TRANSMEGA HEALTH: 2011

Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatment: What is it and Does it Work?

Doc Health Plan -Laser skin treatment technology. Seems a little high-tech and baffling, doesn't it?

Yet, even though it's hard to imagine how a laser can help improve skin quality, this treatment has been growing in popularity for years. (Not least because it involves no botox needles, knives or plastic surgery.)

So, what exactly is it and how does it work?

Resurfacing your skin

As we age, our skin changes. Elastin and collagen fibres within the skin lose their “snap” - leading to the onset of wrinkles. Cells regenerate slower and some areas develop darker pigmentation.

Resurfacing literally means altering (or removing) the surface of the skin to reveal a fresher layer below.

How does it work?

Laser technology allows you to target very specific parts of the face and neck. The laser delivers highly concentrated light energy to pinpointed parts of the skin. This light can eradicate dead or ageing cells, as well as stimulate other cells to heal and repair.

Are all laser treatments the same?

There are many different types of laser skin treatment – but really they all come under one of two areas: ablative or non-ablative.

Ablative treatments (such as the popular ProFractional procedure) remove a layer of skin, whereas non-ablative treatments tend to stimulate collagen cells below the epidermis and leave the outer layer intact. Skin resurfacing usually refers to ablative treatments.

One of the most effective procedures is the Sciton Profile Contour system. Combining two lasers, this approach both removes the dull surface layer and stimulates the cells beneath.

What are the down sides of laser treatment?

As with any skin treatment, side-effects are somewhat dependent on your skin's sensitivity – as well as the type of procedure you opt for.

In most cases you will experience some redness for at least a few days after. For more extensive treatments, or if you have more sensitive skin, this may last a week or more. If you experience any discomfort in this time, then over-the-counter painkillers are usually enough to reduce this.

It's also important to inform your doctor if you are taking any other skin medications (for example, Accutane acne treatment) or have recently undergone radiation.

Avoid direct sunlight soon after treatment and use high factor sunblock when going outdoors for several weeks after. Oh, and try not to wear make-up until the redness subsides!

What about results?

Once healed, the positive effects of laser treatment can last for several months. You may notice:

• Tighter skin

• Less wrinkles

• Smoother skin

• Less discolouration

• Reduced light scarring

Does it matter where you go for treatment?

Laser skin treatment is safe and effective – provided you use experienced, qualified medical professionals.

Most treatments will not be available for free on the NHS. Instead, look for practices that are registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they meet the high standards set for offering medical treatment in the UK.

Well-established, friendly clinics should make the entire process as swift and comfortable as possible. They'll also discuss all of your options and fully assess your skin type and expectations. That way you can be sure of getting the best possible results from your laser treatment.

4 Skin Care Sins That You Should Avoid When You Can!

Doc Health Plan -The condition of your skin today is a mere reflection of how you treated it yesterday! Skincare plays an integral role in defining the health of our skin. In fact, women who suffer from premature aging are just paying a price for their skin care negligence in the past.

Therefore, it is always better to prevent skin concerns rather than trying to treat them when they appear. Here are some serious skin care sins that you should better start avoiding as early as you can:

No Consideration for Skin Type

Often, women start using general skin care products without any heed for their skin type. In fact, some of them have no idea about their skin type and buy the most popular products of the season to include in their skin care regimen. As a result, not only is there no visible result, there are also chances that they develop skin issues like acne because of the incompatibility of the skin and the products.

So, before you start using any skin care product, make sure you determine your particular skin type. This will help you to understand the key requirements of your skin and thus, use products that cater to them effectively.

Using the Wrong Cleanser

The worst sin anyone can commit is using a regular soap bar in place of a cleanser. It is important to know that bath soaps contain extremely harsh ingredients that tend to strip off the natural moisture oils from the tender skin of your face and make it dry and irritated.

Therefore, use a cleanser that suits your skin types and contains ingredients that help relieve your skin concerns. Women with oily skin should use rich foaming cleansers Obagi Nu-Derm Foaming Gel while those with dry skin should use creamier cleansers like Skin Care Heaven Purifying Gentle Cleanser.

Not Removing Make-Up

Even though everyone knows it, this one is one of the oft-repeated skin care sins. A tiring evening is a perfect excuse to hit the sack without removing make-up from your face. However, cosmetic ingredients on your skin can seep into your skin pores and cause intrinsic damage leading to acne and blemishes.

So, make sure you use a cleanser or a make-up remover to remove all traces of make-up from your face every night before you go to sleep. Try Obagi C-Cleansing Gel. It gently conditions the skin with Vitamin C and removes all signs of make-up, oil residues and accumulated impurities leaving your skin fresh and clean.

Under Moisturizing your Skin

One of the common misconceptions among women is that oily skin doesn't require moisturization. This is not true! Oily skin is a result of excessive sebum production and the skin still requires moisture. In the absence of moisture, the skin produces excessive sebum to compensate the lack of moisture thus making the skin even oilier. Therefore, women with oily skin should use a mild moisturizer to hydrate their skin subtly without adding to the oiliness. Try the Kinerase Clear Skin Moisture Light. It is a oil free moisturizer for blemish-prone skin. This product helps to reduce and control sebum in the skin. Kinerase Clear Skin Moisture Light re-hydrates while soothing and calming the skin significantly and leaves skin with a matte finish.

Importance of Hand Sanitizer in our Everyday Life

Doc Health Plan - One of the greatest advances in the history of Medicine was the discovery of microorganisms and their connection to disease. Less than 150 years ago, surgeons were performing surgery without even washing their hands. The death rate from infection was very high. Major communicable diseases were spread from person to person without any check at all. Once the connection between these little unseen killers and the havoc they create in the human body was realized, we entered a whole new era of health and longer life.

Today, a lot of viruses were being reported to have infected humans. One is SARS, and now, the H1N1 Swine flu virus that is currently being considered as pandemic. The threat of a pandemic is sweeping the world, through a new strain of swine flu. Many deaths have been recorded in Mexico. Several other countries also have suspect cases reported, from as far apart as France, Hong Kong, Canada, Israel and New Zealand.

Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As of 2009, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.

Swine influenza virus is common throughout pig populations worldwide. Transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always lead to human influenza, often resulting only in the production of antibodies in the blood. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection. The meat of an infected animal poses no risk of infection when properly cooked.

Here are simple precautions you need to use to provide self-protection against the threatened pandemic:

Make sure you cover your nose and mouth if you sneeze or cough. Ensure you get rid of the tissue in the rubbish can after you use it. Keep a mask handy in case anyone sneezes or coughs around you.

Just one sneeze thrusts 100,000 droplets into the air at around 90 mph, landing on everything around you. British researchers have found that in a subway train during rush hour, as many as 10% of all commuters can come in contact with the spray and residue from just one sneeze. 150 commuters may become ill from one uncovered sneeze, or cough. The rush of air from a cough travels at speeds of nearly 600 mph.

Always wash your hands frequently, for up to 20 seconds, with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Always wash your hands thoroughly prior to eating and whenever possible do not eat with your hands.

It is estimated over 80% of all infections are spread by hands. If you are not able to wash your hands, resort to using hand-sanitizers with 60% alcohol content. These are available in handy pocket size containers.

Attempt to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth and definitely avoid kissing on the cheeks.

Germs are passed more quickly that way than any other method of transmission.

Try to stay away from sick people. Isolation and keeping your distance are your most efficient protective measures.

If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with other people, to keep them from becoming infected.

Keep aware and recognize any abnormal symptoms. If you are in doubt, go and seek professional advice.

Make sure you eat well, be careful of your sleep habits and take regular exercise. Increase your daily dose of vitamin C and practice good hygiene.

It has long been recommended that hands be washed with soap and hot water in a number of situations. Surgeons scrub their hands with antibacterial soap and hot water for a long time before donning gloves. This shows the importance of hand cleaning since unless the gloves are punctured, the hands are protected. Laws require food handlers and medical personnel to wash their hands with soap and hot water before beginning work and after visiting the bathroom.

Hand sanitizers are products that are intended for use when hand washing is impossible or impractical. Most hand sanitizers are made from an alcohol based gel that can be applied directly to the hand and rubbed in and dried without the use of water. Do hand sanitizers prevent disease and illness? Since a substance containing at least 65% alcohol by volume, and most hand sanitizers do, kills almost 99% percent of all bacterial and virus that it comes into contact with, the answer would have to be a resounding yes.

US House to vote health care repeal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The new Republican-controlled House of Representatives is certain to vote Wednesday to repeal President Barack Obama's health care reform. The Democratic-controlled Senate is just as certain to let the measure die.

Republicans and Democrats adopted a more civil tone without angry shouts as they debated the repeal legislation on the House floor Tuesday just 10 days after the shooting rampage in Arizona that left a Democratic congresswoman wounded and lawmakers of both parties stunned.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat, said he expected that "members will heed their own advice and will address the issues in a way that will deal with them on the merits.'' In the past, he added, too much of the public debate was "about incitement rather than informing, about making people angry, disrespecting the ... point of view of the other side.''

The House vote had been slated for last week as the Republicans' first order of business — a campaign promise that helped them regain the majority in the lower chamber. But action was put off after the attack on Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot through the head. She is hospitalized in serious condition but six others who attended her meeting with constituents in Tucson, Arizona, were killed. They include a federal judge and a 9-year-old girl.

Now, the House vote is back on after more than a week of national soul-searching and questions about whether the brutal tone of the political dialogue helped fuel the deadly attack in Arizona. While most politicians agree that the heated rhetoric had gotten out of hand, little has changed in narrowing the deep partisan divide on such key issues as the health care reform legislation.

The measure that Obama signed into law last March extended health care coverage over a period of four years to 32 million Americans who now lack it, and reshaped the way most Americans receive and pay for medical treatment. The signing followed a year of intense political battles and marked a victory that eluded presidents stretching back almost half a century.

Obama said Tuesday that he is willing to work with Democrats and Republicans to improve the health care law but warned that lawmakers shouldn't ``go backward'' and repeal the measure. In a statement, Obama said Americans deserve the freedom and security of knowing insurance companies can't deny, cap or drop their health.

Greens get teeth into dental care

A government review is expected by December to hand down a report on options to revamp the run-down public dental health sector Photo: iStock

THE Greens are stepping up the pressure for the cash-strapped Gillard government to fund the first phase of a substantial upgrade in public dental services in next year's federal budget.

A government review is expected by December to hand down a report on options to revamp the run-down public dental health sector, which has been left in limbo because of a Senate deadlock over the future of a Medicare-funded dental scheme.

Greens' health spokesman Richard Di Natale said his party expected the government to starting putting in place from next year a significant expansion of dental services to help more than 500,000 Australians who could not afford dental care.

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''Poor dental health is one of the biggest causes of preventable presentations to the emergency room,'' Senator Di Natale said.

''We need to have a more universal scheme. In the long term we need to look at providing much broader access to dental care,'' he told The Age.

He said there was clear evidence of the gaps in dental care. While fewer than 1 per cent of well-off Australians had no teeth left, more than 17 per cent of those on the lowest incomes had no teeth.

The public system treated about 800,000 people a year, but these represented only about 11 per cent of people eligible for such services.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard promised a big boost to dental care as part of her agreement with Greens to win their support in Parliament.

Senator Di Natale said the Greens had reluctantly accepted the government's failure to deliver the promise in this year's budget but would be ''very disappointed'' if there were no evidence of a credible upgrade in dental care next year.

He would not be drawn as to whether failure to deliver would be grounds for the Greens to withdraw their support.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon this week announced the establishment of the National Advisory Council on Dental Health, headed by former senior Health Department official Mary Murnane.

''The council will look at how to improve services to ensure that Australians have access to high-quality, cost-effective dental services,'' Ms Roxon said

The Greens are also adamant that the government should transfer into any reform program the full extent of spending on the Medicare dental scheme, which the government has been trying to dump since 2008.

The scheme, which provides up to $4200 in dental work for people with a chronic illness, has been the subject of rorting claims and has blown out to about $1.8 billion over four years.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott established the scheme when he was health minister. The opposition in the Senate has blocked government demands to dump it.

About Tooth Whitening Systems And White Light Refills

Most of the stains and problems in teeth may be caused by tobacco, coffee, tea or age. But sometimes such type of stains can be caused by some antibiotics as well such as tetracycline or too much fluoride.

At this condition you can consult your dentist about tooth-whitening options. It includes a number of whitening systems. But now a days Teeth whitening systems like Bleaching kits, Bonding, Porcelain veneers, Whitening Toothpastes used by dentists can be purchased. The ingredients in the tooth whitening systems can be used carefully at home. These home tooth whitening systems do not require extensive treatment sessions; you have to spend only fifteen to thirty minutes in a day. How many days the tooth whitening system can be used depend on the amount of whitening the customer prefers to have on his/her teeth?

To use the tooth whitening systems, customer must put on thin thermoforming trays over the top and bottom teeth for only 15 -30 minutes a day. This formula has much whitening power than other tooth whitening systems, white light refills and therefore requires less application, less time and less effort. It improves higher percentage of active tooth whitening ingredients and is ph optimized to maximize the tooth whitening process.

Some teeth whiting systems:

Bleaching kits—it is mostly accepted whitening tool for tooth bleaching.

Bonding—a complex resin that is molded onto the teeth to change their shade and to reform them.

Porcelain veneers— it is used to reshape and/or lengthen teeth as well as to whiten.

Whitening Toothpastes— whitening toothpastes effectively keep the teeth cleaner and looking whiter. The stronger toothpastes rely on scratch to remove external stains as opposed to actually changing the color of teeth.

It is very important to isolates your gums and lips with a protective material in order to avoid burning of your soft tissue. It is for this reason that home whitening kits usually have a low concentration of peroxide so that there is less change of any damage at home. The tooth whitening system does not contain any fluoride and its quality formula actually reduces tooth sensitivity. We unconditionally guarantee your total satisfaction with the results of our product or your money back - no matter how many you order.

Things to Do to Maintain Your Dental Hygiene

Inadequate dental hygiene can cause numerous problems not only to your mouth but throughout your body. Most people consider regular dental checkups to be something you do when youâ€™re younger.

However, as you age your body tends to breakdown and this also includes your teeth so keeping consistent with your dental hygienist is important at any age. Of course this doesnâ€™t mean you can slack on your regular practice of caring for your teeth. In fact, Iâ€™ve read quite often that you should brush and floss daily.

Quite honestly, that leads me to believe once a day is enough. Quite frankly, it isnâ€™t. You are required to eat three meals on a daily basis. Generally, itâ€™s taught that people should brush after meals. Therefore, brushing three times a day would be more appropriate. Flossing is important because most often, brushing doesnâ€™t get all the particles from between your teeth.

Food left behind turns into bacteria quickly. This bacterium sets the stage for a majority of problems with your teeth. Flossing will prevent this from happening. Rinsing also helps in killing bacteria not to mention, makes your breath smell fresh and clean. For those who are generally found within groups, the company you keep will be grateful.

Regular routine cleanings by your hygienist are also crucial because no matter how hard you try there is likely to be little microscopic nuisances lying around in your mouth. It is also important for us to understand the effect our nutritional habits has on our teeth. Poor diet can lead to significant dental problems especially in adolescents because of their tendency to indulge in foods with high sugar content. Soda, is especially damaging.

Eating foods which are high in vitamin and mineral content will help your defense against potential dental difficulties. Keeping your dentist informed is also very important. People tend to overlook telling their dentist about clicking, locking, or grinding in relation to their teeth or jaw. Grinding your teeth can be very damaging and possible cause them to crack or break. The problem is, some people tend to do this in their sleep and donâ€™t realize it.

So discussing with your dentist symptoms such as soreness and pain can be significant in diagnosing the problem and getting treatment. Maintaining your dental hygiene does take effort but itâ€™s far more difficult to restrict your smile.

Why Teeth Whitening Systems Are So Effective?

Tobacco, coffee, tea or age are the main reasons for the teeth problems, but there are case where some antibiotics as well such as tetracycline or too much fluoride can cause them.

If you are in this condition you can visit as well as consult your dentist, and let him know about your problems in order to suggest you a number of whitening systems. There a lot of Teeth whitening systems such as: Bleaching kits, Bonding, Porcelain veneers, Whitening Toothpastes used by dentists, which can be purchased at any time. All the ingredients included in the tooth whitening systems can be used carefully at home.

Our Teeth whitening system can do a lot for you, having in mind that customers must put on thin thermoforming trays over the top and bottom teeth for only 15 -30 minutes a day - and this is a single Session. This system does not include any fluoride and its quality formula actually reduces tooth sensitivity with no question asked at all. Guarantee your total satisfaction with the results of our product or your money back - this is with every product in this niche, because the smile of your face if one of the thongs that people will see and comment as well.

Using such a teeth whitening system you should stick to the instructions given on the site or those, which are shipped with the product. In both cases you will have maximum results if you do it correctly. Some dental products have strict rules of using them in order to achieve what you are looking for, while others are just well-know on the market and have no specific rules, just a short instruction and that's all. The second ones are used in a family as a normal product.

As you know some people go to dentist not only to fix their teeth, but to make them more attractive, white and beautiful. Well if you need to go to dentist and make them more attractive as well as white you have to think of a product that can bring them in this condition without all the procedures, something that is provided on the offline or online stores. Teeth whitening system are available online and offline, that's why laser procedures are replaced by these easy to use and safe supplements.

Your Fear of the Dentist

Dental phobia is estimated to affect about 30% of all adults, with many unable to entertain the idea of dental work being done under anesthetic.

As with most forms of phobic behaviour, the origins of dental fear tend to be found in childhood or adolescence - a traumatic dental experience, possibly with a critical or inconsiderate dentist, maybe backed up by unfavourable experiences related to friends or family members. Such experience can influence adult behaviour despite any amount of education and media coverage to the contrary.

The consequences of dental phobia can be traumatic in themselves. Over many years, a condition which is treatable can turn into one which is not. Phobic patients are highly likely to suffer from dental disease and end up slowly losing their teeth or in emergency services.

Dental phobics can get special help by specialists in psychotherapy services. There is a ‘talking’ cure, a very effective and friendly form of treatment, which often produces dramatic results. The guiding principle behind treatment is a graduated controlled exposure of patients to the feared stimulus.

The patients first have a session, in a room near the surgery, with a psychotherapist who will work with them to help them leave their fear in the past. They will then have a consultation with the dentist. Psychotherapy is more effective if the patients go immediately into the surgery, even if only for a consultation, rather than waiting several weeks.

A demystification of the dentist and his equipment is intended. Not all dentists cause pain. Besides, if one goes to the dentist regularly and damage to the teeth is treated immediately, there is little chance for the patient to feel any pain, whereas when fear of the dentist keeps you away from the surgery and your teeth develop large cavities, the intervention will always be painful.

How Preschool can Affect your Child's Health

Doc Health Plan -Many parents fail to recognize the role that the right preschool plays in their child health. They tend to categorize things into set boxes, such as emotional intelligence being limited to those that the child learns in the home, the school being the place for a child’s mental, social, and intellectual development, while the paediatrician’s clinic is the only place wherein his physical health will be in check.

The truth is, a child’s health is affected by all the factors in his daily life. From infancy on, his immediate environment would be the home, along with whoever are his main caregivers; some babies are exposed to day care and babysitters from a very early age when their mothers happened to be working, either as part of a dual income household or as a single mom. When a child reaches the age of readiness for school, though, some parents simply send their child to the school most convenient for them, the parents. While it is an important consideration that the parents find the school “convenient,” there are also other factors to consider in picking the best preschool:

1. What are your child’s sleeping habits? Does the time for the preschool match those sleeping habits, or if there were to be some adjustments made, do you foresee him having an easy time with the adjustment? Of course, children are naturally very flexible, but you will need to make sure that the time when he is expected to be at the school will not result in his lacking sleep on a daily basis.
2. Does the school respect the individual child and his learning style? Early childhood education experts have discovered a greater retention and lesser stress levels for children who are nurtured in a play-based environment compared to strictly academic ones. If the preschool you are considering adheres to these principles, you will likely find your preschooler enjoying school and having an easier time adjusting to the new environment.
3. Is the school kept clean and hygienic, with high regard for possible allergies or accidents? When you check out the school, check the safety precautions that the owners have set in place. Although the government typically requires preschools to have child proofing facilities, use your keen sense of parenthood to check if anything seems amiss about the place. If your child happens to have allergies, you will need to check what the school has set in motion regarding keeping him from allergens like pollen or other allergens found in most grassy areas.
4. Does the school promote healthy eating habits? Although eating habits are developed from the home, your child will be spending considerable time in school, and if the adults at the school do not make healthy eating a priority, chances are, your child will also absorb their beliefs.

5. Does the school foster an atmosphere of friendly camaraderie and cooperation instead of competition? Young children may enjoy some friendly competition, but when used as a daily way of life, it can be highly stressful, especially if your child happens to be slower than other children. You will know whether those running the preschool understand individual difference from this one point. If you want to keep your child from unnecessary pressure, it might be wise to steer clear of schools that put too much emphasis on performance, especially in comparison to other children.

6. Does the school give its students a sense of accomplishment minus rewards and punishments? Although rewards are generally harmless, it can go to extremes, too, that a child’s self esteem becomes determined by the rewards he gets: whether he gets a star that day or not. On the other extreme, punishments are even more crucial in shaping a child’s heart: if the school resorts to threats or punishments that hinge on physical or even verbal abuse, you would be wise to get your child out of there immediately.

As a parent, there are no hoops that you would not go to in ensuring your child grows up to be healthy in all aspects that truly count. In your preparation for getting your preschooler ready for school, may you find the wisdom needed in picking the school that will definitely benefit your child, not just intellectually and mentally, but also socially, emotionally, and in terms of his physical upbringing.

Breastfeeding Made Easier

Doc Health Plan -Breastfeeding is easy—or so it seems. After all, every mother from the Stone Age, from the Biblical Eve, down to the modern busy yuppy mom can do it with her eyes closed. But when you really get down to it, the late-night feedings, the offering of the breast every half hour, can actually wear down a new mom. Unfortunately, many moms feel that they are being unloving to their babies when they admit that breastfeeding is actually exhausting and that they would rather just stick a bottle in their babies’ mouths instead of having to go through the entire thing again on the next day, and the next, and the next.

What is it about breastfeeding that makes it so difficult? If mothers from several generations ago, prior to the invention of formula milk and milk bottles, only had breastfeeding to rely on to keep their babies alive, how come they managed to do that—and still maintain their homes and help in the farm and all that stuff? How do you, as a modern-day mom, find a way to breastfeed without dying from exhaustion?

The following important principles about breastfeeding will likely change the way you do it, and make it much easier for you:

1. You breastfeed to “feed” your baby. This means that you will want to make sure your baby gets the meal he needs to see him throughout his nap. Babies, especially newborns, sleep most of the day. However, when they are not satisfied with their milk, they tend to wake up in shorter intervals, bawling for milk. What could be the cause? Is it possible that they did not take in as much milk as they needed? Is it possible the baby fell asleep at the breast too soon? This is a common mistake among mothers, wherein they nurse the baby to sleep. Can you imagine falling asleep in the middle of your lunch, without having eaten enough to give you energy for the rest of the day? This is also the case with infants who are nursed at a time when they are already sleepy. This is why experts recommend switching the baby’s feeding-sleeping-wake patterns. Instead of allowing the baby to wake up and feed only when he is about to sleep, they recommend feeding the baby as soon as he wakes up, so that he gets a full feeding. When he finally falls asleep, he falls asleep full and satisfied. This results in longer naps, and longer rest periods for mom before she needs to nurse again.2. Breast milk comes out in batches. The first batch is the thinner milk. With enough stimulation, the hind milk is released. This is much more laden with nutrients. As such, it is the longer feeding time, that is, with baby fully awake, that allows the baby to get the benefits of this hind milk. When you know about this, you will find it much easier to aim to get that hind milk out and into your baby’s mouth. Also, this hind milk results in a fuller, more satisfied infant who sleeps more soundly.

3. The more stimulation that a mother’s breast gets, the more milk is produced. This principle will give hope to any mom who gives up breastfeeding due to poor milk supply, especially during the first month after birth. Misconceptions abound about how only those moms whose breasts overflow with milk from the first day of birth can successfully breastfeed. Of course, there will be some moms who indeed cannot produce enough milk, but more possibly, the breasts have not gotten enough stimulation because the baby falls asleep too soon. This is where a breast pump might help, in giving added stimulation just to ready the milk production for the baby’s benefit.

These basic principles should equip you with what you need for making sure your baby gets all that he needs from breastfeeding without wearing you out to nothingness. When you apply these principles, you will find the task to be manageable enough that you can even do other chores in between, giving you a glimpse of what it meant when mothers of old had only their breasts to give their babies suck.

Reasons Why Kids Lose Their Appetite

Doc Health Plan -One of the most common problems with kids is loss of appetite and this worries a lot of parents from all over the world. There are kids who simply resent eating at any time of the day or insist on eating only his favorite. Usually, these favorites are not so healthy and a lot of children usually lose their desire to eat specifically when it comes to nutritious foods. Loss of appetite in children can be quite alarming especially if the child is starting to lose weight, seem small for his age or is always lacking energy. It may be an indication that a child is sick or it may lead to eating disorders.

There are several reasons for a child to not want to eat. The most common causes will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

1. Junk Food between Meals

There are kids who can be very picky. If they do not see anything interesting to eat on the dinner table, especially if it’s green and leafy, then they’d rather starve themselves. Appetite, gone with the wind! But when you present them with oh-so-colorfully packed and prepared junk foods, notice how they are more excited to eat this kind of stuff. Another thing, notice how they tell you that they’re hungry and request “snacks” (which are more junk food rather than healthy snacks) when it’s near dinner time. It will definitely ruin their appetite especially if they consume these foods right before the proper meal. If you know that your child gets hungry on a specific time before lunch or dinner, you can adjust his meal time or give him nutritious snacks that can increase the appetite. Avoid stuffing him with chips, juice, soda, sweets or chocolate drinks an hour before meal time. These foods will definitely drive his appetite away.

2. Flu

Influenza or flu is one of the most common reasons why kids lose their appetite. This is an obvious reason because aside from not feeling well and lacking energy to do other stuff, a person loses his or her ability to taste food. Children won’t eat what they can’t taste and especially if their little tummies don’t feel so well either. If your son or daughter usually likes eating and suddenly loses his or her appetite, then start checking the temperature. The child could be suffering from flu. Do not force the child to eat full solid meals, instead, treat him with soups and natural fruit juices. An occasional treat of his favorite food won’t hurt. Letting a child eat what he wants once or twice when he’s not feeling well will help him forget that he’s sick just for a little while.

3. Too Much Pressure

Pressure results to stress. Just like adults, stress can make desire for foods disappear. Look for signs of aloofness, sadness or irritability in your child. If he is going through some extreme pressure in school or having problems with his siblings or his best friend, this could be the cause of his lack of appetite. You may also want to assess yourself if you are giving too much pressure on your child when it comes to eating habits or other issues. Force feeding is never the answer. It can even lead to severe eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. If you don’t want your children to love eating junk or detest anything green, yellow or red in their meals, then start with feeding them what’s right and healthy. Once you let them get used to not eating veggies or eating fries and ice cream an hour before lunch which clearly causes them to not want to eat lunch anymore, then they will grow up with that eating habit.

4. Distractions

Television and computer games are two of the most distracting creations ever made. If these can distract adults from work or from doing other important things, then it could even more distract a playful child from mealtime. But sometimes, kids just follow what adults do. So, be a good example. If it’s time to eat, then encourage everyone in the family to sit down on the table and eat together as a family. You can let them get away with eating in front of the television sometimes, say, once every weekend. Don’t let these gadgets take away your child’s needed nutrition.

These are just some of the reasons why kids sometimes don’t want to eat. Be observant and be a responsible parent as well when it comes to feeding your child the right foods and in developing a healthy eating habit.

Caring for a Child’s Emotional Needs

Doc Health Plan -Many parents, especially first-time ones, run to parenting books for guidance on how to care for their newborn babies. Of course, authors of parenting books are eager to lay out the physical as well as social needs of babies and children. However, one aspect that is, up to this day, largely overlooked in parenting books are a child’s emotional needs. Sure, they tackle emotional quotient as being more important than a child’s IQ, but do you know that parents play the largest role in shaping their child’s EQ?

How do parents meet a child’s emotional needs? After all, aren’t they so young that they need to be guided to behave properly and not throw temper tantrums?

Herein lies the very subtle deception. Young children typically do not have the capacity to tell right and wrong, and expecting them to behave based on standards that adults have set over the generations in their specific culture is not only unrealistic, it also sets an unnecessary pressure on the child. Have you seen parents who scold their young kids for spilling a cup of juice on the carpet? Parents can rave and rave about how stupid the child was for spilling, or sometimes, for not obeying the rule of no drinks in the living room, when in fact the child is obviously immature, not rebellious. This has a scathing effect on a child, especially when done often. And indeed, parents who have the weakness of yelling at their child for every little misdeed, intentional or not, tend to succumb to that weakness more and more.

So how can one care for a child’s emotional needs? The following are only examples, as each child is unique and you are especially gifted with wisdom how to deal with the child entrusted to you:

1. Enjoy them. This is one of the most difficult things to do, as parents, who see their child in every state, including the difficult tantrums and hard headedness, tend to skip over the enjoying part and go right on to the scolding and making them “behave.” Sure, once in a while, a dad may have fun with his son, and a mom may laugh at a crazy antic, but why not make this the norm instead of the exception? A child needs to know that he is enjoyed and loved, and from there he will grow up to be confident and a pleasing addition to society.2. Don’t set unrealistic expectations on your child. This has actually become so much more commonplace this generation, with preschools that admit younger and younger children. Whereas, a few generations ago, children only went to school at first grade, now we have preschools that admit even two-year-olds. How can adults expect a two-year-old to behave like his more mature seven-year-old brother, who can sit quietly coloring or playing with his robots? This unreasonable expectation contributes to stress not just to kids, but to parents as well—and in the end it will backfire on the way they treat their kids.3. A little touch goes a long way. Science has undergone many a research study on the effects of touch on a baby’s life. One of these studies have tested two groups of babies, all of which were fed properly and had their physical needs met. However, one group received lots of hugs and kisses, while the other didn’t. The study showed that the group that got the affectionate touches fared much better than the other group. As parents, hugging and kissing are our privilege, and being free to express our affection actually also frees our children to be who they are, and still be accepted for who they are.

4. Respect their interests and nourish them in that area. In the same vein that children need to know they are enjoyed and accepted for who they are, they also need to know that their parents approve of their interests. Interests are a strange thing that naturally manifests as part of a child’s design. Having the parents encourage them in their interests actually serves to skyrocket their potential, giving them a good self-esteem to succeed later on in life.

The difficult thing about a child’s emotional needs is that they are largely intangible. But it is no surprise that families are the basic unit of society, before any child goes on into the tough world out there, as the daily hugs and kisses from mom and dad will more than equip him to be emotionally stable and socially acceptable in the long run.

Hyperacidity in Kids

Doc Health Plan -Hyperacidity is usually detected in children when they have problems with the natural process of bowel movement: for example, diarrhea and constipation are taken as natural symptoms of a problem in the digestive system. So is vomiting. However, these are usually attributed to other causes, such as parasites, indigestion, or any other sickness, with hyperacidity being the last that parents think about. This may perhaps be due to the seeming simplicity of hyperacidity, or perhaps more likely, to its intangibility.

What causes hyperacidity? Whether in adults or children, studies have shown that stress and pressure contribute to the release of acids in the stomach. Even worse, having this causes extreme discomfort, which adds to the agitation and stress levels that the child faces, resulting in an endless cycle. Is there a way to cut this cycle? In adults, it is possible to train them to relieve their stress. Also, adults have antacids that can help alleviate the problem. On the other hand, to date, there has not yet been a strong availability of antacids designed for children. So how do you, as a parent, help your child if you suspect he is suffering from hyperacidity?

1. The first thing you can do is try to adjust his diet. There are certain foods that inarguably trigger acid in the digestive system. Top on this list would be acidic fruits and juices, such as lemon, lime, and other citric fruits like orange and pomelo. Too much sweets is also known to cause hyperacidity, especially when taken on an empty stomach. You can also try to reduce his intake of heavy meats and switch it with easier to digest vegetables and starches like potatoes.2. The next thing you need to consider is the level of stress he faces daily, and then you need to try to make adjustments as necessary. If your child is young and goes to school, the rushed preparation for the school day may be part of the irritants. In this example, you can make things more relaxed perhaps by waking up half an hour earlier. This will translate into a less pressured preparation time both for him and you. If you find him stressed over school work, perhaps finding a tutor to help him get back on track temporarily might help.3. Is he getting enough rest? A child who is sleepy tends to be cranky and therefore much more stressed than one who is well rested. For this, you will need to check his bedtime routine. If he seems to get enough hours of sleep but wakes up cranky, check if he’s waking up during the night disturbed by nightmares or unnecessary noises. You can reduce the disturbance by toning down your own night time activities, or perhaps by playing music in his room to act as white noise. If nightmares are a disturbance, check his intake of media: studies have shown that excessive TV watching, especially of material that is not wholesome or beneficial, can cause nightmares and night terrors in children.

4. Take the time to laugh! The person who coined the phrase “Laughter is the best medicine” is right on par. Not only should you try to avoid stress for your child, you can actually combat the effects of stress by having laughing sprees. Adults nowadays, especially with busy work schedules and family commitments, sometimes overlook the beauty of laughter, especially in terms of sharing it with their little ones. But this can do wonders to your child’s health, when he gets a healthy dose of good, clean fun with his parents. Whatever stress he may be facing throughout the day will likely disappear after just a few minutes of laughing, either through a funny movie or a tickle fest with his parents.

These practical tips might not seem like much, but you will see the effects when you find your child having a more relaxed and happy demeanor. And sooner or later, you can be sure you will be able to kiss his hyperacidity and the uncomfortable symptoms goodbye forever. So go ahead, you have permission to make life more fun for you and your child!

Is it Possible for Children to Get Heat Stroke?

Doc Health Plan -Anybody can get heatstroke, especially a child. Since little ones do not have fully developed central nervous systems, they do not have the capability to handle shifts in body temperature. They also find it hard to stay hydrated all the time and these facts increase their risk of getting heat stroke.

What is heat stroke? Heat stroke is a type of hypothermia which is an unusually increased body temperature accompanied by physical signs and changes in the function of the nervous system. Also known as sun stroke, this medical situation is considered an emergency and could be fatal if not treated promptly and correctly. When a child gets over exposed to heat, the temperature of the body goes up and its capacity to cool down is broken.

Kids are particularly susceptible to heat stroke. Allowing them to play outside during a very hot day or dressing them with clothes that are too warm for the hot weather, or leaving them in a parked vehicle which is just plain reckless – this can leave them dehydrated and end up with heat stroke. Bad sunburn also increases the risk of this deadly condition.

What are the symptoms of child heat stroke? The first sign of possible heat stroke in a child is heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion includes moist and cool skin, fatigue, thirst and cramped stomach or legs. If these symptoms progress to heat stroke, then the parent should observe the skin if it is red, dry and hot. Get the child’s temperature and if it measures 39.4 degree Celsius and above but the patient is not sweating, then he or she might be suffering from sunstroke. Other signs are quick pulse, confusion, dizziness, vomiting, restlessness, headache, fast but low breathing, unconsciousness, and unusual activities like a weak response when the baby is tickled or called. Common signs of dehydration should also be observed like tearless cries, sunken eyes, sticky or dry mucous membranes, less urination and irritability.

If you think that your child has sun-caused stroke, don’t panic. Have someone call for an ambulance. What you must do is to bring down the child’s temperature as fast as you can. Remember that as soon as you do something, there is a greater chance for the child to survive. One must also take note that severe heat stroke can leave the child unconscious really fast and this should be avoided.

To cool the patient down, take all the child’s clothes off and put him or her in a cool place. If you’re still outside and exposed in the sun, you must find a shade or cover. But, it is more advisable if you bring the patient inside an air-conditioned building. Elevate his head with a pillow or a towel or blanket that you have folded. Wash the child’s body using a towel or washcloth that you have soaked in cold water. Continue doing this while you’re waiting for medical help to arrive. It will also help if there is an electric fan that you can use to fan the child, if not, and then find any material like a magazine or newspaper that you can use. Speak to the child, comfort him, and tell him that he has to stay awake and that the ambulance is on its way. Do not give him something to drink and don’t attempt to let him take acetaminophen because it won’t do anything to bring down the temperature.

However, if the baby or toddler is displaying symptoms of heat exhaustion that has not developed into heat stroke yet, then bring him or her inside as fast as possible. It would be better if it is in an air-conditioned area. Let the child drink lots of water that is not too cold to avoid stomach cramps. A cool bath will be good and playing inside for the meantime is important for the child to heed. If you don’t see improvements, rush him to the hospital.

It is very easy for a child’s body to overheat, so as a parent, one must be very cautious about letting their kids go out and play active games during a hot day. Help them get used to the super hot weather by allowing them to play outside a tad at a time and lengthening this time as the week progress. Light and breezy clothes should be worn and increased intake of liquids and playtime breaks should be imposed especially during summer months. Know when to keep the kids inside when the temperature is too hot to bear.

Night Terrors: How Media Affect Children’s Sleep

Doc Health Plan -It is common knowledge that what children watch on television or videos affect their behavior. But do you know that even sleep, something that they do not have conscious control over, can be affected?

Although children normally go through night awakenings regularly, especially for younger kids, experts indicate a difference between these natural awakenings and what they call “night terrors.” Interestingly, most parenting books tell parents that when their children experience these night terrors frequently, they should consult their pediatrician.

Night terrors are characterized by rough awakenings in the night wherein the child wakes up crying and takes a long time, if at all, to be comforted. Sometimes the child will actually be awake, other times he may appear to be asleep but crying incessantly. Parents who are familiar with their child’s crying patterns may notice that the cry does not seem to be one of familiar cause, such as the usual hunger, pain, or needing company; instead, trained ears may notice that the cry sounds more like an unknown fear.

Some parenting books even go on to say that the cause of such night terrors is unknown. This gives parents little solace, especially when they experience the nightly disturbance to sleep with no idea how to comfort the little ones.

Do you know that the media that your children are exposed to can actually contribute to these night terrors? This is especially true for children below six years old, as studies prove that children of this age range are incapable of distinguishing between reality and fantasy. As such, mystical creatures that you may easily shrug off as not true may not be as impossible for your little one. It will therefore be no surprise when your little one tells you that he had a nightmare filled with dragons and monsters and other things that you know are not real.

Knowing this might help you to make wiser media choices for your children. Various experts have proven that children naturally desire beautiful and good things. This is a good starting point. Instead of struggling to undo the damage done by negative media, perhaps a better way would be to infuse your child’s media exposure with beautiful things, such as happy movies, cartoons with love as the main theme, and similar things. Some Christian families have observed the decreased occurrence of nightmares among their children when they have switched to Bible-based stories, which after all, tell them about a God who loves them and is for them. Some children also enjoy a good night’s sleep when they have happy bedtime stories told them, especially of stories that show how a hero is always looking out for their good and takes care of the big bad wolf and the dragon.

Of course, these days, it is hardly possible to screen everything your child watches, especially with the Internet being an easy access. Still, when you know how these media can cause night terrors, you might not be quite so passive about making sure your child gets a daily feeding of positive media. In addition to infusing stories into your child’s daily schedule, music can also play a role. Christian families also report that exposure to worship music at a young age causes young children to report having happy dreams of a God who loves them instead of nightmares of monsters and demons.

Now that you know how media can affect your children’s sleep, you will most likely be interested in finding more choices of videos and stories that will be beneficial to your children in the long run. After all, if you love your kids enough to give them healthy food, you will also likely want to give them a healthy feeding for their minds, as this will have greater repercussions for their lives much more than healthy eating habits.

Tummy Aches in Children

Doc Health Plan -When a child complains of a stomach ache, the main fear of parents is: what if it’s appendicitis? Of course, appendicitis is indeed a rational fear, as there seems to be no known cause and it has been shown as a possibly fatal inflammation.

But before you worry yourself to death, understand that not all tummy aches can be appendicitis. There are in fact many other possible reasons why your kid is complaining of a tummy ache, some of which you can treat, while others are simply ones you have to wait out and prevent the next time. You can consider the following as other possible causes of the tummy ache that might be ailing your little one:

1. Gas is among the major causes of tummy aches, especially in kids who might gulp in too much air, usually from eating too fast. Experts have also noted that stress seems to result in gas, especially emotions like fear and anger. Once he gets to pass the gas, he should be fine. Children generally are not prescribed medication for passing gas, but if it becomes a common problem, consult your pediatrician. In any case, training your child to eat slowly and properly may help him avoid swallowing too much air as he eats.

2. Indigestion may also be a culprit. Since it may not be possible to cure the indigestion once it happens, knowing some ways to prevent it from happening again may spare you a lot of headaches in the future. You can help your child by improving his intake of probiotics over the next few weeks. Yogurt is a good source of the healthy bacteria that helps improve digestion. Fortunately yogurt now comes in many fruity flavors that little ones enjoy. You may also check if your child is chewing his food properly. If you notice him gobbling up his food too fast, it might cause him to have improper digestion. Stop him and ask him to slow down and chew properly. Food supplements containing zinc may help improve digestion too. Share your concerns with your pediatrician and ask for his recommendation of vitamins and dietary supplements for your child.

3. Another possible cause is full bowels. Has your child moved his bowels yet? Did it seem sufficient based on his regular routine? Perhaps you might notice that the last bowel movement he had was a little less compared to usual; this might indicate constipation. If you think he is constipated, give him plenty of fluids and try to increase his fiber constipation over the next few days. You can add more fruits or whole-grain items into his diet. Oatmeal is a good source of fiber, as well as whole-grain cereals that you can serve him for breakfast. During the time when he still hasn’t moved his bowels, you can refrain from giving him fried food. If the problem persists, consult your doctor. There are laxatives designed for children but they are usually prescribed and not over-the-counter. Helping your child develop healthy habits of regular bowel movement may help, too, as it assures you that his intestines are regularly cleared.

4. Sometimes, the pain may come from microorganisms in his tummy, and your doctor will be able to diagnose it properly. If the stomach ache is accompanied by loose bowels or diarrhea, your doctor will most likely require a stool exam. If ever diarrhea happens, just make sure to keep your child well-hydrated, and check that it does not continue for more than a day or two. Sometimes a child may have diarrhea for less than a day if he had eaten something that upset his stomach, but any longer than that should be referred to your doctor.

Technically, pain from appendicitis occurs on the lower right quadrant of the stomach. In any case, if your child’s tummy ache seems to persist or comes on and off a lot, it may be best to consult your doctor so he can check other possible causes of the pain. Anything that bothers you should be enough cause to bring it up with your doctor, and he will help you find the best way to deal with your child’s tummy ache.

Does Your Child Have G6PD Deficiency?

Doc Health Plan -Newborn screening has helped doctors diagnose certain hereditary conditions in babies as early when the baby is a couple of weeks old, and one of the conditions that they can detect is a deficiency in G6PD. While other conditions are fatal, G6PD deficiency is easily managed, although there will be some nutritional considerations to take.

G6PD, or Glucose Phosphate Dehydrogenase, is an enzyme required to convert substances in the body into a reduced form, which keeps our red blood cells from getting damaged. As such, a child that lacks G6PD lacks this capacity to convert the given substance into a form that does not pose a risk of damage to the red blood cells. This means that a child with G6PD deficiency can get anemic as a result of the destroyed red blood cells. The condition is a rare hereditary condition that can affect people in different degrees from person-to-person.

If your baby’s newborn screening result shows him to have G6PD deficiency, there are ways you can care for him to take into account the condition:

1. You can help improve his resistance to infection by having regular immunization.

2. Certain antibiotic medications should be avoided, such as nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin, or those from the sulfa group, such as cotrimoxazole. Anti-malaria medicines like primaquine, the anti-leprosy drug dapsone, and pain relievers like high-dose aspirin should also be avoided.

3. Legumes and beans, including soy-based products, are generally not recommended for children with G6PD, as it may cause anemia. Consult your doctor for his advice, but typically he would recommend you not to introduce these foods at an early age. When the child is older, he might advise you to try to introduce them a little at a time.

4. Natural foods are preferred especially for children with G6PD. Your pediatrician will normally give you a list of foods to avoid, such as legumes and beans, but other than that, most natural foods should be safe. Try to steer clear of processed foods as much as possible, as they typically make use of soy and legume additives, or bean paste as a thickener. Thankfully groceries now offer a wider selection of fresh foods, and you can also get your pick at the local organic market. Natural fruit juices, fresh milk, and cheese, not the processed cheese food, are good additions.

5. Processed foods that you should be wary about offering a G6PD-positive child include artificial butter flavor, canned meats, chips, low-fat cheeses or cheese substitutes, sauces like Worcestershire or sweet and sour sauce, margarine, candies, or baked goods. If ever, be sure to offer any food item in small doses at first to check for any allergic response.

6. Chinese food and other similar Oriental food should also be taken in a watchful manner, as they are typically cooked with soy-based sauces or bean pastes. Korean food is very much filled with bean pastes as well. Of course, the level of intensity of a child’s G6PD-deficiency varies from person-to-person, anyway, so it is still best to check your child’s ability to ingest them.

7. When your child constantly rejects the natural, unprocessed food you offer, don’t despair. Instead, try to introduce foods one at a time, so you know which ones to improve upon should he reject them. For rejected foods, you can re-introduce them with a varied taste and perhaps a new presentation. Perhaps you can puree meat and veggies and form them into balls or patties to make them more attractive. While these sorts of challenges may also be encountered by moms whose babies are not G6PD-positive, it is more crucial for you as you cannot just resort to processed food at the first sign of trouble.

In any case, your pediatrician can give you recommendations of how to improve your child’s fight against anemia with his deficiency of this enzyme.

How to Boost Your Child’s Immune System

Doc Health Plan -Unlike adults, children are yet to develop their immune system. This is the reason why they are given essential vaccines as young as they are. It’s also a fact that small children get sick easily especially during the cold seasons. While it’s normal for your little ones to suffer from the common cold once in a while, it is not really necessary, and there are actually a lot of ways to prevent it. One is by boosting their immune system. Your children’s immune system is their body’s protection against sickness and diseases that might be too much for them to handle at their young age. By helping them improve it, they will have very little chance of getting sick with fever or cold at all.

You may ask, “How do I boost my child’s immune system?” Do you know that you can do that even when your child is still inside your womb? By taking vitamins and eating food that are essential for the development of your baby, you are actually helping boost his or her immune system even before your child comes out. Once your baby is born, you can continue boosting his immune system by breastfeeding him. Instead of giving him cow’s milk, give him breast milk to strengthen his immunity against chronic diseases like pneumonia, bronchitis, and even diabetes.

Once your children are old enough to understand, teach them the importance of healthy eating. Show them that in order for them to grow healthy and fit, they have to stay away from junk food and food that offers no nutritional value at all. In addition, it is your role as a parent to prepare healthy meals for your children so that their diet is rich in fresh fruit, vegetables, and other type of food that are essential for the development of their brain, bones, muscles, and most of all their immune system. Doing this will not only help your children become immune to sickness but will also help lower their risk for obesity which is often the cause of several health problems.

Another important thing you should teach your children is proper hygiene. Since kids love to play in the dirt, it’s easy for bacteria and germs to attack them. Therefore, teach them to wash their hands after playing outside and before and after eating their meals. Teach them to clean their bodies on a regular basis. To ensure their oral health, teach your kids to brush their teeth three times a day especially after meals. Most of the diseases that hit children are bacterial or viral in nature, so by showing them the importance of practicing good personal hygiene, you are helping them reduce their risk for diseases such as cold, flu, tonsillitis, stomach diseases, and many more.

Sleep is also essential for the improvement of your children’s immune system. Therefore, make sure your kid gets at least eight hours of sleep every night. Lack of sleep is linked to a number of health problems not only among adults but especially among children. When your children fail to get enough sleep all the time, chances are, their energy levels will become lower compared to other kids who sleep 8 straight hours at night. See to it that your kids get to bed as early as 9 in the evening, and in the afternoon, give them at least 2 hours of sleep as well to ensure that their immune system is working full time all the time.

Along with sleep, perhaps the most important thing you should teach your children in order for them to have strong immune systems is exercise. Regular physical activity doesn’t just help your children fight obesity but also helps them boost their immune system. To get your kids moving, it would help to encourage them to play sports like basketball, baseball, and football. Even a few hours of playing catch with your kids can already be a good start for them to learn to live an active lifestyle.

Finally, be a role model for your kids and live a healthy lifestyle yourself. Set an example by preparing healthy meals for the family, leading your family’s morning exercises, and staying away from bad health habits such as smoking and drinking. If you can do this, you will see your children and your children’s children living healthy lifestyles.

Is Your Childs Health Affected by Video Games?

In this day and age, every household is familiar with video games dominating the lives of the young and the not-so-young ones. With the rise of the Internet, the kinds of games that kids play have evolved from one-man games to online games that allow them to play against virtually anyone anywhere on the planet.

In and of itself, video games are nothing more than recreation for kids, but when done in excessive amounts of time, they can negatively affect other aspects of your child’s life. This is why as parents, you need to know how to deal with video games that you allow, if you do allow them, into your kids’ daily life.

The Internet has paved the way for virtually limitless possibilities when it comes to video games. For example, there are card games, board games, adventure games, and many more. Role playing games are also extremely popular, and they allow the players to connect to the game and play with the thousands of users that are logged in at any one time. Counterstrike and Ragnarok are among the most popular RPGs, along with Cabal, Special Forces, and War Rock. Even third world countries seem to be well-updated on these games, as the lowest-income child can still play them by simply playing the Internet café computer use rental, which, by now, has sunk so low that it doesn’t cause any dent on a child’s allowance.

How do you know if your child is playing too much video games? After all, when they are played in moderation, they may mean no harm. The following symptoms may tell you if you need to pull the stop sign for your child’s video gaming:

1. Is your child becoming increasingly isolated and having trouble relating with other people? Poor social skills are a tell-tale sign of too much time spent on the computer, as the child spends most of his time with virtual playmates with whom he will obviously need not to deal with directly.

2. Does your child have erratic mood swings? Too much gaming can cause swings in your child’s behavior. There is no clear explanation for this, except perhaps he has gotten too engrossed in his virtual world that he has trouble adapting to the uncertainty of the real world. For example, when things don’t go as he would like, he may be alarmingly furious.

3. Have you caught him lying or stealing? Although these may have causes elsewhere, if your child has become addicted to gaming, he will likely want to do anything just to keep playing, including lying about household chores, stealing in order to buy things related to the game, or other unusual misbehavior.

4. Do you notice a deterioration of his physical health as well as regular sleep? Does he seem disinterested in hygiene? This can come about as he begins to obsess about the time he spends playing his games. Perhaps you may notice him rushing to school regularly without having taken a shower, or he seems unusually groggy on a regular basis.

5. Does he increasingly neglect his responsibilities, from home, to school, or for older kids, work? An increasing disinterest in chores that he may have been consistent with previously may signal a preoccupation somewhere else, and most likely, the culprit could be his gaming.

If your child shows any of these signs, it may be time to set your foot down as the parent. Perhaps you can work on an agreement with your child about the number of hours he can spend on the computer. For older kids, this may be a bit difficult, but perhaps you can start by bringing the computer out of his room into the living room where you can keep closer tabs on him. Alternatively, you can give him his freedom but just set periods of no-playing-time throughout the day, such as dinnertime and after a certain bed time. Remember, your child may resent you for it at first, but in the long run it will be for his own good. After all, you would not want him to shut himself off from the rest of the family and other friends, would you?

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