Bidi more Harmful than Cigarette

..:: Bidi more Harmful than Cigarette ::..

It contains more nicotine and has more particulate matter as it doesn't have filter.

FACTS AND FIGURES :-

1. 87,222 Number of males who took part in the study
2. 42 % The incidence of oral cancer in bidi smokers
3. 9 number of times a smoker puffs a cigarette
4. 28 number of times a smoker puffs a bidi

In probably the first such large-scale study of its kind, Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health, in collaboration with the ministry of health proved that bidis and other forms of tobacco (su-pari, gutkha, among others) are more harmful than cigarettes.

The study had a follow-up period of 5.5 years with as many as 87,222 male members from Mumbai participating in it. As per the study, the incidence of oral cancer in bidi smokers was 42% higher than in cigarette smokers. For all respiratory and intrathoracic organs combined, the increase was 69%; for lung and larynx, the increases were 35% and 112%, respectively Smokeless tobacco, on the other hand, was associated with cancers of the lip, oral cavity, pharynx, digestive, respiratory, and intrathoracic organs.

While the study was completed last year, it was published last month in the prestigious medical journal - Cancer Causes and Control - on March 5.

"While the popular perception is that bidi is natural, hand-rolled and has fewer chemicals, it is as harmful as cigarette smoking if not more. While there have been studies done abroad about the effects of cigarette smoking, there has been no Indian study comparing the effects of bidi smoking, cigarette smoking and smokeless cigarettes," said Dr. P. C. Gupta, the director of Sekhsaria Institute, based in Navi Mumbai.

In India, the bidi industry that is mostly home-grown accounts for 48% of the tobacco consumption making them much more popular than cigarettes. Despite the small quantity of tobacco it contains, bidis deliver more carbon monoxide than cigarettes. Bidis, the report states, necessitates deeper, more frequent inhalation as they extinguish more easily. An average bidi smoker puffs a cigarette nine times as opposed to a person puffing bidi 28 times. This is harder on the lungs as compared to cigarette smoking. Besides this, bidi contains more particulate matter as they do not have filters. They also have more nicotine, as compared to cigarettes. Bidis also contain higher amounts of chemicals such as phenol, hydrogen cyanide, benzopyrenes, carbon monoxide, and ammonia.

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Effects of Radiation on the Human Body

..:: Effects of Radiation on the Human Body ::..


Understanding Radiation Effect of Human Body ::-

A. Even small radiation doses, as low as 100 millisieverts, can slightly rise cancer risk.

B. Exposure to 1000 millisieverts is estimated to increase risk of fatal cancer by about 5%.

C. Half of those exposed to between 4000 - 5000 millisieverts die in a month.


Below are the Effects of Radiation on the Human Body ::-

1. Skin :- Caught in roots of body hair causes skin cancer.

2. Eye Cataracts :- Making effect on eye cataracts.

3. Thyroid Gland :- Thyroid Gland is susceptible to radioactive iodine which can destroy it.

4. Lung Cancer - Breast Cancer :- Making effect on Lung Cancer and Breast Cancer.

5. Stomach :- Damages to intestinal tract lining causes nausea, bloody vomiting and diarrhea.

6. Reproductive System :- Damage to ovaries and eggs in women and damages to prostate and testes in men.

7. Blood System :- Loss of white blood cells leaves victim more susceptible to infection.

8. Bone Marrow :- damage leading to leukemia or aplactic anemia.

Symptoms After Moderate Exposure ::-

A. Fever

B. Hair Loss

C. Vomiting

D. Diarrhea

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Smart Eating Habits

..:: Smart Eating Habits ::..

Most of us have a busy work schedules and a dozen other commitments to look into.
But, to do justice to all these various aspects of your life, you MUST pay attention to your diet and health.
How you eat your food is as important as what you eat. So, the next time you sit down to eat, enjoy your meal by keeping these pointers in mind.

Eat Slowly - Chew your food well ::-

It takes 20 minutes before your stomach sends a clear message to your brain that you're full.

If you take the time to chew your food well, you will find you end up eating less. Ideally, you should have smaller, frequent meals as opposed to larger, infrequent ones.


Eat More ::-

If you want to lose weight, starving yourself does not help -- you need to eat well.

Surprised......!!!

Here's the explanation: When your body doesn't receive the required nutrients, your metabolism slows down. Metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories while resting. So, if you don't eat enough, fewer calories will be burnt and there will be less fat loss. You should eat small meals at regular intervals to keep your energy levels high. Eat till you are satiated (at the same time, don't forget what suggested in Tip No 1).


Prevent Constipation ::-

Add fibre to your diet; this adds bulk to your food and prevents constipation. Whole grain foods like oatmeal, bran, wheat germ, brown rice, fruits (especially with their skin), prunes (dried plums) etc. are all good sources of fibre. Home remedies for constipation including the following:

~ Have guavas with the seeds.

~ Have honey in a glass of milk twice a day.

~ Have one tablespoon of corn syrup in a glass of water. Corn syrup is actually corn starch, which is primarily glucose. It is used in making candies, jams and jellies because it does not crystallise like sugar. Corn syrup is available in any well-stocked supermarket.


Have Onion and Garlic in your Meal ::-

Onion decreases Blood Pressure (BP) and Garlic decreases Cholesterol. Any amount and form of onion and garlic will give you the benefits of their properties, but a raw garlic clove taken on an empty stomach in the morning is the best.


Use less Salt in your Cooking ::-

Use minimum amount of Salt for cooking if you have high Blood Pressure (BP). Salt also causes water retention. This means your body will retain water if it is not receiving enough.

After all, it still has to carry on the normal functioning of the organs and if you are not drinking enough H2O, then the body starts keeping it.

Water being taken in other forms, such as soups, dals, drinks etc is retained for later use. Bloating and puffiness are all signs of water retention.


Have Calcium - Rich Foods ::-

Use skimmed or double-toned milk and milk products as these contain less fat. Double-toned milk has lesser fat than toned or full cream milk.

In the non-packaged variety, cow's milk is just as good as skimmed milk; it is definitely better than buffaloes' milk as the latter contains large amounts of fat. You should have between one and two glasses of milk a day.

Other sources of calcium and protein can be taken instead of milk, if one is allergic to it. Calcium rich foods include almonds, figs, red kidney beans (rajma), mustard greens (sarson ka saag) etc. Proteins can be found in sprouts, soya, dals etc.


Switch from Maida to Whole Grains ::-

Replace maida products with whole grains, whole wheat, soya breads etc. as these have a good amount of fibre; fibre helps in binding cholesterol, which helps in less production of bad cholesterol. Whole grain foods like oatmeal, bran, wheat germ and brown rice, fruits, especially with skins, prunes etc are all good sources of fibre.

Too much fibre may cause loose stools, so you have to monitor your individual intake accordingly. Medically, approximately 25 gm of fibre a day is enough to help maintain your digestive system.

A good indicator :: four slices of brown bread contains five grams of fibre; so does one large banana or orange.


Have foods that contain Iron ::-

These include fruits like watermelon and pomegranate, vegetables like spinach, beans, beets and broccoli, whole grains, dried fruits, especially prunes, sunflower seeds etc.


Relish the Flavours ::-
You may have heard some of these before. But the best good food habit, which we all seem to overlook, is to actually taste and enjoy the flavour of the food with your emotions instead of just your tongue.

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Natural Long & Healthy Hair

..:: Natural Long & Healthy Hair ::..

Forget hair revitalizing shampoos, great nutrition is the most effective way of getting awesome hair!
Shiny, healthy hair is a reflection of a healthy body, so it's like two for the price of one. Just like your body, your hair needs a balanced, nutritious diet to stay healthy. So follow this recipe for healthier hair, and be amazed at the difference it makes!

Water

Water makes up one-fourth of the weight of a strand of hair. Moisture makes the hair supple, so make sure you get plenty of fluids. A key point is NOT to wait until you're thirsty. If you're thirsty, it means your body has already lost more water than it should have, and it's urging you to fill up the tank. Water not only hydrates your body, but helps keep your hair silky and shiny. Ideally, you should drink between eight and ten glasses of water a day.

Protein

Protein is the building block of hair, so a diet for healthy hair contains an awful lot of protein! Protein will give the shaft of your hair more strength, and will reduce the likelihood of damage through snapping and splitting. You can get protein from foods like fish, meat, milk, cheese and cereals.


Minerals

Iron helps to carry oxygen to the hair. Without enough iron, hair and its follicles get starved of oxygen. This means that the goodness in the root of your hair is much less effective along the length of the strand. You can increase your iron intake by eating red meat and dark green vegetables, or by iron supplements.

Zinc builds hair protein which helps to prevent hair loss. Meat and seafood are the foods highest in zinc.

Copper is involved in the pigmentation of hair. You can optimize your natural color with a diet with plenty of copper. Who needs hair dye and fake color! Shellfish, liver, fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds and meat are all high in copper.

Vitamins

Vitamin A will give you a healthy scalp, because its great for the skin! You can get vitamin A from foods like vegetables - in particular, in carrots. (So its good for the waistline too!)

Vitamin B and C are important for good circulation, hair growth and hair color. If you ensure that you have enough vitamin B and C, youll have strong, supple strands of hair that do not split. You can get these vitamins from eating foods like fruit, vegetables, cereals, eggs, milk and bread.
So follow this healthy guide… be sure to add in a hefty dose of daily exercise to keep that blood pumping… then add proper hair care on the surface! Go ahead! Try it!

Soon enough you'll be turning down offers to do shampoo commercials!

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