.

• Garlic and Marmite ward of mosquitoes.
• Mosquitoes like sweet blood- No it is not sweet but sweat from your body. What draws mosquitoes is a cocktail of odors produced by the microbes on your skin.
• Mosquitoes don’t  have a wardrobe preference- The mosquitoes are attracted to the heat and dark coloured clothing retain more heat than light coloured clothing, so mosquitoes prefer black or dark blue cloths.
• Antiseptic mouthwash repels mosquitoes- No it may give you fresh minty breath but it does not put mosquitoes away.
• Mosquitoes bite- No they don’t as they don’t have teeth; rather they suck your blood by piercing your skin through a long and sharp proboscis.
• Mosquitoes die after feeding
• Mosquitoes can transit HIV when it sucks blood of a healthy person, just after feeding on an AIDS patient of HIV infected person- No as HIV is digested in their stomach, so it’s broken down without being passed to a healthy person.
• Electric bug zapper is effective on mosquitoes- No it can kill only 1% of mosquitoes or  other biting insects. So do not rely on these gadgets for killing the mosquitoes.

TENSION HEADACHE

                                                                                            -DR. ARVIND DUBEY

Though the word ‘tension’ is a very commonly used word, it is one which cannot be easily defined.  Its literal meaning is given as ‘stretched tight’.  In common parlance the word is used for mental condition arising out of nervous strain.  Scientifically, it is defined as a state of increased motor and psychological activity, which is unpleasant.

It is generally accepted that headache and emotional stress are interconnected.  Headache is the expression of conflicting emotions and anxiety.  It may be the result of a complicated biochemical alteration.  Usually the origin of anxiety is rooted deeply in an individual’s past interpersonal conflicts.  Feeling of inadequacy, guilt, shame, helplessness, envy, loneliness or fear of abandonment, all of which may contribute to resentment or hostility towards a loved person.  Such feelings are usually repressed or rejected at conscious level, may emerge as bodily symptoms. 

Headache is the expression of conflicting emotions and anxiety (Courtesy- Wikipedia)

The severity of these headaches ranges from minimal discomfort, commonly experienced followed fixed attention, a prolonged car drive or long periods of intensive studies; to incapacitating headaches or pains that are totally disabling and thereby precluding physical activity.  Such headaches are said to be the consequence of eyestrain or concentration, but perhaps, the necessity to perform an unpleasant task or to continue an emotionally repugnant involvement may be the more likely cause.

These headaches ranges from minimal to incapacitating discomfort (Courtesy-Wikipedia)

Treatment

Treatment of tension headaches can be very frustrating.  Mild analgesics such as aspirin and paracetamol are generally preferred in treating headaches.  As is the usual practice, during self-medication, the patient keeps on increasing the dosage while the headache persists.  But contrary to the belief, the amount of drug taken, over and above its optimal dose, does not relieve the discomfort but adds to its side effects.  Self-medication should be avoided as many drugs for headaches contain caffeine, the stimulant action of which may be undesirable when a large amount of the drug is consumed.  Besides, these drugs cause gastric irritation, nausea and vomiting and even gastric ulcer and other blood coagulation disorders.

          

Anxious patients with tension headaches also use sedatives, viz. Diazepam, but these too are accompanied by problems of over dosing, psychological dependence and side effects, when taken beyond the optimal level.  However, to date, no drug is available to treat tension headaches.  Despite the uncertainties surrounding the exact relationship of psychological disturbances to headaches, certain types of psychotherapies and behavioural alterations appear to be curative in many patients.  The value of simple reassurance should never be underestimated.

          

The unconscious choice of headache as an expression of anxiety is probably governed by many factors, the most common amongst which is the concept and image of one’s body and its functions that develop early in life.  Along with the growth of the though process, the importance of the head and its function get impressed on the mind.  Headache is often one of the earliest words related to bodily ailments that children recognise when unsuspecting mothers choose headache as a physical expression of anxiety.  Thus a child begins to associate a state of anxiety with a headache.

          

Tension headaches are caused when the skeletal muscles contract about the face (top of head, neck and shoulders).  The arteries supplying blood to the above muscles contract too when they respond to generalised noxious stimuli.  This decreases the blood supply to the muscles.  Often, headaches are associated with fatigues tensions.

          

There is no fixed pattern for headaches.  It is a dull aching pain and is expressed as tightness, pressure, drawing or soreness of the head.  It is usually in both sides of the head and, more so on the back of the head.

          

Use of physical therapy for tension headaches has a long history.  Heat and massage have been used as muscle relaxants since antiquity.  Often there is a prompt relief but it is usually short lasting.  There are some techniques by which within a few weeks, the patient learns to relax his head muscles on his own will.  Biofeedback therapies are also tried but they need the help of a trained psychiatrist.

 Remember that it is just an outward symptom of an inner tension.  The real culprit is deep-seated anxiety about anything between unpleasant involvements to fear of loneliness.         

The above modalities do not treat the underlying tension that may be causing the symptom.  To alleviate the tension, the approach should be to provide the patient with the necessary understanding and insight into how he translates his anxiety into muscle tautness, which manifests as tension headache.  Change in atmosphere and stimulus, which brings about these tensions, should be tried.  Though it is very difficult to implement, yet sometimes, by minor changes, tension can be alleviated.  But this also has individual variability.  Yoga, meditation can also offer hope in this direction.

HEALTHY SKIN : INDICATOR OF YOUR PERSONALITY

-DR. ARVIND DUBEY

Skin is the largest organ of our body– it protects, regulates temperature, provides oil and transmits sensations-but, still, often, the skin is given step-motherly treatment by us!  We abuse it with neglect and rough treatment.

You are gifted with a unique covering for your body viz. skin.  When you encounter any noxious stimulus, it is the skin which faces it first. On entering a warm or cold room, it is the skin which finds it pleasant or intolerable. It is self-sufficient and can repair all wear and tear by itself provided it is healthy.  It is always with you, walking or sleeping, working or resting, all through your life.

The total skin in an adult could weigh up to 6 pounds.  It is made up of 2 main layers- Epidermis and Dermis, which in them are made up of several layers. The outer layers are hard and horny and the inner ones are soft.  The horny layer of skin, forms nails, over the fingers.

                                          Cut section of skin

On the fingertips and on the palms, parallel ridges can be seen which form patterns of fine lines.  Rows of tiny swellings or papillae are found with ends of nerves and loops of tiny blood carrying capillaries.  The size of these capillaries is controlled by the nerves, which respond to changes in temperature.

There are several glands found in the skin but the important ones are the sweat and oil secreting glands.  The sweat glands play an important role in maintaining body temperature.  The oil glands open into pits from which the hairs grow.  Oil secreted by these glands makes skin soft and keeps it from drying.

ROSY CHEEKS: NATURE’S GIFT 

Rosiness of cheeks and skin depends on the number and arrangement of the blood vessels, the thinness of outer layer of skin and the quality of blood.  A thin outer layer permits the colour of the tiny blood vessels to be seen through it. Tiny grains of brown or reddish yellow colouring material or pigment are buried in the inner layers of the epidermis.  In light coloured persons, the amount of this pigment is lesser than in the dark complexioned. Primarily, the amount of pigment in the skin is determined by heredity, though this pigment may vary greatly with exposure to sunlight.

CLEANLINESS OF THE SKIN 

Cleanliness helps to maintain a good complexion and improve personal appearance.  To be clean is not only healthy but it makes one more attractive to others.

Baths-  

• Ordinarily one thinks of a bath only as a means to clean the skin but it provides more advantages.  It soothes the nerves and tones up the muscles or relaxes them.  By stimulating the skin, a bath speeds up the circulation of the blood.
• Correct bathing at the right time improves health.  The water should be at or a little above body temperature.  The warm water dilates blood vessels and the blood is diverted away from the brain to skin, often making one feel comfortably sleepy.  Such a bath is best taken at bed-time.
• A hot bath, with water above body temperature should be taken only when one is chilled.  The warmer the water used for a bath, the more necessary is the protection against chilling after the bath.  Otherwise, the bath may do more harm than good.
• Bathing with cold- water first contracts the blood vessels in the skin; so the blood is diverted to internal organs.  It acts as a powerful tonic to the skin and makes one feel alert.  The cold bath can also train the blood vessels to respond quickly to changes in temperature.  So, healthy people who take cold baths regularly are generally more hardy and less susceptible to cold a chill than others who do not.
• The cold bath should be followed by a reaction in which the surface blood vessels dilate again, so that the skin becomes warm and glowing.  Brisk rubbing with a dry and rough towel will help to secure this reaction.
• A bath should not be taken within an hour after eating. During this period digestive organs need more blood .So it is unwise to disturb circulation at this time.  A bath should always precede a visit to your doctor for physical examination and follow a vigorous exercise.
• The face and hands should be washed many times in a day and especially in the morning and evening.  Persons with oily skins should use a lot of soap and water.  When washing the face, do not neglect the back of the neck and the area behind the ears.

Use of soap

• For those who always insist that old is gold, the soap may seem useless or even harmful for the skin.  This is not really true.  Soap is made up of oil and alkali.  The lesser the amount of alkali, the milder the soap but the lesser is the cleansing action.  A mild soap, makes enough lather on application and does not irritate the skin, can be used. 
• Soap coming for the first time in the market from a non-reputed company should not be tried easily. Highly coloured or scented soap should be avoided because in such soaps the colours and odours are often used to mask ingredients which should not be tolerated even in laundry soap!
• Contrary to belief, no medicine put into soap, can give it a special advantage over an ordinary mild soap of good quality.   Similarly, the benefits of glycerin, lime, lemon, lanolin, etc is questionable ; at times these may be harmful.
• Some manufacturers claim that their soap is better for oily skin; it is at times a baseless claim.  Any soap having even a mild cleaning action (which soap always has) is able to remove that minute quality of so called, “excess oil” from the skin.
• Due to some misconceptions, especially in the middle income group, the harder soaps containing more alkali or even laundry soaps are used to clean the hair and scalp.  This results in hair loss.  Ideally, good mild shampoos should be used.   Some mild soap used for bathing can also serve as an alternative to shampoo.

Use of bath oil

This is a greatly misunderstood topic.  Usually bath oil is applied before the bath, or sometimes mixed in the bath water.  In both the conditions, it is of no use.  It only increases the soap price and increases the lather produced by it. Bath oils are indicated only in certain dry skin conditions where it should be used just after a bath, before drying the skin.  Alternatively, a moisturizer can be used after the bath.

MASSAGE OF THE SKIN

Massaging of skin plays an important role in maintaining its youth especially after 35 years of age.  The movement of the fingers in this process should be from down upwards for the face massage.  This maintains the tone and circulation in facial muscles and prevents appearance of wrinkles.  This fact is true for the skin of arms and any other part of the body too.

 

COSMETICS AND SKIN

• It has been estimated that during the period in which the population of our country has doubled, the sale of cosmetics has gone up 15 times.  To the public, cosmetics are artificial aids to charm.  While ordinarily, no harm should result from the moderate use of cosmetics (provided these are not cheap); no real benefit to the health of skin is derived.
• Girls misguided by advertisements often ruin a good, clear, natural skin with the unwise use of cosmetics.  At best, the use of cosmetics can attempt to imitate the natural hues of a healthy complexion.  It must not be forgotten the shutting out the sun rays with cosmetics may actually mar the skin and therefore the complexion less healthy.
• However, there are few ingredients which are present in cheaper or sometimes even in good quality cosmetics, can cause allergic conditions.
• There is no substitution for the healthy hair, white teeth and clear, firm complexion which come from a proper diet, rest, exercise and optimistic mind.  A good complexion cannot be bought from a box or a bottle.

SUNLIGHT AND SKIN

Sunlight induces some kind of a chemical reaction in the skin.  .  Usually, it causes tanning of the skin but in few susceptible persons, it may lead to sunburn.  In our country, tanning is not needed.  In fact, it is difficult to avoid the darkening of the complexion especially for those who work in the sun.  A cream containing ‘SUNSCREEN’ should be used to avoid darkening of the skin.

ROLE OF GOOD DIET AND EXERCISE IN SKIN HEALTH

Good diet, good sleep and exercise can be called, “real cosmetics.”  A good protein-rich diet with added vitamins and minerals, especially of the B-complex group, keeps skin charming, lively and healthy.  Early to bed and early to rise with sound sleep of not less than 8 hours keeps wrinkled eyes away and the skin healthy.  Similarly, a routine mild exercise maintains adequate blood circulation in the skin and keeps it fresh and glowing.

EAT RIGHT IN YOUR PREGNANCY TO GET A BRIGHT CHILD

                                                                                                                                        Dr. Arvind Dubey

Courtesy-Wikipedia

If you are a future mother, give your child a better start by taking balanced and adequate nutrition.

Proteins

Brain is nothing but protein:

The basic brain cells, connecting wires like structures (Axons), receiving ends, chemicals communicating these massages, are all proteins.  Substances that manage the growth of this all network are nothing but protein.

How much protein:

Regarding the above fact you may decide to go on high protein diet in pregnancy but there is a warning too. Avoid excessive protein in pregnancy not for brighter kids but to avoid toxemia of pregnancy. What your unborn kid’s brain need is right amounts of right protein which is around 100to 120 grams a day for a 45 to 50 kilograms women and about 200 to 250 grams for 70 kilograms woman.

Protein sources:

Animal proteins are considered as complete protein as they contain all amino acids in right amount and proportions, which is not the case with vegetable proteins.  So one has to combine two or more source of vegetable proteins to get the right amount and proportion of amino acids.  The components of this mixture are separately called complementary proteins.  Few of these mixtures are rice and beans, rice and lentils, beans and peas, bean and cornmeal or corn bread, roasted soybeans-sunflower seeds and peanuts, lentil and barley etc.  These combinations should replace the usual foods in strictly vegetarian expectant mothers.

Fat and Cholesterol

It is the interconnecting fine meshwork, which determine the potential brightness, a brain can achieve.  This all made up of fat and cholesterol. So high fat, high cholesterol diet is the answer. Surprising! Isn’t so? Repeatedly you might be advised to give away fat and cholesterol from your diet by your family physician to avoid heart disease and thickening of blood vessels.  But unborn and younger children certainly need high fat high cholesterol for their better growth.

Right amount of right fats:

Polyunsaturated fats, which are vegetable fats (expect palm and coconut oil, which are saturated ones and implicated in the onset of hardening of blood vessels) were considered good.  But recently there are evidences that under certain conditions these too may turn into harmful products.  So now monounsaturated fats, found in olive and peanut oil are consider best.  But do not take this as a license to gorge you with fatty foods. Follow the guidelines of your doctor.

Best and worst fat and cholesterol foods:

Best fat foods are the vegetable oils such as almonds, corn, safflower, soybeans and animal fats such as butter, fish liver oil etcetera.  While all other animal fats except above two are the worst fats for growing brain of your unborn child.  Similarly whole milk, eggs, dairy products meals (especially liver), fish etcetera are the good cholesterol foods but grains, pulses; vegetables are the worst foods for cholesterol.

Glucose: Instant energy for growing brain

Natural or purified sugar:

Commercially available white crystalline sugar does not contain any mineral or vitamin so it is an empty calorie food.  But in natural sources such as unprocessed fresh fruits, berries vegetables, and sugar cane sugar is always packaged with vitamins and minerals needed by body.  Saccharine and pure glucose too equals with pure crystalline sugars.

How it helps?

It helps in providing energy for the structural and hormonal changes needed for a successful pregnancy.  These too prevent a commonest complaint of “worn out feeling”, during pregnancy.

Best and worst sugar sources:

Fruits (grapes), berries, grains, vegetables, potatoes, milk and liver are the best however pure white crystalline sugars, glucose and other pure sugars and their products no doubt are source of sugar but worst ones.

Vital to vital mechanism: The Vitamins

To be very accurate these should be supplemented prior to the conception to replenish all the deficiencies adequately as most of the females who are on vegetarian diet, are deficient for these vitamins.  To compensate this, researchers recommend higher doses of these vitamins as no harmful effect of such high doses of these vitamins is seen in volunteers.

FEED THEM RIGHT TO MAKE YOUR KIDS BRIGHT PART-3 (Way to increase IQ of your child by the right food)

                                                                                                                                     Dr. Arvind Dubey

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INFANCY: BRAIN STILL HAS POTENTIAL TO GROW

Brain develops in infancy too:

Though it is true that not even a single cell is added in the brain after birth but intricate connections, which transform the virtually unrecognized brain at birth into the amazing machine, with which your child perceive the world and react to it, via talking, feeling, thinking and acting is keep on developing even later in the infancy. For this child needs fats, cholesterol, protein, natural glucose and vitamins.

Adequate breast feeding- Take off towards brightness:

.

Breast milk contains all needed amino acids in right amount and proportion for your baby. It is also rich in fats. Lactose, the sugar of the milk, easily converts into glucose and serves as energy source. This sugar absorbs slowly, so remains in the intestine of a baby and nurture those bacteria, which help in fighting off the invading harmful bacteria.  Proportion of calcium to phosphate (important for absorption of calcium via intestine) is balanced in this milk. This contains immunoglobulins, which provide immunity against various diseases. Breast-feeding not only helps babies but it helps mothers too. It improves the figure, maintains breast contour and firmness (provided these are emptied by the baby regularly and supported with adequate size bra), acts a natural contraceptive, prevents breast cancer and make both mother and child dependable to each other so strengthens the bond between them.

Courtsey-.wikipedia

And after breast feedings:

Up to the age of three years total diet can be modified in such a way that constitutionally it resembles breast milk. It means that about 50% of total need of calories comes from fat, 35 to 45% from complex carbohydrates and 8-15% from protein. Whole milk, not the skimmed milk supplies these fats. So skimmed (or toned) milk is not better for children younger then two years because at two years of age the “dendrites”   essential for setting up connections between brains cells, reach to their maximum number.

In fourth and fifth month:

This is the time when diet supplementation is needed as body stores for various elements (especially iron) start exhausting in normal children and consistency of diet needs change from total liquid to semisolids.  You can start with iron containing cereals, mixed with breast milk, milk formula or animal milk.  Traditional ‘SATTU’ mixed in milk may be a good home made recipe for these kids. Commercially available starter cereal foods (obviously you all know the names of common brands) can also serve the purpose but are no way better than home made recipes (meshed rice, meshed and thoroughly cooked dal, meshed potato, meshed ripe papaya etcetera) and rather inferior to them as these home made recipes are always available fresh and does not involve extra expenditure or preparation. Start with one or two teaspoons full of these foods daily and increase it to 2.5 to 3 table spoonfuls daily along with 6 breastfeeding in 4^th month and 5-6 in 5^th month, about 10-20 minutes on each breast, each time.  Formula fed babies need 5-6 ounce daily in 4^th month and 8-10 ounce in 5^th month.  Increase the concentration of solids in the mixture so now your baby will be on a mixture having smooth and creamy texture. There is an agreement that these foods should not be seasoned with salt, sugar, honey or vinegar etc.

From sixth to eighth month:

Now your baby’s menu contains finely meshed fruits and vegetables.  At 6^th months give him meshed onion, tomatoes, asparagus and soft ripe banana but avoid cauliflower, cabbage, sweet potato, beans, honey, plain yogurt etc.  In seventh month finely minced chicken lamb, liver, pork etcetera may be a delightful experience for them.  It is a teething time, so a bit harder biscuits; toasts can be given to them to try their gums and also to reduce discomfort of teething.  Between 7^th to 8^th months give them small pieces of food that challenge their growing ability to pick up the things (babies learn to pick up the things in 7th month, first with their palms and later on in 8^th to 9^th month by thumb and fore finger.  These pieces of food also act as edible toys for your kid and these also provide stir to your child’s brain.

From eighth to tenth month:

This is the time when your child’s need of iron is at its maximum.  Feed them with iron fortified milk formula, juices, vegetables, meat, fish cheese, cooked beans, butter, and whole milk etcetera.  Egg yolk is of immense importance now, as it provides cholesterol, which a developing brain needs most. Try to avoid egg white, as your child may be allergic to it. This is the age when your child learns to drink from a cup (8^th month), so give him whole milk by a cup. Give him chopped vegetable too.

From tenth to twelfth month:

During this period gradually add articles from your family menu one by one. So by the end of first year, your child will start feeding himself on your family diet completely.

And after this?

 Continue from your family menu according to your list.  Enter the kitchen; select the adequate foods, use your cooking acumen and feed your kid to brightness.  Good luck!

The End

FEED RIGHT TO MAKE YOUR KIDS BRIGHT PART-2 (Way to increase IQ of your child by the right food)

                                                                                                                                   Dr. Arvind Dubey

III. Sugars (The empty calorie food)

Some observant mothers have reported that their previously well-behaved kids suddenly start exploding with anger going in temper tantrums or irrational outbursts following sugar filled meals.  Later Alexander from American institute of biosocial research, Florida, linked the outset of learning disabilities to a high sugar diet.  When such diet was continued, nine out of ten of these learning disabled kids developed into juvenile delinquents.  But to remove sugar from the diet is neither the answer of the problem nor it is practically possible because low glucose in the blood may lead to, irritability loss of concentration & attention, faltering memory, depression, anxiety, light headedness, dizziness, sleeplessness, fatigue, exhaustion electra.  However, it may be curtailed up to a great extent because it does not provide any vitamins and minerals, besides the empty calories.  But all sugar subtitutes cannot serve the purpose because these too have empty calories.

Break your kid’s sugar habit: 

Contrary to a popular belief no baby is born with a sweat tooth.  The taste for sugar is acquired but once acquired it is very hard to break.  To ban the sugar from you kitchen may be a smart idea but around 250 gm of sugar which an average adult consume daily, does not come from the sugar they spoon into their tea or coffee but the sugar hidden in virtually all junk foods (chocolates, cold drinks ice creams and even those foods which do not taste sweet at all such as potato chips). You can gradually reduce this hidden sugar by barring these junk foods and a time may come when their foods may not have extra sugars.

IV. Anti Iron Foods

A high carbohydrate diet (75% or more of total calories obtained from carbohydrates) can cause iron deficiency so the manufacture of adequate amount of haemoglobin, an oxygen-carrying compound of blood, is not possible. This may result into learning disabilities memory loss, diminished attention span, irritability, sluggishness, fatigue, and lack of motivation etc. This iron deficiency could have significant negative implications in terms of learning and scholastic achievements in later life.

Bran, cheese, corn, eggs, millet, pulses, rice, spinach, soya beans, tea are the principal anti iron food.  As these only attack iron present in the plants, so are harmless when animal foods are a regular part of the diet.

VI. High Fiber Diet

Eating fibers containing foods in moderate amount is a healthy practice but above optimal quantities can be harmful, both physically and mentally.  Excess fiber blocks absorption of vital minerals for the brain such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.  This may lead to irritability nervousness, sleeplessness, mood swings, anxiety, depression, memory loss, decreased attention span, impaired sense perception, and learning disabilities etcetera.

Beans, berries, figs, plums, pear, apples with skin, peas, corn almonds, coconut, backed potato with skin, salad greens etc are the important high fiber foods so use right quantities of these in the diet of your kid. 

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