Preventing Foot Problems
Category: Articles, Featured
Finding a comfortable shoe isn’t just about getting the right size. Learn how to get the right fit and more tips to keep your feet healthy.
Medical visits
- Report any foot pain or discomfort to your doctor. Your feet are not supposed to hurt.
- If you are a diabetic, be sure to have a foot checkup at least once a year.
Exercise and your feet
- Wear appropriate, properly fitted athletic shoes when you exercise.
- Walk often. Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It also contributes to your general health by improving circulation, contributing to weight control and promoting all-around well-being.
- Emphasize proper technique and basic movement skills in all sports, especially in children younger than age 10.
- Warm up before participating in sports, at any age.
- Vary your sports. Experts say that children who concentrate on a single sport at too young an age are more likely to develop injuries of the foot and ankle. Save specialization in sports for the late teens.
- Listen to your body: limit exercise if you have pain in your feet or ankles.
- Avoid walking barefoot on dirty pavements or littered ground. It can expose feet to painful skin infections, splinters and lacerations.
Buying footwear
- Shop for shoes in the afternoon. Your feet tend to swell during the day, and it’s best to buy shoes to fit you then.
- Have your feet measured every time you purchase shoes.
- Have your feet measured while you’re standing.
- Try shoes on both feet. Many people have one foot larger than the other. It’s best to fit the larger one.
- Realize that high-heels, pointy-toed shoes and certain other dictates of fashion can harm your feet. If you must wear them, do so infrequently and for short periods of time.
- Recognize the signs of ill-fitting shoes. (For example, corns and calluses are caused by friction from skin rubbing against bony areas of the feet, usually caused by shoes that don’t fit properly.)
- It’s best to have more than one pair of shoes and alternate wearing them to avoid rapid deterioration of the shoes.
- The condition of the shoe is more important than the price tag or brand name.
- Excessive wearing out indicates it’s time to replace the shoes.
Toenail tips
- Trim your toenails straight across with clippers specially designed for the purpose.
- Leave toenails slightly longer than the tips of your toes.
By : Islam Abu-Rayya
Blogger & Online Communication Coordinator
http://www.myoptumhealth.com
To avoid some common problems encountered in Ramadhan part 2
Category: Articles, Featured
Below listed common health issues faced in Ramadhan, their causes, and their remedies:
CONSTIPATION
Constipation can cause piles (haemorrhoids), fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestion with a bloated feeling.
Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fibre
in the diet.
Remedy: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, use bran in baking and brown flour when making flatbread.
INDIGESTION AND WIND
Causes: Over-eating. Too many fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and foods that produce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils. Carbonated drinks like Cola also produce gas.
Remedy: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or better still, drink water. Avoid fried foods, add ajmor to wind-producing foods.
LETHARGY (‘low blood pressure’)
Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are symptoms associated with “low blood pressure”. This tends to occur towards the afternoon.
Causes: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt intake.
Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.
Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood
pressure reading when symptoms are present. Persons with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadhan. They should consult their doctor.
HEADACHE
Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, and hunger. Usually occur as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with “low blood pressure”, the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.
Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadhan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganise your schedule during the Ramadan to have adequate sleep.
LOW BLOOD SUGAR
Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar.
Causes (in non-diabetics): Having too much sugar i.e. refined carbohydrates especially at suhoor. The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop.
Remedy: Eat something at suhoor and limit sugar-containing foods and drinks.
Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadhan.
Consult your doctor.
MUSCLE CRAMPS
Causes: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.
Remedy: Eat foods rich in the above minerals e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat and dates.
Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor.
PEPTIC ULCERS, HEART BURN, GASTRITIS AND HIATUS HERNIA
Increased acid levels in the empty stomach in Ramadhan aggravate the above conditions. It presents a burning feeling in the stomach area under the ribs and can extend up to the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions.
Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadhan.
KIDNEY STONES
Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquids to drink. Therefore, it is essential to drink extra liquids to prevent stone formation.
JOINT PAINS
Causes: During Ramadhan, when extra Salah are performed, the pressure on the knee joints increases. In the elderly and those with arthritis, this may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort.
Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadhan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Being physically fit allows greater fulfillment, thus enabling one to be able to perform Salah with ease.
By : Islam Abu-Rayya
Blogger & Online Communication Coordinator
http://www.islam101.com/ramadan/foodTips.htm
Fasting and Indigestion
Category: Articles
Indigestion is a common digestive disorder all over the world (regardless fasting). It is more common among people who have bad food habits and inactivity.
Indigestion During fasting is not an illness , but is – most probably- temporary malfunction of the digestive system, related to overeating, and rushing for food especially in breaking the fast as well as some bad eating habits.
Steps to Get Rid of Indigestion
- Avoid rushing and quick breaking of Eftar
- Avoid overeating specially in Eftar meal.
- Divide your meals into 3-4 small portions instead of having two heavy meals at once.
- Avoid fried , fatty and spicy food,
- Avid high calorie meals and sweets such as “Kunafah”, and fast food.
- Stay away from some type of food causing bloating and indigestion, such as legumes, eggs and soft drinks and meals.
- Get suitable amounts of fruits , vegetables ( watch any unwanted symptoms).
- Ensure you drink enough water.
- Avoid laziness. Practice your favorite exercise , and get rid of indigestion discomfort . Gain fitness and Health at the same time.
- Caffeine causes the stomach to produce more acid, so reduce or avoid foods and beverages that contain caffeine
- Avoid foods that contain high amounts of acids, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes
- Religion and Spiritual practice promote health as they are considered as the 4th dimensions of health
- Let the Holy month of Ramadan be a good chance to strengthen , spiritual ,social and psychological aspects of health.
- Learn meditation and relaxation techniques.
Source:www.iadc.org
Fast Safely during Ramadan
Category: News
Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan can be good for your health if you follow a well balanced diet and it can also help you kick some of those bad habits, like smoking for example.
However, if you get flu, you need to be careful that fasting is not damaging your health.
One of the risks of complications leading to a more severe illness with flu is dehydration, Therefore, if you have flu you must make sure that you drink water regularly.
Islamic law exempts the sick from fasting so if it is likely to be detrimental to your health then it is advisable not to fast,It also states fasting must be made up for at a later date, or people can make a charitable contribution as compensation.
General tips for healthy fasting:
- First step , in the weeks before fasting, try to cut down on caffeine and tobacco. While neither are good for you at any time of the year, tobacco and caffeine withdraw can be especially tough during Ramadan.
- Step 2 During Ramadan, you want to avoid sugar and white flour; food that provide a quick burst of energy, but causes energy level to quickly fall is not suitable to sustain you throughout the long fast. Better choices would be food that take longer to digest such as: grains, beans, lentils, whole wheat flour and unrefined rice. Plenty of fruits, nuts and leafy green vegetables should also be eaten.
- Step 3 Drink plenty of water and natural fruit juice before your bedtime so you are fully hydrated; again avoid caffeine or carbonated beverages, especially those that contain caffeine.
Tips & Warnings
- If you are overweight, Ramadan can be a great time to kick start a diet.
- If you are a smoker, try to quit forever.
- If any serious medical problems result from your fasting during Ramadan, please consult your doctor as soon as possible.
Fasting For Non Muslims
Category: Articles
When you get on to a fasting program, begin with a moderate approach and work your way up to a stricter program. For beginners, it is good to begin fasting with a little bit of eating each day. Your fast should extend to a 12-14 hour period in the evening and while you sleep and until you are ready for the day.
To prepare for the first day of fasting, you might need a few days to get rid of some food habits such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, sugar, red meats, and poultry. Limit the intake of nutritional supplements and eat only fruit and vegetables as these nourish and detoxify the body.
If you fast for a day, you won’t find it difficult to do. Perhaps you will feel hungry, get a headache or be irritable, but this is normal for the first couple of days, if your fast is longer. Usually, from day 3 onwards, you begin to adjust better to the program.
To avoid such symptoms, have one meal a day at 3 p.m., comprising water, juices, tea and fresh fruit or vegetable snacks. This can be a protein-vegetable meal or a starch-vegetable meal. If you begin with this, you detox slowly and lose a little weight and feel good too. This is encouraging for you and mentally you will be ready for the fast.
Once you achieve success there, go on to a one-day fast and then to a two- and three-day fast, and between them have light food comprising raw fruits and vegetables and juices and soups to cleanse your system. In this way, you can build up to a five- to ten-day fast.
A juice fast is easier to live on, and people don’t miss not eating solids. You can have fruit or vegetable juice that is rich in calories and nutrients that can build new cells and provide the inherent enzymes these vital foods contain.
To be successful in your fast, you need to move through the stages of detoxification to the more intense fasting by listening to your body and maintaining notes in a diary. Depending on your progress, you can move on to one-day fasts weekly or a three-day fast every month.
While you fast, remember to avoid eating sugar and refined foods and fatty foods. During the cleansing period, make time to meditate, exercise, get fresh air and sunshine, get a massage, clean your house and brush your skin. Below are some of the valuable tips on fasting.
Muslims daily fasts begin at dawn and end with sunset, 29-30 days called Ramadan, Ramadan ends with a day long celebration known as Eidul-Fitr.
